More and more attention has been drawn on nano-materials in the application of molecular imaging and targeted cancer therapy. Quantum dots, due to their rich surface chemical properties and bright stable fluorescence, have been used as a new type of nano-probes and widely used in molecular, cellular and vivo biological imaging. In recent years, many inspiring achievements have been obtained in the study on quantum dots surface modification and biological imaging in cell and animals. In this article, current status and the latest developments of the study and the application are reviewed.

Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; therapy

Objective To investigate the expression of CXCR4 in cultured human dental pulp cells (HDPC) in vitro and the corresponding ligand SDF-1α level of HDPC supernatants stimulated by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and to explore the role of SDF-1αon the proliferation and the migration of HDPC.Methods The expression of CXCR4 in HDPC was detected by immunocytochemistry technique and indirect immunofluorescence technique.The culture supernatants of HDPC were collected after HDPC had been simulated by LPS and TNF-α of difierent concentrations for 48h and then the SDF-1α level was assayed by quantitative sandwich ELISA.Meanwhile,the effects of recombinant human SDF-1α(rhSDF-1α)on the proliferation and the migration of HDPC at different concentrations were observed by MTT and Boyden Chamber Assay.Results CXCR4 was expressed in cytomembrane of HDPC and SDF-1α was secreted into their normal cell supematants with a concentration of(4513.55±962.92)ng/L. The secretion of SDF-1α was both significantly decreased by stimulation with LPS and TNF-α(P＜0.05).In addition,rhSDF-1α stimulated the HDPC proliferation at the concentrations of 50,100,200μg/L(P＜0.01)and increased the chemotactic migration of HDPC significantly after 9h's incubation with the concentrations of 50,100μg/L(P＜0.05).Conclusions SDF-1α accelerated the proliferation and the migration of HDPC which expressed CXCR4.SDF-1-CXCR4 axis may play a role in repair of pulp injury.

Psychrotrophs were isolated by using four media from low-temperature sewage of sewage treatment plant in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Totally, 154 strains were obtained including 12 filamentous fungi, 46 yeasts, 6 actinomycetes and 90 bacteria. The results of tolerance tests of the isolates to salt, phenol and SDS, and enzyme producing characters of amylase, proteinase and esterase were shown. Then 60 bacterial strains were chosen for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analysis. The blasting results showed that the strains were assigned to 13 recognized genera , and the Strain 39 exhibited 96.6% similarity to Acinetobacter lwoffii(DSM2403), indicating that it might be a novel species. These results suggested that there were a lot of psychrotrophs and rich bacterial diversity in low-temperature sewage. In addition, which maybe an important and potential library of microbial resources.

Objective To study the ultrastructure of the renal papillary Randall's plaque in calclum oxalate stone formers. Methods The 14 biopsy samples of the Randall's plaque in 12 patients with calcium oxalate stone undergoing PCNL for stone removal were obtained using endoscopic biopsy technique,followed by staining with hematoxylin-eosin or fixing with osmium tetroxide,and then the ultrastructure of the Randall's plaque was observed under light microscope and transmission electron microscope. Results In all 12 patients,72 renal papillae were examined.All kidReys were found to have papillary plaque and 7 of the patients had attached stones.Sixty-three papillae(87.5%)contained plaque.Calcium deposition was seen in the 12 renal papilla tissue by light microscopy.Transmission electron microscopy images of the 2 Randall's plaque samples showed several cluster of sharp and large crystals lied closer to the surface of Randall's plaque.The typical crystals were acicular with light profile. Conclusions Randall's plaque is an interstitial medullary and papillary deposit of calcium oxalate.The appearance of the deposition of calcium oxalate crystals lies upon Randall's plaque,which might be an explanation for the mechanism of calcium oxalate stone formation.

Objective To investigate Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression in tumor associated inflammation in patients with adamantinomatous craniopharyngima..Methods Fifty-four patients (31 male and 23 female) with craniopharyngioma from 3 to 66 years of age were recruited from May 2004 to March 2006.NF-κB and Osteopontin (OPN) expression in human craniopharyngiomas were detected using immunohistochemical staining.High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a systemic marker of inflammation, was examined in patients' tumor hydatid fluid, cerebrospinal fluid and serum.Results NF-κB expression was significantly increased in the adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.Spearman;s correlation analysis demonstrated that NF-κB expression was associated with OPN expression.The hs-CRP level was also increased in the tumor hydatid fluid (4.28±0.90 mg/mL), cerebrospinal fluid (0.035±0.006 mg/mL) and serum (1.72±0.54 mg/mL) in patients with adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.Conclusions NF-kappa B is closely associated with tumor associated inflammation which further mediates adhesion of tumor to surrounding important structures in patients with adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) modified bovine serum albumin (AGE-BSA) on the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs).

METHODSHRMCs were cultured in vitro with medium containing different doses of AGE-BSA or BSA (50,100, 200, 400 mg/L) for 48 hours, or with AGE-BSA (200 mg/L) for different times (12, 24, 48, 72 h). Immunocytochemistry assay was used to estimate the protein level of RAGE. The ROS in cells were measured by flow cytometry and the mRNA expression of MCP-1 were analyzed by semi-quantiative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after treatment with AGE-BSA or BSA.

RESULTSThe protein level of RAGE was upregulated in the HRMCs with AGE-BSA. The expression of ROS and MCP-1 significantly enhanced by incubation of AGE-BSA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effects of AGE-BSA-induced up-regulation of ROS and MCP-1 level was significantly blocked by neutralizing antibodies to RAGE, while the expression of ROS and MCP-1 stood nearly unchanged after cultured with huamn IgG.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ROS and MCP-1 in HRMCs is induced by AGE-BSA through RAGE, which may have potential effects in the pathgenic mechanism of diabetic nephropathy.

Cells, Cultured ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mesangial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; Receptors, Immunologic ; metabolism ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; pharmacology

Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Interdigitating ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Granuloma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; metabolism ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary

Calcium-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fibroma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; pathology ; Infant ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; pathology ; Tendons ; pathology ; Toes ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Thigh ; Vimentin ; metabolism