OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of moxibustion and treadmill exercise on transcutaneous oxygen tension and exercise capacity in lower limbs of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

METHODSTotally 58 mild-to-moderate PAD patients were assigned to the control group (18 cases), the moxibustion group (20 cases), and the treadmill exercise group (20 cases) by random digit table. Patients in the control group received conventional drug therapy for 12 weeks. Patients in the moxibustion group and the treadmill exercise group additionally received moxibustion [at Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yongquan (KI1)] and treadmill exercise respectively, once per day, 5 times per week for 12 weeks in total. Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) , transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂), 6-min walking test (6MWT), and walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ) were assessed before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with the control group and the same group before treatment, there was no statistical difference in ABI in the moxibustion group and the treadmill exercise group (P > 0.05). But TcPO₂, 6MWT, and WIQ were obviously elevated (P < 0.01). Besides, 6MWT and WIQ assessment of the treadmill exercise group were better than that of the moxibustion group (P < 0.01) after intervention.

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion and treadmill exercise could improve the exercise capacity and TcPO₂of lower limbers in PAD patients.

Exercise Test ; Exercise Therapy ; Exercise Tolerance ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; physiopathology ; Moxibustion ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; blood ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; therapy ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Walking

Objective To study the antibacterial mechanisms of berberine and try to understand the reasons why bacteria cells difficultly resisted to it. Methods Detecting the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of bacterial cultures incubated under sub-MIC concentration of berberine, Huanglian, and Neomycin for more than 200 generations, in order to analyze the bacteria resistance. Detecting the binding kinetics of berberine to DNA, RNA, and proteins. Observing the changes in bacterial cell surface structure with scanning electron microscopy. Detecting the Ca2+ and K.+ released from berberine-treated bacterial cells with atomic absorption spectrum. Detection the absorption of methyl-3H-thymine (3H-dT), 3H-uridine (3H-U), and 3H-tyrosine (3H-Tyr) into berberine-treated bacterial cells. Results MICs of bacterial cultures, growing more than 200 generations in MH medium with 1/2 MIC of berberine (BA200) or Huanglian (HA200), did not increase compared to the control, while remarkably increased in MH medium with 1/2 MIC of Neomycin (NA200). In addition, from the culture NA200 it was easy to isolate resistant mutant strains which could grow in MH medium with more than four times MIC Neomycin, but from the culture BA200 and HA200 it was difficult to isolate berberine or Huanglian mutant strains could grow in MH medium with more than four times MIC berberine or Huanglian. The binding kinetics of berberine to DNA, RNA, and proteins illustrated that berberine could easily and tightly bind to DNA and RNA, and hardly dis-bind from DNA- and RNA-berberine complexes. Berberine could easily bind to protein too, but also easily dis-bind from berberine-protein complex. The bacterial cells treated with berberine sharply decreased the absorption of 3H-dT, 3H-U, and 3H-Tyr, as the radioactive precursors of DNA, RNA, and protein biosynthesis. Berberine could damage bacterial cell surface structure, especially for Gram-negative bacteria. Ca2+ and K+ released from berberine-treated cells increased significantly compared to the control. Conclusion All of above results indicate that bacterial cells could not easily become resistant mutants to berberine. The mechanisms for the bactericidal effect of berberine include: inhibiting DNA duplication, RNA transcription, and protein biosynthesis; influencing or inhibiting enzyme activities; destructing the bacterial cell surface structure and resulting in Ca2+ and K+ released from cells. All of the berberine bactericidal mechanisms are the most essential physiological functions for a live cell, if influenced any one such function, the mutation would be lethal mutation, so that it is difficult to get berberine resistant cells. The results in this paper also prefigure that berberine and its related Chinese medicines would provide a feasible way to control antibiotic resistance problem.

Bacterial N-Acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs)-mediated quorum sensing is involved in the regulation of diverse biological functions. As the bacterial pathogen population density increases, AHLs concentration secreted by pathogen reaches a threshold and then interacts with their intercellular receptor and triggers expression of virulence genes. It is a promising approach to biologically control bacterial disease in plants and animals by manipulating bacterial AHL-quorum sensing with AHLs-degrading enzyme and AHL analogue.

Ralstonia metallidurans CH34 was isolated from the deposit of a znic factory .The degradation of phenol by R .metallidurans CH34 was investigated. The results showed that R . metallidurans CH34 possesses high ability to degrade phenol with the biodegradation rate constant of 0.33 . The optimal pH , temperature and volume of medium for phenol degradation are pH 7.0 , 30℃ , and 20%(v/v), respectively . In addition , this strain retains its ability to degrade phenol in the presence of high concentration of heavy metal ion .The sodium citrate , sodium succinate can enhance the degradation of phenol.

No abstract available.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Hydrocortisone* ; Insulin*

Colitis, Ulcerative ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum ; drug therapy ; etiology

No abstract available.
Gastrins*

Objective To evaluate high resolution manometry in the diagnosis of hiatal hernia.Methods Clinical data were reviewed on 20 patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux who had laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication for preoperative tentative diagnosis of hiatal hernia.Preoperative diagnosis of hiatal hernia was made collectively by endoscopy,X-ray examination,24 hour esophageal pH monitoring and high resolution manometry before surgery.Results Preoperative diagnosis of hiatal hernia was made in 3 patients by X-ray examination,in 9 patients by high resolution manometry.11 patients were finally diagnosed with hiatat hernia intraoperatively.X ray was consistent with intraoperative diagnosis in 27％ cases.Intraoperative and endoscopic diagnoses were 55％.High resolution manometry and intraoperative diagnoses were consistent in 82％.Lower esophageal sphincter length was (1.92 ± 0.38) cm in hiatal hernia group and (2.10 ± 0.92) cm in non-hiatal hernia group (t =0.60,P ＞ 0.05),lower esophageal sphincter pressure (respiratory min) was (0.64 ±0.55) kPa in hiatal hernia group and (1.31 ± 1.07) kPa in nonhiatal hernia group(t =1.80,P ＞ 0.05),and lower esophageal sphincter pressure (respiratory mean) was (1.43 ±0.92) kPa in hiatal hernia group and (2.57 ± 1.33) kPa in non-hiatal hernia group(t =2.26,P ＜0.05).The reflux parameters,including the percent total time pH ＜ 4,and DeMeester score,were significantly greater in hiatal hernia group than in non-hiatal hernia group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Hiatal hernia patients are with poor esophageal antireflux competency and severe reflux.High resolution manometry is more valuable in the diagnosis of hiatal hernia than endoscopy or X-ray examination.

Objective To choose proper proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(~1XH-MRS) parameters to fit for practical femoral marrow cavity and to produce short-timed,well-repeated and excellent ~1H-MRS images.Methods The tentative study of ~1H-MRS on the normal femoral bone marrow in 26 volunteers was performed with a 1.5 T MR after the informed consent.The single-voxel spectroscopy and stimulated echo acquisition mode were used for ~1H-MRS collection.~1H-MRS parameters for 12 volunteers were 128 acquisitions,1 cm?1 cm?1 cm volume of interest(VOI)size and repeatedly 2—3 times within the same location.~1H-MRS parameters for another:14 volunteers were different numbers of acquisition (128 and 256 times,respectively)and different VOI sizes(2 cm?2 cm?2 cm and 1 cm?1 cm?1 cm, respectively).Results For ~1H-MRS with 1 cm?1 cm?1 cm size of VOI and 128 times of acquisition with the full width haft max of water≤8—12 Hz,the base-line was steady and the signal-noise ratio was high up to 11.31.~1H-MRS was different in the different femoral locations showing the maximum peak sites at near 0.90 ppm(?10~(-6))or 1.65 ppm,but~1H-MRS within the same location was always same or similar with different VOI sizes(1 cm?1 cm?1 cm or 2 cm?2 cm?2 cm)or different numbers of acquisition(128 or 256 times).~1H-MRS acquisition time was not related with the size of VOI but with the numbers of acquisition.128 and 256 times of acquisition cost 199 s and 391 s,respectively.Conclusion With the technique of small size of VOI(1 cm?1 cm?1 cm)and decreased numbers of acquisition(128 times),it is propable to get well-repeated and excellent ~1H-MRS within less time.It is also more practical for clinics to achieve ~1H-MRS of the femoral marrow with the proper technique.

Objective To measure the temperature sensation threshold of trunk skin in healthy adults. Methods The threshold of cold sensation, warm sensation, cold pain sensation and heat pain sensation of trunk skin key points (T3, T7 and T11) were measured with Thermal Sensory Analyzer in 123 healthy adults. Results The thresholds of cold, warm, cold pain and heat pain sensations were obtained. The standard deviation of cold and warm threshold was less than that of heat pain. The range of cold sensation threshold was the largest. The heat pain sensation threshold increased with segmental declining and the sensation threshold increased with age. Conclusion Normal reference value should be established variously with the segment and age. The threshold of cold, warm varies less, while the threshold of cold pain and heat pain varies too much.