Objective: To study the phenotype characteristic of mandibular condylar chondrocytes (MCCs) in vitro. Methods: MCCs of two-week-old New Zealand rabbits were isolated with enzyme digestion and cultured in DMEM. Phase contrast microscopy, image analysis system, MTT assay and immunocytochemistry method were used to compare MCCs of different passages in cellular shape and size, growth curve and expression of type I and type II collagen. Results: The majority of MCCs in earlier passages (1～3 passage) were polygonal, while more fusiform and spindle-shaped cells were found after 5～6 passages. MCCs in earlier passages were smaller than those in sixth passages. The proliferation rate of MCCs decreased with passaging. There were more type II collagen positive cells in 1 ～ 3 passages, while more type I collagen positive cells in 7th passage. Conclusion: The changing characters of MCCs in vitro such as cellular shape and size and expression of type I and II collagen are similar to those of MCCs in vivo from proliferating zone to hypertrophic zone. MCCs in later passages may be with dedifferentiation.

Objective To elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogues in psoriasis. Methods The modulating role of calcitriol, calcipotriol and tacalcitol on the expression and secretion of IL-10 in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) was investigated. Human monocytes were differentiated into MDDCs in vitro in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA were used to analyze the mRNA expression and protein production of IL-10 in MDDCs. In each experi-ment, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (a vitamin D3 metabolite with a low affinity to the vitamin D receptor) was used as a control. Results The mRNA expression and protein secretion of IL-10 in MDDCs was up-regulated by calcitriol, calcipotriol or tacalcitol with a similar potency, but not by 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The up-regulatory role of calcitriol on IL-10 protein secretion was dose dependent. Conclusion The therapeutic effect of calcitriol and its analogues in the treatment of psoriasis may be related to the induction of IL-10 production.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum visfatin and glucose metabolism disorder in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.Methods Seventy eight patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were selected,and,according to the results of glucose tolerance test and insulin release test (OGTT),were divided into normal OGTT without insulin resistance (NONIR) group (n =32 cases),OGTT normal with hyper insulinemia (HI) group (n =25 cases),and OGTT abnormalities that may be associated with hyper insulinemia (also known as abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) group; n =21 cases).Sixteen cases of tubal infertility women were selected as control group in the same period.The relationship between serum visfatin and glucose metabolism was analyzed and related to various factors.The changes of relevant indicators of PCOS patients who were treated before and after treatment were observed in AGM group.Results In AGM Group,PCOS patient's menstrual cycle,testosterone (T),luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),visfatin,triglyceride (TG),homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMAIR) were higher than control group (P ＜ 0.05).The age at menarche,menstrual cycles,infertility time,waist-hip ratio (WHR),systolic blood pressure,T,estradiol (E2),and LH/FSH were no significant difference between AGM group versus NONIR group or HI group (P ＞0.05).However,the body mass index (BMI),waist circumference,diastolic blood pressure,HOMA-IR,and TG in AGM group were significantly higher than NONIR group,and older than HI group; visfatin in AGM group was higher than NONIR group or HI group (P ＜ 0.05).Visfatin was positively correlated with BMI,waist circumference,fasting insulin (FINS),fasting plasma glucose (FPG),HOMA-IR,and TG (r =0.423 ～ 0.847,P =0.01 ～ 0.04).After 3 months of treatment,8 cases AGM patients' serum visfatin,HOMA-IR,and blood pressure were significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions High serum visfatin may be one predictor of glucose metabolism in patients with PCOS.Especially,the patients with obesity should be highly vigilant glucose metabolism disorder occurring and should be given positive joint programs treatment for weight control.

The medical records of 197 patients on linezolid therapy were collected retrospectively.The prevalence and risk factors for linezolid-induced reduction of hemoglobin were identified.The incidence of linezolid-induced reduction of hemoglobin was 31.98％.The patients with reduction of hemoglobin had older age [(68 ± 14) vs.(59 ± 18) years,P =0.000] and lower creatinine clearance (CCr) [(72 ±42)vs.(98 ± 52) ml/min,P =0.000].Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥65 years,treatment duration ≥ 15 days,CCr ＜ 65 ml/min and pre-treatment hemoglobin value ＜ 95 g/L were significant risk factors for linezolid-induced reduction of hemoglobin.

On the basis of generally stereotactic radiotherapy technology,intensity modulated radiation therapy technology has been developed greatly since 1990's.This technology is to improve the radiation dose distribution in the target so that the high dose area is more conformal for the three-dimentional shape of the target and the radiation dose in the normal organs and tissue around the target decreases.The characteristic of this new technology is discussed systematically in this paper.

Nicotinamide and Exendin-4 could promote transdifferentiation of rat BM-MSCs into insulin-producing cells in vitro, which expressed insulin, C-peptide and related genes.

Objective To investigate telomerase activity in patients with psoriasis. Methods The telomerase activity in the skin lesions of patients was detected by TRAP (Telomeric repeat amplification protocol)——ELISA which is based upon PCR amplification of the initial telomerase product and detected by ELISA. Results Telomerase activity was detected in the lesions of psoriatic patients, but the level of it was lower in comparison with that in tissues of malignant tumor and K562 cell line. Conclusion These findings support that the increase of telomerase activity may be linked to the pathogenesis of psoriasis and that the telomerase activity can be detected not only in malignant tumors but also in nonmalignant skin diseases.

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of the detection of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) DNA typing in therapy of cervical diseases. Methods 780 cases have been studied. These cases which showed HPV-DNA positive and were diagnosed by biopsy as cervical cancer or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia( CIN Ⅰ-Ⅲ) were treated by operation or physical therapy. And 6 months and 12 months after the treatment,TCT and HPV DNA test were carried out. Results The prevalence of HPV-DNA types among the 780 cases descended from HPV 16 to 52,58,18,33 and 31. Detection rates of HPV-52 and 58 were highest among the patients with CIN Ⅰ. In patients with CIN Ⅱ,CIN Ⅲ,carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma,the positive rate of HPV-16 was obviously higher than other genotypes,and the difference was significant (P＜0. 01 ). 520 cases were followed-up after treatment,we found that HPV-DNA subsided within 3 months to 1 year in 432 cases. 88 cases still showed the HPV-DNA positive, among this group 48 cases were cytology diagnosed as normal or inflammation,but 14 cases were ASC-US,22 cases were LSIL and 4 cases were HSIL. Cytology abnormal cases were mere often detected in patients with persistent HPV-positive than in patients with HPV-negative. Conclusion Referring patients with cervical diseases the common HPV genotypes are 16,52,58,18,33 and 31. Especially HPV-16 are closely related with cervical cancer and high-level cervical intraepithelial neoplasis. HPV-DNA turn negative in most patients in 12 months after treatment. Persistent infection of HPV-DNA is related with the pathological changes persist.

Objective To understand the molecular mechanism underlying the epidermal growth factor receptors(EGFR)signal transduction and its feed-back regulation.Methods Two human keratinocyte cell lines,HaCaT and CHOwt,were cultured and treated with a certain concentration of different ligands,including epidermal growth factor(EGF),heparin-bounding(HB)-EGF,transforming growth factor α (TGFα)and heregulin(HER),for various durations(2,4,8,16,20 hours).After the treatment,cells were collected and protein was extracted.The amount of total and active EGFR was measured by immunoprecipitation and immunoblot assay.The internalization and down-regulation of EGFR were visualized with immunofluorescence and laser seanning confocal microscopy.Results As shown by immunoblot technique,EGF and HB-EGF continuously down-regulated the total amount of EGFRs,whereas TGFα and HER had no significant effect on the degradation of EGFRs.The activation of EGFRs was also attenuated to different extent after long-time treatment with EGF,HB-EGF and TGFα.As indirect immunofluorescenee revealed,in untreated HaCaT and CHOwt cells,EGFRs were essentially located at the plasma membrane,with a little cytosolic distribution;after ten-minute treatment with EGF,EGFRs clustered into patch-like structures which were particularly obvious in HaCaT cells,and translocated into cytoplasmic vesicles resembling endosomes (relatively apparent in CHOwt cells),while the total amount of EGFRs remained constant in these cells.The fluorescence signal from the total EGFRs decreased evidently after four-hour treatment with EGF,indicating a strong reduction in the receptors.Conclusions EGF and HB-EGF,but not TGFα or Heregulin,could down-regulate the amount of total and active EGFRs.There might be different mechanisms for the signal transduction related to EGFRs intemalization and down-regulation between HaCaT and CHOwt cells.

Objective To investigate the clinical and histological characteristics of trichilemmal carcinoma (TLC). Methods A clinicopathological analysis of 13 cases of TLC was carried out. Results There were 9 males and 4 females among the 13 patients with TLC who were aged from 34 to 87 years (mean: 70 years). Clinically, the tumor presented as an exophytic mass; histologically, it was characterized by the proliferation of epithelial cells and keratinization of outer root sheath. Cytologically atypical clear cells predominated in the tumor tissue. Microscopy revealed different growth patterns of tumor cells, which included solid growth pattern, tobular pattern and trabecular pattern. Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain demonstrated clear cells in all the tumor tissues from the 13 patients. Immunohistochemistry was performed in tissue samples from 6 patients, and showed that these samples were positive to high molecular weight cytokeratin (CK-HMW) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), but negative to carcinomebrynic antigen (CEA), S-100, cytokeratin 8 (CK8)and epithelial antigen(Ber-Ep4). Follow-up over 4 months to 5 years revealed neither recurrence nor metastasis in 9 cases.Conclusions TLC is a low-grade malignancy of skin adnexal tumor without distinctive clinical features, and should be differentiated from other malignant clear cell tumors of the skin.