Objective To ob se rve the effects of danazol on hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axises and expressi ons of hypothalamic GnRH and pituitary GnRH receptor mRNA in female rats. Methods Female rats at 5 days of age were given a sin gle subcutaneous injection of 300 ?g danazol to induce true precocious puberty. Animals were divided into 3 groups: normal control, model group and vehicle gro up. The day of vaginal opening from 25 days of age was monitored, and the establ ishment of first estrus cycle from the day of vaginal opening was investigated b y examination of vaginal smears. The weights of body, pituitary, adrenal, uterus and ovary were measured to identify the developmental status of main organs. Th e expressions of hypothalamic GnRH and pituitary GnRH receptor mRNA were assayed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results Female rats treated with danazol significantly (P

0.05].After 12 week treatment,the YGTSS total score in study group was significantly lower [(27.88?14.24) vs(36.53?17.45) scores] and the reduction rate of YGTSS score was significantly higher [(43.12?18.42)% vs(33.49?14.38)%] compared with those in control group(Pa

AIM:To investigate the effects of estrogen on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2(MMP-2), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2(TIMP-2) and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) in cultured human corneal stromal cells.METHODS: Inflammatory environments of human corneal stromal cells were simulated by using 1.5ng/mL IL-1β.The cells were then treated with or without different concentrations of estrogen(0, 1×10-4, 1×10-6, 1×10-8, 1×10-10mol/L estradiol)in vitro.Cell viability was evaluated by MTT.Expression levels of MMP-2, TIMP-2 and TGF-β1 proteins were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).RESULTS:Estrogen did not affect the viability of human corneal stromal cells.Compared with the control group, expression levels of MMP-2 and TGF-β1 proteins in E2 treatment group significantly decreased after being treated with estrogen, while the expression level of TIMP-2 significantly increased.CONCLUSION: Estrogen could, to some extent, down-regulate the expression of MMP-2 and TGF-β1 and up-regulate the expression of TIMP-2, which might contribute to protecting human cornea.

Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Endurance ; physiology ; Physical Fitness ; physiology ; Resistance Training ; Young Adult

Objective To compare the application of two different radial artery puncture and cannulation methods in septic shock patients. Meth-ods A total of 80 septic shock patients who need emergency operation were enrolled in this study. The shock index was>1.0. The patients were randomly divided into two groups:ultrasound group(group U)and palpation group(group A),with 40 cases in each group. For the patients in group U,Sonosite S-Nerve ultrasound in the wrist was used to determine the location of the radial artery puncture. For the patients in group A ,pal-pation method was used to determine the location of the radial artery puncture. The heart rate,blood pressure,first puncture success rate,total suc-cess rate,number of punctures,puncture time and complication rate of the two groups were monitored. Results The success rate of first puncture and total success rate of group U were higher than those of group A ,the number of puncture was less than that of group A ,the puncture time was shorter than that of group A,and the incidence of complications was lower than that of group A(P<0.05). Conclusion The application of ultra-sound for radial artery puncture and catheterization in septic shock patients is accurate ,and with higher first success puncture rate and total success rate,less number of puncture,shorter puncture time,and lower incidence of complications compared with palpation method.

Objective To observe the activities of serum peroxidase capacity,and lipid peroxidation of children from Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) areas of Xinghai county in Qinhai province,and to explore the relationship between antioxidant capacity and KBD.Methods Sixty four KBD and forty six health subjects without KBD were chosen from KBD endemic areas,which included primary schools of Tangnaihai,Xialujuan and Qushian of Xinghai county in Qinghai province,and fifty nine age-matched healthy control subjects without KBD were from a non-KBD endemic area,Nanfan primary school of Chang'an county in Shaanxi province.Twenty patients with KBD and twenty control subjects from KBD areas and non-KBD area were extracted by simple random sampling method.2,3-DAN fluorescence technique was used to test the hair and blood selenium.The biochemical techniques were used to test the indicators of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde(MDA),antioxidant enzyme activities,total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC),serum superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT) and glutathione peroxidase(GSHPx).ResultsAll patients with KBD had significantly lower serum GSH-Px activities[ (59.53 ± 25.23)kU/L] and selenium levels in hair[ (67.64 ± 17.28)μg/L] and blood[(36.27 ± 13.29)μg/L],respectively,than that of control subjects from KBD areas [ ( 91.88 ± 22.99 ) kU/L,( 153.32 ± 24.31 ) μg/L,( 63.06 ± 13.66) μg/L ] and nonKBD areas[ ( 122.68 ± 41.74)kU/L,(242.35 ± 38.56)μg/L,(98.93 ± 17.18)μg/L,all P ＜ 0.05].Serum MDA levels in KBD patients[ (4.64 ± 1.11 )μmol/L] were significantly higher than that in control subjects from KBD [(3.31 ± 1.22)μmol/L] and non-KBD areas[ (3.43 ± 1.29)μmol/L,all P ＜ 0.05].On the other hand,T-AOC,SOD and CAT activities were significantly higher in both KBD[(19.80 ± 6.64),(55.80 ± 8.14),(16.45 ± 5.61 ) kU/L] and control subjects[ (21.71 ± 8.82),(57.45 ± 6.96),(15.63 ± 9.18)kU/L] from KBD areas than that of control subjects from non-KBD area[ (13.56 ± 5.38),(42.79 ± 8.10),(6.05 ± 2.71 )kU/L,all P ＜ 0.05 ].Hair selenium levels,blood selenium levels and GSH-Px activity of control subjects from KBD areas were,respectively,significantly lower than that in control subjects from non-KBD area(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions These findings strongly confirm the evidence that KBD patients are susceptible to oxidative stress.The results also show the increase in antioxidant enzymes,which could probably be due to adaptive response to pro-oxidant in KBD state.Hence,there seems to be an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant systems in KBD patients.

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on thoracic facet joint disorder between the combined therapy of electroacupuncture and manual reduction and the simple manual reduction.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty patients were randomized into an electroacupuncture and manual manipulation group (group A) and a simple manual manipulation group (group B), 80 cases in each one. In the group A, Ashi points and three pairs of Jiaji (EX-B 2) bilateral to the painful sites were selected. The perpendicular puncture was used at Ashi points, the oblique puncture was used at Jiaji (EX-B 2) and connected with electric stimulation for 20 min, additionally, the corresponding manual reduction was adopted at the sites of facet joint disorder. In the group B, the simple manual reduction was applied to the affected sites. Acupuncture was given once every day, the manual reduction was applied once every 10 days. The treatment of 10 days made one session. The efficacy was analyzed statistically at the end of two sessions of treatment. Before and after treatment, McGill pain scale was adopted for the value statistical analysis. PRI score, VAS score and PPI score of patients were calculated before and after treatment and compared in the two groups. The efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe curative rate was 56.3% (45/80) in the group A, which was better than 18.8% (15/80) in the group B (P< 0.01). The total effective rate was 95.0% (76/80) in the group A, which was better than 76.3% (61/80) in the group B (P<0.01). The scores of PRI, VAS and PPI after treatment were all improved significantly in the two groups (all P<0.05), in which, the results in the group A were better than those in the group B (PRI: 4.00 +/- 0.97 vs 5.44 +/- 1.16, VAS: 3.29 +/- 0.72 vs 3.87 +/- 0.81, PPI: 1.07 +/- 0.74 vs 1.64 +/- 0.90, all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of electroacupuncture and manual manipulation achieves the superior efficacy on thoracic facet joint disorder as compared with the simple manual manipulation. The combined therapy relieves the symptoms of thoracic facet joint disorder and reduces the severity of disorder.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Diseases ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo study whether Danggui Shaoyao Powder (DSP) is by way of improving pineal function to realize its anti-aging effects.

METHODSForty aged rats were randomly divided into the sham operated group (A), the pinealectomized group (B), the sham medicated group (C), the pinealectomized and medicated group (D). The medication given was gastric perfusion of DSP for 3 weeks. Learning and memory ability of rats was observed using Morris water maze and the serum melatonin (MLT) concentration of the rats was measured by radio-immunoassay.

RESULTSThe average escape latency in Group B was significantly longer than that in other groups (P <0.05). The times of passing through the platform and the percentage of swimming distance in Group C were significantly higher than those in other groups (P <0.05). The serum MLT was higher at daytime than at night in Group C and D (P <0.05); that at daytime in Group C was higher than Group A (P <0.05) and also higher in Group D than Group B; that at daytime was higher in Group C than Group D; that at night markedly decreased in Group D as compared with Group B (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONDSP could increase the melatonin secretion and improve learning and memory ability. Since its effects reduced after pinealectomy, it could be deduced that improving pineal function should be one of the action mechanisms for anti-aging.

Aging ; drug effects ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Melatonin ; blood ; Memory ; drug effects ; Pineal Gland ; drug effects ; secretion ; Powders ; Rats

Aim To study the relationship between theeffects of saponins of panax notoginseng(PNS)on fir-ing frequency and hyperpolarization potential in neu-rons.Methods Applieation of a depolarizing currentpulse to stellate ganglion(SG) neurons of rat evokedaction potentials(AP).These neurons were classifiedas phasic or tonic neurons on the basis of their firingpatterns.Then we investigated the effects of PNS on fir-ing pattern and frequency,after hyperpolarization po-tential(AHP) and fastexcitatory postsynaptic potential(f-EPSP) in high Ca2 +Krebs’solution of SG neuronsin rat.Results The firing frequency of tonic neuronswas reduced by PNS.At the concentration of0.12 ~0.16 g.L-1,PNS reversibly depressed AHP in a dosedependentmanner.And the aggrandizing action of highCa2 +on f-EPSP was antagonized by PNS.Conclusion PNS can reduce the firing frequency of rat SG neu-rons,but this action was not caused by reinforcement ofAHP potential.The restraining regulation of excitabili-ty of neurons by PNS may underlie its inhibitory actionon calcium influx.

Objective To explore the effect of levetiracetam(LEV)on cognitive function and quality of life of patients with partial seizure.Methods There were two phase for this study.Phase one was a randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled study for 16 weeks.Phase two was an open label period for 24 weeks.Medicated patients underwent test on the cognitive function and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL)at the baseline respectively at the end of 16 weeks and at the end of 40 weeks.Results(1) Compared the result at the end of 16 weeks with the baseline,LEV group used less time to do Wisconsin card sorting test(WCST,reduce scores -110.3),delayed logical memory were improved(reduce scores 3.4,P