Objective To investigate the changes of plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and glucagon (Glu) in congestive heart failure and its clinical significance. Methods The levels of plasma VIP and Glu were measured with radioimmunoassay in 40 patients with congestive heart failure, including 15 patients with cardiac function in degree Ⅰ, 25 cases with cardiac function in degree ⅡⅣ, and 23 normal children who were served as controls. Results The levels of plasma VIP and Glu increased than that in normal control group[(43.22?5 48) ng/L vs(32.24?4.46) ng/L, P

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; anatomy & histology ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Maxillofacial Injuries ; therapy

Child ; Crush Syndrome ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Edema ; complications

In order to establish a method for the determination of the sterols of the oil in the freeze-dried acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and to evaluate its antioxidant activities, a saponification/extraction procedure and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method were developed and validated for the analysis of phytosterols in PEE (Petroleum ether extract). Separation was achieved on a Purosper STAR LP C18 column with a binary, gradient solvent system of acetonitrile and isopropanol. Evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) was used to quantify β-sitosterol and the total sterols. Peak identification was verified by retention times and spikes with external standards. Standard curves were constructed (r = 0.999 2) to allow for sample quantification. Recovery of the saponification and extraction was demonstrated via analysis of spiked samples. The highest content of total sterols is β-sitosterol. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using the total oxyradical scavenging capacity assay (TOSC assay). The result showed that the PEE exhibited significant antioxidant properties, sample concentration and the antioxidant capacity had a certain relevance.
Antioxidants ; analysis ; Arecaceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Phytosterols ; analysis ; Sitosterols ; analysis

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; analysis ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Fluorescence ; G1 Phase ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mid-term outcome of operation for thoracolumbar tuberculosis. METHODS : Twenty-eight patiens with thoracolumbar tuberculosis underwent one stage anterior debridement,interbody fusion with bone graft and posterior pedicle screw internal fixation treatment from July 2006 to July 2011. There were 17 males and 11 females. Total 17 patients had nerve injuries ,including 6 cases of grade B, 5 cases of grade C, 6 cases of grade D according to Frankel classification. The poisoning symptoms of tuberculosis and recovery of spinal function were observed. The bone fusion and recovery of [umbar function were evaluated.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up ,and the duration ranged from 39 to 85 months (mean 57 months). The clinical symptoms were controlled gradually, and the thoracolumbar back pain was alleviated after operation. Among the 17 patients with complications of nerve injuries, 3 patients were improved from preoperative grade B to postoperative grade D, 3 patients were improved from preoperative grade B to postopertive E, 5 patients with preoperative grade C and 6 patients with preoperative D were almostly recovered to normal after operation. According to JOA scoring system for curative effect evaluation, the excellent and good rate at the 3rd month, the 1st year, the 3rd year and the 5th year after operation were 67.86% ,82.14% ,85.71% ,89.29% and 91.30% respectively. The results at the 6th month and the 1st year had no statistical differences compared to the results at the 3rd month (P > 0.05); but the results at the 3rd year and the 5th year were better than that at 3 months after operation (P < 0.05); and the results between 3 yesrs and 5 years after operation had no statistical differences (P < O.05). The degeneration of adjacent segments were evaluated according to the California University (Universith of California at Los Angeles , UCLA) score. The degeneration rate was 53.57% (15/28) at the 3rd year after surgery, which was better than that before surgery. Twenty-three patients were followed up for 5 years ,and the degeneration rate was 86.96% (20/23) ,which was better than those of before surgery and 3 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONThe surgical treatment for thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis can achieve the thorough debridement, reconstruction of spinal stability, recovery of lumbar function and promote the functional recovery of the spinal cord, which is an effective method of treatment. However, the mid term follow-up showed that more severe degenerative changes were found in the postoperative adjacent segment.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; physiopathology ; surgery

Objective To investigate the changes in the expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) mRNA in a rat model of ventilator-induced lung injury.Methods Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 2β5-260 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =10 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),small tidal volume (VT) mechanical ventilation group (group S) and large tidal volume mechanical ventilation group (group L).The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal ketamine 100 mg/kg,midazolam 0.2 mg/kg and atropine 1.0 mg/kg.The rats were tracheostomized and spontaneous breathing was maintained in group C,while the rats were tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated for 4 h in groups S and L.The tidal volume was 7 ml/kg (group S) or 40 ml/kg (group L),I ∶ E was 1 ∶ 1,RR was 80 bpm and FiO2 was 100％.At 4 h of spontaneous breathing or mechanical ventilation,broncho-alveolar lung lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for determination of the total protein concentration,white blood cell (WBC) counts and concentrations of MIF,IL-6 and IL-1β (by ELISA).Then the rats were sacrificed and the lungs removed for microscopic examination and for determination of wet to dry lung weight ratio (W/D ratio) and expression of MIF mRNA (by RT-PCR).Results Compared with C and S groups,WBC counts,concentrations of total protein,MIF,IL-6 and IL-1β in BALF,and W/D ratio and expression of MIF mRNA in lung tissues were significantly increased in group L (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the indexes mentioned above between group C and group S (P ＞ 0.05).The pathological changes occurred in group L.Conclusion The up-regulation of MIF mRNA expression in lung tissues may be involved in the development of ventilator-induced lung injury in rats.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the reversing effect of NF-kappaB inhibitor MG-132 on chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells to vincristine.

METHODSIn vincristine-resistant human gastric cancer cells (SGC7901/VCR) and the parental sensitive clone (SGC7901), NF-kappaB-DNA binding activity was determined by electrophoreses mobility shift assay (EMSA). The inhibition level of kappaB (IkappaB-alpha) expression was measured by cellular-ELISA. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the translocation of p65 and chemosensitivity of the cells was determined by MTT assay.

RESULTSCompared with the parental SGC7901 cells, both the baseline and VCR-induced NF-kappaB-DNA binding activities in various concentrations were all higher in the SGC7901/VCR cells. Pretreatment with MG-132, the NF-kappaB inhibitor, for 30 minutes remarkably reduced the NF-kappaB activation, IkappaB-alpha degradation and nuclear translocation of p65. As to the SGC7901/VCR cells and the parental sensitive SGC7901 cells, the IC(50) values for VCR were 40.03 mg/L and 0.26 mg/L, respectively. MG-132 (2.5 micromol/L) significantly enhanced the toxicity of VCR in SGC7901/VCR cells and decreased the resistance index from 154.0 to 16.5. However, MG-132 did not show an obvious effect on the VCR sensitivity in sensitive SGC7901 cells.

CONCLUSIONOur data indicate that inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in gastric cancer cells may reverse the drug resistance to VCR in the cancer cells and increase the efficiency of chemotherapy.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Humans ; Leupeptins ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Vincristine ; pharmacology