OBJECTIVETo explore the changes of different brain metabolites during hepatolenticular degeneration using diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with hepatolenticular degeneration and study the correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) values and MRS with the different pathological changes.

METHODSTotally 53 patients with hepatolenticular degeneration were enrolled in this study and divided into DWI high-signal group (n=31) and DWI low-signal group (n=22). Magnetic resonance scan, DWI, and spectroscopy were performed before treatment and 4 months after treatment. The changes of ADC value, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratio, and choline (Cho)/Cr ratio were recorded.

RESULTSBefore treatment, the NAA/Cr ratio was significantly higher in the DWI high-signal group than in DWI low-signal group (P=0.002), whereas ADC value and NAA/Cr ratio were significantly lower (P=0.004, P=0.014, respectively). After treatment, the NAA/Cr ratio was still significantly higher in the DWI high-signal group (P=0.036), while the differences of ADC value and Cho/Cr ratio showed no statistical deference (P>0.05). In the DWI high-signal group, the ADC value and NAA/Cr ratio were significantly elevated after treatment (P=0.006, P=0.008), whereas the Cho/Cr ratio showed no significant change (P>0.05). In the DWI low signal group, NAA/Cr ratio was significantly increased after treatment (P=0.015), while the ADC value and Cho/Cr ratio showed no significant change (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDWI combined MRS imaging can be used to evaluate the microscopic structure and metabolic changes during copper deposition and thus, compared with the conventional magnetic resonance imaging provide more information on metabolism. Therefore, they can be useful tools in the early diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of hepatolenticular degeneration.

Adolescent ; Child ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Female ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Young Adult

Eleven compounds were isolated from the culture of Streptomyces sp. CPCC 202950 by a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over macroporous resin HP-20, MCI, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxamide(1),5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioinosine(2), vanillamide(3), trans-3-methylthioacrylamide(4), 1,2,3,4-Tetraydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-carboxylic acid(5), cyclo(L-pro-L-tyr) (6), N-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)]ethylacetamide(7), benzamide (8), cyclo ('L-leucyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline)(9), cyclo-(Phe-Gly) (10), and tryptophan (11). Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were new natural products. In the preliminary assays, none of the compounds exhibited obvious inhibition of HIV-1 protease activity (IC50 > 10 micromol x L(-1)).
Culture Media ; chemistry ; metabolism ; HIV Protease ; analysis ; HIV Protease Inhibitors ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Streptomyces ; chemistry ; metabolism

Objective To observe the effect of modified breathing machine pipeline applied in mechanical ventilation patients with oxygen therapy. Methods Clinical data of 63 patients with mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit were studied and the patients were admitted from March 2010 to December 2010. 32 patients in experiment group treated by method of modified breathing machine pipeline. 31 patients in the control group used dripping technique via airway for mechanical ventilation. The incidence of oxygen saturation rate, sputum callus formation, airway bleeding, pulmonary infection, the number of daily suctioning, nursing workload were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results The oxygen saturation rate in the observation group increased compared with that of the control group, sputum callus formation, irritating cough, airway bleeding and pulmonary infection were significantly different between 2 groups (t =5. 45,6. 91, 5. 67;P ＜ 0. 01). Conclusions The effect of modified breathing machine pipeline is more reliable, could improve the efficiency and alleviate the nursing workload.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of benazepril related cough.

METHODSCase-control study nested in a community-based postmarketing surveillance was carried out. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one hypertensive patients screened from a Chinese community were recruited to take benazepril for 3 years. Demographic characteristics and behavior risks were investigated and the level of uric acid and creatinine were tested at baseline. Episodes of benazepril related cough during follow period were recorded.

RESULTSWithin half a year of administration, the incidence rates of cough were as high as 18.35% in women and 12.11% in men. Incidence decreased significantly when time went by. Two years later of administration, first occurrences of cough were still seen. Based on logistic regression analysis, women were more likely to develop cough (OR = 2.193, 95% CI: 1.500 - 3.206). The association between decompensated kidney function and cough occurrence was only detected in women (OR = 3.432, 95% CI: 1.954 - 6.028). Women aged 65 or more had 1.672 (95% CI: 1.040 - 2.688) times risk than women aged 35 to 64 years. In men, the OR of developing cough was 1.689 (95% CI: 0.976 - 2.924) for daily drinking alcohol less than 100 g but increased to 2.478 (95% CI: 1.148 - 5.347) when drinking 100 g or more, but not the determinant ones.

CONCLUSIONWomen, older age, drinking alcohol and decompensated kidney function were the possible risk factors for benazepril related cough, but not the determinant ones.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; Benzazepines ; adverse effects ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Cough ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Incidence ; Kidney Function Tests ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the long-term effect, safety and tolerability of benazepril in general hypertensive patients.

METHODSWe conducted a three-year community-based postmarketing surveillance on benazepril among 1831 essential hypertensive patients (age range from 35 to 88 years) in Shanghai.

RESULTS74.3% of patients persisted in medication taking and were with optimal compliance in a 3-year-follow-up program. Among those taking medication as prescribed after 3 years, 75.7% of them attained systolic blood pressure (SBP) target level of 140 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), 87.4% attained diastolic blood pressure (DBP) target level of 90 mm Hg, and 71.5% attained total target level of 140/90 mm Hg. The reductions were approaching 15 mm Hg for SBP, 10 mm Hg for DBP, and 5 mm Hg for pulse pressure (PP) during the 3 year period. No serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were detected during the 3 years follow-up. Cough was the most common ADR. The cumulative incidence of benazepril related cough was 23.6% in women, significant higher than in men (18.8%).

CONCLUSIONBenazepril was safe and tolerable when applied in hypertensive patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antihypertensive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Benzazepines ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Cough ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing

Alveolar epithelial type II (AT II) cells are essential for lung development and remodeling, as they are precursors for type I cells and also produce other non-repair cells (fibroblasts). Progenitor cells are believed to possess capability of multi-potent transdifferentiation, which is closely related to the niche, suggesting the importance of establishment of a lung progenitor cell niche model. We hypothesized that pulmonary surfactant-associated protein A (SPA) suicide gene system would cause AT II cell to kill itself through apoptosis and leave its niche. In vitro, the recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors-SPA-thymidine kinase (rAAV-SPA-TK) system was established to get targeted apoptotic AT II cells. The apoptosis of AT II cells was detected by using MTT. The results showed that cloned SPA gene promoter had specific transcriptional activity in SPA high expression cells, and SPA high expression cells (H441) transfected with TK gene had higher sensitivity to ganciclovir (GCV) than SPA low expression cells (A549). In vivo, increased apoptosis of AT II cells induced by GCV in rAAV-SPA-TK system was observed by TUNEL. Finally, the successful packaging and application of rAAV-SPA-TK system provide experimental basis to get specific lung progenitor cell (AT II) niche in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVETo study the cost of the hypertensive outpatients.

METHODSThe study randomly selected 460 insured patients with hypertension and investigated their cost on each case in the out-patient department through 2002, based on the electronic system of medical insurance.

RESULTSAs a whole, the distribution of hypertensive outpatient expenditure takes on the positively skewed, with the median of 1 567.9 Yuan RMB. With the increase of age, the average expenses in each age group increased accordingly. In the study, the average number of outpatient attendances per patient was 19.5, the average expenses per visit was 115.4 Yuan RMB. In age groups 40 - 49 and 50 - 59, expenses of outpatient in male and female groups are obviously different in 2002 (Wilcoxon W(40 - 49) = 36, P(40 - 49) = 0.037; Wilcoxon W(50 - 59) = 374, P(50 - 59) = 0.023), as well as the number of out-patients (Wilcoxon W(40 - 49) = 52.5, P(40 - 49) = 0.007; Wilcoxon W(50 - 59) = 379, P(50 - 59) = 0.028). When considering the factors of gender and age at one time, the outpatient expenditures in the male group were significantly different between the different age groups (chi(2) = 22.3, P < 0.001), as well as the number of outpatients (chi(2) = 25.4, P < 0.001). In addition, the expenditure of drugs, which took a large proportion of the total expenditure of hypertensive outpatients (about 83.6 percent), was divided into three parts according to the degree of correlation with hypertension: direct expenses related to the with disease, the indirect expenses and the irrespective. The proportions of each part were 19.9 percent, 32.3 percent and 47.8 percent respectively.

CONCLUSIONWhen economic evaluation of community prevention is carried out, the cost and cost-benefit analysis based on the analysis of outpatient expenditure and the proportion of expenses on hypertension should be taken into account. Additionally, to provide appropriate mode of medicare, to impact the behaviors and expenditure of patients, and to provide low-cost but good effective drug are also essential and important factors.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ambulatory Care ; China ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; statistics & numerical data ; Hospitals, Community ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Hypertension ; economics ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors

Bias ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo summarize the experience of surgical therapy in a series of 438 patients with intracranial aneurysms.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 438 patients, in terms of the perioperative management, timing of surgery, surgical skills, and The HUNT-HESS grade.

RESULTS438 patients with 476 aneurysms underwent microsurgery, in which 450 aneurysms were clipped, 14 were wrapped, 8 were isolated,4 were cut. 32 aneurysms were ruptured (6.72%) during the operation. The relation between Hunt-Hess scale and mortality is significant postpone operation (> or =7 d) has got a better curative effect than the early.

CONCLUSIONSMicrosurgical treatment is a confirmed effective method with intracranial aneurysms. The higher of HUNT-HESS grade will result to the worse clinical outcome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; mortality ; surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

The mechanism of Chinese medications have some characteristic such as multi-pathway, multi-components, multi-targets and so on, which decide the direction of systems research. In the recent years, microarrays be concerned with the relative field of Chinese medications for its superiority of highthough, parallel and high-density. This paper mainly generalize the approach of these methods in the recent three years, such as finding effective target of Chinese medications, effective part of Chinese medications, checkup of Chinese medications, screening new drugs and so on. We suggest the concept of Pharmacogenomics of Chinese medications with the guidance of the theory of Chinese medications for further development of Chinese medications.
Animals ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genomics ; methods ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pharmacogenetics ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism