[TLC-identification of radix Rehmanniae and its mixed medicinal materials in Pharmacopoeia]

In 237 kinds of medicinal meterials included 71 kinds of Chinese patent medicines composed in Pharmacopoeia such as Liuweidihuang Pills, character identify constituent of Radix Rehmanniae was found by TLC, and was successed to use to identification of Radix Rehmanniae in 10 kinds of Chinese patent medicines such as Liuweidihuang Pills.

[Studies on extracting procedure for huoxue jiangzhi capsules by orthogonal analysis]

The contents of tanshinone IIA, protocatechuic aldehyde and anthraquinone were used to evaluate the extracting procedure for Huoxue Jingzhi capsules by orthogonal analysis. The best one can be described as: the drug powder is reflowed 2 times, 3 hours each, percolated by 80% alcohol with the 4 times weight of powder.

Direct demonstration of P-selectin- and VCAM-1-dependent mononuclear cell rolling in early atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice develop atherosclerotic lesions throughout the arterial tree, including the carotid bifurcation. Although the expression of adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and P-selectin on endothelium that overlie atherosclerotic plaques has been implicated in monocyte recruitment to developing lesions, monocyte adhesion in atherosclerotic vessels has not been observed directly. To investigate which adhesion molecules may be important in monocyte adhesion to atherosclerotic lesions, an isolated mouse carotid artery preparation was developed and perfused with mononuclear cells. We show rolling and attachment of the human monocytic cell line U937 and the mouse monocyte-macrophage cell line P388D1 in carotid arteries from 10- to 12-week-old ApoE-/- and C57BL/6 wild-type mice fed a Western-type diet (21% fat wt/wt) for 4 to 5 weeks. No rolling was observed in carotid arteries from C57BL/6 or BALB/c wild-type mice fed a chow diet and little was observed in BALB/c mice fed a Western-type diet. This model represents early lesion development as shown by minimal macrophage infiltration in the intima of carotid arteries from ApoE-/- mice fed a Western-type diet. Rolling was observed at shear stresses that were characteristic of the low-shear recirculation zone near the carotid bifurcation. Mononuclear cell attachment and rolling were significantly inhibited by monoclonal antibody blockade of P-selectin or its leukocyte ligand P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1. Rolling velocities increased after monoclonal antibody blockade of mononuclear cell alpha4-integrin or VCAM-1, which indicates that alpha4-integrin interacting with VCAM-1 stabilizes rolling interactions and prolongs monocyte transit times.

Dietary L-arginine attenuates expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in the aortae of hypercholesterolemic rats

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the antiatherogenic effect of L-arginine is due to an inhibition of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in the aortae of hypercholesterolemic rats.

METHODS

Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: Group NC with normal diet (NC, n = 8), Group CC with 4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid diet (CC, n = 8), Group AC with 4% cholesterol and 1% cholic acid diet supplemented with 3% L-arginine HCl in the drinking water (AC, n = 8). Eight weeks later, the blood samples were collected for biochemical studies, and the aortae were harvested for RT-PCR and immunohistochemical studies.

RESULTS

The results showed that dietary L-arginine supplementation reduced expression of VCAM-1 in protein level and mRNA level.

CONCLUSION

Inhibitory effect of dietary supplementation of L-arginine on VCAM-1 expression may be one of the mechanisms of its antiatherosclerosis.

Relationship of vascular remodeling and restenosis after interventional therapy: an experimental study on rabbit atherosclerotic iliac artery model

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relative contribution of every part of vascular wall to lumen area loss after angioplasty.

METHODS

Angioplasty was performed on rabbits iliac atherosclerosis model. Histomorphometric results of histological cross-sectional areas from target vessels of animals killed immediately after angioplasty (acute group, n = 20) were compared with those of the same areas from animals killed 4 weeks after the procedure (chronic group, n = 23), when restenosis occurred in this model. If taking 30% diameter decrease as restenosis criteria, the chronic group was further divided into two subgroups (nonrestenosis subgroup [NRS, n = 9] and restenosis subgroup [RS, n = 14]) and their histomorphometric results were also compared.

RESULTS

The lumen area decreased by 0.48 mm2 from acute group to chronic group (acute group 0.86 +/- 0.23 mm2 vs chronic group 0.38 +/- 0.20 mm2, P < 0.001). Over the same period intimal area increased by 0.12 mm2 and the area circumscribed by inner elastic lamina (IEL area) decreased by 0.36 mm2. Intimal hyperplasia could only explain 25% of the later lumen area loss. We further found a more significant IEL area decrease in RS subgroup than in NRS subgroup (0.68 +/- 0.35 mm2 vs 0.94 +/- 0.14 mm2, P < 0.05), despite the same intimal area (0.39 +/- 0.16 mm2 vs 0.41 +/- 0.31 mm2, P = NS). The different lumen area between RS subgroup and NRS subgroup (0.27 +/- 0.10 mm2 vs 0.55 +/- 0.10 mm2, P < 0.001) was predominantly due to the greater IEL shrinking in RS subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that later lumen area loss after angioplasty results from both intimal hyperplasia and arterial shrinking (remodeling), but the latter plays a much greater role.

Diode-pumped high-efficiency Tm:YAG lasers

Eye-safe solid-state lasers that operate at 2 mm wavelength have many applications in medical, remote sensing and military technologies. With a 3-W CW laser-diode pumping, we obtained 760 mW 2.01 mm Tm:YAG laser under CW operation. The slope efficiency was 44% and the optical to optical efficiency reached 36%. In the acousto-optic Q-switched operation, laser pulses with the energy of 1.2mJ and 380 ns FWHM width have been achieved.

[The features of coronary angiography in coronary heart disease with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus]

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical and angiographical characteristics of coronary heart disease (CHD) in CHD patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

METHODS

The study was carried out by case control analysis of the clinical manifestations and the data from cine selective coronary angiography.

RESULTS

CHD patients with NIDDM tended to have multiple cardiovascular risk factors. It is likely that NIDDM contributed more to dyslipidemia in the female than in the male. Unstable angina pectoris was found more frequently in CHD patients with NIDDM than in those without. The female CHD patients with NIDDM were more frequently afflicted with myocardial infarction. Moreover, CHD patients with NIDDM had much greater extent of coronary vessel involvement and more diffuse vascular lesion.

CONCLUSION

The clinical and angiographical findings are quite different in CHD patients with and without NIDDM. The lesions in the coronary arteries tend to be more severe and diffuse in patients with NIDDM.

Coronary angiographic characteristics in unstable angina pectoris

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the angiographic characteristics of coronary lesions in patients of different subgroups of unstable angina pectoris.

METHODS

Coronary angiograms and clinical manifestations were analysed on 388 patients.

RESULTS

Single-vessel disease was more common in new onset effort angina (69.64%) than in other subgroups (P < 0.05); triple-vessel disease and left main coronary artery disease appeared more frequently in patients with rest angina than in other subgroups (72.34% and 27.66% respectively, P < 0.05), so did complex lesions and type C lesions (36.07% and 60.64% respectively, P < 0.05). More than half of the culprit lesions in post-infarction angina were subtotal or total occlusions (53.12%), being more frequently found in this than in other subgroups (P < 0.05). Most of the patients with Prinzmetal variant angina had mild coronary lesions only. Coronary thrombi were found in 10.45% of the 388 patients; they were more frequent in patients with post-infarction angina (20.00%) than in the subgroups of new onset effort angina, aggravated effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (4.26%, 7.53% and 0% respectively, P < 0.05). Coronary thrombi were also more frequent in patients with chest pain at rest (16.39%) than in the subgroups of new onset effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that patients with angina at rest should be treated more intensively. Energetic anticoagulation treatment should be given to patients with post-infarction angina and angina at rest.

[TLC identification of Flos Carthami]

In 137 kinds of medicinal meterials included 21 kinds of traditional Chinese patent medicines in Pharmacopoeia such as Qili Powder, character identified constituent of Flos Carthami was found by TLC, and was successful to be used to identification of Flos Carthami in 9 kinds of traditional Chinese patent meicines such as Qili Powder.

A novel, heritable, expanding CTG repeat in an intron of the SEF2-1 gene on chromosome 18q21.1

There are currently 13 diseases known to be caused by unstable triplet repeat mutations; however, there are some instances (as with FRAXF and FRA16) when these mutations appear to be asymptomatic. In a search for polymorphic CTG repeats as candidate genes for bipolar disorder, we screened a genomic human chromosome 18-specific library and identified a 1.6 kb clone (7,6A) with a CTG24 repeat that maps to 18q21.1. The CTG repeat locus, termed CTG18.1, is located within an intron of human SEF2-1, a gene encoding a basic hellx-loop-hellx DNA binding protein involved in transcriptional regulation. The CTGn repeat is highly polymorphic and very enlarged alleles, consistent with expansions of up to CTG2100, were identified. PCR and Southern blot analysis in pedigrees ascertained for a Johns Hopkins University bipolar disorder linkage study and in CEPH reference pedigrees revealed a tripartite distribution of CTG18.1 alleles with stable alleles (CTG10-CTG37), moderately enlarged and unstable alleles (CTG53-CTG250), and very enlarged, unstable alleles (CTG800-CTG2100). Moderately enlarged alleles were not associated with an abnormal phenotype and have a combined enlarged allele frequency of 3% in the CEPH and bipolar populations. Very enlarged alleles, detectable only by Southern blot analysis of genomic digests, have thus far been found in only three individuals from our bipolar pedigrees, and to date, have not been found in any of the CEPH reference pedigrees. These enlarged alleles may arise, at least in part, via somatic mutation.

[Research on power Doppler ultrasound imaging technique]

In this paper we introduce a method and an implementation of blood flow imaging by means of backscattered Doppler ultrasound power. Compared with Color Flow Map technique based on autocorrelation, this technique is relatively angle independent, aliasing free and more sensitive to blood flow signal with noise background. We present the theory, experimental system and in-vitro experimental results. The realization of this technique means a new stage of color Doppler ultrasound imaging technique in our country is coming.

The differential expression of NGFS-like substance from fresh pilose antler of Cervus nippon Temminck

Extracts of cartilage from antlers of non-mature deer, e.g. Cervus nippon Temminck, have been used as Chinese traditional medicines and restoratives. Since bioactivities attributed to the antler extracts resembled growth factor activities, the objective of our study was to compare the biological activities of different deer antler extracts with those of known growth factors. Extracts of the deer antlers were found to stimulate the growth of nerve fibers and to induce morphologic changes during differentiation and effect DNA synthesis in PC-12 cells, thus sharing with a known growth factor, NGF, several bioactivities.

[Study of relationship between the bacteria in air and the clinic infection]

The Source of infectious bacteria is the first problem in provension of infection considered by the medical workers. In this paper, with the method of bacteria plasmid analysis, chromosome DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, drug resistance experiment (antibacterial drug, sterilizing drug) and so on. We confirmed that staphylococci of nosocomi is mainly from air; but the gram-negative bacteria is mainly from the patient's pharyngeal portion; and cause hospital infection indirectly. The drug resistance of gram-negative from air was lower than the same gram-negative bacilli's isolated from the patient. Moreover, kill bacteria the infectious strain is same strain in air. Above-mentioed results provided the important basis for control of the hoslpital infection.

Laser-induced breakdown in H2 gas at 248 nm

Measurement of optical breakdown threshold in hydrogen gas with a KrF excimer laser at 248 nm is presented. The result shows a sharp increase of the threshold intensity at a few atmospheres of gas pressure when a focusing lens with a longer focal length is used. This enhancement is partially explained in terms of the influence of pump beam depletion in stimulated Raman scattering.

[Coronary angiographic characteristics of patients with unstable angina]

In order to study the characteristics of coronary lesions of patients with unstable angina, coronary angiograms and clinical manifestations were analysed on 388 patients. The results were as follows: single vessele disease was more common in new onset effort angina (69.64%) than in other groups (P < 0.05). Triple vessele disease and left main coronary artery lesion appeared more frequently in patients with rest angina than in other groups (72.34% and 27.66% respectively, P < 0.05), so did complex lesions and type C lesions (36.07% and 60.64% respectively, P < 0.05). More than half of the culprit lesions in early postinfarction angina was subtotal or total occlusions (53.12%), being more frequently found in this than in other groups (P < 0.05). Most of the patients with Prinzmetal variant angina had mild coronary lesions only. Coronary thrombi were found in 10.45% of the 388 patients; they were was more frequent in patients with early postinfarction angina (20.00%) than in the groups of new onset effort angina, aggravated effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (4.26%, 7.53% and 0% respectively, P < 0.05). Coronary thrombi were also more frequent in the patients with chest pain at rest (16.39%) than in the groups of new onset effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (P < 0.05). It is suggested that patients with angina at rest should be treated more intensively. Strengthened anticoagulation treatment should be given to patients with early postinfarction angina and angina at rest.

[Percutanous transluminal coronary angioplasty for unstable angina]

Percutanous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 190 patients with 250 diseased vessels and 278 lesions from Dec. 1987 to Feb. 1994. All the patients had unstable angina (UA). There were 52 (18.7%) type A lesions, 175 (62.9%) type B lesions and 51 (18.3%) type C lesions. Of the 190 patients undergoing PTCA, 134 (70.5%) patients had dilatation of a single vessel, 46 (24.2%) of two vessels and 10 (5.3%) of three or more vessels. In 121 patients with multivessel disease, 98 (81.0%) had incomplete revascularization of the ischemia-related vessel (the culprit vessel) and only 23 (19.0%) had complete vessel revascularization. Kissing balloon technique was used in six patients and autoperfusion balloon in five. There were four patients undergoing directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) and four intracoronary stent. The clinical (patient) success rate was 94.7% (180/190) and technical (vessel) success rate 95.2% (238/250). The average degree of vessel stenosis was 88.7% +/- 8.3% before PTCA and the residual tenosis was 17.9% +/- 9.2% after PTCA. Acute vascular complications occurred in 18 (6.5%) lesions. 15 were managed successfully, two developed Q wave myocardial infarct and one died. None needed emergency coronary bypass operation. PTCA was not successful in 10 patients. In 180 patients with successful PTCA, 165 (91.7%) were free from UA, 15 (8.3%) patients had symptoms improved and oxygen need reduced. During a six-month follow-up, 26 patients had chest pain again with confirmed restenosis, repeated PTCA was performed successfully.

Ataxia-telangiectasia: flow cytometric cell-cycle analysis of lymphoblastoid cell lines in G2/M before and after gamma-irradiation

It has been estimated that 1 to 3% of the general population may be ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) heterozygotes and hypersensitive to conventional doses of radiation. We attempted to identify heterozygotes by evaluating the proportion of cells in various phases of the cell cycle in response to irradiation. This was accomplished by using flow cytometry to study lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from 14 A-T homozygotes, 17 genotypic A-T heterozygotes, and 18 normal individuals, including 10 genotypic normals. The LCLs were exposed to 2-gRay radiation and were analyzed after 24 hr along with nonirradiated controls. The difference between the percentage of cells in G2/M with and without irradiation after 24 hr ranged, respectively, from: 12.0 to 31.5% (mean = 18.7 +/- 5.5) for A-T homozygotes; 6.7 to 19.3% (mean = 12.5 +/- 3.8) for A-T heterozygotes; and -1.5 to 12.4% (mean = 6.4 +/- 3.2) for normals. A cut-off region of 9.6 to 13.2% defined by one standard deviation above the mean for normals and one standard deviation below the mean for A-T homozygotes served as the grey zone between normals and A-T heterozygotes or homozygotes. Two of the 18 normals overlapped with the grey zone. Four of 17 heterozygotes were within the normal range; seven fell within the grey zone. This may reflect nongenetic variables, such as the status of the LCLs at the time of testing. Flow cytometry cell-cycle analysis on irradiated LCLs is a useful adjunctive test for establishing a diagnosis of A-T in questionable cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Its success rate and affecting factors

From December 1987 to October 1983, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 302 patients with 392 diseased vessels and 440 lesions. The success rate was 93.71% in 302 patients, 94.90% in 392 diseased vessels and 95.00% in 440 lesions. The success rate was 98.92% in Type A lesion, 95.71% in Type B lesion, and 86.57% in Type C lesion (A vs B P = NS, A vs C P < 0.01). There were 55 lesions with total or subtotal occlusion, the success rate was 89.09% (93.10% in Type B lesion and 84.62% in Type C lesion). As to the diseased vessels, the success rate was 95.65% in LAD, 94.38% in LCX and 93.75% in RCA. The results showed no significant difference. In this series, acute ischemic complications were found in 6.59% (29/440). Of these 29 lesions, 23 were treated successfully, 5 developed Q wave myocardial infarction and 1 died.

A pulsed-field gel electrophoresis map in the ataxia-telangiectasia region of chromosome 11q22.3

Our interest in isolating the gene(s) for ataxia-telangiectasia has prompted us to construct a physical map of chromosome 11q22.3 using markers localized to this region by linkage analysis and/or hybrid cell panels. Twenty-two markers have been analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Nine of these markers form an approximately 2-Mb long-range contiguous map. An average distance of 200 kb between probes in this map should facilitate the isolation of new cDNAs, anonymous probes, and YACs in an orderly way.

[Thixotropic properties of whole blood in children with congenital heart disease]

The thixotropic parameters of whole blood in two groups of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) were measured. Group 1. cyanotic heart disease (CCHD), 20 cases; Group 2. acyanotic heart disease (ACHD), 30 cases. Fifty healthy children were controls matched with the patients in sex and age. Their thixotropic parameters were compared; the paired t-test was used. In the children with CCHD, the hematocrit (HCT), the yield stress (tau 0) the Newtonian contribution of viscosity (mu), the equilibrium value of the structural parameter (A), the apparent viscosity at 2.37 sec-1 (eta s) and the Non-Newtonian contribution of viscosity (eta s-mu) were significantly higher than those in corresponding control groups. In the children with ACHD, only the values of tau 0, eta s-mu, and eta s were higher than those in control groups. All of the thixotropic parameters in CCHD group were significantly higher than those in ACHD group. Thus we described quantitatively CHD in terms of thixotropy of blood. The thixotropic parameters of blood could be used as indexes of severity for pathologic changes of CHD.

Localization of an ataxia-telangiectasia locus to a 3-cM interval on chromosome 11q23: linkage analysis of 111 families by an international consortium

Linkage of at least two complementation groups of ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) to the chromosomal region 11q23 is now well established. We provide here an 18-point map of the surrounding genomic region, derived from linkage analysis of 40 CEPH families. On the basis of this map, 111 AT families from Turkey, Israel, England, Italy, and the United States were analyzed, localizing the AT gene(s) to an 8-cM sex-averaged interval between the markers STMY and D11S132/NCAM. A new Monte Carlo method for computing approximate location scores estimates this location as being at least 10(8) times more likely than the next most likely interval, with a support interval midway between STMY and D11S132 that is either 5.2 cM (sex-averaged and conservatively based on 3 lod scores from the maximum-location score) or 2.8 cM (male specific, based on a 2.72:1 interval-specific female-to-male distance ratio.

[Study on thixotropic parameters of whole blood from healthy children]

With low shear-30 rheometer, the authors used a modified protocol to measure thixotropic parameters of whole blood from 200 healthy newborns and children, so as to suggest the normal range of blood thixotropic parameters in four age groups, namely, the newborns, 1 year- group, 5 year- and 10-15 year group. The results demonstrated that the thixotropic parameters in the newborn group were higher than those in other three groups. However, these thixotropic parameters in the group 1-10 years were lower than those in the 10-15 year group. No significant sex differences were noted among the fore three groups, but sex differences appeared obviously in the 10-15 year group. It implied that the changes relying on the age is consistent with children's growth, development and physiologic activities.