Experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of garlic, both fresh and old, on hypercholesterolemia. Forty healthy rabbits were equally divided into four groups, namely control, cholesterol, fresh garlic and old garlic. Except the control group, each rabbit in the other three groups was given 0.5g of cholesterol every day. The rabbits of fresh and old garlic groups were fed in addition respectively with fresh garlic, and garlic that had been stored for seven months, the doses being 2g for each. The results showed that fresh garlic had a significant effect of reducing diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and diminishing arteriosclerotic changes in aorta, but old garlic failed to show such effects.During the 50-day period when rabbits were fed with fresh or old garlic no toxic reaction was observed.

ObjectiveTo investigate the CT and MRI characteristic features of neuroendocrine carcinoma in paranasal sinuses.MethodsCT and MRI findings of 10 patients with proved neuroendocrine carcinoma by pathology were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent plain and enhanced MRI scanning,and 9 patients also underwent CT manning.ResultsThere were 5 males and 5 females with mean age of (48 ± 9 ) years old,ranging from 27 to 57 years.The treatment time after symptoms onset ranged from 1 to 4 months,with the median of 2 months.Clinical symptoms were headache and vision loss,hyposmia and yellow nasal discharge,and exophthalmos.The lesions were located in the ethmoidal sinus ( n =6 ),maxillary sinus ( n =2),and bilateral sphenoid sinus ( n =5 ).The lesions were symmetrical in the sphenoid sinus.Pathology type included typical carcinoid tumor ( n =1 ),atypical carcinoid ( n =1 ),and neuroendocrine carcinoma not otherwise specified ( n =8 ). Immunohistochemical staining showed that neurospecific enolase,synaptophysin,cytokeratin and P53 were all positive.On CT images,lesions showed isointensity (n =1 ),iso- to hypointense (n =4 ),and iso- to hyperintense (n =4 ) with hypointense or hyperintense spots.Bone changes included bony absorption and sclerosis ( n =1 ) with a clear margin in typical carcinoid tumor,and moth-eaten bone destruction in other 8 cases( n =8).The lesions were isointense on T1-weighted images,and isointense (n =4) or mixed iso- to hyperintense on T2-weighted images (n =6).Lesions showed mild to medium heterogeneous enhancement ( n =7 ) or marked enhancement ( n =3 )on gadolinium-enhanced images.Time-signal intensity curve ( TIC ) showed plateau type in 2 cases.The aggressive nature of the tumors was demonstrated by invasion of adjacent structures,involvement of nasal cavity( n =9 ),orbits ( n =7 ),pterygopalatine fossa ( n =4 ),ethmoidalsinus and sphenoid ( n =3 ),clivus ossis occipitalis(n =2),cavernous sinus and internal carotid canal(n =2),optic canal(n =2),jugular fossa ( n =1 ),anterior fossa ( n =1 ),apex partis petrosae ossis temporalis ( n =1 ),meninges ( n =1 ),temporal fossa and infratemporal fossa ( n =1 ),pharyngonasal cavity and parapharyngeal space ( n =1 ).ConclusionsThere are different CT features in different pathological types of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses,and MRI can demonstrate the invasive extent accurately. CT combined MRI can provide more comprehensive information in the diagnosis and therapy.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the role of TLR-NF-κB signaling pathway in pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR) and the mechanism of TLR to modulate innate immunity and adaptive immunity.

METHODSOne hundred rats were divided into 5 groups by simple randomization, normal group(group A), modle group(group B), AR+LPS20 group(group C), AR+LPS10 group(group D), AR+LPS5 group(group E). Model of AR in B group was established by intraperitoneal injection and nasal topic delivery of ovalbumin (OVA). A group was delivered of same volume physiological saline instated of OVA, C,D,E group were interfered by nasal delivery of LPS in different concentration (including LPS 20 µg, 10 µg, 5 µg per 100 µl). Changes of nasal mucosa tissues and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed by HE staining, while neutrophil and eosinophil counted under high power microscope.Expression of IL-4, IFN-γ, and IgE in nasal mucosa tissues were measured with immunohistochemical method.Realtime-PCR and Western-blot were used to evaluate the expression level of TLR-4 and NF-κB in nasal mucosa tissues.SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.

RESULTSGroup B was observed to have developed AR injury of nasal mucosa. Eosinophil count and the expression of IL-4, IFN-γ, and IgE were significantly higher in B group than those in A group (all P < 0.05), neutrophil count was significantly higher in C, D, E groups than that in B group (all P < 0.05).

RESULTSof immunohistochemical staining showed that, expression level of IFN-γ, TLR-4 and NF-κB were significantly higher than group B (all P < 0.05), while IL-4 and IgE were significantly decreased than group B (all P < 0.05) . The protein expression of TLR-4 and NF-κB was 0.888 9 ± 0.032 9 and 0.913 3 ± 0.031 1 in group C, and 0.419 2 ± 0.038 0 and 0.447 8 ± 0.033 0 in group A, 0.616 1 ± 0.025 1 and 0.748 1 ± 0.034 3 in group B, the difference was significant(all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTLR plays an important role of modulation between innate immunity and adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of AR. The higher concentration of TLR doping may activate the higher expression of NF-κB then intervene the development of AR with immune deviation.

Animals ; Female ; Immunoglobulin E ; immunology ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Interleukin-4 ; immunology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; adverse effects ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptors ; metabolism