Objective To study the effects of bFGF on the proliferation of cultured human melanocytes, and to seek a quick method for in vitro culture of human melanocytes. Methods Melanocytes were isolated from human foreskin, and divided into two parts to be cultured with or without the presence of bFGF (0.3 μg/L). Second-passage melanocytes were identified with immunochemical stain. The growth of melanocytes was observed every 3 days for 12 days. Third-passage melanocytes were treated with various concentrations (0.3 - 2.1 μg/L) of bFGF for 72 hours followed by the detection of proliferation of and trosinase activity in melanocytes. Results Human melanocytes were obtained from primary culture in medium containing certain concentrations of bFGF, which were identified with immunohistochemical stain. The morphology of cultured melanocytes varied with growth stage of cells. The bFGF-treated melanocytes appeared to grow more rapidly than untreated melanocytes. Further more, a significant increase was observed in the proliferation rate of melanocytes treated with bFGF of 0.3 and 0.6 μg/L (P＜0.05 or 0.01 ) and tyrosinase activity in melanocytes treated with bFGF of 1.5 and 1.8 μg/L (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ) in comparison with the untreated melanocytes.Conclusions The addition of certain concentrations of bFGF to defined medium can benefit the primary culture of melanocytes and make it possible to get large quantities of purified melanocytes with high viability in short periods. Certain concentrations of bFGF can up-regulate the proliferation of and tyrosinase activity in melanocytes.

Oncomelania hupensis which plays an important role in the transmission of schistosomiasis japonica is the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum and carrying out studies on its subspecies differentiation and genetic variation will have an important significance for schistosomiasis control. In this paper the research progress of taxonomy and discrimination techniques of O. hupensis is reviewed at four levels namely the morphological level the cellular level the protein level and the DNA molecule level and DNA sequencing technology is considered as the ideal taxonomy and discrimination technique of O. hupensis and the future research emphasis.

Objective One of the characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis was multiple joints involved symmetrically. The purpose was to study the method of early diagnosis and treatment for the atypical rheumatoid arthritis involving solitary joint. Methods From April 1997 to December 2002, 5 cases which were 1 male and 4 female patients with an average age of 36.8 years (range, 23 to 47 years), suffered from the swelling and pain of knee joint, and were diagnosed as early rheumatoid arthritis. The interval of the onset to surgical treatment ranged from 2 months to 3 years with a mean of 16.2 months. The patients were evaluated with serum test, joint fluids examination and radiological imaging. They were treated by the synovectomy under the arthroscopy, while the appearances of the joint under arthroscopy were recorded, and the synovial tissue was sent to the pathological examination. The improvements of the joints symptoms and the range of motion were assessed at final follow up. Results During the operation, the light green and little muddy joint fluids were found in all patients. ESR of the patients ranged from 29 to 51 mm/1h with an average of 32.2 mm/1h, all of which were higher than normal value, whereas, 3 cases had positive rheumatoid factor and 4 cases showed significant higher ?2-MG. The radiographic findings were osteoporosis in 3 cases, soft tissue swelling in 4 cases and narrowed joint space in 1 case. The synovium were proliferated and enlarged in dark violet, there were creeping pannus and necrosis fibrin deposition in the cartilage. All of the patients were diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis confirmed by pathological changes of the synovium. The patients were followed up from 4 months to 5 years (mean, 18.7 months). Pain released in 5 cases, swelling reduced in 3 cases, the range of motion improved by 19 degrees. Unfortunately, all of the patients developed later into typical rheumatoid arthritis after the mean interval of 10.9 months (range, 3 to 25 months), the symptoms were consistent with the criteria of American Rheumatoid Association . Conclusion Solitary joint with rheumatoid arthritis is rare and may be the early status of rheumatoid arthritis. The specific appearance under the arthroscopy prompt the early diagnosis of the knee rheumatoid arthritis, and synovectomy by arthroscopy may be benificial to release the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

ObjectiveTo observe the protective effect of high-dosage methylprednisolone (MP) after lumbar spinal stenosis operation. Methods20 Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis accepted laminectomy. The treatment group (11 cases) received MP 30 mg/kg when the skin incised, and followed with MP 40 mg twice a day for 3 d after operation. The control group (9 cases) received MP 40 mg twice a day for 3 d after operation. They were assessed with JOA scale before and after operation. ResultsThe JOA score was (9.25±2.12) and (9.53±2.10) in treatment group and control group before operation (P>0.05), and was (13.43±2.01) and (11.21±2.13) 1 week after operation (P<0.05), (14.62±2.15) and (13.04±2.11) 3 months after operation (P<0.05). The neurological symptom deteriorated in 1 cases of control group. No peptic ulcer, poor wound healing or other associated complications has been found. ConclusionHigh-dosage methylprednisolone may protect the spine cord intraoperative the lumbar spinal stenosis.

Objective To investigate the early diagnosis of vitiligo and its differential diagnosis from other depigmentated diseases using polarized light dermoscopy(PD)imaging analysis.Methods Patients with localized depigmented macules were enrolled into this study.PD was used to observe the micromorphology,feature and color of skin lesions.Histopathology was performed to confirm the diagnosis of all cases except for those of pityriasis versicolor which were confirmed by clinical and laboratory examination.Results Of the 176 patients.97 were diagnosed as vitiligo.Residual perifollicular pigmentation Was observed in 91.94%(57/62)of patients with progressing vitiligo and 62.86%(22/35)of those with stable vitiligo,with significant difference between the two groups of patients(P<0.05).However.residual perifollicular pigmentation was absent in the 79 non-vitiligo depigrnented cases.The presence of telangiectasia,early reservoirs of pigmentation and perilesional hyperpigmentation were related to the stage of vitiligo and treatment history of patients.Conclusions PD,which efficiently eliminates the interference of reflected light on skin lesions of vililigo,is an imaging technique that allows for the visualization of minor structures and features of the skin lesions that are indiscernible to naked eyes.In a nutshell,the application of PD has offered references to the early diagnosis of vitiligo and its differential diagnosis from other depigmentation diseases.

Key factors for interpreting proficiency testing (PT)/external quality assessment (EQA) results are knowledge of the commutability of the samples used and the process used for target value assignment.A commutable PT/EQA sample,which would be seen as patients' samples,has the agreement of results among different measurement procedures and demonstrates the same numeric relationship.The value assignment for the sample can be done by using of a reference measurement procedure.Its results can be used to assess the accuracy against a reference measurement procedure or a designated comparison method.Noncommutable PT/EQA samples frequently have a matrix-related bias of unknown magnitude,and can't give meaningful information about the relationship of results for patients' samples among different measurement procedures.Its results must be compared to the peer group mean or the median of results from participants who use measurement procedures that are expected to have the same or very similar matrixrelated bias.

AIM: To establish the fingerprint chromatogram of Dangguijisheng Injection (Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Herba Visci) METHODS: HPLC with Zorbax SB-C 18 ( 4.6mm? 250mm,5-Micro) column was used, A phase (mechanol∶tetrahydrofuran=85∶15) and B phase ( 0.5% acetic acid (gradient elution)) were adopted as a mobile phase, respectively, and detection wavelength set at 270 nm. RESULTS: 18 peaks constitued the HPLC fingerprint of Compound Dangguijisheng Injection. CONCLUSION:The method is simple and accurate with a good reproducibility and can be used as a quality control for Dangguijisheng Injection.

Objective To investigate the effect of aspirin on endothelin-1 induced proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). Methods Isolated and cultured CFs from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats (SD) were randomly divided into 7 groups: control, ET-1, aspirin, ET-1 +aspirin 1 mmol/L, ET-1 +aspirin 2 mmol/L, ET-1 +aspirin 5 mmol/L and ET-1 + aspirinl 10 mmol/L. CFs were counted by MTr assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined with a flow cy-tometer (FCM). [~3H]-Proline incorporation was evaluated by scintillation counting. Nitric oxide (NO) was meas-ured by colorimetry. Results 10~(-7)mol/L ET-1 significantly increased the number of CFs and [~3H]-Pro incorporation and decreased NO_2~-/NO_3~--secretion compared with the control group (P <0.01).1 ～ 10 mmol/L Aspirin inhibited the effects of ET-1 on CFs in a concentration-dependent manner (P <0.05 vs ET-1). In the ET-1 group, the percent-age of cells in the S phase was higher than that of the control, which was inhibited by 10 mmol/L Aspirin (P <0.01 vs ET-1 and control). Conclusion Aspirin can restrain the proliferation and collagen synthesis of cardiac fibroblasts induced by endothelin-1, and this effect may be partially mediated by NO.

Objective To observe the mechanism of action of panax quinquefolium diolsaponins (PQDS) on anti-ventricular remodeling in rats. Methods The model of pressure-loading ventricular remodeling was established through the method of rat’s abdominal aorta deligation. The male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups,including sham operation group,remodeling model group,Benazepril group,and low and high dose groups of PQDS. The rats were treated with PQDS (with dose of 50 and 100 mg?kg-1 i.g) for 6 weeks. The rats in sham operation group and remodeling model group were treated with normal sodium (with dose of 10 mL?kg-1?d-1 i.g) for 6 weeks. The rats in masculine medicine group were treated by Benazepril (with dose of 10 mg?kg-1 i.g) for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks of treatment,myocardial morphological parameters,the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum,the contents of prostacycline (PGI2),thromboxane A2 (TXA2),nitric oxide (NO) and angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ) in plasma were determined. At the same time,the contents of endothelium (ET) in plasma and myocardium were also determined. Results Compared with remodeling model group,the ventricular weight and cardiac coefficient were decreased significantly in the rats treated with PQDS (P0.05). Conclusion PQDS has protective effects on ventricular remodeling through increasing anti-oxidase activity,reducing the damage of free radicals and vasoactive substance on myocardium and correcting disequilibrium of PGI2/TXA2 in ventricular remodeling etc.