Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mediastinal Cyst ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; Respiratory Sounds ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; X-Rays

OBJECTIVETo explore the function of vascular endothelial cell (VEC) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) of Xin-blood-stasis syndrome.

METHODSSome vasoactive substances produced by VEC were detected and analyzed in patients with CHD of or without Xin blood stasis syndrome in group A (n=112) and group B (n=108) respectively, also in patients with non-CHD but of Xin-blood-stasis syndrome in group C (n=110), and healthy persons in group D (n=100), including nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET), angiotensin H (Ag II), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule -1 (sVCAM-1).

RESULTSThe abnormality degree of ET, Ag II , sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in various groups showed such a tendency as group A> group B> group D (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while no significant difference in these criteria between group A and group C was shown (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe vasoactive substances secreted by VEC are closely related to the formation and progression of CHD, and are likely to be important pathological markers of blood-stasis syndrome in CHD.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coronary Artery Disease ; physiopathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; physiology ; Endothelins ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism

Objective To understand the prevalence,drug resistance and clinical features of children with acute lower respiratory tract infection(ALRI) caused by escherichia coli.Methods From Oct. 2005 to Oct. 2006,659 patients with ALRI who were admitted to hospital were chosen and their nasopharyngeal secretions were obtained and cultured.K-B disc diffusion for antibiotic susceptibility were performed for these clinical isolates.Results Among 659 patients,118 cases were isolated escherichia coli,the rate was 17.99% which had 90 boys and 28 girls.Eighty-seven of 118 E.coli strains were with extended-spectrum ?-lactamase(ESBLs),the rate was 73.73%.All of strains were sensitive to imipenem.For ESBLs-producing strains,the ratio of resistance tocefotaxime,ceftriaxone,cefuroxime,ampicillin,piperacillin were 78.81%,73.73%,73.73%,76.27%,78.81%,respectively.Conclusions The positive rate of ESBLs producing E coli in Kunming area is high and drug resistance is severe gradually.Imipenem can be the first selection for treatment on these infections.

Humans ; Diverticulum, Colon/surgery* ; Cholecystectomy/adverse effects* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the nephrotoxic effects of methyl cantharidimide tablets on urinary protein and enzymes in Beagle dogs.

METHODBeagle dogs were randomly divided into negative control group(blank tablet), methyl cantharidimide tablets group (6.11,12.21, 24.42 mg x kg(-1)), continuously 30 days of oral adminiStration, once a day. The drug and control group were collected and determined fresh urine in 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of the administration; Serum urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Crea), total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) as well as sodium, potassium, chloride electrolyte were determined on 15 and 30 days of the administration; Urine albumin (mAlb), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin( NGAL), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), clusterin, beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), alpha1-microglobulin (alpha1-MG), alanine aminopeptidase( AAP) and im- munoglobulins IgG were tested on 15 and 30 days of the administration.

RESULTCompared with the control group, urine protein and white blood cells was significantly increased in each dose group. On 15 days of the administration, mAlb were higher in each dose group, KIM-1, NGAL, clusterin, NAG and AAP were significantly higher in high-dose group, while the middle and low dose group had no significant difference, as well as blood SCr and BUN no obvious abnormalities. On 30 days, mAlb, KIM-1, clusterin, NAG, AAP were increased in each dose group, appearing dose-effect relationship, beta2-MG and NGAL levels were significantly increased in high-dose group. Contents above indicators were increased with significant dose and time relationship, and serum BUN, Scr were correlated, suggesting that urine mAlb, KIM-1, clusterin, NAG and AAP indicators that can sensitively respond the changes of proteins and enzymes in urine.

CONCLUSIONMethyl cantharidimide tablets has a renal toxicity, urine mAlb, KIM-1, clusterin, NAG and AAP can be used as the early nephrotoxic biomarkers of methyl cantharidimide tablets.

Animals ; Biomarkers ; urine ; Dogs ; Female ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; Male ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Tablets ; adverse effects ; Urine ; chemistry

Objective：This study was designed to evaluate the application of three markers in diagnosing lung cancer and calculate Bergman Parameter to raise the sensitivity and validity in detecting the lung cancer. Methods：Using immunoradiometric and chemiluminescence assay, we observed serum NSE (neuron-specific enolase), CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), and CA50(cancer-associated carbohydrate antigens 50) in 107 cases of lung cancer and 118 cases of benign pulmonary diseases. Bergman parameter was calculated with Bergman’s formula. Results：The sensitivity of NSE, CEA, CA50 for lung cancer were 51.4％ , 54.2％ , and 31.7％ , respectively. The specificity was 85.7％ , 89.8％ , and 93.0％ , respectively, while diagnostic accuracy rates were 64.3％ , 72.9％ , and 55.8％ . The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy rate of Bergman parameter (95.2％ , 87.5％ and 92.1％ ) were higher than these three markers in lung cancer (P<0.05). We found that Bergman parameter could be used to moniter the prognosis of advanced lung cancer. Conclusion： Serum NSE, CEA, and CA50 are of value in detecting lung cancer. Bergman parameter, calculated with NSE, CEA, CA50, is able to increase specificity and accuracy in diagnosis of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of curcumine on the migration and invasion of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSRat hepatic stellate cells were cultured and activated with ConA. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression and activity was determined by Western blot and gelatin zymography. Migration and invasion of HSC was assessed by wound healing assay and modified Boyden chamber assay.

RESULTSCurcumine reduced the level and activity of MMP-2 expression in activated HSC in a dose-dependent manner. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the expression of MMP-2 was reduced by 21.8%+/-5.1%, 65.5%+/-9.2% or 87.9%+/-11.5% (P < 0.05), and the activity of MMP-2 was also significantly reduced by curcumine. Migration and invasion of activated HSC was also inhibited by curcumine in a dose-dependent way. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the migration of activated HSC was reduced by 27.5%+/-5.8%, 54.4%+/-7.6% or 67.1%+/-9.3% (P < 0.05), and the invasion of activated HSC was also significantly reduced by curcumine.

CONCLUSIONCurcumine inhibits migration and invasion of activated HSC by reducing MMP-2 expression and activity.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Concanavalin A ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; prevention & control ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

A new device that allows noninvasive measurement of venous pressure has been invented in our laboratory and tested for its feasibility and validity. The device consists of four parts: 1. the air infusion system; 2. the pressure sensor gauge; 3. signal transducer and data processing system 4. the fixing apparatus. The correlation between noninvasive pressure and invasive pressure has been studied in vitro test on a saphenous vein model and in vitro test on dog's portal venous system. In vitro and vivo study, an excellent correlation between noninvasive pressure and invasive pressure was obtained(r = 0.99, P < 0.0005; r = 0.97, P < 0.005). These data suggest that the new device allows a noninvasive measurement of venous pressure especially for the large veins such as vena cava, venae pulmonales and esophageal varices.
Animals ; Blood Pressure Determination ; instrumentation ; Dogs ; Equipment Design ; In Vitro Techniques ; Venous Pressure ; physiology

Resveratrol (3,4,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a phytoalexin found in grape skin, grape products, and peanuts as well as red wine, has been reported to have various biological and pharmacological properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effect of resveratrol-amplified grape skin extracts on adipocytes. The anti-obesity effects of grape skin extracts were investigated by measuring proliferation and differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. The effect of grape skin ethanol extracts on cell proliferation was detected by the MTS assay. The morphological changes and degree of adipogenesis of preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells were measured by Oil Red-O staining assay. Treatment with extracts of resveratrol-amplified grape skin decreased lipid accumulation and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity without affecting 3T3-L1 cell viability. Grape skin extract treatment resulted in significantly attenuated expression of key adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins, and their target genes (FAS, aP2, SCD-1, and LPL). These results indicate that resveratrol-amplified grape skin extracts may be useful for preventing obesity by regulating lipid metabolism.
3T3-L1 Cells ; Adipocytes ; Adipogenesis ; Arachis ; Cell Proliferation ; Ethanol ; Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase ; Lipid Metabolism ; Obesity ; Peroxisomes ; Proteins ; Sesquiterpenes ; Skin ; Stilbenes ; Transcription Factors ; Vitis ; Wine

BACKGROUNDEmerging evidence suggests that stem cells can be used to improve cardiac function in patients after acute myocardial infarction. In this randomized trial, we aimed to use Doppler tissue tracking and strain imaging to assess left ventricular segmental function after intracoronary transfer of autologous bone-marrow stem cells (BMCs) for 6 months' follow up.

METHODSTwenty patients with acute myocardial infarction and anterior descending coronary artery occlusion proven by angiography were [corrected] randomized into intracoronary injection of bone-marrow cell (treated, n = 9) or diluted serum (control, n = 11) groups. GE vivid 7 and Q-analyze software were used to perform echocardiogram in both groups 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after treatment. Three apical views of tissue Doppler imaging were acquired to measure peak systolic displacement (Ds) and peak systolic strain (epsilonpeak) from 12 segments of LV walls. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) were obtained by Simposon's biplane method.

RESULTS(1) 3 months later, Ds and epsilonpeak over the infract-related region clearly increased in the BMCs group [Ds: (4.49 +/- 2.71) mm vs (7.56 +/- 2.95) mm, P < 0.01; epsilonpeak: (-13.40 +/- 6.00)% vs (-17.06 +/- 6.05)%, P < 0.01], but not in the control group [Ds: (4.74 +/- 2.67) mm vs (5.01 +/- 3.23) mm, P > 0.05; epsilonpeak: (-13.84 +/- 6.05)% vs (-15.04 +/- 6.75)%, P > 0.05]. At the same time, Ds over the normal region also increased, but the Ds enhancement was markedly higher in the BMCs group than that in the control group [(3.21 +/- 3.17) mm vs (0.76 +/- 1.94) mm, P < 0.01]. Parameters remained steady from the 3rd to 6th month in either group (P > 0.05). (2) LVEF in treated and control groups were almost the same at baseline (1st week after PCI) [(53.37 +/- 8.92)% vs (53.51 +/- 5.84)%, P > 0.05]. But 6 months later, LVEF in the BMCs group were clearly higher than that in the control group [(59.33 +/- 12.91)% vs (50.30 +/- 8.30)%, P < 0.05]. (3) There were no evident difference in EDV or ESV between two groups at baseline [EDV: (113.74 +/- 23.24) ml vs (129.94 +/- 32.72) ml, P > 0.05; ESV: (57.12 +/- 18.66) ml vs (62.09 +/- 17.68) ml, P > 0.05]. Three months later, EDV and ESV in the control group were markedly greater than those in the BMCs group [EDV: (154.89 +/- 46.34) ml vs (104.85 +/- 33.21) ml, P < 0.05; ESV: (82.91 +/- 35.79) ml vs (49.54 +/- 23.32) ml, P < 0.05]. But EDV and ESV did not change much from 3rd to 6th month in either group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEmergency transplantation of autologous BMCs in patients with acute myocardial infarction helps to improve global and regional contractility and attenuate post-infarction left ventricular remodeling. Tissue tracking and strain imaging provide quick, simple and noninvasive methods for quantifying left ventricular segmental function in humans.

Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Remodeling