Objective:To investigate the morphology and growth kinetics of the cells derived from the adult normal and herniated nucleus pulposus tissues.Methods: The cells derived from the adult normal and herniated nucleus pulposus were cultured in vitro.Passage 1,3,5 cells were chosen for light microscope and electron microscope observation.The cell growth rate,MTT value,maximal growth density,cellular mitotic index,cloning efficiency,and other parameters were observed in normal and herniated nucleus pulposus and the results were compared.Results: Compared with adult normal nucleus pulposus cells,the cells isolated from herniated nucleus pulposus were irregularly arranged and lost polarization,with rough endoplasmic reticulum slightly dilated.Under the same cellular density and culture conditions,the growth rate of passage 1 cells from adult normal and herinated nucleus pulposus had no significant difference,but the differences of passage 3 cells(P(0.05);) those of passage 3 cells were respectively 6.96?0.19 and 5.48?0.22,0.154?0.018 and 0.110?0.009,(22.52?(2.16)‰) and((16.68?)(2.35)‰,) and(48.7?3.3)% and(40.7?2.5)%;and of passage 5 cells were respectively 2.42?0.13 and 0.98?(0.14,) 0.085?0.006 and 0.050?0.007,(15.61?1.96)‰ and(9.34?2.12)‰,and(40.2?2.3)% and(28.34?(2.9)%.) There were significant differences between the parameters of passage 3 and 5 cells(P

ObjectiveTo observe the neuroprotective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)on cerebral diffuse axonal injuries (DAI)of rats.Methods40 male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, DAI injury group, bFGF group and DAI saline group. According to the survival time of rats, DAI injury group were divided into five groups, the 6h, 12h, 24h, 72h and 7th day group, The changes of bFGF expression in cerebral cortex were detected by immunohistochemical method from 6h to 7d after DAI. Two hours before DAI, bFGF 10μl was injected into right ventricle in bFGF group. ResultsThe bFGF expression appeared at 6h after DAI, increased at 12h, reached the highest level at 72h, and kept in a high level at 7d.There were obvious differences between 72h group and other groups in DAI injury group (P<0.01),cerebral cortex neurons were obviously decreased by HE staining. In each time group,injured neurons were decreased in bFGF group combined with DAI injury group(P<0.05). ConclusionsbFGF has obvious neuroprotective effect on cerebral diffuse axonal injuries of rats.

Objective To investigate the role of ghrelin promoting proliferation of pancreatic β cells and the mechanism of it. Methods Mouse pancreatic β cells(NIT-1)were treated with different concentrations of ghrelin.NIT-1 cells proliferation was measured by MTT incorporation assay,and the cell cycle was measured by Flow Cytometry,and the expression of ERK1/2 and the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation were determined by Western blot assay.Results With the increase of concentration and the time of treatment,ghrelin promotes cell survival of pancreatic β cells.The S-phase portion was changed after treatment of ghrelin on NIT-1 for 48 hours.The S-phase percentage in the groups where ghrelin concention change from 0 tO 10-9,10-8,10-7 mol/L were(34.5±6.5)%,(42.1±7.4)%,(50.6±5.8)%,(71.4±9.4)%,respectively.Ghrelin also induces phesphorilation of ERK1/2 in NIT-1 cell,and a doseeffect relationship was demonstrated.Conclusion Ghrelin could promote proliferation of pancreatic β cells through activating the MAPK/ERK1/2 signaling pathway and changing the cell cycle.

Millettia pinnata L. is a leguminous tree with great potential in biodiesel applications and also a typical semi-mangrove. In this review, we presented several aspects about the recent research progress in molecular biology of M. pinnata. We descrived several types of molecular markers used to assess the genetic diversity and phylogeny of this species, genome and transcriptome analyses based on high-throughput sequencing platform accomplished for this species, and several gene and genomic sequences of this species isolated for further research. Finally, based on the current research progress, we proposed some orientations for future molecular biology research on M. pinnata.
Base Sequence ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Plant ; Genomics ; Millettia ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Trees ; genetics

Due to lack of the practical technique to measure the biomechanical properties of the ocular cornea in vivo, clinical ophthalmologists have some difficulties in understanding the deformation mechanism of the cornea under the action of physiological intraocular pressures. Using Young's theory analysis of the corneal deformation during applanation tonometry, the relation between the elasticity moduli of the cornea and the applanated corneal area and the measured and true intraocular pressures can be obtained. A new applanation technique has been developed for measuring the biomechanical properties of the ocular cornea tissue in vivo, which can simultaneously acquire the data of the applanation area and displacement of the corneal deformation as well as the exerted applanation force on the cornea. Experimental results on a rabbit's eyeball demonstrated that the present technique could be used to measure the elasticity moduli and creep properties of the ocular cornea nondestructively in vivo.
Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cornea ; Elastic Modulus ; Intraocular Pressure ; Muscles ; Rabbits ; Tonometry, Ocular

OBJECTIVE To investigate the bacterial resistance of clinical isolates from pediatric hospital for the guidance of rational use of antibiotics.METHODS Disc diffusion test(Kirby-Bauer method) was used to study the antimicrobial resistance(fastidious bacteria were detected by E test).WHONET5 was applied for analysis.(RESULTS) In the period of study from 2002 to 2003,2 303 strains which were the first isolated from each patient were collected.Of 2 303 clinical isolates,Gram positive organisms accounted for 29.7%,Gram negative ones for 70.3%.Escherichia coli,Klebsiella spp,Staphylococcus aureus,coagulase-negative staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common strains among the isolates.Meticillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA) and meticillin-resistant coagulase(-negative) staphylococci(MRCNS) accounted for 9.7% and 67.6% of S.aureus and coagulase-negative(staphylococci),respectively.Resistant rates of MRSA and MRCNS were higher than that of meticillin-susceptible S.aureus(MSSA) and meticillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci(MSCNS) to antimicrobial agents commonly used in clinic.No vancomycin resistant strains of staphylococci were found. 4.1% of Enterococcus spp were vancomycin resistant strains.Resistant rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 11.9% to penicillin. Most of isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were susceptible to imipenem.The incidences of E.coli and Klebsiella spp producing extended spectrum beta-lactamases(ESBLs) isolates were 49.7% and 63.1%,respectively.The resistance rates of(ESBLs) producing strains to antimicrobial agents(except carbapenems) were higher than those of ESBLs nonproducing ones.CONCLUSIONS Bacterial resistance is still or even a more serious clinical problem than before.The(surveillance) of antimicrobial susceptibility in pediatric hospital is of great significance.It is also very important to promote the rational use of antimicrobial agents so that resistance is minimized and take effective strategy for the control of the problem.

Objective To investigate the alteration of the default-mode network (DMN) in the patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) using resting functional MRI, and to explore its underlying clinical significance. Methods Fourteen MHE patients and 14 age-matched normal controls underwent standard resting state functional MRI scan. The components representing DMN were picked out after separation of independent component analysis. One and two sample t-tests were used to observe the changes of DMN in the patients in contrast to the controls. Results Typically spatial distributions of the DMN were found in both MHE patients and controls. Comparison results revealed that there was significantly reduced functional connectivity in the left posterior cingulate cortex, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral medial prefrontal cortex, left parahippocampal cortex in MHE patients, while functional connectivity increased in the right precuneus. Conclusion Resting state functional MRI can be used to observe DMN changes in MHE patients. In MHE patients, there is reduced DMN activation in the widespread regions, while the activation of right precuneus increases.

Objective To investigate the alteration of the whole brain functional connectivity in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy(MHE) by using resting-state functional MRI,and to explore its role in distinguishing the MHE from cirrhotic patients without MHE by using the receiver operator characteristic(ROC) curve.Methods Thirty cirrhotic patients with MHE,32 cirrhotic patients without MHE (non-MHE),and 49 healthy controls underwent standard resting-state functional MRI scan.Whole brain functional connectivities were compared with analysis of variance test to observe the difference among three groups,and then compared with Post-hoc test to investigate the changes between MHE and non-MHE groups.Results There were widespreadly different functional connectivities among three groups.All 115 functional conenctivities showed significant difference among three groups(all P＜0.05).Compared with non-MHE patients,MHE patients showed 6 decreased functional connectivity in the following brain regions (P＜0.05):between left supper temporal gyrus-right orbitofrontal cortex,left Heschl's gyrus-left Rolandic operculum,left Heschl's gyrus-right olfactory cortex,left hippocampus-right amygdala,left putamen-right putamen,and left temporal pole of supper temporal gyrus-right temporal pole of middle temporal gyrus (t=-4.41-3.82,P＜0.01).ROC analysis demonstrated that the left hippocampus-right amygdala had the highest value for differentiating MHE from non-MHE group(AUC=0.78,95％CI 0.66-0.90) with a cutoff value=0.56,sensitivity=73％ and specificity=81％).Conclusion Functional connectivity analysis can be used to observe the functional changes in MHE patient,and has a potential for the early diagnosis of MHE.

Background and purpose: Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is uncommon, and frequently diagnosed at late stage. Chemotherapy is the main treatment method for advanced SBA. Despite recent progress in SBA therapy, no standard regimen has been established up to now, and new active regimen is expected to improve the outcome of this disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efifcacy and safety of S-1/oxaliplatin for the treatment of advanced SBA. Methods:In a retrospective study, clinical characteristics and outcomes of 29 patients with advanced SBA were collected and analyzed. Patients received oral S-1 40 mg/m2, twice daily, d1-14, oxaliplatin was administered intravenously 130 mg/m2 on the ifrst day of every cycle, repeated every 3 weeks. Efifcacy and toxicity were evaluated after at least two consecutive cycles. Results:All patients were evaluated for efifcacy and safety. The objective response and disease control rates were 37.9%and 65.5%, respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 5.4 months (95%CI:3.6-7.2) and 13.2 months (95%CI:6.7-19.7), respectively. In univariate analysis, the following factors were signiifcantly associated with poor outcome:not ifrst line chemotherapy setting, ECOG performance status>1 and sites of metastasis>2 (Log-rank, P<0.05). The treatment related adverse events were mild and manageable. Myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reaction, fatigue, sensory neuropathy and rash were the most common toxicities. Conclusion:This study was the ifrst to report the efifcacy of S-1 combined with oxaliplatin for advanced SBA. S-1/oxaliplatin may be effective and safe for advanced SBA and worthy of further study.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of a natural swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed (SMS) as the propellant of osmotic pump tablets. The sugar components, static swelling, water uptake and viscosity of SMS were determined and compared with that of polythylene oxide (WSR-N10 and WSR-303). Both ribavirin and glipizide were used as water-soluble and water-insoluble model drugs. Then, the monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide were prepared using SMS as the osmotically active substance and propellant. SMS was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose and galactose and exhibited relatively high swelling ability. The area of the disintegrated matrix tablet was 20.1 times as that at initial after swelling for 600 s. SMS swelled rapidly and was fully swelled (0.5%) in aqueous solution with relative low viscosity (3.66 +/- 0.03) mPa x s at 25 degrees C. The monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide using SMS as propellant exhibited typical drug release features of osmotic pumps. In conclusion, the swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed, with low viscosity and high swelling, is a potential propellant in the application of osmotic pump tablets.