OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) on coronary vasodilation by analysis of coronary angiography (CAG).

METHODSA consecutive cohort of 300 patients who underwent CAG between January 2013 and July 2013 were recruited and randomly assigned to 2 groups before operation. Patients in the SBP group sublingually took SBP, while those in the control group sublingually took placebos. All patients repeatedly underwent CAG 5 min after administration. The vascular diameter was calculated by quantitative angiography analysis method. The diameter of the left anterior descending coronary artery was measured in patients whose coronary arteries had no stenosis. The narrowest vascular diameter was measured in patients whose coronary arteries had stenosis. The heart rate, blood pressure, and the vascular diameter were compared between before and after administration in the two groups.

RESULTSIn the two groups, there was no significant difference in changes of heart rate, systolic pressure, or diastolic pressure between before and after administration (all P > 0.05). There were 64 patients with normal CAG in the two groups, 30 in the control group and 34 in the SBP group. CAG showed there were 236 patients with stenotic coronary artery, 110 in the control group and 126 in the SBP group. The vascular diameter was obviously larger in patients in the SBP group with normal or abnormal CAG after administration (all P < 0.01). It was also obviously larger than that of the control group after administration (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBP could dilate both normal coronary artery and lesioned coronary arteries, but did not lead to fastened heart rate and decreased blood pressure.

Blood Pressure ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Tablets ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics and influencing factors leading to sudden cardiac death (SCD) of incarcerated prisoners. METHODS: Seventy-five SCD cases of prisoners between 2000 and 2013 in Henan province were collected, and environment, psychological and physical factors were retrospectively analyzed. Combined with histopathological results, specific factors of SCD were also studied. RESULTS: In the 75 cases, 21 cases (28%) had definite chronic past medical histories, and 75 cases (100%) had cardiovascular disease confirmed by autopsy. CONCLUSION Due to presence of the potential cardiac diseases, special incarcerated environment, psychological stress, and body-restraint might be the precipitating factors in SCD of those prisoners.
Autopsy ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Environment ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Prisoners ; Retrospective Studies ; Stress, Psychological

An application of digital signal processor (DSP) in the visual electrophysiology record system is presented in this paper. The system's design and implementation are described in detail. Results of its simulation and the clinical experiments are acceptable.
Adult ; Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Electrophysiology ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Ocular Physiological Phenomena ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Software Design ; Vision, Ocular

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects on the lower limbs function after lumbar or sacral nerve root transferring to reconstruct urination function.

METHODSNine patients with bladder dysfunction and normal lower limb function after spinal cord injury were treated with anastomosis the S2 or S3 nerve root with the normal lumbar or sacral nerve root to reconstruct a new bladder artificial reflex arc. Then the alterations on the sensation and motor function of the lower limb after the surgery were observed.

RESULTSMyodynamia of the legs decreased slightly, and the decreasing about half grade of the myodynamia in the plantar flexion of the ankles were detected in 4 of 9 patients with S1 transferring. And the myodynamia recovered 3 months postoperatively. No obvious decreasing of the myodynamia appeared in the other cases.

CONCLUSIONNo obvious effects on the motor function can be found after the single lumbar or sacral nerve root transferring to reconstruct urination function.

Adult ; Exercise ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Lumbosacral Region ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reflex ; Rhizotomy ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; physiopathology ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of 8-methoxypsoralen on human melanocytes [Ca(2+)]i and cytoskeleton actin organization in vitro.

METHODSHuman melanocytes were obtained from normal foreskins. Laser confocal microscope was employed to measure [Ca(2+)]i and rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin was used to visualize the cytoskeleton actin.

RESULTS8-methoxypsoralen increased [Ca(2+)]i and induced organization of actin stress fiber cytoskeleton.

CONCLUSION8-methoxypsoralen might influence the migration of melanocytes by increasing the intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration and cytoskeleton actin reorganization.

Actins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Methoxsalen ; pharmacology ; Skin ; cytology

Aorta ; pathology ; surgery ; Aortopulmonary Septal Defect ; therapy ; Balloon Occlusion ; methods ; Catheterization, Swan-Ganz ; methods ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect on motor impairment after elbow operation between electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation and rehabilitation training.

METHODSFifty-three cases were randomized into an electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation group (group A, 30 cases) and a rehabilitation group (group B, 23 cases). In group A, electroacupuncture was applied on the stiff region of the elbow and Sanjian (LI 3), Shousanli (LI 10), Hegu (LI 4), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9) as adjunctive acupoints. Additionally, the passive movement was followed in the elbow joint after needles removed. In group B, the constant passive movement exercise was applied. The therapeutic effect was observed after 1.5 months of treatment. Mayo Elbow Performance Score (Mayo) and range of motion (ROM) were analyzed statistically after treatment in two groups.

RESULTSMayo score and elbow ROM were all improved significantly after treatment in two groups (all P < 0.01). Compared with group B after treatment, the total Mayo score, joint motion range and ability as well as elbow ROM were all improved much apparently in group A (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCompared with rehabilitation therapy, electroacupuncture in combination of rehabilitation training can achieve much significant effect on the motion function recovery of elbow joint after fracture operation.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Elbow Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To observe apelin and its receptor (APJ) expressions in human osteoblasts and evaluate the effect of apelin on osteoblasts.Methods The expressions of apelin and APJ in human osteoblasts were tested by RT-PCR and Western blot.After human osteoblasts were treated with apelin,cell proliferation was measured by [~3H] thymidine incorporation and cell counting.Cell function was measured by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity,the secreted osteocalcin level and typeⅠcollagen production .The activation of signaling cascades was tested by Western blot.Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) to blockade APJ was applied to observe effects of apelin on cell proliferation and the activation of signaling cascades.Results Both apelin and APJ were expressed in human osteoblasts.Apelin increased the proliferation and did not show the influences on ALP activity, osteocalcin secretion and type I collagen production in human osteoblasts.Apelin induced activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) downstream effector (Akt),but not mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) such as c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK),p38 and ERK1/2 in human osteoblasts.Suppression of APJ with siRNA or LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) abolished the apelin-induced cell proliferation and the activation of Akt.Conclusion Human osteoblasts express apelin and APJ.Apelin stimulates the proliferation of human osteoblast via APJ/PI3K/Akt pathway,but has no effect on osteoblast differentiation.

Objective To explore the expression and its implication of angiogenesis and invasiveness related factor in primary and recurrent glioma. Methods Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were detected by immunohistochemical technique. The morphological characteristics of ultrastructure of glioma were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Results The expressions of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 varied in different grades of primary glioma. With the elevation of the malignant degree of the primary glioma, positive staining rates of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 increased significantly. The expression of VEGF correlated with both MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Compared with the primary glioma, the immunoreactivities of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in recurrent glioma increased, especially in those with more severe malignancy. Under transmission electron microscope, endothelial cells markedly proliferated and protruded from the deficiency of basemembrane, concomitantly with edema of the extracapillary gap, plasma extravasation as well as some small worm-eaten caverns in the basemembrane.Conclusion VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 play important roles in glioma angiogenesis and invasiveness.Inhibition of their expressions may be a useful therapy to glioma.

Background::Many studies have emphasized that selective resection of epileptic lesions in temoral lobe is associated with better preservation of cognition function; whether this applies to patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in cognitive functions, mood status, and quality of life after anterior temporal lobectomy in patients with refractory MTLE.Methods::This single-arm cohort study assessed cognitive function, mood status, and quality of life, as well as electroencephalography findings, in patients with refractory MTLE who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy at Xuanwu Hospital from January 2018 to March 2019. Pre- and post-operative characteristics were compared to evaluate the effects of surgery.Results::Anterior temporal lobectomy significantly reduced the frequencies of epileptiform discharges. The overall success rate of surgery was acceptable. Anterior temporal lobectomy did not result in significant changes in overall cognitive functions (P > 0.05), although changes in certain domains, including visuospatial ability, executive ability, and abstract thinking, were detected. Anterior temporal lobectomy resulted in improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms and quality of life. Conclusions::Anterior temporal lobectomy reduced epileptiform discharges and incidence of post-operative seizures as well as resulted in improved mood status and quality of life without causing significant changes in cognitive function.