OBJECTIVE: To study the percentages of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), mononuclear cells (MNC) and fibroblastic cells (FBC) in different post-traumatic intervals after skeletal muscle mechanical injury in rats. METHODS: The rat model of skeletal muscle mechanical injury was established. The rats were divided into injured groups (6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 10 d and 14 d after injury) and control group. The percentages of PMN, MNC and FBC in different post-traumatic intervals after skeletal muscle mechanical injury were assessed with HE staining and image analysis. RESULTS: At post-injury 6-12h, the percentages of PMN and MNC infiltration appeared in injured sites and that of PMN reached peak. At 1 d, the percentage of MNC infiltration appeared and reached peak, while that of PMN decreased. At 3-7 d, the percentage of FBC gradually increased, while that of PMN and MNC decreased. At 10-14d, the percentage of FBC reached peak. CONCLUSION The percentages of PMN, MNC and FBC in injured zones showed time-dependent changes, which might be used as reference index for determination of age of skeletal muscle injury.
Animals ; Fibroblasts ; Muscle, Skeletal/injuries* ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To research the relation between the time-dependent appearances of myotibroblasts during the repair of contused skeletal muscle in rat and wound age determination. METHODS: A total of 35 SD male rats were divided into the control and six injured groups according to wound age as follows: 12 h, 1 d, 5 d, 7 d, 10 d and 14 d after injury. The appearances of myofibroblasts were detected by HE staining, immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Masson's trichrome staining was utilized to examine collagen accumulation in the contused areas. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed that α-SMA+ myofibroblasts were initially observed at 5 d post-injury. The average ratio of myofibroblasts was highest at 14 d post-injury, with all samples, ratios more than 50%. In the other five groups, the average of α-SMA positive ratios were less than 50%. The collagen stained areas in the contused zones, concomitant with myofibroblast appearance, were increasingly augmented along with advances of posttraumatic interval. CONCLUSION The immunohistochemical detection of myofibroblasts can be applied to wound age determination. The myofibroblasts might be involved in collagen deposition during the repair of contused skeletal muscle in rat.
Animals ; Collagen/metabolism* ; Contusions/metabolism* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Myofibroblasts/metabolism* ; Rats ; Time Factors ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of terephthalic acid (TPA) on lipid metabolism in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

METHODSFive groups of SD rats that ingested 0%, 0.04%, 0.2%, 1%, and 5% TPA, respectively, were included in a 90-day subchronic feeding study. Effects of TPA on levels of serum protein, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for concentration of ion.

RESULTSTPA decreased the level of serum T-AOC in a dose dependent manner. The contents of serum and bladder MDA significantly decreased in 1% and 5% TPA ingestion groups. Serum CuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) lowered in groups of 0.2%, 1%, and 5% TPA. TPA subchronic feeding had no significant influences on serum TC, LDL or HDL, but increased serum TG, TP and ALB after administration of 0.04% and/or 0.2% TPA. Concentrations of urinary Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+ were elevated in 1% and 5% TPA groups.

CONCLUSIONAntioxidative potential decreased after TPA exposure. MDA increase in serum and bladder tissues was one of the most important reactions in rats which could protect themselves against TPA impairment. The decrease of serum CuZnSOD was related to the excretion of Zn2+.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; analysis ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Female ; Ions ; urine ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Phthalic Acids ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxides ; blood ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Weight Gain

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to examine the in vitro effects of fenvalerate on steroid production and steroidogenic enzymes mRNA expression level in rat granulosa cells.

METHODSUsing primary cultured rat granulosa cells (rGCs) as model, fenvalerate of various concentrations (0, 1, 5, 25, 125, 625 micromol/L) was added to the medium for 24 h. In some cases, optimal concentrations of 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol (25 micromol/L), Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH, 2 mg/L), or 8-Bromo-cAMP (1 mmol/L) were provided. Concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol(E2) and progesterone (P4) in the medium from the same culture wells were measured by RIA and the steroidogenic enzyme mRNA level was quantified by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSFenvalerate decreased both P4 and E2 production in a dose-dependent manner while it could significantly stimulate rGCs proliferation. This inhibition was stronger in the presence of FSH. Furthermore, it could not be reversed by 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol or 8-Bromo-cAMP. RT-PCR revealed that fenvalerate had no significant effect on 3 beta-HSD, but could increase the P450scc mRNA level. In addition, 17 beta-HSD mRNA level was dramatically reduced with the increase of fenvalerate dose after 24 h treatment.

CONCLUSIONFenvalerate inhibits both P4 and E2 production in rGCs. These results support the view that fenvalerate is considered as a kind of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The mechanism of its disruption may involve the effects on steroidogenesis signaling cascades and/or steroidogenic enzyme's activity.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases ; analysis ; metabolism ; 8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estradiol ; analysis ; metabolism ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; pharmacology ; Granulosa Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hydroxycholesterols ; pharmacology ; Nitriles ; pharmacology ; Progesterone ; analysis ; metabolism ; Pyrethrins ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Steroids ; metabolism

Aim To evaluate the effects of salvianolic acid B ( Sal B ) on bone metabolism and its potential mechanism in high fat diet ( HFD) mice.Methods Thirty C57BL/6J male mice were divided into three groups with 10 mice each, namely normal , HFD and HFD+Sal B.HFD and HFD+Sal B mice were treated with HFD, and HFD+Sal B group mice were also with Sal B (125 mg· kg -1· d-1).After 12 weeks' treat-ment, femurs were harvested .The effects of Sal B on biomechanical strength were evaluated by biomechani-cal tests, and the effects of Sal B on bone microstruc-ture were evaluated by Safranin O/fast green staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining .The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B ( NF-κB)-p65 and NADPH ox-idase 4 ( Nox4 ) and cathepsin K in femurs was deter-mined by immunohistochemical staining . Results Maximum load and elastic load significantly decreased ,and the trabeculae became thinner and irregular in the femurs of HFD mice , while Sal B treatment could re-verse the descending biomechanical strength and the disorganized femurs bone micro-structures in HFD mice.In addition, the expressions of Nox4, NF-κB-p65 and cathepsin Kmarkedly increased in HFD mice , and Sal B possessed the ability to down-regulate the ex-pression of Nox4, NF-κB-p65, and cathepsin K in the femurs triggered by HFD .Conclusions Sal B treat-ment improves bone metabolism via regulating Nox 4/NF-κB/cathepsin K signaling pathway in HFD mice . The findings contribute to the understanding and exten-sion of the applications of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its constituents on osteoporosis .

It is generally accepted that the inhibition of apoptosis is one of the mechanism of drug resistance to tumor. Members of the bcl-2 gene family are the most important regulators in apoptosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of expression of bcl-2 and bax gene in predicting the prognosis of acute leukemia patients, and to explore the relationship between bcl-2 and bax expression and drug resistance. Seventy patients with acute leukemia entered this study. Expressions of bcl-2, bax and mdr-1 gene were measured by RT-PCR method and FCM. The result showed that: bcl-2 had been widely detected in specimens of blood or bone marrow from acute leukemia patients, the expression levels were much higher than those in normal control (1.46 vs 0.71, P < 0.05), bax expression levels and bax/bcl-2 ratio in patients had no significant difference with the control. No relationships were found between the expression levels of bcl-2 and bax and AL patients' age, sex, platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, percentage of marrow blasts, FAB classification, and S + G(2)M%. Both Bcl-2 protein expression (34.6% vs 69.2%, P < 0.03) and bax/bcl-2 mRNA ratio (37.1% vs 82.9%, P < 0.01) were associated with response to therapy and CR rate, bax/bcl-2 ratio also influences the overall survival time. There was no relationship between bcl-2 and bax expression levels and mdr-1 expression levels.

OBJECTIVETo study and establish the GC fingerprint of essential oils of 10 batches the flower of Lonicera japonica.

METHODThe essential oils were extracted by steam distillation from ten batches of the flowers, then separated by capillary gas chromatography.

RESULTThe similarity of 10 batches of the flower of L. japonica was high.

CONCLUSIONThe method was reliable, and can be used to evaluate the quality of the flower of L. japonica.

Chromatography, Gas ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; classification ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo explore cytological parameters that may identify the primary sites of metastatic adenocarcinomas in serous fluid.

METHODSSerous fluid specimens from 89 cases of metastatic adenocarcinomas (40 metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung, 6 metastatic adenocarcinomas of breast, 21 metastatic ovary adenocarcinomas, 22 metastatic gastrointestinal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas) were studied by using multiple morphologic parameters. Immunocytochemical S-P method was used to detect the expression of CA125, CA199, SPB and TTF-1 in 75 cases.

RESULTSMetastatic adenocarcinomas of different primary sites displayed certain different morphologic features, including the total amount of tumor cells, size of clusters, ratio of clusters over single cells, configuration of tumor clusters and the background of the smear. Cell clusters of small to medium sizes represented 95% and 100% in the metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung and breast, respectively. Most of the ovarian metastatic adenocarcinomas (85.7%) presented some large cell clusters and larger amount of cells, whereas certain metastatic gastrointestinal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas (45.5%) presented smaller number of cells and predominantly to be single cell in distribution (40.9%). Psammoma bodies were found in metastatic adenocarcinomas of lung and ovary. SPB and TTF-1 expression supported the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of pulmonary origin. CA125 expression supported an ovarian origin. Although CA199 was seen in all groups of metastatic adenocarcinomas, nevertheless, its appearance in tumor cells in ascitic fluid specimens supported gastrointestinal and pancreatic origins.

CONCLUSIONMorpho-logic features of the cytological smear, immunohistochemical staining and clinical history are equally important in determining the primary sites of metastatic adenocarcinomas in serous fluid.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; secondary ; Ascitic Fluid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1 ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze several methods of wound repair for deep partial thickness burn wounds retrospectively, so as to evaluate the significance of improvement of wound microcirculation on wound healing.

METHODS(1) 2,976 burn patients admitted to our department were enrolled in the study, among them 614 undertook tangential excision, 32, eschar abrasion, 86 allo-skin coverage after debridement, 1836 tropical application of silver sulfadiazine and 408 with traditional Chinese medicine (Jing Wan Hong ointment) with gauze bandage. The results of the management with different methods were compared. (2) Rat model with deep partial thickness burn was reproduced and topical application of silver sulfadiazine was given. The rats were randomly divided into control (n = 10, with normal saline injected via caudal vein within 5 minutes postburn), and treatment (n = 10, with batroxobin injected via caudal vein within 5 minutes postburn) groups. The blood flow perfusion unit in the wound skin was measured before burn and at 0.5 to 72 postburn hours by Laser Doppler. The wound healing rate, contraction rate and wound healing time in each group were calculated on 14 and 18 postburn days (PBDs). The number of hair follicles after wound healing was observed by histological method.

RESULTS(1) The burn wound treated by tangential excision healed within 2 to 3 post operation weeks (POWs), with the healing rate of 94.8% in patients with burn covering 50% - 70% TBSA and 93.4% in those with burn of 80% approximately 98% TBSA. The healing time of patients with allo-grafts coverage after eschar abrasion was 13.8 +/- 2.1 days without scar formation. The wound healing time was 18.0 +/- 2.3 day in 82 patients with allo-graft coverage after debridement, and it was 26.0 +/- 3.2 days with subeschar healing in 1658 patients with topical application of silver sulfadiazine. Infection in burn wound was encountered in most patients undergoing traditional Chinese medicine bandage treatment with wound healing time of 26.0 +/- 2.8 days in the lower extremities. (2) The blood flow perfusion unit of the rats in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). The wound healing rate in treatment group on 14 and 18 PBD was obviously higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). But the wound contraction rate in the two groups was similar (P > 0.05). The wound healing time in treatment group was much shorter than that in control group (P < 0.01). A few hair follicles remained in the dermis of the rats in the control group on 30 PBD, and the number was evidently smaller than that in the treatment group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEarly tangential excision and eschar abrasion remained better methods in the management of deep partial thickness burn wounds, as they could ameliorate burn wound infection, shorten treatment period, raise wound healing rate and quality. Application of batroxobin could accelerate wound healing rate by improving wound microcirculation in deep partial thickness burn wound.

Adult ; Animals ; Batroxobin ; therapeutic use ; Burns ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; blood supply ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Wound Healing

To find out the factors of scientific schools in Chengjiang acupuncture school according to its characteristics and demands on the basis of connotations of the genres, schools, scientific schools. The results show that the Chengjiang acupuncture school is a typical scientific school, including followed elements: school leaders, plenty of famous group members, unified system research pattern and school spirit that is commonly followed.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; manpower ; China ; Faculty ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Schools ; history ; manpower