Biomedical subjects

Z Li

Publications and source records attributed to Z Li.

At least 793 records · Page 44Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

[Clinical observation on radio- or chemotherapy plus Traditional Chinese medicine in treating brain metastatic tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of radio- or chemotherapy plus traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by Syndrome Differentiation in treating brain metastatic tumor. METHODS: Forty-one patients were randomized into four groups: Group A treated with chemotherapy plus TCM, Group B with radiotherapy plus TCM, Group C with chemotherapy alone and Group D with radiotherapy alone. The efficacies of the four groups were compared. RESULTS: The short-term response rate, living quality, 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rate, median survival period and immunity of the Group A and B were significantly higher than those of the Group C and D (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Radio- or chemotherapy plus TCM by Syndrome Differentiation has the effect of tumor growth inhibition, survival period extension and living quality enhancement in treating brain metastases.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[The application of Apo-1/Fas to evaluate apoptosis of myocardial cells in patients with congestive heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of serum level of Apo-1/Fas in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and evaluate apoptosis of failing myocardial cells. METHODS: Strepavidin-Biotin ELISA was used to determine serum level of Apo-1/Fas, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) in 60 patients with CHF. Cardiac ejection fraction (EF) of the patients were measured by acusson 128XP/10 echocardiograph. RESULTS: Serum levels of Apo-1/Fas and TNF alpha in class III and IV patients with CHF were significantly higher than those in class I and II (P < 0.01). Serum levels of IL-6 in all the patients were obviously higher than those in controls (P < 0.05 and 0.01) and the levels in class III and IV patients were significantly higher than those in class I and II (P < 0.05). Serum levels of Apo-1/Fas in patients with EF < 55 percent were higher than in those with EF > 55 percent (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum level of Apo-1/Fas in patients with CHF reflects a state of apoptosis in failing myocardial cells. IL-6 and TNF alpha have important effects on immune regulation of myocardial cell apoptosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Changes of serum elastase, alpha 1-antitrypsin, procollagen III peptide and malonaldehyde in smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].

OBJECTIVE: Serum elastase, alpha(1)-antitrypsin (alpha(1)-AT), procollagen III peptide (PIIIP) and malonaldehyde (MDA) were studied in smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to explore the roles of these factors in COPD induced by smoking. METHODS: A design of 154-pair case-control study was used. alpha(1)-AT, MDA and PIIIP were determined with colorimetric method, fluo-spectrophotometric method and radio-immunological assay, respectively, in non-smoker control and smokers with and without COPD. RESULTS: Serum PIIIP content was increased in smokers and alpha(1)-AT decreased significantly in patients with COPD. CONCLUSION: Decreased alpha(1)-AT may be a susceptible factor in the development of COPD caused by smoking.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[The role of detecting bile reflux in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of esophageal bile reflux and its relationship with acid or alkaline reflux and to evaluate the significance of detecting bile reflux in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: Using ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring and bilirubin monitoring technique, the changes of 24-hour intraesophageal pH and bile reflux in 34 subjects (including healthy subjects, patients with reflux esophagitis and patients after gastrectomy) were simultaneously assessed. RESULTS: The time of esophageal acid exposure for reflux esophagitis (RE) patients was significantly longer than that in the controls and the patients after gastrectomy, but there was no difference between postgastrectomized patients and healthy controls. Total percent time of pH > 8 in each group was similar and were very low. Bile reflux [duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER)], represented by total time percentage of bilirubin absorbance >or=0.14, was greatest in postgastrectomized patients, and next in the patients with RE, but the value in both groups was significantly higher than that in the controls. There was a close association between DGER and total time percentage of pH < 4 (r = 0.75, P < 0.05) but a poor relationship (r = 0.17) with total time percentage pH > 8. 63.6% of the patients with RE had acid and bile reflux simultaneously. CONCLUSION: DGER is common in GERD and postgastrectomized patients. It can occur with acid reflux and may play a role in the development of GERD. It is very important to monitor acid and bile reflux at the same time in the diagnosis of GERD.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[A study of airway reactivity and nature of chronic asthmatic bronchitis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the airway reactivity with methacholine provocation and exercise challenge of chronic asthmatic bronchitis and to assess preliminarily the nature of chronic asthmatic bronchitis. METHODS: 42 patients with bronchial asthma, 29 with simple chronic bronchitis and 27 with chronic asthmatic bronchitis were selected. The study protocol consisted of inhalation challenge with methacholine and exercise challenge. Count of blood eosinophil cells and level of blood total IgE were studied. Serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentration was measured in the asthmatic bronchitis group. RESULTS: The positive ratio to methacholine response was 77.8% in chronic asthmatic bronchitis group, whereas the ratios were 100.0% and 41.4% in bronchial asthma and simple chronic bronchitis groups respectively. According to the response to exercise challenge, patients with chronic asthmatic bronchitis were divided into positive and negative groups. The cumulative dose of methacholine producing a 20% fall in FEV(1) (PD(20)-FEV(1)) was different between the two groups. In the positive group (9 patients), none was negative with methacholine response and PD(20)-FEV(1) being similar to the bronchial asthma group. The blood total IgE and ECP levels were significantly higher in the positive than in the negative group. CONCLUSION: The characteristics of airway reactivity in chronic asthmatic bronchitis are midway between bronchial asthma and simple chronic bronchitis. The nature of chronic asthmatic bronchitis may be different in different patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Changes of the interleukin-1 in dysfunction of central nervous system in myasthenia gravis].

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have demonstrated that acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChRab) present in the serum of the patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) not only block acetylcholine transmission at the neuromuscular junction, but also cause dysfunction of central nervous system (CNS). The mechanism remains unclear. In the present study the concentration of interleukin-1 in the brain, thymus and blood was investigated to reveal the mechanism of CNS dysfunction in MG. METHODS: The concentration of interleukin-1 in brain, thymus and blood was detected after establishing the experimental MG model of central nervous system dysfunction induced by injection of AChRab purified from MG sera into the rat cerebral ventricular system. RESULTS: Interleukin-1 level in brain, thymus and blood started to increase one week after injection of AChRab. The level of interleukin-1 in brain tissue showed a very significant increase, as compared to that in thymus and blood till the end of 2 weeks after injection, where as in thymus and blood the increasing rate was relatively slow. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that interleukin-1 increased in rat brain, thymus and blood may play an important role in generating dysfunction of CNS in MG.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

[The protective effects of thalidomide on acute liver failure].

OBJECTIVE: To understand whether thalidomide (Thal) has the same protective effects as it does in leprosy reaction type II, immunologic and inflammatory diseases. METHODS: D-Galactosamine (D-GalN, 600 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 microg/rat, hypodermically) were used to produce a model of acute liver failure in Wistar rats. The mortality of the models was counted. The plasma peak levels of various cytokines and transaminases were measured. The pathological alterations of the livers were examined with hematoxylin and eosin stain under light microscopy. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha mRNA was determined by dot blot hybridization combined with semiquantitative analysis. RESULTS: It was found that Thal could lower the mortality of the models (P < 0.05); reduce the peak levels of plasma cytokines, especially TNFalpha, and transaminases (P < 0.05), alleviate the degree of liver injury and suppress the expression of TNFalpha mRNA (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It is fully demonstrated that Thal has definite protective effect on acute liver failure, as it does in other diseases. Even though Thal possesses teratogenic effect in patients with pregnancy, it is still believed that Thal has an important curative significance in the treatment of patients who are not pregnant.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

[The genotype of vac A gene of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and its correlation with the gastroduodenal diseases associated with Hp].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression of vac A gene of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) isolated from Chinese patients and to find out the relationship between the genotype of Hp vac A and the gastroduodenal diseases associated with Hp. METHODS: Clones of Hp obtained from patients with gastroduodenal diseases were cultured and mRNA extraction was performed with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: 92% of the strains isolated in Shanghai (China) was found to be s1/m2. Strains expressing s1/m1 forms were obtained in 4 cases. s2 form was not found. CONCLUSION: The overwhelming majority of strains isolated from Shanghai patients expresses s1/m2 from. The s1/m2 genotype is dispersed in all of the gastroduodenal diseases associated with Hp.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Detection of TNF-alpha and NCF in the serum and BALF of patients with sarcoidosis and evaluate their clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of cytokines released by the inflammatory cells and immunocytes from patients in pathogenesis of developing sarcoidosis. METHODS: With well- microchemotaxis and allergy immunology, the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and neutrophil chemotactic factor (NCF) was measured in the serum and BALF of 11 sarcoidosis and 7 IPF and 8 normal subjects (non-smokers). RESULTS: The levels of TNFalpha (11.9 +/- 3.2, 11.7 +/- 3.0 ng x L(-1)) and NCF (191 +/- 51, 203 +/- 44 cell x 10HP(-1)) of BALF in the patients with sarcoidosis and IPF were significantly higher than these in control group (P < 0.01) and were higher than those in serum. The level of TNF-alpha in the BALF of patients with sarcoidosis was positively correlated with the percentage of lymphocytes (r = 0.73, P < 0.01). The activity of NCF in the BALF of patients with IPF was positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils (r = 0.89, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It indicated that TNF-alpha and NCF might play an important role in the pathogenetic process of the sarcoidosis and IPF, and can act as the marker of activity of these diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Investigation of factors affecting the development of COPD].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors which affect the development of COPD. METHODS: 88 patients with mPAP less than 20 mm Hg were followed up by 5 - 20 years. Pulmonary ventilation, blood gas analysis, ECG, pulmonary hemodynamic parameters and oxygen saturation at night were performed one time every 5 years. RESULTS: The results showed that: 5 year, 10 year and 20 year's mortality is 6%, 25% and 43% respectively; MVV%, FEV(1)% and PaO(2) declined accompanied by the increase of PaCO(2); among 41 patients with mPAP 16 - 20 mm Hg, 20 patients' mPAP were more than 20 mm Hg and 15 patients died after 10 years' follow up. Among 16 patients with the declination of oxygen saturation, 8 patients' mPAP were more than 20 mm Hg and 6 patients died. 57 strains of infectious bacteria were found in 88 patients' sputum with 43 strains in the death group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that COPD is a kind of chronic diseases with high death rate; infection, decline of oxygen saturation at night and mPAP more than 16 mm Hg were high risk factors in COPD.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Nontransitional cell tumor of the bladder].

OBJECTIVE: To study the experience in the treatment and diagnosis of the nontransitional cell tumor of the bladder, and to improve the overall survival rate. METHODS: The records were reviewed that 18 patients with nontransitional cell tumor of the bladder treated from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1997 (5.1% of the 352 bladder tumors in the same period). 16.7% of the patients had benign tumor, 83.3% malignant. Of the latter 73.3% were invasive. The overall rate of palliative treatment, partial or total cystectomy was compared retrospectively. RESULTS: Three patients with benign tumor are alive. The overall survival rate of 14 patients with malignant tumor at 1, 3 and 5 years was 85.7%, 66.7%, and 57.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the patients had haematuria and irritable bladder symptoms. The proper treatment was partial or total cystectomy. The prognosis was apparently related to the tumor stage and therapy method.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Plasma thyroid hormones during cardiopulmonary bypass].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes and clinical significance of plasma thyroid hormones were during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: Plasma thyroid hormones was studied in 36 patients during open heart surgery under CPB. Blood samples were taken preoperatively, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 days postoperatively. Doppler echocardiography was performed in 16 patients before and after surgery for evaluating heart function. RESULTS: Before CPB, the levels of thyroid hormones were within normal range. At early stage after CPB, the levels of FT(3), FT(4), TT(3) and TT(4) were significantly decreased and increased. Both TSH and rT(3) were increased significantly after CPB (P < 0.05) and reached their highest levels at the first postoperative day. TSH and rT(3) were gradually dropped subsequently, but TSH returned to the basic level and the level of rT(3) was still high. A positive relation was seen between plasma thyroid hormones and cardiac function. CONCLUSIONS: The changes of plasma thyroid hormones are closely related to cardiopulmonary bypass and could result in postoperative cardiac disfunction.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Experimental study of radiofrequency thermocoagulation and applied anatomy of posterior rami of lumbar nerves].

OBJECTIVE: To determine points of radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the posterior rami of the lumbar nerves and to choose an effective temperature at which the conduction of painful impulse can be blocked. METHODS: The posterior rami of the lumbar nerves were dissected in 15 corpses of adults. The ultrastructure of nerve fibres, changes of sensary conduction velocity (SCV) and the waveform of the unmedullated fibres which conduct painful impulse (c wave) were observed after the sciatic nerves of rabbits were coagulated at various temperatures (60 degrees C, 70 degrees C, 80 degrees C, 90 degrees C). RESULTS: "Transverse Process Root Area" and "Transverse Process Point" can be regarded as primary marks of thermocoagulation of the posterior rami of the lumbar nerves. Stimulation of square-wave can make the location more accurate. While the temperature of thermocoagulation reached 80 degrees C, none of painful afferent nerve fibres survived. CONCLUSIONS: With accurate location and good control of temperature, radiofrequency thermocoagulation will be an effective therapy for the patients suffering from pain resulted from pathological changes of the posterior rami of the lumbar nerves.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Diagnosis and analysis of cyclodialysis by ultrasound biomicroscopy].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the morphologic changes and their clinical significance of cyclodialysis. METHODS: 173 eyes of 173 patients with cyclodialysis were examined by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) for the morphologic changes, and the measurements of relative parameters were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The cyclodialysis in all the cases was 360 degree. The characteristic manifestations of cyclodialysis found by UBM were as follows: no echoes between sclera and ciliary body, anterior displacement and rotation of ciliary process and displacement of pars plana toward the centre of eyeball. Superciliary effusion could be observed in some cases. In some patients, the ciliary body may be completely disintegrated from the scleral spur, but the disintegration may be quadrantal instead of 360 degree, resulting in a fistula between anterior chamber and superciliary cavity. The anterior chamber depth of the affected eye (2,115 +/- 589) microm was markedly shallower than that of the normal eye (2,736 +/- 441) microm (t = 4.49, P < 0.001). The shallowing of anterior chamber was caused by the anterior displacement and rotation of ciliary processes and the resulting anterior bulging of the iris root. CONCLUSIONS: UBM can be used to make a correct diagnosis of cyclodialysis irrespective of optic media condition, and can provide evidences for treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[A study of anterior segment structures in primary infantile glaucoma eyes by ultrasound biomicroscopy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate anterior segment structures in primary infantile glaucoma (PIG) eyes by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in vivo. METHODS: UBM high frequency transducer (50 mHz) was used to measure and observe the anterior segment of 38 PIG cases (58 eyes). RESULTS: No matter the severity of the disease or the age at onset, the most significant characteristics of the diseased eyes are relative positional changes between scleral spur and angle apex. In three forth of the eyes, the scleral spur lay in the lateral or posterior-lateral site of the angle apex and in one forth of the eyes the site of the tip of scleral spur was parallel with the iris root insertion. The thickness and length of ciliary processes in the eyes of PIG were greater than that of the normal infantile eyes. The ciliary processes were anteriorly displaced, pulled towards the lens, and part of them got into contact with the iris. CONCLUSIONS: The relative positional changes between scleral spur and angle apex in diseased eyes indicate that the poor development of scleral spur and the iris anterior insertion are the basic pathogenesis in PIG.

Anterior Eye Segment↗

PubMed1999

[Effects of methylmercury on embryonic cell behavior and expression of related gene].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of embryonic developmental toxicity of methyl mercury at cellular and gene levels. METHODS: Effects of methylmercury on embryonic cell behavior and gene expression in rats were observed with in vitro (0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, 0.80 and 1.60 mg/L of methylmercury) and in vivo (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 mg/L of methylmercury) rat models, in situ hybridization and TdT-induced dUTP nick end labeling techniques. RESULTS: Methylmercury could pass through yolk-sac placenta quickly, and inhibit placenta development and blood vessel differentiation there at higher concentration. There was a dose-response relationship between concentration of methylmercury and its embryonic developmental toxicity. Its developmental toxicity mainly characterized as patent neural tube and anomalous flexion. Methylmercury could induce excessive apoptosis of embryonic cells, inhibit apparently the synthesis of cellular DNA and RNA and damage its cellular ultrastructure. It also could induce significantly the expression of heat shock protein 70 mRNA and inhibit the expression of fibronectin and p16 mRNA. There was relationship between heat shock protein 70 mRNA, Ca(2+), apoptosis and teratogenesis. CONCLUSION: Disturbance of embryonic cell behavior and related gene expression played important roles in developmental toxicity caused by methylmercury.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

[Effects of homocysteine on cardiovascular development in early chicken embryo].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between homocysteine (HCY) and cardiovascular development in the early embryo and to determine whether folic acid and cobalamine (Vit B(12)) can reduce the developmental toxicity of HCY to cardiovascular system. METHODS: Incubation test for chicken embryo, electron microscopy, methylgreen-pyronine stain, in situ fragment end labeling, and intervention trial with folic acid and vitamin B(12) were used in the study. RESULTS: Treatment of 0 - 16.0 micromol of HCY/per embryo could disturb their heart development and differentiation of blood vessels at fetal ages of two and four days, in a dose-response pattern, with 24.1% and 25.0% of heart defect and 60.7% of inhibition of blood vessels of yolk sac in 8.0 micromol of HCY, respectively. A dose of more than four micromol/per embryo could damage the structure of myocardial cells and organelle, and inhibit the synthesis of cellular DNA and RNA. It was the first time to find that 8.0 micromol of HCY could induce excessive apoptosis of myocardial cells (2.7%), significantly higher than that in the normal control group. Folic acid could antagonize the cardiovascular toxicity caused by HCY, stronger than what Vit B(12) could do. CONCLUSION: HCY was a new risk factor which could damage cardiovascular development, and folic acid could effectively antagonize its developmental toxicity. Cellular apoptosis might relate to cardiovascular defect.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

[A case-control study on cerebral palsy in children].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for cerebral palsy (CP) in children. METHODS: A population-based 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted during May to June 1997 in southern Jiangsu Province of China. RESULTS: Risk factors for CP in children could be summarized into four categories, i.e.; (1) fetal growth retardation, preterm delivery and low birth weight; (2) asphyxia at birth, intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic and hypoxic encephalopathy and hyperbilirubinemic encephalopathy; (3) delivery with vaccum suction and traumatic brain injury; and (4) other prenatal factors. CONCLUSION: The first and second categories of risk factors correlated strongly and reproducibly with CP in children. It is emphasized that antenatal care be enforced to prevent occurrence of risk factors, such as low birth weight, etc., and the newborns with asphyxia be vigorously rescued and put under close supervision. For risk factors in the third category, the key measures should be obstetric practice and health education for the parents. But, little about the knowledge of the risk factors in the fourth category has been understood, which could be associated with those in the first two categories.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗