Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) is a mesenchyme-derived pleiotropic factor which regulates cell growth,cell motility,and morphogenesis of various types of cells,and is thus considered a humoral mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions responsible for angiogenesis,apoptosis and oxidative stress,etc.This article reviewed the relationships between HGF and cardiovascular diseases.

Traditionally, stem cells in adult tissues were believed to be restricted in their differentiation potential and limited to generate the types of cell present in the tissue in which the stem cell resides. Recently, however, many studies indicate that stem cells may display a broader differentiation potential, termed plasticity or transdifferentiation, than what was previously thought. But the validity of this understanding has been challenged by some investigators. In this review, the authors present some standpoints on stem cell plasticity and discuss some phenomena of stem cell plasticity observed on animal models those have been generally accepted currently.

The concentration of 5 nucleosides, uracil, uridine, guanidine, adenine and adenosine in culture of Paecilomyces hepialid was determined by the developed method of HPLC. The HPLC method was performed on a Waters SunFire C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column with methanol-water gradient elution as the mobile phase. The detection wavelength was 260 nm and the colunmn temperature was controlled at 30 °C. The linear range was 10.00-200.00 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9994) for uracil, 10.10-202.00 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9992) for uridine, 10.00-200.00 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9991) for guanidine, 10.30-206.00 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9992) for adenine and 10.45-209.00 mg · L(-1) (r = 0.9991) for adenosine, respectively. The RSD of precision was 0.032%, 0.035%, 0.039%, 0.049%, 0.00080%, respectively. The average recoveries of uracil, guanidine, adenine, and adenosine were 97.34%, 99.10%, 101.6%, 98.61% and 100.2% with RSD of 1.3%, 2.1%, 0.96%, 0.95%, and 1.3% respectively. The method showed high sensitivity, good selectivity, linearity and repeatability, which was suitable for the content analysis of 5 nucleosides components in P. hepialid and its extracts.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Nucleosides ; analysis ; Paecilomyces ; chemistry

Objective To search for the changes of T cells subpopulations and immunoglobulin and their relation-ship in children patients with simple nephrotic syndrome. Design Case-control research. Patients aud Participants 39 patients with simple nephrotic syndrome were divided into two groups:the incipient group and relapse group (6 cases were determined at the incipient and relapse time) .Thereare 28 patients in incipient group, 19 males and 9 females, at the age of 2 to 10 years old. There are20 patients in relapse group, 12 males and 8 females, at the age of 3 to 13 years old. There are 35health children in control group, 21 males and 14 females, 2～13 years old. Interventions T cells subpopulations were determined by indirect immunofluorescence of OKT linesmonoclonal antibodies. The serum IgG was determined by routine simple agar immunodiffusion tests. Results and Conclusions The CD_3~+ and CD_4~+ cells are of no change in the children patients withsimple nephrotic syndrome, and the CD_8~+ and CD_(10)~+ cells are obviously increased, the Values of CD_4~+/CD_8~+ are obviously lower than those in the control qroup, there are no difference between the incipientand relapse groups. The levels of serum IgG were decreased in the 85.3% children patients, IgM were inc-reased in 29.4% of that. The values of CD_4~+/CD_8~+ have positive correlation and negative correlationwith the levels of serum IgG and IgM respectively.

Objective To evaluate the development of fetal cerebellar vermis using 3D transabdominal ultrasound,and provide evidence for prenatal screening fetal cerebellar vermis anomalies.Methods Totally 387 normal fetuses at 20～36 gestation weeks were examined by three-dimensional extended imaging(3DXI) to observe the fetal cerebellar vermis.The width,anteroposterior diameter,craniocaudal diameter of the cerebellar vermis,the angle between brain stem and vermis,a ratio between the area of anterior vermis and posterior vermis were measured,and the relationship between the gestational age and parameters mentioned above were analyzed.Results The multi slice view of 3DXI and 3D reconstructed sagittal section well evaluated the integrity of vermis morphous and vermis size,identified characteristic signs of vermis:the fourth ventricle apex and vermis crack.In normal fetus,brain stem and vermis were almost parallel,the angle between them was 3.97°±1.65°.There was no significant correlation between the angle and the gestational age.The area of the anterior vermis was smaller than that of posterior vermis,with a ratio of 0.76±0.06,which was also not related to gestational age.The width,anteroposte rior diameter and craniocaudal diameter of the cerebellar vermis were positively correlated with gestational age.Conclusions The multi slice view of 3DXI and 3D reconstructed sagittal section should help evaluate the development of the cerebellar vermis,accurately show the cerebellar vermis and its surrounding strutures,and provide a new way to evaluate the fetal cerebellar vermis.

Objective To investigate the development trend of drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province,and to provide the basis for further prevention and treatment of the disease.Methods In 2009,eight major counties were chosen,and in each county all diseased villages were classified into light,moderate and severe disease types according to water fluorine content based on historical data,and one village was chosen from each type.In monitoring villages with improved water,one source water and three tap water samples were collected,respectively.Five water samples were collected in water unimproved monitoring villages according to water well locations of the east,the west,the south,the north and the center.The fluorine content in water was determined according to the Standard Testing Methods for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750-2006).Children aged 8 to 12 were examined for dental fluorosis by Dean method.Residents over the age of 16 were examined for clinical osteofluorosis,and two monitoring counties were chosen,then one village was respectively chosen in each county,and clinically diagnosed patients with skeletal fluorosis were examined again by X-ray.Both clinical and X-ray diagnosis were on the basis of Diagnostic Criteria of Endemic Skeletal Fluorosis (WS 192-2008).Urine samples of 30 children aged 8 to 12 and of 20 adults over the age of 16 were randomly collected and urinary fluoride was determined by F-ion selective electrode method(WS/T 89-1996).Results Of all the 24 villages of 8 counties,20 villages were water improved,and water-improvedprojects ran normally in 18 villages,while scrapped in the rest 2 villages.One hundred and two samples were tested,and the mean of water fluoride in water-improved villages was 1.10 mg/L,while in water unimproved villages and villages with water improved projects scrapped was 1.90 mg/L.The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 42.51％(854/2009).The prevalence of clinical skeletal fluorosis was 23.23％ (2024/8713) and the X-ray detection rate was 32.00％ (24/75).Six hundred and sixty-four urine samples of children were determined,and geometric mean of urinary fluorine was 1.59 mg/L,while 370 adult urine samples were determined,and geometric mean of urinary fluorine was 2.20 mg/L.Conclusions Endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province has not been fully controlled and there are signs of recovery.We must pay attention to water improvement measures to reduce fluoride and the management and maintenance of water improvement projects,and further strengthen the prevention and control of endemic fluorosis.

Objective To evaluate the effect of health education on endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu province,and to provide reference data for further prevention and control of the disease.Methods In 2011,according to history prevalence of endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu province,a total of 10 countries were selected,and 3 townships were chosen in each county.Health educational activities were carried out in the classes of grade 4 - 6 in thecentral primary school.In the meantime,3 villages were chosen in each selected township where the health educational activities in the community were carried out.Before and after the health education activities,questionnaire surveys on knowledge of endemic fluorosis were conducted in each county.Thirty students in one classof the fifth grade in the central primary school were randomly selected,and 15 housewives near the central primaryschool were also randomly selected.Results After the health educational activities,the rates of knowledgeawareness in the students and the housewives were 95.90％ (2946/3072) and 92.85％ ( 1752/1887 ),respectively,and increased significantly compared with those before the intervention[71.53％(2015/2817),77.40％( 1384/1788 ) ],and the difference was statistically significant(x2 =657.337,174.894,all P ＜ 0.01 ).Before the health educational activities,the rates of knowledge awareness in the students were lower than those in the housewives,and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =6.120,P ＜ 0.05 ).After the health educational activities,the rates of knowledge awareness in the students were higher than those in the housewives,and the difference was statistically significant(x2 =21.847,P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsThe rates of knowledge awareness in the students and the housewives are increased significantly after the health educational activities.The consciousness and activity of the target people to take part in preventing and controlling of the endemic fluorosis have been enhanced greatly.The good behaviors in the target people are gradually formed,the desired effect is achieved.

Objective To investigate the state of endemic fluorosis, running status of water improvement project to reduce fluoride in Jiangsu province, and to provide a scientific basis for prevention and control of endemic fluorosis. Methods In 2008, in the ten key counties of endemic fluorosis (zone), in Xuzhou,Lianyungang and Suqian, a stratified sampling method was employed to select 40 diseased villages according to their past water fluoride survey data. All children aged 8 to 12 were examined dental fluorosis, and all adults over 16 years were examined clinical skeletal fluorosis. Thirty per cent of the 40 diseased villages were selected, and 20 adults over the age of 16 in each selected village were examined by X-ray, respectively;50% of the 40 diseased villages were selected, and 30 any time urine samples of children aged 8 to 12 in each diseased village were tested urine fluoride. In each city, select a county, the status of water improvement project to reduce fluoride, water supply capacity and coverage in the county were investigated. Results A total of 3560 children aged 8 to 12 were examined, the detection rate of dental fluorosis was 38.51% (1371/3560), tooth defect rate was 5.34% (190/3560), and dental fluorosis index was 0.8. Seven hundred and eight urine samples were tested, the median urinary fluoride was 1.47 mg/L and the range was 0.08 ~ 10.08 mg/L. Clinical detection of skeletal fluorosis was 21.3% among adults over the age of 16, and X-ray detection rate of skeletal fluorosis was 39.2% (123/314).Investigated a total of 248 facilities of centralized water improvement projects, no funds to run or damaged 49, the water fluoride > 1.0 mg/L was 18. Conclusions Endemic fluorosis in Northern Jiangsu province has not been controlled completely, but has a rising trend, we should further strengthen the supervision of water fluoride reduction.

Objective To evaluate the effect of health education on drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning in Jiangsu province in 2010.Methods Nine villages(townships) were selected from high-arsenic regions of Jiangsu province,and one primary school in each village(township) and one village from the 9 villages(townships)were selected as investigation points.Thirty pupils in the same class of grade 5 in each school,and 15 housewives in each village were chosen as research subjects.Referring to the health education questionnaire in Technique Scheme of Endemic Disease Prevention Granted by the Central Government in 2010,5 questions were selected.The reason,harm and prevention measures were reflected by the first,second and third questions.The way of knowledge acquisition and the situation of family drinking water were reflected by the forth and fifth questions.The awareness of prevention knowledge of drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning in pupils and housewives were investigated by calculating the awareness rate.Results Three hundred and nine pupils in the fifth grade and 144housewives were investigated in the baseline survey.Thenumber of response was 927 and 432,respectively; the number of correct answer was 537 and 234,respectively; the awareness rate was 57.93％(537/927) and 54.17％(234/432),respectively.Two hundred and seven pupils in the fifth grade and 135 housewives were investigated in the evaluation survey.The number of response was 810 and 405,respectively; the number of correct answer was 778 and 386,respectively; the awareness rate was 96.05％ (778/810) and 95.31％ (386/405),respectively.Conclusions Health knowledge of drinking-water-borne endemic arsenic poisoning has been improved among pupils and housewives in these areas.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Wenyang Decoction (WD) on the differentiation of CD34+ progenitor cells of occupational asthma (OA) model rats.

METHODSFifty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e., the model group, the blank control group,the WD group,the Western medicine group,the combined group, 10 in each group. Prednisone suspension (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats in the Western medicine group by gastrogavage. WD (20 g/kg) was administered to rats in the WD group by gastrogavage. Prednisone suspension plus WD was administered to rats in the combined group by gastrogavage. Normal saline was administered to rats in the model group and the blank control group by gastrogavage. The general condition of rats was observed. Expression levels of peripheral blood IL-5 and eotaxin, eosinophils (EOS), CD34+, CC chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3+) in bone marrow suspension were detected by ELISA, Wirght-Giemsa, and flow cytometry, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group,expression levels of IL-5 and eotaxin in peripheral blood were significantly higher (P < 0.01), and the count of EOS and CD34+ cells, as well as CD34+ /CCR3+ significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, expression levels of IL-5 and eotaxin, the count of EOS, CD34+ cells, CD34+ / CCR3+ were lowered in three treated groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the Western medicine group, the count of EOS and CD34+ / CCR3+ decreased in the combined group (P < 0.01). The count of EOS was significantly lower in the combined group than in the WD group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONWD could reduce levels of in vivo inflammatory factors, and restrain the differentiation and recruitment of EOS,thereby alleviating the differentiation of CD34 progenitor cells to EOS.

Animals ; Antigens, CD34 ; Asthma, Occupational ; drug therapy ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Differentiation ; Chemokine CCL11 ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Eosinophils ; Flow Cytometry ; Interleukin-5 ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, CCR3 ; Stem Cells