By combining WGA-HRP retrograde tracing and immunohistochemical methods,the characteristics of the vasopressin(VP)-like immunoreactive neurons, which project to the posterior pituitary were studied. They were located subependymally, and predominately along:(1) the dorsal wall of the third ventricle at the preoptic area and posterior magnocellular paraventricular nucleus levels, (2) the ventral wall of the third ventricle at the suprachiasmatic nucleus level, and (3) at the floor of the third ventricle. Four types of the cells could be distinguished. They were found to squeeze in between the ependymal cells, bring themselves very close to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF),or to be situated in the subependymal layer, sending some of their processes into the ependyma. The double labelled neurons were also detected subpially in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) and the retrochiasmatic nucleus. A large number of dendrites from the neurons in the SON extended toward the CSF in the subarachnoidspace. In summary, the VP-like immunoreactive neurons which projected to the posterior pituitary were very close to the CSF. It is, therefore, proposed that these neurons may monitor changes in the CSF and adjust the secretion of VP in the posterior pituitary. They may also release VP directly into the CSF.

The periventricular oxytocin(OXT)-immunoreactive neurons of the 3 third ventricle in the rat were studied under electron microscope by using pre-embedding PAP immunocytochemistry. Special attention was payed to the relationship between OXT-containing neurons and ependymal cells and the synaptic architecture of these neurons in the periventricular neuropil. The results revealed that the positively immunostained cell bodies and larger, dendrites of neurons were just beneath ependyma and contacted directly with ependymal cells. Typical Gray Ⅰ type or untypical axon-dendrite synapses were found between the immunolabelled neurons and unlabelled axon terminals. A cross section of a immunoreactive process was seen on the luminal surface of ependymal cells in one case. In the subependymal neuropil many synapses formed by OXT-immunoreactive dendrites and non-immunoreactive axon terminals which contained different kinds of synaptic vesicles were encountered. It is suggested that the subependymal neurons may be important in signal integation between cerebrospinal fluid and neuronal inputs. It is also possible that the subependymal neurons may release peptides,i, e. oxytocin into CSF.

To study the anti-inflammatory activity of glycyrrhizin acid, ligustrazine and puerarin. In the study, the liquichip-based high-throughput synchronous detection technique for 23 inflammatory factors, uniform design, comprehensive weight method were adopted to study the effect of different combined administration of glycyrrhizin acid, ligustrazine and puerarin in inhibiting the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264. 7 cells and multiple inflammatory cytokines. In the study, the uniform design table U₉ (9³) was adopted to design doses of glycyrrhizin acid, ligustrazine and puerarin. The liquichip technique was used to detect the effect of different combined administration of glycyrrhizin acid, ligustrazine and puerarin on the 23 cytokines expressed in LPS-induced mouse macrophage RAW264. 7 inflammation model. The traditional Chinese medicine component optimization software and the improved least angle regression algorithm were used to analyze the dose-effect relationship among the three components and the cytokine inhibition rate and produce the regression equation. The comprehensive weight method was applied to get the optimal dose ratio of glycyrrhizic acid, ligustrazine and puerarin with highest efficacy of 25:2:13 and verify the optimal dose ratio. The verification results were consistent with the prediction trend, indicating the accuracy of the mathematical model for predicting the experiment. The experimental results showed the multi-target and multi-level efficacies of glycyrrhizic acid, ligustrazine and puerarin and the high anti-inflammatory activity of their combined administration, which provides powerful basis for subsequent drug development.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Cytokines ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; immunology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; immunology ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; immunology ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; RAW 264.7 Cells

Glycyrrhizin acid and licorice flavonoids are the component of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch root that has been used for various medicinal purposes in traditional oriental medicine for thousands of years. Macrophages as a principal component of immune system play an important role in the initiation, modulation and final activation of immune response against pathogens. In the present study, glycyrrhizin acid and licorice flavonoids was investigated the anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage cell line of RAW264.7. Well-grown RAW264.7 cells were collected and randomly divided into the blank control group, the LPS(1 mg x L(-1)) group, the dexamethasone (5 mg x L(-1)) with LPS group, the glycyrrhizin acid (400, 80, 16 mg x L(-1)) with LPS group and the licorice flavonoids (200, 40, 8 mg x L(-1)) with LPS group. RAW264.7 cells were cultured in 24-well plates, pre-incubated for 4 h with different concentrations of dexamethasone, glycyrrhizin acid, or licorice flavonoids. Then cells were stimulated for 20 h with LPS. The supernatant of culture medium was collected from each well and determinated the concentrations of cytokines by means of BioPlex mouse cytokines assay. Compared with the control group, the LPS group could significantly induced relatively high levels of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor( GM-CSF), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β), regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted factor (RANTES), tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (KC), eotaxin, interleukin(IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 (p40), IL-12 (p70), IL-13, and IL-17 secretion (P < 0.05). The glycyrrhizin acid significantly inhibited IL-1β, IL-3, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 (p40), IL-12 (p70), IL-13, Eotaxin and TNF-α secreted by LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells (P < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-6 and Eotaxin were observably decreased in the licorice flavonoids with LPS group (P < 0.05). The data presented here suggested that the glycyrrhizin acid and licorice flavonoids modulate various cytokines secreted by macrophages and were important anti-inflammatory constituent of Licorice.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cytokines ; genetics ; immunology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; immunology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; immunology ; Mice

In the East, Probably one of the most commonly performed esthetic operation is the piercing of the earlobes for earring. the complication of this procedure includes infection, the formation of the hypertrophic scar or keloid, and tearing. Keloid formation is one of the disaterous common complications of the ear piercing. the patients regard the keloid as a cosmetic blemish and they complain that they cannot wear earrings. We have experienced 5 patients of earlobe keloid complicated from piercing of the earlobes. We used intralestional steroid njection, in conjunction with surgical excision and pressure therapy for treatment of the keloid. Among various techniques for reconstructing a piercing, we chose modified Pardue's method for artificial earlobe cleft after wide excision of the keloid. the result was good and satisfactory without any complication after 4 to 24 months of follow-up. the purpose of this paper is to present a simple method of treatment of the earlobe keloid with preservation of the perforation for an earring.
Body Piercing ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Ear* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keloid*

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Skin* ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures*

Bicoronal approach is adopted as an universal method for reduction and internal fixation of the fractured zygomatic arch in the treatment of complex zygomatic fracture. However bicoronal approach leaves many disadvantages, such as long incision, alopecia, prolonged edema, and paresthesia. Nowadays endoscopically assisted minimal invasive technique has been widespread not only for the aesthetic surgery, but also for the reconstructive surgical fields because of the benefits. We have been recently trying to apply endoscopic surgery to facial bone fracture surgery. Endoscopically assisted minimal invasive technique has been applied to 14 patients who admitted to Chosun university hospital from March 1996 to July 1997. We used 4 mm, 30' endoscope and two 1.5-2 cm temple incisions and a subciliary incision for approaching to the zygomatic arch. Protected drill bit and driver had access to fractured zygomatic arch though tiny(5 mm) stab incision over the zygomatic arch. We have been able to successfully reduce and make fixation of the fracture of zygomatic arch by using endoscopically assisted minimal invasive technique. Follow up for 3 months revealed good maintenance of the reduction. We think that application of the endoscopic technology to midfacial bone fracture will result in significant reduction in morbidity and improve postoperative results.
Alopecia ; Edema ; Endoscopes ; Facial Bones ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Zygoma* ; Zygomatic Fractures

PURPOSE: Detrusor instability (DI) is a main cause of persistent voiding difficulty after TURP in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). So we retrospectively estimated the effect of TURP in BPH patients with DI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 81 patients who had undergone TURP due to prostatism, 35 patients with BPH were followed at 3 weeks and 6 months postoperatively (21 without DI cases vs. 14 with DI; 6 persistent DI, 7 resolved DI, 1 missing case at 3 weeks and 4 persistent DI, 7 resolved DI, 2 missing cases at 6 months). We compared each group using symptom score (IPSS) and urodynamic parameters. RESULTS: Each irritative and obstructive symptoms were significantly improved in both group (p<0.05). The maximal flow rate (from 12.2 to 25.4ml/sec), average flow rate (from 8.9 to 15.2ml/ sec), residual urine volume (from 135.9 to 39.1ml) in patients without DI and maximal bladder volume (from 150.0 to 203.7ml), maximal flow rate (from 12.5 to 18.6ml/sec), residual urine volume (from 65.7 to 26.0ml) in patients with DI were improved significantly (p<0.05) after TURP, but other parameters were not improved (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in all parameters between 3 weeks and 6 months postoperative period (p>0.05). The amplitude of improvement had no significant difference between two group. There were no significant differences in IPSS and urodynamic parameters between persistent and resolved DI group. CONCLUSION: We suggest that TURP is good therapeutic option even in BPH patients with DI at short term postoperative period, but attempt to predict which patients would have persistent DI following TURP was failed.
Humans ; Postoperative Period ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatism ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urodynamics*

The technique of liquisolid compress is a new technique developed in 1990s, which was considered to be the most promising technique to improve the dissolution of water-insoluble drugs. In this article, tanshinone II(A) and the extracts of the ester-solubility fractions were chosen as the model drugs to evaluate the effects of the liquisolid technique for enhancement of dissolution properties of tanshinone II(A). Several liquisolid tablets (LS) formulations containing different dosage of drugs and various liquid vehicle were pre-pared and for all the formulations, microcrystalline cellulose and silica were chosen as the carrier and coating materials to evaluate their flow properties, such as angle of repose, Carr's compressibility index and Hausner's ratio. The interaction between drug and excipients in prepared LS compacts were studied by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). The dissolution curves of tanshinone II(A) from liquisolid compacts were investigated to determine the technique's effect in improving the dissolution of tanshinone II(A) and its impacting factors. According to the results, the dissolution increased with the rise in the dissolution of the liquid-phase solvent. The R-value and drug dosage can significantly affect the drug release, but with less impact on active fractions. This indicated that liquisolid technique is a promising alternative for improvement of dissolution property of water-soluble drugs, and can make a synergistic effect with other ester-soluble constituents and bettern improve the release of tanshinone II(A). Therefore, the technique of liquisolid compress will have a better development prospect in traditional Chinese medicines.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; chemistry ; Solubility ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homebox 1 (ZEB1) in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its relationship to the incidence of hypospadias.

METHODSPrepuce tissues were collected from 37 children aged 6-15 months undergoing hypospadias repair and 11 age-matched controls receiving circumcision. Based on the position of the urethral meatus, the hypospadias cases were classified as severe (n = 13) and mild-moderate (n = 24). The mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of the ZEB1 protein was remarkably higher in the severe (100% [13/13]) and mild-moderate hypospadias patients (75.0% [18/24]) than in the controls (9.1% [1/11]), with statistically significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). RT-PCR showed the integrated density value (IDV) of the ZEB1 mRNA expression to be (0.67 ± 0.21), (0.81 ± 0.24), and (1.55 ± 0.29) in the control, mild-moderate, and severe hypospadias patients, respectively, significantly higher in the severe hypospadias than in the control and mild-moderate hypospadias groups (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two (P = 0.64).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ZEB1 is significantly increased in hypospadias patients, and its upregulation is positively correlated with the severity of hypospadias, which suggests that the overexpression of ZEB1 may contribute to the development of hypospadias.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Circumcision, Male ; Foreskin ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; classification ; etiology ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Penis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Urethra ; Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1