Objective To study the effect of low-dose FK778 in preventing chronic renal al- lograft rejection in rats.Methods The rat model of chronic renal allograft rejection was established by using micro-surgery technique.The recipients were divided into two groups.The recipients in the study group were treated with FK778 at a dose of 5mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)dissolved in carboxymethylcellulose by means of gavage and the controls were treated with carboxymethylcellulose.Urinary protein con- centrations were measured every 4 weeks for 24 weeks.On 24th week after operation,the rats were killed and the kidney grafts were taken out for histological and immunohistological examinations as well as quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis.Results After 24 weeks of treatment,proteinuria, the severity of chronic rejection,glomeruIosclerosicytes and monocytes/macrophages in the study group were significantly milder than in control group.And the expression of TGF-?mRNA and PDGF-B mRNA was significantly reduced in the study group as compared with that in the control group.Conclusion Low-dose of FK778 might prevent the rats from chronic renal allograft rejection.

Objective To study the expression of Livin,a novel inhibitor of apoptosis protein(IAP)family member in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia(ALL).Methods Livin protein of 40 cases myeloid tissue of children with ALL and 20 cases that of non-leukemia children were assayed by streptomycin avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex staining immunohistochemical method in order to analyze the relationship between Livin protein expression and development of ALL.Results The positive rates of Livin protein expression was 40% in 40 cases ALL,but in control group,the positive rates of Livin protein expression was 5%.The difference of 2 groups was significant(P

Objective To study the expression of novel inhibitor of apoptosis protein(IAP) family member livin gene and its two isoforms(livin ? and livin ?) in brain tissue of children with gliomas.Methods Livin ? and Livin ? mRNA were detected by real time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) in brain tissue of 30 children with gliomas and 12 healthy children.Result The positive rate of Livin mRNA expression was 83.3%(25/30 cases)in 30 cases of children with gliomas,the positive rate of Livin mRNA was only 8.3%(1/12 case) in normal brain tissue,there was significant difference in 2 groups(P

Objective To investigate the usage of distortion product otoacoustic emissions(DPOAE) in normal infants hearing screening.Methods One hundred infants(200 ears) without clinical condition of illness were checked in GSI 70 DPOAE screening.The pure tones were 2,3,4 kHz,the OAE screener scored the test result as a pass,when the responses were above the PASS/REFER line and the signal-to-noise was at least 10 dB.Results Ninty-four infants(188 ears) passed hearing screening. Four infants(8 ears) with ceruminous impaction didn′t pass screening;after extracting impacted cerumen from the external auditory meatus,the 4 infants(8 ears) passed screening.Two infants(2 ears) with secretory otitis media didn′t pass screening,but after medicine treatment for 1 week,they passed screening too.Conclusion DPOAE has advantages in infants hearing screening.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2006,21(3):168-169

OBJECTIVETo study the pathological change of rats' benign hyperplastic prostate (BHP) after radical denervation.

METHODSA total of 65 male spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR) at 30 weeks age were randomly assigned into treatment group, sham surgery control group and normal control group. In surgery group, all the axonal branches of the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) supplying the bilateral prostate were truncated, followed performing of cystostomy; In sham surgery control group, only cystostomy was performed; In normal control group, no procedure was performed. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 7, 11, 15 and >or= 21 d post-operation respectively. The gross morphological changes of prostate in all animals were observed.

RESULTSIn treatment group, the prostate in 3 d post-operation showed granular solidification and shrunken volume and the changes occurred gradually over time. The glandular epithelial cells showed gradual degeneration, necrosis and detachment. The glandular epithelium became progressively thinner, the smooth muscles elongated and thinned progressively and the stromal components showed mild to moderate overgrowth. At the later stage, the glandular epithelium, glandular lumen and smooth muscles gradually disappeared and the prostate was largely replaced by connective tissues. Electron microscopic study showed that the glandular cells gradually underwent vacuolar degeneration and the structures of basement membrane became fuzzy. The smooth muscles cells degenerated overtime and the fibroblasts and collagenous fibers in the stroma overgrew slowly. At the late stage, most of the glandular cells became necrotic, the basal membrane and smooth muscle cells disappeared and collagenous fibers were highly hyperplasic. In surgery group in 3 d post-operation, the S-100 staining of nerve fiber was diffuse and disappeared after 11 d while it persisted normally in other groups. The two values in sham surgery control group showed no significant changes post-operatively.

CONCLUSIONSAfter radical denervation, the rat prostate with benign hyperplasia (gland and smooth muscles) undergoes dramatic atrophic changes and the volume decreases significantly. It suggests that this treatment may represent a novel therapy for BPH.

Animals ; Denervation ; methods ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Prostate ; innervation ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; surgery ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR

Accidents, Occupational ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differential expression of apoptosis associated gene Bcl-2 and Bax through cell cycle and its possible clinical meaning.

METHODSThe prostate cancer cell line PC-3 was synchronized in M, G1, S and G2 phase using modified thymine deoxyriboside blockage and high pressure N2O technique. The efficiency of synchronization was detected by flow-cytometry. RT-PCR and Western blot methods were used to examine the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in mRNA and protein level.

RESULTSThe synchronized rate of M, G1, S and G2 phase were 92.1%, 87.0%, 80.2% and 75.9% respectively. Bcl-2 was constitutively expressed through the cell cycle, but both the mRNA and protein expression level of Bcl-2 were very high in the G1 phase, dramatically decreased in M, S and G2 phase. The expression level of Bax had no change through the cell cycle.

CONCLUSIONSCell cycle could influence the expression level of Bcl-2 significantly but not Bax, these might have some clinical relevance.

Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo define changes in clusterin expression following short-term neoadjuvant hormone therapy (NHT) and its biological significance in prostate cancer tissues.

METHODSTwenty-six archival radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens without receiving NHT, 19 needle biopsies and corresponding 19 RP specimens following 3-month NHT, were subjected to immunohistochemical clusterin staining.

RESULTSStaining for clusterin was mainly found in cytoplasm and part of extracellular matrix. Clusterin expression was significantly greater in RP specimens with preoperative NHT (t = 2.91, P < 0.01); Needle biopsies obtained before NHT consistently demonstrated lower staining intensity (1.42 +/- 0.51) than corresponding RP specimens (2.16 +/- 0.60) following 3-month NHT (t = 7.10, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSUpregulation of clusterin in part accounts for malignant progression of prostate cancer through its anti-apoptotic action following androgen withdrawal. These findings support that adjuvant therapy targeting clusterin may enhance androgen ablation therapy in advanced prostate cancer.

Aged ; Clusterin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; methods ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; therapeutic use ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of using Jiangzhi Tongluo Soft Capsule (JTSC) combined with Atorvastatin Calcium Tablet (ACT) or ACT alone in treatment of combined hyperlipidemia.

METHODSA randomized, double blinded, parallel control, and multi-center clinical research design was adopted. Totally 138 combined hyperlipidemia patients were randomly assigned to the combined treatment group (A) and the atorvastatin treatment group (B) by random digit table, 69 in each group. All patients took ACT 20 mg per day. Patients in the A group took JTSC 100 mg each time, 3 times per day. Those in the B group took JTSC simulated agent, 100 mg each time, 3 times per day. The treatment period for all was 8 weeks. Serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were observed before treatment, at week 4 and 8 after treatment; and safety was assessed as well.

RESULTSAt week 4 and 8 after treatment serum TG decreased by 26.69% and 33.29% respectively in the A group (both P < 0.01), while it was decreased by 25.7% and 22.98% respectively in the B group (both P < 0.01). At week 8 decreased serum TG was obviously higher in the A group than in the B group (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, serum levels of LDL-C and TC levels decreased significantly in the two groups (all P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the drop-out value and the drop-out rate of serum LDL-C and TC levels (P > 0.05). At week 8 the serum HDL-C level showed an increasing tendency in the two groups. No obvious increase in peptase or creatase occurred in the two groups after treatment.

CONCLUSIONJTSC combined with ACT could lower the serum TG level of combined hyperlipidemia patients with safety.

Adult ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the DNA and chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte of workers occupationally exposed to formaldehyde (FA).

METHODSAll 151 workers occupationally exposed to FA from two plywood factories and 112 workers without occupational FA exposure working in a machine manufactory were recruited into this study. Comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus technique was used to evaluate the DNA and chromosomal damage of peripheral blood lymphocyte. The air FA samples were collected with SKC 224-PCXR8 air samplers. Gas chromatography was used to analyze the FA level. Personal information including occupational history, age, sex, smoking and drinking status was collected by the questionnaire.

RESULTSThe time weighted average concentration (TWA) of FA in the working environment of FA-exposed workers (range 0.10 - 7.88 mg/m(3)) was higher than those in controls (< 0.01 mg/m(3)). The olive tail moment (Olive TM) in low FA-exposed workers [3.03 (2.49 - 3.67)] was lower than that in high FA-exposed workers [3.95 (3.53 - 4.43)], but higher than that in controls [0.93 (0.78 - 1.10)], the differences were statistical significant (P < 0.05). Comet trail length in FA-exposed workers were significantly higher than that in controls [6.78 (6.05 - 7.60)], but no significant differences ware found between the high FA-exposed workers [12.59 (11.80 - 13.43)] and the low FA-exposed workers [11.25 (10.12 - 12.50)]. The frequency of micronuclei per 100 binucleated cells in low FA-exposed workers (0.41 +/- 0.25) was lower than that in high FA-exposed workers (0.65 +/- 0.36), but higher than that in controls (0.27 +/- 0.13), the differences were statistical significant (P < 0.05). The increased tendencies with the exposure levels were found in those three indices. In stratification analysis, the same results were found.

CONCLUSIONIn the current FA exposure levels, the DNA and chromosomal damage in peripheral blood lymphocyte might be induced by FA exposure, and be increased with the levels of exposure.

Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Formaldehyde ; analysis ; poisoning ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Micronucleus Tests ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Smoking ; Young Adult