Objective To study the effects of total saponins of Chaenomeles speciosa on release of β-hexosaminidase from rat basophilic leukemia-2H3 ( RBL-2H3 ) mast cells. Methods After rat RBL-2H3 mast cells were prepared, total saponins of Chaenomeles speciosa and the RBL-2H3 mast cells were co-cultured.The toxic effects of total saponins of Chaenomeles speciosa on mast cells were detected by MTT method, β-hexosaminidase release rate was measured by fluorescence quantitative spectrophotometric method, and cell supernatants of tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α) release were detected by ELISA. Results After total saponins of Chaenomeles speciosa were co-cultured with RBL-2H3 mast cells with different antigen stimulation, β-hexosaminidase release rates and the levels of TNF-α of mast cells significantly decreased compared with the control group. Conclusion Total saponins of Chaenomeles speciosa inhibit the degranulation of RBL-2H3 mast cells in a dose dependent manner, which provids basis for studying mechanism of inhibiting allergic reactions.

A 44-year-old male presented with a neoplasm on the buccal side of the right nasolabial fold for more than two months.Dermatological examination showed a hemispherical bulge sized 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm with central crater-like ulceration on the buccal side of the right nasolabial fold,as well as a crescent-shaped elevation measuring 1.5 cm × 2.5 cm above the hemispherical lesion.Histopathology of the hemispherical lesion revealed irregularly downward proliferation of epidermis,crater-like holes filled with eosinophilic keratinous plug in the center which were surrounded by collar-shaped epithelial cell projections.Small neutrophil abscesses were found in the clumps of epithelial cells,and massive lymphocyte infiltration with a clear bottom boundary was observed around the proliferating epithelial cells.Histopathologic examination of the crescent lesion showed multiple irregularly-shaped lobular-like structures of various sizes with sebaceous glands at different degrees of maturity in the mid dermis,which were surrounded by proliferating connective tissue.Immunohistochemical studies showed that the squamous cells stained positive for cytokeratin (CK),CK5,CK14,CK17,carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) in the keratoacanthoma,and the sebaceous cells for CK,CK5,CK14 and EMA in the sebaceous adenoma.The pathological diagnosis was keratoacanthoma and sebaceous adenoma.The patient was diagnosed with moderately and poorly differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma in 2008.A diagnosis of Muir-Torre syndrome presenting as keratoacanthoma and sebaceous adenoma was finally made.

Aim To study the protective effects of limb remote ischemic postconditioning ( LRIP ) on is-chemic stroke rats under hyperglycemia and explore the mechanisms. Methods Rats were given 50% glucose (6 mL·kg-1 ) by intraperitoneal injection to get acute hyperglycemia model. Then middle cerebral artery oc-clusion ( MCAO) models were created. After blocking middle artery for 1. 5 h and reperfusion for 2 h, behav-ioral testing, infarct size of brain, NO concentration and SOD activity in the serum of those rats were detec- ted. Results LRIP could improve behavioral score, decrease the area of cerebral infarction, increase the concentration of NO and the SOD activity in serum of MCAO rats. Conclusion LRIP can relieve cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury of MCAO rats under acute hyperglycemia.

Objective To explore the influence of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on the learning and memory ability using a rat model of vascular dementia (VD).Methods Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and divided into a normal group,a sham operation group,a VD group and an HBOT group,each of 15 rats using a random number table.The improved four-vessel method was used to establish a VD model in all except the rats in the normal group,but for the sham operation group,the vertebral artery was not subjected to firing and the arteria carotis communis was not clipped.The HBOT group was then given HBOT for 7 days.The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate their learning and memory ability of all 4 groups.Results Compared to the normal group,the mean escape latency of the sham operation group,the VD group and the HBOT group was significantly longer in each case (P＜0.05).Their platform quadrant crossing times were also significantly less,and their quadrant swimming distance as a proportion of their total swimming distance was significantly smaller (P＜0.05).Compared with the sham operation group,the mean escape latency of the VD and HBOT groups was significantly longer (P＜0.05),the times of crossing platform quadrant were less and their quadrant swimming distance was a smaller proportion of their total swimming distance.As compared with the VD group,the mean escape latency of the HBOT group was significantly shorter [(25.73±6.20) s],the average platform quadrant crossing times were significantly more [(9.51±2.25) times] and the platform quadrant swimming distance of the HBOT group was significantly longer [(494.72±208.26)],representing a significantly larger proportion of the total swimming distance [(28.71 ± 5.32) ％] (P＜0.05).Conclusion HBOT can effectively improve learning and memory in vascular dementia,at least in rats.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of 0.1% and 0.03% tacrolimus ointment in patients aged 18 to 65 years with atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods Treatment was given twice daily to all affected areas for 3 weeks in a multicentre, randomized, double blind, parallel, and vehicle-controlled study. Follow-up visits were scheduled on day 1(baseline), and 1, 2 and 3 weeks post-treatment. The therapeutic effect and safety were evaluated. Results A total of 211 adults with moderate to severe AD in 6 study centres were enrolled in the efficacy evaluation. The efficacy rates were 88.4%, 77.8% and 30.0% in patients treated with 0.1%, 0.03% tacrolimus ointment, and the vehicle, respectively (P

This study was aimed to investigate the diuretic effect ofMori Cortex and to identify effective fractions inM. Cortex. Metabolic cages were used to firstly observe the diuretic effect ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts on rats. Medications were continuously given for 5 days to screen for the best dosage of diuretic effect. Picric acid assays were used to detect creatinine levels in serum and urine after 5-day medication. Then, the diuretic effect of each chemical split fraction inM. Cortex was studied in order to indentify the effective parts. The results showed that after administration ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts for 3 to 5 days, compared with the control group, there was a significant diuretic effect on rats (P<0.05 orP<0.01). And the medium-dose ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts showed the best effect (P<0.01). However,M. Cortex aqueous extracts had no significant effect on creatinine levels in serum and urine. Assays of diuretic effect of chemical split fractions ofM.Cortex indicated that compared with the control group, 30% ethanol fraction and fatty oil fraction had the best diuretic effect (P<0.01). It was concluded thatM.Cortex aqueous extracts had a significant diuretic effect. And the chemical fractions contributed mostly to this effect were mainly existed in the 30% ethanol fraction and fatty oil fraction.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.03% tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Chinese children. Methods A total of 139 children, 2 to17 years of age, with moderate to severe AD from 5 study centres were enrolled in this multicentre, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, parallel group study. Treatment with 0.03% tacrolimus ointment or vehicle was applied twice daily to the affected areas for 3 weeks. Visits were scheduled on day 1 (base line, before treatment) and 1, 2, 3 weeks after the treatment. The main therapeutic parameter was the efficacy rate at the end of the treatment. Results The efficacy rates were 84.6% and 29.0% for tacrolimus group and vehicle group, respectively (P

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) common deletion (CD) plays a significant role in aging and age-related diseases. In this study, we used D-galactose (D-gal) to generate an animal model of aging and the involvement and causative mechanisms of mitochondrial damage in such a model were investigated. Twenty 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: D-gal group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The quantity of the mtDNA CD in the hippocampus was determined using a TaqMan real-time PCR assay. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the mitochondrial ultrastructure in the hippocampus. Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of NADPH oxidase (NOX) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). We found that the level of mtDNA CD was significantly higher in the hippocampus of D-gal-induced aging rats than in control rats. In comparison with the control group, the mitochondrial ultrastructure in the hippocampus of D-gal-treated rats was damaged, and the protein levels of NOX and UCP2 were significantly increased in the hippocampus of D-gal-induced aging rats. This study demonstrated that the levels of mtDNA CD and NOX protein expression were significantly increased in the hippocampus of D-gal-induced aging rats. These findings indicate that NOX-dependent reactive oxygen species generation may contribute to D-gal-induced mitochondrial damage.

Objective:To investigate any effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the expression of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice modeling depression.Methods:Thirty C57BL/6 mice were divided into a control group ( n=10) and a depression group ( n=20). The mice of the control group were raised in group (five mice per cage), while those of the depression group were kept alone for six weeks to induce depression. Among them, 16 were successfully modeled and randomly divided into a model group ( n=8) and an rTMS group ( n=8). The rTMS group received five sessions per week of 10Hz rTMS for 4 weeks. Any changes in depression-like behavior were observed and the expression of P2X7R and GFAP in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus was measured. Results:Compared to the control group, a significant decrease was observed in the sucrose consumption rate in the sucrose preference test, in the distance moved in the open field test and in the expression of GFAP protein. But there was a significant increase in the immobile time in the tail suspension test and in the expression of P2X7R protein in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in the model group. At the conclusion of the experiment the differences in the sucrose consumption rate, the distance moved, GFAP protein expression, immobile time and P2X7R protein expression between the rTMS and the model group were all statistically significant.Conclusion:rTMS can reduce depression-like behavior, at least in mice. That may be related to inhibiting P2X7R expression and promoting GFAP expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

A 57-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with fever. She still had fever treated with multiple antibiotics, and no definite evidence for infection was found. Hypothermia and hypotension developed, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination showed enlarged anterior pituitary and multiple small nodular lesions with mild enhancement on the left side. Hormone replacement and anti-infection treatment were administrated, but fever did not improve. Remarkable lymphadenopathy was found in left supraclavicular area. The pathology of lymph node biopsy indicated peripheral T-cell lymphoma (not otherwise specified, NOS). Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) revealed hypermetabolism in multiple lymph nodes, infiltration of the liver and spleen. The final diagnosis were peripheral T-cell lymphoma with involvement of liver and spleen (stage Ⅳ) and anterior hypopituitarism. After chemotherapy, fever alleviated and the function of anterior pituitary recovered gradually.