Objective To explore the maternal toxicity in Wistar rats induced by exposure to methylmercury in rats during pregnancy Methods The parameters of physiological development,reproductive process and brain histomorphology were observed and monoamine neurotransmitters(noradrenaline,dopamine and 5 HT) were determined during pregnancy and lactation periods,continuous oral perfusion with methylmercury with different concentrations of 0 00,0 01,0 05 and 2 00 mg/(kg?d) was performed during the 6th~9th day after conception to terminal pregnancy Results The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in brain tissue of maternal rats in exposure groups increased significantly compared with those in control group(P

AIM:To observe the clinical effect of femtosecond laser assisted penetrating keratoplasty.
METHODS: Twenty-four cases ( 24 eyes ) with corneal lesions were performed with femtosecond laser assisted penetrating keratoplasty. Preoperative and postoperative endothelial cell density and visual quality were compared.RESULTS: One week after operation, corneal grafts were clear in 21 eyes (87. 5%), mild cloudy in 3 eyes (12.5%);visual acuity ≥0. 5 in 18 eyes (75. 0%), 0. 2 ~0.4 in 6 eyes ( 25. 0%). After 3mo the mean corneal astigmatism was 2. 16±0. 21D ( range 2. 25 ~ 3. 09D). Compared to conventional penetrating keratoplasty which mean corneal astigmatism was average 3. 67±0. 38D after operation, there was significant difference between two groups ( P< 0. 05 ). There were significant differences between preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and astigmatism (both P<0. 05).
CONCLUSION: Femtosecond laser assisted penetrating corneal transplantation operation can improve patient's visual quality. And compared to traditional penetrating keratoplasty astigmatism decreased significantly, incision can be made in individual shape more precisely and neatly.

Blood Platelets ; Humans ; MicroRNAs

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of pure total flavonoids from Citrus (PTFC) on the hepatic fatty degeneration, inflammation, oxidative stress and SIRT1/PGC-1alpha expressions in mice with non-alcohol steatohepatitis (NASH), and discuss the action mechanism of PTFC on NASH.

METHODMice were given high-fat diet for 16 weeks to induce the NASH model. Since the seventh week after the model establishment, the mice were intervened with 100, 50 and 25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) PTFC for 10 weeks. The pathologic changes in hepatic tissues were observed with HE staining. The contents of TG, CHOL in hepatic tissue, as well as the levels of AST, ALT in serum were detected by using the biochemical process. The expression of SIRT1, PGC-1alpha and MnSOD mRNA in hepatic tissues were detected with Real-time PCR assay. SIRT1, PGC-1alpha protein and 8-OHdG expressions were determined with the immunohistochemical method. The SOD level in hepatic tissues was tested by the xanthine oxidase method. The MDA content in hepatic tissues was examined by the thiobarbituric acid method.

RESULTThe contents of TG, CHOL, NAFLD activity scores and ALT level in serum in hepatic tissues of mice in the model induced by fat-rich diet were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.010. The SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, MnSOD mRNA and protein expression in hepatic tissues were significantly lower than that of the normal group (P < 0.01). The expression of 8-OHdG and the content of MDA in hepatic tissues were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.01). After the intervention with different doses of PTFC, the NAFLD activity scores, the content of TG and the level of AST in serum were notably lower than that of the normal group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); whereas the SIRT1, PGC-1alpha, MnSOD mRNA and protein expression were obviously higher than that of the normal group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), with the significant decrease in the expression of 8-OHdG and the content of MDA (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONOxidative stress/lipid peroxidation enhancement in in NASH mice induced by high-fat diet may be related to the changes in SIRT1/PGC-1alpha signal transduction pathway. PTFC could enhance the anti-oxidant capacity in liver, relieve the damage of reactive oxygen during the fatty acid metabolic process, and prevent NASH from the occurrence and development by regulating the SIRT1/PGC-1alpha signal pathway.

Animals ; Citrus ; chemistry ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; genetics ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; Sirtuin 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

A reasonable and practicable quality standard was developed for mori liquid extract from different sources by TLC, HPLC and fingerprint technology. In TLC method, the compounds were separated on polyamide film using glacial acetic acid-water (1: 3) as mobile phase at a UV wavelength of 365 nm. All qualified samples had the spots of the same color as the control herb and substance. The RP-HPLC method was used to determine the content of mulberroside A with mobile phase of methanol-water (25: 75) at a wave-length of 326 nm. The mulberroside A was in good linear with a regression equation of Y = 46.965X (r = 0.999 6) in the range of 4.6 - 228 mg x L(-1). In 14 batches of samples, the mulberroside A in 4 batches of them was less than 0.5 g x L(-1), and was more than 2.0 g x L(-1) in the other batches. It was suggested that the content limit of mulberroside A should be no less than 1.5 g x L(-1). The HPLC fingerprints were evaluated by the similarities. It has found that the similarities of different mori liquid extracts were very low and the chemical diversity of mori cortex was the major factor of similarity. Moreover, the process impact was minimal. Thus the fingerprint was not included in this quality standard.
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Disaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Morus ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To study the MR features and differential diagnosis of oligodendroglioma.Methods Clinical and MR data of 34 pathology-diagnosed oligodendroglioma cases were analyzed retrospectively, which included tumor location,signal,size,enhanced and MRS features.Results 22 cases were diagnosed as WHOⅡoligodendroglioma and 12 cases WHOⅢ anaplastic oligodendroglioma.22 tumors located in the frontal lobes,4 tumors in the temporal lobes, 7 tumors in both frontal and temporal lobes,1 tumor located at the optic chiasma.25 tumors located in the superficial areas of the brain.For anaplastic oligodendrogliomas,tumor necrosis and cystic degenerations were showed in 11 cases,and hemorrhage or calcification in 6 cases.For oligodendroglioma,tumor necrosis and cystic degenerations were showed in 6 cases,hemorrhage in 2 cases,calcification in 8 cases.The average tumor diameter was 35 mm for oligodendroglioma and 58 mm for anaplastic oligodendroglioma.For anaplastic oligodendroglioma,obvious irregular or ring enhancements were showed in 11 cases.For oligodendroglioma, mild enhancement was showed in 6 cases,no enhancement in 6 cases and mild or moderate irregular ring-type enhancements in 4 cases.MRS was performed in 6 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas the Cho/Cr ratio was over 4 in 5 cases.MRS was performed in 12 oligodendrogliomas the Cho/Cr ratio was between 2.3 to 3.3 in 10 cases and below 2 in 2 cases.Conclusion The main MR feature of anaplastic oligodendroglioma is that tumor is located in the frontal lobe and superficial area of the brainwith irregular or ring-type enhancement,and the Cho/Cr ratio over 4.

Objective To study the different ultrasonic features in patients of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with or without obesity based on body mass index (BMI), and to investigate whether certain hormonal factors correlate with ovarian morphology and blood flow, and to discuss the role of ultrasound combined with hormone test in the diagnosis of obese PCOS. Methods One hundred and five women with PCOS were recruited. Patients were divided into two groups according to BMI;obese PCOS group (OB-PCOS, n=32, BMI≥25 kg/m2) and non-obese PCOS (NOB-PCOS, n=73, BMI<25 kg/m2). The ultrasonic parameters of follicle number (FN), ovarian volume (Vol), resistance index (RI) of ovarian stromal blood, RI of uterine artery and serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), the ratio of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH), progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), free testosterone (FT), prolactin (PRL), sex hormoe binding globulin (SHBG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), the extent of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism (HOMA-IR) were measured and compared. The correlation of the ultrasonic parameters and hormonal factors were analyzed. Results The Vol of OB-PCOS group was significantly higher than NOB-PCOS group [(12.25±4.89) ml vs (10.73±2.30) ml, t=2.20, P < 0.05]. FN and uterine artery RI of OB-PCOS group had a rising trend and RI of ovarian interstitial was on a reducing trend compared with NOB-PCOS group. But the differences were not statistically significant. The levels of FINS and HOMA-IR in OB-PCOS group [(14.82±6.45) mU/L and (3.91±3.30)] were significantly higher than those in NOB-PCOS group [(8.04±4.57) mU/L and (1.64±1.20)] (t=4.87, 3.47, respectively, both P < 0.01). And FSH in NOB-PCOS group was significantly higher than OB-PCOS group [(5.95±1.91) U/L vs (4.65±1.88) U/L, t=-2.77, P<0.01]. In POCS patients, FN was significantly associated with LH/FSH (r=0.35, P<0.01), and FT (r=0.38, P<0.01). Vol was significantly associated with LH/FSH, BMI, HOMA-IR and FPG (r=0.27, P<0.05;r=0.25, P<0.05;r=0.40, P<0.01;r=0.32, P<0.01). RI of ovarian stromal blood flow was significantly associated with SHBG (r=0.28, P<0.05). In OB-POCS group, RI of uterine artery was significantly associated with PRL (r=-0.58, P < 0.05). Vol was significantly associated with HOMA-IR (r=0.47, P < 0.05). In NOB-POCS group, FN was significantly associated with LH/FSH (r=0.33, P<0.05), and FT (r=0. 56, P<0.05). Vol was significantly associated with FT (r=0.31, P < 0.05). Conclusion There are some differences in the ultrasound and endocrine parameters between obese and non-obese PCOS patients, and some correlations exist between them.

Three candidate antisense target sites of mouse Fas gene were screened by PARASS (poly-A anchored RNA accessible sites screening) technology. They were target at Fas gene 297nt-317nt, 618nt- 638nt and 662nt-682nt. Antisense oligos (A1, A2 and A3) and DNAzymes (D1, D2, and D3) for every target site were designed and synthesized. In vitro, the validation of the sites were judged by antisense oligos included RNase H splicing and the DNAzyme degradation. The results indicated that A1, A2 and A3 introduced RNase H degradation. DNAzymes D1, D2 and D3 cleaved Fas mRNA effectively. Neither degradation observed in antisense oligo RNase H group in non-target site (1211-1231nt) and 2 bases mismatched of A3, nor splicing occurred in DNzyme group in non-target site ( 1211-1231nt) and 2 bases mismatched of D3. Site 2 and 3 were at the same positions with those of ISIS Pharmaceuticals. The effective antisense oligos and DNAzymes for Fas gene could be used for the research subsequently.

In MAST (mRNA accessible site tagging),the DNA tags from synthesized library were employed for identifying mRNA accessible sites. A large number of tags were amplified and subcloned for sequencing to verify mRNA binding profiles. A PCR was designed by using one primer which bridges over the tag terminal sequences. In PCR reaction DNA tag fragments were concatemerized by a bridge primer in reaction cycles. The concatemerized tag fragments were subcloned and sequenced. Dozens of the concatemerized sequences contained thousands tags. The PCR was a simple,effective way which for sequencing tags in a high through put manner.

Objective To investigate the morphological features of normal lumbar dorsal root ganglia using a three-dimensional(3D)coronal MR imaging.Methods One hundred and fifteen volunteers were included.Ages ranged from 15 to 75 years,with a mean of 40 years.Coronal 3D fast field echo(FFE) with water selective excitation(Proset)MR examination of 1150 dorsal root gangha were underwent at nerve root levels from L1 to L5.The source coronal images were further reconstructed into a series of rotational alignment coronal images with an interval angel of 12 degree using maximum intensity projection(MIP) technique.All DRGs of bilateral spinal nerve from L1 to L5 were morphologically analyzed on the original and MIP images including qualitative evaluation of the location,signal intensity,architecture and quantitative dimensional measurement.Results There were 225,225,219,210 and 160 foraminal ganglia from L1 to L5 level,respectively.The incidence of intraspinal ganglia from L3 to L5 gradually increased with a maximum at L5 level of 29.1%(X~2=188.371,P