Objective To describe a novel surgical technique for male long-segment urethral stric- ture after pelvic trauma using the intact and pedieled pendulous urethra to replace the bulbar and membra- nous urethra,and then reconstructing anterior urethra.Methods Three patients with long-segment post- traumatic bulbar and membranous urethral strictures with short left pendulous urethras who had undergone several failed previous surgeries were treated with staged pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty fol- lowed by reconstruction of the anterior urethra.This procedure was divided into 3 stages.The first-stage sur- gery was mobilization of anterior urethra down to the coronary sulcus and then re-routing the prostatic urethra followed by pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty with transposition of penis to perineum.The sec- ond-stage surgery was transecting the anterior urethra at the site of coronary sulcus 6 months later when it was re-vaseularized,then straightening the penis and performing urethroperineostomy.The third-stage surgery was reconstruction of anterior urethra 6 months later.Results Case 1 reported satisfactory voiding postopera- tively.Retrograde urethrography showed that the urethra was patent with no post-voiding residual urine (PVR),and bilateral vesicoureteral reflux almost disappeared.The Qmax was 18.8ml/s,and 18ml/s after the third stage surgery and at 2-year follow-up.Case 2 also had satisfactory voiding.A 22F urethral catheter could smoothly pass through the urethra,and Qmax was 19.5 ml/s with no PVR at 2-year follow-up.Case 3 underwent the first stage surgery through perineal and pubic routes.The urethrorectal and urethroperineal fis- tulas were excised and repaired simultaneously.After operation the fistulas healed,but the stenostomia resul- ting from wound infection needed further treatment.Conclusions This procedure is effective for men with complex long-segment post-traumatic bulbar and membranous urethral strictures,especially for those undergo- ing failed previous surgical treatment.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the migration of fluorescent dye PKH26-labeled BM-MSC in the Alzheimer's model rats.

METHODSNormal human bone marrow extracted for isolation of BM-MSC was cultured in vitro. The 5th passaged BM-MSC was labeled with PKH26, and observed under a fluorescence microscope for PKH26 labeling efficiency, and using flow cytometry BM-MSC surface markers was checked. The PKH26 labeled BM-MSC injected into the tail vein of the normal control group and AD animal model group, 14 days after finding the PKH26-labeled BM-MSC cells in the rat hippocampus using fluorescence microscopy. Using the Morris water maze experiment comparison of AD model and BM-MSC transplantation group of spatial learning and memory ability.

RESULTSTFlow cytometry showed BM-MSC surface markers CD73 and CD105 were positive. In vitro, PKH26-labeled rate of BM-MSC was 100 %. The Morris water maze experiment comparison of BM-MSC transplantation group and AD group of animals, BM-MSC transplantation group at 13, 14 days of spatial learning and memory ability than AD animal group had significantly improved. 14 days after BM-MSCs in rat hippocampus could be found which were PKH26-positive, consistent with DAPI staining. PKH26-positive cells in animal models of AD were significantly more than those in the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONBM-MSC in AD rats not only migrates through the blood-brain barrier, but also mainly survives in the hippocampus of AD rats, and it can improve AD rat model of learning disabilities.

Alzheimer Disease ; pathology ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Movement ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Organic Chemicals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A rare strain of actinomycetes, with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, was isolated from the soil samples from the farmland in the area of Yaohu lake in Nanchang. The information about the taxonomic identification, such as the morphology, physiological properties, cell components and 16S rRNA gene se-quences, suggested that the rare strain of actinomycetes was identified as Micromonospora carbonacea.

Based on the strain of Micromonospora carbonacea JXNU-1 with board-spectrum antimicrobial activity, the technology for the isolation and purification of antibiotic from the fermentation broth of the Micromonospora carbonacea, and its physical-chemical properties were studied. The results showed that, the antibiotic was stable under the condition of high temperature and alkali, but not in acid solution. After the pretreatment of centrifugation and filtration to remove the cells and lipids, the antibiotic was absorbed to negative exchange resin, and the impurity was excluded when 2 mol/L NaCl was used as primary eluent. The antibiotic could be eluted with 20% alcohol as eluent, and the eluting speed of the antibiotic was greatly accelerated as 2 mol/L NaCl was added into 20% alcohol as final eluent. Aqueous solution of the antibiotic was yielded from the alcohol-salt eluant by decompression concentration to wipe off alcohol and by dialysis to exclude salt. One active component was detected in antibiotic solution by paper chromatography, and theHPLC purity was over 99%. As the antibiotic shows positive color-forming reaction to Molish reagents, Benedict’s reagents and Diohenvlamine reagents, combined with the characteristics of absorption spectra, it is deduced that the antibiotic belongs to nucleoside antibiotics.

Catdiomyopathies are diseases that primarily affect the myocardium,leading to serious cardiac dysfimction and heart failure.Out of the three major categories of candiomyopathies(hypertrophic,dilated and restrictive),restrictive cardiomyopathy(RCM)is less common and also the least studied However,the prognosis for RCM is poor as some patients dying in their childhood The molecular mechanisms behind the disease development and progression are not very clear and the treatment of RCM is very difficult and often ineffective.In this article,we reviewed the recent progress in RCM research from the clinical studies and the translational studies done on diseased transgenic animal models.This will help for a better understanding of tare mechanisms underlying the etiology and development of RCM and for the design of better treatments for the disease.

Objective: To collect, compare and analyze the changes in the strength and stability of the forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation before and after the training in Shaolin Neigong (internal Qigong). Methods: Ninety first-year undergraduates were randomized into three groups using the random number table method, with 30 people in each group. The Gongfa (Qigong method) group received training in both Shaolin Neigong and forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation. The manipulation group only received training in forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation. The control group only received training in forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation for one week. The ZTC-1 intelligent Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) manipulation parameter detection system was used to collect the wave crest, wave trough, and crest-trough difference of the strength and frequency of the forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation on the Z-axis (up and down), X-axis (left and right) and Y-axis (backward and forward) at weeks one, five and ten from the three groups. The collected data were then processed and analyzed. Results: The intra-group comparisons showed statistical significance in the Gongfa group and manipulation group (P<0.05). The strength and stability shown on the axes Z, X, and Y constantly grew with the increase of training time in the Gongfa group. The wave crest on the axes Z and Y steadily rose in the manipulation group, as well as the frequency on the axes Z, X and Y. The control group failed to show statistical significance in any of the three times of intra-group comparisons (P>0.05). The between-group comparisons showed statistical significance among the three groups at weeks five and ten (P<0.05). At week five, the wave crest on the axes Z, X, and Y, and the crest-trough difference on the axes X and Y were more prominent in the Gongfa group than in the manipulation group, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). At week ten, the wave crest, wave trough, and crest-trough differences on the axes Z, X, and Y were more prominent in the Gongfa group than in the manipulation group, presenting statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Practicing Shaolin Neigong can help the trainees reach the level of strength and frequency of Tuina clinicians in a shorter time in the forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation training. It can advance the efficiency in studying the forearm Rou-Kneading manipulation and promote the quality of the manipulation.

OBJECTIVETo observe the preventive effect different compatibilities of Ramulus Cinnamomi (RC) and peony in Guizhi Decoction (GD) on diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN).

METHODSTotally 60 male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the blank control DM group, the model group, the methycobal group, the 1:1 (RC/peony) Guishao group, the 2:1 Guishao group, and the 1:2 Guishao group, 10 in each group. Rats were pretreated with corresponding drugs for 1 week, and then induced diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Drugs were administrated by gastrogavage for 4 more weeks after STZ-injection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), choline acetyltransferase (CHAT), nerve growth factor. (NGF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in myocardial homogenates.

RESULTSAfter 4-week modeling, body weight (BW) was obviously lower, but blood glucose (BG) was higher in STZ rats than in rats of the blank control DM group. There was no statistical difference in BW or BG among the 5 groups (P >0.05). Compared with the blank control group, TH, TH/CHAT, and NGF in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased, CHAT and CNTF increased in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, TH and TH/CHAT in left ventricle decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), CNTF in left ventricle increased (P < 0.05), CHAT in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the methycobal group. TH and TH/CHAT in left ventricle and ventricular septum decreased, CNTF in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), CHAT in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased (P < 0.01), NGF in ventricular septum decreased (P < 0.01) in the 1:1 Guishao group. TH/CHAT in left ventricle decreased (P < 0.01), CHAT and CNTF in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the 1:2 Guishao group. Compared with the methycobal group, CHAT in left ventricle decreased, TH and TH/CHAT in left ventricle increased in the 2:1 Guishao group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). TH and TH/CHAT in ventricular septum decreased (P < 0.05), CHAT and CNTF in left ventricle and ventricular septum increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the 1:1 Guishao group. Compared with the 1:2 Guishao group and the 2:1 Guishao group, CHAT in left ventricle increased, TH/CHAT in left ventricle decreased, TH and TH/CHAT in ventricular septum decreased, CHAT in ventricular septum increased, CNTF in left ventricle and ventricular septum also increased in the 1:1 Guishao group (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSTZ model rats had autonomic neural injury, manifested as lowered vagal nerve activity and hyperactive sympathetic nerves. GD could effectively suppress hyperactive cardiac sympathetic nerves and protect the vagus. Besides, GD (1:1) showed the optimal effect in regulating the balance of cardiac autonomic nerves and could be used in early prevention of DCAN.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Male ; Myocardium ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Paeonia ; Rats ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

OBJECTIVETo observe abnormalities in heart rate variability (HRV) in diabetic rats and to explore the effects of treatment with Guizhi Decoction ([symbols; see text]) on cardiac autonomic nervous (CAN) imbalance.

METHODSA radio-telemetry system for monitoring physiological parameters was implanted into rats to record electrocardiac signals and all indictors of HRV [time domain measures: standard deviation of all RR intervals in 24 h (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), percentage of differences between adjacent RR intervals greater than 50 ms (PNN50), and standard deviation of the averages of RR intervals (SDANN); frequency domain measures: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), total power (TP), and LF/HF ratio]. The normal group was randomly selected, and the remaining rats were used to establish streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic model. After 4 weeks, the model rats were divided into the model group, the methycobal group, and the Guizhi Decoction group, 9 rats in each group. Four weeks after intragastric administration of the corresponding drugs, the right atria of the rats were collected for immunohistochemical staining of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) to observe the distribution of the sympathetic and vagus nerves in the right atrium. The myocardial homogenate from the interventricular septum and the left ventricle was used for determination of TH, CHAT, growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), nerve growth factor (NGF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS(1) STZ rats had elevated blood glucose levels, reduced body weight, and decreased heart rate; there was no difference between the model group and the drug treated groups. (2) Compared with the model group, only RMSSD and TP increased in the methycobal group significantly (P<0.05); SDNN, RMSSD, PNN50, LF, HF, and TP increased, LF/HF decreased (P<0.05), and SDANN just showed a decreasing trend in the Guizhi Decoction group (P>0.05). TH increased, CHAT decreased, and TH/CHAT increased in the myocardial homogenate of the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, left ventricular TH reduced in the methycobal group; and in the Guizhi Decoction group CHAT increased, while TH and TH/CHAT decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, CNTF in the interventricular septum increased in the methycobal group (P<0.05); GAP-43 increased, NGF decreased, and CNTF increased (P<0.05) in the Guizhi Decoction group. There were significant differences in the reduction of NGF and elevation of CNTF between the Guizhi Decoction group and the methycobal group (P<0.05). (3) Immunohistochemical results showed that TH expression significantly increased and CHAT expression significantly decreased in the myocardia of the model group, whereas TH expression decreased and CHAT expression increased in the Guizhi Decoction group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONGuizhi Decoction was effective in improving the function of the vagus nerve, and it could alleviate autonomic nerve damage.

Animals ; Autonomic Nervous System ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heart ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods ; Rats, Wistar ; Telemetry ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; metabolism ; Vagus Nerve ; drug effects ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the brain pathological changes following exdogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) intraventricular transplantation in neonatal rats with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), and to explore the feasibility of NSCs transplantation for the treatment of PVL in premature infants.

METHODSNSCs were prepared from E14 embryonic rat brain. Two-day-old neonatal rats were randomly divided into six groups: PVL, PVL+culture medium, PVL+NSCs, sham operation, sham operation+culture medium, and sham operation+NSCs (18-21 rats each group). Intraventricular transplantation of exdogenous NSCs was performed 72 hrs after PVL induction or sham operation. The cerebral pathological evaluation was undertaken by light microscopy 7, 14 and 21 days after transplantation.

RESULTSThe pathological changes in the cerebral white matter were gradually improved with the prolonged time after transplantation. After 21 days of transplantation, 50% of the cerebral white matter showed mild pathological changes and 50% of that showed severe pathological changes, with neuronal pathological scores of 1.28+/-0.86, in the untreated PVL group. In the PVL+NSCs group, 30% of normal white matter, 40% of mild and 30% of severe pathological changes in the white matter were observed, with neuronal pathological scores of 0.32+/-0.16, 21 days after transplantation. There were very significant differences in both of pathological changes in the cerebral white matter and neuronal pathological scores between the PVL and PVL+NSCs groups (x2=10.7, P<0.01; F=29.664, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIntraventricular transplantation of exdogenous NSCs can apparently improve cerebral white matter damage. It is suggested that intraventricular transplantation of NSCs is of a great potential feasibility for the treatment of PVL in premature infants.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; pathology ; therapy ; Neurons ; cytology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cell Transplantation

OBJECTIVETo establish a reliable neonatal rat model of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) which is expected to be similar to PVL of human preterm infants pathologically, and to explore the concomitant eye lesions in the PVL model.

METHODSTwo-old-day neonatal rats were randomly divided into a PVL group and a sham-operated group (n=19 each). The PVL model was established by the ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries, followed by a 30-min exposure to 8% oxygen. The cerebral infarction area was assessed with TTC staining 1 day after operation. Cerebral pathology was examined under a light micsrocope 2 and 21 days after operation. The examinations of eyes under a slip lamp and the pathology of eyeballs under a light microscope were performed 21 days after operation.

RESULTSThe TTC staining cerebral slices showed there were extensive white areas of infarction in the brain of the PVL group, with an infarction area of 53.45 +/- 33.90 mm3 and a percentage of infarction of (24.98 +/- 15.44)% . Significant cystic necrosis and apoptosis around the periventricular and subcortical white matter and mild damage in cortical neurons were observed in the PVL group 2 days after operation. The more obvious cystic necrosis around the periventricular area was found in the PVL group 21 days after operation. There were no pathological changes in the brain of the sham-operated group. All of rats in the PVL group had bilateral cataracts, however, no pathological changes were observed in their postbulbar tissues. The sham-operated group did not show eye abnormal.

CONCLUSIONSThe PVL animal model that was similar to PVL of human preterm infants pathologically was successfully established by the ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries, followed by 30-min hypoxia exposure, with a positive effect and a good repeatability. Cataract can also be induced by the method.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; pathology ; Cataract ; etiology ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; complications ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley