Objective To investigate the effect of TanshinoneⅡA (TSN) on the cell hypertrophy induced by angiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ) in the primary culture of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Method The effect of TSN on cardiomyocyte was evaluated by the 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl] -3, 5-diphenylformazan (MTF) assay. As the index of eardiomyocyte hypertrophy, protein synthesis rate was measured by H-Leucine incorporation and the cell size was determined by phase contrast microscope. The proto-oncogene c-los mRNA and c-jun mRNA expression was assessed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Exposure of the myocytes to TSN (5～80 mmol/L) for 24hours produced no cytotoxicity. Protein synthesis rate and proto-oneogene c-fos and c-Jun mRNA expression of eardinmyoeytes increased significantly after AngⅡtreatment, and TSN inhibited these effect of AngⅡ.Conclusions TSN can prevent the hypertrophy of eardiomyocytes induced by AngⅡ, which be attributable relate to the decreased expression of proto-oncogene c-los and c-jun mRNA by TSN.

Objective To analyze the clinical features and causes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV).Methods The clinical data of 521 patients with BPPV were collected.The percentage of patients with BPPV in all the outpatients with dizziness and vertigo,the clinical characteristics of BPPV,and the prevalence of comorbidity with migraine were analyzed.Results BPPV accounted for 35.7% of patients with vertigo and 12.1% of patients with dizziness.Among the 521 patients with BPPV,158(30.3%)were male and 363(69.7%)were female,with an average age of(57.5?12.8)years old(20 to 93 years old).Right semicircular canals were involved in 323 cases(62.0%),and left semicircular canals in 187 cases(35.9%).The latency period of nystagmus of vertical canals was(3.22?2.37)s,and time of persistence was(8.31?7.98)s.The latency period of nystagmus of horizontal canals was(2.33?1.50)s,and the time of persistence was(14.77?11.40)s.There were significant differences in the latency period of nystagmus and time of persistence between the vertical and horizontal canals(P=0.001 and P=0.000).Fifteen patients(2.9%)had a history of head trauma and 39(7.5%)were complicated with migraine.Conclusion BPPV is prevalent in patients with dizziness and vertigo,and misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis should be avoided.

Adult ; Biopsy ; DNA ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To study the sources and the relationship between the management and the outcome of hemorrhage after cephalic pancreatoduodenectomy.Methods The clinical data of 370 patients who underwent pancreatic resection at the Lihuili Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University were retrospectively analyzed.Results Postoperative bleeding occurred in 35 patients with 11 deaths.Among those intraabominal bleeding occurred in 14 cases and gastrointestinal hemorrhage occurred in 22,with one case suffering from both.Bleediug developing within 72 hours after operation in 12 cases (early-stage group),which was caused by improper intraoperative homeostasis.In other 23 cases,bleeding 72 hours after operation(later stage group)was caused by the erosion following pancreatic and/or bile leakage.Relaparotomy was performed in 13 cases and endoscopic homeostasis was performed in 3. Relaparotomy or endoscopic homeostasis was superior to that of conservative therapy in the early-stage group (P0.05).Pancreatic or bile leakage was identified as the significant risk factors for the postoperative bleeding.Conclusions In order to prevent the postoperative hemorrhage and to reduce the mortality of pancreatic resection,skillful techniques,expeditious homeostasis,proper management of stump pancreas and the prevention of pancreatic and bile leakage are essential.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy (LACF) combined with capecitabine on esophageal carcinoma.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty eight patients of esophageal cancer were randomly divided into 3 groups, including the radiotherapy alone group (CF) which received conventional conformal radiotherapy to a total of 60 - 66 Gy, LCAF group which received conventional fractionated conformal radiotherapy during the first two-thirds of the treatment to a dose about 40 Gy/20F/4W, then followed by late accelerated hyperfractionated conformal radiotherapy, twice daily radiotherapy at 1.3 Gy per fraction to a total dose about 64 - 69 Gy, and LCAF + C group (late accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy combined with capecitabine), in which patients were treated as the same as the LCAF group, except that they were treated with capecitabine (1.5 g po bid) from beginning of the radiotherapy to the end.

RESULTSThe short-term results of the 3 groups were 74.0%, 85.5% and 95.2%, respectively (P = 0.006). The local control rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 64.0%, 30.0%, 24.0% in the CF group, 81.8%, 65.5%, 58.2% in the LCAF group and 90.1%, 77.8%, 74.6% in the LCAF+C group, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the 3 groups were 58.0%, 20.0%, 8.0%; 78.2%, 36.4%, 17.0% and 85.7%, 55.6%, 30.2%, respectively. The effect of LCAF+C group was better than that of LCAF group and CF group. The incidence of acute tracheitis and acute esophagitis in the LCAF+C group and LCAF group was higher than that in the CF group, but there was no stastistically significant difference between the 2 groups. There was no statistically significant difference in distant metastasis in the 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONSCapecitabine, as an effective chemosensitizater combined with late accelerate hyperfractionated radiotherapy can improve the short-term results of treatment of esophageal cancer. The value of this combined treatment in distant metastasis reqires further study in the clinic.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; therapeutic use ; Capecitabine ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Dose Fractionation ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Esophagitis ; etiology ; Fluorouracil ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate

The average life expectancy in Macau is ranking the second in the world, the consumption of fresh medicinal plants is a profound culture in Macau. The paper focus on the distribution of the antioxidant herbs, a comprehensive investigation and analysis the amount of the plant resources was carried out. The antioxidant activity of alcohol extracts was determined by using the DPPH method, and six kinds fresh herbs with high antioxidant free radical activity were screened out. Reference to adult daily dose of vitamin C, it is calculated that the daily dose amount of fresh herbs is less than 200 g. For the expected shortage of resources and the ecological status of Macau, we give some suggestions of herbal introduction in population ecology reconstruction.
Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Ecosystem ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Macau ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate surgical outcomes of strip nail internal fixation with bone graft in treating tibial plateau fracture.

METHODSFrom May 2012 to May 2014,36 patients with tibial plateau fracture were retrospectively analyzed, including 25 males and 11 females with an average age of 43.5 (ranged from 17 to 65) years old. The time from injury to operation ranged from 3 to 10 days with an average of 5.8 days. All patients were treated with L-shaped and T-shaped strip nail internal fixation with bone graft. It was evaluated by the Knee Functional therapy assessment method of the Special Surgical Hospital of American at final following-up. Varus angle, caster angle and femorotibial angle were recorded and compared at 3 days and 1 year.

RESULTSOperative time was (2.2 ± 0.6) h on average, blood loss was (310.5 ± 36.2) ml on average, hospital stay was (14.8 ± 2.7) days on average. Thirty-six patients were followed up from 12 to 30 months with an average of 18.2 months. Fracture healing time ranged from 4 to 8 months with an average of 6.2 months. The difference is not significant among varus angle, caster angle and femorotibial angle at 3 days and 1 year. According to the knee functional therapy assessment method of the Specialized Surgical Hospital of American, 18 cases got excellent results, 13 good, 4 moderate and 1 poor.

CONCLUSIONStrip nail internal fixation with bone graft for the treatment of tibial plateau fracture could effectively prevent the joint surface from secondary collapse, and achieve anatomic reduction, stable fixation and earlier functional exercise in further to get satisfied clinical effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Nails ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibial Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms involved in the ligustrazine alleviation of the pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) in patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP) during exacerbation.

METHODSSeventy patients of COPD and CCP with acute exacerbation were randomly and equally divided into control group and treatment group. The control group received standard treatment with antibiotics, antiasthmatic and expectorant medications, and oxygenation; and the ligustrazine treatment group received ligustrazine treatment (80 mg/d; i.v.; for 2 weeks) in addition to the standard treatment. Before and at the end of 2 week treatment, the clinic responses of the two regimens were evaluated, plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined; arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), outflow tract of right ventricle (RVOT), and internal diameter of right ventricle (RV) were measured.

RESULTSGood clinic benefits were achieved in both the standard and ligustrazine regimens, plasma level of ET-1, values of mPAP, RV and RVOT decreased significantly, plasma level of NO and PaO2 values decreased (all P < 0.01 vs pre-treatment to all parameters). Compared with the control group, ligustrazine greatly enhanced the clinic efficacy from 77.1% to 97.1% (P < 0.05), and also resulted in more significant changes of all these parameters (P < 0.01 vs control group for all parameters). For both groups, the levels of plasma ET-1 were positively correlated with values of mPAP, RVOT, and RV (r = 0.710, 0.853, and 0.766, respectively, all P = 0.000), and negatively correlated with plasma NO and PaO2 (r = - 0.823, and - 0.752, respectively, all P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONLigustrazine is effective in treating pulmonary artery hypertension during acute exacerbation of COPD and CCP in patients from the plateau area. The observed changes in the plasma levels of NO and ET-1 in response to ligustrazine treatment suggest that ligustrazine may act through the selective effect on pulmonary blood vessels to enhance the synthesis and release of NO and suppress those of ET-1 from lung vascular endothelial cells, thus reducing pulmonary artery pressure and decreasing pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Altitude ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Chronic Disease ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Pulmonary Artery ; physiopathology ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use ; Respiration

BACKGROUND: High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a highly conserved, ubiquitous protein in the nuclei and cytoplasm of nearly all cell types. HMGB1 is secreted into the extracellular milieu and acts as a proinflammatory cytokine. In this article we reviewed briefly the cellular immune response mediated by HMGB1 in inflammation and sepsis. METHODS: This systemic review is mainly based on our own work and other related reports. RESULTS: HMGB1 can actively affect the immune functions of many types of cells including T lymphocytes, regulatory T cells (Tregs), dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and natural killer cells (NK cells). Various cellular responses can be mediated by HMGB1 which binds to cell-surface receptors [e.g., the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), Toll-like receptor (TLR)2, and TLR4]. Anti-HMGB1 treatment, such as anti-HMGB1 polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies, inhibitors (e.g., ethyl pyruvate) and antagonists (e.g., A box), can protect against sepsis lethality and give a wider window for the treatment opportunity. CONCLUSION: HMGB1 is an attractive target for the development of new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of patients with septic complications.

Objective To investigate the effects of quetiapine and risperidone in the treatment of behavior and psychiatric symptom of dementia(BPSD).Methods 56 cases of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia pa- tients were all met for the classification and diagnostic criteria for mental illness in China(CCMD-3)and randomly divided into two groups(27 in quetiapine group,29 in risperidone group),experimental dosage were 0.05～0.3g/d and 1～2mg/d,respectively.The treatment lasted for 8 weeks.Results The total efficiency of quetiapine was 66.67% and that of risperidone was 65.5%,and the statistical difference was significant.As for the adverse effects, there was no significant difference,but incidence of EPS in quetiapine group was less than that of risperidone group. Conclusion Quetiapine can be widely administrated in clinic application as the high efficacy of control BPSD with low minor adverse effect.