The effect of seamustard on blood lipid profiles and glucose level of rats fed diet with different energy composition

Recently, Korean people are consuming seaweeds almost 3.5 times more now than three decades ago. It is well known that seaweeds contain lots of soluble dietary fiber in addition to micronutrients such as β-carotene, iodine and some bioactive components. Seaweeds are considered to be effective for preventing chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, cancer or constipation. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of seamustard intake on body weight gain, blood glucose level and lipid profiles in rats fed diets with different energy nutrient composition. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (average initial weight 103.7 g) were divided into groups for two experiments as follows; Control, M2.5 & M5 groups (Exp. I) and M5, M10, HCM5, HCM10, HFM5 & HFM10 groups (Exp. II). The rats were fed diet and water ad libitum for 4 weeks. In general, there was no significant difference in blood glucose and triglyceride concentration among groups. In Exp. I, serum LDL-cholesterol level of rats fed diet with 5% seamustard powder (M5) was significantly lower than that of control group, while HDL-cholesterol level, TC/LDL ratio and weight of adrenal gland were higher. In Exp. II, food intake, body weight gain and EER of high fat diet with 10% seamustard group (HFM10) were the lowest among groups. Except gastrocnemius muscle, all organ weights of HFM10 group were the lowest. Fecal cholesterol excretion and serum LDL-cholesterol concentration of HFM10 group were the highest, while serum HDL-cholesterol level was the lowest among groups. Interestingly, HDL-cholesterol concentration was the highest in HCM5 group among groups. From these results, it was suggested that seamustard intake might be more effective for body weight control, but not for improving blood lipid profiles in high fat diet than in high carbohydrate diet.     

芪黄益气汤煎剂治疗慢性前列腺炎的研究

目的探讨芪黄益气汤煎剂治疗慢性前列腺炎(CP)临床疗效。方法CP患者84例分为芪黄组42例予芪黄益气汤煎剂治疗,清化组42例予清热化瘀煎剂治疗。观察2组CP患者的前列腺液卵磷脂小体、白细胞数、pH值及临床症状的改善情况。结果临床观察芪黄组疗效优于清化组,有显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论以具有益气功效的中药组成的芪黄益气汤煎剂是治疗CP的有效方剂。     

经阴道超声及宫腔造影对鉴别子宫内膜息肉与其他病变的意义

目的分析子宫内膜病变的声像图和血流特征,并评价经阴道彩色多普勒超声宫腔造影对子宫内膜息肉的诊断价值。方法采用经阴道彩色多普勒加宫腔造影,分别对19例子宫内膜息肉和32例子宫内膜其他病变之声像图、彩色血流及频谱表现进行对比,全部病例经宫腔镜及手术后的病理证实。结果经阴道彩色多普勒超声检诊子宫内膜息肉,清晰显示了内膜与黏膜下肌层之界限和息肉的病变边界,还显示了息肉蒂基底的彩色血流或黏膜下肌瘤周边彩色血流环,适时加做宫腔造影则更有益于对细小病变的诊断。结论经阴道彩色多普勒超声加做宫腔造影可大大提高对子宫内膜息肉与子宫内膜其他病的鉴别诊断水平。     

ITERATIVE DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING FOR MINIMUM ENERGY CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH TIME DELAY

This paper presents the use of iterative dynamic programming employing exact penalty functions for minimum energy control problems. We show that exact continuously non-differentiable penalty functions are superior to continuously differentiable penalty functions in terms of satisfying final state constraints. We also demonstrate that the choice of an appropriate penalty function factor depends on the relative size of the time delay with respect to the final time and on the expected value of the energy consumption. A quadratic approximation (QA) of the delayed variables is much better than a linear approximation (LA) of the same for relatively large time delays. The QA improves the rate of convergence and avoids the formation of ‘kinks‘. A more general way of selecting appropriate penalty function factors is given and the results obtained using four illustrative examples of varying complexity corroborate the efficacy of the method.     

Significance of the hepatic mitochondrial redox state in the development of posttraumatic jaundice

The effect of the hepatic energy status on the development of posttraumatic jaundice (PTJ) was studied to clarify the mechanism of PTJ. Fifty-four patients with severe torso injury who were expected to develop PTJ on admission with an average Injury Severity Score of 27 were selected for this study. They were retrospectively divided into three groups according to their maximum bilirubin concentration by day 10: group H, 12 patients with marked elevation of serum bilirubin (>8 g/dl); group L, 23 with mild bilirubinemia (2–8 g/dl); and group N, 19 with no bilirubinemia (<2 g/dl). Group H patients, in whom trauma-related shock was severe and prolonged, developed severe hyperbilirubinemia, and their arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR), which reflects the hepatic mitochondrial redox state and is closely correlated to its energy production, was significantly lower throughout the first week. In contrast, the AKBR increased to an above normal level, indicating enhanced energy production in groups N and L. The serum direct/total bilirubin was also higher in group H. The abnormal hepatic energy metabolism is considered to have reduced the excretion of conjugated bilirubin from the hepatocytes into the bile canaliculi, which is a process that has to proceed against the bilirubin concentration gradient. The subsequent diffusion of the accumulated water-soluble conjugated bilirubin in hepatocytes into the blood is thus considered to be one of the causes of PTJ.     

Changes in the levels of neuropeptide Y-LI in the external jugular vein in connection with vasoconstriction following subarachnoid haemorrhage in man

Summary NPY is a putative neurotransmitter mainly co-localized with noradrenaline in sympathetic fibers which innervate the cerebral vasculature. The origin of most of the perivascular NPY fibers seems to be in the superior cervical ganglion. To investigate involvement of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) mechanisms in subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), twenty patients with SAH were investigated. NPY-LI (-like immunoreactivity) levels in the external jugular vein were assessed using radioimmunoassay in blood samples collected postoperatively (or after SAH in non-surgical patients) on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9. These levels were compared with the clinical course and blood flow velocity changes monitored with ultrasonic Doppler equipment from both middle cerebral arteries (MCA) and both internal carotid arteries (ICA).Compared to NPY-LI levels in 14 controls (mean 116±3 pmol/ l), increased levels (up to 253 pmol/l) and a close relationship between velocities and NPY-LI levels were found in a subpopulation of the SAH patients. When comparing the mean haemodynamic index (V MCA/ipsilateral V ICA) and mean NPY-LI levels in each of the 20 patients, a correlation of r=0.75, p=0.0001 was found. Increased NPY-LI were found (131±8 pmol/l) when simultaneous Doppler velocity recordings showed vasoconstriction (Haemodynamic index >5) compared with samples taken when the haemodynamic index was <5, p<0.05. When MCA velocity exceeded 120 cm/sec, increased levels were found (129±9 pmol/l) compared with the conditions when MCA velocity was less than 120 cm/sec (113±5 pmol/ l), p=0.06. The results indicate a possible NPY involvement in cerebral vasoconstriction after SAH.     

The Doppler guide wire: clinical applications in neuroendovascular treatment

The application of Doppler-tipped guide wires to measure blood flow velocity in coronary and peripheral arteries has been described previously as a valuable means of functional assessment in interventional cardiological procedures. In animal studies intravascular Doppler has been used in the cerebrovascular system, and this appears to be an important field of application for this new technique. We used intravascular haemodynamic monitoring by the Doppler guide wire during neuroendovascular procedures in patients with different cerebrovascular diseases and evaluated the clinical feasibility of the method. We found it a safe technique which complements morphological angiographic information with valuable functional data. Further studies may be expected to demonstrate the relation of flow parameters to clinical outcome. Received: 16 January 1996 Accepted: 30 January 1996     

眼镜蛇人蛰前、蛰眠期和出蛰后血清激素与能量物质代谢的关系

本文研究眼镜蛇入蛰前、蛰眠期及出蛰后血清 T_3,T_4和皮质醇水平与体内能量物质的含量变化关系,探讨其与蛰眠行为的关系。结果表明入蛰前眼镜蛇大量摄食储能过冬,由于血清激素水平降低,控制了体内组织器官的氧化代谢系统,使新陈代谢逐渐下降。蛰眠期血糖血脂明显下降,耗氧量显著减少,呈节能低代谢状态。此期血清激素水平已升高,但低温抑制了体内代谢。出蛰后血清激素水平明显升高且在春暖升温季节使眼镜蛇代谢率升高。     

A study of blood supply of liver tumors using duplex Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler flow imaging

Summary With the use of duplex Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI), the characteristics of blood supply in neoplasma were studied in 51 cases of 60 liver tumors, and compared with the results of surgery, pathological examination and hepatic anerial angiography. The result showed that: 1. Doppler blood flow signals could be detected in all hepatic carcinomas, and in 10 cases of 18 hemangiomas, significant difference was observed (P<0.001); 2. Doppler blood flow spectra showed pulsatile pattern in 41 of 42 hepatic carcinomas, and in 6 of 10 hemangiomas (P<0.01); and 3. the peak flow velocity was obviously lower in hemangioma group than in hepatic carcinoma group (20.34±23.93 vs 64.74±30.18 cm,P<0.001). The characteristics of CDFI show that hemangiomas and hepatocellular carcinomas are different. It can, therefore, be concluded that the blood supply of hepatic carcinomas mainly comes from hepatic arterial system, and is of value in duplex Doppler ultrasound and CDFI.