The effects of capsaicin microinjection into area postrema (AP) on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were investigated in 36 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The results obtained are as follows. (1) Following microinjection of capsaicin (10 μmol/L, 50 nl) into the AP, MAP, HR and RSNA were significantly increased from 12.34±0.53 kPa, 328.52±7.54 bpm and 100±0% to 15.17±0.25 kPa (P<0.001), 354.81±8.54 bpm (P<0.001) and 156.95±7.57% (P<0.001), respectively. (2) Ruthenium red (RR, 100 mmol/L, 0.2 ml, iv), a capsaicin receptor antagonist, significantly inhibited these effects of capsaicin. (3) Pretreatment with a NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (500 μg/kg, 0.2 ml, iv) also reduced these effects of capsaicin. The above results indicate that microinjection of capsaicin into AP induces excitatory effects on MAP, HR and RSNA, which are mediated by capsaicin receptors with glutamate involvement.

Objective To study effective treatment for deep burn on the face caused by coal-dust burning and blasting to prevent severe disfigurement.Methods Early conservative eschar-scraping, delayed skin graft,early strain-diminution for the eyelids in both sides,and wound expansion with skin graft were used to treat 12 patients with deep burn on their faces caused by coal-dust burning and blasting. Results Facial wound of all the 12 patients healed within three weeks after burn.No significant cicatricial hyperplasia and deformity were found on their faces during three-month follow-up,with natural facial expression and abundant emotion.Conclusions Early eschar-scraping and delayed skin graft for deep facial burn can promote fast repair of burn-wound,diminish cicatricial hyperplasia and prevent deformity on the face.

This case report describes a 44-year-old woman with primary spinal cord malignant melanoma localized in the lumbar region. This is a very rare lesion. The patient presented with back pain and slight weakness in her lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintense signals on T1-weighted images and hypointense signals on T2-weighted images. The entire tumor was removed surgically. The patient's postoperative clinical examination revealed mild neurological improvements. Histopathological investigations confirmed the tumor was a malignant melanoma. When treating common lesions of the lumbar spinal cord with a benign appearance, surgeons should be aware of the potential for malignant tumors.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; diagnosis ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; diagnosis

Objective: To prepare a nanoprobe, anti-human melanoma ganglioside single chain variable fragment (GD/ScFvMEL) antibody conjugated with CdTe quantum dot, and to observe its ability to specifically bind human malignant melanoma cells. Methods: The GD/ScFvMEL gene was cloned into pET32a (+), and the plasmid was then transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) for GD/ScFvMEL protein antibody expression. The expressed GD/ScFvMEL antibody was purified by denaturing method and further refolded by modified dialysis method. The purified GD/ScFvMEL antibody was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The GD/ScFvMEL-QDs nanoprobe was prepared by conjugating GD/ScFvMEL antibody with CdTe quantum dot, and its specificity was observed by incubating with MGC-803 cells and melanoma A375 cells. Results: The recombinant pET32a-GD/ScFvMEL was constructed and confirmed by PCR, restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. The proportion of expressed GD/ScFvMEL antibody in total bacteria proteins was about 40% as detected by SDS-PAGE. The purified- and refolded-GD/ScFvMEL antibody was effectively conjugated with CdTe quantum dot, and the resulting GD/ScFvMEL-QDs nanoprobe was successfully prepared. The GD/ScFvMEL-QDs nanoprobe could specifically bind melanoma A375 cells, but could not bind stomach cancer MGC-803 cells. Conclusion: We have successfully prepared an anti-human melanoma ganglioside single-chain antibody-CdTe quantum dot nanoprobe, which can specifically bind melanoma cells.

Objective: To observe the effects of microwave on the activity of SOD and the contents of MDA in renal cortex and testis of mice. Methods: Microwave generator(2 450 MHz, 10 mW/cm2) was used to expose mice; NBT,DTNB and TBA were used to mearure the activity of SOD and the contents of MDA in renal cortex and testis of the mice after microwave exposure.Results: The content of MDA in renal cortex and testis of the mice increased progressively on days 1,6,12 and reached the highest level on day 24 after the microwave exposure (P<0.01). The activity of SOD in renal cortex and testis of the mice decreased progressively on days 1, 6, 12 and reached the lowest level on day 24 after the microwave exposure (P<0.01). Conclusions: Microwave exposure can produce reactive oxygen free radicals and lead to depress SOD activity.

Objective To investigate the effects of high spermatic vessel dissection on testicular morphological alteration of SD rats in prepuberty,puberty and sexual maturity phases.Methods Thirty-day-old SD rats were divided into 2 groups underwent sham operation and left high spermatic vessel dissection as a simulation of Palomo′s maneuver.Detailed morphological investigations were made at 3 different postoperative intervals among the 3rd day,30th day and 56th day.Results High spermatic vessel dissection in prepubertal rats induced acute testicular ischemia in the operated testes on the 3rd day.Most of the operated testes on the 30th day showed testicular atrophy.And all the operated testes showed testicular atrophy and sperm disappearance in epididymis on the 56th day.Conclusion High dissection of spermatic vessel in prepubertal rats induced testicular ischemia in prepuberty and testicular growth failure in puberty,testicular atrophy completely and sperm production losing in sexual maturity phase.

The present study was undertaken to define whether intracarotid injection of capsaicin induces Fos expression associated with the activation of NOS-containing neurons in brainstem nuclei by combining the immunocytochemical method for Fos with NADPH-d histochemical technique for NOS. The results obtained are as follows: (1) Intracarotid injection of capsaicin caused a significant increase of Fos-like immunoreactive neurons in area postrema (AP), nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), paragigantocellularis lateralis (PGL) and locus coeruleus (LC), without influence upon the neurons of raphe nuclei (RN) and periaqueductal gray (PAG). (2) NO-containing neurons in PGL and NTS and the double-labeled neurons in PGL were also increased significantly following intracarotid injection of capsaicin. Small numbers of NO-containing neurons were found in LC, but there was no change in the number of NO-containing neurons in RN and PAG. No NADPH-d histochemical activity could be found in AP. (3) The above responses to capsaicin were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with either a capsaicin receptor antagonist ruthenium red or a NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. The above results indicate that intracarotid injection of capsaicin may activate the neurons in brainstem nuclei involved in cardiovascular regulation, and that NO only plays an indirect role in the modulation of the responses of brainstem nuclei to capsaicin. These effects of capsaicin are mediated by capsaicin receptors with involvement of glutamate.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Guangdong Liangcha Keli on restraint stress-induced liver damage in mice.

METHODThirty-five male C57BL/6J mice of 7 weeks old were divided into 5 groups randomly with 7 mice in each group: normal group, restraint stress group, 250 mg kg(-1) Vitamin C, Guangdong Liangcha Keli 500 mg kg(-1) and 250 mg kg(-1). After 18 hr restraint stress, the ALT acitivity in plasma, MDA level in plasma and liver, GSH content, GSH-PX and GST activities, NO level and ORAC value in liver were determined.

RESULTCompared with restraint model group, Guangdong Liangcha Keli could markedly reduce ALT activity (92.75 +/- 1.91 vs 39.29 +/- 2.56, 32.69 +/- 1.46) U L(-1), and protect the liver damage induced by oxidative stress. In addition, Guangdong Liangcha Keli could effectively increase the ORAC value, GSH content, GSH-PX activity and GST activity and reduce the MDA level and NO level in liver.

CONCLUSIONOral treatment of Guangdong Liangcha Keli is found to reduce restraint stress-induced liver damage in terms of above mentioned biochemical parameters, and these protective effects may be related to its free radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; blood ; etiology ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Psychological ; complications

In this study, the antitumor activities of VEGF shRNA and tubulin inhibitors on human prostate cancer DU145 cells was investigated, and shRNA transient expression plasmid pCSH1-VEGF targeting VEGF mRNA was constructed. The silence efficiency of pCSH1-VEGF was detected by RT-PCR assay, Western blotting, and Matrigel invasion assay. The sensitivity change of DU145 cells to Taxol and vincristine (VCR) was measured by MTT assay. To detect the effects of pCSH1-VEGF and Taxol in vivo, nude mice model of DU145 xenograft tumor was established by subcutaneous inoculation. The results showed that transcription and expression of VEGF were knocked by pCSH1-VEGF in DU145 cells. Matrigel invasion assay results showed that pCSH1-VEGF significantly reduced the migration of DU145 cells with inhibitory rate of 56.1%. Furthermore, pCSH1-VEGF enhanced the sensitivity of DU145 cells to Taxol and vincristine, and the values of IC50 decreased by 77.3% and 92.6%, respectively. In vivo experiment showed that Taxol, pCSH1-VEGF, combination of pCSH1-VEGF and Taxol inhibited tumor growth by the rates of 48.8%, 56.2% and 81.8%, respectively. The coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) of pCSH1-VEGF and Taxol was 0.82. The data suggested that VEGF shRNA could significantly enhance the sensitivity of human prostate cancer to tubulin inhibitors.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology ; Plasmids ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tubulin Modulators ; pharmacology ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression profiles of serum Golgi protein-73 (GP73) in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) and determine its clinical value for differential diagnosis.

METHODSSerum protein expressions of GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence assay, respectively, in patients with PHC (n=80), liver cirrhosis (n=65), and healthy controls (n=50). Inter-group changes were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis test, and significance of these differences was assessed by Mann-Whitney test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and determine the cut-off values for GP73 and AFP. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by the Chi-squared test. Correlation between serum GP73 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman's rank correlation analysis.

RESULTSThe PHC group showed significantly higher serum GP73 (282.0 mug/L) than the liver cirrhosis group (211.8 mug/L) and control group (58.3 mug/L) (H = 93.30, P less than 0.01). For differential diagnosis of PHC and liver cirrhosis, the cut-off value was 318.1 mug/L for GP73 and 13.4 mug/L for AFP. Sensitivity of GP73 was lower than AFP (45% (36/80) vs. 65% (52/80); X2 = 8.02, P less than 0.05). Specificity of GP73 was lower than AFP but no significance was found (83.1% (54/65) vs. 87.7% (57/65); X2=0.27, P more than 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves were not significantly different between GP73 and AFP (0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54~0.72) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z = 1.88, P more than 0.05). The area under the ROC curves increased but not significantly (0.80 (95% CI: 0.73~0.88) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z=2.61, P more than 0.05). Serum GP73 was correlated with liver cirrhosis (r=0.27), vascular invasion (r=0.29), and TNM staging (r=0.27) (all P less than 0.05), but not with sex (r=0.13), age (r=0.10), enhanced AFP (> 13.4 mug/L; r=0.03), tumor size (r=0.18), or distant metastasis (r=0.04), all P less than 0.05.

CONCLUSIONSerum GP73 and AFP have comparable diagnostic efficiency, but the sensitivity of AFP is superior for differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma. Elevated serum GP73 may be correlated with liver tumor load and aggressiveness.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transcriptome ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism