Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; virology ; Phytotherapy ; methods ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy

Objective To observe the influence of taurine supplementation during early postnatal life on body weight and ultrastructure of islet ? cells in neonatal rats with low birth weight(LBW).Methods LBW neonatal rats were made by feeding 20%(C group) or 10%(R group) protein diet to fetal rats during gestation and lactation.Half of femal rats in group R were given a supplementation with 2.5% taurine drinking water(RT group) only during lactation,while other femal rats freely drunk.At postnatal day 1 and 21,the neonatal rats were weighted and their pancreas were removed.The ultrastructural changes of ? cells were observed by electron microscopy.Results At postnatal 21 days,the body weight of offsprings in group RT was significantly highter than that in group R(P=0.003);and the ultrastructure of ? cells in group RT got more improvement than that in group R.Conclusion Taurine supplementation can improve the growth-catch-up and the ultrastructure of islet ? cells of neonateal rats with LBW.

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.

Objective　To investigate the role of β-endorphin (β-EP) in conA-induced spleen cell proliferation after traumatic hemorrhagic shock. Methods　①Wistar rats with traumatic hemorrhagic shock were used and killed 0, 1, 3, 6,12 and 24 h after traumatic hemorrhagic shock. Plasma specimens were collected and β-EP levels in plasma were detected. Rats with sham-operation served as the control. ②Spleen cells isolated from normal rats were cultured in shock plasma (group Ⅰ), inactivated shock plasma (group Ⅱ) and shock plasma+β-EP antiserum (group Ⅲ) respectively. Con A-induced spleen cell proliferation was observed. Results　①The plasma β-EP level was elevated significantly immediately after shock, and reached the peak 1 h later, then showed a deceasing tendency and restored to the level as before shock at 24 h. ②Shock plasma remarkedly suppressed spleen cell response to the mitogen conA (P<0.01) compared with control; ConA-induced spleen cell proliferative function in group Ⅱ was significantly increased than that in group Ⅰ (P<0.01), so did in group Ⅲ, which still lower than in control. Conclusion　The significantly elevated β-EP in the plasma after hemorrhagic shock might play an important role in inhibiting the proliferation of spleen cells.

AIMTo study the effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current in human atrial myocytes and in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

METHODSSingle cardiac myocytes were isolated by enzyme. The effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current (INa) were assessed by applying whole-cell patch clamp techniques.

RESULTSHydrocortisone sodium succinate (1, 3, 10 micromol x L(-1)) was shown to inhibit INa of both human atrial myocytes and guinea pig ventricular myocytes in concentration dependent manner and the IC50 were 6.97 and 8.74 micromol x L(-1), respectively. The inhibition effects acted quickly (1-3 min) and the maximal activating voltage of INa was not changed in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes.

CONCLUSIONHydrocortisone sodium succinate can exhibit inhibitory effects on INa in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes, and its inhibitory effects act rapidly, which are not consistent with genomic effects, so there may be nongenomic effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Cell Separation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Atria ; pathology ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; pathology ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Sodium Channels ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathological characteristics and the dynamic change regularity of the testis induced by high power microwave (HPM) radiation.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-five male Wistar rats were exposed to 0, 3, 10, 30 and 100 mW/cm2 HPM radiation for five minutes, and changes of testicular morphology and teratogenic ratio of epididymal spermatozoa were observed through light microscope and electron microscope at 6 h, 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90 d after radiation.

RESULTSInjury of testicular spermatogenic cells in rats might be induced by 3 to approximately 100 mW/cm2 HPM radiation, and the main pathological changes were degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells, formation of multinuclear giant cells, decrease or loss of sperm and interstitial edema. Injury of spermatogenic cells underwent such phases as death and shedding, cavitation, regeneration and repair, characterized by being focalized, inhomogenous and phased. And the severity of pathological changes of the testis increased with power density. There was only scattered degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells in the seminiferous tubule one day after 3 mW/cm2 radiation, and the pathological changes six hours after 10 mW/cm2 radiation was similar to those one day after 3 mW/cm2 radiation, but with the formation of multinuclear giant cells, and the above-mentioned pathological changes aggravated from one day to seven days after radiation. There was a significant increase in degeneration, necrosis, shedding of spermatogenic cells, as well as a significant decrease in spermatozoa and focal necrosis in simple seminiferous tubules six hours after 30 and 100 mW/cm2 radiation, and the subsequent changes were similar to those of 10 mW/cm2 radiation. There was a significant increase in teratogenic ratio of epididymal spermatozoa at 3 d, 1 to approximately 7 d, 6 h to approximately 7 d after 3, 10, 30 and 100 mW/cm2 microwave radiation respectively (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHPM radiation may cause injury of testicular spermatogenic cells in rats, which has a positive correlation to radiation dosage and time.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Male ; Microwaves ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Testis ; pathology ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate approach and possibility of transferring basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene into rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs).

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression vectors harboring bFGF cDNA were constructed and transfected into rabbit BMSCs mediated by liposome. The transcription and expression of bFGF gene in the transfected BMSCs were detected by means of morphological observation, immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and RT-PCR. The changes in the biological characteristics of the transfected MSCs were also observed.

RESULTSStable overexpression of bFGF protein was detected in the transfected BMSCs, which showed differentiation towards chondrocyte lineage.

CONCLUSIONStable expression of bFGF gene in transfected BMSCs can induce cell differentiation into chondrocyte lineage.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Male ; Rabbits ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo review the quality of Epimedium extract in the market.

METHODThe contents of icariin, epimedin C, sagittatoside B and total flavonoids in Epimedium extracts sold in the market were assayed by the methods of HPLC and UV respectively. HPLC fingerprintings were obtained at the same time.

RESULTThe contents of icariin in most of the extracts are closely similar with the ones labeled by the companies. 3 type chromatograms were classified in all the HPLC fingerprintings, and were corresponded with their raw materials. The contents of epimedin C, sagittatoside B and total flavonoids were different in the samples with the same content of icariin.

CONCLUSIONWe can primarily confirm the origin of raw materials by comparing the HPLC fingerprinting of extracts with the ones of materials. The difference of extracts quality mainly comes from the difference of materials. So we suggest that Epimedium extract product should be labeled the origin of materials, and assayed with more compound contents, to ensure the quality stabilization.

China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; classification ; growth & development ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; standards ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; chemistry ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Quality Control ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of L-arginine (L-Arg) on Pax2 expression in the kidneys of pup rats with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).

METHODSPregnant rats were randomly assigned into three groups：normal, IUGR and L-Arg treated IUGR. The rats in the normal group were fed with ordinary forage (21% protein) during pregnancy. Those in the other two groups were fed with low diet forage (10% protein) during pregnancy. The L-Arg treated group was given drinking water containing L-Arg (200 mg/kg) daily during 21 days of lactation. Pax2 expression in renal tissues was measured with immunohistochemical staining and Western blot in pup rats of 7 days, 21 days, 2 months and 3 months old.

RESULTSThe immunohistochemical staining showed that Pax2 was not expressed in the pup rats from the normal group at any time point. Pax2 positive cells were found in renal glomerulus and kidney tubules of 2-months- and 3-months-old rats from the IUGR and L-Arg treated groups. And Pax2 expression in 3-months-old rats was significantly higher than that in 2-months-old rats (P<0.05). L-Arg treatment decreased significantly the Pax2 expression in 2-months- and 3-months-old rats when compared with the untreated IUGR group (P<0.05). Western blot showed that Pax2 protein was not expressed in 7-days- and 21-days-old pup rats from three groups. Pax2 protein expression in 2-months- and 3-months-old pup rats from the IUGR and L-Arg treated groups increased significantly compared with normal controls. Pax2 protein expression in the pup rats from the L-Arg treated group was significantly lower than that in the untreated IUGR pup rats (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSPax2 is expressed in the kidneys of IUGR rats during adulthood. L-Arg treatment can decrease the expression of Pax2.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; chemistry ; Male ; PAX2 Transcription Factor ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVEImpulsivity is one of the core symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In order to understand the neuromechanism of the impulsive behaviors in ADHD children, this study investigated the specific functional areas of the brain by functional MRI.

METHODSThe subjects consisted of 10 ADHD children with impulsivity, 7 ADHD children without impulsivity and 9 normal children. A functional MRI examination was performed when the subjects were instructed to finish GO and STOP tasks with the GO-STOP impulsivity paradigm. The MRI data during the two tasks of GO and STOP were averaged and the corresponding activation regions between groups were compared.

RESULTSThe data from the GO task revealed that the main activation regions of the normal children included frontal pole (superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and medial frontal gyrus); the main activation regions of ADHD children without impulsivity were cerebellum (posterior lobe and anterior lobe bouton) and cingulated gyrus; those of ADHD children with impulsivity were medial globus pallidus and insula. The data from the STOP task showed that the main activation regions of normal children included superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus; those of ADHD children without impulsivity were middle frontal gyrus and cingulate gyrus; those of ADHD children with impulsivity were uncus and putamen. The activation regions of ADHD children with impulsivity were much fewer than the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe behavior of impulsivity-control involves a number of specific functional areas in the cerebral cortex. Compared with normal children, ADHD children without impulsivity have weaker brain function and brain activation, and ADHD children with impulsivity demonstrate much fewer brain activation regions, worse brain function and little awareness of the cerebral cortex.

Adolescent ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; physiopathology ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Child ; Humans ; Impulsive Behavior ; physiopathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male