HCV RNA positive serum was first selected by RT-PCR test kit from several anti-HCV positive sera obtained from Xi'an.HCV RNA extrac ted from the elected sera was converted to cDNA by reverse transcription with ra ndom primer.Half-nested PCR was performed.The amplified product was 852 bp.The purified PCR product was digested by restriction endonucleases and then ligated to epressio vector pET-22b\++.Its nucleotide sequence was determined by dideoxy chain termination method.A comparison of the sequence with several isolates rep orted previously showed that the sequence belonged to HCV type Ⅱ.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; analysis ; Hippocampus ; blood supply ; chemistry ; pathology ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; physiopathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Time Factors

Animals ; Cromolyn Sodium ; administration & dosage ; Disease Models, Animal ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; mortality ; pathology ; p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine ; administration & dosage

Revolution energy spectral CT had its structural innovation introduced from the aspects of detector,driving system and CT bulb as well as high voltage generator,technical principle analyzed from the aspects of SSF,multi-model iterative reconstruction, cardiac imaging unlimited as well as material separation and quantitative analysis, and clinical application described in diagnoses of liver cancer, cholecystolithiasis and kidney stone, coronary arteriongraphy and metal artifact elimination.It's pointed out Revolution energy spectral CT was a new method for identifying the focal nature,tumor homology and components of inorganic substance as well as analyzing multi material quantitatively and qualitatively.

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily study the effect of prepubertal exposure of male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats to diethylstilbestrol (DES) on the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells after sexual maturation and its mechanism.

METHODSThirty 21-day-old male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups, DES 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 microg/(kg x d) and 1 control group. The experimental groups were injected (s.c.) with different doses of DES (dissolved in corn oil) during prepuberty [from postnatal day (PND) 22 to PND 35] and the control group with medium only. The apoptosis and related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax expressions of testicular spermatogenic cells were studied with TUNEL and immunohistochemistry after the rats sexual maturation (at PND 64).

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the apoptosis of testicular spermatogenic cells in the DES 0.01 microg/kg group had no difference, but significantly increased in the DES 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 microg/kg groups and the apoptosis increased with the increase of DES dose. In the control and DES 0.01 microg/kg groups, Bax protein expressed weakly but Bcl-2 protein strongly in spermatogenic cells. With the increase of DES exposure, Bax protein expression in spermatogenic cells increased but Bcl-2 protein expression decreased.

CONCLUSIONPrepubertal exposure of SD rats to inappropriate dose of DES can make the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells increase after sexual maturation. Bax and Bcl-2 proteins participate in the apoptotic course caused by prepubertal DES exposure.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Diethylstilbestrol ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Maturation ; Spermatids ; drug effects ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of prepubertal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) on the testicular development and function of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

METHODSNinety 21-day-old male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 experimental groups (Da, Db, Dc and Dd), which were injected with DES dissolved in corn oil at the dose of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 microg/(kg x d) from postnatal day (PND) 22 to 35, and a control group (C), which received vehicle only. The testicular development of all the rats was observed, and their testes were harvested in the stages of late puberty (PND 50), sexual maturity (PND 64) and adulthood (PND 130) respectively to determine the weight and histological features of the testis and examine the quality of the sperm in the epididymal cauda of the PND 130 rats.

RESULTSThe testis descent in the C, Da, Db, Dc and Dd groups occurred on PND 26.17 +/- 1.94, 26.83 +/- 1.47, 28.68 +/- 1.03, 33.50 +/- 1.87 and 41.50 +/- 2.74 respectively, significantly delayed in the Db, Dc and Dd groups compared with the C group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). On PND 50, the unilateral testis weights in the C, Da, Db, Dc and Dd groups were (1.38 +/- 0.01) g, (1.38 +/- 0.12) g, (1.30 +/- 0.14) g, (0.86 +/- 0.18) g and (0.73 +/- 0.27) g respectively, significantly less in the Dc and Dd groups than in the C group (P < 0.01). Compared with the C group, there was a slight decrease in the number of the cells in the epithelia of a few seminiferous tubules in the Db group on PND 50, maldevelopment of seminiferous tubules, reduced cell number in seminiferous epithelia, blocked spermatogenesis and aplasia of Leydig cells in the Dc and Dd groups in a dose-dependent manner. On PND 64, the unilateral testis weights in the C, Da, Db, Dc and Dd groups were (1.60 +/- 0. 06) g, (1.62 +/- 0.11) g, (1.58 +/- 0.08) g, (1.47 +/- 0.10) g and (0.99 +/- 0.37) g respectively, significantly less in the Dc and Dd groups than in the C group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the histological alteration of the testis in the Dc and Dd groups was similar to or less than that on PND 50. On PND 130, no statistic difference was observed either in unilateral testis weight or in the histological features of the testis between any experimental group and the control (P > 0.05). The sperm concentration in the epididymal cauda in the C, Da, Db, Dc and Dd groups were (73.00 +/- 16.90) x 10(6)/ml, (68.00 +/- 19.67) x 10(6)/ml, (68.67 +/- 12.15) x 10(6)/ml, (35.17 +/- 15.64) x 10(6)/ml and (19.13 +/- 5.17) x 10(6)/ml, significantly lower in the Dc and Dd groups than in the C group (P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in sperm motility in the Dd group (P < 0.01), the percentage of grade a sperm in the Db, Dc and Dd groups (P < 0.05) and the percentage of grade b sperm in the Dd group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPrepubertal exposure to low dose of DES (0.01 microg/[kg x d] x 14 d) does not significantly affect the testicular development and function of SD rats, while high dose (1.0-10.0 microg/[kg x d] x 14 d) has significant short- (PND 50 and 64) or long-term (PND 130) toxic effect, which increases with dose and decreases with age. The mechanism of the toxic effect involves the insults to the development and function of Leydig and Sertoli cells.

Animals ; Carcinogens ; toxicity ; Diethylstilbestrol ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Maturation ; drug effects ; Testis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; physiology ; Time Factors

Using a combination of various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, macroporous adsorbent resin, and reversed-phase HPLC, 115 compounds including diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, treterpenes, coumarins, lignans, fatty acid derivatives, and simple aromatic derivatives were isolated from an ethanol extract of branch of Fraxinus sieboldiana (Oleaceaue), and their structures of the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1 D, 2D NMR and MS techniques. Among them, 41 compounds were new. In previous reports, we have been described the isolation, structure elucidation, and bioactivities of the 41 new compounds and 22 known orii including 8 coumarins, 4 phenolic and 12 phenylethanoidal glycosides. As a consequence, we herein reported the isolation and structure elucidation of the remaining 50 known compounds including 8- hydroxy-12-oxoabieta-9(11),13-dien-20-oic 8, 20-lactone(1), 6beta-hydroxyfcrruginol(2),(+)-pisiferic acid(3), (+)-pisiferal(4),(+)-7-dehydroabiet6none(5), 1-oxomiltirone(6), subdigitatone(7), linarionoside B(8), (9S)-linarionoside B(9), (3R,9R)-3-hydroxy-7,8-dihydro-beta-ionol 9-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside(10), ursolic acid(11), betulinic acid(12), euscaphic acid(13), (+)-syringaresinol(14), (+)-fraxiresinol(15), (+)-1-hydroxysyringaresinol(16), pinoresinol(17), medioresinol(18), 8-acetoxypinoresinol(19), epipinoresinol(20), (-)-olivil(21), (+)-cyclo-olivil(22), 3,3'-dimethoxy-4,4',9-trihydroxy-7,9'-epoxylignan-7'-one(23),(+)-1-hydroxypinoresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (24), (+)-1-hydroxypinoresinol 4"-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(25),(+)-syringaresinol O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (26), liriodendrin (27), ehletianol D(28), icariside E5(29) (-)-(7R, 8R)-threo-1-C-syringylglycerol(30),(-)-(7R, 8S)-erythro-guaiacylglycerol (31),(-)-(7R, 8R)-threo-guaiacylglycerol(32), 3-(4-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3-methoxy)-phenyl-2E-propenol(33),2,3-dihydroxy-l-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone(34), 2,3-dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanone (35), 3-hydroxy-l-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-propanone(36), omega-hydroxypropioguaiacone(37), sinapyladehyde(38), trans-p-hydroxycinnamaldehyde(39), syringic acid(40), vanilic acid(41), vanillin(42), 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde (43), (24R)-24-ethyl-5alpha-cholestane-3beta,5,6beta-triol(44), beta-sitosterol(45), daucosterol(46), 2,6-dimethoxy-I,4-benzoquinone(47), 2,6-dimethoxy-pyran-4-one(48), 1-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)uracil(49), and mannitol(50). Compouds 1-7,12,18,28-37,44 and 48 were obtained from the genus Fraxinus for the first time.
Fraxinus ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the usefulness of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) in the post-operative assessment of cochlear implanted electrode.

METHODSTwenty-three cochlear implant recipients were enrolled in this study. All patients were examined with a SOMATOM Sensation 16-slice CT scanner (Siemens) using the following parameters: 120 kV, 100 mAs, 0. 75 mm collimation, 1 mm reconstruction slice thickness and increment, a pitch factor of 1, and a FOV of 100 mm. The axial images of interested ears were reconstructed with 0.1 mm increment and a FOV of 50 mm, and then volume rendering technique (VRT) reconstruction were done on the work station.

RESULTSThe electrode arrays were detected on axial CT images. Both inner ear and electrode array could be displayed on one image simultaneously. VRT provided an intuitionistic view of the relationship between electrode array and cochlea VRT showed the number of the electrode array in 20 patients implanted with Combi 40 + standard electrode array and demonstrated the shape, position, and insertion depth. The electrode array number determined by VRT was in accordance with the surgical findings in 18 patients, and was underestimated in two patients. In 3 patients with Combi 40 + compressed electrode array, only 4 to 5 electrodes arrays were clearly identified and others were not observed.

CONCLUSIONMSCT with VRT can provide useful three-dimensional information of the electrode array and indicate the exact relationship between electrode array and cochlea.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Ear, Inner ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

OBJECTIVETo establish the role of psychological factors in the etiology and symptomatology of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), analyze the influence of the psychological obstacles and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and provide a scientific basis for psychotherapy of the problem.

METHODSA total of 291 CP/CPPS patients and 100 normal controls were investigated in age, education, occupation, character, disease course, NIH chronic prostatitis syndrome index (NIH-CPSI) and leukocyte count in EPS and by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) to establish the psychological factors related with CP/CPPS. Then, all the CP/CPPS patients were treated with the same method and followed up for 6 weeks. Based on the therapeutic results, the influence of psychological and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTSAll together 258 valid questionnaires were collected from the patients and 87 from the normal controls. Of the 258 CP/CPPS patients, the mean scores on SAS and SDS were 42.8 +/- 11.43 and 48.15 +/- 11.49 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the controls (32.12 +/- 9.68 and 35.12 +/- 10.81) (P < 0.01). The rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety and/or depression in the CP/CPPS group were 25.97, 21.71 and 34.50 % respectively, all significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). The rate of introversion was significantly higher while that of extroversion significantly lower in the former than in the latter (P < 0.01). The total effectiveness rate of treatment was 70.54 % in the CP/CPPS patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression revealed that anxiety, depression and disease course were the definite factors that negatively affected the prognosis of CP/CPPS, while the other factors, such as age, CPSI, character and leukocyte count in EPS had no influence.

CONCLUSIONSuch psychological obstacles as anxiety and depression play an important role in the pathogenesis, development and prognosis of CP/CPPS. In the treatment of CP/ CPPS, importance should be attached to the patients'psychological status and proper psychological intervention is sometimes necessary.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; etiology ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; etiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; etiology ; psychology ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostatitis ; complications ; psychology ; Regression Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (, SGD) on the pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered paclitaxel in rats.

METHODSPaclitaxel was intravenously administered to rats (3 mg/kg) with or without the concomitant administration of SGD (752 mg/kg, a single day or 14 consecutive days pretreatment). The paclitaxel in the serum was quantified using a simple and rapid ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method for the pharmacokinetic study. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated via a non-compartment model using the computer program DAS 2.0.

RESULTSThe pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel were significantly altered in response to 14 consecutive days of pretreatment with SGD. The area under the curve (AUC, from 4 820±197 to 4 205±186 ng·mL·) and AUC(from 5 237±280 to 4 514±210 ng·mL·) significantly decreased in response to the 14-day pretreatment with SGD. The values of V(L/kg) were 10.74±1.08 and 9.35±0.49, those of CL (L/kg) were 0.67±0.03 and 0.57±0.03 and the t(h) values were 11.17±0.84 and 11.32±0.93, respectively, for the 14-day SGD pretreatment and intravenous paclitaxel alone. The AUCand AUCvalues decreased by 13% and 14% (P<0.01), respectively. The area under the curve decreased signifificantly (P<0.01), and the total clearance increased by 1.2-fold (P<0.01), after 14 consecutive days of pretreatment with SGD. A single-day pretreatment with SGD did not signifificantly affect the pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel.

CONCLUSIONSSGD administration for 14 consecutive days increased the metabolism of paclitaxel, while a 1-day pretreatment had little effect. The results would contribute important information to the study on interaction between Chinese medicines and chemotherapy and also help to utilize SGD better in the adjunctive therapy of cancer patients.

Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; blood ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reference Standards ; Time Factors