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Biomedical subjects

D X Li

Publications and source records attributed to D X Li.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Domain structures in rutile in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks from Dabie Mountains, China.

According to the HRTEM study, the UHP jadeite-quartzite mineral (Rutile, TiO(2)) in Anhui Province, Dabie Mountains, China, has ultrastructures such as 011 two-dimensional commensurable modulated structures or superstructures, [011] twin domain structures, dislocations and crystal deformations. The SAED patterns and HRTEM images indicate the existence of the deformations and stacking faults on the interface of [011] twin crystal of rutile and its two-dimensional commensurate modulated structures with repetition period 0.753 nm (3d(011)) has tetragonal symmetry, cell parameters a = 3a0 = 1.377 nm (a0 = 0.459 nm), c = c0 = 0.3 nm. The modulated structures of rutile were probably caused by the isomorphic replacement of Ti(4+) and position modulation or occupation modulation of oxygen atoms in different degree; the deformation structures reveal that during the process of crystallization and mineralization, this mineral may be affected by the geological environment (such as temperature, pressure and stress), metamorphism and deformation.

Journal Article↗

Epidemiology and cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangdong, People's Republic of China, in February, 2003.

BACKGROUND: An epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been associated with an outbreak of atypical pneumonia originating in Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. We aimed to identify the causative agent in the Guangdong outbreak and describe the emergence and spread of the disease within the province. METHODS: We analysed epidemiological information and collected serum and nasopharyngeal aspirates from patients with SARS in Guangdong in mid-February, 2003. We did virus isolation, serological tests, and molecular assays to identify the causative agent. FINDINGS: SARS had been circulating in other cities of Guangdong Province for about 2 months before causing a major outbreak in Guangzhou, the province's capital. A novel coronavirus, SARS coronavirus (CoV), was isolated from specimens from three patients with SARS. Viral antigens were also directly detected in nasopharyngeal aspirates from these patients. 48 of 55 (87%) patients had antibodies to SARS CoV in their convalescent sera. Genetic analysis showed that the SARS CoV isolates from Guangzhou shared the same origin with those in other countries, and had a phylogenetic pathway that matched the spread of SARS to the other parts of the world. INTERPRETATION: SARS CoV is the infectious agent responsible for the epidemic outbreak of SARS in Guangdong. The virus isolated from patients in Guangdong is the prototype of the SARS CoV in other regions and countries.

China↗

Evolution of microstructures in materials induced by electropulsing.

Nanostructures were formed in several conventional materials under single electropulsing, that is nanophases of alpha-Cu(Zn) and beta'-(CuZn) in a cold-worked alpha-Cu(Zn) alloy, nanosized gamma-Fe in a low-carbon steel, nanosized alpha-Al in a superduralumin, and orientated nanosized TiC in a TiC/NiCr cermet. The mechanisms responsible for the above nanostructured transitions can be attributed to the competition of many factors induced by electropulsing, including high-rate heating, thermal stress, reduced thermodynamic energy barrier and high-rate electron impacting. Also, many low-energy dislocation configurations, twins and stacking faults were formed in the copper alloy and cermet under the electropulsing. Such evolution of defects was associated with the electrical, thermal and stress energies induced by the electropulsing.

Journal Article↗

Reversible structural transition in epitaxial manganite film.

A reversible structural transition of an epitaxial La(2/3)Sr(1/3)MnO3 film deposited on a LaAlO3 substrate has been investigated by means of in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction, combined with image and diffraction calculations. We observe that the crystallographic symmetry of the film can be lowered via electron beam irradiation, leading to a rhombohedral-monoclinic transition. This transition can be attributed to the cooperating effect of the mismatch stress and the irradiation-induced thermal stress.

Journal Article↗

[Qi deficiency and blood stasis and circulatory renin-angiotensin system as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in rats with cardiac qi deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between cardiac Qi deficiency Syndrome and effect of circulatory renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and endogenous fibrinolytic system in rats with heart failure (HF). METHODS: Plasma RAS levels and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) activity were measured in 2 groups of rats: the sham-operated group (Group A) and the HF with Heart Qi deficiency Syndrome model group (Group B) established by making arteriovenous fistula. Using radioimmunoassay and chromatography, plasma renin activity (PRA) and angiotensin II (Ang II) levels and PAI-I activity were determined before, immediately after and 30 days after the surgical operation respectively. RESULTS: After the operation was completed in Group B the left ventricular dysfunction revealed, left ventricular systolic pressure decreased and end diastolic pressure increased (P < 0.05), PRA and Ang II level and PAI-1 activity increased significantly, as compared with those in Group A and before modeling (P < 0.05). With cardiac function improved, the plasma PRA, Ang II level and PAI-1 activity lowered in Group B comparing with those immediately after modeling (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The activation of RAS is associated with the endogenous fibrinolyticim balance, and play an important role in endogenous fibrinolytic system dysfunction in HF with Heart Qi deficiency Syndrome and Qi deficiency-blood stasis, which was helpful to explain that cause of hypercoagulant state in HF patients and increase the risk of suffering from embolism-thrombotic diseases, and might be the pathogenetic basis of Heart Qi deficiency induced Qi deficiency-blood stasis.

Animals↗

Morphological findings of 'cardiac concussion' due to experimental blunt impact to the precordial region.

The dog's precordial region at the sternum was impacted with a mechanical elastic-cord propelled impactor at the velocity of 8.0 m/s. The left and right intraventricular pressures and electrocardiogram (ECG) were monitored continuously for 60 min after the impact. The micro- and ultra-structure of myocardium were examined. Localization of myocardial myoglobin (Mb), creatine kinase BB (CK-BB) and creatine kinase MM (CK-MM) as well as plasma membrane permeability were studied by immunohistochemical and lanthanum probe techniques. Upon the impact, abrupt over-pressures within both ventricles were recorded with transient depression of the left ventricular systolic pressure. In all the dogs, some rhythm- and conduction-disorders were noted, which lasted transiently and resumed to normal sinus rhythm. At autopsy, no gross injuries of the heart were detected, and microscopic examination showed no visible myocardial lesions. However, immunohistochemically, focal patchy loss of myocardial Mb, CK-BB and CK-MM was identified with scattered deposition of these substances between myocardial fibers elsewhere. Such changes as relaxed myofibrils with widened I band, contracted myofibrils and broken cristae of the mitochondria were observed in myocardial ultrastructure. Lanthanum particles deposited inside the mitochondria. These results indicate that increase in cardiac cell membrane permeability and ultrastructural damage in myocardium may be involved even in cardiac concussion.

Animals↗

Applications of microdiffraction related to HREM.

This paper deals with the coherent and the incoherent microdiffraction, as well as their applications, for example, determination of the nature of defects and boundaries, measurement of the strain field and identification of the symmetry, etc. The localized structure information obtained from microdiffraction has been compared with and complements that provided by HREM.

Alloys↗

Reappraisal of the relationship between immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement and Epstein-Barr virus infection in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease.

We investigated 44 cases of Hodgkin's disease for Epstein-Barr virus genome with EBER-1 in situ hybridization. Twenty of 44 (45.5%) were positive for EBV. Simultaneously, immunoglobulin gene rearrangements were assessed in 32 of these 44 cases with PCR on DNA extracted from Reed-Sternberg cell (RS-cell) -rich areas microdissected from paraffin sections. Clonally rearranged immunoglobulin (IgH) gene was observed in 15 cases (46.9%). EBV-negative cases showed more frequent IgH rearrangement than EBV-positive cases (10 and 5 cases, respectively). In 9 cases, the RS cells were CD20-positive immunohistochemically and these were all EBV negative and the IgH gene was rearranged in all except one. These findings may suggest that EBV infection has occurred before the immunoglobulin gene rearrangement or that EBV infection has influenced the rearrangement of the immunoglobulin gene. The results may also hint towards the obscure B-cell nature of the RS cells.

Adolescent↗

[Immobilization stress induced changes of ventricular electric stability in damaged heart depends on the extent of free radical damage].

Following persistent immobilization stress, differences in changes of ventricular electric stability (VES) between normal (Nor) rats and rats with myocardial damage induced by doxorubicin (Dox) were studied and compared. The latencies of arrhythmias due to ivgtt aconitine (at a rate of 0.8 microgram/min) were significantly shorter in Dox rats than in Nor rats, i.e., it was easier for Dox rats to develop arrhythmias. Persistent immobilization stress caused an initial decrease followed by a subsequent increase of VES in Nor rats. However, Dox rats following a 8 h' stress show no significant changes in latency and duration of arrhythmias, in contrast with the shortening of the two indexes in rats only immobilized for 2 h, indicating that the increased VES induced by prolonged stress in Nor rats was eliminated by Dox. Both heart rate and cAMP content in myocardial tissue of Dox rats show no obvious changes in 2 h' stress, but significantly decreased in 8 h' immobilization rats. Thus, sympathetic nervous system probably doesn't seem to account for the changes of VES in Dox rats. It was found also that 2 h' stress induced a decrease in the activity of SOD and an increase of MDA content in the myocardial tissue of Dox rats, but 8 h' stress did not do any good to the rats. These data suggest that changes of VES caused by prolonged immobilization in Dox rats have a close relationship with the extent of free radicals in myocardial tissue.

Animals↗

Effects of nitrendipine on capacity of calcium binding of erythrocyte membrane and total intraerythrocyte calcium content in SHR rats.

AIM: To study the effect of nitrendipine (Nit) on the capacity of calcium binding of erythrocyte membrane and total intraerythrocyte calcium content in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the conscious rats was monitored by tailcuff method with a BP and HR recorder for MRS-III rat. Erythrocyte membrane was prepared according to modified Bing's method. Calcium binding of membrane and total intraerythrocyte calcium content was determined by an automatic absorption spectrophotometer. The membrane protein was determined with a colorimetric method. RESULTS: Nit (ig 10 mg.kg-1 qd x 20 d) induced a significant reduction in total intraerythrocyte calcium content (169 +/- 18 vs 87 +/- 14 mumol/L cell, P < 0.01) accompanied by a marked fall of SBP (27.1 +/- 2.5 vs 16.7 +/- 1.0 kPa, P < 0.01) but exerted no influence on the capacity of calcium binding of erythrocyte membrane under incubation in CaCl2(0) (basal calcium binding) or 40 mmol.L-1 (maximal calcium binding) (21.9 +/- 2.3 vs 22.7 +/- 2.1 and 55 +/- 14 vs 53 +/- 23 mumol/g protein, respectively, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The antihypertensive effect of Nit is related to the reduction of intracellular calcium and possibly have no direct relation to the capacity of calcium binding of cell membrane.

Animals↗

Restraint stress changes heart sensitivity to arrhythmogenic drugs.

AIM: To study the effects of acute restraint stress on ventricular electric stability (VES) and its mechanisms of action. METHODS: VES was evaluated both in vivo and in vitro by the changes of arrhythmogenic responses to icv or ip aconitine in rats and iv BaCl2 or adrenaline in rabbits following restraint stress for different durations. Pretreatments and the assay of heart-specific enzymes were made. RESULTS: The heart sensitivity to these drugs was promoted after stress for 2 h, but obtunded after stress for 8 h (the latency of ventricular arrhythmia to icv aconitine was shortened from 4.1 +/- 0.9 min in control rats to 2.9 +/- 0.9 min after stress for 2 h, P < 0.05; but prolonged to 9.3 +/- 3.8 min after stress for 8 h, P < 0.05). In Langendorff heart, the changes of VES induced by stress were similar to those in vivo, but to lesser degree. Pretreatment with adrenalectomy inhibited the descending phase of VES, while pretreatment with both aminophylline and vagotomy remarkably depressed the ascending phase at 8 h. In addition, the serum activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and aspartate aminotransferase and their isozymes, LDH1 and CK-MB, were elevated at 2 h, and rose continuously at 8 h. CONCLUSION: Acute restraint stress causes biphasic changes of VES. The initial decrease of VES was related to adrenal catecholamine release, whereas the following increase of VES was ascribed to adaptive decrease of cAMP and vagal activation. The changes of VES did not always parallel the injury of heart.

Aconitine↗

[Study of mechanism of selective head cooling-dehydration combined therapy for brain resuscitation: effect on function of brain cellular membrane].

We induced cerebral complete ischemia (CCI) by "four-vessel" model. The changes of Na+,K(+)-ATPase, Ca2+, Mg(2+)-ATPase, phospholipase A2 (PLA2), total phospholipids on brain cellular membrane (BCM) at 30, 180, 360 min of reperfusion following 30 min CCI were observed. The effects of selective head cooling (SHC, 28C, surface cooling method), mannitol dehydration (MD), and selective head cooling-dehydration combined therapy (SHCDCT) on these changes were also investigated. Compared with non-ischemic, during reperfusion activities of Na+, K(+)-ATPase, Ca2+, Mg(2+)-ATPase decreased while PLA2 increased (P < 0.001), phospholipids decreased at 180 and 360 min of reperfusion (P < 0.01). SHC and SHCDCT blocked all above changes, MD had no effect. These results suggest that SHCDCT after starting reperfusion do promote recruitment of BCM function by blockade of the successive reperfusion damage on BCM.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of tetrahydroberberine on platelet aggregation and thrombosis.

Tetrahydroberberine (THB), an alkaloid extracted from Corydalis ambigua, inhibited the rabbit platelet aggregation triggered by arachidonic acid (AA), ADP, and collagen with IC50 of 0.86, 1.31, and 1.10 mmol.L-1, respectively. THB reduced the thromboxane B2 (TXB2) generation in rabbit platelet-rich plasma triggered by AA. THB 30 mg.kg-1.d-1 ip for 3 or 5 d restrained the ADP-induced platelet aggregation in rats. THB 30 mg.kg-1.d-1 ip for 1, 3, or 5 d inhibited the AA-induced platelet aggregation in rats. THB 15-30 mg.kg-1 iv showed an inhibition of venous thrombosis in rats. The results show that THB is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo and is a promising antithrombotic drug.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Cardiovascular responses to intracerebroventricular injection of GABA in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Effects of central GABAergic stimulation on cardiovascular function were evaluated in 2-kidney, 1-clip (2K1C) renovascular hypertensive rats (RVHR). Intracerebroventricular injection (icv) of GABA (100 and 200 micrograms) reduced blood pressure (BP) to a greater degree in RVHR as compared with sham-operated controls, and the greatest response was seen in RVHR 4 wk after operation (4 wk-RVHR). In addition, a decreased sensitivity of baroreflex was observed in 4 wk-RVHR, and was improved by icv GABA. Pretreatment with icv captopril (200 micrograms) only reduced BP moderately in 4 wk-RVHR, but attenuated remarkably the depressor effect of GABA. On the contrary, pretreatment with ip captopril was less effective in attenuating the depressor effect of GABA. Our results indicated that RVHR was deficient in central GABAergic inhibition on BP control, for GABAergic stimulation reduced BP to a greater degree and improves the decreased sensitivity of baroreflex in RVHR; the depressor effect of GABA is mediated, at least in part, by inhibiting brain angiotensin system.

Animals↗

Changes of myocardial myoglobin, myosin and creatine kinase in cases of sudden nocturnal death syndrome.

Myoglobin, myosin creatine kinase MM (CK-MM), creatine kinase BB(CK-BB) in cardiac muscle and H chain of myosin in atrial and ventricular muscle were studied in specimens from 8 patients who died of sudden nocturnal death syndrome (SNDS) by avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method to investigate the possible early or very early myocardial ischemia in the syndrome. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted for comparison. The results showed evident loss of CK-MM, CK-BB, myoglobin and myosin from cardiac muscle cells, indicating that occurrence of SNDS is closely associated with acute myocardial ischemia.

Adult↗

Antifibrillatory effect of tetrahydroberberine.

Electric stimulation and drug-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF), monophasic action potentials (MAP), and triggered activity were studied before and after administration of tetrahydroberberine (THB) in rabbits, rats or guinea pigs. At doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg.kg-1, i.v. THB increased the ventricular fibrillation threshold, and the BaCl2-induced VF was also prevented or terminated by THB in rabbits. Centrogenic VF induced by icv aconitine in rats was inhibited by pretreatment with THB in a dose-dependent manner, whereas VF induced by iv ouabain in guinea pig was inhibited to a lesser degree. For MAP, the duration at 90% repolarization (MAPD90) was prolonged remarkably, whereas the MAPD20, the MAP amplitude, and the maximal velocity of phase 0 were shortened or decreased slightly. The amplitudes of early afterdepolarization produced by cesium chloride (CsCl) were attenuated, while the cumulative threshold doses of CsCl for sustained ventricular tachycardia were elevated by THB. These results indicated that THB had an potent antifibrillatory effect, which might be attributed to its blockade of potassium, calcium, and sodium currents.

Aconitine↗

Effects of tetrahydroberberine on ischemic and reperfused myocardium in rats.

The effects of tetrahydroberberine (THB) on ischemic and reperfused myocardium were studied in comparison with verapamil (Ver). In anesthetized rats, THB and its analogues, l-THP and l-SPD, reduced the infarct size after 4 h of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. In Langendorff hearts, in common with Ver, THB 1 and 10 mumol.L-1 markedly decreased the incidences of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the reperfusion period. The malondialdehyde content and xanthine oxidase activity were also decreased in global ischemic-reperfused hearts pretreated with THB (P < 0.01, or P < 0.05). It suggested that THB could protect the myocardium from ischemic and reperfusion injury.

Animals↗