Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endometriosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; pathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spinal Canal ; pathology ; surgery ; Spinal Diseases ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the dynamic effects of Yinqiao detoxifcation oral liquid (YQD) on NK cell lysis in spleen and serum concentration of IFN-gamma in SCID mouse infected by influenza A virus FM1.

METHODThe mice were divided into six different groups randomly. Except normal control, other mice were intranasally instilled with 15 TCID of virus. Three dosage groups of YQD (5.0, 10.0, 20.0 g x kg(-1)) were respectively fed with YQD. Positive control group was administrated orally with 0.07 g x kg(-1) of ribavirin. Normal control and model group were fed with physiological saline. After 1, 3, 5 and 7 days' infection, spleens and serum were collected. Then the NK cell lysis was detected by LDH release kit and the concentration of IFN-gamma was examined by ELISA assay.

RESULTContents of IFN-gamma reached to peak value on the 3th day and until the 5th day. Later, the level of IFN-gamma returned to normal level. The variation tendency of activity of NK cell in spleen was according with that of IFN-gamma. But it reached the maximum value until the 5th day. The activity of NK cell lysis in three groups of YQD was well above that i n model group. In addition, therapeutic action of both 10.0 g x kg(-1) and 20.0 g x kg(-1) of YQD treatment groups was better than that of 5.0 g x kg(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe data showed that serum concentration of IFN-gamma and NK cell lysis were improved by YQD at different time, which was demonstrated YQD could perform well in immune system.

Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Influenzavirus A ; physiology ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; Random Allocation ; Spleen ; immunology ; physiopathology

Calbindin 2 ; metabolism ; Heart Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; MyoD Protein ; metabolism ; Myogenin ; metabolism ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

AIMTo establish the method of HPLC-fingerprint analysis for the quality control of Dalbergia odorifera and identify its main constituents by HPLC-MS.

METHODSThe 37 hatches of samples were analyzed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 column with a gradient of acetonitrile and 0.3% aqueous acetic acid at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1) and detected at 275 nm. Furthermore, the typical samples were detected by HPLC-DAD-MS under negative ion mode.

RESULTS37 batches of D. odorifera samples were classified into three types based on the results of similarity analysis. According to the comparison of the tR, MS data and UV maximum absorbance (gamma(max)) values with the standards, 10, 7 and 2 phenolic components were identified in three types of D. odorifera extracts, separately.

CONCLUSIONThe method is repeatable and reliable, and it is capable of effectively controlling the quality of D. odorifera.

Benzopyrans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; isolation & purification ; Isoflavones ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the histological changes in liver biopsy tissues taken from chronic hepatitis B patients with HBsAg and HBeAg positive and ALT abnormal after lamivudine therapy for one year.

METHODSLamivudine was given orally at the dose of 100 mg once a day for one year. 101 patients were enrolled into this open-label study. Paired liver biopsies from patients with hepatitis B before and after therapy with lamivudine were studied. Blinded biopsies were evaluated by a histopathologist and scored according to Knodell's histology activity index(HAI).

RESULTS53.5% (54/101), 51.5% (52/101) and 31.7% (32/101) patients had a reduction of their total hepatic HAI score, necroinflammation and fibrosis scores by >or=2 points or 1 points at the end of one year of lamivudine therapy, compared with their pretreatment values, respectively. There were significant reduction of HAI score, necroinflammation and fibrosis scores from 8.0+/-4.7 to 5.2+/-3.3 (t=7.358, P<0.01), from 5.9+/-3.8 to 3.6+/-2.5 (t=7.298, P<0.01), and from 2.1+/-1.2 to 1.6+/-1.2 (t=3.827, P<0.01), respectively. The histological improvement was independent on the HBeAg seroconvertion during the therapy.

CONCLUSIONSignificant improvement in liver histology, both necroinflammation and fibrosis, can be obtained in the majority of patients treated with lamivudine for one year.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Male

Objective To observe the effect of the conditioned medium obtained from the coculture of astrocytes and β-amyloid (Aβ1-40)-induced apoptotic PC12 cells on the neuronal differentiation efficiency of neural stem cells (NSCs), and investigate the possible involvement of the neurotrophins proteins including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF)and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the induced differentiation of the NSCs. Methods PCI2 cells wereinduced by Aβ1-40 for different time lengths (0, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h), and after detection of the apoptotic rates using flow cytometry, the cells were cocultured with astrocytes for 2 days. The astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM), after analysis of the neurotrophins proteins using erLzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was mixed with DMEM/F12 medium at the proportion of 1:3 to induce the differentiation of the NSCs. The cell differentiation was identified by laser confocal microscopy, NSE immunofluorescent labeling, and neuronal counting. Results Flow cytometry showed that induction by Aβ1-40 for 6 h resulted in the highest apoptosis rate of PC12 cells (P<0.05). BDNF content in the ACM derived from the coculture of astrocytes and the PC12 cells induced for 6 h was significantly increased, and the NSCs induced in this ACM showed the highest neuronal differentiation rates, showing significant difference from those induced by other ACMs (P<0.05). Conclusion The ACM derived from the coculture of Aβ1-40-induced PC12 cells and astrocytes can increase the neuronal differentiation rates of NSCs in vitro, and BDNF in the ACM may play a role in this process.

OBJECTIVEThe influence of processing methods on chemical constituents in Radix Paeoniae Alba was observed.

METHODA HPLC method was used for analyzing the changes of eight major constituents, namely gallic acid, paeoniflorin sulfonate, catechin, paeoniflorin sulfonate, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, pentagalloylglucose and benzoylpaeoniflorin, with the three processing procedures of decorticating, boiling and fumigating by burning of sulphur. Analysis was performed using a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with the mixture of acetonitrile (A) and 0.015% phosphoric acid solution as mobile phase in gradient mode. The detection wavelength was set at 230 nm and the column temperature was at 30 degrees C.

RESULTExcept for gallic acid and pentagalloylglucose, the other constituents decreased during procedure of decorticating and boiling. Fumigating by burning of sulphur would produce a new compound, paeoniflorin sulfonate, which was a byproduct from the reaction of paeoniflorin with SO2.

CONCLUSIONThe significant changes were produced in chemical constituents of Radix Paeoniae Alba during three processing procedures. Therefore, the processing of Radix Paeoniae Alba should be strictly controlled and standardized.

Benzoates ; analysis ; chemistry ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; analysis ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Gallic Acid ; analysis ; Glucosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Hot Temperature ; Hydrolyzable Tannins ; analysis ; Molecular Structure ; Monoterpenes ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sulfur ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVEThe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy caused by asphyxia in peripartum is a serious disease in newborn infants, with a high disability and mortality rate. Lack of regenerative ability in central nervous system after injury is considered as the fundamental cause. However, in recent years many studies have revealed that there are myelin-associated neurite growth inhibitory factors that exert inhibiting effect through the Nogo receptor (NgR). This study aimed to investigate the expression level of NgR and the possible neuroprotective effect of NEP1-40 in newborn rats with hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD).

METHODEighty healthy Wistar rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into 4 groups; 8 in control group, 24 in HIBD model group, 24 in GM-1 group and 24 in NEP1-40 group. The rats of the control group and HIBD group were injected with normal saline (0.25 ml/kg) intraperitoneally, while those in NEP1-40 group and GM-1 group with NEP1-40 12.5 microg/d, GM-1 10 mg/(kg.d) for continuous 3 days of 72-hour group or 7 days of 168-hour group, respectively. In situ hybridization was adopted for detecting the expression of NgR in the brain of the rats at the time point of 24 hours, 72 hours and 7 days. Meanwhile histopathological changes of neurons and axon were detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SPSS statistical software package for Windows, version 10.0, was used to run Chi-square tests and least significance difference (LSD-t) on the data presented, and P value of less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

RESULTThe expression level of Nogo-A receptor in the control group was higher than that of the other groups at different time point (t value was 5.48, 6.11, 6.96, 8.24, 5.99 and 5.34, respectively, and all P values were less than 0.05). There were no significant differences in Nogo-A receptor level among the HIBD group, the GM-1 group and the NEP1-40 at 24 hours (t was 1.48, 2.76 and 1.29, respectively, and all P > 0.05), while the expression of Nogo-A receptor of NEP1-40 at 72 hours and 7 days was lower than that of the HIBD group and the GM-1 group at the same time point, respectively (all P < 0.05). Repair of neurons in damaged brain to some extent was found after GM-1 treatment and satisfactory repair of neurons and axon regeneration was obtained with NEP1-40 administration as shown by TEM.

CONCLUSIONHypoxic ischemic brain damage can down-regulate the expression of Nogo-A receptor in the central nervous system. NEP1-40 contributes to the regeneration of axon and repair of brain damage, thus exerts neuroprotective effect.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; GPI-Linked Proteins ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myelin Proteins ; pharmacology ; Nogo Receptor 1 ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Receptors, Peptide ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effects of Longdan Xiegan Decoction on the expression of Notch signaling-related genes in rats with experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU).Methods Totally 24 Lewis rats were randomly divided into normal control group,EAU model group and Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group.A rat model of EAU was established in the EAU model group and Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group,followed by intragastrical administration of Longdan Xiegan Decoction in the latter group after successful modeling.On day 12 after different treatments,the spleen and lymph nodes were isolated from rats of all the three groups for the collection of CD4 + T ceils,and the levels of both Th17 and Treg cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to calculate the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells.Meanwhile the levels of Notch1,Notch2,Notch3,Notch4 mRNAs expression were monitored by qRT-PCR.Moreover,the expressions of Notch signaling-related proteins were further detected using ELISA technique.Results Flow cytometry showed increased Th17 cell level but decreased Treg cell level in the EAU model group when compared with the normal control group.However,after treatment with Longdan Xiegan Decoction,the Th17 level was decreased,whereas the Treg level was increased,and the ratio of Th17 to Treg gradually restored to equilibrium when compared to EAU model group.qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of Notch1,Notch2 and Notch4 mRNAs in Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (all P ＜ 0.01),but lower than those in EAU model group on day 12 after treatment (all P ＜ 0.01),without Notch 3 expression in the spleen and lymph nodes.In addition,Notch 1,Notch 2 and Notch 4 protein levels of the spleen and lymph nodes in Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group showed the similar tendency as compared to those of Notch 1,Notch 2 and Notch 4 mRNAs (all P ＜ 0.01),and the expression of Notch 3 protein was still not observed.Conclusion Longdan Xiegan Decoction can effectively relieve the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells in EAU rats,and its mechanism may involve the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into Th17 and Treg cells,which is regulated by Notch signaling.

Objective To investigate the cell morphology and expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter(5-HTT) in hippocampal CA1 region of depression rats induced by adolescent and post-adult stress,and to observe the inter-vention effect of modified Sini San (MSS). Methods One hundred and thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,JSS group,and fluoxetine group,33 rats in each group. And then the rats in each group were randomly subdivided into adolescent group, adult group, post-adult group acaccording to the age day, 11 rats in each subgroup. Age day 44,56 and 78 were used as the sampling time points for adolescent group,adult group,post-adult group respectively. Chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)rat model was used. From day 21 to 44 and from day 57 to 78, the rats were modeled and given medication, but from day 44 to 55, the rats were fed normally. The rat general condition and body mass of various groups were observed,the cell morphology of hippocampal CA1 region was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining , and the distribution of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (5-HTT)positive cells in CA1 region of hippocampus was observed by immunohistochemical staining. Results The general condition of the rats at different age stages in the model group was poor,while that in MSS group and fluoxetine group was improved obviously. The body mass of rats at different age stages in the model group was obviously decreased (P<0.01 compared with the blank group). After adulthood stage,the body mass of rats in model group, MSS group, and fluoxetine group was lower than that of the blank group(P < 0.01), but there was no difference between the 3 groups (P > 0.05). In aspect of cell morphological manifestation in hippocampal CA1 region, rats in the adolescent model group had more deeply-staining atrophy neurons, with unclear hyperchromatic nucleus and cytoplasm. The morphological manifestations in modeled rats at adult stage and post-adulthood stage showed progressive aggravation,manifested as a large amount of neurons stained deeply with unclear nucleus and cytoplasm, and a small amount of glial cells proliferated. Compared with the model group at the same stage,the neuronal atrophy and deeply staining decreased in fluoxetine group and MSS group. The average optical density value of 5-HTT expression in the model group was decreased significantly at the adult stage and after adulthood stage(P<0.05 or P<0.01 compared with the blank group). Compared with the model group, the average optical density value of 5-HTT expression in MSS group after adulthood stage, and in the fluoxetine group at the adult stage and after adulthood stage were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion Rats suffering CUMS in adolescence presents depressive behavior, and post-adult stimulation can aggravates depression. 5-HTT expression in hippocampus may be an important pathway for MSS to achieve the therapeutic efficacy.