Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated intermittent hypoxia (IH), hypercapnia, sleep fragmentation and intrathoracic pressure change. IH is related to the clinical pathophysiological processes of hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, stroke, heart failure and sudden death. IH from OSA can lead to metabol-ic dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and the change of nerve body fluids, which has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study mainly describes the pathogenesis of IH leading to the various cardiovascular diseases.

Objective Explore the individual difference in carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and analyze whether females were be more resistant to CO poisoning.Methods We collected 207 cases of CO poisoning deaths, and then we analyzed the Carbonyl Hemoglobin (COHb) results sorted by different sources of CO.Results The source of CO had significant impact on the fatal COHb level, but gender was not significant in affecting COHb level. In addition, it is possible that children and elders were less resistant to COHb than adults.

OBJECTIVEBy using the RNAi method to inhibit Itk protein expression specificity, to observe lymphocytes proliferation and cytokines production, verify its function as a drug target.

METHODSDesigned siRNA aims at Itk sequence according to its sequence and solid structure, then electrotransfected into mouse spleen lymphocytes, We validated the decrease of Itk protein by Western-Blot, and detected the change of the cell proliferation by MTS and the change of inflammatory cytokines by ELISA.

RESULTSItk protein can be suppressed by Itk-siRNA, there were significantly reduced compared to its control group on cell proliferation as well as cytokine secretion such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma. They all have statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONItk has an important immunomodulatory effect in mouse spleen lymphocytes proliferation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines.This can supply an experimental basis to regard Itk as drug target for inflammation therapy.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytokines ; genetics ; immunology ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; immunology ; Spleen ; cytology ; immunology

Objective To characterize the profile and clinical significance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) quasispecies in patients infected with hepatitis B virus based on the sequence of reverse transcriptase (RT) region.Methods Fifty HBV infected treatment-naive patients were enrolled and divided into three groups,asymptomatic carriers (ASC) group (10 cases),chronic hepatitis B (CHB) group (30 cases) and liver cirrhosis (LC) group (10 cases).HBV genomes were extracted from serum samples.The sequence of RT region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into vectors.Fifteen to thirty clones per sample were selected,sequenced and analyzed by bioinformatics software.The mean values among groups were compared by analysis of variance.The median values among groups were compared by nonparametric statistics.The enumeration data were analyzed by x2 test.Results Totally 1221 HBV RT region nucleotide sequences were obtained (152from ASC patients,780 from CHB patients and 289 from LC patients).Genotype distribution showed no difference among three groups.However,the quasispecies complexity showed significant differences among the three groups,LC group ＞CHB group＞ ASC group (F=33.400,P＜0.05).The quasispecies diversity was LC group ＞CHB group＞ ASC group,and that of LC group was significantly different from the other two groups (F=18.070,P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between CHB and ASC patients.Conclusions The HBV isolated from patients in immune clearance phase have higher variability than those isolated from patients in immune tolerance phase.The longer the infection persists and the more severe the disease is,the more variable HBV quasispecies are.

Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/complications* ; Ileus/etiology* ; Abdominal Injuries/complications*

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of sinew-regulating and bone-setting manipulation combined with functional exercise to treat mild to moderate rotator cuff injury (RCI).Methods:Forty patients with mild to moderate RCI were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 20 cases in each group.The treatment group was given sinew-regulating and bone-setting manipulation combined with functional exercise,and the control group was given the same manipulation as the treatment group.The therapeutic effect on the functional improvement was assessed after treatment according to pain threshold,shoulder range of motion (ROM) including flexion,abduction,internal rotation and external rotation,and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating score.Results:Compared with the same group before treatment,the pain threshold,shoulder flexion,abduction,internal and external rotations increased after the treatment in the two groups (all P＜0.05).The UCLA shoulder rating score increased (both P＜0.05).The improvement in the treatment group is significantly better than that in the control group with a statistical significance (P＜0.05).The total effective rate was 95.0％ in the treatment group,was higher than 65.0％ in the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion:The sinew-regulating and bone-setting manipulation combined with functional exercise relieve the pain of patients with mild to moderate RCI,increase the motion of shoulder joints,and improve the quality of life of patients.The curative effect is better than the treatment of simple sinew-regulating and bone-setting manipulation.

OBJECTIVETo describe the characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of cerebral schistosomiasis.

METHODSTwenty-five patients whose diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) schistosomiasis had been pathologically (n = 8) and clinically (n = 17) confirmed were randomly selected. MRI was performed on a Signal 1. 5T MRI scanner before and after the intravenous administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine constrast medium. We reviewed the MRI studies obtained at the time of initial presentation, as well as follow-up studies obtained during and after medical treatment.

RESULTSImmunological tests in 15 patients indicated schistosomiasis haematobium. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in 22 cases showed central linear enhancement surrounded by multiple enhancing punctate nodules, which appeared "arborized". Through operation and pathological examination, 8 cases had the granuloma formation of schistosomal eggs extensive surrounded by inflammation and venous congestion. And 17 cases were treated with praziquantel and corticosteroid therapy. And they were followed up for 2 months by taking MRI, which turned out to be complete resolution of the enhancing structure and edema. At follow-up, all the patients' initial symptoms also resolved.

CONCLUSIONThe specified MRI enhancement pattern of cerebral schistosomiasis is common in most cases of CNS schistosomiasis, so it should be taken account into the diagnosis of cerebral schistosomiasis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Child ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroschistosomiasis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Schistosomiasis haematobia ; diagnosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Sappan wood (SW) on the expression of perforin mRNA in myocardium of rats after allogeneic cardiac transplantation.

METHODSThe animal model of allogeneic (abdominal) cardiac transplantation was established by taking Wistar rat as provider and SD rat as receptor, perforin mRNA expression in the model's myocardium was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSSW could obviously reduce the perforin mRNA expression, it also could alleviate the pathological morphology and ultrastructural damage of myocardial cells.

CONCLUSIONSW has obvious effect in antagonizing immune rejection after transplantation, the mechanism of its immunosuppression could be through lowering the perforin mRNA expression.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Heart Transplantation ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Perforin ; Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Transplantation, Homologous

The change of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside in Siegesbeckia and its first to ninth processed products were studied, and the ten fingerprints were compared, which provided the experimental basis for the study of Siegesbeckia processing tech- nology. The samples were analysed by HPLC on a SunFire-C18 column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 μm) with gradient elution of acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid)-water (0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). Column temperaturewas 30 °C and the detected wavelength was 215, 320 nm. The calibration curves of kirenol, darutigenol and darutoside were linear in the range of 2.180-26.16, 2.900-34.80, and 1.012-6.072 mg x L(-1), respectively, and the average recoveries were 96.4%, 97.2% and 96.3% wit RSD 2.2%, 1.7% and 2.4%. This method was simple, the result was stable and had good repeatability, recovery and precision. The re- sult was the basis of the chemical contents variation in the processing of Siegesbeckia Herbs and further clarifying the effect of the changing.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Temperature