It has been revealed that nerve growth factor (NGF ) deficiency is the main cause of some kinds of neuron degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and NGF administration can protect neuronal function decay and promote nerve regeneration. Moreover,NGF actions are mediated by its receptors. In the present study, 125I-NGF receptor binding assay was used as a model for the screening of NGF receptor active components from 14 Chinese medicinal herbs. It was found that a component from the root of Achyranthes bidentata BI. possesses such inhibitory activity with IC50 = 6. 18? 3.43 ?g/ml.

Twelve cases of adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia were retrospectively reviewed.All cases had physical signs and biochemical evidence of Cushing syndrome. Urinary free cortisone(UFC)levels were not suppressed by high dose and low dose dexanethasone suppression tests,and plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone levels were low in all patients.CT scan showed bilateral enlarged adrenal glands in all cases,and histopathologic examination confirmed bilateral adrenal macronodular hyperplasia. The follow-up revealed that 4 patients had a normal blood pressure 8y after bilateral adrenalectomy. In 8 cases the blood pressure was rebound 3y after single side adrenalectomy,6 of whom had medical treatment; 2 of whom had contralateral adrenalectomy and the blood pressure returned to normal afterwards.There was no Nelson syndrome in all cases.

BACKGROUND: It has been proved that the rare earth compounds can obviously restrain the growth of tumor in vitro and in vivo.OBJECTIVE: To check the effect of chlorinated lanthanum (LaCl3) on the expressions of cyclin D1 and cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.DESIGN: Controlled observation.SETTING: Department of Nephropathy, First Clinical Hospital, Jilin University. MATERIALS: The experiment was carried out in the cell culture laboratory (province-level) of Department of Histology and Embryology, Jilin University from July 2002 to June 2003. Wells of the microwell plate seeded with CBRH-7919 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups according to the dose of LaCl3: control, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mmol/L LaCl3. And each group was further divided into three subgroups according to the culture time: 1, 3, 5 days, with 6 wells for each.METHODS: The growth of CBRH-7919 cells was monitored following treated with 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mmol/L LaCl3 for 1, 3, 5 days in vitro, respectively. ① Absorbance(A) of each well was measured by MTT assay.② The changes of distribution of cells into different phases of cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. ③ Cyclin D1 and CDK4 expression was detected by immunocytochemical analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4 in CBRH-7919 cells of different doses of LaCl3 at different time.RESULTS: Effect of LaCl3 on the growth of CBRH-7919: On days 3 and 5, the A value of each well in the 0.1 and 1.0 mmol/L LaCl3 groups was respectively significantly lower than that in the control group (day 3: 1.140±0:070, 0.706±0.092,1.461±0.087; day 5: 1.888±0.020,0.625±0.037,2.544±0.032, respectively) (P ＜ 0.05,0.001 ). ②Effect of LaCl3 on the percentage of CBRH-7919 cells at G0/G1 stage: On days 1, 3, and 5, the percentage of CBRH-7919 cells at G0/G1 stage in the 1.0 mol/L LaCl3 group was respectively significantly higher than that in the blank control group [(60.70±0.20)%, (39.49±0.67)%; (61.66±0.97)%, (45.56±1.00)%; (69.92±0.18)%, (49.24±0.27)%, (P ＜ 0.01,0.001 )]; On day 5, the percentage of CBRH-7919 cells at G0/G1 stage in the 0.1 mol/L LaCl3 group was respectively significantly higher than that in the blank control group[(58.88±0.73)%, (49.24±0.27)%, P ＜ 0.05]. ③ Effect of LaCl3 on the expressions of cyclin D1 and CDK4 of CBRH-7919 cells: On day 1, the expressions of cyclin D1 and CDK4 of CBRH-7919 cells in the 0.1 and 1.0 mmol/L LaCl3 groups were respectively lower than those in the blank control group (expression of cyclin D1: 562±35,453±22,860±82;expression of CDK4: 705±84,680±28,762±16, P ＜ 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001).CONCLUSION: LaCl3 inhibited the growth of CBRH-7919 cells correlating down-regulating cyclin D1 and CDK4 as reflected on the cell cycle arrest of CBRH-7919 cells from G1 stage to S stage.

Objective To investigate tile clinical significance of IL-13 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC) and level of plasma IL-13 from patients with lupus nephritis(LN). Methods Ten healthy volunteers and 16 patients with LN were included in this study. All patients had been performed percutaneous renal biopsy and examined by light and immunofluorescence microscopy. The expression of IL-13 nRNA in PBMC was evaluated by RT-PCR. The level of plasma IL-13 was determined using an IL-13 specific ELISA. Results The expression of IL-13 mRNA in PBMC and the levels of Plasma IL-13 from patients with LN were significantly higher than those of the controls(l .99 ? 0.29 vs 0.68 ? 0. 15, P

Objective To investigate the effects of benazepril on urinary excretion of endothelin 1(Et 1) and the level of plasmic Et 1 (PEt) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods PEt and 24 hours urinary excretion of Et 1 (UEtV) in 54 patients with DM and 39 patients with DN before and after taking benazepril (7.5～12.5mg/d) for two months were measured using radioimmunoassay method.Results PEt and UEtV in patients with DM were significantly higher than in normal control group ( P

Objective To set up a calibration system for automated hematology analyzers with fresh blood in clinical laboratory.Methods Fresh blood assigned by a traceable measurement system was used to calibrate nine hematology analyzers, and compared the bias before and after calibration.Results In the parameters to be calibrated for the hematology analyzers, there was about 55.6% (25/45) over allowable bias before calibration but 15.6% (7/45) after calibration with fresh blood. Among the results of bias over allowable upper limit were mostly existed in 3-part differential hematology analyzers, and mainly focused on WBC and PLT.Conclusion It is available to calibrate different hematology analyzers with fresh blood in a clinical laboratory.

Objective To investigate the effects of long-term replacement therapy of estrogen or compound estrogen on the deposition of beta-amyloid protein (A?) in ovariectomy (OVX) rat hippocampal formation. Methods Fifty seven-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control, SHAM, OVX, OVX plus 17beta-estradiol (OVX/ERT), and OVX plus compound nylestriol tablet (OVX/NL). The ovariectomy was performed in OVX, OVX/NL and OVX/ERT rats and drugs were administered orally in OVX/NL and OVX/ERT rats for 35 weeks after the ovariectomy. Then the rats in all groups were sacrificed. Immunohisto-chemistry of A?, cell counting and imaging system were used to determine the change of A? deposition levels in OVX rat hippocampal formation. Results The numbers and optical density of A?-positive neurons of all hippocampal subregions and dentate gyrus in OVX rats were markedly higher than those of normal control, SHAM,OVX/NL, and OVX/ERT rats( P

Objective To investigate the value of differential diagnosis of 5-hydroxytryptamine,dopamine and their metabolic productions in cerebral spinal fluid(CSF) in patients with viral encephalitis and schizophrenia.Methods The CSF concentrations of DA,5-HT,5-hydroxyindole acetic acid(5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid(HVA) were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) in the patients with viral encephalitis and meningoencephalitis(67 cases),schizophrenia(37 cases) and other diseases(21 cases).Results(1) Compared with case control group,the concentrations of 5-HT,5-HIAA and the ratios of 5-HIAA/5-HT,5-HT/DA were significantly lower in viral encephalitis and meningoencephalitis group(P

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of 3D-CT navigation in guiding pedicle screw fixation in the thoracic spine.Methods Thoracic pedicle screw placement guided by 3D-CT navigation was performed on 24 cases,including 14 patients with thoracic spine fractures,6 thoracic tumors,and 4 scoliosis.CT data was input into the navigation system,and point-matching test was chosen.The optimal position,diameter,and length of the screw were set up using navigation stick after true-up.Then,the screw was placed dynamically in a stereo way according to navigation plan.After the operation,the position of the pedicle screw was assessed with CT using the Rampersaud grading system.Results Under the guidance of 3D-CT navigation,a total of 144 screws were successfully fixed into the 24 patients.According to the Rampersaud grading system,136 of the screws were at grade A(94.4%),6 at grade B,1 grade C,and 1 grade D.No postoperative injury of the nerve or spinal cord was observed.Of the patients,22 were followed up for a mean of 8 months(range,6-14 months).During the follow-up,no loose or breakage of the screw was detected by X-ray and CT.No delayed spinal cord injury was found.Conclusions The thoracic pedicle screw placement can be accurately guided by 3D-CT navigation.

Objective The expression of IL-13 in plasma and renal tissue was studied to eluciate the molecular pathogenesis of Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN). Methods Plasma level of IL-13 in patients with MsPGN and in normal control groups were examined by ELISA. The expression of IL-13 in patients with MsPGN and in control group were examined by immune histochemistry ABC technique in renal tissue.Results Plasma levels of IL-13 in patients with MsPGN were significantly higher than that in control group,and the highest was found in IgAN;IL-13 expressions in glomerulus and tubulointerstitial zone in patients with MsPGN were higher than that in control group, and IL-13 expression in tubulointerstitial zone was more strong,but it was not distinctive difference between non-IgA MsPGN and IgAN. Conclusion IL-13 may play an important role in the molecular pathogenesis of MsPGN.