The effects of DMSO and nifedipine on experimental myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol(ISP)were investigated.The results showed a significant reduction in myocardial FFA and MDA contents in DMSO and nifedipine-treated groups, as compared with the ischemic group, and a beneficial effect on activity of SOD,GSH-px and Ca~(2+)-Mg~(2+)-ATPase. The effects of OH. and Ca~(2+) in myocardialg infarction were further analysed in this study.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the curative efficacy of Chinese medicine vs. western medicine in the treatment of diabetes. METHODS:The randomized controlled trials(RCTs) comparing western medicine with traditional Chinese medicine alone or combination of Chinese medicine and western medicine in the treatment of diabetes were systematically evaluated. Meta-analysis of the cited trials was performed by evidence-based medicine method with Revman 4.2 software for statistical analysis. RESULTS:A total of 14 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference between traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine in clinical efficacy in the treatment of diabetes; however,the diabetic patients treated with integrated Chinese medicine and western medicine showed much better efficacy than those treated with western medicine alone. CONCLUSION:Treatment of diabetes with traditional Chinese medicine plus western medicine has more advantages; however,this conclusion remains to be confirmed further by studies of high quality given the low quality in test methodology.

Although many studies have confirmed that uterine arterial embolization has good short-term and long- term effects for the treatment of uterine fibroids, certain failure rate does exist. Many researches have indicated that the surgical failure is mainly related to the collateral arterial supplies, among which the ovarian artery supply is the commonest cause. This review aims to make a further understanding of the influence of ovarian artery on the outcomes of uterine fibroid embolization.

BACKGROUND:Many studies have demonstrated that in order to achieve the endothelialization of the polymer materials, surface loading of bioactive factors is an important means and the introduction of human endothelial cells on the surface of the polymer materials wil contribute to increase the biocompatibility of materials. OBJECTIVE:To synthesize the polyethylene glycol hydrogel packaging vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor and endothelial progenitor cells, and to observe the sustained release of growth factors and culture status of endothelial progenitor cells. METHODS:The polyethylene glycol-modified hydrogel containing arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide was synthesized, and then, rat endothelial progenitor cells, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metal oproteinases were successively added. The hydrogel were immersed in PBS, and ELISA was used to test the levels of growth factors in supernatants every 12 hours. Matrix metal oproteinases-2 (100, 1 000 ng) and matrix metal oproteinases-9 (100, 1 000 ng) at different mass were added into the PBS containing hydrogel after 72 hours. ELISA was also used to test the levels of growth factors in supernatants every 12 hours. The hydrogel encapsulating endothelial progenitor cells was cultured in a culture medium for 5 days, and the number of survival cells was counted by a flow cytometer after digestion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Within 12-72 hours, the release percentage of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor remained at about 41%. After 72 hours, the release percentage of both growth factors was found to grow steadily when matrix metal oproteinases-2 (100, 1000 ng) and matrix metal oproteinases-9 (100, 1 000 ng) at different mass were added, which reached 95%. The release percentage was increased with the increasing mass of matrix metal oproteinases. After 5 days of culture, 88.17%cells stil survived in the hydrogel. These findings indicate that sel-assembly polyethylene glycol-modified hydrogel can realize the control ed release of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor, and it can also support the proliferative growth of endothelial progenitor cells.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of 14 kinds of lanthanide (La) series elements in human feces at the same time by ICP-MS.Methods In January 2009,human feces were collected for three consecutive days from 30 subjects in Tianjin area,the fecal samples for the three-day period were weighed and homogenized;then dried;grinded and ashed,the samples were digested by HNO3 before determination.The solution was directly analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the concentrations of the 14 kinds of La series elements in human faces with rhenium (Re) internal standard calibration.Results The linear ranges were 0-10 ?g/L with a correlation coefficient for each element of more than 0.999.The detection limits of 139La,140Ce,141Pr,143Nd,147Sm,151Eu,158Gd,159Tb,163Dy,165Ho,166Er,169Tm,174Yb and 175Lu in human feces were 0.48,0.49,0.47,1.6,1.9,0.46,0.79,0.18,0.65,0.39,0.38,0.17,0.09 and 0.09 ng/L respectively.The recoveries of this method were 93.42%-108.21%,and RSDs were 2.91%-9.20%.The analytical values of the certified reference material of human hair GBW 09101a by this method showed closed agreement with the reference values.Conclusion This method has relatively higher sensitivity and less interference,and is applicable to the rapid determination of 14 kinds of La series elements in human faces at the same time.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging. Great progresses have been made toward understanding the pathogenesis over the past decades. It seems that both genetic factors and environmental factors contribute to PD, while the precise pathogenesis still remains unknown. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that autophagy dysregulation is closely related to PD. Dysregulation of the autophagic pathways has been observed in the brains of PD patients or in animal models of PD, and a number of PD-associated proteins, such as a-synuclein, Parkin and PINK1, were found to involve in autophagy, suggesting a link between autophagy and pathogenesis of PD. In this review, we summarized the role of PD-associated proteins in autophagy pathways. In addition, we described the efficacy of autophagy-modulating compounds in PD models and discussed promising strategies for PD therapy.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology ; Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; metabolism ; alpha-Synuclein ; metabolism

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging. Great progresses have been made toward understanding the pathogenesis over the past decades. It seems that both genetic factors and environmental factors contribute to PD, while the precise pathogenesis still remains unknown. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that autophagy dysregulation is closely related to PD. Dysregulation of the autophagic pathways has been observed in the brains of PD patients or in animal models of PD, and a number of PD-associated proteins, such as a-synuclein, Parkin and PINK1, were found to involve in autophagy, suggesting a link between autophagy and pathogenesis of PD. In this review, we summarized the role of PD-associated proteins in autophagy pathways. In addition, we described the efficacy of autophagy-modulating compounds in PD models and discussed promising strategies for PD therapy.

The role of free radicals in the precipitation of lung damage after hydrogen sulfide inhalation was investigated in rats, which were killed right after and in the 1st, 6th,12th, 24th, and 72nd hour after exposure to 100 and 220 ppm of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) for 3 hours respectively. Malondialdehyde(MDA) level in lung homogenate and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), protein content and the number of leucocytes and pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) in BALF, superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione(GSH),and vitamin E(VE)level in lung tissue and blood were determined. It was found that H2S inhalation resulted in an increase of MDA level which occurred much earlier after exposure to 220 ppm than after exposure to 100 ppm. Protein content was increased in the 1st, 6th, and 12th hour after inhalation. The number of leucocytes and PAM were increased, which implies the existence of inflammatory response in the respiratory tract. SOD activity decreased in the early period after inhalation but significantly increased later. Both GSH and VE levels decreasedThese findings suggest that H2S inhalation induces an inflammatory response in the respiratory tract and an increase of free radical formation which in turn brings about exessive lipid peroxidation. It is concluded that free radical formation is a contributing factor of lung damages after H2S inhalation.

BACKGROUND:Conventional prosthetic vessel replacement has been gradually replaced by endovascular covered stent graft exclusion in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).However,whether it has advantages over conventional prosthetic vessel replacement in clinical curative effects and biocempatibility produced in the implantation of new type of biomaterials remains unclear.OBJECTIVE:To compare the curative effects and complications of endovascular covered stent graft exclusion and prosthetic vessel replacement in the treatment of AAA.DESIGN: A controlled observation analysis.SETTING: Department of Vascular Surgery,Wuhan nion Hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Forty-two patients with AAA (renal artery not involved) who received the treatment in the Department of Vascular Surgery,Union Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology between September 2001 and July 2006,were recruited in this study.They were all confirmed by CT angiography (CTA) and other examinations.According to the selected operative way,patients were allocated into interventional therapy group (n =17) and conventional therapy group (n =25).In the interventional therapy group,the patients,including 16 males and 1 female,were averaged (68±10)years old,and their mean tumor diameter was (6.4±1.3) cm.In the conventional therapy group,the patients,including 23 males and 2 females,were averaged (64±9) years,and their mean tumor diameter was (6.2±1.1) cm.Significant difference did not exist in the baseline material between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).This study was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee.Written informed consents were obtained from all the patients.METHODS:In the interventional therapy group,patients underwent ndovascular covered stent graft exclusion by an interventional means.After being generally anesthetized,patients were dissected at unilateral femoral artery.Under the perspective condition,a covered stent graft was placed at a proper position with a forwarder,and then it was released and expanded.Following the position and xpansion of a covered stent being examined by CTA,femoral artery was anastomosed and incision was closed.If arteria iliaca was involved,then another covered stent was implanted from contralateral femoral artery and connected to stem.In the conventional therapy group,patients underwent prosthetic vessel replacement by a conventional means.Postoperatively,patients in the two groups all received anti-inflammation,anti-coagulation and other symptomatic and supportive treatments necessarily.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:① Postoperative complications of patients in two groups.② Recovery was observed by B-ultrasonography and CTA examination 1,3,6 and 12 months after operation.③ Follow-up of biocompatibility of biomaterials and host during 1 year postoperatively.RESULTS:Forty-two patients participated in the finial analysis.①Patients who exhibited pulmonary infection and renal function deterioration in the interventional therapy group were fewer than those in the conventional therapy group (P ＜0.05).② In the interventional therapy group,patients with covered-stent graft displacement,aortic injury and hematoma formed at the puncture point of femoral artery were not found.In the conventional therapy group,one patient died of acute large-area myocardial infarction at the 6th week postoperatively,and patients,who suffered from stomal leakage,prosthetic vessel thrombogenesis and infection,etc.,were not found.③ Neither obvious inflammatory reactions in the peripheral tissue of prosthetic vessel nor thrombogenesis in the prosthetic vessel was found in patients of two groups.It was demonstrated that both covered stent graft and prosthetic vessel had good biocompatibility.CONCLUSION:Endovascular covered stent graft exclusion can treat AAA due to its less surgical trauma,rapid postoperative recovery,good biocompatibility and other advantages.

Objective To study the individualized dose of warfarin in treating atrial fibrillation in elderly patients. Methods Forty-one elderly in-patients with atrial fibrillation were recruited.Warfarin was used tO start anti-coagulation therapy with the target INR value 1.6-2.5.The data of demographic variables,concomitant diseases,medications and laboratory values were collected,then correlated these factors with the maintenance dose of warfarin. Results Warfarin dose requirements were significantly associated with age(r=-0.535,P＜0.01),sex(r=-0.494,P＜0.01),height (r=0.484,P＜0.01),weight(r=0.453,P＜0.01),body surface area(r=0.388,P＜0.05),concomitant use of a sulfonylurea medication(r=-0.446,P＜0.01)and serum albumin level(r=0.520,P＜0.01).The multivariate regression model includedthe variables of age,sex,serum albumin level and concomitant use of a sulfonylurea medication.This algorithm explained 65.4%of the variance in the maintenance dose of warfarin(R=0.808,R2=65.4%). Conclusions The warfarin dose in treating atrial fibrillation in elderly patients can be estimated from demographic,clinical and laboratory factors that can be obtained at the time of warfarin initiation.