The two verities of Crgptococcus neoforinans were first observed as well growing with brown color changes on Guizotia abyssinica seed agar(GASA)and caffeic acid commeal agar(CACA.Then,C.neoformans var.neoformans was found in 18/26 pigeon droppings by both two media.C.neoformans var.gattii was not isolated by the two media in 76 Eucalyptus camaldulensis samples.However,an,overgrowth of filamentous fungus was more frequently seen on GASA.Our results suggest that CACA be capable of selevtively isolating C.neoformans with the advantages of less interference fron the overgrowth of filamentous fungi.

Objective To study the effect of Pinus yunnanensis on acute alcoholic liver injury in rats and explore its mechanism. Methods A model of acute alcoholic liver injury in mice was prepared by alcohol. The mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, positive control group, Pinus yunnanensis low-, medium-and high-dose groups. Mice in the medicine group were given the corresponding medicine by gavage once a day for 7 days. After the last three hours of intragastric administration, the liver and spleen index, ALT, AST and GSH in serum, SOD, MDA and NO in liver homogenates were measured. Histopathological changes of liver were observed by HE staining. Results Compared with model group, Pinecone of Pinus unnanensis high-, medium- and low-dose groups could significantly reduce the liver index in mice (P<0.01), and high dose groups could significantly reduce the number of spleen (P<0.01); The contents of AST in the medium- and high-dose groups significantly decreased (P<0.01) and the GSH activity significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in serum ALT level, SOD activity, GSH activity and NO content in the liver tissues of Pinus yunnanensis groups (P>0.05). HE staining results showed that, the damage of liver tissue in mice of Pinus yunnanensis was significantly improved compared with the model group. Conclusion Pinus yunnanensis has protective effects on acute alcoholic liver injury in mice.

Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Eczema ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Low-Level Light Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Urticaria ; radiotherapy ; therapy

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Hip Fractures ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of triptolide tablet in the treatment of patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODSBy an open clinical study of 103 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Psoriasis area severity index (PASI) was measured and recorded before and after treatment for efficacy evaluation.

RESULTSOf the 103 patients, markedly effective was got in 41 (39.7%), improved in 37 (35.8%) and ineffective in 25 (24.5%), the total effective rate being 75.7%, and the adverse reaction was shown only in few patients with decreased WBC during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONTriptolide tablet is effective for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris during the one-year follow-up.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diterpenes ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Epoxy Compounds ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenanthrenes ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome

The present study was undertaken to observe the effect of exogenously administered melatonin on the intensity of β-endorphin (β-Ep) immunoreactivity of the neuron in the arcuate nucleus of rat hypothalamus with an aim to explore the possible mechanisms of the analgesic effect of melatonin. The experimental rats were divided into two groups, one injected intraperitoneally with melatonin (110 mg/kg) and the other with only a vehicle. One hour after injection, the brain was processed for coronal sections, which were stained with immunohistochemical ABC technique. The integral optical density (IOD) and mean optical density (OD) of the stained sections were measured with a computer-assisted image-processing and analytical system. β-Ep immunoreactivity was much decreased in the sections treated with melatonin and the IOD and OD were also decreased significantly (P<0.01; P<0.05). The above results suggest that melatonin may result in a decrease of β-Ep content in the arcuate nucleus, as a result of increased β-Ep release induced by administration of melatonin. It is likely that the analgesic effect of melatonin may be in part mediated by the release of β-endorphin from the arcuate nucleus.

OBJECTIVEIt has been known that the intrahepatic renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a key role in the fibrogenesis in livers. Aldosterone (Aldo), the principal effector molecule of the RAAS, exerts local effects on cell growth and fibrogenesis. However, the signal transduction mechanisms underlying the effects of Aldo on hepatic fibrogenesis remain to be fully elucidated. The present study aims to investigate the signal transduction mechanism underlying the effects of Aldo on the signal passageway of active protein-1 (AP-1).

METHODSIn vitro, HSCs-T6 cell line was treated with Aldo for 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min and 180 min, and protein expression of Phospho-P42/44 was detected by Western blot. In addition, HSCs-T6 cell line was preincubated for 60 min or not with U0126 (an inhibitor of the MAPK/ERK kinase), and also with antioxidant-N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prior to exposure to Aldo for the indicated times. Protein expression of Phospho-P42/44 was measured by Western blot. DNA biding activity of AP-1 was analyzed by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA). By means of RT-PCR, expression of alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA was detected.

RESULTSAldo stimulated HSC via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway. Time course experiments showed that Aldo induced Phospho-P42/44 expression, which was abrogated by U0126, reaching a maximum at 10 minutes, and then declined progressively. NAC inhibited the Phospho-P42/44 expression. EMSA showed that stimulation of HSC by Aldo markedly increased AP-1 DNA binding activity. U0126 markedly reduced AP-1 DNA binding activity induced by Aldo; NAC partly decreased AP-1 activity induced by Aldo. Aldo up-regulated expression of alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA, which was attenuated by U0126 and NAC.

CONCLUSIONStimulation of HSC by Aldo results in activation of AP-1 via ERK1/2 pathway, leading to up-regulation of AP-1 target gene alpha1(1) procollagen mRNA expression.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the time-effect of silica on the expression of lung tissue nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in early inflammatory damage stage of silicotic rat.

METHODSAnimal models were established by direct tracheal instillation of silica into rat lungs. Total NOS and induced NOS (iNOS) activities in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were assayed. The expression of iNOS protein in paraffin-embedded lung sections with Streptavidin/peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemistry were measured by tissue microarray and Image-Pro Plus.

RESULTSMost of the expression of iNOS was in the cytoplasm of macrophages and neutrophils. iNOS integrated optical density (IOD) of lung tissue increased 1.47 x 10(5) and 2.73 x 10(5) more respectively in silicatreated rats 3, 7 days after exposure than in control rats (P < 0.05), and decreased 1.11 x 10(5) more 28 days after exposure (P < 0.01). The activities of iNOS in BALF increased by 0.86, 1.89 and 0.92 U/ml respectively 3, 7, 14 days after exposure (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The activities of total NOS in BALF increased by 1.43, 2.05, 2.61 and 2.19 U/ml respectively 1, 3, 7, 14 days after exposure (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAfter silica instillation, the iNOS-positive cells in rat lung tissue were mostly macrophages and neutrophils. There is a parabolic changing trend in the level of expression of lung iNOS during 1 - 28 day exposure to silica.

Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; cytology ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity

BACKGROUND:The rabbit model of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) has been successfully established by glucocorticoid combined with lipopolysaccharide.OBJECTIVE:To observe the dynamic changes of bone mass in the early steroid-induced ON FH.METHODS:Twenty-four adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (n=12 per group).Rabbits in the experimental group were injected with lipopolysaccharide and glucocorticoid to establish the model of ONFH,while those in the control group given the same volume of normal saline.The changes in the femoral head structure,morphology and distribution of the trabecular bone at 5,1 0,15 and 20 days after modeling were observed through multi-slice spiral CT,micro-CT and hematoxylin-eosin staining;the bone mineral density and rate of empty lacunae were detected.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The imaging examinations showed that the rabbit femoral head was intact and smooth in both groups;on days 15 and 20,in the experimental group,the cortical bone became thinner,the trabecular bone became sparse and discontinuous,and the bone mineral density,tissue mineral density and bone volume/total volume were significantly lower than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.01).The histological observation indicated that there were more empty lacunae and adipocytes,as well as less osteocytes and hematopoietic cells in the experimental group;the rate of empty lacunae in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group on days 15 and 20 (P ＜ 0.01).These findings suggest that in the early stage of ONFH,necrotic osteocytes increase in number,accompanied by trabecular micro-fractures,which leads to a decrease in bone mineral density,eventually resulting in bone remodeling disturbance.

A pairs of primers were designed according to the fusion protein(F)gene sequences of canine distemper virus(CDV)in GenBank.A 369 bp fragment aimed signal peptide fragment of F gene was amplified.The PCR products from viscera samples,blood,urine of fur animals including foxes,minks and raccoon dogs,which collected in the years 2005-2007,were cloned to pMD18-T Vector and sequenced.We obtained 13 positive signal peptide fragments from wild-type strains.The results indicated there was obviously genetic diversity between the wild-type strains and CDV3 and other vaccine strains.The homology with CDV3 is 80.7%-83.2%in nucleotide,and 64.8%-71.3%in amino acid.The analysis for the hydrophobic regions indicated the function of signal peptide fragment may be changed.This study can offer aca- demic data to research of CDV genetic variation and epidemiology.