OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of total flavones of Epimedium leptorrhizum (YYH-C) on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.

METHODOvariectomized female rats were randomly divided into the model group, YYH-C lower, middle and high dose (0.7, 1.4, 2.8 g x kg(-1)) groups, the positive drug Bujiale (0.15 mg x kg(-1)) group, and the sham group. The rats were orally ad-ministrated with drugs for three months. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), procollagen I N-terminal peptide (PINP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium (Ca) and phosphrous (P) in serum were detected. Femur bones and vertebrae bones of left side were collected to determined bone metrological indexes, including bone mineral density (BMD), bone Ca, and bone ash weight/dry weight percentage. Femur bones of right side were collected to for a morphological observation of bone.

RESULTCompared with the sham group, the model group showed significantly higher PTH and ALP content but obviously lower PINP and Ca content. The three YYH-C 3 groups could resist the decrease of PINP. Specifically, low and middle dose groups could remarkably inhibit the increase of PTH, and the high dose group could increase the Ca content in serum, but without significant effect on the rise in ALP. There was no significant difference in P content in serum in each group. BMD, ash weight/dry weight percentage, Ca and P content of the model group were significantly lower than those in the sham group. The high dose YYH-C group could significantly increase BMD. All of the three YYH-C groups could notably increase ash weight/dry weight percentage and Ca, P content in femur bones and vertebrae bones. YYH-C could significantly increase average thickness, area, area percentage of bony trabeculae, cortical bone area percentage of femoral shaft and the number of osteoblasts on the surface of bony trabeculae, and decrease the number of osteoclasts.

CONCLUSIONYYH-C can effectively control the bone mass loss of rats with ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis, prevent the changes in bone microstructure, and inhibit bone absorption, so as to resist high turn-over osteoporosis after ovariectomy. [Key words] total flavones of Epimedium leptorrhizum; ovariectomized rat; osteoporosis

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Female ; Flavones ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Parathyroid Hormone ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Background: Nummular headache is a new category of primary headache disorder characterized by consistent location, size, and shape of painful areas. The pathogenesis is uncertain. Bifocal painful areas are rare manifestations but may expand the clinical diversity of nummular headache. Methods: The clinical characteristics of 5 bifocal nummular headache patients were reported and those of 11 patients in previous studies were reviewed. Bifocal nummular headache was classifi ed into two types. Type I was defi ned as a simultaneous activation of two painful areas while type II was defi ned as two painful areas occurring in different times. Results: All 16 patients were female, with mean age of onset and initial presentation of 54.7 years and 58.2 years, respectively. There were seven type I and nine type II patients. The parietal area, especially the tuber parietale, was the leading site of involvement in both types of patients. The shape and size of painful areas were also similar between these two groups. There was an equal frequency of ipsilateral and contralateral painful areas. The pain intensity was similar in both types of patients but was milder in new painful areas than in previous painful areas in type II patients. Conclusions: Bifocal nummular headache suggests a central role of nummular headache but does not debunk the peripheral theory of nummular headache. The accumulated fi ndings in bifocal NH patients do not support a generalization of pain occurrence or a reproduction of local process of epicranial neuralgia at multiple sites in nummular headache.

This study was aimed to establish the TLC identification method of Radix Mirab ilis himalaic a. The β-sitosterol and daucosterol were used as the reference substances. The single-factor test was used. A variety of factors which affected TLC were systematically investigated to filter out the best TLC conditions for identification of different batches of medicines. The results showed that the best TLC conditions were as follows: silica gel G plates, extraction solvent (methanol), reagent (5% sulfuric acid in ethanol), extraction method (ultrasonic extraction with methanol), ex-tracted time (30 min), the agent (petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-acetone (5:2:1)) and sample volume (6 μL). It was concluded that the method, which had high separation degree, was reproducible and simple. It can be used as the quality control of Radix Mirab ilis himalaic a.

Objective：To confirm the effects of the macrophages and NO in the fibrosis formation of transplanted kidneys with chronic rejection. Methods：The quantitive immunohistochemistry was employed to observe the changes of relative quantitiy of macrophages, NO, collagen Ⅲ andⅣ， and to reveal the association between the increases of macrophages， NO， histopathologic damages, deposition of collagen Ⅲ and Ⅳ, finally, to infer the roles of the macrophages and NO in the fibrosis formation of transplanted kidneys with chronic rejection. Results: The macrophages accumulated and increased in the glomeruli, the tubules and the intersiticia tissue of kidneys, which was companied by the increased expression of collagen Ⅲ and Ⅳ during the early and middle stages. However, the macrophages and NO could not be detected, which was companied by the decreased deposition of collagen Ⅲ and Ⅳduring the advanced stage. There were significant differences between the 3 types(glomerulus disease type,blocking vessel type and intersticial sclerostic type) (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion：The increase of macrophages and the NO may closely interrelated with the fibrosis formation in transplanted kidneys with chronic rejection.

Objective To compare differences and similarities of the content of trigonelline in Himalaica mirabilis of either wild or cultivated materials from different places. Methods An HPLC method was established to determine the content of trigonelline in Himalaica mirabilis. ZORBAX XDB-CN column (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) was used, with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.03%acetic acid (85∶15), flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, detection wavelength of 265 nm, determination wavelength of 360 nm, and column temperature of 30 ℃. Results Regression calculation was made on peak area with the reference solution concentration, and then got the regression equation A=23.409C-26.398, r=0.999 8. Trigonelline showed good linear relation with peak area among the range of 2.004-200.400 μg/mL. The average recovery of trigonelline was 99.57%, RSD=1.11%. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the content of trigonelline of either wild or cultivated materials from different places. This study laid the foundation of application of the cultivated Himalaica mirabilis.

AIMTo Investigate the effect of glutamate (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) on regulation of gastric motility.

METHODSUsing microinjection in OFC,together with lesion of related nucleus,and recording the intragastric pressure(IGP).

RESULTS(1) Microinjection of Glu in OFC caused a significant reduce of the amplitude of gastric motility, this effect could be reverse by lesion of amygdala, while lesion of LC had no influence on the effect of Glu. (2) microinjection of GABA in OFC could increase the amplitude of gastric motility significantly,and lesion of LC could abolish this effect,while lesion of amygdala could enhance the effect of GABA more.

CONCLUSIONMicroinjection of Glu in OFC may enhance the normal inhibitory effect of amygdale on gastric motility, and the effect of microinjection of GABA in OFC on gastric motility is closely related with LC.

Amygdala ; physiology ; Animals ; Female ; Frontal Lobe ; metabolism ; physiology ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; drug effects ; Glutamic Acid ; pharmacology ; Locus Coeruleus ; physiology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; pharmacology

Cadherins ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Receptor, Notch1 ; metabolism ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTissue factor (TF) is overexpressed in many malignant tumours and is linked to the pathogenesis and prognosis of such malignancies. In vitro studies have proved that reduced expression of TF has inhibitory effect on the angiogenesis and cell proliferation of the malignant tumour. Therefore, TF suppression has been raised as a possible treatment for malignant tumours. Here we investigated the effect of celecoxib on TF expression induced by tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in PANC-1 cells and a possible molecular mechanism underlying the celecoxib effect.

METHODSVarious doses of celecoxib solution were added to standard cell numbers of PANC-1 cells mixed with equal dose of TNFalpha for 6 hours. The expression of tissue factor was detected quantitatively by Western blot, whilst the activation of nuclear factor kappaB was tested by electromobility shift assay.

RESULTSAs the doses of celecoxib increased, the tissue factor expression was decreased in PANC-1 cells and so was the activation of nuclear factor kappaB.

CONCLUSIONSCelecoxib can downregulate the expression of tissue factor induced by TNFalpha in PANC-1 cells. This antitumour effect of celecoxib can be explained indirectly via its suppressive role in activation of nuclear factor kappaB.

Celecoxib ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pyrazoles ; pharmacology ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; Thromboplastin ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo study the characters of chronic pancreatitis complicated by non-calculous obstructive jaundice, and discuss the methods for differentiation and treatment.

METHODTwenty cases selected from January 1985 to December 2004 were analysed in the fields of differentiation and treatment.

RESULTSAll cases didn't present with typical clinical presentations and radiological features. Jaundice was presented as the main complaint. Stricture of the intra-pancreatic common bile duct was the symbolic radiological feature. Pancreatic disseminated inflammation was verified pathologically in these cases. CT, ultrasound, EUS, ERCP, MRCP and antigen-marker of neoplasm failed to offer the data for differentiation. The diagnosis could only be determined by pathological exam. The obstructive jaundice could be solved by biliary-enteric anastomoses successfully.

CONCLUSIONSThe patients with sole complaint of obstructive jaundice account for 15% of all inpatients with chronic pancreatitis. There exists a direct relationship between the jaundice and the pancreatic inflammation. This disorder should be differentiated from total pancreatic carcinoma, but few differentiated material could be offered by preoperative studies. Pathological result derived from the tissue sample obtained within the exploration would be reliable for diagnosis. The bypass between biliary tract and intestine would be a safe and economical treatment method.

Adult ; Aged ; Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Choledochostomy ; methods ; Chronic Disease ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Pancreatitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective: To research the competitive situation of technical research on the field of surgical robot and analyze direction of technical development of this field.Methods: The data of Derment Innovation(DI)platform were applied,and the patent analysis method was adopted to combined with visual tool to analyze patents of surgical robot field from various aspects such as the number of patent application,technology life cycle,the trend of regional development,competitor and trend of technical development.Results: There were 1491 patent applications in the globally surgical robot field,and technological fields were concentrated in endoscope,surgically mechanical arm,electronic data processing system,intervention,implantation of related equipment,regulatory system,image processing and transmission,stress and torque,etc.United States and China not only were the major technical birthplace but also were the important target markets in surgical robot field.And enterprises were the main research and development institutions in abroad,while colleges and universities were main institutions in China.Conclusion: The field of surgical robotics is in a fast developing period,and endoscope and surgically mechanical arm are the focusing technical development direction and they obtain most attentions.