[Effect of the obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome treatment on blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension].

Objective: To investigate the effect of the treatments for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) on the resistant hypertension (RH) of patients. Methods: Eighty patients with OSAHS and RH (blood pressure could not be controlled under 140/90 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) even with more than three kinds of antihypertensive drugs including diuretics) received surgery or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. The results of polysomnography monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and the dosage of antihypertensive medication were recorded before and six months after the treatment. Results: Apnea hypopnea index (AHI) decreased from (32.9±10.8) before treatment to (9.4±6.5) after treatment, while the lowest oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) increased from (0.682±0.062) to (0.884±0.056), with significant differences (t value was 18.863 and 26.614, respectively; both P<0.001). Twenty-four hours systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased respectively from ((150.5±9.8)/(97.8±7.3)) mmHg to ((140.7±6.8)/(88.6±6.3)) mmHg, daytime SBP/DBP decreased from ((154.3±8.9)/(100.6±7.4)) mmHg to ((144.8±5.8)/(91.3±5.5)) mmHg, and nighttime SBP/DBP decreased from ((145.5±8.8)/(93.8±6.4)) mmHg to ((135.8±5.7)/(84.6±5.9)) mmHg, with significant differences (t value was 7.832, 6.903, 7.005, 6.848, 8.025, 7.554, respectively; all P<0.001). The reduction of nighttime SBP /DBP was ((11.5±2.2)/(10.2±3.1)) mmHg, and the reduction of daytime SBP/DBP was ((9.0±2.8)/(7.9±3.5)) mmHg. The reduction of nighttime SBP/DBP was more obvious than daytime SBP/DBP, with significant differences (t value was 9.732 and 6.936, respectively; both P<0.001). Before treatment, nighttime blood pressure decrease rate below 10% was showed in 75 percent of patients, and after treatment, this rate only in 37.5 percent of patients (χ(2)=22.857, P<0.01). The numbers of required antihypertensive drugs decreased in 45 (56.3%) cases, the average numbers of antihypertensive drugs decreased from (3.2±0.4) before treatment to (2.6±0.5) after treatment, with a significant difference (t=9.276, P<0.01). Conclusions: After treatment of OSAHS, the blood pressure of the patients with OSAHS and RH dropped significantly, the circadian rhythm of blood pressure condition was better, the varieties of antihypertensive drugs taken in these patients were reduced significantly.

Th17/Treg cell expression in children with primary nephritic syndrome and the effects of ox-LDL on Th17/Treg cells.

To investigate the role of T-helper cells/Treg (Th17/Treg) and morbidity factors related to primary nephritic syndrome (PNS) in children, as well as the influence of ox-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) on Th17/Treg expression in children with PNS. To clarify the pathogenesis of PNS in children, 50 children with PNS treated in our hospital were enrolled in the study group. Additionally, 20 healthy children who came to our hospital for physical examination during the same period were enrolled in the control group. Th17 and Treg cells in children belonging to the two groups were detected by flow cytometry; the numbers of Th17/Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells at different concentrations of ox-LDL were detected simultaneously. Ox-LDL can affect the number of Th17/Treg cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and both cell types decreased with increasing concentration of ox-LDL, with the numbers being significantly lower in the control group. However, the decrease in the number of Th17 cells was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05), whereas the decrease in Treg cells was more obvious and statistically significant (P < 0.05). The effect of ox-LDL the number of Treg cells was stronger than that on Th17 cells. We concluded that the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells influenced by high and low ox-LDL concentrations in children with PNS might be the immunological basis of the disease.

Rapid determination of benzo(a)pyrene in processed meat and fish samples by second-derivative constant-energy synchronous fluorescence spectrometry.

A simple, rapid and cost-effective method has been established for the determination of the quantity of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), one of the most carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in roasted, smoked and charcoal grilled foods. Second-derivative constant-energy synchronous fluorescence spectrometry (DCESFS) improves the spectral resolution and selectivity of the fluorescence method. By using this method, processed meat, fish and some other food samples were analysed without resorting to complex pre-separation and purification procedures. The method was found to have a recovery of 97.7% ± 4.3%. The limit of detection (LOD) for BaP was 0.14 µg kg⁻¹, far below the regulatory limit (1.0 µg kg⁻¹) for BaP in food samples specified by the European Union. A certified reference material (Coconut oil, BCR®-458) was used to confirm the validity of the proposed method. The results suggest that the measurements are in a good agreement with the certified BaP concentrations (5.4% deviation). The results obtained by the proposed method for analysing BaP in food samples correlated well with those obtained by GC/MS.

Evaluation of coronary collateral circulation in early ischemia in rat hearts. A morphological study.

Histological changes were examined in the left ventricular free wall of the heart in 40 rats after ligation of the distal anterior descending coronary artery for 15, 30 minutes and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 hours. Auto-injection of tracers for light microscopy was used to examine the development of collateral circulation. Morphological changes of the ischemic myocardium were observed by PAS staining and transmission electron microscopy. Fifteen minutes after coronary occlusion, the dye was observed in the vein of the ischemic zone; however, 30 minutes after coronary occlusion, the dye appeared in the capillaries of the outer-third layer. These findings suggested that the collateral circulation becomes functional between 15 and 30 minutes after coronary occlusion. Collateral circulation increased gradually in the capillaries of the ischemic zone. Thirty minutes after coronary occlusion the dye was seen only in the outer-third layer of the ventricular ischemic zone. One hour after occlusion, the dye appeared in the superficial space and the middle-third layer. Three hours after occlusion, the dye was seen in all layers of the ischemic zone. The dye appeared in the ischemic zone, where myocardium damage was not homogeneous. The positive reaction obtained by PAS staining corresponded with the capillaries, veins and superficial spaces in which the dye was evident. These results suggest that collateral circulation, verural back flow and superficial space flow are able to prevent myocardial infarction in early ischemia.

[The isolation and identification of PAF inhibitors from Piper wallichii (Miq.) Hand-Mazz and P. hancei Maxim].

Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a highly potent endogenous phospholipid mediator, involved in various inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders. As part of a research program dealing with PAF inhibitors isolated from Piper plant species, we have isolated kadsurenone (I), denudatin B (II), and N-isobutyl-deca-trans-2-trans-4-dienamide (III) from Piped wallichii (Miq.) Hand-Mazz. and P. hancei Maxim. In a continuing search for potential PAF inhibitor from plants, using PAF induced platelet aggregation as a guide, a new neolignan named hancinone D (IV) was isolated from P. hancei maxim. By X-ray analysis it was identified as a racemate. The X-ray analysis led to a revision of the previously made structure assignment of hancinone C. Another new neolignan named wallichinine (V), which was identified as an analogue of (IV), along with the known compounds hancinone C (VI), galgravin (VII), dihydropiperlonguminine (VIII) and crotepoxide (IX) were isolated from P. wallichii (Miq.) Hand-Mazz. The structure determination was based upon spectroscopic analysis. All of the compounds were for the first time obtained from both plants. In the test of platelet aggregation caused by PAF, I, II, V, VI, VII showed inhibitory activity, whereas III, IV, VII, IX showed no activity.