BACKGROUND: A number of studies have suggested that lycopene is an antioxidant which is used to decrease the risk of age-related chronic diseases.OBJECTIVE: To establish a rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis, and to investigate the effects of lycopene in preventing bone loss in ovatiectomized rat models of osteoporosis.METHODS: The 6-month-old female Wistar rats, SPF grade, which had never given birth, were divided into sham and ovatiectomized groups. The ovatiectomized rats were further sub-divided into four groups which were administered with corn oil orally as model group, lycopene (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, daily) or treated by intraperitoneal injection with estradiol benzoate (25 mg/kg, twice).RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After 12-week administration, as compared with the model group, the uterus weight of high-dose and low-dose lycopene groups significantly increased (P < 0.05); the Ca, P, superoxide dismutase levels, percent trabecular area,and trabecular number were obviously higher, and serum alkaline phosphatase, urine deoxypyridinoline, malondialdehyde,trabecular separation and number of osteoclasts were obviously lower in the lycopene groups than the model group (P < 0.05). The bone mass index, bone bio-mechanics and bone histomorphometry were better in the lycopene groups than the model group (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that lycopene has a definite antiosteoporotic effect on ovatiectomized rats.

AIM: Lycopene as an antioxidant can decrease the risk of age-related chronic diseases, such as cancer. In this study, we investigated the impact of lycopene on bone mineral density and bone biomechanics in experimental osteoporotic rats. METHODS: The experiment was performed at the Animal Experiment Center of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College from July 2006 to November 2007. The lycopene was provided by the Xinjiang Zhixing Technology Invest Development Company, and diluted to certain concentration by corn oil. Fifty six-month-old SPF female Wistar rats were selected and divided into 5 groups (n=10) according to body mass: Sham operation and corn oil group (2 mL/d), ovariectomy (OVX) and corn oil group (2 mL/d), OVX and estradiol benzoate (EB) group (0.2 mg/kg, once a week), low and high lycopene groups (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, once a day). Except the sham operation group, all rats underwent OVX to establish models of osteoporosis. Each group was administrated corresponding medicine for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Within 2 weeks postoperatively, 1 of sham operation group died and 2 of low lycopene group died. Finally, 47 rats were included in final analysis. ①The lumbar and femoral bone mineral density and maximum stress of ovariectomized rats were significantly lower than those of sham operation group (P

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in pediatric myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods:Case series study. The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, treatment plans and prognosis of 27 pediatric MG patients treated with rituximab from June 2013 to June 2023 at Children′s Medical Center of Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively collected.Results:There were 5 males and 22 females in 27 MG children. The onset age was 2.1 (1.6, 4.8) years, ranging from 8 months to 11 years. The clinical classification included 20 children (74%) of ocular MG and 7 children (26%) of generalized MG. Seventeen children (63%) had positive MG-related pathogenic antibodies, including 17 children of anti-AchR antibody and 1 of them also had anti-MuSK antibody. Rituximab was used as first-line immunosuppressant in 13 children, second-line immunosuppressant in 13 children and third-line immunosuppressant in 1 child. Immunosuppressants used before rituximab including 8 children of cyclosporine, 3 children of tacrolimus, 1 child of azathioprine, 1 child of mycophenolate mofetil and 1 child of cyclosporine combined with azathioprine. Rituximab was used for at least half a year with a follow-up period of more than 12 months. At the last follow-up after rituximab treatment, all children achieved improved or above, 14 children (52%) achieved complete stable remission, 7 children (26%) achieved pharmacologic remission, 1 child (4%) achieved minimal manifestations, and 5 children (18%) improved. After rituximab treatment, 27 children all could reduce the immunomodulation therapy and shorten the course of glucocorticoid therapy, and 22 children (81%) had stopped the glucocorticoid therapy. Among the 14 children with poor efficacy of other immunosuppressants, rituximab had complete stable remission of 7 children. The most common adverse reaction was respiratory infection (4 children (15%)). Only 2 children had allergic reaction to rituximab and got better after symptomatic treatment.Conclusions:Rituximab has good efficacy and tolerance in pediatric MG. Early application of rituximab can improve the prognosis and shorten the course of glucocorticoid treatment.