Objective To investigate the changes in the metabolism of neurotransmitters in different regions of the brain induced by propofol in healthy volunteers using the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) technology.Methods IH-MRS was performed in ten 20-40 year old healthy volunteers. Each volunteer underwent MRS scan twice. The first MRS scan was performed when they were conscious as baseline control value. The second scan was performed during target-controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol. The target effect-site concentration was set at 3.0 ?g?ml-1. Volume of interest (VOI) included sensory cortex, motor cortex, thalamus, hippocampus and basal ganglia. The metabolites in the spectra included N-acetyl-aspartic acid (NAA), glutamic acid (Glu), GABA, choline compounds (Cho) and creatine (Cr) .Results During TCI of propofol MAP and RR were significantly decreased ( P 0.05) as compared to the baseline value when the volunteers were conscious. During TCI of propofol the NAA content in thalamus and hippocampus, Glu content in thalamus, hippocampus and basal ganglia and Cho content in all the 5 regions of the brain were significantly decreased ( P

Coptidis Rhizoma-Euodiae Fructus has been widely used for the treatment of digestive diseases since Song Dynasty, and therapeutic efficacy is very obvious. Modern research found that alkaloids are the main bio-active constituents, and some of their contents have striking difference after compatibility of the two herbs. The Chinese medicine pair (CMP) has extensive biological activities, such as the effect of gastrointestinal effect, anti-tumor, lowering the blood pressure and blood fat and so on. And some action mechanism of CMP also got partial demonstration. This paper mainly summarized the bio-active constituents, compatibility effects, action mechanism and clinical applications of the CMP, which can provide a basis for further research and development of the CMP.
Animals ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic angiogenesis effect of naotai recipe (NR) on local ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of rats by observing signaling pathway of hypoxia-inducible factor-lα (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

METHODSTotally 120 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely, the normal control group (n =12), the sham-operation group (n =12), the I/R model group (n =48), and the NR group (n =48). Cerebral I/R injury models were established using thread suture method. Rats in the I/R model group and the NR group were sub-divided into 4 sub-groups according to the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th I/R day (n =12). The phenomenon of neovasculization was observed by immunofluorescence staining. The protein and mRNA expression levels of HIF-la, VEGF-A, and VEGFR II receptor were detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThere were a large amount of labels for neovasculization in the ischemic area of the NR group. Double-immunofluorescence labeling [vWF (red) and BrdU (green)] was observed in the NR group. Compared with the model group, the HIF-1α protein expression was obviously enhanced on the 1 st day of I/R (P <0.01), and the VEGF protein expression started to enhance on the 3rd day in the NR group (P <0.01). The VEGFR protein expression level was the highest in the NR group on the 5th day of I/R (P <0.01). The protein expression of VEGF and HIF-1α started to decrease on the 7th day of I/R.

CONCLUSIONNR could strengthen angiogenesis after I/R by elevating the expression of HIF-lα and activating HIF-lα/VEGF signaling pathway.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; Ischemia ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; Signal Transduction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines from an overall perspective.

METHODCarthamus tinctorius was taken the example. Its major components were depleted by preparing liquid chromatography. Afterwards, the samples with major components depleted were evaluated for their antioxidant effect, so as to compare and analyze the major efficacious materials of C. tinctorius with antioxidant activity and the contributions.

RESULTSeven major components were depleted from C. tinctorius samples, and six of them were identified with MS data and control comparison. After all of the samples including depleted materials are compared and evaluated for their antioxidant effect, the findings showed that hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3, 6-di-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide were the major efficacious materials.

CONCLUSIONThis study explored a novel and effective method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines. Through this method, we could explain the direct and indirect contributions of different components to the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines, and make the efficacious material expression of traditional Chinese medicines clearer.

Alkalies ; chemistry ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of the extracts from Decoction for resuscitation (DRE) and its component herbs on prostacyclin (PGI2), thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and nitric oxide (NO) release from rat vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia.

METHODAfter treatment with the extracts from DRE and its component herbs, the contents of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha(6-keto-PGF1alpha), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) as well as nitrite (NO), which were degradation products of PGI2, TXA2 and NO respectively, in culture medium of rat vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia were measured with radioimmunoassay and Griess Reaction.

RESULTCompared with the control group, the results indicated that DRE, prepared licorice root extract (LE), dried ginger extract (GE), aconite root extract (AE), extracts of aconite root and prepared licorice root (ALE), extracts of aconite root and dried ginger (AGE) increased significantly the content of 6-keto-PGF1alpha and the ratio of 6-keto-PGF1alpha/TXB2, but had no effect on the content of TXB2 in culture medium of rat vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia. The content of 6-keto-PGF1alpha in the DRE group was higher than that in the groups of LE, GE, AE, ALE, AGE. The ratio of 6-keto-PGF1alpha/TXB2 in the DRE group was higher than that of the groups of GE, AE, ALE. Compared with the control group, DRE, LE, GE, AE, ALE, AGE increased significantly the content of NO2- in culture medium of rat vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia. Moreover, the content of NO2- in the DRE group was higher than that of the groups of GE, AE, ALE.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that DRE increased significantly the content of PGI2 and the ratio of PGI2/TXA2 as well as the content of NO. The effect of DRE on the parameters in culture medium of rat vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia was better than that of the extracts from its component herbs.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha ; metabolism ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; cytology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Thromboxane B2 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To study the difference of Han female adolescent bone development in Henan and Zhejiang province. METHODS: All radiography including sternal end of clavicle and six main bone joints were taken from 599 female adolescents with age between 12 to 19 in Henan and Zhejiang province. Twenty four skeletal development indexes were analyzed based on "The Grading Standards" of skeletal growth of teenagers and then the bone age were calculated using mathematical model functions. The ratios of the bone age and the chronological age were analyzed by statistical software. RESULTS: The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.39 years earlier than that in Zhejiang at the age of 14-15 years old. The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.37 years later than that in Zhejiang at the age of 15-16 years old. The development of Henan female adolescents' skeleton was about 0.38 years later than that in Zhejiang at the age of 18-19 years old. There was no statistics significance in other age group. CONCLUSION The female adolescent bone development in Henan province is faster at earlier stage and then slower than that in Zhejiang province. The results provide potential value for the forensic medicine, anthropology and clinical medicine.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Age Factors ; Analysis of Variance ; Bone Development/physiology* ; Child ; China/ethnology* ; Clavicle/diagnostic imaging* ; Epiphyses/physiology* ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans ; Joints/physiology* ; Models, Theoretical ; Sampling Studies ; Sternum/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

AIMTo observe the expressional alterations of colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) after ischemic injury of cerebral cortex, and study the function of colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1)/CSF-1R signal during the process of ischemic injury and repair of central nervous system (CNS).

METHODSWe examined the distribution and expression of CSF-1R in normal brain tissues and ischemic brain tissues by immunohistology and Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe expression of CSF-1R in neurons could be up-regulated by ischemic injury in CNS.

CONCLUSIONCSF-1/CSF-1R might take part in the process of ischemic injury and repair.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; blood supply ; Female ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; physiopathology

The human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1), one of the most essential conjugative enzymes, is responsible for the metabolism and detoxification of bilirubin and other endogenous substances, as well as many different xenobiotic compounds. Deciphering UGT1A1 relevance to human diseases and characterizing the effects of small molecules on the activities of UGT1A1 requires reliable tools for probing the function of this key enzyme in complex biological matrices. Herein, an easy-to-use assay for highly-selective and sensitive monitoring of UGT1A1 activities in various biological matrices, using liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD), has been developed and validated. The newly developed LC-FD based assay has been confirmed in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, quanti-tative linear range and stability. One of its main advantages is lowering the limits of detection and quantification by about 100-fold in comparison to the previous assay that used the same probe substrate, enabling reliable quantification of lower amounts of active enzyme than any other method. The precision test demonstrated that both intra- and inter-day variations for this assay were less than 5.5％. Further-more, the newly developed assay has also been successfully used to screen and characterize the regu-latory effects of small molecules on the expression level of UGT1A1 in living cells. Overall, an easy-to-use LC-FD based assay has been developed for ultra-sensitive UGT1A1 activities measurements in various biological systems, providing an inexpensive and practical approach for exploring the role of UGT1A1 in human diseases, interactions with xenobiotics, and characterization modulatory effects of small mole-cules on this conjugative enzyme.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the chromosome rearrangements and clinical outcome in fetus detected at prenatal diagnosis, and provide information for genetic counseling about de novo chromosomal aberrations.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to December 2009, we found 12 cases of de novo chromosomal aberrations in 2 583 cases of prenatal cytogenetic analyses and reviewed the karyotypes, other experimental analyses data, fetal ultrasound findings and clinical outcomes.

RESULTSOut of the 12 de novo chromosomal aberrations, 10 had unbalanced translocations and 2 had balanced reciprocal translocations. Eight of the 10 unbalanced translocation cases were terminated therapeutically, and 2 were delivered with full term. Neonates were phenotypically normal in the 2 cases with unbalanced translocations, but 1 had language retardation when followed up. The two balanced translocation cases were delivered with full term, and the neonates were phenotypically normal and clinical examinations were normal too.

CONCLUSIONDetailed cytogenetic and molecular study will be adjunctive tools for predicting the phenotype of fetus with de novo chromosomal aberrations. Fetal ultrasound examination will provide convincible demonstration to determine the outcome of pregnancy.

Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVEPatient with myocardial bridging (MB) usually has a benign prognosis, but some MB patients might experience myocardial ischemia, infarction and sudden cardiac death, especially during active physical activities. The purpose of the study was to study the stress-induced blood flow changes of the mural coronary artery in MB patients determined by intracoronary Doppler.

METHODSIn 8 patients with MB, the basic average peak velocity (bAPV), hyperemic average peak velocity (hAPV) of blood flow, coronary flow reverse (CFR) proximal and distal to the mural coronary artery were measured before and during intravenously dobutamine (10 microg kg-1 min-1, then add 10 microg kg-1 min-1 at 3 min interval till 40 microg kg-1 min-1) by intracoronary Doppler.

RESULTSThe baseline mural coronary diameter reduction was (51.7+/-21.4)% and significantly increased to (90.0+/-12.7)% (P<0.01) during dobutamine infusion. bAPV on the segments proximal and distal to the mural coronary artery significantly increased from (19.83+/-5.84) cm/s and (20.75+/-4.91) cm/s to (31.52+/-10.93) cm/s and (30.46+/-9.01) cm/s (all P<0.05 vs. baseline) respectively post dobutamine infusion. CFR measured at proximal and distal to myocardial bridging also significantly decreased from (2.91+/-0.62) and (2.46+/-0.82) to (2.17+/-0.66) and (1.83+/-0.51) (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONStress can significantly increase the compression of intramural coronary artery and reduce CFR on coronary segments both proximal and distal to the MB. Thus, active exercise might induce myocardial ischemia in patients with myocardial bridging.

Blood Flow Velocity ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Coronary Circulation ; drug effects ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; physiopathology ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; Dobutamine ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged