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Background@#Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of radicular pain, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we investigated the engagement of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in radicular pain and its possible mechanisms. @*Methods@#An LDH model was induced by autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) implantation, which was obtained from coccygeal vertebra, then relocated in the lumbar 4/5 spinal nerve roots of rats. Mechanical and thermal pain behaviors were assessed by using von Frey filaments and hotplate test respectively. The protein level of TLR4 and phosphorylated-p65 (p-p65) was evaluated by western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Spinal microglia activation was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining of specific relevant markers. The expression of proand anti-inflammatory cytokines in the spinal dorsal horn was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. @*Results@#Spinal expression of TLR4 and p-NF-κB (p-p65) was significantly increased after NP implantation, lasting up to 14 days. TLR4 was mainly expressed in spinal microglia, but not astrocytes or neurons. TLR4 antagonist TAK242 decreased spinal expression of p-p65. TAK242 or NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamic acid alleviated mechanical and thermal pain behaviors, inhibited spinal microglia activation, moderated spinal inflammatory response manifested by decreasing interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α expression and increasing IL-10 expression in the spinal dorsal horn. @*Conclusions@#The study revealed that TLR4/NF-κB pathway participated in radicular pain by encouraging spinal microglia activation and inflammatory response.
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Background@#Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of radicular pain, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we investigated the engagement of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in radicular pain and its possible mechanisms. @*Methods@#An LDH model was induced by autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) implantation, which was obtained from coccygeal vertebra, then relocated in the lumbar 4/5 spinal nerve roots of rats. Mechanical and thermal pain behaviors were assessed by using von Frey filaments and hotplate test respectively. The protein level of TLR4 and phosphorylated-p65 (p-p65) was evaluated by western blotting analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Spinal microglia activation was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining of specific relevant markers. The expression of proand anti-inflammatory cytokines in the spinal dorsal horn was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. @*Results@#Spinal expression of TLR4 and p-NF-κB (p-p65) was significantly increased after NP implantation, lasting up to 14 days. TLR4 was mainly expressed in spinal microglia, but not astrocytes or neurons. TLR4 antagonist TAK242 decreased spinal expression of p-p65. TAK242 or NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamic acid alleviated mechanical and thermal pain behaviors, inhibited spinal microglia activation, moderated spinal inflammatory response manifested by decreasing interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α expression and increasing IL-10 expression in the spinal dorsal horn. @*Conclusions@#The study revealed that TLR4/NF-κB pathway participated in radicular pain by encouraging spinal microglia activation and inflammatory response.
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Objective @#To learn the effects of cassia seed extract,ginkgo biloba leaf extract,salvia miltiorrhiza extract and red yeast rice compounds on blood lipid level of rats with hyperlipidemia. @*Methods @#The model of hyperlipidemia in SD rats was established. The rats in the low,moderate and high dose groups were given 0.267 g/kg body weight,0.533 g/kg body weight and 1.600 g/kg body weight of cassia seed,red yeast rice,ginkgo biloba leaf and salvia miltiorrhiza compounds by gavage for 30 days. A blank control group and a model control group were also set. The levels of serum total cholesterol（TC）,triglyceride（TG）,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C）and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDL-C）in the five groups were measured before and after the intragastric administration. @*Results @#One week after the model was founded,the levels of serum TC,TG and LDL-C in the model control group were higher than those in the blank control group（P<0.05）. Before the intragastric administration,there were no significant differences in the levels of serum TC,TG,HDL-C and LDL-C between the model control group and each dosage group（P>0.05）. After the intragastric administration,there were no significant differences in the levels of serum HDL-C and LDL-C between the model control group and each dosage group（P>0.05）. The levels of serum TC and TG in the high dose group were significantly lower than those in the model control group（P<0.05）;There was no significant differences in the levels of serum TC and TG between the moderate dose,low dose group and the model control group（P>0.05）. @*Conclusion@# The compounds of cassia seed extract,red yeast rice,ginkgo biloba extract and salvia miltiorrhiza extract with a dosage of 1.600 g/kg body weight can reduce serum TC and TG levels in rats with hyperlipidemia.
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Objective@#To investigate the content of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish from Dongting Lake.@*Methods@#Ten sample collection points were set in lakeside city Yueyang and Yuanjiang. In July (wet season) and November (dry season) of 2012, 13 common fish species were captured by convenience sampling in Dongting Lake. Two to three fish with similar weight were selected in each season for the same species of fish. After sample preparation and pretreatment, the contents of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), indicator polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyls ether (PBDEs) in the samples were determined by high resolution gas chromatographer-high resolution mass spectrometry. Toxicity Equivalents (TEQ) of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs were calculated according to the revised toxicity equivalent factor (TEF) of WHO in 2005. The contents of POPs were expressed by median and quavtile. The differences of POPs in fish in different periods were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test.@*Results@#The content of PCDD/Fs of fish in Dongting Lake in wet season was 12.397 (8.865, 24.964) pg/g, higher than that in the dry season 0.771 (0.490, 1.442) pg/g (P<0.001), and the toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ) were 0.150 (0.066,0.528) and 0.143 (0.066, 0.235) pg-TEQ/g without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). For the fish in wet and dry season from Dongting Lake,∑dl-PCBs of fish were 66.475 (28.065, 77.794) and 24.205 (18.237, 90.777) pg/g, respectively, and the TEQ were 0.061 (0.046, 0.268) and 0.075 (0.054, 0.182) pg-TEQ/g; ∑ indicative PCBs were 237.764 (153.896, 335.483) and 119.711 (52.171, 408.696) pg/g, respectively; ∑ PBDEs were 106.513 (64.834, 164.860) and 86.837 (61.872, 177.108) pg/g, respectively. The highest content of PCDD/Fs was found in grass carp (198.360 pg/g) in wet season. The higher content of PCBs was found in long-necked fish (2 332.509 pg/g) and PBDEs was found in pelteobagrus fulvidraco (343.857 pg/g), respectively.@*Conclusion@#A lower burden was found in fishes from Dongting Lake, and the content of POPs varied in different seasons and fishes.
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OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen combined with flupentixol and melitracen on depres-sion improvement,extremity motor function and ability of daily living and activity in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD). METHODS:60 PSD patients were divided into control group and observation group according to random number table,with 30 cases in each group. Both groups received routine clinical treatment,comprehensive rehabilitation therapy and psychotherapy. The control group was additionally given Flupentixol and melitracen tablets,orally,one tablet each time,in the morning;3 days later, one tablet each time,in the morning and noon,for 4 weeks. Other anti-depressive agents were not given during treatment. Observa-tion group was additionally given hyperbaric oxygen,0.12 MPa,for 90 min,qd,5 times a week,for 4 weeks,on the basis of control group. Depression degree [Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and Self-rating depression scale(SDS)],extremity motor function [Fugl-Mayer motor function assessment (FMA)] and ability of daily living and activity [modified Barthel index (MBI)] were scored in 2 groups before and after treatment,and ADR was observed. RESULTS:After 4 weeks of treatment,HAMD and SDS of 2 groups were decreased significantly compared to before treatment,while FMA and MBI were increased significantly;the improvement of observation group was significantly better than that of control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). No ob-vious ADR was found in 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS:Hyperbaric oxygen combined with flupentixol and melitracen can effectively improve PSD,relieve negative emotion and improve extremity motor function and ability of daily living and activity.
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Objective To explore the effects of Gantaikang on porcine serum-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Methods Hepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 0.5ml porcine serum twice a week. Gantaikang was simultaneously administered intragastrically to rats in the intervention group at dose of 0.27g/kg?bw for 7 weeks. Then blood was collected, and serum levels of hyaluronic acid(HA), laminin(LN) and precollagen III(PCIII) were measured. Liver tissues was removed, and the pathologic changes of liver were observed by routine, Masson and James staining. The semi-quantitive analysis of collagen and reticulin in the liver tissues were performed. Results Gantaikang could effectively counteract the increase of HA, LN and PCIII level in serum, and attenuate hepatic collagen and reticulin proliferation induced by porcine serum in rats. Conclusion The results suggested that Gantaikang could, to a certain extent, prevent and attenuate immunologic hepatic fibrosis induced by porcine serum in rats.