Objective To explore the possible mechanism and protective effect of Xuebijing injection (血必净注射液)and dexamethasone on rats with paraquat-induced chronic pulmonary injury.Methods Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups:normal group(n=5),model group(n=5), treatment groups(n=20).In the normal group,normal saline was used,while in the other groups,20% paraquat 80 mg/kg was injected peritoneally for poisoning.After 2 hours of intoxication,low dose Xuebijing injection(1.25 g/kg),high dose Xuebijing injection(2.50 g/kg),dexamethasone(25 mg/kg),high dose Xuebijing injection combined with dexamethasone(combined group)respectively were administered into the four different treatment groups,equal amount of normal saline was given to the normal and model groups,and the treatment continued for 4 days.At 28 days after paraquat injection,5 rats in each group were killed respectively,serum transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1)and hydroxyproline(HYP)level in the lung homogenate were measured,and pulmonary coefficient and histological changes were observed.Results In the treatment groups,the levels of serum TGF-?1 and lung tissue HYP,pulmonary coefficient were leas than those of model group,and among the treatment groups,combined group had the best results(all P

Objective To report the surgical method and treatment outecome of transfer of free upper limb lateral bone-skin flap for repair of bone defects and nonunion in hand and forearm.Methods 17 cases of hand composite trauma,5 cases of forearm composite trauma and 2 cases of nonunion in forearm were treated with free bone-skin flaps in distal humerus,whose pedicle was the posterior branch of radical collateral artery. Area of the flap was 2cm?3cm to 8cm?10cm,length of exseeted bone was 3～6 cm.Results All the bone-skin flaps completely survived,the donor area all achieved primary healing,On postoperative 1～4 years follow-up,the texture of the flap was excellent,and bone union was obtained in all transplants,the donor area of distal lateral humerus became thicker and thicker with new cortical bones formed.According to the upper arm function assessment criterion issued by hand surgery association of Chinese medical association.The hand function had excellent results in 17 cases and good results in 2 cases.Conclusion The bone-skin flap has following advantages:easy dissection,reliable blood supply,and no major vessel needed to be sacrificed,so it is an effective method for repair of skin and soft tissue with bone defects in hand and forearm,It.also can be used to repair refractory nonunion in ulna and radius.

Objective To investigate the effect of high power microwave(HPM) irradiation on neuropeptide Y (NPY) and neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the cerebral cortex and hippoeampus of Wistar rats. Methods A total of 110 Wistar rats were used for this study.Three groups of 30 Wistar rats were exposed to HPM irradiation at intensities of 3,10,30 and 100 mW/cm~2,respectively.Twenty rats served as controls and were ex- posed to sham HPM irradiation.At 6 h,and at 1,3,7,14 and 28 d after irradiation,five rats from each group were sacrificed,and their cerebral cortices and hippocampi were harvested.HE staining was used to highlight any change in the structure of the cerebral cortex or hippocampus.Immunohistochemistry techniques and image analysis were used to study the changes in NPY and nNOS expression.Results 10 to 100 mW/cm~2 HPM irradiation caused pyc- nosis and deep staining of some neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.The increase in nNOS expression and decrease in NPY expression observed were significant at 3 days after irradiation.Conclusion HPM irradiation can induce injury in neurons of the cerebral cortex and hippoeampus,and abnormal NPY and nNOS expression.

Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Neurons ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Synapses ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure

BACKGROUNDTo study oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSMalondialdehyde (MDA), total anti-oxidative ability and ascorbic acid were measured as markers of oxidative stress in 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B, besides HBV DNA and ALT.

RESULTSMDA was significantly higher in patients with hepatitis B than the controls (P less than 0.05). Ascorbic acid was significantly higher in patients with normal ALT than the controls (P less than 0.01). MDA was significantly higher in patients with increased ALT than the controls and in patients with normal ALT. MDA was significantly positively correlated with ALT (r=0.61), and ascorbic acid was significantly negatively correlated with ALT (r=-0.64) in patients with hepatitis B. No significant relationship was found between HBV DNA and other indices of oxidative stress. No significant difference in total anti-oxidative ability was found among all groups.

CONCLUSIONThere was a disturbance between oxidative stress and anti-oxidative ability in patients with chronic hepatitis B. In patients with increased ALT, oxidative stress became high. In patients with normal ALT, oxidative stress level was low. The indices of oxidative stress should be detected in patients with hepatitis B, in addition to HBV markers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Ascorbic Acid ; blood ; Child ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effects of long-term microwave exposure on hippocampal structure and function in the rat.

METHODSExperiments were performed on 184 male Wistar rats (three exposure groups and a sham group). Microwaves were applied daily for 6 min over 1 month at average power densities of 2.5, 5, and 10 mW/cm2. Learning and memory abilities were assessed by Morris water maze. High performance liquid chromatography was used to detect neurotransmitter concentrations in the hippocampus. Hippocampal structures were observed by histopathological analysis.

RESULTSFollowing long-term microwave exposure there was a significant decrease in learning and memory activity in the 7 d, 14 d, and 1 m in all three microwave exposure groups. Neurotransmitter concentrations of four amino acids (glutamate, aspartic acid, glycine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid) in hippocampus were increased in the 2.5 and 5 mW/cm2 groups and decreased in the 10 mW/cm2 group. There was evidence of neuronal degeneration and enlarged perivascular spaces in the hippocampus in the microwave exposure groups. Further, mitochondria became swollen and cristae were disordered. The rough endoplasmic reticulum exhibited sacculated distension and there was a decrease in the quantity of synaptic vesicles.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the hippocampus can be injured by long-term microwave exposure, which might result in impairment of cognitive function due to neurotransmitter disruption.

Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cognition ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; physiopathology ; radiation effects ; Learning ; Male ; Memory ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microwaves ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of PGE(2) and cAMP in the postburn change in granulopoiesis in bone marrow in burned mice with endotoxemia.

METHODSOne hundred and seventy eight mice were randomly divided into burn with LPS administration, simple burn, simple LPS administration and control (injection of normal saline) groups. The COX-2 expression and the contents of PGE(2) and cAMP in myeloid cells in injured mice in all groups were determined by RIA (radioimmuno-assay) within 1 postburn week and immunohistochemistry methods. At the same time the change in granulopoiesis was dynamically observed.

RESULTSThe granulopoiesis was enhanced slightly at the early stage of burn and with endotoxin challenge, followed by suppression. The COX-2 expression in myeloid cells the contents of PGE(2) on supernatant of marrow cells and intracellular cAMP in the myeloid cells was increased at 12 postburn hour (PBH) up to 5 postburn day (PBD). Furthermore, the change in the cAMP was evidently and positively correlated with that of PGE(2) (r = 0.978, P < 0.01), but was negatively correlated with that of CFU-GM (r = -0.971, P < 0.01)

CONCLUSIONPGE(2) might play pivotal roles in the postburn granulopoiesis suppression in bone marrow during endotoxemia. This effect might be accomplished by its ligating to its special receptor and to activate adenylate cyclase so as to increase the intracellular content of cAMP in bone marrows.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; pathology ; Burns ; complications ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Dinoprostone ; metabolism ; Endotoxemia ; etiology ; metabolism ; Granulocytes ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains

Cytisine (CYT), a partial agonist of α4β2-nicotinic receptors, has been used for antidepressant efficacy in several tests. Nicotinic receptors have been shown to be closely associated with depression. However, little is known about the effects of CYT on the depression. In the present study, a mouse model of depression, the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS), was used to evaluate the activities of CYT. UCMS caused significant depression-like behaviors, as shown by the decrease of total distances in open field test, and the prolonged duration of immobility in tail suspension test and forced swimming test. Treatment with CYT for two weeks notably relieved the depression-like behaviors in the UCMS mice. Next, proteins related to depressive disorder in the brain region of hippocampus and amygdala were analyzed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of CYT. CYT significantly reversed the decreases of 5-HT1A, BDNF, and mTOR levels in the hippocampus and amygdala. These results imply that CYT may act as a potential anti-depressant in the animals under chronic stress.
Amygdala ; Animals ; Brain ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Hindlimb Suspension ; Hippocampus ; Mice ; Physical Exertion ; Receptors, Nicotinic*

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of L929 cell membrane with atomic force microscope (AFM) after infrasound exposure and to explore the mechanisms of effect of infrasound on cell membrane.

METHODSAfter primary culture, the L929 cells were exposed to infrasound with intensity output of 130 dB and frequency of 16 Hz 2 hours each day for 3 days. The subsequent changes in the membrane of the control cells and the cells exposed to the infrasound were determined by nano-scale scanning with AFM.

RESULTSAfter infrasound exposure, the normal prominence of the membrane became short and the dent became shallow in the 7.5 microm x 7.5 microm and 4.0 microm x 4.0 microm photographs. The prominence appeared as cobblestones. The surface of the membrane became smooth.

CONCLUSIONThe membrane structure of the L929 cells can be changed by infrasound exposure with intensity of 130 dB and frequency of 16 Hz. The change might be one of the characteristics of effect of infrasound on cell membrane.

Animals ; Cell Membrane ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Mice ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Sound ; adverse effects

Rosiglitazone (ROSI), thiazolidione peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) activator, reduces insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). It also improves vascular reactivity in T2DM patients and some animal models by unclear mechanisms. In order to investigate the effect of ROSI on aortic systolic and diastolic function of insulin resistant-hypertensive rats (IRHR) and the underlying mechanism, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed with high fructose (HF) for 8 weeks to induce IRHR model. To verify IRHR model, systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting serum insulin (FSI) were measured respectively in each group, and insulin sensitive index (ISI) was also calculated. Subsequently, the vascular function test was performed. The thoracic aortic ring of SD rats was mounted on a bath system. The effect of rosiglitazone on the contraction elicited by L-phenylephrine (PE) and potassium chloride (KCl) and the relaxation induced by acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were measured. To explore the mechanism, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was used and serum nitric oxide (NO) was measured. The results obtained were as follows: (1) Rosiglitazone reduced the level of SBP, serum insulin and improved insulin resistance in IRHRs. (2) The contractive responses of thoracic aortic rings to PE and KCl were enhanced and the relaxation response to ACh was depressed significantly in the HF group, and the effect was reversed by ROSI. (3) After pretreatment with L-NAME, the relaxation response to ACh was further impaired in the HF group, this effect was partly reversed by ROSI. (4) Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced vasodilator responses did not differ significantly among the groups. (5) Aortic systolic and diastolic function of the control group was not affected markedly by ROSI. (6) Compared with the control group, serum nitric oxide was significantly reduced in the HF group, but after rosiglitazone treatment it was remarkably increased. These findings suggest that ROSI can improve aortic diastolic function of insulin resistant-hypertensive rats, the mechanism of this effect might be associated with an increase in nitric oxide mediated partly by NOS pathway, a decrease in the level of blood pressure, serum insulin and the improvement of insulin resistance.
Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use