AIMThe expression of VEGF in rat ovaries corpus luteum and its expression pattern were observed to investigate the effect of VEGF on luteal formation and regression.

METHODSThe model of immature rat of pseudopregnant was established using pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the expression of VEGF in corpus luteum was detected by immunohistochemistry, the levels of VEGF in corpus luteum was measured by ELISA, and the levels of NO in corpus luteum was measured by chemistry assay.

RESULTSVEGF expressed weakly in rat corpus luteum on the day 1, and enhanced gradually from day 3 to day 5, then went up to the peak on the day 7, and maintained to day 9. On the day 11, the expression of VEGF began to decrease. The levels of VEGF were similar to the expression of VEGF. The levels of NO appeared like double wave. The levels increased gradually from day 1 to day 5, and peaked on the day 7, then decreased on the day 9, while lightly increased on the day 11, and showed significant increase and reached the highest on the day 13, then decreased the lowest on the day 15.

CONCLUSIONThere is a intimate temporal relationship between the expression of VEGF and angiogenesis in corpus luteum, VEGF may play a role in luteum formation by improving angiogenesis mediated by NO, NO may play a role in luteum regression as a luteolytic during the late luteal phase.

Animals ; Corpus Luteum ; metabolism ; Female ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Pseudopregnancy ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

BackgroundDry eye is a multi-factorial-induced tear film and ocular surface disorder.Immunoinflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eye.As inhibitor of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway,nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs play an anti-inflammatory and anti-hypersensitivity role,and it can be a potential treatment for dry eyes.ObjectiveThis study was to investigate the effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (0.1％topical pranoprofen) on moderate to severe dry eyes and its mechanism.MethodsThis was a small sample of randomized controlled clinical trial.Thirty right eyes of 30 patients with moderate to severe dry eyes were included in the study according to the diagnosis criteria and randomized into two groups.The patients of the trial group received topical administration of 0.1％ pranoprofen plus 0.1％ sodium hyaluronate,and those of the control group received the topical 0.1％ sodium hyaluronate only.Ocular surface inflammation index scores (OSDI) and ocular surface fluorescine staining (OSS) scores were measured under the slit lamp,and tear film break-up time (BUT),Schirmer Ⅰ test values were evaluated.The expression of human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) and CD11b in conjunctiva epithelial cells were detected by impression cytology and flow cytometry (FCM).All the indexes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Informed consent was obtained from all patients.ResultsThere were no significant differences in terms of age and gender and their baseline values between the trial group and control group (t=0.412,P=0.684;x2=0.240,P=0.624),and so were all the indexes (P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the OSDI,OSS scores and cells positive for HLA-DR were lowered but the BUT was delayed in the trial group on day 15 ( t=2.43,P=0.03;t=2.83,P=0.01;t=3.29,P=0.00;t=3.23,P=0.00 ).No significant differences were found in the Schirmer Ⅰ test value and CD11b expression between these two groups (t=0.17,P=0.87;t=0.28,P=0.79).The OSDI,OSS scores and BUT were significantly improved,and the number of cells positive for HLA-DR were reduced 15 days after administration of drugs in comparison with before treatment in the trial group ( t =12.30,10.70,6.10,7.92,P =0.00 ).However,there were no comparable alteration seen in these indexes before and after the usage of drugs in the control group ( P＞0.05).Positive correlations were found in HLADR expression with OSDI and OSS ( r =0.601,P =0.018 ; r =0.586,P =0.022 ) and a negative correlation in HLADR expression with BUT (r=-0.697,P=0.004) on day 15 in the trial group.ConclusionsTopical usage of 0.1％ pranoprofen is beneficial for remitting the ocular signs and symptoms in moderate to severe dry eyes.This study illustrates that topical usage of 0.1％ pranoprofen can down-regulate the expression of inflammatory markers in conjunctival epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on poststroke deglutition disorders.

METHODSSixty-eight inpatients of moderate and severe deglutition disorders were treated by the activating brain function to cause resuscitation needling method.

RESULTSTwenty-six cases were cured, 24 were remarkedly effective, 16 were effective, with a total effective rate of 97.06%.

CONCLUSIONThis needling method has a markedly therapeutic effect on poststroke moderate and severe deglutition disorders.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain ; Deglutition Disorders ; therapy ; Humans ; Resuscitation ; Stroke

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the sperm acrosin activity in normal men and positive antisperm antibody (AsAb) men.

METHODSSperm acrosin activity was detected by BAEE/ADH method.

RESULTSGABA could increase the sperm acrosin activity in normal and AsAb positive patients (P < 0.01). The results also indicated that GABA significantly increased Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity (P < 0.01), Ca(2+)-ATPase activity (P < 0.05) and SOD activity (P < 0.01) of sperm.

CONCLUSIONSThe results demonstrated that GABA could influence the sperm acrosin activity.

Acrosin ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-gamma) on the sperm acrosin activity and the rate of acrosome reaction and to probe into their mechanisms.

METHODSThirty-six nearly normal semen samples were treated with IFN-gamma and/or TNF-alpha after isolated by 75% Percoll. The sperm acrosin activity was tested by the method of BAEE/ADH Unity, the rate of acrosome reaction observed by Triple-stain technique, the NO concentration measured by HPLC and the activities of Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -ATPase and SOD assayed by kit method.

RESULTSBoth IFN-gamma and TNF-gamma could decrease sperm acrosin activity and acrosome reaction (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). TNF-alpha showed stronger inhibiting effect, IFN-gamma markedly reduced the activities of Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -ATPase and SOD in sperm (P < 0.01), and their synergistic action was weaker. However TNF-alpha produced hardly any effect on Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -ATPase. The NO concentration in sperm was significantly increased by IFN-gamma and/or TNF-alpha (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma and TNF-alpha have some inhibiting effect on sperm acrosin activity and the rate of acrosome reaction, which could be attributed to their influence on the activities of Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -ATPase and SOD, the NO concentration and so on.

Acrosome Reaction ; drug effects ; Adult ; Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEProton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the liver in vivo is in experimental phase. MRS observation on liver cancer after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has seldom been reported. This study was to investigate the value of MRS in assessing the metabolic changes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after TACE.

METHODSTwenty-five consecutive patients with pathologically-confirmed HCC received 1H MRS of all hepatic lesions using 1.5T whole body MR scanner before TACE and at 3-10 days after TACE. Choline-to-lipid (Cho/Lip), glucogen/glucose-to-lipid (Glu/Lip), and glytamine/glutamate-to-lipid (Glx/Lip) ratios were measured and analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe Cho/Lip, Glu/Lip, and Glx/Lip ratios were 0.21 +/- 0.08, 0.11 +/- 0.05, 0.28 +/- 0.10 before TACE, respectively, and were 0.10 +/- 0.08, 0.07 +/- 0.07, 0.18 +/- 0.12 after TACE, respectively, with significant differences (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUsing MRS can evaluate the early metabolic responses of HCC to TACE.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Choline ; metabolism ; Female ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Glutamine ; metabolism ; Glycogen ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipids ; analysis ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged