Nitric oxide synthase and its function in animal reproduction: an update.

Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical labile gas, is involved in the regulation of various biological functions and physiological processes during animal reproduction. Recently, increasing evidence suggests that the biological role and chemical fate of NO is dependent on dynamic regulation of its biosynthetic enzyme, three distinct nitric oxide synthase (NOS) according to their structure, location and function. The impact of NOS isoforms on reproductive functions need to be timely elucidated. Here, we focus on and the basic background and latest studies on the development, structure, importance inhibitor, location pattern, complex functions. Moreover, we summarize the exactly mechanisms which involved some cell signal pathways in the regulation of NOS with cellular and molecular level in the animal reproduction. Therefore, this growing research area provides the new insight into the important role of NOS male and female reproduction system. It also provides the treatment evidence on targeting NOS of reproductive regulation and diseases.

[Analysis on clinical treatment in hypertension by traditional Chinese medicine for 10 years in Beijing].

UNLABELLED: To make a retrospective study of clinical treatment in hypertension by traditional Chinese medicine for 10 years in Beijing, and to mainly analyze in three facets: the study on total regularity of using Chinese herbal medicine, the study on regularity of application, and the study on differentiation of symptoms and signs. RESULT: (1) Total regularity of using Chinese herbal medicine: They are tonic herbs, expelling phlegm and stopping winding herbs, heat-clearing herbs, blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs, damp-clearing herbs in turn. The frequently used herbs were gouteng, niuxi, tianma, fuling, baishao, zexie, chuanxiong, and so on. (2) The study on regularity of application: The 6 kinds of herbs above were abide by the total regularity and the frequently used herbs were gouteng, niuxi, fuling, tianma, chuanxiong, baishao, zexie, and so on. (3) It was showed that the common syndromes of hypertension and herbs were: The herbs such as gouteng, niuxi, baishao, tianma, chuanxiong, juhua were frequently used in liver yang ascending syndrome. Herbs such as gouqizi, niuxi, shanyao, shudihuang, fuling, mudanpi, were frequently used in symptoms of yin deficiency of liver and kidney. Herbs such as huangqin, xiakucao, gouteng, zhizi, longdancao, juhua were frequently used in syndrome of flarming liver-fire. Herbs such as fuling, banxia, jupi, baizhu, tianma, gancao were frequently used in the stagnation of phlegm. Herbs such as tianma, gouteng, baishao, shijiuming, banxia were frequently used in up-stirring of liver. Herbs such as chuanxiong, chishao, honghua, danshen, sanqi were frequently used in syndrome of blood stasis in the collateral of the brain. Herbs such as shanzhuyu, shudi, fuling, rougui, fuzi, niuxi were frequently used in both-yini-and-yang-deficiency.

[The clinical analysis of endophthalmitis caused by minor ocular perforation].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the incidence rate and causes of endophthalmitis caused by minor ocular perforation. To document its damage to the visual function, so as to improve the rate of prevention of this disease. METHODS: The following clinical information of 153 cases with minor ocular perforations from a retrospective study was collected: general conditions, injury objects, wound shape and size, presence or absence of ocular foreign body, associated organic injuries, visual functions in the early stage after injury, speed of occurrence of infection, and positive rate of microbiological tests. The results with the drug treatments and surgical therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: All of 153 cases were followed up from 3 months to 7 years. The visual acuity in 13 cases (8.5%) was over 0.3. 140 cases (91.5%) were less than 0.3. Enucleating was performed in 37 cases (24.2%). CONCLUSION: The patients with minor ocular perforations tend to have good visual acuity in the early stage after injury. But their visual acuity was lost in 4 to 12 hours if rapid and severe infections occurred. The risk of endophthalmitis should be recognized and evaluated on time in the early stage after injury.

Bilirubin ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

Many possible treatments for pulmonary fibrosis have been investigated, but except for some current clinical trials, none have succeeded in clinical trials. On the basis of the antioxidant action of bilirubin (BIL), we examined the effects of hyperbilirubinemia on the development of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. The animals' plasma BIL level was kept within 3 and 10 mg/dl by repeated intravenous infusion of a high dose of BIL. We studied the inhibitory effects of hyperbilirubinemia on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis through histopathologic and biochemical analyses. Mortality of rats with BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis was significantly lower in the three groups with hyperbilirubinemia. The ameliorating effect of hyperbilirubinemia on pulmonary fibrosis was shown by lung histology, as well as by a decreased lung content of hydroxyproline and reduced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) concentration of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1). The number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes in BALF was also decreased in the groups with hyperbilirubinemia. Furthermore, oxidative metabolites of BIL in urine were present at significantly higher levels in BLM-treated rats with hyperbilirubinemia than in those without hyperbilirubinemia. These data suggest that the antioxidative action of BIL can attenuate BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis, partly by inhibiting lung inflammation and production of TGF-beta1.