Objective To observe the clinical efficacy ofXing Nao Kai Qiao (brain-awakening and orifice-opening) needling plus thunder-fire moxibustion in treating vertebrobasilar ischemia.Method Fifty-five patients with vertebrobasilar ischemia were randomized into a treatment group of 26 cases and a control group of 29 cases. The treatment group was intervened byXing Nao Kai Qiao needling plus thunder-fire moxibustion, while the control group was by oral administration ofYangxue Qingnao granules. The blood flow of vertebrobasilar arteries were observed by using ultrasonic Doppler blood-flow detector before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The recovery and markedly-effective rate and total effective rate were respectively 61.5% and 96.2% in the treatment group, versus 34.5% and 89.7% in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01,P<0.05). The VS and VD of vertebral arteries and VS of basilar arteries were significantly changed after intervention in the treatment group (P<0.05). The VS of basilar arteries was significantly changed after intervention in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, The VS of vertebral and basilar arteries in the treatment group was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionXing Nao Kai Qiao needling plus thunder-fire moxibustion is an effective approach in treating vertebrobasilar ischemia.

Objective To investigate the effect of sedation on respiratory mechanic dynamics, intrapulmonary shunt fraction,oxygen metabolism in patients with mechanical ventilation.Method Sixty patients with mechanical ventilation were divided randomly into control group and sedation group.Propofal was administered to patients,whose ramsay scores were kept atⅢorⅣlevels,in sedation group while the equal amount of normal saline was given in control group.Mixed venous blood and arterial blood samples were taken for blood gas analysis in both groups before and at 2 hours after administration.Heart rate,blood pressure,breathing rate and airway resistance all were recorded at the same time.Results There were no significant differences in oxygenation index,blood pressure,blood lactic acid,total lung static compliance and intrapulmonary shunt fraction between two groups before and after administration.Heart rate,respiratory rate,oxygen uptake and airway resistance of patients in sedation group were lower than those in control group,and partial pressure of oxygen in mixed venous blood of patients in sedation group were higher than those in control group.These differences were statistically significant.Conclusions Sedation can decrease oxygen uptake and airway resistance of patients with mechanical ventilation.However,no alteration in the oxygenation index,total lung static compliance and intrapulmonic shunt ratio can be observed.

Adult ; Aortic Rupture ; pathology ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; etiology ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND: The effective chemical constituents and the precise action mechanism of Cassia obtusifolia L. seed to rats with hypercholesterolemia are not clear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of anthraquinones from Cassia obtusifolia L. on hypolipidemic activity and endogenous cholesterol biosynthesis in rats with experimental hyperlipoidemia, and to explore the effective compound and the mechanism of Cassia obtusifolia L. seed on hypolipidemic action. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized controlled animal experiment was performed from September 2003 to May 2004. All rats were raised and tested at the College of Life Sciences, South China Normal University. Blood sample was collected from the tail vein at the Institute of Biotechnology to detect blood lipid, survival rate, and to culture cells. MATERIALS: Forty-five male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish animal models of hypedipoidemia by intragastrically with fat emulsion. Cassia obtusifolia L. seed was purchased from Guangzhou Dispensary, China, and further identified by South China Plant Institute. Anthraquinones were extracted from Cassia obtusifolia L. by the Institute of Biotechnology of South China Normal University. METHODS: Forty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=15): a control group, 80 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg anthraquinones groups. Rat models in each group were given fat emulsion in the morning and afternoon 2 days after model induction, once in morning. Rat modes were treated with corresponding doses of drugs in the two experimental groups. Rat models were administrated with the same volume of saline in the control group, once a day, for 20 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effect of anthraquinones on endogenous cholesterin in Chinese hamster oocytes was measured by amphotericin B cell models. The levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density iipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected by enzyme endpoint method. Survival rate of Chinese hamster oocytes (A570) was tested by methyl thiazolyi tetrazolium (MTT) with spectrophotometric determination. RESULTS: Anthraquinones significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C levels in hyperlipidemic rats in a dose-dependant pattern. Anthraquinones elevated the survival rate of Chinese hamster oocytes. CONCLUSION: Anthraquinones can decrease blood lipid levels. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis of anthraquinones may be one of the underlying mechanism involved in decreasing blood lipid.

Objective To investigate the expressions of GDNF and GFRα1 in childhood nephroblastoma, and therefore its clinical significance. Methods The expression levels of GDNF and GFRα1 were examined by immunohistochemistry of 30 parrafin samples from nephroblastoma section as well as 16 parrafin samples of peritumor renal tissue. Results The pos?itive expression rate of GDNF and GFRα1 in nephroblastoma were higher than those in normal renal tissue(66.7%vs 6.3%;63.3%vs 6.3%). GDNF and GFRα1 were strongly expressed in epithelium and embryo bud, but weakly expressed in lobus intermedius of nephroblastoma. There was no correlation between the expressions of GDNF and GFRα1 with histological types, clinical stage and metastasis of nephroblastoma of patients. Conclusion High expression of GDNF and GFRα1 in childhood nephroblastoma might indicate its role in tumor development.

Objective To evaluate the role of TCD examination in diagnosis of the early cerebrovascular diseases in aged diabetic patients.Methods 179 cases of aged type Ⅱ diabetic patients were divided into three groups(PDR,BDR and NDB)according to their retinopathy.TCD and retina examination were performed in all patients and the data be analysed. Results (1)The systolic peak flow velocity(Vp) of MCA、ACA、ICA and BA were significant increased in diabetic pa- tients than in normal control group(P

Cathartics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Rheum ; chemistry

Objective To valuate the left ventricular function and myocardial fibrosis using Dopple tissue imaging(DTI) and integrated backscatter(IBS) in diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM) rats. Methods Diabetes mellitus(DM) in healthy male SD rats was induced by single injection of streptozotocin (STZ,Sigma) into intraperitoneal at a dose of 65mg/kg body weight. Left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS),ratio of peak early to late diastolic mitral inflow velocity(E/A) by color Doppler flow imaging-pulsed wave (CDFI-PW), ratio of peak early to late diastolic mitral annulus velocity (Ea/Aa) by DTI,myocardial calibrated IBS (IB%), cyclic variation of IBS(CVIB) by IBS, were determined in rats of 4,12 and 24 weeks after DM was induced. Heart weight index(HWI), Masson's trichrome staining, expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) and activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ -ATPase(SERCA2a) in heart were measured, while the age-matched health rats served as control group. Results ① Diastolic dysfunction of left ventricular was found in diabetic rats detected by CDFI-PW(E/A<1) at the 4th week,and developed gradually. Pseudonormal filling(E/A>1) was found in major diabetic rats at the 24th week,which could be identified by DTI(Ea/Aa<1). The IB% of left ventricular posterior wall was significantly higher in diabetic rats than those in the control group( P<0.05), but the CVIB of the 24th week diabetic rats was lower(P<0.05). The LVFS had no great alteration in six groups(P>0.05).②Compared with the control group, the activity of SERCA2a was reduced, while HWI, collagen volume fraction(CVF),perivascular collagen area(PVCA) and the expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) protein in heart were increased in diabetic rats (P<0.05), and correlation between IB% and HWI, CVF, PVCA,CTGF was significant (P<0.05). Conclusions DTI and IBS can assess early left ventrieular diastolic function and fibrosis of diabetic cardiomypathy in STZ-induced diabetic rats. DTI echoeardiography can identify "pseudonormal" mitral inflow patterns. DCM may be relatived with overexpression of CTGF and decreasion of SERCA2a activity.

Objective To detect the expression of chemokine receptors CXCR3 mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBNCs) of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and to analyze the relationship between the expression and the disease activity. Methods mRNA was extracted from PBNCs and the expression of CXCR3 mRNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RFQ-PCR) in 51 RA patients and 32 controls. T-test, x2-test, ANOVA were used for statistial analysis. Results Comparison between the two groups had shown that the expression levels of CXCR3 mRNA in clinical active RA group were higher than those of the RA patients in remission and healthy controls (P<0.05). The expression levels of CXCR3 mRNA were positively correlated with serum levels of ESR and CRP in clinical active RA group (r=0.824, r=0.765, P<0.05). In addition, RF titer, APF, AKA, and anti-CCP had no significant correlation with the expression levels of CXCR3 mRNA in RA patients (P>0.05). Conclusion RFQ-PCR is a sensitive,reproducible and practical test. The mRNA expressions of CXCR3 are significantly elevated in RA patients,which suggest that CXCR3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. The mRNA expressions of CXCR3 in active RA patients are higher than those of RA patients in remission. These results indicate that CXCR3 may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of RA, and CXCR3 may be considered as an indicator for disease activity, therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of RA.

Objective To identify seven species of Gynostemma BI.,including G.pentaphyllum,G. pentagynum,G.cardiospermum,G.longipes,G.yixingense,G.laxiflorum,and G.guangxiense,by in- ter-simple sequence repeat(ISSR)markers.Methods General DNA was isolated from leaves of the seven species in Gynostemma B1.by CTAB,57 primers constituted by ISSR were tested for PCR and sepharose electrophoresis.Results Fourteen primers amplified polymorphic bands,the amplification patterns of primers UBC-873 and UBC-895 were higher in terms of polymorphic and amplified band ratio.They are used to distinguish all the examined seven species.Conclusion ISSR-PCR Method provides a quick,reli- able molecular marker technique for the identification of different species of Gynostemma B1.