OBJECTIVETo investigate the method of development of allergic airway disease model in mice.

METHODSTen BALB/c mice were devided into the model group and the control group. Each group contained 5 mice. Ovalbumin (OVA) was used as allergen. OVA was emulsified with aluminum hydroxide and injected intraperitoneally for sensitization. Afterwards the mice from model group were challenged with aerosolized 5% OVA and subsequently instilled with OVA intranasally. For the blank control group the mice were sensitized and challenged with phosphate buffer saline (PBS). After final challenge, the nasal symptoms were scored, and mice were sacrificed for evaluation of eosinophilia of nasal septum, peribronchial inflammation and goblet cell hyperplasia. Mice serum was collected for measurement of OVA-specific IgE concentration, and levels of IL-4 and IL-5 from bronchoalveolar fluids were also tested.

RESULTSCompared with blank control mice, mice from model group displayed typical sneezing and nasal scratching symptoms. The histopathological changes, such as eosinophilia of nasal septum mucosa, infiltration of peribronchial inflammatory cells and hyperplasia of goblet cells were successfully induced by OVA sensitization and challenge. Moreover, mice in model group showed higher level of OVA-specific IgE in serum and IL-4 and IL-5 cytokines in bronchoalveolar fluids[mice from model group: IgE (1237.00 ± 153.20) pg/ml, IL-4 (46.50 ± 10.15) pg/ml, IL-5 (50.81 ± 11.41) pg/ml; mice from control group: IgE (191.90 ± 43.20) pg/ml, IL-4 (7.96 ± 1.80) pg/ml, IL-5 (7.53 ± 2.23) pg/ml;t value were 6.569, 3.738 and 3.724, respectively, all P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONThe method using OVA as allergen could effectively develop a mouse model of allergic airway disease which could be used for pathogenesis study and drug effect evaluation.

Allergens ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophilia ; pathology ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-5 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Ovalbumin ; pharmacology ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; chemically induced ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of phytoestrogens (daidzein and genistein) on the testosterone production of rat Leydig cells and the possible mechanisms.

METHODSPrimary Leydig cells were obtained from 3-month old male SD rats using discontinuous Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The effects of phytoestrogens at various concentrations were evaluated by ELISA, with hCG as the positive control. The mRNA expression of P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSGenistein at 0.1 micromol/L obviously promoted the secretion of testosterone and upregulated the mRNA level of P450scc. At a higher concentration of 5 micromol/L, however, both daidzein and genistein significantly inhibited the testosterone production of Leydig cells (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGenistein can promote the testosterone production of Leydig cells at a low concentration (0.1 micromol/L), but both daidzein and genistein can inhibit it at a higher concentration ( >5 micromol/L).

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; secretion ; Male ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of gypenoside (Gyp) on the activity of microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in rat's heart and brain in vitro.

METHODSThe microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase was prepared from rat's heart and brain by differential centrifugation. The activity of microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase was assayed by colorimetric technique. Enzyme kinetic analysis method was used to analyze the effect of Gyp on the microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase of rats.

RESULTSGyp reversibly inhibited the brain and heart's microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in a concentration-dependent manner, and showed a more potent effect on enzyme in the brain. The IC(50) of Gyp for the heart and brain were 58.79+/-8.05 mg/L and 52.07+/-6.25 mg/L, respectively. The inhibition was enhanced by lowering the Na(+), or K(+) concentrations or increasing the ATP concentration. Enzyme kinetic studies indicated that the inhibitory effect of Gyp on the enzyme is like that of competitive antagonist of Na(+), the counter-competitive inhibitor for the substrate ATP, and the mixed-type inhibitor for K(+).

CONCLUSIONGyp displays its cardiotonic and central inhibitory effects by way of inhibiting heart and brain's microsomal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in rats.

Adenosine Triphosphate ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Brain ; enzymology ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Gynostemma ; Kinetics ; Male ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; antagonists & inhibitors

Animals ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Cloning, Molecular ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Hepatitis C Antigens ; toxicity ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Oncogenic Viruses ; pathogenicity ; RNA, Messenger ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; toxicity ; Viral Core Proteins ; toxicity ; Virion ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of adolescent inguinal hernia, and to explore the reasonable repair methods. METHODS: The clinical data of 170 cases of adolescent aged between 14 to 18 years old with inguinal hernia admitted from January 2010 to January 2019 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University were analyzed retrospectively. The operation mode, anesthesia method, operation time, medical expenses, recurrence and complications were studied. RESULTS: Among the 170 patients, 16 patients were treated with traditional suture repairing Bassini method, 11 patients were treated with mesh plug repair, 3 patients were treated with plain film Lichtenstein method, 3 patients were treated with TAPP, and preperitoneal space repair was applied in 137 cases. Three patients with TAPP were treated with general anesthesia, 5 patients underwent continuous epidural anesthesia, and 162 patients underwent local infiltration anesthesia. The average operation time was(28.5±11.6)minutes. The median postoperative hospital stay was 1 day, including 159 cases(93.5%)of day surgery. The total cost of medical treatment was(7254.8±236.5)yuan per unilateral inguinal hernia, and the bilateral inguinal hernia was(13261.9±543.8)yuan. The follow-up rate was95%, and the follow-up time was 5 to 113 months. There was no recurrence. One patient with bilateral cryptorchidism developed fertility disorder, and two patients developed chronic pain. No serious complication occurred in remaining patients. CONCLUSION: Adolescent inguinal hernia should be selected from the individualized treatment plan.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; RNA, Circular ; RNA, Long Noncoding

ObjectiveTo investigate the perioperative safety and complications of radical cystectomy （RC）. MethodsThe clinicopathological indexes， postoperative complications and prognosis of patients who underwent RC at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre from January 2001 to August 2020 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Among them， patients from 2011 to 2020 were further analyzed and compared according to the open surgery group （ORC）， laparoscopic group （LRC） and robot-assisted laparoscopic group （RARC）. Independent sample t test， Chi-square test， K-M survival curve and other statistical methods were used to describe the complications and prognosis of patients， and Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of complications of RC. ResultsAmong the 1041 patients who underwent RC surgery from 2001 to 2020， the median age was 63 （55-69） years. In terms of the gender ratio， men were the majority at 86 percent. Compared with that of the first 10 years， the complication rate of the second 10 years decreased significantly （37.4% vs. 26.7%）. Complications of 667 patients who underwent RC surgery were analyzed from 2010 to 2020， with a median follow-up of 34 months. A total of 415 patients were enrolled in the ORC group， 161 in the LRC group， and 91 in the RARC group. Ileal conduit （659 cases， 63.3%） accounted for the highest proportion of all urinary diversion methods， while orthotopic neobladder accounted for the second （343 cases， 32.9%）. The incidence of all grade complications was 30.5%， and the most common complication was urinary complications. The incidence of total complications and grade ≥3 complications in the ORC group was higher than that in the LRC and RARC groups （Total complications： ORC， 30.8%； LRC，21.1%， RARC，24.2%； P=0.047； Grade ≥3 complications： ORC， 14.7%； LRC，9.3%； RARC，6.6%； P=0.043）. ConclusionsWith the improvement of surgical techniques and experience， the incidence of recent postoperative complications after radical resection of bladder cancer in our center has decreased. Compared with open surgery， minimally invasive surgery has some advantages in reducing the complication rate.

BACKGROUNDImaging-guided thermal ablation using different energy sources continues to gain favor as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of primary and metastatic hepatic malignant tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of microwave ablation with 2450-MHz internally cooled-shaft antenna in ex vivo and in vivo porcine livers.

METHODSAll studies were animal care and ethics committee approved. Microwave ablation was performed using a noncooled or cooled-shaft antenna in 23 ex vivo (92 ablations) and eight in vivo (36 ablations) porcine livers. Diameters of the coagulation zone were observed on gross specimens. The coagulation diameters achieved in different microwave ablation parameter groups were compared. Curve estimation analysis was performed to characterize the relationship between applied power and treatment duration and coagulation diameter (including short-axis and long-axis diameter).

RESULTSCoagulation zones were elliptical and an arrowed-shaped carbonization zone around the shaft was observed in all groups. But the antenna track was also coagulated in the noncooled-shaft antenna groups. In ex vivo livers, the short-axis diameter correlated with the power output in a quadratic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.95) by fixing ablation duration to 10 minutes, and correlated with the ablation duration in a logarithmic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.98) by fixing power output to 80 W. The short-axis reached a relative plateau within 25 minutes. In in vivo livers, short-axis diameter correlated with the coagulation duration in a sigmoidal curve fashion (60 W group R(2) = 0.76, 80 W group R(2) = 0.87), with a relative plateau achieved within 10 minutes for power settings of 60 W and 80 W.

CONCLUSIONSThe internally cooled microwave antenna may be advantageous to minimize collateral damage. The short-axis diameter enlargement has a plateau by fixing power output.

Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; Liver ; surgery ; Microwaves ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time course of calpain activity changes in rat neurons following fluid percussion injury (FPI) under normothermia (37 degrees celsius;) and mild hypothermia (32-/+0.5) degrees celsius;.

METHODSIn vitro cultured rat neurons were subjected to FPI followed by application of mild hypothermia for intervention at different time points, and the changes in intraneuronal calpain activity following FPI and the interventional effect of mild hypothermia on calpain activity were evaluated by UV-spectrophotometry at different time points.

RESULTSRemarkable changes occurred in calpain activity in the neurons following FPI at 37 degrees celsius;, and mild hypothermia produced obvious interventional effect on calpain activity in close relation to the timing of intervention initiation.

CONCLUSIONIntraneuronal calpain activity changes following FPI are involved in the pathological process of cellular injury, and mild hypothermia might offer protection against traumatic brain injury to some extent by regulating calpain activity. The interventional effect of mild hypothermia is associated with the timing of the intervention initiation.

Animals ; Calpain ; metabolism ; Female ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Neurons ; metabolism ; pathology ; Percussion ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo detect HBV antigen specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) changes in patients during acute flare-ups and to study their association with flare-ups and aggravations into grave hepatitis by quantitative analysis of HLA-A2* restricted HBcAg-specific CTL cells.

METHODSThe frequency of HBcAg-specific CTL cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 29 patients with persistent infection with HBV were quantified by flow cytometry using one HLA-A2*HBV peptide pentamers complex (Pro5TM MHC Pentamers).

RESULTSThere was a statistical difference of HBcAg specific CTLs between the patients with acute exacerbations (1.4%+/-0.8%) and the patients with immune tolerance (0.6%+/-0.4%) (t = 2.180, P = 0.01-0.05); There was no significant difference between the grave hepatitis group (1.3%+/-1.0%) and the chronic hepatitis group (1.4%+/-0.8%) regarding frequencies of antigen specific CTL (t = 0.215, P = 0.833-0.05). The level of antigen specific CTLs in PBMC in the 6 cases of chronic hepatitis B with acute exacerbations maintained a relatively high level (more than 0.7%) within the 12 week follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONHBcAg-specific CTLs may play an important role in hepatic flare-ups in patients with chronic HBV infection, but there was no direct relationship between antigen- specific CTLs and grave hepatitis.

Adult ; Female ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Viral Load ; Young Adult