Objective: To observed the efects of estrogen and wall-shear stress alone or in combination on the proliferation and function of rat osteoblast in vitro. Methods: Isolated and purified osteoblast from the calvaria of newborn SD rats were cultured and passaged.The cells of passes three to four were treated with 0.1 nmol/L estrogen (goup E),wall-shear stress at 80 r/min (group WSS) or 0.1 nmol/L combined with wall-sher stress at 80 r/min (group EWSS) respectively.Cell proliferation was studied by MTT assay and alkline phosphatase (ALP ) by a ALP test kit. Results: Both the estrogen and wall-shear stress alone caused the increase of cells proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.But long period of wall-shear stress decreased the cell proliferation.Wall-shear stress increased ALP activity more quickly and more remarkably than the estrogen did.The combination of estrogen and wall-shear stress increased the cell proliferation and the ALP activity.In the early stage (6～24 h) of the cell proliferation, the combination functioned synergicly.The combination functioned antagonistically on ALP from 6 to 12 h while synergicly after 12 h. Conclusion: Estrogen and wall-shear stress can elevate the cell proliferation, ALP activity of osteoblasts in vitro.

Objective To evaluate the relationship of serum thrombospondin?1(TSP?1)with the micro?inflammation in maintenance hemodialysis(MHD),and to explore its clinical prognosis value in the MHD patients. Methods A total of 84 MHD patients in our hospital were enrolled and prospectively followed for 2 years. The serum levels of TSP?1 and clinical inflammatory markers were detected. Patients were divided into groups according to different serum TSP?1 levels. The clinical inflammatory markers were detected by using ELISA analysis. Pearson simple correlation analysis method was applied to analyze the correlation between TSP?1 levels and inflammation related indicators. At the same time the prognosis and turnover of MHD patients was analyzed by using Kaplan Meier survival curve and survival rate was compared by Deleted:compared log?rank test. Cox regression analysis was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and Deleted:using 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The indexes of blood lipid and inflammatory factors in the TSP?1 high?level groups were higher than that in TSP?1 low?level groups (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the serum TSP?1 level was positively correlated with the serum lipid and inflammatory factors. Survival curve analysis showed that the mortality rate of TSP?1 high?level group was higher than that of TSP?1 low?level groups. Cox hazards analysis revealed that the patients with high?level TSP?1 had a higher risk for mortality than these TSP?1 low?level patients. This predictive value still existed after multivariate adjustment for age,blood lipid,serum albumin and other factors (P < 0.001). Conclusion The serum TSP?1 levels were associated with micro?inflammation and had a significant value in predicating the prognosis of MHD patients.

Objective To learn about polysomnography (PSG) of the patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA),and the improvement of the moderate-severe sleep disordered breathing(SDB) patients after non-invasive ventilation (NIV) treatment.Methods The PSG examination of 11 SMA patients in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics was performed.The PSG results and the levels of breathing disorder of these patients were collected.These patients were divided into 2 groups as follows.The mild group:apnea hypopnea index(AHI) was between 5 to 10 times/h,or average pulse oxygen saturation(SpO2)>95%;the moderate-severe group:AHI>10 times/h,and average SpO2≤95%.The moderate-severe levels of the patients were treated with NIV.Then the improvement of PSG after the treatment was evaluated.Results Within the 2 cases of type 1 SMA,1 was moderate-severe,the other 1 was mild.There were 2 cases moderate-severer and 6 cases mild SDB cases of type 2 SMA.The only 1 case of type 3 was categorized as mild disorder.The average hypopnea index(6.3 times/h) was higher than apnea index(4.9 times/h).The indicators to distinguish the moderate-severe and mild groups were as follows:AHI,average SpO2,hypopnea index,and arousal index associated with respiratory case,and there were statistically significant differences(all P<0.05).Significant improvement in PSG of the 3 NIV-treated patients was observed and it remained in normal range.The following indicators also remarkably improved after NIV treatment were hypopnea index [(1.5±0.1) times/h vs.(11.5±4.6) times/h,t=3.741,P<0.05],AHI [(2.4±1.1) times/h vs.(17.4±8.1) times/h,t=3.196,P<0.05],and average SpO2 [(96.7±0.6)% vs.(94.3±1.2)%,t=-3.130,P<0.05].Conclusions There are different levels of SDB within SMA patients.The major characteristic of SMA patients is hypopnea.There are more moderate-severer SDB in type 1 than those in type 2.The average SpO2,arousal index associated with respiratory incidents,AHI,and hypopnea index can reflect the levels of SDB of SMA patients.Besides,the results indicate NIV treatment can significantly improve SDB of SMA patients.

Prader-Willi syndrome( PWS) is a type of genetic disease,which is associated with low mus-cle tone,growth and development,progressive fatal obesity and sleep related respiratory disorders(SRBD). Ob-structive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome( OSAHS) is the most common type of SRBD. The cause,influencing factors and treatment of OSAHS in patients with PWS are described in this paper. To understand the degree of OSAHS in children with PWS,the polysomnography is recommended.

At present, electron microscopy has played a more and more important role in the field of medicine.It is often used in the ultrastructure observation of various systems, mechanism research and clinical diagnosis of diseases.The role of electron microscopy in the etiological diagnosis of respiratory tract infection cannot be ignored, but its related review is less.By using electron microscopy, the morphological characteristics of respiratory tract pathogens can be accurately observed and the new respiratory tract infection pathogens can be classified and screened.In addition, through the combination of samples with patients′ serum and observation of immuno-electron microscopy, the host response to pathogens can also be understood.However, due to the high equipment requirements, technical difficulties, complex operation and other factors, electron microscopy is rarely used in conventional etiological diagnosis, and more used in laboratory basic research.In this paper, the advantages, disadvantages and significance of electron microscopy in the etiological diagnosis of respiratory tract are reviewed.

Objective To investigate the effects of propofol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced brain injury in rats.Methods Fifty-four pathogen-free SD rats of both sexes, aged 6 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (group C, n = 6) ; LPS group (group L, n = 24) ; propofol group (group P, n = 24) . Brain injury was produced by injection of LPS 1 mg/kg via the left internal carotid artery in L and P groups. Propofol 100 mg/kg was injected intraperitonealry immediately after the LPS administration in group P, while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead of propofol in group L. The equal volume of normal saline was given instead of LPS and propofol in group C. Six rats in each group were sacrificed and the brain tissues were immediately removed at 24 h after intraperitoneal administration in group C, and at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after intraperitoneal administration in L and P groups for determination of brain water content, high-mobility group box 1 ( HMGB1) expression and NF-κB activity, and microscopic examination. Results The brain water content and NF-kB activity were significantly increased, and HMGB1 expression was up-regulated in group L as compared to group C (P ＜ 0.05) . The brain water content, expression of HMGB1 and NF-kB activity were significantly lower in group P than in group L ( P ＜ 0.05) . The microscopic examination showed that brain injury was attenuated in group P compared with group L. The brain water content was positively correlated with the HMGB1 expression and NF- κB activity (r = 0.692 and 0.769 respectively, P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Propofol can reduce the LPS- induced brain injury by reducing inflammatory response of the brain tissues.

Objective To observe the ultrastructure of dimorphic Penicillium marneffeiisolates from wild bamboo rats (Rhizomys pruinosus) in Guangxi region as well as from a patient with penieilliosis marneffei,and to compare their biological characteristics and anti-oxidative mechanisms.Methods Two Penicillium marneffei strains,including one isolated from wild bamboo rats (Rhizomys pruinosus) in Guangxi region and one from a patient with penicilliosis marneffei,were cultured with or without the presence of 2.0 mmol/L hydrogen peroxide in potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25 ℃ and in brain-heart infusion (BHI) broth at 37℃ for seven days.The shape of colony and growth of both strains were observed.Light microscopy was carried out to study the morphology,and transmission electron microscopy to observe the ultrastructure,of both isolates.Results Ater incubation with hydrogen peroxide,there was a slowdown in the growth of both Penicillium marneffei isolates at both mycelial phase and yeast phase,with an increase in the production of pigment at mycelial phase at 25℃.No obvious changes were observed at 37 ℃ in the morphology of either the clinical isolate or the bamboo rat isolate when cultured with hydrogen peroxide compared with those cultured without hydrogen peroxide.Light microscopy showed attenuated spore formation by the clinical isolate when cultured at 25 ℃ with hydrogen peroxide,crenation of both isolates when cultured at 37 ℃ with hydrogen peroxide.Under a transmission electron microscope,the mycelial cells of both isolates exhibited smooth cell walls,intact cell membranes,with nuclei,mitochondria,endoplasmic reticulum,lipid body,vacuoles of various sizes in the cytoplasm at 25 ℃,and even microbodies at 37 ℃,when cultured without the presence of hydrogen peroxide.After incubation with hydrogen peroxide,the cell wall of both isolates became incomplete with defects in some areas and uneven thickness,the cell membrane discontinuous with shrinkages and projections,and the cytoplasm was inhomogeneous with obvious phagocytosis and numerous phagocytic vacuoles.Conclusions The clinical and bamboo rat isolates of Penicillium marneffei experience different biological and morphological changes under oxidative stress,hinting differences in antioxidative mechanism between them.

Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity of extended reach lateral method by assessing the ability of lateral balance control in elderly people,and to provide a simple method to assess the ability of lateral balance control in order to provide a reasonable basis for fall prevention in elderly people.Methods 83 elderly people aged (77.3 ± 4.7) years were included in this study.Using lateral displacement of center of foot pressure as the criterion,the reliability and validity of extended reach lateral method was evaluated.Results Left and right sides of lateral reach were (14.7±0.4) cmand (14.9±0.3) cm.Left and right sides of center of foot pressure excursion were (8.5±1.9) cm and (8.5±1.5) cm.Lateral reach was significantly correlated with the center of foot pressure excursion (r=0.70,P＜0.001).Lateral reach had a high intraclass correlation coefficient (r=0.97,P＜0.05).Lateral reach was significantly correlated with age and height (r=-0.23 and 0.28,both P＜0.05),while it had no correlations with the foot length,foot pitch and handedness (all P＞0.05).Conclusions Lateral reach has a high reliability and validity to assess the ability of lateral balance control in elderly people,which is easy to be applicated and popularized.

Background and purpose:Esophageal cancer is a serious disease threatening human health, and it is very difficult to understand the development mechanism and find the therapeutic methods for esophageal cancer. In recent years, B7-H3, as a new member of B7 immunoregulatory superfamily, overexpressed in multiple tumor types, is considered to be a new tumor marker and potential therapeutic target. This study aimed to detect the expression of B7-H3 in esophageal cancer cell lines TE-1, TE-13, Eca-109 and exploring the effect of B7-H3 siRNA on cell proliferation, migration and invasionin vitro in human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cell line. Methods:The expression of B7-H3 in esophageal cancer cell lines TE-1, TE-13 and Eca-109 were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). B7-H3 siRNA and control siRNA were transfectedin vitro into human esophageal cancer Eca-109 cells using LipofectamineTM 2000. The expressions of B7-H3 mRNA and protein in Eca-109 cells were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot. The proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of Eca-109 cells were measured by MTT assay, wound scrape assay and transwell invasion assayin vitro,respectively.Results:All tested cultured esophageal cancer cell lines constitutively expressed B7-H3 mRNA under normal conditions (TE-1 0.382±0.008, TE-13 0.399±0.008, Eca-109 0.428±0.012). After transfection, the expression of B7-H3 mRNA levels decreased in B7-H3 siRNA transfected group, compared with control siRNA transfected group (0.128 5±0.000 2vs 0.532 4±0.000 7,P<0.01) and untransfected group (0.128 5±0.000 2vs 0.540 3±0.001 3,P<0.01), while its protein expression levels were also signiifcantly lower than the control transfection group (0.421 4±0.004 8vs 0.500 6±0.012 9,P<0.05) and untransfected group (0.421 4±0.004 8vs 0.492 1±0.014 8, P<0.05). Compared with control transfected and untransfected cells, Eca-109 cell migration and invasion abilities decreased significantly (P<0.05) by siRNA interference, but no significant difference was observed between their proliferative capacity (P>0.05).Conclusion:All tested esophageal cancer cell lines constitutively express B7-H3 mRNA. B7-H3 siRNA interference inhibits Eca-109 cell migration and invasion abilities. B7-H3 may have a critical role in regulating Eca-109 cell progression.

RNA interfering (RNAi) is a process of sequence-specific, posttranscriptional gene silencing in animals and plants. In mammalian cells, duplexes of 19～25 nts (nucleotides) RNAs efficiently inhibit gene expression. The pBS/H1SP vector expressing siRNA is used which inhibit specific HIV-1 gene expression. To assess the intracellular effect of this H1 promoter-driven siRNA, a reporter plasmid pEGFP-C1-HIV protein which expresses fusion protein of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and HIV protein was used. The expression of the reporters can be easily visualized by fluorescence microscopy in living cells. siRNA-generating vectors targeted to several HIV-1 genomes were constructed and then co-transfected with respond reporter expression vectors into HEK293 cells. Cells transfected with pHIV-siRNA exhibited a significant inhibition of pEGFP-HIV expression compared with cells transfected with control vectors. By this way, it is successfully to select effective siRNA for silencing target HIV-1 genes. Then two or three siRNA transcripts targeted to different HIV genes were expressed by one plasmid, and a relative strong inhibition effect was observed.