To explore the effects of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in neonatal rats,0 2, 0 5 or 2 0?g of BDNF was injected into cerebroventricles of 7d neonatal Sprague Dawley rats with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy by ligation of left common carotid artery and 2 5h inhalation of humidified 8% O 2 +92% N 2 at 37℃. Its effects on brain edema, levels of malondialehyde (MDA) and neuronal apoptosis at the left cortex and hippocampus were observed. The results showed that brain edema was markedly alleviated in 0 5?g group compared to the vehicle group 24h after BDNF injection. Levels of MDA in the left hemisphere in 2 0?g group were significantly higher than those in either vehicle group or 0 5?g group. Neuronal apoptosis decreased to a different extent in the three groups while obviously in both 0 2?g and 0 5?g groups. It is suggested that BDNF exerts a prominent protective effect on hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in neonatal rats, but this effect is lowered when overdose is injected.

Objective: To evaluate the possibility of self-assembly oligopeptide(T2) for dental enamel biomimetics, especially for the prism’s crystal texture since it could prompt calcium phosphate precipitated in gel carrier. Methods:SEM (Scaning electron microscope) and TEM (Transmission electron microscope) were used to observe the morphologic presentation and ED(Electron diffraction) to crystal texture comparing with the human molar enamel powder. Results: (a) Flake-like and needle-like octacalcium phosphate precipitated in the gel carrier with self-assemble oligopeptide(T2). They transformed into rod-like hydroxyapatite crystals gradually in the following 2-4 weeks. (b) The rod-like hydroxyapatite may arrange or grow into bundles which are similar to the human enamel prisms in both appearance and size. (c) The rod-like hydroxyapatite showed polycrystal while the enamel prisms showed monocrystal under examination of ED. Conclusion:The self-assemble oligopeptide(T2) could regulate the speed of nucleation and crystallization of hydroxyapatite in morphology and crystalline size. Thus, the self-assembly oligopeptide and the gel carrier mineralization system could be primarily applied in biomimetic use for the crystallization of hydroxyaptite in dental prism in vitro.

BACKGROUND:Results of recent studies demonstrated the modulation of thymosin β4 on hair cycle and regeneration, but the mechanism of action remains unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism by which thymosinβ4 increases hair regeneration through Wnt signal pathway.
METHODS:After the mouse model of depilation was established using rosin/paraffin mixed agents, the experimental animals were randomly assorted to three different groups, including low-dose, high-dose and control groups, and a dose of 0.3μg/50μL, 3μg/50μL thymosinβ4 and PBS was administered on the depilated backs every 12 hours, respectively. Then photography, hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were applied to observe the growth of hair, and the expressions ofβ-catenin and LEF-1 mRNA in different groups at different time were quantitatively evaluated.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The hair growth of the low-dose group was faster than that of the other groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining demonstrated inflammatory cel s infiltration in the dermis after depilation, and the number of hair fol icles that were in the phase of anagen was much more than the other groups as time went by. Immunohistochemistry ofβ-catenin showed the accumulation of intra-cel ularβ-catenin in the low-dose group at the bulge of fol icles assessed by integrated absorbance analysis (P<0.05), so did the in situ hybridization of LEF-1 mRNA. Low-dose thymosinβ4 accelerates hair growth through Wnt signal pathway by elevating the level ofβ-catenin and LEF-1 mRNA.

Objective To investigate the risk factors and anticoagulation parameters in patients of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) combined with deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Methods All of 110 AECOPD patients were divided into two groups according to Doppler examination of lower extremities: DVT group and non-DVT group. The risk factors and anticoagulation parameters were compared. Results Twelve cases (10.9%) were in DVT group,of whom 2 cases (1.8%)had pulmonary embolism. The rate of lying in bed > 3 d, smoke, mechanical ventilation, hospital stays and the levels of PaCO2 were significantly higher in DVT group than those in non-DVT group (P < 0.01 or <0.05 ). In DVT group, the activity of antithrombin Ⅲ and the level of protein S decreased (P < 0.05 ), and the level of D-Dimer increased (P < 0.05). Conclusions Long-term bed, smoke and mechanical ventilation requirement are the main risk factors of DVT in patients with AECOPD. Respiratory failure (type Ⅱ ) is easier to combine with DVT. Abnormality of coagulation and fibrinolytic system exists in AECOPD with DVT.

Objective To monitor and analyze the antigenicity of Streptococcus pneumonia polysac-charide, its derivatives and conjugates by three immunological assays .Methods Inhibition ELISA and rate nephelometry(RN) were established for this study.Antigenicity of serotype 23F pneumococcal conjugates and their intermediates were analyzed by double immunodiffusion assay , inhibition ELISA and RN .The re-sults derived from three assays were comparatively analyzed to evaluate the changes of antigenicity during the preparing process of serotype 23F conjugate.Results Double immunodiffusion assay, inhibition ELISA and RN were all applicable to antigenicity analysis during the process of conjugate preparation .Inhibition ELISA could quantitatively detect a slight difference of polysaccharide antigenicity during the preparing process . Conclusion The antigenicity of polysaccharide during the preparing process of pneumococcal conjugates could be analytically monitored by using three immunological assays .This study provided evidence for suc-cessfully using immunological assays as the quality control means during the preparing process of pneumococ -cal conjugates .

Objective To dynamically analyze the antibodies with regard to in vitro serum bacteri-cidal activity and the quantity of IgG in healthy adults received one dose of immunization with ACYW 135 me-ningococcal polysaccharide vaccine .To investigate the term of protection with polysaccharide vaccine and the correlation between bactericidal titer and IgG concentration .Methods Twenty healthy adults were given one dose of immunization with quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine .Serum samples were col-lected before and after vaccination at specific time points .Test for serum bactericidal activity ( SBA ) and quantitative ELISA were performed to detect bactericidal titers and IgG concentrations in serum samples .Re-sults Certain levels of antibodies against capsular polysaccharides of serogroup A , C, Y and W135 strains had already existed prior to immunization .Moreover, bactericidal titers against serogroup A , Y and W135 strains except serogroup C strain were relatively high .Specific IgG concentrations and bactericidal titers for all serogroup stains were significantly increased on day 15 after vaccination (P<0.05), and then sustained at a high level during a time period from day 30 to day 160.Both IgG concentrations and bactericidal titers dropped to the levels similar to that before preimmunization in about 3 years.No significant correlation was observed between bactericidal titers and IgG concentrations (r<0.3, P>0.05).However, a close correla-tion was demonstrated between GMTs and GMCs of serum samples (r>0.7, P<0.05).Conclusion The geometric mean titers ( GMTs) and geometric mean concentrations ( GMCs) of serum samples collected be-fore and after vaccination at different time points were reliable and consistent parameters for the evaluation of vaccine .The term of protection of quadivalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine was about 3 years upon a single dose of immunization .

Objective To re-evaluate the immunogenicity of meningococcal serogroups A and C polysaccharide vaccine among a healthy population of age 5 to 59.Methods Pre and post-vaccination ser-um samples were collected from the subjects involved in a randomized , controlled clinical trial conducted in 2005 at Hechi, Guangxi, China.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for the quan-titative detection of specific anti-capsule IgG antibody against meningococcal serogroups A and C in serum samples.Serum bactericidal assay ( SBA) was used to measure the bactericidal antibody activity against se-rougroups A and C bacterial strains .Results Geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of specific anti-cap-sule IgG antibody were 23.66 μg/ml and 78.83 μg/ml for serogroup A (P<0.05), and 1.23 μg/ml and 51.25 μg/ml for serogroup C (P<0.05) in serum samples of pre and post-vaccination, respectively.Be-fore immunization , 99% of serum samples ( 97/98 ) showed serogroup A-specific IgG concentration ≥2μg/ml, which reached up to 100%(98/98) after vaccination (P>0.05).The percentage of serum sam-ples with serogroup C-specific IgG concentration ≥2 μg/ml rose from 20%to 99% after vaccination ( P<0.05).The ratio of positive serum samples with at least four times of increases in concentration of specific IgG against serogroup A and serogroup C after vaccine immunization were 34% and 100%, respectively . The rSBA geometric mean titers ( GMTs) for serogroups A and C in serum sample of post-vaccination were respectively elevated from 1164 to 5530 (P<0.05), and from 4 to 6225 (P<0.05).The percentage of se-rum samples with rSBA GMTs≥128 increased from 91% to 99% for serogroup A (P>0.05), and from 14%to 96%for serogroup C (P<0.05) after vaccination.The rSBA GMTs with at least four times of in-creases after vaccination were detected respectively in 53% and 100% of serogroups A and C vaccinated subjects.Pearson correlation coefficient between IgG concentration and rSBA GMTs was r=0.15 (pre) and r=0.23 (post) for serogroup A, and r=-0.14 (pre) and r=0.58 (post) for serogroup C (P<0.05). Conclusion This study has demonstrated an efficient and sustained immunogenicity with meningococcal sero -groups A and C polysaccharide vaccine as evidenced by the data from standardized assays of ELISA and SBA .

Oligopeptide T2, a kind of PA (Peptide Amphiphile) molecule, which could build up nano-fiber by self-assembly was designed and synthesized in this study. And the double-diffusion gel system was applied on this molecule to investigate its biomineralization features in vitro. The results showed that T2 could obviously reduce the hydroxyapatite (HA) formation period. And HA was found to possess the characteristics of non-crystalline by analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). These findings point to the conclusion that the negatively charged zone in T2 might make this molecule have the function of promoting HA biomineralization in vitro. And the mechanism responsible for the procession of HA biomineralization needs further research.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Calcification, Physiologic ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; Oligopeptides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the anatomical classification of left intrahepatic bile duct (LHD) and the pattern of bile duct reconstruction during pediatric split liver transplantation and their relationship with postoperative biliary complications. Methods Clinical data of 75 pediatric recipients undergoing split liver transplantation were analyzed retrospectively. Before splitting the donor liver, iopromide injection was used for retrograde cholangiography through the common bile duct. According to the patterns of intrahepatic bile ducts in the second, third and fourth segments, the anatomical classification of LHD of the donor liver was determined. The biliary reconstruction regimens for different classification types of LHD were summarized. The incidence and treatment of biliary complications after pediatric split liver transplantation were analyzed. Results Among 75 donor livers, the anatomical classification of LHD included 57 cases (76%) of type Ⅰ, 9 cases (12%) of type Ⅱ, 4 cases (5%) of type Ⅲ and 5 cases (7%) of type Ⅳ LHD, respectively. Among 75 pediatric recipients, 69 cases (53 cases of type Ⅰ, 8 type Ⅱ, 4 type Ⅲ and 4 type Ⅳ) underwent the left hepatic duct-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis, 1 case received common bile duct-jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis (type Ⅳ), and 5 cases underwent the left hepatic duct-common bile duct end-to-end anastomosis (4 cases of type Ⅰ and 1 type Ⅱ). Postoperative biliary complications occurred in 6 cases (8%), including 3 cases of biliary anastomotic stenosis, 2 cases of biliary anastomotic leakage and 1 case of bile leakage on the hepatic resection surface. Among 6 recipients, 4 cases were classified as type Ⅰ and 2 cases of type Ⅲ LHD. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of biliary complications between typical type and anatomical variant type of LHD (all P > 0.05). Among 3 recipients with biliary anastomotic stenosis, 2 cases underwent percutaneous transhepatic cholangial and drainage (PTCD) and 1 case repeatedly received biliary-intestinal anastomosis. Two cases of biliary anastomotic leakage underwent PTCD and 1 case of bile leakage on the hepatic resection surface received local drainage. All 6 children survived after treatment. Conclusions Anatomical variation of LHD can be observed in 24% of donor livers, and type Ⅱ accounts for the highest proportion of 12%. Prior to donor liver splitting, routine cholangiography and fine biliary anastomosis may effectively lower the incidence of biliary complications. The incidence of postoperative biliary complications is not significantly associated with the anatomical classification of LHD.