Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; congenital

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of saikosaponin-d (SSd) on glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) proliferation and hyperplastic extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to provide experimental proof for its use in prevention and treatment of glomerulosclerosis.

METHODSRat's MCs were cultivated and identified. The cultured MCs were stimulated by LPS and incubated with different concentrations of SSd. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay, LDH assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Type IV collagen (Col IV), fibronectin (FN) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the conditioned medium were measured by ELISA. The expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), c-Jun and c-Fos were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSAfter treated by SSd, MC proliferation was inhibited, cells in G0/G1 phase increased, and apoptosis induced. Moreover, secretion of Col IV, FN and TGF-beta1 and the expressions of CDK4, c-Jun and c-Fos in MC were inhibited.

CONCLUSIONThe inhibitory action of SSd on glomerulosclerosis was realized through inhibiting the expressions of CDK4, c-J un and c-Fos.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type IV ; analysis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; drug effects ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Mesangial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; analysis

On account of the dense cuticles of the fresh stem and the light, hard and pliable texture of the dried stem, Dendrobii Caulis is difficult to dry or pulverize. So, it is very important to the ancient doctors that Dendrobii Caulis should be properly treated and applied to keep or evoke its medicinal effects. The current textual research results about the preliminary processing, processing and usage methods of Dendrobii Caulis showed that: (1) In history the clinical use of fresh or processed Dendrobii Caulis as teas and tinctures were very common. (2) Its roots and rhizomes would be removed before using. (3) Some ancillary approaches were applied to shorten drying times, such as rinsing with boiling mulberry-ash soup, washing or soaking with liquor, mixing with rice pulp and then basking, etc. (4) According to the ancients knowledge, the sufficient pulverization, by means of slicing, rasping, hitting or pestling techniques, was necessary for Dendrobii Caulis to take its effects. (5) The heat processing methods for Dendrobii Caulis included stir-baking, stir-frying, steaming, decocting and stewing techniques, usually with liquor as an auxiliary material. Among above mentioned, steaming by pretreating with liquor was most commonly used, and this scheme was colorfully drawn in Bu Yi Lei Gong Pao Zhi Bian Lan (Ming Dynasty, 1591 CE) ; moreover, decocting in advance or long-time simmering so as to prepare paste products were recommended in the Qing Dynasty. (6) Some different processing programs involving stir-baking with grit, air-tightly baking with ondol (Kangs), fumigating with sulfur, which appeared in modern times and brought attractive outward appearance of the drug, went against ancients original intentions of ensuring drug efficacy.
Dendrobium ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; history

Objective To explore the influence of lamotrigine(LTG)and valproate(VAP)on cognitive function in children with epilepsy.Methods Seventy-six epileptic children firstly diagnosed were chosen,36 cases received LTG monotherapy and 40 cases undwent the treatment of VPA.The intelligence quotient(IQ)value was measured before and after 6 months treatment respectively,and 20 healthy children were selected as healthy control.Results 1.The epileptic children had poor verbal intelligence quotient(VIQ),performance intelligence quotient(PIQ)and full intelligence quotient(FIQ)compared to the control subjects(Pa0.05).But among the subtestings,the know-ledge,wood-graph,coded score of the VPA groups had significant difference(Pa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of vascular bundle implantation in autogenous bone graft on angiogenesis.

METHODSThirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were evaluated in this study. A portion of bilateral radial bones of a rabbit were removed as free bone grafts, whose periostea were peeled off. In test group, the external maxillary artery bundle was passed through the marrow cavity of the bone. In control group, there was no vascular bundle implantation. Each bone was placed in masseter muscle separately. The rabbits were sacrificed and the specimens were procured at 3 days, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 weeks after surgery for histological observation, Chinese ink perfusion and CD34 immunohistochemistry. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed in order to evaluate angiogenesis of autogenous bone grafts.

RESULTSThe bone grafts were found revascularization in 3 days after surgery in the test group, whereas at 2 weeks in the control group. In 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery, the MVD of test group was significantly higher than that of control group. In 4 weeks after surgery, angiogenesis of test group reached to peak.

CONCLUSIONVascular bundle implantation improved angiogenesis in non-vascularized autogenous bone graft in this study.

Animals ; Bone Transplantation ; Bone and Bones ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and radiologic findings of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT).

METHODSThe clinical presentations, radiologic findings, histologic features and immunophenotype of 9 cases of DNT were analyzed.

RESULTSThe age of patients ranged from 12 to 51 years (mean age = 32 years). Most presented with partial seizures, sometimes accompanied by transient aphasia, agraphia and decreased visual acuity. One case was asymptomatic and discovered incidentally during a routine check-up. All patients had no neurological deficit found on physical examination. All tumors were located in the supratentorial cerebral cortex. There was no peritumoral edema or space-occupying effect on radiologic examination. The tumors involved either frontal lobe (number = 4), temporal lobe (number = 4), frontoparietal lobe (number = 1) . Two cases showed cystic changes. Two histologic variants of DNT were recognized: simple (number = 3) and complex (number = 6). Simple variant was composed mainly of the glioneuronal element, accompanied by surrounding oligodendrocyte-like cells, and the complex variant contained a low-grade glioma component, in addition to the glioneuronal element and sometimes foci of cortical dysplasia.

CONCLUSIONSDNT is a benign tumor with excellent prognosis after surgical excision. Local recurrence is rare. Complex variant of DNT needs to be distinguished from other types of low-grade glioma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epilepsies, Partial ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Neurofilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Oligodendroglia ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism

The goal of this study is to research the genetic characteristics and relationship between HN and P genes of NDV. The nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence were analyzed for the Hemagglutinin-neuramindase (HN) and Phosphoprotein (P) gene of twelve field isolates of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) during 1997-2005 in China. The HN and P gene sequences of fifteen NDV reference strains from GenBank were also used in this study. The molecular evolution distance of nucleotides and amino acids were calculated by MEGA 4.0 software, and analysis of variance and correlations were analyzed by SPSS11.0 software among different length sequences of the HN gene or P gene. The nucleotide and amino acids correlation of HN and P gene were analyzed respectively. The correlation of evolution distance and isolation year were also calculated. The results indicated that there were difference and good correlation of nucleotide and amino acid among different length sequences of the HN gene or P gene. These results revealed that the HN and P gene of NDV have the different response to selective pressure to adopt to landscape and closely relationship on heredity mutations. Nucleotide variations of HN and P gene have relationship with isolation year of strains.
Evolution, Molecular ; Genetic Variation ; HN Protein ; genetics ; Newcastle disease virus ; classification ; genetics ; Phosphoproteins ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo measurement the vertebra morphology using multi-planar reformations method of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) in AIS girls, and To compare with age and gender-matched controls in order to affirm the morphology results of abnormal development of the anterior and posterior elements in AIS.

METHODSThoracic and lumbar spine multi-slice spiral CT was undertaken on 52 girls with AIS between the age of 10 and 18 years from June 2004 to May 2008 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Shijitan Hospital, and 54 age and gender-matched non-IS controls. Multiple measurements (including the anterior column and posterior column) of each thoracic and lumbar vertebra were obtained using the 3D-MPR technique. The patients and control were divided into 10-14 years old group and 15-18 years old group. The corresponding vertebral anterior height, vertebral posterior height, transverse distance, vertebra central width, vertebra anterior-posterior distance, area of pedicle, pedicle height, pedicle width, and upper-lower facet distance were compared.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the 10-14 years old group girls' spine had longer anterior column height, relative shorter posterior column (there are difference from thoracic 2-11 and lumbar 1-3, P < 0.05), relative longer anterior-posterior vertebral distance, vertebral wedging changes in vertebral, distinct vertebral and pedicle asymmetry on the concave and convex side, and upper-lower facet distance asymmetry on the concave and convex side. The difference between the anterior and the posterior column ratio was significantly different from that in the controls (P < 0.01). But there hadn't the same difference in 15 - 18 years old group.

CONCLUSIONSThere are differences in coronal plane vertebra wedging changes in AIS patient. There are high vertebra height, relative shorter posterior column, relative longer anterior-posterior vertebral distance, and relative slender vertebra in 10 - 14 years old AIS patients. This may lead to the initial and progression of scoliosis.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Scoliosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo determine optimum culture conditions for the seed embryo culture and rapid propagation of Dendrobium candidum.

METHODSeed embryos of D. candidum were incubated in the medium containing a combination of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), potato extract, banana extract and activated carbon in order to induce seed embryo germination, protocorm differentiation, plantlet propagation and plantlet rooting.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe maximum embryo germination percentage was obtained in the 1/2 MS media supplemented with 20% potato extract. The 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg x L(-1) BA and 0.1 mg x L(-1) NAA was very beneficial to the protocorm differentiation and propagation of D. candidum. The highest protocorm propagation index was obtained from the medium containing the activated carbon. The highest root numbers and length were observed in plants growing in 1/2 MS medium containing 0.5 mg x L(-1) NAA.

Benzyl Compounds ; Carbon ; pharmacology ; Culture Media ; Dendrobium ; growth & development ; Germination ; drug effects ; Kinetin ; pharmacology ; Naphthaleneacetic Acids ; pharmacology ; Plant Growth Regulators ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Purines ; Seeds ; growth & development ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

OBJECTIVETo compare the diagnostic value of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (Gd-DTPA)-enhanced MRI with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO)-enhanced MRI in differentiating reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes from metastatic lymph nodes in rabbit models.

METHODSReactive hyperplastic cervical lymph node model was established in 18 rabbits as hyperplasia group, and tumor-bearing lymph node model was established in another 18 rabbits as tumor group. For Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI, T1WI and T2WI were performed on 9 animals of each model, and T1WI was acquired 80 seconds after administration of Gd-DTPA. For USPIO-enhanced MRI, T1WI, T2WI and T2*WI were performed on another 9 animals of each model before and 24 hours after administration of USPIO. MRI images were analyzed and correlated with surgical specimens and pathological results.

RESULTSIn the tumor group, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI were 62.5%, 91.3%, 88.2%, 70.0% and 76.6%, respectively. The corresponding values of USPIO-enhanced MRI were 95.0%, 90.9%, 90.5%, 95.2% and 92.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of USPIO-enhanced MRI differ significantly from those of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI. In the hyperplasia group, the accuracy of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI was 74.2%, while 87.1% for USPIO-enhanced MRI.

CONCLUSIONUSPIO-enhanced MRI has higher accuracy in diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes than Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; Dextrans ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Male ; Neck ; Pseudolymphoma ; pathology ; Rabbits