The asymmetric hydrolyzation of racemic ibuprofen ester is one of the most important methods for chiral separation of ibuprofen. A catalytic antibody that accelerates the rate of enantioselective hydrolysis of ibuprofen methyl ester was successfully elicited against an immunogen consisting of tetrahedral sulfate hapten attached to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The rate constant enhancement factor Kcat/Kuncat was about 1.6x104. The catalytic activity of the catalytic antibody in a reverse micelle reaction system based on sodium b/s (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane was studied. Kinetic analysis of the catalytic antibody-catalyzed reaction was found to be possible in this system. Kinetic studies showed that hydrolysis in the microemulsion system follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The catalytic antibody can also accelerate catalysis of S-ibuprofen methyl ester in the microemulsion system. Temperature effects, the pH profile, Km,app and Kcat were determined. The dependence of the catalytic antibody hydrolytic activity on the Wo (molar ratio of water to surfactant) showed a bell-shaped curve, presenting a maximum at about wo = 21.

Objectives Brain atrophy plays a key role in post-stroke dementia. The current study aims to explore risk factors for brain atrophy in different regions in order to find the ultimate therapeutic strategy. Methods Consecutive stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients were recruited from July 2012 to June . The clinical features, neuro?imaging findings and risk factors were collected during hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis showed that, except for age, female gender (Odds ratio, OR=2.447, P=0.007) and the number of silent lacuna infarcts (OR=1.414, P=0.027) were independent risk factors for frontal lobe atrophy. Ischemic stroke history (OR=2.224, P=0.024) was the independent risk factor for parietal lobe atrophy. All of extra-/intracranial larger artery diseases (OR=2.584, P=0.015) and white mat?ter severity score (OR=1.112, P=0.007) as well as the number of silent lacuna infarcts (OR=1.158,P=0.042) were inde?pendent risk factors for medial temporal lobe atrophy. Moreover, diabetes (OR=2.109, P=0.001),atrial fibrillation (OR=1.934, P=0.015) and white matter severity score (OR=1.098, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for global brain atro? phy. Conclusion Risk factors for brain atrophy included diabetes,atrial fibrillation, silent lacuna infarcts and white mat?ter changes. We should pay more attention to those patients with above risk factors in order to slow down the progression of brain atrophy and also prevent them from dementia by early interventions.

AIMTo study the function of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) in the process of ischemic/reperfused heart injury and the mechanism underlying the protective action of magnesium lithospermate B (MTB), a bioactive compound isolated from Danshen.

METHODSBy in situ hybridization, JNK3 mRNA was detected in the ventricular preparations of the Langendorff ischemic/reperfused rat heart. The inhibitory effect of MTB on the expression of JNK3 mRNA was also investigated.

RESULTSThe purple and blue hybridization signals were located in the cytoplasm of the cardiomyocytes, which were weaker in the non-perfused hearts and stronger in the hearts encountered 30 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion. Image analysis showed that the expression of JNK3 mRNA in the cardiomyocytes increased after 30 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion, which showed significant difference compared with that in the cardiomyocytes of the non-perfused heart and the control heart (P < 0.05). Treatment with of 0.1, 1 and 10 mumol.L-1 MTB abolished the elevation of JNK3 mRNA expression in the ischemic/reperfused heart (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJNK3 may be another component in the signal transduction pathway of ischemia/reperfusion induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. MTB may protect the heart from ischemia/reperfusion injury by reducing apoptosis through inhibition of the JNK3 activity.

Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Myocardial Ischemia ; complications ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; enzymology ; etiology ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; enzymology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of sustained-release alpha-lipoic acid tablets (SRLA) on blood lipid, glucose and insulin levels in hyperlipidemic New Zealand rabbits.

METHODSTwenty-four New Zealand rabbits were randomized into normal diet group, high-fat diet group, and high-fat diet + SRLA (300 mg/tablet) group with corresponding feed. At the beginning and 4 weeks after the feeding, the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), blood glucose, and serum insulin were measured, and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was calculated.

RESULTSFour weeks after feeding with high-fat diet, the insulin levels was elevated and the ISI lowered in the New Zealand rabbits, indicating successful establishment of the animal model of hyperlipidemia. Compared with the high-fat diet group, the serum levels of TG, TC, LDL-C and insulin were significantly reduced (P<0.05), and the ISI was significantly increased (P<0.05) in high fat diet + SRLA group. But no statistically significant difference was found in the blood glucose among the 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONSRLA can significantly correct blood lipid and insulin disorders in hyperlipidemic New Zealand rabbits and prevent the occurrence of insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Rabbits ; Tablets ; Thioctic Acid ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effects of breast-conserving therapy in Chinese women with early primary breast carcinoma.

METHODSNinety-five patients with stage I to II primary breast cancer were operated with wide local excision and axillary lymph node dissection. After operation, the radiation therapy was done on the whole breast.

RESULTSBreast conservation surgery was taken successfully in ninety-five patients. Six months after operation, the approval rate for their breast was 100% by themselves. Ninety-two per cent of them were very satisfactory. After a median follow-up of 17 months (range 2 - 51 months), only one patient suffered from ipsilateral breast tumor relapse. The two years local relapse rate was 1.4%. There were no cases of distant relapse and death.

CONCLUSIONSThe early results of breast-conserving therapy are satisfactory for stage I to II primary breast cancer. The long-term follow-up is needed for the final outcome.

Adenocarcinoma ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Breast ; pathology ; radiation effects ; surgery ; Breast Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on activity in the intact motor cortex controlling the suprahyoid muscles and thus on dysphagia after an unilateral stroke.Methods Forty patients suffering dysphagia more than two weeks after a unilateral cerebral stroke were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group,each of 20.Both groups were given traditional swallowing rehabilitation training,while the experimental group was additionally provided with 5 Hz rTMS for two weeks.Before and after the treatment,all of the patients were characterized using X-ray fluoroscopy,video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and surface electromyography,and their swallowing was evaluated using a standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) and a penetration-aspiration scale (PAS).Results After the treatment,significant improvement was observed in both groups in the average swallowing time and in the maximum amplitude of sEMG,as well as the average SSA,PAS and VFSS scores (P＜0.05).The average values in the experimental group were in all cases significantly better than the control group's averages (P＜0.05).Conclusion Applying rTMS at 5 Hz to the motor cortex of the contralateral hemisphere controlling the suprahyoid muscles can effectively improve unilateral-hemisphere dysphagia after stroke.

OBJECTIVETo investigate positron-emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) findings of radiation encephalopathy (RE) following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), observe the metabolic changes of the compromised brain tissues, and postulate the clinical classification of RE to provide reference for its diagnosis.

METHODSThis study included 53 pathologically confirmed NPC patients who received previous radical radiotherapy, and the diagnosis of RE was established according to the clinical manifestations and CT/PET findings. All the patients underwent PET/CT whole-body and head scans, and the image data were evaluated along with the clinical data of the patients.

RESULTSRE most frequently involved the lateral or bilateral inferior temporal lobes. PET identified hypometabolic changes in the bilateral temporal lobes of 35 patients (70 lobes) and in the lateral temporal lobe of 18 patients (18 lobes). According to the PET/CT findings, the lesions were classified into 3 types, namely the oedema type (56 temporal lobes), liquefactive necrosis type (10 temporal lobes), and atrophic calcification type (22 temporal lobes). One patient with oedema type lesion received neurotrophic treatment and recovered completely with normal brain tissue density and metabolism, but the oedema type lesions in 2 patients progressed into to atrophic calcification type; the liquefactive necrotic lesions in another 2 patients also progressed into atrophic calcification type.

CONCLUSIONRE patients exhibit significant hypometabolic changes in the inferior temporal lobe on PET. According to the findings by PET/CT, RE can be classified into the oedema type, liquefactive necrosis type, and atrophic calcification type, and lesions of the former two types may progress into the third type.

Adult ; Aged ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; radiation effects ; Brain Diseases ; classification ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; radiotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Radiation Injuries ; classification ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy ; adverse effects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate and compare the short-term outcome of patients with low-middle frequency sudden deafness treated with alone or combination treatment.

METHODSFrom August 2007 to October 2011, 205 patients with the diagnosis of low-middle frequency sudden deafness who were from 33 different clinical centers were recruited. All patients were followed up for four weeks from the initial examination. Patients were treated with steroid , Ginaton, batroxobin respectively, or Ginaton and steroid combination treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 90.73%. In Ginaton group, the total effective rate was 87.27%, 89.19% in steroid group, 87.80% in batroxobin group, and 95.83% in Ginaton and steroid group. Considering the total effective rate, there was no statistical difference between four groups (χ(2) = 7.98, P = 0.54). The clinical cure rate for steroid alone was 81.01%, Ginaton alone 76.36%, batroxobin alone 68.29%, and Ginaton and steroid combination treatment 80.56%. There were no clinically significant differences between the different treatments (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe low-middle frequency sudden deafness tends to have a relatively favorable prognosis. The steroid played a good effect in the treatment. But different treatments either improving the microcirculation of inner ear or alleviating edema blood has undifferentiated results. Therefore the combination therapy may be more effective.

Batroxobin ; China ; epidemiology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; classification ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the perinatal management and outcome of different types of fetal arrhythmia.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted among the fetuses with arrhythmia identified by M-mode and pulsed Doppler echocardiography in a single institution between October 2003 and December 2010.

RESULTSA total of 130 fetuses were found to have fetal arrhythmia. The most common arrhythmia during pregnancy was extrasystole (n=59), followed by bradycardia (n=23), tachycardia (n=16), atrial flutter (AF, n=3), atrioventricular block (AVB, n=12) and other arrhythmia (n=17). The overall incidence of cardiac anomalies (commonly fetal bradycardia) was 9.2% in these cases. The prognosis of arrhythmia differed significantly between cases of different classifications. The type of fetal arrhythmia (P=0.024), presence of congenital heart defect (CHD, P=0.000) and fetal hydrops (P=0.008) were significant risk factors associated with termination of pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONFetal arrhythmias without CHD or hydrops under close monitoring often have good clinical outcome, while fetal bradycardia is associated with a high mortality rate. CHD and the presence of fetal hydrops are significant risk factors for pregnancy termination.

Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; classification ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; Young Adult