Objective To explore the diagnostic value of 64-slice spiral CT on atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring syndrome.Methods The 48 atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring patients who were found by conventional anterior posterior and lateral X-ray film were collected.The 64-slice spiral CT volume scan and following volume restitution(V R)and multiplanar reconstruction(MPR)were underwent,and multi-directional structural morphology was displayed.Their relationship with clinical features were analyzed.Results Among 48 cases of atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring,24 cases were shown with right complete bridge[pore size(6.59±0.50)mm],36 cases with left complete bridge[pore size(6.19±0.49)mm],24 cases with right incomplete bridge and 12 cases with left incomplete bridge.Thirty cases were diagnosed as atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring syndrome,and all had the atlantoaxial joint asymmetry and vertigo of different degree when head and neck rotated.Conclusions The 64-slice spiral CT can clearly display the anatomical features of posterior bridge of atlas and measure the pore size of atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring,and it has important diagnostic value for atlas vertebral artery sulcus ring syndrome.

Objective To investigate if the administration of CORM-2 can provide protection against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).Method Murine renal ischemia was induced by clamping left renal pedicles for 40 min with vascular micro damps at 32 C,then the contralateral kidney was removed.CORM-2 or vehicle was administered via intravenous infusion 1 h before the onset of ischemia.The blood plasma and renal samples were obtained at 24 h after reperfusion to assess renal function and cellular injury.Plasma Cr and BUN levels,HE and TUNEL were performed to estimate the magnitude of renal damage.Kidneys were retrieved from indicated animals at various time points after renal IRI,and the sections were prepared for histological evaluation.MPO staining procedures were performed to assess the neutrophils infiltration in the renal IRI.Besides,Immunofluorescent stain of TNF-α was performed on the kidneys which were retrieved from indicated animals to determine the production of inflammatory mediators in renal I/R.Results The plasma Cr and BUN were significantly increased at 24 h after reperfusion in IRI control mice,and CORM-2 treatment could markedly diminish the increase of plasma Cr and BUN in mice subjected to I/R.In parallel,histological analysis demonstrated that CORM2 treatment markedly reduced apoptosis of the renal tubular epithelium cells and hemorrhage.IRI caused marked infiltration and accumulation of the MPO-positive neutrophils in renal interstitium.Administration of CORM-2 before ischemia dramatically inhibited neutrophils infiltration as compared with IRI or iCORM-2 group.Furthermore,we confirmed that CORM-2 markedly decreased production of TNF-α.Conclusion Carbon monoxidereleasing molecule CORM-2 could ameliorate inflammation to protect against the renal IRI in mice.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of epididymal hypofunction of rats with varicocele (VC) by observing the changes in the epididymal index, motility of epididymal sperm, expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) and the tumor suppressor protein p53, and epididymal epithelial cells.

METHODSNinety SD rats were equally randomized to a VC model (A), a sham operation (B), and a normal control group (C). At 49 days after surgery, all the rats were executed after weighing. Then the volume of the left epididymis was obtained, the epididymal sperm motility was detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), the expressions of HIF-1 alpha and p53 in the epididymal tissue were determined by Western-blot, and the epididymal epithelial cells were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSVC models were successfully established in 27 of the rats. One-way ANOVA test showed no statistically significant differences in the epididymis index among groups A ([40.53 +/- 1.76] x 10 (-5)) , B ([43.31 1.58] x 10( -5)) , and C ( [44. 10 +/- 2.62] x 10 -5) (P > 0.05). Sperm motility and the percentage of progressively motile sperm were significantly lower in group A ([71.86 +/- 5.07]% and [42. 26 +/-4.45]%) than in B ([78.51 4.50]% and [49.08 +/-4. 19]% ) and C ( [79.24 +/- 2.70] % and [52. 23+/- 2. 23] % ) (both P <0.05) , while the expressions of HTF-1 a and p53 were remarkably higher in A (1.74 +/- 0. 16 and 1.71 +/- 0. 11) than in B (0.32 +/- 0. 08 and 0.56 +/- 0.13) and C (0.12 +/- 0. 03 and 0.25 +/-0.06) (both P < 0.05). The epididymal epithelial cells in group A were obviously decreased in number and arranged in loose and disorderly patterns as compared with those in B and C.

CONCLUSIONVaricocele can cause hypoxia in the epididymal tissue, which in turn may lead to epididymal hypofunction.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epididymis ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Motility ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; metabolism

Objective:To analyze the correlation factors between peripapillary duodenal diverticulum (PDD) and choledochectasia by CT scan.Methods:The clinical data of 220 patients with duodenal diverticulum detected by multi-slice spiral CT scan and confirmed by gastrointestinal angiography or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in Dahua Hospital, Xuhui District of Shanghai City were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation of the PDD, the contact of common bile duct (CBD), length of contact and exudation with choledochectasia in patients with PDD were analyzed.Results:A total of 236 duodenal diverticulum were found in 220 patients. Among them, there were 152 PDD, 41 diverticulum located superior to the duodenal papilla, 28 diverticulum located inferior to the duodenal papilla, 3 diverticulum located lateral to the duodenal papilla, and 12 diverticulumlocated in the horizontal portion. The incidence of choledochectasia in patients with PDD contacted with CBD was significantly higher than that in patients with PDD not contacted with CBD: 59.35% (73/123) vs. 37.93% (11/29), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05); the incidence of choledochectasia in patients with contact length of PDD and CBD ≥1.5 cm was significantly higher than that in patients without contact of PDD and CBD and patients with contact length of PDD and CBD <1.5 cm: 82.43% (61/74) vs. 24.49% (12/49) and 37.93% (11/29), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05); the incidence of choledochectasia in PDD patients with exudation was significantly higher than that in PDD patients without exudation: 10/11 vs. 52.48% (74/141), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The patients with contact length of PDD and CBD ≥1.5 cm and patients with PDD combined with exudation could be prone to choledochectasia.

Aim The effect of tetrandrine on TGF-?1 mRNA expression in glomerulosclerosis rat was observed. Methods The rats were randomly divided into four groups, such as the normal control group (sham operative rat), glomerulosclerosis model group,tetrandrine group and amlodipine group. The expression of TGF-?1 mRNA was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. Results The expressions of TGF-?1 mRNA in two treating groups were much lower than untreated model group. There were no difference between these two treating groups. Conclusion Tetrandrine can decrease the expression of TGF-?1 mRNA in glomerulosclerosis rat induced by unilateral renctomy plus adriamycin.

By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), an open reading frame of pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1) was isolated from Panax notoginseng and named as PnPR1. Molecular and bioinformatic analyses of PnPR1 revealed that an open reading frame of 501 bp was predicted to encode a 166-amino acid protein with a deduced molecular mass of 18.1 kD. Homology analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of PR1 protein of Panax notoginseng had a high similarity with other higher plants had the same conservative structure domain of cysteine-rich secretory protein (CAP). The recombinant expressed plasmid pET28a(+)-PnPR1 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The expression conditions were optimized by induction at different times, different temperatures, different IPTG concentrations and different giving times. The optimum expression condition was 0.4 mmol.L-1 IPTG at 28 degrees C for 20 h. The successful expression of PnPR1 provides some basis for protein purification and preparation of the monoclonal antibody.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Molecular Weight ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as drug carrier have become the new hot point in the field of biomedical application in recent years. This review focuses on the more recent developments and achievements on experimental design aspect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with cancer diagnosis and therapy. The key advances of functionalization strategies of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with controlled release, tumor targeting and overcoming multidrug resistance are discussed in particular. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles as unique delivery systems have the potential to provide significantly a sound platform for cancer theranostic application.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Humans ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Porosity ; Silicon Dioxide

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of isosorbide-5-mononitrate (ISMN) on the electric field stimulation induced sympathetic purinergic vasoconstriction of the rabbit saphenous arterial rings. Isometric vasoconstrictive responses to electric field stimulation and to exogenous noradrenaline and adenosine triphosphate were recorded. We found that the vasoconstrictive responses to electric field stimulation (15 V, 1 ms pulse duration, 2 - 16 Hz) were frequency-dependant in the rabbit saphenous arterial rings, and abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.1 micromol x L(-1)). The alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (1 micromol x L(-1)) did not affect the vascular responses to the electric field stimulation (2 -8 Hz). After a combination treatment with both alpha,beta-meATP (3 micromol x L(-1), desensitizing P2X1 receptors) and prazosin (1 micromol x L(-1)), the vasoconstrictive responses to electric field stimulation were abolished. When the arterial preparation was treated with ISMN (one preparation was exposed to only one concentration of ISMN), ISMN at 0.1 mmol x L(-1) significantly inhibited the vasoconstriction induced by electric stimulation at 8 Hz, 0.3 and 1.0 mmol x L(-1) significantly inhibited the vasoconstrictive responses to electric stimulation at 2 - 16 Hz. The highest concentration of ISMN (1.0 mmol x L(-1)) reduced the vasoconstrictive responses by 46% (2 Hz), 47% (4 Hz), 34% (8 Hz) and 22% (16 Hz), separately. ISMN (0.3 and 1.0 mmol x L(-1)) did not affect the vascular responses to exogenous noradrenaline (0.01-100 micromol x L(-1)) and adenosine triphosphate (1 mmol x L(-1)). It is reasonable to suggest that ISMN inhibits the purinergic vasoconstriction induced by sympathetic nerve stimulation via a prejunctional mechanism.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Arteries ; drug effects ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Electric Stimulation ; Isosorbide Dinitrate ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Prazosin ; pharmacology ; Purinergic P2 Receptor Agonists ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

Objective To observe the effect of inducible costimulator(ICOS) costimulation pathway blockade in rat limb allografts acute rejection by RNA interference. Methods Twenty-seven cases of modified hind llmb allotransplantation were performed from Wistar to SD rats. The rats were divided into 3 gronps(each n=9): the rejection group not given a special disposal; the control group, consisting of SD rats that received injection of pSilencer 4.1 and Sofast complex by vein post transplantation; and the interference group that received injection of pSilencer 4.1-ICOSshRNA and Sofast complex. On the eighth day posttransplantation, 3 rats were killed to study the pathological changes in each group. The expressions of ICOS gene in vivo were detected by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. The mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was performed and eytokines in blood were measured by ELISA. The rest rats were used to record limb survival time. Results The mean survival time in rats of the rejection and the control groups were(11.34±1.21) and (11.14±1.32) days respectively. In the interference group, the mean survival time of limb allografts was (16.85±1.73) days(P<0.05). The rats in the rejection and the control groups experienced moderate to serious acute rejections with skin epidermal necrosis, a large quantity of lymphocyte infdtration, muscle cell necrosis and interstitial edema, while the pathological changes in rats of the interference group were mild. The splenocyte ICOS mRNA expression level in the interference group(18.75%) was significantly lower than that of the rejection group(100%) and the control group(98.51%). ICOS cell surface expression level as judged by the fluorescence intensity was 45.59±12.87 in the interference group, 103.72±21.76 in the rejection group, and 93.47±29.55 in the control group(F=6.89, P<0.05). In stimulation assays, a one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction stimulation index(SI), with spleen cells from Wistar and Lewis rats, respectively, the rejection group (5.26±0.42,5.18±0.29) and the control group (5.37±0.27,4.93±0.44) had significantly greater reactions than the interference group(2.37±0.35, 4.87±0.36), respectivily(F=7.29, P<0.05; F=6.19, P0.05). In the IFN-γ and IL-4 expression assays, reactions of the interference group (230.17±38.47,160.32±59.13) were lower than those of the rejection group(490.73±51.48,230.67±45.21) and the control group(480.15±43.96, 240.53± 47.36), (F=7.23,6.75, all P<0.01). Conclusions In vivo transfection of pSilencer 4.1-ICOS shRNA interference plasmid can effectively block T-cell co-stimulation pathway, suppress acute rejection, and prolong limb allografts survival.

Objective To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) on dendritic cells(DCs) derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) of chronic hepatitis B(CHB) patients and to explore the mechanism of sustained infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods Twenty CHB patients were randomly screened in the study,and ten healthy persons were recruited as controls.The monocytes isolated from peripheral blood of candidates were incubated with recombinant human granuloeyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and rhIL-4 to induce the DCs generation and proliferation.Then the phenotype of DCs was identified by micro- scope.The expressions of the phenotypes[histocompatibility leukocyte antigen(HLA)-DR,CD80, CD86,CD83]of immature and mature DCs were measured by flow cytometer.Furthermore,the ex- pression of TLR3 on mature DCs(mDC) and immature DCs(imDC) was determined by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis respectively.Results As for healthy volunteers,the expressions of CD80, CD86,HLA-DR and CD83 on DCs at the 7th day,which were(82.35?8.67)%,(79.61?10.08)%, (92.79?8.48)% and (83.76?5.47)% respectively,were significantly higher than those at the 5th day which were(28.31?8.79) %,(31.17?11.23)%,(27.61?10.28)% and (23.46?11.53)% respec- tively(P0.05).The expression of TLR3 on imDC was significantly higher than that on mDC at control group (P0.05).And the expression of TLR3 on imDC in CHB patients group was significantly lower than that of control group(P