Objective To preliminarily evaluate the value of color power doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis(AS). Methods Fifty-seven sacroiliac joints in 31 patients with active AS and 40 sacroiliac joints in 20 volunteers were detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.The color flow signs inside the sacroiliac joints were observed,and the resistance index(RI) was measured. Results In active AS,color flow signs were seen in 55 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.53?0.08 in 45 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography.In the volunteers,color flow signs were seen in 16 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.97?0.01 in 6 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography. Conclusion The abnormal flow signs at the sacroiliac joints can be detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.Low RI values provide diagnosis evidence for active AS.

Objective To study the expression and pathologic significance of CD147,cyclophilin A (CyPA)and cyclophilin B(CyPB)in psoriatic lesions.Methods Immunohistochemical method was ap- plied to detect the expression of CD147,CyPA and CyPB in skin specimens of 15 patients with psoriasis pustulosa(PP),20 patients with progressive psoriasis vulgaris(PPV),and 20 patients with inactive psori- asis vulgaris(IPV).Immunoreactivity intensity distribution index(IRIDI)was calculated to assess the expres- sion intensity of CD147,CyPA and CyPB.Results CD147,CyPA and CyPB were detected in all speci- mens.The IRIDI scores of CD147 and CyPA were significantly higher in keratinocytes of psoriatic lesions than in those of the control specimens(all P0.05).The IRIDI score of CyPB in T lymphocytes of PP lesions was significantly elevated than that in PPV lesions,which was in turn higher than that in IPV lesions(all P0.05).Conclusion CD147,CyPA and CyPB may play a role in the occurrence and development of psoriasis.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Pill (ZBDHP) on urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and sperm quality in ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection infertile patients.

METHODSRecruited were 80 infertility patients with Uu infection at Andriatrics Clinics and Department of Reproduction, including 130 cases of positive Uu semen and 50 cases of negative Uu semen. Patients with positive Uu semen were randomly assigned to the observation group (72 cases) and the control group (58 cases) according to the visit sequence. All patients took antibiotics for 2 weeks. Patients in the observation group additionally took ZBDHP, 6 g each time, twice daily. Those in the control group additionally took Vit E (100 mg each time, twice per day) and ATP (40 mg each time, twice per day). The therapeutic course for all was 90 days. Semen parameters and uPA contents of the sperm membrane were detected and comparatively analyzed.

RESULTSThe sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm in Uu positive infected patients were lower than those in Uu negative infected patients with statistical difference (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference in the sperm density between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in pre-treatment sperm membrane uPA contents and sperm parameters between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm obviously increased in the two groups with statistical difference (P < 0.05). After treatment, the sperm membrane uPA content increased more obviously in the observation group, with statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSInfection with Uu leads to decreased uPA content of sperm membrance and the sperm motility. ZBDHP could effectively treat Uu infected infertility possibly through fighting against Uu damaged sperm membrane and make the sperm membrane uPA content return to normal, and elevate the fertilizability of sperms.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Communicable Diseases ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Ureaplasma Infections ; drug therapy ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; drug effects ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism

A method for the determination of Fe, Co, Mn and Ni in synthetic diamonds by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry ( ICP-AES) was proposed. The synthetic diamond sample was decomposed completely, while the sample was burned in air at 1000 ℃ for 10 h, and then a mixed acid of H2 SO4 , aqua regia and HClO4 was used for the dissolving the residue of the sample. In this method, the limits of detection of Fe, Co, Mn and Ni were 0. 0147, 0. 0018, 0. 0006 and 0. 0027 mg/L, respectively. Under the optimum condition, Fe, Co, Mn and Ni in synthetic diamond sample were determined. The values of RSDs (n=7) were less than 0. 5%. The recoveries of added standard were 94. 0%-105. 0%.

A method for the simultaneous determination of oxygen and nitrogen in synthetic diamonds by inert gas high temperature extraction-impulse heating method was proposed. The sample weight, the selection of analysis power and the calibration curves of oxygen and nitrogen were discussed. Oxygen and nitrogen in analytical samples are determined. Values of RSDs (n=7) for oxygen and nitrogen were less than 4. 5% and 4. 0% respectively. The analytical results of oxygen and nitrogen obtained by the proposed method were in good agreement with those by inert gas fusion-impulse heating method.

OBJECTIVETo develop HDV as a vehicle to deliver hammerhead ribozyme into hepatocytes, the effects of modified HDV was assessed on the activity of embedded hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSIn vitro activity of ribozyme or HDV-driven ribozyme was assessed by incubating with the [alpha-32 P]-ATP labeled HBV RNA substrates at different temperature. Huh-7 cells were cotransfected with ribozyme or HDV-ribozyme chimera and HBV genome, by which inhibition of ribozymes on HBV transcription in vivo were examined.

RESULTSThe results indicated that both temperature and secondary structure influenced the cleavage activity of HDV-driven ribozyme significantly. When the factors were eliminated, the HDV-driven ribozyme could act as well as its counterpart naked ribozyme. While in cultured cells the HDV-driven ribozyme had higher inhibition to HBV gene expression than that of ribozyme alone.

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrated that HDV may weaken the activity of embedded ribozyme in vitro, but make it enhanced in cultured cells. Thus, this study could provide a useful evidence to develop HDV as vector for liver-special delivery of ribozyme to against chronic HBV infection.

Base Sequence ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genome, Viral ; Hepatitis Delta Virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; RNA, Catalytic ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Substrate Specificity ; Temperature ; Transfection

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a substituted amphetamine with stimulating and hallucinogenic properties. Since MDMA induces "ecstasy" it is extensively used as a "recreational" drug. It has been well established that MDMA is neurotoxic and can result in long-term degeneration of cerebral 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) nerve terminals in many species. The present study was undertaken to investigate the long-term neurotoxic effects of MDMA on cortical and hippocampal structures, by repeatedly administering MDMA in short time. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control group and MDMA-treated group. MDMA (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats of MDMA-treated group, once per hour, total 40 mg/kg; rats of control group were treated with the same volume of saline. Thirty-two weeks after administering MDMA, the expression of serotonin transporter (SERT) mRNA and diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the degeneration of nerve terminals was demonstrated by Bielschowsky and Glee Marsland silver staining. The results showed that the expression of SERT mRNA in hippocampus decreased by 31.96%, while expression of DBI mRNA in neocortex increased by 40.51%, compared with the control group (P<0.05). The expression of GFAP in the brain tissue increased (P<0.05), while significant reduction of the nerve terminals in neocortex was demonstrated by silver staining, compared with the control group. These results suggest that the neurotoxicity of MDMA results in sustained cortical and hippocampal structural changes, which in turn result in disorder of the brain functions.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Diazepam Binding Inhibitor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine ; toxicity ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of MSH3 knock-down on sensitivity of tongue cancer cells to cisplatin.

METHODSThree small interfering RNA (siRNA) fragments targeting MSH3 CDS region were synthesized and transfected into CAL27 cells via Lipofectamine. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to assess the efficiency of MSH3 silencing. MTS, apoptosis staining and cell immunofluorescence assay were used to examine the cisplatin sensitivity, apoptosis and DNA repair of transfected CAL27 cells.

RESULTSs One of the 3 siRNAs was found to significantly reduce the expression of MSH3 protein in CAL27 cells (P<0.05). MTS assay showed that MSH3 silencing resulted in an significant reduction of IC50 of cisplatin from 21.32 to 13.95 µmol/L (P<0.05) and increased the apoptotic index of the exposed cells from 4.23∓1.27 to 11.32∓1.82 (P<0.05). Immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that silencing MSH3 markedly reduced the number of γ-H2AX foci.

CONCLUSIONSilencing MSH3 can significantly increase cisplatin sensitivity of tongue cancer cells, the mechanism of which involves mainly attenuation of repair of DNA double-strand damage in the cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; MutS Homolog 3 Protein ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tongue Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effects of close manipulative reduction combined with minimally invasive percutaneous plate fixation(MIPPO) and conventional open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures.

METHODSFrom April 2008 to March 2013, among the 75 patients with fractures of proximal humerus, 26 patients were male and 49 patients were female, ranging in age from 22 to 80 years; 18 patients had injuries caused by traffic accident and 57 patients had injuries caused by falling down. According to Neer classification, there were 49 cases of two-part fractures and 26 cases of three-part fractures. All the patients were divided into two groups: MIPPO group and ORIF group. There were 12 males and 21 females in the MIPPO group,including 22 cases of Neer two parts and 11 cases of Neer three parts, who were treated with close manipulative reduction combined with MIPPO. While the other 42 patients were in the ORIF group,including 16 males and 26 females. Among those patients,27 cases belonged to Neer two parts and 15 cases of Neer three parts, who were treated with ORIF. Length of the incision, blood loss, operating time, early postoperative pain(recorded by VAS), neck-shaft angle of proximal humerus and postoperative function of shoulder(recorded by Constant-Murley score, including pain, function, ROM and muscle length) were compared.

RESULTSThe mean lengths of incision were (6.74 +/- 0.38) cm in MIPPO group and (16.82 +/- 1.74) cm in ORIF group;blood losses were (110.15 +/- 29.49) ml in MIPPO group and (326.19 +/- 59.71) ml in ORIF group; operation times were (48.60 +/- 10.18) min in MIPPO group and (68.84-16.22) min in ORIF group. VAS of patients in MIPPO group on the 1st and 3rd days postoperatively were lower than those of patients in the ORIF group. The postoperative radiographs verified good position of all screws and satisfactory reduction of bone fracture reduction in both groups. All the patients were followed up,and the durig ranged from 8 to 24 months (mean 14.2 months). In the MIPPO group, there was no humeral head necrosis and all patients gained bone union; while in the ORIF group, 3 patients sustained nonunion and received reoperation for bone grafting, and 2 patients sustained humeral head necrosis. The mean Constant-Murley scores of shoulder were 88.94 +/- 2.57 in the MIPPO group and 86.00 +/- 3.36 in the ORIF group.

CONCLUSIONThe close manipulative reduction combined with MIPPO is a better choice for fixation of proximal humerus fractures, compared with conventional plate. This method possesses such advantages as a shorter incision, less disturbance of the blood supply and stable fixation of the fracture, allowing early exercise so that the function of shoulder recovers rapidly.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Nails ; Bone Plates ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Humerus ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of suppression of CCL5 ligand gene on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.

METHODSA lentiviral vector carrying a short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting CCL5 was transfected into human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The expression of CCL5 mRNA in the cells was detected by real-time PCR. The proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was assessed by MTT assay and FACS assay, and the colony formation ability of both cell lines were measured, respectively.

RESULTSReal time PCR showed a good knockdown effect of CCL5 in both cell-lines. Colony-forming assay showed that the ability of colony formation of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA and MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA was decreased markedly. The colony number of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA group was (0.34 ± 0.08), significantly lower than 0.81 ± 0.12 in the MCF-7/CCL5-N group and 0.92 ± 0.12 in the MCF-7 group (P < 0.05). The colony number of MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA group was 0.33 ± 0.10, significantly lower than 0.97 ± 0.09 in the MDA-MB-231/CCL5-N group and 1.04 ± 0.07 in the MDA-MB-231 group (P < 0.05). However, MTT assay revealed that the proliferation of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA cells was not significantly different from that of MCF-7/CCL5-N or MCF-7 cells, respectively (P > 0.05), and the same result was found in MDA-MB-231 cells. FACS assay showed that the proliferation index (PI) of groups MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA, MCF-7/CCL5-N and MCF-7 were 0.48 ± 0.03, 0.43 ± 0.01 and 0.45 ± 0.02. The PI of groups MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA, MDA-MB-231/CCL5-N and MDA-MB-231 cells were 0.48 ± 0.02, 0.44 ± 0.05 and 0.47 ± 0.02. There was no statistical difference among them (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe down-regulation of CCL5 gene in human breast cancer cells may significantly suppress their colony formation ability, rather than affecting their population doubling time to some extent.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection