The microvasculature of the submandibular glands of guinea pig's was studied with the replica-SEM msthod. Special attention was paid to the microvascular architecture around the glandular ductal tree, which is mainly dichotomous, but usually asymmetrical and irregular, with a divergent angle of 40-80? and 7-8 grades of branching. The ductal tree is surrounded with a periductal vascular plexus. The periductal plexus of the excretory ducts can be divided into two layers: the inner layer is formed by capillaries and the outer layer by veins, so called venous coat. This venous coat is complexly constructed with button veins, loop veins and complicated venous circulatory by-passes. The capillary plexus of the striated ducts and intercalated ducts is supplied by venules with the cha-ractristics of the portal vein as they come from the capillaries of the acini. There are complex A-V and V-V anastomoses at the venous coat and at the lobu-lar porta.The significance of the microstructures described above was discussed.

Objective To explore the effective measurements of integrated therapy for the ear keloids in the Oriental. Methods Surgical excision was performed for keloid, and the cut then sutured directly or with flap transfer. At early stage of surgery (within 24 hours), X-ray or electron-ray radiotherapy was used for 3-5 times once daily; and steroids injected after cutting lines at 7th day every two weeks and gradually ended. Results A total of 48 patients were treated, and followed, in which 12 patients were lost of follow-up. The total effective rate was 94. 4 % based on the data of follow-up in 36 patients for 1-3 years. Therefore, the curation rate was 83. 3 % (30 cases) and effective rate 11. 1 % (4 cases). Conclusions Surgical cutting combined with early radiotherapy and steroids injection is the effective integrated therapy for the ear keloids in the Oriental.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Danggui Yinzi (DY) on delayed allergy in model mice with qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS).

METHODSQBDS model was established in 48 Kuming mice of SPF grade by using reserpine and acetophenone hydrazine. Forty of them were then randomly divided into the model group, the loratadine group, the high dose DY group, the middle dose DY group, and the low dose DY group, 8 in each group. Another 8 in line with the same standard were recruited as a blank group. Mice in high, middle, and low dose DY groups were administered with DY concentrated solution at 60, 30, 15 g/kg by gastrogavage. Mice in the loratadine group were administered with loratadine solution at 1.66 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in the model group and the blank group by gastrogavage. All medication was given once per day for 1 successive week. Except those in the blank group, the rest mice were evenly smeared with 1% DNCB solution on the abdomen. Five days after skin allergy, 1% DNCB solution was smeared to right ear of all mice to stimulate allergic reaction. Mice in the blank group were smeared in the same way without allergenic reaction. The auricle swelling and the inhibition ratio were determined at 24 h after attack. Blood was collected from orbit and serum IgE level detected using double-antibody sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, auricle swelling obviously increased and serum IgE level was obviously elevated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, auricle swelling obviously decreased and serum IgE level was obviously reduced in the 3 dose DY groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the auricle swelling degree was superior in high and middle dose DY groups to that in the loratadine group (P < 0.05). The inhibition ratio of auricle swelling was sequenced from high to low as 67.3% in the high dose DY group, 56.0% in the middle dose DY group, 48.1% in the low dose DY group, 47.3% in the loratadine group.

CONCLUSIONSDY could inhibit auricle swelling and lower serum IgE level. It also could inhibit delayed allergic reaction in model mice with QBDS to some extent.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Edema ; drug therapy ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; drug therapy ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Loratadine ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Qi ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on apoptosis regulatory genes bax and bcl-2 mRNA in prostate of rats.

METHODSBenign prostatic hyperplasia model rat was established by injecting testosterone after castration. The model rats were killed and prostate glands were removed for examination after being treated with administration of KQR by gastrogavage for 30 days. The wet weight of prostate was measured and the mRNA expressions of bax and bcl-2 in rats' tissue of abdominal lobe of prostate were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, wet weight of prostate was lower significantly in the groups treated with different dosages of KQR (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and that in the high dose KQR treated group was similar to that in the normal group (P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expressions of bax mRNA and ratios of bax/bcl-2 were significantly higher and the expressions of bcl-2 mRNA significantly lower in the KQR treated groups (P < 0.01), and these indexes in the high dose KQR treated group were insignificantly different from those in the normal group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONKQR shows an obvious treatment effect on rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia, the mechanism might be through effectively regulating the expressions of bax mRNA and bcl-2 mRNA in prostatic tissue to accelerate the cell apoptosis of prostate in obvious dose-effect manner.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Testosterone ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics

BACKGROUND: Because of complicated physiological environment and difficulty to control experimental conditions, it is difficult to get satisfactory results from in vivo studies of cell mechanics.OBJECTIVE: To study the action and mechanism of p38MAPK signaling pathways on myoblast apoptosis based on successful construction of in vitro mechanical stimulation models.METHODS: The C2C12 cells cultured in vitro were divided into control group and SB203580 treatment group. Cyclic tensile stress was applied on the C2C12 myoblast cells for 0, 6, 12 and 24 hours in each group. The Flexcell Strain Unit-5000T was used to expose C2C12 myoblast cell to an equiaxial cyclic of 15% magnitude and a frequency of 10 cycles/min, each cycle including the 3 s stretch and 3 s relaxation. Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining and optical microscope were used to detect cell apoptosis. RT-PCR, flow cytometric analysis were used to observe the apoptosis of C2C12 myoblast cells and Western blotting were used to detect the activity of p38MAPK and p-p38MAPK. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The optical microscope tested the change in the morphology. Hoechst 33258 staining showed that after treatment with cyclic stress, the cell took the typical appearance of apoptosis with chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies. RT-PCR and flow cytometry showed that with the extension of time the rate of the apoptosis of C2C12 myoblast cell increased. And cells imposed SB203580 before imposing cyclical tensile stress, the results showed that the apoptosis was markedly affected, and the p-p38MAPK expression declined apparently. These findings demonstrate that p38MAPK signaling pathways in stress mediated into C2C12 myoblast cell apoptosis plays an important role.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in prostatic tissue of rats.

METHODSBenign prostatic hyperplasia model rat was established by injecting testosterone after castration. After being administered with KQR by gastrogavage for 30 days, the model rats were killed and their abdominal lobe prostate glands were taken for determining the protein and mRNA expressions of bFGF using immunohistochemical method and RT-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respectively.

RESULTSThe expressions of bFGF and bFGF mRNA were significantly lower in the model rats being treated with high or medium dose of KQR than those in the untreated model rats (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but these indexes were insignificantly different between the model rats treated with low dose of KQR and untreated model rats (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONKQR can effectively decrease the expression of bFGF in prostatic tissue of experimental benign prostate hyperplasia model rats.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective:To investigate the factors and mechanisms in forming uric acid stones in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).Methods:106 patients with diabetes were divided into observation group and control group according to the combination of urinary calculi,53 cases in each group,The differences of clinical data and biochemical indexes between the two groups were compared,The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and urinary stones was analyzed by multi factor regression analysis.Results:There were no significant difference in observation group and control group in age,sex,SBP,DBP,TC,FBG,2hPBG and HbA1C (P＞0.05),and there were of statistical difference significance in BMI,urinary pH,HOMA-IR,SUA,TUA in the two gruops (P ＜0.05) and the Logistic regression analysis showed blood uric acid,the urinary pH,HOMA-IR,SUA were independent risk factors in urolithiasis in T2DM (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:High uric acid hematic disease,high uric acid excretion,insulin resistance,overweight or obesity,high blood triglycerides in patients with type 2 diabetes is risk factors for urinary stone formation,in which blood uric acid,urinary pH,HOMA-IR is the independent risk factor for type 2 diabetic patients with urinary calculi.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects and mechanism of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of low concentration on dynamic changes of intracellular free calcium contents ([Ca2+]i) in cultural rat liver oval cells (WB-F344 cells).

METHODSUsing Fluo-3/Am as fluorescent indicator of [Ca2+]i and it was measured by laser scanning confocal microscope system.

RESULTSThe results showed that: (1) A rapid transient spiking of [Ca2+]i occurred after the stimulation of H2O2 of low concentration (800 nmol/L). (2) The [Ca2+]i increase was abolished by pretreated with catalase (CAT) or by incubated in D-Hank's solution containing EGTA, the chelate of extracellular Ca2+. (3) The [Ca2+]i increase was not inhibited by pretreated nifedipine, Ca2+ channel blocker, but was abolished by pretreated with anthracere-9-cardoxylic acid (A9C), the Cl-channel blocker and which also blocked calcium activated non-selective cation channel (CAN).

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that the increase of [Ca2+]i induced by H2O2 of low concentration may be due to the influx of extracellular Ca2+ through CAN.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Ion Channels ; drug effects ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of polymorphism at the -238 and -308 position of the TNF-alpha promotor region on the clinical outcome of thalidomide (Thal)-based regimens for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODSThe polymorphism at the -238 and -308 position of the TNF-alpha promotor region of 168 MM patients treated with Thal-based regimens were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Genotypes were tested for association with overall response by logistic regression, and survival was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTSIn TNF-alpha -238 position, 11 (6.5%) patients had GA genotype and 1 (0.6%) AA genotype. In TNF-alpha -308 position, 19 (11.3%) had GA genotype and 1 (0.6%) AA genotype. In univariate analysis, the TNF-alpha -238 GA + AA genotypes were associated with a significantly prolonged progression free survival (PFS) (P = 0.017), and a better overall survival (OS) (P = 0.150). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that TNF-alpha -238 polymorphic status was an independent prognostic factor for prolonged PFS (P = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONThe TNF-alpha -238 polymorphic status is associated with a favorable clinical outcome in MM patients treated with thalidomide-based regimen. The polymorphism status of TNF-alpha gene might be of promise for developing a more informative stratification system for MM.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prognosis ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Thalidomide ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Kangquan Recipe (KQR) on sex steroids and cell proliferation in an experimental benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) model in rats.

METHODSSeventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: the normal group, the model group, the finasteride group, and the low-, middle-, and high-dose KQR groups, 12 in each group. Except those in the normal group, the rats were injected with testosterone after castration for the establishment of BPH model and then given respectively with normal saline, finasteride, and low-, middle-, and high-dose of KQR for 30 days. The levels of plasma testosterone (T) and estradiol (E(2)) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the mRNA expression ) of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in prostate tissue was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after administration.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the prostate weight, the plasma T, and the mRNA expression of PCNA were significantly lower, and the plasma E(2) and the ratio of E(2)/T were higher in the three KQR groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the prostate weight, plasma T and E(2), and ratio of E(2)/T among the finasteride group and the three KQR groups (P>0.05). The mRNA expressions of PCNA were significantly higher in the middle- and low-dose of KQR groups than those in the finasteride group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONKQR shows multitarget effects on experimental BPH rats, and the mechanism might be related with regulating the balance of plasma T and E(2) and decreasing the PCNAmRNA expression in prostate tissue to restrain cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cookbooks as Topic ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostate ; drug effects ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; blood ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley