Objective Evaluate the effects of venous-arterial modified ultrafiltration on hemodynamics compared to arterial-venous in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for repair of congenital heart defects. Methods Forty patients underwent MUF randomly divided into two groups,group V-A MUF (n =20) and group A-V MUF (n =20) for 10 min after CPB. They were studied before CPB, after CPB, 10 min after CPB, and 30 min after CPB. Haemodynamic data including heart rate, blood pressure, central venous pressure and hematocrit were recorded. Transoesophaegeal echocardiography determined left ventricular posterior wall thickness in end-systole ( LVPWs) and end-diastole (LVPWd) , end diastolic volume (EDV) , end systolic volume (ESV) and ejection fraction (EF) were measured and compared in two groups. Results Patients in V-A MUF maintained better systolic arterial blood pressure at 10 min and 30 min compared with 0 min values after CPB. A significant decrease in EF were observed in both groups immediately after CPB ( P < 0.05 ). Significant increase in EF was observed at 10 min (60% ) and 30 min (46% ) after CPB compared with 0 min value after bypass in V-A MUF (P <0.001 ). In A-V MUF, no such increase in EF was observed. EF were significantly higher at 10 min and 30 min in V-A MUF as compared with A-V MUF (P < 0. 001). There was also significant improvement in posterior wall thickness in V-A MUF (P <0.05). Haematocrit values were not different in duration of postoperative between two groups. Conclusion Veno-arterial modified ultrafiltration is a safe and effective method of improving hemodynamics in children following cardiac surgery.

Though parched Chinese herbal medicines contain less effective or index components, their pharmacological actions do not reduce or even become improved to some extent. However, the current studies related to material basis could not explain the changes in property, flavour and efficacy of parched Chinese herbal medicines. Meanwhile, due to the lack of objective and specific evaluation indexes, the quality evaluation could not reflect features of parched Chinese herbal pieces. Therefore, how to break the bottleneck for the studies on parched Chinese herbal pieces, make further innovation and conduct in-depth studies on the material basis of parched Chinese herbal medicines are common problems that medical scholars are facing. According to the findings in the previous studies, the author proposed to explain the material basis of parched Chinese herbal medicines by studying Maillard reaction and establish specific quality evaluation indexes according to the features of parched Chinese herbal pieces, and conducted relevant studies.
Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Maillard Reaction ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection (XI) in treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with qi-yang deficiency and blood stasis resistance syndrome (QY-DBSRS).

METHODSTotally 238 CHF patients with QYDBSRS were assigned to the treatment group (118 cases) and the control group (120 cases) by randomized, double-blind, placebo parallel controlled method. Patients in the treatment group received routine therapy and XI (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days), while those in the control group received routine therapy and XI mimetic agent (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days). The heart function classification of New York Heart Association (NYHA), 6-min walking distance, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), scores for Chinese medical symptoms were observed before and after treatment, and safety assessed.

RESULTSTotally 235 patients actually entered full analysis set (FAS), including 120 cases in the control group and 115 cases in the treatment group. The total effective rate of heart function, 6-min walking distance and increased post-pre-treatment distance in the experimental group were superior to those of the control group with statistical difference (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, increased value of post-pre-treatment LVEF, the total effective rate of Chinese medical syndrome efficacy, scores for Chinese medical symptoms and decreased post-pre-treatment value of Chinese medical syndrome scores were obviously improved (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSXI could improve the heart function of CHF patients, improve Chinese medical symptoms, elevate exercise tolerance, and improve LVEF. It had no obvious toxic and side effects.

Chronic Disease ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Injections ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Qi ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of methylene blue (MB) on refractory hemorrhagic shock.

METHODSTotally 24 rabbits subjected to prolonged hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation were randomly divided into hemorrhagic shock group (12 rabbits) and MB group (12 rabbits; MB was administered immediately after resuscitation was performed). The plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) , interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, nitric oxide (NO), lactic acid (LA) , and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were detected before shock, immediately after resuscitation, and 0.5, 2, and 4 hours after resuscitation. The 12-hour survival rates were observed.

RESULTSThe plasma levels of TNFalpha, IL-6, IL-8, NO and LA after shock were significantly higher than before shock (P <0.01), and maintained at high levels. Compared with the shock group, higher MAP and lower plasma levels of TNFalpha, IL-6, IL-8, NO, and LA were observed in the MB group after resuscitation (P<0.01). The 12-hour survival rates were not significantly different between shock group and MB group.

CONCLUSIONAlthough MB can not improve the prognosis of refractory hemorrhagic shock, it can increase and maintain the MAP and thus play a beneficial role in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock.

Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Lactic Acid ; blood ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; blood ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term results and safety of propranolol for the treatment of infantile parotid hemangioma.

METHODSOral propranolol was administered to 17 infants with parotid hemangioma at a dose of 1.0-1.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. The patients were revisited once a week. The changes of the tumor size, texture and colour were monitored and recorded at a regular interval. The adverse effects after medication were observed and managed accordingly. The short-term results were evaluated using a 4 scales system.

RESULTSAmong the 17 patients treated, the follow-up time was 5 to 10 months. The overall response was scale I in 0 patient, scale II in 0 patients, scale III in 5 patients, and scale IV in 12 patients. No serious adverse effects were encountered.

CONCLUSIONSOral propranolol at a lower dose is a safe and effective method for the treatment of infantile parotid hemangioma. The short-term results were excellent and the side effects minimal.

Administration, Oral ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Parotid Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Propranolol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Adult ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; therapy ; Hepatitis ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Plasma Exchange

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cytotoxic mechanism of cadmium (Cd) on cerebral cortical neurons.

METHODSThe primary cultures of rat cerebral cortical neurons were treated with different concentrations of cadmium acetate (0, 5, 10, and 20 micromol/L), and then the cell viability, apoptosis, ultrastructure, intracellular [Ca2+], and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi), activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured.

RESULTSA progressive loss in cell viability and an increased number of apoptotic cells were observed. In addition, Cd-induced apoptotic morphological changes in cerebral cortical neurons were also demonstrated by Hoechst 33258 staining. Meanwhile, ultrastructural changes were distortion of mitochondrial cristae and an unusual arrangement. Simultaneously, elevation of intracellular [Ca2+]i and ROS levels, depletion of Delta Psi were revealed in a dose-dependent manner during the exposure. Moreover, CAT and SOD activities in the living cells increased significantly.

CONCLUSIONExposure of cortical neurons to different doses of Cd led to cellular death, mediated by an apoptotic mechanism, and the apoptotic death induced by oxidative stress may be a potential reason. And the disorder of intracellular homeostasis caused by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction may be a trigger for apoptosis in cortical neurons.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

Objective To explore the in vivo exposure levels of cigarette smoking ( CS) by measuring the biomar-kers nicotine and cotinine. Methods One hundred and sixty male SD rats were divided into 15 cigarette exposure groups (10, 20 and 30 nonfilter cigarettes/day, for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks) and a control group (without CS exposure). The rats were sacrificed at different time?points. The concentration of plasma nicotine and cotinine were measured by GC?MS/MS. Results The CS?exposed rats displayed decreased locomotor activity, ataxic gait, irregular respiration, nasal noise, and salivation after smoking exposure for 3 weeks. Rats in the CS exposure groups had lower body weight, and the reduction of body weight was time and dose related (P<0. 01). The retention time of nicotine was 7. 5 to 8. 5 min. The concentra?tion of plasma nicotine in the CS exposure groups was higher than control group (155 ± 56. 65) ng/mL. The retention time of cotinine was 11. 5 to 12. 5 min, the concentrations of plasma cotinine in CS exposure groups were higher than control group (340 ± 41. 97) ng/mL, the increase of plasma cotinine in CS groups was time?related (P<0. 05), and the exposure concentration and duration had synergistic effect on the level of plasma cotinine ( P<0. 05 ) . Conclusions CS exposurecauses structural damages in male rats. The plasma concentration of cotinine can effectively reflect the in vivo exposure lev?els of cigarette smoking, and well presents a dose?response relationship.

In order to produce relatively large amounts of recombinant human intestinal trefoil factor and assess its biological activity. The expression plasmid pPIC9-hITF containing AOX1 promotor and the sequences of secreting signal peptides was transformed into the yeast cells. Then through selection, positive transformants were cultivated in fermentation basal salts medium in a 5L fermenter to obtain large amount product with low cost. The secreted peptides were then purified by a combination of ionic exchange chromatography and molecular sieve. To verify the product, electrospray mass spectrometry analyses was used to determine the structure of rhITF and Western Blotting was performed to test the immunological activity. Furthermore, the biological activity of the peptide was examined by experiments from cell to tissue. The nucleotide sequence of rhITF was the same as expected. With a 5-L fermenter, 253mg of hITF was isolated at the purity of 96% from 3.5 L of yeast fermentation broth. The expression level for recombinant human ITF in this yeast system was 73.33mg/L. In our study, we provided a way to gain a production among milligram to gram of recombinant human ITF by the use of a yeast expression system. As human ITF are difficult to purify in any significant amount from tissue extraction, the way described may become a valuable tool in obtaining pure peptide for further studies of trefoil peptide function.
Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Fermentation ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; cytology ; Peptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Trefoil Factor-2

This article reveals the similarities and differences between the two materia medica systems of traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Mongolian medicine by comparing the medicinal property theories of these two; our expectations are the mutual profits and complementation of the two traditional medicines from each other, a broader clinical use of natural medicinal herbs, and then, a development of traditional medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional