Objective: The effects of estrogen on cellular immunity were investigated to explore the immunomodulatory properties of estrogen. Methods: In the present study, the in vitro influences of estrogen at 10~(-8),10~(-7 )and 10~(-6) mol/L on the ConA-induced proliferation of thymocytes were determined by MTT assay. Results: The results showed that estrogen at all concentrations we used suppressed the ConA-induced proliferation of thymocytes. The inhibitive effects had dose- and time- dependent pattern. Conclusion: These results suggested that estrogen had inhibiting effects on the cellular immunity.

The dysfunction of the upper limbs in tetraplegia depends on the level of spinal cord injury, and needs different type of upper limb orthosis.

Objective To introduce the technique and efficacy of the treatment of avulsion fracture at tibial insertion of anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) in children through internal fixation by hollow cancellous bone screw under arthroscope.Methods December 2002 ～December 2007,internal fixation using percutaneous reduction by leverage was conducted in 68 children with avulsion fracture at tibial insertion of ACL in our hospital.In 68 children,there were 29 females and 39 males,aged 6～15 years(average age of 12 years),including 22 cases of typeⅡ(with limited knee extension)and 46 cases of type Ⅲ.The fracture was fixed by hollow titanium cancellous bone screw.Results Sixty eight cases were followed up for an average of 18 months(12～36 months).The muscle tension(mea sured by KT-2000) in injured side was recovered close to the uninjured side.Excellent reduction,solid inter nal fixation,complete healing,stable knee joint and negative Lachman and drawer tests were shown in this clinical setting.No swelling,pain and knee dysfunction were found.Impingement sign at intercondylar fossa disappeared.The patients were satisfied with their functional recovery.There was no abnormal angulation and shortness.Conclusion Treatment of avulsion fracture(type Ⅱ with limited knee extension or type Ⅲ) at tibial insertion of ACL by arthroscopic internal fixation with hollow titanium alloy cancellous bone screw could obtain accurate and reliable reduction,and avoide epiphysis injury with satisfactory functional recovery.

Objective To investigate the effects of a highly selective protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89, injected intrathecally (IT) on hyperalgesia and phosphorylation of cAMP element binding protein(pCREB) in the dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve.Methods Fifty-eight adult female SD rats weighing 230-270 g were used in this study. CCI was produced by 4 loose ligatures place on the sciatic nerve of right hind leg at 1 mm interspace with 3-0 silk suture. The experiment was carried out in two parts. In part Ⅰ 28 animals were randomized to receive H89 1 (group H1), 2 (group H2 ) or 4 nmol (group H4) or 10 ?l of DMSO (the solvent) 10mmol?L-1 (control group) intrathecally (IT) (n = 7 each) 7 days after surgery. The paw-withdrawal latency following mechanical (MWL) and thermal stimulation (TWL) were recorded before (baseline) and 15, 30 and 60 min after drug administration. In part Ⅱ 24 rats were randomized to receive H89 1, 2 or 4 nmol or 10 ?l of DMSO 10 mmol?L-1 IT as in part Ⅰ (group H1, H2, H4 and control group, n = 6 each) . Another 6 animals received 10 ?l of DMSO 10 mmol?L IT 7 days after sham operation. The animals were killed 30 min after drug administration and lumbar (L4.5) segment of spinal cord was removed for determination of pCREB expression in the dorsal horn neurons of spinal cord using immuno-histochemical technique. Results MWL and TWL were significantly increased after drug administration in group H2(at 15min) and group H4(at 15 and 30 min) as compared to the baseline values(P

Objective To determine whether chronic constriction injury (CCI) to sciatic nerve is associated with changes in the phosphorylation of CREB in dorsal root ganglia ( DRG) and superficial dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord.Methods Thirty-two adult female SD rats weighing 230-270 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 8 each): Ⅰ blank control;Ⅱ sham operation; Ⅲ CCI 2w and Ⅳ CCI 4w. The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital 40 mg?kg-1. Right sciatic nerve was exposed and 4 ligatures were placed on the right sciatic nerve at 1 mm interspace with 3-0 silk suture. Paw withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation (von Frey filament) applied to plantar surface ( MWT) and paw withdrawal latency to thermal stimulation (radiant heat) (TWL) were measured before operation (baseline) and 14 days (group Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ) or 28 days (group Ⅳ) after nerve ligation. The animals were killed the next day and the L4,5 segment of the spinal cord and L5 dorsal root ganglion were removed for determination of expression of phosphorylated-CREB-immuno-reaction(pCREB-IR) using immuno-histochemistry. The pCREB-IR cells both in DRG and superficial dorsal horn neurons were quantified and analyzed. Results The animals developed mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia on the 14th day after CCI (in group CCI 2w) . The hyperalgesia was greatly attenuated on the 28th day after CCI. Interestingly enough the animals in sham operation group (Ⅱ) also developed mechanical hyperalgesia to some extent on the 14th day after operation. The number of pCREB-IR cells was significantly increased in the ipsilateral L5 DRG and superficial dorsal horn in group Ⅲ(CCI 2w) as compared to sham operation group ( P

AIM To study the effects of sera derived from rats administrated Lugu Ganoderma Lucidum (LGL) on the expression of adhesion molecules ICAM 1 and VCAM 1 induced by oxidative low density lipoprotein (ox LDL) and glycated albumin METHODS The expression of ICAM 1 and VCAM 1 on the surface of endothelial cells was detected by endothelial cell enzyme linked immunosobent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometric technique RESULTS The results by cell ELISA demonstrated that the sera derived from the rats administrated 0 12 g?kg -1 p o of LGL did not show significant effects on theexpression of ICAM 1 induced by ox LDL, but the sera from the rats administrated 0 24 g?kg -1 , 0 72 g?kg -1 po for ten days produced significant effects of inhibiting the expression of ICAM 1 induced by ox LDL and the expression of ICAM 1 and VCAM 1 induced by glycated albumin The results by flow cytometric techniques showed that the sera from the rats administrated 0 72 g?kg -1 for ten days produced the same effect on ICAM 1 induced by ox LDL and glycated albumin CONCLUSION Lugu Ganoderma Lucidum can inhibit the expression of adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells induced by ox LDL and glycated albumin.

AIM To establish an efficient and convenient system for expressing functional proteins. METHODS Xenopus leavis females were injected with HCG, eggs were harvested next morning and dejellied by 2% cysteine, from which the Xenopus leavis egg cell free translating system was prepared. Through subcloning technique, TFAR19 gene was cloned to pBluescript SK plasmid which was linearized by enzyme, then transcript and capped in vitro to synthesis the cRNA of TFAR19. RESULTS This cRNA was translated in freshly prepared cell free translating system, the product was identified by Western Blot. CONCLUSION The results showed that this translating system could efficiently translate TFAR19 cRNA and be a very useful translating tool.

BACKGROUND: The development of safe and powerful antidepressant agents from traditional Chinese herbs has become a hotspot in studies on anti-depression therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-depressive effect and possible mechanism of curcumin by behavioral and neurochemical procedures. DESIGN: Randomized grouping design and controlled experiment. SETTING: Depart, ment of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences of Peking University.MATERIALS: This study was carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences of Peking University, between November 2003 and October 2004. A total of 240 male ICR mice were recruited. METHODS: The whole experiment was divided into 4 tests. ① Antagonism of reserpine-induced hypothermia: Totally 60 mice were randomly chosen and divided into 6 groups: normal control group, groups of various doses of curcumin (1.25, 2.50, 5.00 and 10.00 mg/kg), and positive control group (imipramine 10 mg/kg). Normal temperature of the mice was measured before experiment. The animals were given a single injection of reserpine (2.5 mg/kg). The mice were administered with drugs 18 hours later, namely, curcumin of different concentrations by gastric perfusion, groundnut oil (0.1 mL/10g by gastric perfusion) as well as imipramine (10 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection). Rectal temperature was measured 60, 90, 120,150 and 180 minutes after administration, respectively. ② Potentiation of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)-induced head twitches: animal grouping was the same as above, and the drug in positive control group was replaced by fluoxetine. The mice received gastric perfusion and the dose of curcumin given was the same as above. Groundnut oil and fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) and 5-HTP (70 mg/kg) were injected into the vein of the tail one hour later.The number of head twitches was counted within 5-10 minutes after 5-HTP treatment. ③ Antagonism of apomorphine-induced hypothermia: Mice grouping was the same as above; the drug in positive control group was replaced by imipramine. Curcumin was give as above at 4 doses, and groundnut oil and imipramine were also given. Large-dose apomorphine was injected subcutaneously (16 mg/kg). Rectal temperature was measured before injection, as well as 30 minutes and 60 minutes after injection. ④Determination of monoamine and metabolites: Mice grouping was the same as above. The drug in positive control group was replaced by imipramine.Curcumin was give as above at 4 doses, and groundnut oil and imipramine were also given. The content of monoamine and metabolites in the mice was measured with high performance liquid chromatography. ⑤ Dunnett's t test was used for comparison between groups.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① In reserpine-induced hypothermia test, the change of body temperature before and after administration. ② In 5-HTP-induced head twitches test, whether the times of head twitches were increased. ③ In apomorphine-induced hypothermia test, the change of body temperature after administration. ④ Effect of drugs on the content of monoamine.RESULTS: Totally 240 mice entered the result analysis. ① Experiment results of reserpine-induced hypothermia: Curcumin (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg)produced an antagonism against reserpine-induced hypothermia, and the results were significantly different from those in control group (P ＜ 0.05,P＜0.01). Curcumin of 10.00 mg/kg produced the similar effect compared as that of imipramine in positive control group. ② Results of 5-HTPinduced head twitches: Curcumin (5 and 10 mg/kg) could significantly increase the times of 5-HTP-induced head twitches (P ＜0.05, P＜0.01). ③Results of apomorphine-induced hypothermia test: 2.50, 5.00 mg/kg and 10.00 mg/kg of curcumin could significantly increase the content of 5-HTP, and 10 mg/kg of curcumin could significantly increase the content of norepinephrine and dopamine. There was significant difference from that in control group (P ＜ 0.05). By contrast, curcumin had no obvious effect on the content of metabolite 5-hydroxyindol acetic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Imipramine of 10 mg/kg as the positive control drug could significantly increase the content of 5-hydroxyindol acetic acid and norepinephrine (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION: Curcumin has an antidepressant effect and the effect exerted may be related to monoaminergic neurotransmitter system.