Objective To investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to cardiomyocyte induced by 5-azacytidine in vitro. Methods MSCs from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were cultured and passed repeatedly to P3. MSCs were treated with 5-azacytidine (10 ?mol/L) and incubated for 24 h.The induced MSCs were divided to stimulated group and non-stimulated group, and every groups divided by incubated for 1,2,3 and 4 weeks were named as subgroup Ⅰ,Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ respectively.MSCs of stimulated group were stimulated for 30 min every day by supra-threshold square biphasic pulses (2 ms duration, 1.5 Hz, 20 ?A), and the stimulation was initiated 1 d after inducing. Light and electronic microscope were used to identify the influences of characteristic morphological of MSCs in every subgroups,and immunocytochemistry was used to identify the expression of ?-actin,cTnT, Cx43 in MSCs. Results The growth of MSCs in stimulated group was better than that of non-stimulated group. MSCs of stimulated group exhibited differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cell at 1 week after inducing, earlier than that of no-stimulated group (2 weeks). In stimulated subgroup Ⅰ, scattered myogenic structure was observed in the plasma of some cells under electronic microscope, and ?-actin,cTnT expressed in some cells, but not that be observed in non-stimulated subgroup Ⅰ. In cells of stimulated subgroups Ⅱ to Ⅳ, the expression level of ?-actin, cTnT, Cx43 of were all higher than that of non-stimulated subgroups respectively. Conclusion Electrical stimulation (simulating the heart beating) could redound differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to cardiomyocyte induced by 5-azacytidine in vitro.

Objective To evaluate the effects of applying XF-9801 type of anesthetics waste gas absorber, an activated carbon filter,to removing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fluoride. Methods Thirty patients, undergoing general anesthesia with enflurane or isoflurane/nitrous oxide, were enrolled in this study.The gas samples were taken at the waste gas outlet of anesthetic machine,to identify the concentrations of nitrogen oxides and fluoride before and after the application of anesthetics waste gas absorber. Results Compared with those before the absorber application, nitrogen oxides and fluroide concentrations in anesthetic waste gas decreased significantly following the absorber application (P

The AC impedance of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells were measured in our laboratory by Agilent 4294A impedance analyzer in the frequency range of 0.01-100 MHz. And then the effect of hematocrit on electrical impedance characteristics of hepatoma cells was observed by electrical impedance spectroscopy, Bode diagram, Nyquist diagram and Nichols diagram. The results showed that firstly, there is a frequency dependence, i.e., the increment of real part and the imaginary part of complex electrical impedance (δZ', δZ"), the increment of the amplitude modulus of complex electrical impedance (δ[Z *]) and phase angle (δθ) were all changed with the increasing frequency. Secondly, it showed cell volume fraction (CVF) dependence, i. e. , the increment of low-frequency limit (δZ'0, δ[Z*] 0), peak (δZ"(p), δθ(p)), area and radius (Nyquist diagram, Nichols diagram) were all increased along with the electric field frequency. Thirdly, there was the presence of two characteristic frequencies: the first characteristic frequency (f(c1)) and the second characteristic frequency (f(c2)), which were originated respectively in the polarization effects of two interfaces that the cell membrane and extracellular fluid, cell membrane and cytoplasm. A conclusion can be drawn that the electrical impedance spectroscopy is able to be used to observe the electrical characteristics of human hepatoma cells, and therefore this method can be used to investigate the electrophysiological mechanisms of liver cancer cells, and provide research tools and observation parameters, and it also has important theoretical value and potential applications for screening anticancer drugs.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; Electric Impedance ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Membrane Potentials

Objective To observe the effects of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets, T-cell apoptosis and cytokine in patients with sepsis and approach their significance.Methods Forty patients with sepsis admitted into Department of General Surgery of the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University were randomly divided into two groups: routine group (20 cases, received routine western medicine treatment) and Shenqi Fuzheng treatment group (20 cases, received routine western medicine treatment and intravenous drip of Shenqi Fuzheng injection 250 mL per day), 7 days as a course of treatment in both groups. On the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after treatment, evaluation of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) scores was carried out in the two groups. The percentages of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. Meanwhile, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-10) levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results APACHE Ⅱ scores of two groups on the 3rd day were apparently decreased in comparison with those on the 1st day after treatment, and this situation persisted until the 7th day after treatment; meanwhile, the decrease in APACHE Ⅱ score in Shenqi Fuzheng treated group was more notable than that in routine group (10.05±3.71 vs. 13.15±4.65,P < 0.05). Along with the prolongation of time, in both groups, the peripheral blood TNF-α and IL-6 levels were gradually decreased; the IL-10 level was gradually increased, until the 7th day it began to decrease. On the 7th day, the TNF-α and IL-6 levels in Shenqi Fuzheng treated group were decreased more significantly than those in routine group [TNF-α (ng/L): 204.6±18.1 vs. 218.9±21.3, IL-6 (ng/L): 3.68±0.30 vs. 3.95±0.49, bothP < 0.05]. There was no significant difference between Shenqi Fuzheng treated group and routine group in the IL-10 level on the 7th day (ng/L: 173.8±23.3 vs. 174.8±18.9,P > 0.05). On the 1st, 3rd and 7th day after treatment, the percentage of CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were firstly fallen and then elevated up, the percentage of CD8+ T cells was gradually decreased, and the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ apoptosis showed a trend of rise up first and then fall in the two groups. On the 7th day after treatment, there were significant differences between Shenqi Fuzheng treated group and routine group in terms of the percentage of CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and the rate of CD4+ apoptosis [CD4+ T cells: (38.3±4.7)% vs. (35.5±5.5)%, CD4+/CD8+: 1.55±0.29 vs. 1.36±0.27, CD4+ T apoptosis: (11.2±3.8)% vs. (14.1±5.5)%, allP < 0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences between routine group and Shenqi Fuzheng treated group in the percentages of CD8+ T cells and CD8+ apoptosis at each time point (allP > 0.05).Conclusion Shenqi Fuzheng injection can effectively reduce the percentage of CD4+ T cell apoptosis, increase the percentage of CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio, lower the inflammatory factors, improve the immune function and disease severity in patients with sepsis.

Objective To investigate the effects of Puerarin on glucose and lipid metabolism and gastric motility in early period type 2 diabetic (T2DM) rats.Methods Rat model of T2DM was established by high fat-sugar diet fed and low-dose streptozotocin-treated. SD rats were divided randomly into normal control group (NC), normal+Puerarin group (NP), diabetes control group (DC) and diabetes+Puerarin group (DP). NP and DP rats were given Puerarin 400 mg/(kg?d) once per day for 5 weeks, NC and DC rats were given PBS. Half time of gastric emptying and emptying rate were evaluated by SPECT. The serum level of FBG, GSP, FFA, TC, TG and INS were measured by kit.Results Compared with NC group, DC rats had higher FBG, FFA, TC, GSP, TG and emptying rate, but INS and half time of gastric emptying decreased significantly (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with DC group, TG, GSP, FFA and emptying rate of DP rats were reduced (P<0.05), but had more half time of gastric emptying (P<0.05). The results of multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that FBG related to half time of gastric emptying.Conclusion Type 2 diabetic rats have faster gastric motility, higher blood glucose and lipid. Puerarin might improve the disorders of GSP, TG, FFA and gastric emptying in diabetic rats.

Objective To summarize the characteristics of nosocomial infections in the patients treated in intensive care unit (ICU).Methods The incidence of nosocomial infections was monitored in ICU from March 2012 to August 2012.The incidence rate of infection was adjusted with Average Severity of Illness Score (ASIS)score and analyzed in relation to three invasive pro-cedures.Pathogen distribution of nosocomial infections in ICU was also analyzed.Results Nosocomial infection was identified in 357 of the 3 700 ICU patients (9.65%).The overall daily infection rate was 30.34‰,specifically,49.10‰ for ventilator asso-ciated pneumonia (VAP),13.86‰ for catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI),and 1.09‰ for catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).Of the 688 bacterial isolates,gram negative bacteria accounted for 82.70%.The top three bacterial species were Acinetobacter baumanii ,Pseudomonas aeruginosa ,and Klebsiella pneumoniae .Conclusions ICU is the focus for surveillance of nosocomial infections.Objective investigation is critical for nosocomial infection surveillance.

Objective To investigate the imaging features of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and its diagnostic value. Methods The clinical and imaging data of 41 patients with GIST proved by operation and pathology were analysed. Results Tumors located in the stomach in 20 cases, small bowel in 5 cases, rectum in 3 cases, esophagus in 2 cases and extra gastrointestinal sites in 11 cases. There were 27 malignant GIST diagnosed by imageologic examination,of them, 21 mass exceeded 5 cm in diameter, margins were vague, 19 cases had obvious adhesion or directly involved with around tissue,13 cases with obvious necrosis and cystic changes within the mass. 5 cases with metastase focus.Benign GIST in 14 cases, 11 cases were less than 5 cm in diameter, most of them had smooth margin,homogeneous density and symmetrical enhancement effect.Conclusion X-ray gastrointestinal double contrast radiography examination finds easily inside antrum and inside-and-outside antrum type GIST; CT examination offsets deficiency of general gastrointestinal radiography. It is valuable in localizing precisely, judging benign and malignantin, guiding clinical therapy and estimating prognosis for GIST.

Objective To investigate the functional and ultrastructural changes of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells at early stage following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. Methods The rat models with closed brain injury were established with the improved Marmarous method. The expressions of thrombomodulin (TM) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were determined by immunohistochemical techniques (5 rats per group) and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (5 rats per group) respectively at 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours and at days 3 and 7 after injury. Results TM and vWF started expression at 4 hours, reached peak at 24 hours and recovered to normal at day 7 after TBI. The expression levels of TM and vWF at different time points in sham control group showed statistical difference compared with damage group (P < 0.05). Conclusion The activation of the cerebral microvascular endothelial cells at early stage after TBI is the main mechanism of early secondary brain injury.

Objective To examine the bacteriostasis of baicalin against Escherichiacoli strain carrying NDM-1 gene.Methods Minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC)and minimal bactericidal concentration(MBC)were determined by broth dilution method.Synergy function was designed withcheckerboard method.Anti-infection effect in vivo of baicalin was observed in mice with bacteremia.Results In vitro antibacterial tests showed that the MIC and MBC baicalin were 8 mg/ml.Synergistic inhibitory effect was observed between baicalin and imipenem (FIC=0.125).In vivo inhibition experiments showed that ba-icalin had decreased the mortality of 25% of Escherichiacoli Strain carrying NDM-1 gene infection in mice.Conclusion Ba-icalin has antibacterial effect on NDM-1 E.coli.

There are many abnormal signaling pathways in the occurrence, development and microenvironment of liver cancer. The abnormal activation or inhibition of cell signaling pathway can regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration, and then affect inflammation, angiogenesis and tumor migration. Experimental studies have shown that Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can prevent and treat hepatocellular carcinoma by intervention with the transduction of related signaling pathways, which mainly includes hedgehog signaling pathway, IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, toll-like receptor signaling pathway and Wnt signaling pathway. At present stage, TCM has a definite effect on the prevention and treatment of liver cancer, but the specific mechanism has not been fully elucidated, and the regulation of TCM on liver cancer related signaling pathways still needs further exploration.