OBJECTIVETo explore the protection of high intensity microwave radiation on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activity and hippocampal CA1 structure in rats and the protectiveeffect of Qindan Granule (QG) on radiation injured rats.

METHODSTotally 48 Wistar rats were randomlydivided into 8 groups, i.e., the normal control group, post-radiation day 1, 7, and 10 groups, 7 and 10days prevention groups, day 7 and 10 treatment groups, 6 in each group. Rats in prevention groups wererespectively administered with QG liquid (1 mL/100 g, 4. 75 g crude drugs) for 7 days and 10 days bygastrogavage and then microwave radiation. Then preventive effect for radiation injury was statisticallycalculated with the normal control group and the post-radiation day 1 group. Rats in treatment groupswere firstly irradiated, and then administered with QG liquid (1 mL/100 g, 4.75 g crude drugs). Finally preventive effect for radiation injury was statistically calculated with the normal control group, post-radiation day 7 and 10 groups. Contents of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), beta endorphin (beta-EP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) were detected. Morphological changes and structure of hippocampal CA1 region were observed under light microscope.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, contents of CRH and beta-EP significantly decreased in each radiation group. Serum contents of ACTH and beta-EP significantly increased in post-radiation day 1 and 7 groups (P < 0.05). Compared with radiation groups, beta-EP content in serum and pituitary significantly increased, and serum ACTH content significantly decreased in prevention groups (P < 0.05). Pituitary contents of CRH and beta-EP significantly increased in prevention groups. Serum contents of ACTH, beta-EP, and HSP70 were significantly lower in day 7 treatment group than post-radiation day 7 group (P < 0.05). Morphological results showed that pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region arranged in disorder, with swollen cells, shrunken and condensed nucleus, dark dyeing cytoplasm, unclear structure. Vessels in partial regions were dilated with static blood; tissues were swollen and sparse. In prevention and treatment groups pathological damage of hippocampal CA1 region was obviously attenuated; neurons were arranged more regularly; swollen, pycnotic, or deleted neuron number were decreased; vascular dilatation and congestion was lessened.

CONCLUSIONQG could affect HPAA function and activity of high intensity microwave radiated rats, showing certain preventive and therapeutic effects of microwave radiated rats by adjusting synthesis and release of partial bioactive peptides and hormones in HPAA, improving pathological injury in hippocampal CA1 region.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; drug effects ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; blood ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; beta-Endorphin ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of abdominal cocoon.

METHODSClinical data of 203 cases with abdominal cocoon including 7 cases in our hospital and 196 cases reported in Chinese literature from January 1995 to June 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe male to female ratio was approximately 1.2:1. The mean age at diagnosis was 33 years. The main clinical manifestations included recurrent acute or chronic intestinal obstruction in 147 cases (72.4%), abdominal mass in 53 cases (26.1%). Of the 203 cases, abdominal plain X-ray were performed in 163, B-ultrasound in 85, CT in 68 and barium meal in 32 cases, however, only 6 cases (3.0%) were diagnosed as abdominal cocoon preoperatively. All the cases received operations included partial or total excision of the membrane and enterolysis in 172 cases (84.7%), together with bowel resection in 34 cases (16.7%) and appendectomy in 51 cases (25.1%). Postoperative complications included recurrent obstruction in 55, and death in 11 cases (5.4%).

CONCLUSIONSThe preoperative diagnosis of abdominal cocoon is difficult. Operations should be performed on the cases with intestine obstruction. Recurrent adhesive intestinal obstruction is the main postoperative complication.

Abdominal Cavity ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To establish a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS) method for the determination of alprazo-lam and its two metabolites in human plasma. Methods Agilent Zorbax SB C_(18)s(2. 1 mm×30 mm, 3.5 μm) column was used at 40 ℃, with a mobile phase of 25 mmol ·L~(-1) formic acid-acetonitrile solution (58: 42) at a flow rate of 0. 2 mL · min~(-1). An injection volume of 50 μL was used. Quantitaion was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Results The linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0. 5-50. 0 ng·mL~(-1) for alprazolam, and in the rage of 0. 05-2. 00 ng·mL~(-1) for α-hydroxyalprazolam and 4-hydroxyalprazolam. The extraction recovery for alprazolam and two metabolites were ranged from 75.0%-87.3%, respectively (RSD < 10%). Conclusion The analytical method appeared to be accurate, sensitive and convenient for the determination of alprazolam and its two metabolites. It is suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic study of alprazolam and its two metabolites.

Objective To study the dynamic changes of Omi/HtrA2 in the cytoplasm of cerebral parietal cortex in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD),and explore the role of Omi/HtrA2 in HIBD.Methods Seven-day-old SD rats were randomly assigned to sham-operated group and vehicle group; and HIBD models were established by the Rice and CHEN Hui-jin methods.Each group was further divided into 4 subgroups (n=8) according to the observation time points (6,12,24and 72 h).In each subgroup,the turnover ability and dextrorotatory ability when their tails were gripped were observed before the experiment and 1 h after hypoxic-ischemia (HI).The appearance of the brain was observed,and the protein levels of Omi/HtrA2 in the brain tissues or homogenates were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.Results (1) Changes of behavior of the rats:before the experiment,all rats were healthy; 1 h after HI,the rats in sham-operated group were still healthy,while out of 32 rats which bared HI injury,18 could not turn themselves over,20 became dextrorotatory when their tails were gripped and 14 exhibited both behavior problems.(2) General examination of the brain:the ligated brain hemisphere in the vehicle group showed obvious pallor and edema at 24 h; the two brain hemispheres in sham-operated group showed no pathological change.(3) Western blotting results showedthat the protein levels of Omi/HtrA2 in the vehicle group were significantly higher than those in the sham-operated group at each observation time points (P＜0.05); the expressions of Omi/HtrA2 in the vehicle group began to increase at 6 h,peaked at 24 h after HI insult and decreased thereafter.(4) By immunohistochemistry,it showed that the Omi/HtrA2 positive cells in cytoplasm and membrane of cerebral cortex in the vehicle group peaked at 24 h after HI insult and decreased thereafter; the quantity of positive cells in the vehicle group was larger than that in the sham-operated group (P＜0.05).Conclusion The levels of Omi/HtrA2 in the cerebral cortex increase after HI insult in neonatal rats,showing time-difference expression,which may play important roles in cell apoptosis induced by HIBD.

OBJECTIVETo describe and analyze epidemiological characteristics of babies with neural tube defects (NTD) by sex and birth outcome in a high-prevalence and a low-prevalence areas of China.

METHODSBirth defects surveillance data collected from 1992 through 1994, as a part of the Sino-American cooperative project on NTD prevention, were used to classify NTD as four categories, i.e., anencephaly, encephalocele, high-level and low-level spina bifida according to the sites of lesion (high vs. low level lesion were cervicothoracic and lumbosacral, respectively). Each category was sub-classified, according to single or compound defect, as isolated external defects (including those with NTD only) or multiple external defects (including those with NTD and another major external birth defects that is not the sequence of a defect such as cleft lip with or without cleft palate). The rates of anencephalus, encephalocele, high- and low-level spina bifida (SB) in males and females and their sex ratios were calculated, adjusted for urban and rural areas, season, category and birth outcome by sex and sites of lesions (high vs. low).

RESULTSTotally, 784 NTD cases were identified from 326 874 recorded births (including live births, stillbirths and fetal deaths with a gestation age of at least 20 weeks). The prevalence rates of anencephalus (1.30 per 1 000 female births) and high-level SB (3.99) in females were higher than those (0.66 and 1.66 per 1 000 male births) in males in the high-prevalence northern regions; with adjusted prevalence rates of females 1.8 - 2.1 times greater than those of males. In the low-prevalence southern regions, the prevalence of high- (0.32 per 1 000 female births) and low-level SB (0.21) in female were higher than those in males, with high- and low-level SB rate of 0.10 and 0.09 per 1 000 male births), with adjusted rates for females of 1.3 - 1.6 times higher than in males. Isolated NTD accounted for more than 80% of all NTD cases, and the prevalence of isolated NTD in females (2.57) was higher than that in males (1.40).

CONCLUSIONSThe sex differences in NTD existed between north and south, in accordance with the phenotype of NTD. It suggested that proportion of high level SB and anencephalus in females could increase as the prevalence of NTD going up, anencephaly, high- and low-level SB had the different genetic and environmental background.

China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neural Tube Defects ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution

Adult ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis ; drug therapy ; Cystectomy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; methods ; Young Adult

To investigate effects of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMMSC) on hematopoiesis after allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), allogeneic BMT model from Fischer 344 rats (RT-1Al) to Wistar rats (RT-1Au) was established; effects of MSCs on hematopoietic reconstitution were studied by survival rate, peripheral blood counts, histological analysis and FACS at day 30 after transplantation. The results showed that (1) MSCs from donor Fisher344 could survive in recipient irradiated by lethal dose and could be found in the thymus, spleen and bone marrow of the recipient at 30 days after cotransplantation with BM by measuring EGFP gene. (2) Cotransplanation of MSCs and BM improved hematopoietic reconstitution. Lymphocyte and platelet counts of peripheral blood in cotransplantation group were higher than those in the control group. Active hematopoiesis and increase of bone marrow nucleated cells were observed in cotransplantation group. MSCs significantly enhanced hematopoiesis of B lymphocyte and megakaryocytopoietic lineages by FACS analysis. It is concluded that (1) MSCs of Fisher344 can be found in the thymus, spleen, bone marrow of the recipients at 30 days after cotransplantion by measuring EGFP gene. (2) hematopoietic reconstitution is significantly enhanced by MSCs cotransplanted with BM.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoiesis ; physiology ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Models, Animal ; Platelet Count ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred F344 ; Rats, Wistar

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drug Design ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; SARS Virus ; chemistry ; drug effects ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; drug therapy ; rehabilitation

Objective To investigate the role of lymph vessel density (LVD) and microvessel pericyte coverage index (MPI) in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.Methods Using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining method,the expressions of albumin,D2-40 and CD34-α-SMA in 11 specimens of normal nasal mucosa,26 specimens of nasal polyp and 26 specimens of inferior turbinate tissue from patients with nasal polyps were investigated.The counts of microvessel density (MVD),lymph vessel density (LVD) and microvessel pericyte coverage index (MPI) were compared.SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results The nasal polyp group(0.269 ±0.096) had more albumin than inferior turbinate tissue group (0.159 ± 0.078) and normal nasal mucosa group (0.138 ± 0.045),the differences were significant (q value was 4.873,4.446,both P ＜ 0.05).The counts of MVD in nasal polyp group (30.52 ± 4.42) were not significantly higher than those in inferior turbinate tissue group (30.33 ± 6.03) and normal nasal mucosa group(28.21 ±6.84),the differences were not significant (q value was 0.130,1.147,both P ＞0.05).The MPI in nasal polyp group (0.291 ±0.096) was significantly lower than those in inferior turbinate tissue group(0.432 ± 0.101) and normal nasal mucosa group(0.416 ± 0.071),the difference was significant (q value was 5.399,3.680,both P ＜ 0.05).The counts of LVD in the nasal polyp group (0.245 ± 0.073) were significantly lower than those in inferior turbinate tissue group (0.431 ± 0.054) and normal nasal mucosa group (0.470 ± 0.078),the difference was significant (q value was 10.004,9.328,both P ＜ 0.05).MPI expression in the nasal polyp group was negetively correlated to albumin expression(r =-0.889,P ＜ 0.05).The LVD expression in the nasal polyp group was negetively correlated to albumin expression(r =-0.901,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Different LVD and MIP in nasal polyp tissues and normal nasal mucosa tissues imply that microcirculatory dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.

OBJECTIVEA functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72 of the gene for p53 protein (p53 R72P) has been implicated in a variety of human cancers, but the relationship between this SNP and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains obscure despite the fact that the critical role of p53 protein in HCC has been documented. This study was conducted to evaluate the link between the polymorphism with HCC stratified by chronic hepatitis B infection status in a Chinese population.

METHODSFour hundred and sixty-nine HCC cases (359 HbsAg-positive, 110 HbsAg-negative) and 567 controls (137 HbsAg-positive, 430 HbsAg-negative) were studied. The p53 genotypes were determined by a PCR based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method.

RESULTSOverall, no correlation between HCC and the R72P genotypes was found when comparing all cases to controls or when comparing the HbsAg-positive HCC subgroup to controls. However, in HbsAg-negative subjects, the 72P allele was significantly associated with the presence of HCC (P=0.01) and had a higher risk (OR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.25-2.27) of HCC as compared to the 72R allele. By comparison to R/R homozygotes, the R/P heterozygotes and P/P homozygotes had a 1.73-fold (95% CI: 0.96-3.11) and a 3.29-fold (95% CI: 1.58-6.86) increased risk for HCC, respectively. The subjects with the 72P allele and a family history of HCC and those with the 72P allele and male gender also yielded an 11.14-fold (95% CI: 1.62-76.67) and a 9.39 fold (95% CI: 3.08-28.62) increased risk of HCC, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe P allele of the p53 R72P polymorphism has an increased risk for HCC in HbsAg-negative subjects, and exerts a synergistic influence on the risk for HCC when combined with HCC family history and the male gender.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; Codon ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Liver Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics