Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Proteomics

Objective To investigate the presence of occult brain tissue damage in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica(RNMO)and its possible mechanism by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods DTI scans were performed in 16 patients with RNMO and 16 sex-and age-matched healthy controls.Histogram analysis of mean diffusivity (MD)and fractional anisotropy (FA)was performed in brain tissue (BT),white matter (WM)and gray matter (GM)to detect the presence of occult brain tissue damage in RNMO patients.Region of interest(ROI )analysis of MD and FA was also performed in 6 dedicated regions with or without direct connection with spinal cord or optic nerve to determine the relationship between occult brain tissue damage and the damage of spinal cord and optic nerve.Results Patients with RNMO had a significantly higher average MD of the BT[RNMO(0.95?0.02)? 10~(-3)mm~2/s,controls (0.91?0.03)?10~(-3)mm~2/s,t = 3.940,P

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of vestibular compensation and to observe the changes of c-Fos and NADPH-d expressions in the brainstem of the vestibular deafferentation rats in static status or following angular acceleration stimulation.

METHODSTotally 60 SD rats were randomly divided into control group (labyrinthine intact), complete unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD) group, simultaneous complete bilateral vestibular deafferentation (BVD) group (n = 20 in each group). Subgroups (n = 10 in each subgroup) were set for static status or following angular acceleration stimulation in each group. Double labeling with histochemistry-immunohistochemistry was performed to observe c-Fos/NADPH-d neurons.

RESULTSNo positive c-Fos/NADPH-d expression was observed in the both sides of medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and prepositus hypoglossi (PrH) of normal rats in static status and BVD rats whether following canal rotation or not. c-Fos/ NADPH-d expression was observed in the ipsilesional MVN and the contralesional PrH of UVD rats. However, c-Fos/NADPH-d were detected in both sides of MVN and PrH in UVD rats and normal rats following angular acceleration stimulation.

CONCLUSIONIn the ipsilesional MVN and the contralesional PrH, c-Fos plays an important role in vestibular compensation, in which nitric oxide acts as a key neurotransmitter.

Animals ; Brain Stem ; metabolism ; Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vestibule, Labyrinth ; physiology

To screening out Chinese vaccine candidate against HIV-1, Chinese vaccine strain 282E4 of fowlpox virus was used as the vector to construct the recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) coexpressing gp120 of Chinese HIV-1 strain and IL-18, and the recombinant virus was indentified by PCR and Western blot. The specific DNA fragment could be amplified by PCR from the genome of rFPV. Western blot analysis showed that gp120 and IL-18 could be expressed not only in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells infected by rFPV, but also in mammalian cells infected by rFPV. After the recombinant fowlpox virus was inoculated into BALB/c mice, the spleen specific CTL activities and serum antibodies in the immunized mice were detected, which demonstrated that the rFPV had good immunogenicity and could induce BALB/c mice to produce specific humoral and cellular immunity. IL-18 palyed the role of immunoadjuvant. The study lays the basis on the preparation of genetic engineering live vector vaccine against HIV-1.
AIDS Vaccines ; immunology ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Fowlpox virus ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization ; Interleukin-18 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expressions of acetylcholine (ACh) and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in the lungs of rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),and explore the mechanism of EA in treating COPD.Methods:Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group,a COPD group,and an EA group,with 10 rats in each group.The control group was a group of normal rats.The COPD rat model was induced by cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).The COPD rats were treated with EA at bilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Zusanli (ST 36) in the EA group,30 min each time,once a day,successively for 14 d.The lung function was tested.The contents of ACh and MUC5AC in lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between pulmonary function and the content of MUC5AC in lungs.The mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC in lung tissues were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot (WB),respectively.The immune response of MUC5AC was observed by immunohistochemistry.Results:Eight rats were left in each group,and the other two died.Compared with the control group,the total airway resistance (Raw) increased significantly and dynamic compliance (Cdyn) decreased significantly in the COPD group (P＜0.01);compared with the COPD group,the Raw level declined significantly and Cdyn increased significantly in the EA group (P＜0.01).The contents of ACh and MUC5AC in the lungs and BALF were remarkably higher in the COPD group compared with those in the control group (P＜0.01,P＜0.001);compared with the COPD group,the contents of ACh and MUC5AC were significantly lower in the EA group (P＜0.05,P＜0.001).There was a negative correlation between MUC5AC content and lung function (P＜0.001).The mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC in the lungs were significantly higher in the COPD group than in the control group (P＜0.001);compared with the COPD group,the expressions were significantly lower in the EA group (P＜0.01).Compared with the control group,the immune response of MUC5AC in the airway epithelium significantly increased in the COPD group (P＜0.001);the immune response of MUC5AC was significantly lower in the EA group compared with that in the COPD group (P＜0.001).Conclusion:EA treatment can improve the lung function of COPD rats,which may be related to its effect in the down-regulation of ACh and MUC5AC contents in the lungs as well as the inhibition of mucus hypersecretion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleosides ; therapeutic use ; Pyrimidinones ; therapeutic use ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in serum cortisol levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and elevated depressive symptoms.

METHODSTwenty-eight adolescents with T1DM and 31 healthy peers were assessed for depressive symptoms using a depression self-rating scale developed by the Epidemiological Survey Center. Selected subjects were classified into four groups: T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group (n=15), T1DM without elevated depressive symptoms group (n=13), elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group (n=15), and normal control group (n=16). Fasting blood samples were collected in the morning, and the levels of serum cortisol were compared among the four groups. The correlations of serum levels of cortisol and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with the score of depression self-rating scale were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTSThe fasting serum cortisol levels in the 28 T1DM patients were significantly higher than in the 31 healthy peers (P<0.01). The fasting cortisol levels in the T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group were significantly higher compared with those in the elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group and normal control group (P<0.01). In adolescents with T1DM, serum HbA1c level was positively correlated with the score of depression self-rating scale (r=0.481, P=0.010).

CONCLUSIONSThe fasting serum cortisol levels in adolescents with T1DM and elevated depressive symptoms are significantly increased, suggesting that the patients with comorbidity of T1DM and depression develop dysfunction of the corticotropin-releasing hormone-adrenocorticotropic hormone-cortisol axis. The elevated depressive symptoms may be associated with a poor control of glucose metabolism.

Adolescent ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; physiology ; Child ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; physiology ; Depression ; blood ; etiology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; blood ; Female ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; analysis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Male

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of the compound Chinese traditional drug Xianling Gubao Capsule on the semen quality of infertile males.

METHODSWe treated 66 infertile men with Xianling Gubao Capsule for 24 months, and analyzed the semen quality and sperm morphology before and after the treatment.

RESULTSTwo months after the medication, sperm concentration was increased by a small margin, but no statistically significant changes were observed in sperm vitality and motility (P > 0.05), the rate of morphologically normal sperm was significantly raised from 25.8% before treatment to 57.6% (P < 0.05) in those with the normal rate > or = 15%, but decreased from 53.0% to 25.8% (P < 0.05) in those with the normal rate < 9%. Among the 7 cases of oligospermia, the rate of morphologically normal sperm was elevated to an average of 10.9% after the 4-month medication, significantly different from the baseline rate of 5.8% (P < 0.05). Five spontaneous pregnancies and 1 successful IVF-ICSI were achieved during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONXianling Gubao Capsule can improve semen quality and significantly increase the percentage of morphologically normal sperm.

Adult ; Capsules ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of three Chinese medical formulae (Zhifei Mixture I , Zhfei Mixture II, and Zhifei Mixture II) on main and secondary symptoms and signs of children with Totally 70 mycoplasma pneumonia in treating three types of children mycoplasma pneumonia.

METHODSchildren with mycoplasma pneumonia were assigned to the control group (38 cases) and the treatment group (32 case). All patients were intravenously injected with Azithromycin and took Ambroxol Hydrochloride and Clenbuterol Hydrochloride Oral Solution. Those in the treatment group additionally took Zhifei Mixture I , Zhfei Mixture II, and Zhifei Mixture Ill by syndrome typing. Their main and secondary symptoms and signs were observed before and after treatment (main symptoms and signs covered fever, cough, abundant sputum, short breath, and anoxia; secondary symptoms and signs covered aversion to cold, heart rate, facial complexion, spirit, appetite, and sweating).

RESULTSSeven patients were lost in this study. Compared with before treatment in the same group, scores for main and secondary symptoms and signs decreased in the treatment group (P <0.01). The therapeutic effect on fever and cough was obviously better in the control group (P <0.01). The main and secondary symptoms and signs were more obviously improved in the treatment group than in the control group (P <0.01). Commpared with the control group, scores for main and secondary symptoms and signs decreased more in the treatment group (P <0.01). Patients' main and secondary symptoms and signs were more obviously improved (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSZhifei Mixture combined Western drugs could significantly improve main and secondary symptoms and signs of mycoplasma pneumonia children patients. Its efficacy was superior to that of using Western medicine alone.

Ambroxol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Azithromycin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Bronchodilator Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Clenbuterol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Expectorants ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Fever ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; drug therapy ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo prospectively investigate the effectiveness of suction drainage for correction of maxillofacial deformities caused by cystic lesions of the mandible.

METHODSSuction drainage was performed in 21 cases with large cystic lesions of the mandible which had expanded facial contour. Clinical and radiological examinations of these patients were carried out regularly. The volume of the cavity was measured during treatment. The expansion indexes on axial CT image and area of the cyst on a panoramic radiograph were measured preoperatively and postoperatively. The curettage via intraoral incision was completed until the extent of disease significantly shrunk.

RESULTSAfter a mean duration of suction drainage of 5.1 months, the volume and the size on the panoramic radiographic of the cystic lesions were reduced by an average of 84% and 63% respectively. The expansion indexes were reduced notably during treatment. Computerized tomography of the mandible showed that the contour of expanded mandible was restored greatly and notable new bone was formed in the area of cortex perforation.

CONCLUSIONSSuction drainage is a useful treatment modality for the primary management of giant cystic lesion of the mandible, and can fast correct maxillofacial deformities caused by bony expansion and perforation in the area of cystic lesions.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandibular Diseases ; complications ; therapy ; Maxillofacial Abnormalities ; etiology ; therapy ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Suction ; Young Adult