The secretion and localization of epididymal specific proteins ESP-1, ESP-2 were systematically studied by the PAGE-western blot and ABC immunocytochemical technique in the epididymis of the rabbit. The results indicated that ESP-1 and ESP-2 represented the rabbit epididymal specific proteins of 42 kd and 20 kd, respectively. They were immunoeytochemically negative in the testis, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and skeletal muscle of the rabbit as well as testis and epididymis of the rat. However, in the rabbit epididymis, except the initial segment ESP-1 and ESP-2 were started to be positive from caput segment. The ESP-1 was displyed in the supranuclear area of the principle cells, while the ESP-2 was distributed evenly in the whole cytoplasm of it. Subsequently, the most heavy positive reaction was demonstrated in the corpus epididymis and the proximal segment of cauda. In contrast of the caput, the stereocilia of principle cells and lumen sperms of the cauda epididymis were positive also. However, in the distal segment of cauda the positive reaction in cytoplasm of principle cells was gradually decreased and became disappeared completely soon, while the stereocilia of it still remained heavy positive even in that of vas deferens. The epithelium of prostate gland and seminal vesicle were negative. These results indicated that both ESP-1 and ESP-2 were secretory proteins produced mainly in the principle cells of the corpus epididymis. After releasing into the lumen, they took part of epididymal fluid and might bind on the sperm to regulate sperm maturation. The possible physiological significance of ESP-1 and ESP-2 was discussed.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the intermediate-term results associated with the use of Zweymtiller hip system.

METHODSReview the 116 cases (142 hips) who were treated with total hip replacement from 1996 to 2002 by a single surgeon using cementless Zweymüller hip systems.

RESULTSSixty-one cases (77 hips) were followed up, 50 cases (64 hips) were evaluated both clinically and radiographically while 5 cases (6 hips) and 6 cases (7 hips) were only evaluated clinically and radiographically respectively. The average follow-up period was 7.3 years (range 5 to 11 years). The mean preoperative Harris Hip Score was 46 while the mean postoperative Harris Hip Score was 93. Distal cortical hypertrophy and medullary sclerosis were observed in 30 hips (42.3%) and 33 hips (46.5%) respectively. Heterotopic ossification arose in 45 hips (63.4%). Radiolucent lines occurred in 27 stems (38.0%) but in no cups. Radiolucent lines were mostly observed in Gruen zones 1. Osteolysis occurred in 7 cups (9.9%) and 18 stems (25.4%). Osteolysis was mostly observed in Delee Zone 3 and Gruen zone 7. In the distal Gruen zones 3, 4 and 5, no radiolucent line or osteolysis was observed. No hips had been revised, 3 cups needed revision surgery because of aseptic loosening.

CONCLUSIONThe 5-11 years follow-up results are satisfactory, but osteolysis is common.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism* ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6 ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlation between prognosis and p53 expression in primary lesion and the surgical margin of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as an indication of postoperative radiotherapy.

METHODSSixty-seven laryngeal SCC with pathological negative margin were analyzed retrospectively. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of p53.

RESULTSThe p53 positive rates in the primary tumor and the surgical margin were 19.4% (13/67) and 50.7% (34/67). In p53 positive primary tumor group, the survival rate was higher in patients who received postoperative radiotherapy than those without (60.6% vs 20.0%, P = 0.000 5) and the recurrent rate was just the reverse (42.1% vs 93.3%, P = 0.002), though these differences were not significant in p53 negative primary tumor group (87.5% vs 94.1%, P = 0.409 6; 25.0% vs 5.9%, P = 0.175). The recurrent rate and survival rate between patients with and without postoperative radiotherapy did not show any significant difference either in p53 positive surgical margin group (47.4% vs 20.0%, P = 0.378 1; 62.5% vs 80.0%, P = 1.0) or p53 negative ones (84.9% vs 66.6%, P = 0.074 3; 20.6% vs 40.7%, P = 0.248).

CONCLUSIONPostoperative radiotherapy should be given to patients with p53 positive primary laryngeal cancer. But those who are pathologically margin negative but p53 positive should not be taken, at least for the present, as candidates for postoperative radiotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; chemistry ; mortality ; radiotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; chemistry ; mortality ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

OBJECTIVEClinical studies have shown decreased levels of sexual hormones, particularly testosterone deficiency, in men with chronic heart failure (CHF). The authors aimed to investigate the effect of testosterone on cardiac function and the possible mechanism of androgen protecting the heart in male rats.

METHODSForty-three male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: right heart failure (RHF, n = 15), physiologic testosterone treatment (TT, n = 15) and control (n = 13). The RHF group was given intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline at 60 mg/kg to make RHF models; the TT group was injected with testosterone at 5 mg/kg 3 days after monocrotaline administration; and the control group received equal volume of saline. The CD34+ cells in the peripheral blood of each rat were counted by flow cytometry. The levels of serum testosterone and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The hearts, lungs and livers of all the surviving rats were excised at 6 weeks for pathological and immunohistochemical examinations.

RESULTSThe level of serum testosterone was gradually decreased, while that of TNF-alpha obviously increased in the RHF group. After testosterone treatment, the TT group showed a remarkable improvement of cardiac performance and a significant decrease in the level of serum TNF-alpha as compared with the RHF group. Statistically significant differences were observed neither in the CD34+ cell count in the peripheral blood nor in the CD34+ expression of the myocardial cells between the TT and RHF groups.

CONCLUSIONPhysiological supplementation of testosterone can improve the cardiac function of RHF male rats, probably through its inhibition of TNF-alpha rather than by autologous mobilization of bone marrow stem cells.

Animals ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

This study was aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of forkhead box protein O3a (FoxO3a) in the patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Western blot was used to detect the FoxO3a protein expression in bone marrow samples from 44 newly diagnosed AML patients and 5 healthy donors. Additionally, 14 patients' samples were reevaluated when they got complete remission (CR). The results showed that FoxO3a expression (FoxO3a/β-actin 0.43 ± 0.19) in newly diagnosed AML patients was much higher than that in healthy donors (FoxO3a/β-actin 0.19 ± 0.06) (P < 0.001). The FoxO3a level was down-regulated when CR was got and there was not significant difference between patients in CR and healthy donors (P > 0.10). The correlation analysis showed that the level of FoxO3a expression positively correlated with the white blood cell count of AML patients at the time of diagnosis. Although FoxO3a expression did not positively correlate with the CR rate, the higher FoxO3a expression in AML patients showed a shorter remission duration. It is concluded that FoxO3a may be a oncoprotein in AML, and the high FoxO3a expression is associated with poor prognosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Forkhead Box Protein O3 ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Remission Induction ; Young Adult

Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Exons ; genetics ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Mutation ; genetics ; Tuberous Sclerosis ; complications ; Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein ; genetics ; Young Adult

In this study， an endophytic bacteria strain BZJN1 was isolated from Atractylodes macrocephala， and identified as Bacillus subtilis by physiological and biochemical tests and molecular identification. Strain BZJN1 could inhibit the growth of mycelia of Ceratobasidium sp. significantly， and the inhibition rate was more than 70%. The mycelium growth deformity with bulge as spherical and partially exhaustible in apex or central with microscopic observation. The inhibitory rates under 3% and 6% concentrations of the cell free fermentation were 22.7% and 38.7% expectively. The field test proved that the control efficacy of treatment of 1×10⁸ cfu·mL⁻¹ is 75.27% and 72.37% after 10 and 20 days. All the treatments of strain BZJN1 was able to promote the growth of A. macrocephala， the treatment of 1×10⁸ cfu·mL⁻¹ could able to increase the yield to 14.1%.
Atractylodes ; microbiology ; Bacillus subtilis ; physiology ; Basidiomycota ; pathogenicity ; Biological Control Agents ; Endophytes ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Plant Diseases ; microbiology ; prevention & control

The Baimai Ointment with the effect of relaxing sinew and activating collaterals demonstrates a definite effect on Baimai disease with pain, spasm, stiffness and other symptoms, while the pharmacodynamic characteristics and mechanism of this agent remain unclear. In this study, a rat model of chronic compression of L4 dorsal root ganglion(CCD) was established by lumbar disc herniation, and the efficacy and mechanism of Baimai Ointment in the treatment of CCD were preliminarily explored by behavioral tests, side effect evaluation, network analysis, antagonist and molecular biology verification. The pharmacodynamic experiment indicated that Baimai Ointment significantly improved the pain thresholds(mechanical pain, thermal pain, and cold pain) and gait behavior of CCD model rats without causing tolerance or obvious toxic and side effects. Baimai Ointment inhibited the second-phase nociceptive response of mice in the formalin test, increased the hot plate threshold of normal mice, and down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord. Network analysis showed that Baimai Ointment had synergistic effect in the treatment of CCD and was related to descending inhibition/facilitation system and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, behavioral tests, Western blot, and immunofluorescence assay revealed that the pain-relieving effect of Baimai Ointment on CCD may be related to the regulation of the interaction between neuroactive ligand and receptors(neuroligands) such as CHRNA7, ADRA2A, and ADRB2, and the down-regulation of the expression of NOS2/pERK/PI3K, the core regulatory element of HIF-1 signaling pathway in spinal microglia. The findings preliminarily reveal the mechanism of relaxing sinew and activating collaterals of Baimai Ointment in the treatment of Baimai disease, providing a reference for the rational drug use and further research of this agent.
Rats ; Mice ; Animals ; Chronic Pain/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Ligands ; Signal Transduction ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal