Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Objective To study the content of monoamine neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex in anxious depression rats, and explore the possible pathogenesis.Methods 60 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, vehicle group, anxiety group, depression group, and anxious depression group, 12 rats in each group.Chronic restraint stress combined with corticosterone injection was used to establish anxiety and depression model, the modeling time was 21 d.After modeling, elevated plus maze test, open field test, and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the anxiety and depression-like behavior, HPLC-ECD was used to detect the content of 5-HT, NE, and DA in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex of rats.Western-blotting was used to detect the expression of BDNF and NT-3 in rats.Results Rats in anxious depression model group were comparable to the anxiety group in time and frequency entering open arm time, and number of locomotor activity in open field, and it had a significant difference when compared with the control and depression groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05).Immobile time in anxious depression model rats was increased significantly when compared with the control and anxiety groups (P<0.01).Meanwhile, compared with the control group, 5-HT in hippocampus and 5-HT, NE in amygdala or prefrontal cortex were significantly decreased in the depressive rats with anxiety (P<0.01 or P<0.05).Moreover, the content of BDNF and NT-3 was significantly decreased in each brain regions compared with the control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and BDNF levels were obviously decreased compared with the anxiety group (P<0.05).Conclusions Rats of anxious depression have significant anxiety and depression-like behaviors.Its mechanism may be associated with the down-regulation of monoamine neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors BDNF and NT-3 in hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex region.

OBJECTIVESome research has shown that the brain white matter damage is closely related to apoptosis of pre-oligodendrocytes. The relationship of bcl-2 protein, a protein of anti-apoptosis, with brain white matter damage in neonatal rats is rarely reported. This study examined the changes of bcl-2 protein expression following brain white matter damage in neonatal rats.

METHODSNinety 2-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group (n=45) and control group (n=45). Brain white matter damage was induced by ligation of the right common artery, followed by 6% hypoxia exposure in the rats from the experimental group. The rats of the control group were sham-operated, without hypoxia-ischemia treatment. The expression of bcl-2 protein in the periventricular white matter and the callositas was detected by immunohistochemical technique. Apoptosis of neurocytes in these tissues was detected by TUNEL.

RESULTSThe apoptosis index of neurocytes in the experimental group was up-regulated at 4, 12 and 24 hrs and at 3 and 7 days, peaking at 3 days after white matter damage, compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The expression of bcl-2 protein in the experimental group began to increase at 1 hr, reached a peak at 12 hrs and remained a higher level until 3 days after white matter damage compared with that observed in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of bcl-2 protein increased at the early stage of white matter damage in neonatal rats. The peak of apoptosis lagged behind that of the bcl-2 protein expression, which suggests that bcl-2 protein may have protective effects against neuronal apoptosis.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neurons ; chemistry ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the allocation and management of large medical equipment (LME) in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, in order to make the best use of LME to meet the medical needs of local people.

METHODSThe research collected data from all hospitals that have LME in Xuzhou using questionnaire; 38 (97.4%) hospitals returned the questionnaire.

RESULTSIn Xuzhou, there are a total of 71 pieces of LME, each serving 126 600 people in an area of 163 km(2). Sixty-two percent of them are allocated in urban areas, with Gini coefficient at 0.52, indicating imbalance and biased allocation of LME.

CONCLUSIONThe allocation of LME in Xuzhou is out of control and unfairly allocated.

China ; Equipment and Supplies ; Hospitals ; Medical Laboratory Science ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo study the sympathetic skin response (SSR) to the effects of N-hexane on autonomic nerves function in patients with chronic N-hexane poisoning.

METHODSThe subjects in present study included 30 controls and 37 cases with chronic N-hexane poisoning. Also 37 patients were divided into 3 subgroups (mild, moderate and severe poisoning) according to diagnostic criteria of occupational diseases. All subjects were examined by SSR test and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test. All patients were reexamined by SSR and NCV every 1 ∼ 2 months. The differences in SSR parameters (latency, amplitude) among groups were observed. In the severe poisoning subgroup, the changes of SSR and NCV parameters (conduction velocity, amplitude) in different poisoning stages were observed.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in SSR latency of upper extremity among groups and the significant differences in SSR amplitude of upper and lower extremity among groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences in SSR parameters were found between the adjacent groups (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in SSR latency of upper extremity during different periods and the significant differences in SSR amplitude of upper and lower extremity during different periods among all groups (P < 0.05). The change of SSR parameters consistent with that in NCV. The longest SSR latency of upper extremity and the smallest SSR amplitudes of upper and lower extremity appears 1 - 2 months earlier than that of the smallest action potential amplitude.

CONCLUSIONThe damage of autonomic nerves induced by N-hexane increased with poisoning progresses. The damage of autonomic nerves corresponded with the damage of myelin sheath of large myelinated nerves, but which appeared 1 - 2 months earlier than the damage of axon of large myelinated nerves. SSR test may serve as a method to detect the damage of autonomic nerves function in patients with chronic N-hexane poisoning.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Autonomic Pathways ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Galvanic Skin Response ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; Occupational Diseases ; physiopathology ; Skin ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the effects of hyperthermia on brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and middle latency response (MLR) in rats.

METHODSBAEP and MLR were recorded at the skull surface of rats. The body temperature of anesthetized rats increased gradually with a physical method and was detected by a digital thermometer inserted into the rectum. The peak latency (PL), interpeak latency (IPL), wave amplitude and the critical body temperature at which BAEP and MLR completely lost had been observed.

RESULTSAll PL and I - II, I - III and I -IV IPL of BAEP shortened more and more as the body temperature increased step by step from 37 degrees C to 41.5 degrees C. But all PL and I - II and I -IV IPL did not shortened further and prolonged a little contrary as the body temperature at 42 degrees C and over 42 degrees C. All PL and P1-P3 and P2-P3 IPL of MLR also shortened as the body temperature increased from 37 degrees C to 43 degrees C. The wave amplitudes of BAEP and MLR decreased as the body temperature increased, especially as the body temperature over 42 degrees C. BAEP and MLR lost completely and synchronously at the body temperature (43.1 +/- 0.5) degrees C, which was not reversed as the body temperature returning to normal by cooling.

CONCLUSIONThere were obvious effects of hyperthermia on both BAEP and MLR in rats, and irreversible impairments appeared at a critical body temperature.

Animals ; Body Temperature ; Brain Stem ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; physiology ; Fever ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reaction Time ; physiology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEPatients with clinical stage I seminoma accounts for 70%-80% of patients with this disease. This study was to analyze the relationship between different therapeutic methods and the prognosis of this disease.

METHODSThe data of all patients with clinical Stage I seminoma treated by multi-disciplinary approach from 1999 to 2008 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were analyzed. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on the treatment they received after orchiectomy: 30 patients treated with chemotherapy, 8 with radiotherapy, and 20 under surveillance. The prognosis of different treatment groups was evaluated.

RESULTSAmong the 58 patients with stage I seminoma, 57 were followed up successfully. The median follow-up time was 50 months (range, 8-115 months). No relapse or metastasis was seen in the chemotherapy group. One patient relapsed in the radiotherapy group. Four patients had metastasis of retroperitoneal lymph node in the surveillance group. The disease-free survival was higher in the chemotherapy group than that in the surveillance group (P=0.005). There was no significant difference in the relapse-free survival between the surveillance group and the radiotherapy group (P=0.364).

CONCLUSIONSChemotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Stage-1 seminoma after radical orchidectomy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bleomycin ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Etoposide ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Orchiectomy ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Seminoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Testicular Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEDoubly labeled water (DLW) method is the gold standard for measuring total energy expenditure (TEE). We used this method to measure TEE in Chinese young men.

METHODSSixteen healthy young men age 23±1 years with body mass index 22.0±1.4 kg/m2 were recruited. TEE was measured by the DLW method, and basal energy expenditure (BEE) was determined by indirect calorimetry. We also conducted 24-h activity, energy balance and factorial approach to estimate energy requirements of the subjects.

RESULTSTEE of subjects by DLW method was 9.45±0.57 MJ/day (2258±180 kcal/day). The 24-h activity was 10.80±0.33 MJ/day (2582±136 kcal/day). The energy requirement, derived from energy balance observations, was 9.93±1.32 MJ/day (2373±315 kcal/day). The BEE of 6.65±0.28 MJ/day (1589±67 kcal/day), calculated by the adjusted Schofield equation, was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that measured by indirect calorimetry, 5.99±0.66 MJ/day (1433±158 kcal/day). The TEE derived from the factorial approach was 10.31±0.43 MJ/day (2463±104 kcal/day).

CONCLUSIONThe TEE of Chinese young men measured by the DLW method was about 10% lower than the current recommended nutrient intake (RNI), suggesting that the RNI for Chinese men maybe overestimated. Further studies are warranted to determine the value of the estimated energy requirement.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Energy Metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Isotope Labeling ; Male ; Motor Activity ; physiology ; Water ; Young Adult

Cycloheximide (CHX) inhibits protein synthesis in most eukaryotic cells and it is a well-known tool commonly used in biochemical research. In this paper, the antiviral spectrum of CHX against several DNA and RNA viruses have been evaluated. CHX showed strong inhibitory activities against several RNA viruses such as HIV-1, influenza viruses, coxsackie B virus, enterovirus (EV71) and several DNA viruses such as HSV and HCMV. Especially the strong inhibitory activities of CHX against coxsackie B virus and enterovirus caught our attention, since effective drugs available in clinic are limited. The SAR of CHX derivatives also has been discussed in the paper. The hydroxyl group at C-2' and carbonyl group at C-2" of CHX are essential for its antiviral activity. And modification to these groups results its derivatives' antiviral activities reduced or lost.
Antiviral Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cycloheximide ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; DNA Viruses ; drug effects ; Enterovirus ; drug effects ; Enterovirus B, Human ; drug effects ; Humans ; RNA Viruses ; drug effects