OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Xiehuo Yangyin powder (XHYY) in treating the initial stage of toxic and diffuse goiter (Graves' disease).

METHODSSixty patients were randomly divided into two groups, the treated group (n = 30) was treated with XHYY and methimazole, while the control group (n = 30) was treated with methimazole alone. The TCM syndrome score and thyroxin level in the two groups were compared and analyzed before, and 2 weeks, 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTSThe syndrome score and thyroxin level in the treated group 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks after treatment were reduced in comparing with before treatment, with the improvement better than those in the control group in the corresponding stages (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese herbal medicine XHYY plus methimazole, in treating Graves' disease, could rapidly and effectively improve the patients' clinical symptoms and lower the thyroxin level, reduce the daily taken of methimazole.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antithyroid Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graves Disease ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Methimazole ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Powders ; Thyroxine ; blood

AIM AND METHODSTo observe the effect of myocardial mitochondrial L-arginine (L-Arg)/nitric oxide (NO) system on mitochondrial Ca2+ transport by using purified rat mitochondria and incubation of them in vitro.

RESULTSCompared with control group, incubation of mitochondria with L-Arg (10(-4) mol/L, NO substrate) or sodium nitroprusside (5 x 10(-7) mol/L, the donor of exogenous NO, SNP) increased significantly mitochondrial NO2- (66% and 89%, P < 0.01), respectively, and decreased the Ca2+ content (40% and 54%, P < 0.01). After L-Arg or SNP treatment, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake were decreased by 67% and 85%, respectively (P < 0.01), vs control. The rate of mitochondrial Ca2+ release decreased by 11% and 8%, respectively (P < 0.01). When L-NAME (NO synthase inhibitor) was incubated with mitochondria and the L-Arg together, it inhibited the effects of L-Arg, NO2 on the mitochondrial NO2 formation, Ca2+ content descending, and decrease of Ca2+ uptake and release.

CONCLUSIONThe data suggest that myocardial mitochondrial L-Arg /NO systems take part in the regulation of cardiomyocytes Ca2+ transportation.

Animals ; Arginine ; metabolism ; Biological Transport ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Female ; Male ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of angelicanaphtha on proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and collagen synthesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

METHODSHUVEC was cultured and passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) and treated with angelicanaphtha 1 mg/ L, 4 mg/L, and 16 mg/L at 1, 3, 5, and 7 day respectively. The proliferation was measured with MTT method. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed with flow cytometry and collagen synthesis was determined with radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSThe proliferation of the HUVEC was accelerated by angelicanaphtha < or =4 mg/L and inhibited by angelicanaphtha at 16 mg/L (P < 0.05). Lower concentration (< or = 4 mg/L) of Angelicanaphtha decreased cells in G0/G1 phase and increased significantly cells in S phase and inhibited the apoptosis (P < 0.05). However, angelicanaphtha at 16 mg/L increased cells in G0/G1 phase and decreased cells in S phase and induced the apoptosis (P < 0.05). The collagen synthesis of HUVEC was inhibited by angelicanaphtha in concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe proliferation effects of angelicanaphtha on HUVEC had dualistic regulation of increase by lower-concentration and inhibition by higher-concentration. Collagen synthesis of HUVEC was inhibited by angelicanaphtha in concentration-dependent manner.

Angelica sinensis ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type III ; biosynthesis ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

Objective To develop a new method for the simultaneous determination of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)in water by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet(DLLME-SFO)with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). Methods The experimental conditions of DLLME-SFO were determined with dodecanol as extractant solvent, methanol as dispersive solvent, inonic strength increased by adding 8% NaCl. After vortexed for 1 min and centrifuged at 4 000 r/min for 5 min, the water sample was cooled down in an ice bath till dodecanol became solid and formed a small ball. Then the solidified dodecanol phase was transferred, and directly detected by GC-MS method after it melted. Results Good linearities were obtained for the seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons within the range of 5 μg/L-200 μg/L. The correlation coefficients were above 0.996. The detection limits ranged from 1.6 ng/L to 3.2 ng/L. The average recoveries ranged from 86.2% to 105% and the RSDs from 3.8% to 9.4%. Conclusion The method is sensitive, fast and simple. It has the advantage of little organic solvent consumption, which is friendly to environment and suitable for the detection of seven PAHs in water.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the pathomorphology of the sciatic nerve and the role of P2X3 receptors in EA analgesia.

METHODSThe chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was adopted in this study. A total of 32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham CCI, CCI, CCI plus contralateral EA (CCI + conEA) and CCI plus ipsilateral EA (CCI + ipsEA). Mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured. EA began at day 7 after the CCI operation and was applied to the Zusanli (ST 36) and Yanglingquan acupoints (GB 34). At day 14, the pathomorphologic changes of the operated sciatic nerve were demonstrated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from rats were examined by electrophysiological recording to determine if the P2X3 receptor agonists, adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium (ATP) and α,β-methylen-ATP (α,β-meATP) evoked inward currents.

RESULTSPain thresholds in the CCI group were obviously decreased post CCI surgery (P<0.01). In the EA groups, thermal and mechanical threshold values were increased after the last EA treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in light microscopic examination among the four groups (P>0.05). Current amplitude after application of ATP and α,β-meATP in DRG neurons were much larger in the CCI group compared to those obtained in sham CCI (P<0.05). ATP and α, β-meATP invoked amplitudes in the CCI + EA groups were reduced. There was no signififi cant difference between the CCI + conEA group and the CCI + ipsEA group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA analgesia may be mediated by decreasing the response of P2X3 receptors to the agonists ATP and α,β-meATP in the DRG of rats with CCI. No pathological changes of the sciatic nerve of rats were observed after EA treatment.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Electroacupuncture ; Ganglia, Spinal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hyperalgesia ; pathology ; Ion Channel Gating ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reaction Time ; drug effects ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X3 ; metabolism ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 4 (WNK4) gene C1155547T polymorphism is associated with essential hypertension (EH) in Xinjiang Kazakhs and to assess the effect of the interaction between this polymorphism and environment factors on EH.

METHODSThe study covered 556 hypertension patients and 341 normotensive controls. The C1155547T was determined by Taqman probe real-time PCR method. Some biochemical index such as glucose, triglyceride and total cholesterol were also measured. All of these results were analyzed with Logistic regression analysis. Additive model was applied to assess the effect of interaction between the WNK4 gene C1155547T polymorphism and environment factors on hypertension.

RESULTSThe C1155547T polymorphism was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both the case and control groups. There was significant difference in the genotype frequencies (P=0.003). The T allele frequency was significantly higher in the patient group (P=0.002). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the age, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol as well as the CT+TT genotype frequency conferred increased risks for EH. Positive interaction between the C1155547T polymorphism and gender, BMI, glucose was observed. The ORs were 3.85 (95%CI:1.23-12.04), 5.91 (95%CI:1.99-17.57) and 8.77 (95%CI:1.04-73.93), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe result suggested that the exon 7 C1155547T polymorphism in WNK4 gene might be associated with EH in Xinjiang Kazakhs, the T allele might be the risk factor of essential hypertension. There were interactive effects between the WNK4 gene C1155547T polymorphism and gender, BMI and glucose.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics

ADAM Proteins ; genetics ; ADAM17 Protein ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

Objective From May 2010 to May 2013 and from June 2013 to June 2016, we compared the clinical analysis of patients with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the Department of Pediatrics, studied incidence rate of NEC and the relationship between stages of NEC and prognosis, and compared the prognosis between the two three-year periods to provide the experience of diagnosis and treatment for clinical practice in the future. Methods The clinical data of patients diagnosed with NEC were retrospectively analyzed according to the diagnostic criteria of modified Bell staging classification using SPSS statistical software package. Early diagnosis rate and prognosis were compared between the two three-year periods. P＜0.05 showed that statistical significance was found. Results From May 2010 to May 2013, 40 cases of NEC were diagnosed in our hospital, among which 8 was in the first stage (20%),24 in the second stage (60%),and 8 in the third stage (20%) . The number of premature infants was 32, accounting for 80% , among which 25 cases were infants with very low birth weight accounting for 62.5% and 8 cases were full-term infants, accounting for 20% (P＜0.05) . In the study, 32 cases (80%) received traditional treatment, which was effective in stage Ⅰ. During the second stage, two abandoned the treatment was confirmed death in the follow-up, two underwent surgery successfully due to the progression of the disease and four (25%) died in the hospital. Statistic significance of treatment of internal medicine was found when comparing stage Ⅰ with stage Ⅱ (P＜0.05) . Ten children underwent surgery, among which one gave up treatment after the surgery because of financial problems and was found dead in the follow-up and four (60%) died in the hospital. The comparison of surgical treatment in patients in stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ showed no statistical significance (P＞0.05) . Fatality rates were statistically significant (P＜0.05) . From June 2013 to June 2016, 41 children were diagnosed with NEC in our hospital, including 24 cases in stage Ⅰ (59%), 14 in stage Ⅱ (34%), and 3 in stage Ⅲ (7%) . The number of premature infants was 33, accounting for 80%, among which 26 cases were infants with very low birth weight accounting for 62.5% and 8 cases were full-term infants, accounting for 20% (P＜0.05) . In the study, 35 cases (85.3%) received traditional treatment, which was effective in stage Ⅰ. During the second stage, one underwent surgery successfully due to the progression of the disease. Statistic significance of treatment of internal medicine was found when comparing stage Ⅰ with stage Ⅱ (P＜0.05) . Four children underwent surgery, among which one gave up treatment after the surgery because of financial problems and was found dead in the follow-up and the surgery was successful in other three. The comparison of surgical treatment in patients in stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ showed statistical significance (P＜0.05) . Fatality rates were statistically significant comparing the two three-year periods (P＜0.05) . The comparison of the rates of early diagnosis in the two three-year periods showed statistically significance (P＜0.001) . Conclusion Early diagnosis of NEC is the key to reduce mortality. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) is a serological marker for early diagnosis of NEC. As an important factor, the reduction of the incidence of premature birth will result in the drop in the incidence of NEC.

Objective To investigate whether G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 gene is associated with essential hypertension in a population with Kazakhs ethnicity,in Xinjiang.Methods This study covered 563 hypertension patients and 346 normotensive controls.The variant of G1155942T was determined by the TaqMan probe real-time PCR method.Some biochemical indices such as glucose (GLU),triglyeeride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were also measured.All of these results were under logistic regression analysis.Addictive model was applied to assess the interactive effects between WNK4 gene G1155942T mutation and environmental factors on hypertension. Results The G1155942T polymorphism was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in both case and control groups.Genotype and allele frequencies of G1155942T were observed (P=0.004,P=0.003).Data through logistic regression analysis showed that factors as age,BMI,total cholesterol as well as the GT + TT genotype frequencies of Exon 8 G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 were responsible for the increased risks for hypertension.Positive interactions between G1155942T mutation and gender,BMI,GLU,the OR were 3.75 (95% CI:1.19-11.80),5.77 (95% CI:1.93-17.21 ) and 8.67 (95% CI:1.03-72.99),respectively.Conclusion Our result suggested that the Exon 8 G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 gene was associated with hypertension in the studied Kazakhs ethnic group in Xinjiang and the T allele might be the risk factor for essential hypertension.There were interactive effects between WNK4 gene G1155942T mutation,gender,BMI,and GLU.

OBJECTIVETo study the value of combined measurement of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) and fecal calprotectin (FC) in the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in full-term neonates.

METHODSA total of 36 full-term neonates with NEC (case group) and 39 neonates without digestive system diseases (control group) were enrolled as study subjects. ELISA was used to measure the serum I-FABP level and fecal FC level, and the clinical value of I-FABP combined with FC in the diagnosis of NEC was evaluated.

RESULTSThe case group had significantly higher I-FABP and FC levels than the control group (P<0.05). In the case group, serum I-FABP level was positively correlated with fecal FC level (r=0.71, P<0.05). In the diagnosis of NEC, I-FABP alone, FC alone, and I-FABP/FC combination had sensitivities of 83.3%, 81.5%, and 79.5%, specificities of 72.5%, 75.8%, and 86.3%, and areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of 0.82, 0.81, and 0.88. The combined measurement showed significantly higher specificity and AUC than single measurement (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSChildren with NEC have significant increases in I-FABP and FC levels, and there is a correlation between them. Combined measurement of I-FABP and FC can increase the specificity of the diagnosis of NEC.

Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; diagnosis ; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins ; blood ; Feces ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex ; analysis ; Male