Objective To observe the pathological changes of bone hydatid cyst of meriones meridianus after radiation therapy,and to investigate the clinical effect of radiotherapy on bone hydatid disease.Methods Ascus was dissected sterilely from sheep liver that naturally infected with Echinococcus granulomas,sheared and sac skin removed.Then it was washed and precipitated with 0.9％ sterile saline for 3 times,and scolex was HE stained and counted,from which a 20 ml suspension was made containing 12 × 106/L of scolex.Health meriones meridianus (referred to as gerbil) 140,male and female were in each half,aged 2 to 3 months,body weight(38 ± 6)g,were involved in the study.Gerbil was injected a 0.2 ml suspension containing Echinococcus granulomas scolex into hind tibial periosteum,and X-ray was taken 12 months after the injection.According to the bone destruction in the vaccination site,gerbil hindleg tibia with clear jagged bone destruction was treated as inclusion criteria,and 72 animal were selected as gerbil bone hydatid disease animal models,male and female were in each half.A tatal of 72 gerbils were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group,40 beequerel(Gy) group,50 Gy group and 60 Gy group,18 rats in each group,male and female in each half.The model animals were treated with radiotherapy for 5 times,with 2 d interval,and radiation dose was 300 cGy/min.Each group of gerbils was sacrificed after radiotherapy,bone Echinococcus granulomas cysts was taken out sterilely,and observed by light and electron microscope.Intracapsular cyst fluid was extracted,washed and precipitated with 0.9％ sterile saline repeatedly,and and the pellet was HE stained for observation of scolex morphology and activity by light microscope.Results The morphology and activity ofEchinococcus granulomas in cystic fluid in control group were normal; the morphology and activity of Echinococcus granulomas were still normal in the 40 Gy group,and Echinococcus granulomas was not stained red; but those were abnormal,deformation and atrophy and stained red in the 50 Gy group; and were stained red,deformed,fractured and were wrapped by unknown in the 60 Gy group.By light microscope,the germinal layer,cuticle layer,brood capsule and histological structure of protoscolex were basically normal in irradiated region in the control group.The pathological changes of hydatid cyst in the 40 Gy group were mainly degeneration,structure of hydatid cyst was abnormal,stratum corneum was extensive edema,germinal layer became thinner and the fertile cyst was rare.The main pathological change of hydatid cyst in the 50 Gy group was that corneous layer was widely fractured,and the germinal layer was edema,buckling folds,cells decreased,rare seen brood capsule and scolex; the main pathological changes of hydatid cyst were mainly necrosis in the 60 Gy group,cuticle was extensive fault,stratum corneum and germinal layer was separated,germinal layer was atrophy and disorder,no brood capsule and scolex.By electron microscope,cuticle structure of Echinococcus granulomas cyst was clear,microvillus arranged neatly,morphology and structure of the cell and organelle in cytoplasm were normal in the control group.There were many inflammatory cells infiltrating germinal layer of Echinococcus granulomas cyst,microfilament and contents in microfilament were reduced in the 40 Gy group.Microvillus of Echinococcus granulomas disappeared,nuclear membrane was unclear,endoplasmic and mitochon eclasis,lymphocyte nuclear chromatin was clumping and edge set and in circular permutation in the 50 Gy group.Microvillus disappeared,perinuclear membrane indistinct and ruptured,parts of nucleoli were fragmented and marinated,endoplasmic reticulum was extensive expansion,mitochondria was pyknosis and obvious vacuolization,lymphocyte nuclear chromatin clumping and edge set,lysosomes and macrophage emerge in the 60 Gy group.Conclusions Radiotherapy can destroy the morphology and structure of bone hydatid cyst,radioactivity at 50 Gy has a lethal effect on hydatid cyst.Radiation treatment of bone hydatid disease has a good clinical effect.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of needle revision with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the dysfunctional filtering blebs after trabeculectomy and to assess the factors that may impact the success.
METHODS:Eighty- three eyes in 76 patients underwent the needle revision and 5-FU subconjunctive injection for the dysfunctional blebs after trabeculectomy and were followed up for 12mo. The intraocular pressure ( IOP), the number of drugs, corneal endothclium, bleb morphology and complications were observed and recorded.
RESULTS: IOP decreased significantly from 35. 3 ±5. 8mmHg(1kPa = 7. 5mmHg) of pre - needling to 17. 0 ±4. 3mmHg of post - needling ( P < 0. 01 ); the average numbers of medications decreased significantly from 1. 7±0. 9 of pre-needing to 0. 4±0. 7 of post-needing (P<0. 01). At 12mo after needling, the success rate of filtering blebs was 89. 2% and the complete success rate was 69. 9%. The Kaplan - Meier survival analysis estimated mean survival period was 11. 0mo (95% CI: 10. 3 - 11. 6). Statistically, there were no significant difference on needling effect with reference to the types of glaucoma, the use of mitomycin C ( MMC ) during the previous filtration surgery, the ages of patients, the intervals of needling operation from previous trabeculectomy, while there were significant difference on needling effect with reference to bleb appearance before needling, and the mean number of needling in patients that had surgery within 3mo were less than those who had surgery for more than 3mo.
CONCLUSION: The needle revision combined with 5-FU is a safe, effective and simple method. Dysfunctional blebs should be treated early after trabeculectomy.

OBJECTIVEDiet is an important factor influencing blood pressure and, increases in dietary carbohydrate intake can raise blood pressure in adult rats. A previous study showed that the blood pressure of the rats fed with high-carbohydrate was 5-20 mmHg higher than that of control rats. While the mechanism involved is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-sucrose intake on blood pressure of young Wistar rats and the role that sympathetic nerve system in the process.

METHODSMale neonatal Wistar rats were performed sympathectomy operation with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and then divided into four groups: (1) 0.1% VitC saline-common diet group (VN), (2) 0.1% VitC saline-high sucrose (VS), (3) 6-OHDA-common diet group (OHN) and (4) 6-OHDA-high sucrose (OHS) after three week. The data on the body weight (BW), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded. Then the level of blood glucose, serum insulin and angiotensin II (AngII) were measured and the functional studies of the thoracic aorta was performed.

RESULTSThe VS group exhibited higher SBP than the OHS group from the 6th week (113.7 +/- 4.2 mmHg vs. 104.0 +/- 5.8 mmHg, P < 0.01) and the VN group from the 7th week (117.6 +/- 6.3 mmHg vs. 109.6 +/- 4.6 mmHg, P < 0.01), while the SBP of the VN group was similar to those of the OHN group and the OHS group (P > 0.05). No significant differences in blood glucose, serum insulin and insulin sensitive index (ISI) were found among the four groups. The thoracic aorta segments of the VS group had higher contractive response to AngII (P < 0.01) and NE (P < 0.05) than the VN group, but the relaxations to acetylcholine (ACh) and nitroglycerine (NTG) showed no difference among the four groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe high-sucrose diet might elevate the blood pressure in young Wistar rats and the sympathetic system may play an important role in this process.

Angiotensin II ; blood ; Animal Feed ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; physiology ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Dietary Sucrose ; administration & dosage ; Insulin ; blood ; Male ; Oxidopamine ; administration & dosage ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sympathectomy

Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; diagnosis ; Pacemaker, Artificial ; Syncope ; diagnosis

To study the effect of Tibetan medicine Zuotai on the activity, protein and mRNA expression of CYP1A2 and NAT2, three different doses (1.2, 3.8 and 12 mg x kg(-1)) of Zuotai were administrated orally to rats once a day or once daily for twelve days, separately. Rats were administrated orally caffeine (CF) on the second day after Zuotai administration, and the urine concentration of CF metabolite 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyl-uracil (AFMU), 1-methyluric acid (1U), 1-methylxanthine (1X), 1, 7-dimethylxanthine (17U) at 5 h after study drug administration was determined by RP-HPLC. The activity of CYP1A2 and NAT2 was evaluated by the ratio of metabolites (AFMU+1X+1U)/17U and the ratio of AFMU/(AFMU+1X+1U), respectively. The protein and mRNA expression of CYP1A2 and NAT2 were determined by ELISA and RT-PCR method, respectively. After single administration of Zuotai 3.8 mg x kg(-1) and repeated administration of Zuotai 3.8 and 12 mg x kg(-1), the activity of CYP1A2 and NAT2 decreased significantly compared with control group and there was no significant difference between other dose group and control group. The protein expression of CYP1A2 was significant lower than that in control group after repeated administration of Zuotai 12 mg x kg(-1), and the mRNA expression of CYP1A2 decreased significantly compared with that of control group after single administration of Zuotai 3.8 mg x kg(-1) and repeated admistration of Zuotai 12 mg x kg(-1), separately. The protein expression of NAT2 decreased significantly compared with that of control group after single and repeated administration of Zuotai 3.8 mg x kg(-1), respectively, and the mRNA expression of CYP1A2 decreased significantly compared with control group after single administration of Zuotai 3.8 mg x kg(-1). This study found that Tibetan medicine Zuotai had significant effect on the activity, protein and mRNA expression of CYP1A2 and NAT2.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Caffeine ; metabolism ; urine ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Theophylline ; urine ; Uracil ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Uric Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Xanthines ; urine

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of andrographolide on immune functions and the immune mechanism of its clinical application.

METHODThe amounts of IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-8 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) culture supernatants deal with by different concentrations of LianBiZhi (LBZ) injection made of andrographolide were detected by biological activity test or ELISA in vitro. The effects of LBZ injection on macrophage phagocytotic function and natural killer cells cytotoxicity were examined by means of macrophage to phagocytize cock erythrocyte and measurement of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity released from the damaged cells, respectively.

RESULTThe LBZ injection could promote IFN-alpha, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha inductions of PBMCs, but had no effect on IL-8. At the same time, the LBZ injection could not only enhance the phagocytosis activity of peritoneal macrophage from guinea pig to phagocytosis cock erythrocyte, but also augment the cytotoxicity mediated by natural killer cells from PBMCs to damage the K562 cell lines.

CONCLUSIONAndrographolide is an immunostimulant agent which can modulate both antigen specific and nonspecific immune function by means of its natural killer cells and macrophage and cytokines induction.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Chickens ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Injections ; Interferon-alpha ; metabolism ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; drug effects ; Neutrophils ; metabolism ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of tagalsin on hepatoma cells.

METHODSThe animal models were established by transplanting H(22) mouse hepatoma cells to mouse liver, and ten days later the mice were randomly divided into five groups: blank group, carmofur positive group and tagalsin groups, including low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose groups. Then medicine or oil was given to the mice by gastric gavage in consecutive 5 days with a 2-days interval as a course of treatment, two courses in all. All mice were killed at 24 hours after medication, and the survival period, ascites conditions, aggressive conditions intra- or extra-liver, weight changes, tumor volume and spleen index of the tumor-bearing mice were observed. Pathological changes of the tumors were examined. Apoptotic factors p53 and Bcl-2 protien and mRNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTStagalsin inhibited the hepatoma growth effectively without influencing spleen index to some extent. The tumor inhibition rate of tagalsin low, middle and high dose groups were 17.9%, 63.1% and 71.8%, respectively. Immunohistochemical results showed that the p53 and Bcl-2 protein positive cell counts of the positive control and experimental groups were significantly lower than those of the blank group (P < 0.01). RT-PCR results showed that the p53 mRNA expression was significantly enhanced and Bcl-2 mRNA expression was decreased in the positive control groups and tagalsin treatment groups, especially in the high dose group, compared with those of the blank group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONStagalsin can inhibit the growth of mouse hepatoma cells significantly. The mechanism of its anti-tumor effect may work via up-regulating the wild type p53 gene expression and down-regulating Bcl-2 gene expression and thus regulating tumor cell apoptosis.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rhizophoraceae ; chemistry ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between cardiac troponin I autoantibody (cTnIAAb) and left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: A total of 131 AMI patients were enrolled. Serum levels of cTnIAAb were measured by ELISA. Echocardiography was examined at the onset of AMI and 1 year follow-up evaluation. Taking left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV) increasing>15% as left ventricular remodeling, 2-classified logistic stepwise regression analysis was conducted to screen 12 risk factors related to left ventricular remodeling. Results: 23/131(17.6%) patients were with positive cTnIAAb and 82.4% with negative cTnIAAb. 49 patients lost contact and in the rest 91 patients, 21.1% were with positive cTnIAAb. Clinical information was similar between cTnIAAb positive and negative patients upon admission, P>0.05; echocardiography showed that 28 (42.2%) patients had LVESV increasing>15% by 1 year follow-up study whom including 10 (52.6%) patients with cTnIAAb positive and 18 (25.4%) negative. 2-classified logistic stepwise regression analysis indicated that BNP peak and positive cTnIAAb were the risk factors for left ventricular remodeling (OR=1.001, 95% CI 1.001-1.002) and (OR=3.552, 95% CI 1.148-10.989), both P=0.028. Conclusions: Serum cTnIAAb was positive in part of AMI patients which was related to increased risk of left ventricular remodeling; cTnIAAb might be involved in pathophysiological process of left ventricular remodeling in AMI patients.

OBJECTIVETo examine risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths in Chinese military elderly men.

METHODSA cohort analytic study was carried out in Xi'an, China. A total of 1268 retired military males aged 55 or older were examined in 1987 and followed for 18 years. Main outcome measures were all causes and COPD deaths.

RESULTSThe total person-years of follow-up from 1987 until June 2005 was 18 766.28. The mean follow-up time was 14.35 years; A total of 491 had died, with 748 alive and 29 lost of follow-up. COPD was the second cause of death in all deaths (16.90%). Results Univariate analysis of Cox model showed that age, number of smoking cigarettes per day, duration of smoking, negative affairs and existing COPD were risk factors of COPD deaths and the relative risks [95% confidence intervals (CI)] were 1.13 (1.09-1.17), 1.04 (1.02-1.06), 1.03 (1.01-1.04), 1.81 (2.85-6.77) and 4.39 (2.85-6.77) respectively. Data from Multivariate analysis of Cox model showed that age, number of smoking cigarettes per day and existing COPD were risk factors of COPD death with relative risks [95% confidence intervals (CI)] as 1.10 (1.06-1.15), 1.03 (1.01-1.06) and 3.07 (1.90-4.98) respectively. The risks for deaths increased significantly with increasing amount and duration of smoking resulting from all causes and COPD. Compared with current smokers, former smokers had lower risks of total mortality(excess risk reduction of 66.67%).

CONCLUSIONCOPD was the second cause among all deaths in this cohort. Age, number of smoking cigarettes per day and existing COPD were the risk factors of COPD deaths which called for further survey to examine the relationship between quitting smoking and COPD deaths in this cohort.

Age Factors ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; mortality ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence