Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans

Objective To observe oral mifepristone and vaginal misoprostol combination (medical induction labor)for 16-28 weeks termination of pregnancy and compare the effectiveness with intrannmiotic instillation of ethacridine lactate (EL) in this setting. Methods 16-28 weeks gestation, total 100 pregnant women from February 2006 to June 2007 were elected. Two groups were divided randomly: group A (intraamniotic injection of ethacridine lactate)and group B(mifepristone and misoprostol combination). Main outcome measures: success rate, induction-delivery interval, intrapartum hemorrhage, length of stay complications. Results Termination of pregnancy was successful in 38 cases (76%), induction-delivery interval was (42.0±5.8) h, length of stay was (96±6) h and intrapartum hemorrhage was (110.6±6.5) ml in group A. The matched pair analysis revealed termination of pregnancy was successful in 49 cases (98%), there were significantly shorter induction-delivery interval (12.5±4.5) h, length of stay (72±4) h and lower intrapartum hemorrhage (46.3±5.6)ml in group B (P<0.05). Conclusions Compared to intraamniotic instillation of ethacridine lactate, oral mifepristone and vaginal misoprostol combination for 16-28 weeks termination of pregnancy had higher successful rate, shorter induction-delivery interval, length of stay and lower intrapartum hemorrhage.

Cell Culture Techniques ; Humans ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Stem Cells ; cytology

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Myocardium ; pathology

Objective To study the protective effect of FGP on liver damage in mice caused by carbon tetrachloride(CCl4).Methods Carbon tetrachloride was used to make the model of chemical liver damage.The mice were randomly divided into 5 groups,10 in each:FGP(10.0 ml/kg)+CCl4,FGP(5.0 ml/kg)+CCl4,FGP(2.5 ml/kg)+CCl4,CCl4(0.12%,10 ml/kg)and the control group.The mice were treated with FGP and CCl4 by gavage and intraperitoneal injection.The biochemical and pathological examinations were conducted to observe the liver damage.Results Compared with CCl4 group,treated with FGP at 5.0 ml/kg could reduce the serum ALT activity significantly,the histopathological findings showed an obvious improvement.Conclusion FGP may have some protective effects on acute live damage caused by CCl4 in the mice.

An experimental model of asthma was established with ovalbumin sensitization in guinea-pigs and then the preventive effects of ketotifen on the terbutaline-induced down regulation of beta-adrenoceptors in lymphocytes were investigated with radioligand binding assay.It was found that terbutaline significantly reduced the density of beta-adrenoceptors in lymphocytes,ketotifen administered simultaneously with terbutaline prevented the density of beta-adrenoceptors in lymphocytes from reducing.and neither ketotifen nor terbutaline changed the Kd values in either group.These findings suggest that ketotifen is of value to provent asthmatic patients from the adverse effects of tschyphylactic therapy of beta-adrenoceptor stimulants.

To investigate the effects of anti-sense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) targeting Ki-67 gene on modulation of the proliferation and apoptosis of human renal carcinoma cell lines, human renal carcinoma cell line 786-0 cells were treated with anti-sense PNAs at different concentrations (1.0 micromol/L, 2.0 micromol/L, 10.0 micromol/L). The Ki-67 expression of 786-0 cells was detected by immunohistochemical technique and Western blot method respectively. The proliferation of 786-0 cells was studied by cell growth curves and 3H-thymidine incorporation. The apoptosis of 786-0 cells was detected by TUNEL assay. The control groups were treated with anti-sense oligonucleotide (ASODNs) targeting Ki-67 gene. Our results showed that the Ki-67 expression of 786-0 cells treated with anti-sense PNAs (16.9+/-0.7) was significantly inhibited as compared with that of the control groups (28.6+/-0.4) (P<0.01). The Ki-67 protein rate of 786-0 cells treated with anti-sense PNAs (42.1 +/-2.2) was significantly reduced when compared with that of the control groups (83.6+/- 1.4) (P<0.01). Proliferation of 786-0 cells treated with anti-sense PNAs (20.7+/- 1.5) was significantly inhibited as compared with that of the control groups (58.6+/- 1.4) (P<0.01). The apoptosis rate of 786-0 cells treated with anti-sense PNAs (28.7+/- 2.3) was significantly increased higher compared with that of the control groups (13.8 +/- 1.0) (P<0.01). From these finds we are led to conclude that anti-sense PNAs targeting Ki-67 gene have stronger effects on the inhibition of the proliferation and induction of apoptosis of human renal carcinoma cells than ASODNs targeting Ki-67 gene. The strategies using anti-sense PNAs targeting Ki-67 gene may be a promising approach for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the efficacy and safety of alprazolam by progressive dose increasing in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. METHODS:Totally 50 patients with chronic tinnitus were included. They were orally treated with Alprazolam tab-let 0.4 mg in the first 1 and 2 week(s),once every night at bedtime;0.4 mg in 3 and 4 weeks,once in the morning and once in the evening;0.4 mg in 5 and 6 weeks,three times a day. If the treatment of tinnitus was invalid,then the gradual withdrawl was conducted by twice a day for continuous 3 d,0.4 mg each time;then once a day,0.4 mg each time,for continuous 3 d. The re-sponders were maintained 12 weeks,and gradual withdrawal was conducted,and followed by follow-up for 3 months. The clinic data was observed,including the clinical efficacy,tinnitus disability scale(THI)score,visual analogue scale(VAS)score,tinnitus loudness(TI)and incidence of adverse reactions before and after treatment. RESULTS:The effective rate was 66.67%;after treat-ment,the scores of THI and VAS,and TI were significantly lower than before,with significant differences(P<0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions during treatment. CONCLUSIONS:The alprazolam by progressive dose increasing has obvious effica-cy in the treatment of chronic tinnitus,with good safety.

Aim To screen the express-altered proteins before or after effect of Ecdysterone on HepG_2 cell model of insulin resistance by the strategy of comparative proteomics, which may approach new proves exploring the target of sensitizer.Methods HepG_2 cells were incubated with 5×10~(-7) mol·L~(-1) insulin for 16 h, and glucose consumption was determined. After treatment, the insulin resistant cells were incubated with 10~(-5) mol·L~(-1) Ecdysterone for 24 h.Then glucose consumption contents were determined. The proteins of two groups before and after treatment with Ecdysterone were extracted by lysis buffers. The express-altered proteins were screened by 2-DE technique.Some of them were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS mass spectrometry and MS-Fit database.Results 53 express-altered protein spots of insulin resistant HepG_2 cells before and after treated by Ecdysterone were screened by 2-DE technique,in which 35 ones were up-regulated and the others down-regulated, 6 spots of which were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS mass spectrometry and MS-Fit database.Conclusion The target of Ecdysterone as a sensitizer involves many proteins and kinases which correlate insulin resistant. These results lay a foundation for further studies on the function of these target proteins.

BACKGROUND:Basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)can promote production of collagen,fibronectin and matrix enzyme in healing wounds.However,dysregulation of this process,such as the abnormal coordination of cell proliferation,extracellular.matrix and neovasculadzation formation,or remodeling of the wound matrix will lead to excess accumulation of scar tissues.OBJECTIVE:To investigate effects of bFGF on normal skin wound healing and hypertrophic scar formation.METHODS:Normal and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts from tissue biopsies from 5 patients who underwent plastic surgery for repairing hypertrophic scars were isolated and cultured.The expressions of collagen,fibronectin and protein synthesis were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA.The mitochonddal membrane potential changes were measured using JC-1 staining and flow cytometry.Simultaneously,adenosine tdphosphate(ATP)levels were determined by chemiluminescence method.The effects of bFGF on these indexes of normal and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts were observed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Hypertrophic scar fibroblasts become slower after being exposed to bFGF,which selectively inhibited type Ⅰ collagen production in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts(P<0.05).Although bFGF inhibited type]collagen production,it had no effect on type Ⅲ collagen expression in both normal and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.However,fibronectin expression in the normal fibroblasts was up-reguleted after bFGF treatment(P<0.05).In addition,the mitochonddal membrane potential tended to depolarization,although no statistical difference,in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts treated with bFGF(10 or 100 μg/L).bFGF treatment increased the cellular ATP levels in the normal fibroblasts,while there were no significant alterations in the hypertrophic scar fibroblasts over a treatment of bFGF(10 or 100 μg/L,P<0.05).The results suggest that there are differential effects and mechanisms on the skin fibroblasts with bFGF treatment in normal wound healing and hypertrophic scar formation.