Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Psoriasis ; diagnosis ; therapy

BACKGROUND: The elevation of plasma fibrinogen(Fbg) is a key risk factor of cerebrovascular diseases. The evaluation of the monomer polymerization function of fibrin has even more important clinical merit than the detection of Fbg level.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of the monomer polymerization function of fibrin in patients with isehemie cerebrovascular diseases and its impacts on rehabilitative intervention.DESIGN: A case control study employing patients and healthy individual as subjects.SETTING: An Institute of Hematology and Department of Neurology of one university.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 110 patients with different ischemic cerebrovascular disease selected from the Department of Neurology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong Science and Technology University from September 2001 to March 2002, and 50 healthy individuals were included in the study.METHODS: Rehabilitative intervention was performed in 31 randomly selected cerebral infarct patients, and the parameters indicating the monomer polymerization functions of fibrin in the plasma were detected by the measurement system for the monomer polymerization function of fibrin.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Abnormal condition of monomer polymerization function of fibrin in each parameter.RESULTS: Each parameter indicating the monomer polymerization functions of fibrin in plasma was significantly increased in ischemic cerebrovascular diseases patients than healthy individuals( P ＜ 0.01 ) . The abnormal rate of Fbg leveland fibrin monomer polymerization velocity (FMPV) was significantly elevated in ischemic cerebrovascular disease patients than healthy individuals ( P ＜ 0. 01 ) . The relative risk(RR) of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases in patients with abnormal FMP functions was 4 to 31 times more than healthy control group. In cerebral infarct group, FMPV of anterior circulation infarct subgroup was significantly elevated than that of posterior circulation infarct and lacunar cerebral infarct subgroups( P ＜ 0.05). The FMP function of anterior cerebral infarct patients was significantly higher than that of healthy group before rehabilitative intervention. Although each FMP parameter reduced after rehabilitative intervention, the difference between was not significant compared with that of before therapy.CONCLUSION: FMP function analysis can completely and objectively reflect the coagulation status of the patients with ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, and it can also reflect the range and severity of infarct to some extent. Although common rehabilitative intervention cannot effectively improve the high-coagulation of the blood, the impacts of specific rehabilitative intervention on the coagulation mechanism deserve further investigation.

The plasma levels of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the patients with unstable angina or stable angina were determined and compared. In 30 patients with unstable angina and 22 patients with stable angina, plasma levels of IL-10 and IL-6 were detected by ELISA and plasma lipid parameters by lipid research clinical methods respectively. The results showed plasma levels of IL-10 were significantly lower in unstable angina group than in stable angina group (P = 0.005), while those of IL-6 were significantly increased in unstable angina group as compared with those in stable angina group (P = 0.039). There was a significantly negative correlation between IL-10 and IL-6 in patients with unstable angina (r = -0.41, P = 0.003). In the unstable angina group, IL-6 levels were obviously positively correlated with TC (r = 0.314, P = 0.023), but not with TG and HDL. There were no significant correlations between IL-10 and plasma lipid parameters. It was suggested that the decreased IL-10 and increased IL-6 might be associated with the atheromatous plaque stability and progression of coronary heart diseases. IL-10 may play an important role in preventing coronary vascular lesions.
Angina, Unstable/*blood ; Interleukin-10/*blood ; Interleukin-6/*blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether aristolochic acid can be transported into human kidney proximal tubular cell (HKC) and its potential mechanism.

METHODSIntracellular aristolochic acid was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) induced by aristolochic acid in the presence of organic anion transporter inhibitor (probenecid) or organic cation transporter inhibitor (tetraethylammonium) was evaluated. The effects of probenecid on aristolochic acid induced connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA and protein expression were also examined by real time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTSAristolochic acid was detected in the suspension of the denatured HKC after incubation with aristolochic acid sodium salt. The release of LDH from HKC, which was induced by 60 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt, was significantly inhibited by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.01), but not by 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium. The increased CTGF mRNA and protein expression in HKC stimulated by 40 mg/L aristolochic acid sodium salt was significantly down-regulated by 1 mmol/L probenecid (P < 0.05), with an inhibition rate of 16% and 21%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAristolochic acid can be transported into HKC by organic anion transport system, and then exerts its biological effects.

Aristolochic Acids ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiology ; Organic Anion Transporters ; metabolism

Objective To provide scientific evidence for the effectiveness of upper limb training after stroke.Methods Surface electromyograms (sEMGs) of the triceps braehii and biceps brachii were recorded in stroke patients during maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC).A total of 18 patients with hemiparesis were studied.During the elbow's MIVC,flexor and extensor peak torque were measured,and sEMGs of the biceps and tri- ceps brachii were recorded.Results During MIVC,the biceps braehius of the intact side registered a stronger EMG than that of the affected side when the elbow flexed,but the differenees in the triceps braehii readings were not significant.The triceps bracbius of the intact side gave a stronger iEMG than the affected side when the elbow extend- ed,but the iEMG form the biceps brachius of the affeeted side was higher than that of the intact side.The co-contrac- tion ratio (CCR) of the triceps brachius on the affected side was higher than that of the intact side.Though there was a tendency for the CCR of the biceps brachius on the affected side to be higher than the intact side,any difference was not statistically significant.For both flexor and extensor MIVC,the peak torque on the affected side was lower than that of the intact side.Conclusions Elbow spastieity in hemiplegic patients is mainly attributable to the flexor muscles.In the rehabilitation of the upper limb after stroke,it is important when training extensor strength to inhibit co-contraction of the antagonistic muscle.

Objective To evaluate the effects of blood-lipid report's reformat on outpatients' behavior and knowledge of dyslipidemia therapy.Methods The blood-lipid report was reformatted by adding three tables from the Chinese Guideline on the Prevention and Treatment of Adult Dyslipidemia on its back.The same questionnaire was used twice to evaluate the patients' behavior and knowledge of dyslipidemia therapy before and after reformat.Results Before and after reformat,the rates of correct deterination of their own risk stratification were 26.0％ ( 112/430 ) and 26.3％ ( 115/438 ) respectively.The awareness rates of Different LDL-C goals among different persons wcre 37.0％ (159/430) and 35.8％ (157/438).Only 0.7％ (2/306) and 1.0％ (3/299) of patients knew their blood lipid goals (P =0.557).When the report showed normal blood lipid levels,the percentages of taking lipid-lowering drug were 47.6％ ( 230/483 ) and 46.6％ ( 216/464 ),20.5％ ( 99/483 ) and 19.0％ ( 88/464 ) of patients questioned the prescription.Non-medication rates were 31.9％ ( 154/483 ) and 34.5％ ( 160/464 ) respectively before and after reformat ( P ＞ 0.05 ).For patients requiting lipid-lowering drug therapy by the guideline,treatment rate improved significantly in the low-risk group (13.3％ vs.75.0％,P =0.002).Treatment rate slightly increased in the high-risk and very high-risk groups after reformat (54.0％ vs.56.8％,62.4％ vs.69.0％,P ＞ 0.05 ).Rates of achieving lipid goal showed no change [ 41.5％ ( 102/ 245 ) vs.44.5％ ( 114/256 ),P ＞ 0.05 ] after reformat,especially among the very high-risk patients [17.9％(12/68) vs.21.6％(11/52),P＞0.05].Conclusions The blood-lipid report reformat did not improve the patient behaviors and knowledge of the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia because of poor treatment rate and medication compliance.The combination of patient education and thorough blood-lipid report reformat may help to increase the attainment rate of dyslipidemia therapy.

Objective To evaluate MR diagnostic value of neurovascular compression in patients with hemifacial spasm(HFS). Methods MRI and MRA manifestations and operative results of eighteen patients with HFS were reviewed retrospectively.Results (1)The roots of the facial nerve involved sides were compressed by vessel in all cases.(2)There was statistical correlation between the vascular compression of the root exit zone(REZ)of facial nerves and the symptoms of HFS(P

Objective To study the difference of expression of proteins in pancreatic cancer and adjacent fissue.Methods Proteomes of eight pairs of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue samples and adjacent tissue samples were obtained by high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE).Comprehensive analyses of proteins were focused on total protein spots exhibiting statistical alternations between the two groups.Protein identification was done by peptide mass fingerprinting with tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS).In addition,Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were performed to verify the expression of certain candidate protein.Results A total of 28 protein spot-features were found to be significantly increased and 17 significantly decreased in tumor tissues.Thirty of these protein spots were identified,which included enzymes,antioxidant proteins,signal transduction proteins,calcium-binding protein,structural proteins,chaperones and others.Western blotting and IHC further validated up-regulated expressions of one candidate protein(annexin II)in tumor tissues.Conclusions The analysis of proteomics with 2-DE on human tissue is a useful method for discovering valuable cancer marker candidates.These differential expressed proteins may serve as biomarkers for early detection and therapeutic targets to pancreatic cancer.

Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Optic Atrophies, Hereditary ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Radiography ; Septo-Optic Dysplasia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Septum Pellucidum ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology

Objective To assess the safety and feasibility of CT-guided percutaneous argon-helium cryoablation in the treatment of adrenal tumors.Methods 1 7 patients with adrenal tumors were treated with CT-guided percutaneous argon-helium cryoablation. Three of these patients were retreated second cryoablation three months later due to the lager tumor diameters.Percutaneous tran-scatheter arterial embolization was performed in four patients because of rich blood supply before cryoablation.Continuous arterial blood pressure monitoring was performed in eight pheochromocytoma patients.Results Technical success was achieved in all pa-tients.There were no serious complications.Eight pheochromocytoma patients experienced a significant increase in systolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure when compared with the basic values (P <0.05).There were no enhancement on enhanced CT and/or up-take on FDG PET-CT in the ablated zones during the follow-up period (3-24months).Conclusion It is safety and efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous argon-helium cryoablation for adrenal tumor.It might be initial treatment of choice for the patients who were not suitable for resection.