Adult ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Pedigree ; Thrombocytopenia ; diagnosis ; genetics

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide in the central nervous system is involved in controlling the sympathetic outflow. The authors' recent data show that the reduction of nitric oxide in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM)enhanced the cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex (CSAR) evoked by stimulating the cardiac sympathetic afferent nerves in rats with chronic heart failure (CHF).OBJECTIVE: To further investigate the effect of nitric oxide in the RVLM on modulating the CSAR evoked by epicardial chemical stimulation in rats with CHF.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment.SETTING: Department of Physiology, Nanjing Medical University, and Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine.MATERIALS: This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Nanjing Medical University from July 2003 to May 2004. A total of 52male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 360-420 g were used, and were randomly divided into chronic heart failure group and control group with 23 in each group.METHODS: The rats were carried out either sham surgery or the left coronary artery ligation. Six to eight weeks later, all rats were anesthetized with α-chloralose and urethane and baroreceptor denervated and vagotomized. The CSAR was evoked by epicardial application of bradykinin (BK, 0.04 μg and 0.4 μg in 2.0 μL) to mimic the effect of chemical stimulation on the heart in the CHF state. The renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at baseline and during elicitation of the CSAR. Cannulae were inserted into the RVLM for microinjections.croinjection of MeTC, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, into the RVLM on Effects of epicardial pretreatment with lidocaine on the CSAR in CHF rats.infarction of (30.6±2.0) % of the left ventricular (LV) surface. The systolic arterial pressure, pulse pressure, left ventricle peak systolic pressure and maximum of the first differentiation of left ventricular pressure were decreased and the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was significantly ininto the RVLM had no significant effects on the CSAR in rats with CHF,of SNAP (50 nmol) into the RVLM inhibited the CSAR in both sham rats ventricle abolished the CSAR evoked by epicardial application ofBK on the same area.CONCLUSION: Nitric oxide in the RVLM inhibits the CSAR evoked by epicardial application of BK in normal rats and CHF rats, and the reduction of nitric oxide in the RVLM led to the augmentation of the CSAR in CHF rats.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of arterial embolization in the therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BHP).Methods After super-selective arterial contrast medium administration and comfirmation of prostate blood-supply artery,polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)and gelfoam were injected via the arterial catheter in 12 patients diagnosed as BHP.Pre-and post-operative I-PSS,quality of life(QOL),maximum urine flow rate(Qmax),and residual urine(RU)were compared.At the same time,the changes of prostate volume and blood supply were evaluated by endorectal ultrasound and CT.The change of urethral diameter was also evaluated by urethral contrast medium.Results A total of 21 prostate blood-supply arteries were embolized,including 5 internal iliac arteries,9 inferior vesical arteries,5 internal pudendal arteries,and 2 obturator arteries.Bilateral arterial embolization was performed in 9 patients and unilateral embolization was performed in 3 patients.The post-operative I-PSS(4.8),QOL(1.3),Qmax(18.9 ml/s),and RU(3 ml)were obviously improved compared with those of pre-operation(24.2,4.8,9.6 ml/s,and 138 ml).The prostate blood supply was obviously decreased and the maximum speed of blood stream was slackened from(19.3?9.8)cm/s to(10.0?8.9)cm/s.The prostate volume decreased from pre-operative 127.6 ml to post-operative 65.1 ml.The reduction rate was 51%.Conclusion The arterial embolization in the therapy of BHP was a new method.It had some advantages,such as less injury,higher efficacy,better safety and fewer complications.

BACKGROUND:Many scholars have developed a variety of dynamic elastic spine fixator. After biomechanical research, animal experiments and clinical application found that no one elastic spine fixator was general y recognized clinical y. OBJECTIVE:To compare the stress difference between“X”-shaped spine dynamic fixation and traditional pedicle screw fixation. METHODS:Three-dimensional finite element models of“X”-shaped spine dynamic fixation and traditional pedicle screw fixation were established according to adult spine imaging data. Mechanical differences in vertical compression, flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotation were compared between the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The stress at vertical compression was lower than that at flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotation in both groups. The stress at“X”-shaped spine dynamic fixation mainly focused on“X”-shaped connecting rod, but the stress of traditional pedicle screw fixation mainly focused on conjunction of screw-rod. Moreover, the stress of the screw of“X”-shaped spine dynamic fixation was significantly less than that of traditional pedicle screw fixation (P<0.001). These results suggest that“X”-shaped spine dynamic fixation system can share stress of screws and reduce the postoperative stress concentration compared with traditional pedicle screw fixation.

Objective To investigate the regular,variant and parasitic arterial blood supply in liver cancer,so as to improve the effects of treatment on liver cancer by TACE.Methods 52 liver cancer focus confirmed by pathology and imaging were retrospectively analysed First,the routine DSA was performed,if following conditions including no tumor staining or no vessel area within tumor on arterial phase and filling defect within tumor on parenchyma phase were presented,then DSA via superior mesenteric artery,left gastric artery,inferior phrenic artery,right adrenal artery,internal thoracic artery and intercostal artery were perfomed again.Results 39 focus with regular arterial blood supply(75%),13 focus with variant (25%) and 11 focus with parasitic arterial blood supply (21%) are observed .Conclusion The liver cancer focuses are mainly fed by the regular arterial blood supply of liver artery ,but still 25% are by variant arterial blood supply.The chemoembolization for liver cancer through regular ,variant and parasitic arterial blood supply can improve the therapeutic effect.

ObjectiveTo investigate the alteration of behavior,such as spontaneous movement,spatial memory ability and cholinergic M receptors in the brain of mice subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS). And to determine whether Ningshen Ling (NSL)and dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA)could reverse the cognitive impairment in this model.MethodsForty mice were divided into four groups: control group,CMS group,CMS+NSL(p.o.5g·kg-1·d-1) group and CMS+DHEA (i.p.5 mg·kg-1·d-1) group. Morris water maze procedure was used to determine the spatial memory ability. M receptor binding activity was measured with radioactivity assay by3 H-QNB.ResultsAfter 3 weeks CMS,the mice exerted a decrease in spontaneous movement test,and the latency in Morris water maze was obviously prolonged. Treating CMS mice with NSL and DHEA for 1 weeks could improve the spontaneous movement and latency declined. Whereas the3 H-QNB binding ability to M receptor showed a significantly decrease in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of CMS mice (P<0.05),the decreased ability of M receptor binding was reversed by NSL treatment in hippocampus(P<0.05).ConclusionNSL and DHEA can alleviate the stress response and reversed cognitive impairment induced by CMS,and it may be concerned with the central cholinergic M receptors activity.

Objective To explore the neuroprotective mechanism of propofol by comparing the influence of propofol and isoflurane on inflammatory cytokines ( TNF-α、IL-1、ICAM-1 ) in patients with intracranial tumors. Methods One hundred and sixty-eight patients with intracranial neoplasm were randomly divided into two groups:the propofol ( Group P) and isoflurane (Group I),84 cases in each. Patients were given with propofol (3-6 μg·mL-1) by plasma target-controlled infusion or with continuously inhaled isoflurane ( 1%-2%) , respectively. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and ICAM-1 were detected before anesthesia and at 0,24,and 48 h after operation. Results The serum levels of TNF-α,IL-1 and ICAM-1 were significantly increased after operation as compared to baseline in both groups. The serum level of TNF-α was(69. 11±8. 95) and (76. 26±11.28) μg·mL-1,IL-1 was(21.57±3.19) and (29.58±4.38) ng·L-1,and ICAM-1 was (1.63±0.24)and (1.94±0.29) g·L-1 at 24 h post operation in Group P and Group I,respectively. These inflammatory cytokine levels were significantly higher in group I compared to group P at 24 and 48 h after operation (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusion The target-controlled infusion of propofol brings about lower level of inflammatory reaction than isoflurane inhalation in patients with intracranial neoplasm,which may attribute to the mechanism of brain protection against injury.

Aluminum ; toxicity ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, diabetes group and treatment group( n = 10). Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was utilized to establish a rat model of DCM. The rats with DCM in treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with NaHS solution. After treated for 12 weeks, the hearts isolated from rats were perfused on a langendorff apparatus. The ventricular hemodynamic parameters were measured. The ultrastructures of myocardium were observed using electron microscopy. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in myocardial tissue were determined by spectrophotometry. The expressions of C/EBP homologous protein( CHOP), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and Caspase 12 at mRNA level in myocardium were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure were damaged obviously in diabetic rats. In myocardial tissue, the content of MDA was increased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased. CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 mRNA expressions were increased significantly. Compared with diabetes group, cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure damage were improved in treatment group. The content of MDA was decreased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were increased significantly. The mRNA levels of CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 were increased.

CONCLUSIONH2S can protect myocardium in diabetic rats, maybe it is related to reduce oxidative stress damage and inhibition of the ERS-induced apoptosis pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Streptozocin ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism

The objectives of this study are to prepare resveratrol loaded mixed micelles composed of poloxamer 403 and poloxamer 407, and optimize the formulation in order to achieve higher drug solubility and sustained drug release. Firstly, a thin-film hydration method was utilized to prepare the micelles. By using drug-loading, encapsulation yield and particle size of the micelles as criteria, influence of three variables, namely poloxamer 407 mass fraction, amount of water and feeding of resveratrol, on the quality of the micelles was optimized with a central composite design method. Steady fluorescence measurement was carried out to evaluate the critical micelle concentration of the carriers. Micelle stability upon dilution with simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid was investigated. The in vitro release of resveratrol from the mixed micelles was monitored by dialysis method. It was observed that the particle size of the optimized micelle formulation was 24 nm, with drug-loading 11.78%, and encapsulation yield 82.51%. The mixed micelles increased the solubility of resveratrol for about 197 times. Moreover, the mixed micelles had a low critical micelle concentration of 0.05 mg · mL(-1) in water and no apparent changes in particle size and drug content were observed upon micelles dilution, indicating improved kinetic stability. Resveratrol was released from the micelles in a controlled manner for over 20 h, and the release process can be well described by Higuchi equation. Therefore, resveratrol-loaded poloxamer 403/407 mixed micelles could improve the solubility of resveratrol significantly and sustained drug release behavior can be achieved.
Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Fluorescence ; Kinetics ; Micelles ; Particle Size ; Poloxamer ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; Water