Objective To investigate the feasibility and value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the prediction and early assessment of response to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for esophageal cancer.Methods A total of 40 patients with pathologically confirmed esophageal cancer who received CCRT were included in the study.Routine 3.0 T MRI and DWI were performed at different time points of treatment.The RECIST standard was adopted to evaluate short-term outcomes and divide the patients into remission group (complete remission and partial remission) and non-remission group (stable disease and progressive disease).Group t-test was used for between-group comparison.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the change rates of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value at different time points of treatment.Results There were 30 patients in the remission group and 10 patients in the non-remission group.The remission group had a significantly higher increase in ADC value than the non-remission group by the end of the first week of treatment (P =0.000).The maximum diameters of tumors for the emission group and non-remission group at the end of the first week of treatment were not significantly different from those before treatment (66.10 mm vs.62.63 mm,P =0.407 ; 70.90 mm vs.68.30 m,P =0.552).The ADC value before treatment had a negative correlation with the reduction rate of the maximum diameter of tumor (r =-0.680,P =0.000).The area under the ROC curve was the largest at the end of the first week of treatment (Az =0.783).If using 15.5 ％ increase in ADC value by the end of the first week as the threshold value for evaluating tumor response,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value were 86.7％,70.0％,89.7％,and 63.6％,respectively.Conclusions DWI can be used as a new imaging method for the prediction and early assessment of the response to CCRT for esophageal cancer.The change rate of ADC value by the end of the first week of treatment is sensitive in assessing treatment response,so ADC value can be monitored at this time point.

Objective To study on the diuretic effects and bacterial activity in vitro of compound Salvia plebeian granules and its different effective parts in rats.Methods The diuretic effects of the compound Salvia plebeian granules(CSPG)and every extracted part were studied by using rat metabolic cage and analyzing the contents of Na~+、K~+、Cl~- in rat's urine.MICs of CSPG and every extracted part on different bacteria strains were determined by the method of concentration gradient dilution.Results In diuretic experiment,doses of 40,20 g·kg~(-1) of both CSPG and extraction of acetic ether(AE,effective part of CSPG)can conspicuously increase the urine volume of water load rats and also increase the contents of Na~+、K~+、Cl~- in rats'urine.The MICs of CSPG on E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 0.25 g·mL~(-1) and 0.50 g·mL~(-1).The MICs of AE on E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 0.5 g·mL~(-1) and 1.0 g·mL~(-1).Conclusion CSPG and its effective parts have the diuretic effects in vitro and bacterial activity.

Twelve anaerobic fungal strains isolated from rumen and faeces of ruminants were screened for xylanase prodution. Isolate A4 strain identified as Neocallimastix had the highest xylanase activity among all isolates. With rice straw, corn straw , peanut straw and filter paper as fermentation substrates, the activities of xylanase by A4 were14.31 U/mL, 11.39 U/mL, 6.99 U/mL, 13.38 U/mL, respectively. The effect of cell-free rumen fluid and yeast extract on xylanase production was tested. The results showed that the concentration level of cell-free rumen fluid had no significant effect on xylanase production. However as yeast extract concentration decreased from 1.0 g/L to 0,5 g/L , the enzyme activity decreased significantly ( P

Objective To investigate the spatial learning and memory ability,the changes of indicators of oxidative stress,and their relationship in transgenic APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease(APP/PS1 mice). Methods The spatial learning and memory ability were assessed by Morris water maze test,and the activity or content of SOD, GSH-PX, MDA, and protein carbonyl in brain tissues were measured by ELISA in the APP/PS1 and wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, the relationship between the learning and memory performances and the indicators of oxidative stress was examined. Results No significant difference in the spatial learning was observed between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜0. 05). The spatial memory which was measured as the percentage of time traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total traveling time was significantlydeclined in the APP/PS1 mice(29. 02 ± 4. 27) % as compared with the WT mice(47. 39 ± 6. 01) %(t =0. 000 ,P ＜0. 05). The percentage of length of traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total length traveled was significantly lower in the APP/PS1 mice(28. 85 ±3.77)% compared with the WT mice(46. 70 ±5.60)% (t =0. 000,P ＜0. 05). These findings indicated that the spatial learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice was significantly decreased compared to WT mice. There was no significant difference in activity or content of SOD,GSH-PX,and MDA in brain tissues between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜ 0. 05), while the content of protein carbonyl was significantly elevated in the APP/PS1 mice (2. 67 ±0. 19) than in the WT mice (2. 38 ±0. 15)(t = 0. 008, P ＜ 0. 05). Correlation analysis revealed that the elevated protein carbonyl was negatively correlated with the percentage of length traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 639, P ＜ 0. 05) and the percentage of time traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 636 ,P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusion The spatial memory impairment was negatively correlated with the elevated protein carbonyl in the APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that protein carbonylation caused by oxidative stress might play an important role in the development of memory impairment in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease.

Objective To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on inflammatory response during the perioperative period in patients with acute craniocerebral trauma.Methods Seventy ASA Ⅰ-Ⅳ patients of both sexes,aged 20-68 yr,with craniocerebral trauma,who required decompressive craniectomy within the next 24 h,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =35 each) ∶ control group (group C) and dexmedetomidine group (group D).Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl,propofol and cisatracurium and maintained with remifentanil,sevoflurane and propofol and intermittent iv boluses of cisatracurium.In group D,dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg was infused over 10 min,followed by infusion at 0.4 μg· kg-1 · h-1 for 2 h.Venous blood samples were taken before induction of anesthesia (baseline),2 h after the beginning of operation,at the end of operation and at 24 h after operation (T1-T4) to determine the concentrations of serum neurone specific enolase (NSE),interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).Results Compared with group C,the concentrations of serum NSE,IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in group D (P ＜ 0.05).The concentrations of serum NSE,IL-6 and TNF-αwere significantly higher at T2 and T3,and the concentration of serum TNF-α was significantly lower at T4 than at T1 in group C (P ＜ 0.05).The concentrations of serum NSE and IL-6 were significantly higher at T2 and T3 and lower at T4 and the concentration of serum TNF-α was significantly higher at T3 and T4 than at T1 in group D (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine protects the brain against acute craniocerebral trauma by inhibiting systemic inflammatory response during the perioperative period.

This study left flavonoids and alkaloids Chinese herbal monomer with common parent nucleus as cream base carriages drug respectively, cream base were prepared with stable span 60-tween 80 emulsification system. The near-infrared stability analysis technology was performed to quantitatively characterize the physical stability of cream. Base on the theory of gel network structure, theory of emulsification, theory of solubility parameter and theory of double layer, the influence mechanism of Chinese herbal monomer on physical stability of cream was discussed. The results showed that tetrahydropalmatine, matrine and naringenin had similar solubility parameter value with cream base material, creams prepared with those Chinese herbal monomer have higher Zeta potential value and stronger physical stability, and that those creams had similar microstructure information with cream base. However, a larger solubility parameter difference exists between baicalin, baicalein, berberine, palmatine and cream base material. Creams prepared with those Chinese herbal monomers had lower Zeta potential value and poorer physical stability, and that those creams had great different microstructure information with cream base.
Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Skin Cream ; chemistry ; Solubility

AIM: To evaluate the influence of the calpain system mRNA and protein expression on the progress of atrial structural remodeling in fibrillating canine.METHODS: 17 dogs were randomly divided into 2 groups: normal control group(SR,n=6) and atrial fibrillation(AF,n=11) group.AF was induced by rapid pacing for 8 weeks and all dogs underwent transthoratic echocardiography before and after rapid pacing.The mRNA and protein expression of calpainⅠ,calpainⅡand calpastatin were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting,respectively.RESULTS: Compared with SR group,the left atrial diameters and the content of calcium in atrial myocardium increased significantly in AF group(P0.05) between two groups.The expression of calpastatin mRNA was upregulated significantly in AF group(P

This study was aimed to optimize the ethanol extraction technology ofXiao-Xu-Ming (XXM) decoction. The extraction rates of paeoniflorin, ferulic acid, tetrandrine and yield extract were used as comprehensive evaluation indexes. The amount of ethanol, extraction times, extraction time and concentration of ethanol were selected as factors. The orthogonal design was used to optimize ethanol reflux extraction technology of XXM decoction. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions were as follows: refluxing extracted 3 times with 10 folds, 70% ethanol, 1.5 h for each time. It was concluded that the optimized extraction process was objective, practical, reasonable and stable, which provided experimental basis for industrial production of XXM decoction.

Objective To investigate the activation of renin angiotensin system(RAS)in the chronic atrial fibrillation (AF)dogs and the effects of Captopril in the treatment of AF.Methods Twenty-six mongrel dogs were randomly divided into three groups:pacing group(n=11),treatment group(n=9)and control group(n=6).High frequency pacing (400 b/min)of the right atrial appendage was performed for 8 weeks in the pacing group and treatment group with permanent pacemaker.Pacing was not performed in the control group.In the treatment group,the dogs were given Captopfil orally 50 mg twice a day from 3 days before pacing to 8 weeks after pacing.Tissue samples were obtained from the atrial appendages and both the left and fight atria when dogs were killed.The level of anglotensinⅡ(AugⅡ)and the intracellular Ca~(2+) concentrations were assayed by radio-immunity and spectrocomparator.Results The atrial AugⅡconcentrations were (29.83?5.73)pg/ml,(13.23?3.15)pg/ml,(11.38?2.14)pg/ml in pacing,treatment and control group, respectively.Compared with control group,the atrial AugⅡconcentrations in pacing group were significantly increased(P＜0.01 ),but no significant differences were found between treatment group and control group(P＞0.05).The intracellular Ca~(2+) concentrations were(35.32?4.88)?g/mg,(25.44?4.19)?g/mg,(24.06?3.51)?g/mg in pacing,treatment and control group,respectively.IntraceUular Ca~(2+) concentrations were higher in pacing group than that in the other two groups(P＜0.01).But in treatment group,the intracellular Ca~(2+) concentrations were almost the same as that in the control group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Chronic high frequency pacing could significantly increase the level of the atrial AugⅡand intracellular Ca~(2+) concentrations.Captopril could inhibit the RAS activation and the intracellular calcium overload and might present a new component for the treatment of AF.

Objective To evaluate the 80 mm volume shuttle cerebral CT perfusion(CTP) and 4D-CT angiography (CTA) in patients with stenosis or occlusion in Willis circle.Methods Conventional cerebral plain CT, 80 mm CTP and dynamic 4D-CTA were performed in 55 patients with unilateral MCA/ ICA stenosis or occlusion.The parameter maps of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT) and time to peak (TTP) were analyzed.Meanwhile dynamic 4D-CTA images were also obtained.The significance of the differences of CBF, CBV, MTT and TTP between the affected side and the contralateral side was assessed using K Independent Samples analysis.Results In 40 patients with unilateral stenosis or occlusion of MCA/ICA, CTP was found abnormal in 36 patients.MTT and TTP of affected side [(7.18 ±1.34), (19.65 ±1.81) s] were significantly prolonged compared to contralateral side [(5.22±1.14) s, (17.62±1.65) s, X~2 =30.833,25.817, P<0.017].Centrum ovale or parietal lobe ischemic lesions were observed in 16 patients on CTP.In 15 patients with bilateral stenosis or occlusion of MCA/ICA, CTP was observed abnormal in 10 patients.CBF, CBV, MTT and TTP of affected side [(42.85 ±6.09) ml·100 g~(-1)·min~(-1), (2.63 ±0.42) ml·100 g~(-1), (11.27 ±1.43) s, (21.07 ±1.44) s)] were significantly different from those of contralateral side [(71.20 ±6.30) ml·100 g~(-1)·min~(-1), (2.29 ±0.15) ml·100 g~(-1), (3.38 ±0.61) s, (17.64 ±1.70) s (X~2 =17.314, 5.913,17.334,13.834,P<0.017)].On 4D-CTA covering 80 mm (0.625 mm×l28), unilateral stenosis of MCA were observed in 22 patients (13 right MCA and 9 left MCA), unilateral occlusion were observed in 5 patients (1 right MCA and 4 left MCA) and bilateral MCA stenosis/occlusion were observed in 9 patients.4D-CTA covering Willis cycle can display stenosis/occlsion of MCA as same as conventional CTA and DSA.Conclusion 80 mm volume shuttle CTP and 4D-CTA provide valuable information about the hemodynamic changes and the abnormalities of intracranial artery in patients with MCA/ICA stenosis or occlusion.