Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on improvement of learning and memory ability and the expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)mRNA and protein in hippocampus in diabetic rats with cognitive impairment.Methods The rat diabetes model was induced by injecting streptozotocin(20 g/L),and then the rats were randomly divided into three groups:electro-acupuncture group(EA),diabetes-mellitus-untreated group(DM)and control group(CN).After four weeks of electroacupuncture treatment,blood glucose level was determined and the effect of electroacupuncture on learning and memory was examined with the device of Morris water maze.RT-PCR was used to detect CTGF mRNA level,and immunohistochemistry was used to detect CTGF protein expression.Results Blood glucose level and the latency period in DM group were increased compared with those in EA and CN groups(P

Qi-Gui-Yin (QGY) compound, which composes of five herbal medicines of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge., Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Lonicera japonica Thunb., Artemisia annua L., and Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb.et Zucc., which is able to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria with antibiotics, and also to delay or even reverse the bacterial resistance producing. However, QGY compound is a complex mixture. And it is very difficult to elaborate its material foundation. Therefore, chemical constituents in five herbal medicines were summarized through searching of the related literatures. And then, 170 kinds of bioactive ingredients were classi-fied in order to provide evidences for the study on chemical constituent of QGY compound and identify its mate-rial foundation of delaying drug resistance .

Objective To establish CT image-based, three-dimensional finite element models of healthy tibiae and plateau-fracture tibiae, and to calculate the displacement and stress distribution of the tibial models .Methods Continuous-time tomographic images of knee joints of a healthy adult and a patient with tibial plateau fractures were obtained using multi-slice spiral CT scan , and inputed to Mimics to establish three-dimensional surface mesh models of tibiae .The models underwent global meshing procedures and material properties assignment to construct finite element models of normal and plateau-fracture tibiae in ANSYS , and the newly established models were analyzed and calculated .Results In case of applied load on the tibial plateau , the peak strains of the load-contact sites in the healthy subject and the patient presented divergent directions , with peak strains on the medial tibia in the healthy subject and lateral tibia in the patient , respectively . Equivalent stress decreased gradually down the tibiae and concentrated in the one -third of the upper and middle regions in both types of tibiae .Moreover, concentration of stress was also present in the locus of the fractured tibia .The deformation displacement gradients were more evident in the healthy tibia than in the fractured tibiae .There was significant difference in overall stress distribution between the two types of tibiae .Conclusion Three-dimensional finite element models of tibiae have been established that can demonstrate the differences in biomechanical properties between healthy and plateau -fracture tibiae, which might provide reference and guidance for orthopedic regimens .

Objective To compare the effect of injection with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) before serial casting with BTX-A injection alone for the treatment of spastic equinus in children with cerebral palsy (CP).Methods Sixty patients were divided into an experimental group and a control group with 30 patients in each.Those io the experimental group received a BTX-A injection followed by serial casting,while the controls received BTX-A only.Before treatment and 1 month,3 months and 6 months after treatment,the dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM)of the ankle recorded while the knee in flexion and extension were measured,and gait was evaluated with an observational gait scale.Results Before treatment there was no significant inter-group difference in any of the 3 outcome measures.At 1 montb,3 months and 6 months after treatment,there were significant inter-group differences in all 3 measures,and also significant differences compared with before treatment in both groups.Conclusion Lower muscle tone,greater ankle mobility and better gait patterns can be promoted in CP children with spastic equinus using serial casting combined with BTX-A injection.The improvements may last longer than those after BTX-A injection alone.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate the incorporation of plasmid DNA (pDNA) onto a coronary stent by chemo-immuno-conjugation for achieving site-specific gene delivery.MethodsA gene eluting stent was fabricated by reacting with polyallylamine bisphosphonate (PAA-BP) to introduce amine reactive groups on the surface.Then an anti-DNA antibody was chemically coupled and pDNA was immunologically tethered on the stent surface.Radioactive-labeled antibody was used to evaluate binding capacity and stability.ResultsThe presence of amine groups on the modified stent surface was confirmed by XPS and AFM analysis.The isotope label assay indicated that the amount of antibody chemically linked on the stents was 15-fold higher than that of the control stent and its retention time was also significantly longer.ConclusionThe results suggested that a large amount of reactive amine groups were introduced on the PAA-BP modified 316L coronary stent surface.This study provide a potential metal surface modification method that could facilitate coupling and tethering of biological molecules such as anti-DNA antibody and plasmid DNA (pDNA) to achieve sustained and highly localized gene delivery for substrate-mediated gene transfection.

Adenoma ; pathology ; Brain Neoplasms ; secondary ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Reoperation ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Temporal Lobe ; pathology

Objective To estimate the value for the plasma-effect site equilibration rate constant(Ke0)of propofol using the time to peak effect(Tpeak)method and two pharmacokinetic models for propofol.Methods The Tpeak after a submaximal bolus dose 1.5 mg?kg~(-1) of propofol was measured with AAI A-line auditory evoked potential monitor in 36 patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia.Using Tpeak and two sets of pharmacokinetic parameters for propofol reported by Marsh and Shafer,the Ke0 was estimated according to the method described by Minto.Results The mean Tpeak was(142?62)s in 30 patients.The Ke0 was 0.626 min~(-1) with the model by Marsh and 0.914 min~(-1) with the model by Shafer.The corresponding t_(1/2) Ke0 values were 1.107 min and 0.759 min respectively(P＜0.01).Conclusion The Ke0 value of propofol estimated depends on the pharmacokinetic models used.The values we estimated in Chinese patients are significantly different from the values reported by foreign authors

Objective To study the relationship between environmental chemical elements,vires infection and dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods In 2008,233 patients with DCM(case group)and 150 patient with stable angina(control group)were chosen in Liaocheng People's Hospital and Yanggu People's Hospital,Shandong province.Population distribution and disease history were surveyed in the two groups.Human myocardial antibody IgG(AMA-IgG),Coxsackie B virus IgG(CBV-IgG),Adenofirus antibody IgG(ADV-IgG)were detected by ELISA in both the case group and the control group.Serum trace elements were detected in the two groups.The general chemical and toxicological indicators in drinking water of the high-and the low-incidence aireas of the disease were control group[60.00%(90/150),χ2=13.80,P<0.01)].Per capita annual income(Yuan,RMB)in the case group (3207.82±618.51)was lower than that of the control group[(5086.61±886.12),t=24.40,P<0.01].Personal alcohol consumption in the case group[(175.00±160.50)g/d]was higher than that of the control group[(110.22±100.03)g/d,t=4.40,P<0.01)].The rate of myocarditis in the case group[5.15%(12/233)]was higher than ADV-IgG in the cage group were 7.78%(7/90),6.67%(6/90)and 6.67%(6/90),respectively.Compared with those in the control group[3.33%(2/60),5.00%(3/60)and 5.00%(3/60),χ2=1.26,0.18,0.18,all P>0.05],no mg/L]in drinking water of the high-incidence areas were significantly higher than that of iron[(0.39±0.67)mg/L,t=2.11,P<0.05]and that of manganese[(0.15±0.14)mg/L,t=3.01,P<0.01]in the low-incidence arefas.The content of semm iron[(69.1±57.8)μmol/L]in the case group evidently exceeded the normal range(15.6-35.9 μmol/L)and obviously higher than that in the control group[(20.0±17.5)μmol/L,t=5.04,P<0.01].Conclusions Theso data do not support that DCM is related with persistent virus infection and autoimmunization.DCM is probably related with low incomes,high alcohol consumption,myocarditis,high iron and manganese contents in drinking water and high content of serum iron.

Thermogravimetry (TG), TG-MS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM)-energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS) were adopted to investigate the pyrolysis characteristics of calamina. According to the findings of the qualitative and quantitative studies on the changes in the content of relevant elements, the whole shape, the functional groups, and the volatile components of calamina before and after being pyrolyzed, the 200-360, 580-750 degrees C were two sensitive temperature ranges related to the changes in effective component during calamina processing. Thermal weight loss was observed for ZnCO3, Zn(OH)2 and ZnCO3-2Zn(OH)2-H2O under 200-360 degrees C and for CaCO3 under 580-750 degrees C. The results of studies on chemical reaction kinetics showed good linear relations. This experiment integrated relevant methods and theories of physical chemistry and science of traditional Chinese medicine processing, and interpretes calamina processing techniques and mechanism, in order to provide a good example for modem studies on other traditional Chinese medicine processing.
Drug Combinations ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Ferric Compounds ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Temperature ; Zinc Oxide ; chemistry

A highly sensitive, rapid and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative determination of retinamido-ester in rat plasma was developed and validated. A simplified protein precipitation with acetonitrile was employed for the sample preparation.The separation was carried out on an Agilent TC C18 column ( 150 mm×4. 6 mm ID, 5 μm particle size)with the mobile phase consisted of methanol-water-formic acid (93 : 7 : 0.1). Simvastatin was used as internal standard. The detection was performed on a trap-quadrupele tandem mass spectrometer by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) scan mode via atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). The range of and inter-day precision values were between 95.97% and 104. 43%, and RSD was between 4. 63% and 10. 69%, respectively. This method was applied to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of retinamido-ester after oral administration via gastric gavage of 2. 5, 5, 10mg·kg-1 were as follows,T1/2;(11.28±7.23),(8.90±3.82),(8.01±5.56)h; AUC0-∞:(103.41±61.46),(190.23±74.99),(421.66±299.20)ng·h·mL-1;MRT:(6.31±0.75),(5.98±0.71), (6.18±0.97) h; CL/F: (30. 10 ± 13.67), (29.58±10.59), (31.18 ±17.51)L·h-1·kg-1;Vd/F:(414.94±159.82),(356.16±139.85),(369.28±322.73)L·kg-1,respectively.