Cartilage is one of the earliest reconstructed tissues used in tissue engineering. Due to the lack of appropriate seeding cells, cartilage tissue engineering is, however, relatively lagged behind. With the emergence of stem cell research, adipose stem cells(ASCs) are introduced as seeding cells into tissue engineering for possessing many advantages such as wide spreading, large amount of cells available and easy to obtain. However, the outcome of tissue engineered cartilage construction by ASCs is not as ideal as that by bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) yet. Low efficiency of ASC chondrogenesis is considered the major cause. This review summarizes the purification of adipose-derived cells, maintenance of sternness and optimization of ehondrogenie induction, which play vital roles in improving ASC s chondrogenesis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of methylprednisolone that decrease plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) in plasma through mediating the PA/plasmin system.Methods:Employed immunohistochemical technique-ELISA to determine PAI-1 level in plasma.Results:①PAI-1 in LN patients is significantly higher than that in the control group (P0.05).Conclusion:It is thus proved that methylprednisolone is capable of decreasing PAI-1 in plasma through mediating the PA/plasmin system and two shocks is the minimum for effective cure. [

Objective: To establish a UPLC fingerprint of Compound Qima Capsule (CQC), to determine the eight contents in CQC (gastrodin, 5-hydroxymethylfurfura(5-HF), calycosin-7-O-β-D-glycoside(CG), rhoifolin, naringin, formononetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (FG), calycosin, and formononetin), and to provide the basis for the evaluation of CQC. Methods: The Agilent Eclipse C18 (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) column was used with a mobile phase of methyl acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid gradient elution, the flow rate was 0.3 mL/min, the column temperature was 25℃, and the detection wavelength was 265 nm. Results: The fingerprint chromatography with good resolution and reproducibility included 22 mutual peaks, and the similarity was more than 0.98. Gastrodin, 5-HF, CG, rhoifolin, naringin, FG, calycosin, and formononetin were baseline seperated with good linearity relationships between concentration and peak areas over the linear ranges, within 0.976-29.880, 10.596-52.980, 2.697-13.485, 2.262-11.309, 40.768-203.840, 5.825-29.126, 0.372-1.858, and 1.888-9.440 μg/mL (r > 0.999 9), whose average recoveries were 1.04%, 1.30%, 1.81%, 1.41%, 1.29%, 1.01%, 1.48%, and 1.29%. The contents of 10 batches of gastrodin, 5-HF, CG, rhoifolin, naringin, FG, calycosin, and formononetin were 2.883-3.491, 1.710-3.791, 0.107-0.286, 0.157-0.346, 8.853-10.726, 0.282-0.692, 0.097-0.135, and 0.041-0.063 mg/g, respectively. Conclusion: The method is rapid, simple, and accurate, and can be used for the quality control of CQC.

Objective To establish a novel method to determine the absolute content of quercetin by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR).Methods DMSO-d6 was employed as solvent,and maleic acid as an internal standard.Proton signal peaks at δ7.50-7.58 and δ6.26 of maleic acid were served as quantification peaks.The content of quercetin is determined with qNMR in comparison with the results obtained by mass balance method.Results Linear regression of quantitative peak areas ratio (As/Ar) of quercetin-maleic acid vs mass ratio (ms/mr) yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.999 3 and a regression equation ofy =2.963 x + 0.134 1.The contents of three batches quercetin were 85.20％,84.93％,and 85.27％,the average was 85.13％ and its RSD was 0.21％.The results were generally consistent with that of mass balance methods.Conclusion This method was easy and simple to handle,and the analysis results were accurate.It could be the complementary for the mass balance method.

Objective:To observe the theraputic effect and changes of glomerular extracellular matrix components(ECM) and PAI-1 and their relationships after cure with methyl-prednisone on immune complexes nephritis rats.Methods:Immune complexes nephritis rats model were induced with C-BSA.Levels of FN,LN in different treatment groups were analyzed by ELISA, level of PAI-1 in rats renal tissue was determined by color developing substrate,was theraputic effect of methyl-prednisone with 24 hours volumes of urine protein.Results:The levels of PAI-1,FN and LN of model groups were significantly higher than those of normal and control groups,and PAI-1 was significantly correlated with LN and FN,Glomerular mesangial matrix proliferated slightly and moderately;The levels of FN,LN and PAI-1 decreased signifcantly and glomerular mesangial matrix proliferation lessen differently after cure of methyl-prednisone for 1 and 2 weeks,but not reaching the level of normal groups;24 hours volumes of urine protein decrease significantly in treatment groups.Conclusion:The ECM accumulation correlate with PAI-1 increase in immune complexes rats,methyl-prednisone may affect ECM accumulation by interfering with PA/PAI-1 system to reach a treatment purpose.

Objective To observe therapeutic effect and safety of tacrolimus on idiopathic membranous nephropathy(IMN)with nephrotic syndrome in different courses of treatment.Methods Twenty patients with nephritic syndrome caused by idiopathic membranous nephropathy were divided into short-term(10 cases)and long-term(10 cases)groups randomly.Short-term group and long-term group were treated with tacrolimus and prednisone for 6 months and 24 months repectively,then obersve treatment effect,concentration changes of tacrolimus,recurrence and side effects in 2 groups.Results Five patients obtained complete remission after 6 months of treatment in the short-term group;4 patients obtained partial remission;1 patient had no response.Average concentration of tacrolimus remained 5～7 ?g/L in the period of treatment,and 6 cases recurred.Six patients obtained complete remission and 3 patients obtained partial remission after 24 months of treatment in the long-term group;1 patient had no response.Concentration of tacrolimus in the long-term group remained same as the short-term group at 5～8 ?g/L at 6 months,3.38～4.36 ?g/L at 12 months;no case recurred after treatment,the rate of which was significantly lower than the short-term group.Conclusion Short-term and long-term treatment of tacrolimus can relieve IMN evidently;low concentration of tacrolimus in the long-term group can alleviate the state of illness persistently with low recurrence rate.

BACKGROUNDThoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is an emerging treatment modality, which has been rapidly embraced by clinicians treating thoracic aortic disease. However, the clinical manifestations of systemic inflammatory response after TEVAR as post-implantation syndrome (PIS) resemble the perioperative infection. This study aimed to evaluate changes and diagnostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) and other traditional inflammatory markers for infections after TEVAR.

METHODSWe conducted a prospective clinical study that enrolled 162 consecutive aortic dissection cases, who underwent TEVAR in our institution between July 2011 and November 2012. The PCT, C-response protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and blood routine examination were monitored before the operation and on days 1, 2, 3 and 5 after the operation. The diagnosis of infection was confirmed by the infection control committee with reference to Hospital Acquired Infection Diagnostic Criteria Assessment, released by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China.

RESULTSPost endovascular repair of thoracic aorta, PCT changes significantly at different time points (χ(2) = 13.225, P = 0.021), without significant difference between the PIS group and the control group (0.24 ± 0.04 vs.0.26 ± 0.10, P = 0.804). PCT values were significantly higher in the first day after TEVAR than the preoperative levels (0.18 ± 0.03 vs. 0.11 ± 0.02, P < 0.001). Compared with PIS patients, the level of PCT, CRP, White blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil (NEU) in the infection patients elevated significantly (relatively χ(2) = 6.062, P = 0.048; χ(2) = 6.081, P = 0.048; χ(2) = 11.030, P = 0.004; χ(2) = 14.632, P = 0.001). According to the ROC analysis, the PCT levels in the first day after TEVAR (AUC = 0.785, P = 0.012) had better predictive values of infection than WBC, NEU CRP and ESR (AUC = 0.720, P = 0.040; AUC = 0.715, P = 0.045; AUC = 0.663, P = 0.274; AUC = 0.502, P = 0.991). The best predictive index was the changes of PCT between preoperative and postoperative (PCT), which possess AUC as 0.803 (P = 0.014). And PCT = 0.055 could be considered as an infection diagnosis cutoff value with a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity 69.0%.

CONCLUSIONSPCT provides better diagnostic value of infection compared with other inflammatory markers. The potential applications of PCT in differential diagnosis of PIS and infection after percutaneous TEVAR deserve further studies.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Calcitonin ; metabolism ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Protein Precursors ; metabolism ; Vascular Surgical Procedures

BACKGROUNDPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of congenital heart disease (CHD). Although risk stratification is vital for prognosis and therapeutic guidance, the need for understanding the role of novel biomarkers cannot be overlooked. The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes of homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide levels and find potential biomarkers for early detection and treatment.

METHODSBetween September 2012 and April 2013, we prospectively collected data on 158 pediatric patients with left to right shunt CHD at our institution. Standard right heart catheterizations were performed in all cases. Seventy-seven cases were associated with PH. The levels of homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide were detected with fluorescence polarization immunoassay and a sensitive silver-sulphur electrode, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the expression of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE). Radioimmunoassays were used to obtain folic acid and vitamin B12 levels.

RESULTSThe difference in the levels of homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12, hydrogen sulfide, as well as the MTHFR and CSE expression between patients with PH and without PH were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Homocysteine had the best sensitivity and specificity to predict PH (P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the levels of homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide, and the expression of CSE and MTHFR between patients with dynamic and obstructive PH were significantly different (all P < 0.05). Based on the ROC curve, homocysteine had the best sensitivity and specificity to predict obstructive PH (P = 0.032), while CSE had the most significant sensitivity and specificity to predict the dynamic PH (P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONSIncreased levels of homocysteine and decreased levels of hydrogen sulfide were significantly negatively correlated in PH associated with CHD. The underlying mechanism involved the decreased expression of MTHFR and CSE along with vitamin B12 deficiency. Homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide are potential biomarkers to predict PH.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; metabolism ; Homocysteine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; metabolism ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the allo-NK cell-mediated killing effect enhanced by decitabine on leukemia stem cells(LSC) and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSLSC were separated from KG1a cells by using immunomagnetic beads. Allo-NK cells were isolated and purified from PBMC of healthy donors. Cytotoxicity of allo-NK cells against LSC were measured by LDH releasing assay. The apoptosis induced by allo-NK cells in LSC and the expressions of NKG2D ligands including MICA/B and ULBP1-3 on LSC were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe killing rate of allo-NK cells to LSC treated with 10 µmol/L decitabine for 24 hours was significant higher than that to LSC without treatment(60.52%±3.52% vs 22.08%±2.07%, 73.93%±2.33% vs 28. 99%±3.13%, 83.08%±1.32% vs 36.44%±2.40%, respectively)at the effector-target ratios of 5:1, 10:1, 20:1 (P<0.05). At the effector-target ratio of 10:1, decitabine significantly enhanced the apoptosis of LSC induced by allo-NK cells (7.84%±0.34% vs 3.33%±0.64%)(P<0.05). The expressions of NKG2D ligands(MICA/B,ULBP1,ULBP2,ULBP3) on LSC treated with decitabine 10 µmol/L for 24 hours were significantly increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDecitabine may enhance the allo-NK cell-mediated killing effects on LSC by up-regulation of the expressions of NKG2D ligands on LSC.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this review was to delineate our current knowledge of the close relationship between the abundance of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and the risk of all major cardiovascular disease, especially atrial fibrillation (AF).

DATA SOURCESThe data analyzed in this review were mainly from articles reported in PubMed published from 1972 to 2014.

STUDY SELECTIONOriginal articles and critical reviews relevant to EAT and AF were selected.

RESULTSEAT, a particular form of metabolically active visceral fat deposited around the heart, is being regarded as an important independent predictor of cardio-metabolic diseases. EAT is composed of smaller adipocytes than other visceral fat depots and functioned like brown adipose tissue (BAT) to protect adjacent tissues. Improving the understanding of EAT in AF genesis and maintenance may contribute to prevent AF and reduce the complications associated with AF.

CONCLUSIONThe findings suggest that EAT associates with AF severity and the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation even after adjustment for AF risk factors, but the precise mechanisms are not fully elucidated.

Adipose Tissue ; pathology ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Humans