ObjectiveTo observe the effect of continuous elastic outside distraction on female minipig nipples and their supporting tissues,and to investigate its mechanism to correct inverted nipples.MethodsThree female 3-month-old minipigs with 12 nipples were employed.4 nipples of each minipig were remained without distraction as control group,and the other 8 nipples were continuously distracted with inverted nipple correction instruments.Corresponding nipples were excised at 2,4,8 and 12 weeks after traction.Before excision,the diameters and heights of nipples were measured with a vernier caliper.Then the excised nipple specimens were employed for HE staining to observe the change of their tissue structure and the number counting of capillaries.ResultsThe volumes of nipples all obviously increased after traction,as compared with control group,and diameters and heights of nipples were significantly different (P＜0.01).In addition,there was a trend that nipple height increased with traction time.Under light microscope,the traction group showed that epidermis thickened,basal cells,fibroblasts and capillary significantly proliferated.Capillary counts compared with the control group were significantly different (P＜0.01).ConclusionsContinuous elastic outside distraction can promote the proliferation of female minipig nipple and areola papillaris.

Objective To explore the effect of elastic outside distraction on microvessel density and to illustrate the mechanism correcting inverted nipples. Methods Three female 3-month-old minipigs,with 12 nipples each,were employed.4 nipples of each minipig were remained without distraction were control group,and the other 8 nipples were continuously distracted with inverted nipple correction instruments.Corresponding nipples were excised at 2,4,8 and 12 weeks after traction.The excised nipple specimens were employed with immunohistochemical staining to detect the expression of vascular endothelial cells growth factor (VEGF) and CD34 in those tissues,and the percentageof positive cells and microvessel density (MVD) changes were counted.Results The expression of CD34 and VEGF in the experimental groups increased at 2 weeks after tracted,and reached at the peak at 4 weeks,then gradually decreased during 8 to 12 weeks after tracted.While those were weakly positive in control group.Compared with the control group,the integral optical density of VEGF-positive cells and MVD were significantly different (P＜0.01),and there was a significantly positive correlation between MVD and VEGF.Conclusions Continuous elastic outside distraction can promote the expression of VEGF and CD34 in female minipig nipple and enhance angiogenesis,which increases oxygen supply locally,and therefore those local tissue proliferation may be one of key mechanisms of correcting the inverted nipple by continuous elastic outside distraction.

Objective To study the effect of osgentide (OST) on proliferation of mouse preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 under simulated microgravity ( SMG ) .Methods Under normal conditions , cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay to screen an OST compound of an effective concentration after MC 3T3-E1 cells were treated with series OSTs .Furthermore, cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution of MC 3T3-E1 cells were analyzed after treatment with 1 nmol/L OST5 by MTT assay and by flow cytometry ( FCM) scanning under SMG .Results Under normal conditions , 1 nmol/L OST5 was able to significantly promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells (P<0.01).Under SMG, proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells was significantly inhibited and more cells entered G 1 than under normal conditions (CN).The proportion of S phase of MC3T3-E1 cells after treatment with 1 nmol/L OST5 ( OST-SMG) for 3 d was higher than that of untreated MC 3T3-E1 cells under SMG,suggesting that OST5 could promote DNA synthesis ( P<0.05 ) .Conclusion OST5 facilitates the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells under SMG, which provides a basis for the use of OST5 in the prevention and treatment of bone loss relat-ed to microgravity .

Objective To observe the relationship between plasma level of homocysteine(HCY) and ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged adults,explore the clinical signficance concerning the occurrence and development of ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged adults.Methods The plasma homocysteine level of 132 young and middle-aged adults patients with ischemic and 86 control peoples were measured by means of enzymatic cycling assay.Results The plasma homocysteine level in ischemic stroke was higher than that in control group( P ＜ 0.01 ).The higher the plasma homocysteine level,the larger infarcted focus in acute ischemic stroke group of young and middleaged adults.The plasma homocysteine level and the infarcted focus was positively linearly correlated.Conclusion Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor of ischemic stroke among young and middle-aged adults.The higher the plasma homocysteine level,the larger infarcted focus in acute ischemic stroke group.The plasma homocysteine level can reflect the size of the infarcted focus and the degree of disease,and the plasma homocysteine level should serve as a kind of regular examination or as an index intervention can be taken,all of which are great importance to prevent ischemic stroke and reduce its morbilily.

AIM:To explore the time-dependent change of Ski protein expression in normal and activated astrocytes in rats.METHODS:The astrocytes were obtained from rat cerebral cortex and cultured in vitro.The astrocytes were treated with LPS and scratch injury for activation.Western blot analysis was used to determine glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Ski protein levels in activated astrocytes at a series of time points.The indirect immunofluorescence staining method was performed to detect the location of Ski protein in the astrocytes.RESULTS:The protein of GFAP was naturally expressed in the astrocytes, beginning to increase after treated with LPS and scratch injury.Little protein expression of Ski in the normal astrocytes was observed.The Ski protein expression began to increase after treated with 1 mg/L LPS, peaked at 4 d (P<0.05) and then deceased, but was stills higher than that in the normal cells.The protein expression level of Ski after scratch injury was highly consistent with above mentioned.Ski was mainly observed in the nucleus of the normal cells and the cells treated with LPS for 6 d, while it was observed in the cytoplasm 2 and 4 d after treated with LPS.CONCLUSION:The protein of Ski is expressed in the astrocytes, and the expression level is increased in activated astrocytes,mainly located in the nucelus.Ski may plays an essential roles in the processes of activation and proliferation of astrocytes.