OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of hypothermia combined with dexamethasone on spermatogenesis and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) after testicular torsion-detorsion.

METHODSWe made unilateral testicular torsion models in 100 pubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats by 720 degree torsion of the left testis and then randomly divided them into four groups of equal number to be treated with normal temperature + physiological saline (group A), hypothermia + physiological saline (group B), normal temperature + dexamethasone (group C), and hypothermia + dexamethasone (group D). After 48 hours, we collected the testes, observed pathological changes of the testicular tissue by HE staining under the light microscope, detected the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells by TUNEL, and determined the expression of ICAM1 by Western blot.

RESULTSHE staining showed different degrees of testicular tissue injury in the four groups of rats, most obvious in group A, but mild in the other three. The ICAM1 protein expression was significantly higher in group A (0.68 +/-0. 03) than in B (0. 49 +/- 0. 06, P <0. 05) , C (0. 46 +/- 0. 09, P < 0.05) , and D (0.17 +/- 0.08, P <0.01). The nuclei were deep brown or brown. Lots of apoptotic spermatogenic cells were seen in the torsion testis of group A, with a significantly higher apoptosis index ( [33. 13 +/- 3.21 ]%) than in B ( [ 17. 12 +/-5.23 ]%, P < 0.05), C ([14.13 +/- 2.03]%, P <0.05), and D ([9.05 +/- 1.03]%, P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONHypothermia combined with dexamethasone can protect the testis from injury as well as the reproductive function of the testis after testicular torsion-detorsion and reduce the expression of ICAM1.

Animals ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects

Objective To analyze the high resolution CT(HRCT)appearance and its clinical significance in patients with post-traumatic visual loss.Design Retrospective study.Participants 150 patients with post-traumatic visual loss.Methods The optic canal HRCT of 150 patients admitted from March to June of 2007 by Department of Emergency for post-traumatic visual loss were ana- lyzed retrospectively.Main Outcome Measures Pedilection sites and their incidence rates of optic canal and orbital apex region. Results Optic canal fractures were found in 78 patients,manifesting as rupture and displacement of optic canal wall,accompanied with or without adjacent structure fractures.(1)Among 88 sides of fractures,22 sides presented with single fracture,and 66 sides with multi- ple fractures,revolving several optic canal walls.(2)156 sites of fractures were displayed in 78 patients,and the most frequent types were displacement fractures(47.4%).(3)Accompanied adjacent structure fractures were found in 73 cases of the 78 patients,while 40 cases were found in 72 patients without optic canal fracture.Totally,283 sites of adjacent structure fractures were discovered with the most frequent sites of orbital apex region,accounting for 44.5%.Conclusion HRCT could well display optic canal fractures and accom- panied fractures of adjacent structures,providing important informations for diagnosis and intervention of traumatic visual loss.(Oph- thalmol CHN,2007,16:326-329)

Objective To study hemodynamics of cerebral blood flow in newborns with asphyxia.Method Bilateral cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram(BCEAP) was used to explore characteristics of cerebral blood flow in 20 healthy newborns and 20 newborns with asphyxia respectively from first to fourth day after birth.Results Both the ratio of Hs to b-S(Hs/ b-S) and index of admittance differential loop(ADL) Ⅰ+Ⅱ decreased significantly in newborns with asphyxia compared to normal control from first to fourth day after birth(P

It is always very difficult to process the bioelectrical signals, sampling, amplifying and quantifying because of the different sources it comes from and the mechanism it depends on. This paper mainly introduces a method of measuring the peak value of bioelectrical signals, expatiates on the structure, testing result, analysis for error and measure taken for improvement of the circuit designed by this method. At last, the paper also points out that the method is wonderful, simple, easy to carry out, and can be used in many medical systems.
Algorithms ; Brain ; physiology ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrophysiology ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Microcomputers ; Neurons ; physiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Software

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of crypotanshinone (CPT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells as well as on the metadherin expression and the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the DU145 cells.

METHODSWe treated DU145 prostate cancer cells with different concentrations of CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours followed by evaluation of the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells by MTT assay and TUNEL, respectively. We determined the expressions of metadherin protein and mRNA in the DU145 cells by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively at different time points after CPT treatment. We also detected the expressions of the proteins metadherin, AKT, p-AKT, and Bcl-2 in the CPT-treated DU145 cells at 48 hours.

RESULTSCPT significantly inhibited the proliferation of the DU145 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). After treatment with 10 µmol/L CPT for 24, 48, and 72 hours, the apoptosis rates of the DU145 cells were (29.42 ± 4.51), (55.07 ± 5.67) and (70.84 ± 4.66)%, respectively, significantly higher than (3.1 ± 2.48)% in the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of metadherin was remarkably downregulated at the transcription and translation levels (P < 0.05) and the expressions of the AKT signaling pathway and the Bcl-2 protein were markedly inhibited in the DU145 cells after treated with 10 µmol/L CPT for 48 hours (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCPT can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of DU145 prostate cancer cells, which may be associated with its suppression of the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by reducing the expression of metadherin in the DU145 cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Time Factors

This paper mainly introduces the principles of a type of circuit for measuring frequency & duty cycle of low-frequency signals, and its applications in neuron-threshold stimulator. The circuit has the advantages of simple structure and accurate measurement.
Brain ; physiology ; Electrophysiology ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Neurons ; physiology ; Physical Stimulation ; instrumentation ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation

Objective To evaluate MR imaging findings of uveal metastases.Methods MR imaging findings of 20 cases with uveal metastases comfirmed by pathology or follow-up were retrospectively analyzed.MR imaging was performed in 20 patients,of which postcontrast T1-weighted imaging was performed in 19 patients including dynamic contrast enhancement scanning in four cases.Results Metastatic tumor was found in the iris and ciliary body in two cases,and in choroid in 18 cases.The tumor demonstrated slightly hypointense signal on Tl-weighted imaging and isointense signal on T2-weighted imaging in two cases,isointense signal on T1-weighted imaging and isointense signal on T2-weighted imaging in nine cases,isointense signal on T_1-weighted imaging and slightly hyperintense signal on T_2-weighted imaging in three cases,isointense signal on T_1-weighted imaging and slightly hypointense signal on T_2- weighted imaging in three cases,slighdy hyperintense signal on T_1-weighted imaging and slightly hypointense signal on T_2-weighted imaging in two cases,and slightly hyperintense signal on T_1-weighted imaging and slightly hyperintense signal on T_2-weighted imaging in one case.The tumor appeared as mild thickness of the wall of the globe in eight cases,a crescent mass in three cases,a fusiform mass in seven cases,and a nodule in two cases.Nineteen patients showed moderate or marked enhancement on postcontrast T_1-weighted imaging.The time-intensity curve of dynamic contrast enhancement in four patients suggested a rapid enhancement and slow washout pattern.Retinal detachment was observed in 11 patients and abnormal signal intensity within the vitreous body was seen in two cases.Conclusion MRI can display the location,shape, signal characteristics,and enhancement pattern of uveal metastases,contributing to diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

OBJECTIVETo construct a single plasmid vector mediating doxycycline-inducible recombined human insulin gene expression in myotube cell line.

METHODSAn expression cassette of rtTAnls driven by promoter of human cytomegalovirus and a furin-cuttable recombined human insulin expression cassette driven by a reverse poly-tetO DNA motif were cloned into a single plasmid vector (prTR-tetO-mINS). The prTR-tetO-mINS and pLNCX were co-transfected into a myotube cell line (C2C12) and pLNCX vector were used as a control. After selection with G418, the transfected cells were induced with doxycycline at concentrations of 0, 2, and 10 microg/mL. RT-PCR was used to determine expression levels of recombinant insulin mRNA at the 5th day. Insulin production in cell cultures medium (at different incubation time) and cell extracts (at the 7th day) were analyzed with human pro/insulin RIA kits.

RESULTSImmune reactive insulin (IRI) level in cell medium was found increased at 24 hours of doxycycline incubation, and still increased at the 5th day. After withdrawn of doxycycline, IRI decreased sharply and was at baseline three days later. IRI and human insulin mRNA levels were positively related to different levels of doxycycline. A 25-fold increase in IRI was found against background expression at the 7th day.

CONCLUSIONHuman insulin expression can be successfully regulated by doxycycline and the background was very low. This single tet-on insulin expression system may provide a new approach to a controlled insulin gene therapy in skeletal muscle.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Doxycycline ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Insulin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mice ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; cytology ; metabolism ; Proinsulin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

High expression of cellular asparagine synthetase (AS) is a causative factor for the resistance of leukemic cell to L-asparaginase therapy. This study was aimed to find single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the promotor region of asparagine synthetase (AS) gene and to determine if these SNPs have influence on the transcriptional activity of AS promotor. The DNA sequences of AS promoter (pAS) from 82 leukemic children and 45 controls were determined to screen for SNPs in this region and the AS mRNA level in these samples was quantified using real-time PCR assay. The results indicated that three SNPs were found in the sequenced pAS fragment. They were -239C/T, -92G/A and -62A/T respectively. The frequency of -92A allele was higher in leukemic samples than that in nonleukemic control (P<0.05). The gene expression level differed among the individuals with genotype of the -92G/A SNP, and the descending order was as follows: GA heterozygote > AA homozygote > GG homozygote. It is concluded that some features in leukemia might associate with SNP on -92A locus, and this SNP in pAS can be one of the factors influencing transcriptional activity of AS gene. The existence of the -92A allele variant contributes to a high expression of AS gene.
Aspartate-Ammonia Ligase ; genetics ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; enzymology ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

Objective Radiological findings of very rare hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit have not been reported.Radiological findings on different imaging studies of four cases with hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit were described and the literature was reviewed so as to understand features of hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit.Methods CT and MR imaging findings of four cases with hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit confirmed by histopathology were analyzed retrospectively.Results A mass was found in the superotemporal quadrant in the anterior extraconal space of the orbit in three cases and in the inferonasal quadrant in one case. CT studies revealed a homogeneously ovoid tumor with benign remodeling of the adjacent bone in three cases and a homogeneously irregular mass without any bony change in one case.MR imaging showed a mass in the orbit that was mildly hypointense on T_1-weighted sequences and hyperintense on T_2-weighted images with areas of flow voids representing vessels within the peripheral portion of the tumor in four cases.All four patients demonstrated significant enhancement immediately after intravenous administration of contrast material and a type D time-signal intensity curve (TIC)pattern on MR dynamic contrast enhancement scanning.Conclusions Hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit appeared as a hypervascular tumor predominantly in the extraconal space with areas of flow voids within the tumor and early significant enhancement of the tumor after intravenous administration of contrast material.MR imaging is the best method in demonstration of features of hemangioendotheliomas in the orbit and in diagnosis of these tumors.