Aim Toexaminethecombinedeffectsof 5-ALA and metformin on diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin( STZ) in mice, and to discuss the mech-anisminitially.Methods Thediabeticmiceinduced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ were treated with 5-ALA and/or metformin for 30 days. Physical signs, fasting blood glucose ( FBG ) , fasting plasma insulin ( FIns) , plasma leptin ( Lep) , glucose tolerance, and histological changes of liver and pancreas were as-sessed. Insulin resistance was evaluated by the homeo-stasismodelassessment(HOMA).Results There were more significant effects when 5-ALA combined with metformin than only using metformin on lowering FBG, FIns and Lep. And 5-ALA combined with met-formin could improve glucose tolerance and the insulin sensitivity. Microscopic analysis demonstrated that sig-nificant changes in pancreatic islet and characteristic feature of the vacuolization phenotype in liver was ob-served on diabetic mice, and use of 5-ALA could in-hibit shrinking pancreatic islet number and hepatic morphological changes, especially in combination with metformin.Conclusions Asynergisticeffectof5-ALA and metformin is observed. Combined therapy of 5-ALA and metformin can decrease FBG and improve glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and islet ? cells function and morphology.

OBJECTIVEObserve the effects of Goutengsan on SOD, MAO-B, GSH-PX, NO, LDH, index of brain, rate of death and so on in rats to study therapeutic effects and mechanism of Goutengsan on Alzheimer dementia (AD) model.

METHODOne hundred and twenty rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, 3 experimental groups of which were daily administrated with Goutengsan extract whereas the model and control groups were given NS (0.01 mL x g(-1)). Aniracetam at 0.1 g x kg(-1) served as a positive control. At the 5th day after administration, all groups except the control were administrated (ip) with AlCl3 (100 mg x kg(-1) ) for successive 50 days at 1 day interval. After administration, the death rate, body weight, training scores, brain index, MAO-B, SOD, GSH-Px in brain and NO, LDH in serum were determined.

RESULTThe brain index, SOD, GSH-Px activities as well as NO content of drug-treated groups were strikingly higher that of model group, and had not obvious difference from that of normal group except content of LDH was higher.

CONCLUSIONGoutengsan could increase the brain index, cut down the rate of death, stable increase of body weight, promote the endogenous antioxidant activity, enhance the clearance of lipid peroxide and other metabolic waste, inhibit the MAO-B activity, reduced the leakage of LDH and maintain the content of NO at a normal level. Therefore Goutengsan could protect cells, delay senile, improve symptoms of AD.

Aluminum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chlorides ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Pyrrolidinones ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

This meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the relationship between NM23 expression and the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.We searched PubMed,EMBASE and Web of Science for relevant articles.The pooled odd ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95％CI were calculated to evaluate the prognostic value of NM23 expression in patients with colorectal cancer,and the association between NM23 expression and clinicopathological factors.In total,2289 patients were pooled from 24 available studies.The incorporative OR combined by 16 studies with overall survival showed that high NM23 expression was associated with better overall survival (OR=0.67,95％CI:0.49-0.93,P=0.02,I2=56％,Ph=0.004).And a new estimate without heterogeneity was produced when only combining high-quality studies (OR=0.70,95％CI:0.56-0.86,P=0.0007,I2=46％).In disease free survival (DFS),we also obtained a good prognosis (OR=0.30,95％CI:0.14-0.68,P=0.004).Although we failed to find any significance in N status (P=0.10),elevated NM23 expression was related to well tumor differentiation (OR=0.60,95％CI:0.44-0.820,P=0.001) and Dukes' A&B (OR=0.55,95％CI:0.32-0.95,P=0.03).These results indicated that over-expressed NM23 might be an indicator of good prognosis,well tumor differentiation and Dukes' A&B of patients with colorectal cancer,but no significance was found in N status.

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of two arterial closure devices, Angioseal and Perclose, in patients undergoing coronary angiography and invasive interventions.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to April 2011, 997 inpatients underwent coronary angiography and interventions with arterial closure using Perclose (486 cases) or Angioseal (511 cases). The time to ambulation and hemostasis, major vascular complications and deployment success rate with the two devices were compared.

RESULTSThe time to hemostasis was significantly shorter in Angioseal group than in Perclose group (3∓0.9 min vs 10.8∓4.8 min, P<0.001), but the time to ambulation was comparable between the two groups (6.4∓1.2 h vs 6.3∓0.7 h, P>0.05). The incidences of vascular complications showed no significant differences between the two groups (4.5% vs 3.7%, P>0.05), and none of the cases in either group developed femoral artery thrombosis or low limb embolism following the procedures. The deployment success rate was comparable between the two groups (97.8% vss 98.6%, P>0.05), and deployment failure was associated mainly with mishandling and design defect of the devices.

CONCLUSIONSAngioseal and Perclose are both effective and safe for arterial closure with reduced hemostasis and ambulation time and low incidences of vascular complications. Angioseal appears to have better performance than Perclose in shortening the hemostasis time and is easier to handle.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; China ; Coronary Angiography ; adverse effects ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; surgery ; Hemostatic Techniques ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies

AIM To investigate the effects of different compatibility ratios and processing method on the content of rutin,isoquercetin,ferulic acid,quercetin,isotoosendanin,kaempferol,toosendanin,α-pinene,trans-anethole in the combination use of Toosendan Fructus and Foeniculi Fructus,and to explore the optimal compatibility ratio for its use.METHODS The analysis of HPLC-DAD was performed on a 30℃thermostatic ZORBAX SB C18 column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the use of DAD detector.SPSS 24.0 software was used to analyze the data differences.RESULTS Nine constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r≥0.999 1),whose average recoveries were 96.19%-103.13%with the RSDs of 1.86%-2.67%.Generally higher total content of nine constituents were detected in the combination use groups when Toosendan Fructus-Foeniculi Fructus were at ratios of 1 ∶ 1,1 ∶ 2,and 2 ∶ 1 than those single uses(P<0.05),and among which the 1 ∶ 1 ratio contributed the highest total content.After salt processing,decreased content of toosendanin and isotoosendanin,α-pinene and trans-anethole(P<0.05,P<0.01)),increased isoquercetin content(P<0.01),and no significant content changes of other ingredients were detected.CONCLUSION Through this method of high accuracy and good reproducibility,we learn that the combination use of Toosendan Fructus and Foeniculi Fructus promotes the dissolution of the nine constituents,and the maximum content is achieved at ratio of 1 ∶ 1.

Objective To analyze the characteristics and limitations of MRI diagnosis of Guillian Barre syndrome. Methods Fifteen patients with Guillian Barre syndrome (14 in acute stage, 1 in chronic stage) were performed MRI plain scans and contrast-enhanced (CE) T1-weighted images (T1WI) with fat saturation to observe the relation between MRI manifestations and clinical characteristic in peripheral nerves in the vertebral canal. Results Eight patients in acute stage appeared cauda equina nerve thickening to a varying degree by MRI plain scan and the involved nerves showed isointensity on T1WI and isointensity or slight hypointensity on T2WI. In the chronic patient, the cauda equina and the spinal nerve at all the levels of the spinal cord showed obvious thickening. CE T1WI indicated partial spinal and canda equina nerves thickening to a varying degree below T8 level in 14 acute stage patients with 2 accompanied by partial cervical nerves thickening and 2 by partial cranial nerves thickening, in the chronic patient, T1WI showed enhancement and thickening of all the spinal nerves, cauda equina and partial cranial nerves. Every patient had a symptom of weakness in lower limb, including 9 paralyses in both limbs. Enhanced MRI displayed pathologic changes in the cauda equina in all the patients, while 7 complained of weakness in both upper limbs with only 3 (43%) defined on MRI and 6 suffered from functional disorder of the cranial nerves with 3 (50%) defined on MRI. Conclusions MRI is a sensitive method to demonstrate the pathological changes of the cauda equina in GBs;however, under-diagnosis can often happen in involvements of the cervical and cranial nerves.

Although the majority of coronary artery anomalies are found incidentally and not clinically significant, the interarterial course between the major vessels of the aberrant artery may be responsible for syncope, angina, arrhythmias or sudden death. There are only a few case reports describing the origination of all the coronary arteries from a single ostium. This anomaly occurs in only 0.024%-0.044% of the population. Left coronary artery originating from the right coronary is a rare coronary abnormality. Here we report a case of acute myocardial infarction in a patient with anomalous left coronary artery originating from the right coronary artery, as was confirmed by computerized tomography angiogram, which showed that only one single coronary artery stem originating from the right sinus of Valsalva trifurcated into a right coronary artery, left circumflex artery and a hypoplastic left anterior descending artery. Subsequent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures were performed successfully. PCI procedures should be carried out with great caution in such cases, and this condition should be managed as a left main lesion.
Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

PURPOSE: Five members of the zinc finger of the cerebellum (ZIC) family—ZIC1, ZIC2, ZIC3, ZIC4, and ZIC5—have been shown to be involved in various carcinomas. Here, we aimed to explore the clinicopathologic and prognostic roles of ZIC family members in invasive breast cancer patients using immunohistochemical analysis, western blotting analysis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). METHODS: A total of 241 female invasive breast cancer patients who underwent radical mastectomy between 2009 and 2011 were enrolled. ZIC proteins in 241 pairs of breast tumors and corresponding normal tissues were investigated using immunohistochemistry and the clinicopathologic roles of proteins were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis were also used to analyze the prognostic value of the ZIC proteins. In addition, 12 pairs of fresh-frozen breast tumors and matched normal tissues were used in the western blotting analysis and RT-qPCR. RESULTS: Only ZIC1 expression in normal tissues was obviously higher than that in tumors (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, ZIC1 expression (in overall survival analysis: hazard ratio [HR], 0.405, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.233–0.702, p=0.001; in disease-free survival analysis: HR, 0.395, 95% CI, 0.234–0.669, p=0.001) was identified as a prognostic indicator of invasive breast cancer. CONCLUSION: ZIC1, but not the other proteins, was obviously decreased in breast tumors and associated with clinicopathologic factors. Thus, ZIC1 might be a novel indicator to predict the overall and disease-free survival of invasive breast cancer patients.
Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cerebellum* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Zinc Fingers* ; Zinc*

OBJECTIVETo establish a detection method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for concentrations of volatile nitrosamine compounds in urine, and apply it to the test of real samples.

METHODSTarget compounds dichloromethane in urine samples was extracted with dichloromethane through liquid-liquid extraction, then the dichloromethane extract was filtrated, evaporated with nitrogen at 40°C to dryness, and the volume was set with 0.2 ml dichloromethane. Analysis of nine volatile nitroso-compounds were performed with GC-MS under selected ion monitoring mode, external reference method was used for quantification, and the detection limit, repeatability and sensitivity were evaluated. In addition, nine volatile nitroso-compounds of 92 urine samples in a town of Anhui province were measured.

RESULTSA good linear range of 2 - 200 ng/ml (with correlation coefficient 0.9985 - 0.9999) were obtained for the above mentioned nine kinds of analyte, and the lowest examination concentration was 0.05 - 0.50 ng/ml. The addition standard recoveries were 68%-102% with the RSD of 0.4% - 5.5% (n = 3). The detection limits were 0.001 - 0.013 ng/ml urine. The detection rate of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine (NDBA) and N-nitrosodiphenylamine (NDPhA) were 71% (65), 74% (68), 65% (60), 80% (73), 92% (85), 78% (72), 76% (70), 87% (80), 98% (90), respectively, with the results (0.27 ± 0.12), (0.75 ± 0.29), (0.06 ± 0.02), (0.16 ± 0.07), (23.66 ± 5.18), (1.01 ± 0.35), (0.38 ± 0.11), (2.47 ± 0.52) and (15.13 ± 3.48) nmol/g creatinine.

CONCLUSIONSA gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detect method was developed for low level volatile nitrosamines in urine samples.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Nitrosamines ; urine ; Urinalysis ; methods ; Volatile Organic Compounds ; urine

OBJECTIVETo examine whether the polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene are associated with the susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in Chinese railway construction workers at Qinghai-Tibet where the altitude is over 4 500 m above sea level.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted including 149 HAPE patients in the construction workers and 160 healthy controls randomly recruited from their co-workers, matching the patients in ethnicity, age, sex, lifestyle, and working conditions. Three polymorphisms of eNOS gene, T-786C in promoter, 894G/T in exon 7, and 27bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 4, were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed with DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThe frequencies of 894T allele and heterozygous G/T of the 894G/T variant were significantly higher in HAPE patients group than in the control group (P=0.0028 and P=0.0047, respectively). However, the frequencies of the T-786C in promoter and the 27bp VNTR in intron 4 were not significantly different between the two groups. Haplotypic analysis revealed that the frequencies of two haplotypes (H3,T-T-b, b indicates 5 repeats of 27 bp VNTR; H6, C-G-a, a indicates 4 repeats of 27 bp VNTR) were significantly higher in HAPE patients (both Pü0.0001). On the contrary, the frequencies of H1 (T-G-b) and H2 (T-G-a) were lower in HAPE patients than in healthy controls (both Pü0.001).

CONCLUSIONSTwo haplotypes (T-T-b and C-G-a) may be strongly associated with susceptibility to HAPE. Compared with the individual alleles of eNOS gene, the interaction of multiple genetic markers within a haplotype may be a major determinant for the susceptibility to HAPE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Altitude ; Base Sequence ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Primers ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; Occupational Diseases ; enzymology ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pulmonary Edema ; enzymology ; genetics ; Tibet ; Young Adult