Background Experimental data have shown tnat polymorpnisms in tne angiotensm-converting en- zyme 2(ACE2)gene are related to echocardiographically determined parameters of left ventricular mass,structure or function in the general population whether ACE2 genotype influences the effect of angi0tensin Ⅱ receptor blocker which improve left ventricular remodeling and function is unknown.Objective To investigate the association be- tween ACE2 gene G9570A polymorphism and the effect of irbesartan on left ventricular structure and function in hy- pertensive patients.Methods Two hundred and five male patients and 190 female patients who were preliminaryly diagnosised with mild and moderate essential hypertension were treated with irbesartan for 48 weeks with initial dose of 150 mg/d and titrated to 300 mg/d to reach the targed BP.Gene polymorphisms of ACE2 G9570A were detected by PCR-RFLP methods.The association between changes in the SBP,DBP,parameters of left ventricular struc- ture and function and genotypes of the ACE2 gene locus were analyzed.Results Irbesartan reducted in blood pres- sure in all patients(P

Objective To study the combined effect of interleukin-21 gene transfer and ionizing radiation on the growth of cervical carcinoma HeLa cells.Methods Previously constructed Ad-IL-21 gene was amplified by infecting 293A cells and the titer was measured by TCID50 method. HeLa cells were transfected with Ad-1L-21 and then irradiated with 6 Gy 137Cs γ-rays.The cells were divided into 5 groups,including blank control,Ad-LaeZ group,Ad-IL-21 group,radiation group and Ad-IL-21 combined with radiation group (combination group).The cell growth,cell cycle,apoptosis,and the expressions of IL-21 gene and protein in HeLa cells were detected.Results Ad-IL-21 was successfully amplified and the titer of Ad-11.-21 was 9 × 1010 pfu/ml.Compared with Ad-IL-21 group and radiation group,the cell growth of combination group was significantly inhibited at 96 h after transfection ( F =85.26,72.98,P ＜ 0.05 ).The cells in combination group were arrested in G1 phase and decreased at S phase( F =36.69,34.83,P ＜ 0.05),while the cellular apoptosis increased markedly ( F =28.23,25.57,P ＜ O.05 ). The gene expression of 1L-21 in the combination group was 1.54- and 2.43-fold of Ad-IL-21 group and blank control group,respectively (F=22.31,36.65, P ＜ 0.05 ), while the protein expression of IL-21 in the combination group was 1.62-fold and 2.31-fold of Ad-IL-21 group and blank control group,respectively ( F =27.36,35.86,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Ad-IL-21 gene transfection combined with radiation has synergic effect on the inhibition of cervical carcinoma cell growth.

Objective: To investigate the sonographic features of appendicitis in preterm infants. Methods: A total of 28 cases of premature infants with acute appendicitis diagnosed by bedside abdominal ultrasound in the First Hospital of Jilin University from November 2012 to January 2019 were recruited. Basic clinical information, abdominal ultrasound images, surgical results, management and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistical methods were used for data analysis. Results: Among the 28 cases, 21 (75.0%) were males and seven (25.0%) were females. All of them were diagnosed as having acute appendicitis with perforation according to the bedside ultrasound. Five (17.8%) presented direct signs of appendicitis, i.e. partial structure of the appendix and perforation site. The other 23 (82.2%) showed indirect signs, including heterogeneous echotexture or hypoechoic patterns between the liver and right kidney in six cases, heterogeneously hypoechoic areas between the bowels in the right lower abdomen in seven cases, and dissociative effusion between the bowels in the right lower abdomen with poor sound transmission and disorder of surrounding intestinal structure in ten cases. Twenty-one out of the 28 cases (75.0%) exhibited bowel wall thickening at right lower abdomen, absence of intestinal peristalsis and effusion echoes between the intestines with poor sound transmission. Emergent surgeries were performed and diagnoses of appendicitis with perforation were confirmed. All the 21 cases were discharged after full recovery. Seven cases (25.0%) showed confined cystic images and received conservative treatment. One of them developed adhesive intestinal obstruction during follow-ups and underwent surgical treatment, during which local formations of wrapping after appendiceal perforation and obstruction due to surrounding intestinal adhesion were observed. The other six cases recovered after conservative management with gradually reduced peritoneal effusion, normal omental echo patterns and improved inflammatory indicators and abdominal symptoms, and no ileus occurred during follow-ups after discharge. Conclusions Symptoms of appendicitis in preterm infants are non-specific, and perforation is more likely to be seen. Bedside ultrasonography mainly shows indirect signs of appendicitis, and direct signs in some infants. Bedside ultrasound can be an essential tool for the diagnosis of these conditions with high accuracy.

Objective To investigate the urinary iodine level and thyroid function during different trimesters of pregnancy in Hangzhou residents and to provide evidence for monitoring iodine nutrition or screening thyroid function. Methods The urinary iodine level and thyroid function of 395 subjects from 5 hospitals in Hanzhou were investigated. The urinary iodine level was measured by arsenic-cerium contact process method. The serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were measured by chemiluminescence method. Results (1) The urinary iodine median concentration during pregnancy in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters were 170.3, 170.2, 162.4 μ/L respectively, all significantly lower than that of non-pregnant women (251.9 μg/L, all P < 0.05); (2) The mean value of TSH during the 1st trimester of pregnancy was significantly lower than that of non-preguant women (P < 0.05). The mean values of FT4 and FT3 in the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters of pregnancy were significantly lower than those of the control (P < 0.05); (3) During 2nd trimester, there were 8.7% (9/104, in FT4) and 9.6% (10/104, in FT3) pregnant women below normal lower range while during 3rd trimester, these figures reached 22.7% (22/97) and 17.5% (17/97) resfectively. Conclusions More than half of the pregnant women in Hangzhou have good nutritional status of iodine. There are significant differences in thyroid hormone levels between the non-pregnant and pregnant women as well as between gestation periods. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a trimester-specific reference range of thyroid hormones for normal pregnancy. The screening for thyroid function is recommended for pregnant women besides monitoring routine urinary iodine.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene polymorphisms and the risk factor for essential hypertension (EH) with concurrent ischemic stroke in southern Chinese population.

METHODSThe G9570A polymorphism in ACE2 gene were detected in 139 patients with EH and stroke using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Detailed clinical and biochemistrical data of the patients, including the pulse pressure, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), intima-media thickness (IMT), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and uric acid levels, were collected to study the relationship between ACE2 gene and the risk factor of EH and stroke.

RESULTSThe levels of hsCRP (OR=1.022), uric acid (OR=1.224), IMT and pulse pressure was positively correlated to the incidence of EH and stroke. The pulse pressure, hsCRP, IMT, and HDL-C levels in male stroke patients carrying A allele was significantly higher than those in patients carrying G allele (P<0.05). In female stroke patients, the pulse pressure, hsCRP, IMT, and HDL-C levels were also significantly different with regard to the genotype of ACE2 gene (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe patients with EH and ischemic stroke carrying the A/AA allele of ACE2 gene have higher risks than those carrying other allele, and can be also more vulnerable to stroke recurrence.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; complications ; genetics

A rice pse(t) (premature senescence, tentatively) mutant line, was isolated from 4,500 independent T-DNA inserted transgenic lines. The symptoms of premature senescence appeared more severely than those of the control plants (Zhonghua 11, japonica) at the last development stage. To characterize the mutant and provide basic information on the candidate genes by mapping to a physical region of 220-kb, experiments were carried out in two phytotrons under controlled temperature of 24 degrees C and 28 degrees C, respectively. The content of chlorophyll, soluble protein and MDA (malondialdehyde), net photosynthesis, the antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD (superoxide dismuase) (EC 1.15.1.1) and POD (peroxidase) (EC 1.11.1.7) and the peptidase activities of leaves were measured from top to bottom according to the leaf positions at the flowering stage. Compared with the control plant, the mutant showed the following characteristics: (1) Higher net photosynthesis rate (P(n)) appeared in the 1st and 2nd leaves, contents of chlorophyll and soluble protein were also higher in the 1st leaf; (2) The activities of SOD, POD and peptidase were higher according to the leaf position from top to bottom; (3) The symptom of premature senescence was accelerated in the mutant at 28 degrees C treatment. The MDA content and the SOD and POD activities between the 24 degrees C and 28 degrees C treatment mutants were not significantly different. Content of chlorophyll and soluble protein of leaves mutant decreased rapidly at 28 degrees C treatment. The results show that pse(t) is sensitive to high temperature. The probable function of PSE(T) is discussed.
Aging ; physiology ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Mutation ; Oryza ; classification ; genetics ; growth & development ; Photosynthesis ; physiology ; Plant Leaves ; classification ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo optimize the best concentration of neuraminidase (Neu) that enhances the migration of neuraminidase (Neu)-treated donor bone marrow cells (dBMCs) to the liver, and observe the influence of short-term cyclosporin A(CsA) application combined with intravenous injection (i.v.) of Ne treated dBMCs on the survival of skin allografts.

METHODSThe experiment consisted of two parts. For selection of an appropriate concentration of Neu, 26 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The dBMCs were prepared by routine method and treated with four concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 U/ml) of Neu at 37 degrees C for 30 min. The untreated and Neu-treated dBMCs were labeled by 99mTc, and injected via the tail veins to female Wistar rats in each group, respectively. After five hours, the radioactivity of various organs collected from sacrificed rats was measured by a gamma counter, and the values were expressed as percentage of total radioactivity of all organs from the same rat. To observe the survival of skin allograft, 23 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, untreated dBMCs group and Neu-treated dBMCs group. All rats in each group were grafted with skin allografts from male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The dBMCs from the same donor without and with Neu treatment by the concentration selected from the above experiment were injected via the tail veins of female Wistar rats in untreated dBMCs group and Neu-treated dBMCs group, respectively. Rats in untreated dBMCs group and Neu-treated dBMCs group received CsA (10 mg/kg) through intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) at 2 and 5 days post-grafting. Neither dBMCs or CsA were given in the control group. The survival of allograft skin in each group was checked and photographed daily after 5 days post operation.

RESULTSWhen the concentration of Neu was 1.0 U/ml, the percentage of dBMCs in liver was (75.3 +/- 9.8) %, which was obviously higher than that in 0 U/ml group [(58.9 +/- 4.2%)], (P < 0.01), indicating that the optimal concentration of Neu was 1.0 U/ml. The survival time of skin allografts in rats of Neu-treated dBMCs group was prolonged significantly in comparison with that of the rats in dBMCs group without Neu treatment (P < 0.01). The survival time in both dBMCs group and Neu-treated dBMCs group was longer that of control group (P < 0.01), and it was prolonged in Neu-treated dBMCs group compared with that in dBMC group.

CONCLUSIONAdministration of proper concentration of Neu can increase the affinity of dBMCs to the liver, and promote the Neu-treated dBMCs to migrate to liver. The intravenous injection of Neu-treated dBMCs combined with short-term CsA administration can delay the rejection of skin allografts in rats.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Cyclosporine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Graft Survival ; Male ; Neuraminidase ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplantation Conditioning ; methods ; Transplantation, Heterologous

BACKGROUNDHematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) give rise to all blood and immune cells and are used in clinical transplantation protocols to treat a wide variety of refractory diseases, but the amplification of HSCs has been difficult to achieve in vitro. In the present study, the expansive effects of aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region derived stromal cells on HSCs were explored, attempting to improve the efficiency of HSC transplantation in clinical practice.

METHODSThe murine stromal cells were isolated from the AGM region of 12 days postcoitum (dpc) murine embryos and bone marrow (BM) of 6 weeks old mice, respectively. After identification with flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry, the stromal cells were co-cultured with ESCs-derived, cytokines-induced HSCs. The maintenance and expansion of ESCs-derived HSCs were evaluated by detecting the population of CD34+ and CD34+Sca-1+ cells with flow cytometry and the blast colony-forming cells (BL-CFCs), high proliferative potential colony-forming cells (HPP-CFCs) by using semi-solid medium colonial culture. Finally, the homing and hematopoietic reconstruction abilities of HSCs were evaluated using a murine model of HSC transplantation in vivo.

RESULTSAGM and BM-derived stromal cells were morphologically and phenotypically similar, and had the features of stromal cells. When co-cultured with AGM or BM stromal cells, more primitive progenitor cells (HPP-CFCs) could be detected in ESCs derived hematopoietic precursor cells, but BL-CFC's expansion could be detected only when co-cultured with AGM-derived stromal cells. The population of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were expanded 3 times, but no significant expansion in the population of CD34+Sca-1+ cells was noted when co-cultured with BM stromal cells. While both CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and CD34+Sca-1+ cells were expanded 4 to 5 times respectively when co-cultured with AGM stromal cells. AGM region-derived stromal cells, like BM-derived stromal cells, could promote hematopoietic reconstruction and HSCs' homing to BM in vivo.

CONCLUSIONSAGM-derived stromal cells in comparison with the BM-derived stromal cells could not only support the expansion of HSCs but also maintain the self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation more effectively. They are promising in HSC transplantation.

Animals ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Aorta ; cytology ; Ataxin-1 ; Ataxins ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line ; Cell Lineage ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; Gonads ; cytology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mesonephros ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; analysis ; Nuclear Proteins ; analysis ; Stromal Cells ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway in regulating the proliferation, migration and differentiation of hemangioblasts derived from aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM).

METHODSThe hemangioblasts were isolated from AGM region of 11-day postcoitum (dpc) murine embryos by using the immuno-magnetic with CD34 and Flk1 monoclonal antibodies. The phenotypic analysis of hemangioblasts and AGM-derived stromal cells were detected by flow cytometry. The secretion of Shh was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The roles of Shh in regulating the proliferation, migration and differentiation of hemangioblasts in the transwell non-contact coculture system with AGM-derived stromal cells were observed by adding exogenous Shh N-Terminus and its antibody.

RESULTSThe protein of Shh was highly expressed on AGM-derived stromal cells. The proliferation of hemangioblasts was promoted when co-cultured with AGM-derived stromal cells, and the effects of the latter could be blocked by antibody of Shh. The proliferation of hemangioblasts was strengthened further and kept for a long time without differentiation and apoptosis when exogenous Shh N-Terminus was added into the transwell non-contact co-culture system with AGM-derived stromal cells. When exogenous Shh N-Terminus was added into the cultural supernatant of hemangioblasts without AGM-derived stromal cells, the hemangioblasts were observed to be induced to apoptosis or differentiation after a short time of proliferation. Furthermore, the ability of migration could be promoted in the co-cultured hemangioblasts by adding exogenous Shh N-Terminus.

CONCLUSIONShh pathway probably involves in the regulation of the proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and migration of hemangioblasts, and is regulated by the AGM microenvironment.

Adrenal Glands ; cytology ; Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; Hedgehog Proteins ; metabolism ; Hemangioblasts ; metabolism ; physiology ; Mesonephros ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Signal Transduction

The Spindle-view, a specialized instrument for observing spindle image, was applied to observe the meiotic spindles of vitro matured porcine oocytes at 36, 42, 44, 48h, and enucleation from porcine, comparing to the previously methods (McGrath-Solter's method and two-step-squeezing method) in the enucleated. The results showed that: (1) there was no noticeable differences at vicinity of spindle images and 1st polar body among in vitro matured porcine oocytes at 40-48 h under the instrument; (2) Spindle-view is suitable for the observation of meiotic spindles of matured oocytes and enucleation from porcine; the modified Spindle-view method for enucleation is significantly better than McGrath-Solter' s method and two-step-squeezing method in the enucleated rates (95.5%, 42.1%, 74.2%, P < 0.0l) of absolutely removing nuclei matter; (3) the spindle images could be used to monitor the oocyte qualities.
Animals ; Cell Nucleus ; ultrastructure ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytological Techniques ; Female ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Oocytes ; cytology ; Spindle Apparatus ; ultrastructure ; Swine