Objective To observe the poisoning components in plasma and histological changes of rabbits with acute toxicity of aconitum kusnezoffii (草乌).Methods Eight rabbits were garaged with aconitum kusnezoffii liquor,aconitum poisoning model was reproduced,electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure were recorded,the concentrations of aconitine,hypaconitine and mesaconitine in plasma after 0.5,1, 2,3 and 6 hours were measured,and the pathological changes of heart,liver and cerebral cortex were observed.Results After garage with poisoning liquor,arrhythmias and the declination of blood pressure, presenting a tendency of progressive aggravation [before garage:(121.98?16.77)/(110.66?8.78) mm Hg, 1 hour after garage:(102.98?8.34)/(90.22?5.85) mm Hg,2 hours after garage:(66.81?9.13)/ (53.40?6.32) mm Hg,1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa,all P

Objective To evaluate the methods and consequences of surgical technique in the treatment of Stanford A aortic dissection.Methods 108 patients with type Standford A aortic dissection underwent surgery in our study,including urgent surgery in 53 and selective surgery in 55.The operation was performed under deep hypothennic circulatory arrest (DHCA) in 85 cases.Surgical procedures included ascending and semi arch replacement or total arch replacement (some cases combined with stented graft implanted into the descending aorta),"elephant trunk" procedure.Concomitant procedures included repair of intimal tear in arch or descending aorta,Bentall procedure,aortic valve replacement,Cabrol or modified Cabrol procedure,aortic valvuloplasty,mitral valvuloplasty or mitral valve replacement,tricuspid valvuloplasty and CABG.Results In-hospital mortality was 6.5% (7 of 108 patients).The mor- tality was 7.5% (4 of 53 patients) in urgent surgery group and in elective surgery group was 5.4% (3 of 55 patients).Ninety six percent survived patients were followed up for 1 month to 13.3 years [mean (3.2?1.3) years] and 2 deaths occurred during the fel- low-up period.3 patients underwent re-operatian.Conclusion The choice of surgical procedures depend on the location of intimal tear for Stanford A aortic dissection.The better operative effects can be expected with proper surgical indication,perfecting surgical technique,and enhancing postoperative treatment.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical roles of Jiawei Shentong Zhuyu Decoction (JSZD) in preventing the occurrence of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and to observe its effect on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

METHODSTotally 100 patients prepared for surgical operation due to lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random number table, 50 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group additionally took JSZD, one dose per day, taken in two portions, once in the morning and once in the evening. Those in the control group took Celecoxib Capsule (200 mg each time, once per day) and Mecobalamin Tablet (0.5 mg each time, 3 times per day). They only took Mecobalamin Tablet from the 11th day. All patients were treated for 30 days. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was performed before treatment, at week 1, after treatment, at 6 months of followed-ups, and at 12 months of followed-ups. And the levels of TNF-alpha in the peripheral blood were observed before treatment and at one month after treatment.

RESULTSTotally 93 patients completed the followed-up study. The JOA scores were improved after treatment, at 6 and 12 months of followed-ups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The JOA score at 6 months of followed-ups was superior in the treatment group to that of the control group (P < 0.05). Five patients (accounting for 10.6%) suffered from FBSS in the treatment group, while 9 (accounting for 19.6%) suffered from FBSS in the control group. The treatment group was superior to the control group (P < 0.05). The TNFalpha level was improved after treatment in the two groups. Of them, the improvement of TNF-alpha in the treatment group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe application of JSZD was effective for preventing the occurrence of FBSS, and improved the serum TNF-alpha level.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo identify the mortality-related factors in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

METHODSOne hundred and seven long-term hemodialysis patients having suffered from chronic glomerulonephritis and received hemodialysis treatment in the hemodialysis center of the Friendship Hospital during February 1990 to February 2002 were selected to take part in a retrospective study. Survival analysis was done using Life Tables study. Cox regression analysis was used to find factors related to risk. Patients were divided into two groups according to the clinical value of the factors which showed statistical significance in Cox regression analysis. Survive rates were compared between two groups on Gehan test.

RESULTSAmong the 107 patients, 22 died (15.3%) and 85 survived (84.7%) during the follow-up period. Cumulative survival rates of 5 years and 10 years were 79.91% and 64.36% respectively. Prognostic factors would include age (P < 0.001), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, P = 0.004), serum creatinine (SCr, P = 0.001), value of plasma calcium multiplied by plasma phosphate (P = 0.019), and KT/V (P = 0.001), which were all tested during the third dialysis month. The Hazard Ratios (HR) were 1.107 (95% Confidence Interval, 95% CI: 1.049 - 1.168), 0.951 (95% CI: 0.918 - 0.984), 0.727 (95% CI: 0.599 - 0.883), 1.025 (95% CI: 1.004 - 1.046), and 0.013 (95% CI: 0.001 - 0.161), respectively. The survival rates between two groups were significant different (age >or= 60 years group vs < 60 years group P = 0.0006, BUN >or= 28.6 mmol/L vs < 28.6 mmol/L group P = 0.0415, SCr >or= 884 micro mol/L vs < 884 micro mol/L group P = 0.0146, value of plasma calcium multiplied by plasma phosphate >or= 40 vs < 40 group P = 0.0464, KT/V >or= 1.30 vs < 1.30 group P = 0.0215).

CONCLUSIONSThe mortality related prognostic factors of maintained hemodialysis patients seemed to include age, BUN, SCr, value of plasma calcium multiplied by plasma phosphate, and KT/V, which were all tested during the third dialysis month. Among them, age and the value of plasma calcium multiplied by plasma phosphate were risk factors of death, while the others were protective factors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Regression Analysis ; Renal Dialysis ; mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Malignant meningiomas are uncommon intracranial tumors. The metastasis of malignant meningiomas to distant extracranial sites are well known. However, dissemination of the tumours in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is rare and few cases have been reported. We present a case of histologically proven malignant meningioma with CSF dissemination at the remote intracranial area and into the spinal canal detected with magnetic resonance imaging.
Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; cerebrospinal fluid ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Meningioma ; cerebrospinal fluid ; complications ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of using cartilage link protein of hyaluronic acid (HA-CLP) for defining the tumor boundary in a mouse model of lung carcinoma.

METHODSLung carcinoma was induced in KM mice by chemical carcinogenesis. HA-CLP separated from bovine cartilage and purified by affinity chromatography was labeled with (125)I for autoradiography. Immunohistochemical analysis and Western blotting were used to examine the efficiency of HA-CLP in defining the boundaries of the lung tumors.

RESULTSWith autoradiography, the clearest image of lung cancer was obtained at 2 h. With immunohistochemical method, the tumor boundary was the most clearly displayed at 2 h when the strongest signals of HA-CLP was detected; Western blotting also showed the clearest bands of HA-CLP at 2 h.

CONCLUSIONHA-CLP has the immunogenicity of HABP, and can efficiently indicate lung tumor boundary in autoradiography and immunohistochemistry.

Animals ; Autoradiography ; methods ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hyaluronic Acid ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; Lung Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Mice ; Proteoglycans ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Radiotherapy, Image-Guided ; methods

Qigui Tongfeng tablet (QLTFT) is a traditional Chinese medicine with good effect for treating gout. Here, network pharmacology method and molecular similarity analysis were utilized to study the effective substance basis and molecular mechanism of the QLTFT on the gout. The similarity to the medicinal compounds is reflected in the Tanimoto coefficient that gives the structural similarity of two compounds. Operationally, similar modifiers were described as pairs of concepts with a similarity score of 0. 500. The results of the molecular similarity analysis suggested that the flavonoids in QLTFT could be new leads for gout. Furthermore, complex biological systems may be represented and analyzed as computable networks. Two important properties of a network were degree and betweenness. Nodes with high degree or high betweenness may play important roles in the overall composition of a network. And the results of network analysis showed that dongbeinine, verticinone-N-oxide, verticine N-oxide, peimine, peiminine, isobaimonidine, dongbeirine, peimisine and simi-arenol which with high degree acted on xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase, matrix metalloproteinase-9, an arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, tyrosine-protein kinase and etc. Inhibition of these targets can prevent the formation of uric acid, reduce inflammation by uric acid and regulate the body's immune response. Thus, these compounds may be the main effective substance basis. The research results not only reveals its molecular mechanism, but also provide a theoretical basis for the quality control of drugs and clinical application.
Gout ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmacology ; methods ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVE The present study was aimed to investigate the role of Wnt/β-catenin sig-naling in spinal VGLUT2 regulation and neuropathic pain. METHODS To elucidate the association be-tween VGLUT2 and neuropathic pain,we determined the expression and distribution characteristics of VGLUT2 in mice subjected to spared nerve injury(SNI),and then observed the effects of two VGLUT2 targeting shRNAs on mechanical allodynia and glutamate release.The effects of Wnt/β-catenin signal-ing on VGLUT2 expression and pain behavior were investigated by using Wnt agonist,Wnt1,and Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor XAV939 in SNI mice.RESULTS SNI surgery induced significant up-regula-tion of VGLUT2 on postoperative days 7,14,and 21.Double immunofluorescence labeling of VGLUT2 with NeuN,MAP2,Iba-1,or GFAP showed that VGLUT2 was mainly expressed in neurons in the dor-sal horn of the spinal cord after SNI(NeuN,MAP2).Intrathecal administration of VGLUT2 shRNAs be-fore or after SNI surgery significantly decreased mechanical allodynia and glutamate release. Mean-while,Wnt1/β-catenin signaling increased significantly after SNI surgery.Over-expression of β-catenin in PC12 cells increased VGLUT2 protein level,intrathecal administration of Wnt agonist or Wnt1 signifi-cantly increased VGLUT2 protein expression in spinal cord, while Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor XAV939 decreased VGLUT2 expression in PC12 cells and spinal cord.Additionally,intrathecal admin-istration of XAV939 7 days after SNI significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia in mice, which was in accordance with down-regulation of VGLUT2 protein levels.VGLUT2 shRNAs significantly attenuat-ed Wnt agonist or Wnt1 induced mechanical allodynia. CONCLUSION Wnt1/β-catenin signaling path-way up-regu-lates the spinal VGLUT2 expression,and this regulation is involved in neuropathic pain behavior.

Background and purpose:Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) can significantly improve the dosimetric distribution of both the target and organs at risk compared to tangential irradiation for whole breast. However,its optimized methods remain different and conflicting for many radiotherapy institutions.In order to achieve the optimized planning of IMRT for the irradiation of intact breast,we investigated different optimizing methods in three dimensional radiotherapy planning system.Methods:Ten patients with early-stage breast cancer after breast conserving surgery were eligible for the study.Two kinds of plans were performed on each patient in three-dimensional treatment planning system,inverse planning IMRT and forward planning IMRT which included 3 different optimizing methods as manual optimizing(MO),multiple points optimizing(PO) and automated inverse optimizing(AO).Various parameters were used to evaluate the efficacy of different IMRT plans.All plans were compared using dose volume histograms(DVH) for the planning target volume(PTV) and organs at risk(OARs).Results:For MO,PO,AO forward plans and inverse plans,median number of segments were 5,5.5,5 and 20 respectively,and mean total MU were 225.8, 228.4,226.4 and 345.8 MU,respectively.Comparing the different forward planning optimizations,the best target coverage and dose homogeneity of PTV was observed in AO plans(P(?)0.01),and PO and AO plans showed a better reduction of OARs exposure compared with MO plans(P(?)0.05).A further improvement of dose homogeneity in the PTV and better sparing of OARs was achieved using inverse planning(P(?)0.05).Conclusion:Forward planning IMRT with AO optimization for intact breast irradiation could provide both efficacy and dosimetric advantages better than others.The inverse IMRT plan showed more potential in improving the dosimetric outcomes.However,further studies are required for inverse optimizing plans.

0.05).However,the shorter the history of the disease,the better the efficacy of the treatment.The younger the patient was,the better the efficacy of the treatment.Conclusions Vulva dystrophy can be treated with focused ultrasound effectively and safely.This approach appears to be a new promising treatment method.