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The research aimed to investigate the suppression effect of Mai Shu which contains hawthorn, hippophae, medlar, phytosterols（β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol）, β-glucan and lycopeneon formation of atherosclerotic plaque in apolipoprotein E knock-out (ApoE-/-) mice. Liquid chromatography-ultravioletmass spectrometry（LC-UV-MC） methods were used to analyze the main chemical composition of Mai Shu. Atherosclerotic mice models were established by high-fat diet. The mice were administrated with Mai Shu (1, 2, 4 g·kg-1·d-1) or other contrast materials by intragastric route for 10 weeks continuously. At the end of administration, the blood of mice was collected for tests of the serum total cholesterol（TC）, total triglyceride（TG） and high density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C） level. Atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and aortic root were assessed by calculating the relative area of lesions（oil red O stained）. Intravital fluorescence microscopic system was used to evaluate the leukocyte-endothelial adhesion in mesenteric artery of mice by detecting the rolling velocity of white blood cells（WBC）. Collagenous fibers and macrophages in lesions were detected by sirius red staining and immunological histological chemistry to evaluate the atherosclerotic plaque stability. Results showed that Mai Shu contains various flavonoids（9.5%）, phytosterols（23.8%） and polysaccharides（8.9%）. The serum lipid level of model animals was significantly higher than the control animals. Serum TC level was decreased by Mai Shu (4 g·kg-1, P0.001) compared to the untreated model. Serum TG level was reduced by Mai Shu (1, 2, 4 g·kg-1) compared to model（P0.01）. Area of atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and aortic root was decreased in Mai Shu group (aorta: 1 g·kg-1, P0.05; 2 g·kg-1, P0.01; 4 g·kg-1, P0.001; aortic root: 2, 4 g·kg-1, P0.01). Rolling velocity of white blood cells of Mai Shu (4 g·kg-1, P0.001) group was increased over the untreated model. Collagenous fibers in lesions were observationally increased by Mai Shu (1, 2 g·kg-1) and macrophages were decreased (2, 4 g·kg-1) compared to model. These results demonstrate that Mai Shu can obviously decrease the serum lipid levels and the risk of leukocyte-endothelial adhesion in ApoE-/- mice. The effect of Mai Shu may be associated with the decrease of macrophages in plaque.

A combined approach to the calibration of vacuum gauges is described. It is based on the principle of expansion and pumpdown methods. Two chambers V1 and V2 are connected by conductance Ck. Gas is first expanded into V1 (expansion method), admitted into V2 via Ck, and then pumped away through an orifice of conductance C2. The pressure P2 in V2 decreases exponentially (pumpdown method). A formula for computing P2 is given. Calibration of a Bayard–Alpert type ionization gauge has been carried out in the range 10−4–5×10−7 Torr (1.3×10−2–6.7×10−5 Pa). Possible experimental errors are discussed. A total uncertainty of about 5.2% has been estimated.