OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of Ligustrazine Injection (LI) against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSThirty healthy adult guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups, 10 in each group, i.e., the normal control group, the cisplatin group, and the LI group. Guinea pigs in the normal control group were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline at 3 mL/kg for 7 consecutive days. Those in the cisplatin group were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin at 3 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days. Those in the LI group were intraperitoneally injected with LI at 140 mg/kg for 7 days, but cisplatin (3 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected from the opposite side starting from the 4th day. Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) was performed in all animals before and after injection. All animals were sacrificed after the final testing under anesthesia and their cochleas collected. Half the cochleas of each group were collected for silver nitrate staining of cochlear basilar membrane stretched. The other half the cochleas of each group made into paraffin sections to observe the apoptosis of cochlea cells by TUNEL method and the expression levels of c-Jun detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the difference of BAEP threshold among the 3 groups before injection (P > 0.05), but the BAEP threshold increased in the cisplatin group and the LI group (P < 0.05). Besides, it was higher in the cisplatin group (P < 0.05). In the cisplatin group, most hair cells were missing, spiral ganglion cells obviously decreased, more TUNEL positive cells occurred, and the expression of c-Jun was stronger. But the aforesaid impairment in the LI group was obviously lessened (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLI showed certain antagonist effect on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Its mechanism might be associated with scavenging oxygen radicals of the cochlea tissue, improving the microcirculation, and fighting against apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; toxicity ; Cochlea ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Guinea Pigs ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the analgesic effect of Zhixin Formula (ZF) and its effects on spinal glial fibrillary acidic protein (glial fibillary acidic protein, GFAP, a marker of astrocyte) , CD11b (a maker of microglia), Toll like receptors (TLR2 and TLR4) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in bone cancer pain model rats.

METHODSTotally 20 male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group and the bone cancer pain group, 10 in each group. The bone cancer pain model was induced by injecting ascites tumor fluid containing 3 x 10(3) Walker256 cell line from the left tibia. Ethological tests, X-ray test, and HE staining were performed to confirm a successful modeling. After model was successfully established, 70 male SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups, 10 in each group: the blank control group, the bone cancer pain group (as the model group), the Western medicine (WM) group (Tramadol Hydrochloride), the high dose ZF group, the middle dose ZF group, the low dose ZF group, and the Chinese medicine (CM) group (Wulin Zhitong Capsule). Fourteen days after modeling, rats in the high, middle, and low dose ZF groups were administrated by gastrogavage with 9, 4.5, and 2.25 g/kg ZF water condensed preparation respectively, once a day for seven consecutive days. On day 21 MS typical protein expressions including GFAP, CD11b, TLR (2,4) and NF-κB from cornu dorsal medullae spindis L4-L5 were detected by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot.

RESULTSCompare with the blank control group, increased weight in the model group was slow and showed a decreasing trend (P < 0.01), spontaneous ambulatory pain score (SAPS) obviously increased (P < 0.01), paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) obviously decreased in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Results of lateral tibial X-ray and HE staining showed obvious changes and damage occurred in bone structures of rats in the model group. Immunohistochemistry showed that GFAP expression significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.05). Protein levels of NF-κB also significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, CD11b expressions obviously decreased in the middle and high dose ZF groups (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, protein expressions of TLR2 and TLR4, as well as NF-κB also obviously decreased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONZF had analgesic effect, which might be probably related to inhibiting proliferation and activation of gliocytes, as well as activation of TLRs and NF-κB.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Male ; Microglia ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Osteosarcoma ; Pain ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Quercetin and its glycosides are important flavonols in traditional herbal drugs and plant-derived food, and they have diverse hiological activities such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities. Numerous studies have demonstrated that quercetin and its glycosides were effective in the prevention and treatment of non-infectious chronic disease such as diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. They can regulate glucose and lipid metaholism through different mechanisms. They can decrease blood glucose via protecting pancreatic/p cells or/and improving insulin sensitivity. Also, they have lipid-lowering effects, which may be the result of regulation of lipid catabolism or/and anabolism. Their distributions, as well as the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects are reviewed in this paper. In addition, further bioactivities as well as their dose-activity relationship, structure-activity relationship, bioavailability, and future clinical application of quercetin and its glycosides are discussed and proposed.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEThe same person's pulmonary venous blood volume, left atrial volume and stroke volume were measured by lung CT scans and cardiac CT angiography (CTA). Then their relationships were analyzed in order to investigate the mechanism of breathing control.

METHODSAs we described before, full pulmonary vascular (-0.6mm) volume was accurately calculated by three-dimensional imaging technology from lung CT scan; left atrial volume and stroke volume of left ventricle were calculated from the CTA data. Then the relationships among them were analyzed for estimation of the lung-artery time.

RESULTSThe total volume of lung and pulmonary vascular blood was 3486 ± 783 (2156-4418) ml, and the pulmonary vascular blood volume was 141 ± 20 (105-163) ml. The estimated pulmonary venous volume was 71 ± 10 (52-81) ml. Left atrial volume at the end diastolic was 97 ± 39 (53-165) ml, Stroke volume of left ventricle was 86 ± 16 (60-106) ml. Pulmonary venous volume and the left atrial volume were double of stroke volume(1.7-2.4).

CONCLUSIONThe estimated lung-artery time was three heart beat.

Blood Volume ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Stroke Volume

OBJECTIVEBecause the traditional loop of breathing control and regulation effect on blood circulation, there was rare study of pulmonary vein capacity. We need a noninvasive and accurate pulmonary vascular capacity measurement and analysis method.

METHODSTwelve normal volunteers were performed a total lung CT scan, image data analysis processing by computer software, the whole lungs from the apex to the base of lung with 40-50 layers by hand-cut, the connection between adjacent layers automatically by a computer simulation, the full pulmonary vascular (≥ 0.6 mm) were treated by high-accuracy three-dimensional imaging technology after removing the interference, and then calculate the whole lung and pulmonary vascular.

RESULTSThe whole lung of the 12 normal volunteers from the apex to the base of lung CT scan image layers was 530 ± 98 (range, 431-841). The total capacity of lung and pulmonary vascular blood was 3705 ± 857 (range, 2398-5383) ml, and the total volume of the pulmonary vascular blood was 125 ± 32 (range, 94-201) ml. The pulmonary vein vascular blood volume was 63 ± 16 (range, 47-100) ml.

CONCLUSIONThe method of measuring the three-dimensional imaging of pulmonary vascular capacity by analyzing lung CT scan data is available and accurate.

Computer Simulation ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lung ; blood supply ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To assess the value of MRI,US and CT in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant biliary obstruction.Methods The diagnostic efficiency of MRI and US in 86 cases (including 34 cases with CT) of benign and malignant biliary obstruction were compared using ROC curves . Results The differential diagnostic efficiency with MRI were significantly better than those with US and CT ( P

Objective To analyze the situation of health-risk behaviors of the students in specialty medical science college of Yunnan and its relationship with negative life events, and provide scientific evidence for lowering the occurrence rate of health-risk behaviors. Methods The stratified randomised cluster-sampling method was used to select 576 students of specialty medical science college, and the occurrence rate of health-risk behaviors and life events conditions were estimated by Youth Health-Risk Behavior Questionnaire and Adolescents Self-Rating Life Events Checklist. Descriptive statistic analysis, Chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Among the students of specialty medical science college in Yunnan, the rate of smoking was 3.1%,the rate of drinking was 4.9%,the rate of food refusal was 39.6%, the rate of fighting was 13.5%,the rate of obsessed with the internet was 26.4%, and the rate of substance abuse was 3.1%. There were significant differences between the students of different genders (P<0.05) or specialities (P<0.05) . Logistic regression analysis showed total score of negative life events had positive influence on drinking (OR=1.017,P<0.05), food refusal (OR=1.018,P<0.05), fighting (OR=1.021,P<0.05), obsessed with the internet (OR=1.025, P<0.05), substance abuse (OR=1.025, P<0.05) . The factor of interpersonal relationship had positive influence on drinking (OR=1.162,P<0.05), food refusal (OR=1.102,P<0.05), substance abuse (OR=1.260, P<0.05) . The factor of punished had positive influence on fighting (OR=1.144, P<0.05), and had negative influence on drinking (OR=0.891, P<0.05) . The factor of study pressure had positive influence on fighting (OR=1.143, P<0.05), and the factor of loss had negative influence on fighting (OR=1.144, P<0.05) . Conclusion Negative life events are influencing factors for health-risk behaviors of the students in specialty medical science college of Yunnan, and there is difference on the way that the factor of life events influencing health-risk behaviors.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and its clinical application of 3.0 T MRI in the assessment of the late gadolinium enhancement in patients with cardiac arrhythmias with phase-sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR) single-shot true fast imaging with steady-state precession (True FISP) sequence.Methods Fifty-six patients with arrhythmia confirmed by electrocardiogram underwent MRI in this prospective study.Late gadolinium enhancement were performed with both PSIR single-shot True FISP (sequence 1) and conventional segmented PSIR Turbo FLASH sequences (sequence 2).The overall image quality (4 scales) was assessed and recorded independently by two experienced radiologists.Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-square test and weighted Kappa test.Results Late gadolinium enhancement of all the 56 patients were successfully examined with the sequence 1 and 2.All the image qualities of sequence 1 reached 3 scales or more and met the requirements of clinical diagnosis,and late gadolinium enhancement lesions were detection in 19 patients.All the sequence 2 images were improperly used for clinical diagnosis of the different degrees of artifacts,especially in patients with severe arrhythmia and those who breath-hold with difficulty.Sequence 1 images were classified as scale 4 in 50 cases and scale 3 in 6 cases by Doctor 1,while scale 4 in 48 cases and scale 3 in 8 cases by Doctor 2,respectively.However,sequence 2 images were classified as scale 2 in 15 cases and scale 1 in 41 cases by Doctor 1,as well as scale 2 in 13 cases and scale 1 in 43 cases by Doctor 2,respectively.Sequence 1 image qualities were significantly higher than those of the segmented sequence 2 (x2 values were 141.329 and 141.177,P＜0.01).Excellent agreements between two observers of the 2 sequences (Kappa values were 0.837 and 0.905,P＜ 0.01) were found.Conclusion PSIR single-shot True FISP sequence provides higher reliability for image quality of late gadolinium enhancement in patients with cardiac arrhythmia,which may be useful for clinical application.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the complications of percutaneous kyphoplasty except bone leakge for the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures.

METHODSFrom October 2008 to October 2012,178 patients with 224 osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty under local anethsia. There were 72 males and 106 females,ranging in age from 58 to 92 years old,with an average of 75.3 years,including 93 thoracic vertebrae and 131 lumbar vertebrae. The complications except bone cement leakage were analyzed during operation and after operation.

RESULTSAll operations were successful and all patients were followed up from 12 to 60 months with an average of 26.2 months. No death was found. Bone cement leakage occurred in 27 cases, about 15.1% in 178 cases; and complications except bone cement leakage occurred in 15 cases. There was 1 case with cardiac arrest,was completely recovery by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately; and 1 case with temporary absence of breathing,was recovery after treatment. There were 3 cases with fall of blood pressure and slower of heart rate; 1 case with intestinal obstruction; 2 cases with local hematoma and 1 case with intercostal neuralgia. Vertebral body fractures of 2 cases were split by bone cement and the fractures of adjacent body occurred in 4 cases.

CONCLUSIONIt's uncommon complication except bone cement leakge in treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous kyphoplasty. The complication of cardiopulmonary system is a high risk in surgery; and cytotoxicity of bone cement,nervous reflex,fat embolism and alteration of intravertebral pressure may be main reasons.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; adverse effects ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

Objective To investigate the effects of hyperthyroidism on the electrophysiological characteristics of atrium and gap junction between atrium and pulmonary vein.Methods Twenty-four rabbits were randomly divided into control group and hyperthyroid group.Atrium and pulmonary vein were dissected after the atrial effective refractory period (AERP)was measured.Connexin 43(Cx43)and Counexin 40(Cx40)protein and mRNA were determined by Western blot and semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,respectively.Results In comparison with control group,AERP and rate adaption of AERP in hyperthyroid group were significantly shorter than that of control group( P＜0.01).The concentration of Cx43 protein in hyperthyroid group was significantly higher than that of control group,but Cx40 protein was significantly lower than that of control group(P＜0.05).The expression of Cx43 mRNA in atrium and pulmonary vein was found to be up-regulated in hyperthyroid group as compared with that of control group(P＜0.01). With the level of Cx40 mRNA,there was no significant difference between two groups.Conclusion Thyroid hormone could lead to remodeling of both atrial electrophysiology and gap junction between atrium and pulmonary vein.