OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of carnosine against experimental closed head injury (CHI) in mice.

METHODSThe CHI model was established by free-falling weight-drop. Carnosine (250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before brain trauma, then q.d for 7 d; while normal saline was administrated for control group. The neurological defect was evaluated by neurological severity score (NSS) within 7 d; the survival rate and the histological alternations were observed.

RESULTSCarnosine prevented the body weight loss of mice at dose of 500 mg/kg; significantly increased the survival rate, and reduced the neurological defect and histological damage at dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONCarnosine can attenuate closed head injury in mice.

Animals ; Carnosine ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR

To explore the therapeutic effect of abiterone combined with dexamethasone by reporting a case of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who was treated with abiterone combined with prednisone and then changed to abiterone combined with dexamethasone. A 61-year-old man was admitted to Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in November 2017 due to elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at 11 ng/ml. Prostate MRI showed that abnormal signal intensities in the periphery of the prostate which was considered as prostate cancer. Consideration of metastases in the right iliac crest; partial signal changes in the medial seminal vesicles of both sides which were considered involved. The prostate needle biopsy demonstrated that left prostate adenocarcinoma while Gleason score: 5+ 4=9, diagnosed as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). In December 2017, the patient underwent robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Prostatic adenocarcinoma was confirmed by postoperative pathology, Gleason score: 5+ 4=9. The bilateral seminal vesicles and nerves were invaded. The level of PSA was monitored during the continuous postoperative treatment using bicalutamide and goserelin.The PSA was 0.32, 0.15, and 1.72 ng/ml in February, June and October of 2018. In October 2018, the testosterone was 40 ng/dl, considering the biochemical progress. In November 2018, the PSA was 2.51ng/ml, considering entering mCRPC. The treatment plan was switched to abiraterone, prednisone and goserelin, and PSA was monitored. In January, March, and June of 2019, the PSA was 0.1, 0.03, and 1.1 ng/ml. By March 2020, it had reached 8.9 ng/ml. The treatment plan was changed to abiraterone and dexamethasone. In April, July and September of 2020, PSA was 7.9, 3.98, and 2.58 ng/ml respectively. The treatment is still ongoing.Abiraterone combined with prednisone is still effective after asymptomatic PSA progression in mCRPC.

Toxascaris leonina is a common parasitic nematode of wild mammals and has significant impacts on the protection of rare wild animals. To analyze population genetic characteristics of T. leonina from South China tiger, its mitochondrial (mt) genome was sequenced. Its complete circular mt genome was 14,277 bp in length, including 12 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 2 non-coding regions. The nucleotide composition was biased toward A and T. The most common start codon and stop codon were TTG and TAG, and 4 genes ended with an incomplete stop codon. There were 13 intergenic regions ranging 1 to 10 bp in size. Phylogenetically, T. leonina from a South China tiger was close to canine T. leonina. This study reports for the first time a complete mt genome sequence of T. leonina from the South China tiger, and provides a scientific basis for studying the genetic diversity of nematodes between different hosts.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; China* ; Codon, Initiator ; Codon, Terminator ; DNA, Intergenic ; Genes, rRNA ; Genetic Variation ; Genome ; Genome, Mitochondrial* ; Mammals ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Transfer ; Sequence Analysis* ; Tigers* ; Toxascaris*