Carcinoid Tumor ; pathology ; Groin ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the effects of subchronic arsenic exposure on caspase-3 expression in Leydig cells and serum testosterone level in rats. Methods Forty SD rats were divided into four groups based on body mass (160-220 g) by random number table, 10 in each group and treated with As2O3 through drinking water at the doses of 0.0 (distilled water), 2.0, 12.0 and 60.0 mg/L for 14 weeks. Blood sample from heart was collected, serum testosterone was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the testicular tissue of rats was taken, the expression of caspase-3 was assayed by immunohistochemical staining, and its average gray value was analyzed with image analysis software (Biomias). Results There were statistically significant differences of the serum testosterone levels between groups (F= 37.99, all P< 0.05). Compared with the control group [(3.082 3 ± 0.653 0) ng/L], serum testosterone levels in middle-dose and high-dose groups [(1.694 6 ± 0.255 4), (1.350 5 ± 0.281 9)ng/L] were significantly lower (all P< 0.05). The numbers of positive cells of caspase-3 were 8.10 ± 1.91, 9.80 ± 2.15,10.00 ± 1.83 and 10.90 ± 2.38 in each vision in the 4 groups, there were statistically significant differences between groups (F=3.17, all P<0.05), compared with the control group , the middle-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher (all P<0.05);the average gray values of caspase-3 were 135.10 ± 6.89, 130.00 ± 3.30, 117.10 ± 4.28, and 113.10 ± 5.38, there were statistically significant differences between groups (F = 41.09, P < 0.05), compared with the control group, the middle-and high-dose groups were decreased (all P<0.05). Conclusions One possible mechanism of As2O3 on male germ cell toxicity may be through up-regulation of the expression of caspase-3 in Leydig cells of SD rats and initiating the pathway of the apoptosis signal, which can lead to increased apoptosis of Leydig cells, decreased concentrations of testosterone, and damaged reproductive function in rats.

No abstract available.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Hydrocortisone* ; Insulin*

Adult ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma ; diagnosis ; pathology

Adult ; Aircraft ; Angiotensinogen ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Hot Temperature ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Neuropeptides ; blood ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Stress, Psychological ; blood ; etiology ; Time Factors

No abstract available.
Gastrins*

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of cervical spinal posture and prior loading history on spinal compressive strength.

METHODSTwelve human cadaver cervical spines were harvested and dissected into 24 motion segments containing 2 vertebrae and the intervertebral discs (C3,4 and C5,6). Compressive loads were applied on so that the effects of 2 loading conditions (dehydrated, superhydrated) and 2 postures (neutral trunk, flexed) could be examined. Dissection techniques and X-rays were used to determine the tissue injuries.

RESULTSSpecimens had a lower ultimate compressive strength (P <0.001) in flexed posture than in neutral trunk posture. Under the injury loading in neutral trunk posture, superhydrated specimens had a lower strength (29%, P <0.01) than dehydrated specimens did.

CONCLUSIONThe spine may be more prone to injury early in the morning when the discs are at highest level of hydration and the cervical spine is in fully flexed posture.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; physiology ; Compressive Strength ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Posture ; Weight-Bearing

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of CO release inhibitor zinc protoporphyria IX (ZnPP IX) and NO release inhibitor L-NAME on the content of cGMP in the penile tissue of rats.

METHODSThirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control, a ZnPP IX, and an L-NAME group, given saline (1 ml/kg/d), ZnPP IX (45 micromol/kg/d) and L-NAME (50 mg/kg/d), respectively, for 7 days. Then all the rats were killed, homogenate made from their penile tissues and detected for the contents of NOS, NO, CO and cGMP.

RESULTSThe contents of CO, NOS, NO and cGMP were all reduced in both the ZnPP IX and L-NAME groups as compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONZnPP IX and L-NAME can reduce the concentrations of CO and NO in the penile tissues of rats, and consequently the content of cGMP.

Animals ; Carbon Monoxide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Penis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Protoporphyrins ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To explore the main target and signal pathway of Simiao Yongan Decoction in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis(PsA) by network pharmacology, so as to reveal the intervention mechanism of Simiao Yongan Decoction in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The platform of pharmacology technology of traditional Chinese medicine system(TCMSP) was used to predict and screen the active ingredients of Simiao Yongan Decoction, and GeneCards database was searched to obtain the disease target related to the psoriatic arthritis. Protein interaction network model was constructed with STRING platform; drug-component-target-disease network map was constructed with Cytoscape Software; Wayne Diagram of common target of Simiao Yongan Decoction and psoriasis arthritis was drawn with the help of ClusterProfiler R Software. At the same time, the genetic ontology(GO) enrichment analysis and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted. Through database analysis, 1 128 targets related to 70 main active components of Simiao Yongan Decoction and psoriatic arthritis were selected. On this basis, the interaction network between Simiao Yongan Decoction and psoriatic arthritis was constructed, and 38 common targets were screened out. By GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, 135 signal pathways related to the main components of Simiao Yongan Decoction were selected. It was found that Simiao Yong-an Decoction may play a role in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis through antiviral effect, anti-inflammatory repair, protection of vascular endothelial cells, regulation of immunity and other multiple targets. The mechanism of Simiao Yongan Decoction in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis from multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway was revealed, which provided a research direction for screening its subsequent clinical effect evaluation indexes.
Arthritis, Psoriatic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Protein Interaction Maps

Objective To evaluate the value of positron emission tomography(PET)-CT imaging combined with continual detection of CA_(125)in serum for diagnosis of early recurrent ovarian epithelial carcinoma.Methods Twenty six patients received PET-CT imaging,who were all diagnosed as primary epithelial ovarian cancer of stage Ⅱ-Ⅳ and had complete remission after cytoreductive surgery and multiple courses of chemotherapy in Shandong Provincial Cancer Hospital.After a steady period,all patients experienced progressive rising of CA_(125)values 3 times in 2 months.But no positive lesion was found by CT, or although suspicious positive focus was found,the recurrent and(or)metastatic extent was not definite. Out of 26 patients,16 were delivered rechemotherapy and(or)radiotherapy,and 10 received re- cytoreductive surgery.Results(1)Of 26 patients,the value of CA_(125)was more than 35 kU/L in 17,and in 14 of 17,pelvic or abdominal cavity recurrence was diagnosed by CT and PET-CT,and 4 showed simuhaneously distant metastasis on PET-CT.In the remaining 3 patients of which CT findings were negative,2 had pelvic and abdominal cavity recurrence,and one had bone metastasis on PET-CT.Of 9 patients with progressive rising CA_(125)levels but the value was less than cut-off(