Objective To investigate the effects of Inula Britannica on myocardial caspase-3 and cytochrome c ( cyt c) following overtraining-induced acute myocardial injury in rats.Methods Forty-eight male Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g were randomly divided into 3 groups:group control (group C,n =8) ; group exhausting swim (group E,n =24) and group Inula Britannica (group IB,n =16).The animal model of overtraining-indnced acute myocardial injury was developed by exhausting swim.The animals were forced to swim until they were exhausted.The animals sank to the bottom and no righting reflex or escape response was elicited when they were taken out of water in groups E and IB.In group IB oral Inula Britannica 25 ml/kg was given 24 h and immediately before overtraining.Blood samples were taken from inferior vena cava immediately and at 6,24 h after overtraining in group E and at 6,24 h after overtraining in group IB for determination of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration (by ELISA).The animals were sacrificed after blood sampling and myocardial specimens were obtained for microscopic examination and determination of caspase-3 and cyt c expression (by immuno-histochemistry).Results Overtraining significantly increased serum cTnI concentration and up-regulated myocardial caspase-3 and cyt c expression in group E as compared with group C.Oral Inula Britannica significantly attenuated overtraining-induced increase in serum cTnI concentration and myocardial caspase-3 and cyt c expression in group IB as compared with group E.Conclusion Inula Britannica can reduce overtraining-induced acute myocardial injury by down-regulating caspase-3 and cyt c expression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) on morphology and function of progenitor Leydig cells (PLC) in rats.

METHODSTwenty pregnant SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n = 5): normal control group, DEHP low dose group , middle dose group, and high dose group, which were treated from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND 21 of the pubs with DEHP at the doses of 0, 10, 100, 750 mg/(kg · d) in 0.5 ml of corn oil by gavage respectively. At the end of the treatment, the male pups were killed and blood samples were collected for determination of serum testosterone concentration by chemiluminescence method. The body weight, testis weight and anogenital distance (AGD) were measured. The morphology of PLC was observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein(StAR) in PLC was determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the testis was assayed by real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with normal control group, the serum testosterone and AGD of male pubs from the middle and high dose groups were declined significantly (P < 0.01), the testis weight and body weight from high dose group were decreased significantly (P < 0.01), while the testis weight increased in the low dose group (P < 0.05). Under light microscope, PLC showed hyperplasia and cluster aggregation in the low dose group and focal hyperplasia in the middle and high dose group. The spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules showed decrease, apoptosis and unfix in the high dose group. Under transmission electron microscope, the PLC showed decreased lipid droplets, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondriae in the treated group. The mRNA expression of IGF-I increased in the low dose group, and the protein expression of StAR decreased in the middle and high dose group.

CONCLUSIONLactating exposure to DEHP may interfere with the synthesis of testosterone of PLC in male pubs, the decrease of StAR and the damage of PLC may be involved in it.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate ; adverse effects ; Female ; Germ Cells ; drug effects ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Lactation ; Leydig Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testis ; Testosterone ; blood

Objective To research the feasibility of the prefabrication of skin flap with frozen allogeneic bone.Methods From November 2010 to July 2011,fifteen miniature pigs were randomly divided into three groups(n =5) according to different implanted positions.Rewarming,deep-frozen allogenic bone was implanted in subcutaneous tissue,subfascial compartment and muscle respectively.Emission Computed Tomography (ECT) was used in the 4th week,the 8th week and the 12th week postoperatively.Angiography and pathological examination was used in the 12th week.Results The difference of the result of ECT was statistically significant betweent the 4th week and the 8th week (P ＜ 0.05),and there was not statistically significant difference betweent the 12th week and the 8th week (P ＞ 0.05).Angiography showed that all allogeneic bone was vascularized in each group.Pathological examination showed that the vascularization and the inducing osteogenesis of the allogeneic bone which was implanted in the subfascial compartment or muscle was better than that in the subcutaneous tissue.Conclusion The deep-frozen allogenic bone can be used for the prefabrication of the bone-skin flap.

Objective To investigate children′s myelodysplastic hematopoietic cells reaction to interleukin (IL)-15.Methods CD 34 + cells in bone marrow from 18 myelodysplast syndrome(MDS) patients were purified by an immunomagnetic beads sorting system. Apoptosis of hematopoietic precursors was assayed by propidium iodine staining and flow cytometric analysis.Results On 8th cultured day,when IL-15 concentration was between 0-100 ng/ml,it could suppress apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in MDS patients in a dose-and- time dependent manner. IL-15 in study group significanthy lower than that of control group.Conclusion IL-15 may partly suppress apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in MDS patients.

Objective To study the pre-transplant serum level of anti-endothelial cell antibody(AECA)in kidney allograft recipients and its impact on the episode of acute rejection (AR) within 6 months after transplantation. Methods A total of 495 kidney allograft recipients with pre-transplant serum between December 1998 and August 2003 in our center and 40 healthy controls(negative controls)were enrolled in the study.Clinical data including AR within 6 months after transplantation were analyzed retrospectively.The serum AECA level was measured by cyto-ELISA using EA.hy926 cells as substrate,which was shown as the ratio of P (patient)/N (negative control)=(A_(petient)-A_(blank contrnal)/(A_(negative contral)-A_(blank contral).AECA was considered positive when P/N value Was greater than the average A_(negative control)value plus two times the standard deviation.Results Positive rate of AECA was 18.8%(93/495).AECA level in hemodialysis patients who had been on hemodialysis more than 12 months was 1.43±0.37,greater than those less than 12 months(1.27± 0.32,P=0.013)and those of non-dialyzed patients(1.31±0.32,P=0.029).Correlation coeffieient between AECA level and hemodialysis duration was 0.218 (P=0.018).AR incidence in AECA positive recipients was 38.7%,greater than that in AECA negative recipients (23.4%,P=0.002). Incidence of acute T cell-mediated rejection and acute antibody-mediated rejction increased significantly (P=0.035,P=0.002 respectively).Multifactor logistic regression analysis indicated that AECA positive,PRA greater than 1 0%and high CDC level were risk factors of AR with odds ratio of 2.056,1.751 and 1.764 respectively(P=0.004,0.029,0.050). Conclusions The AECA positive in pre-transplant serum indicates the elevated risk of acute allograft rejection.The AECA level increases with prolonged hemodialysis duration.

BACKGROUND:Currently, the research about effect of non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on cellproliferation and cytotoxicity is relatively much less. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on the proliferation and cytotoxicity of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. METHODS:Culture media containing 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared for culture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. After 24 hours of culture, the cels were confirmed using Prussian blue staining, and cellcounting was detected using cellcounting kit-8. Meanwhile, lactate dehydrogenase activity in the supernatant and intracelular superoxide dismutase activity were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Loading of non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in BMSCs was confirmed by Prussian blue staining. The percentage of cels labeled with non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles was up to 100% when the cels were incubated with a non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle solution of 50 mg/L and above, but 25 mg/L was insufficient to label al of the cels. Furthermore, as the concentration of non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles decreased, the cellproliferation rate decreased gradualy. The 25 mg/L group had a minimum cellproliferation rate, but the 25 and 50 mg/L groups showed no statisticaly significant difference (P > 0.05). Therefore, 50 mg/L is considered as the appropriate concentration of non-dextran coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, under which, the labeling efficiency is higher and the cytotoxicity is lower.

Objective To find biological markers to predict the mathematical cognitive ability in order to set patients free from the pain and time-consuming behavioral tests. Methods 86 patients with stroke or brain traumatic injuries were recruited and acquired T1 and rest-ing-state functional MRI imaging data. And a mathematical task (7 calculation items, 2 counting items) and a word-reading task (140 items) was also finished. The partial correlative analysis was made between the score of mathematical task and the amplitude of low frequency fluc-tuation of each voxel of the whole brain with the word-reading performance as controlling task, and AlphaSim correction method was used with corrected P<0.05 (single voxel level:P<0.05;cluster size:>110 voxels). Results There were 5 cerebral regions whose amplitude of low frequency fluctuation significantly correlated with mathematical performance:left inferior parietal lobule (161 voxels, rpeak=0.34), left precu-neus/superior parietal lobule (141 voxels, rpeak=0.31), left middle temporal gyrus (359 voxels, rpeak=0.34), left middle frontal gyrus (491 vox-els, rpeak=0.36), and right middle frontal gyrus (156 voxels, rpeak=0.32). Conclusion The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation of left inferior parietal lobule, precuneus/superior parietal lobule, middle temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus could be used as predictors of mathematical cognitive ability for brain-damaged patients.

Objective To study the value of deferred stent implantation in patients with high thrombus burden of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods Select 106 cases with a high thrombus burden within 12 hours of onset in patients with STEMI ,the infarct-related artery thrombus aspiration after antegrade flow of TIMI 2-3 and≤2 points of the thrombus aspiration(TS)patients were randomly divided into immediate stenting group(n = 43)and deferred stenting group(n = 40). Two groups of patients were compared with the myocardial blush grade(MBG),the incidence of slow-/no-reflow ,the incidence of compound endpoints in 6 months and the cardiac function after PCI for 6 months. Results After stenting,the MBG of deferred group was significantly higher than that of immediate group ,the incidence of slow-/no-reflow and the compound endpoints events within 6 months in deferred group was significantly lower than that in the immediate group. After PCI for 6 months,the improvement of LVEF in the deferred group was significantly higher than that in the immediate group, the left ventricular end diastolic dimension(LVEDD)in deferred group was significantly lower than that in immedi-ate group,and the differences were statistically significant(P < 0.05). Conclusions The high thrombus burden in patients with acute STEMI after thrombus aspiration ,deferred stent implantation can significantly reduce the rate of slow-/no-reflow ,improve myocardial perfusion ,reduce the incidence of compound endpoints events ,im-prove cardiac function in patients.

Objective To study the effects of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B)decoy oligodeoxynucleotide(ODN)on the preeclamptic umbilical serum induced expression of precollagen Ⅰ,Ⅲ mRNA and tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?)in cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMC).Methods Primary cultured HUASMC of normal pregnancy were divided into four groups: group A(HUASMC were incubated with umbilical serum of normal pregnancy);group B(HUASMC were incubated with umbilical serum of preeclampsia);group C(HUASMC were transfected with NF-?B cis decoy ODN 48 h before incubation with umbilical serum of preeclampsia);group D(HUASMC were transfected with NF-?B scramble ODN 24 h before incubation with umbilical serum of preeclampsia).NF-?B cis decoy ODN and NF-?B scramble ODN were transfected with cationic lipofectamine to the latter two groups,respectively.The proliferation of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells was evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium and the apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.The expression levels of precollagen Ⅰ,Ⅲ mRNA were detected by RT-PCR,the expression levels of TNF-? were detected by western blot.Results(1)The proliferation of group B(0.19?0.02)and group D(0.18?0.03)was significantly increased as compared with those of group A(0.11?0.02)and group C(0.14?20.02)(P0.05).(5)The expression of TNF-? of group B(0.74?0.11),group C(0.36?0.09)and group D(0.79?0.12)were significantly higher than that of group A(0.15?0.03)(P0.05).Conclusions NF-?B cis decoy ODN could down-regulate the proliferation,as well as the expression levels of precollagen and TNF-? of HUASMC induced by umbilical serum of preeclampsia.NF-?B may play an important role in the pathogenesis of placental artery abnormalities in preeclampsia.

The microbial counts, type, as well as relationship between microbial counts and the temperature of water in reticulating water system of heating pipeline in Taiyuan were studied, which the main biofouling harmful microbes included slimeforming heterotrophic bacteria, sulfate reducing bacteria, iron bacteria and fungi, respectively. The results showed that the harmful microbes in water system were lower than that of control guideline during heating period, whereas the microbes were higher than that of control guideline, which would result in biofouling of water tube during non- heating period.