[Effects of extract of Bulbus Allii Caespitosi on cardiocyte viability of swines with myocardial reperfusion injury evaluated by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of extract of Bulbus Allii Caespitosi on cardiocyte viability of swines with myocardial reperfusion injury by analyzing the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) position emission tomography (PET) imaging. METHODS: Twenty-four swines were randomly divided into sham-operated group, untreated group, trimethazine group and extract of Bulbus Allii Caespitosi group. Myocardial reperfusion injury was induced by plugging the anterior descending coronary artery of swine with sacculus. Bulbus Allii Caespitosi or trimetazidine was given twice daily for 28 days. Then myocardial perfusion was detected with (18)F-FDG PET/CT and the radioactivity distribution was evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with the untreated group, Bulbus Allii Caespitosi and trimetazidine could improve the activity of myocardial cells after myocardial infarction (P<0.01), and there were no significant differences between Bulbus Allii Caespitosi and trimetazidine (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Bulbus Allii Caespitosi can improve myocardial metabolism after ischemia and reperfusion in swines.

[Determination of lithium in the oil field water by flame atomic absorption spectrometry].

Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was applied to the determination of micro amount of lithium in the oil field water of certain area. In order to determine which method is more appropriate for the determination of lithium content in the oil field water, standard curve method and standard addition method were compared. The effects of dilution, coexistent ions, and deionizers on the determination were studied. For the determination of lithium content in the same diluted oil field water samples, there exist obvious differences between the results obtained from standard addition method and standard curve method. Standard addition method gives results with a larger error, whereas standard curve method gives more accurate results. It is difficult to eliminate the interferences when the standard addition method is used. The standard curve method is found to be more suitable for the determination of micro amount of lithium in the oil field water for its accuracy, simplicity, and feasibility. When the standard curve method is used, both the determined lithium concentration and the recovery change with the dilution extent of the oil field water. In order to get an accurate result, the oil field water sample should be diluted to 1/200 or less. In this case, the recovery by standard addition method ranges from 94.3% to 96.9%. When sodium phosphate or sodium chloride is used as the deionizer, the recovery by standard addition method ranges from 94.6% to 98.6%, or from 94.2% to 96.3%. In the determination of lithium content in oil field water, there are larger experimental errors without the addition of any deionizer. When the concentration of coexistent ions is within an allowed range, the addition of sodium phosphate as a deionizer can eliminate the interferences of the coexistent ions with the determination of the lithium content. If sodium chloride is used as a deionizer, a more accurate result can be obtained when the sodium content in the samples is near the sodium content in the standard solutions. In general, under suitable experimental conditions, sodium chloride can be used as the deionizer for the determination of lithium content in the oil field water.

[Hypothalamus may be involved in psychogenic erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of hypothalamus metabolism in patients with psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) so as to get some clues to the possible pathogenic factors and pathophysiological mechanism of the problem. METHODS: Six cases of psychogenic ED and 4 normal volunteers were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) for the characteristics of hypothalamus glucose metabolism. Following audiovisual sexual stimulation, the concentration of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) was determined and the ratio of the left (right) hypothalamus count to the cerebrum count was calculated. RESULTS: Audiovisual sexual stimulation significantly increased 18F-FDG in the volunteers (left: 1.026 +/- 0.115 vs 2.400 +/- 0.210; right: 1.003 +/- 0.187 vs 2.389 +0.196, P < 0.05) as compared with the psychogenic ED patients (left: 2.781 +/- 0.156 vs 2.769 +/- 0.223; right: 2.809 +/- 0.129 vs 2.793 +/- 0.217, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Psychogenic ED may not be simply a functional disease; the hypothalamus may be involved in the pathophysiology of the problem.

[Effect of acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on glucose metabolism in the patient of dysmenorrhea].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the central modulating mechanism of acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. METHODS: 18F-FDG positron emission tomograph imaging of whole brain was performed in six patients with primary dysmenorrhea during two stimulation: pseudo acupuncture and real acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6). The areas of cerebral glycometabolism change were obtained by using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Meanwhile the pain intensity before and after pseudo-acupuncture and real acupuncture was assessed with 0-10 numerical pain intensity scale. RESULTS: No differences in the values of pain before and after pseudo-acupuncture (P > 0.05). The value of pain after acupuncture was significantly lower than that before acupuncture (P < 0.01). Most of the activated brain areas were shared with the areas activated by pain as described in the literature. The brain areas of increasing glycometabolism were ipsilateral lentiformn nucleus (globus pallidus, putamen), cerebellum and insula, bilateral thalamus, ipsilateral paracentral lobule, bilateral amygdala, contralateral midbrain, bilateral second somatosensory cortex, ipsilateral hippocampus and anterior cingulate, contralateral mammillary body. The brain areas of decreasing glycometabolism were limited in small cerebral cortex. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) can relieve significantly the pain of the patient. Primary dysmenorrhea is cured mainly by activating the area involved in pain. It is indicated that acupuncture can relieve pain and balancing the pain-related central networks. Also neuroendocrine may play a role in the therapy.