Objective To observe the effects of estradiol benzoate (E_2),human cberionic gonadotropin (hCG) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) on testicular descent and their relation to the expression of insulin-like factor-3 (INSL3) mBNA in rats.Methods At birth,40 SD male rats were assigned to 4 groups,and each group consisted of 10 rats.Each group received injection of one of the following drugs:normal saline(NS),E_3,hCG+E_2,and LHRH+E_2 for 29 clays after birth.Total RNA was extracted from the testis on day 30 after birth.INSL3 was synthesized and further amplified by RT-PCR.Results (1) Testicular descent rate on clay 30 after birth was 100% (20/20) in the group of NS,0% (0/20) in the group of E_2,85% (17/20) of hCG + E_2,and 70% (14/20) of LHBH + E_2.There was no significant difference between the last two groups ( P = 0.45).(2) Weight of testis differed significantly among the groups ( F = 56.67,P＜0.01 ),being lightest in the group of E_2.(3) E_2 could damage the germ cells of testis,however hCG and LHRH ameliorated this situation. (4) The expression of INSL3 mBNA was absent in the group of E_2,while the other groups showed normal expression.Conclusion E_2 inhibits testicular descent in rats,while hCG and LHRH promote the progress.The mechanism seems to be related to the expression of INSL3 mRNA.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve Prolapse ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo compare difference in character between wild germplasm and cultivar of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch.

METHODField test and statistical analysis were applied.

RESULTThe results showed that the plant height and leave weight of individual plant in cultivar were decreased significantly comparing to wild germplasm, and the output was increased significantly. The leave length was reduced. The leave width, the catalpol content in leave and polysaccharides and reducing sugar content in cultivar was increased not significantly. Whereas the catalpol content and the water extract content in cultivar were equal to wild germplasm.

CONCLUSIONThe plant height and leave weight of individual plant of R. glutinosa was decreased significantly in cultivar, but the active compounds content not changed obviously.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Iridoid Glucosides ; Iridoids ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of tanshinone II A on the cell signal transduction system protein kinase B (Akt) in rats with hypertrophy of the myocardium induced by partial constriction of the thoracic aorta.

METHODSRat models of myocardial hypertrophy were established by the thoracic aorta partial constriction method. Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into the sham-operative group, the model group, the valsartan treatment group, and the low-, medium-, and high-dose tanshinone treatment groups. The heart mass index (HMI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW), and interventricular septal thickness (IVS) were detected by high-frequency ultrasonography. The myocardial fiber diameter (MFD) was detected by HE staining, and the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta in the myocardium were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operative group, the levels of HMI, LVMI, LVPW, IVS, and MFD were increased respectively in the other groups (P<0.05); the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta were also increased in the other groups. Compared with the model group, the levels of HMI, LVMI, LVPW, IVS, and MFD were decreased respectively in all treatment groups (P<0.05); the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta were decreased in all treatment groups as well. There was no significant difference, however, among the low-, medium-, and high-dose tanshinone treatment groups and the valsartan treatment group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTanshinone II A can prevent myocardial hypertrophy by its action on the protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; enzymology ; prevention & control ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

The scholars at home and abroad pay great attention to the studies of specificities of acupoints, but the studies were superficial and non-systemic because of lacking to application of modern sciences and technology. There are not persuasive conclusive achievements for the specificities of acupoints and the key factors influencing the effect of acupuncture. The study of the specificities of acupoints should be concentrate on the diseases for which acupuncture and moxibustion are effective. And multiple modern sciences and techniques should be adopted to resolve the key problems about biological and physical characteristics, pathological response, effects and law of compatibility of acupoints usually selected for the diseases, and then to create the model of the theory about the specificities of acupoints and to richen and develop the theory of the specificity of acupoints.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Research

To investigate the kinship between the Inner Mongolia pandemic strain and representative strains of the Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV), total DNA from the lung tissue of a JSRV-infected sheep in Inner Mongolia was used to clone fragments of gag, pro and pol genes. The recombinant plasmid pMD-JSRV (including complete genomic sequence of the JSRV strain isolated from Inner Mongolia) was constructed by linking all the cloned fragments with long terminal repeat (LTR) and env gene fragments (cloned previous and reserved by our research team). Sequence analyses revealed that the genome was 7690 bp in length and contained several typical molecular markers for exogenous form of JSRV. These included the Sca I restriction site in the gag gene, two predicted "CCHC" motifs of zinc finger in the encoded nucleocapsid protein and the predicted "YXXM" motif in the TM region of Env. Homology analyses showed that the virus strain belonged to the JSRV type II. pMD-JSRV and AF105220 strains shared a nucleotide identification of 95%. The full length genomic clone of JSRV could provide a molecular basis for an infectious JSRV molecular clone as well as an experimental platform to study the detection and pathogenesis of JSRV.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Genome, Viral ; Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus ; genetics ; Pandemics ; Plasmids ; Proviruses ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo elucidate the details of operative technique of anastomotic posterior urethroplasty for traumatic posterior urethral strictures in attempt to offer a successful result.

METHODSWe reviewed the clinical data of 106 patients who had undergone anastomotic repair for posterior urethral strictures following traumatic pelvic fracture between 1979 and 2004. Patients'age ranged from 8 to 53 years (mean 27 years). Surgical repair was performed via perinea in 72 patients, modified transperineal repair in 5 and perineoabdominal repair in 29. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 23 years (mean 8 years).

RESULTSAmong the 77 patients treated by perineal approaches, 69 (95.8%) were successfully repaired and 27 out of the 29 patients (93.1%) who were repaired by perineoabdominal protocols were successful. The successful results have sustained as long as 23 years in some cases. Urinary incontinence did not happen in any patients while impotence occurred as a result of the anastomotic surgery.

CONCLUSIONSThree important skills or principles will ensure a successful outcome, namely complete excision of scar tissues, a completely normal mucosa ready for anastomosis at both ends of the urethra, and a tension-free anastomosis. When the urethral stricture is below 2.5 cm long, restoration of urethral continuity can be accomplished by a perineal procedure. If the stricture is over 2.5 cm long, a modified perineal or transpubic perineoabdominal procedure should be used. In the presence of a competent bladder neck, anastomotic surgery does not result in urinary incontinence. Impotence is usually related to the original trauma and rarely (5.7%) to urethroplasty.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures

OBJECTIVETo understand clinical application of syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in acupuncture and moxibustion.

METHODSCollect and collate the literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Acupuncture Research, Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture & Moxibustion (Clinic edition B in 2003) and Clinical Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion from 2001 to 2003.

RESULTSLess literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians are involved, only accounting for 5.69% (163/2 864); and the literature about both treatment based on meridians and treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians only accounted for 1.22% (35/2 864).

CONCLUSIONAt present, clinically acupuncture and moxibustion do not play attention to treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; China ; Humans ; Meridians ; Moxibustion

Objective We aimed to assess the association between urinary bisphenol A(BPA)concentrations and gestational age in pregnant women. Methods A total of 248 pregnant women were recruited from a maternal and child care hospital in Shanghai. A questionnaire survey was completed to collect socio-demographic information and spot urine samples were collected during pregnancy. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(GC-MS/MS)was used to measure BPA concentrations in urine samples. Linear relationship between urinary BPA level and gestational age was assessed by using generalized additive models. Multivariate regression model was used to evaluate associations of prenatal BPA exposure with gestational age. Results BPA was detected in all the urine samples. Median value and geometric mean of urinary BPA levels were 0.85 μg/L and 1.21 μg/L, respectively. Linear relationship between urinary BPA concentration and gestational weeks was confirmed(non-linear P > 0.05). Positive association between urinary BPA level and gestational age was indicated(regression coefficient, β = 0.19;95%CI:0.04-0.35;P = 0.016). However, it was only observed in girls, stratified by sex of newborns(β = 0.18;95%CI:0.03-0.34;P = 0.020). After stratification by trimester, no significant association was found in the second or the third trimesters. Conclusion Pregnant women are extensively exposed to BPA. Urinary BPA exposure during pregnancy may extend gestational age, especially in girls.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical application of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). METHODS PVP was performed in 21 cases of 37 vertebral lesions,including 14 osteoporotic compression fractures, 6 metastases, 1 hemangioma,and 17 lesions in thoracic vertebra and 20 in lumbar. The procedures of PVP were as follows: The needle was inserted via percutaneous transpedicular approach or percutaneous posterolateral vertebral approach; the needle tip was placed at the junction of the anterior located the one third of the vertebral body; intraosseous venography was performed; and last bone cement was injected at 2-10 mL. The technical success rate, clinical efficacy and complications were observed after the procedure. Results The procedure was successful in 18 cases with 31 lesions,and the success rate according to the number of cases and vertebral lesions was 85.7% (18/21) and 83.8% (31/37), respectively. After the procedure, the numbers of complete remission, partial remission, mild remission and no remission were 10, 5, 2 and 1, respectively; and the total effective rate was 94.4% (17/18). Progressive compression did not occur. Three patients had transient neuropathy and recovered after physiotherapy. Other complications were insignificant; no severe complications occurred. Conclusion PVP is an effective and micro-traumatic treatment for patients with benign and malignant lesions in vertebral bodies.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthopedic Procedures ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery