Long-term treatment with an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is associated with bone fractures in the clinical practice. However, the mechanisms underlying the fractures are not fully understood. This study was aimed to examine the effect of rosiglitazone (an agonist of PPAR-γ) of different doses on the proliferation, differentiation, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in primary rat osteoblasts in vitro. Osteoblasts were isolated from newly born SD rats and treated with different doses of rosiglitazone (0-20 μmol/L). The proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts were measured by MTT assay and NPP assay, respectively. The expression of CTGF was determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that most isolated osteoblasts displayed strong alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone did not affect their proliferation, but significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone significantly reduced the TGF-β1-induced CTGF mRNA transcription and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner in rat osteoblasts. It was concluded that the activation of PPAR-γ may inhibit the differentiation of osteoblasts by reducing the TGF-β1-induced CTGF expression in vitro.

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor(VEGF) and its upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)activation in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)as well as its role in the pathogeneses of RA.Mathods Expression of VEGF and receptor KDR in mononuclear cell(MNC)of synovial fluid of RA patients and controls were determined by Western blot;VEGF levels of supernantants from MNC was determined by ELISA;supernantants from KDR~+ MNC of synovial fluid of RA patients collected after incubation in serum-free medium with or without VEGF, their activity of MMP-2 was measured by gelatinolytic zymography;Boyden chamber-matrigel in vitro invasion assay was used to detect the invasive capacity in vitro in KDR~+ MNC of synovial fluid of RA patients incubat- ed with or without VEGF.Results The expressions of VEGF/KDR in MNC of synovial fluid of RA patients were significantly higher than those of controls;the MMP-2 activity and invasive ability of co-cuhured KDR~+ MNC with VEGF was higher than those of without VEGF.Conclusion VEGF upregulates MMP-2 activation and promotes invasion of MNC of synovial fluid of RA patients by interacting with receptor KDR,indicating that VEGF plays an important role in RA pathology.

Objective To investigate the effect of platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) on the prostate cancer cells migration and its possible mechanism. Methods The expressions of PDGF-D in LNCaP and PC-3 cells were detected with western blot.PDGF-D siRNA was synthesized according to mRNA sequence of PDGF-D gene and was transfected into PC-3 cell.The cells were treated with PDGF-D and PDGF-D siRNA,the cell migration was examined by Boyden chamber migration assay.The expression changes of VEGF and MMP-9 mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Results The results of western blot indicated that the PDGF-D protein expression level was lower in LNCaP cells (29.47 ± 1.68) than that in PC-3 cells (63.43 ±2.10),(P ＜ 0.05).PDGF-D siRNA could down-regulate the PDGF-D protein expression in the transfected group (35.19 ± 1.51).The exogenous PDGF-D could promote migration of LNCaP and PC-3cells,and up-regulate the expression of VEGF,MMP-9 mRNA in PC-3 cells (P ＜ 0.05,compared with control group).PDGF-D siRNA inhibited PC-3 cells' migration and decreased the level of VEGF,MMP-9mRNA expression (0.72 ± 0.09 vs 0.43 ± 0.18,0.65 ±0.07 vs 0.22 ± 0.08) (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion PDGF-D is involved in the promotion of prostate cancer invasion and angiogenesis.

Objective To explore the possible factors associated with twice human brucellosis epidemics in Inner Mongolia during 1952 to 2007 to provide scientific tactics for prevention and control brucellosis. Methods Surveillance data and literature about human brucellosis during 1952 to 2007 in Inner Mongolia was collected, descriptive analysis of human brucellosis incidence on distribution in the regions and among occupations was carried out during 1952 to 2007. Results In Inner Mongolia, the first epidemic of human brucellosis peak appeared in the early 1960s, spreading to 12 regions, at an incidence of 55.28/100 000 in 1961, 72.9% of the Brucella infected people were herdsman;another epidemic peak seriously hit middle and eastern regions after 2000, the incidence being 38.44/100 000 in 2005;51.9% and 28.7% of the new brucellosis cases were respectively peasant and herdsman. Conclusions In Inner Mongolia, animal husbandry industry has been rapid developed since the early 1990's, resulting frequent livestock trade without quarantine, at the same time the public health system doesn't match the development, so the epidemic situation of brucellosisbecomes more and more serious after mid-90's, and has reached the peak during 2004 and 2007.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Ulanqab of Inner Mongolia.Methods Three hundred and twenty patients with suspected brucellosis were selected,who had registered in the Ulanqab Center for Endemic Disease Control of Inner Mongolia from April to June 2011.The investigation covered general situation,such as gender,age,occupation and main clinical symptoms and so on.Blood samples were collected,and Rose Bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) was used for serum screening.Those who were tested positive in RBPT were confirmed with tube agglutination test (SAT).Brucellosis was diagnosed according to Diagnostic criteria for Brucellosis (WS 269-2007).Data were analyzed with statistical software(SPSS 17.0).Results One hundred and thirty-four cases were positive in RBPT of the 320 people surveyed,of which 93 cases were positive in SAT; antibody titers were higher than 1 ∶ 100(++),therefore they were diagnosed as brucellosis,and the ratio was 29.1％(93/320).The number of patients with suspected brucellosis who were negative in SAT test was 41,and the ratio was 12.8％ (41/320).Among the 93 people who were infected,the constituent ratio of farmers and herdsmen who engaged in livestock was the highest,accounted for 63.4％(59/93) and 24.7％ (23/93) of the total number of patients ; infection rate of male (30.9％,55/178) was higher than that of females (26.7％,38/142) ; the number(39) of brucellosis patients who were over the age of 51 was the highest,and the ratio is 42.0％.The onset season mainly in May and August; main route of exposure was bare hands lambing,midwifery and contact with infected sheep pollutants.Conclusions Sheep is the main source of human Brucella infection in Ulanqab.It is the key to control the spreading of brucellosis through improving awareness of disease prevention among farmers and herdsmen as well intensifying the prevention and control of Brucella infection between livestock.

Adult ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Dimethylformamide ; adverse effects ; Formamides ; analysis ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; urine ; Kidney Function Tests ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; physiopathology ; urine ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of plasma homocysteine Hcy in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS Plasma Hcy levels of 85 patients with coronary atherosclerosis and 68 normal controls were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. RESULTS The mean levels of plasma Hcy were (9.31+/-3.80)&mgr;mol/L in normal controls and (13.39+/-6.06)&mgr;mol/L in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. That was (11.36+/-3.86)&mgr;mol/L in the patients with micro-pathological changes of coronary artery, (13.32+/-6.09)&mgr;mol/L with single-vessel disease,(13.39+/-4.92)&mgr;mol/L with double-vessel disease, and (18.23+/-8.98)&mgr;mol/L with three-vessel disease by coronary angiography. Statistically, the mean plasma Hcy concentrations in male and female patients was higher than that in the corresponding control subjects(13.77+/-6.68 compared with 10.50+/-4.07, 11.50+/-3.58 compared with 7.80+/-2.85 &mgr;mol/L,P<0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION The patients with coronary atherosclerosis present hyperhomocysteinemia is very important to determine plasma homocysteine for diagnosis and therapy in the patients with coronary heart disease.

Objective To establish a network laboratory for blood cell analysis and better calibrate haematology analyzers in local lab.Methods According to GB/T 15481《General requirements for the competence testing and calibration laboratories》(idt ISO/IEC 17025),we established a network laboratory providing traceability for blood cell analysis.Complete blood count was traced to Calibration Laboratory in NCCL;The secondary standard haematology analyzer with the same model and calibrator with same lot number were used for verification for a long period.Fresh blood from healthy people was used to calibrate haematology analyzers.Results Gradually we have improved our laboratory quality management system, precision as well as accuracy,which was satisfactory.The unified blood sample was adopted to calibrate different equipments in our hospital and showed consistence when compared with calibration analyzer.The correlation coefficient of all tests is more than 0.99.The relative deviation of WBC,RBC,HCT,HGB and PLT are within?7%,?3.5%,?4%,?3% and?15%,respectively.Conclusions Secondary standard systems provides good comparable results with calibration laboratory.Its tracing mode and quality control scheme could ensure the traceability and accuracy of completed blood count.Furthermore,using elective fresh blood from healthy people,the comparable results from different analyzers were achievable.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical outcomes of anterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 28 patients with multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy who underwent surgery from October 2012 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 18 males and 10 females, aged from 45 to 77 years old with an average of (60.11±9.37) years. Three levels were involved in 27 cases, while four levels were involved in 1 case. The preoperative JOA score was 8.89±1.87; the fusion segments angles was (4.87±4.56)°; and the cervical curvature was (11.68±1.25)°. Anterior hybrid decompression and fusion were performed in 28 patients. The fusion segments angles and the cervical curvature were assessed by X-rays at 1, 12 months after operation, respectively. JOA score was used to evaluate the clinical effect.

RESULTSThe operative time was 163 min on average (ranged from 120 to 205 min), and intraoperative bleeding was 198 ml on average(ranged from 100 to 300 ml). Hoarseness occurred in 1 case and got recovery at 3 weeks after operation and choke cough occurred in 1 case, and got improvement at 1 week after operation. All the patients were regularly followed for 12-24 months with an average of(18.46±3.20) months. Graft bone obtained fusion at 12 months after operation and the position of internal fixation was good. The fusion segments angles, the cervical curvature and JOA scores were significantly improved at 1, 12 months after operation(<0.05). The improvement rate of JOA score was(46.46±20.26)% at 12 months after operation, 12 cases got excellent results, 14 good and 2 fair.

CONCLUSIONSAnterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion is safe and effective and can get satisfactory effects for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Long-term treatment with an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is associated with bone fractures in the clinical practice. However, the mechanisms underlying the fractures are not fully understood. This study was aimed to examine the effect of rosiglitazone (an agonist of PPAR-γ) of different doses on the proliferation, differentiation, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in primary rat osteoblasts in vitro. Osteoblasts were isolated from newly born SD rats and treated with different doses of rosiglitazone (0-20 μmol/L). The proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts were measured by MTT assay and NPP assay, respectively. The expression of CTGF was determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that most isolated osteoblasts displayed strong alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone did not affect their proliferation, but significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone significantly reduced the TGF-β1-induced CTGF mRNA transcription and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner in rat osteoblasts. It was concluded that the activation of PPAR-γ may inhibit the differentiation of osteoblasts by reducing the TGF-β1-induced CTGF expression in vitro.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; PPAR gamma ; agonists ; metabolism ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology