Asymmetric dimethylarginine(ADMA)is a nitric oxide synthase(NOS)inhibitor.ADMA is formed by methylation of L-arginine residues.It innbits the formation of vasoactive substances(nitric oxide),resulting in endothelial dysfunction and vaseular diseases.A number of studies have suggested that ADMA may be a risk factor for stroke.The expression of ADMA increases significantly in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia,carotid stenosis and cardiovascular disease.

Objective To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of oridonin combined with valproic acid( VPA)on leukemic cell line HL-60,and study the feasibility of oridonin combined with VPA to be used in clinical practice. Methods Oridonin of 6-12 μmol/L combined with VPA of 0. 5-1 mmol/L were added in exponential growth HL-60 cells respectively. Cell count assays were used to measure the growth inhibitory effect of oridonin combined with VPA or alone. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate apoptosis with Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining. Results Combined use of oridonin and VPA could synergistically inactivate HL-60 cells,and inhibit the cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Oridonin has a synergistic effect combined with VPA. Oridonin has a promising prospect in clinical use of leukemia.

Donor shortage in corneal transplantation is an emerging issue.Recent studies showed that compared with other organ transplantation,the rejection of corneal transplantation is weak due to the immune privilege,and the anatomical and biomechanical properties of human corneas are similar to pig corneas,so genetically engineered pigs have great potentials as a new source for clinical transplantation.This review discussed current knowledge of the pathogenesis of the rejection mechanism,recent advances in gene engineering pig,and feasibility of porcine xenocorneal graft.

Objective To explore the expression level of CD4+ CD25+ CD127low-regulatory T cells (Treg) in the peripheral blood of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals,and its association with liver pathology.Methods Thirty-five HBV-infected individuals and 20 healthy controls were enrolled.The frequencies of peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg were detected by flow cytometry.HBV-related serological tests as well as ultrasound-guided liver biopsies were performed in HBV-infected individuals.The two groups were compared by t test.Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses were performed.Results The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of HBV-infected individuals was (34.57 ± 15.36) U/L,with 25 subjects of ALT＜40 U/L.Twenty subjects were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive,and 15 were HBeAg negative.The frequency of the peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg in HBV-infected individuals was (5.59 ±1.50)％,which was significantly higher than that in healthy controls [(4.85±0.95) ％ ; t=2.191,P=0.033].The level of peripheral blood CD4+ CD25-CD127low/-Treg was positively correlated with HBV viral load (r=0.495,P=0.003).Thirty-one subjects had liver inflammatory score ≤2,with a peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg level of (5.80 ± 1.44) ％,which was significantly higher than that of the rest 4 subjects who had liver inflammatory score ＞2 [(4.00±0.77)％; t=2.425,P=0.021].Twenty-four subjects had liver fibrosis score ＜2,with a peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg level of (6.00±1.44) ％,which was significantly higher than that of the rest 11 subjects who had liver fibrosis score ≥ 2 [(4.70 ± 1.24)％; t =2.559,P＝0.015].The expression of CD4 + CD25 +CD127low/-Treg in peripheral blood was inversely correlated with liver inflammation (r=-0.539,P=0.001) and fibrosis (r =-0.488,P =0.003) in HBV-infected individuals.Conclusions CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg is associated with chronic condition and liver damage of hepatitis B.It may play an important role in occurrence,development and prognosis of the disease.

Objective To investigate the symptom characteristis as well as the clinical assessment methods of dysphagia and oral motor function in children with cerebral palsy(CP).Methods A total of 116 children with CP,aged 18 months to 96 months(66 boys and 50 girls),treated in Qingdao Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children from June 2009 to September 2010,were included in the study.Diagnosis and subtype of CP were determined by neuropaediatrician,the dysphagia disorders survey(DDS)as well as oral motor assessment were conducted by the speech therapists.Results Of the 116 cases,22.4％ of the cases were with mild dysphagia and 34.5％ with moderate to severe dysphagia,resulting in a prevalence of dysphagia of 56.9％.The main problems of these cases occurred during oral phase and pharyngeal phase,including inadequate feeding skills(involving sucking,biting,chewing or/and swallowing),coughing,vomiting and choking during feeding,cry/overextension of neck and head during feeding,drooling,hypertonic tongue and inadequate tongue lateralization.The severe dysphagia was encountered frequently in children with spastic quadriplegic,dyskinetic or mixed type CP children.Of the 116 cases,90 cases(77.59％)were with oral motor dysfunction(including all spastic quadriplegic,dyskinetic or mixed type children).The oral motor scores of CP children were significantly lower than those of the controls(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Oral phase dysphagia and oral motor disorder might be considered as the common clinical problems among the patients with CP,and could be assessed by using DDS combined with oral motor assessment,but for dysphagia during pharyngeal or esophagus phase,the videofluoroscopic modified barium swallow should be used for further evaluation.

Objective To explore the pathogenic effect of serum platelet derived growth factor(PDGF) in Henoch - Schonlein pur-pura nephritis(HSPN) and the influence of heparin. Methods The levels of serum PDGF were detected before and after heparin therapy by double antibody ELISA in the peripheral blood of patients. All patients were injected with heparin calcium[100 U/(kg?d)] for two to three weeks. Results The levels of serum PDGF(596.23 ? 199.43) ng/L in 30 HSPN cases before heparin therapy were significantly higher than those of the control group(259.76?69.58) ng/L (P

Objective To investigate the effects of neurotrophics and rehabilitation on the neural function recovery after the hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats. Methods Model rats of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury were given monosialotetrahexosylganglioside sodium(GM1, n=8), mouse nerve growth factor (NGF, n=8), both drugs (n=8), rehabilitation (n=8), both drugs+rehabilitation (n=8) and control (nointervention, n=8). The other 7 rats was as sham group. They were assessed with hanging and inclined plane test when 30 days old. ResultsIn the factorial design, main effect of GM1 was significant (P<0.05) but NGF (P>0.05) in hanging test; while both were significant in inclinedplane test. The interaction was not significant (P>0.05) in both tests. The main effects of drugs and rehabilitation were significant (P<0.05), as well as the interaction (P<0.05) in both tests. Conclusion GM1 may significantly improve muscle strength, voluntary movement,balance and coordination functions, and NGF may improve the balance and coordination functions. No interaction is found when combinedwith the two therapies. Rehabilitation may significantly improve muscle strength, voluntary movement, coordination and balance, and synergyeffects can be gained when combined with the drugs.

Objective To investigate the abilities of emotion recognition and social cognition in patients with idiopathic epilepsy and further explore the factors related to the impairments.Methods After 24-hour EEG monitoring,70 people with idiopathic epilepsy were administered with a neuropsychological battery for basic cognitive assessment and then were tested with the Eye Basic Emotion Discrimination Task (EBEDT) and the Eye Complex Emotion Discrimination Task (ECEDT).Results Compared with health controls,people with epilepsy got significantly lower score in recognizing happy (19.3±2.0 vs 19.9±0.2),angry (17.9±2.0 vs 18.9±1.0),sadness (18.1±2.3 vs 19.2±1.0),fear (16.4±1.9 vs 17.6±1.3),disgust (17.6±2.1 vs 18.6±1.2) and surprise (18.3±1.5 vs 19.1±1.1) (P＜0.05,respectively),as well as complex emotions ((23.3±4.2) vs (27.1±2.8),P＜0.05).There was no significant difference between the two groups in gender recognition (P＞0.05).Significant positive correlation was found between the total score of basic emotions and the mind reading (r=0.444,P=0.000) in the patient group.Correlation analysis revealed significant relation between the total correct number of emotion recognition and the level of anxiety,depression and the executive function in epilepsy group (P＜0.05,respectively).Significant associations were found between the ECEDT and the Digital Span test,the Stroop test,Beck Depression Index and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (P＜0.05,respectively).Conclusion People with epilepsy have general impairments of emotion recognition and theory of mind,the impairments may be associated with the state of mood disorder and the weakened executive function.

0 ^05). Giemsa positive samples were all positive by PCR-ELISA. The negative control group had one positive by ELISA in lung tissue and BALF respectively. Conclusion PCR-ELISA shows a high sensitivity and specificity in detecting the DNA of Pneumocystis carinii, which is a secure and easy use method.

Objective:To study the possible role of LPS and IL-13 on IL-12 production of mesangial cells in vitro.Methods:The production of IL-12 in mesangial cells was detected with ELISA kit under following different treatments:①Mesangial cells were cultured with LPS(20 ?g/ml)under different time;②The cells were cultured with different concentrations of LPS for 24 h.For observation of the effect of IL-13 on IL-12 production by mesangial cells,three groups were designed:control group,LPS(10 ?g/ml)group and different concentrations of IL-13 with LPS (10 ?g/ml).ELISA was applied to detect IL-12 in supernatants fluid from mesangial cells cultured for 24 h.The expression of IL-12p40 mRNA by mesangial cells cultured for 20 h was evaluated by RT-PCR.Results:Under basal conditions (no LPS) the production of IL-12 was hardly detected.The levels of IL-12 stimulated by LPS was significantly increased in certain doses,but the levels of IL-12 reduced accompanied with the doses and time increasing of LPS stimulantion.IL-13(1-100 ng/ml) inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of IL-12 in a dose-dependent manner(P