Method We used biomechanical methods in controlling strain of anterior tibial muscles of rabbits .Objective To observe the histological and enzymohistochemical change after sprain.Result Experimental model of muscle sprain could be made with yield load which was about 128% of the body weight extracting anterior tibial muscle of the rabbits.Some of the muscle fibers broke near the junction between muscle and the tendon. Conclusion Fibrosis of endomysium and scar formation at the injury might be an important cause of frequent recurrence of muscle sprain.

Objective To evaluate the effects of pulsed ultrasound at different intensities on the healing of standardized contusions in an animal model. Methods Forty-eight 3-month-old, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given experimental contusions of the right gastrocnemius muscle before being divided into four groups randomly ( n =12 in each group): (1) a muscle injury control group (muscle injury without treatment); (2) a muscle injury and pulsed ultrasound (0.25 W/cm2 ) group; (3) a muscle injury and pulsed ultrasound ( 0.5W/cm2 ) group; and (4)a muscle injury and pulsed ultrasound ( 0.75 W/cm2 ) group. Pulsed ultrasound treatment ( frequency 3 mega Hz)was started 24 hours post injury and delivered 5 min daily for 14 days on the injured right hindlimb. At days 4, 7 and 14 after injury, muscle samples were analyzed through hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for the detection of muscle satellite cells and desmin. Results The average optical density (IOD) of desmin-positive mononucleated cells had increased significantly at days 4, 7 and 14 post injury in the treatment groups compared to the control group, but with no statistically significant difference among the 3 ultrasound treatment groups. Conclusions The pulsed ultrasound treatment played a beneficial role in skeletal muscle regeneration after contusion. There was no significant dose-dependent effect over the intensity range of 0.25-0.75 W/cm2.

To study the protective effect and the mechanism of asiatic acid (AA) from Potentilla chinensis on alcohol hepatic injury in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: the normal control group, the AA control group (8 mg · kg(-1) AA), the model group (5.0-9.0 g · kg(-1) alcohol) and high, medium and low-dose AA-treated groups (alcohol + 8, 4, 2 mg · kg(-1) AA). Each group was orally administered with the corresponding drugs once a day for 24 weeks. Approximately 1. 5 hours after the final administration, all rats were killed, and their blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected. The AST and ALT in rat serum and the contents of MPO, TNF-α, IL-1β, SOD, GSH-Px, GSH-Rd and MDA in hepatic tissues were detected. The expressions of NF-κB, TLR4, CD14, MyD88, TRIF and protein expression in hepatic tissues were measured by western blot. The pathological changes in liver tissues were observed by histological examination. The results showed that compared with the model group, the AA-treated groups showed significant decreases in serum ALT, AST and MDA and increases in the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, GSH-Rd and MPO. Moreover, AA markedly inhibited the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, TLR4, CD14, MyD88 and NF-κB. The histological examination showed alleviated hepatic issue ijury to varying degrees. In short, asiatic acid (AA) from P. chinensis could protect alcohol-induced hepatic injury in rats. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB inactivation and the reduction of inflammatory response.
Animals ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; prevention & control ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes ; pharmacology ; Potentilla ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; antagonists & inhibitors

Objective To explore the change of activin A(ACT A) in umbilical artery blood of newborns with fetal distress and its clinical significance.Methods Forty healthy pregnant women(control group)and 35 pregnant women with fetal distress (experimental group)were collected.The levels of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in both groups were determined by a solid quantitative biotin-avidin system enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(BAS-ELISA),umbilical artery blood gas were also measured.Results The level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was (1 235.89?178.78)ng/L,and that in control group was (627.28?75.24)ng/L,and the level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

OBJECTIVETo screen the potential hepatotoxic components in Chinese herb medicine Aucklandiae Radix.

METHODSThe potential hepatotoxic components were screened using HepG2 cells labeled with fluorescein diacetate from 25 fractions of Aucklandiae Radix, in which the hepatotoxic compounds were further identified with GC-MS.

RESULTSTen potential hepatotoxic fractions were screened. The identification results by GC-MS indicated that the main compounds in C09 were dehydrocostuslactone, santamarine (or magnolialide) and reynosin, and in C11 were α-costol and elemol.

CONCLUSIONDehydrocostuslactone, santamarine (or magnolialide), reynosin, α-costol and elemol are potential hepatotoxic compounds in Aucklandiae Radix.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Lactones ; analysis ; toxicity ; Sesquiterpenes ; analysis ; toxicity

To study the gene expression profile in K562 cells treated by IFN-alpha, so as to provide some information about the potential mechanism of IFN-alpha curing CML, the changes of gene expression were examined with the DNA array in K562 cells before and after treatment with IFN-alpha. The results showed that no gene expression difference more than 2.5 times in K562 cells was found on the first day after treatment with IFN-alpha (200 U/ml), then the genes significant expression difference increased step by step, and reached the peak on the forth day. In all examined genes, 97 genes significant expression difference were detected, 86.60% (84/97) gene of interest out of those gene were up-regulated, 13.40% (13/97) were down-regulated. In these 97 genes with significant expression difference, cell regulator protein genes accounted to 23.71% (23/97), surface receptor genes 14.43% (14/97), oncogenes and tumor suppressors 11.34% (11/97), extracellular communication proteins 9.28% (9/97), cell adhesion molecular genes 8.25% (8/97) and the other genes accounted to 32.99% (32/97). JAK1 was up-regulated to 3.78 times, JAK2 to 15.43, STAT1 and STAT2 were up-regulated to 11.98 and 8.11 times respectively, and these genes are components of JAK-STAT pathway. The number of different genes began to decrease on the fifth day. There were still 9 genes that had expression difference more than 3 times on the twenty-first day. It is concluded that when concentration of IFN-alpha was 200 U/ml, the forth day should be considered as the best time to examine change of gene expression in K562 cells treated by IFN-alpha. IFN-alpha realizes its biological functions through the JAK-STAT pathways and it may be one of the mechanisms for curing CML with IFN-alpha.
Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; Janus Kinase 1 ; genetics ; K562 Cells ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; STAT1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; STAT2 Transcription Factor ; genetics

Objective To establish serological detection methods of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8).Methnds Three potent antigenic fusion proteins.K8.1,ORF65 and ORF73 C of HHV- 8 were synthesized using E.coli system.The sera were detected using lhese antigenic proteins.The positive sera were from 12 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma and 32 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma.The negative sera were from 20 patients with cutaneous tumors and children under 15 years old.Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EI.ISA)were employed to determine the immunogenicity of each recombinant protein and the sensitivity and specificity of ELISA using the complex antigens.Results Three types highly purified HHV 8 specific recombinant pro teins with potent antigenicity were successfully synthesized.The sensitivity of ELISA using the above complex antigens was significantly higher than traditional immuno-flurescent assay (IFA)detecting the positive and negative sera,whieh were 81.8%,34.4%,respectively.And the specificity of ELISA was 97.9%.Conclusion K8.1,ORF65 and ORE73 C are good candidate antigens for establishing HHV-8 serological detection methods,which have better sensitivity and specificity.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of clinicopathological stage of chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (CIMF) in WHO classification of 2001.

METHODSHistopathological analysis of bone marrow biopsy plastic-embedded sections stained with H-G-E and Gomori's stains and clinical features of 113 cases previously diagnosed as primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and 48 cases MPD-U (total of 161 cases which including male 79 and female 82) were studied retrospectively.

RESULTSThere was no significant differences on the clinical features among the cellular phase, collagen fiber phase, sclerotic phase and osteomyelosclerosis of 113 previously diagnosed patients. According to WHO classification 2001 of CIMF, previously diagnosis in 48 cases with MPD-U was WHO pre-CIMF, and in 113 cases with PMF was WHO CIMF-Fs. There were significant differences between of WHO pre-CIMF and WHO CIMF-Fs about clinicopathological features except age. The percentage of immature granulocytes, normoblasts, lymphocytes in peripheral blood, the size of hepatosplenomegaly, and the percent age of tear drop-like red blood cells in pre-CIMF were significantly lower than those in CIMF-Fs (P < 0.05). However, the number of hemoglobin and platelets in patients with pre-CIMF were significantly higher than that with CIMF-Fs (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONpre-CIMF and CIMF-Fs in clinical and histopathological features were different development stage of CIMF, while osteomyelosclerosis is a variant of CIMF, but not an independent disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; pathology ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; classification ; pathology ; Thrombopoiesis

To investigate the electrophysiological effects of 17β-estradiol on pacemaker cells in sinoatrial (SA) nodes of rabbits and the underlying mechanism, intracellular microelectrode technique was used to record action potential (AP) in SA node cells of rabbits. The results showed that: (1) 17β-estradiol (1, 10, 100 μmol/L) not only significantly decreased the amplitude of action potential (APA) and the maximal rate of depolarization (V(max)), but also decreased the velocity of diastolic (phase 4) depolarization (VDD) and rate of pacemaker firing (RPF) in a concentration-dependent manner. The AP duration at 50% repolarization (APD(50)) and at 90% repolarization (APD(90)) were prolonged. But the maximal diastolic potential (MDP) was not affected. (2) Pretreatment with tamoxifen (10 μmol/L), an inhibitor of estrogen receptor, did not block the electrophysiological effects of 17β-estradiol (10 μmol/L) on SA node cells. (3) Pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 μmol/L), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, completely abolished the electrophysiological effects of 17β-estradiol (10 μmol/L) on SA node cells. The results suggest that 17β-estradiol inhibits the electrophysiological activity of pacemaker cells in SA nodes of rabbits in a concentration-dependent manner possibly through a non-genomic mechanism related with NO.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Rabbits ; Sinoatrial Node ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of p38 MAPK and HSP 70 in CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus of rats induced by limb ischemic preconditioning (LIP).

METHODSNinety-six rats were randomly divided into sham and LIP groups. And the animals in the LIP group were further divided into LIP 6 h, LIP 12 h, LIP 1 d, LIP 2 d, LIP 3 d, LIP 4 d and LIP 5 d subgroups according to the time of reperfusion after LIP. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to observe the expression of p38 MAPK and HSP 70 in CA3 and DG regions of the hippocampus.

RESULTSThe results of the immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were consistent, which indicated that there were fluctuation in the p-p38 MAPK and HSP 70 expression in CA3 and DG regions after LIP compared with those of the sham group. The expression of p-p38 MAPK began to be up-regulated 1d after LIP and reached its peak at 3 d and lasted for 4 d after LIP. However, the expression of HSP 70 was significantly up-regulated 2 d after LIP compared to the sham group, reached its peak at 3 d and lasted until the 4 d after LIP.

CONCLUSIONLIP up-regulates the expression of p38 MAPK and HSP 70 in the CA3 and DG regions of the hippocampus of rats.

Animals ; CA3 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Dentate Gyrus ; metabolism ; Extremities ; blood supply ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism