Comparative study on short and long-term intervention impacts of six Chinese herbs with cold or heat property on lipid and energy metabolism in mice / 中国中药杂志

This study selected three typical Chinese herbs with cold property(Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, and Coptidis Rhizoma) and another three with heat property(Cinnamomi Cortex, Zingiberris Rhizoma, and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) to observe their regulatory effects on metabolism in animal organism, especially on lipid and energy metabolism in mice after a short-(7 d) and long-term(35 d) intervention. The mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism genes in epididymal adipose tissue and liver were determined by real-time PCR. The oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and energy consumption were detected by metabolic system. After the short-term intervention, the Chinese herbs with heat property significantly reduced epididymal adipose tissue index and elevated the expression levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC), lipoprotein lipase(LPL), and carnitine-palmityl transferase 1(CPT-1) in liver and epididymal adipose tissues. However, those with cold property promoted the expression of above-mentioned genes in epididymal adipose tissue. After the long-term intervention, cold and heat Chinese herbs had no significant effect on epididymal adipose tissue index of animals, while cold Chinese herbs could increase carbon dioxide production and energy consumption and reduce activity. These findings demonstrated that the short-term intervention effects of cold and heat Chinese herbs on animal metabolism were significantly stronger than the long-term intervention effects. Specifically, the short-term intervention with cold Chinese herbs enhanced the lipid metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue, while the heat Chinese herbs promoted lipid metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue and liver. The long-term intervention with cold and heat Chinese herbs resulted in no obvious change in lipid level, but long-term intervention with cold Chinese herbs accelerated energy consumption of the body. This study preliminarily observed the effects of cold and heat Chinese herbs on normal animal physiology from lipid and energy metabolism, which would provide reference for explaining the biological basis of Chinese herbs with cold or heat property based on biological response.

Application of Minimum Effective Cuff Inflating Volume for Laryngeal Mask Airway and its Impact on Postoperative Pharyngeal Complications / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>High intracuff pressure can cause severe pharyngeal complications including sore throat or hoarseness after laryngeal mask airway (LMA) removal postoperatively. Though the application of minimum effective cuff inflating volume is suggested to maintain airway sealing and adequacy of ventilation for patients receiving general anesthesia with LMA at lower level of the intracuff pressure, it is currently not a standard care in most of the anesthetic departments. In this study, the minimum effective cuff inflating volume was determined for classic LMA Well Lead™ (Well Lead Medical Co., Ltd., China) and its impact on postoperative pharyngeal complications was also explored.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (I-III) undergoing the short-duration urological surgery were recruited in this trial. First, the minimum effective cuff inflating volume was determined for size 4 or 5 LMA Well Lead in the study 1. Immediately following placement and confirmation of ideal LMA position, the cuff was inflated with 5, 7, 10 ml of air and up to 30 ml at 5 ml increment. The intracuff pressure, oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP), and inspiratory peak airway pressure under positive pressure ventilation at the corresponding cuff volume as indicated above were recorded. Second, the enrolled patients were randomly allocated into minimum effective cuff inflating volume group (MC) and routine care (RC) group in the study 2. The minimum effective cuff inflating volume was applied and maintained in MC group, whereas the cuff volume was inflated with half of the maximum cuff inflating volume recommended by manufacturer in RC group throughout the surgical procedure and stay in postanesthesia care unit prior to LMA removal. The incidence of pharyngeal complications at 0, 2, 24, and 48 h after removal of LMA and other intra-operative adverse events were also documented.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The intracuff pressure varied with the cuff inflating volume in a positive linear correlation manner (Y = 11.68X - 42.1, r(2) = 0.9191) under the range of 5-30 ml for size 4 LMA. In similar with size 4 LMA, the data were also showed the linear relationship between the intracuff pressure and the cuff inflating volume (Y = 7.39X - 10.9, r(2) = 0.8855) for size 5 LMA. The minimal effective cuff inflating volume for size 4 or 5 LMA was 7-9 ml in combination of considering OLP needed to maintain airway sealing during intermittently positive pressure ventilation. The intracuff pressure in MC group was lower compared with RC group (63.0 ± 3.7 vs. 126.4 ± 24.0 cmH2O for size 4 LMA; 55.6 ± 2.4 vs. 138.5± 26.8 cmH2O for size 5 LMA; P < 0.0001). The incidence of pharyngeal adverse events was lower in MC group versus the RC group at 2, 24 h after LMA removal.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The relationship between the cuff inflating volume and the intracuff pressure for size 4 or 5 LMA Well Lead(TM) is in a linear correlation manner at the range of 5-30 ml. The minimal cuff inflating volume is adequate for satisfactory airway sealing and consequently associated with lower incidence of postoperative pharyngeal complications for LMA Well Lead.™.</p>

Effect of medicines for activating blood and reinforcing Qi on angiogenesis in infarcted myocardium edge area of acute myocardial infarction model in rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of medicines for activating blood and reinforcing Qi on the number of new micro-vessels and the protein expressions of VEGF and bFGF in the infarcted myocardium edge area of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) model in rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The AMI model of rats was established. After the successful model establishment, rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group, the model group, the Danshen-Huangqi (1 : 2) group, the Danshen-Huangqi (1 : 1) group, the Chuanxiong-Huangqi (1 : 2) group, the Danshen group, the Chuanxiong group, the Chishao group and the Shexiang Baoxin pill group, with five rats in each group. Rats in each medicated group were orally administered with drugs as per 13.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) once everyday for three weeks. The immunohistochemical SP method was adopted to detect the expression of vWF in myocardial tissues, and count the number of micro-vessels (MVC). The protein expression of VEGF and bFGF in myocardial tissues were determined by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The new micro-vessels stained by vWF factor could be found in the infarcted myocardium edge area of the sham-operated group, the model group and all of medicated groups. The sham-operated group show unobvious new micro-vessels in myocardial tissues. A small amount of new micro-vessels could be seen in the infarcted myocardium edge area of the model group. Whereas a larger number of micro-vessels could be seen in the infarcted myocardium edge area of all of medicated groups. The differences between the sham-operated group and the model group had statistical significance (P < 0.05). The differences between each medicated group and the model group had statistical significance as well (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The lowest protein expression of VEGF and bFGF was found in myocardium of the sham-operated group, with the statistical significance compared with the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, each medicated group showed significant increase in the protein expression of VEGF and bFGF, with the statistical significance between them (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Danshen group, the Chuanxiong group, the Chishao group, the Danshen-Huangqi (1 : 2) group, the Danshen-Huangqi (1 : 1) group and the Chuanxiong-Huangqi (1 : 2) group show the effect in promoting angiogenesis. Their mechanism for promoting angiogenesis may be related to the improvement of the protein expressions of VEGF and bFGF, so as to increase the contents of VEGF and bFGF and promote the angiogenesis of new vessels.</p>

Sildenafil potentiates the proliferative effect of porcine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells induced by serotonin in vitro / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Sildenafil is one of the selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors that has been proven by many investigators to suppress growth factor stimulated (e.g. platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or epidermal growth factor (EGF)) proliferation and hypertrophy of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) via cGMP/cGKIa pathway. Serotonin promotes cell cycle progression leading to cell mitogenesis and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary artery hypertension. The role of sildenafil in proliferation of PASMCs induced by serotonin has not been investigated so far. In this study we explored the underlying mechanism of the effect of sildenafil on serotonin induced proliferation of porcine PASMCs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PASMCs were cells from primary cultures by the explant method from the pulmonary artery of swine and cells at passage 3 - 5 were used in this study. MTT colorimetric assay and flow cytometry analysis were used to evaluate the cell proliferation and alterations in cell cycle progression respectively. Western blotting analysis was applied to determine the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1 (MKP-1).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serotonin (10 µmol/L) induced the upregulation of phosphorylation of ERK1/ERK2 and PCNA, an increase in the percentage of cells in S phase and subsequent cell proliferation. Pretreatment with 1 µmol/L sildenafil potentiated the phosphorylation of ERK1/ERK2, an increase in the percentage of cells in S phase and cell proliferation, compared with serotonin stimulation alone (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 30-minute pretreatment with 10 µmol/L U0126, specific antagonist for ERK kinase (MEK) prevented the increase in phosphorylation of ERK1/ERK2 and abolished cell cycle progression and the proliferation of PASMCs induced by sildenafil.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study shows that sildenafil potentiated the proliferative effect of serotonin on PASMCs via phosphorylation of ERK1/ERK2.</p>

Eletrogastrographic abnormalities in children with functional dyspepsia complicated by anorexia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the eletrogastrographic pattern in children diagnosed as functional dyspepsia (FD), with or without anorexia, and to investigate whether there is a link between the pattern of eletrogastrographic activity and anorexia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two children with FD and receiving eletrogastrography (EGG) examination were classified to two groups: anorexia group (n=18) and non-anorexia (n=14). EGG was performed for 30 minutes during fasting and for 120 minutes postprandially. EEG variables measured included the percentage of normal gastric rhythm, the percentage of bradygastria and tachygastria, EGG domain frequency and its instability coefficient, and the fed-to-fasting ratio of the EEG domain power.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The percentage of abnormal gastric rhythm before a meal in the anorexia and non-anorexia groups was 77.8% and 78.6 % respectively (P>0.05); and that was 77.8% and 57.1% respectively after a meal (P>0.05). The fasting (31.6% vs 48.9%) and postprandial bradygastria frequencies (33.4 % vs 27.8 %) between the two groups were not significantly different. However, the percentage of tachygastria in the anorexia group was significantly higher than that in the non-anorexia group (fasting: 6.2% vs 0, P<0.01; postprandial: 14.8 % vs 1.9%, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the instability coefficient of the dominant frequency and the fed-to-fasting ratio of the EEG domain power between the two groups both during fasting and after a meal.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>EGG abnormalities were associated with pediatric FD. Tachygastria occurred more often in the anorexia group than in the non-anorexia group.</p>

Food intake before going to bed and nighttime gastro-esophageal reflux / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>An unhealthy food consumption habit attributes to one of the etiology of gastro-esophageal reflux. The purpose of this article was to study the influence of food intake before going to bed on the nighttime gastro-esophageal reflux.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-eight children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms were divided into two groups on the basis of taking (Group A, n=16) or not taking (Group B, n=22) food (non-stimulating) within 2 hrs before going to bed. All of them underwent 24 hr esophageal pH monitoring. The times of reflux episode, the longest duration of reflux, the times of reflux duration > 5 min, and the percentage of time of pH < 4 were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no significant differences in the parameters of pH monitoring between Groups A and B, with the times of reflux episode of 32 (21.5-43.5) vs 24 (15-37.3) , the longest duration of reflux of 6.6 (2.4-29.8) min vs 4.5 (2.5-13.2) min, the times of reflux episode longer than 5 min of 1.5 (0-3) vs 0 (0-3), and the percentage of time of pH < 4 of 4.3 (2.1-15.0)% vs 4.1 (2.0-7.2)% .</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Non-stimulating food intake before going to bed did not adversely affect the nighttime gastro-esophageal reflux.</p>