Objective To explore the relative factors of unstable plaques of carotid atherosclerosis in ischemic eerebrovascular patients.Methods Carotid arteries of a total of 132 cases with ischemic cerebrovascular disease of carotid artery system were inspected by color Doppler ultrasound.The plaques discovered were classified according to ultrasonic appearance and their stability was judged.The relation between hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipemia, smoking and unstable plaques of carotid atheroselerosis was analyzed.Results The most common site of plaque for- mation was the bifurcate of the common carotid artery(56.99%),and the second commonest was carotid artery (23.12%).The incidence of unstable plaques in the patients with smoking,hypertension and diabetes was higher than those without them(P

OBJECTIVETo assess lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural modifications in rat brains following perinatal exposure to lead (Pb) and/or cadmium (Cd).

METHODSFemale rats were divided into four groups: control group, Pb (300 mg/L) group, Cd group (10 mg/L) and Pb+Cd (300 mg/L, 10 mg/L) group. The compounds were delivered in the drinking water throughout pregnancy and lactation.

RESULTSThe levels of compounds in blood and brain of the Pb+Cd group were similar to those of other groups, but the effects of Pb+Cd on pups' body and brain weights were higher than on other compounds. Electron microscopy revealed that Pb and Cd had effects on mitochondrial swelling, disruption and cristae loss, Nissl body dissolution, degenerated organelles and vacuoles, cytomembrane disappearance, and nuclear chromoplasm concentration. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was decreased, whereas the activity of maleic dialdehyde (MDA) was increased.

CONCLUSIONPerinatal exposure to low doses of Pb and Cd can produce alterations in lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural modifications in rat brains, and exposure to both metals can result in greater damages.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Female ; Lead ; toxicity ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Rats ; Water

BACKGROUNDThe number of non-responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) exposes the need for better patient selection criteria for CRT. This study aimed to identify echocardiographic parameters that would predict the response to CRT.

METHODSForty-five consecutive patients receiving CRT-D implantation for heart failure (HF) were included in this prospective study. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, 6-minute walk distance, electrograph character, and multi echocardiographic parameters, especially in strain patterns, were measured and compared before and six months after CRT in the responder and non-responder groups. Response to CRT was defined as a decrease in left ventricular endsystolic volume (LVESV) of 15% or more at 6-month follow up.

RESULTSTwenty-two (48.9%) patients demonstrated a response to CRT at 6-month follow-up. Significant improvement in NYHA class (P < 0.01), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) (P < 0.01), and 6-minute walk distance (P < 0.01) was shown in this group. Although there was an interventricular mechanical delay determined by the difference between left and right ventricular pre-ejection intervals ((42.87 ± 19.64) ms vs. (29.43 ± 18.19) ms, P = 0.02), the standard deviation of time to peak myocardial strain among 12 basal, mid and apical segments (Tε-SD) ((119.97 ± 43.32) ms vs. (86.62 ± 36.86) ms, P = 0.01) and the non-ischemic etiology (P = 0.03) were significantly higher in responders than non-responders, only the Tε-SD (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.04, P = 0.02) proved to be a favorable predictor of CRT response after multivariate Logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONThe left ventricular 12 segmental strain imaging is a promising echocardiographic parameter for predicting CRT response.

Aged ; Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Heart Ventricles ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies

In order to determine the curative effect of multiglycosidorum Tripterygii and prednisone for treatment of children with chronic refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a total of 28 patients had been treated with multiglycosidorum Tripterygii and prednisone. Multiglycosidorum Tripterygii was given at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight per day and the prednisone was given at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight per day for two consecutive months. Bone marrow examination and blood platelet associated immunoglobin G (PAIgG) measurement were performed during the treatment. The results showed that in 21 patients acquired effectiveness, of whom, according the common criteria, 9 patients achieved curative effective, 7 achieved significant effectiveness and 5 effective. 7 patients did not achieve effectiveness. There were no serious side effects associated with therapy. The number of proplatelets on bone marrow smears was increased and the titers of IgG to platelet were restored to normal range in patients achieving remission. In conclusion, combination of multiglycosidorum triptergii with prednisone is effective and safe for treatment of chronic refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in children.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Infant ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Prednisone ; administration & dosage ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Tripterygium

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (ADA) in moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who are unresponsive to traditional therapy. METHODS: Electronic databases, including the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases, were searched to April 20, 2014. UC-related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared ADA with placebo were eligible. Review Manager 5.1 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included three RCTs. ADA was considerably more effective compared with a placebo, and it increased the ratio of patients with clinical remission, clinical responses, mucosal healing and inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire responses in the induction and maintenance phases (p<0.05), as well as patients with steroid-free remission (p<0.05) during the maintenance phase. Clinical remission was achieved in a greater number of UC cases in the ADA 160/80/40 mg groups (0/2/4 week, every other week) compared with the placebo group at week 8 (p=0.006) and week 52 (p=0.0002), whereas the week 8 clinical remission rate was equivalent between the ADA 80/40 mg groups and the placebo group. Among the patients who received immunomodulators (IMM) at baseline, ADA was superior to the placebo in terms of inducing clinical remission (p=0.01). Between-group differences were not observed in terms of serious adverse events (p=0.61). CONCLUSIONS: ADA, particularly at doses of 160/80/40 mg (0/2/4 week, every other week), is effective and safe in patients with moderate-to-severe UC who are unresponsive to traditional treatment. Concomitant IMM therapy may improve the short-term therapeutic efficacy of ADA.
Adalimumab/*therapeutic use ; Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/*therapeutic use ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*drug therapy/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Remission Induction/methods ; Severity of Illness Index

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Haikun Shenxi on the expression of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and mRNA in renal tissue of rats with adriamycin nephropathy.

METHODRat model was established by unilateral nephrectomy and injecting adriamycin intraperitoneally. The adriamycin-induced nephrotic rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal group, sham operation group, model group, lotensin treatment group, Haikun Shenxi low and high dose treatment groups (0.77, 0.08 mg x kg(-1). Ten weeks later, the 24 hour urine protein and blood biochemistry examinations and renal pathologic changes were observed, and the expression of PDGF-BB and mRNA was measured using immunohistochemical method.

RESULTCompared with model group, proteinuria and the levels of serum creatinine (Scr) , urea nitrogen (BUN) were decreased obviously in both Haikun Shenxi low and high dose groups. The expression of PDGF-BB and mRNA was mostly presented in cytoplasm of renal tubular epithelial cells and mesangial area, and it could be reduced significantly after treatment (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe level of PDGF-BB and mRNA is high in renal tissue of adriamycin-induced nephrotic rats. This progress could be effectively inhibited by Haikun Shenxi and the mechanism may be that it can control the excessive expression of PDGF-BB and mRNA.

Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; blood ; Doxorubicin ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glomerular Mesangium ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; chemically induced ; genetics ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phaeophyta ; chemistry ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Gerbil forebrain ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury model was used to study the effects of D(1) and D(2) receptor agonists and antagonists on neuronal apoptosis of hippocampal CA1 area. All animals were tested for habituation deficits in an open field test on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after reperfusion. The animals were then killed, and brains underwent paraffin embedding for hematoxylin-eosin staining, in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and immunohistochemistry (bax, bcl-2). The result of open field test showed that the I/R group was significantly impaired (higher activity scores) when compared with the control group. Pretreatment with pergolide significantly reduced this habituation impairment. Forebrain ischemia for 5 min resulted in extensive CA1 apoptosis on the 3rd and 7th days after I/R injury. About 95% neurons in hippocampal CA1 area entered apoptosis and only 2%-7% pyramidal neurons stayed alive due to an inhibition of bcl-2 expression and an increase in bax expression. Pretreatment of pergolide attenuated neuronal damage caused by transient ischemia. Infusion of pergolide could induce the expression of bcl-2 and reduce the expression of bax. Pretreatment with SKF38393, SCH23390 and spiperone had no effects on these changes in this transient I/R injury model. All these results indicate that pergolide plays an important role in the protection of hippocampal neurons from apotosis through upregulating the expression of bcl-2 protein and reducing the expression of bax protein.
2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Dopamine Agonists ; pharmacology ; Dopamine Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Gerbillinae ; Hippocampus ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Pergolide ; pharmacology ; Prosencephalon ; physiopathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D1 ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

Objective To investigate the effect of a selective muscarinic receptor antagonist (penehyclidine hydrochloride) in three vessel occlusion model of acute global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats.Method One hundred and forty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups:sham operated group,vehicle treated group (saline 1 ml,i.p.),scopolamine treated group (0.01 mg/kg,i.p.) and penehyclidine hydrochloride treated group (0.01 mg/kg,i.p.) with drugs injected 40 minutes before ischemia respectively.The ischemic duration was 10 minutes.The animals were subjected to motor activity tests (open field activity test,beam-walking test and grip test) at 24 hours or on the 3rd and 7th day after reperfusion.HE staining,TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical reactions of bax and bel-2 were carried out at the time points of 2,12,24 hours,3 and 7 days after reperfusion.TTC staining was carried out in some rats for assessment of infarction volume on the 4th day after reperfusion.Results As compared with the vehicle treated group,both penehyclidine hydrochloride treatment and scopolamine treatment decreased the numbers of apeptotie neurons (P

Objective To investigate the prognostic sequelae in neontes with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and ven-tricnlar dilatation.Methods Seventy-six full term newborns infants with HIE were followed up at the age from 3 to 19 months after therapy. Twenty-five infants among them were followed up by telephone in the epidemic period of SARS.Results Among 76 infants of 88 newborn infants with HIE(84.6%), 73 infants were normal (96.1% ). 1 infant had cerebral palsy (1.3%), 2 infants died (2.6 %).Among 39 cases with mild HIE, none of them had cerebral sequelae; among moderate HIE. 1 infant had cerebral palsy (2.9%) 1 infant died (2. 9 %), interlenkin-4 among severe HIE 50 % died (P00.5 The poor outcome of HIE in those infants were related to intrauterine growth retardation,severe birth asphyxia;and inadequate treatment.Cranial ultra-sonography of 49 infants were done on follow-up,and 12 of them (24.5 % ) had ventricular dilatations, which appeared after birth with 6 infants. Others occurred on follow-up with 1 infant had cerobral palsy,all ventricular dilatations recovered to normal at 12- 19 months except the cerebral palsy.Conclusions The poor outcome of HIE depends on the infants with intranterine growth relarda-tion,severe birth asphyxia and inadequate treatment.The prognosis of transient ventrealar ddatation are good except cerebral palsy.J Appl Clin pediatr,2004,19(12) : 1045- 1047

OBJECTIVETo detect the disparity of three cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) in peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

METHODSerum concentrations of the three cytokines were measured in 27 patients with 13 systemic-onset JIA (sJIA), 14 polyarticular JIA (pJIA) and 28 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nineteen patients with no marked arthritis symptom or only temporary arthralgia were enrolled in probable sJIA group. SF from 18 patients with 7 sJIA, 11 pJIA were examined for cytokine levels.

RESULT(1) The statistically significant difference in serum IL-6 was detected between sJIA and healthy control group [28.0(4.2-59.2) ng/L vs. 12.3 (2.1-13.8) ng/L, P < 0.05], but no significant difference between probable sJIA and healthy control group [11.8(7.7-39.2) ng/L vs. 12.3 (2.1-13.8) ng/L, P > 0.05] was found. There were statistically significant differences between sJIA group and healthy control group in serum concentrations of IL-17 [14.0(9.8-34.3) ng/L vs. 9.8 (7.9-16.2) ng/L, P < 0.05], yet compared to healthy control group, no significant difference in concentration level of IL-17 was found in pJIA Group [14.2(9.9-16.9) ng/L vs. 9.8(7.9-16.2) ng/L, P > 0.05].(2) In sJIA and pJIA SF, the median IP-10 level was significantly higher compared to respective PB levels [619.7 (160.9, 873.1) ng/L vs. 64.8 (27.4-111.9) ng/L;660.9 (401.9, 1349.8) ng/L vs. 97.4 (41.9-222.1) ng/L, P < 0.01, respectively], but there was only significant difference in IL-17 between pJIA SF and PB [22.9 (17.1, 45.8) ng/L vs. 14.2 (9.9-16.9) ng/L, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONIL-6 may play more important role in the pathogenesis of sJIA. Moreover, IL-6 may be the biomarker associated with arthritis in early JIA stage. Both autoinflammation and autoimmune response may be involved in the pathogenesis of sJIA. IL-17 enrichment may only occur in local joint, the levels of IL-17 in PB may not be significantly increased. The prominent expression gradient between SF and PB of IP-10 maybe the basis of performing chemotaxis and further causing joint damage.

Adolescent ; Arthritis, Juvenile ; blood ; immunology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemokine CXCL10 ; blood ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-17 ; blood ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; metabolism ; Knee Joint ; metabolism ; Male ; Synovial Fluid ; immunology ; metabolism