Abnormalities, Multiple ; physiopathology ; Bronchoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hirschsprung Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypoventilation ; complications ; physiopathology ; Infant ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; complications ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Sleep Apnea, Central ; etiology ; Syndrome

Objective To explore the influence of homocysteine(Hcy)on liver cystathionine-?-synthase(CBS)and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)system in apoE-/- mice,and determine the effects of atorvastatin and/or folate/vitamin B12 on liver CBS and MTHFR system.Methods Eighty male 6-week-old apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into two groups:65 mice were fed with a chow diet containing 2%(wt/vol)L-methionine(homomethionine group)and 15 mice were fed with normal saline(control group).Two months later,the 60 mice survived in homomethionine group were subdivided into four groups:group Ⅰ(untreated),Ⅱ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin),Ⅲ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin+2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12)and Ⅳ(2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12).After one month,Western blotting was performed to detect the liver CBS and MTHFR system protein expression in each group.Results The relative expression of liver CBS and MTHFR was significantly lower in group Ⅰ than in control group(P

Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Cough ; etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; etiology ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

ObjectiveTo analysis the clinical features of thoracic spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) and summarize the inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI.MethodsThe data of 72 cases with thoracic spine and spinal cord injury from 1990 to 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsMean follow-up period was 20 months (6～48 months). There was no recovery in 12 spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) patients, but improvement of urine function in 4 cases. 5 cases of 52 fracture-dislocation complete injury were improved to grade B (sense recovery), rate of recovery was 9.6%; recovery rate was 62.5% in incomplete injury. Sense recovery of all cases was better than motor recovery. Partial cases appeared spasm paralysis relief.ConclusionIncidence rate of complete injury is high and recovery is bad in thoracic spine and spinal cord injury. The inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI is old complete thoracic spinal cord injury without residual compression.

In this study, hydrophilic matrix sustained release tablets of total lactones from Andrographis paniculata were prepared and the in vitro release behavior were also evaluated. The optimal prescription was achieved by studying the main factor of the type and amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) using single factor test and evaluating through cumulative release of three lactones. No burst drug release from the obtained matrix tablets was observed. Drug release sustained to 14 h. The release mechanism of three lactones from A. paniculata was accessed by zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Peppas equation. The release behavior of total lactones from A. paniculata was better agreed with Higuchi model and the drug release from the tablets was controlled by degradation of the matrix. The preparation of hydrophilic matrix sustained release tablets of total lactones from A. paniculata with good performance of drug release was simple.
Andrographis ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Kinetics ; Lactones ; chemistry ; Tablets ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of acute panautonomic neuropathy (APN).

METHODSWe reviewed the history, clinical findings, electrophysiological characteristics, laboratory features of CSF and treatment of 4 patients with APN.

RESULTSAll these patients showed acute onset with apparent involvement of the autonomic nervous system. The clinical features of autonomic involvement included fixed dilated pupils, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and anhidrosis. Electromyography showed evidence of peripheral neuropathy. Early treatment with corticosteroid and intravenous immunoglobulins resulted in improved prognosis of the patients.

CONCLUSIONAPN is a rare autonomic nervous system disorder, and understanding of the clinical features may help in early diagnosis and treatment of the patients.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Young Adult

A method to determine dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in fermentation broth was developed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DHA was separated on a Alltima C18(5?m,250?4.6mm). The mobile phase was 0.5% methanol solution (pH adjusted to 3.0 with H3PO4), the flow-rate was 1.0 ml/min and the detective wavelength was 200 nm. The detection limits of DHA was 0.1 g/L～10.0 g/L. 6.2 g/L DHA in the fermentation broth was detected by HPLC, which was in agreement with the result by spectrophotometric method.The method was applicable for DHA determination in the fermentation process.

More than 20 strains capable of producing dihydroxyacetone from glycerol were isolated from 4 different natural environment samples by using two detection methods. The strain 6-8 which could grow on medium containing glycerol as sole carbon source had a higher converting capability. Under a better culture, the highest DHA production of the strain 6?8 reached 6.4 g/L. In addition to general morphological and bio-chemical characteristics, the strain 6?8 was identified by 16S rDNA sequence and systematic analysis. The results showed that 16S rDNA sequence of the strain 6-8 had similarity of 99.7% with Acinetobacter sp. suggesting that the strain 6-8 is one of subspecies of Acinetobacter sp.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common degenerative disease of central nervous system. Brain mitochondrial dysfunction and structural damage are the important pathogeny of PD. At present, many of Chinese herbal compounds, herbal medicines, and TCM active ingredients are used to prevent and treat PD. The main mechanisms of these medicines are involved in the protection of mitochondrial structure, anti-oxidative stress, anti-calcium dysregulation, mitigation of excitotoxicity, and anti-apoptosis, etc., which also play a comprehensive role through multi-link, multi-level, and multi-target. Through looking up the recent representative literature, the experimental results of Chinese herbal compounds and TCM active ingredients preventing and treating PD through repairing brain mitochondrial structure and function were analyzed and inducted. Many of Chinese herbal compounds and TCM active ingredients were proved to have good effects on PD.

ObjectiveTocomparethedifferencesoftwostocksofguineapigs,thealbinoguineapigsandpigment guinea pigs , in establishing dyslipidemic model , to evaluate their lipid-lowering action , and to compare their properties for development of hyperlipidemia .Methods Two stocks of the 5-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into two groups, normal group (NC) and model group (Model).For the NC group, 12 guinea pigs were fed with normal chew .For the model group , after fed with high-fat diet for four weeks , 24 male guinea pigs were randomly grouped and treated with vehicle (VC group) and pitavastatin (Pit group) calcium, respectively, by gavage as well as received high-fat diet.Before and after modeling and pitavastatin treatment , blood samples were collected and subjected to analysis of plasma TC , TG, HDL-C and LDL-C, respectively .Results In the normal group , the blood lipid levels of albino guinea pigs were more stable than that of the pigmented pigs with the increase of age .After fed with high-fat diet , the plasma lipid levels of TC , TG and LDL-C were significantly increased in the two strains of guinea pigs , while HDL-C showed a decrease to varying degrees .Interestingly , the lipid level in the albino guinea pigs was significantly higher than that of pigment guinea pigs . And also, after drug administration for four weeks , pitavastatin treatment significantly decreased the elevated lipid level of TC, TG and LDL-C in the albino guinea pigs compared with that in the pigment guinea pigs .Conclusions The albino guinea pigs and pigment guinea pigs demonstrate certain differences in establishing dyslipidemic model and evaluating lipid -lowering pharmacodynamics .However , compared with the pigment guinea pigs , the albino guinea pigs have obvious superiority because of easy establishment of hyperlipidemia model and are more sensitive to lipid -lowering drugs .