The present paper is a morphological description of the chromosomes of the mouse, Mus musculus, based on the observations of the metaphase chromosomes of both bone marrow cells and spermatogonial cells. Chromosome morphology is found to be essentially the same as those described by the previous investigators. The systematic measurements of the chromosomes have also been presented.

Humans ; Proteomics ; methods ; Silicosis ; metabolism ; Specimen Handling ; methods

BACKGROUND: Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) could stimulate the proliferation of fibroblasts, keratinocyte and skin mucosae cells to different degrees.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of rhGM-CSF on the healing of drug exosmose induced skin ulcers.DESIGN: A randomized and controlled animal experiment.SETTING: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from June to November 2004. Totally 20 male Kunming white mice, with body mass of 18 to 24 g, were chosen.METHODS: Prepared skin ulcers animal models were randomly divided into control group and treated group with 10 white mice in each group.Mice in the control group were given 1mg phentolamine ,20 mg lidocaine and 1mg dexamethasone diluted by normal saline to 0.5 mL ,then sealed up , once a day for 7 days; 25 μg rhGM-CSF was diluted by normal saline to 0.5 mL , then the solution was injected into the periphery of ulcers of mice in treated group , once every other day, for 7 days. Healing time and histological change of skin tissue at ulcer were observed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To observe the effect of rhGM-CSF on the healing time of drug exosmose induced skin ulcer and anabrosis and histological changeRESULTS: Totally 20 mice entered the stage of result analysis. ①Healing time: the healing time of ulcer and erosion was significantly longer in control group than in treated group [(20-24,8-12)d,t=2.264,P=0.01];②Histological observation: hyperplasia of granulation tissue was not obviously on 7 days after treatment in control group; Hyperplasia of granulation tissue appeared and the newly born blood vessel was abundant on 7 days after treatment in the treated group.CONCLUSION: rhGM-CSF can promote the wound healing of drug induced anabrosis and ulcer.

AIM: To obtain a vaccine with sLAG-3 as immunoadjuvant and investigate its biologic activity in order to establish the safe and effective way for asthma as one of the specific immunotherapy.METHODS: The coding sequence of LAG-3 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction,the expression vector pcDNA-sLAG-3-Ig was constructed by inserting the PCR products of sLAG-3 and Fc sequence of IgG.With electroporation transfection,pcDNA-sLAG-3-Ig was transfected into COS-7 cells and its biologic activity was investigated by Western blotting analysis.RESULTS: By temperature induction,the LAG-3-Ig was highly expressed in E.coli DH5?.LAG-3-Ig fusion protein was observed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting,the results showed that the LAG-3-Ig protein was an antagonist of the IL-4-induced synthesis of IgE in B cells.CONCLUSION: A new vaccine with sLAG-3 as immunoadjuvant was obtained.It could inhibit synthesis of IgE in B cells.Thus,LAG-3-Ig would be hopeful to establish the safe and effective way for asthma as one of the specific immunotherapy.

Objective To investigate the therapy for small and short penis in simple obesity children.Methods Sixty simple obesity children with short and small penis were randomly divided into 2 groups(experiment group 30 cases and control group 30 cases).The experiment group received comprehensive treatment(consisting of massage of traditional Chinese medicine,behavior modification,dietetic and sport adjustment) to lose weight and treated by short and small penis healing apparatus.The control obesity children were given conducted behavior,dietetic and sport adjustment,and treated by short and small penis healing apparatus.Results After treatment,weight of 30 cases in the experiment group decreased,with a decrease of(7.75?3.50) kg.Body mass index(BMI) decreased from(31.10?3.88) before treatment to(27.82?3.49),and BMI before and after treatment changed significantly(t=12.68 P

OBJECTIVETo explore changes of Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the serum of patients with silicosis.

METHODThe concentrations of CC16 and SP-D were measured in the serum by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subjects consisted of 30 healthy volunteers and 90 silica-exposed workers including silica-exposed group, the silicosis of suspects group (0(+)) and the silicosis phase I group, 30 subjects each groups.

RESULTSThe concentrations of CC16 in the serum was significantly decreased in silica-exposed workers compared to controls (P < 0.01); The concentrations of CC16 in the serum were higher in lifelong nonsmokers than the current smokers in control subjects (P < 0.05), but they were no differences between lifelong nonsmokers and current smokers of 90 silica-exposed workers. Compared with control subjects, the levels of SP-D in the serum of silicosis suspects (0(+)) and silicosis phase I groups were significantly elevated (P < 0.01, respectively), which were also higher than silica-exposed group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), Discriminant equations set by CC16 and SP-D were used in diagnosis of silicosis, and the rate of accuracy in healthy volunteers, the silica-exposed group and the silicosis phase I group were 86.7%, 86.7% and 76.7%, respectively, The total rate of correct classification hit 84.2%.

CONCLUSIONThe serum CC16 of long-term silica-exposed workers is decreased, and SP-D is increased gradually.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; blood ; Silicosis ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of complement fragment C3f on expression and secretion of collagen I, III and transforming growth factor( TGF)-beta1 in human embryonic lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cells.

METHODSMRC-5 cells were cultured with C3f (the synthetic 17 peptides fragments of complement C3). The extracellular and intracellular expression levels of type I, III collagens and TGF-beta1 in MRC-5 cultures were detected by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSThe expression levels of type I, III collagen and TGF-beta1 in the supernatant of MRC-5 cultures decreased significantly with the concentrations of C3f as compared with controls (P < 0.05). Also the expression level of TGF-beta1 in MRC-5 cytoplasm reduced significantly as compared with controls (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of present in vitro study showed that the complement fragment C3f could reduce the formation of TGF-beta1 and type I, III collagens in MRC-5 cells, and inhibit the lung tissue fibrosis.

Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Complement C3b ; pharmacology ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; drug effects ; embryology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the differences of lung tissue proteins in rats exposed to silica early by using comparative proteomics method and investigate the related mechanism with the occurrence and development of silicosis.

METHODSAdult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group and silica-treated group. The animal model was established by intratracheal (IT) instillation with silica suspension. On the 14th day after establishment of animal model, rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were collected. The total proteins were separated by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and the differentially expressed proteins were identified by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). In addition, Western blotting was performed to verify the expression of certain candidate protein.

RESULTSEleven differential expression protein spots were tested by MALDI-TOF-MS, and six proteins were identified. The levels of cathepsin D precursor, peroxiredoxin-1 (Prx-1), heat shock cognate 71 000 protein (HSP7C), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3 (hnRNPA3) and fatty acid-binding protein (epidermal, E-FABP) were up-regulated in silica-treated group with the optical density (A) values. These values were 116.50+/-12.56, 148.75+/-22.40; 40.00+/-1.63, 66.00+/-13.93; 51.25+/-7.37, 92.75+/-8.69; 83.00+/-6.48, 122.75+/-24.62; 50.75+/-6.50, 93.50+/-23.10 and 100.25+/-19.99, 142.50+/-21.21 respectively. The statistical difference was observed as compared with control group (t=-2.51, -3.71, -7.28, -3.12, -3.56 and -2.90, P<0.05). However, SEC14-like protein 3 with the A values 153.00+/-11.28, 109.75+/-18.32 was down-regulated (t=4.02, P<0.01). Western blotting showed that in the expression of Prx-1 was higher in silica-treated group (0.61+/-0.05) than that in the control (0.35+/-0.05) (t=-7.24, P<0.01) when calculating the semi-quantification of this protein using ratio of optical density.

CONCLUSION2-DE pattern of lung tissue from rats exposed to silica has been established and six differentially expressed proteins have been identified. Our study is of help for further research of the mechanisms of silicosis.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Environmental Exposure ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Proteomics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Dogwood fruits on tonifying kidney-yang.

METHODThe effect of the water extract of Dogwood fruits on rats model of kidney-yang deficiency with the hydrocortisone was observed.

RESULTThe water extract of Dogwood fruits could make normal the liver weight, and mitigate hepatocyte pathologic changes, increase the heptocellular levels of RNA and hepatin, and decrease the malondialdehyde (MDA) in rats model of kidney-yang deficiency. It could also make the viscera quotiety return to normal way and increase the levels of RNA in the interstitial cells of testicle in rats model of kidney-yang deficiency.

CONCLUSIONWater extract of Dogwood fruits can protect and improve the functions of the liver and testicle in rats model of kidney-yang deficiency.

Animals ; Cornus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Hydrocortisone ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Glycogen ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RNA ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Yang Deficiency ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the differential gene expression profiling of rats exposed to silica using the normal rats as control.

METHODSAnimal models were established using intratracheal injection of the lung and 22 107 genes were screened in the differential expression profiling of silicosis by using oligonucleotide bead array. Differential expression profiling data were analyzed by using DAVID bioinformation software.

RESULTSTotally 1567 differentially expressed genes were identified in lungs of silica exposed rats including 765 up-regulated genes and 802 down-regulated genes as compared to the normal controls. Among 406 annotated genes in KEGG pathways, 204 genes and 11 pathways were up-regulated as well as 202 genes and 3 pathways were down-regulated in silica exposed rats.

CONCLUSIONAll 1567 genes are involved in the formation of silicosis. The differential gene expression profile of silicosis describes the general changes in the gene expressions in silicosis at transcriptional level. Further analysis of the identified genes might help reveal the molecular mechanism of pulmonary fibrosis induced by silica.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology