Objective The present study was designed to investigate the efficiency of simvastatin therapy for experimental pul‐monary hypertension (PH) in rat ,and the effects on the number and function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) . Methods Twenty four Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups randomly :model group ,treatment group and control group , 8 rats in each group .Rats were treated with a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline to induce PH (PBS used as control) . The rats in the experimental group were administrated with simvastatin 3 days following subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline .In the 21st day ,the number of circulating EPC ,the right ventricle systolic pressure of rat ,pulmonary vascular structural changes and the quantity of cultured EPC were measured .At the same time ,EPC in each group were cultured in vitro ,then the ability of prolif‐eration and function were analyzed and compared .Results The number of circulating EPC in model group was decreased signifi‐cantly compared to both control and model groups (P< 0 .01) .Compared with model group ,simvastatin treatment markedly de‐creased the RVSP and the ratio of media thickness to eternal diameter (P<0 .01) ,but the ratio of vessel area to total arterial area (VA/TAA) was definitively increased(P<0 .01) .After 7 days of culture in vitro ,both the output of EPC and the ability of prolif‐eration ,conglutination and migration of EPC in treatment group were up -regulated compared with those in model group (P<0 .01) .Conclusion This study confirmed that simvastatin effectively treat experimental PH through improving quantity and func‐tion of circulating EPC .

Objective To compare the effect of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on myocardial injure and inflammatory factors in patients with unstable angina pectoris(UAP)undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods Ninety six UAP pa-tients undergoing PCI were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups,patients were given atorvastatin(20 mg/d)or rosuv-astatin(20 mg/d)besides conventional treatment for 1 week before PCI.Datas were collected before medication,PCI and Twenty-four hours after PCI,including CK-MB,cTnI,hs-CRP,TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-10.Results Twenty-four hours after surgery,the PCI, CK-MB,cTnI,hs-CRP,TNF-α,IL-6 of rosuvastatin group were lower than those of atorvastatin group(P <0.05),but IL-10 of ro-suvastatin group was higher than that of atorvastatin group(P <0.05).Conclusion Rosuvastatin (20 mg/d)is better than atorvas-tatin (20 mg/d)in the efficacy of UAP patients undergoing PCI,which can reduce the level of myocardial injure and inflammatory factors effectively.

Objective To establish a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TRFIA) to detect seurm CⅣ(collagenⅣ). Methods The antibodies to CⅣwere coated on mircoplate and the europium-labeled monoclonal antibody of CⅣ. The luminescent enhancement system was used as enhancement solution which contained mainly 2-naphthoy trifluoroacetone. we established A sandwich time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) was established to measure the seurm CⅣin 127 patients with hepatitis and 30 normal controls. Results The sensitivity of assay was 12. 8?g/L. The coefficient of variation for inner-batch and inter-batch were 4. 54% and 8. 06%,respectively. The recovery was 98. 6%. The serum level of CⅣwas 46. 06?22. 21?g/L in normal control,47. 25?22. 58?g/L in acute hepatitis, 129.01?53.68?g/L in mild chronic hepatitis,277. 90?92.36?g/L in moderate chronic hepatitis,413.90?162.24?g/L in serious chronic hepatitis,568. 60?210.40?g/L in liver cirrhosis. As compared to normal control,higher concentrations of CIV (P

Objective To establish a novel method for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in phripheral blood of lung cancer patients with high sensitivity and specificity.Methods Experimental study.42 cases of initial treatment patient who underwent resection and diagnosed to be non-small cell lung cancer by biopsy were studied,including 7 patients at stage Ⅰ,9 patients at stage Ⅱ,16 patients at stage Ⅲ and 10 patients at stage Ⅳ.As a control group,20 cases of healthy volunteers were selected.A series of experiments was conducted to determine the efficiency of tumor cells isolation,in which varied concentration (50,100,200,500,1000 cells) of A549 cells spiked into 2 ml peripheral blood drawn from healthy donors.The blood was removed of unwanted erythrocytes by lysis buffer,and made the rest of nucleated cells incubate with anti-EpCAM magnetic beads,then separated and enriched by a specific detector.All epithelia cells were retained on a slide because of a magnetic force and identified by H&E staining protocol.On the basis of cell recovery rate we calculated the sensitivity of tumor cells isolation.20 blood samples taken from healthy individuals were also detected to validate the specificity of this method.Samples of 42 patients with lung cancer were assayed for CTCs detection by above method.The correction of CTCs quantity with the patients' clinical features,for example,ages,gender,clinical stage,tumor size was analyzed in lung cancer patients by chi-square statistics.The correction of recovery cells with the spiked cells were assayed by linear correlation.Results The recovery rate was ranging from 68％ to 82％ by spiking varying numbers of A549 lung cancer cells into 2ml blood samples of healthy volunteers.Regression analysis of number of recovered vs.spiked A549 cells yielded a regression equation of Y =0.6419X + 8.8875.The number of CTCs detected has signification correlate with the cells spiked (R2 =0.9916,P ＜ 0.05),Eighteen of the 42 patients (43％) were found have CTCs in peripheral blood.The detection rate of lung cancer cells was 0 at stage Ⅰ,the detection rate of lung cancer cells was 11.1％ at stage Ⅱ,the detection rate of lung cancer cells was 62.5％ at stage Ⅲ and the detection rate of lung cancer cells was 70％ at stage Ⅳ.The positive rate of CTCs has no signification correlate with ages and gender of patients and tumor size (P ＞ 0.05),has signification with the clinical stage (P ＜ 0.05).None of the peripheral blood samples of the 20 healthy subjects analyzed was found to have CTCs.Conclusions This novel immunomagnetic separation technology is a sensitive and specific method,which provides a new tool allowing for feasible and specific detection of CTCs in lung cancer patients.The level of CTCs increases with the clinical stage and tumor size increased,which has important value to discover the early stage micrometastasis and redefine the clinical stage.But further multicenter and large sample clinical research are needed to confirm its clinical value.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy on upper limb motor impairment in stroke between the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture therapy and the traditional scalp acupuncture therapy.

METHODSThe randomized controlled trial and MINIMIZE layering randomization software were adopted. Seventy patients of upper limb with III to V grade in Brunnstrom scale after stroke were randomized into an interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group and a traditional scalp acupuncture group, 35 cases in each one. In the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group, the middle 2/5 of Dingnieqianxiexian (anterior oblique line of vertex-temporal), the middle 2/5 of Dingniehouxiexian (posterior oblique line of vertex-temporal) and Dingpangerxian (lateral line 2 of vertex) on the affected side were selected as the stimulation areas. Additionally, the rehabilitation training was applied during scalp acupuncture treatment. In the traditional scalp acupuncture group, the scalp stimulation areas were same as the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group. But the rehabilitation training was applied separately. The rehabilitation training was applied in the morning and the scalp acupuncture was done in the afternoon. The results in Fugl-Meyer for the upper limb motor function (U-FMA), the Wolf motor function measure scale (WM- FT) and the modified Barthel index in the two groups were compared between the two groups before treatment and in 1 and 2 months of treatment, respectively.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the U-FMA score, WMFT score and the score of the modified Barthel index were all apparently improved as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). The improvement in the U-FMA score after treatment in the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group was better than that in the traditional scalp acupuncture group (P < 0.05). For the patients of IV to V grade in Brunnstrom scale, WMFT score in 2 months of treatment and the score of Barthel index after treatment in the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group were improved apparently as compared with those in the traditional scalp acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). But, for the patients of III grade in Brunnstrom scale, WMFT score and the score of Barthel index after treatment in the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture group were not different significantly as compared with those in the traditional scalp acupuncture group (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor the patients of IV to V grade in Brunnstrom scale in stroke, the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture therapy achieves the superior improvements of the upper limb motor function and the activity of daily life as compared with the traditional scalp acupuncture therapy, and the longer the treatment lasts, the more apparent the improvements are. For the patients of III grade in Brunnstrom scale, the interactive dynamic scalp acupuncture therapy achieves the similar improvement in the upper limb motor impairment as compared with the traditional scalp acupuncture therapy.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Therapy ; Scalp ; Stroke ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome ; Upper Extremity ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intervention of Naoxintong and mecobalamin on electrophysiological changes in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of different Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome types.

METHODSAccording to syndrome differentiation, 180 patients with DPN were classified as five syndrome types. And they were treated with Naoxintong (Group A), mecobalamin (Group B), and Naoxintong + mecobalamin (Group C). Four weeks was taken as one therapeutic course, and totally three courses. Their efficacies were assessed using clinical scoring, electrophysiological examinations, and ultrasonic examinations of the blood vessel inner diameter.

RESULTS(1) The motor nerve conduction velocity was obviously slowed down in the Gan-Shen deficiency syndrome (P<0.01). F-wave latency was obviously prolonged in the Gan-Shen deficiency syndrome and yang deficiency blood stasis syndrome (P<0.01). The skin sympathetic reflex latency was obviously prolonged in the qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome and phlegm stagnation collateral obstruction syndrome (P<0.01). (2) Statistical difference existed in the three groups of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome (chi2 = 7.112, P<0.05) and Gan-Shen deficiency syndrome (chi2 =6.667, P<0.05). Of them, the total effective rate of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome was 87.5% and the markedly effective rate 43.8% in Group A (P<0.05). The total effective rate of Gan-Shen deficiency syndrome was 100.0% and the markedly effective rate 50.0% in Group B (P<0.05). The total effective rate of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome, yin deficiency blood stasis syndrome, phlegm stagnation collateral obstruction syndrome, yang deficiency blood stasis syndrome, and Gan-Shen deficiency syndrome was respectively 92.9%, 83.3%, 81.8%, 81.8%, and 75.0% in Group C. (3) Naoxintong and mecobalamin had some improvement of motor and sensory conduction of each CM syndrome type (P<0.05). Mecobalamin showed obvious effect on the skin sympathetic reflection (P<0.05). The nerve electrophysiological index of each syndrome types as well as the diameter of arteriae tibialis anterior could be improved in Group C (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNaoxintong gained better effect in treatment of DPN patients of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome by syndrome typing. Naoxintong combined with mecobalamin could be helpful for ameliorating DPN patients of each syndrome.

Adult ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Phytotherapy ; Vitamin B 12 ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

Objective To study the clinical feature,treatment,and prognosis of the cytomegalovirus (CMV)pneumonia patients treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.Mlethod The patients received immunosuppressor against kidney disease in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 1999 to December 2006.CMV antigen of leucocyte in the peripheral blood and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of these patients were detected with immunocytochemical methods,and 21 patients were found suffering from CMV pneumonia.The 21 patients were introvenously injected with ganciclovir 5～10 mg/(kg?d),and the immunosuppressive agent treatment suspended.Their clinical feature and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results The 21 patients received corticosteroids before CMV pneumonia contracted,of them,13 patients had been intensively treated with Methyllprednisolone with mean total dose(3.2?0.6)g.Of them,15 had been treated with cyclophosphamide with mean total dose(3.8?1.3)g.The median time from the beginning of using immunosuppressor to the onset of CMV pneumonia was 25(13～92)days.All patients had fever,cough, shortness of breath and X-ray showed interstitial pneumonia,of them,19 patients developed hypoxemia,and 11 patients' CMV antigen was positive in the leucocyte from bronchial lavage fluid.The result showed 9 patients survived and 12 died.The average duration of treatment with ganciclovir was(26.2?6.3)days. CMV pneumonia is a serious complication in patients who were treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.The mortality is high.Ganciclovir is a medicine of choice to treat CMV pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of different concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) on glucose metabolism and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression in rat Sertoli cells in vitro and investigate the mechanisms of BPA inducing male infertility.

METHODSUsing two-step enzyme digestion, we isolated Sertoli cells from male Wistar rats and constructed a primary Sertoli cell system, followed by immunohistochemical FasL staining. We randomly divided the Sertoli cells into a control group to be cultured in the serum-free minimal essential medium (MEM) plus dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and three experimental groups to be treated with 100 nmol/L, 10 μmol/L, and 1 mmol/L BPA, respectively, in the MEM plus DMSO. After 48 hours of treatment, we measured the proliferation of the cells by CCK-8 assay, determined the concentrations of metabolites by NMR spectroscopy, and detected the expression of LDH in the Sertoli cells by RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSThe purity of the isolated Sertoli cells was (96.05 ± 1.28)% (n = 10). Compared with the control group, the 100 nmol/L, 10 μmol/L, and 1 mmol/L BPA groups showed no remarkable changes in the proliferation of Sertoli cells ([98 ± 8]%, [96 ± 3]%, and [95 ± 3]%, P >0.05), but the 10 μmol/L and 1 mmol/L of BPA groups exhibited significantly decreased concentrations of intracellular glucose ([3.89 ± 0.07] vs [3.36 ± 0.24] and [3.04 ± 0.21] pmol/cell, P <0.05) and lactate ([0.43 ± 0.06] vs [0.29 ± 0.05] and [0.20 ± 0.03] pmol/cell, P <0.05). The expression of LDH mRNA was decreased with the increased concentration of BPA, while that of LDH protein reduced only in the 1 mmol/L BPA group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONHigh-concentration BPA decreases the expression of LDH and alters glucose metabolism in Sertoli cells, and therefore may reduce the provision of lactate for germ cells and impair spermatogenesis.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Phenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

It was previously found that the efficacy of synaptic transmission between retinal cone systems and luminosity-type horizontal cells (LHCs) was activity-dependent. Repetitive activation of red-cone pathway increased the LHCos hyperpolarizing response to red light, and the response enhancement was reversible. In this study, intracellular recording and pharmacological method were applied to investigate the mechanism(s) underlying red-flickering-induced response enhancement. Lowering intracellular Ca(2+) in the LHC by intracellular injection of Ca(2+) chelator EGTA prevented the development of red-flickering-induced response enhancement, which implicates the importance of postsynaptic calcium signal. The response enhancement could also be eliminated by a potent antagonist of Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptor (CP-AMPAR), which suggests the possibility that Ca(2+) influx via glutamate-gated calcium channels is related to the changes of [Ca(2+)](i). Furthermore, the administration of ryanodine or caffeine also attenuated the phenomenon, which gives evidence that the local calcium signal caused by intracellular calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) may be involved. Taken together, our data implicate that postsynaptic CICR and CP-AMPAR are related to the activity-dependent response enhancement.
Animals ; Caffeine ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Carps ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Receptors, AMPA ; physiology ; Retina ; cytology ; Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells ; physiology ; Ryanodine ; pharmacology ; Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Synapses ; physiology