Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Bushen Yanggan Recipe (BSYGR) on the function and morphology of nigrostriatal system in Parkinsonian model rats with long-term levodopa treatment.

METHODSUnilateral Parkinsonian rat models were established by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and ventral segmental area (VTA). Animals were randomly divided into four groups, the sham control group, model control group, levodopa group and levodopa plus BSYGR group. The content of striatal dopa (DA), digydroxy-phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA) or the THmRNA expression level in the midbrain were measured.

RESULTS(1) Levels of striatal DA, DOPAC, HVA, DOPAC/DA, HVA/DA decreased in the model control group by about 90% as compared with those in sham control group (P < 0.05). These parameters in the levodopa group were higher than those in the sham control group, while in the levodopa plus BSYGR group, they were lower than those in the levodopa group (P < 0.01), approaching the levels in the sham control group (P > 0.05). (2) Striatal TH activity in the model group was lower than that in the sham control group significantly, but higher than that in the levodopa group, while in the levodopa plus BSYGR group, it showed a level obviously higher than that in the levodopa group (P < 0.05). (3) Levodopa plus BSYGR group had a higher midbrain THmRNA expression level than that in the levodopa group.

CONCLUSIONBSYGR could effectively reduce the side effects resulting from the long-term treatment of levodopa.

Animals ; Corpus Striatum ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Levodopa ; pharmacology ; Male ; Parkinson Disease ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo conduct a meta-analysis on the effects of testosterone on the related factors of metabolic syndrome in hypogonadal males.

METHODSBased on the principles and methods of Cochrane systematic reviews, we searched the PubMed (1980 to August 2009), Embase (1980 to August 2009), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and CNKI (1995 to August 2009) , and handsearched some relevant journals and conference proceedings as well. We also identified randomized controlled trials addressing the use of testosterone for the treatment of hypogonadism, screened the retrieved studies according to the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluated the quality of the included studies, and performed a meta-analysis on the results of homogeneous studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.0 software.

RESULTSSix randomized controlled trials were included. The results of analysis indicated that testosterone substitution could significantly ameliorate fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and insulin resistance in hypogonadism patients, and it could also reduce LDL, HDL, triglyceride and systolic blood pressure, though with no significant difference from the controls. However, there was insufficient evidence to show the effects of testosterone on waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and diastolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONExisting clinical evidence has demonstrated the positive effects of testosterone substitution on the improvement of insulin resistance, blood glucose and lipids, but due to the heterogeneity and high risk of bias in the included studies, the evidence might be insufficient to give full support to the demonstration. Further large-scale trials are required to define the metabolic effects of testosterone in the treatment of hypogonadism.

Humans ; Hypogonadism ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; complications ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Testosterone ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA) is caused by mutations of erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthetase (ALAS2) gene. In this study a eukaryotic expression vector of ALAS2 was constructed and transfected into eukaryotic cells to observe the expression of ALAS2 gene. The full length cDNA of ALAS2 gene was inserted into plasmid pDs-red2-N1, named pDs-red2-N1/ALAS2. Then, the vector was transfected into K562 cells via electroporation. At 48 hours after transfection, total RNA from K562 cells was extracted, expressions of ALAS2 gene and protein with red fluorescence in the K562 cells were detected by RT-PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. The vector was also transfected into COS 7 cells via liposome. Both mRNA and protein expression in COS7 cells were detected by RT-PCR and fluorescence microscopy. The result showed that after the pDs-red2-N1/ALAS2 eukaryotic expression vector was digested by KpnI and BamHI, two fragments of 4 700 bp and 1 764 bp were displayed by electrophoresis on agarose gel. Sequence method confirmed that the sequence was correct. RT-PCR amplified the total RNA extracted from the transfected K562 and COS7 cells, and could find mRNA of ALAS2 gene that can't be found in K562 and COS7 cells usually. The expressions of both fluorescein and ALAS2 were significantly increased. The percentage of positive cells reached about 19.2% and 10.7%, respectively. ALAS2 expression lasted for 10 days in COS7 cells and the peak was at the third day. It is concluded that the eukaryotic expression vector of ALAS2 gene is successfully constructed; K562 and COS7 cells transfected with the vector via electroporation and liposome can express ALAS2 protein. So, the vector has the potential in gene replacement and can be used for patients with XLSA in future.
5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase ; genetics ; Anemia, Sideroblastic ; genetics ; therapy ; Animals ; COS Cells ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; Genetic Linkage ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of a novel metastasis-inducing protein human anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) in breast cancer and its clinical and prognostic significance.

METHODSAGR2 expression was assessed in 160 cases of breast cancer and 20 cases of benign breast diseases by immunohistochemistry using tissue chip technology. In addition the expression of ERa, PR and c-erbB-2 in breast cancer was also evaluated. Follow-up information of 5-year duration was available in 127 patients with breast cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis and COX regression model were used to analyze the correlation between AGR2 expression and the follow-up clinical data.

RESULTSThe expression of AGR2 was significantly higher in breast cancers than that in benign diseases (68.3% vs. 25.0% , P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between AGR2 expression and the histological grade of breast cancer (P <0.05) , whereas positive correlations was found between the expression of AGR2 and ERalpha (P <0.05), and between the expression of AGR2 and PR (P <0.01). In the subgroup of ERalpha-positive breast cancer, Logistic regression model demonstrated AGR2 and TNM stage were important factors affecting lymph node metastasis (both P < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that a positive expression of AGR2 was associated with poor overall survival and relapse-free survival (both P <0.01). Moreover, COX regression model confirmed the expression of AGR2 as an independent prognostic factor among patients with ERa-positive breast cancer (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe abnormal expression of AGR2 may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer. The metastasis-inducing capability of AGR2 may be partly regulated through the ER pathway. Therefore, AGR2 may be a useful molecular marker for prognostication for patient with hormone-responsive breast cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; analysis ; BRCA2 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the incidence of elimination delay in high dose methotrexate (HDMTX) therapy, its side effects and influence to next course of chemotherapy and analyze the relationship between the dosage, the duration of MTX infusion and the morbidity of the elimination delay.

METHODSA total of 121 childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (497 infusions of HDMTX) were analysed in this study. The elimination delay rate and the adverse effects in different dose groups (3 g/m2 vs 5 g/m2) and different infusion duration groups (7 h vs 24 h) were compared. The adverse effect evaluation was based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Toxicity Grading Criteria. The rescue dosages of calcium folinate (CF) among these groups were compared through CF/MTX index.

RESULTSThe overall morbidity of elimination delay was 12.1% with a relative risk of 30.6% for the first time. The relative risk for the second time of occurrence was increased to 45.9% (P < 0.01) and it was not significantly increased for the third time (35.3%). Children with elimination delay had lower platelet count (P < 0.01) and higher CF rescue dosage (P < 0.01), while the damage of oral mucous membrane was more severe (P < 0.05) and the next course of chemotherapy would be postponed for a median of 4 days in 3 g group. There was no significant difference in elimination delay rates between 3 g and 5 g groups (12.1% vs 12.0%, P > 0.05), and between 7 h and 24 h MTX infusion groups (13.6% vs 11.9%, P > 0.05). The only side effect occurred in 5 g group was gastrointestinal morbidity. The CF/MTX index of 5 g group without elimination delay was less than that of 3 g group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElimination delay in HDMTX therapy accompanies the suppression of bone marrow and damage of oral mucous membrane, which need more CF rescues and will postpone the following course of chemotherapy. Elimination delay is not associated with the duration of the infusion and the dosage of MTX within the range of 3 approximately 5 g/m2 but there are individual differences.

Adolescent ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Metabolic Clearance Rate ; Methotrexate ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the effects of flurothyl-induced neonatal recurrent seizures on gamma-aminobutyric acid B1 receptor (GABAB1R) expression in neonatal and adult rat brain, and explored the possible relationship between the alterations of GABAB1R in mature brain and the changes of spatial memory and seizure susceptibility in adult rats.

METHODSForty-eight postnatal day (P) 7 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into two groups: Control and Seizure group (n=24 each). Seizures were induced by inhalant flurothyl daily for six consecutive days in rat pups from the Seizure group. Twelve rats selected randomly in each group were sacrificed on the 7th day after the last seizure for detecting the expressions of GABAB1R mRNA and protein in cerebral cortex and hippocampus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immuno-histochemistry method. The spatial memory was tested by using the Morris water maze task during P61 to P64 and the seizure threshold was measured at P75 following intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazol ( PTZ ) in the remaining rats. The rats were then sacrificed for detecting the expressions of GABAB1R mRNA and protein in cerebral cortex and hippocampus.

RESULTSThe expressions of GABAB1R mRNA and protein in the cerebral cortex on the 7th day after the last seizure and at P75 decreased significantly in the Seizure group when compared with the Control group (P < 0.05). The GABAB1R protein expression in the dentate gyrus on the 7th day after the last seizure in the Seizure group was significantly lower than that in the Control group (P < 0.05), but the GABAB1R mRNA expression in the hippocampus was not different from that in the Control group. There were no significant differences in the expressions of GABAB1R mRNA and protein in the hippocampus between the two groups at P75. The escape latencies in water maze of the rats in the Seizure group at P64 were significantly longer than those in the Control group (98,533.8 +/- 27,205.4 ms vs 46,723.3 +/- 40,666.5 ms; P <0.05). There were no differences in the seizure threshold between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe expressions of GABAB1R mRNA and protein in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of neonatal rats with recurrent seizures decreased significantly, suggesting the changes of GABAB1R may be related to acute brain injury following neonatal recurrent seizures and the memory deficit in adult rats caused by neonatal recurrent seizures.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, GABA-B ; analysis ; genetics ; Recurrence ; Seizures ; metabolism

Molecular typing was conducted according to the reported methods for 2 enteroviruses that were isolated from healthy children in the border areas of Yunnan Province with Myanmar. RT-PCR and sequencing were performed with 292/222 primers according to the Oberste's methods. The resulting sequences were blasted against the Genbank database and compared with all available enterovirus database. Analysis of homology at nucleotide and amino acid level identically suggested that the two enteroviruses are human enterovirus 73.
Cell Line ; Child ; China ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Enterovirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; virology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy ofChanhou Fujiu decoction plus acupuncture-moxibustion in preventing and treating incomplete drug abortion.Method A total of 204 patients in early-stage pregnancy asking for drug abortion were randomized into group A, group B, and group C, 68 cases in each group. Group A was given oral administration of Mifeprostone and Misoprostol tablets, plus Azithromycin dispersible tablet for prevention of infection. Group B was intervened by orally takingChanhou Fujiu decoction in addition to the treatment given to group A. Group C was intervened by acupuncture-moxibustion therapy based on the treatment given to group B. The vaginal bleeding time and amount, and the recovery of menstruation in the three groups were observed after the intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result Compared with group A, the vaginal bleeding amount after drug abortion was significantly smaller (P<0.05), the bleeding duration were significantly shorter (P<0.05), and time taken for the recovery of menstruation was markedly shorter (P<0.05) in group B and C, and there were no significant abnormal conditions in the menstrual periods (P>0.05). Compared with group B, group C had significantly smaller amount of vaginal bleeding (P<0.05) and shorter duration of vaginal bleeding (P<0.05), and there were no significant abnormal conditions in the time taken for the recovery of menstruation and menstrual periods (P>0.05). The total effective rate was 75.0％ in group B and 95.6％ in group C, both significantly higher than 58.8％ in group A (P<0.05), and the total effective rate in group C was markedly higher than that in group B (P<0.05). Conclusion Chanhou Fuyuan decoction plus acupuncture-moxibustion can effectively prevent and treat complications of drug abortion, and is an effective method in preventing and treating incomplete drug abortion.

Objective To explore the enterovirus infection status among healthy children under 15 years old in the border areas of Yunnan province that connecting Myanmar.Methods A total of 319 stool samples were collected from healthy children in the 10 entrance ports.Enterovirus was isolated from these stool samples and then poliovirus and adenovirus were serotyped by neutralization test using specific anti-sera.All the non-polio enteroviruses(NPEVs)were identified by partial sequencing of VP1 gene.Results All 53 enterovirus were isolated from 319 stool samples and 16.6% of them carried the virus.23 polio virus(PVs)and 30 NPEVs were isolated with rates of carrying the virus were 7.2% and 9.4% respectively.4 adenovirus were also isolated with a rate as 1.25%.1 isolate could not be amplified by any Pan-enterovirus primers or by RT-PCR so was not able to be sequenced.The results of NPEVs sequencing showed that:1 isolate(3.3%)was classified into 1 serotype of HEV-A while 20 isolates(66.7%)were classified into 11 serotypes of HEV-B and 8 isolates(26.7%)were classified into 3 serotypes of HEV-C.However,we could not isolate any viruses that belong to HEV-D.nt.Result from the aa identify calculation showed that the nt and aa identification between isolates and corresponding standard strains were more than 75% and 85% respectively.The findings were similar to the international standards.Conclusion Our results showed that the rate of carrying the enterovirus especially poliovirus in some areas of Yunnan province that bordering Myanmar was higher than that of rate through the routine acute flaccid paralysis detection system.Of the enterovirus isolated,HEV-B group appeared the predominant with the wide spread of enterovirus serotype.Some newer enterovirus were also detected such as EV73(2 strains),EV75(1 strain),EV80(1 strain)and EV96(4 strains).