There are debatable claims in the optimal approach for clipping of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) aneurysm. The authors invented the superior orbital rim approach (SORA) as an alternative and minimally invasive approach for the treatment of AcomA aneurysm. The authors reviewed retrospectively all the medical records of 27 patients of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured AcomA aneurysm. who were admitted to Kosin University Gospel Hospital for last 2yr. Fourteen women (51.9%) and 13 men (48.1%) were from 29 to 79 yr in age. The mean aneurysm size was 6.2 mm ranging from 4 to 12 mm. A favorable Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) of 4 or 5 was achieved in 92.6%, a GOS score of 3 in 3.7%, and 1 death (GOS 1) occurred in 3.7% of the patients. During the follow-up between 4 and 28 months (mean, 17.5 months) after the surgery, the prognosis of the patients and the cosmetic results were favorable compared with conventional approach. We became to believe that it was an alternative, effective and minimally invasive approach to the surgical treatment of AcomA aneurysm.
Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Ruptured/surgery ; Female ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Human ; Intracranial Aneurysm/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures/*methods ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo determine 20(S)-ginsengnoside Rh2 in the hydrolysis product of saponins from leaves of Panax qinquefolium.

METHODThe separation was performed on ZORBAX EXEND C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), eluted with methanol and water (85:15) as mobile phase with the rate of 1.2 mL x min(-1) at 25 degrees C, the wavelength for measurement was 203 nm.

RESULTThe calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.5-25 microg for 20(S)-ginsengnoside Rh2(r = 0.9999, n = 7). The average recovery was 99.7% (RSD= 1.0%).

CONCLUSIONThis method is simple, accurate, reliable and reproducible. The result shows that the transform ratio of 20(S)-ginsengnoside Rh2 is high by this hydrolysis method.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hydrolysis ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo clarify if programmed cell death mechanisms induced by seizures take part in the necrotic process of neurons.

METHODSSeizure was induced by pilocarpine (P) in Sprague-Dawley adult rats which were allowed to recover for 24 or 72 hours before perfusion-fixation. Neuronal death was assessed by light microscopy with the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and with in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression were examined by histochemistry.

RESULTSTwenty-four and 72 hours after seizures, neuronal death in hippocampus CA1 region was morphologically necrotic. TUNEL-positive and morphologically necrotic cells increased in the hippocampal CA1 region at 72 hours after seizures, there was significant difference compared with controls (P < 0.001). Bax expression was also increased in the hippocampal CA1 region at 72 hours after seizures (P < 0.001), but Bcl-2 expression did not increase, while Bcl-2/Bax ratio decreased.

CONCLUSIONSeizures induced late-onset neuronal necrosis was accompanied by programmed cell death mechanisms.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Hippocampus ; chemistry ; pathology ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; analysis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

OBJECTIVETo study the change in ultrastructure of C6 glioma cells after photodynamic therapy (PDT), to compare morphological differences in necrosis and apoptosis before and after PDT treatment, and to evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy on the blood brain tumor barrier (BTB) of C6 glioma.

METHODSThe model was produced by transplanting C6 glioma cells cultured in vitro using Peterson method into the caudate nuclei of Wister rats. The experiment group received PDT for two weeks after the operation. The sub-cellular structure, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and BTB in both groups were observed under electron microscope.

RESULTSApoptosis in different phases and necrosis could be observed in some C6 glioma cells. Swelling occurred on the ultrastructure of cellular organs such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in most of the cells. Damage to the BTB, reduction of the number of cellular organs in endothelial cells of the capillary blood vessels, stretch of the tight junction, and enlargement of the gaps between endothelial cells were also seen in the experiment group. Meanwhile, limited impact on the normal sub-cellular structures and BBB was observed.

CONCLUSIONPDT could induce apoptosis and necrosis of C6 glioma cells due to the damage to the ultrastructure of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The weakened function of C6 glioma BTB initiated by PDT makes it possible to perform a combined therapy of PDT and chemotherapy for glioma.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; ultrastructure ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glioma ; drug therapy ; ultrastructure ; Photochemotherapy ; Rats

BACKGROUNDIntegrin-linked kinase (ILK) dysregulation is involved in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), irbesartan, on ILK expression and podocyte injury in DN.

METHODSDN was induced by the combined feeding of high-sucrose, high-fat diet and intra-peritoneal injection of low dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg) in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Diabetic rats were treated with irbesartan (50 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) by gavage for 8 weeks. The renal morphologic changes and podocyte injury were investigated by light and electron microscopy, and the ILK expression was evaluated by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSDiabetic rats exhibited with the similar clinical feature of type 2 DN. Morphologically, they were characterized by expansion of mesangial matrix, loss of podocyte and podocyte injury. Impressively, compared to controls, the ILK expression in diabetic rats were upregulated, which were positively correlated with both podocyte injury and albuminuria. Irbesartan significantly prevented ILK overexpression, along with the amelioration of podocyte injury and albuminuria.

CONCLUSIONSILK plays an important role in mediating podocyte injury in DN; irbesartan inhibits ILK upregulation and attenuates podocyte injury, which might offer a new insight into the role of ARB in preventing DN progression.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Biphenyl Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; Male ; Podocytes ; drug effects ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Tetrazoles ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVEThe choice of surgical approaches for salvage surgery based on the location and invasion of recurrent and residual lesions of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), surgical results, complications, and survival were assessed.

METHODSThirty-seven cases with recurrent and residual lesions of NPC underwent salvage surgery between March 1991 and January 2005 were analysed retrospectively. Of 37 patients, 23 were men and 14 women, with a median age of 46.5 years (26 - 57 years); 4 were at stage I, 10 at stage II, 14 at stage III, and 9 at stage IV; 5 cases were with cervical metastasis, including 3 cases of N1 and 2 cases N2. All recurrent and residual lesions of NPC were determined by biopsy. On the location and invasion of recurrent and residual lesions of NPC, 8 cases underwent endoscopic resection of lesions, 12 cases of the palate nasopharyngectomy, 5 cases of maxillary swing, 4 cases of maxillary swing plus prerenal approach, 2 cases of lateral rhinotomy plus coronal flap approach, and 6 cases transfacial plus nasal pyramid swing approach. Five cases with cervical metastasis received neck dissection in addition to the operations for recurrent and residual lesions of NPC. Postoperatively 31 cases received radiotherapy with dosage of 60 Gy, among them 15 cases with concurrent chemoradiation therapy, and 6 cases with clear surgical margin did not received radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The cases were followed up for 12 - 72 months, with a median of 45 months.

RESULTSTotal resection for the recurrent and residual lesions of NPC accounted for 91.8% (34/37) and subtotal resection for 8.2% (3/37). The accident of perioperative complications was 24.3% (9/37). The 3- and 5-year overall disease-free survival rates (DFSR) were 62.1% and 43.3%, respectively. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates (OSR) were 72.9% and 51.3%, respectively. The 5 year DFSR of cases at stage I-IV were 100%, 40%, 28% and 11% (χ(2) = 10.0, P < 0.01), respectively. The 5 year OSR were 100%, 70%, 35% and 28% (χ(2) = 11.5, P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSalvage surgery is a justified treatment for the recurrent and residual lesions of NPC, by which some patients with recurrent and residual lesions of NPC can be salvaged.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Salvage Therapy ; methods

The tumor suppressor gene p53 and p16, both of which play an important role in inhibition of tumorigenesis, are homozygously deleted in human myeloid leukemia cell line K562. To explore the inhibition of K562 cell proliferation by wild type p16 and p53 genes, both p16 and p53 genes were co-transfected into K562 cells mediated by liposome. The expression of the two genes was measured by immunocytochemical method, the cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry, and the number of recovered viable cells was assessed after transfection. After co-transfection, the p53 and p16 positive cells were 23% and 28%, respectively. The results showed that co-transfection of p16 and p53 genes significantly inhibits cell proliferation comparing with transfection either by p16 gene or by p53 gene (P < 0.05). Expression of p16 and p53 proteins increased the cell number in G(1) phase but decreased the cell number in S phase. It is concluded that co-transfection of p16 and p53 genes has a stronger growth-inhibitory effect on K562 cell growth than that of transfection only by p16 gene or by p53 gene, may be a pathway for gene therapy in leukemia.
Cell Division ; Genes, p16 ; physiology ; Genes, p53 ; physiology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Plasmids ; Transfection

In order to search for novel inhibitors of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform-1 (NHE-1), nine feruloylagmatine analogues were designed and synthesized from ferulic acid and agmatine. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectra, among which compounds 5f-5i were novel compounds. The results of preliminary pharmacological test showed that some of the compounds possessed strong NHE-1 inhibitory activity, among which compounds 5a, 5b and 6c were more potent than cariporide in NHE-1 inhibition.
Agmatine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drug Design ; Female ; Male ; Molecular Structure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo study the prevention effect of salidroside on contrast-induced-nephropathy (CIN) and its underlying mechanism.

METHODSA total of 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 in each group. Rats were firstly administrated with normal saline (control and model groups), N-acetylcysteine (NAC, NAC group) and salidroside (salidroside group) for 7 days before model establishment in each group, respectively. Histopathological analysis was performed by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Oxidative stress related parameters including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), angiotensin II (Ang II), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), mRNA and protein levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity were measured.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the levels of MDA, Ang II and 8-OHdG were all significantly increased and levels of SOD, NO, and eNOS mRNA and protein were decreased significantly in the model group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the NOS activity was also significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.05). In addition, the levels of these parameters were all improved in the NAC (P<0.05) and salidroside groups and no significant different was found between these two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSalidroside can be the potential substitute of NAC to prevent CIN. The underlying mechanism may be associated with oxidative stress damage caused by contrast agents.

Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Contrast Media ; adverse effects ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Phenols ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Compound Shenhua Tablet (, SHT) on the sodium-potassium- exchanging adenosinetriphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase) in the renal tubular epithelial cells of rats with acute ischemic reperfusion and to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of SHT on renal ischemic reperfusion injury (RIRI).

METHODSFifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the sham surgery group, model group, astragaloside group [150 mg/(kg·d)], SHT low-dose group [1.5 g/(kg·d)] and SHT high-dose group [3.0 g/(kg·d)], with 10 rats in each group. After 1 week of continuous intragastric drug administration, surgery was performed to establish the model. At either 24 or 72 h after the surgery, 5 rats in each group were sacrificed, blood biochemistry, renal pathology, immunoblot and immunohistochemical examinations were performed, and double immunofluorescence staining was observed under a laser confocal microscope.

RESULTSCompared with the sham surgery group, the serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were significantly increased, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase protein level was decreased, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) protein level was increased in the model group after the surgery (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the SCr, BUN, pathological scores, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, and the KIM-1 protein level of the three treatment groups were significantly improved at 72 h after the surgery (P<0.05 or P<0.01). And the SCr, BUN of the SHT low- and high-dose groups, and the pathological scores of the SHT high-dose group were significantly lower than those of the astragaloside group (P<0.05). The localizations of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and megalin of the model group were disrupted, with the distribution areas overlapping with each other and alternately arranged. The severity of the disruption was slightly milder in three treatment groups compared with that of the model group. The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that the SHT high-dose group had a superior effect as compared with the astragaloside group and the SHT low-dose group.

CONCLUSIONSThe SHT effectively alleviated RIRI caused by ischemic reperfusion, promoted the recovery of the polarity of renal tubular epithelial cells, and protected the renal tubules. The therapeutic effects of SHT were superior to those of astragaloside as a single agent.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Immunoblotting ; Kidney Function Tests ; Kidney Tubules ; blood supply ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Saponins ; analysis ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling ; Tablets