Objective To explore the effect ofrosiglitazone (RGZ), a ligand of peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor γ (PPARγ), on the invasiveness of A375 cells in vitro and its mechanism of action.Methods A375 human melanoma cells were cultured in vitro and treated with different concentrations of RGZ. The proliferation of the cells, mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) 2, protein expression of MMP2 in A375 cells were detected by MTT assay, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western-blot, respectively. The invasiveness of A375 cells was detected by Matrigel invasion assay. Results MTT assay showed that the proliferation of A375 cells was inhibited by (4.86±0.31 )% and (5.15±0.52)% under the 24-hour treatment with RGZ of 10 and 25 μmol/L, respectively, and no evident cytotoxity was observed for RGZ. Compared with untreated A375 ceils, a significant decrease was observed in the mRNA and protein expression of MMP2 in A375 ceils treated with RGZ of 10 and 25 μmol/L (all P < 0.05), along with an increase in the mRNA expression of TIMP2 (both P < 0.01 ).The count of A375 cells transmigrating through matrigel was 154.1±7.7 and 87.3±8.1 under the treatment with RGZ of 10 and 25 μmol/L, significantly lower than that of those without treatment (210.7±14.9,both P < 0.01 ). Conclusions RGZ could inhibit the transmigration of A375 ceils, likely by down-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of MMP2.

Objective To assess the single-exponential and dual-exponential fitting methods of MR T2-Map, and to get T2 value of each pixel. Methods Single and dual-exponential methods with linear fitting and non-linear regression fitting techniques were used for a series images with different TE; then T2-Map images were achieved. T2-Map software was realized on MATLAB and it had the function of compute, display, save and so on. Results T2-Map software with single-exponential and dual-exponential fitting methods was achieved, able to calculate T2 value of tissues everywhere and form the T2-Map image. Conclusion Single-exponential T2-Map method is convenient, having obvious merit-high speed, but can not show the area with obvious different contents very well. However, dual-exponential fitting method can deal with this question with providing different T2 values, thus is accurate with the sacrifice of costing too much time. Dual-exponential fitting method of T2-Map is a beneficial supplement to single-exponential method.

Objective To do a hygienic assessment for the preservation time of barreled drinking water. Methods 40 kinds of barreled drinking water samples, all passed the water quality test, were collected from the market in summer and autumn respectively. Each sample was put into a sterile bottle and then taken into the laboratory in 2 hours to detect the microorganism indicators in 0 day, 5 days, 10 days, 15 days and 20 days periodically. Results The qualified rate of microorganism indexes reached 100% in 10 days. As for total bacteria count, 97.5% exceeded the hygiene standard limit,the detected rate of fungi and yeast were 17.5% and 12.5% in 15 days, and 100% exceeded the standard limit,the detected rate of fungi and yeast were 30.0% and 22.5% in 20 days in summer. The qualified rate of microorganism indexes reached 100% in 20 days in autumn. Conclusion Barreled drinking water is safe for drinking in 10 days in summer and in 20 days in autumn.

Brain ischemia/hypoxia preconditioning(I/HPC) is one kind of endocardial protective phenomenon by organism against blood and oxygen deficit.Researches discovered various proteins such as hypoxic inducible factor-1(HIF-1),heat shock proteins(HSPs),erythropoietin(EPO),Bcl-2 family,calcitoningene related peptide(CGRP) and so on participated in brain I/HPC.This essay explains function and participating I/HPC mechanism of these proteins.

The development and progression of atherosclerosis and thrombosis are closely related to changes of hemodynamics parameters. Ultrasonic pulse wave Doppler technique is normally used for noninvasively blood flow imaging. However, this technique only provides one-dimensional velocity and depends on the angle between the ultrasound beam and the local velocity vector. In this study, ultrasonic particle image velocimetry method was used to assess whole field hemodynamic changes in normal blood vessels. By using the polynomial fitting method, we investigated the velocity gradient and assessed the shear in different blood flow velocity of 10 healthy rats. It was found that using four polynomial fitting could result in optimal measurement results. The results obtained by ultrasonic particle image velocimetry accorded with the results obtained using Doppler technique. The statistical average of cyclical vessel wall shear stress was positively related to the locational mean velocity. It is proven that ultrasonic particle image velocimetry method could be used to assess directly the real-time whole field hemodynamic changes in blood vessels and was non-invasively, and should be a good prosperous technique for monitoring complex blood flow in stenotic ar- teries.
Algorithms ; Animals ; Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Hemodynamics ; Models, Cardiovascular ; Rats ; Rheology ; Stress, Mechanical ; Ultrasonics

Objective To evaluate the effect of maternal separation stress on the behavior of neonatal rd mice.Methods Neonatal rd mice were divided into maternal separation (MS) group (n=9) and control group (n=9).MS-stress was induced in the MS group by 4-hour-separation per day for 28 days.Open field test,elevated plus maze test,forced swim test and tail suspension test were used to evaluate the anxiety-like and depression-like behavior of the neonatal rd mice.Results The stay time and distance travelled of MS group in the central zone were 0.88％ and 28.17±5.65 cm,respectively,significantly shorter than that of the control group (2.61％,109.9±9.79 cm.P =0.04,P =0.001).Compared with the control group,the stay time in open arms of the MS group was significantly decreased (P<0.01),while the immobility time in forced swim test and tail suspension test of the MS group were 126.5±10.22 s and 21.56±6.83 s,significantly longer than that of the control group (77.75±16.83 s,P =0.02,7.37±3.22 s,P =0.03).Conclutions The 28-day maternal separation stress can significantly increase the anxiety-like and depression-like behavior in neonatal rd mice.

Objective:To explore the clinical appearance,diagnosis method and curative efficacy of one patient with esophageal teratoma complicated with rupture of esophagus in order to raise the awareness of the clinicians for the disease. Methods:The patient with chest pain after eating was admitted to hospital,and upper gastrointestinal radiography,chest CT and endoscopy were taken,which showed rupture of esophagus.Then an emergency thoracic exploration was performed.A too long cleft and much necrosis were identified,so the repair of esophagus was changed into excision and anastomosis. Results: The operation was successful,and the pathological findings showed the rupture of esophageal teratoma.Follow-up showed no complication till now.Conclusion:Esophageal teratoma complicated with esophageal rupture is rare.Clinicians should improve the understanding and reduce the misdiagnosis rate.

Current therapies for myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure are limited in efficacy or in applicability. The plasticity of adult stem cells and cellular transplantation offer a novel therapeutic approach to improve cardiac function. This review describes the latest progress in research, summarizes recent studies of adult stem cells and their application in myocardial regenerative medicine in China and abroad, and discusses the future directions of cell transplantation as a new therapy to repair injured hearts. (J Geriatr Cardiol 2004;1(2) :77-82. )

Objective To describe the phenotype of NK cells in Bama miniature pigs, and establish an efficient activation and culture method for porcine cytokine-induced killer ( CIK) cells in vitro. Methods The porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMCs) were isolated by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and the phenotype of NK cells was test-ed by detecting the CD2 + /CD8 + /CD3 - cell compartment. To establish an efficient activation and culture method for por-cine CIK cells, we optimized the culture conditions to improve the CIK activation efficiency. Results Using the optimized induction culture conditions, the ratio of CIK ( CD2 + /CD8 + /CD3 -) cells was up to 43. 63% at the fifth day, approxi-mately 5. 59 times increased compared with the initially separated PBMCs. Cell proliferation experiments showed that three obvious fluorescence peaks were observed on the fifth day. The results indicated that the induced CIK cells underwent three times cell division, in theory, about increased 8-fold compared with the initial separation of PBMCs. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR result of the surface markers of porcine NK cells also showed a similar variation tendency as the flow cytometry results. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the successful establishment of an efficient activation and culture method for porcine CIK cells in vitro.

Objective:To explore the clinical and pathological features of familial gastric cancer, and to get the early discovery and early treatment of it.Methods:Two kindreds of familial gastric cancer were followed up and their clinical and pathological features were analyzed.Results:Six patients with gastric cancer were found in the 2 kindreds.Autosomal dominant inheritance was observed in these cases.clinical and pathological features of familial gastric cancer were showed according to the document analysis:early onset;poor prognosis;patients suffer simultaneous or metachronous carcinoma;CDH1 germline mutation carriers had higher penetrance;pathologically, tumors are mostly diffuse infiltrative type with lower differentiated degree and earlier metastasis to lymphnodes;in one kindred,the sites of the lesions were relatively consistent.Conclusion:Familial gastric cancer has particular clinical and pathological features:early onset;poor prognosis;patients suffer simultaneous or metachronous carcinoma;CDH1 germline mutation carriers have higher penetrance; pathologically,tumors are mostly diffuse infiltrative type with lower differentiated degree and earlier metastasis to lymphnodes.