BACKGROUND: Coronary microembolization (CME) is a serious complication following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndromes. The use of metoprolol before PCI can significantly protect ischemic myocardium from myocardial damage, but the function of metoprolol in the treatment of CME is not entirely clear. This study was to explore the effect and significance of metoprolol on myocardial apoptosis and caspase-3 activation after CME in rats. METHODS: Thirty rats were randomly divided into three groups including sham-operation (control group), CME plus saline (CME group), CME plus metoprolol (metoprolol group), 10 rats for each group. The CME group was induced by injecting 3000 polyethylene microspheres (42 μm) into the left ventricle during a 10-second occlusion of the ascending aorta; the control group was injected with physiological saline instead of microembolization ball; the metoprolol or saline group was given three intravenous bolus injections before CME. Echocardiography, TUNEL staining, and Western blotting were used to evaluate cardiac function, proportion of apoptotic cells and activation of caspase-3 respectively at 6 hours after operation. RESULTS: Echocardiographic parameters displayed that the metoprolol group improved cardiac function significantly compared with the CME group (P<0.05). The myocardial apoptotic rate of the CME group as wel as the contents of activated caspase-3 increased significantly (P<0.05), both of which were ameliorated significantly by metoprolol treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that metoprolol can protect the myocardium during CME in rats by inhibiting apoptosis and improving cardiac function. These results suggest that the inhibition of apoptosis can be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CME.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of metoprolol on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and caspase-8 activation after coronary microembolization(CME) in rats.

METHODSAdult rats were randomly assigned into CME group (intraventricular injection of 3000 microspheres with 42 µm in diameter), sham-operated group (0.1 ml saline) and CME plus metoprolol group (pretreatment with 3 bolus metoprolol 2.5 mg/kg intravenous injection at 10 minutes interval at 30 minutes before microspheres injection, n = 15, each group). Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography at 6 hours post various treatments. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected with TUNEL staining and the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-8 was detected with Western blot analysis.

RESULTSCompared with sham-operated group, LVEF (72.68% ± 3.26% vs. 82.64% ± 3.43%, P < 0.05), fractional shortening (FS) (37.46% ± 2.38% vs. 42.85% ± 3.25%) and cardiac output (CO) [(0.101 ± 0.006) L/min vs. (0.162 ± 0.008) L/min] were significantly reduced while left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) [(6.22 ± 0.17) mm vs. (5.18 ± 0.43) mm] was significantly increased in CME group (all P < 0.05). Cardiac function [LVEF:73.94% ± 4.22%, FS:38.53% ± 2.03%, CO:(0.120 ± 0.012) L/min, LVEDd:(6.18 ± 0.27) mm] was similar in CME plus metoprolol group compared to CME group (all P > 0.05). The cardiomyocytes apoptosis rates (3.19% ± 1.23% vs. 0.18% ± 0.10%) and the levels of activated caspase-3 and caspase-8 proteins were significantly increased in CME group than in sham-operated group (all P < 0.05). The cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate (1.32% ± 0.28%) and the levels of activated caspase-3 and caspase-8 proteins were significantly lower in CME plus metoprolol group than in CME group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMetoprolol pretreatment reduced post-CME myocardial apoptosis possibly through downregulating death receptor-mediated apoptotic pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Coronary Occlusion ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Embolism ; drug therapy ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the activity of nuclear factor (NF)-?B in rats with myocardial infarction.Methods MSC were isolated from SD rats (120—150 g in weight).SD rats (180—200 g in weight) were subjected to MI by left coronary artery occlusion,and were allo- cated into three groups randomly:1)sham group (without ligation of the artery,n=8);2)injection of PBS solu- tion (n=8);3)injection of MSC (n=8).MSC or PBS solution was injected into myocardium from epicardium instantly after MI models were established.Four weeks after transplantation,cardiac function was evaluated u- sing physiological recorder.Western blot were performed to investigate the nuclear factor-? activity.The ex- pressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? and interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results 1)Mortality was 20%(2/10) in sham group,33.3%(4/12) in PBS group and 20%(2/10) in MSC group with no statistic differences between them(P=0.646).2) Hemodynamic measurements showed that MSC trans- plantation caused significant improvement in cardiac function,comparing with MI+PBS group.3) MSC inhibi- ted the activities of NF-?B in myocardium and down-regulated the expression of TNF-? and IL-6 in mRNA and protein level.Conclusion Transplantation of MSC improved cardiac function in MI rats,which may partly at- tribute to their immuno-inflammatory regulation mechanism.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features of different variants of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

METHODSOne hundred and two cases of FSGS were retrieved from the archival files of Peking University First Hospital during the past 6-year period. The pathologic findings were reviewed and the degrees of active and chronic changes were assessed by morphometric analysis. The histopathologic patterns were then correlated with clinical manifestations.

RESULTSAmongst the 102 cases of primary FSGS studied, 55.9% belonged to the NOS (not other specified) variant, while the perihilar, cellular, tip and collapsing variants accounted for 6.9%, 25.5%, 4.8% and 6.9% respectively. The level of proteinuria in the cellular and tip variants were much higher than that in the NOS variant; and the incidence of nephrotic syndrome in the tip and collapsing variants was higher than that in the other three variants (chi(2) = 12.23, P < 0.05). The activity score of the cellular and collapsing variants was also higher than that of the other three variants (P < 0.05). The interval between disease onset and renal biopsy diagnosis in the perihilar variant was longer than that in the other variants. The chronicity score of this variant was higher than that of the tip and NOS variants (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the total scores of active and chronic changes of the tip variant was lower than that of the cellular and collapsing variants (P < 0.05); and its chronic score was lower than that of the NOS and perihilar variants (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe NOS variant is the commonest morphologic pattern seen in primary FSGS. The cellular and collapsing variants are the patterns associated with active lesions, while perihilar variant is the pattern associated with chronic lesions. The tip variant shows mild pathological changes compared with the other patterns.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; blood ; classification ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Glomerulus ; pathology ; Male ; Serum Albumin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of compound decoction on notoginsenosides in Panax notoginseng.

METHODNotoginsenoside R1, Rg1, Re, Rb1 and pH were used as the parameters to investigate the changes on the content of notoginsenosides in different compound extractions by heating for two hours and their correlation with pH.

RESULTWhen the pH values of solution of P. notoginseng with Fructus ligustri, P. notoginseng with Eupolyphaga seu steleophaga, P. notoginseng with Pheretima asiatica, and Zhitangjiang Fang (free of Hirudo) were rept higher than 5.7, the reserved rate (RR) of notoginsenside were higher than 90%; When the pH values of decoetion of P. notoginseng with Salvia miltiorrhiza, P. notoginseng with Paeonia lactiflora, P. notoginseng with Platycodon grandiflorum, P. notoginseng with Arctium lappa were kept 4.5-5.5, their RR of notoginsenside were 60% - 85%; When the pH values of the decotction of P. notoginseng with Hirudo nipponica was decreased to 3.4, its RR of of notoginsenside was 38.4%; When the pH values of Zhitangjiang Fang extraction was regulated by 0.1% NaOH solution to pH 6. 3, and the RR of notoginsenside increased to 97%.

CONCLUSIONThe pH of other Chinese herbal medicines extraction with P. notoginseng compound is a critical effect on the stability and yields of notoginsensides.

Animals ; Arctium ; chemistry ; Cockroaches ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; Hirudo medicinalis ; chemistry ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ligustrum ; chemistry ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Oligochaeta ; chemistry ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Panax ; chemistry ; Platycodon ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; methods ; Pulmonary Embolism ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the changes of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) during spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion injury and the value of SEP monitoring in evaluating neurological functions in this setting.

METHODSSpinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in 28 rabbits by clamping the infrarenal aorta for 45 min, and the SEPs were monitored before and at 5, 10, and 15 min after ischemia, and at 15, 30, and 60 min and 2, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion. The neurological function score (NFS) of the rabbits was evaluated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after reperfusion, and the pathological changes of the spinal cord were observed 48 h after reperfusion.

RESULTSSEPs P1-wave latency significantly increased 5 min after ischemia (P<0.01) and the wave amplitude decreased 8 min after ischemia (P<0.01). SEPs disappeared 10 min after ischemia and recovered 15 min after reperfusion, but the P1-wave latency still remained longer and P1-wave amplitude lower than the measurements before ischemia (P<0.01). P1-wave amplitude became normal 15 min after the reperfusion (P>0.05), and the P1-wave latency gradually recovered 30 min after reperfusion, but still significantly longer than the preischemic value (P<0.01). P1-wave amplitude decreased again at 24 and 48 h after reperfusion (P<0.01). The NFS gradually increased at 24 and 48 h after the reperfusion (P<0.01). The changes in P1-wave amplitude at 24 and 48 h after reperfusion showed an obvious correlation to NFS (r=-0.881 and -0.925, respectively, P<0.01). Hemorrhage, swelling, and degeneration and neutrophil infiltration occurred in the spinal cord tissue 48 h after the reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of SEP P1-wave amplitude can better reflect the spinal cord function than the wave latency during spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury, and SEP monitoring provides reliable evidence for prognostic evaluation of the neurological function.

Animals ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; physiology ; Female ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Male ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Spinal Cord ; blood supply

OBJECTIVETo investigate the optimum phase and dose of pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Qianggubao decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) on the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast (OB). METHODS (OB) was isolated from the skull of 10 newly born SD rats aged 1 to 2 days by means of Trypsin-collagenase digestion. After the OB was identified, different kinds of pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with inactive Qianggubao decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) of different phase (rats were fed with medicine three days or five days after last fed with medicine one hour or three hours) and concentration (5%, 10%, 20%) were added to the OB and incubated. After 7 days and 18 days of culture,the effects of the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast were detected.

RESULTSThe secretion of ALP and formation of mineralized nodules of osteoblast in the different doses of pharmaco-serum groups were almost the same as that of normal control group, but were superior to that in the model control group. And the group with concentration of 20% pharmaco-serum was the best in the secretion of ALP and formation of mineralized nodules of osteoblast. As to the phases of pharmaco-serum, the best one on the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast was the serums from diabetic rat-model fed with Qianggubao decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) three days or five days, after one hour of last fed with medicine.

CONCLUSIONThe pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Qianggubao decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) can promote the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast. Allow for time and the cost of experiment,we presume that pharmaco-serum of diabetic rats fed with Qianggubao decoction ([Chinese characters: see text]) three days, after one hour of last fed, with concentration of 20% and not-inactivation is the optimum on the differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetes Complications ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoblasts ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiology ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serum ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo measure and evaluate the personal noise exposure of cold rolling mill workers by using noise dosimeter.

METHODSAccording to job category and work type, all workers were divided into 11 groups. 3 to 5 day shift (8:00 to 16:00) workers from each group were selected as subjects for personal noise exposure measurement. SH-126 dosimeters were worn by each subject and collect noise data by a phone fix at collar. All subjects were asked to take notes about their working activities when they were wearing SH-126 dosimeters. Each worker's L(A)(eq) of 8 hours, geometric mean and range of each group were computed.

RESULTSThere were many noise sources in the workshop. Recorded data showed that noise exposure of cold rolling mill was unstable. The varieties of personal noise levels were quite large. Among 53 workers, the highest noise exposure level was 100.0 dB (A), the lowest was 81.2 dB (A); the highest work type was of the foreside welders [94.20 dB (A)], and the lowest was of the straight-cutters [89.02 dB (A)]; quality checkers had the biggest rang [16.3 dB (A)], and primary rolling workers had the lest [2.3 dB (A)].

CONCLUSIONNoise exposure of all the 11 groups were more than 85 dB (A). Noise protection of these workers should be improved. It suggested that measuring personal noise exposure individually with dosimeters might obtain the noise exposure level more integrally in the complicated environment.

Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Noise, Occupational ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of vitamine B(6) (Vit B(6)) and Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZY, for activating blood circulation to remove stasis) in patients with localized scleroderma(LSD).

METHODSThirty-three patients were treated with XFZY and Vit B(6), with 15 cases taking orally prednisone acetate and 20 healthy volunteers as the control. Their level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the patients with LSD before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSThe level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha in the serum from the patients with LSD were higher than those of healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). After treatment with Vit B(6) and XFZY, the level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha from the patients with LSD decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but there were no difference between the group taking Vit B(6) plus XFZY and the group given prednisone.

CONCLUSIONThe activating blood circulation to remove stasis approach in treating LSD with integrative Chinese and Western drugs got better results, and metabolic disorder of tryptophan might be correlated with the etiology of LSD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Scleroderma, Localized ; blood ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Vitamin B 6 ; therapeutic use