Treatment of Motor Neuron Disease with Qi-invigorating Herbs—— A Report of 31 Cases

The motor neuron disease (MND) refers to a group of progressive diseases with unknown reasons, which attacks the cells of the anterior horn of the spinal cord, the motor nuclei of the brain stem cranial nerves and the pyramidal cells of the cerebral motor cortex. It is characterized in clinic by atrophy of the muscles, myasthenia and even death due to paralysis of the respiratory muscle. Currently, there is still no any effective cure for this illness. 50-70% of the victims will die in 3 to 5 years, and the survival time for those with brain stem injuries is no more than two years.1 Since 1996, the authors have treated 31 cases of motor neuron disease with large dosage of qi-invigorating drugs in accordance with Prof. Liu Mocai's experience, and obtained certain therapeutic effects. A report follows.     

Effects of Electro-Acupuncture on Immune Function After Chemotherapy in 28 Cases

PURPOSE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture therapy on T cells and activity of NK cell in the patient of Chemotherapy. METHOD: Electro-acupuncture therapy was simultaneously applied during chemotherapy, T cells and activity of NK cell of patients were determined before electroacupuncture treatment (before chemotherapy) and after 4-course electro-acupuncture treatments. RESULTS: Before chemotherapy, CD3 was low within the normal range, CD4 was much lower than the normal range, and CD8, CD4/CD8 and activity of NK cell were within the normal range. After one month of chemotherapy combined with electro-acupuncture, no decline of all the indices was found (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture can really increase the immune function of patients of chemotherapy.     

Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer在基因差异表达研究中的应用

目的：观察Agilent2100 Bioanalyzer芯片分析系统（以下简称Bioanalyzer）在基因差异表达研究中的应用。方法：应用限制性显示技术分别从正常和热休克处理后的酿酒酵母细胞中分离出cDNA片段，然后再用Bioanalyzer和传统的琼脂糖凝胶电泳技术对RD-PCR产物进行检测分析。结果：Bioanalyzer能更快速、敏感地分离和显示差异表达的基因片段，并且通过对差异片段进行定量比较，发现了数个表达有明显差异的基因片段。结论：Bioanalyzer在基因差异表达研究中具有重要的应用价值。     

用Multiquadric方法实现医学图像的弹性配准

目的改进医学图像弹性配准的精确度和配准方法的稳定性，并简化配准操作。方法 利用Multiquadric插值方法的可平滑性质，将其与一种半自动标记点选择方法结合。建立一种新配准方法。结果 运用此方法进行医学图像的弹性配准，实现了标准图像与变形图像的快速，准确配准，结论 我们建立的配准方法是一种准确。简便和稳定的方法。     

原代培养神经细胞膜经N—甲基—D—D天冬氨酸和MK—801作用后原子力微镜观察

目的：对比观察正常培养皮层神经元在N－甲基－D－天冬氨酸（NMDA）及其受体拮抗剂－MK－801作用下膜表面三维构像形态的改变。方法：利用分辨率为0．1－0．01nm的原子力显微镜（AFM）对原代培养大鼠皮层神经细胞膜表面进行纳米尺度的扫描观测。结果：正常神经元膜表面光滑，起伏均匀，隆起的颗粒状蛋白密集，间隔规律。NMDA损伤后神经元破碎，崩解，膜失去连续性，NMDA＋MK－801作用下神经元膜皱折增加，边缘粗糙，起伏程度介于前两者之间，结论：（1）AFM具有分辨率高，制样简单特点，（2）AFM能细微地分辨损伤保护作用后引起的细胞膜表面三维形态改变。（3）NMDA作用后膜结构开始解体，膜蛋白颗粒聚集增大，脂质凹陷加深，间距增宽，表面粗糙度增加。     

高脂血症患者C—反应蛋白含量的变化及氟伐他汀对它的影响

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of C-reactive protein (CRP) level and its relationship with blood lipids, and the effects of fluvastatin on CRP and the lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia. METHODS: Serum levels of cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)] were measured by enzyme assay, and plasma CRP level by immunonephelometry before and after fluvastatin treatment (20 mg/d for 4 weeks) in patients with hyperlipidemia. RESULTS: CRP levels were above normal in 90.3% hyperlipidemia cases in spite of the various accompanying diseases. Fluvastatin treatment significantly reduced TC (-7.49%), TG (-14.32%), LDL (-13.88%), VLDL (-18.48%) and TC/HDL(-13.50%) levels (P<0.01), and also brought down Lp(a) concentration (-13.81%). CRP levels was very effectively reduced after the treatment (-15.92%, P<0.001). No association between basal CRP levels and basal lipids and Lp(a) concentrations was observed. Positive correlation of CRP, however, was observed after fluvastatin treatment with TC/HDL (r=0.62, P=0.041) and Lp(a) (r=0.320, P=0.011), while inverse relations were noted between CRP and HDL (r=-0.288, P=0.023). CONCLUSION: CRP levels increases markedly in patients with hyperlipidemia, a fact that is independent of the accompanying diseases. In addition to modulating blood lipid levels, fluvastatin also reduces CRP level, the latter possibly serving as an independent predictive factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and also as an indicator for estimating the effectiveness of the treatment.     

影响熔点测定结果的因素

用毛细管法测定结晶物质熔点时,样品必须在适当的温度下焙干,在干燥、洁净的研钵中碾细;毛细管应事先清洗、焙干;样品填装高度应一致,应从半米高的玻璃管中自由落下数次,以使填装结实。除了上述样品的制备及装填直接影响熔点结果外,加热速率及起始温度等也对熔点的测定值影响很大。