Objective To investigate the effects of ulinastatin on pulmonary and hepatorenal function of elderly patients undergoing resection of esophageal cancer. Methods The clinical data of 40 elderly patients with esophageal cancer who had been admitted to Southwest Hospital from January 2005 to January 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 20) and ulinastatin group (n = 20) according to random number table. Patients were administered with total parenteral nutrition, and patients in ulinaslatin group were additionally instilled with 4×10~5 U/d of ulinastatin. The levels of PaO_2, PaCO_2, PaO_2/FiO_2, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (Tbil), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid were detected preoperatively and at postoperative day 2 and day 6. All the data were analyzed by t-test and chi-square test. Results The levels of PaO_2 and PaO_2/FiO_2 were (87.3±4.2) mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa) and (416±20)mm Hg in ulinastatin group, which were significantly higher than (79.0±4.3)mm Hg and (376±20)mm Hg in control group (t =6.2, 6.2, P <0.05). The levels of ALT, AST and Tbil were (23±7)U/L, (38±8)U/L and (13.4±3.0) μmol/L in ulinastatin group, and (39±8) U/L, (50±9) U/L and (24.5±6.0) μmol/L in control group, with significant difference between the 2 groups (t = 7.0, 4.4, 7.6, P < 0.05). The levels of uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were (279±84) μmol/L, (4.1±1.7) mmol/L and (66±12) μmol/L in ulinastatin group, and (386±67)μmol/L, ( 8.9±2.7) mmol/L and (95±38) μmol/L in control group, with significant difference between the 2 groups (t = 4.4, 6.4, 3.3, P < 0.05). The recurrence of complications in ulinastatin group was significantly lower than that in control group (χ~2 = 4.8, P <0.05). Conclusion Postoperative supplementation of ulinastatin and total parenteral nutrition is helpful in improving the pulmonary and hepatorenal function of elderly patients undergoing resection of esophageal cancer.

Objective To explore the acquired deficiencies of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors in etiology, clinical characteristics and treatment. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of etiology, clinical manifestations of 45 patients with acquired deficiencies of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factor. All patients were treated with Vitamin K1 10 -40 mg/d, i. v. , for three months. Some patients with severe blooding were additionally treated with fresh freezing plasma or prothromibin complex. Prothrombin time(PT) and activated partial thromboplastic time(APTT) were measured using Stago automatic blood coagulation analyzer before and after treatment. Ⅱ , Ⅶ, Ⅸ and Ⅹ were measured in some patients. Results Among the 45 cases, no certain cause was found in 19 cases (42.2%), anticoagulant rodenticides poison was a common cause ( 11 cases,42.3% ). The main presentations was hemorrhage, the most common bleeding sites were mucosa (77.8%) (35/45)and hematuria (46.7%) ( 21/45 ). After vitamin K1 treatment, PT and APTT had shortened remarkably from ( 110.35 ± 35.36 ) s,(98.91 ±48.98)s to (13.48 ±2. 17)s,(33.25 ±6.95)s,respectively(t=19.10 and 6.19,Ps ＜0.01)and the activities of factor Ⅱ、Ⅶ、Ⅸ、Ⅹ had rapidly increased from ( 17.48 ± 10.93 ) %, ( 10.23 ± 5.68 )%, ( 11.98 ±4.69)%,(12.93±7.48)% to (70. 12 ±21.31)%,(92.76 ±29. 15)%,(88.64 ±40. 21)%,(63.97 ±20.11)%(t=12.13,14.43,13.27and9. 74,respectively,Ps＜0. 01).Conclusions The histories of patients with acquired deficiencies of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors are usually hiding, therefore it is easily misdiagnosed. It is worth of detecting PT and APTT in diagnosis and monitoring. Using vitamin K1 10 -40 mg/d is effective and safety.

Animals ; Helminthiasis ; pathology ; Humans ; Moniliformis ; pathogenicity

The biochemical mechanism of degrading keratins by S.fradiae var S-221 was primarily studied.The compounds (Na_ 2 SO_ 4 , Na_ 2 SO_ 3 and sulfdryl acohol), which respecitively enhance specific activity of keratinase, activate keratinase intensively and mainly act on the disulfide bonds reductase in the keratinase, Na_ 2 SO_ 3 activates intensively both disulfide bonds reductase and polypeptide hydrolytase at 0.01 mol/L, whereas Na_ 2 S_ 2 O_ 3 , which acts on the disulfide bonds reductase, inhibits keratinase.On the condition that substrate, keratins exists, S.fradiae var S-221 is induced to produce exo-keratinase, which is a multiproteinase, containing disulfide bonds reductase, which is a key enzyme degrading keratins, then, with polypeptidic, hydrolytase, graduately hydrolyzates denatured keratins into polypeptides, oligopeptides and free amino acids, so that keratins have been decomposed completely.Sulfur in the keratins was transferred into sulfhydryl compounds, H_ 2 S and sulfates in the course of keratinolysine.

Reduced radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells represents a pivotal obstacle in clinical oncology. The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α plays a crucial role in radiosensitivity, but the detailed mechanisms remain elusive. A relationship has been suggested to exist between hypoxia and autophagy recently. In the current study, we studied the effect of hypoxia-induced autophagy on radioresistance in lung cancer cell lines. A549 and H1299 cells were cultured under normoxia or hypoxia, followed by irradiation at dosage ranging from 0 to 8 Gy. Clonogenic assay was performed to calculate surviving fraction. EGFP-LC3 plasmid was stably transfected into cells to monitor autophagic processes. Western blotting was used to evaluate the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, c-Jun, phosphorylated c-Jun, Beclin 1, LC3 and p62. The mRNA levels of Beclin 1 were detected by qRT-PCR. We found that under hypoxia, both A549 and H1299 cells were radio-resistant compared with normoxia. Hypoxia-induced elevated HIF-1α protein expression preferentially triggered autophagy, accompanied by LC3 induction, EGFP-LC3 puncta and p62 degradation. In the meantime, HIF-1α increased downstream c-Jun phosphorylation, which in turn upregulated Beclin 1 mRNA and protein expression. The upregulation of Beclin 1 expression, instead of HIF-1α, could be blocked by SP600125 (a specific inhibitor of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase), followed by suppression of autophagy. Under hypoxia, combined treatment of irradiation and chloroquine (a potent autophagy inhibitor) significantly decreased the survival potential of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, hypoxia-induced autophagy through evaluating Beclin1 expression may be considered as a target to reverse the radioresistance in cancer cells.

Adult ; Cosmetics ; adverse effects ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; chemically induced ; Mercuric Chloride ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Mercury ; adverse effects ; analysis

Chemical constituents of Leonurus japonicus were isolated and purified by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, MCI, and Rp C18. Structures of the isolates were determined by spectroscopic analysis as 10 coumarins: bergapten (1), xanthotoxin (2), isopimpinellin (3), isogosferal (4), imperatorin (5), meransin hydrate(6), isomeranzin(7), murrayone(8) , auraptenol(9), and osthol(10). In addition to compound 9, the others were isolated from the genus Leonurus for the first time. In the in vitro assay, compounds 4 and 8 significantly inhibited the abnormal increase of platelet aggregation induced by ADP.
Blood Platelets ; drug effects ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Leonurus ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology

An in vitro P-glycoprotein mediated drug biliary excretion model (B-Clear model) was developed and validated using sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes (SCRH) and a model substrate rhodamine 123 (Rh123). SCRH formed functional bile canalicular networks after 5 days of culture. Rh123 (10 micromol x L(-1)) was then incubated with the SCRH in standard Ca+ Hanks buffer or Ca(2+)-free buffer. The cumulative cell uptake and canalicular efflux of Rh123 under Ca2+ and Ca(2+)-free conditions were measured with a LC-MS/MS method. The biliary excretion index (BEI) and instinct biliary clearance (CL(bile, int)) were calculated. To assess the effect of known P-gp inhibitors on the efflux of Rh123, cyclosporine A (CyA), tariquidar (TQD) or quinidine (QND) (10, 50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) was pre-incubated separately with SCRH for 30 min, then co-incubated with Rh123. The BEI and CL(bile, int) of Rh123 obtained from the SCRH model were (17.8 +/- 1.3) % and (10.7 +/- 0.9) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), respectively. All the three P-gp inhibitors showed a dose-dependent inhibition on the bile clearance of Rh123, indicating that the B-Clear model with SCRH was functional properly. The biliary excretion of loperamide (LPAD) and the role of P-gp were further investigated with this validated model. The BEI and CL(bile, int) for LPAD (20 micromol x L(-1)) were obtained after it was incubated with SCRH for 30 min, and found to be (12.9 +/- 1.2)% and (6.1 +/- 0.3) mL x min(-1) x kg(-1) respectively. The dose-dependent inhibition on LPAD biliary excretion by CyA, TQD or QND confirmed the major role of P-gp in LPAD canalicular efflux. The results suggested that the B-Clear model with SCRH would be a useful tool for evaluation of P-gp mediated efflux and drug-drug interaction.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Biliary Tract ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cyclosporine ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Loperamide ; metabolism ; Male ; Quinidine ; pharmacology ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhodamine 123 ; metabolism ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemangiosarcoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Equiguard in old patients with Shen-yang deficiency syndrome (SYDS).

METHODSTwenty old patients with diagnosis matching the criteria of SYDS selected from out-patients were administered with Equiguard capsule 3 times per day, 0.70 g each time for 3 successive months. The changes in general condition, peripheral blood picture, function of the liver and kidney, and sex hormones before and after treatment were observed. The changes in the American Urinary Surgery Association (AUA) score of prostatism, urosis and residue urine in the urinary bladder were also estimated.

RESULTSAfter the 3-month treatment, no significant change was found in the patients' general condition, peripheral blood picture, liver and kidney function and sex hormones, while the symptoms of prostatism and urosis were markedly improved (P<0.01), and the volume of residue urine in the urinary bladder was obviously reduced.

CONCLUSIONEquiguard shows a significant therapeutic effect in treating old patients with SYDS, which could effectively improve the symptoms of prostatism and urosis in patients and is highly safe.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy