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The patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis have unapparent early symptoms due to invasive and slow growth, and the disease is usually at an advanced stage upon diagnosis, which has a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is therefore of great importance. The advances in the ultrasound techniques continues to improve the accuracy for the diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis, and ultrasound plays a critical role in the treatment and assessment of therapeutic efficacy for hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. This paper mainly reviews the application of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.
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Aim: To compare the immunomodulatory effects of Super V Cordyceps Militaris (Super V CM) and I star Cordyceps Militaris (I star CM) powder on the immune suppression induced by dexamethasone in mice. Methods: Fifty male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups; control and model group, Super V CM (1 g · kg-1) group, I star CM (1 g · kg-1) group and Cordyceps capsule (1 g · kg-1) group. Apart from control group, mice of the remaining groups were injected with dexamethasone 20 mg · kg-1 on 22nd and 23rd day of the experiment. Dissection was performed 24h after the last administration, then blood routine and viscera index, the function of NK cells and abdominal macrophages and the cytokine secretion levels were analyzed. Results: Dexamethasone could significantly decrease the body mass, organ index and cellular function of immune cells in mice. The Super V CM and I star CM had significant improvement in all aspects of the immunodeficiency induced by dexamethasone. Super V CM was significantly superior to I star CM in terms of improving the spleen index, enhancing the killing ability of NK cells, and improving the secretion level of TNF-a by macrophages. Conclusion: The effect of Super V CM is better than that of I star CM in enhancing non-specific immunity.
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An effective therapeutic method for muscular dystro-phy is unavailable now;however,the research and development of anti-muscular dystrophy drugs need appropriate animal mod-els. Researchers focus on Caenorhabditis elegans because of the andvantages such as the transparent body, short life cycle, and high homology with human genes. The Caenorhabditis elegans mutant strains show musucular dystrophy phenotype similar to human diseases. In this paper,the application of Caenorhabditis elegans models in muscular dystrophy research has been re-viewed.
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Aim To explore the novel anti-fatigue a-gents targeting AMPA receptor. Methods Three ben-zoic acids of different methoxy substitutions were em-ployed, including piperonylic acid, 3,4,5-trimethoxy benzoic acid and 3,4-dimethoxy benzoic acid, which as mother nucleus and cyclic aliphatic amine or pheny-lpiperazine derivatives were introduced to modify the nitrogen atoms connecting to amino bonds. Forty-three compounds were synthesized and identified by 1 H-NMR. MTT assay, then pentobarbital induced hypno-sis experiment and mice burden swimming experiment were applied respectively to evaluate the new synthesized compounds’ cytotoxicity, CNS excitability and anti-fatigue activity. Results Compound 2j had low cytotoxicity,presenting certain central excitability and significant advantages on anti-fatigue. Conclusion The further development of compounds 2j with good anti-fatigue activities could be cultivated in further study.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To examine the effect of exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) on the liver function of workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The workers in a factory were selected as subjects, and the recent physical examination data of these workers were collected. The workers aged 20∼40 years and with more than 2 years' working experience were included for analysis; considering the intensity of electromagnetic field, the workers exposed to less electromagnetic radiation were assigned to exposure I group (n = 123), those exposed to more electromagnetic radiation to exposure II group (n = 229), and those not exposed to electromagnetic radiation to control group (n = 212). There were no significant differences in sex, age, height, and body weight between the three groups (P > 0.05). Physical examination, including measurements of direct bilirubin (DBil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and albumin, was performed in a health examination center. The intensity of electromagnetic field was measured by EFA-300 power frequency electromagnetic field analyzer, and the intensity of noise by AWA5610D integrating sound level meter.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The intensities of electric field and the magnetic field in exposure II group were significantly higher than those in the exposure I group. The levels of ALT, ALP, AST, GGT and albumin in exposure II group were significantly higher than those in exposure I group and control group. However, the level of direct bilirubin in exposure II group was significantly lower than that in exposure I group and control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Occupational exposure to ELF EMFs may affect human liver function.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Alanine Transaminase , Blood , Aspartate Aminotransferases , Blood , Bilirubin , Blood , Electromagnetic Fields , Liver , Occupational ExposureABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the exposure levels of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields in workplaces and to analyze the effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation on cardiovascular system of occupationally exposed people.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Intensity of electromagnetic fields in two workplaces (control and exposure groups) was detected with EFA-300 frequency electromagnetic field strength tester, and intensity of the noise was detected with AWA5610D integral sound level. The information of health physical indicators of 188 controls and 642 occupationally exposed workers was collected. Data were analyzed by SPSS17.0 statistic software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The intensity of electric fields and the magnetic fields in exposure groups was significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference of noise between two workplaces (P > 0.05). The results of physical examination showed that the abnormal rates of HCY, ALT, AST, GGT, ECG in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). There were no differences of sex, age, height, weight between two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic radiation may have some effects on the cardiovascular system of workers.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Cardiovascular System , Radiation Effects , Case-Control Studies , Electromagnetic Fields , Electromagnetic Radiation , Occupational ExposureABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of perindopril, amlodipine and telmisartan on improving the artery stiffness in patients with hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with primary hypertension were randomly assigned to perindopril (4 mg/day), Amlodipine (5 mg/day) and telmisartan (80 mg/day) regimen for 3 months (n = 34 each). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured by an automatic brachial ankle pulse wave velocity device before the treatment, one-month and three-month after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) SBP, DBP and PP were significantly decreased in all three groups (P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in HR in all three groups (P > 0.05). (2) BaPWV was significantly decreased in all three groups. In the perindopril, Amlodipine, telmisartan group, baPWV was (1859 +/- 492) cm/s, (1780 +/- 335) cm/s, (1859 +/- 337) cm/s before the treatment; was (1757 +/- 508) cm/s, (1647 +/- 285) cm/s, (1632 +/- 261) cm/s one-month after the treatment; was (1702 +/- 538) cm/s, (1559 +/- 288) cm/s, (1566 +/- 326) cm/s three-month after the treatment. Compare the baPWV one-month after the treatment to before the treatment P < 0.001; Compare the baPWV three-month after the treatment to before the treatment P < 0.001; Compare the baPWV three-month to one-month after the treatment perindopril group and telmisartan group P < 0.01, amlodipine group P < 0.001. (3) The changes of baPWV in one or three months were significantly more in the telmisartan group than in the perindopril and amlodipine groups (1 months P < 0.01, 3 months P < 0.05). The change of baPWV was significantly greater in three months than in one montin in all three grops (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Arterial stiffness of hypertensive patients was improved post Telmisartan, amlodipine and perindopril therapy in proportion to therapy duration. Telmisartan is superior to amlodipine and perindopril on improving arterial stiffness of hypertensive patients. Continuous anti-hypertensive treatment with telmisartan, amlodipine and perindopril will have a persistent improvement of the artery flexibility.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Amlodipine , Therapeutic Uses , Antihypertensive Agents , Therapeutic Uses , Benzimidazoles , Therapeutic Uses , Benzoates , Therapeutic Uses , Blood Pressure , Brachial Artery , Hypertension , Drug Therapy , Perindopril , Therapeutic Uses , Vascular ResistanceABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To obtain the coronary artery and coronary sinus (CS) and its tributaries imaging with multislice computed tomography (MSCT), measure the distance between coronary artery and CS and its tributaries and analyze their spatial relationships.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The MSCT scans of 117 patients (67 men, 50 women, age 56 +/- 10 years) were obtained, 3D image reconstructed and the vessels courses evaluated. The concomitant distances and spatial relationships of the vessels were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Right coronary artery domination was found in 107 cases (91.4%), left coronary artery domination in 7 cases (6.0%), and co-domination in 3 cases (2.6%). Left circumflex artery (LCX) was concomitant with CS or the great cardiac vein (GCV) in 81 cases (69.2%), intersected with left posterior vein in 62 cases (53.0%) and with middle cardiac vein (MCV) in 5 cases (4.3%), respectively. The dominant coronary artery branched out into the posterior descending artery (PDA) and the left posterior artery (LPA) in 112 cases (95.7%). PDA was concomitant with MCV in 93 cases (79.5%) and intersected with MCV in 44 cases (37.6%). LPA was intersected with MCV in 106 cases (90.6%), and concomitant with CS in 50 cases (42.7%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MSCT is a reliable tool to visualize the relationship between coronary artery and CS and its tributaries. Owing to the multiple possibilities inherent to this technique, MSCT has broad potential for more clinical use.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Coronary Angiography , Coronary Sinus , Diagnostic Imaging , Coronary Vessels , Tomography, Spiral ComputedABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the correlation between thrombosis and stability of atherosclerotic plaque within criminal vessels in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) by coronary angioscopy, to explore the clinical pathological basis for acute coronary syndromes (ACS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight patients with UAP were enrolled, the patients with post-infarction angina pectoris and variant angina pectoris were excluded. There were 48 males and 20 females, aged from 40 to 73 (average 62.4 +/- 8.6) years. The criminal vessels of there patients were observed by coronary angioscopy during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 68 criminal vessels in 68 patients. Atherosclerotic plaques were observed in all criminal vessels. Among criminal vessels, thrombi and intimae lesions were detected in 63 cases and 46 cases, respectively. Among 68 cases with atherosclerotic plaques, there were 48 cases of yellow plaques (70.5%), 18 cases of light yellow plaques (26.5%) and 2 cases of white plaques (2.94%). Sixty-three thrombi cases were mural and on-occlusive, which included 11 cases of red or mixed thrombi (17.5%) and 52 cases of white or pink thrombi (82.5%). All intimae lesions were accompanied by thrombosis, which included 11 cases of red or mixed thrombi (23.9%) and 35 cases of white or pink thrombi (76.1%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study has shown that the rupture of unstable yellow plaque and its thrombosis were the pathological basis of UAP. Therefore, stabilizing yellow plaque before its rupture may play critical role in prevention and treatment of ACS.</p>