Regulatory effect of Bushenfang on the serum testosterone level of naturally aging rats and its mechanism / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the regulatory effect of Bushenfang on the serum testosterone (T) level of naturally aging rats and its mechanism, in order to provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical treatment of late onset hypogonadism (LOH) in males.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two 18-month-old male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups of equal number, naturally aging model and low-, medium- and high-dose Bushenfang groups, and another eight 4-month-old rats were taken as normal controls. The rats of the aging model and normal control groups were treated with normal saline, while those of the low-, medium- and high-dose Bushenfang groups received intragastrically Bushenfang at 3.25, 7.50 and 15.00 g/kg, respectively, all for 3 weeks. Then the rats were sacrificed, the histomorphologic changes of the testis observed by HE staining, the serum T level measured by radioimmunoassay, and the expressions of the StAR protein, P450scc and 3beta-HSD I determined by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The number of Leydig cells was obviously increased after Bushenfang treatment. The levels of serum T were significantly higher in the low-, medium- and high-dose Bushenfang groups ([6.74 +/- 1.56] nmol/L, [8.50 +/- 1.99] nmol/L and [12.41 +/- 2.91] nmol/L) than in the model group ([3.48 +/- 0.75] nmol/L) (P < 0.05). The three Bushenfang groups also showed a remarkable elevation in the mRNA expressions of StAR (0.74 +/- 0.29, 0.83 +/- 0.32 and 1.35 +/- 0.50), P450scc (0.72 +/- 0.36, 1.023 +/- 0.30 and 1.41 +/- 0.37) and 3beta-HSD I (0.58 +/- 0.14, 0.72 +/- 0.07 and 0.85 +/- 0.18), as compared with the models (StAR: 0.44 +/- 0.09; P450scc: 0.33 +/- 0.05; 3beta-HSD I: 0.34 +/- 0.02), with significant differences in the StAR expression between the high-dose Bushenfang and the model groups, as well as in P450scc and 3beta-HSD I expressions between the medium- and high-dose Bushenfang and the model groups (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bushenfang could improve the pathological status of testicular injury and increase the expression of testosterone synthetase, which might be the mechanism behind its regulatory effect on the serum T level of aging rats.</p>

The proarrhythmic effects of autoantibody against beta1 adrenergic receptor / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the distribution characteristics of autoantibody against beta1 adrenergic receptor (beta1 AR) in the sera of arrhythmia patients and whether the autoantibody could induce arrhythmia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Healthy subjects and patients with arrhythmia or coronary artery disease were chosen. The autoantibody against beta1 AR in the sera was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG in the positive autoantibody sera from arrhythmia patients were purified and administrated to normal rats; then the ECGs were dynamic monitored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of autoantibody against beta1 AR in arrhythmia patients was 52.8%, which was significantly higher than that in coronary heart disease group (24%, P < 0.01) and healthy people group (5%, P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, the autoantibody against beta1 AR could lead to the occurring of arrhythmia in normal rats, most of which were ventricular arrhythmia.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the sera of arrhythmia patients, the autoantibody against beta1 AR has a high titer and it could lead to the arrhythmia of rats in vivo.</p>

Establishment and application of double-antibody sandwich ELISA for determination of 3-nitrotyrosine / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To prepare the working standards of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and establish a two-antibody-sandwich ELISA for determining the concentration of peroxynitrite in the tissue.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nitrated bovine serum albumin was prepared by additions of an alkaline stock solution of peroxynitrite which was synthesized by a quenched-flow reactor. The monoclone anti-3-NT antibody from mouse was used as coating antibody and the polyclone anti-3-NT antibody from as labeling antibody to prepare the standard work curve by orthogonal design. The concentrations of 3-NT in cardiac tissue from rats subjected to myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MI/R) were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A two-antibody-sandwich ELISA method for measuring 3-NT content in biological fluids and homogenates was successfully established. The detecting limit was 0.1 ng x ml(-1) and the linear range of standard work curve was 0.15 - 7.50 ng x ml(-1) (r2 = 0.995). The 3-NT concentration in cardiac tissue from rats subjected to MI/R (1022.42 +/- 97.35 ng x mg pro(-1)) was significantly higher than that in the sham group (246.58 +/- 56.52 ng x mg pro(-1), P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A two-antibody-sandwich ELISA was established for determining the 3-NT concentration in the tissue and conveniently, quickly, accurately quantitative analysis of the content of 3-NT. The assay provides a new method for quantitative analysis of the peroxyinitrite in the future.</p>

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatic malignancies with cool-tip needle / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy, indication and complication of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with cool-tip needle in patients with hepatic malignancies.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>421 patients with hepatic malignancies underwent ultrasound-guided RFA with cool-tip needle under local anaesthesia. The tumor size was from 1.0 to 15 cm in diameter with an average diameter of 4.3 cm.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The complete ablation (CA) rate was 91.4% (382/418) in the patients with a tumor < 3 cm, 78.9% (97/123) in those with a tumor of 3 to 5 cm and 37.6% (35/93) in the patients with a tumor > 5 cm. No patient died or changed to celiotomy during the 1121 times of RFA for 634 lesions in 421 patients. No hemorrhage occurred in any of these patients after the RFA treatment. The complications included abdominal pain in 32.3% (136/421), nausea in 9.0% (38/421), fever in 34.9% (147/421) and biliary leakage in 0.2% (1/421) of the patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation with cool-tip needle is effective and safe in the treatment of liver tumors.</p>

Abdominal splenosis: CT and MRI features of 2 cases / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

Splenosis is ectopic autotransplantation of splenic tissue after splenic trauma or surgery.(1) The most frequent locations are the surface of visceral peritoneum and parietal peritoneum. Liver and retroperitoneum are rarely involved.(1,2) We present here 2 cases of splenosis involving the liver and retroperitoneum with clinical information, imaging findings, and literature review.

Anomalous systemic arterial supply to normal basal segments of the left lower lobe of the lung:characteristic findings on chest radiography and spiral CT / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To summarize the characteristic findings on chest radiography and spiral CT of anomalous systemic arterial supply to normal basal segments of the left lower lobe of the lung.Methods Five patients with anomalous systemic arterial supply to normal basal segments of the left lower lobe of the lung were retrospectively reviewed.Chest radiography,and contrast-enhanced spiral CT scan were analyzed. Results On posteroanterior chest radiographs,the findings in 5 cases of this anomaly were all shown as a retrocardiac mass,narrowing lower lobar pulmonary artery shadow,and without normal lower lobar pulmonary artery branches but there were dilated abnormal markings in left lower lung zone.On contrast- enhanced spiral CT scans,the involved left lower lobe of the lung had mild volume loss but normal bronchial trees in all 5 cases and areas of ground-glass opacity in 2 cases.The absence of normal left lower lobar pulmonary artery distal to the origin of superior segmental artery,anomalous systemic artery originating from the descending aorta,diffuse dilatation of the systemic arterial branches distributed in the basal segments of the left lower lobe were also found in all the patients.One patient who underwent angiography had similar vessel features with spiral CT.Conclusion There are some characteristic findings on chest radiography in this anomaly.the contrast-enhanced spiral CT scans are important in diagnosing and avoiding invasive angiography and life-threatening lung biopsy.