Objective To study the modulation effect of adrenomedullin (ADM) on hypoxia pulmonary hypertension in rats.Methods Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group ( n =8), hypoxic group ( n =8), hypoxic with ADM group ( n =8). ADM was subcutaneously administered into rats of hypoxic with ADM group by mini-osmotic pump (300 ng/h). After two weeks hypoxic challenge, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were evaluated by a right cardiac catheterization procedure. Mean systemic artery pressure (mSAP) was measured. The ratio of right ventricular mass to left ventricular plus septal mass [RV/(LV+S)] was detected.Results sPAP, mPAP and RV/(LV+S) significantly increased in hypoxic rats compared with controls ( P

Objective To establish a diabetic rat model of hindlimb ischemia, and provide a test method for dia-betic limb ischemia and diabetic foot study.Methods Twenty-five Wistar rats were divided into three groups:the model group and control group ( n=10) , and sham operated group ( n=5) .The rats of model group were induced by intraperito-neal injection of streptozotocin ( STZ, 60 mg/kg) , with the blood glucose level over 16.8 mmol/L, while the rats of control group were injected with normal saline.All the rats had the left femoral artery and its branches ligated, and then Doppler scan blood flow analysis was performed for the two hind limbs after operation at different time points.In the meantime, the changes of body weight and blood glucose were observed.The animals were sacrificed at 21days after operation.HE stai-ning was used to observe the pathological changes of gastrocnemius and femoral arteries.Capillary density and intima hyper-plasia were examined using immunostaining for CD31 and a-SMA.Results Blood glucose of the model group rats was sig-nificantly increased as well as the quantity of urine and feces,and associated with weight loss, which were maintained for more than 21 days.The blood flow of control rats was markedly decreased immediatly after operation, reached to the lowest point after surgery, and recovered from 7 -14 days after operation.In contrast to the control group, the model group showed a marked reduction in blood flow in the ischemic hind limb.Pathological examination revealed remarkable vascular atrophy and a significantly reduced number of vessels per high power field in the gastrocnemius muscle of model group rats with respect to the control group, and the femoral arteries of model rats were more narrowed than that of the control rats. Conclusions In this study, an effective, convenient diabetic rat model of hindlimb ischemia is successfully established which will facilitate the studies of drug intervention for diabetic limb ischemia and diabetic foot in the future.

Honeysuckle flower is a traditional herbal medicine in China Through systemically sorting and studying literature of Chinese medicine, this article pointed out that leech used by the traditional Chinese medicine in ancient time has the features of twist vine, slight purple stem with clothing hair; opposite growing leaves, ovule shape with clothing hair on both side; two flowers growing from one pedicel, labiate corolla with 3.2 cm longth, flower grows from white color to yellow color, each branch axil grows only one pedicel, the involucre is ovoid shape, and the flower season is from mid-March to mid-May. Among all species of caprifoliaceae, only Lonicera japonica Thunb. meets these botanic features. Therefore, L. japonica Thunb. should be used as the orthodox species of herbal honeysuckle flower.
China ; Flowers ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; History, Ancient ; Lonicera ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; classification

Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Endocarditis ; surgery ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo study clinical effects of one-hole microplate internal fixation for the treatment of collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined with fracture.

METHODSTwenty-two patients (16 males, 6 females) with collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined fracture were treated with one-hole microplate internal fixation. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 53 years old with a mean age of 28.5 years old. The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 2 hours to 2 months, and the mean time was 6 days. All the patients had collateral ligament injuries combined with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb. Thirteen patients had injuries in the right hand and 9 patients had injuries in the left hand. There were 18 cases of closed wound and 4 cases of open wound. Eighteen patients had fresh injuries (< 2 weeks) and 4 had old injuries (> 2 weeks). Sixteen patients had injuries in the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb combined with fracture, 6 patients had radial collateral ligament injuries of the thumb combined with fracture, 4 cases of which were complicated with injuries of abductor pollicis brevis and the end of the flexor pollicis brevis tender. The size of the avulsed fragment was about 3.0 mm x 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm x 7.0 mm.

RESULTSThe incisions of 22 patients healed by first intention. The follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 5 years old,with an average of 2.5 years old. The thumb function was evaluated by Saetta and other evaluation criteria, and 20 patients got an excellent result and 2 good.

CONCLUSIONThe application of one-hole microplate internal fixation in treating collateral ligament injuries with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb is an effective method.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Collateral Ligaments ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; injuries ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Young Adult

ABSTRACT:OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify Alisma orientale (Sam.)Juzep.and its adulterants using the ITS2 barcode.METHODS The total DNAs were extracted from twenty-eight samples of A.orientale as well as adulterants. The ITS2 sequences of these samples were amplified and sequenced.The acquired sequences were submitted to the GenBank and the other ITS2 sequences of 17 samples from ten species were downloaded from the GenBank.Total 45 ITS2 sequences were aligned and the genetic distances among them were analyzed with MEGA 5.1.The sequences analyses were performed u-sing the BLAST1 and the nearest distance methods,and were presented intuitively by constructing Neighbor-joining(NJ)tree. RESULTS The lengths of all ITS2 sequences of A.orientale and A.plantago-aquatica were 311 bp.Only one mutation exis-ted among them.There was significant divergence between the interspecific and intraspecific genetic distances of the ITS2 se-quences.The NJ tree showed that A.orientale is obviously different from its adulterants,which showed high monophyly. CONCLUSION As a DNA barcode,ITS2 sequences can stably and accurately distinguish A.orientale from its adulterants and also provide a new clue to identify the medical germplasm resources and ensure the clinical safety in utilization of Chinese mate-ria medica.

OBJECTIVETo better understand the mechanism of chlorine resistance of mycobacteria and evaluate the efficiency of various disinfection processes.

METHODSInactivation experiments of one strain Mycobacteria mucogenicum, isolated from a drinking water distribution system in South China were conducted with various chlorine disinfectants. Inactivation efficiency and disinfectant residual, as well as the formation of organic chloramines, were measured during the experiments.

RESULTSThis strain of M. mucogenicum showed high resistance to chlorine. The CT values of 99.9% inactivation by free chlorine, monochloramine and chlorine dioxide were detected as 29.6 +/- 1.46, 170 +/- 6.16, and 10.9 +/-1.55 min. (mg/L) respectively, indicating that chlorine dioxide exhibited significantly higher efficiency than free chlorine and monochloramine. It was also found that M. mucogenicum reacted with chlorine disinfectants more slowly than 5. aureus, but consumed more chlorine disinfectants during longer time of contact. Lipid analysis of the cell construction revealed that 95.7% of cell membrane lipid of M. mucogenicum was composed of saturated long chain fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were regarded as more stable and more hydrophilic which enabled the cell membrane to prevent the diffusion of chlorine.

CONCLUSIONIt was concluded that different compositions of cell membrane might endow M. mucogenicum with a higher chlorine resistance.

Chlorine ; pharmacology ; Mycobacterium ; drug effects ; Water Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and complication of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) in patients with high-risk carotid stenosis.

METHODSEight cases with high-risk carotid stenosis underwent CAS with cerebral protective devices from March 2003 to April 2006, the efficacy and complications of CAS were reviewed.

RESULTNine stenotic carotid arteries of 8 cases were treated with CAS. Stenotic rate was significantly reduced from 75.4 % to 28.8% (P<0.001, paired t-Test) immediately after CAS. All stents used were self-expanding and most of them (77.8%) were precise nitinol stents. Five patients had mild and reversible low heart rate and blood pressure. During follow-up for 4-41 months (21.5+/-14.2), no case had stroke again, all except one had no dizziness or vertigo again. Ultrasonography and/or computed tomographic angiography showed no re-stenosis in six cases (75%) when they were followed up.

CONCLUSIONCAS with cerebral protection device is a safe and feasible procedure to treat high-risk carotid stenosis. However,its long-term efficacy and safety need to be further studied.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; methods ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; surgery ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND:At present, there are many methods to treat cartilage defects, but none radical y repairs the articular cartilage defects.
OBJECTIVE:To histological y verify the effect of naringin combined with tissue engineering cartilage on the repair of rabbit articular cartilage defects.
METHODS:Rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells fol owing in vitro proliferation were compounded onto acellular dermal matrix, which was then implanted into rabbit knee cartilage defects. Naringin was also given by lavage. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson trichrome staining, toluidine blue dyeing, type II col agen staining and type X col agen staining were performed in the repaired tissue.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After 8 weeks post-surgery, the defects repaired with the naringin and stem cells composite were turned into milky-white and transparent smooth tissue. The defective tissue which was repaired, was very similar to normal cartilage tissue, with smooth surface. After the histology research, we found that the defect tissue was fil ed with new cartilage tissue. Results indicated that naringin combined with tissue engineering cartilage can promote the repair of articular cartilage defects in rabbits.

Objective To investigate the current prevailing status of endemic fluorosis in the Yellow River basin of Shandong Province and to provide the scientific evidence for making strategies in prevention and control.Methods Nine counties were chosen to carry out the epidemiological investigation.The content of fluoride in drinking water was determined by F-ion selective electrode and dental fluorosis of children aged 8～12 years old was diagnosed by Deans method.Results Water fluoride content was determined in 1761 fluorosis villages,among which 606 villages had water fluoride content≤1.00 mg/L,accounting for 34.41%(606/1761);1155 villages had water fluoride content＞1.00 mg/L,which accounted for 65.59%(1155/1761).The highest water fluoride content was 11.33 mg/L.Water fluoride content of 618 water-improving and defluoridation projects had been determined,among which 449 projects had water fluoride content≤1.00 mg/L and accounted for 72.65%(449/618),169 projects had water fluoride content＞1.00 mg/L and accounted for 27.35%(169/618),the highest water fluoride content was 5.85 mg/L.The total rate of dental fluorosis of children aged 8～12 years old was 45.03%(25 579/56 804) and the index of dental fluorosis was 0.80. Conclusions In the Yellow River basin in Shandong Province,up to 50.00%in the villages the water fluoride content exceeds the county standard(≤1.00 mg/L).The prevalence of endemic fluorosis in the basin hasn't been effectively controlled.So the counterrneasures for endemic fluorosis should be carried out as soon as possible.