Animals ; Female ; Lactobacillus ; Liver ; pathology ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Selenium ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the 5-and 10-year survival and complications of patients with stage Ⅱb cervical carcinoma treated by pre-operative photon radiotherapy (POPRT) plus brachytherapy (192Ir) and selective lymphadenectomy hysterectomy (SLH) plus intra-operative electron radiotherapy (IOERT). Methods From February 1997 to May 2007, 160 patients with stage Ⅱb cervical carcinoma were treated by POPRT of 20 Gy in 10 fractions to the whole pelvis, 192Ir brachytherapy of 14 Gy in 2fractions, followed by IOERT of 18 -20 Gy to the whole pelvis during SLH one week after. Results The follow-up rate was 98.1%. The number of patients followed-up for 5 and 10 years was 143 and 135,respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate, disease-free survival rate and local control rate of all patients were 89.4%, 86. 3% and 96. 3%, with the corresponding 10-year rates of 84.4%, 81.0% and 95.0%,respectively. The radiation-induced rectitis and cystitis were 5.0% and 0. 6%, respectivly. The rate of hydronephrosis and lower extremity edema was 6. 3% and 1.3%, respectively. Conclusions Combination of EBRT plus 192Ir brachytherapy and SLH plus IOERT could improve the survival and local control of patiens with cervical carcinoma, with only a few side effects.

Cancer, also known as malignant tumor, is the second largest disease after heart disease, which is characterized by genomic instability and mutagenicity. Ataxia telangiectasia and RAD3-related kinase (ATR) are members of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIKK) family, belonging to serine/threonine kinase, one of the key kinases in DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair pathway. This paper reviews the latest progress in the ATR inhibitor field including mechanism of action (MOA), therapeutic applications, and the combination therapy from the perspective of medicinal chemistry. It also discusses the possible challenges and future directions of developing ATR inhibitor antitumor drugs, which could provide the scientists in this field the convenience for access the information and application guidance for clinical studies.

Literatures on pain intervention with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) were collected by searching the databases both in Chinese and English, and summarized to understand the research progress of TEAS effects on pain mediators in recent years. This will provide a more objective and scientific theoretical basis for clinical practice of TEAS to treat pain syndrome, thus promoting the clinical application of TEAS. Our literature analysis indicated that TEAS effectively regulated the release levels of various pain factors such as prostaglandin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, interleukins, substance P and tumor necrosis factor-α to achieve the analgesic effects by affecting the conduction pathways. TEAS is a safe, non-invasive and effective treatment for pain syndrome. However, further research is necessary due to the lack of rigor of the current clinical trial design.

Thirty-six healthy Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and divided randomly into a control group (group C), a medium-dose cadmium loading group (group M) and a high-dose cadmium loading group (group H). Cadmium chloride was diluted with saline to contain 0.4 mg/ml of autoclaved cadmium solution. Groups M and H were injected in the abdominal cavity with 0.5 and 1.0 mg of cadmium per kg body weight respectively, and group C with saline of the same dosage as in group H over 7 d. Six rats of each group were killed on the 4th day and 7th day after cadmium loading, respectively, and blood, testis, liver and heart were collected. Cadmium content, changes in nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were studied in blood and the tissues of testis, liver and heart. Results showed that during the entire experimental period, body weight in groups M and H decreased significantly as compared with that in group C; cadmium concentration increased significantly in testis, heart and liver of groups M and H, and rose with increased dosage and time of cadmium loading; there was no obvious difference in plasma nitric oxide between groups M and C, though nitric oxide was higher in group M than in group C. Nitric oxide in group H was significantly superior to that in group C. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha was markedly higher in groups M and H than in group C. Nitric oxide contents in the rat s testis, liver and heart homogenates with cadmium loading were higher than those in group C or significantly superior to group C. The same changes in tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the tissue homogenates of the testis and heart were found, but no obvious difference in tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the liver between the three groups was observed. It is suggested that the massive release of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced by cadmium loading may play an important role in the induction of malfunction of multiple systems or organs in rats.
Animals ; Cadmium Chloride ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Multiple Organ Failure ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

This 6-week study was conducted to evaluate the effects of seven different levels of dietary chromium (Cr) (0, 75, 150, 300, 450, 600, and 1 200 ppb Cr) in the form of Cr nanoparticle (CrNano) on growth, body composition, serum hormones and tissue Cr in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Seventy male SD rats (average initial body weight of (83.2+/-4.4) g) were randomly assigned to seven dietary treatments (n=10). At the end of the trial, body composition was assessed via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). All rats were then sacrificed to collect samples of blood, organs and tissues for determination of serum hormones and tissue Cr contents. The results indicated that lean body mass was significantly increased (P<0.05) due to the addition of 300 and 450 ppb Cr from CrNano. Supplementation of 150, 300, 450, and 600 ppb Cr decreased (P<0.05) percent body fat significantly. Average daily gain was increased (P<0.05) by addition of 75, 150, and 300 ppb Cr and feed efficiency was increased (P<0.05) by supplementation of 75, 300, and 450 ppb Cr. Addition of 300 and 450 ppb Cr decreased (P<0.05) the insulin level in serum greatly. Cr contents in liver and kidney were greatly increased (P<0.05) by the addition of Cr as CrNano in the dosage of from 150 ppb to 1 200 ppb. In addition, Supplementation of 300, 450, and 600 ppb Cr significantly increased (P<0.05) Cr content in the hind leg muscle. These results suggest that supplemental CrNano has beneficial effects on growth performance and body composition, and increases tissue Cr concentration in selected muscles.
Animals ; Body Composition ; drug effects ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Chromium ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hormones ; blood ; Male ; Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; ultrastructure ; Organ Specificity ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Distribution

Sixty healthy Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and divided randomly into control group (group C), cadmium loading group with medium dose (group M) and cadmium loading group with high dose (group H). Groups C, M and H were orally dosed daily with 0, 5 and 10 mg/kg of cadmium for over 6 weeks. Effects of cadmium loading on testis and endocrine function of reproduction in male rats were studied. The results showed that the zinc content decreased slightly in testis and plasma, and the cadmium concentration increased significantly in the testis of groups M and H; while the plasma levels of cadmium and zinc had no obvious difference as compared with those of group C; daily sperm production in the testis of group H decreased markedly during week 3 of cadmium loading, and was significantly lower in groups M and H as compared to that in group C during week 6; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in group H and lactate dehydrogenase-X (LDH-X) in groups M and H were markedly lower compared to those of group C; plasma testosterone (T) level in both cadmium loading groups decreased and was low or significantly lower than that in group C; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels had no apparent difference between the three groups. It is suggested that the gradual accumulation of cadmium in testis tissue induced by chronic cadmium loading results in changes in some enzyme activity, a decrease in sperm production, and defect of endocrine function activity in the testis.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; drug effects ; Animals ; Cadmium ; blood ; Cadmium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Isoenzymes ; drug effects ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; drug effects ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; enzymology ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood

Twenty-two compounds were isolated from the flowers of Scabiosa tschilliensis. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods as octacosanol (1), stearic acid (2), β-sitosterol (3), oleanolic acid (4), apigenin (5), luteolin (6), daucosterol (7), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-6-O-(p-hydroxycinnamoyl) -glucopyranoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-β-D- (3, 6-di-p-(hydroxycinnamoyl) -glucopyranoside (9), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), luteolin-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (11), apigenin-7-O-rutinoside (12), luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (13), apigenin-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (14), caffeic acid methyl ester (15), loganin (16), adenosine (17), luteolin-6-C-β-D-glycopyranosyl (18), sweroside (19), sylvestrosides I (20), sylvestrosides II (21), urceolide (22). Among them, compounds 1, 2, 7-9, 12, 15, 17-18, 20-22 were isolated from the genus Scabiosa for the first time, and compounds 1-4, 6-9, 11-12, 14-22 were isolated from this plant for the first time. 13C-NMR data of 22 were reported for the first time.
Dipsacaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo isolate, identify and culture human spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) and then obtain purified and enriched human SSCs for research and application.

METHODSWe detected the expression of CD90 in the human testis using the immunofluorescence technique and isolated human testicular spermatogenic cells by two-step enzymatic digestion, followed by differential plating and magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) with CD90 as an SSC marker. Then we identified the isolated CD90-positive spermatogenic cells by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry, and meanwhile cocultured them with Sertoli cells in SG medium in vitro.

RESULTSThe isolated CD90-positive cells showed a relatively homogeneous characteristic in size and morphology and expressed the genes specific for human SSCs, with high expressions (90.5%) of GFRA1, GPR125, and UCHL1. After coculture with Sertoli cells in the SG medium for 2 weeks, the isolated CD90-positive cells maintained a good activity.

CONCLUSIONCD90 can be regarded as a speci- fic marker for human SSCs and used to obtain highly enriched human SSCs by differential plating and MACS. Furthermore, the isolated human SSCs can be cultured in SG medium in vitro.

Adult Stem Cells ; cytology ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Cell Shape ; Cell Size ; Coculture Techniques ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism ; Sertoli Cells ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; Testis ; metabolism ; Thy-1 Antigens ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the effects of tamoxifen on proliferation of human breast cancer Bcap-37 cells and cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and to explore it's possible mechanism.

METHODSThe techniques of cell culture, growth curves, flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscope were used.

RESULTSTamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L) shifted the growth curve of Bcap-37 cells downward, and shifted the growth curve of HeLa cells upward. Tamoxifen (10(-8) - 10(-6) mol/L) inhibited the proliferation of Bcap-37 cells in a dose-dependent manner, but stimulated the proliferation of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. Bcap-37 cells appeared apoptosis when treated with tamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L), and the same dose stimulated the proliferation of HeLa cells at GI/S phases. The apoptotic rate of Bcap-37 cells was 97.5%. It blocked G1 phase of HeLa cells from 55.5% to 32.8%, and increased the S phase from 29.0% to 49.4%. Tamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L) also increased the releasing of calcium in Bcap-37 and HeLa cells.

CONCLUSIONTamoxifen can significantly influence the proliferation of breast cancer and cervical carcinoma cells possibly by affecting cell cycle and stimulating the releasing of Ca2+ in the cells.

Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology