To identify the active constituents in vitro and blood-absorbed ingredients in vivo from Yin Chen Hao decoction provides scientific evidence for probing its prevention and treatment mechanism on acute liver injury. An ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) method was applied for analysis of Yin Chen Hao decoction and the serum samples of mice with con-A induced acute liver injury after preventive oral administration for 14 days (the use of all laboratory animals in this study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Naval Medical University, 19YF1459400). A total of 90 chemical constituents were identified from Yin Chen Hao decoction, mainly were flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, quinones. 5 prototype compounds were identified in the serum, including chrysophanol, deoxyrhapontin-8-O-gallate, mussaenosidic acid, herniarin, emodin. The established UPLC-QTOF/MS method could efficiently and sensitively identify the constituents in vitro and blood-absorbed ingredients of Yin Chen Hao decoction, primarily clarify the material basis of its hepatoprotective effect, and provided a scientific basis for the quality marker selection and the pharmacodynamic material basis research on the decoction.

It is unanimously accepted that stroke is a highly heterogeneous disorder.Different subtypes of ischemic stroke may have different risk factors,clinical features,and prognoses.The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors,clinical characteristics,and prognoses of different subtypes of ischemic stroke defined by the Trial of ORG10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria.We prospectively analyzed the data from 530 consecutive patients who were admitted to our hospital with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of stroke onset during the study period.Standardized data assessment was used and the cause of ischemic stroke was classified according to the TOAST criteria.Patients were followed up till 30 and 90 days after stroke onset.It was found that large-artery atherosclerosis was the most frequent etiology of stroke (37.4％),and showed the highest male preponderance,the highest prevalence of previous transient ischemic attack,and the longest hospital stay among all subtypes.Small artery disease (36.4％) was associated with higher body mass index,higher plasma triglycerides,and lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than cardioembolism.Cardioembolism (7.7％),which was particularly common in the elderly (i.e.,individuals aged 65 years and older),showed the highest female preponderance,the highest prevalence of atrial fibrillation,the earliest presentation to hospital after stroke onset,the most severe symptoms on admission,the maximum complications associated with an adverse outcome,and the highest rate of stroke recurrence and mortality.Our results suggest that ischemic stroke should be regarded as a highly heterogeneous disorder.Studies involving risk factors,clinical features,and prognoses of ischemic stroke should differentiate between etiologic stroke subtypes.

OBJECTIVETo find out the mechanisms of redifferentiation and reversion of malignant human gastric cancer cells induced by ascorbic acid.

METHODSHuman gastric cancer cells grown in the laboratory were used. The Trypan blue dye exclusion method was used to determine the cell doubling time. The electrophoresis rate and colonogenic potential were the indices used to measure the rate of redifferentiation. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured using the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the content of H202 were evaluated by spectrophotography.

RESULTSSix mmol/L ascorbic acid was used as a positive control. Human gastric cancer cells were treated with 75 microm hydrogen peroxide, which alleviated many of the malignant characteristics. For example, the cell surface charge obviously decreased and the electrophoresis rate dropped from 2.21 to 1.10 microm x s(-1) x V(-1) x cm(-1). The colonogenic potential, a measure of cell differentiation, decreased 90.2%. After treatment with ascorbic acid, there was a concentration- and time-dependent increase in hydrogen peroxide (H202) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, the activity of catalase (CAT) resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent decrease. SOD and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT) exhibited some effects, but there were statistically significant differences between the SOD and AT group and the H202 group.

CONCLUSIONSAscorbic acid induces growth inhibition and redifferentiation of human gastric cancer cells through the production of hydrogen peroxide.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo explore a new access for internal rigid fixation of mandibular mid-and-low condylar fracture.

METHODS16 patients of unilateral mid-and-low condylar fractures were treated with a 2cm mini-retromandibular approach. The subcutaneous tissues superficial to the superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) were dissected forward that parallel to the masseter muscle fiber bundles, aiming to the fracture. After exposing the fracture, the fracture segments were reduced and fixed under sufficient exposure.

RESULTSCorrect anatomic reduction and occlusion were achieved in all cases. Additionally, all patients showed normal articular function and the surgical scars were barely visible.

CONCLUSIONThe transmasseter approach by retromandibular access is one of the feasible methods for curing mid-and-low condylar fracture, which minimizeing the risk of facial nerve injury and reducing the visible scars.

Adult ; Dental Occlusion ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Mandibular Condyle ; Mandibular Fractures ; Masseter Muscle ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe characteristics of acupuncture in improvement of sleep quality in the patient of insomnia.

METHODSForty-six cases of primary insomnia were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 24) and a control group (n = 22). The observation group were treated by the needling method for regulating mental activity, with Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Shenmen (HT 7) selected as main points; the control group were treated with oral administration of Estazolam. The therapeutic effects and scores of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 83.3% in the observation group and 72.7% in the control group, the observation group being better than the control group (P < 0.05). Estazolam was better than acupuncture treatment in prolonging sleeping time, and the acupuncture treatment was better than the control group in the improvement of somnipathy and the increase of daytime functional state (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture treatment has advantages of improving somnipathy and increasing daytime functional state.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Sleep ; physiology ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; etiology ; therapy

Objective To investigate the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) on the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen Ⅰ in human atrial fibroblast in vitro,and to explore the possible molecular mechanism of atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).Methods Human atrial fibroblast,isolated from aseptic right atrial appendage tissues of 10 sinus rhythm (SR) and 10 chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) patients,were cultured with HGF and TGFβ1.mRNA expressions of collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),the protein expression of α-SMA was determined by immunofluorescence and Western blot.Results (1) Compared with SR group,left atrium was significantly dilated in CAF group(t =2.692,P ＜0.05),the mRNA expression of collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA of atrial fibroblasts were significantly upregulated (all P ＜ 0.01),mRNA expression of collagen Ⅰ was positively correlated with left atrial dimension (LAD) (r =0.836,P =0.014),AF duration (r =0.739,P =0.045) and α-SMA mRNA level (r =0.886,P =0.012).(2) Compared with SR group,the expression of α-SMA protein in CAF atrial fibroblasts were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).(3) TGFβ1 further stimulated while HGF significantly attenuated the expression of collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA in CAF atrial fibroblasts (all P ＜0.01).Conclusions Increasing expression of collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA in human atrial fibroblasts might promote atria remodeling leading to the development and sustaining of AF.HGF is involved in the negative regulation on the expression of α-SMA and collagen Ⅰ.

OBJECTIVETo compare the hemodynamic responses to nasotracheal intubation with Glide Scope video-laryngoscope (GSVL), Macintosh direct laryngoscope (MDLS), and fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB).

METHODSSixty patients, with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I - II, aged 18- 50 years, and scheduled for elective plastic surgery under general anesthesia requiring nasotracheal intubation, were randomly allocated equally to GSVL group, MDLS group, and FOB group. After the routine anesthesia induction, nasotracheal intubation was performed with the GSVL, MDLS, and FOB, respectively. Noninvasive blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before (baseline values) and after anesthesia induction (postinduction values), at intubation, and subsequently at an interval of every 1 minute for a total of five minutes. The maximum and minimum values of BP and HR during the observation period were also noted. The rate pressure product (RPP) at each measuring time point was calculated. The areas under effect-time curve (AUE) of hemodynamics were calculated by time as X-axis and changes of BP and HR during the observation as Y-axis.

RESULTSAll the three groups were similar in the demographic data and intubation time. After anesthesia induction, BP and RPP in all the three groups decreased significantly compared to baseline values (P < 0. 05), while HR had no significant change. After nasotracheal intubation, BP, HR, and RPP in all three groups were significantly higher than the postinduction values (P < 0.05). In the FOB group, BP, HR, and RPP at intubation significantly increased when compared with the baseline values (P < 0.05). In the MDLS group, HR at intubation, and maximum values of diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), HR, and RPP during the observation were significantly higher than the baseline values (P < 0.05). In the GSVL group, all hemodynamic parameters at intubation and after intubation were not significantly different from the baseline values. BP, HR, and RPP at intubation, and the incidences of HR more than 100 bpm during the observation were significantly higher in the FOB group than in the other two groups (P < 0.05). BP was not significantly different during the observation between the MDLS and GSVL groups, but HR and RPP at intubation and after intubation as well as AUE(HR) were significantly higher in the MDLS group than in the GSVL group (P < 0.05). AUE(HR) and AUE(SBP) were significantly lower in the GSVL group than in the FOB group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe hemodynamic responses to nasotracheal intubation are most severe with FOB, followed by MDLS, and then GSVL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Bronchoscopy ; Female ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe and compare the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Sanyinjiso" (SP 6), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Xuehai" (SP 10) in dysmenorrhea rats so as to investigate the functional specificity of acupoint.

METHODSOne hundred SD female rats aged three-month-old in the diestrus examined by the vaginal smear screening were randomly divided into a saline group, a model group, a Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group, a Hegu (LI 4) group and a Xuehai (SF 10) group, 20 rats in each group. The rats in the last four groups were given Estradiol Benzoate combined with Oxytocin to prepare the models of dysmenorrhea and in the saline group were given the same dose of saline. Last three groups were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at Sanyinjiao" (SF 6), "Hegu" (LI 4) and 'Xuehai" (SF 10) respectively. The writhing behaviors of the rats in each group were observed within 20 min performing electroacupuncture from the start of the pain and the waveforms of uterine contraction were recorded.

RESULTSIn terms of the writhing behaviors, the writhing latency in the Hegu (LI 4) group was extended significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the writhing numbers in the Hegu (LI 4) group were decreased significantly (both P < 0.05) as compared with those in the Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group and in the Xuehai (SF 10) group. In terms of the waveforms of uterine contraction, compared with that in the model group, the amplitude and the activity of uterine contraction in both Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group and Hegu (LI 4) group were decreased significantly (all P < 0.05), and with no significant difference between the Xuehai (SF 10) and the model group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor comprehensive assessment of the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at different acupoints by using the writhing behaviors and the waveforms of uterine contraction, "Hegu" (LI 4) is the best, "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) is the next and "Xuehai" (SP 10) is the third. showing a relatively functional specificity of the acupoint.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUNDTumstatin is a novel endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor which is widely studied using purified protein. The current study evaluates the antiangiogenic effects of tumstatin-overexpression plasmid in vitro, reveals the mechanism underlying the vascular endothelial cell growth inhibition and searches for a novel method administering tumstatin persistently.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA-tumstatin encoding tumstatin gene was constructed and transfected to human umbilical vein endothelial cell ECV304 and human renal carcinoma cell ACHN. Expression of tumstatin in the two cell lines was determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Vascular endothelial cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 assay and cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. To investigate the mechanism by which pcDNA-tumstatin inhibited vascular endothelial cell proliferation in vitro, cyclin D1 protein was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSDNA sequence confirmed that pcDNA-tumstatin was successfully constructed. RT-PCR and Western blotting indicated that tumstatin could express in the two cell lines effectively. After tumstatin gene transfer, ECV304 cell growth was significantly inhibited and the cell cycle was arrested in G1 phase. And Western blotting showed that pcDNA-tumstatin decreased the level of cyclin D1 protein.

CONCLUSIONSOverexpression of tumstatin mediated by pcDNA 3.1 (+) specially inhibited vascular endothelial cells by arresting vascular endothelial cell in G1 phase resulting from downregulation of cyclin D1 and administration of tumstatin using a gene therapy might be a novel strategy for cancer therapy.

Autoantigens ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen Type IV ; genetics ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of instant electroacupuncture (EA) at the different acupoints on IP3 in the uterus tissue of dysmenorrhea model rats so as to investigate the specificity of acupoints.

METHODSFifty female SD rats were randomly divided into a saline group, a model group, a Sanyinjiao (SF 6) group, a Xuehai (SP 10) group and a Hegu (LI 4) group, 10 rats in each group. The rats were given subcutaneous injection of Estradiol Beozoate injection for 10 consecutive days except those in the saline group, and intraperitoneal injection of 2U Oxytocin at 1 h after the last administration to create the dysmenorrhea rats model, and the saline group was given the same dose of saline every day. On the 10th day the rats in each EA group were given EA 20 min, and the rats in the saline group and model group were bound 20 min, and the writhing response was observed at the same time. The uterine IP3 contents were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

RESULTS(1) Compared with (0.311+/- 0.253) in the saline group, the writhing scores per minute of (5.867 +/- 3.442) in the model group and (2.311 +/- 0.957) in the Xuehai (SP 10) group were both increased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and (1.833 +/- 1.355) in the Sanyinjiao (SP 6) group and (0.743 +/- 0.306) in the Hegu (LI 4) group showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). Compared with that in the model group, the writhing scores per minute decreased significantly (all P < 0.01) in all the EA groups, with no significant differences among all the EA groups (all P > 0.05). (2) Compared with (2.698 +/- 1.491) ng/mg in the saline group, IP3 contents of the uterus of (0.813 +/- 0.899) ng/mg in the model group, (1.740 +/- 0.375) ng/mg in the Sanyinjiao (SP 6) group and (0.692 +/- 0.212) ng/mg in the Hegu (LI 4) group were all lower significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and (0.743+/- 0.306) ng/mg in the Xuehai (SP 10) group showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). Compared with that in the model group, IP3 content of the uterus in the Hegu (LI 4) group showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), and those in the Sanyinjiao (SP 6) group and in the Xuehai (SP 10) group increased significantly (both P < 0 05), which were significantly higher than that in the Hegu (II 4) group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThere are no significant differences among the instant EA groups in improving the dysmenorrhea symptoms, but there is obvious specificity of acupoint effects in the regulation of IP3. Electroacupuncture at "Sanyinjiao (SP 6) " Xuehai (SP 10)" has more marked effect in dysmenorrhea model rats.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dysmenorrhea ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterus ; metabolism