Genetic Techniques ; Genomics ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viruses ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Objective:To study whether the orientation behavior of rats is affected by multi-sensory information.Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:the audio-visual integration group and pure audio group.The orientation behaviors of rats were observed after given single modal and multi-modal sensory cues with spatial disparities.Results:We found that when the temporal and spatial audio cues were coincident to a target visual cue,the rats had a markedly reduced reaction time and increased success rate in orientation behaviors;there was an obvious audio-visual integration effect.The integration effect was more obvious when the intensity of target visual cue was weak,with the enhancement efficiency being(87.3?8.5)%, significantly higher than that when the intensity of target visual cue was stronger(27.6%,P

OBJECTIVETry to observe the plasticity of neuron in primary cortex of rat evoked by conditioned stimulus of different sound level.

METHODSApplying conventional electrophysiological technique of extracellular recording to investigate the plasticity of characteristic frequency (CF) and frequency turning curve (FIC) of neurons in rat auditory cortex (AC) by determining CF shifts of neurons caused by sound stimulus of different sound level.

RESULTSWhen the frequency difference between conditioned stimulus (CS) frequency and the CF of neuron was in 1.0 kHz, the plasticity of CF induced by CS was associated with sound level. The probability of the plasticity of CF evoked by CS of higher sound lever was more than the lower. And the probability was dependent on frequency turning curve (FTC) and almost independent on the sound level of conditioned signal.

CONCLUSIONSound level of conditioned stimulus differs the plasticity of characteristic frequency of neurons in rat auditory cortex.

Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Auditory Cortex ; cytology ; Auditory Perception ; physiology ; Conditioning, Classical ; physiology ; Female ; Male ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Perceptual Masking ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sound

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Mullerian Hormone ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Glycoproteins ; blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Testicular Hormones ; blood ; Testis ; growth & development

China ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Humans ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology

We studied on the bio-safety problem of cultivating innovative talents in medical microbiology. The bio-safety of laboratory was controlled by educating bio-safety before the experiments, regulating basic operations during the experiments and constructing management system out of the experiments. Then we got some experience to ensure students’ bio-safety during the research.

OBJECTIVEThrombin and factor Xa are key players in the process of arterial thrombi formation and lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a cell surface endocytosis receptor for atherogenic oxidized LDL (ox-LDL). Here we investigate whether thrombin and factor Xa can induce LOX-1 protein expressions in cell-associated forms and soluble forms in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (BSMCs).

METHODSBSMCs were treated with thrombin or factor Xa in the presence or absence of AG1478, an epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-associated tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Total cell lysates and concentrated culture medium were then analyzed by Western blot using a mouse anti-LOX-1 monoclonal antibody.

RESULTSLOX-1 protein levels in cell lysates and culture medium were significantly increased by thrombin and factor Xa in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Upregulation of LOX-1 protein expressions in cell lysates and concentrated culture medium was observed at concentrations above 2.0 and 3.0 U/ml of thrombin and 50 and 100 nmol/L of factor Xa, respectively. Increased LOX-1 protein expressions in cell lysates and cell culture medium were detectable as early as 4 h and peaked at 12 h after treatment with thrombin or factor Xa. LOX-1 expression induced by thrombin and factor Xa could be blocked by pretreatment with AG1478.

CONCLUSIONSThrombin and factor Xa can act as LOX-1 inducers via tyrosine kinase activation.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; pathology ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Factor Xa ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; biosynthesis ; Thrombin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) female patients, and to identify factors associated with impairment in HRQOL.

METHODSWe enrolled 41 women cases with hepatitis C for 10 to 15 years and 51 health women in Guan area of Hebei province, China. HRQOL was assessed by the SF-36 by an interview.

RESULTSCHC female patients had significantly lower SF-36 scors in all subscales when compared to those of the non-HCV infected female population.

CONCLUSIONCHC female patients have a reduced HRQOL. CHC alone is associated with significant impairment in HRQOL.

Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; psychology ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; psychology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; RNA, Viral ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of chitosan on the biological activities of the fibroblasts derived from different tissues.

METHODSThe biological activities of the fibroblasts derived from different tissues were evaluated with a MTT method for fibroblast proliferation, photic and electronic microscope for morphologic and subcellular structure, 3H-proline uptake method for collagen secretion and ELISA box for the secretion of TGF-beta 1, FGF-AB, and IL-8.

RESULTSThis study showed that the chitosan inhabited the proliferation of the fibroblasts and the secretion of the TGF-beta 1, FGF-AB and collagen of the fibroblasts with a dose-depended manner in the normal skin, hypertrophic scar and keloid groups, but it stimulated the IL-8. However, there were no significant differences among the three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe chitosan could inhibit the growth, proliferation, biosynthesis and secretion of the fibroblasts, and it may be used to treat different scars.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Chitin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Chitosan ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; secretion ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Hemostatics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; secretion ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Peptide Fragments ; secretion ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; secretion

The echolocating big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) emit trains of frequency-modulated (FM) biosonar signals with duration, amplitude, repetition rate, and sweep structure changing systematically during interception of their prey. In the present study, the sound stimuli of temporally patterned pulse trains at three different pulse repetition rates (PRRs) were used to mimic the sounds received during search, approach, and terminal stages of echolocation. Electrophysiological method was adopted in recordings from the inferior colliculus (IC) of midbrain. By means of iontophoretic application of bicuculline, the effect of GABAergic inhibition on the intensity sensitivity of IC neurons responding to three different PRRs of 10, 30 and 90 pulses per second (pps) was examined. The rate-intensity functions (RIFs) were acquired. The dynamic range (DR) of RIFs was considered as a criterion of intensity sensitivity. Comparing the average DR of RIFs at different PRRs, we found that the intensity sensitivity of some neurons improved, but that of other neurons decayed when repetition rate of stimulus trains increased from 10 to 30 and 90 pps. During application of bicuculline, the number of impulses responding to the different pulse trains increased under all stimulating conditions, while the DR differences of RIFs at different PRRs were abolished. The results indicate that GABAergic inhibition was involved in modulating the intensity sensitivity of IC neurons responding to pulse trains at different PRRs. Before and during bicuculline application, the percentage of changes in responses was maximal in lower stimulus intensity near to the minimum threshold (MT), and decreased gradually with the increment of stimulus intensity. This observation suggests that GABAergic inhibition contributes more effectively to the intensity sensitivity of the IC neurons responding to pulse trains at lower sound level.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Bicuculline ; pharmacology ; Chiroptera ; Echolocation ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Inferior Colliculi ; cytology ; Neurons ; cytology