[Objective] To observe levels of plasma endothelin (ET) and calcitonin gene - related peptide (CGRP) in rats with myocardial hypertrophic heart failure affected by Yang Xin Kang (composed of Radix Ginseng, Radix Ophio-pogonis, Radix flicis Pubescetis, etc.) and its mechanism. [Methods] Rat models with myocardial hypertrophic heart failure was established by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline for 13 days. Fifty rats were allocated to five groups: normal control (Group A), model (Group B), digoxin (Group C), high dosage of Yang Xin Kang (Group D) and low dosage of Yang Xin Kang (Group E). ET and CGRP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay method. [Results] ET level in Group B was higher and CGRP level lower than those in Group A (P

[Objective] To investigate the effect of Bao Xin Kang (BXK) on levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cGMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cAMP) in vascular smooth muscle of rats with myocatdial hypertrophic heart failure and to explore its mechanism. [Methods] Fifty rats were randomly allocated to five groups: normal control group (Group A) , model group (Group B) , digoxin group (Group C), large - dose BXK group (Group D) and small - dose BXK group (Group E). Rat models with myocardial hypertrophic heart failure were established by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline for 13 days. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure the levels of cAMP, cGMP and the ratio of cAMP/cGMP in vascular smooth muscle. The body weight and the weight of heart, liver and lung were measured and his-tomorphologic features of heart, liver and lung also examined. [Results] The levels of cAMP and cGMP and the heart index (heart weight /body weight) and the liver index (liver weight/body weight) in Group B were increased as compared with those in Group A (P

Objective To evaluate the academic status of the researchers in pediatric department of Peking university first hospital, we conducted bibliometric analysis of research on the scientific publications. Methods The total number, first authors, and the citing and cited conditions of these papers published from 1999 to 2000 were analyzed by bibliometric methods. Results There were total 513 papers including 275 original articles published in 59 journals from 1999 to 2003.There were 238 papers written in Chinese, of which 188 papers (79 %) were from the core journals. In the 37 original articles written in English, 31 papers(83.8 %) were select-ed by science citation index(SCI).The average of impact factors (IF) of sourcing journals was 1.447(0.107 -7.717). The averages of IF per year ranged from 0. 768 to 2.206.The original articles selected by SCI were totally cited 38 times. Every article was cited 1.41 times in average.Of all 275 papers,each had an average of 9.8 citing reference, increasing from 8.1 in 1999 to 12.0 in 2003.About 80.7 % of those references were written in foreign languages.The Price's index of those papers was 43.2%.Conclusions The number of papers kept improving in the past 5 years, and had a significant improvement in 2003.The authors showes great talents to use English articles as their main information sources. But the utilization of the last published papers in this subject should be im-proved.

Objective To demonstrate high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1(HMGBI) expression in synovium and joint,and to identify the role of HMGB1 in the pathogenesis of synovitis and joint destruction in adjuvant-induced arthritis(AA).Methods AA of 15 male rats were induced in SD rats by intradermal injection of 100?l Freud's complete adjuvant in the foot pad of the left hind paw.All rats were killed at the 18th day.Synovium and joints were collected for histopathology studies and determining the expression of HMGB1 by immunohistochemistry,and serum was collected for determining the expression of HMGB1 by western blotting analysis.Results Immunostaining of specimens from normal rats showed that HMGB1 was primarily confined to the nucleus of synoviocytes with occasional cytoplasmic staining.In contrast, inflammatory synovial tissues from AA rats showed a distinctly different HMGB1 staining pattern.Nuclear HMGBI expression was accompanied by a cytoplasmic staining in many mononuclear cells.The cytoplasmic HMGB1 expression in synovium of AA rats is significantly higher than that of normal rats.Additionally,HMGBI was highly expressed in the nuclei and cytoplasm of the subchondral chondrocytes and inflammatory cells in bone erosion in AA rats(P＜0.01),while fewer positive cytoplasmic staining of HMGB1 was found in chondrocytes and fewer positive nuclear staining was found in bone cells in normal rats.HMGB1 concentration was significantly higher in serum of AA rats than that in normal rats(P＜0.001).Conclusion The cytoplasmic HMGBI expression in synovium and joints is greatly upregulated;the level of HMGB1 in serum is increased in AA rats which suggests a patbogenetic role of HMGB1 in synovitis and bone destruction of adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Study the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 in type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN), the infect of Pingshen decoction on those index. Selected 69 cases of 2 type DN and randomly divided into therapy group (36 cases) and control group (33 cases). The therapy group were treated with Pingshen decoction 1 dose/d, bid po. The control group were treated with NephritisShu tablet, 6 tablet, tid po. 8 weeks was a course. Before and after treatment, we examine the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 by ELISA and immunonephelometry, and compare with 30 cases of healthy control group. The study demonstrates that before treatment, the serum level of HGF in both groups were significantly lower than healthy control group (P < 0.01), but Cys C, TGF-beta1 were significantly higher (P < 0.01). After treatment, the serum level of HGF of both groups were increased. The serum level of HGF of therapy group were significantly higher than of control group (P < 0.01), but the serum level of Cys C and TGF-beta1 were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). The serum level of HGF was correlated negatively with Cys C,TGF-beta1. In control group, the UAER, urine beta2-MG and quantity of 24-hour urine protein were significantly decreased after treatment (P < 0.01). The index of urine of therapy group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). Results indicate that test of serum level of HGF and Cys C,TGF-beta1 of diabetic nephropathy have important clinical significance. Pingshen decoction can effectively intervene in the serum level of HGF and Cys C, TGF-beta1 and index of urine.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Cystatin C ; blood ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia were systematically reviewed. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture for supraventricular tachycardia were searched in domestic and overseas databases, and the evaluation tool of bias risk in Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 software was used to perform the evaluation of bias risk in literature, and RevMan 5.2 software was applied for statistics and Meta-analysis. Five RCTs involving 323 patients were included. The results showed that compared with the blank control group, the acupuncture reduced the heart rate by 18.8 times/min [95% CI (12.68, 24.92)]; the clinical effective rate in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the diltiazem group [OR= 3.11, 95% CI (1.50, 6.46)]; the difference of immediate effect between propafenone and acupuncture was not significant. No reports regarding adverse events was described in 5 RCTs. As was shown in the present evidence, acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia, but the level of evidence was low and the intensity of conclusion needed to be improved.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To analyze the immunogenicity of the extracellular region of Δ42PD1.Methods: Six fragments ofΔ42PD1 extracellular region-encoding sequence were amplified by PCR, and were cloned into pCTCON2 vector, a yeast surface displaying vector.Yeast cells were transfected with Δ42PD1 fragment-carrying plasmids, then yeast cells were spread on SDCAA plates.Single cell clones were selected and cultured in SGCAA media to induce expression of the target genes.Mouse anti-humanΔ42PD1 anti-serum were generated by immunization of BALB/c mice via intramuscular injection ofΔ42PD1-carrying plasmid plus in-situ electroporation.The binding of anti-serum with yeast cells surface-displaying Δ42PD1 fragments were analyzed using flowcytometry.Results:Nucleotide sequences analysis indicated that the amplified six fragments ofΔ42PD1 sequence length were 110 bp,and the isolated sequence ofΔ42PD1 fragments were 100%homology with PD1 gene previously registered in GenBank.Results from flowcytometry showed that among the six fragments of Δ42PD1 displaying on the surface of yeast cells,F3 and F2 profoundly boundΔ42PD1-specific polyclonal antibodies.Conclusion:F3 and F2 ofΔ42PD1 is an immunogenic dominant region,which pave the way for generation of Δ42PD1-specific monoclonal antibody and epitope mapping.

Objective To explore the changes of microRNA expression during the neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) induced by Plastrum testudinis extract (PTE) . Methods NSCs were isolated from the hippocampus of 14-day SD rat fetus and were obtained after primary culture. The abilities of NSCs differenting into neurons were identified by immunofluorescent staining. NSCs were randomly divided into three groups, blank control group, and low- and high-dose PTE groups ( 3, 30 μg/mL PTE) . After the cells were incubated with PTE for 7 days, total RNA was isolated and then the expression of miR-124 and miR-9 was observed by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction ( qRT-PCR) . Results Compared with the blank control group, the expression of miR-124 and miR-9 remained unchanged in low-dose PTE group, but was significantly increased in high-dose PTE group ( P<0.05). Conclusion PTE promotes NSCs differentiating into neurons, which might be associated with the up-regulation of miR-124 and miR-9.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter absolute ethanol injection treatment on varicose veins of lower extremity.Methods twenty-there patients with 25 varicose veins of lower extremity were treated by puncture of great saphenous vein above 1—2 cm of complicated inner ankle,perforating catheter to the point below the 3—4 cm of the conjunction of great saphenous vein and Femoral vein and pressing the conjunction of these two veins.Under the monitor of DSA,inject the absolute ethenal slowly while retrieve the catheter little by little(one limb with varicose veins injected total volume 15—20 ml),in the mean time,using contrast agent to monitor the level of embolism until the formation of total embolism in the all great saphenous veins.Results All the cases were retrospectively followed up with CDFI examination after 3—12 months of the surgery,No blood flow were seen in the 25 embolismic great saphenous vein.Clinical symptom were alleviated obviously after 2—3 weeks of treatment;varicose veins were collapse after 3 to 7 days.Two eases of leg ulceration were healed after 4 to 6 weeks of operation.20 limbs were found mild swelling in the 2 day after the surgery.However,all the cases were disappeared after 1 to 2 weeks;4 treated limbs developed delayed paresthesia in the 3 day after the surgery,and recovered totally in the 2 weeks.No complications of deep vein thrombosis,lung thrombosis etc al,were found after operation.Conclusions Using transcatheter injection of absolute ethanol to treat varicose veins of lower extremity has the advantage of less invasion,more safety and low appearance of complications.The short term efficacy is solid while the long term effect needs further evaluation.

Objective To determine the effects of~(99)Tc-MDP on joint inflammation and bone destruc- tion in collagen-induced arthritis(CIA)rats model and its effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-?). Methods CIA was induced by immunization of male SD rats with an emulsion of collagen.~(99)Tc-MDP or placebo was intravenous infused to rats for 20 days.Joint inflammation was assessed by arthritis index.Lesions of bone were assessed based on the histological changes in ankle joints,radiographic analysis in hind paw with Larsen score.Systemic TNF-?level was measured by radioimmune assay.Results~(99)Tc-MDP suppressed joint swelling(P