Objective To study transmission characteristics of Acinetobacter baumannii (A.baumannii )clone and clinical features of infected patients in a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU),so as to guide the effective pre-vention and control of A.baumannii transmission.Methods 40 A.baumannii strains isolated from RICU patients were performed homology analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)and cluster analysis,relationship of strains was determined,antimicrobial resistance and clinical data were analyzed.Results 40 A.baumannii strains were divided into 11 genotypes(A-K),the main epidemic strains were type A,B and E.The resistant rate to imipen-em was the lowest(70.00%),the next was levofloxacin (77.50%).The average age of 40 infected patients was 67 years old,the average length of hospital stay was 41 days,12 patients died because of invalid treatment.There was overlapping hospitalization among patients infected with type A and E strains;among patients infected with type B strain,there was no overlapping hospitalization among the last 6 and first 6 infected patients.Conclusion The main epidemic strains of A.baumannii were type A,B and E,antimicrobial resistant rate is high;the infected patients are with high average age and long length of hospital stay.It is important to reduce the transmission of A.baumannii through rational use of antimicrobial agents,strict aseptic operation,and intensified disinfection and sterilization of hospital environment and medical devices.

This paper discusses the relationship between stimulating pulse width and the threshold of electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP). Firstly, the rheobase and chronaxy from strength-duration curve of nerve fiber was computed using the shepherd's experiment results. Secondly, based on the relationship between ECAP and the action potential of nerve fiber, a mathematical expression to describe the relationship between stimulating pulse width and ECAP threshold was proposed. Thirdly, the parameters were obtained and the feasibility was proved to the expression with the results of experiment using guinea pigs. Research result showed that with ECAP compared to the action potential of nerve fiber, their threshold function relationship with stimulating pulse width was similar, and rheobase from the former was an order smaller in the magnitude than the latter, but the chronaxy was close to each other. These findings may provide meaningful guidance to clinical ECAP measurement and studying speech processing strategies of cochlear implant.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Auditory Threshold ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Electricity ; Evoked Potentials ; Guinea Pigs ; Neural Conduction

Objective To investigate the impact of aging and vascular endothelial function on arterial stiff- ness in patients with isolated systolic hypertension.Methods Patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH,n=75)age-matched healthy subjects(n=30)and young healthy subjects(n=50)were submitted to deter- mination of aortic pulse wave velocity(baPWV)and vascular endothelial function evaluated by flow-mediated dila- tion(FMD).Results baPWV was progresively decreased(ISH:2459.2?436.8 vs elderly healthy:2097.2? 315.7 vs young healthy:1619.7?214.2 cm/s,P

To establish an HPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of quercetin, kaempferid and isorhamnetin in rats plasma and study its pharmamacokinetics after an intragastrical administration of Hippophae rhamnoides extracts. Five healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were given single doses of H. rhamnoides extracts (quercetin 26.35 mg x kg(-1), kaempferid 4.040 mg x kg(-1), isorhamnetin 31.37 mg x kg(-1)), and then their orbital sinus blood samples were collected at different time points. The drug plasma concentration of the three flavonoids was determined by HPLC-MS/MS method. After that, the main pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated by using Kinetica 5. 0. 11 software. The methodological test showed that the linear concentration ranges of quercetin, kaempferid and isorhamnetin were 7.500-600.0 μg x L(-1) (R2 = 0.998 5), 1.000-80.00 μg x L(-1) (R2 = 0.998 5 ) and 10.00-800.0 μg x L(-1) (R2 = 0.998 0), respectively. The inner and inter-days precisions were both less than 14.0%. The plasma samples showed a good stability and consistency with the requirement of biological sample analysis after the samples were frozen once and placed at - 20 degrees C for 15 d and room temperature for 6 h and the treated analytes were placed at -20 degrees C for 24 h. For quercetin, the pharmacokinetic parameter t(½β), AUC(0-∞), MRT(0.∞), C.(max) and T(max) were (113.3 ± 19.37) min, (12 542.14 ± 3 504.05) μg x h x L(-1), (119.6 ± 13.29) h, (164.6 ± 27.33) μg x L(-1) and (5.199 ± 0.840 3) h, respectively. For kaempferid, the pharmacokinetic parameters t(½β), AUC(0-t), MRT(0-∞), C(max) and T(max) were (79.85 ± 17.15) min, (934.51 ± 94.59) μg x h x L(-1), (81.50 ± 13.75) h, (80.15 ± 14.24) μg x L(-1) and (3.827 ± 0.902 7) h, respectively. For isorhamnetin, the pharmacokinetic parameters t1,2,, AUC(0-t), MRT(0-∞), C(max) and T(max) were (118.3 ± 20.73) min, (26 067.77 ± 4 124.60) μg x h x L(-1), (129.0 ± 16.30) h, (269.6 ± 29.32) μg x L(-1) and (6.513 ± 1.450) h, respectively. The HPLC-MS/MS analysis method established in this study was proved to be sensitive and accurate and could be applied in the pharmacokinetic study of quercetin, kaempferid and isorhamnetin in rat plasma.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Hippophae ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe analgesic effect and safety of acupuncture compound anesthesia in transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval.

METHODSThree hundred and sixteen cases undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly allocated to an acupuncture compound anesthesia group (n = 146) and a simple Pethidine group (n = 170). They received respectively electroacupuncture combined with intramuscular injection of Pethidine and simple intramuscular injection of Pethidine 30 min before oocyte retrieval.

RESULTSThe acupuncture compound anesthesia group was significantly better than the simple Pethidine group in the pain rating and pain score (P < 0.01); the incidence rate of abdominal pain at 1 h and 2-5 h after oocyte retrieval in the acupuncture compound anesthesia group was lower than that in the simple Pethidine group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIn transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval, acupuncture compound anesthesia has the advances of safety, high effectiveness, rapid recovery after oocyte retrieval, and few side effects.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Adult ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; methods ; Ultrasonography ; Vagina ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo observe analgesic effect of acupuncture compound anesthesia for patients of different pain thresholds.

METHODSSeven hundred cases of infertility who will be taken ova under ultrasound guidance via the va gina and receive in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), were randomly divided into an acupuncture compound anesthesia group (n = 347) and a simple Dolantin group (n = 353). The pain thresholds in the acupunc ture compound anesthesia group was determined 30 min before acupuncture on one day before taking ova, and in the simple Dolantin group was determined before injection of Dolantin and 30 min before taking the ova. The patients in the two groups respectively received electroacupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23), Ciliao (BL 32), Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. combined with intramuscular injection of Dolantin, and simple intramuscular injection of Do lantin.

RESULTSFor the patients with pain thresholds of 1 mA, 1.5 mA and 2 mA, the cumulative scores of pain in the acupuncture compound anesthesia group were significantly lower than those in the simple dolantin group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). For the patients with pain thresholds of 0.5 mA, 2.5 mA and 3 mA, in cumulative scores of pain there were no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor the patients with moderate pain thresholds, acupuncture compound anesthesia has good analgesic effect.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Adult ; Analgesics ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Meperidine ; administration & dosage ; Pain ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Pain Management ; Pain Threshold

Objective To compare the complete ablation rate of radiofrequency (RF) ablation and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of uterine ifbroids with different blood supply. Methods One hundred and ten patients with 146 uterine ifbroids in Xijing Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2009 to December were randomly divided into two groups and treated with HIFU or RF respectively. Each group had 55 patients. All patients were examined by color Doppler lfow imaging before the treatment. The blood supply of ifbroids were semi-quantitatively classiifed into three grades including G1, G2 and G3. The HIFU group had 15 patients with 20 ifbroids in which blood supply was G1, had 32 patients with 38 ifbroids in which blood supply was G2, and had 8 patients with 10 ifbroids in which blood supply was G3. The RF group had 14 patients with 18 ifbroids in which blood supply was G1, had 31 patients with 42 ifbroids in which blood supply was G2, and had 10 patients with 18 ifbroids in which blood supply was G3. The complete ablation rates of the two treatments were evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound one week before and after treatments. Fibroids which had no contrast agent perfusion and smooth boundary were completely ablated. Statistical analyses were used to compare the complete ablation rates and postoperative complications rates of these two methods. Results When ifbroid′s blood supply was G1, the complete ablation rate was 80.0%(16/20) and 88.9%(16/18) in HIFU and RF group, respectively. The difference was not statistically signiifcant (χ2=0.563, P>0.05). When ifbroid′s blood supply was G2 and G3, the complete ablation rate in HIFU and RF group was 90.5%(38/42) vs 55.3%(21/38) and 72.2% (13/18) vs 20.0% (2/10), respectively. There was statistically difference between these two groups (χ2 =12.778, P < 0.05;χ2=7.049, P < 0.05, respectively). Postoperative complications included fever, abdominal pain, pelvic effusion and vaginal discharge and unilateral lower limb numbness. The incidence of complications was lower in HIFU group than that in RF group, which was 9.1%(5/55) and 27.3%(15/55) respectively, This difference was statistically signiifcant (χ2=6.111, P<0.05). Conclusions HIFU and RF are both effective in treating uterine ifbroids with few blood supply. However, RF can be more effective than HIFU in treating hypervascular ifbroids. Therefore, RF might be able to apply to majority of the ifbroids. As a non-invasive therapy, HIFU is more suitable for hypovascular ifbroids and could be the ifrst therapy in clinic.

By using a yeast two-hybrid system, a yeast two-hybrid bait vector was constructed and identified for screening of the HPV18 E6-interacting proteins, and its effects on the growth of yeast cells and the activation of reporter genes were investigated. Total mRNA extracted from Hela cells was reversely transcribed into cDNA. Fragment of HPV18 E6 cDNA was amplified using RT-PCR and directly ligated to the pGBKT7 vector. The recombinant plasmid was confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. The recombinant pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 plasmid and empty pGBKT7 vector were transformed into the yeast cell AH109, respectively. After they were cultured respectively in YPDA liquid medium and nutrition-deficient culture medium, their toxicity and transcriptional activation were tested by both the phenotype assay and the color assay. The bait plasmid HPV18 E6 was successfully obtained. After being cultured in YPDA liquid medium for 16h, the A (600 nm) values of two yeast fluids were 0.98+/-0.03 and 0.99+/-0.02, respectively. The recombinant pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 plasmid and empty pGBKT7 vector could grow to white colonies on SD/-Trp/X-alpha-gal plates, while no colony could survive on SD/-His/-Trp/X-alpha-gal, SD/-Ade/-Trp/X-alpha-gal plates, indicating that the bait plasmid pGBKT7-HPV18 E6 was constructed successfully and expressed correctly, and could not activate the transcription of reporter gene alone. The yeast two-hybrid GAL4 system 3 can be utilized to find HPV18 E6 interacting proteins.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of repeated electroacupuncture (EA) of Zusanli (ST36)- Yanglingquan (GB34) on hypothalamic acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and vesicular acetylcholine (ACh) transporter (VAChT) activities and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) mRNA and muscarinic M1 receptor (M1R) mRNA expression in chronic constrictive injury (CCI) and/or ovariectomy (OVX) rats so as to reveal its underlying mechanism in cumulative analgesia.

METHODSA total of 103 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (n =15), CCI (n =15), CCI+EA2d (n =15), CCI+EA2W (n =15), OVX+CCI =13), OVX+CCI+EA2d (n =15), and OVX+CCI+EA2W groups (n =15). CCI model was established by ligature of the unilateral sciatic nerve with surgical suture. Memory impairment model was established by removal of the bilateral ovaries. Morris water test was conducted to evaluate the OVX rats' memory learning ability, and the thermal pain threshold (PT) of the bilateral paws was detected the next morning after EA. EA (2/15 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral ST36-GB34 for 30 min, once daily for 2 days or 2 weeks, respectively. Hypothalamic AChE activity was detected by histochemistry, VAChT immunoactivity was determined by immunohistochemistry, and ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expressions were assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSIn comparison with the normal control group, the AChE activity in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) regions of CCI group, AChE activity in paraventricular nucleus (PVN), ARC, and SON regions of OVX+CCI group, and hypothalamic muscarinic M1R mRNA expression levels in both CCI and OVX+CCI groups were down-regulated significantly (P <0.05). Compared with the CCI group, the AChE activities in hypothalamic ARC and SON regions of CCI+EA2d and CCI+EA2W groups and PVN region of CCI+EA2W group and hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expression levels in CCI+EA2W group were up-regulated considerably (P <0.05). In comparison with the OVX+CCI group, the AChE activities in PVN, ARC, and SON regions and the expressions of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and VAChT in ARC region of OVX+CCI+EA2W group were up-regulated remarkably (P <0.05). The effects in rats of CCI+EA2W group were evidently superior to those of OVX+CCI+EA2d group in up-regulating AChE activities in PVN, ARC, and SON regions, VAChT immunoactivity in ARC region, and expression levels of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA (P <0.05). Similar situations were found in OVX+CCI rats after EA2W. It suggested a cumulative effect after repeated EA of ST36-GB34. Comparison between CCI+EA2W and OVX+CCI+EA2W groups showed that the effects in rats of the former group were evidently better than those of the latter group in up-regulating AChE activity in ARC and SON regions and the expressions of hypothalamic ChAT mRNA and M1 mRNA (P <0.05), suggesting a reduction of EA2W effects after OVX.

CONCLUSIONRepeated EA can significantly up-regulate AChE and VAChT activities and ChAT mRNA and M1R mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus of CCI and OVX+CCI rats, which may contribute to the cumulative analgesic effects of repeated EA and be closely related to the animals' neuromemory ability.

Acetylcholinesterase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Acupuncture Analgesia ; Animals ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cholinergic Agents ; metabolism ; Chronic Pain ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hypothalamus ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuralgia ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective It is rarely reported whether myricetin inhibits the activation and function of cardiac fibroblasts and thereby prevents myocardial fibrosis. This study was to investigate the effects of myricetin on the activation,proliferation and secretion of cardiac fibroblasts and its possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Fibroblasts isolated from 1-3 days old rats were cultured and their activation,proliferation and secretion were induced with the transforming growth factor (TGF). The fibroblasts were incubated with myricetin at different concentrations of 1,3,10,30 and 100 μmol/L for 24 hours followed by detection of their proliferation with the CKK8 kit,the transcription levels of fibrotic factors by RT-PCR and the expression levels of α-SMA and signal proteins by immunoflu-orescence staining and Western blot,respectively. Results The expression of α-SMA was significantly up-regulated in the cardiac fi- broblasts of the rats in the TGF-β,30 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β and 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups as compared with that in the control group (P<0.05) but down-regulated in the 30 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β and 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups in com-parison with that in the TGF-β group (P<0.05). At 48 hours,the transcription levels of collagenⅠ,collagenⅢ,fibronectin and con-nective tissue growth factor were markedly higher in the TGF-β,30 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β and 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups than in the control group (P<0.05) but lower in the 30 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β and 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups than in the TGF-β group (P<0.05). The phosphorylation levels of smad2 and smad3 were remarkably elevated in the TGF-β,30 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β and 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups and the expression of smad4 reduced in the TGF-β group as com-pared with the control group (P<0.05). The levels of smad2,smad3 and smad4 were all significantly decreased in the 30 μmol/L myr-icetin+TGF-β and the 100 μmol/L myricetin+TGF-β groups in comparison with the TGF-β group (P<0.05). Conclusion Myricetin suppresses the activation,proliferation and secretion of cardiac fibroblasts induced by TGF-β via inhibiting the smad signaling pathway.