OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides on testicular injury induced by exposure to high power microwave (HPM) in rats.

METHODSA total of 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the normal control group, the microwave radiation model group, the treatment group, the new microwave radiation model group, and the prevention group, 6 in each group. All rats, except those in the normal control group, were exposed to microwave at an average power density of 200 mW/cm2 for 6 min. Rats in the control group and the model group were administered with normal saline by gastrogavage, once a day. Rats in the treatment group and the prevention group were given with Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides by gastrogavage, 2 mL each time (400 mg/kg body weight), once a day. All rats were sacrificed on the 11th day.The sperm density and the rate of sperm deformity were determined. Pathological changes of testis were observed by light microscope and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSShort-term HPM irradiation could significantly reduce the sperm density and increase the sperm deformity rate (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, obvious pathological changes of testes occurred. Compared with the two model groups, the sperm density increased and the sperm deformity rate decreased in the treatment group and the prevention group (P < 0.05). Under the light microscope, injuries of spermatogenic cells and stromal cells, as well as vascular dilatation and congestion were obviously alleviated in the treatment group and the prevention group. Mitochondrial swelling and endoplasmic reticulum expansion shown by ultrastructural observation were also significantly alleviated. Of them, injuries of spermatogenic cells and inflammation response were milder in the treatment group than in the prevention group.

CONCLUSIONSInonotus obliquus polysaccharides had significant protective effect on microwave radiation induced testicular injury. Better effect was obtained by therapeutic medication than preventive medication.

Animals ; Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; prevention & control ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; radiation effects

Aim To investigate the protective effect of Citrus aurantium L. polysaccharides-B(CALB) on ra-diation induced by 60Co γ-ray in mice. Methods The BALB/c mice were randomly divided into blank control group, radiation model group, CALB administration group (high, medium and low dose), and positive control group(black fungus polysaccharide,HP). The mice were administered orally for 30 days. After the last administration for three hours,the survival rates on the 2nd day and the 14th day of the blank control group and the irradiated mice after the single radioac-tive irradiation (7 Gy) with 60Co γ-ray were meas-ured. In addition, DNA content and micronucleus of bone marrow cells, SOD, GSH-Px activities, MDA content in serum, liver and brain tissues in mice, TChE activity in brain tissues and spleen and thymus index of mice were detected after one-time whole body irradiation with 60Co γ-ray (3 Gy). Results Each dose group of CALB could significantly improve the survival rate of irradiated mice,increase the DNA con-tent of mouse bone marrow cells and reduce the number of micronuclei in bone marrow cells. In addition, CALB could also increase the thymus and spleen index and the levels of SOD and GSH-Px in serum,brain and liver tissues of mice,and reduce the content of MDA. Conclusion CALB has protective effect on radiation injury,which can be used for further development and utilization of Fructus aurantii.

OBJECTIVETo study the oxidative damage and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52e cell line) induced by ethylbenzene.

METHODSNRK-52e cells were exposed to 30, 60, 90, 120 μmol/L ethylbenzene for 24 hours. Cell viability were measured using MTT, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were detected respectively. PI fluorescent staining assay was applied to detect percentage of apoptosis in ethylbenzene-treated groups.

RESULTSCompared with control group, cell outline became clear, cell diopter increased, cell became smaller and shrinkage, some cells broke in 60 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated group. Plenty of cells died, suspension cells increased significantly in 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated group. Compared with control group, cell viability the activities of SOD and CAT and the content of GSH were significantly decreased in 60 and 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated groups (P<0.05). The MDA content were remarkably elevated in 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEthylbenzene can induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in NRK-52e cells (P<0.05).

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzene Derivatives ; toxicity ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; cytology ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided lauromacrogol sclerotherapy for benign thyroid cysts and analyze the factors affecting the efficacy.

METHODSUltrasound-guided lauromacrogol sclerotherapy was performed in 97 patients with a total of 99 benign thyroid cysts. The changes in cystic volume and other thyroid parameters were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after sclerotherapy. According to changes in the cystic volume, the efficacy of sclerotherapy was defined as therapeutic failure (with a volume reduction <50%), treatment success (volume reduction ≥50%) and cure (volume reduction ≥90%). The factors of affecting the efficacy of sclerotherapy was analyzed using COX regression.

RESULTSThe mean cystic volume at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after sclerotherapy were reduced from the baseline volume of 12.08∓11.56 cmto 5.63∓8.51 cm, 5.96∓8.42 cm, 3.80∓5.50 cmand 2.85∓3.98 cm, respectively, with an average cystic volume reduction rate of (70.02∓33.72)%. Therapeutic success was achieved 82 of the 99 cysts (82.83%) and cure was achieved 63cysts (63.64%) at 12 months after the procedure. A second sclerotherapy was performed for 13 cysts which did not show a volume reduction at 1-3 months after the initial procedure. A disease course of over 12 months was an independent risk factor for a second sclerotherapy (23.7% [9/38] vs 6.6% [4/61], OR=4.473 [1.238-16.169], P=0.022). The efficacy of sclerotherapy was related to cystic cavity separation, cystic fluid viscosity, cystic/solid ratio and cystic wall thickness. COX regression analysis revealed that cystic cavity separation (HR=2.25, 95%CI: 1.19-4.25) and cystic fluid viscosity (HR=2.02, 95%CI: 1.19-3.43) were the major factors affecting the treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSIONUltrasound-guided lauromacrogol sclerotherapy is effective and safe for treatment of benign thyroid cysts, and the maximal treatment effect can be achieved at 6 months after sclerotherapy and in cases of uncomplicated cysts with non-viscous cystic fluid, no solid cystic cavity separation and a disease course of less than 12 months.

OBJECTIVETo isolate the wild-type virulent phage of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and simulate the treatments in vitro to investigate the methods for oral Hp-assisted penetration of the phage through the gastric barrier and offspring phage release for infection and treatment of gastrointestinal Hp.

METHODSThe Hp strain was cultured with the candle cylinder method and the virulent phage was isolated by single plate or double plate experiment. A simulated gastric juice was applied and the bactericidal effect of the phage was tested with double flats experiment.

RESULTSAfter a 1.5-h treatment in simulated gastric juice, the orally derived Hp-borne phage was still capable of forming plaques while the control phage was not.

CONCLUSIONThe oral Hp can help the phage resist the gastric juice and then infect the gastrointestinal Hp.

Bacteriophages ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; virology ; Humans ; Virulence

BACKGROUNDOff-label application of drug-eluting stents (DES) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was not uncommon in daily practice, however DES in treating Chinese patients with complex lesion subset was under-investigated. The primary objective of the FIREMAN registry was to evaluate the long term efficacy and safety of the Firebird sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in treating patients with complex coronary lesions. Here we report the mid-term of one-year clinical outcomes and eight-month angiographic follow-up results of FIREMAN registry.

METHODSThe FIREMAN registry was a prospective multi-center registry, which included 1029 consecutive patients undergoing PCI with Firebird SES implantation between September 2006 and July 2007 in 45 centers in China. The clinical follow-up was designed to be performed at 1, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months post index procedure, and non-mandatory angiographic follow-up at 8 months was planned. One hundred percent site monitoring was conducted.

RESULTSLong lesions (59.2%), multi-vessel disease (50.4%), and small vessel disease (31.6%) were mostly found in angiography. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred in 51 (5.1%) patients at 1 year clinical follow-up, including cardiac mortality in 6 (0.6%), non-fatal myocardial infarction in 11 (1.1%), and target lesion revascularization in 36 (3.5%) of the patients. Definite and probable stent thrombosis (ST) by Academic Research Consortium (ARC) definition occurred in 12 (1.36%) patients at one-year clinical follow-up. The 8-month binary restenosis rate was 5.7% in-segment and 4.3% in-stent, respectively. Late lumen loss was (0.21 ± 0.40) mm in-segment and (0.23 ± 0.36) mm in-stent, respectively. Furthermore, Cox regression analysis revealed that diabetes, small vessel diameter, and chronic total occlusion were independent predictors of ST.

CONCLUSIONSThe results showed that the Firebird SES was effective and safe in treating Chinese patients with complex coronary lesions and occurrence of ST rate at one-year clinical follow-up was acceptable, however further long-term follow-up was still necessary. (NCT00552656)

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; methods ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Sirolimus ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the gene mutations types and the clinical characteristics in 3 patients with hereditary coagulation factor Ⅶ deficiency. METHODS: The phenotype diagnosis was validated by detecting the coagulation parameters including prothrombin time (PT)，activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), FⅦ activity (FⅦ: C) and specific antigens (FⅦ: Ag) of proband and its family members. All exons, exon-intron boundaries, 5＇ untranslated regions and 3＇ untranslated regions of F7 gene were amplified with PCR. Potential mutations were detected by direct sequencing of purified PCR products. Suspected mutations were confirmed by sequencing of the opposite strand. RESULTS: A total of 5 different mutations were identified in 3 patients with hereditary coagulation factor Ⅶ deficiency and family members, including 4 misssense mutations and 1 splice site mutation. Out of 3 cases of hereditary coagulation factor Ⅶ deficiency 2 had double heterozygous mutation, I had homozygous mutations. Patient 1 had p.His408Gln with p.Arg413Gln double heterozygous mutations, her sister had p.His408Gln with p.Arg413Gln double heterozygous mutations, another one had p.His408Gln mono-heterozygous mutation, their correspo FⅦ: C were 5%, 3%, 75%. Patient 2 had p.Arg364Gln with p.His408Gln double heterozygous mutations, her brother had p.Arg364Gln with IVS6-1G＞A double heterozygous mutations, their corresponding FⅦ: C were 2.0%, 2.0%. Patient 3 had p.Arg337Cys homozygous mutation, FⅦ: C was 3.0%. CONCLUSION A total of 5 different mutations were identified in 3 patients with hereditary coagulation factor Ⅶ deficiency, the p.His408Gln is a common mutation, the FⅦ: C and FⅦ: Ag have no correlation with clinical phenotypes.
Factor VII ; Factor VII Deficiency ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phenotype

The apoptosis of mono-hepatocellular induced by the active ingredients of the Zanthoxyli Radix was investigated using laser Raman spectroscopy. Hepatoma cells (BEL-7404) were treated with 10 mg•L⁻¹ nitidine chloride and 3 g•L⁻¹ the extracts of Zanthoxyli Radix, respectively, then were divided into two parts, one for fluorescence staining, the other for determination of Raman spectroscopy. The acquired spectra were then processed by background elimination, smoothing, and normalization. Fluorescence staining results showed that the nucleuses from untreated group were uniformly stained, while those from the group treated for 48 hours were densely stained and broken. The spectra results revealed that the intensity of peaks associated with nucleic acid and protein decreased after the cells were incubated with the extracts of Zanthoxyli Radix for 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours. The intensity of peaks at 785,1 002,1 175,1 660 cm⁻¹ was decreased with the time of the cells were incubated by the extracts of Zanthoxyli Radix. The results indicated that the extracts of Zanthoxyli Radix could induce the apoptosis of hepatoma cells and reduce the amount of nucleic acid and protein in the cells. There is a certain relevance between the drug treatment time and the efficacy. The above results suggest that Raman spectra can provide abundant information about the changes in biological macromolecules within the cells after incubated by the extracts of Zanthoxyli Radix and serve as an effective method for the real time measurement of apoptosis.

The latest epidemiological data suggests that the situation of adult diabetes in China is severe, and metabolic diseases have become significant chronic illnesses that have a serious impact on public health and social development. After more than six years of practice, the National Metabolic Management Center(MMC) has developed distinctive approaches to manage metabolic patients and has achieved a series of positive outcomes, continuously advancing the standardized diagnosis and treatment model. In order to further improve the efficiency, based on the first edition, the second edition guideline was composed by incorporating experience of the past six years in conjunction with the latest international and domestic guidelines.