Neural stem cell (NSC) has self-renewal and differentiation potential.It can orderly differentiate into neurons,astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the development of central nervous system.NSC differentiation was commonly regulated by a variety of factors,including cytokines,transcription factors and epigenetic factors.Epigenetic regulation is a heritable gene expression without changing the DNA sequence.Histone modification is an important regulation mode in epigenetic modifications,which is essential in the transcription process.It also plays a critical role in the development of central nervous system.This article briefly reviews the histone methylation and demethylafion in the regulation of NSC differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Collagen type Ⅰ possesses low antigenicity and provides special functions of scaffold structure for cell migration, proliferation and secretion.OBJECTIVE: To observe the morphological change after combination of transformed human embryonic tendon cells and artificial materials with collagen type Ⅰ, so as to provide the experimental basis for constructing tissue-engineered muscle tendon in vitro.DESIGN: Randomized and controlled observation.SETTING: Department of Orthopaedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University.MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at the Department of Transplantation Immunology, West China University of Medical Sciences from July to September 1998. Human hair, carbon fiber and polyglycolic acid were combined with collagen and then set corresponding groups respectively. Simply hair, carbon fiber and polyglycolic acid control groups were set respectively. Artificial materials: Healthy adult hair (30 cm in length, 80 g in weight), carbon fiber knitted strip (Lanzhou carbon factory )and polyglyolic acid fasciculi (Johnson , American) were used in this experiment.METHODS: ①In the group of human hair combined with collagen,nine healthy adult hairs were chosen . Three hairs as one bundle were knitted into tendon with 0.8 cm in length and 0.4 cm in diameter and a knot was tied respectively at the two ends. ②In the carbon fiber combined with collagen group, the purchased carbon fiber knitted strip was separated and made into artificial materials with the same diameter and length as those of human hair tendon. Two ends of the artificial materials were packed with 5/0 silk thread. ③In the polyglycolic acid combined with collagen group, three polyglycolic acid fasciculi were weaved into bundle with the same diameter and length as those of human tendon,and two ends were packed with 5/0 silk thread. ④The process of knitting scaffold materials was the same in control groups as in the corresponding experimental groups. ⑤ Five pieces were prepared in each scaffold material. After sterilized by 60Co, the scaffold materials were put in collagen type Ⅰ solution for 0.5 hour, then taken out and dried at roomtemperature for use in the experimental groups. ⑥transformed human embryonic tendon cell, density for 3×106/mm3, was used for combined culture in each group, and cell number and morphology were observed at different time points after culture under an inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Observation of cell growth and adherence under an inverted microscope ② Observation of cell morphology and material adherence under scanning electron microscope RESULTS: ① Observation of cell growth and adherenceunder an inverted microscope :In each experimental group, at two hours after culture, cells gathered around the materials, and some cells adhered to materials presented round; At three days after culture, the number of cells adhered to materials began to increase, morphology changed from round to oval, and the co-existence of round and oval cells was seen;While in each control group, at two and three hours after culture, few cells adhered to the three materials. On day five after culture, in each experimental group, cell morphology turned into fusiform, the number of cells increased further and a great many fusiform cells grew among carbon fiber materials; while in the control group, most cells presented round and ellipse, and the number of cells was less as compared with the corresponding experimental group. ② Cell morphology and material adherence under scanning electron microscope: On day 5 after in vitro culture, most tendon cells on the surface of materials presented spindle-shape in each experimental group. Apophysis stretched out from the tendon cells, grew along longitudinal axon of the materials. Silk and piece-like substance appeared among the apophysis and weaved each other. While there were fewer cells adhered in control group than in corresponding experimental group, cells also presented fusiform or round, but no silk or piece-like substance was found, also no apophysis appeared.CONCLUSION: Human hair, carbon fiber and polyglycolic acid combined with collagen type Ⅰ will facilitate cell adherence. Cells increase around the materials and co-existence of round and oval cells could be seen, and cells turned into fusiform, suggesting that exogenous collagen facilitate the cells to adhere onto the materials and proliferate.

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture and massage on tiptoe in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods 49 children with spastic cerebral palsy were divided into treatment group (n=24) and control group (n=25) in accordance with the order of visiting. The control group accepted routine rehabilitation, and the treatment group accepted acupuncture and massage in addition. They were assessed with Composite Spasticity Scale (CSS), the angle of ankle passive dorsiflexion before and after treatment. Results The scores of CSS and the angle of ankle passive dorsiflexion improved in both groups after treatment (P<0.001), and improved more in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.001). The rate of improvement was 95.6% in the treatment group, and 78.26% in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture and massage may further improve the correcting of the tiptoe in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Objective To evaluate the effects of parecoxib sodium for preemptive analgesia in patients undergoing cerebral angiography. Methods Sixty patients undergoing cerebral angiography were divided into two groups by random digits table with 30 cases in each : group P and group F. Patients in group P received parecoxib sodium 40 mg 30 min before operation, while group F received fentanyl 1 μ g/kg 2 min before operation. The changes of hemodynamics were observed before operation (To), immediately right internal carotid artery angiography during operation (T1), immediately right vertebral artery angiography (T2),immediately left internal carotid artery angiography(T3), immediately left vertebral artery angiography(T4), 10min after operation (T5). The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2)and visual analogue score (VAS) were recorded at different times during the whole operation. Results There were no significantly differences on MAP, HR and VAS between group P and group F (P ＞ 0.05 ). But the SpO2 at T1 ,T2,T3 in group F (0.94±0.03,0.95±0.02,0.95±0.02) were significantly lower than those in group P (0.98 ± 0.01,0.98 ± 0.02,0.98 ± 0.02 )(P＜0.05 ), and 2 cases SpO2 ＜ 0.90 at Ti. Conclusion Parecoxib sodium administered preemptively provides a nice analgesic effect in patients undergoing cerebral angiography, and is more safe than fentanyl.

Objective To analyze and compare the clinical characteristics and the treatment outcome of the patients with chemo-resistant and relapsed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).Methods The clinical records of the patients with refractory GTN treated at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from Jan 2005 to Dec 2007 were retrospectively reviewed.According to the reasons for referral, all cases were classified as chemo-resistant GTN group who had never a normal serum human chorionic gonadotropin-beta subunit (β-hCG) level during their previous treatment, relapsed GTN group who had elevated serum β-hCG levels in the absence of the pregnancy after finished treatment 3 months or more, and undetermined GTN group who had elevated serum β-hCG levels in the absence of the pregnancy less than 3 months after completed treatment.The clinical features and treatment outcomes were compared between undetermined GTN group and chemo-resistant GTN group and also between undetermined GTN group and relapsed GTN group, respectively.Results Of 81 patients with refractory GTN, 32 cases were defined as undetermined GTN, 38 cases as chemo-resistant GTN and 11 cases as relapsed GTN.The median number of previous chemotherapy regimens, the rate of serologic complete remission ( SCR), the patients who needed to change regimens due to resistance, and the patients who needed to change regimens in the undetermined GTN group and the chemo-resistant GTN group were 2.3 versus 3.1 ( P = 0.010),100% (32/32) versus 66% (25/38, P ＜ 0.01 ), 22% (7/32) versus 58% (22/38, P = 0.002) and 28% (9/32) versus 63% (24/38, P = 0.003 ), respectively.No significant difference were observed between undetermined GTN group and relapsed GTN group in clinical features, previous and current treatment or treatment outcome ( all P ＞0.05 ).Conclusions In order to evaluate accurately the treatment outcome of refractory GTN, it seems more appropriate for the patients who had reached the normal value of serum β-hCG when completed treatment to be defined as patients with relapsed GTN, while whose serum β-hCG levels elevated in the absence of the pregnancy after the completion of treatment, irrespectively of duration of stopping treatment.Comparing with the patients with chemo-resistant GTN, the outcome of patients with relapsed GTN is better.

Objective To explore the influence of low dose cyclophosphamide (CTX)acting on regu-latory T cells (Tregs)of hepatocellular carcinoma-bearing mice,and the anti-tumor effect of low dose CTX combined with cytokine induced killer cells (CIKs).Methods Models of tumor-bearing mice were established by subcutaneous inoculation with hepatocellular carcinoma cells.The mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =35),there were normal control group,single tumor group,single CTX group (1 time,1 00 mg/kg,intra-peritoneal)and cyclical CTX group (once every 6 days,3 times,1 00 mg/kg,intraperitoneal).The changes of the Treg/CD4 + in spleens were detected by flow cytometry.We isolated mononulear cells from spleen of mice to culture CIKs.To study the effect of anti-tumor in vitro,tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into 6 treat-ment groups,there were single tumor group,single CTX group,single CIK group,cyclical CTX group,single CTX +CIK group and cyclical CTX +CIK group.The growth curves of tumor were drawn.At the end of the experiment,tumor was separated and weighted.The growth inhibition ratio of tumor was calculated.Results With time prolonged after tumor inoculation,the proportion of Treg/CD4 + increased gradually in spleen of mice in single tumor group.On the 1 0th day,this proportion of single CTX group was (8.95 ±1 .90)% and the sin-gle tumor group was (9.25 ±1 .74)%,and there was no difference between two groups (t =0.374,P =0.71 4).The proportion in the cyclical CTX group (8.99 ±2.1 1 )% was still lower than that in the single tumor group (1 6.76 ±2.02)% on the 1 9th day,and the difference was significant (t =8.544,P =0.000). Treatment for 21 days,the volume and weight of the single tumor group,single CTX group,single CIK group, cyclical CTX group,single CTX +CIK group and cyclical CTX +CIK group were (3 800.4 ±607.5 ), (3 764.8 ±537.7),(3 352.2 ±485.4),(2 076.6 ±620.2),(1 867.1 ±533.6),(970.7 ±1 35.3)mm3 and (4.01 ±0.66),(3.86 ±0.74),(3.80 ±0.42),(2.08 ±0.27),(1 .83 ±0.93),(0.86 ±0.25)g. The tumor volume and weight were minimum in the cyclical CTX +CIK group.The tumor inhibition effects were weaker in the cyclical CTX and single CTX +CIK groups.But tumor in single CIK and CTX groups were unsup-pressed.The differences among the 6 groups had statistically significance (F =21 3.750,P =0.000;F =27.1 42,P =0.000).Conclusion Cyclical administration of low-dose CTX combined with CIKs has an obvi-ous therapeutic effect on hepatocellular carcinoma bearing mice and can provide a new idea for anti-tumor therapy.

Objective To investigate the effect of rosiglitazone on the CD4+regulatory T cells in the patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults(LADA).Methods The CIM+T cells from IADA patients were isolated with anti-CD4-dynal magnetic beads.The expression of Foxp3 mRNA,along with peroxisome proliferators activator receptors gamma(PPARγ)mRNA and TGF-131 mRNA was determined.The effect of rosiglitazone on CD4+T cells was measured,after treated with rosiglitazone for 48 h.Cell viability was assessed by Mtit assay.The proliferation was assayed with 3 H-TdR.Two-color staining(anti-CD4,anti-CD25)flow cytometric analysis was employed to measure the percentage of CD4+CD25+T cells of Deriph eral blood.Resuits PPARγmRNA was expressed in peripheral CD4+T lymphocytes.RosiglitazoBe inhibited phytohemagglutinin(PHA)-induced human CD4+T cell proliferation in dose dependence.The percentage of CD4+CD25+T cells showed no significant change after the peripheral blood culture with 1 μmol/Land 10μmot/L rosiglitazone.10 μmol/L of rosiglitazone induced Foxp3 mRNA expression in vitro (3.27fold,P<0.05),whereas TGF-β1 mRNA expression did not change.Furthermore,only 1 μmol/L of rosiglitazone could promote Foxp3 mRNA expression if adding IL-2(10 U/m1)in cultures(3.48 fold.P

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease which is socioeconomically devastating and a significant cause of morbidity in endemic countries or regions. Some countries and regions have brought down the prevalence of schistosomiasis through positive prevention and control programs. However in the past few years with the social and economic development and globalization re?emergence and spread of schistosomiasis led to a growing concern that new endemic areas may occur. This article analyzes the epidemiological situation and the strategies to control schistosomiasis in China and African countries.

Aim To investigate the difference of aortic function between renal hypertension rat(2K1C) and renal hypertensive-hyperlipidemia rat(RHHR).Methods Animals were divided into 3 groups: the sham-operated group,RHHR and 2K1C model groups.The vascular function test was performed in vitro.The response of aortic ring to phenylephrine(PE),acetylcholine(ACh) and sodium nitroprusside(SNP) was measured.Then aortic ring was incubated with nitricoxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester(L-NAME) and its response to Ach was observed.Results The contraction in response to PE was augmented in the two model groups.ACh-induced vasorelaxation was reduced in both model groups,and such relaxation was more depressed in RHHR than that in 2K1C.The ability of relaxation evoked by NO was impaired in two model groups.SNP elicited complete relaxation in three groups,but the sensitivity to SNP was more decreased in RHHR than those in sham-operated and 2K1C groups.Conclusion These findings suggest that the vasodilation function of aorta is more impaired in RHHR than that in 2K1C group.The decrease in utilization of vascular smooth muscle to NO induced by hyperlipidemia may contribute to the main cause.

Humans ; Nanoparticles ; toxicity ; Skin ; drug effects ; Skin Absorption