The changes of pulmonary arterial and pulmonary venous plasma endothelin (ET) level in oleic acid(OA) —induced lung injury (ALI) rats were observed. After the ALI model of rats was established by intravenous injection of OA, blood samples were taken from a right cardiac catheter inserted via the right external jugular vein into the pulmonary artery to determine the plasma ET levels by using radioimmunoassay before OA injection, and 2 h and 4 h after OA injection. At the same time, arterial oxygen pressure (PaO₂) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were measured to evaluate the role of ET in acute lung injury. The results showed that the plasma ET levels after OA injection were significantly increased in OA group rats as compared with those in the controls, positively correlated with mPAP and negatively with PaO₂. The plasma ET level in pulmonary vein was higher than in pulmonary artery, but no significant difference was found. It was concluded that ET, as a local or circulating hormone, might play an important role in pathophysiology of ALI.

Three diphtheria toxin (DT) mutants CRM-197, DT-del (148) and DT-EH8S-K516A-F530A were cloned inB. Subtilis plasmid PSM604 under the subtilisin signal sequence. The expression was effective in both SMS300 and SMS118, but higher yield of 7. 1 mg/L was observed in SMS300 compared with 2. 1 mg/L in SMS118. Western blot showed that the recombinant protein could be effectively secreted into the culture medium as a 58 ku peptide, and could be degraded into two peptides of 37ku and 21ku.

The multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and function in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were studied to investigate whether the inhibition of hematopoietic cell P-gp function by multidrug resistance reversal agent increases the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs on the hematopoietic cells. The expression of P-gp on the surface of CD₃₄⁺ cells from healthy human marrow was examined by flow cytometry. The multidrug resistance reversal agent MS209 was used to measure the effects of MS-209 on the Rhodamin-123 uptaking of CD₃₄⁺ hematopoietic cells. By using methylcellulose semi-solid culture, normal human granulocyte-macrophage clonal formation unit (CFU-GM) was cultured. The changes in CFU-GM inhibitory rate caused by daunorubicin were determined in the presence or absence of MS-209. The results showed that the P-gp expression rate of bone marrow CD₃₄⁺ cells was 13. 3 %. MS-209 obviously increased the Rhodamin-123 uptake of CD₃₄⁺ positive cells. The mean inhibitory rate of daunorubicin for CFU-GM was 29. 6 %, but it was increased to 43. 3 % in the presence of MS-209 with the difference being significant (P<0. 05). It was concluded that hematopoietic cells expressed P-gp protein and possessed active function. MS-209 could inhibit the membrane efflux pump and increase the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs to the clonal growth of hematopoeitic stem cells, suggesting the side effects of these drugs on the hematopoietic system should be taken into consideration in the clinical use.

To investigate the effects of L-tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP) on energy metabolism, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and NO during acute cerebral ischemiareperfusion of rats, 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 6 rats in each group: sham-operation group, simple ischemia group, ischemiareperfusion group and treatment group (L-THP group). Cerebral ATP, lactate, ET-1 and NO levels were measured in all groups. Our results showed that treatment with L-THP could increase cerebral ATP levels, but decrease cerebral lactate, ET-1 and NO concentrations during ischemia-reperfusion in the treatment group. It is concluded that L-THP could improve cerebral energy metabolism and protect the injured brain tissue, the mechanism of which might be related to suppression of overproduction of ET-1 and NO.

To investigate the relationship between endothelial function and carotid artery wall thickening in patients with early mild essential hypertension, the percent dilatation of humerus diameter and intimal-medial thickening (IMT) of common carotid artery was measured by using high-resolution ultrasound in 20 patients with early mild essential hypertension and 18 patients with normotension. The patients with hypertension had not been treated and their history of increased blood pressure was less than 12 months. In essential hypertension group, the percent dilatation of humerus diameter decreased significantly (2. 65 ±0. 98 % vs 6. 38 ±1. 61 %); IMT of carotid artery increased (0. 88 ±0. 16mm vs 0. 58± 0. 08). There was significant negative correlation between IMT and the percent dilatation of humerus diameter (γ= −0. 82,P<0. 05), and no correlation between IMT and 24 h mean systolic, diastolic pressure (γ= 0. 12 and γ= 0. 07, respectively;P>0. 05). Our results suggested that there was endothelial dysfunction in early mild essential hypertension. Endothelial dysfunction may not only contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension but also serve as the most important inducing factor leading transformation from hypertension to atherosclerosis.

In an open multicenter prospective study, the effects of short-term (4 weeks. n=101) and long-term (6 months,n = 38) terazosin treatment on blood pressure, serum lipids and safety in the patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were observed. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in sitting position were significantly reduced by 16. 4 % and 14. 0 % respectively (F<0. 01) after 4 weeks of terazosin therapy, with the total efficacy rate being 87. 1 %. During a 6 month therapy, antihypertensive effect of terazosin could be maintained. Total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)cholesterol in serum were significantly decreasedP < 0. 05– 0. 01) in patients with hypercholesterolemia (TC≥6 mmol/ml)after 4 week terazosin treatment; the levels of TC, LDL and triglyceride were significantly improved in hypertensive patients after 3–6 month terazosin treatment. The improvement of lipid metabolism was related to the dosage of terazosin but not to antihypertensive effects of terazosin. The results suggested that terazosin is effective in decreasing blood pressure and improving lipid metabolism. It may serve as a good antihypertensive agent for hypertensive patients with hypercholesterolemia.

The adriamycin magnetic microspheres (ADM-MAMs) were prepared by the heat-stabilized protein methods. Their physico-chemical properties were examined; their cytotoxicities against tumor cellsin vitro were assayed by a modified MTT method, and their effects were observed on the implanted gastric tumor in Wistar rats given ADM-MAMs via alimentary canal at the presence of the external magnetic fields. The results showed that the ADM-MAMs were successfully prepared and had cytotoxic effect on tumor cellsin vitro similar to the free ADM (P>0. 05). The inhibitory effects of ADM-MAMs on the implanted gastric tumorin vivo were significantly increased as compared with the controls (P<0. 01). Our results suggested that ADM-MAMs were a new type of adriamycin (ADM) preparation and its form alteration did not affect its anticancer effects.

Thirty-eight colorectal cancer patients were randomly assigned to treatment group, which took cimetidine in the perioperative period, and control group to which no drug was given. Twenty healthy volunteers served as normal controls. NK cells were measured by immunocytochemical technique. The results showed that NK percentages before treatment in both groups of patients were significantly lower than those in normal controls (P<0. 05). NK cell percentages at admission, before operation, on the 2nd and the 10th postoperative days were 14.84 ±4. 41, 15. 74±3. 75, 17.21±3.69, 21.05±4. 54, respectively, for the treatment group, and 15.00±2.77, 13.05±2.46, 14. 21±2.19, 15.58±1.68, respectively, for control group. The difference was statistically significant (P< 0. 01), suggesting that the perioperative administration of cimetidine could help restore NK cells in colorectal cancer patients.

The level of urinary FPA was assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 42 normal controls, 57 cases of chronic glomerulonephritis, including 24 with normal renal function, 12 with renal insufficiency and 21 with uremia. Their levels were 24. 40±10. 30 ⧎g/L, 26. 99±5. 77 μg/L, 38. 81±6. 28 μg/L, 79. 74±18. 76 μg/L, respectively. The level of urinary FPA in renal insufficiency function group was significantly higher than those of the control group and normal renal function group CP<0. 01). The patients with uremia presented dramatically higher level of urinary FPA than those in the renal insufficiency group CP<0. 01). A positive correlation was found between the level of urinary FPA and the blood creatine (r=0. 9120,P<0. 01). It was suggested that a hypercoagulable state existed in the patients with chronic nephritis with renal failure, in which the severity was closely related with the occurrence and development of the disease. The urinary FPA could serve as a good indicator for renal function.

To elucidate the pathogenesis of acute renal failure (ARF) with nephropathia epidemic (NE), provide experimental evidence for the new therapy to NE and observe the effects of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides on adhesion of renal tubular epithelial cell (RTEC), urine specimens of patients were collected under sterile conditions. Detached RTECs were separated, cultured and identified. Hantan Virus antigen was determined by using indirect immunofluorescence method and effects of RGD on adhesion of RTECs was observed by subgroup counting as well as by flow cytometry. This study showed that: (1) sublethal RTECs existed in the urine of NE-ARF patients, which could be cultured in monolayer forms (2) there was NE antigen in RTECs; and (3) adhesion of RTECs could be inhibited by RGD.

To establish an effective method of continuous quality control of acute pain service, a retrospective study on incident reporting during postoperative analgesia period was conducted. Incidents were reported and analyzed in 1507 patients who received epidural postoperative analgesia, and the results of satisfaction of pain relief was compared with those of incident analysis. In this study, an incident was defined as any factor that might or had affected patient’s safety during analgesia period. Our results showed that 1203 incidents were reported in 641 of 1507 patients, of which 122 incidents were critical. 78. 3 % of all incidents were detected by acute pain service stuff. The most common incidents included complications, insufficient analgesia and problems with delivery circuits. Human factors were involved in 28. 9 % of the incidents, most being associated with technical failure due to unskillfulness, poor communications between APS stuff and patients and lack of cooperation with surgeons and nurses. The general satisfaction rate of the patients was 90. 8 %. There was a very significant difference between the satisfaction of the patients who suffered from incidents and who did not (P< 0. 001). It is concluded that incidents affect the satisfaction of the patients who received postoperative pain relief. Incident reporting is a more effective method for quality control of acute pain service.

The retinal thickness at posterior pole of normal subjects was measured by using retinal thickness analyzer (RTA) to determine the values of retinal thickness and to establish map of retinal thickness in normal subjects. The retina of 6 mm × 6 mm in size (approximately 20°, centered on the macula) at the posterior pole was scanned by using RTA to obtain images of 116 normal eyes of 77 cases of various age group. The images were processed by a computer to obtain the retinal thickness values and the thickness map of this location. The data were analyzed with SAS software package. The mean retinal thickness was 171. 77±26. 13 μm with no significant difference among the various age groups (P>0. 05). The thickness maps of the retina of 6 mm × 6 mm size at the posterior pole around the macula rendered a “U”-shaped pattern, extending from the disc to the superior and inferior of the fovea. The retina was found to be thin at temporal side of the fovea, with the thinnest area being at the macula central fovea. The U-shaped pattern of the retinal thickness maps was well in agreement with the topography of the ganglion cells and the retinal nerve fibers in human retina. The measurement of the retinal thickness by RTA reflected the changes in the layers of ganglion cells and the retinal nerve fiber. Each scanning session of RTA examination can yield multiple optical cross-section images of the retina and obtain retinal thickness maps of posterior pole of living eyes.

In order to explore the effects of pressure on trabecular meshwork cells, bovine trabecular meshwork cells were culturedin vitro and subjected to different levels of hydrostatic pressure. The cellular morphology, ultrastructure and phagocytosis were studied with inverted phase-contrast microscopy, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, etc. It was found that the cells subjected to 2. 0 kPa or 2. 67 kPa for 48 h had no remarkable difference as compared with the controls in terms of parameters observed. Those under 4. 0 kPa for 24 h showed slight changes in structure and a mild decrease in phagocytic function. The damage appeared more severe if the pressure was higher or lasted longer. From the above we conclude that trabecular meshwork cells can only bear pressure below a certain level. They may be destroyed structurally or impaired functionally by pressure over this level.

The clinical application of contrast enhanced (CE) MR was evaluated. A total of 66 CE MR portograms were obtained by performing fast imaging with steady procession (FISP) technique on a 1. 5-T Siemens magnetom vision. A maximum intensity projection algorithm was also employed to include all vessels in a single image. The patency of portal venous system, the presence and extent of varices were also evaluated. The results showed that all images had diagnostic quality. Main portal vein (MPV) and its 4th–6th level-intrahepatic branches were visualized in 10 normal persons serving as control. The diameter of MPV, splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein was 1. 02±0. 21, 0.8±0.15, 0.8±0.26 cm respectively, which were significantly lower than that in portal hypertension patients (1. 38±0. 27, 1. 26±0.18, 1. 24±0.18 cm, respectively). In 23 preoperative cases of portal hypertension, dilated portal vein and tortuous enlarged splenic vein were found in 23 cases; esophageal and coronary varices in 12 and 19 cases, respectively. In 7 postoperative re-examined cases with portal hypertension, the flow velocity and flow of MPV were decreased in all cases and esophageal varices could still be observed in 3 cases. New vessels appeared in the great curvature of stomach in 2 cases. In 20 cases of liver carcinoma, occlusion of MPV or its intrahepatic branches were showed in 14, compression and dislocation of intrahepatic portal vein were found in 6. In other 6 cases, 2 were splenic venous thrombosis and 4 were tumors in the intestine or retro-peritoneum. It is concluded that three-dimensional CE MR portography is an accurate technique for evaluating the portal venous system. It is a reliable and noninvasive technique that can provide important information for the evaluation of patients’ condition before TIPSS and liver transplantation.

Facial bone, as the frame to support maxillofacial region and with several sinuses and cavities, is structurally complicated and the maxillofacial tumors, benign or malignant, in this region usually grows into the deep tissues, sinus-cavities and orbit and destroys the bone. In this study, the maxillofacial tumors were subjected to a mimic operation on a computer following CT scanning and 3-dimensional reconstruction. The data similar to those of real operation were obtained, which could be used for developing operative plans. As compared with data on the basis of conditions in the real operation, computerized mimic operation reflected the real conditions during operation. Computerized mimic operation is valuable for the preoperative planning and the prediction of probable intraoperative events.