AlM: To investigate the effect of exogenous peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-γcoactivator-1α ( PGC-1α) on vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) expression in human retinal vascular endothelial cells ( HRVEC) .METHODS:Recombinant PGC-1α protein was added to HRVEC, and no recombinant PGC-1α protein was added to HRVEC as control group. After 24h of incubation, two groups of cells were then placed into a normoxic ( 20%O2 ) or hypoxic ( 1% O2 ) environment for another 16h. The expression of VEGF mRNA and protein were detected by real - time PCR, ELlSA and immunofluorescence cytochemistry.RESULTS: VEGF mRNA and protein levels in the cells were significantly increased by recombinant PGC - 1αprotein both under normoxia and hypoxia conditions as compared with control groups (P<0. 01).CONCLUSlON: PGC-1α can upregulate the expression of VEGF in HRVEC under normoxia and hypoxia conditions.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the progressive motility, (PR), total motility (progressive + non-progressive motility, PR + NP), and acrosin activity of sperm from normal and infertile men at different time points after sperm activation.

METHODSBased on the 5th edition of the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen and the results of modified Papanicolaou staining, we divided the semen samples into groups A (normal, n = 28), B (oligoasthenoteratospermia, n = 30), and C (asthenoteratospermia, n = 32). At 1, 24, and 48 hours after sperm activation, we detected sperm PR and PR + NP by CASA and chemical colorimetry, and determined sperm acrosin activity using the modified Kennedy method.

RESULTSSperm PR and PR + NP were significantly decreased in all the three groups at 1-24 hours and even more significantly at 24-48 hours after sperm activation as compared with the baseline (P < 0.05). Sperm acrosin activity showed remarkable reduction in group A (P = 0. 013) , even more significant at 1-24 hours than at 24-48 hours after sperm activation, but not in groups B and C (P = 0.519 and 0.979).

CONCLUSIONSperm PR, PR + NP, and acrosin activity are all decreased with the extension of time after sperm activation, each in a specific manner. Examination of sperm acrosin activity should be applied as a routine tool in the assessment of male fertility.

Acrosin ; metabolism ; Asthenozoospermia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Semen ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; physiology ; Time Factors

In this paper, a colorimetric method with high sensitivity, reproducibility and low cost for determining glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity was developed based on Berthelot reaction. The optimum substrate system is 0.2 mol/L MacIlvaine buffer pH4.7, containing 0.1 mmol/L pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) and 10 mmol/L L-monosodium glutamate (L-MSG). The reaction mixture consisted of 200 ?L substrate solution and 1～100 ?L enzyme preparation from lactic acid bacteria and was incubated at 30℃. The enzymatic reaction was terminated by immersion in ice-water and addition of 200 ?L 0.2 mol/L sodium borate buffer, pH9.0, then 1 mL 6% phenol solution and 400 ?L sodium hypochloride were added. Color development was carried out in boiling water for 10 min then immediately put in ice-water bath for 20 min. The optical density is read at 630 nm. ?-aminobutyric acid (GABA) produced was calculated using the standard curve. Applications of the method in GAD studies were discussed.

Objective To study the effects of chickpea protein hydrolysate(CPH) in different doses on of antioxidant abilities in serum,liver and heart in aged mice induced by D-galactose .Method The subacute aged model mice were made by neck back subcutaneous injection of D-galactose continually.The content of malondialdehyde(MDA) and activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX) in the serum,liver and heart of the mice were tested.Results The SOD and GSH-Px activities in aged model group were significantly decreased and MDA significantly increased compared with normal mice;CPH in different doses evidently increased the SOD and GSH-Px activities and reduced the MDA level in serum,liver and heart in mice.Conclusion CPH can obviously increase the antioxidant ability of mice and has certain anti-aging effects,especially the high dose .

Objective To establish a normal lumbar spine 3-dimensional(3D) finite element model(FEM) and discuss the biomechanics of the lumbar motions. Methods A geometrical model was constructed on the basis of a healthy adult male's lumbar CT image.The lumbar spine FEM was established by finite element analysis software.After setting the boundary and loading the burden,the lumbar spine's range of motion and stress distribution in different institutions such as anterior flexion,posterior extension,left or right bending and axial rotating were recorded. Results The lumbar spine FEM included 114 953 tetrahedron units.The results of the FEM matched the results of the in vitro experiment of biomechanics. Conclusion The lumbar spine FEM can imitate the motions of the lumbar spine.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the transmission process of large scale abrupt diarrhea with unknown reason occurred in hospital,analyze the cause of infection outbreak and the characteristics of Norovirus in hospital and to provide evidence to prevent and control the infection in hospital.METHODS Standardized questionnaire was used on individual,looking over the case of illness and the investigation of outbreak scene,the relationship of various contact type and odds of infection.RESULTS Nine cases were occurred,fifty-two cases were contacted,The morbidity was 17.31%.The feature of Norovirus infection was clear.CONCLUSIONS The first source of infection was an input case.The main transmission way is no protecting close contact.The high risk group is inpatients and their relatives.

The present study is aimed to investigate the early clinical effects of nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 intervertebral fusion cage (n-HA/PA66 cage) for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. We selected 27 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases who were managed by posterior decompression or reset operation combined with n-HA/PA66 cage intervertebral fusion and internal fixation from August 2010 to January 2012. The oswestry disability index (ODI), low back and leg pain visual analogue score (VAS), and intervertebral height (IH) were evaluated at preoperation, 1 week postoperation and the last follow-up period, respectively. Intervertebral bony fusion was evaluated at the last follow-up time. The patients were followed up for 12-24 months (averaged 19 months). The ODI, VAS and IH were significantly improved at 1 week postoperation and the last follow-up time compared with those at preoperative period (P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference between 1 week postoperative and the last follow-up time (P < 0.05). Brantigan's standard was used to evaluate fusion at the last follow-up time. There were 19 patients with grade 5 fusion, 8 with grade 4 fusion, with a fusion rate of 100%, and none with grade 1-3 fusions. There was no cage translocation and internal fixation breakage. These results suggested that n-HA/PA66 cage was an ideal biological material in the posterior lumbar interbody fusion and internal fixation operation for treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. It can effectively maintain the intervertebral height and keep a high rate of bony fusion. The early clinical effect has been satisfactory.
Back ; Decompression, Surgical ; Durapatite ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Nanostructures ; Nylons ; Spinal Fusion ; Treatment Outcome

A rapid, sensitive and convenient LC-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in human plasma. d2-γ-Aminobutyric acid (d2-GABA) was synthesized as internal standard (IS). After extraction from human plasma by protein precipitation with acetonitrile, all analytes were separated on a Luna HILIC column (100 mm x 3.0 mm, 3 μm) using an isocratic mobile phase of water: acetonitrile: formic acid (20 : 80 : 0.12) with a flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1). Acquisition of mass spectrometric data was performed in multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) in positive electrospray ionization using the transitions of m/z 104 --> 69 for GABA and m/z 106 --> 71 for d2-GABA. The method was linear in the concentration range of 5.00 to 1 000 ng x mL(-1). The intra- and inter-day precisions were within 9.9%, and accuracy ranged from 99.1% to 104%, within the acceptable limit across all concentrations. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of GABA tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Humans ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; blood

Objective:To discuss the effect ofChinese herbal medicine ofremoving toxic and blood stasis and nourishing yin on lymphocyte apoptosis in spleen ofMRL/lpr mouse and expression ofCyt-C and Bcl-2.Methods:50 2-month-old male MRL/lpr mouse and 10 2-month-old male C57BL/6 mouse were randomly divided into six groups:high, middle and low dosage groups, pre-treatment group, model group and control group.After 30days treatment, the lymphocyte apoptosis in spleen oflupus mouse and expression ofCyt-C mRNA and Bcl-2 mRNA were detected.Results:The percentages oflymphocyte apoptosis in model group were(57.18?1.72)% lower than that in normal group(78.99?3.76)%(P

To cultivate applied capability of bioengineering students, five aspects should be done: optimization of experiment teaching system, reformation of experiment teaching mode, intensifying management of experiment teaching, increase of new experiments related tightly to scientific research, and training students’ self-study capability.