OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to investigate the effects of in vitro continuous passaging on the morphological phenotype and differentiation characteristics of mouse hyaline chondrocytes, as well as on the balance of the extracellular matrix (ECM).

METHODSEnzymatic digestion was conducted to isolate mouse hyaline chondrocytes, which expanded over five passages in vitro. Hematoxylin-eosin stain was used to show the changes in chondrocyte morphology. Semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze the mRNA changes in the marker genes, routine genes, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) in chondrocytes. Zymography was carried out to elucidate changes in gelatinase activities.

RESULTSAfter continuous expansion in vitro, the morphology of round or polygonal chondrocytes changed to elongated and spindled shape. The expression of marker genes significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and it was almost negatively expressed by P5 chondrocytes. By contrast, the down regulation of routine genes was insignificant. The gene expression levels of MMPs and TIMPs both decreased (P < 0.05), but the change in MMP-1 and TIMP-1 was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, the ratio of MMPs/TIMPs was altered. At the protein level, the activities of gelatinases decreased after passaging, especially for P4 and P5 chondrocytes (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerially passaged chondrocytes dedifferentiated and lost specific phenotypic characteristics during in vitro expansion culture. Simultaneously, the anabolism and catabolism of the cartilage ECM became uncontrollable and led to the imbalance of ECM homeostasis. When hyaline chondrocytes are applied in research on relevant diseases or cartilage tissue engineering, P0-P2 chondrocytes should be used.

Animals ; Cartilage ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; physiology ; Cytoskeleton ; Extracellular Matrix ; Gelatinases ; Gene Expression ; Hyalin ; physiology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases

OBJECTIVE:To explore quality control of plasma concentration monitoring for sodium valproate and to improve the quality of pharmaceutical monitoring.METHODS:The statistical and continuous analysis of sodium valproate control data from our hospital of 2008 were conducted using fluorescence polarization immunoassay(FPIA).RESULTS:Mean recovery and RSD were 98.37% and 1.94% for low control samples,99.33% and 2.88% for medium control samples,98.17% and 4.10% for high control samples.The RSD of sample was lower than 5% and in line with the requirement for biological sample determination in Chinese Pharmacopoeia.CONCLUSION:FPIA is a comparatively accurate and stable method for plasma concentration monitoring of sodium valproate.

Objective To assess dermatoscopic characteristics of lichen sclerosus(LS). Methods Dermatoscopy was performed to observe 27 genital or extragenital porcelain-white skin lesions in 15 outpatients with confirmed LS. Results As dermatoscopy showed, of the 27 skin lesions, 24 showed white-yellowish structureless areas, 25 linear vessels, 27 white patches, 17 keratotic plugs. Characteristic cloverleaf-like structure was observed in 7 skin lesions in 4 patients, which was consistent with LS. Conclusion Patients with LS show atypical clinical manifestations, but specific dermatoscopic patterns.

Objective To analyze the clinical features and treatment and prognosis of Paget's diseases.Method 7 cases of Paget's disease of the extramammary have been encountered. Results 3 patients with groin matastases were died within 5 years, the patients without groin matastases were all surrived.Conclusions Surgery is the treatment of first choice for Paget's disease. Prognosis of patient with groin matastases is very poor.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of yoga practice guided by Ziwuliuzhu (midnight-noon ebb-flow) theory on improving the symptoms of kidney deficiency. Methods A single-blind controlled clinical trial was carried out in 21 kidney deficiency patients. The patients were divided into two groups, 10 cases in the treatment group and 11 in the control group. During the experiment, one case of the control group dropped out. The patients in the treatment group took yogo practice ( including yin yogo and flow yogo) at Beijing time 18∶25-19∶25, a period of Youshi for kidney meridian in Guangzhou area, and the patients in the control group took the same yogo practice at Beijing time 10∶00-11∶00. The practice lasted one month. Results ( 1) The total effective rate of treatment group was 80.0% and that of control group was 60.0%, the difference being insignificant between the two trail groups ( P>0.05). ( 2) After practice, kidney-yin deficiency symptoms of aching and weakness of waist and knees, feverish sensation over five centers, and kidney-yang deficiency symptoms of aching and weakness of waist and knees, and short breath were much relieved in the treatment group ( P<0.05). In the control group, only frequent nocturia was much relieved ( P<0.05). The differences of kidney deficiency symptom relief were insignificant between the two groups ( P>0.05). ( 3) No obvious adverse reaction was found in the two groups during practice. Conclusion Compared with other period, yogo practice ( practice position for stimulating kidney meridian) at Youshi period shows better effectiveness on kidney deficiency symptoms, but there are insignificant differences of the effectiveness of yoga practice guided by Ziwuliuzhu theory on improving the symptoms of kidney deficiency.

Objective To investigate the interference effects of orexin A on cell proliferation of the insulin?secreting beta?cell line(INS?1 cells) through the orexin receptor 1(OX1R)and the AKT/PKB signaling pathway. Methods INS?1 cells were exposed to different concentrations of orexin A in vitro,and treated with OX1R antagonist(SB334867),PI3K antagonist(wortmannin),or AKT antagonist(PF?04691502). The INS?1 cell proliferation and apoptosis,insulin secretion,OX1R protein activity and AKT phosphorylation level were determined. Results Orexin A(10-10 to 10-6 mol/L)stimulated the proliferation and activation of INS?1 cells,prevented apoptpsis,and increased insulin secretion. Additionally,AKT phosphorylation was stimulated by orexin A(10-10 to 10-6 mol/L). The OX1R antagonist SB334867(10-6 mol/L),the PI3K antagonist wortmannin (10-8 mol/L)and the AKT antagonist PF?04691502(10-6 mol/L)weakened the effects of orexin A. Conclusion Orexin A activated the AKT sig?naling pathway through the mediation of orexin A?OX1R,and promoted cell proliferation in INS?1 cells.

Objective To analyze the Ag NORs in T cells of different patients to find clues for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer.Methods A KL 2 imaging system was used to analyze the areas of Ag NORs in T cells. T cells from peripheral blood were cultivated and stimulated, and silver staining was performed. The areas of Ag NORs were analyzed.Results A total of 1 046 nomal adults, 393 patients with non malignant diseases and 706 patients with malignant diseases were analyzed. Their average IS% values were (7.81?0.69)%, (7.85?0 72)% and 5.17?0.87 respectively. The IS% values above 6% were 99.8%, 94.7% and 10% to 35% respectively. No differences were observed in different kinds of cancers except breast cancer and rectum cancer whose IS% were (5.61?0.86)% and (6.10?0.92)% respectively, 75% and 26% of their IS% were less than 6% respectively. 83% to 90% of the IS% in the patients with other cancers were below 6%. In comparison with serum CEA, AFP and the like, Ag NORs in T cells were more powerful in diagnosis and monitoring of cancers.Conclusion The value of Ag NORs of T cells was significantly lower in patients with cancers and was statistically different from that in nomal adults and patients without malignant diseases. The results demonstrated that the analysis of Ag NORs might play an important role in the diagnosis, differenciation and monitoring of cancer.

Objective To explore the correlation between heart rate variability ( HRV ) and multiple system atrophy( MSA) .Methods HRV was performed in 34 MSA patients and 32 healthy controls.The parameters of HRV study was compared, parameters studied included time domain and frequency domain.Single factor analysis andreceiver operating characteristic ( ROC ) curves were used to analyze the detection of parameters of HRV. ResultsThe HRV of MSA showed significant decreased from the health controls: root mean square successive difference of intervals (rMSSD) [(51.6 ±29.4)ms vs (70.1 ±34.1)ms,P=0.023],percentage of interval differences of successive N-N intervals greater than 50 ms(pNN50%) [ 4.2% (1.8%,9.5%) vs 9.6%(5.1%, 16.2%),P=0.005], coefficient of variation(CV) [(0.06 ±0.01) vs(0.08 ±0.02),P=0.005],very low frequency(VLF) [1003.4(586.5,1702.9)ms2vs1825.5(1407.2,2670.1)ms2,P=0.000],lowfrequency(LF) [162.9(90.6,337.4) ms2 vs 375.5(210.4,559.5) ms2,P=0.001], high frequency(HF) [164.9(77.5,470.7) ms2 vs 349.1(209.7,738.5)ms2,P=0.005].The areas under ROC in patients with MSA for VLF was 0.703(S=0.053), while the areas for CV, LF, HF and pNN50%were 0.667(S=0.054), 0.660 (S=0.055), 0.650( S=0.055) and 0.640( S=0.055) ,the results all have statistical significance(all P<0.05).The cutoff value of VLF for diagnosing MSA in the early stage was 1240.85, the sensitivity and specificity were 86.7 and 55.4(95%CI:0.599-0.807,P=0.002) .Conclusion MSA has sympathetic and vagus nerve involvement at the early stage disease, resulting dysfunction of cardiovascular autonomic system,VLF may have high drgree of assessing accuracy of its dysfunction.

Objective To investigate the effects of salvianolic Acid A and B(Sal A,Sal B)on acute myocardial ischemia of rats.Method The rat model with acute myocardial ischemia was established by coronary ligation and intravenous injection of posterior pituitary.The effect of Sal A 10,5,2.5 mg/kg and Sal B 10 mg/kg on the electrocardiogram of different time points,serum creatine kinase(CK),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)and myocardial infarction area were observed.Results To the rat model was established by coronary ligation,Sal A 10,5,2.5 mg/kg and Sal B 10 mg/kg could lower the ST-segment elevation,reduce infarct size and serum CPK,LDH.The effect of Sal A 10,5 mg/kg was significantly higher than that of Sal B.The role of Sal A 2.5 mg/kg was equivalent to Sal B 10 mg/kg.To the rat model was established by intravenous injection of posterior pituitary,Sal A 10,5,2.5 mg/kg and Sal B 10 mg/kg could lower the ST-segment elevation.The effect of Sal A 10,5 mg/kg was significantly higher than that of Sal B.The role of Sal A 2.5 mg/kg and sal B 10 mg/kg had no significant difference.Conclusion Treatment with Sal A 10,5 mg/kg was more effective in the rat models with acute myocardial ischemia than Sal B 10 mg/kg.Sal A 2.5 mg/kg improved acute myocardial ischemia in rats was equivalent to Sal B 10 mg/kg.

The P2Y12 receptor antagonist is used widely in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Monitoring changes of platelet function after treatment can improve the prognosis of patients. The platelet function test is the important way to evaluate high residual platelet reactivity after antiplatelet treatment, including light transmission aggregometry (LTA), whole blood impedance aggregometry assay (WBIA), vasodilator- stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), thrombelastogram (TEG), platelet function analyzer- 100 (PFA-100) and VerifyNow system (VerifyNow). It is very different for the reflecting ability with residual reactivity of platelets among these tests after anti-platelet therapy, and also significant difference for assessment effect. Among them, LTA is a classic method for the curative effect evaluation of anti-platelet agents, which is convenient and cheap, but it is susceptible to the operating and environment interference. The clinical application of WBIA is less, and which lacks threshold value for assessment. VASP is sensitive for the changes of platelet function, but the test is complex and expensive. TEG can monitor the inhibition ratio of drugs on anti-platelets, but it needs to verify the safety of treatment. It is not clear for sensitivity and specificity with monitoring anti-platelet agent by PFA-100. VerifyNow is effective and reliable, but the cost is high. The evidence of clinical study shows that LTA, VASP and VerifyNow can reflect the effect of platelet inhibition of P2Y12 receptor antagonists sensitively, and is associated with the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with cadiovascular diseases.