Objective Through transmission electron microscopy we observe the ultrastructure of optic nerve to evaluate the curative effect of optic nerve incision decompression (ONID) for incomplete injury to optic nerve. Methods The optic nerve was crushed for 30s to produce incomplete injury to the optic nerve in rats, and then the rats were divided into two groups. ONID was performed 6 hours after the injury in one group, and in the other group decompression was omitted(non-ONLD). Ultrastructure of optic nerve was observed 1 month, 2 months, 3 months and 6 months later in both groups. Results After 1 month denaturalization of myelin sheaths and axons of the injured optic nerve was severe in non- ONID group, and after 3 months the optic nerve entirely lost its normal structure. On the other hand, denaturalization of myelin sheaths and axons was evidently less intense in ONID group, and the changes in structure of optic nerve were stabilized. Conclusions ONID reduced the speed of degeneration of the injured optic nerve and postpones the process of axon denaturalization, thus protects the optic nerve from secondary injuries.

Objective To explore the characteristic and the rule of flash-visual evoked potentials (F-VEP) of SD rats after optic nerve injury in different grades. Methods By using APS-2000 multifunctional electric physiological instrument, changes in F-VEP were observed in normal optic nerve and injured optic nerve (crushed in 3 grades) in rats. The latency and amplitude of F-VEP wave, were recorded and statistically. Results The F-VEP wave was reliably displayed with characteristic curve. The L5b was(53.67?3.12)ms and A5 was(17.83?5.91)?v. The latency of F-VEP in rats with optic nerve injury in different grades showed a significant prolongation, and the amplitude showed a significant decrease compared with normal rats (P

ObjectiveTo study the effects and molecular mechanisms of Shuanglong Pill on angiogenesis of ischemic myocardium. Methods63 Wistar rats were ligated left anterior descending branch to be made into models of acute myocardial infarction(AMI).All rats were randomly divided into large-dosage group of Shuanglong Pill(LDG),small-dosage group of Shuanglong Pill(SDG),The control of acute MI(MIC).Other 11 rats were set as normal control(NC).Rats in every group had been treated half for 2 weeks and half for 4 weeks. New vessels' quantity in ischemic myocardium of acute MI rats were detected by immunohistochemistry double steps assay;the expressions of vessel endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) on ischemic myocardium were detected by immunohistochemistry SP assay;the expressions of VEGF mRNA and bFGF mRNA on ischemic myocardium were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) assay.ResultsThere were more new capillaries on ischemic myocardium of LDG, SDG compared with that in MIC at every stage,moreover,there was significantly increase at the end of 4 weeks compared with that at 2 weeks.At the end of 2 weeks, the expression of VEGF in LDG were significantly elevated compared with that in MIC; and the expression of bFGF in LDG were significantly elevated compared with that in SDG and MIC.Whereas the expression of VEGF in LDG were significantly decreased at the end of 4 weeks compared with 2 weeks. There were significant differences of above comparison (P<0.05-0.01).At every stage the expression of VEGF mRNA in LDG, SDG were significantly elevated compared with that in MIC; but its expression was significantly decreased at the end of 4 weeks compared with that 2 weeks. The expression of bFGF mRNA was significantly elevated in LDC at the end of 2 weeks compared with that in other groups.ConclusionsShuanglong Pill could promote angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium,application of large dose of Shuanglong Pill could significantly upregulate the expression of VEGF, bFGF, VEGF mRNA and bFGF mRNA.

Objective To explore the effect of IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4 on B cell activating factor (BAFF) expression in human HL-60 cells, a kind of myeloid tumor cell lines, and its possible regulation mechanism. Methods Cultured human HL-60 cells were treated with IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4 for 1-3 days. The expression of membrane-bound BAFF on HL-60 cells was examined by flow cytometry, the amount of soluble BAFF was detected by ELISA assay, and the level of BAFF mRNA was tested by real-time PCR method. A functional 1021 bp fragment of the 5'-tlanking region of the human BAFF gene (-1349 to -329 bp) was cloned and investigated with serial 5'-deletion. The 5'-deleted promoters were recombinated with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) as reporter gene. These five recombinant plasmids were transiently transfected to HL-60 cells with liposomal transfectian method. Promoters activities were determined by CAT reporter gene assay(CAT-ELISA) in those transfected cells treated with different cytokines. Results The results showed that the expression of membrane-bound BAFF, soluble BAFF and BAFF mRNA in human HL-60 cells were significantly elevated (P ＜ 0. 05) after incubated with IFN-γ and IL-10. In addition, IFN-γ and IL-10 showed significantly (P ＜ 0. 05) increased effects on promoter activity in human BAFF gane. And the cytokines-responsive sequences were located between -929 and -719 bp of the BAFF promoter region. Conclusion The enhancement of IFN-γ and IL-10 on BAFF expression and synthesis were regnla-ted by promoter activation. Our in vitro studies also raise the possibility to investigate the mechanisms regula-ting BAFF expression in other tumor cells of myeloid origin under pathological circumstances.

BACKGROUND: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the clinical syndrome of all kinds of heart disease on the serious or final stage. About half of patients with organic heart disease will have heart failure that has a high incidence rate and mortality. The survival of heart failure was inferior to that of malignant tumor.OBJECTIVE: To confirm the clinical effect of Lujiao prescription on CHF and elucidate its possible mechanism.DESIGN: A control observation on CHF patients.SETTING: Department of Cardiovasology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 60 patients with CHF were selected from the department of cardiovasology in Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 1996 to December 1998. There were 31 male and 29 female. Included criteria: ①All of patients were consistent with Framinham diagnostic criteria. ② Above Ⅲ degree by New York Heart Association(NYHA). ③ Three months case history. ④Accept quantity sufficient diuretic and vasodilating agent (exclude angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ). ⑤ Left ventricle hypertrophy was proved by echocardiogram or chest X-ray. ⑥ Differentiation of symptoms and signs of Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to asthenia syndrome of differentiation of symptoms and signs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (1986, Researching Association of Chinese integrated medicine) General state of health and basic disease of the patients in the two groups were not significant deviation.METHODS: 60 patient s of CHF were randomly divided into Lujiao prescription group(n=40) and Digoxin group (n=20) at the rate of 2:1. Lujiao prescription group: Orally liquid decoction of Lujiao Prescription 35 mL (1 mL contain crude drug 1.6 g) Bid. po. Course of treatment: 4 weeks. Digoxin group: Digoxin tablet, 0.125-0.25 mg, qd. po. course of treatment: 4 weeks.After 4-week treatment, the patients' clinical effect, integrals of the symptoms of renal deficiency, classification of function capacity of the NYHA,Lee's heart failure score, heart rate(HR), myocardium oxygen consumption (MOC), proportion of heart to chest, echocardiogram, measurement of plasma angitention Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ ) and plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were observed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① The total clinic effective rate. ②Integrals of the symptoms of renal deficiency. ③ Classification of function capacity of the NYHA. ④ Lee's heart failure score. ⑤HR and MOC. ⑥The proportion of heart to chest. ⑦ Ejection fraction(EF), cardic output (CO), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), posterior wall thickness (PWT) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) through echocardiogram. ⑧The measurement of plasma Ang Ⅱ and plasma ANF.RESULTS:Totauy 60 patients entered the final analysis. ① The total clinical effective rate of the Lujiao prescription group was 90 %, which showed no significant difference from the Digoxin group (90 %, P ＞ 0.05).② Improvement was significantly observed in the integrals of the symptom of renal deficiency of the patients in the Lujiao prescription group after treatment (P ＜ 0.01), but which was not significant in the Digoxin group(P＞ 0.05). ③ It was found that classification of functional capacity of NYHA between Lujiao prescription group and Digoxin group after treatment was obviously decreased (P ＜ 0.01). ④ Lee's heart failure score of patients in Lujiao prescription group and Digoxin group after treatment was decreased (P ＜ 0.01). ⑤Myocardium oxygen consumption and HR of the patients in the Lujiao prescription group and Digoxin group after treatment was decreased (P ＜ 0.01). ⑥ The proportion of heart to chest between Lujiao prescription group and Digoxin group after treatment was decreased (P ＜ 0.01).⑦ EF and CO were increased by Lujiao prescription and by Digoxin (P＜ 0.01,vs pretreatment, respectively). IVST, PWT, LVMI of Lujiao prescription group after treatment were obviously decreased (P ＜ 0.01), while those of the Digoxin group were not obviously decreased (P ＞ 0.05). ⑧ Thlevel of plasma Ang Ⅱ of the patients in the Lujiao prescription group after treatment were obviously decreased (P ＜ 0.01), while that of the Digoxin group were not obviously decreased (P ＞ 0.05). The level of plasma ANF was decreased by Lujiao prescription and by digoxin(P ＜ 0.01, vs pretreatment, respectively).CONCLUSION: There is increasing cardiac constriction power and regressing left ventricular hypertrophy of patients with CHF by Lujiao prescription. The therapeutical effect of Lujiao prescription for CHF is better than that of Digoxin. The effect may be related to the regulation of circular or local endocrine(plasma Ang Ⅱ and ANF) disorder.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important ring-joint of congestive heart failure (CHF). It is also considered to be independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease, so how to reverse or relieve LVH is valuable to cure CHF.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Lujiao prescription on degree of LVH in patients with CHF.DESIGN: A random-control observation on CHF patients.SETTING: Department of Cardiovasology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 20 patients with CHF were selected from the Special Clinic and Department of Cardiovasology in Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 1996 to December 1998. All of them were consistent with the Framirham diagnostic criteria and following standardizations: ①above Ⅲ degree of cardiac functional grading by New York Heart Association (NYHA);②over 3 months case history;③accepted basic treatment of quantity sufficient diuretic and vasodilating agent excluding angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI);LVH was proved by echocardiogram or chest X-ray. They were informed of treatment items and consented.METHODS: According to random lot, the patients were divided into Lujiao prescription group and Digoxin group, each containing 10 patients.①Oral administrations of Lujiao prescription (35 mL, two times per day, produced by Shanghai Shuguang Hospital) and Digoxin (0.125-0.25 mg per tablet, batch number: 970757, once daily) were given in the corresponding groups, and the treatment duration was 3 months. After treatment, all the patients were detected in①NYHA cardiac functional grading; ②interventricular septal thickness (IVST) and posterior wall thickness (PWT) in diastolic phase through echocardiogram, myocardium weight of left ventricular by Devereux formula, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) corrected by bodysurface area, and degree of LVH;③the level of plasma angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ ) by radioactive immunoassay.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: NYHA cardiac functional grading, e-chocardiogram (IVST, PWT, LVMI, degree of LVH), the level of plasma Ang Ⅱ.RFSULTS: All 20 adopted patients entered the result analysis.①The classification of NYHA cardiac functional grading ( Ⅰ , Ⅱ ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ) were respectively 2, 5, 3, 0 case in Lujiao prescription group and 2, 4, 4, 0 case in Digoxin group after treatment, and difference was significant compared with those before treatment (0, 0, 7, 3, P ＜ 0.05).②IVST, PWT and LVMI of Lujiao prescription group were obviously decreased after treatment [(11.20±0.42), (12.10±0.32) mm, P ＜ 0.01; (10.60±0.84), (11.40±1.10) mm,P ＜ 0.01; (139.4±12.4), (155.3±15.4) g/m2, P ＜ 0.01], while those of the Digoxin group were untouched (P ＞ 0.05). The degree of LVH of Lujiao prescription group after treatment was obviously decreased [normal, mild,moderate, sever: 2, 6, 2, 0; 0, 3, 4, 3, P ＜ 0.01], while that of the Digoxin group was not obviously decreased (P ＞ 0.05).③)The level of plasma Ang Ⅱin the Lujiao prescription group was obviously decreased [(97.7±19.5),(144.0±18.5) ng/L, P ＜ 0.01], while that of the Digoxin group was not obviously increased (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Lujiao prescription can reverse or relieve the degree of LVH in patients with CHF.

Objective To explore the effect of several cytokines, including interferon-γ, interleukin-10 and interlekin-4, on promoter activity of human BAFF (B-cell activating factor belonging to tumor necrosis factor family) gene. Methods A construct of phBAFF 1.02 containing sequence form -1349 bp to -329 bp of human BAFF gene, linking with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) as reporter gene, was transiently transfected into human HL-60 cells, a kind of myeloid tumor cell lines. The cells were subsequently treated with IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4, and the CAT activity was assessed 24 hours after stimulation with each cytokines. Results IFN-γ of 5 ng/ml, IL-10 of 100 ng/ml could increase the CAT activity of phBAFF 1.02 to 4.18 and 2.13 folds respectively compared to the control. IL-4 at 100 ng/ml had no effect on promoter activity of human BAFF gene. Combination of IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4 could increase the CAT activity of phBAFF 1.02 to 3.41 and 1.58 folds respectively compared with controls. Conclusion IFN-γ and IL-10 can increase the promoter activity of human BAFF gene. IL-4 treatment can not affect the CAT activity driven by BAFF promoter. However, IL-4 can decrease the upregulating effect of IFN-γ and IL-10 on phBAFF1.02. These provide essential evidence for future study on the interaction mechanism of cytokines and BAFF in autoimmune diseases.

Objective To construct the DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70,and to detect its immune effect.Methods The acute monocytic leukemia associated antigen gene MLAA-34 and heat-shock protein (HSP)70 gene were extracted by using RT-PCR.The specific overlapping primer was designed,and the fusion gene MLAA34-HSP70 was amplified by using SOE-PCR technique.Then the DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70 was constructed,and BALB/c mice were immunized with this DNA vaccine.The splenic lymphocyte killing activity was detected by using MTT,levels of IL-2,IL-4 and IFN-γ were also detected by using ELISA.Results The MLAA34-HSP70 gene (2 956 bp) and the DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70 was amplified and constructed successfully.The killing efficiency of DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70 in U937 cells was significantly higher than that in other experimental groups and control group (P＜0.01),and levels of IL-4,IL-2 and IFN-γin DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70 group were significantly higher than those in the other experimental groups and control group (P＜0.01).Conclnsion The DNA vaccine pIRES2-MLAA34-HSP70 is constructed successfully.It is shown that the DNA vaccine induces strong humoral immunity,which could enhance immune responses to tumor cells and specificlly kill MLAA34 positive cells.

Objective To assess the val ue of 18-fluorodeoxy glucose (~18F-FDG) positron emission tomography( PE T)-CT in the detection of malignant bone metastases. Methods Thirty-five out of 332 patients, 89 lesions were detected on ~18 F-FDG PET-CT and were interpreted separately on PET, combined CT, and fused PE T-CT images. Results Of the 89 lesions detected on PET- CT images, 68 were malignant and 21 were benign lesions. PET alone identified 62 malignant lesions and 17 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificit y, and accuracy of PET alone for diagnosis of bone metastases were 91.2% (62/68) , 81.0% (17/21), and 88.8% (79/89), respectively. The combined CT alone identifi ed 55 malignant lesions and 16 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, s pecificity, and accuracy of combined CT alone were 80.9% (55/68), 76.2% (16/21), and 79.8% (71/89), respectively. The fused PET-CT images identified 64 maligna nt and 19 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the fused PET-CT were 94.1% (64/68), 90.5% (19/21), and 93.2% (83/89), respe ctively. Conclusion In the diagnosis of bone metastases, ~18F-FDG PET-CT imaging reduces the false positive rate and increases the specificity. ~18F-FDG PET-CT imaging is helpful in the differentiation o f bone metastases from benign lesions.

Objective: To observe the effect of needling Hegu (LI 4) on functions of the prefrontal cortex using the functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: A total of 12 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to an acupuncture group (n=6) and a control group (n=6). The control group received no intervention. The acupuncture group received needling Hegu (LI 4) on the right side. The real-time concentration changes of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2), deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) in the prefrontal cortex were recorded using the fNIRS, allowing for effect analysis of needling Hegu (LI 4) on the functions of the prefrontal cortex. Results: Compared with the control group, the HbO2 and t-Hb concentrations were increased in the acupuncture group and there were between-group statistical significances (bothP<0.05). There was no between-group statistical significance in d-Hb concentration (P>0.05). Conclusion: Needling Hegu (LI 4) can extensively activate the prefrontal cortex and therefore has significant effect on the functions of the brain's prefrontal cortex.