OBJECTIVETo study the effect of nano-SiO2 on spatial learning and memory.

METHODSTwenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (C group), low dose group (L group) and high dose group (H group). The rats were intragastrically administrated with nanometer particles at 25 and 100 mg/kg body weight every day for 4 weeks. After exposure, the ability of learning and memory of rats was tested by Morris water maze, and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-tear potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats.

RESULTSThe increase rate of body weight in H group was reduced significantly compared with C group ( P < 0.05). In the space exploration experiment of Morris water maze test, the escape latency of H group was longer than that of C group (P < 0.05). The rats of H group spent less time in finding the target quadrant (P < 0.05) . The rate of LP induction of H group was significantly lower than that of C group (P < 0.05). After high fre quency stimulation (HFS), The changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) of L group and H group were lower than those of C group significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNano-SiO₂may result in impairment of spatial learning and memory ability by reducing the rate of LTP induction and the increase of PS in hippocampus.

Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Silicon Dioxide ; adverse effects ; Spatial Learning ; drug effects

Cathartics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Rheum ; chemistry

BACKGROUNDThe order and mechanism of pathological changes in acetabular dysplasia are still unclear. This study investigated cartilage changes in rabbit acetabular dysplasia models at different ages.

METHODSTwenty-seven 1-month-old New Zealand rabbits underwent cast immobilization of the left hind limb in knee extension. Serial acetabular dysplasia models were established by assessment of the acetabular index and Sharp's angle on radiographs. The thickness of the acetabular cartilage was measured under a microscope, and fibrosis was observed. Ultrastructural changes were investigated with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The messenger RNA expression of collagen I and II, β1 integrin, and caspase-9 were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSIn an immature group of rabbits, the acetabular index of the treated hip increased with animal growth. The cartilage on the brim of the left acetabulum was significantly thicker than that on the right side. The collagen fibrils on the surface of the cartilage became gross, and the chondrocytes in the enlargement layer underwent necrosis. In a mature group of rabbits, the left Sharp's angle increased in the rabbits with 6-week casting. The cartilage on the brim of the left acetabulum underwent fibrosis. The chondrocytes were weakly stained, and the number of lysosomes was much larger than normal. The messenger RNA expression of collagen I and II, β1 integrin, and caspase-9 in the cartilage differed significantly at different ages.

CONCLUSIONSIncreasing thickness followed by fibrosis may be the order of pathological cartilage changes in acetabular dysplasia, with changes in ultrastructure and collagen expression contributing to the process.

Acetabulum ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Animals ; Cartilage, Articular ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Fibrosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rabbits

Photodynamic therapy ( PDT ) is a new technique to diagnose and treat diseases with photodynamic effect produced by photosensitizer and light, and is now a main method of treating exudative age - related macular degeneration ( AMD ) . ln recent years, with the development of science and technology, combinations of PDT have become a research hot spot. ln this paper, we reviewed the research status of treatments on exudative AMD with PDT combined anti-VEGF drugs.

Objective To analyse the clinical efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) combined with intrauterine embryo sac garrotte injection in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), and discuss its clinical significance. Methods A total of 77 patients with CSP treated in our hospital during June 2013 to December 2016 were selected in this study. Forty patients treated with embryo sac destruction and methotrexate injection were included in the observation group, while 37 cases treated by uterine artery embolization combined with curettage were used as the control group. The time of vaginal bleeding, the time of postoperative blood level of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) returned to the normal level, average hospitalization cost and the curative rate were recorded in two groups. All patients were followed up by the outpatient visit. Results In the observation group, the vaginal bleeding time [(22.1±6.7) days vs. (29.5±10.8) days] and treatment cost [(8774.2 ± 714.5) yuan vs. (15258.3 ± 1084.2) yuan] were less than those of the control group (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in the recovery time of HCG [(26.4±9.0) days vs. (25.1±10.4) days] and treatment success rate (87.5%vs. 91.9%) between the two groups (P>0.05). No bleeding or threatened rupture of scar were found in two groups of patients. Conclusion In this study, we take the embryo sac puncture combined with methotrexate injection in the treatment of scar pregnancy. This method has the advantages of low operative difficulty, definite clinical curative effect and low cost

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Bushen Wenyang Huayu Recipe (BSWYHYR) on nerve growth factor (NGF) and transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor I (TRPV1) in experimental endometriosis (EMT), and to explore its mechanism for treating EMT-induced pain.

METHODSTotally in-bred line BALB/c 75 female mice were divided into five groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the model group, the high dose BSWYHYR group, the low dose BSWYHYR group, the gestrinone group, 15 in each group. Writhing response was observed in each group. Serum contents of NGF were detected using ELISA. Expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected using immunohistochemical staining SP and Western blot. mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected by Real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe serum NGF content in the model group was higher than that in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01), and there was positive correlation between NGF and the writhing frequency (r = 0.574, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, serum levels of NGF significantly decreased in the 3 treatment groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, mRNA and protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased significantly in the 3 treatment groups, when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased most in the high dose BSWYHYR group (P < 0.01). NGF in uterus and ectopic foci was positively correlated with protein and mRNA expression levels of TRPV1 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNGF and TRPV1 participated in the occurrence of pain in EMS. BSWYHYR played an important role in inhibiting EMT-induced pain through reducing the up-regulation of NGF on TRPV1.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Pain ; RNA, Messenger ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Uterus

OBJECTIVETo explore an ideal program for acupuncture treatment of Tourette's syndrome (TS).

METHODSOne hundred and two cases of TS were randomly divided into a treatment group of 68 cases and a control group of 34 cases. The treatment group were treated with acupuncture at Taichong (LR 3) and Hegu (LI 4) as main, and the control group with oral administration of heloperidol. Their therapeutic effects were compared, and changes of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) before and after treatment were investigated in the treatment group.

RESULTSAfter treatment for 3 courses, 56 cases were cured, 10 improved and 2 ineffective with an effective rate of 97.1% in the treatment group; and 15 cases were cured, 11 improved and 8 ineffective with an effective rate of 76.5% in the control group, with a very significant difference in the effective rate between the two groups (P < 0.001); after treatment, the abnormal rate of SEP decreased by 41.1% in the treatment group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture is a very effective therapy for TS and has a certain restoring action on mild abnormal change of SEP.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Tourette Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy

Objective To purify human 14-3-3β (YWHAB) recombinant protein expressed in the E.coli, prepare its antiserum and construct the eukaryotic expression vector for transfecting mammalian cells. Methods The human 14-3-313 recombinant protein expression vector pET30a (+) /YWHAB constructed by the ORF of YWHAB gene and prokaryotic expression vector pET30a (+) was transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3). The expression of the recombinant protein was induced by IPTG and the protein was purified by affinity chromatography on a Ni-NTA resin. BALB/c mice were immunized by the purified protein, and ELISA and Western blotting were employed to detect the titer and specificity of the antiserum. The open reading flame of YWHAB gene was obtained by PCR, the purified PCR product digested by BamH Ⅰ and EcoR Ⅰ was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1, and the product digested by BamH Ⅰ and Hind Ⅲ was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3.1 (+). The recombinant vectors were identified by PCR and enzyme digestion. Results The recombinant protein was expressed as a soluble protein with a relative molecular mass of about 32 kD, which was consistent with the expected value. The recombinant protein was purified using affinity chromatography to yield a purity up to 90%. The antiserum had high specificity and titer (1: 50000). The results of PCR and enzyme digestion verified successful construction of the eukaryotic recombinant expression vector pEGFP-N1/YWHAB and pCDNA3.1 (+)/YWHAB. Conclusion The recombinant human 14-3-3β protein, the antiserum and the eukaryotic expression vector obtained may facilitate further functional study in the human 14-3-3β protein.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genotoxicity of bone cement.

MATERIAL AND METHODSTest article was mixed of liquid and the powder extract of bone cement. Using bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) and mouse lymphoma Assay (MLA) with and without metabolic activation S9. Ames test was performed by the plate incorporation method for its ability to induce reverse mutations in three treatment dosage groups: 25 microl/plate, 50 microl/plate, 100 microl/plate using S. typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and E. coli WP2 uvrA; In MLA, the mutation frequency (MF) and the percentage of small colony mutants (SC%) of L5178 tk(+/-) cells induced by bone cement at final concentration of 0.125%, 0.25% and 0.5% (V/V) were calculated and assayed with +S9/3 h, - S9/3 h, -S9/24 h.

RESULTSSlight precipitations of two dosage group 50 microl/plate and 100 microl/plate were observed after phosphoric acid buffer solution or S9mix added. Growth inhibition effect exists in TA100, TA1535 and WP2 uvrA to varying degrees. Other groups did not cause obvious increases in the mean number of revertant per plate compared with negative control (DMSO). The result of MLA indicated no significant MF or SC% increases (P>0.05) observed comparing with negative control under all test conditions.

CONCLUSIONSThe bone cement did not induce reverse mutation at his(-)/trp(-) and there was no obvious damage effect to gene tk(+/-) or chromosome under this study condition.

Animals ; Bone Cements ; toxicity ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Damage ; Mice ; Micronucleus Tests ; Mutagens ; toxicity ; Mutation ; Mutation Rate ; Salmonella

A simple and sensitive Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method was established to provide a new alternative for clinical diagnosis of Avian influenza A H5N1 virus. The method employed a set of six specially designed primers that recognized eight distinct sequences of the target for amplification of nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In current study, fifty-one experimentally infected animal specimens and viral cultures that had been tested were analyzed by RT-LAMP for NA gene and HA gene, respectively. The amplification process of LAMP was monitored in real-time by the addition of SYBR Green dye. Meanwhile, the result showed high correlation between nested PCR and RT-LAMP. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion analysis and sequencing of the amplified product. When the sensitivity of this assay was tested by serial 10-fold dilutions of RNA molecules from specimens, it was found that the RT-LAMP method achieved theoretically a sensitivity of 10 RNA molecules. Thus, we concluded that the RT-LAMP assay has potential usefulness for rapid detection of the Avian influenza A H5N1 virus.
Animals ; Birds ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; diagnosis ; virology ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity