Objective To investigate the methods of treating great saphenous varicosity by inserting optical fiber straight into EVLT.Methods Wuhan Linyun Laser Therapeutic System was introduced to treat 205 cases (257 limbs)of great saphenous varicosity.Optical fiber instead of blood vessel sheath and catheter was inserted straight into endovenous laser treatment(EVLT)through arteriovenons permanent needle was adopted.Results Operations lasted 35～55 minutes,averaging 45 minutes.Patients were hospitalized for 5～7 days.Postoperative vis- its were followed for 3～12 months,averaging 6 months.Two months after the operation,appraisal according to the curative effect evaluation criteria was carried on.The cure rate for superficial varicosity is 97.3%(250/257),for lower extremities swelling asthenia is 93.7%(150/160),for skin pigmentation is 91.8%(56/61),and for swelling is 90.9%(20/22).10 cases(3.9%)suffered from skin ambustion.9 cases(3.5%)suffered from shank anesthesia and stabbing pain.15 cases(5.8%)suffered from hypodermic tubercle.The patients had not deep venous thrombosis after the operation and the wounds healed well.Conclusion Inserting optical fiber straight into EVLT through arte- riovenous permanent needle brings about more accurate treatment.It can be operated simply,causing small wounds and less pain.

Objective To evaluate the effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and delayed surgery for infant hepatoblastoma.Methods TACE was performed with the initial digital subtractive angiography (DSA) under general anesthesia 1-3 times in 8 infants with huge hepatoblastoma, whose age was 2 to 12 months. DSA was done via arterials in hepatoblastoma each time before chemoembolization. The arterials were perfused with chemodrugs and suspensions in ultrasome iodized oil , and were blocked with spring rings. DSA findings indicated that the tumor shrank without new tumorous arterials after 1 month in 6 cases, and 4 of them showed no tumorous staining, and the delayed surgery was performed successfully 1 week later in 6 infants. One boy underwent systemic chemotherapy alone during 6 months after 3 times of TACE. Results TACE therapy did not encounter any major technical problem or toxic reaction caused by chemotherapy. The following DSA test 4 weeks later did not detect any new tumorous vessels in 6 cases. Six children received TACE and surgery had been followed-up with no tumor recurrence for months averagely. The boy underwent TACE and venous chemotherapy for 6 months , without surgery , had been followed-up for 48 months until the present report. CT, AFP and DSA did not show any hints of tumor recurrence. Six cases receiving 3 times TACE combined with surgery survived without tumor recurrence. Conclusions TACE is a very effective, safe and helpful therapy for hepatoblastoma, which stressed the repeated use of spring ring to block tumor vessels lastingly if necessary. If surgery is required, DSA test is needed beforehand to detect new tumorous vessels or neoplasm. If there is any , TACE is repeated. TACE combined with surgery may provide an additional promising choice in the treatment of hepatoblastoma, and repeated TACE alone may cure hepatoblastoma in infants.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in PC-12 cells, and preliminarily discuss the potential molecular mechanism of mTOR/Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway.

METHODThe OGD PC-12 cell model was established. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. After the pretreatment with Rg1 with the concentration of 10, 20, 40 micromol x L(-1) for 24 h, the cell viability was observed. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, superoxide dismutase (SOD) ac- tivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were detected by colorimetry assay. mTOR, p-Akt(ser473), p-Akt(tjr308), Akt, p-FoxO3, FoxO3 in cytoplasm and nucleus, and total FoxO3 protein expression were detected by Western blot assay.

RESULTOGD could significantly in- hibit cell proliferation in 4-24 h in a time-dependent manner. After pretreatment for 24 h, Rg1 (20, 40 micromol x L(-1)) could notably elevate the cell viability and SOD viability and reduce the LDH release and MDA content. Besides, Rg1 also inhibited OGD-induced mTOR and p-Akt(ser473) decreases. After treatment for 6 h, OGD could reduce FoxO3 phosphorylation and promote FoxO3 in cytoplasm. This data suggested that Rg1 could protect PC-12 cell injury through mTOR/p-Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONGinsenoside Rg1 could attenuate OGD-induced PC-12 cell injury. Its action mechanism may be closely related to activation of mTOR/p-Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Forkhead Box Protein O3 ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; PC12 Cells ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism

Aim To evaluate the anti-tumor activity of the extract from the root of Actinidia chinensis planch in vitro and in vivo. Methods Active components from the root of Actinidia chinensis planch were isolated by traditional phytochemical techniques. The in vitro anti-tumor activity was determined by sulforhodamine B assay and the in vivo anti-tumor activity was evaluated using experimental mouse tumor models and human tumor xenografts in nude mice. Results Powdered air-dried roots of Actinidia chinensis planch were percolated with methanol at room temperature thrice. The filtrate was concentrated to dryness in vacuo and then was further extracted with ethyl acetate, n-butanol , and chloroform. The fraction extracted by chloroform displayed the most potent activity against several tumor cell lines including hepatocellular carcinoma Bel-7402 cells, non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells, lymphoma Ramos cells, and breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Further more, the anti-tumor efficacy of the chloroform fraction was confirmed in Bel-7402 xenografts in nude mice with the percentage inhibition of 38.0 %. Conclusion The extract of the root of Actinidia chinensis planch has anti-tumor activity, and the active components are mainly in the fraction extracted by chloroform.

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and safety of Naoxintong capsule treatment of stroke recovery with Qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome (cerebral infarction), and to compared the non-inferiority analysis with the positive drug Tongxinluo capsule.

METHODTaking Tongxinluo capsules as control, randomized, double-blind, controlled, multi-center clinical experiments were studied. The evaluating indexes included the decrease of integral value of stroke patients, changes in traditional Chinese medicine, the improvement of the patient viability status (disability level), Chinese stroke scale (CSS), activities of daily living (DAL) scale and barthel index (BI ) points.

RESULTThe total effect of the two groups, Chinese and other symptoms, showed no significant statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONNaoxintong capsule stroke recovery, with Qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome (cerebral infarction) has a therapeutic effect, and more secure.

Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Aged ; Capsules ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Stroke ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on (synaptophysin, syp) and tau gene expression in the brain tissue in senescence accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP 8).

METHODSAMP8 were randomly divided into 4 groups: PNS 23.38, 93.50 mg x kg(-1) group, huperzin A 0.038 6 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) group and blank control group; the drug groups were treated with the designed drugs respectively per day by intragastric administration for 4 consecutive weeks, and double distilled water was given to blank control group. After treatment, the mRNA content of tau and syp were assayed by reverse transcription (RT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR).

RESULTCompared with blank control group, the syp mRNA contents were increased in PNS groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the tau mRNA content were not significant difference in all groups.

CONCLUSIONThis study suggests that PNS can up-regulate syp gene expression at transcriptional level in the brain of SAMP 8.

Aging ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; genetics ; Mice ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; tau Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assay ligustilide content in the herb of Szechwan Lovage Rhizome (Chuanxiong, CX), which is the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong in order to assess the quality.

METHODLigustilide was quantitatively analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography in 21 CX samples. An Alltima C18 column (4.6 mmx 150 mm, 5 microm) was used as the analytical column. The mobile phase consisted of water and acetonitrile (40:60). The flow rate was maintained at 1.0 mL x min(-1) with the column temperature at ambient conditions. The detection wavelength was set at 350 nm.

RESULTThe average content of Z-ligustilide in 21 CX samples was found to be 7.40 +/- 3.54 mg x g(-1)(x +/- s, n = 21). Therefore,the content of Z-ligustilide in CX should not be less than 0.66% (calculated on the dried basis).

CONCLUSIONThe overall analytical procedure is rapid and accuracy which is considered suitable for the quantitative analysis of ligustilide in CX. The amount of ligustilide in CX samples collected from different cultivation areas was obviously different. However, a relatively higher content of ligustilide was generally found in the CX collected from its main cultivated areas.

4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rhizome ; chemistry

AIM: To investigate the expression of NKG2A,NKG2D and their ligands in pregnancy uterine micro-environment and to probe the function of NKG2A and NKG2D imbalance expression during the immunotolerance at the fetal-maternal boundary.METHODS: Decidual lymphocytes and peripheral lymphocytes were obtained from 30 women during 6-9 weeks of pregnancy who were undergoing selective termination.FACS technology was used to detect NK cells number and NKG2A,NKG2D expression.RT-PCR was used to investigate HLA-E and MICA mRNA in trophoblast tissue.RESULTS: Natural killer cells predominate,accounting for 70% of pregnancy endometrial lymphocytes.FACS results indicated that NKG2A was significantly increased in decidual NK cells as compared with that in peripheral NK cells,accounting for 97.86%?1.75% and 33.35%?10.92%.The difference between them in NKG2A expression was significant(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of glycyl-glutamine dipeptide supplement on the function of myocardial dynamics in severely burned rats, and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: i. e, control group (C, n = 8, without burns), burn group (B, n = 32), Gln group (Gln, n = 32), Gly group (Gly, n = 32) and Gly-Gln group (Gly-Gln, n = 32). The rats in the latter four groups were respectively treated with tyrosine (1.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)), glutamine (1.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and tyrosine (0.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)), glycine (0.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and tyrosine (1.0 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)), and Glycyl-glutamine dipeptide (1.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) after receiving a 30% TBSA full-thickness burn on the back. Glutathione (GSH), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), cell energy charge (EC) and the index of myocardial dynamics (ASOP, AODP, LVSP, + dp/dtmax) were measured at 12, 24, 48, 72 post-burn hours (PBH).

RESULTSThe content of GSH, ATP, EC and the level of aortic systolic pressure (ASOP), aortic diastolic blood pressure (AODP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and maximum rate of intraventricular pressure rise/down (+ dp/dtmax) in B, Gln, Gly, Gly-Gln groups were obviously lower than those in C group (P < 0.01), while the levels of AMP and ADP showed an opposite tendency. Compared with B group, the above indices were ameliorated. The content of GSH (72.7 +/- 1.7) micromol/g in Gly-Gln group at 12 PBH was obviously higher than that in Gln group (67.8 +/- 3.8) micromol/g (P < 0.01). The levels of EC and AOSP were obviously higher in Gly-Gln group than that in Gln group (P < 0.01). The level of GSH, EC, AOSP in Gly-Gln groups were obviously higher than those in Gly group at 48 PBH.

CONCLUSIONGlycyl-glutamine dipeptide, Gly and Gln supplementation after burns can improve the content of GSH and high energy phosphate compound, and suppress the decline of myocardial dynamics function. The effects of Glycyl-glutamine dipeptide is better than single Gly or Gln, indicating that the protective effect on myocardial function after severe burns by Gln and Gly is synergistic.

Animals ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Dipeptides ; pharmacology ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Glycine ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) on the human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cell line.

METHODSThe hypoxia environment was achieved by treating cells with cobalt chloride. The shRNA eukaryotic expression vector targeting HIF-1 alpha was constructed, and transfected into MCF-7 cells through lipofectamine 2000. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The mRNA and protein level of HIF-1 alpha were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. Sub-G1 apoptotic population analysis, Annexin V/PI binding assay, and DNA ladder analysis were applied to investigate the cell apoptosis. The cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe mRNA and protein level of HIF-1 alpha increased after exposure of MCF-7 cells to hypoxia (P < 0.01). However, apoptosis was lower in hypoxia compared with normoxia (P < 0.05). The HIF-1 level of MCF-7 transfected with HIF-1 alpha shRNA decreased approximately 91.63% (P < 0.01). When the cells were treated with or without apoptosis inducer Ara-C, the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells transfected with HIF-1 alpha shRNA increased by 1.75 times (P < 0.01) and 61. 31 times (P < 0.01), respectively. The expression of VEGF in MCF-7 cells transfected with HIF-1 alpha shRNA decreased 66.8% compared with untransfected cells (P < 0.05). Cell cycle progression was inhibited when the MCF-7 cells were transfected with HIF-1 alpha shRNA.

CONCLUSIONSHIF-1 alpha plays an anti-apoptotic role in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cell line. The shRNA we designed targeting HIF-1 alpha in MCF-7 can promote cell apoptosis, inhibit the expression of VEGF, and delay cell cycle progression.

Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism