Objective: To investigate the effect of astragalus on the serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), renal function and the damage of renal morphology in ischemic acute renal failure (IARF). To study the protective mechanism of astragalus in IARF. Methods: The rats were pretreated with astragalus or vehicle for 3 days. IARF was induced by left renal artery clipping for 60 min, after the right kidney was removed. Biochemical parameters for serum HGF,blood urea nitrogen(BUN),creatinine(Cr) were measured and histological analyses of the kidneys were performed by tubular grading. Results: There have no significant difference between the serum HGF levels of I/R controls and the levels observed in sham-operated group (P > 0.05). Serum HGF levels in astragalus treated group was significantly increased than those of I/R control group(P < 0.01) .After 4 h of I/R, serum levels of BUN and Cr were increased in I/ R control rats compare with Sham-operated rats(P < 0.01). Astragalus treatment reduced the levels elevation(P < 0.05). Simultaneously,. I/R-induced severe damage in renal morphology were significantly ameliorated by astragalus treatment(P < 0.01). Conclusions: Astragalus pretreatment can alleviate the damage of renal function in IARF. It is may be one of the mechanisms of astragalus for protecting renal tissue in IARF that astragalus can induce the expression of HGF.

Objective To study the effect of percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) combined with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in treatment of acute severe cholecystitis.Method The perioperative data of patients treated with PTGBD combined with LC and patients treated with emergency LC were analyzed.Results There were no significant difference between the two groups on surgical duration (t =0.601,P =0.551) and postoperative hospital stay (t =0.979,P =0.331).Blood loss [PTGBD + LC (79.43 ± 46.27) ml,LC (125.84 ± 64.18) ml ; t =3.641,P ＜ 0.05],peritoneal drainage time [PTGDB + LC (3.29 ± 1.58) d,LC (4.63 ± 2.31) d ; t =3.131,P ＜ 0.05] and postoperative oral intake time [PTGBD +LC (2.91 ±1.58)d,LC (4.21 ±2.22)d; t =2.669,P＜0.05] were significantly different between the two groups.The rate of laparotomy,mortality and postoperative complications in the emergency LC group were higher than those in the PTGBD combined with LC group.Conclusions PTGBD combined with LC in the treatment of acute severe cholecystitis was significantly better than emergency LC.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of 18floro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-CY(~(18)FDG PET-CT)in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis from advanced esophageal carcinoma. Methods A prospective study is perfonued here to assess whether ~(18)FDG PET-CT can improve the diagnostic accuracy in lymph node metastasis for patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma.Thirty patients had undergone esophagectomy with extensive lymph node dissection.PET-CT findings were compared with that d CT with pathological finding as the final say.Results All patients were operated successfully without peri-operative complications.The pathological examination conformed metastasis in 22 patients and 49 out of 243 excised lymph nodes.In CT analysis,the sensitivity was 40.8%,specificity was 96.9%,with a diagnostic accuracy of 85.6%, The positive and negative predictive value was 76.9%,86.4% respectively;PET-CT resulted in a sensitivity of 93.9%,specificity of 91.2%,accuracy of 91.8%.The positive predictive value was 73.0% and negative predictive value was 98.3%,The difference of sensitivity(P＜0.001),accuracy(P＜0.05)and negative predictive value between the two radiological modalities was statistically significant(P＜0.001).Conclusions With a high sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis,PET-CT appears necessary in preoperative examination for advanced esophageal carcinoma in the hope that surgical treatment be guided by the results of PET-CT,especially for the elder patients with poor pulmonary function or heart or brain complications. Moreover,it could be used as the basis of the conformal radiation therapy planning for inoperable patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vitro microleakage of class V restorations using two self-etching primers with a flowable resin or hybrid resins. METHODS: Forty human molars were divided into 3 groups according to axial surfaces. Each group was randomly assigned to 2 subgroups (n=20) with either butt-joint or the beveled preparations. Class V preparations were cut in cemento-enamel junction. Groups A, B, C were respectively restored with CLB2/Clearfil AP-X, APMB/FHC-Merz or APMB/Liquicoat. Half specimens of each subgroup were thermocycled 2 500 times. After staining, dye penetration was evaluated in the ordinal scale at 40Xmagnifications for occlusal and the gingival margins. The wall adaptation of the randomly selected specimens was analyzed with a SEM on replicas of the sectioned teeth. RESULTS: None of bond systems in this study prevented the microleakge. The restorations with the bur-beveled preparations leaked the same as those with the butt joint preparations (P>0.05). The thermocycled specimens and the non-thermocycled specimens leaked similarly (P>0.05). The flowable resin-liqucoat leaked significantly more than hybrid resin in dentinal margins (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The self-etching primers can not reduce the microleakge in the dentin-restoration interfaces. The flowable resin leak more than the hybrid resin in dentin-restoration interfaces. The bur- beveled preparations do not significantly reduce the microleakage in class V resin restorations bonded with self-etching primers.

Objective To study the protective effect of ROP2 nuclei acid vaccine in mice.Methods Forty-two BALB/c mice were divided into three groups.Each mouse in experiment group was injected with 50 ?g recombinant plasmid pc-DNA3-ROP2 through musculus quadriceps fexoris.In control groups,each mouse was injected with 50 ?g blank plasmid pc-DNA3 and with 50 ?l PBS respectively.All mice were immunized for three times with an interval of three weeks.The volume was doubled for the final injection in the two plasmid groups.Blood,spleens and lymph nodes of 4 mice in each group were taken for the detection of CD4+,CD8+ T cells and cytokines 2 weeks after the final immunization.The rest mice in 3 groups were challenged with 500 tachyzoites of Toxoplasm gondii RH strain for further observation.Results The vaccine induced strong cellular and humoral immune response.The titer of antibody in serum was high after inoculation and recognized ROP2 protein antigen expressed in vitro.The lymphocyte phenotype was analyzed.CD4+ T cells proliferated sharply(69.5?3.4)%,and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ increased considerably by(4.69?1.32)%(P

To investigate whether ABL specific tyrosine kinase specific inhibitor STI571 can restore beta1 integrin mediated negative effect on Ph(+) chronic myeloid leukemia(CML), the inhibitory effect of beta 1 integrin activator (beta1 integrin activating antibody 8A2, cytokines such as GM-CSF, G-CSF and SCF) and/or FN on the granulocyte-macrophage colony forming unit (CFU-GM) from 16 patients with Ph(+)CML and 13 normal individuals were examined; the bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) before and after ABL kinase specific inhibitor STI571 pretreatment (0.1 micro mol/L for 30-60 minutes) were target cells in this study. The roles which VLA4 and VLA5 played in this process were evaluated through blocking assay. The results showed: (1) beta1 integrin activator(s) or FN alone have no effect on CFU-GM from CML or normal bone marrow mononuclear cells before or after STI571 pretreatment, nor STI571 pretreatment itself. (2) The inhibitory effect of beta1 integrin activator(s) plus FN on CML CFU-GM are significantly lower than that on normal CFU-GM. (3) The inhibitory effect of beta1 integrin activator(s) plus FN on CML CFU-GM after STI571 pretreatment is comparable to that on normal CFU-GM. (4) Monoclonal antibody to VLA4 and VLA5 or to total beta1 integrins almost completely abrogate the above effect of STI571. The results suggested enhancing beta1 integrin mediated negative effect on myeloid progenitors in Ph(+)CML is one of the therapeutic mechanisms of STI571 on Ph(+)CML.

BACKGROUNDPrevention is presently the only available method to limit radiation-induced lung morbidity. A good predictor is the key point of prevention. This study aimed to investigate if [(18)F]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake changes in the lung after radiotherapy could be used as a new predictor for acute radiation pneumonitis (RP).

METHODSForty-one patients with lung cancer underwent FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging before and after radiotherapy. The mean standardized uptake value (SUV) was measured for the isodose regions of 0 - 9 Gy, 10 - 19 Gy, 20 - 29 Gy, 30 - 39 Gy, 40 - 49 Gy. The mean SUV of these regions after radiotherapy was compared with baseline. The mean SUV in patients who developed RP was also compared with that in those who did not. The statistical difference was determined by matched pair t test. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) criteria were used for diagnosis and grading of RP.

RESULTSWith a median follow-up of 12 months, 11 (26.8%) of the 41 patients developed grade 2 and above acute RP. The mean SUV of regions (10 - 19 Gy, 20 - 29 Gy, 30 - 39 Gy, 40 - 49 Gy) increased after radiation therapy in all 41 patients. The mean SUVs after radiation therapy were 0.54, 0.68, 1.31, 1.74 and 2.27 for 0 - 9 Gy, 10 - 19 Gy, 20 - 29 Gy, 30 - 39 Gy and 40 - 49 Gy, respectively. Before the radiation therapy, the mean SUV in each region was 0.53, 0.52, 0.52, 0.53 and 0.54, respectively. These patients had significantly higher FDG activities in regions receiving 10 Gy or more (P < 0.001). Compared with their counterparts, the elevation of SUV was significantly greater in those patients who developed acute RP subsequently.

CONCLUSIONThe mean SUV of the lung tissue may be a useful predictor for the acute RP. FDG-PET/CT may play a new role in the study of the radiation damage of the lung.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo study the inhibitory mechanism of tamoxifen on benign prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODSThe Wistar male adult rats were injected into muscle with testosterone propionate 4-6 mg/kg, simultaneously were irrigated into stomach with tamoxifen citrate 0.21 mg/kg. The partly rats of each group were decapitated at 7, 15 and 30 days, then their index numbers of prostate were calculated, and the structural changes of the prostatic histocyte were observed in the light microscopy and scan electronic microscopy.

RESULTSAt the 7th, 15th, and 30th day, the index numbers of prostate of those rats which had been injected only with testosterone propionate were higher than that of the control group and the irrigating group(P < 0.05). The hyperplasia of the prostatic epithelial cells and the ground substance of those rats, which had been irrigated with tamoxifen citrate, had not happened in light microscopy and the scan electronic microscopy.

CONCLUSIONSTamoxifen could block the effect of the estrogen, which could suppress the prostatic hyperplasia. This study could provide the experimental evidences for using Tamoxifen to treat the human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tamoxifen ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

The article aims at providing theoretical foundation for security of moxibustion through analyzing chemical compositions of Artemisia Argyi of different years from Qichun County, Hubei Province, and moxa wool refined in different proportions. Artemisia Argyi from Qichun on 2007, 2008 and 2009 were taken as raw materials, and processed into moxa wool with the proportions of raw material and product as 3 : 1, 5 : 1, 8 : 1 and 15 : 1, respectively. Essential oils of Artemisia Argyi and the refined moxa wool were extracted by steam distillation. Their chemical compositions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and calculated with semiquantitative method. The result showed that chemical compositions of Artemisia Argyi of different years and moxa wool refined in different proportions were almost the same, but their contents were with obvious difference. The relative content of volatile substances decreased with the age prolonged and a rise in the proportion of the refined moxa wool, while the involatile material increased. Therefore it can be concluded that the essential oil of Artemisia Argyi from Qichun and the refined moxa wool is basically safe. Involatile substances such as Juniper camphor, Caryophyllene oxide and Caryophyllene etc. are the main contents of high proportional moxa wool of old year. And these substances may be the effective components in moxibustion treatment.
Artemisia ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of rapamycin and 3-methyladenine on autophagy impairment, oxidative stress and premature senescence induced by high-glucose in primarily cultured rat mesangial cells.

METHODSRat glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) were isolated and cultured in normal glucose, high glucose, high glucose with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), or high glucose with rapamycin. At 24 h, 72 h and 10 days of culture, the cells were examined for expression levels of autophagy markers LC3 and p62/SQSTM1, malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl, β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity and heterochromatin foci (SAHF).

RESULTSCompared with those of normal cell culture, the cells exposed to high glucose for 72 h and 10 days showed down-regulated LC3 expression, up-regulated p62/SQSTM1 expression, elevated MDA and protein carbonyl levels, and increased SAHF formation and percentage of SA-β-gal-positive cells. These changes were reversed in GMCs exposed to high glucose and rapamycin for 72 h and 10 days, but exacerbated in cells incubated with 3-MA.

CONCLUSIONHigh glucose can suppress autophagic function of rat GMCs to result in oxidative damage and cell senescence. Rapamycin can attenuate autophagy impairment, oxidative damage and senescence induced by high glucose, whereas 3-MA can further aggravate high glucose-induced cell injuries in rat GMCs.

Animals ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cellular Senescence ; drug effects ; Glomerular Mesangium ; cytology ; Glucose ; adverse effects ; Male ; Mesangial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology