AIM: To study apoptosis in heart of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) rat at high altitude. METHODS: The two-hit model of MODS rat was used at two different altitude(1 510 m, 3 900 m). Hemorrhage was induced in Wistar rats by catheterizing the femoral artery until a mean arterial pressure was 35 mmHg and maintained for 1 hour. Rususcitation was performed with lactated Ringer′s solution at 24 h after hemorrhage, cecal ligation and puncture(CLP) was performed .Then rats were killed at 3 h,6 h,12 h and 24 h after CLP, and myocardium sample was excised and stored in liquid nitrogen. Apoptosis in heart was determined by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry(FCM), transmission electron microscope(TEM) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL). RESULTS: The special ladder pattern for apoptosis was seen in myocardium sample at high altitude(3 900 m) group.The apoptotic rate in myocardium was higher in high altitude(3 900 m) group than that in lower altitude(1 510 m) group( P

Objective To investigate the clinical and imaging features in patients with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) through a comparative study in patients with ischemic stroke with or without VBD.Methods The patients with acute cerebral infarction were divided into either a VBD group or a non-VBD group according to magnetic resonance angiography.The VBD group was further divided into an anterior circulation infarction subgroup and a posterior circulation infarction subgroup.The cardiovascular risk factors,the diameter of basiar artery (BA),bifurcation height,and horizontal displacement were compared in all groups.Results A total of 269 patients with acute cerebral infarction were included,28 had VBD,accounting for 10.41％ of the patients with acute cerebral infarction during the same period.The proportion of male patients (78.6％ vs.66.8％ ;x2 =4.392,P =0.036),age (70.38 ± 10.58 years vs.62.86 ± 12.20 years; t =2.870,P =0.009),and the proportion of hypertension (89.3％ vs.47.7％ ; x2 =17.367,P =0.000) in the VBD group were significantly higher than those in the non-VBD group.The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.248,95％ confidence interval [CI] 1.137-1.371; P=0.000),hyperglycemia (OR 1.599,95％ CI 1.181-2.164; P =0.002),hypertension (OR 1.251,95％ CI 1.020-1.534; P =0.032) and increased triglyceride level (OR 1.876,95％ CT 1.021-3.445; P =0.043) were the independent risk factors for VBD,while female gender (OR 0.133,95％ CI 0.024-0.735; P =0.021) was the independent protective factor for VBD.Of the 28 cerebral infarction patients with VBD,9 had anterior circulation infarction and 19 had posterior circulation infarction.There were significant differences in BA diameter ([5.40 ± 0.49] cm vs.[6.00 ± 0.77] cm; t =2.046,P =0.041),and the proportions of high score in bifurcation height (x2 =6.768,P =0.037) and horizontal displacement (x2 =5.241,P =0.042) between the 2 groups (all P ＜0.05).The multivafiate logistic regression analysis showed that the BA bifurcation height was an independent risk factor for posterior circulation infarction (OR 1.347,95％ CI 1.069-2.457; P =0.038) in patients with VBD.Conclusions VBD accounted for 10.41％ of the patients with acute cerebral infarction during the same period.Advanced age,hyperglycemia,hypertension and increased triglyceride level were the independent risk factors for VBD.Female gender was the independent protective factors for VBD,and the BA bifurcation height was an independent risk factor for VBD occurring posterior circulation infarction.

Objective To detect the transferred vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)165 gene expression in rhesus autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and to explore the functional viability of transgenic MSCs. Methods MSCs from rhesus bone were isolated by Ficoll, which were used to detect the phenotype. After the culturing, the expression vector pcDNA-eGFP-VEGF165 was transfected into bone marrow MSCs. Fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry were used to detect the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression. At the same time, the phenotype in transfected MSCs was also indentified. The VEGF165 expression level was detected by RT-PCR. Results The highly purified MSCs were collected successfully. The transfected MSCs and daughter cells showed expressions of eGFP and VEGF165, which also remained the characteristics of MSCs. Conclusion The VEGF165 gene that is transfected into MSCs can maintain characteristics of MSCs, and stably express foreign genes.

Objective To observe the effects of nourishing-kidney herbs on rat model with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.Methods 60 Wistar rats male and female half and half were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group and a nourishing-kidney group.By intramuscular injection of dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg) twice a week to replicate osteoporosis rat model.All groups were treated for 9 weeks.Detected the BMD of femur in vitro and determined the bone metabolism marker in serum by biochemical process.Results The BMD decreased obviously (0.109± 0.007)g/cm2 and the content of TRAP in serum increased evidently (9.96± 1.15) μg/ml in the model group.In the nourishing-kidney group,the BMD was up-regulated (0.116 ± 0.007)g/cm2,and TRAP down-regulated(5.76 ± 0.85)μg/ml.Conclusion Intramuscular injection of dexamethasone can induce GIO rat model,and nourishing-kidney herbs have the effect of anti-osteoporosis.

Objective To investigate the role of motility of Oddi's sphincter in pigment gallbladder stone formation in the model of guinea pigs.Methods Thirty-four general adult male Hartley guinea pigs were divided randomly into two groups.Control group (10 guinea pigs)and pigment stone groups (24 guinea pigs,which were divided into 4 subgroups with 6 guinea pigs each according to the time they were sacrificed),fed with pigment lithogenic diet.After 3,6,9 and 12 weeks later,Oddi's sphincter manometry and myoelectric activity record were obtained by multifunctional physiograph at each stage.Results The incidence of pigment gallstone formation was 0,0,16.7％ and 66.7％ in 3w,6w,9w and 12w group,respectively.The frequency of myoelectric activity decreased apparently in the 3w group(P ＜ 0.05).The amplitude of myoelectric activity had the tendency of decreasing but not statistically significant.The motility frequency of Oddi's sphincter decreased greatly in the 9w group (P ＜ 0.05).The basal pressure of Oddi's sphincter and common bile duct increased markedly in the 12w group [from (25 ± 8) mmHg (1 mmHg =0.133 kPa) to (41 ± 12) mmHg and from (22 ± 8) mmHg to (39 ± 12) mmHg,P ＜ 0.05)].Conclusions Pigment lithogenic diet may induce dysfunction of Oddi's sphincter.The disturbance of Oddi's sphincter motility may play a role in pigment gallstone formation.

AIM: To examine the effects of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor(rhHGF) and native calf HGF(cHGF) on SMMC-7721 human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) cell line. METHODS: Human HCC cell line culture, photometric assay, and flow cytometric assay were used in this study . RESULTS: A similar type of dose-dependent cell growth inhibition effect on SMMC-7721 human HCC cells by rhHGF(5-20 ?g/L) as well as by cHGF(25-100 mg/L) had been found, with the maximal effect at the highest concentration used. Approximately over 50% of the cells treated with rhHGF(5 ?g/L, 10 ?g/L, 20 ?g/L) accumulated in the quiescent G 0/G 1 phase of the cell cycle over incubation periods for 3 d. CONCLUSION: The growth of SMMC-7721 human HCC cells was strongly inhibited by both rhHGF and cHGF. This might be because the cells exposed to HGF became arrested in the G 0/G 1 phase.