A new cool-tip radiofrequency (RF) ablation therapeutic instrument based on impedance control algorithm is introduced in this paper. The equipment is composed of hardware system and software system. The RF power output and real time data acquisition are completed by the hardware system, while the software is used mainly to finish the control of the ablation range, the core of which is impedance control algorithm, and it also used to complete the display of the real time data in the course of the experiment. The impedance algorithm has solved the problem of impedance increased rapidly during the RF ablation, which has also expanded the scope of ablation. The pig liver experiments showed that the impedance control algorithm had strong adaptability. It also obtained a result of ablation range up to 3.5-4.5 cm single needle. It has the high clinical practical value of one-time inactivation of 3-5 cm tumor.
Algorithms ; Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; Electric Impedance ; Humans ; Liver ; Needles ; Software ; Swine

In recent years, more and more research shows that the pharmacokinetic parameter of traditional Chinese medicine can be affected by the disease states. It's possible that drug metabolic enzymes, transporters, cell membrane permeability and the change of microbes group could be interfered with physiological and pathological changes, which enables the pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine in the body to be altered, including the process of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, and then the pharmacokinetic parameters of traditional chinese medicine are altered. It's found that investigating the pharmacokinetic of traditional Chinese medicine in the pathological state is more useful than that of in normal state because the great part of traditional Chinese medicine is mainly used to treat disease. This article reflects the latest research on the pharmacokinetic of traditional Chinese medicine in the disease state such as diabete, cerebral ischemia, liver injury, inflammatory disease, nervous system disorders and fever in order to provide certain reference for clinicians designing reasonable administration dose.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy

The secondary metabolites of plants are important sources of natural drugs. Betula plants have abundant pharmacological value, complex mechanism and wide applications, which are closely related to the triterpenoids of theirs. Triterpenoids in Betula species are mainly divided into dammarane-type, ocotillol-type, oleanane-type, lupane-type and cycloaltunane-type. The extracts of Betula species have varieties of activities such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, etc. And the biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids after 2,3-oxidosqualene are split into four branches of dammarenediol-II, lupeol, cycloartenol and amyrin according to the different oxidosqualene cyclases. This review summarizes the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids in Betula plants. It provides a reference for the research and development of new drugs and the production of these triterpenoids in microbial cell factories by synthetic biology methods.

Medical imaging is an interdisciplinary subject closely related to clinical and pathological subject. Its clinical reading skills' training has become the focus of postgraduate teaching. In the process of clinical teaching, the interactive reading mode of problem-based learning (PBL) combined with multi-disci-plinary team (MDT) was introduced into clinical reading meeting. The tutors chose the reading cases proved by pathology; designed in-depth issues step by step for execution of PBL teaching; guided postgraduates to delineate imaging signs and propose the diagnostic results, evidences and differential diagnoses according to the step from localizing to qualitative and then to pathological diagnosis;then guided postgraduates to attend in-depth case analysis of MDT and analyze the correlation or inconsistency between the imaging diagnosis and clinical and pathological diagnosis; exercise document retrieval and verbalization, multimedia design, and writing level of the records of the reading cases and papers. The interactive reading mode of PBL com-bined with MDT has achieved significant effects, which is worthy of further exploration and promotion.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of strychnos alkaloids on the proliferation of adult rat neuroprogenitor cells.

METHODSStrychnos alkaloids free of strychnine and brucine were extracted from Strychnos nux vomica, and the effects of Strychnos alkaloids on the survival of HEK293 and PC12 cells were evaluated using MTT assay. In vitro cultured adult rat neuroprogenitor cells isolated from the hippocampus were treated with different concentrations of Strychnos alkaloids for 2 days, and the cell proliferation was assessed using BrdU incorporation assay.

RESULTSAt the concentration above 0.5 mg/ml, Strychnos alkaloids produced toxic effect against HEK293 cells (P<0.0001), while for PC12 cells, Strychnos alkaloids inhibited the cell survival at the concentration as low as 5 microg/ml (P<0.0001). After 2 days of exposure to 50 microg/ml Strychnos alkaloids, the neuroprogenitor cells showed significantly decreased number of BrdU-positive cells (P<0.01), but the total cell number remained stable when compared with that of the control cells (P>0.05), whereas at the concentration of 100 microg/ml, Strychnos alkaloids produced obvious cytotoxicity against the neuroprogenitor cells.

CONCLUSIONStrychnos alkaloids can significantly inhibit the proliferation of adult rat neuroprogenitor cells, and this effect is probably selective, suggesting the potential of Strychnos alkaloids as a new drug for treatment of neurocytoma.

Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Humans ; Neurons ; cytology ; PC12 Cells ; cytology ; Rats ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Strychnos ; chemistry

A L9 (3(4)) orthogonal design table to be used to get nine combinations of extraction of three herbs of Wuji pill: Coptis chinensis, Tetradium ruticarpum and Paeonia lactiflora Pall., and nine extraction of single herbs correspondingly, altogether eighteen combinations. Quantification of five representative bioactive ingredients: berberine, palmatine, evodiamine, rutaecarpine, paeoniflorin in rat liver by ultra high liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after oral administration at 2 h time point of eighteen combinations. The result shows the bioactive ingredients have different concentrations betweem different combinations and the single herb with the same dosage significantly as well as the same dose combinations. C. chinensis with evodiamine concentration of low and high dose T. ruticarpum was positively correlated. T. ruticarpum with berberine concentration of low dose C. chinensis was negatively correlated and of meddle dose C. chinensis was correlated positively. T. ruticarpum with paeoniflorin concentration of middle dose P. lactiflora was correlated positively. P. lactiflora with palmatine concentration of middle dose C. chinensis was negatively correlated and with evodiamine and rutaecarpine concentration of middle dose T. ruticarpum was negatively correlated. These shows the three single herbs interactions resulted in the differences of each ingredients concentration in rat liver. The orthogonal analysis indicates the combination 12: 6: 6 make the maximum concentration in rat liver.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Biomedical Research ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the inhibitory effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting HBV C gene region on hepatitis B virus (HBV) in vivo.

METHODSAn animal model of HBV infection was developed hydrodynamically, and pcDNA3.1-HBV and siRNA were together injected into the tail vein of the BALB/c mice. HBsAg was analyzed by time-resolved immunofluorometric assay, HBV DNA was analyzed by fluorogenic quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR), HBV C-mRNA was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and viral specific proteins (HBsAg and HBcAg) in the mice livers were assayed using immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSIn the mice, the siRNA effectively inhibited HBV replication and expression compared with the controls. The inhibitive effect of siRNA on HBV lasted at least 3 days.

CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate that RNAi can substantially inhibit HBV replication and expression in vivo.

Animals ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; therapy ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; RNA, Small Interfering ; physiology ; RNA-Induced Silencing Complex ; Random Allocation ; Virus Replication ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo establish a highly sensitive and specific dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) method used for chromosomal localization of foreign genes in double transgenic mice.

METHODSTwo strains of double transgenic mice were used in this experiment, one was integrated with the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) and the enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP), the other was with the short hairpin RNA interference(RNAi) and beta(654). Splenic cells cultured in vitro were arrested in metaphase by colchicine and hybridized with digoxigenin-labeled and biotinylated DNA probes, then detected by rhodamine-conjugated avidin and FITC-conjugated anti-digoxigenin.

RESULTSDual-color fluorescence signals were detected on the same metaphase in both transgenic mice strains. In HSV-tk/eGFP double transgenic mice, strong green fluorescence for HSV-tk and red for eGFP were observed and localized at 2E5-G3 and 8A2-A4 respectively. In beta(654)/RNAi mice, beta(654) was detected as red fluorescence on chromosome 7D3-E2, and RNAi showed random integration on chromosomes. It was detected as green fluorescence on chromosome 12B1 in one mouse, while on 1E2.3-1F and 3A3 in the other.

CONCLUSIONHighly sensitive and specific D-FISH method was established using the self-prepared DNA probes, and chromosomal localization of the foreign genes was also performed in combination with G-banding in double transgenic mice. This technology will facilitate the researches in transgenic animals and gene therapy models.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Color ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Physical Chromosome Mapping ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Simplexvirus ; enzymology ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; Transgenes

OBJECTIVETo analyze the Y chromosome microdeletions in the family of the infertile male and to study on the vertical transmission of Y chromosome microdeletions from father to son.

METHODSThe peripheral blood of infertile patients' family male members was extracted and analyzed with modified multiplex PCR. The infertile family tree was drawn according to the results.

RESULTSTwo cases in twelve investigated families had azoospermia factor (AZFc) microdeletion heredity. The others had no heredity.

CONCLUSIONAZFc microdeletion of the Y chromosome can be transmitted to the male offspring naturally,and the same deletion can result in different phenotypes in different individuals.

Adult ; Aged ; Azoospermia ; genetics ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term influence of vertebral fixation through or across the affected vertebra on vertebral morphology.

METHODSClinical data of 48 patients with simple thoracic and lumbar spinal fractures who were admitted between Jan. 2008 and Dec. 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them 36 cases (28 males and 8 females) were fixed through the injured vertebra (group A) and 12 cases (8 males and 4 females) were fixed across the injured vertebra (group B). All patients were followed up for 6-36 months (mean 11.5 months). The vertebral body height, endplate angle and neurofunction were compared between the two groups before surgery, a week after surgery and at the end of the follow-up period.

RESULTSThere was no statistically significant difference in vertebral body height,endplate angle and neurofunction before operation between group A and B (P > 0.05). Vertebral body height and endplate angle improved in both groups a week after operation and at the end of the follow-up period as compared with those before operation (P < 0.05), and the efficacy in group B was significantly better than that in group A (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in neurofunction between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe fixation method through the injured vertebra had a better reduction effect, more stable fixation, and a better long-term effect on vertebral morphology than that across the injured vertebra in the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; pathology ; surgery