Objective To evaluate the value of endothelial function of brachial artery in predicting coronary artery disease in elderly patients. Methods Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD)and nitroglycerin mediated dilation (NMD) were measured by high-frequency ultrasound in 98 patients with coronary artery disease and 37 controls. All the subjects were diagnosed by coronary arteriography. They were divided into coronary artery blockages ＜ 50% subgroup, 50%-75%subgroup, ＞75% subgroup or coronary blockages in 0, 1, 2, 3 branch (es) subgroups. The correlations between FMD or NMD and the pathological extent or branches of coronary artery were studied and the predictive value of FMD and NMD were analyzed with ROC curve. Results In coronary artery disease group, FMD and NMD were significantly decreased as compared with the control group. They were closely related with coronary artery disease (r= -0. 54, -0. 52, P＜0.01), and were weakly correlated with severity and range of coronary arterial lesion (P＜0. 01).With ROC curve analysis, FMD and NMD could be used to predict coronary artery disease.Conclusions Endothelial function can be used as an index to predict coronary artery disease.

Adult ; Bronchoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Laryngostenosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Larynx ; injuries ; Male ; Wounds and Injuries ; surgery ; Young Adult

Animals ; Beer ; adverse effects ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Body Weight ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gastrointestinal Transit ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reishi

Objective To investigate the expression of Notch4 protein and to analyze its correlation with the clinical parameters and the microvessel dentisty in renal cell carcinoma. Methods The expression of Notch4 was examined in 60 cases of renal cell carcinoma and the para-carcinoma tissue by SP immunohistochemical stain-ing ,and CD34 detection was used for counting microvessel density. Statistical analysis was performed to reveal the correlation with clinicopathological parameters ,microvessel density and prognosis. Results The positive rate of Notch4 protein expression was 75%(45/60)in para-carcinoma tissue,and was 43.3%(26/60)in renal cell car-cinoma,with significant difference on tumor grade and Lymph node metastasis(P<0.05). The microvessel densi-ty in Notch4 positive tissues was significant lower than that in the negative samples(P<0.05). The survival time of patients with Notch4 positive expression was significantly longer than that of patients with Notch4 negative expres-sion(P<0.05). Conclusion Notch4 protein plays an important role in the development of renal cell carcinoma. Notch4 expression might both attenuate the malignant biological characteristics and suppress the angiogenesis dur-ing tumor development.

Aim To observe the improved effects of Shuangshen Ningxin capsule on ventricular remodeling and wall motion in myocardial ischemic miniature swine induced by thrombus.Methods Myocardial ischemic model miniature swine induced by self-thrombus via cardiac catheter in left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD)were administrated Shuangshen Ningxin capsule for 6 days.The changes of cardiac form,left heart systolic and diastolic function,left ventricular wall motion were observed by the technology of conventional ultrasound and Doppler tissue imaging.Results 6 days after myocardial ischemia and administration,miniature swine of model group showed ventricular wall thinning,chambers heart dilating,ventricle remodeling and wall motion weak,but Shuangshen Ningxin capsule obviously lowered left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole(LVIDd),left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole(LVIDs),end-systolic volume(ESV),end-diastolic volume(EDV)and isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT),and increased ejection fraction(EF),tissue velocity and tissue trace of left ventricle anterior wall cardiac apex segment.Conclusion Shuangshen Ningxin capsule has anti-myocardial ischemia effect by improving left ventricular remodeling,increasing left cardiac work,improving left heart systolic and diastolic function and increasing left ventricular wall motion.

Metastatic epidural compression of the spinal cord is a significant source of morbidity in patients with systemic cancer. With improvment of oncotheray, survival period in the patients is improving and metastatic cord compression is en- countered increasingly often. Surgical management performed for early circumferential decompression for the spinal cord com- pression with spine instability, and spine reconstruction performed. Patients with radiosensitive tumours without spine instabili- ty, radiotherapy is an effective therapy. Spinal stereotactic radiosurgery and minimally invasive techniques, such as vertebro- plasty and kyphoplasty, percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, radiofrequency ablation are promising options for treatment of cer- tain selected patients with spinal metastases.
Decompression, Surgical ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Spinal Cord Compression ; therapy ; Spinal Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) expression in the hippocampus of epileptic rats and to study its effect on vitamin E levels in rats following status epilepticus (SE).

METHODSRat model of SE was induced by intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine. The rats receiving an injection of normal saline were used as a control group. The expression of LPL in the hippocampal tissue was determined using immunofluorescent methods and the level of vitamin E was examined by the colormeric method 12 hrs, 24 hrs, 3 days, 7 days and 14 days after SE.

RESULTSLPL was expressed in the control and SE groups. In the SE group, the LPL expression began to increase 24 hr after SE (P<0.05), reached a peak 3 days after SE (P<0.01), and kept at a high level 7 days after SE (P<0.01). By 14 days, the LPL expression was reduced to the level similar to the control group. The level of vitamin E began to decline 12 hrs after SE (P<0.01), and decreased to a nadir 24 hrs after SE (P<0.01). At 3 and 7 days after SE, the levels of vitamin E were still significantly lower than the controls (P<0.05). By 14 days, the vitamin E level increased to the level similar to the control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe over-expression of LPL in the hippocampus may play an important role in the oxidative stress mechanisms following SE by regulating the uptake of vitamin E.

Animals ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Lipoprotein Lipase ; analysis ; physiology ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Status Epilepticus ; metabolism ; Vitamin E ; analysis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Guanxin No. 2 (GX2) on gene variant expression profile in rats after myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODSSix SD rats were equally randomized into the sham operated group, the model group and the GX2 group, and they received gastric perfusion with water and GX2 (10 g/kg) respectively. MI model was established by ligating the left-anterior descending branch of coronary artery after 10 days of perfusion, and rats' myocardial tissue in the junction zone was assessed 24 h later for gene chip detection with DNA microarray. Then a cluster analysis was conducted, and the different expressions of key genes were verified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSThe up-regulating gene expressions in myocardial tissue in the junction zone increased after ischemia. After GX2 intervention, the up- or down-regulating gene expressions, especially the 2 genes, all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol saturase (AF465614) and similar to expressed sequence AW413625 (AA799328) decreased significantly. In the common genes, more genes involving activity of signal transducer presented in the model group and the GX2 group and those in the latter showed a certain specificity.

CONCLUSIONGX2 could improve the characteristics of variant gene expression profile in MI rats to a certain extent.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Myocardial Ischemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Theexcretionofurinaryandplasmametabolitesofsalbutamolwasstudiedusingultrahigh performance liquid chromatography electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry, after a single intragastric gavaged dose administration with salbutamol. The software of Agilent MassHunter Metabolite ID was employed to find and identify the chemical structure of metabolites of salbutamol. Five metabolites from salbutamol were identified. Metabolites identified in swine urine included glucuronide conjugate salbutamol, N-oxide-salbutamol, hydroxyl-salbutamol, methoxyl-salbutamol and dehydrated hydroxyl-salbutamol. Whereas, only the parent drug, glucuronide conjugate salbutamol and dehydrated hydroxyl-salbutamol were observed in swine plasma.