OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Guilingji Capsule (GC) on the fertility, liver functions, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of adult male SD rats exposed by 900 MHz cell phone.

METHODSTotally 18 adult male SD rats and 36 adult female rats in child-bearing period were selected and randomly divided into three groups according to weight equilibrium principle, i.e., the normal group, the radiated group, and the GC group, 6 males and 12 females in each group. Male rats in the normal group and all female rats were not radiated. Male rats in the radiated group and the GC group received radiation for 4 h per day, lasting for 18 successive days. Rats in the GC group received GC suspension at the daily dose of 0. 15 g/kg by gastrogavage at the same time. Equal volume of normal saline was administrated to other male rats. Then male rats were mated with corresponding female rats from the 14th radiation night to the 18th radiation night in the ratio of 1:2. Male rats were killed following on the next morning of ending the radiation. Female rats were normally fed and then killed before delivery. The pregnant outcomes of female rats in responding groups (the rates of pregnancy and the number of death fetus, birth weight, body length, and tail length) were observed and compared. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), AST/ALT, and LDH levels of the male rats were detected by colorimetry. Histological and morphological changes of liver were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, the pregnancy rates of female rats decreased and the number of death fetus increased, the serum LDH level obviously increased in the radiated group (P < 0.05). Serum levels of ALT, AST, and AST/ALT were no significantly changed in the radiated group. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration appeared. Compared with the radiated group, the pregnancy rates increased, the number of death fetus dropped, and the serum level of LDH decreased in the GC group (P < 0.05). There was no obvious change in serum levels of ALT, AST, or AST/ALT. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration were significantly attenuated. The histomorphological structures recovered to normal basically in the GC group.

CONCLUSIONSThe pregnancy rates could be decreased, the number of death fetus increased, histomorphological structures abnormal, and serum LDH level increased by exposure toy GSM 900 MHz cell phone. GC could prevent and treat the aforesaid lesion. But there was no statistical difference in serum ALT or AST levels.

Animals ; Cell Phone ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fertility ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; blood ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Radiation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To summarize our experience in the management of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) during aortic arch surgery.Methods From March 2007 to May 2010,58 consecutive patients,including 24 urgent and 34 selective operations underwent aortic arch surgery.Thirty-nine hemiarch and 19 total aortic arch replacement operations were performed.CPB was established by perfusion through femoral artery (42 cases) and right subclavian artery (RSA) ( 16 cases),of which 4 cases were carried out with antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP).Results The mean CPB time was ( 208.88 ± 136.45 ) min.The mean cerebral circulation arrest was ( 27.36 ± 11.50 ) min.Nasopharyngeal and rectal temperature were ( 16.01 ±2.67)℃ and ( 19.72 ±2.13)℃ respectively before DHCA was initiated.The mean times for cooling and rewarming were ( 50.91 ± 16.89) min and ( 88.97 ± 43.68 ) min.The mean time of intubation was (56.70 ± 45.19 ) h.The time in ICU was ( 5.68 ± 5.31 ) d,and the time of hospitalization was (30.11 ± 22.27 ) d.Acute renal failure,hypoxemia,and paraplegia occurred post-operatively in 4,19,and 2 patients,respectively.Four patients died post-operatively with a mortality of 6.90％.Compared with those received hemiarch replacement operation,the patients received total aortic arch replacement had statistically longer time of CPB([262.16 ±219.97]min vs [182.92 ±53.81] min,t =2.14,P ＜0.05),cerebral circulatory arrest ( [30.47 ± 15.86 ] win vs [25.85 ± 8.48 ] min,t =2.40,P ＜ 0.05 ),rewarming ( [110.00 ± 68.66 ] min vs [78.72 ± 17.31 ] min,t =2.69,P ＜ 0.05 ),and intubation ( [93.95 ± 131.89 ] h vs [38.08 ± 30.70 ] h,t =2.50,P ＜ 0.05 ).There was no significant difference in the times of these procedures between emergency surgery group and elective surgery group,between RSA and femoral artery cannulation groups.Conclusion It is crucial that the cooling and re-warming procedures during aortic arch surgery should be carried out slowly,gradually,and completely when DHCA was adopted alone.conclusion through right axillary artery or RSA was preferred for ACP,in order to accomplish the body circulation arrest at a relative high temperature,to shorten the CPB time,and to alleviate potential harmful effects of hypothermia.Meticulous management of CPB is one of the most important measures to improve the patients' outcome.

Objective To compare the clinical effects of microneurosurgery by supraorbital key-hole or endonasal transsphenoidal approaches in the treatment of pituitary adenoma and investigate their complications. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 87 patients with pituitary adenoma of which the anteroposterior diameter was less than 3 cm. These patients, admitted to our hospital from May, 2006 to June, 2008, were operated in an endoscope-assisted microsurgical manner via a supraorbital key-hole approach (n=42) or an endonasal transsphenoidal approach (n=45). The efficacy of these two approaches was compared and their complications were observed. Results The excision rate of the pituitary adenoma developing on or around the sella turcica operated through the supraorbital key-hole approach was significantly higher than that through the endonasal transsphenoidal approach(P< 0.05); while that of microadenoma or adenoma developing towards the sphenoid sinus operated through the supraorbital keyhole approach was statistically lower than that through the endonasal transsphenoidal approach (P<0.05). No obvious differences on the improvement of endocrine secretion, visual acuity and field was noted in these two approaches (P>0.05). The incidence rate of epistaxis and unilateral dysosphresia in the supraorbital key-hole approach was significantly lower as compared with that in the endonasal transsphenoidal approach (P<0.05). Conclusion Rarely having such complications as dysosphresia, epistaxis and sphenoiditis, neuroendoscopic surgery through supraorbital key-hole approach is the best way of treating the pituitary adenoma developing on or around the sella turcica and worth to promote in clinic.

Objective To investigate the expression of GOLPH3 in the tumor tissues of patients with gliomas and evaluate its clinical significance. Methods Seventy-six patients with brain gliomas (13 with grade Ⅰ, 27 grade Ⅱ, 25 grade Ⅲ and 11 with glioblastoma) performed surgical excision in our hospitals from July 2008 to December 2009 were chosen and 9 cases of normal brain tissues from patients performed decompression operation resulting from cerebral hernia were selected as the controls in our experiment. RT-PCR and Western-blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of GOLPH3. Results The results investigated by RT-PCR and Western-blotting were consistent,revealing that the mRNA and protein expression rate of GOLPH3 in glioma tissues was not significantly different between different grades of tumors (P＞0.05), but their expression value was obviously significant between different grades of tumors and increased in a grade-dependent manner (P＜0.05). And minimal mRNA and protein expressions of GOLPH3 were found in the tissues of controls. The up-regulative protein expression of GOLPH3 was positively correlated to the malignancy-grade of the gliomas (r,=0.961, P=0.000). Conclusion The mRNA and protein expressions of GOLPH3 are noted with positive correlation to the pathological grades of the gliomas, indicating th at GOLPH3 may play an important role in the generation and development of gliomas.

OBJECTIVETo compare the prognostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and GRACE score in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

METHODSA total of 246 patients with chest pain to hospital time < 24 hours were followed up to 30 days. Admission plasma B-type natriuretic peptide was measured by point-of-care. Endpoints included death, reinfarction, recurrent ischemia and new onset of congestive heart failure. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate prognostic value of BNP and GRACE score. The logistic regression models were used to assess the prognostic contribution of BNP level and GRACE score.

RESULTSThe mean age was (67.6 +/- 12.0) years (61.8% males) and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was diagnosed in 135 patients (54.9%). During the follow up, 34 endpoints (13.8%) were recorded including 9 deaths (3.7%). The systolic blood pressure [(121 +/- 29) mm Hg vs. (130 +/- 23) mm Hg, P = 0.034; 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa] was significantly lower while the heart rate and plasma creatinine were significantly higher in the endpoints group than in non-endpoints group. TNI and CRP levels were similar between the two groups. The BNP level at admission (median 883.5 ng/L vs. 216.5 ng/L) and GRACE score (median 164.5 vs. 142.0) were significantly higher in the endpoints group than in non-endpoints group (all P < 0.05). The prognostic criteria for BNP level (area under cure, 0.704) was 194.5 ng/L determined by ROC (P = 0.043). For GRACE score, the predictive value for endpoints was 0.742 (P = 0.003) and the cut-off point was 158. In the logistic regression model, BNP concentration (> 194.5 ng/L, OR = 3.174) and GRACE score (> 158, OR = 4.031) were independent predictors of endpoints in patients with ACS.

CONCLUSIONBoth BNP level at admission and GRACE score were independent predictors for endpoints at 30 days in patients with ACS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; analysis ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo study the combined effect of gestational age and birth weight on metabolites related to inherited metabolic diseases (IMD).

METHODSA total of 3 381 samples ruled out of IMD by follow-up were randomly selected from 38 931 newborns who participated in the neonatal IMD screening during 2014-2016. The 3 381 neonates were categorized into seven groups according to their gestational age and birth weight: extremely preterm appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) group (n=12), preterm small-for-gestational age (SGA) group (n=18), preterm AGA group (n=219), preterm large-for-gestational age (LGA) group (n=18), full-term SGA group (n=206), full-term AGA group (n=2 677), and full-term LGA group (n=231). Heel blood samples were collected from each group on postnatal days 3-7 after adequate breastfeeding. Levels of 17 key IMD-related metabolic indices in dried blood spots were measured using tandem mass spectrometry. Spearman′s correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between 17 IMD-related metabolic indices and their influencing factors, while covariance analysis was used to compare the metabolic indices between these groups.

RESULTSAfter adjusting the influencing factors such as physiological and pathological status, compared with the full-term AGA group, the extremely preterm AGA, preterm SGA, and preterm AGA groups had significantly reduced levels of leucine\isoleucine\hydroxyproline and valine (P<0.05); the preterm AGA group had a significantly decreased ornithine level (P<0.05); the extremely preterm AGA and preterm AGA groups had a significantly reduced proline level (P<0.05). Besides, the phenylalanine level in the extremely preterm AGA and preterm AGA groups, the methionine level in the preterm SGA group, and the tyrosine level in the preterm AGA group all significantly increased (P<0.05). The increased levels of free carnitine, acetylcarnitine, and propionylcarnitine were found in the preterm SGA and preterm AGA groups. The oleylcarnitine level also significantly increased in the preterm SGA group (P<0.05). Most carnitine indices showed significant differences between the SGA group and the AGA/LGA group in both preterm and full-term infants (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLow gestational age and low birth weight may result in abnormal results in IMD screening. Therefore, gestational age and birth weight should be considered to comprehensively judge the abnormal results in IMD screening.

Birth Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Small for Gestational Age ; Male ; Metabolic Diseases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system and is associated with a very poor prognosis. No further improvements in outcomes have been reported since radiotherapy-temozolomide therapy was introduced.Therefore,de-veloping new agents to treat GBM is important. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of evodiamine (Evo) on GBM cells, and to determine the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS U251,LN229,HEB and PC12 cells were treated with various concentrations of evodiamine for 24 and 48 hours,cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The U251 and LN229 cells were treated with evo-diamine(0-10 μmol·L-1)for 24 h,and then stained with Hoechst 33258.An Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit was used to detect apoptosis in the cells.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)production was detected using dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining. The changes in mitochondrial mem-brane potential (MMP) were assessed by JC-1 after cells were treated with evodiamine. The expres-sion levels of p-PI3K,PI3K,p-Akt,Akt,Bax,Bcl-2,p-p38,p38,p-JNK,JNK,p-ERK,ERK,Cytochrome c, Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-3, PRAP, and cleaved PARP were measured by Western blot analy-ses. RESULTS According to MTT assay results, Evo significantly inhibited the cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that Evo induced cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner.Moreover,Evo induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disruption. Finally, Evo induced apoptosis in cancer cells by suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling and inducing MAPK phos-phorylation(p38 and JNK,but not ERK)to regulate apoptotic proteins(Bax,Bcl-2,Cytochrome c,Cas-pase-3, and PARP). CONCLUSION In summary, Evo inhibits cell proliferation by inducing cellular apoptosis via suppressing PI3K/AKT and activating MAPK in GBM;these results indicate that Evo may be regarded as a new approach for GBM treatment.

Objective To evaluate the performance of diluted thrombin time (dTT) assay for detecting Dabigatran levels and observe whether this assay may meet the requirements of clinical laboratory.Methods According to EP15-A2,EP6-A,EP7-A and C-24 documents of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI),the precision,trueness,analytical measurement range,carryover rate and anti-biological interference of dTT assay were evaluated and the stability of specimen for dTT assay was observed.Results Both the within-day and between-day coefficient of variation (CV) of dTT assay for detecting Dabigatran levels were consistent with manufacturer's stated CV.Compared with target values of Dabigatran,the relative bias of 3 levels of proficiency test materials from College of American Pathologists (CAP) were less than 10％.The results meet linear verification when Dabigatran concentration was between 30.92 and 249.13 ng/mL.The carryover rate was-0.84％.There was no interference for Dabigatran levels by dTT assay for detecting Dabigatran when Hb≤3 g/L,triglyceride≤873 mg/dL,heparin≤2.2 IU/mL and FDP≤29 mg/L.The results of stability showed that plasma specimens for dTT could not be stored at room temperature more than 4 hours,at 4 ℃ more than 4 days,at-20 ℃ exceed 1 month,while at-80℃ the plasma specimens could be stored at least 6 months for dTT assay.Conclusion The precision,trueness,analytical measurement range,carryover rate,anti-biological interference of dTT assay may meet the requirement of clinical laboratory.The stability of the specimen can fulfill the clinical requirements.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of stent-graft on treating descending and abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms.

METHODSSeven cases of descending and 6 cases of abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms were treated with stent-graft, aging from 28 to 72 years, average 59 years.

RESULTSEight cases of aortic pseudoaneurysms were completely excluded after the procedure. Slight leakages were found in 5 cases. Leakages disappeared through balloon dilatation in 2 cases, and one more stent-graft cuff implanted in 1 case. Slight leakages were still presented after dilatation in the other 2 cases, however, the leakages disappeared 3 months later. Eleven cases were followed up from 4 to 30 months with a mean of 18.6 months. One case died of massive hemorrhage from upper digestive tract 5 months after operation. The stent-grafts of other cases maintained patent, and no migration occurred. The diameter of the pseudoaneurysm of all cases did not increased.

CONCLUSIONSIt is safe, effective and mini-invasive to use stent-graft in the treatment of descending and abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm, however, the long-term investigation is needed.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, False ; surgery ; Angioplasty ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aortic Aneurysm ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDInhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane for endotracheal intubation without muscle relaxant is now used widely for pediatric patients. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of induction with high concentration sevoflurane and of nasotracheal intubation without muscle relaxant in infants with increased or decreased pulmonary blood flow (PBF) and undergoing surgery for congenital heart diseases.

METHODSFifty-five infants aged 2 - 12 months, weighing 4.7 - 10.0 kg, and scheduled for congenital cardiac surgery were enrolled. Subjects were divided into those with increased (IPBF group, n = 29) and decreased (DPBF group, n = 26) pulmonary blood flow. All infants received inhalational induction with 8% sevoflurane in 100.0% oxygen at a gas flow rate of 6 L/min. Nasotracheal intubation was performed 4 minutes after induction. Sevoflurane vaporization was decreased to 4.0% for placement of a peripheral intravenous line and invasive hemodynamic monitors. Five minutes later, sedatives and muscle relaxant were administered and the vaporizer was adjusted to 2% for maintenance of anesthesia. Bispectral index (BIS) scores, circulatory parameters, satisfactory and successful intubation ratios, adverse reactions, and complications of intubation were recorded.

RESULTSTimes to loss of lash and pain reflexes were longer for the DPBF group (P < 0.01). Satisfactory intubation ratios were 93.1% and 61.5% for the IPBF and DPBF groups, respectively (P = 0.008). Successful intubation ratios were 96.6% and 76.9% for the IPBF and DPBF groups, respectively (P = 0.044). Following sevoflurane inhalation, blood pressures decreased significantly in the IPBF group but remained stable in the DPBF group. BIS scores declined to similar stable values, and a "nadir BIS" was recorded for both groups. No obvious adverse reactions or complications of intubation were noted perioperatively.

CONCLUSIONSInduction with high concentration sevoflurane, although faster for infants with IPBF, is safe for infants with IPBF or DPBF. However, nasotracheal intubation without muscle relaxant after induction with high concentration sevoflurane is less successful and less satisfactory for infants with DPBF and should be used with caution in this patient group.

Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lung ; blood supply ; drug effects ; Male ; Methyl Ethers ; therapeutic use