BACKGROUND:The effects and molecular mechanism of simvastatin on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts remain unclear. Especial y, we do not know much about the effects of connexin 43.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of simvastatin on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and the regulatory effect of simvastatin on the expression of osteogenic genes and connexin 43.
METHODS:Newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen and the cranium digestion method was used to culture osteoblasts. The different concentrations of simvastatin (0.062 5, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0μmol/L) were used to deal with osteoblasts. The proliferative effect of simvastatin on osteoblasts was measured with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide. The effect of simvastatin on osteoblast differentiation was measured with alkaline phosphatase activities. The mRNA and protein expression of osteogenic genes and connexin 43 were measured by real time quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were no significant differences in absorbance values of simvastatin groups at 3 days (P>0.05). However, at 4 and 5 days, absorbance values were lower in the simvastatin groups than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, alkaline phosphatase activities of osteoblasts were greater in the simvastatin groups (P<0.05). Moreover, the effects of 0.25μmol/L simvastatin on alkaline phosphatase activities of osteoblasts were most significant. Osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase activities, type I col agen and connexin 43 mRNA and protein expressions were increased after treatment with 0.25μmol/L simvastatin (P<0.05). These results indicated that simvastatin may inhibit the proliferation and improve the differentiation of osteoblasts by upregulating the mRNA and protein expression of osteogenic genes and connexin 43. These data may provide the new intervention target for osteoporosis treated with statins.

Objective To explore the expression and function of galanin and its receptor in the female mice of anxiety-and depression-like behavior.Methods In situ hybridization was used to detect the expression of galanin,GalR1,GalR2 and GalR3 in the hippocampus of C57BL/6J female mice.A total of thirty female mice was divided into two groups:experiment group (n=15) and control group (n=15).The experiment group was subjected to the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for four weeks,and the control group was not subjected to any treatment.Four weeks later,a series of tests were performed on those two groups,including the sucrose preference test,the novel object recognition test,the open field test and suspension tail test.After behavior tests,the hippocampus RNA was extracted from eight mice in each group to test the expression of galanin and its receptor through qPCR.The rest part of mice were used to mark C-Fos immunostaining in the dentate gyms (DG) of hippocampus.Results The result of in situ hybridization showed that galanin,GalR1 and GalR2 distributed in the Hillus of ventral hippocamous,GalR3 had no positive signal.In the sucrose preference test,the experiment group drunk less sucrose when compared with the control group (P＜0.05).In the novel object recognition test,the experiment group contacted shorter time to the novel object when compared with the control group (P＜0.05).In the open field test,the experiment group had shorter in session time when compared with the control group (P＜0.05).In the suspension tail test,the experiment group had longer immobility time when compared with the control group (P＜0.05).The qPCR result showed that the higher expression of galanin and GalR1 in the hippocampus of experiment group (P＜0.05).More C-Fos positive cells in the DG of hippocampus of experiment mice were immunostained (P＜0.05).Conclusions Galanin,GalR1 and GalR2 mainly distribute in the Hillus of the ventral hippocampus.Galanin may be involved in the anxiety-and depression-like behavior of C57BL/6J through GalR1.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging(IVIM-DWI)in diagnosis of different pathological types of lung cancer.Methods 45 patients were performed traditional MR and multi-b value DWI scan by GE discovery 750 MR.The values of Slow-ADC,Fast-ADC and ffast measured on a AW4.5 workstation were analyzed between the different pathological types of lung cancers.The correlations between these IVIM-DWI parameters and the serum tumor markers of lung cancer were analyzed.The diagnostic efficiency of these parameters were evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC).Results 27 cases NSCLC(13 cases squamous carcinoma;14 cases adenocarcinoma )and 18 cases SCLC were finally included in this study.There were significant differences in Slow-ADC values between SCLC group and NSCLC group (P =0.00),the adenocarcinoma group (P=0.03),the squamous carcinoma group(P=0.01).There were no significant difference in Fast-ADC as well as ffast value between any two groups.The AUC of Slow-ADC value was 0.874.There existed negative correlation between squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC-Ag)of squamous carcinoma group and Slow-ADC(r=-0.730).Conclusion The Slow-ADC of IVIM-DWI parameters is useful in differential diagnosis of NSCLC and SCLC,which has the largest diagnostic efficiency.The correlation between SCC-Ag and Slow-ADC value has a certain meaning in diagnosing different pathological types of lung cancers.

Start-up and process control of a pilot-scale anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (Anammox) bioreactor were studied at ambient temperature. Inoculated with a mixture of nitrification-denitrification sludge, nitritation sludge, anaerobic floc sludge and anaerobic granular sludge, the pilot-scale Anammox bioreactor was successfully started up within 255 days at 5 degrees C-27 degrees C. The nitrogen removal rate reached 1.30 kg/(m3 x d). Three facets were taken into account to facilitate the process initiation. First, in terms of alkalization in Anammox, influent pH was kept at about 6.8. Besides, nitrite concentration was kept as low as 13-36 mg/L. Finally, 2% (volumetric ratio) of Anammox sludge from lab-scale bioreactors was supplemented to the pilot-scale one.
Ammonia ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; metabolism ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Nitrites ; analysis ; Nitrogen ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Sewage ; microbiology ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of oversized occluder on endothelialization post percutaneous closure of experimental atrial septal defect (ASD) in dogs.

METHODSASD was established with the help of transthoracic echocardiography in 18 dogs. ASD size was (6.0 ± 0.2) mm. Dogs were randomly divided into normal size group (implanted with 8 mm occlude, n = 9) and oversized group (implanted with 12 mm occluder, n = 9). Dogs were randomly killed at 3, 6 and 14 months after percutaneous closure. The endothelialization process on device surface was observed by scanning electron microscope.

RESULTSFour animals died around 1 month post procedure. Microscopic sections from normal group showed nearly complete endothelialization at 3 months after device implantation and complete endothelialization at 6 and 14 months after device implantation. While microscopic sections showed lack of endothelialization at 3 months post implantation, nearly endothelialization at 6 months, and complete endothelialization at 14 months after device implantation in oversized group.

CONCLUSIONIncomplete endothelialization of occluder surface is observed at 6 months after implantation of an oversized ASD occluder device in this model.

Animals ; Dogs ; Echocardiography ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Septal Occluder Device