Humans ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Pulmonary Fibrosis

AIM: To report the clinical manifestations of localized peripapillary detachment in pathologic myopia and to evaluate its underlying associations and causes.METHODS: From December 2002 to January 2004, 10eyes from 7 patients with high myopia were identified to have localized peripapillary detachment by optical coherent tomography (OCT). The features were described together with the fundus fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography and multifocal electroretinogram.RESULTS: Localised peripapillary detachments did not cause any symptoms by themselves and all the lesions were recognized because of other ocular problems. The areas of peripapillary detachment were all located within the posterior staphyloma. In the 5 eyes with type 1 staphyloma, the locations of detachment were all in the nasal half of the peripapillary area. In the other 5 eyes with type 2 and 3 staphyloma, the locations of detachment were all in the non-nasal peripapillary area. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, ,P= 0.01).CONCLUSION: Peripapillary detachment is probably a benign complication of posterior staphyloma in pathologic myopia. The site of peripapillary detachment is affected by the location of staphyloma and OCT is important in making the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect of Codonopsis Pilosula Polysaccharide (CPPS) on improving of the memory consolidation disorder induced by Cycloheximide and its possible mechanisms in mice. METHODS The mice was divided into five groups, as normal control group, cycloheximid model group, piracetam positive control group, CPPS 300 mg · kg- 1 group, and CPPS 150 mg·kg-1 group. The mice respectively were given saline, piracetam, and CPPS for 15 d. The memory consolidation disorder model in mice was established by ip. Cyclohexylamine, and orally administered CPPS(300 mg·kg-1 or 150 mg·kg-1) every day. Then experimental groups were subjected Morris Water Maze test. Western blotting analysis were used to analysis the expression of CaMKⅡ/CREB signaling pathways. RESULTS Morris water maze experiment showed that cyclohexylamine can cause memory consolidation disorder(P<0.01), and giving piracetam and CPPS (300 mg · kg- 1) can improve spatial memory impairment in mice(P<0.05, P<0.01). Western blotting experiment results show that compared with normal control group, CaMKⅡ and CREB contents of brain in model group mice had significant decreased(P<0.001); Compared with model group, CaMK Ⅱ and CREB contents of brain tissue in piracetam and CPPS groups increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.001). CONCLUSION Cyclo?heximide can induce the memory consolidation disorder, and its effect in mice related to CaMK/CREB signaling pathways. CPPS can improved this memory disorder by influence CaMKⅡ/CREB signaling pathways.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; adverse effects ; methods ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Hematoma ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Thyroid Nodule ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the expression of AR and its relationship with clinicopathological features in human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(Her-2) enrich breast cancer. Mehtods The expression of AR was detected by immunohistochemical staining in 102 patients with Her-2 enrich breast cancer. The relationship between AR expression and its clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. Results The positive rate of AR expression was 75.5%. Patients in the positive group had a lower level of lymph nodes and Ki-67 value (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences of AR expression were observed in age, menopausal status, tumor size, histological grade, vessel invasion, P53 and PCNA (P > 0.05). Conclusion AR was highly expressed in Her-2 enrich breast cancer, which may be a potential target for treatment of Her-2 enrich breast cancer.

Objective To investigate the effect of microRNA(miR)-21 on proliferation and differentiation of murine pulmonary fibroblasts. Methods C57BL/6 mice of SPF grade (n=24) were randomly divided into Sham group and Pulmo?nary fibrosis model group with 12 mice in each group. Pulmonary fibrosis model was established by trans-tracheal jet ventila?tion of bleomycin into mice. The transcription levels of miR-21 were examined by quantitative real-time PCR in various pul?monary fibrosis tissues. Primary fibroblast were isolated and digested by Trypsin then inoculated into 6 well plate to reach confluence of 30%-50%. PBS (2.5μL), negative control stock solution and miR-21 mimic stock solution (20μmol/L) were added into Opti-MEM (50μL) as control group, blank group and miR-21 mimic group respectively.The cell viability was as?sessed by CCK-8. Expressions of ADAMTS-1 and TGF-β1 in the pulmonary fibroblasts were tested using Western blot. Re?sults The expression of miR-21 was significantly increased in lungs of mice in pulmonary fibrosis model group than that in sham group. Expression of miR-21 was higher in miR-21 mimic group than that in control group and blank group. Expres?sion of miR-21 was significantly higher with better cell viability in miR-21 mimic group than that in control group and blank group. The expression of ADAMTS-1 was significantly decreased in miR-21mimic group, while the expression of TGF-β1, a target gene of miR-21, was significantly increased in miR-21 mimic group compared with the other two groups. There is no significant different in expressions of ADAMTS-1 and TGF-β1 between control group and blank group. Conclusion Over?expression of miR-21 in pulmonary fibroblasts disrupts TGF-β1 signaling pathway by reducing expression of ADAMTS-1, which promotes the proliferation and differentiation of pulmonary fibroblast.

OBJECTIVETo identify the expression characteristics of the 1700001022RIK (RIKEN cDNA 1700001022) gene in mice and explore its function by bioinformatic analysis.

METHODSUsing the expression profile of gene microarray, we detected the expression of a new testis-specific gene, 1700001022RIK, in mice. We analyzed its expression characteristics in the testis tissue and their changes in different developmental stages of the testis by RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. We performed bioinformatic analysis using a bioinformatic software.

RESULTSThe 1700001022RIK gene was specifically expressed in the mouse testis in an age-dependent manner, most highly in the adult mice. The 1700001022RIK protein was mainly expressed in the spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and round spermatids of the adult mice. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the 1700001022RIK protein amino acid sequence had a high similarity in human and mice, which indicated that this gene was highly conserved in mammals.

CONCLUSION1700001022RIK is a testis-specific gene mainly expressed in the spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and round spermatids of seminiferous tubules, which might be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis.

Age Factors ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Computational Biology ; DNA, Complementary ; Gene Expression ; Genomics ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Chaperones ; genetics ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatids ; Spermatocytes ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; Spermatogonia ; Testis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the isolated Langendorff perfused rat hearts and the isolated papillary muscles.

METHODSThe left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), maximal rise/fall rate of left ventricular pressure (+/-dP/dt(max)), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), heart rate (HR) and coronary flow (CF) were recorded in isolated Langendorff perfused rat hearts. The average contractile force was measured in the isolated papillary muscles of rat right ventricle.

RESULTIFN-alpha (10 - 10,000 U/ml) induced a concentration-dependent decrease of LVDP and +/-dP/dt(max), and increase of LVEDP and CF in the isolated perfused rat heart (P < 0.05), and decrease of the average contractile force of the papillary muscle (P <0.05). Pretreatment with L-NAME (10(-4) mol/L), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, attenuated the effect of IFN-alpha in the isolated rat hearts and the isolated papillary muscles (P <0.05). Isoproterenol (ISO, 10(-9) - 10(-6)mol/L) increased the contractile force of the rat papillary muscles in a concentration-dependent manner. Perfusion for 10 min with IFN-alpha at 1,000 U/ml attenuated the enhancing effect of ISO. Pretreatment with L-NAME reduced the effects of IFN-alpha on the isolated papillary muscles.

CONCLUSIONIFN-alpha may induce a negative inotropic effect in normal and beta-adrenergic activated cardiac muscles and this effect at least partly be mediated by nitric oxide.

Animals ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Papillary Muscles ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the immunoregulation mechanism of Bushen Recipe (BSR) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) of Gan-Shen yin-deficiency and lingering damp-heat syndrome (GSS).

METHODSThirty-five patients with positive HBV DNA and abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) level were assigned to the treatment group (22 patients) and the control group (13 patients), they were treated with BSR and alpha-2b interferon for 6 months respectively. Blood levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL) and HBV DNA were measured before and after treatment. And the expressions of immune effector molecules of nature killer (NK) cell, including perforin (PF), granzyme B (GrB), granulysin (GNLY), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN), were detected using flow cytometry.

RESULTSLevels of ALT and AST declined significantly in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), showing insignificant difference between them. And the expressions (%) of PF and GNLY in the treatment group reduced significantly after treatment, from 69.62 +/- 27.58 to 34.86 +/- 31.60 for PF and from 64.54 +/- 25.96 to 25.72 +/- 24.98 for GNLY (both P < 0.05). In the treatment group and the control group, as compared with before treatment, the total scores of Chinese medicine symptoms were significantly declined after treatment (P < 0.01), and the total scores of Chinese medicine symtoms in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). As compared with the total effective rate of Chinese medicine syndromes in the control group after treatment, that in the treatment group was significantly increased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of BSR in immuneregulating on patients with CHB of GSS is by way of declining the expressions of relative immune effector molecules to promote the recovery of the damaged liver.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND:Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel with similar porous structure and mechanical properties to the natural cartilage is very suitable for the repair of articular cartilage. However, the pure PVA hydrogel after lyophilization wil be accompanied by the shrinkage of the polymer network and the col apse of the pores, leading to the inhomogeneous performance of the material even in the state of re-swel ing. Addition of the active polymer wil increase the cel adhesion ability of PVA hydrogel. OBJECTIVE:To construct PVA/lota-carrageenan (l-CA) composite materials with different mass fractions of l-CA and evaluate the biocompatibility with vascular endothelial cel s. METHODS:PVA/l-CA composite films with different contents of l-CA were fabricated and then co-cultured with vascular endothelial cel s. Attachment, proliferation and morphological changes of vascular endothelial cel s on the composite were observed by scanning electron microscope and MTT assay to evaluate its biocompatibility. PVA/l-CA three-dimensional scaffold with different contents of l-CA were constructed, and hemolysis experiment was conducted according to the biological evaluation standards of medical devices, and the porosity and pore size were observed using scanning electron microscope. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In vitro experimental results showed that the addition of l-CA could significantly increase the biological activity of PVA hydrogel, and promote the cel attachment and proliferation on the scaffold. The hemolysis rate of each experimental group was less than 5%(the accepted safety standard), suggesting that the composite materials were in accordance with the standard of medical devices for hemolysis experiment. These findings indicate that the composite scaffolds with 20%-30%l-CA possess the pore size suitable for cel growth and proliferation and the porosity beneficial for transportation of nutrients and metabolites, which can serve as an excel ent scaffold for tissue engineering.