To investigate the effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on the proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) from neonatal rats induced by angiotensin II, and to explore the mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction in improving myocardial fibrosis.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of adipose tissue-derived stem cells(ADSCs) as the seeding cells of skin engineering for skin defect repair. Methods :Adipose tissues were isolated from a SD rat groin, the fat was cut and incubated in a collagenase solution, and then the ADSCs were cultivated in culture medium. The amplified cells in vitro were inoculated in collagen gel to form tissue engineered skin. Fifteen SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: experimental group was treated with ADSCs collagen tissue engineered active skin substitute, and single collagen and blank were served as two control groups. The materials were grafted onto total skin defect wounds on the back of rats in the corresponding group respectively. The effect of wound repair was observed histologically. Results:The time of wound healing in the ADSCs and collagen experimental group, the single collagen control group and the blank control group were (14.3?1.7) days,(16.9?2.5)days,and (21.2?4.2)days respectively, and showed significant differences(P

Objective: To investigate the cause and mechanism of oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods: The expression of cyclins dependent kinases (CDK4) in epithelial cells in the samples in 40 cases of OLP and in 10 cases of healthy controls was observed by immunohistochemical method. Results: The expression indexes of CDK4 in the epithelial basal layer and spinous layer in OLP were 0. 5637 ? 0. 0201 and 0. 5388? 0. 0120, those in the healthy control were 0. 4020? 0. 0155 and 0. 3480? 0. 0163, respectively(p

Targeting characteristic information processing of TCM pulse diagnosis, this article studied the application of fuzzy mathematics in objectifying pulse diagnosis. By analyzing limitations of traditional analytic methods, this article offered the scientific evidence of using mathematical algorithm in pulse diagnosis. At the same time, combined with actual clinical data, it also verified the correctness of introduction mathematical algorithm in TCM pulse diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-medium frequency electrotherapy has better pain-relieving effect,whether it involves enkephalin and the like neurotransmitter is still not very clear, it is necessary to carry out qualitative and quantitative analysis of the pain response in rats received ultrasound-medium frequency electrotherapy.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pain-relieving effect of ultrasound-medium frequency electrotherapy and its influence on the enkephalin content in rats, aiming to probe its underlying mechanism and relationship with neurotransmitter enkephalin.DESIGN: Randomly controlled study taking experimental animals as subjects.SETTING: Department of Physiotherapy, First Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University, Institute of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical CollegeMATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at the Institute of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College between June 2002 and March 2003. Forty healthy male Wistar rats were adopted and randomized into four groups,namely methionine enkephalin detection experimental group and control group,as well as leucine enkephalin detection experimental group and control group with 10 rats in each group ,amongst which methionine enkephalin experimental group and leucine enkephalin experimental group were generally designed as experimental group ,with the other two group as control group.METHODS: ①Rats ín the experímental group were subjected to ultrasound-medium frequency electrotherapy with frequency of 0.8 MHz in manner of geminal pulse,the modulatìng frequency was 100 Hz and ultrasound intensity of 0.9 W/cm2;the carrier frequency of medium frequency electricity was 4 kHz with modulating frequency of 100 Hz in manner of continuous wave,the electric current of medium frequency was 2 mA and acting time of 10 min. rats in control group received the same dealing,but the higher voltage of ultrasound-medium frequency electrotheprauetic instrument was not used, thereby no energy output was available. tail flick test(TFr) was used to test rat algesthesia,and stopwatch was used to record the time for tail flick(s) that was taken as the value of pain threshold. ②The threshold of pain was tested at 10 minutes instantly after ultrasoundmedium frequency electric stimulation,and then pituitary (removing the posterior pituitary lobe) and hypothalamus were obtained to detect the content of methionine enkephalin and leucine enkephalin by using radioimmuno assay.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The changes of the pain threshold after treatment,the content of methionine enkephalin and leucine enkephalin.RESULTS: Totally 40 rats were enrolled in the experiment and entered in the results analysis. ① The changing rate of pain threshold in two experimental group were 265.79% and 272.90% respectively,the difference was of no statistical significance (P ＞ 0.05). ②After ultrasoundmedium frequency electrotherapy,the content of methionine enkephalin and leucine enkephalin in pituitary and hypothalamus were obviously higher than before treatment [ The changing rate of methionine enkephalin and leucine enkephalin in adenohypophysis was 300.48 ±36.21)% and(204.61±68.65)% , respectively, compared to (239.80±59.98)%and(205.53±51.62)% in hypothalamus, P ＜ 0.05]. ③Linear regression analysis revealed that the variance of the pain threshold was positively correlated with the content of methionine enkephalin in adenohypophysis(r=0.91 ,P ＜ 0.01), suggesting the increment of methionine enkephalin in adenohypophysis was closely connected with the increment of pain threshold,and the level of methionine enkephalin in adenohypophysis would be higher than that in control group by 117.02% when the value of pain threshold increased by100%.CONCLUSION: One of the important mechanisms for the pain-relieving effect of ultrasound-medium frequency electrotherapy might be the increase of methionine enkephalin in adenohypophysis.

BACKGROUND: The lipid peroxide, monoamine oxidase, and superoxide dismutase are the important biochemical pharmacological indexes to test the ability of eliminating the free radicals of organism. The lipid peroxide is also a quantitative index of senility oxidation.OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of taibai yangshen on resisting free radicals through testing the serum lipid peroxide, monoamine oxidase (MAO),and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the senile rats.DESIGN: A random control experiment.SETTING: Pharmacy Department of Shaanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).MATERIALS: The experiment was done in March 2002 in the pharmacological Experimental Base of Shaanxi College of TCM. The 40 healthy young rats and 40 old rats were selected. The water extract of ground taibai yangshen was concentrated to 1.5 g/mL. The ginseng decoction was concentrated to 0.3 g/mL.METHODS: The young and old rats were randomized into 8 groups:young normal control group, young ginseng group, young taibai yangshen big dosage group, young taibai yangshen small dosage group, old normal control group, old ginseng group, old taibai yangshen big dosage group, and old taibai yangshen small dosage group. Ten rats were in each group. Seven days for adaptation to the environment. Then the normal control group was gastro-perfused daily with the distilled water 20 g/kg, the ginseng the taibai yangshen big and small dosage groups were gastro-perfused daily spectively. Thirty-five days later, the rats were cut heads in the state of anesthesia. The serum was centrifuged. The sulfuration barbituric acid was adopted to test the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), the ultraviolet absorption was adopted to test the activity of MAO, and the xanthine oxidase was adopted to test the activity of SOD.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The concentration of MDA and the activity of MAO and SOD.groups and the taibai yangshen big and small dosage groups, the concentration of MDA and the activity of MAO were lower than that of the normal control groups (P ＜ 0.05-0.01), the activity of SOD was higher than yangshen small dosage group, the concentration of MDA and the activity of MAO were higher than that of the young taibai yangshen small dosage group [(8.23±1.73), (6.73±1.69) μmol/L; (41.7±15.9), (40.9±14.6) nkat/L,P ＜ 0.05]. In the old taibai yangshen big and small dosage groups, the activity of SOD was lower than that of the young taibai yangshen big and small dosage groups [(386.75±26.71), (403.49±21.58) NU/mL; (382.13±20.07),(389.69±24.45) NU/mL, P ＜ 0.05].CONCLUSION: Taibai yangshen functions well to inhibit the MAO, reduce the lipid peroxide, and enhance the activity of SOD, able to resist the free radicals to put off aging.

Objective: To observe the biocompatibility of acellular nerve scaffold (ANS) via three sterilization methods, to provide experimental data for tissue engineering industrialization. Methods: Pig sciatic nerves were cut and treated using the NaOH maceration method. ANSs were sterilized by ethylene oxide, ~(60)Co-irradiation and peracetic acid. Evaluated the biocompatibility by MTT, cellular compatibility test, collagenase susceptibility test in vitro and local implantation test. Results: ANS retained the integrity of structure and major components of the basement membrane. The result of MTT test showed that the ANSs via different sterilization methods had statistical differences. There were no overall significant differences in Collagenase susceptibility test. Scanning electron microscope results showed the skin fibroblasts could attach, proliferate and grow well on the surface and holes of ANS with sterilization of PAA and Co~(60),a small quantity of cells adhered on ANS with sterilization of ETO. Tests for local effects after implantation show that different sterilization methods don't effect the ability of ANS to resist the enzyme degradation. In ETO group, rats showed an acute inflammatory response followed by chronic inflammation. In PAA and ~(60)Co group rats showed an acute inflammatory response that diminished such that the graft ultimately became indistinguishable from native tissue, observations that were consistent with graft acceptance. Conclusion: Peracetic acid sterilization offers a convenient alternative protocol for ANS processing. ANS sterilized with PAA shows good compatibility and biologic safety. It is an ideal sterilization method for ANS.

OBJECTIVETo explore a simple but novel method of strengthening gypsum material by cyanoacrylate infiltration. To evaluate the influence of cyanoacrylate on the mechanical properties of dental gypsum models.

METHODSGypsum specimens were polished to the dimension of 35 mmx4 mmx4 mm. Butyl-cyanoacrylate was diluted with chloroform at different concentrations, namely 20% and 30% cyanoacrylate. Gypsum specimens were infiltrated by diluting one component of cyanoacrylate at different concentrations for 8 h and then dried for analysis. The changes in elastic modulus, fracture toughness, compressive strength, biaxial strength, brinell hardness were measured. The data were analyzed using software OriginPro 8.

RESULTSThe viscosity measurements indicated that diluted cyanoacrylate were Newtonian fluids and the viscosity increased slightly within the 48 hours of preparation but still similar as water at room temperature, which could be used to infiltrating gypsum. The gypsum infiltrated with cyanoacrylate exhibited good physicochemical properties. The biaxial strength, fracture toughness, compressive strength and brinell hardness of the gypsum were improved by 39%, 30%, 63% and 18%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONCyanoacrylate can significantly improve the strength of gypsum model which indicates the potential clinical application.

The accuracy and robustness of stimulating signals are critical important for implantable neural stimulators since they stimulate neurons directly. The characteristics and applications of stimulating signals were depicted in the paper. The principles and features of five common generation and regulation technology of stimulating signals for implantable neural stimulators were introduced. The technical characteristics of them were analyzed. Finally, the development of the implantable neural simulators was prospected.
Humans ; Implantable Neurostimulators ; Neurons

Background Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic model is an acceptable model and is often used to the study of diabetic retinopathy (DR).However,the model is often established using retinal digest preparation in vitro in albino rats,and therefore it is difficult to evaluate the change of retinal vessels by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) in vivo.Recently,pigmented rats are being used as the DR model.But the study on the comparison between albino rat model and pigmented rat model is seldom.Objective This study was to observe and compare the manifestations of FFA and retinal digest preparation in early diabetic pigmented diabetic rat and albino diabetic rat,and to select the right model of DR using FFA.Methods Type 1 diabetic models were induced in 15 six-week-old health male BN rats and 15 six-week-old health male SD rats by the injection of STZ (55 mg/kg) via tail vein.The models were thought to be successful in the rats with the blood glucose level ≥ 16.7 mmol/L.The right eyes of the rats were extracted 6 weeks after injection of STZ.Lens were examined by slit lamp microscope.Retinal vascular changes were examined by fundus photography,FFA and periodic acid Schiff staining of retinal digest preparation.The manifestations of FFA and retinal digest preparation were contrasted between BN rats and SD rats.The number of eyes with lens opacification was compared by Chi-square test and the ratio of vascular endothelial cells and perithelial cells (E/P) was compared between BN rats and SD rats.The use and care of experimental animals complied the Statement of Ethic Committee of Tianjin Medicine University.Results Six weeks after injection of STZ,11 BN rats and 10SD rats were included in this study.The blood levels were (24.73±2.98) mmol/L and (22.36±3.65) mmol/L in BN rats and SD rats,respectively,without significant difference between the 2 types of rats (t =7.873,P＞0.05).Lens opacification occurred in 6 BN rats and in 5 SD rats (P=0.717).FFA showed the clear retinal vascular under the brown background.Evident vessel disorder and fluorescence leakage like background stage of DR were seen in 9 eyes.However,in the SD rats,retinal vessel abnormality could not exhibited owing to the interference of choroid fluorescent light from choroidal vessels and vortex vein.Retinal digest preparation exhibited that unevenness of vessel diameter,decrease of perithelial cells and increase of endothelial cells in both types of rats.The E/P values were 11.50±3.68in the BN rats and 12.86±3.94 in the SD rats,without significant difference between them (t=9.785,P＞0.05).Conclusions The abnormality of fundus vascular morphology can be better displayed in pigmented diabetic rats than albino rats by FFA in vivo.