Objective: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of vitamin E (VE) on angiogenesis and its possible mechanism. Methods: The rings of rat aorta were embedded in gels of collagen and cultured in a serum free medium for 28 days. Curves of microvessels growth were generated by counting the number of newly formed microvessels every day with an inverted microscope. Photos were taken at the same time. Expression of factor FVIII related antigen (FVIII RAg) in newly formed microvessels was detected by immunohistochemistry. Concentration change of FVIII R in medium was evaluated by ELISA. Results: Both 0.2 g/L and 0.1 g/L VE showed significant inhibitory effect on angiogenesis (P0.05). The inhibitory effect of VE was expressed in the phases of microvessel growth and decline (10-25 d). Conclusion: 1.Three dimensional collagen gels culture of microvessel in serum free medium can be used as a sensitive assay for study of soluble and solid phase angiogenic agonists and antagonists. 2. Both 0.1 g/L and 0.2 g/L VE inhibit angiogenesis, and VE has no toxicity and no drug resistance.

Objective To investigate the effects of intravitreal injection of conbercept on diffuse macular edema (DME) of diabetes mellitus.Methods Together 51 diabetic patients (51 eyes) with diffuse macular edema were collected between July 2016 to July 2017,and randomly divided into three groups (n =17):group A,in which patients received solely intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg conbercept,group B,those who was intravitreally injected with 0.5 mg of conbercept and modified macular grating photocoagulation,and group C,patients undergoing modified grid photocoagulation (GPG).Then,before treatment and 1 week,1 month,3 months and 6 months after treatment,all patients were examined by optical coherence tomography for determining central macular thickness (CMT),followed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA),the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),slit lamp,intraocular pressure for compare the efficacy and safety of the three procedures.Results All the three treatments improved BCVA,CMT,retinal neovascularization (RNV) leakage in diffuse DME patients,but group A and B were better than group C (both P ＜ 0.05),while there was no significant difference in BCVA improvement between A and B group (P ＞ 0.05),whereas the improvement in CMT of group B patients was better than that of group A [(197.47 ±45.26) μm vs.(205.59 ± 47.33) μm] (P ＜ 0.001),and this was true of RNV leakage [(9.91 ±3.18)mm vs.(13.24 ±4.87) rnm] (P＜0.001),without related complications.Conclusion Combination of modified macular grid photocoagulation and intravitreal injection of conbercept can quickly relieve diabetic macular edema and alleviate neovascularization,thus improving the patients' vision acuity,of which the efficacy is superior to the pure modified macular grid photocoagulation and conbercept injection.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered an important complementary therapy with beneficial effects for cancer patients. Elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are a complex patient group with increasing co-morbidity and shrinking physiological reserve, and may derive substantial benefit from the supportive aspects of TCM. Researchers from Shanghai Longhua Hospital found that qi and yin deficiency is a common syndrome in patients with stage III or IV lung cancer. This project was designed to study the combination of single-agent chemotherapy with TCM methods of benefiting qi and yin in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

OBJECTIVETo determine the levels of blood spot carnitine and acylcarnitine in children aged 0-15 years by tandem mass spectrometry, offer basic data for evaluating carnitine nutritional status and diagnosing metabolic diseases of organic acid and fatty acid.

METHODSThe concentration of carnitine and acylcarnitines were measured in blood spot by tandem mass spectrometry using underivatized samples. The samples included those from 1376 perinatal neonates, 49 neonates above 1 week of life, 64 children aged up to 1 year and 401 children aged 1 year to 15 years. A few premature infants and low birth weight infants were involved in perinatal neonates without selection. Other samples were taken from mainly outdoor patients for little surgical preoperative examination. Patients suffering from fever, diarrhea, liver disease, severe fat-metabolic diseases were excluded from this study.

RESULTSThe concentrations of carnitine (C(0)); short-chain acylcarnitines (SC-AC), including acetyl (C(2)), propionyl (C(3)), malonyl (C(3)DC), butyryl (C(4)), methylmalonyl (C(4)DC), isovaleryl (C(5)), glutaryl (C(5)DC); middle-chain acylcarnitines (MC-AC), including hexanoyl (C(6)), hexanediol (C(6)DC), octylenoyl (C(8:1)), octanoyl (C(8)), decadienoyl (C(10:2)), decanoyl (C(10:1)), decanoyl (C(10)); total carnitine and acylcarnitines (TCAC)were lower in neonate, highest in 1-3 months of age, higher in 6-12 months of age, and kept at the same level between 2 and 15 years of age. The concentrations of total long-chain acylcarnitines (LC-AC), including lauren (C(12:1)), lauroyl (C(12)), tetradecanoyl (C(14:1)), tetradecanoyl (C(14)), 3-hydroxy-tetradecanoyl (C(14)OH), hexadecenoyl (C(16:1)), hexadecanoyl (C(16)), 3-hydroxy-hexadecanoyl (C(16)OH), 3-hydroxy-hexadecanoyl (C(16:1)OH), octadecadienoyl (C(18:2)), octadecenoyl (C(18:1)), octadecanoyl (C(18)), 3-hydroxy-octadecenoyl (C(18:1)OH), and 3-hydroxy-octadecanoyl (C(18)OH) were the highest in neonate, decreased gradually, and kept the same level between 2 and 15 years of age. The concentrations of C(0) (23.387 ± 7.702) µmol/L, (30.064 ± 8.252) µmol/L, (25.021 ± 6.630) µmol/L, of LC-AC (4.998 ± 1.557) µmol/L, (2.854 ± 0.821) µmol/L, (2.459 ± 0.553) µmol/L, of TCAC (43.497 ± 12.632) µmol/L, (49.013 ± 12.497) µmol/L, (39.656 ± 9.257) µmol/L were significantly different among the groups of neonate, up to 1 year and above 1 year (P < 0.01). The concentrations of C(0) (24.115 ± 7.715) µmol/L and TCAC (43.65 ± 5.252) µmol/L in perinatal male neonates were higher than that (22.696 ± 7.246) µmol/L, TCAC (41.90 ± 5.038) µmol/L in female neonates. The C(0)/TCAC ratio of neonatal group (54.0% ± 7.1%) was significantly lower than that in the children group (62.1% ± 6.1%, P < 0.05), LC-AC/TCAC (33.5% ± 6.0%), MC-AC/TCAC (1.3% ± 0.3%), SC-AC/TCAC (11.6% ± 2.5%)ratios of neonatal group were higher than that of children group respectively (30.1% ± 4.9%; 0.9% ± 0.6%; 6.5% ± 2.3%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSConcentrations and profiles of carnitine and acylcarnitines change significantly during the first year of life, the age should be considered as a factor when evaluating carnitine nutritional status and diagnosing metabolic diseases of organic acid and fatty acid. Concentrations of carnitine and acylcarnitines were a little higher in male neonates than in female.

Adolescent ; Carnitine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

Formation of liver fibrosis mainly involves activation of hepatic stellate cell and imbalance between synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix.The sphingosine kinase (SphK)/sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)/sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of cell life activities including proliferation,migration,and inflammatory response.This article introduces the distribution and biological functions of SphK,S1 P,and S1PRs and elaborates on the research advances in mechanism of action of the SphK/S1P/and S1PRs signaling pathway in liver fibrosis.Many studies have confirmed the important role of the SphK/S1P/and S1PRs signaling pathway in liver fibrosis,and in-depth exploration helps to provide new thoughts for clinical treatment of liver fibrosis and development of new drug targets.

This paper discusses the application of virtual reality technology in the 3-D visible human body and acupuncture research. Based on the 3-D visible human fused with the localization information and hierarchy of acupoints, the paper analyzes the force against the needle and haptic rendering during the needle manipulation according to the physical properties of different tissues. A haptic model is constructed to demonstrate the force behaviors during acupuncture, and the force will be produced and passed to the manipulator by a force feedback device. It enriches the contents of 3-D visible human project, provides a dynamic simulation instrument for acupuncture teaching, and supplies a platform for acupuncture research.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; China ; Computer Simulation ; Feedback ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; User-Computer Interface ; Visible Human Projects

OBJECTIVETo study an epidemic of human lung plague fulminant from September to October, 2004 in Nangqian county, Qinghai province.

METHODSCases were diagnosed through data from epidemiological, clinical, bacteriological, serological and autopsy studies.

RESULTS14 patients were identified, ending up with 6 deaths and 8 cured. The first case was diagnosed as primary pesticemia late progressed to lung plague. 4 cases were transformed from pesticemia out of 13, leaving the 9 cases as primary lung plague. Situation was under complete control through routinely handling the plague focus.

CONCLUSIONThe first case was bitten by the infected fleas which parasitized the marmota preyed on a dog but later these fleas were brought into the tent by the dog. The others cases were infected through droplets or dust. Programs on monitoring and controling the amount of marmotas and fleas should to be strengthened to prevent the epidemics of plague in the area.

Adult ; Animals ; Biopsy ; Cattle ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Dogs ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plague ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; pathology ; transmission

OBJECTIVETo determine serum carnitine levels in patients with liver diseases and to investigate their significance.

METHODS25 patients with acute viral hepatitis, 34 with chronic viral hepatitis, 22 with post hepatitis cirrhosis with normal renal function, 9 with post hepatitis cirrhosis but with renal disfunction, and 40 healthy subjects (serving as controls) were enrolled in this study. An enzymatic cycling method was used to determine the serum free carnitine levels.

RESULTSThe serum free carnitine level was (48.3+/-10.2)micromol/L in the healthy control group. It was (35.2+/-13.2)micromol/L in the acute viral hepatitis group, (36.5+/-9.9)micromol/L in the chronic viral hepatitis group, (45.0+/-11.0)micromol/L in the post hepatitis cirrhosis with normal renal function group, and (83.6+/-50.4)micromol/L in the post hepatitis cirrhosis with renal dysfunction group. Serum free carnitine levels in the acute viral hepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy controls. There were no significant differences in serum free carnitine levels of the post hepatitis cirrhosis group and the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with liver diseases can have carnitine metabolism errors. One of the secondary carnitine lack causes is liver disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carnitine ; blood ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; blood ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo improve sternal elevation for pectus excavatum to be more simple, less injured and less recurrent.

METHODSWe modified procedures for the sternal elevation for pectus excavatum by dispersal of the shortened fibrous bundle connection with central tendon of the diaphragm, correction of the reverse angle of sternocostales joins, transverse cuneiform anterior osteotomy of sternum and reconnection of oblique resected costal cartilage.

RESULTSSince March 1997, 8 children (4 - 10-year-old) with the pectus excavatum have been treated by this modified sternal elevation, 4 of them who suffer from quick heart pulse improved their heart rate immediately during the operation, all patients have less bleeding and good cosmetic appearance without any complications. There were satisfactory results without recurrence after 6 months to 1 year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONThe modified sternal elevation for pectus excavatum is safe, effective and reliable method.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Funnel Chest ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Sternum ; surgery

Objective To design and synthesize novel Danshensu derivatives in order to improve their stability and cardio-protective effect against myocardial ischemia .Methods Novel Danshensu derivatives were synthesized chiefly viaesterification , methoxy phenol hydroxyl protection ,nitration and amine solution reaction .All the target compounds were evaluated their bio-logical effects on anti-myocardial ischemia with H9c2 cells in vitro .Results 15 compounds were synthesized and further con-firmed by 1 H NMR and MS .Pharmacological studies showed that few synthetic derivatives at 5μmol/L performed a higher bi-ological effect than Danshensu .Conclusion Most derivatives didn't show the best activity at the chosen concentration gradient that a further pharmacological trial need to be done .