Objective To investigate the effect of resveratrol on high glucose-induced oxidative stress and cardiomyo-cyte hypertrophy and possible mechanism .Methods H9C2 cardiomyocytes were divided into normal glucose group , high glucose group , resveratrol group and resveratrol +DAPT group respectively .The cell surface was measured by rhodamine-labeled phalloidin .Reactive oxygen species generation was measured using DCFH-DA.The contents of SOD and MDA were evaluated by colorimetry .The mRNA and protein levels of Notch 1, Hes1, ANP and BNP were evaluated by RT-qPCR and western blot .Results High glucose exposure significantly increased cell surface area ( P<0.01) and enhanced ROS and MDA generation ( P <0.01 ) with concomitant decrease of SOD activity ( P <0.01).It also decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of Notch 1 and Hes1(P<0.05), and increased the ex-pression levels of ANP and BNP ( P<0.05 ) .Resveratrol treatment inhibited cell surface expanding ( P<0.01 ) and decreased ROS and MDA generation (P<0.01) with concomitant enhance SOD activity (P<0.01), as well as in-creased the expression level of Notch 1 and Hes1 ( P<0.05 ) , and decreased the expression of ANP and BNP ( P<0.05).Conclusions Resveratrol may inhibit high glucose induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes hypertrophy by improving oxidative stress and activating Notch 1/Hes1 signaling pathway .

AIM: To evaluate the effects of total flavonoid of chrysanthemum on the expressions of Fas and FasL in male rabbits with dry eye, and to investigate the therapeutic effects of the total flavonoid of chrysanthemum on dry eye.
METHODS: Totally 150 male Japanses white rabbits were divided into blank group ( group A ) , sham -operated group ( group B ) , model group ( group C ) , androgen control treatment group (group D), and total flavonoid of chrysanthemum treatment group ( group E ) . The dry eye model was established with orchiectomy on group C, D and E. Rabbits in group E were treated with total flavonoid of chrysanthemum. Rabbits in group D were treated with androgen intramuscular injection. Rabbits in the group A, group B, group C was treated with normal saline. All rabbits were detected with Schirmer's Ⅰ test and tear break-up time (BUT). Fas, FasL were checked on immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS:The Schirmer's I test values of group E was significantly higher than that of group C ( P<0. 01 ) and the BUT value of group E was significantly longer than that of group C ( P<0. 01 ). The quantity of positive expression of Fas in glandular tube cell and acinar epithelial celland apoptosis cells of group E after treatment at 1, 3, 5mo were significantly lower than that of group C, cell population of the positive expression of FasL was obviously higher than that of group C (P<0. 01).
CONCLUSION:The main component of chrysanthemum is flavonoid, which could significantly inhibit happening of dry eye in rabbit after androgen level lowered and lacrimal gland apoptosis and keep basic tears secretory volume and tear film stability.

AIM:To investigate the changes of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the process of cardiomyo-cyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose , and to explore its potential mechanisms .METHODS: The rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2 cells) were divided into normal glucose group , high glucose group, DMSO group and resveratrol (an AhR antago-nist) group.The content and distribution of AhR were observed with immunofluorescence staining .The myocardial cells were stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin to visualize cytoskeleton , and the cell surface area were determined after im-aging by fluorescence microscopy .The generation of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) in the cardiomyocytes was measured u-sing a fluorescent probe DCFH-DA.The mRNA expression of AhR , CYP1A1, atrial natriuretic peptide ( ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP) were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR ( RT-qPCR).The protein levels of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP were assessed by Western blot .RESULTS:AhR was constitutively presented in the cytosol un-der normal-glucose condition and was translocated to the nuclei under high-glucose condition .High glucose induced cardiac hypertrophy , and increased ROS generation .Significant reductions in the cell size and ROS generation were observed after treated with resveratrol.The expression of AhR, CYP1A1, ANP and BNP at mRNA and protein levels in high glucose group was increased as compared with normal glucose group and resveratrol group , and the above-mentioned indexes signifi-cantly decreased in resveratrol group as compared with DMSO group .CONCLUSION: High glucose-induced cardiac hy-pertrophy increases AhR expression , which may be involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis in the cardiomyo-cytes.AhR translocation to the nucleus induced by high glucose results in the increases in CYP 1A1 expression and ROS generation, which may be an important mechanism of high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy .

BACKGROUND: Prognosis is determined by degrees of outside force and time of spinal cord compression after spinal cord injury. The former factor cannot be changed, but the latter one can be changed through relieving spinal cord compression as early as possible to promote nervous function recovery.OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of surgical intervention time on nervous function recovery within 72 hours and 10 to 14 days after cervical spinal cord injury.DESIGN: Randomized controlled and before-after controlled study.SETTING: Department of Spine Surgery of the Second Hospital affiliated to Harbin Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 32 patients with cervical spinal cord injury were selected from the Department of Spine Surgery of the Second Hospital affiliated to Harbin Medical University from April 1998 to August 2001.All patients were divided into two groups according to randomly alternative criteria. There were 16 cases including 10 males and 6 females in early surgical group (within 72 hours) and there were also 16 cases including 12males and 4 females in delayed surgical group (within 10-14 days).METHODS: Patients in early surgical group were undertaken operation at 72 hours after hospitalization, and patients in delayed surgical group were at 10-14 days after hospitalization. Frankel grade, sensory and motor scores were recorded according to criteria set by American Spinal Injury Association before operation and within 24 months after operation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Sensory and motor scores before and after operation; ② Frankel grade before and after operation.RESULTS: ① Improved level of sensory score (difference before and after operation) was higher in early surgical group than that in delayed surgical group (42.6±20.2, 19.2±19.1, P ＜ 0.01). ② Improved level of motor score (difference before and after operation) was higher in early surgical group than that in delayed surgical group (39.7±17.8, 17.3±18.6, P ＜ 0.01). ③Improved level of Frankel grade in early surgical group was superior to that in delayed surgical group (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Nervous function recovery of patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury who were suffered from operation within 72 hours is superior to that of those within 10 to 14 days. Therefore, surgical intervention should be undertaken as early as possible in order to promote nervous function recovery after cervical spinal cord injury.

Objective To investigate clinical phenotype and the characteristics of gene mutation of patients with spinocercbellar ataxia type 2 and type 3.Methods The trinucleotide repeat mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR),fluorescence-PCR and capillary electrophoresis in 9 patients and 43 members from 4 spinocerebellar ataxia families,1 sporadic patients,and 60 normal controls without family history.Results Six patients from 3 families and one sporadic patient had SCA3/MJD (CAG) n expansion mutation(n=68-75) ;Three patients from 1 family had SCA2 allele expansion for 37-41 times. Some of clinical menifestations were same among patients with type 2 or 3,while they showed significant difference in age of onset ,disease devetopment and nervous system injury.Conclusion The difference of clinical feature helps to distinguish SCA3/MJD and SCA2,however genotype analysis is the only method of definite diagnosis.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of the chosen incision on corneal astigmatism after implantable collamer lens ( ICL) surgery.
METHODS:The study included 195 eyes of 102 patients, and all eyes were randomly divided into two groups: the chosen incision group ( Group A, 97 eyes) and temporal corneal incision ( Group B, 98 eyes ) . Before the operation, and 1wk, 1mo and 3mo after the operation, each patient was examined with corneal topography to observe the changes of corneal astigmatism.
RESULTS: Preoperative corneal astigmatisms were (1-26±0. 35) D in group A and (1. 28±0. 38) D in group B, thus there was no statistically significant difference ( P>0-05). One week postoperatively, the astigmatism were (0.93±0.29)D in group A and (1.32±0.33)D in group B. One month postoperatively, the astigmatism were (0. 85±0.16)D in group A and (1.27±0.18)D in group B. Three months postoperatively, the astigmatism were ( 0. 80±0-13)D in group A and (1. 25±0. 20) D in group B. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0. 01).
CONCLUSION: The chosen incision can reduce postoperative astigmatism to a certain extent after ICL surgery.

ObjectiveTo demonstrate the effect of moderate hypothermia and doule carotid ice applied to acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and the best opportunity of treatment.Methods174 cases with ICH were randomly divided into treated group and control group, 87 cases for each group. Each case of both groups was treated by routine therapy, moreover, all cases in treated group were treated by moderate hypothermia (MHT).The clinical effect and prognosis between treated group and control group were contrasted,so to do between the cases in the treated group who were treated no more than 3 hours and more than 3 hours after attack.ResultsCompared with the control group, the neurological function improved in the treated group(P<0.05), as well as survival rate and recovery(P<0.05).Cases who treated no more than 3 hours after attack was better than that of more than 3 hours(P<0.05).ConclusionModerate hypothermia can effectively ease the neurologic deficits after ICH, decrease mortality and disable rate.The best therapy time is within 3 hours after ICH.

AIM:To investigate the expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in atrial tissues of the patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD), and the effects of AhR on rheumatic atrial fibrosis.METHODS:Right atrial specimens obtained from the patients with RHD requiring valve replacement surgery were divided into chronic atrial fibrillation (RHD+cAF, n=11) group and sinus rhythm (RHD+sinus rhythm, n=25) group.The patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and sinus rhythm (CHD+sinus rhythm, n=12) who underwent heart surgery served as controls.The collagen volume fraction in the atrial specimens was examined by Masson`s trichrome staining.The protein expression and distribution of AhR, AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and CYP1A1 were detected by the methods of immunohistochemistry and Western blot.The mRNA expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.RESULTS:Compared with CHD+sinus rhythm group, the collagen content and the expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 were significantly increased in RHD+sinus rhythm group and RHD+cAF group.Compared with RHD+sinus rhythm group, the collagen content and the expression of AhR, ARNT and CYP1A1 were significantly increased in RHD+cAF group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The expression of AhR is correlated with the degree of fibrosis.The expression of AhR/ARNT/CYP1A1 is increased in atrial tissues of patients with RHD, suggesting that AhR/ARNT/CYP1A1 should be involved in atrial fibrosis of the patient with RHD.

OBJECTIVETo verify the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions by studying the targeted distribution of major components in stewed rhubarb in the rat model with acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODNormal SD rats (control group, n = 5) and the AP model induced with intraperitoneal cerulein (model group, n = 5) were taken as the experimental objects. Rats of the two groups were orally administered with stewed rhubarb granules (20 g x kg(-1)). Their heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and pancreas were collected two hours after the administration. Such constituents as emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, rhein and aloe-emodin and their concentrations in each tissue homogenate were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-mass-mass.

RESULTAloe-emodin and physcion in stewed rhubarb whose concentrations in liver and kidney of normal rats were higher than that in pancreatic tissues, while the distribution spectrums and concentrations of the remaining components in pancreatic tissues had no significant difference with that of other organs. The concentrations of emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein and chrysophanol in stewed rhubarb in pancreatic tissues of the AP model group were higher than that in other tissues and organs, while their concentrations in pancreatic, renal and splenic tissues were notably higher than that in the normal group.

CONCLUSIONIn the conditions of AP, effective components in stewed rhubarb show a targeted distribution feature in pancreas, which provides experimental basis for the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Organ Specificity ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry

Professor LI Zhi-dao's acupuncture technique at muscle belly and its clinical experiences for the treatment of arthralgia are introduced. From aspects of TCM, anatomical physiology and sports biomechanics, the theory basis of this technique is explained, while its method is elaborated in details from acupoint selection and manipulation combined with classic medical cases. The acupuncture technique at muscle belly is applied at the muscles which already have pathological changes, avoiding re-stimulation on the pain area. It provides new thinking methods and references for acupuncture to treat arthralgia.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthralgia ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged