AIM: To investigative the inhibitory effects of Paecilomyces cicadae polysaccharide (PcPS) against HBV in vitro, and the effects on the Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA expression in HepG2.2.15 cell strain. METHODS: HepG2.2.15 cell strain was co-cultured in vitro with PcPS in different concentrations, and lamivudine (LMV) was applied as positive control. MTT assay was employed to detect the cytotoxicities of PcPS in vitro, when the HepG2.2.15 cells was used as target cells. The effects of PcPS on the secretion of HBsAg and HBeAg were assayed by ELISA method. Fluorescence quantitative-PCR (FQ-PCR) was used to detect the inhibitory effects of PcPS on the content of HBV-DNA and TLR4 mRNA in HepG2.2.15 cells. RESULTS: The inhibitory effects of PcPS on the HBsAg and HBeAg were observed and the maximum inhibitory ratio up to 44.8% and 31.0%, respectively. The same inhibitory effects of PcPS on the HBV-DNA replication and TLR4 mRNA expression in HepG2.2.15 cells were also found. CONCLUSION: A certain concentration of PcPS significantly inhibits HBV replication in vitro.

This paper provides a new design of 12-element array ultrasound transducer. By modeling the beam field model of single element and array and comparing simulated and real ultrasound beam field test data, it can be demonstrated that 12-element array ultrasound transducer has a much better field performance than the 8-element transducer.
Equipment Design ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; instrumentation ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; instrumentation

Objective To study the potential effects of angiopoietin 1(Ang1) via adenovirus mediated gene transfer on ischemic heart disease in rabbits. Methods Forty-five male New Zealand white rabbits underwent high positioned double-ligation of the anterior descending left coronary artery, and were divided into three groups: Ang1 group (n=15) received direct myocardium injection of Ang1 recombinant adenovirus; DMEM group (n=15) and LacZ group (n=15) received only DMEM and LacZ recombinant adenovirus as controls respectively. The myocardial infarcted size was evaluated by N-BT macroscopic standing and the degree of angiogenesis was assessed by use of immunohistochemical analysis. The echocardiographic changes were measured on before operation and the 7 th, 14 th, and 28 th postoperative days. Results Animals in three groups had no significant difference in the percentage of infarction size of left ventricle at the 7 th, 14 th day and capillary density at the 7 th day. Animals in Ang1 group showed less infarcted size than DMEM group or LacZ group at the 28 th day and higher capillary density at the 14 th and the 28 th day. The results from echocardiographic measurements showed that animals in all three groups had no significant difference in the left ventricular systolic function before operation and at the 7 th , 14 th day, but the left ventricular systolic function in Ang1 group was better than that in DMEM group or LacZ group at the the 28 th day(P

Objective To identify the histopathological characteristics of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) with V. vulnificus in mice. Methods Sixteen healthy KM mice (6～8 week old ) divided randomly into two groups, study group ( n =12) and control group ( n =4) The animal model of MODS was established by received either an intraperitioneal, intramuscular subcuneous inoculum of 4.34?10 6 cfu/0.2 ml of V.vulnificus or intraperitioneal injection of a sterile physiological salt solution (control group). Pathological changes of the man organs were individually obsenved in under election microscope (EM). Results Mortality rates exced 100%, 12/12) in study group after inoculums of mice within 4～8 h, while in 0% (0/0) in the control . The detection rate of V. vulnificus were in 100%(12/12) from blood, hearts, lungs, livers, intramuscularly, subcutaneous in the study group, while in 0% (0/4) after sterile saline intraperitioneal injection. The man histopathological changes were :degeneration and necrosis of the parenchyma cells in the different organs;interstitial swelling, mitochondriondrial injure of multiple organs.These changes were especially obvious in the lungs and myocardeum. Conclusions Above pathological changes suggested that results of MODS caused by V. vulnificus septicemia,the multiple organs failure as an important feature of the fatality of V. vulnificus infections,and my be helpful for researchers investigating of V.vulnificus.

BACKGROUND:There is still controversy whether human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can maintain their biological characteristics,energy metabolism patterns,and multidirectional differentiation potential after long-term expression in vitro.Further comprehensive and systematic research is needed. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of long-term expansion in vitro on the biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS:Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured to passage 5,10,and 15 in vitro.MTT assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle.The multi-differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells was detected by inducing to adipogenic,osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation.Cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by scratch test and Transwell assay.The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis function were analyzed using energy metabolism analyzer.The cell senescence was detected by senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining.The expression levels of p21,p16,and p53 proteins were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at passages 5,10,and 15 grew adherently;the volume of passage 15 mesenchymal stem cells increased and its proliferation ability decreased;the percentage of S-phase cells decreased(P<0.05).With the increase of culture passages,the migration and invasion abilities decreased gradually(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the differentiation potential,demonstrated by adipogenic,osteogenic and chondrogenesis induction.The ability of oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria and glycolysis decreased gradually(P<0.05).The number of senescence-associated β-galactosidase-positive cells increased with the increase of passages(P<0.05),and the expression of senescence protein p21,p16,and p53 increased gradually(P<0.05).The results indicated that the biological characterization of mesenchymal stem cells changed after long-term in vitro expansion.Mesenchymal stem cells cultured over 10 passages may have a reduced activity due to increasing senescence.Therefore,bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured less than 10 passages are suitable for clinical research/therapy.