Objective To evaluate the application of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in hepatic echinococcosis.Methods Diffusion-weighted MR imaging and measurement of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)were performed in 23 patients with 30 hepatic echinococcosis(cystic echinococcosis 24, alveolaris echinococcosis 6).Results The mean ADC values of cystic echinococcosis, alveolaris echinococcosis and normal liver were (3.50?0.35)?10 -3 mm2/s,(2.22?0.22)?10 -3 mm2/s and (1.41?0.09)?10 -3 mm2/s respectively.The difference between the mean ADC values was significant(?

AIM To develop the quality control methods for Yixuning Tablet (Fructus Lycii,Radix Polygoni Multiflori Preparata,Radix Codonopsis,etc.) METHODS RP-HPLC was performed for the assay of 2,3,5,4′-tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-?-D-glycoside.TLC was used to identify Fructus Lycii,Radix Polygoni Multiflori,and Radix Angelicae Sinensis. RESULTS The good linearity was within the range of 20-180 ?g?mL -1 ( r = 0.999 9 ).The average recovery was 99.0 % ( RSD was 2.8 T《B》 % ).TLC methods were special. CONCLUSION The method is convenient,accurate and sensitive.and suitable for the quality control of the preparation.

The human ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (hOMC) cells were co-cultured with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (antisense ODN), nonsense ODN, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) at different concentrations for the purpose of observing the effects of antisense ODN to FSH receptor (FSHR) on the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured hOMC cells in vitro. The inhibitory rates of growth were measured by using MTT method on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th days after the interference of antisense ODN, nonsense ODN, and FSH, respectively. The apoptotic rates and the cell cycles were determined by means of flow cytometry, the apoptosis indexes were detected by using TUNEL, and the expression of caspase-3 was measured by using SP immunohistochemistry. Compared with that in the control group, the proliferative activity of hOMC cells was increased obviously in FSH groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), decreased distinctly in antisense ODN groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and unchanged in nonsense ODN groups, respectively. Meanwhile, antisense ODN could significantly antagonize the FSH-promoted cell proliferative activity (P<0.01). Compared with those in the control group, the apoptotic rates and the expression of caspase-3 were dramatically increased in the mid-and high-dose antisense ODN groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the number of cells in G(1)/G(0) phase was significantly decreased and that in S phase distinctly increased (P<0.01). There was no change in nonsense ODN groups (P>0.05). It was suggested that FSH may improve the development of hOMC cells. However, antisense ODN could inhibit proliferative activity and the FSH-promoted proliferative activity in hOMC cells, at the same time, antisense ODN could inhibit hOMC cell growth by inducing apoptosis.

Objective To silence the expression of CTGF by small interfering RNA technology,to observe the influence on fibroblast?like synovial cell apoptosis and several apoptosis?related genes,and to explore the mechanism of action of CTGF in rheumatoid arthritis synovial lesions. Methods Effective CTGF siRNA was screened through real?time PCR. The influence of CTGF siRNA on FLS apoptosis was detected with FITC?PI double staining by flow cytometry. bax,bcl?xl and survivin were detected using real?time PCR when CTGF mRNA has been silenced. Results Compared with other 2 groups of oligo and NC oligo,H1 oligo exhibited the strongest interfering action to CTGF(inhibition ratio>70%),so that it is selected as the effective target gene sequence for the following experiment. Apoptosis of FLS induced by serum deprivation was significantly decreased in the presence of exogenous CTGF. When expression of the CTGFgene was knocked down in FLS,FLS apoptosis was significantly increased,and expres?sion levels of survivin mRNA were decreased significantly(P<0.01). Conclusion FLS survival is positively regulated by CTGF,which may through the sustaining the expression of survivin.

Objective Postictal language testing can provide useful diagnostic information for seizure lateralization.However no such a study based on non-English language was done previously.We investigated the latency of language recovery in Chinese patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods Complex partial seizures in patients with TLE were extracted from our video-electroencephalogram (EEG) database.For all patients,consciousness testing started as soon as seizures were detected.When they were alert and cooperative,they were asked to read out a sentence “昨晚他们听到老在电台里讲话”which was printed on a card.When the patients were able to read the sentence correctly,the language function was considered recovered.Results Totally 65 complex partial seizures from 22 cases of TLE (11 left and 11 right) were included.Patients were cooperative to language testing in 54 seizures (83％).The latency for consciousness recovery (CRL) and latency for consciousness language recovery (LRL) were not associated with seizure duration,but the seizure lateralization.The CRL (median,161 s) and LRL (281 s) in the left TLE were statistically significantly longer than that in the right TLE (30 s,54 s respectively).Using 150 s recovery time as bound language recovery ratio was 87％ (27/31) in right TLE and 13％ (3/23) in left TLE.Conclusion Postictal language testing based on ideographic Chinese words helps to establish seizure lateralization in patients with TLE.

Objective To explore the association of suprapatellar pouch effusion with knee pain and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6,IL-17,IL-23 in patients with knee osteoarthritis measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods 204 patients with knee osteoarthritis were enrolled into the study.Suprapatellar pouch effusion was measured by OSIRIS in both grade (0-3) and maximum area (cm2).Serum IL-6,IL-17,IL-23 were measured.Knee pain was assessed by Western Ontario and McMasters osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) questionnaire and Lequesne index.Characteristics of patients were recorded and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.Student t test or Chi-square test was used to compare means or proportions.Multivariable linear regression or logistic regression was used to determine risk factors (α=0.05).Results ① In the 204 patients [mean age (55±8) years,86.3％ were females],the prevalence of physiologic effusion (≤ 1) was 47.9％ while moderate or larger (≥2) effusion was 52.1％.② The age,labour intensity,serum levels of uric acid (sUA) and Lequesne index of higher grade effusion group were higher (P＜0.05) compared with lower grade effusion group.③ Suprapatellar pouch effusion maximum area was positively correlated with age (r=0.208,P=0.006),BMI (r=0.171,P=0.027) and labour intensity (r=0.189,P=0.013).④ Adjusted for age,gender and BMI,the results of Logistic regression analysis showed that:suprapatellar pouch effusion grades were positively correlated with Lequesne index [OR=1.120,95％CI(1.011,1.241),P=0.029] and negatively correlated with IL-23 [OR=0.768,95％CI (0.598,0.986),P=0.038].Suprapatellar pouch effusion was not independently associated with WOMAC index,IL-6 and IL-17.Conclusion The prevalence of suprapatellar pouch pathological effusion is 52.1％ in knee osteoarthritis.Suprapatellar pouch effusions is positively correlated with knee pain (Lequesne index) and negatively conrelated with IL-23.

Objective To discuss the value of the multi-b-value diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)in diagnosis of liver tuberculosis,abscess and atypical hydatid disease.Methods 23 patients with different liver lesions including abscess in 1 1,tuberculosis in 3 and alveolar hydatid in 9 were scanned with conventional MRI and multi-b-value DWI,and the imaging results were retrospectively analyzed.The ADC1 0b maps with 10 b values,three ADClow ones with low b values of 0 s/mm2 ,50 s/mm2 and 100 s/mm2 ,three ADChigh ones with high b values of 500 s/mm2 ,750 s/mm2 and 1 000 s/mm2 were gotten respectively.The ADCperf value was defined as a difference between ADClow and ADChigh values.Two regions of interest (ROI)with the same size were drawn in the liquefied region and mar-ginal area of the mass.The ADC values of ADClow ,ADChigh ,ADCperf and ADC1 0b maps were calculated and analyzed.Differences in b value and region among the three liver diseases were compared.Results The differences in ADC10b and ADChigh values between atypical liver hydatid and liver abscess in the liquefied region and marginal area were significant (P <0.05);the differences in ADC10b and ADCperf val-ues in the marginal area among liver tuberculosis,abscess and atypical hydatid were significant (P <0.05).The differences in ADCperf value in the liquefied region between thydatid disease and abscess,and in ADChigh value in marginal area between tuberculosis and abscess were not statistically significant (P >0.05).No differences in the ADClow value were found in both areas of three lesions (P >0.05). Conclusion Multi-b-value DWI and ADC maps and ADC values can provide valuable information in diagnosis and differentiation of liver tuberculosis,abscess and atypical hydatid disease.Different ADC values play more important role in the diagnosis of liver diseases.

Objective To establish a method for culturing neonatal mice cardiomyocytes, and construct an in vitro model of cardiomyocytes for assessing the cardiac toxicity of chemicals. Methods Hearts of neonatal mice of 1 day old were digested with enzyme mixture of trypsin/collagenase type Ⅱ/dispase and the cell suspensions were pre-plated to flask for a short time and then seeded on coated dishes. The cultured cells were treated with 5-fiuorine-deoxy-uridine(15 μg/ml)and uridine(35 μg/ml)to enrich cardiomyocytes that were identified according to the morphology and immunocytochemistry of α-actin antigen. Cardiac myocytes were incubated with 0-64 μg/ml of a fusarium mycotoxin butenolide(BUT) for 12 h. Cell viability was then evaluated by MTT assay. Microscopic observation showed that BUT induced significant morphological changes including cellular swelling, vacuolation and breakage of muscle fibers. Results It was found that 96% of the cultured cells were cardiomyocytes and the myocytes kept beating after 90 days of culture. Concentration-dependent decreases in cell viability following exposure of cardiac myocytes to BUT were observed. Conclusion The results indicated that relatively pure primary culture of neonatal mice cardiomyocytes is successfully established. BUT possesses the potential to induce myocardial toxicity.

To investigate the effect of naringenin on ovariectomy-induced postmenopausal osteoporosis comprehensively and systemically, thirty-two virgin Sprague-Dawley rats about 3-month-old were used and randomly divided into 4 groups: sham control group (Sham), OVX control group (OVX), naringenin treatment group and 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment group. After 12 weeks treatment with different drugs, 24 h urine were collected, organs were weighed and the organ indies were computed. Uterine pathological changes were observed by making paraffin section. Biochemical parameters and bone turnover markers: serum osteocalcin (BGP) and urine deoxypyridinoline (DPD) were analyzed with automatic biochemical analyzer or ELISA assay. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were analyzed by DEXA, bone biomechanical properties was measured by three point bending test and the trabecular bone microarchitecture was evaluated by Micro CT. From the results, we can see that: the gaining of weight and the increasing of bone turnover markers such as serum BGP and urinary DPD could be inhibited by naringenin. The treatment could also enhance the bone strength and prevent the deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture, increase the bone volume, trabecular number and thickness, and decrease the trabecular space. The effects mentioned above were not accompanied with stimulating effects on uterus. Long-term using of naringenin had no obvious influence on other organs and the liver and kidney functions. The study suggests that naringenin had obvious antiosteoporotic effect on ovariectomized rats and it had the potential value for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Amino Acids ; urine ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Estrogen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Female ; Flavanones ; pharmacology ; Osteocalcin ; blood ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterus ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of IL-6 mAb on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in rats, and search the mechanism of the role of IL-6, helper T cells 17 (Th17) and regulative T cells (Treg) in EAM pathogenesis.

METHODSThirty-four Lewis rats were divided into three groups randomly, i.e. control group (n = 6), EAM group (n = 12), and IL-6 mAb intervention group (n = 16). Rats in EAM group and IL-6 mAb intervention group were injected intracutaneously with myosin to establish EAM model. Rats in IL-6 mAb intervention group were injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg IL-6 mAb on 1st, 7th to 20th day after cardiac myosin immune injection. Myocardial inflammation was examined by HE stain, Masson stain, and TdT assay (TUNEL reaction) on 21st and 84th day after IL-6 mAb therapy in order to assess the therapeutic role. Spleen cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to illustrate Th17 and Treg cells? number and function. The serum concentration of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, and TGF-beta in each group was measured by ELISA, concentration of STAT3, RORgammat, and Foxp3 mRNA in each group was determined with RT-PCR. Spleen cells derived from EAM were stimulated by IL-6 mAb in vitro, and the concentration of IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-beta was measured by ELISA.

RESULTSInflammation score, fibrosis score, and apoptosis index in IL-6 mAb intervention group were significantly decreased as compared with those in EAM group (P < 0.01). The number of Th17 and Treg cells in EAM group on the 21st day (experimental acute peak stage) were increased, and those in intervention group on the 21st day were significantly inhibited (P < 0.01). The concentration of serum IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-beta in intervention group on the 21st day was decreased dramatically in comparison with that in EAM group on the same day (P < 0.01). The levels of peripheral blood STAT3, RORgammat, Foxp3 mRNA in intervention group on the 21st day was decreased significantly as compared with that in EAM group (P < 0.01). The expression of IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-beta was increased significantly (P < 0.01) by stimulation of IL-6 mAb on spleen cells derived from EAM in vitro.

CONCLUSIONSIL-6 mAb could neutralize IL-6, and ameliorate myocarditis and reduce heart autoimmune responses. IL-6 mAb has significantly protective effects on EAM by suppressing Th17 and Treg cells.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Autoimmune Diseases ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-17 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Male ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Th17 Cells ; immunology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism