Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Contraindications ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans

Chronic Disease ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans

The epilepsy symptom and the pia microcirculatory blood flow volume (PMBFV) were investigated in epilepsy rat model induced by strychnine and the changes after treatment by using faradized frequency spectrum therapeutic equipment were observed. The epilepsy symptom was improved and the PMBFV increased after treatment. The convulsion seizure time was delayed, the seizure frequency and convulsion time were reduced, and the epilepsy even was not appeared in some cases. Results suggested that this improvement might be related to the change of PMBFV.

Objective To establish the orthotopic human pancreatic cancer model in mice and study the method to detect the tumor growth. Methods Human pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 in logarithmic phase was made into cell suspension and in situ injected into the envelope of pancreatic tail of BALB/c nude mice. High-frequency endoscopy ultrasound was used to observe the growth of tumor mass and its imaging characteristics were studied. Results 20 nude mice were successfully implanted, and 1 died 25 h after implantation. 14 days after implantation, the tumor of pancreatic cancer on EUS was (8.09 ± 2.61) mm3, the tumor appeared as homogeneous hypoechoic mass with clear boundary, and envelope as well as sound halo was present, and the shape was regular; there was low speed circular vasculature signal in around 30% of tumor.The tumor size increased to (12.40 ± 3.51)mm3, and the shape of 70% tumor was irregular, and some appeared as lobulated, and the tumor appeared as heterogeneous hypoechoic mass, no necrosis or liquefaction was found 28 days after implantation. There was low speed circular vasculature signal in around 70% tumors.Conclusions The orthotopic pancreatic cancer model in nude mouse can be established by in situ injection and this method is relatively ideal because it is simple and effective. The high frequency probe of endoscopic ultrasonograph is a reliable method for monitoring implanted pancreatic cancer.

Drying is the critical link during pharmaceutical process of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is directly related to the quality of drugs. The key to technology upgrading of pharmaceutical equipment in Chinese materia medica enterprise is the development of new drying techniques, which concerns the modernization of TCM. The study provides new ideas for the drying technology and equipment by means of reviewing the research status of drying process for the traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations, and analyzing the traditional and modern drying methods and equipment, as well as their existing problems and corresponding measures for the drying processes and equipment. In addition, this paper expounds the development trend of traditional Chinese medicinal materials and preparations of drying process and equipment.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; instrumentation ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effects of histone deacetylase inhibitor on stress-induced myocardial injury.

METHODSHealthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups( n = 6), and the stress-induced myocardial injury model was established with chronic restraint stress method. The protective effects of histone deacetylase inhibitor on stress-induced myocardial injury were observed with Trichostatin A (TSA) intervention. Histone acetylation levels in myocardium of rats were detected by Western blot method, spectrophotometry method was used to dynamically determine the activity of rat serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB) and Caspase 3, and nagar Olsen staining were used to observe the early myocardial damage.

RESULTSRestraint stress could significantly reduce the level of histone acetylation of myocardium in rats, and TSA intervention could inhibit the stress-induced reduction of myocardial levels of histone acetylation. Restraint stress could cause the significant increase of serum LDH activity ( P < 0.05), serum CK-MB activity ( P < 0.05), and the Caspase 3 activity of myocardial tissue (P < 0.05), and early myocardial damage also occurred during restraint stress. ISA intervention could significantly reduce the serum LDH activity (P < 0.05), the serum CK-MB activity (P < 0.05), the activity of myocardial tissue caspase 3 induced by restraint stress (P < 0.05), and the stress-induced myocardial injury was also attenuated by TSA intervention.

CONCLUSIONThe histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA can protect stress-induced myocardial injury.

Acetylation ; Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Caspase 3 ; blood ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form ; blood ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Hydroxamic Acids ; pharmacology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Physiological

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Child ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septum ; surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study therapeutic effects of limited internal fixation combined with external fixation in the treatment of deformity of distal end of femur, as well as to explore its effect on the function of knee joint.

METHODSFrom June 2004 to June 2009, 38 patients with deformity of distal end of femur were treated with osteotomy at femoral supracondylar and internalfixation combined with hybrid external fixator. Among the patients, 19 patients were male and 19 patients were female, ranging in age from 14 to 58 years, with an average of 26 years. Six patients had genu valgum, 4 patients had varus of the distal end of femur, 2 patients had varus combined with rotation deformity,3 patients had genu recurvation and 23 patients had deformity of genuflex. The function of knee joint was evaluated according to Dimeglio clinical assessment after the treatment.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up and the during ranged from 6 to 48 months, with a mean period of 23 months. All the deformity obtained satisfactory correction, without complications such as limitation of motion of the knee joint, under correction or over correction,displacement of the section of the osteotomy,internal fixation loosening and fracture. Nineteen patients got an excellent result, 12 good, 5 poor and 2 bad.

CONCLUSIONSupracondylar femoral osteotomy and internal fixation combined with hybrid external fixator is a safe and effective surgery for the treatment of deformity of distal end of femur. This method combines the advantages of internal fixation and external fixation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; External Fixators ; Female ; Femur ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of early intervention by pravastatin with two different dosage on inflammatory factors and endothelial vasodilator function in patients with unstable angina (UA).

METHODS108 patients with UA were investigated consecutively and divided randomly into three groups (group 20 mg, n = 37; group 10 mg, n = 37; group control, n = 34). Blood samples were examined at admission and 4, 8 weeks after the therapy of pravastatin. Fourty patients of UA were chosen from those three groups (15, 15 and 10 cases respectively). The endothelium-dependent vasodilation and the function of vascular endothelium of them were measured. In the dosage of 20 mg pravastatin group non-endothelium-dependent vasodilation in brachial artery was also tested by ultrasound before and 8 weeks after the therapy. Cardiac events were followed up for 2 months.

RESULTS(1) The use of pravastatin in early admission period of UA could significantly reduce inflammatory factors and improve vascular endothelium function, which was more obviously in the group of 20 mg/d than in group of 10 mg/d. These benefits occurred in 4th week and more obviously in 8th week after the therapy. (2) The lipid lowering therapy in the early stage of admission (24 - 48 h) resulted in the reduction of cardiac events in the hospital.

CONCLUSIONThe use of pravastatin 20 mg/d seems better than that of 10 mg/d in all the fields as above in early admission period of UA patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; drug therapy ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pravastatin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUNDMitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the progression of left ventricular (LV) remodeling and heart failure (HF). Recombinant human neuregulin-1 (rhNRG-1) improves cardiac function in models of experimental HF and in clinical trials; however, its impact on mitochondrial function during chronic HF remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether rhNRG-1 could attenuate the functional and structural changes that occur in cardiac mitochondria in a rat model of HF induced by myocardial infarction.

METHODSSixty adult rats underwent sham or coronary ligation to induce HF. Four weeks after ligation, 29 animals with LV ejective fraction ≤ 50% were randomized to receive either vehicle or rhNRG-1 (10 µg×kg(-1)×d(-1), I.V.) for 10 days, another 12 sham-operated animals were given no treatment. Echocardiography was used to determine physiological changes. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), respiratory function and tissue adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production were analyzed. Cytochrome c expression and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were determined. Oxidative stress was evaluated by reactive oxygen species production using fluorescence assays and gene expression of glutathione peroxidase measured by real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTSCompared with sham-operated animals, vehicle treated HF rats exhibited severe LV remodeling and dysfunction, significant mitochondrial dysfunction, increased mitochondrial cytochrome c release, increased myocyte apoptosis and enhanced oxidative stress. Short-term treatment with rhNRG-1 significantly attenuated LV remodeling and cardiac function. Concomitant with this change, mitochondrial dysfunction was significantly attenuated; with ATP production, MMP and respiratory function restored, cytochrome c release and apoptosis inhibited, and oxidative stress reduced.

CONCLUSIONThe present study demonstrated that rhNRG-1 can significantly improve LV remodeling and cardiac function in the failing heart, this beneficial effect is related to reducing mitochondrial dysfunction, myocyte apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Echocardiography ; Heart Failure ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuregulin-1 ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction