Objective: To study the effects of the alcohol extract of Loulu (AEL) on the ability of learning and memory in mice and on the activity of cholinesterase in brain and whole blood.Methods: In order to establish the effect of the alcohol ectract of Loulu on the ability of learning and membory in mice, the methods of one trial passive avoidance response(step down test) were used. Results: The AEL could antagonize the acquisition impairment of memory induced by scopolamine (SCPL) and the consolidation disruption of memory elicited by cycloheximide (CYC), inhibit the activity of cholinesterase in brain and whole blood. Conclusion: The improving effect of the AEL on the ability of learning and memory might be related with its effect of improving function of the central cholinesterase system.

AIM: To study the effects of insulin on the proliferation and function of osteoblasts and the relationship between insulin post-receptor change in osteoblasts and osteoblastic cell growth.METHODS: The effects of different levels of insulin on osteoblasts were assessed by MTT colorimetry.Osteocalcin in medium was measured by RIM.IGF-1 mRNA expression levels were determined by RT-PCR.The concentrations of free IGF-1 protein in serum-free medium were measured by ELISA.In addition,the protein level and phosphorylated protein of P~(44/42)MAPK were determined by Western blotting analysis.RESULTS: Insulin enhanced the proliferation of osteoblasts,depending on its dose and exposure time.Insulin at concentration of 10~(-7) mol/L showed the strongest effect,and the action attained the plateau phase beyond 96 h.The best concentration that stimulated synthesis of osteocalcin by insulin was 10~(-7) mol/L.When the insulin concentration beyond 10~(-7) mol/L,the osteocalcin concentration was decreased.Exposure time had no effect on insulin-stimulated synthesis of osteocalcin of osteoblastic cells.When the concentration of insulin reaches 10~(-6) mol/L,the IGF-1 mRNA expression stimulated by insulin was also decreased.The concentrations of free IGF-1 protein in insulin-stimulated groups were all higher than that in control group(P0.05).Insulin acute stimulation rapidly induced the activity of tyrosine phosphorylation of P~(44/42)MAPK.The degree of tyrosine phosphorylation of P~(44/42)MAPK was increased step by step along with the increasing doses of insulin from 0 to 10~(-7) mol/L(P

Objective To study the role of bone morphogenetic protein-7 in the osteogenic differentiation of periosteal cellsin vitro. Methods Periosteal cells, obtained from adult tibial periosteum, were cultured by routine method in vitro, and divided into two groups. One group cultured with BMP7 and the supplements of 100 nmol dexametasone, 10 mmol b-glycerophosphate and 50 mg/mL L-ascorbic acid (BMP7 group), the other cultured with the supplements alone as the control (control group). Ultrastructure and morphological changes of periosteal cells were observed by contrast phase microscope and electron microscope. In order to test the expression of markers of osteoblastic differantiation in periosteal cells, involved mineralized node and alkaline phosphatase. Each group was tested at the time of 5 d, 10 d, 15 d, 20 d, respectively, using ALP kit stain and Von Kossa stain with 3 samples at each time. Results The periosteal cells cultured by routine method and induced into osteoblast differentiation with BMP7 were both growing well, in vitro. Microscope observations showed that the periosteal cells were spindle-shaped, well-stacked, transparent and three-dimensional in the early stage, and cube-shaped or puncheon shaped in the mitotic phase, gradually became wide shuttle and irregular shape with a lot secretion in telophase. The positive cells were visible by the ALP kit staining and Von Kossa staining of calcium nodules at 5 d, 10 d, 15 d and 20 d in both groups.A difference of positive rate at each time point was found between BMP7 group and control group at 5 d, 10 d, 15 d, 20 d, and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.01). Conclusion It displayed well regeneration and osteogenesis ability in the periosteal cell. BMP7 has definite osteo-inductive activity, which can obviously enhance the proliferation and ossifyng differentiation of periosteal cells.

Objective To explore biological characteristics of chondrogenic differentiation of human periosteum-derived cells and the role of BMP4 in chondrogenic differentiation of these cells.Methods From October 2009 to September 2012,periosteum was obtained from tibia of patients undergoing leg amputation surgery,and isolated periosteum-derived cells by tissue culture method.Cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 containing 10％ fetal bovine serum,and morphology of cells were observed under inverted microscope.Periosteum-derived cells growth and the effect of BMP4 on cells growth examined by cell count using trypan blue,and cells growth curve was made.Experiment was divided into control group,chondrogenic differentiation group and BMP4 group,cells were expanded and differentiated in the presence or absence of BMP4 and complete medium.Then toluidine and immunohistochemical staining analyzed proteoglycan and collagenⅡ expression of these cells after 14 and 21 days.The expression of aggrecan,collagen Ⅱ and SOX9 mRNA of these cells using real-time PCR.Results (1) Periosteumderived cells adhered to growth in vitro,the shape of cell presented fibroblast-like morphology changing into polygonal after 1 week and round cell formation after 2 weeks chondrrogenic differemtiation.Growth curve showed that the passage 3 and 9 cells had similar reproductive activity.The passage 3 cells were positive for CD90 (21.07％) and CD105 (25.84％).(2)Toluidine bule staining and type Ⅱ collagen immunohistochemical staining showed BMP4 group (40.29 ± 4.29,56.74 ± 5.12) and chondrogenic differentiated group (19.27 ± 3.71,38.31 ± 4.25) ccould secrete proteoglycan and collagen Ⅱ,control group were negative (10.24 ± 1.21,15.28 ± 2.23),BMP4 group were significantly than chondrogenic differentiated group.(3) The expression of aggrecan,collagen Ⅱ and SOX9 mRNA of BMP4 group(25.76 ±0.57,6.48 ±0.48,2.91 ±0.18)were significantly higher than that of control group(2.37 ±0.24,1.12 ± 0.31,1.07 ± 0.22)and chondrogenic differentiated group(11.12 ± 0.38,2.24 ± 0.41,1.54 ± 0.35)using real-time PCR.Conclusion Periosteum-derived cells have strong proliferative,and have good potentials of differentiating into chondroblasts like mesenchymal stem cells.BMP4 can promote chondrogenic differentiation of periosteum-derived cells in vitro cultures.

The development of gastritis is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Current invasive gastritis diagnostic methods are not suitable for monitoring progress. In this work based on 78 gastritis patients and 50 healthy individuals, we observed that the variation of tongue-coating microbiota was associated with the occurrence and development of gastritis. Twenty-one microbial species were identified for differentiating tongue-coating microbiomes of gastritis and healthy individuals. Pathways such as microbial metabolism in diverse environments, biosynthesis of antibiotics and bacterial chemotaxis were up-regulated in gastritis patients. The abundance of Campylobacter concisus was found associated with the gastric precancerous cascade. Furthermore, Campylobacter concisus could be detected in tongue coating and gastric fluid in a validation cohort containing 38 gastritis patients. These observations provided biological evidence of tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine, and indicated that tongue-coating microbiome could be a potential non-invasive biomarker, which might be suitable for long-term monitoring of gastritis.