Child ; Cystitis ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Male

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cytochalasin E(CE) on the integrity of Sertoli cell barrier. The results indicate that: (1) In the CE-treated testis(1000-2000 ?mol/L CE/testis, 6-14 hr), actin filaments of the ectoplasmic specialization (ES) in area of Sertoli cell barrier were disrupted, the accumulation of amorphous material and fragmented small vesicles of SER were observed in cytoplasm of Sertoli cell. The above changes appeared to be dosage and duration dependent; (2)In the seminiferous tubules of animals receiving CE (1000-2000 ?mol/L testis, 6-14 hr) plus fixation with 10% hypertonic dextrose solutions, usually the germ cells shrinkage and exaggeration of intercellular spaces withint he basal as well asthe adluminal compartments were observed. The tight junction between Sertoli cells were also appeared to be separated by hypertonic action of dextros; (3) The results of tracing experiments showed that lanthanums as tracer could be seen to pass through the Sertoli-Sertoli cell junction of the barrier and enter into the adluminal compartment, the tracer that surrounding the spermatocytes and round spermatids were discernible readily. The above results suggest that cytochalsin E disturbed actin filaments of Sertoli ectoplasmic specialization thus altered the functional integrity of the Sertoli cell barrier. The relationship between the actin filaments and Sertoli cell barrier was discussed.

To introduce the approaches and procedures of neurologic erectile dysfunction (ED) assessment in our institute, and evaluate the neurologic investigation by making an analysis of 58 cases. Diagnostic criteria of neurologic ED: nervous system injuries or diseases, abnormal clinical symptoms and signs, electrophysiological abnormalities of nervous system, abnormal results of nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) (penis rigidity <60% and lasting time <10 minutes). In the group of 20 patients with the injuries of the brain, spinal cord or spinal root nerves, pudendal cortical somatic evoked potential (PCSEP), sacral reflex latency (SRL), pudendal-to-cortical motor evoked potential (PCMEP), penile sym- pathetic skin responses (PSSR) and NPTR showed abnormality by 45%, 20%, 20%, 85% and 85%, re- spectively. In 38 patients with the injuries of pelvic fracture with urethra break, PCSEP, SRL, PCMEP, PSSR and NPTR showed abnormality by 24%, 5%, 20%, 92% and 66%, respectively. In the former, 35% were identified to have severe ED, and 50%, moderate ED; in the latter, 21%, to have severe ED, 13%, medium ED, and 37%, light ED. The approaches and procedures were proved to possess excellent specificity and reliability in the assessment of neurological ED.
Erectile Dysfunction/physiopathology* ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Fractures, Bone/complications* ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvic Bones/injuries* ; Penile Erection ; Penis/physiopathology* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications*

Objective To investigate the effects of lipoxin A4 (LXA4) on the inflammatory response to focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) inmy in rats.Methods Fifty-six healthy male SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups:group Ⅰ sham operation(group S,n=8);group Ⅱ cerebral I/R(n=24)and group Ⅲ lipoxin A4+I/R(group LXA4,n=24).Right mid-cerebral artery was occluded for 2 h by inserting cranially a nylon thread with rounded tip into internal carotid artery.LXA4 0.03 nmol/5 μl was injected into cerebral ventricle at 5 min after cerebral ischemia.Neurological deficit was scored at 24 h of reperfusion.Then four animals in each group were killed and their brains were removed for microscopic examination and expression of MPO at 24 h of reperfusion.Meantime,content of IL-1β,TNF-α,TGF-β1,and IL-10 in the brain tissue were measured at 1,6,12,24 and 48 h of reperfusion by ELISA.Glial cell activity was examined at 24 h of reperfusion by immuno-histochemistry.Results Intra-cerebroventricular administrated LXA4 0.03 nmol/5 μl provided mild neuroprotection against focal cerebral I/R injury,improved neurological deficits,and reduced morphological brain damages and PMN infiltration.LXA4 also decreased the content of TNF-α and IL-1β,and increased the content of IL-10 and TGF-β1.The numbers of activated astroglia and microglia were decreased in group LXA4 compared with group I/R.Conclusion LXA4 protects the brain against I/R injury by inhibiting inflammatory response.

Animals ; Escin ; pharmacology ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; prevention & control

Objective To investigate the effect of lipoxin A4(LXA4) on inflammatory response in a rat model of permanent focal cerebral ischemia (PFCI). Methods Seventy-two adult male SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 24 each):group Ⅰ sham operation (group S); group Ⅱ PFCI and group Ⅲ LXA4. PFCI was induced by thread occlusion of right middle cerebral artery according to the method described by Longa in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ. In group Ⅲ LXA4 100 ng/5 μl was injected into right ventricle of the brain after PFCI was successfully induced, while in group Ⅰ and Ⅱ equal volume of normal saline was injected instead of LXA4. Six animals were killed at 6, 12 and 24 h of ischemia. Their brains were immediately removed for microscopic examination and determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, TNF-α, IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contents in the ischemic cortex. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)was measured by immuno-histochemistry. Apoptosis in neurons was assessed using TUNEL. Results PFCI significantly increased MPO activity, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β1 contents and GFAP expression in the ischemic cortex and neuronal apoptosis in group Ⅱ as compared with group S. LXA4 significanfly decreased MPO activity,TNF-α content, GFAP expression and neuronal apoptosis and increased IL-10, TGF-β1 contents at 12,24 h of ischemia. LXA4 significantly ameliorated PFCI-induced cerebral histopathologic damage. Conclusion LXA4 can protect the brain against PFCI injury by inhibiting inflammatory response.

ObjectiveTo examine the prognostic value of 99mTC-MIBI single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with suspected or diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD).Methods116 patients with suspected or diagnosed CAD were examined with 99m TC-MIBI SPECT exercise and rest myocardial imagings, and followed by investigation of cardiac events.Results Follow-up information was complete in 106 patients. Over an average follow-up of 25±8 months, cardiac events occurred in 11 patients. Univariate analyses showed that age, old myocardial infarction, exercise peak heart rate, the change in heart rate from rest to exercise peak, exercise peak systolic blood pressure, the change in systolic blood pressure from rest to exercise peak, abnormal myocardial imaging, the number of myocardial perfusion defect and ischemic volume rate (IVR) were the effective predictors of subsequent cardiac events. Multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analyses revealed that the size of IVR was the only variable with independent predictive value for occurrence of subsequent cardiac events. IVR more than 25% was associated with a significantly increased frequency of subsequent cardiac events (relative risk ratio was 5.9, P<0.005). IVR less than 25% or even normal myocardial perfusion imaging was associated with a very low-risk of cardiac event and a very good prognosis.Conclusion 99mTC-MIBI SPECT myocardial imaging is the most effective noninvasive technique that predicted the occurrence of cardiac event in patients with suspected or diagnosed CAD. According to the size of IVR, high-risk and low-risk patients can be effectively identified.

A 57-year-old man was admitted to hospital with diarrhea for 10 months and dizziness for 4 months. The patient had 1-2 liters watery stool per day, without pyogenic blood or abnormality in gastroenteroscopy examination. The level of hemoglobin and albumin was generally normal, and fasting test was positive. At the same time, he was accompanied with hyperalgesia of lower limbs and orthostatic hypotension. After the discussion of multiple disciplinary teams, the patient was diagnosed with amyloidosis by sural nerve biopsy, myocardial MRI, and the assays of urine immunoelectrophoresis and serum free light chain. Light chain amyloidosis was confirmed after excluded the diagnosis of familial amyloidosis. The patient was improved after courses of chemotherapy with melphalan and dexamethasone.

Objective To investigate the effect of lipoxin A4 ( LXA4 ) on the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) after focal cerebral ischemia-repeffnsion (I/R) in rats. Methods Fifty-four adult male SD rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n = 18 each): group Ⅰ sham operation (group S); group Ⅱ focal cerebral I/R ( group I/R) and group Ⅲ LXA4 ( group L). Focal cerebral I/R was produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with a 4-0 nylon thread with rounded tip inserted into right internal jugular vein and threaded cranially in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ . In group Ⅲ LXA4 100 ng was injected into right lateral ventricle of the brain after MCA was successfully occluded. MCAO was maintained for 2 h. The neurological deficit was evaluated and scored (0 = no deficit, 5 = death) at 24 h of reperfusion. 2% Evans blue 4 ml/kg was injected via femoral vein at 1 h before the animals were sacrificed. The animals were killed and their brains were immediately removed for determination of brain water content, Evans blue content and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9)in the ischemic cortex. Results The neurologic deficit scores, the brain water and Evans blue content and MMP-9 protein expression in the cortex were significantly higher in I/R group than in S group. The cerebral I/R-induced changes were significantly attenuated in LXA4 group. Conclusion LXA4 can protect blood-brain barrier against cerebral I/R injury by inhibiting MMP-9 protein expression in the brain tissue.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the composition characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in patients with acute ischemic stroke of yin or yang syndrome by investigating the characteristics of TCM syndromes at different periods after onset. METHODS: One thousand two hundred and forty-six patients with acute ischemic stroke were admitted in twenty hospitals. According to the "diagnostic criteria of syndrome differentiation of stroke", the characteristics of syndromes in the patients were investigated at the periods of 1-3 days, 4-10 days and 11-30 days after they had ischemic stroke. General distribution of six basic syndromes was compared between the patients with yin syndrome and the patients with yang syndrome at the three periods. The six basic syndromes were wind syndrome, pathogenic fire syndrome, phlegm syndrome, blood stasis syndrome, qi deficiency syndrome, and syndrome of yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity. RESULTS: The percentages of wind, pathogenic fire, and phlegm syndromes in the patients were decreased at the period of 11-30 days as compared with the period of 1-3 days (87.1% vs 79.3%, 52.1% vs 38.7% and 67.1% vs 57.4% respectively, P<0.01). However, the percentages of the syndromes of blood stasis, qi deficiency, and yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity were similar at the three periods (P>0.05). There were no differences in the distribution of yin and yang syndromes among the three periods (P>0.05). The percentages of syndromes of wind, pathogenic fire, phlegm, and yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity were higher (P<0.01), and the percentages of syndromes of blood stasis and qi deficiency were lower (P<0.05, P<0.01) in patients with yang syndrome than in patients with yin syndrome. The complex of three syndromes was the most frequent composition pattern in the patients at the three periods. The percentages of complex syndromes of four or five syndromes were higher, and the percentages of single-syndromes and complex syndromes of two syndromes were lower in patients with yang syndrome than in patients with yin syndrome (P<0.05, P<0.01). The most frequent complex syndromes in patients with yin syndrome were complex syndrome of wind, phlegm, blood stasis and qi deficiency, and complex syndrome of wind, phlegm and qi deficiency; while the most frequent complex syndromes in patients with yang syndrome were complex syndrome of wind, pathogenic fire, phlegm and qi deficiency, and complex syndrome of wind, pathogenic fire and phlegm. CONCLUSION: The main discrimination between the yin and yang syndromes is that the yang syndrome is characterized by pathogenic fire. The syndromes of phlegm, qi deficiency, and blood stasis are not associated with the diagnosis of yin or yang syndrome.