Objective To detect the level of nitric oxide (NO) and amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of epilepsy children in different time. Methods The level of NO and amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of epilepsy children in different time were determined with nitrate reductase and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric detection. Results The level of NO2 - increased 30 min, 60 min, 120 min after seizures (P<0.01), but dropped to normal 180 min after seizures (P>0.05). The level of glutamate (Glu) significantly increased in all epilepsy groups (P<0.05). The level of glycine (Gly) dropped gradually in all epilepsy groups (P<0.05).Conclusion NO may participate in the generation of seizures and the injury process to brain. The imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acids may play an important role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. The toxicity of excitatory amino acids may be the main injury to the brain.

Objective To evaluate the roles of magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS) in the diagnosis of meningiomas. Methods 98 patients with meningiomas underwent conventional pre-contrast MR and contrast MR. Among them, 28 cases had two dimensional single voxel or multi voxel 1 H-MRS simultaneously both in the lesion's region and the contralateral side. Results On precontrast MR images of 98 cases, T1 WI showed 58.1% (61/105) isointensities, 31.4% (33/105) faintly low intensities and 10. 5% (11/105) mixed intensities; T2WI showed 40. 0% (42/105) isointensities, 41.0%(43/105) hyperintensities, 10.5% (11/105) faintly low intensities and 8.5% (9/105) mixed intensities. After administration of Gd-DTPA, the solid part of the tumors exhibited various enhancement in all the 98 cases.28 cases of MRS exhibited specific different spectral peaks, including increased of choline-containing compounds(Cho), absent or decreased of acetylaspartate(NAA), and the unchanged of creatine(Cr). The value of NAA, Cr, Cho, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho in the tumor center of meningioma were 0. 09 ± 0.06,0.31 ± 0. 22, 0.46 ± 0. 16, 0.33 ± 0. 42, 1.50 ± 0. 68, 0. 15 ± 0.08, compared with the contralateral normal region, Cr has no significant difference (P ＞ 0. 05), NAA, Cho, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho had significantly differences(P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Conventional pre-contrast MR and contrast MR is the most important dignostic means for meningiomas, 1H-MRS combined with MRI can improve the diagnostic accuracy of meningiomas.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the method and experience of direct observation of the effect of mitral valvuloplasty on beating heart. METHODS: Twelve patients with mitral regurgitation underwent mitral valvuloplasty. When the heart was beating slowly before releasing the aorta, the morphology and function of the mitral valve were evaluated by direct observation. If the results were unsatisfactory, further techniques were used to reach the goal. RESULTS: During the operation 2 patients needed further techniques to make the mitral valve work well. No operative death and only 1 complication (low cardiac output syndrome) occurred. After 1 month follow-up later, mild regurgitation was found in 5 patients, moderate regurgitation in 1 and no obvious regurgitation in 6. CONCLUSION Evaluating the effect of mitral valvuloplasty by direct observation on beating heart is practicable.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; surgery ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the pharmacodynamic and pathological mechanism of eucommia ulmoides oliv in improving erectile function.

METHODSThirty male diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups: group A (n = 10, escipient group), group B (n = 10, sildenafil group), group C (n = 10, eucommia ulmoides oliv group) and group D (n = 10, the normal control group). After gavage for four weeks, the catching behaviors of all rats were observed, and ultrastructure of myelinated nerve fibers in penile tissue was examined by transmission electron microscope. The expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in penile tissues was examined by two steps immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSCompared with group A, catching frequency of the rats in group C was notably increased (P < 0.05) and the expression of nNOS in penile tissue was significantly (P < 0.001). The examination by transmission electron microscope showed that in the rats' penile tissue of group A, myelinated nerve fibers were irregularly arranged and partially degenerated, and myelin sheaths lamella were splited and exhibited vacuoles or network forms. In group C, there were regular arrangements of myelinated nerve fibers, in which the formation of lamella was clear.

CONCLUSIONBy remitting the impairement of myelinated nerve fibers and enhancing the expression of nNOS in penile tissue, eucommia ulmoides oliv can improve erectile function of diabetic rats.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Eucommiaceae ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; ultrastructure ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Penis ; drug effects ; enzymology ; innervation ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Obstructive nephropathy ultimately leads to end-stage renal failure. Renovascular lesions are involved in various nephropathies, and most renal diseases have an ischemic component that underlies the resulting renal fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether morphological changes occur in the renal vasculature in hydronephrosis and the possible mechanisms involved. A model of complete unilateral ureteral obstruction (CUUO) was used. Experimental animals were divided into five groups: a normal control group (N) and groups of animals at 1st week (O1), 2nd week (O2), 4th week (O4) and 8th week (O8) after CUUO. Blood pressure was measured, renal arterial trees and glomeruli were assessed quantitatively, and renovascular three-dimensional reconstruction was performed on all groups. Glomerular ultrastructural changes were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in the obstructed groups (O1, O2, O4 and O8). Three-dimensional reconstruction showed sparse arterial trees in the O8 group, and a tortuous and sometimes ruptured glomerular basement membrane was found in the O4 and O8 groups. Furthermore, epithelial media thickness and media/lumen ratio were increased, lumen diameters were decreased, and the cross-sectional area of the media was unaltered in the segmental renal artery, interlobar artery and afferent arterioles, respectively. In conclusion, renal arterial trees and glomeruli were dramatically altered following CUUO and the changes may be partially ascribed to vascular remodeling. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of renovascular morphological alterations will enable the development of potential therapeutic approaches for hydronephrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical data of pathological morphology, diagnosis, surgical treatment of cor triatriatum in 15 patients. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a mean age of (14.6+/-10.3) years (range from 6 months to 40 years) were performed operations under extracorporeal circulation. Fourteen of the patients had cor triatriatum sinister, and 1 had cor triatriatum dexter; 12 of the 15 patients had other cardiac abnormalities. The excision of the fibromuscular membrane was accomplished through a right atrial incision in all of the 14 cases, and the associated abnormalities were corrected at the same time. RESULTS: One patient died after the operation, and the other survivors had good outcome. CONCLUSION Operation is necessary if the diagnosis is clear. The patients generally have good prognosis. Surgical results of cor triatriatum depend on the complexity of associated defects and the adequacy of the repair.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cor Triatriatum ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Neuroprotective effect of scorpion venom on Parkinson's disease (PD) has already been reported. The present study was aimed to investigate whether scorpion venom heat resistant peptide (SVHRP) could attenuate ultrastructural abnormalities in mitochondria and oxidative stress in midbrain neurons of early-stage PD model. The early-stage PD model was established by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (20 μg/3 μL normal saline with 0.1% ascorbic acid) into the striatum of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats unilaterally. The rats were intraperitoneally administered with SVHRP (0.05 mg/kg per day) or vehicle (saline) for 1 week. Two weeks after 6-OHDA treatment, the rats received behavior tests for validation of model. Three weeks after 6-OHDA injection, the immunoreactivity of dopaminergic neurons were detected by immunohistochemistry staining, and the ultrastructure of neuronal mitochondria in midbrain was observed by electron microscope. In the meantime, the activities of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the mitochondria of the midbrain neurons, as well as the inhibitory ability of hydroxyl free radical and the antioxidant ability in the serum, were measured by corresponding kits. The results showed that 6-OHDA reduced the optical density of dopaminergic neurons, induced damage of mitochondrial ultrastructure of midbrain neurons, decreased SOD activity, increased MAO-B activity and MDA content, and reduced the antioxidant ability of the serum. SVHRP significantly reversed the previous harmful effects of 6-OHDA in early-stage PD model. These findings indicate that SVHRP may contribute to neuroprotection by preventing biochemical and ultrastructure damage changes which occur during early-stage PD.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Corpus Striatum ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mesencephalon ; cytology ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; Peptides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scorpion Venoms ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective To observe the state of endemic flurosis in Qinghai province in 2008 and to provide scientific basis for endemic flurosis control and prevention. Methods All the endemic fluorosis villages in Qinghai province was divided into slight,medium and heavy degree according to the water fluoride content before improving water,and 2,4,4 villages were collected from each degree,respectively. Water samples were collected from each direction of east,west,south,north and centre,and fluoride concentration were determined from each surveyed villages with unimproved-water. At the same time,3 copies of the peripheral water samples and a sample of source water were collected to determine fluoride concentration. In all the village children aged 8 to 12 were tested for dental fluorosis by Dean method. Six copies of the urinary fluoride were randomly sampled in different age groups. The fluorine content in urine was determined with F-ion selective electrode. The situation of clinical skeletal fluorosis of adults over 16 years of age was examined,and 20 adults in the villages of medium and heavy levels were filmed for skeletal fluorosis. Results The detectable rate of dental fluorosis of children aged 8-12 years old was 43.59% (245/562),that of skeletal flurosis of adults aged above 16 years was 50.32% (1582/3144) and detectable rate of X-ray was 29.45% (48/163). Fluoride content in urine was 1.52 mg/L. Conclusions Endemic fluorosis is still very serious in Qiaghai province in a rising trend,so the control measures need to be strengthen.

AIMA series of triazole antifungal agents were synthesized to search for novel triazole antifungal agents with more potent activity, less toxicity and broader spectrum.

METHODSTwenty-one 1-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazolyl)-2-(2, 4-diflurophenyl)-3-(4-substituted-1-piperazinyl)-2-propanols were synthesized, on the basis of the three dimensional structure of P450 cytochrome 14alpha-sterol demethylase (CYP51) and their antifungal activities were also evaluated.

RESULTSResults of preliminary biological tests showed that most of title compounds exhibited activity against the eight common pathogenic fungi to some extent and the activities against deep fungi were higher than that against shallow fungi. In general, phenyl and pyridinyl analogues showed higher antifungal activity than that of the phenylacyl analogues.

CONCLUSIONSeveral title compounds showed higher antifungal activities than fluconazole and terbinafine. Compound VIII-1, 4, 5 and IX-3 showed the best antifungal activity with broad antifungal spectrum and were chosen for further study.

Antifungal Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; drug effects ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; drug effects ; Fluconazole ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Structure ; Naphthalenes ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Triazoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology