Objective To evaluate the effect of N- acetylcysteine(NAC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - sensitized neonatal rats with hypoxic- ischemic brain damage(HIBD) and possible mechanism except the antioxidant. Methods With the total number of 98 Wistar pups at postnatal day 8 of either sex was used in this study. There were 86 pups which were divided into three groups to evaluate the brain injury:vehicle group ( n = 29) ,low dose (25 mg/kg) ( n = 31 ) and high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) ( n - 26) treatment group. The pups were injected with LPS(0.1 mg/kg)intraperitoneally 3 days before hypoxic- ischemic(HI) insult. Multiple dose of NAC (25 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected intraperitoneally before and after HI. Brain injury was evaluated 7 days after HI. For the Caspase - 3 activity and immunoblotting analysis, the samples were collected at 24 h after HI treated either with vehicle or high dose NAC ( n = 6 per group). Results The brain injury volume was significantly reduced by high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) treatment compared with that of vehicle (77% reduction, P ＜ 0.001 ). The tissue loss was reduced 67 % ( P ＜ 0.001 ) in high dose NAC treated group compared with that of vehicle. However,there was no significant reduction of brain injury in the low dose NAC treatment group compared with vehicle group. Caspase - 3 like activity measurement showed that the activity decreased 53 % after high dose NAC treatment ( P ＜ 0. 001 ) compared with that of vehicle treatment. The immunoblots showed that the active form of Caspase - 3, 17 kDa band, was abolished by the high dose NAC treatment. Conclusions NAC treatment attenuate LPS - sensitized neonatal HI brain injury is dose dependent. The neuroprotective effect involves Caspase - 3 inhibition.

Objective: To investigate the difference of lipid-lowering effect of raw and processed Crataegi Fructus, and to select the optimal antihyperlipidemic product. Methods The hyperlipidemia model of SD rats was induced by high fat diet. After administration of Crataegi Fructus (1.5 g/kg), fried and coked Crataegi Fructus (1.5 g/kg), the changes of serum metabolites were analyzed by 1H-NMR technique combined with multivariate statistical analysis. Results :Different processing products of Crataegi Fructus can significantly reduce the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C in hyperlipidemia rats, among which Crataegi Fructus had best hypolipidemic effects. The serum contents of lactate, pyruvate, lysine, creatine, glycerol, ornithine, TMAO, α-ketoisovaleric acid, O-acetylglycoprotein, N-acetylglycoprotein, leucine and isoleucine were increased in model group, while choline, acetone, threonine, scyllitol, glutamine, glutamic acid, MUFA, PUFA, GPC, and glucose were decreased compared with control group. After administration of different processing products of Crataegi Fructus, endogenous metabolites were recovered significantly. The effect of Crataegi Fructus on hyperlipidemia was superior to those of fried and coked Crataegi Fructus according to the degree and number of the metabolites recovered. Conclusion: There are differences between the raw and processed Crataegi Fructus, and raw Crataegi Fructus showed the best effect on hyperlipidemia, the effect may be achieved through regulating oxidative stress, energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and gut microbiota.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the status of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (GHbA(1c)) control in type 2 diabetic patients and its relation to diabetic complications.

METHODSA total of 676 patients with type 2 diabetes were investigated for GHbA(1c) level and the diabetic complications. The patients were divided into two groups with GHbA(1c) >7% and GHbA(1c)< or =7%, and the relation of GHbA(1c) with the complications was analyzed.

RESULTSThe rate of good GHbA(1c) control (GHbA(1c)< or =7%) was 35.1% (237/676) in these patients, and 64.9% (439/676) of the patients showed poor GHbA(1c) control (GHbA(1c)>7%). The rates of hypertension and cerebralovascular complications were significantly higher in patients with GHbA(1c)>7% than in those with GHbA(1c)< or =7% (69.9% vs 55.7%, and 21.8% vs 8.9%, respectively, P<0.001), but the rate of coronary heart disease was comparable between the two groups (18.7% vs 17.3%, P>0.05). The patients with poor GHbA(1c) control had significantly higher incidences of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and fatty liver than those with good GHbA(1c) control (46.0% vs 35.0%, and 36.9% vs 25.3%, respectively, P<0.01), but no significant differences were found in the incidences of diabetic nephropathy (18.7% vs 16.5%), diabetic retinopathy (30.8% vs 27.4%) or diabetic feet (5.0% vs 3.8%) between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONType 2 diabetic patients have generally low rate of successful GHbA(1c) control, which can be associated with the occurrence of diabetic complications, suggesting the necessity of more rigorous diabetic health education and GHbA(1c) monitoring in these patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; complications ; Female ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy of imported pulmonary surfactant (PS) pig lung phospholipids injection (pig PS) and domestic cattle lung surface-active agent (cattle PS) for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS).

METHODSA total of 180 cases of grade IV NRDS receiving pig PS (n=90) or cattle PS treatment (n=90) were enrolled. The blood gas analysis and chest X-ray results and the incidence of complications after treatment, and hospitalization time and cost were compared between the two treatment groups.

RESULTSThe efficiency rate in the pig PS group (97%) was higher than in the catle PS group (83%) (P<0.01). The cure rate in the pig PS group was also higher than in the cattle PS group (84% vs 66%; P<0.01). The incidence of pneumothorax in the pig PS group was lower than in the cattle PS group (3% vs 7%; P<0.05). The hospitalization time in the pig PS group was shorter than in the cattle PS group (21 ± 4 days vs 23 ± 4 days; P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the total hospitalization cost between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSPig PS seems to be superior to cattle PS in the treatment of grade IV NRDS.

Animals ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Cattle ; Female ; Hospitalization ; economics ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; therapeutic use ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; complications ; drug therapy ; Swine

To investigate whether masticatory fatigue affects the fracture resistance and pattern of lower premolars restored with quartz-fiber post-core and full crown, 44 single rooted lower premolars recently extracted from orthodontic patients were divided into two groups of 22 each. The crowns of all teeth were removed and endodontically treated and then restored with quartz-fiber post-core and full crown. Twenty-two teeth in one group were selected randomly and circularly loaded at 45° to the long axis of the teeth of 127.4 N at a 6 Hz frequency, and the other group was not delivered to cyclic loading and considered as control. Subsequently, all teeth in two groups were continually loaded to fail at 45° to the long axis of the teeth at a crosshead speed of 1 mm⋅min(-1). The mean destructive force values were (733.88±254.99) and (869.14±280.26) N for the experimental and the control group, respectively, and no statistically significant differences were found between two groups (P>0.05). Bevel fracture and horizontal fracture in the neck of root were the major fracture mode of the specimens. Under the circumstances of this study, it seems that cyclic loading does not affect the fracture strength and pattern of the quartz-fiber post-core-crown complex.
Acid Etching, Dental ; methods ; Adult ; Bicuspid ; Bite Force ; Chromium Alloys ; chemistry ; Crowns ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Dental Restoration Failure ; Dental Stress Analysis ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Methacrylates ; chemistry ; Phosphoric Acids ; chemistry ; Post and Core Technique ; instrumentation ; Quartz ; chemistry ; Resin Cements ; chemistry ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tooth Fractures ; physiopathology ; Tooth Root ; injuries ; Tooth, Nonvital ; rehabilitation

BACKGROUNDNerve growth factor (NGF) is well-known for its important role in the development and maintenance of the nervous system. Along with its neurotrophic role, NGF has been detected in the testis of mouse, rat and human, suggesting an additional non-neurotrophic effect in the male reproductive system. The expression of β-NGF in the undescended testes (cryptorchidism) has not been detected at present. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of β-nerve growth factor mRNA and protein in experimental cryptorchidism.

METHODSA unilateral mechanical cryptorchidism model in the Sprague-Dawley rat was established and the expression of β-NGF with histologic changes in experimental cryptorchidism were investigated using one step quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization histochemistry, immunofluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining.

RESULTSThe expression of β-NGF mRNA and protein were both significantly decreased in the development of unmarred testis and cryptorchidism-induced testis, and the decrease of β-NGF in cryptorchidism-induced testis was far greater than that in uninjured testis.

CONCLUSIONFrom this investigation, we confirmed a lower expression of β-NGF in undescended testes than in the development of testis.

Animals ; Cryptorchidism ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The specimens of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with early invasion, and specimens collected by core needle biopsy (CNB) tend to contain limited amount of invasive component, so it is imperative to explore a new technique which can assess HER2 gene status accurately for the limited invasive cancer component in these specimens. Dual staining technique of combining immunohistochemistry (IHC) for myoepithelial cells and single or dual probe chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) for HER2 gene was performed on routinely processed paraffin sections from 20 cases diagnosed as having DCIS with invasive cancer. Among them, 10 had fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-confirmed amplification of HER2 and 10 had FISH-confirmed non-amplification of HER2. We successfully detected HER2 genetic signals and myoepithelial IHC markers (SMM-HC or CK5/6) simultaneously on a single section in all 20 specimens. Myoepithelial markers and HER2 signals detected by dual staining assay were consistent with those by individual technique performed alone. HER2 gene amplification results determined by dual staining assay were 100% consistent with those of FISH. Dual staining technique which allows simultaneous detection of myoepithelial marker protein and cancerous HER2 gene is feasible, and it has potential to be used in clinical practice for effective determination of HER2 amplification in limited invasive component.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogenic Compounds ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVEThe pathogenesis of minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rats with doxorubicin-induced nephropathy and its possible roles in the pathogenesis of MCNS.

METHODSEighty-three male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into a control group (n=32) and a nephropathy group (n=51). Nephropathy was induced by a single tail vein injection of doxorubicin (5 mg/kg). The control group was injected with normal saline. Twenty-four-hour urinary protein excretion was measured 7, 14, 28 and 42 days after doxorubicin injection. IL-6 expression in urine and renal tissues was determined using ELISA 7, 14, 28 and 42 days after doxorubicin injection.

RESULTSThe urinary protein excretion increased significantly in the nephropathy group 7, 14, 28 and 42 days after doxorubicin injection compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). IL-6 expression in urine and renal tissues increased significantly 7, 14, 28 and 42 days after doxorubicin injection compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). IL-6 expression in urine and renal tissues was positively correlated with 24-hour urinary protein excretion in the nephropathy group (r=0.794, P<0.01; r= 0.870, P<0.01). IL-6 expression in urine was positively correlated with that in renal tissues (r=0.739, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIL-6 expression in the urine and renal tissues is increased in MCNS rats. IL-6 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of MCNS.

Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Doxorubicin ; toxicity ; Interleukin-6 ; analysis ; Kidney ; chemistry ; Male ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; chemically induced ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Diaphragm ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiration, Artificial ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDIt is widely recognized that the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is often difficult because of the overlap of characteristics between malignant and benign parathyroid tumors, especially at an early stage. Our study aimed to investigate the differential expression of Ki-67, galectin-3, fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene, and parafibromin in PC, parathyroid adenoma (PA), parathyroid hyperplasia (PH), and normal parathyroid (NP) tissues; then to assess these expression values for use in differential diagnosis of malignant and benign parathyroid tumors.

METHODSData of 15 cases with PC, 19 PAs, and 8 PHs were retrospectively analyzed for their clinical characteristics. The expression of Ki-67, galectin-3, FHIT, and parafibromin were detected via immunohistochemistry in the above-mentioned specimens and 6 NPs as control.

RESULTSComplete loss of parafibromin expression was seen in 9 of 15 (60%) carcinomas, and all normal parathyroid tissues and parathyroid benign tumors stained positive for parafibromin except for one (4%) adenoma. Galectin-3 staining was positive in 11 of 15 (73%) carcinomas, 5 of 19 (26%) adenomas, 1 of 8 (12%) hyperplasias, and 0 of 6 normal tissues. The Ki-67 proliferative index was high in 4 of 15 (27%) carcinomas, 1 of 19 (5%) adenomas, and none of the hyperplasia or normal tissues. FHIT expression did not differ appreciably among the tumor types. The combination of overexpression of galectin-3 or loss of parafibromin increased sensitivity for PC to 87%, while the specificity of both positive galectin-3 and positive Ki-67 could reach 100%.

CONCLUSIONSThese data suggested that loss of parafibromin and overexpression of galectin-3 and Ki-67 might help to distinguish parathyroid carcinoma from other parathyroid tumors. And the combination of two or three of these markers might produce better sensitivity and/or specificity for the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Galectin 3 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism