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.

Objective To investigate the effect of ventricle-peritoneal (V-P) shunt in treatment of patients who developed post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) with no symptoms or with atypical symptoms due to an excessively severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods A retrospective study was performed in patients who developed PTH with atypical symptoms undergone V-P shunt from January 2004 to June 2007.Patients' general information,TBI data,PTH severity and postoperative follow-up data were collected and applied to assay the improvement rate in prognosis and its associated factors.Results Thirty-one patients were involved in this study.After 12 months of follow-up,20 (65％) patients revealed significant improvements in clinical symptoms.Among 10 patients who developed PTH after decompressive craniectomy,cranioplasty was performed following V-P shunt and significant improvements were observed in nine patients.Patients' age and severity of PTH based on CT evaluation before shunt placement were strongly correlated with the surgical outcome.Conclusions Most PTH patients with atypical symptoms can benefit from V-P shunt.Additionally,younger patients and those with less severe PTH before V-P shunt are expected a better outcome.

AIMTo study the effects of prophylene glycol mannate sulfate (PGMS) on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression in hyperlipidemic rat aorta and to clarify the molecular mechanism of PGMS for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

METHODSPGMS (37.8 and 75.6 mg.kg-1.d-1, ig) or PGMS (37.8 and 75.6 mg.kg-1.d-1, ig) combined with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC, an inhibitor of SOD, 200 mg.kg-1 every three days, i.p.) were given to hyperlipidemic rats for three weeks. The MDA content and SOD activity were determined after 12 h of starvation, and MCP-1 mRNA expression in aorta was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThere was significant decrease (29.46% or 58.40)% of MCP-1 mRNA expression in aortic after the therapy. The SOD activity increased markedly and the MDA content decreased at the same time. After treatment with DDC, the SOD activity was inhibited and the MDA content increased, but with no significant effect on MCP-1 mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONPGMS inhibited MCP-1 mRNA expression with no relation to its effect on decreasing MDA content.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chemokine CCL2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; pathology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; metabolism ; Propylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of blood activating wind dissipating acupuncture (BAWDA) on blood pressure (BP) of prehypertension (PHT) patients.

METHODSTotally 60 PHT patients were assigned to the control group and the acupuncture group according to random digit table, 30 in each group. All patients were intervened by life style. BAWDA was additionally performed in patients in the acupuncture group for 6 weeks (30 times). The improvement of BP after intervened by acupuncture was observed. BP success rates and the proportion of PHT progressing to hypertension (HT) were also observed after 6-week intervention of acupuncture and at 1-year follow-up.

RESULTSSystolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased after 6-week intervention in the acupuncture. The BP control rate was 56.7% (17/30 cases) in the acupuncture group vs.10.0% (3/30 cases) in the control group with statistical difference (chi2 = 14.70, P < 0.01). At 1-year follow-up BP success rate was 36.7% (11/30 cases) in the acupuncture group, remarkably higher than that of the control group [13.3%, (4/30 cases)] (chi2 = 4.36, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBAWDA showed BP regulating roles in a gradually stable decreasing tendency. It also could elevate BP success rate of PHT, and reduce the risk of PHT progressing to HT.

Acupuncture ; methods ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Prehypertension ; therapy ; Wind

AIM: To study the immunological protection of H. pylori vaccine with chitosa as adjuvant. METHODS: One-grade female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into nine groups and immunized by ①PBS alone; ②chitosan solution alone; ③chitosan particles alone; ④H. pylori antigen alone; ⑤H. pylori antigen plus chitosan solution; ⑥H. pylori antigen plus chitosan particles; ⑦H. pylori antigen plus CT; ⑧H. pylori antigen plus chitosan solution and CT; ⑨H. pylori antigen plus chitosan particles and CT. At 4 weeks after the last immunization, these mice were challenged by alive H. pylori(1?1012CFU/L) twice at two-day intervals. At 4 weeks after the last challenge, these mice were all killed and gastric mucosa were embedded in paraffin, sectioned and assayed with Giemsa staining. The other gastric mucosa were used to quantitatively culture with H. pylori. ELISA was used to detect H.pylori IgA in saliva and gastric mucosa and anti-H.pylori IgG, IgG1, IgG2a in serum, and immunohistochemical method was used to examine sIgA in gastric mucosa. RESULTS: ①In the groups with chitosan as adjuvant, 60% mice achieved immunological protection, which was according to that with CT as adjuvant (58.33%), and was significantly higher than H. pylori antigen alone and other groups without H. pylori antigen(P0.05)and were significantly higher than those in non-adjuvant groups, while those in the groups with chitosan plus CT were significantly higher than those in the group with CT as an adjuvant(P

Objective To study the feasibility of a simple random sampling on surveys at the community level and to evaluate the quality of samples under survey.Methods A simple random sample of households was taken,based on the electronic listings of community households from Gongshu and Xiacheng districts of Hangzhou city.One of the adults aged 18 to 64 years in the sampled households was identified with KISH method to finish a questionnaire survey.More than 500 people from the sample size was required in each district.Results Of 950 sampled households in Xiacheng district,511 (53.8%) finished the survey while 506 (36.7%) out of the 1380 sampled households in Gongshu district did.The proportions of non-response due to the following reasons as:none with eligible age in the households,relocation of the original household,mass relocation of the community,and errors in the household listings etc.were 38.3% and 43.5% respectively,in the two districts.Proportions attributed to non-response and refusal to response of sampled household or individual were 8.0% and 19.9% respectively.No statistical significant differences in age and gender were found between the surveyed samples and the population in the sampled households,or in gender between the populations in the sampled households and in Hangzhou city.However,the population in the sampled households showed a more aging population structure than the population in Hangzhou city.Conclusion In a geographically limited area,using a simple random sampling method to do the survey is feasible,based on the electronic listings of household.Enough time spent during the household visit guarantees the interviewers to get a representative sample of the sampling frame.There is an urgent need for the timeliness,completeness and accuracy of electronic household listings to be improved.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of C-phycocyanin (C-PC) from Spirulina platensis on paraquat (PQ)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

METHODSA total of 90 healthy Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into normal control group, model group (PQ group), and C-PC treatment group (C-PC group). Each rat in the PQ group and C-PC group were orally administered with a single dose of PQ (50 mg/kg) to establish a rat model of PQ poisoning. Then, the rats in the normal control group and PQ group were orally given saline solution (1 ml/100 g) every day, and the rats in the C-PC group were orally given C-PC (50 mg/kg) every day. Six rats were randomly selected from each group on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. The inferior lobe of each rat's right lung was homogenized for the measurement of hydroxyproline (HYP) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Parts of each rat's left lung were subject to HE staining and Masson staining for pathological observation, and the expression of transforming growth factor-β(1) (TGF-β(1)), nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in lung tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe HYP levels on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 and MDA levels on days 14 and 28 were significantly lower in the C-PC group than in the PQ group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The SOD activity was significantly higher in the C-PC group than in the PQ group on days 1, 7, 14, and 28 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The protein content of TGF-β(1) and the activities of NF-κB p65 and TNF-α in the PQ group and C-PC group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group, while the indices in the C-PC group were significantly lower than those in the PQ group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The pathological observation showed that C-PC could alleviate pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis in rats with PQ poisoning.

CONCLUSIONC-PC can significantly inhibit PQ-induced pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis in rats.

Animals ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Phycocyanin ; pharmacology ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

PURPOSE: Choledochoduodenal fistula (CDF) is an extremely rare condition even in the most populous nations. However, diagnostic tools are inadequate for the young surgeon to be made aware of such a rare condition before surgery. Hence, basic understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, and management for this unusual but discoverable condition are necessary and essential. METHODS: The exclusive case reports of CDF, which were published from 1983 to 2014 concerning mainland Chinese people, were performed to review the epidemiology, etiology, and management. RESULTS: A total of 728 cases were incorporated into this review among 48 papers. More than half of the CDF cases were female (416) with an average age of 57.3 years. CDF was usually caused by cholelithiasis (573 of 728). Epigastric pain (589 of 728) and cholangitis (395 of 728) were the most common symptoms of CDF. CDF was usually detected and confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (475 of 728) in Mainland China. The fistulas larger than 1 cm (82 of 654) were recommended for surgical biliary reconstruction. Fistulas between 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm (467 of 654) which were followed frequently by cholangitis attacks also required surgery; the rest were recommended to have stone removal and/or the application of an effective biliary drainage. Fistulas less than 0.5 cm (105 of 654) were usually received conservative therapy. CONCLUSION: CDF should be considered in differential diagnosis of recurrent epigastric pain and cholangitis. A possible ERCP should be arranged to investigate carefully. Depending on the size of fistula and clinical presentation, different programs for CDF are indicated, ranging from drug therapy to choledochojejunostomy.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biliary Fistula ; China* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Choledochostomy ; Cholelithiasis ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Disease Management ; Drainage ; Drug Therapy ; Epidemiology* ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of the chloroform extract fractions of Peucedanum harrysmithii var. subglabrum (PHS) and its phlegm-reducing effect, in order to establish "active component group for reducing phlegm".

METHODHPLC was adopted to determine and analyze HPLC fingerprints of chloroform extract fractions of PHS. Phenol red expectorant experiment was used to observe the phlegm-reducing effect in mice. Mice were administered intragastrically with chloroform extract fractions for 6 days (1.4 g x kg(-1)), with acute bronchitis syrup as the positive control drug (12 mL x kg(-1)). The phenol red secretion in mice was determined by spectrophotometer. Then the grey relational analysis was used to study the spectrum-effect relationship.

RESULTThe phlegm-reducing effect of the chloroform extract fractions of PHS were resulted from the combined effect of all of its chemical components. Its various characteristic peaks represented different chemical components, and the order of their contributions to the phlegm-reducing effect was (number of peaks) 13 > 12 > 16 > 18 > 19 > 6 > 20 > 14 > 1 > 11 > 15 > 10 > 17 > 2 > 5 > 4 > 7 > 3 > 8 > 9, in No. 1, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 16 characteristic peaks were identified as marmesin, psoralen, xanthotoxin, Pd-Ib, pteryxin and peuformosin.

CONCLUSIONThe chloroform extract fractions of PHS show strongly phlegm-reducing effect. There may be certain relationship between their HPLC fingerprint and phlegm-reducing effect.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Ferns ; chemistry ; Mucus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of berberine on lipid metabolism disorder and lipid deposition in liver cells of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats induced by high fat diet.

METHODSAfter one week adaptable feeding, 45 SPF level male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the normal control group, the model group, and the berberine group, 15 in each group. Except those in the normal control group, all rats were fed with high fat diet to prepare NAFLD model. As for rats in the berberine group, Berberine Hydrochloride was administered by gastrogavage. HE staining and oil red O staining were performed to identify the model after 8 weeks. Hepatocytes were isolated, and their activities and purities were tested by Typan blue staining and flow cytometry (FCM). Serum levels of TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C were detected using automatic biochemical analyzer. mRNA expression levels of LXRα and FAS in liver cells were analyzed by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Protein levels of LXRα and FAS in liver cells were examined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe NAFLD rat model was successfully established by high fat diet. The yields of purified liver cells in each rat were (6.0-7.5) x 10(8). The viability of isolated liver cells with purity over 90% (tested by FCM analysis) was higher than 95%. Compared with the normal control group,the expression of LXRα and FAS at mRNA and protein levels was higher in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of LXRα and FAS at mRNA and protein levels was obviously down-regulated in the berberine group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLXRα/FAS signaling pathway was one of important signaling pathways of NAFLD lipid metabolism disorders. Berberine could recover hepatocyte fatty deposits in NAFLD rats by adjusting the LXR/FAS signaling pathway of hepatocytes, which might be one of important mechanisms for fighting against NAFLD.

Animals ; Berberine ; therapeutic use ; Diet, High-Fat ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; Hepatocytes ; Lipids ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction