Uncoupling protein 4 (UCP4) is a member of the multigenic uncoupling proteins (UCPs), specific expressing in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. UCP4 plays an important role in Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, brain trauma and other central nervous system diseases by uncoupling, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential,regulating Ca2+ homeostasis and oxidative stress. This article reviews UCP4 and its roles in the central nervous system diseases in order to provide certain basis for the development of UCP4targeted medication.

Objective To explore the correlation between hepatitis B virus large surface protein(HBV-LP)and hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid(HBV-DNA),analyze the clinical significance of detecting the two index dynamically for diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B.Methods Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and fluorescent quantitation polymerase chain reaction(FQ-PCR)were used to detect the levels of HBV-LP and HBV-DNA in serum specimen of 230 hepatitis B patients.Results There was a positive correlation between the content of HBV-LP and copy numbers of HBV-DNA in serum of hepatitis B positive cases(r=0.84,P＜0.01).The positive rate was 84.78％ in HBV-LP and 84.35％ in HBV-DNA of 230 HBV positive cases.As a result there was no significant difference(P＞0.05)in this study.Therefore,the positive rate was 63.63 ％(35/55)in HBV-LP and 58.18％(32/55)in HBV-DNA of 55 HBV negative cases.There was also no significant difference(P＞0.05)in this study.However,the positive rate of HBV-LP(82.47％)was higher than HBE(52.06％)in the 194 HBV-DNA positive cases.There was significantly different(P＜0.01).Conclusion HBV-LP and HBV-DNA are the significant index of the degree of hepatitis B virus replication in hepatitis B positive cases,especially in determining the virus replication and prognosis of treatment in HBe Ag negative,providing the reliable laboratory data for the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

AIM: In this research, the apoptosis mechanism in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) exposed to increasingly high Hcy concentrations was investigated by examining the intracellular signaling pathways. METHODS: HUVEC were cultured and pretreated with Hcy. Twenty-four h after Hcy treatment, cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V and DNA ladder analysis. Caspase3 and c-IAP1/2 mRNA expression were examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein expression detected by Western blotting. The activation of caspase 3 was measured with the specific substrate DEVD-AMC. RESULTS: Hcy (0.3 mmol/L) induced apoptosis of HUVEC. Caspase 3 mRNA and protein expressions increased and activation enhanced with the concentration of increasing Hcy, but c-IAP2 mRNA and protein expression decreased. CONCLUSION: Hcy induces apoptosis of HUVEC in vivo by activating caspase 3 and inhibiting protein c-IAP-2 mRNA and protein expression.

50?mol/L induced markedly oncotic cell death,but no apoptosis was observed.TEM examination indicated that a form of cell death accompanied by cellular swelling,organelle swelling and vacuolization,mitochondrial swelling and cristae membrane loss,and nucleus swelling, chromatin scattering or karyolysis,which characterized as oncosis.When treated with 50,200?mol/L of ART for 5 h, the intracellular ROS level of Panc-1 cells markedly increased to 1.60 and 4.49 fold compared with that of untreated cells,respectively.Pretreatment with TCEP effectively attenuated ART-induced intracellular ROS level and decrease the oncosis in Panc-1 cells.Conclusions:ART exerts profound cytotoxic effects on Panc-1 cells and induces an oncosis- like cell death,which is quite different from apoptosis.The cellular generation of ROS and its peroxidation damage may be one of the mechanisms for its anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer.

Aim The effects of midazolam on the whole-cell sodium currents in rat sympathetic neurons were studied to explore the mechanisms where by midazolam mediates hypotension. Methods Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on enzymatically isolated rat superior cervical sympathetic neurons. Results Midazolam dose-dependently blocked the whole-cell sodium currents evoked by a voltage step to 0 mV from a holding potential of -80 mV with a mean drug concentration required to produce 50% current inhibition (IC50) values of 18.35 ?mol?L-1; Clinically relevant concentration of midazolam(0.3 ?mol?L-1) reduced sodium peak currents by 19.98%(P

Objective To study the effects of amniotic epithelial cells conditioned medium on the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into neural cells. Methods Bone marrow stromal cells and amniotic epithelial cells were isolated and cultured in vitro,then the cell surface antigen was detected by flow cytometry and the expressions of nestin and ki67 were detected by immunofluorescence staining method.When the cells were co-cultured with amniotic epithelial cells conditioned medium,the morphological character of cells was observed by inverse phase-contrast microscope,and the expressions of NSE(neurone specific enolase),TH(tyrosine hydroxylase) and DAT(dopamine transporter) were detected by immunofluorescence staining method. Results Amniotic epithelial cells conditioned medium had obvious inductive effect on bone marrow stromal cell's neural differentiation.Conclusion The amniotic epithelial cells conditioned medium may have inductive effect neuron-like cell's differentiation and dopaminergic neuron-like cell's differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells in vitro.

Objective To evaluate the long term clinical effect of porcelain laminate veneer esthetic restoration for fluorosis teeth. Methods One hundred and thirty-two fluorosis teeth of 11 patients were restored with porcelain laminate veneer for esthetic purpose and the clinical effects were evaluated with modified Rygescriteria at 1.0 week, 0.5-year, 1.0-year, 1.5-year, and 2.0-year recalled time. Results After 2.0 years application, none of the veneers debonded, "A" degree rate of marginal adaptation was more than 85%, "A" degree rate of cavosurface marginal discoloration was more than 90%, "A" degree rate of secondary caries was more than 99%, "A" degree rate of post-operative sensitivity was more than 75%, and "A" degree rate of color match was more than 70%, "B" degree rate of color match was 100%. Conclusions The research indicates that the porcelain laminate veneer is a good esthetic restoration method for fluorosis teeth and the long term clinical effect is stable.

Objective To observe the changes of immunological parameters and the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP),schonlein-Henoch purpura(HSP) and mucocutaneoas lymph node syn-drome(kawasaki disease, KD).Methods T cell subsets and serum immunoglobulins and complements were measured with the flow cytometry and enhanced trubidimetric immunoassay. Routine therapy combined with IVIG. Results CD3+ CD4+ T cells were de-creased in children with ITP accompanied by increased serum IgG;Serum IgA and CD3+ T cells were increased in children with HSP; CD3+ CD8+ T cells were decreased in children with KD. Clinical features were markedly improved after treatment with IVIG. It was noted that the incidence of damage to coronary artery decreased after the use of IVIG. Conclusions T cell subsets, serum immunoglobulins should undergo the clinical routine examinations in ITP,HSP and KD. Early administration of IVIG might be important to improve disease prognosis and shorten its course of treatment in children with three kinds of immunology related diseases.

ObjectiveToinvestigateifthereisTh1/Th2imbalanceofperipheralThcellsinpatientswithrecurrentgenitalherpes(RGH),andtheroleofTh1/Th2inthepathogenesisofRGH.MethodsFlowcytometricanalysiswasemployedtostudyintracellularcytokines(IFN-?,IL-4)andsurfaceantigen(CD4)ofTcellsintheperipheralbloodof33patientswithRGHand15healthyvolunteers.ResultsThemeanTh1/Th2ratioofRGHpatientsdecreasedsignificantlythanthatofhealthycontrols(P

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture on synaptic transmission signal molecules in rats with vascular dementia (VD), such as PKC, CaMKⅡ and NR2B, and discuss the molecular mechanism of acupuncture treatment for VD.Methods The multi-infarct dementia model was established by injection of emboli into the internal carotid artery. Experimental rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, acupuncture group and non-acupoint group. For acupuncture group, acupuncture needles were penetrated into bilateral Zusanli. Non-acupoint group was given acupuncture treatment at the bilateral hypochondrium (10 mm above iliac crest). The rats in normal group and model group were performed to the same amount of capture stimulation as the acupuncture and non-acupoint groups. After treatment, the hippocampal PKC activity was detected by ELISA. Western blot was used to detect CaMKⅡ expression, and the protein expression of NR2B in CA1, CA3 and DG zones was assayed by immunohistochemical staining.Results Compared with normal group, PKC activity and NR2B expression in the hippocampus significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.01). After the acupuncture treatment, PKC activity increased significantly (P<0.05), and the protein expression of NR2B showed a trend to increase. There was no obvious difference in CaMKⅡ expression among all groups.Conclusion Acupuncture at Zusanli can enhance the activity of hippocampal PKC, a synaptic transmission signal molecule, which maybe one of the important molecular targets for the treatment of VD.