[A case of schwannoma in cervical trachea].

Primary tracheal schwannoma is rare. It is easy to be misdiagnosed as bronchitis, asthma due to the lack of special symptom. Diagnosis of schwannoma depends on a comprehensive examination. Surgery is the only effective mean. Here we reported a 17-year-old male, who suffered from cough for 10 months. A variety of tests confirmed that he had schwannoma. There is no significant change after tumor resection via rigid bronchoscope since two years ago.

Effect of an antidiabetic polysaccharide from Inula japonica on constipation in normal and two models of experimental constipated mice.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of an antidiabetic polysaccharide (IJP) from Inula japonica on gastrointestinal transit in normal mice and on constipation in two models of constipated mice. METHODS: Two models of constipation in mice were respectively induced by fasted water for 4 days or induced by diphenoxylate. The normal and constipated mice were administered IJP once at doses of 100 and 400 mg/kg (p.o.), the gastrointestinal vermicular motion, start time of defecation, number and weight of stool were investigated. RESULTS: After administration of IJP, the gastrointestinal propulsive rate was increased by 9.79% and 10.42%, the start time of defecation was shortened by 37.27% and 44.06%, the number of feces increased by 115.4% and 130.8% in normal mice. In fasting-water constipated mice, the start time of defecation was shortened by 9.69% and 30.52% by IJP, defecation granules raised by 22.09% and 39.53%, wet feces weights were increased by 23.50% and 39.14% compared with the untreated constipated mice. In diphenoxylate-induced mice, the start time of defecation was shortened by 25.48% and 28.13%, defecation granules raised by 100.0% and 118.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of IJP effectively improved bowel movement, stool output observed in this study. IJP may be practical in relieving constipation in the elderly diabetic population.

Beneficial effects of C36, a novel breaker of advanced glycation endproducts cross-links, on the cardiovascular system of diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, including diabetic cardiovascular dysfunctions. 3-benzyloxycarbonylmethyl-4-methyl-thiazol-3-ium bromide (C36), a novel AGE breaker, was investigated for its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of diabetic rats. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The in vitro breaking abilities of C36 on AGE cross-links formed in vitro and in vivo were assessed. After 4 weeks' treatment with C36, cardiovascular and left ventricular functions in diabetic (streptozotocin-induced) rats were evaluated by haemodynamic studies. Effects of C36 on AGE accumulation, collagen distribution, and fibrosis-associated gene expression were also investigated by biochemical and morphological methods and reverse transcription-PCR, respectively. KEY RESULTS: In vitro, C36 released bovine serum albumin (BSA) from preformed AGE-BSA-collagen complexes and decreased the IgG cross-linked to red blood cell surface (RBC-IgG). In vivo, C36 treatment of diabetic rats resulted in a significant increase in left ventricular systolic pressure and the maximal rate of left ventricular pressure rise and pressure fall, induction in cardiac output and systemic arterial compliance, decrease of total peripheral resistance, reduction of diabetes-induced RBC-IgG content, increase of myocardial and tail tendon collagen solubility, and normalization of collagen type III/I ratio in diabetic rats. In addition, C36 treatment attenuated mRNA levels of diabetes-induced genes, including receptors for AGE, transforming growth factor beta1, connective tissue growth factor, and collagen III. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: C36 was an effective breaker of AGE cross-links and had beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of diabetic rats.