Caveolae are cholesterol-rich pits on the surface of cell membrane,and participate in various physiological processes.Caveolin-1 is an important membrane protein constituting caveolae.It exerts biological effects through binding a variety of signaling proteins.In the pathophysiological processes of cerebrovascular disease,caveolin-1 participates in maintaining the integrity of blood-brain barrier and stability of atherosclerotic plaques,and has regulating the release of inflammatory mediators and neuroprotection.This article reviews the associated advances in research on the correlation between caveolin-1 and cerebrovascular disease in order to provide a new idea for clinical therapy.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; complications ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion ; complications ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have indicated that hyperhomocysteinemia can induce atherosclerosis by enhancing oxidative stress, whereas Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) can scavenge oxygen-derived free radicals.OBJECTIVE: To observe the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in the expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) induced by homocysteine (Hcy), and investigate the effect of GbE.DESIGN: A randomized controlled animal trial.SETTING: Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.MATERrALS: Twenty-four healthy male rabbits of 6 months old. Dl-methionine (Sigma Chemical, Co.,Ltd.); GbE (Guizhou Yibai Pharmaceutical Company; powder).METHODS: The experiment was accomplished in the Laboratory of Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from March 2003 to April 2004. ① After adaptive feeding for 2 weeks, the rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: Model group (n =12): The rabbits were treated with subcutaneous injection of dl-methionine (80 mg/kg per day); GbE group (n =8): The rabbits were administrated with GbE (mixed with feed, 50 m/kg per day) at 1 hour before the subcutaneous injection of dl-methionine; Control group (n=4): The rabbits were injected with equivalent sodium chloride. They were administrated for 7 weeks continuously. ②Histological changes were observed under light and electron microscopes: ROS level was determined with colorimetries (721 visible spectrophotometer); The expressions of CAMs and NF-κB in endothelial cells were detected with immunohistochemical methods; The concentration of plasma Hcy was measured with high-performance liquid chromatography.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Histological changes, ROS level and expressions of CAMs and NF-κB in endothelial cells.RESULTS: All the 24 rabbits were involved in the analysis of results. ① ROS level: After administration, the ROS level in the model group was obviously increased (2.92±0.20,2.48±0.26, P ＜ 0.05), whereas those in the GbE group and control group (2.41±0.23, 2.43±0.20) had no obvious differences as compared with those before administration (2.31±0.27,2.47±0.32, P ＞ 0.05). ② Histological changes: Aortas of rabbits in the model group presented initial changes of atherosclerosis, including shedding or necrosis of endothelial cells and nuclear pyknosis or standing in a clutter of smooth muscle cells. There were scarcely any changes in the GbE group and control group. ③ Expressions of CAMs and NF-κB in endothelial cells: After treatments, the expressions of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and NF-κB in the model group were obviously higher than those in the control group (P ＜0.05), and there were no significant differences between the GbE group and control group (P ＞ 0.05). ④ Concentration of plasma Hcy: After 7 weeks, the concentration of plasma Hcy was higher in the model group and GbE group than in the control group [(25.01±6.80), (26.71±2.36), (16.85± 1.64) μmol/L, P ＜ 0.05].CONCLUSION: Hcy-induced oxidative stress plays an important role in NF-κB activation. GbE might suppress the activation of NF-κB and expression of CAMs by reducing ROS.

Purpose:To compare the survival rates of hyperf ractionated radiotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy with hyperfractionated rad iotherapy alone in the treatment of stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) a nd analyze the prognostic factors. Methods:Between December 1992 and December 1995, 144 NPC patien ts were randomized into hyperfractionated radiotherapy plus concurrent chemother apy (R +C) and hyperfractionated radiotherapy alone (R alone).Radiotherapy were similar in the two groups: 1.2 Gy/f, twice a day. Chemotherapy was given to R + C patients before and during the course of radiotherapy. Results:The 5-year overall survival rates of the R + C and R alone groups were 63.3% and 50.7%,repectively . The factors influencing the resu lts were N stage,chemotherapy and the peripheral blood hemoglobin concentration . Conclusions:Hyperfractionated radiotherapy plus concurrent chem otherapy can improve the survival rate, especially for the patients with N2-N3 stage.The negative prognostic factors for Ⅲ/Ⅳ NPC are N2-N3 stage, radiothera py alone and the reduction of hemoglobin during treatment.

Alzheimer’ s disease ( AD) , a central nervous system degenerative disease, is characterized by progressive cognitive impairment and memory damage. Although intensive research leads to a better understanding of AD pathology, no new medi-cines are found to prevent, delay or stop the progression of AD. Three cholinesterase inhibitors ( donepezil, rivastigmine and ga-lantamine) and an N-methyl D-aspartase NMDA receptor antag-onist, memantine have been approved in clinic for AD treat-ment, but these treatments only have modest symptomatic effects for relatively short time periods. Therefore, to find effective medicines to prevent, improve and treat AD is urgent. It is well known, the traditional Chinese medicine resources are abundant in China. Chinese medicines, including the active ingredients and compounds, have been used in dementia treatment for a long history. The review is aimed to summarize the application and related mechanisms of natural products such as huperzine A, ginsenosides, L-3-n-butylphathlide, TSG and so on in AD treat-ment.

To study the effect of different storage conditions and storage time on herb quality of Lonicera macranthoides, different packaging materials including vacuum plastic bags, plastic bags, woven bags, sealed with endometrial bags, paper bags, sack bags were selected for the study under different storage conditions including room temperature, 5 degrees C refrigerator, low temperature of - 20 degrees C refrigerator and desiccator. Twenty-four batches of samples were used for the study, and active ingredients were determined. The experimental results showed that the ingredients in each storage group changed with the storage time, storage conditions (storage environment, packaging). Under the same storage time, the storage environment (temperature, humidity) had effect on the stability of herb quality. Low temperature had less effect on herb quality. The effect of packaging on herb quality was as following: plastic vacuum packaging > woven with endometrial sealed packaging > plastic bag > woven bag > sack bags > paper bags. Under the same storage conditions, with the increase of storage time, caffeic acid content increased slowly, and other five ingredients content decreased gradually. Storage time affected significantly on the intrinsic quality (chemical composition) and appearance of herb. It is suggested that low temperature (5 degrees C), dark and sealed storage are suitable for storage of L. macranthoides herb, the storage time should be not more than 24 months.
Desiccation ; Drug Packaging ; Drug Storage ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Time Factors

Objective To investigate clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT ) in guiding treatment of infection in elderly patients with heart failure .Methods A total of 120 cases of elderly patients with heart failure and infection were divided into control group (50 cases) ,receiving conventional anti-infection treatment ,and observation group(70 cases) ,receiving adjusted anti-infection treat-ment based on serum PCT levels .Treatment efficiency ,cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration and other indicators were com -pared between the two groups .Results Effective rate of observation group was 78 .57% ,which was not significantly different with the 78 .00% of control group ( P > 0 .05) .Cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration ,application time of antibiotics ,antibacterial drug costs ,superinfection and mortality were significantly different between the two groups (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,levels of e-rythrocyte sedimentation rate ,C-reaction protein ,white blood cells and neutrophil in the two groups were significantly improved (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,C-reaction protein level of observation group was lower than control group (P < 0 .05) .Conclusion PCT based anti-infection treatment could help shorten the treatment time ,reducing treatment costs and improving outcomes ,and might be worthy of clinical application .

Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Nurses ; Ophthalmology ; manpower ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workload ; Young Adult

Objective To establish a HPLC-ESI-MS method for simultaneous analysis and determination of flavonoids in Semen Hoveniae. Methods The separation was performed on Acquity UPLCTM BEH C18 column (50 mm× 2. 1 mm,1.7 μm) with a mobile phase of formic acid aqueous solution (B) and MeOH (A). The flow rate was at 1.0 mL/min and detection wavelength was at 290 nm. Samples were analyzed in positive-ion detection model. Results Five kinds of flavonoids in Semen Hoveniae were separated well and were tentatively identified by ESI-MS and by reference to litera-ture data. Conclusion The method is accurate and rapid, and can be used for the identification of flavonoids in Semen Hoveniae.

Objective To evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS ) compared to enhanced MRI scan in differential diagnosis of benign and malign tumor of orbit.Methods CEUS and enhanced MRI was performed in 74 patients with tumor of orbit.These patients were divided into two groups:benign and malignant tumor depended on histological diagnosis.The results were analysed with SonoLiver software.The coincidence rate of diagnosis and enhancement intensity among CEUS,MRI and CEUS+ MRI were compared and the quantitative parameters of CEUS were analysed.Results (1 )The diagnostic accordance rate of benign group by three methods were 90.0%,80.0% and 96.0% respectively, there was statistical difference for diagnostic coincidence rate between the MRI and CEUS+ MRI(P <0.05).The diagnostic accordance rate of malignant group by the above three methods were 75.0%,79.2%and 95.8% respectively,there was no statistical difference for diagnostic coincidence rate between the three methods(all P > 0.05 ).(2 )The enhancement intensity of CEUS was different between benign and malignant groups (P <0.05).There was no statistical difference between benign and malignant groups by MRI method (P >0.05).(3)The parameters of tumor imaging obtained time intensity curve(TIC):rise time (RT),half elution time and time to peaking (TTP)were significantly different between benign and malignant groups(P <0.05).While there was no significant difference of parameters as mean transit time (mTT)and arrived time (AT)(P >0.05).Conclusions CEUS had higher diagnostic accuracy than MRI in benign orbital tumor.The contrast enhancement intensity and time-intensity curves provide valuable diagnostic information for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant orbital tumor.