Search

Objective: The preventive and therapeutic effects of the aqueous extract of Ficus pumila on COPD model rats were observed and its mechanism was also discussed. Methods: COPD model was established by intratracheal injection of lipopolysaccharide and smoking. Using the pulmonary function test, the level of related inflammatory factors detection in the BALF by ELISA, the blood gas analysis and HE staining for lung pathological observation. Results: The results showed that the indexes of the model rats were consistent with the pathological characteristic of COPD. The model group animals had obvious airflow obstruction, while the high dose of F. pumila aqueous extract group could significantly increase the levels of FVC, Fev0.3, PEF, Fev0.3/FVC （P2 and CO2 in the lungs of the model rats; At the same time, the high dosage of Ficus pumila aqueous extract can significantly improve the pulmonary ventilation function of COPD, and the effect was better than positive drug. Medium dose-, high dose aqueous extract group and positive drug group could significantly reduce the number of leukocytes （P

The construction features of cofferdam filling work at upstream and downstream of Chongqing Jialing River Caojie navigation-power junction phase I project was introduced in this paper. By way of reasonable organization, cofferdam filling reached the required level which could live through the flood season smoothly within a drought period. The cofferdam filling work has short construction time, fast rising velocity, and good construction quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-stressing anchor cable is concrete linear type and the steel strand is unbounded in Jialing River Caojie navigation-power junction desilting sluice project. This work will be carried out with post tension method that first tightening the steel strands in signal piece and then tension the bunch-strands. The main anchor cable consists of 45 pieces of steel strands which are the thickest bunch in hydraulic and hydroelectric construction at present, the weight is 75 kg. We introduced the whole construction process, and the analysis and treatment on common issues in construction, which can provide references for similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measuring methods and requirements from some water conservancy and hydropower specifications applied in lock engineering and metal structure construction are introduced in this paper. Combining the actual project condition and work experience, we summarized the difficulties in measuring and measuring schemes, which may provide valuable experience for the future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To prepare calcium alginate-chitosan intra-gastric floating beads of naringenin combining with the solid dispersion method and investigate the in vitro floating characteristics, entrapment efficiency and drug release property of the beads., Methods: The solid dispersion of naringenin was prepared by the Eudragit RLPO. Sodium alginate solution mixed with the powder of the solid dispersion of naringenin and frother was slowly dripped into chitosan-calcium chloride solution added with acetic acid. Calcium alginatechitosan intra-gastric floating beads of naringenin were obtained after drying. The effects of solid dispersion on in vitro release of naringenin were investigated., Results: Intra-gastric floating beads of naringenin were acquired successfully. More than 70% of the beads kept floating in artificial gastric juice in 9 h, the release ratio of naringenin during 9 h was 65%-70% and the entrapment efficiency was about 70%-80%., Conclusion: The sustained release of naringenin in the calcium alginate-chitosan intra-gastric floating beads could be achieved by using the solid dispersion method and it provides some ideas of intra-gastric floating preparations.

Objective: To study the metabolism of Z-ligustilide(Z-LIG) in vivo and in vitro in rats and the pharmacological activities of Z-LIG and metabolites in vitro., Methods: The biotransformation of Z-LIG in rats in vivo was tested. Z-LIG was also incubated with rat liver microsomes in vitro. The incubated product was extracted, separated and identified with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high resolution mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum and UV. The effects of Z-LIG and its main metabolites on hydrogen peroxide (H1O2)-induced injuries were examined in cultured PC12 cells., Results: The HPLC analysis of the metabolites of Z-LIG was obtained. Senkyunolide I (SYL) isolated from in vitro incubation was identified as the main metabolite of Z-LIG. Both Z-LIG and SYL showed significant and concentration-dependent protection against H2O2-induced injuries in PC12 cells., Conclusion: SYL is the main metabolite of Z-LIG in rats. Z-LIG and SYL exert similar protective effects against oxidative damage in cultured PC12 cells.

Objective: To study the absorption mechanism of puerarin and its nanoparticles across Caco-2 cell model., Methods: The Caco-2 monolayer model was used to explore the effect of time and drug concentration on the absorption of puerarin and its nanoparticeles. The drug concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and the Papp was caculated., Results: The puerarin-PLGA-NP could significantly improve the absorption of puerarin. Puerarin was not only absorbed simply through passive diffusion, but also had relations with high dispersion of nanoparticles, increase of affinity and interaction with intestinal mucous membrane., Conclusion: The main mechanism of puerarin and its nanoparticles across Caco-2 monolayer model is passive transference. Puerarin-NP could increase the absorption of the drug in intestinal epithlial.

Objective: To evaluate the whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI in detecting intranodal lesions in patients with lymphoma., Methods: Whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) were performed in 23 patients with histologically proven lymphoma. A conventional coronal MRI scan from head to inguinal groove was done for whole body scanning. In the DWI, axial MRI scans were performed after segmentation based on SENSE technique, and all images were merged into whole body image reconstruction by software., Results: 417 lymph nodes were detected by MRI in the 23 patients. The overall positive rate of whole body MRI and DWI was 79.1% and 89.7%, respectively. It was 70.9% versus 85.2% and 79.4% versus 90.1% for the lymph nodes of < 2 cm and 2-3 cm in diameter, with a significant difference between the two methods (P < 0.01). However, it was 94.7% versus 97.9% for the lymph nodes of > 3 cm in diameter, not significantly different between the two methods (P > 0.05). Both methods had similar sensitivity in detecting the lymph nodes in the neck, supraclavicular and infraclavicular fossae, mediastinum and axillary fossa. However, the positive rate of whole body MRI was 51.2%, 43.8% and 52.2%, significantly less sensitive than 83.7%, 71.9% and 87.0%, respectively, by DWI in detecting the lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal space, pelvic cavity and inguinal groove (all P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Both whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted MRI have a relative high sensitivity in detecting intranodal lesions for patients with lymphoma, showing a certain value in clinical application.

Objective: To determine butylidenephthalide in Ligusticum Chuanxiong with RP-HPLC., Method: The sample was extracted with methanol using sonication. The ESTD was used to quantify butylidenephthalide. HPLC separation was carried out in a Hypersil ODS columm (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) , eluted at 1 mL x min(-1) with methanol-5% isopropyl alcohol (60: 40) at 25 degrees C. The detection wavelength was 230 nm., Result: The linear range was 0.07-0.7 microg for butylidenephthalide. The average recovery was 95.3%, and RSD was 2.3% (n =6)., Conclusion: This method was simple and could be used to determine butylidenephthalide with satisfactory accuracy and reproducibility.

To summarize the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica, including the distillable methods, the analysis of the chemical components, the pharmacological effects and the clinical applications. We tracked and searched the correlative references and study reports about volatile oil of the angelica in CNKI data base(1994-2004) and Medline data base (1997-2004). We summarized and compared the different distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica, meanwhile we summarized many study reports about the analysis of the chemical components of volatile oil of the angelica and it's pharmacological effects, including the toxicity of the volatile oil and it's effects on the uterus smooth muscle, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, central nerve system and immune system. Finally we summarized the clinical application of the volatile oil of the angelica. There are three distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica . The harvest efficiency of volatile oil is different with different distillable methods. The chemical components are very complicated and the new chemical components are separated and identified. The volatile oil has bidirectional effects on the uterus smooth muscle. It can inhibit the contraction of the uterus smooth muscle induced by different mechanisms. Meanwhile it can depress the blood pressure and ameliorate the cardiac ischemia. The volatile oil can resist the arrhythmia and asthma, restrain the central system, improve the immune function. Nowadays the volatile oil of the angelica is applied to therapy the dysmenorrhea and disorder of the catamenia. The chemical components of the volatile oil of the angelica are very complicated, moreover the pharmacological effects of the volatile oil are comprehensive. People make the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica.

Objective: To observe the expression of adrenomedullin (AM) in the patients with laryngeal carcinoma., Methods: Two-step immunohistochemistry method was used to examine the expression of AM in the patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Radioimmunoassay was applied to determine the concentration of AM in the laryngeal carcinoma tissues, adjacent laryngeal mucosa of carcinoma tissues and in the plasma of patients and controls., Results: Positive stainings for AM were found in all 21 specimen examined,distributed mainly in the cytoplasm of the laryngeal carcinoma cells. Positive stainings were more stronger in the circumference than in the center of tumor tissue for the highly and moderately differentiated tumors. While the stainings were distributed homogeneously for poorly and moderately differentiated tumors. The concentration of AM in the laryngeal carcinoma tissues (n = 44) and the adjacent mucosa (n = 44) were (49.67 +/- 28.33) pg/ml and (14.71 +/- 7.17) pg/ml (x +/- s) respectively and laryngeal tumor showed much higher concentration of AM than the adjacent mucosa (u = 135.00, P < 0.01). The concentration of AM in patients with laryngeal carcinoma of T2, T3 and T4 stage were (31.52 +/- 15.22), (56.63 +/- 18.51) and (96.12 +/- 18.22) pg/ml (x + s) respectively,and there were statistically significant difference among them. In the N stage, patients with higher stages were found to express significantly higher AM concentration, but there was not statistically significant difference between NO stage and N1 stage. In the M stage,patients with M1 stage were found to express significantly higher AM concentration (u = 31.00, P < 0.01). But there was not statistically significant difference between AM plasma concentration of laryngeal carcinoma patients and that of healthy controls., Conclusions: The results suggested that high expression of AM in tissues of laryngeal carcinoma was related with the TNM stage of laryngeal carcinoma, AM may play an important role in the development of the laryngeal neoplasma.

Objective: To study the changes of the hippocampus metabolites with MRS to provide some clues for exploring the possible underlying unrecognised factors and pathophysiological mechanisms of psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED)., Methods: Fifteen cases of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and 15 normal volunteers (the control) were studied by a clinical 1. 5T MRI/MRS system. Proton multi-voxel spectroscopy imaging (1H-MRSI) was obtained from both sides of the hippocampus region. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr) and choline-containing compounds (Cho) were determined and the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were calculated respectively., Results: The NAA/Cr ratio was significantly lower in the ED patients than in the control (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cho/Cr ratio between the two groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Psychogenic erectile dysfunction may not be simply a functional disease. The hippocampus may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychogenic ED. The disease may have some previously unrecognised underlying aetiological factors and pathophysiological mechanisms.

Objective: To evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) in magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging with echo-planar technique in depicting the tumor cellularity and grading of astrocytoma., Methods: Thirty-four astrocytoma patients including 18 male and 16 female with age from 10 to 73 years (mean 38.4 years) were examined by MRI and eventually proved by surgical resection and pathological examination. Of them, 26 had low-grade (grade I, II) astrocytoma and 8 high-grade (grade III, IV) astrocytoma. ADC value of astrocytoma was determined on magnetic resonance diffusion weighted images. Cellularity of the astrocytoma was analyzed using Adobe Photoshop 7.0.1 software., Results: The mean ADC value (in units of 10(-4) mm(2)/s) of the high-grade astrocytomas (7.34 +/- 2.95) was significantly lower than that of the low-grade astrocytomas (13.76 +/- 3.31) (t = 4.91, P < 0.001). The mean cellularity of the high-grade astrocytomas (19.81 +/- 9.73)% was significantly higher than that of the low-grade astrocytomas (4.74 +/- 2.96)% (t = 4.32, P = 0.003). ADC value of the astrocytoma was significantly and negatively correlated with its cellularity (r = -0.535, P = 0.001)., Conclusion: ADC value of astrocytoma is significantly and negatively correlated with its cellularity. Magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging may well be highly potential in predicting the degree of astrocytoma.

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of marker gene and reporter gene transfection into human squamous cell carcinoma of larynx implanted in nude mice with a new EGFR mediated non-viral polypeptide gene delivery system., Methods: Labeled streptavidin biotin (LSAB) was applied to examine over-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the squamous cell carcinoma of larynx. The complex of marker gene or reporter gene and gene delivery system was prepared and subsequently inoculated with Hep 2 cells or injected into laryngeal carcinoma implanted on nude mice., Results: Over-expression of EGFR was observed on inoculated Hep 2 cells and on 65% of laryngeal carcinoma specimen examined (15/23). Positive staining was located on the surface of the cells and some of them in the cytoplasma. Green fluorescence was observed on Hep 2 cells under fluorescent microscope 48 hrs after PEGFP-C1 gene transfection and became the strongest 72 hrs after transfection. The rate of transfection was 80% (78/97). Blue staining was noticed 12 hrs after beta-gal gene transfer and it became more remarkable 24 hrs after gene transfection with X-gal staining on the implanted human laryngeal carcinoma on nude mice., Conclusions: Squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck over-expressed EGFR and a non-viral GE7 polypeptide gene delivery system could transfer exogenous genes into laryngeal carcinoma cells and tissues with high efficiency and targeting both in vitro and in vivo suggesting that GE7 would be applicable as a new targeted, high efficient gene delivery system to the gene therapy of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck.