Amygdala ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Kindling, Neurologic ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

In the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), reactive oxygen specie (ROS) over much in vivo leads to oxidative stress(OS)-related renal injuries, which are characterized by the structural and functional changes in glomerular and renal tubular cells in morphology. The regulative approaches of OS involve the several signaling pathways, in which, both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway play the important roles as the target of anti-oxidants. The interventional actions of Chinese herbal compound prescriptions and the extracts of single Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on OS in the kidney in DN include regulating the balance between ROS and antioxidants, reducing the production of AGEs, inhibiting the expression of growth factors and intervening the activity of signaling pathways.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo explore changes of Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the serum of patients with silicosis.

METHODThe concentrations of CC16 and SP-D were measured in the serum by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subjects consisted of 30 healthy volunteers and 90 silica-exposed workers including silica-exposed group, the silicosis of suspects group (0(+)) and the silicosis phase I group, 30 subjects each groups.

RESULTSThe concentrations of CC16 in the serum was significantly decreased in silica-exposed workers compared to controls (P < 0.01); The concentrations of CC16 in the serum were higher in lifelong nonsmokers than the current smokers in control subjects (P < 0.05), but they were no differences between lifelong nonsmokers and current smokers of 90 silica-exposed workers. Compared with control subjects, the levels of SP-D in the serum of silicosis suspects (0(+)) and silicosis phase I groups were significantly elevated (P < 0.01, respectively), which were also higher than silica-exposed group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), Discriminant equations set by CC16 and SP-D were used in diagnosis of silicosis, and the rate of accuracy in healthy volunteers, the silica-exposed group and the silicosis phase I group were 86.7%, 86.7% and 76.7%, respectively, The total rate of correct classification hit 84.2%.

CONCLUSIONThe serum CC16 of long-term silica-exposed workers is decreased, and SP-D is increased gradually.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; blood ; Silicosis ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Bisphenol A in adult rats and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSBPA (in corn oil) was administered orally to 9-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for 14 days (0, 1 and 5 g/kg bw), and incubated primary Sertoli cells from pubertal SD rats with 0, 10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L BPA.

RESULTSAfter oral administration, a significant decrease in right testis weight was observed in 5 g/kg dose group, but not in the 1 g/kg bw dose group. Germ cells were detached from basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cells in BPA-treated groups. Administration of BPA at 1 g/kg bw and 5 g/kg bw produced both nucleus pycnosis and vacuolized nucleus in germ cells and Sertoli cells. A marked loss in vimentin staining in Sertoli cells from testis of BPA-treated rats was detected. No change in levels of serum estradiol and testosterone was observed after two-week exposure to BPA. In Sertoli cell primary culture, BPA destroyed the cytoskeleton and cell-cell junctions, and elongated Sertoli cells.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that BPA may injure reproductive function of male rats by destroying the cytoskeleton and changing the form of Sertoli cells.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeleton ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sertoli Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; drug effects ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Objective To explore the relationship between plasticity ofhippocampus neuronal morphology and pathogenesis of epilepsy by observing the changes of mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in the hippoeampus of rat models of amygdala-kindling epilepsy.Methods Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into epilepsy model group (n=40),drug treatment group (n=40) and sham-operated group (n=10).Models of chronic epilepsy were established by stimulating the amygdale; rats in the drug treatment group were perfused antiepileptic drug levetiracetam into stomach [100 mg/(kg·d),twice daily].At different observation time points (1,2,4 and 8 weeks after the treatment),Timm staining was employed to observe the changes of MFS; immunohistochemical method was used to detect the dynamic changes of P-gp.Results (1) After the success of model making,abnormal MFS levels in the hippocampal CA3 transparent layer were noted; lowest MFS scores were noted in S1 subgroup,which showed no significant difference as compared with those in sham-operated group (P＞0.05); the MFS scores in S2,S4 and S8 subgroups increased gradually with a peak level at 8 weeks after inducement,which showed significant difference as compared with those in sham-operated group (P＜0.05).No significant differences on MFS grading scores were noted in the drug treatment group between each two time points (P＞0.05).(2) The P-gp expression in the epilepsy model group showed significant difference at different time points (P＜0.05); highest expression level was noted at one week after the surgery,and returned to normal at four weeks.However,the P-gp expression showed no significant difference in the drug treatment group between each two time points (P＞0.05),except for 1 week after treatment.Conclusion MFS is the important mechanism of chronic epilepsy,and P-gp is the product of epilepsy,which is the main reason of epilepsy drug resistance.

Background::In recent years, norepinephrine has attracted increasing attention for the management of maternal hypotension during elective cesarean section with spinal anesthesia. Intermittent bolus is a widely used administration paradigm for vasopressors in obstetric anesthesia in China. Thus, in this randomized, double-blinded study, we compared the efficacy and safety of equivalent bolus norepinephrine and phenylephrine for rescuing maternal post-spinal hypotension.Methods::In a tertiary women’s hospital in Nanjing, China, 102 women were allocated with computer derived randomized number to receive prophylactic 8 μg norepinephrine (group N; n = 52) or 100 μg phenylephrine (group P; n = 50) immediately post-spinal anesthesia, followed by an extra bolus of the same dosage until delivery whenever maternal systolic blood pressure became lower than 80% of the baseline. Our primary outcome was standardized maternal cardiac output (CO) reading from spinal anesthesia until delivery analyzed by a two-step method. Other hemodynamic parameters related to vasopressor efficacy and safety were considered as secondary outcomes. Maternal side effects and neonatal outcomes were collected as well. Results::Compared to group P, women in group N had a higher CO (standardized CO 5.8 ± 0.9 vs. 5.3 ± 1.0 L/min, t = 2.37, P = 0.02) and stroke volume (SV, standardized SV 73.6 ± 17.2 vs. 60.0 ± 13.3 mL, t = 4.52, P < 0.001), and a lower total peripheral resistance (875 ± 174 vs. 996 ± 182 dyne·s/cm 5, t = 3.44, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the incidence of bradycardia was lower in group N than in group P (2% vs. 14%, P= 0.023), along with an overall higher standardized heart rate (78.8 ± 11.6 vs. 75.0 ± 7.3 beats/min, P = 0.049). Other hemodynamics, as well as maternal side effects and neonatal outcomes, were similar in two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions::Compared to equivalent phenylephrine, intermittent bolus norepinephrine provides a greater CO for management of maternal hypotension during elective cesarean section with spinal anesthesia; however, no obvious maternal or neonatal clinical advantages were observed for norepinephrine.

BACKGROUNDThis retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the outcome of hepatic resection in fifty-two patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between January 2004 and December 2008.

METHODSAmong these fifty-two patients, the mean diameter of the tumor was 7.9 cm (4.4 - 15.5 cm, median 8.5 cm) prior to the first transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). After 1 - 6 times of TACE (median 2), the median tumor diameter was reduced to 4.2 cm (0 - 8.4 cm) prior to resection. The duration between the last TACE treatment and sequential resection varied from one to six months (median 2.7 months). Serum a-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were abnormal in thirty-eight out of the fifty-two patients. In AFP producing HCCs, AFP levels returned to normal (≤ 400 µg/L) in twenty-five out of thirty-eight patients. Hepatic segmentectomy, multiple hepatic segmentectomy or partial hepatic resection were performed in forty-five patients, two underwent extended left hemihepatectomy, and one underwent right posterior branch portal vein thrombectomy. One patient received a right hemihepatectomy and three had left hemihepatectomies.

RESULTSComplete tumor radiological response (CR) occurred in five patients (9.6%). There were three cases of perioperative mortality in the fifty-two patients (5.8%). One patient underwent salvaged orthotopic liver transplantation, and twenty-one patients observed tumor recurrence within two years. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the fifty-two patients were 77.0% (n = 40), 55.0% (n = 29), and 52.0% (n = 28), respectively. The median survival time after surgery was 49 months (95% confidence interval 7.5 - 52.7 months).

CONCLUSIONSTACE treatment provides a better chance for HCC resection in patients initially diagnosed with unresectable HCC. Furthermore, liver resection should be performed once the tumor is downstaged to be compatible for successful resection.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathogenesis of tumors by blocking the normal differentiation process of stem cells.

METHODSBone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from rats were isolated, cultured and purified by whole bone marrow adherence method. The rat BMSCs were induced to differentiate into adipocytes with dexamethasone, insulin and indomethacin. Blockage of the differentiation process was induced by 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC).

RESULTSThe differentiation experiment showed that at 30 days after the induction, oil red O staining-positive cells occurred with increased intracytolasmic lipid droplets, characteristic for adipocytes. The differentiation blockage experiment showed that at 30 days after induction, the deposits of oil red O staining-cytoplasmic lipid droplets was significantly reduced, indicating that the blocked cells were adipocytes, but not fully differentiated. Morphological identification showed that cell contact inhibition disappeared, abnormal cell nuclei, increased number of micronucleus aberration and karyotype abnormalities, indicating that malignant transformation of the stem cells occurred after the differentiation blockage.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study show a blockage of the differentiation of that stem cells at the intermediate phase, and a tendency of malignant transformation of the stem cells. The results of our study provide new evidence that cancer stem cells may be originated by suppression of stem cell differentiation.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Cells, Cultured ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Indomethacin ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Methylcholanthrene ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar