DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A SIMULATED ALTITUDE CABIN

The purpose of this study was to examine the techniques of simulated altitude cabin developed by the Shandong Sports Science Center, China. Blood lactate of two male and two female long distance taking the contrast test of the same exercise load of Monark 829 bicycle and treadmill both in and out of the cabin was measured. Hemoglobin of four elite walk runners who lived in the cabin with the altitude of 3,000m for 14 hours every day and took the training out of the cabin in the rest of the time was also measured. Results showed that the value of blood lactate for same athlete after exercise load in the cabin is obviously higher than those outside of cabin, and that the mean value of hemoglobin of the four elite athletes increased 1.3g/dl before and after the test. It is concluded that the manufacture of the simulated altitude cabin is successful in simulating actual altitude training

Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

Background/PurposeIntracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) can be complicated by ischemic stroke. This study investigated the frequency and determinants of ischemic stroke in patients with intracranial DAVF.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with intracranial DAVF. Patients with pure hemorrhagic stroke or without available brain imaging for clarifying stroke type were excluded. DAVF was diagnosed by cerebral catheter angiography. Cognard classification and location of DAVFs were ascertained. The clinical characteristics, outcome, and radiographic findings were recorded. Factors associated with occurrence of ischemic stroke in the patients with DAVFs were determined.ResultsA total of 134 patients were enrolled. Six patients (4.5%) had ischemic stroke (mean age: 53.8 ± 13.4 years) and 128 patients were free from stroke (mean age: 55.4 ± 15.2 years). Men accounted for 83% in the ischemic stroke group and 34% in the non-stroke group. Chemosis, exophthalmos and tinnitus were more frequent in the non-stroke group, whereas seizure and mental decline were more frequent in the ischemic stroke group. DAVF was associated with highest risk of ischemic stroke at locations other than the cavernous sinus or large sinuses. Ischemic stroke also correlated with types of DAVF involving cortical venous drainage, including type IIb (18%), III (15%), and IV (100%). No patient with DAVF type I and IIa had ischemic stroke. The rate of ischemic stroke in patients with concomitant DAVF and cerebral sinus thrombosis was higher than in DAVF patients without cerebral sinus thrombosis. Venous infarct was the major subtype of ischemic stroke in five DAVF patients. Endovascular therapy was the most common choice in both groups, and fewer patients in the ischemic stroke group did not receive any treatment for DAVFs.ConclusionLocation and type of DAVF were two important factors related to the occurrence of ischemic stroke in DAVF patients

Tanshinone IIA suppresses fibrosis induced by high glucose conditions in HK-2 cells via inhibition of extracellular matrix deposition, reduction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of epithelial to mesenchymal transition

Purpose: To investigate the anti-fibrotic effects of tanshinone IIA (TS) on renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) under high glucose conditions and their related molecular mechanism(s) of action.Methods: After treatment with TS (6 μg/mL) for 24 h, the morphology of HK-2 cells stimulated by high glucose was observed under the microscope. Additionally, potential mechanisms related to the antifibrosis effects of TS were evaluated using western blotting assay and quantitative real time PCR (qRTPCR), including transforming growth factor (TGF) β1, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), laminin (LN), fibronectin (FN), and E-cadherin (E-cad).Results: A high-glucose culture environment induced fibrosis of HK-2 cells, as indicated by changes in cell morphology. The anti-fibrotic effects of TS were mainly associated with a decrease in the expression levels of TGF-β1, α-SMA and LN, while the expression of E-cad increased. These resultsalso revealed that TS increased the expressions of HO-1.Conclusion: The findings suggest that TS suppresses fibrosis caused by high glucose in HK-2 cells by inhibiting extracellular matrix deposition and epithelial-mesenchymal transition and by reducing oxidative stress. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the clinical application of this compound in diabetic nephropathy. Keywords: Tanshinone IIA, Diabetic nephropathy, HK-2 cells, Fibrosi

Preventive effect of Ibrolipim on suppressing lipid accumulation and increasing lipoprotein lipase in the kidneys of diet-induced diabetic minipigs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of renal lipoprotein lipase (LPL) <it>per se </it>in kidney diseases is still controversial and obscure. The purpose of this study was to observe the preventive effects of Ibrolipim, a LPL activator, on lipid accumulation and LPL expression in the kidneys of minipigs fed a high-sucrose and high-fat diet (HSFD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Male Chinese Bama minipigs were fed a control diet or HSFD with or without 0.1 g/kg/day Ibrolipim for 5 months. Body weight, plasma glucose, insulin, lipids, LPL activity, and urinary microalbumin were measured. Renal tissue was obtained for detecting LPL activity and contents of triglyceride and cholesterol, observing the renal lipid accumulation by Oil Red O staining, and examining the mRNA and protein expression of LPL by real time PCR, Western Blot and immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Feeding HSFD to minipigs caused weight gain, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia and microalbuminuria. HSFD increased plasma LPL activity while it decreased the mRNA and protein expression and activity of LPL in the kidney. The increases in renal triglyceride and cholesterol contents were associated with the decrease in renal LPL activity of HSFD-fed minipigs. In contrast, supplementing Ibrolipim into HSFD lowered body weight, plasma glucose, insulin, triglyceride and urinary albumin concentrations while it increased plasma total cholesterol and HDL-C. Ibrolipim suppressed the renal accumulation of triglyceride and cholesterol, and stimulated the diet-induced down-regulation of LPL expression and activity in the kidney.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ibrolipim exerts renoprotective and hypolipidemic effects <it>via </it>the increase in renal LPL activity and expression, and thus the increased expression and activity of renal LPL play a vital role in suppressing renal lipid accumulation and ameliorating proteinuria in diet-induced diabetic minipigs.</p

A cost-effective and universal strategy for complete prokaryotic genomic sequencing proposed by computer simulation

Background: Pyrosequencing techniques allow scientists to perform prokaryotic genome sequencing to achieve the draft genomic sequences within a few days. However, the assemblies with shotgun sequencing are usually composed of hundreds of contigs. A further multiplex PCR procedure is needed to fill all the gaps and link contigs into complete chromosomal sequence, which is the basis for prokaryotic comparative genomic studies. In this article, we study various pyrosequencing strategies by simulated assembling from 100 prokaryotic genomes. Findings. Simulation study shows that a single end 454 Jr. run combined with a paired end 454 Jr. run (8 kb library) can produce: 1) ∼90% of 100 assemblies with 99.99%; 4) average false gene duplication rate is < 0.7%; 5) average false gene loss rate is < 0.4%. Conclusions: A single end 454 Jr. run combined with a paired end 454 Jr. run (8 kb library) is a cost-effective way for prokaryotic whole genome sequencing. This strategy provides solution to produce high quality draft assemblies for most of prokaryotic organisms within days. Due to the small number of assembled scaffolds, the following multiplex PCR procedure (for gap filling) would be easy. As a result, large scale prokaryotic whole genome sequencing projects may be finished within weeks. © 2012 Jiang et al; BioMed Central Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Hybrid split-arc partial-field volumetric modulated arc therapy: an improved beam arrangement for linear accelerator-based hippocampal-avoidance whole brain radiation therapy

Background: This technical note aims to verify the hippocampus and adjacent organs at risk (OARs) sparing ability of an improved beam arrangement, namely hybrid split-arc partial-field volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) (Hsapf-VMAT) during whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Materials and methods: Computed tomography simulation images of 22 patients with brain metastases were retrieved in this retrospective planning study. The hippocampus was manually delineated according to the criterion of RTOG 0933. Plans delivering 30 Gy in 10 fractions were generated for each patient using split-arc partial-field VMAT (sapf-VMAT) and Hsapf-VMAT. The sapf-VMAT plans consisted of 4 arc fields of 179.9° each with reduced field size. The Hsapf-VMAT consisted of 4 arc fields similar to sapf-VMAT in addition to 2 lateral opposing static fields. Statistical comparisons between treatment plans of both techniques were performed using the paired t-test at 5% level significance. Results: The results demonstrated that Hsapf-VMAT can achieve superior dose sparing in hippocampus which is comparable to sapf-VMAT (p &gt; 0.05). In both eyes, Hsapf-VMAT had significantly lower Dmean and Dmax compared to sapf-VMAT (p &lt; 0.005). Decrease in Dmax of both lenses using Hsapf-VMAT (p &lt; 0.005) were statistically significant when compared to sapf-VMAT. Hsapf-VMAT demonstrated significant reduction of Dmean and Dmedian to the optic nerves (p &lt; 0.05). Whole brain planning target volume (PTV) coverage was not compromised in both techniques. Conclusion: The present study adopts a hybrid technique, namely Hsapf-VMAT, for hippocampal sparing WBRT. Hsapf-VMAT can achieve promising dose reduction to the hippocampus, both eyes and lenses. Therefore, Hsapf-VMAT can be considered an improved version of sapf-VMAT

Inorganic Arsenic Poisoning Following An Intentional Overdose Of Realgar-Containing Niu Huang Jie Du Pian: A Case report and Literature Review

Background: Niu Huang Jie Du Pian (NHJDP) is a widely used realgar-containing Chinese medicine remedy. Most brands are composed of eight ingredients: Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis), Xionghuang (realgar), gypsum (calcium sulphate), Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei), Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae), Jugeng (Platycodon grandiflorum), Bingpian (borneol), and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis, licorice root). Most users are not aware that Xionghuang (realgar) contains arsenic disulphide [As2S2]. Inorganic arsenic poisoning after therapeutic overdoses has been reported in Chinese literature, but no report of acute, intentional overdose of NHJDP has been published. We report a case of intentional overdose of NHJDP leading to arsenic poisoning. Case Presentation: A 33-year-old woman ingested approximately 100 tablets of NHJDP bought over the counter, along with her usual antidepressants. She presented with somnolence, agitation, epigastric pain and repeated vomiting, compatible with clinical toxicities of NHJDP reported in Chinese literature. At presentation, blood and spot urine arsenic levels were 440.9 and 7,495 nmol/L, respectively. The patient’s condition improved rapidly after admission and chelation therapy was not deemed to be necessary. Discussion: Despite the self-limiting clinical course, the high arsenic level in the patient’s blood and urine raises safety concerns regarding the use of NHJDP in the community. Inconsistencies in the sales regulation of arsenic-containing products, and a lack of product label warning regarding arsenic content, may potentiate inadvertent arsenic poisoning.  Conclusion: Clinician should be aware of the possibility of inorganic arsenic poisoning when treating patients with overdose of Chinese medicine remedies that contain Xionghuang (realgar). Proper product labelling may help reduce inadvertent arsenic poisoning