In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using autologous vein graft and platelet-derived growth factors to bridge transected cavernous nerve in a rat model. A short defect in the bilateral cavernous nerve was created and repaired with vein graft from the right jugular vein or vein graft plus platelet-derived growth factors. The 32 rats were divided into four groups, namely Group 1 - no repair as a negative control, Group 2 - vein graft alone, Group 3 - vein graft plus platelet-derived growth factors, and Group 4 - sham operation as a positive control. We evaluated nerve regeneration and functional recovery using retrograde tracing study with FluoroGold, Toluidine blue staining of cavernous nerve, and the intracavernous pressure at 3 months. Three months after surgery, rich FluoroGold-positive cells were observed in the sham and vein graft plus platelet-derived growth factors group, but very few were found in the no repair group. The number of myelinated axons of regenerated cavernous nerve and intracavernous pressure were increased obviously in the two vein graft groups, especially in the vein graft plus platelet-derived growth factors group. These findings confirm the feasibility of using autologous vein as guides for cavernous nerve regeneration, and the regeneration can be further enhanced when the vein is filled with platelet-derived growth factors.

This article is aimed to provide a method for the simultaneous analysis of five heavy metals, including Cu, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg, in Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Gastrodiae Rhizoma through ICP-MS. Five heavy metals were determined by an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry method after microwave-assisted digestion. The linear correlation coefficients were all better than 0.999. The lowest limits of quantification for all target elements were 0.003 0.134 ug·L-1, while the recovery values ranged from 80.04% 118.34%. This method was accurate, convenient, rapid, and highly sensitive, and can be applied to determine five heavy metals, including Cu, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg in Chuanxiong Rhizoma and Gastrodiae Rhizoma.

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein expression of Snail in 5 specimens jusxta-eancerous normal breast tissues, 35 specimens of cancerous tissues without metastasis and 20 specimens of breast carcinoma with lymphonode metastasis. Breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231 was transfected with antisense Snail. Results showed that the expression of Snail protein was significantly higher in breast carcinomas than in their normal tissues. The mRNA and protein expressions of Snail in the breast carcinoma cells treated with antisense Snail was significantly decreased while the E-cadherin protein significantly increased (both P < 0.05). The number of invasive ceils treated with antisense Snail was (10.5±1.3)%, while in treated with EGFP was (68.2±2.1)% (P < 0.05). The abnormal expression of Snail contribute to the invasiveness of breast carcinoma. The antisense Snail could prevent the cells ability to invade in vitro, and the effect is related with the up-regulated E-cadherin protein.

The study is to develop a method to determine 3 batches leaves of Nauclea officinalis and stems of N. officinalis by HPLC. The differences between strictosamide contents and fingerprints was compared, then chromatographic peak of fingerprints was validated with the assistance of LC-MS. The strictosamide contents in stems of N. officinalis were higher than leaves of N. officinalis. The main chemical composition in leaves of N. officinalis and stems of N. officinalis were alkaloid which revealed by LC-MS. There are 7 chemical compositions were same between them, but the chemical composition in leaves of N. officinalis is more than stems of N. officinalis. This provides a scientific basis for the development of the potential medicinal value of leaves of N. officinalis and the sustainable utilization of N. officinalis.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Rubiaceae ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Objective To is ol ate novel thyroid hormone-response genes, to study the characterizations of the ir expressions and to predict their possible functions in neonatal rats. Methods A neonatal rat model with congenital hypothyr oidism was established and cDNA fragments of novel thyroid hormone-response gen es from cerebral cortex of neonatal rats were obtained by fluorescence-labeled DD-PCR analysis, subcloning and sequencing. Complete cDNAs of novel thyroid hor mone-response genes were cloned by the techniques of electronic clone, RT-PCR and sequencing, their expressions regulated by thyroid hormone were confirmed b y Northern blot analysis, their distributions, transcription levels in different tissues and different brain areas were further observed by semiquantitative RT -PCR analysis, and their possible functions were postulated through bioinformat ic techniques. Results A novel complete cDNA of thyroid hormone-response protein-1 (TRP-1) gene is cloned. It is 973 bp in f ull-length (Gene Bank accession no. AF348365), and its transcription was enhanc ed in cerebral cortex in neonatal hypothyroidism rats. The expression of its mRN A was very extensive, but more abundant in brain. Its transcriptional level in d ifferent brain areas was not uniform, much higher in olfactory bulb. Its encodin g protein had some significant domains and motifs. Conclusion TRP-1 gene is a new thyroid hormone-response gene and may play an important role during normal brain development. Its abnormal expression may b e partially responsible for neurological defects in brain arising from thyroid h ormone deficiency during critical period for perinatal rats.

Objective To explore the influence of acupuncture point massage combined with limb function exercise on ankle brachial index (ABI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods According to scores by grace score scale, 180 CHD patients were divided into three groups: low risk group (n=58), moderate risk group (n=68) and high risk group (n=54). Within the three groups, the patients were divided into the experiment group and the control group by using the random digital table. The control group was treated with routine nursing intervention , while the experiment groups accepted acupuncture point massage and limb function exercise training on the basis of control groups. We collected the values of ABI and PWV at four points-in-time: before intervention, 7 days after intervention, 30 days after intervention and 90 days after intervention. Results Repeated measurement data analysis of the experiment group and control group suggested that:in the moderate and high risk groups, there was statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in the data at the four time points. There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in time and group interaction effect. The difference between the experiment group and control group was statistically significant (P<0.05). Repeated measurement data analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in ABI&PWV interaction effect at the four time points between the experiment group and control group. In the low-risk group,the differences in time points compared with the main effect were insignificant (all P>0.05). In comparison of main effect at all the four time points, there was significant different in the moderate and high risk group (P<0.05), And it suggested that time and group interaction, namely effect of time factor (1 d, 7 d, 30 d, 90 d), was not decided by the division of groups. In comparison of main effect, the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.01) in the moderate and high-risk group, which indicated the main effect (intervention) playing main role. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) of ABI&PWV before and 90-days after intervention. Conclusion Acupuncture point massage combined with limb function exercise can effectively improve the peripheral artery blood supply in CHD patients, lower ABI and promote PWV.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the best surgical approach to the skull base neoplasms.

METHODSRetrospective analysis the 79 skull base neoplasms cases treated with surgical resection in Qilu hospital of Shandong university from 1992 to 2002. Eleven surgical approaches including midfacial degloving, frontal coronal discission, nasal eversion, maxillary swing, partial maxillary resection, total resection of orbit, mandibular swing, combination of front, temple, preauricular, post aureum, neck, and transoral approaches were used to resect the tumor which involved fossae pterygopalatine, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, antero, meso and posterobasilar region, lobi frontalis and lobi temporalis of cerebrum.

RESULTSSeventy-nine skull base neoplasms were totally removed and no one died from the operation. Although 5 cases complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leak and all recovered within 1 week, no serious cranium-cerebrum complication occurred. In 29 patients with benign tumor including 11 cases of meningioma, 3 cases of chondroma, 1 case of hemangio-meningioma, 1 case of cavernous hemangioma, 2 cases of osteodysplasia fibromas, 9 cases of neurofibroma, 1 case of glomus jugular tumor, 1 case of neurilemmoma, 19 have survived over 5 years and the longest one has survived over 8 years. For 50 patients with malignant tumor including 3 cases of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, 17 cases of moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, 11 cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, 1 case of undifferentiated carcinoma, 2 cases of chondrosarcoma, 5 cases of canceration of papilloma, 2 cases of adenocarcinoma, 1 case of esthesioneuroblastoma, 2 cases of malignant fibrohistiocytoma, 1 case of fibrosarcoma, 2 cases of malignant mixed tumour, 3 cases of sarcoma survival rates of 3 and 5 years were 59.2% (29/49), 38.5% (10/26) respectively.

CONCLUSIONIn order to resect the tumor completely and reduce the complication and malformation as far as possible, different surgical approaches must be designed according to the pathological changes characters and involved area,and the surgeon should select the shortest approach, avoid to damage the important neurovascular structure, and resect the tumor through the natural anatomy space by the shelter incision.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull Base Neoplasms ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-gamma and anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-beta1, in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) of men with chronic abacterial prostatitis and their clinical significance.

METHODSThe levels of IFN-gamma and TGF-beta1, in the EPS of 20 patients with inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome (type III A), 20 patients with non-inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome (type Ill B) and 10 healthy men were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were analysed comparatively with NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI).

RESULTSIFN--gamma and TGF-beta1 levels were higher in III ([14.92 +/- 7. 85)], [8477.50 +/- 4612.45] ng/L) and III B ([13.74 +/- 5.96], [7946.50 +/- 5044.06] ng/L) prostatitis patients than those in the controls ([7.47 +/- 1.49], [2462.50 +/- 985.31] ng/L), P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in cytokine levels between III A and Il B prostatitis patients. No correlation was found between NIH-CPSI and cytokine levels, r = 0.02, P = 0.86, r = 0.31, P = 0.76.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma and TGF-beta1, play a very important role in the etiology of chronic abacterial prostatitis and can be the objective parameters in the diagnosis of chronic abacterial prostatitis.

Adult ; Bodily Secretions ; chemistry ; Chronic Disease ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; diagnosis ; Prostate ; secretion ; Prostatitis ; diagnosis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on cavernous nerve (CN) regeneration and functional status in a nerve-crush rat model. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three equal groups: eight had a sham operation, eight underwent bilateral nerve crushing with no further intervention and eight underwent bilateral nerve crushing with an immediate application of PRP on the site of injury. Erectile function was assessed by CN electrostimulation at 3 months and nerve regeneration was assessed by toluidine blue staining of CN and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase staining of penile tissue. Three months after surgery, in the group that underwent bilateral nerve crushing with no further intervention, the functional evaluation showed a lower mean maximal intracavernous pressure (ICP) and maximal ICP per mean arterial pressure (MAP) with CN stimulation than those in the sham group. In the group with an immediate application of PRP, the mean maximal ICP and maximal ICP/MAP were significantly higher than those in the injured control group. Histologically, the group with the application of PRP had more myelinated axons of CNs and more NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerve fibres than the injured control group but fewer than the sham group. These results show that the application of PRP to the site of CN-crush injury facilitates nerve regeneration and recovery of erectile function. Our research indicates that clinical application of PRP has potential repairing effect on CN and peripheral nerves.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electric Stimulation ; Erectile Dysfunction ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; NADPH Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Penis ; innervation ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves ; metabolism ; pathology ; Platelet Transfusion ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Radiculopathy ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A reasonable method for the quality control of tablets of Ginkgo biloba leaves was established in this paper. The total flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones of G. biloba tablets were quantified by HPLC. Totally, 16 batches of the commercially available tablets of G. biloba leaves were determined. Among of them, 2 batches were unqualified in the content of total flavonol glycosides, and 3 batches were unqualified in the content of terpene lactones. A validated HPLC fingerprint method was established to evaluate the commercially available tablets of G. biloba leaves with the assistance of LC-MS. Sixteen batches showed the similarity of 0.763-0.989. There were 31 fingerprint chromatogram peaks were identified as flavonoids compositions by LC-MS. This provides a research idea for the quality control of tablets of G. biloba leaves.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Tablets ; chemistry