BACKGROUND: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is a glycoprotein. Recent studies have demonstrated that rhEPO regulates many functional activities of neural cells. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of rhEPO on proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) cultured in vitro. METHODS: Newborn Sprague-Dawley rat NSCs were harvested and cultured with serum-free culture medium containing different concentrations (5, 50, 500 U/mL) of rhEPO and 20 μg/L basic fibroblast growth factors (5, 50, and 500 U/mL rhEPO groups) and serum-free culture medium only containing 20 μg/L basic fibroblast growth factors (control group). After 7 days of culture, the cloning efficiency of NSCs was calculated. After 10 days of culture, neuron specific enolase (NSE)-and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive cells were quantified. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the rhEPO groups, cells proliferated rapidly, and the number of NSC microspheres was greater, in particular in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group, compared with the control group. NSCs grew faster in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group than in the control group. The number of NSE-and GFAP-immunoreactive cells was greater in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group than in the control group (P<0.01). These findings suggest that rhEPO promotes the in vitro culture and proliferation of NSCs, in particular 50 U/mL rhEPO.

Objective To understand the status of Ascaris eggs pollution in soil at national monitoring spots of soil-transmit-ted nematodiasis,so as to provide the evidence for making countermeasures and evaluating the control effect. Methods Ten households were selected from each of the 22 national monitoring spots annually according to the National Surveillance Program of Soil-Transmitted Nematodiasis(Trial),and the soil samples from vegetable gardens,toilet periphery,courtyards and kitchens were collected and examined by using the modified floatation test with saturated sodium nitrate. Fertilized or unfertilized eggs as well as live or dead fertilized eggs were discriminated and identified. In addition,a SWOT analysis of monitoring of Ascaris eggs pollution in the soil of rural China was carried out. Results A total of 1 090 households were monitored in 22 monitoring spots from 2006 to 2010. The total detection rate of Ascaris eggs in the soil was 30.73%,and the detection rates of fertilized,unfertilized and live fertilized eggs were 13.21%,26.42%and 20.28%,respectively. The total detection rates of Ascaris eggs in the vegetable garden,toilet periphery,courtyard and kitchen were 16.51%,13.49%,14.22% and 10.73% respectively. The SWOT analysis demonstrated that the monitoring work had both advantages and disadvantages,and was faced with opportunities as well as threats. Conclusion The pollution status of Ascaris eggs in the soil is still quite severe at some national monitoring spots,and the counter-measures such as implementing hazard-free treatment of stool,improving water supply and sanitation and reforming environment should be taken to protect people from being infected.

AIM: To establish HPLC for the determination of icariin and adenosine in Cordyceps Vigorine Tablet. METHODS:MetaChem Polaris ODS C18-A column(4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) was adopted; acetonitrile-water was the mobile phase; detection wavelength was set at 272 nm for icariin and at 260 nm for adenosine; column linearity within the range of 0. 374-2. 246 μg for icariin and 0. 348-1. 392 μg for adenosine, respectively. The average recovery and RSD were found to be (99.4 ± 1.84) % for icariin ( n = 6), (99.63 ± 1.29 ) % for adenosine,respectively. CONCLUSION: The method is convenient, fast, reliable to operate and suitable for the quality control of Cordyceps Vigorine Tablet.

Objective To observe the efficacy of adalimumab for treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and the changes of serum 25(OH)D level. Methods A total of 42 patients, who were clinically diagnosed with moderate to severe psoriasis and were not improved by normal psoriatic treatment, were given adalimumab subcutaneously(80 mg at week 0, and then 40 mg every other week for totally 12 weeks). The changes of serum 25(OH)D level, psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), the doctor comprehensive assessment indicators (PGA) and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores were observed and analyzed. Results Totally 41 patients completed the treatment. At week 12, 32 patients (78.0%) achieved PASI75 (greater than or equal to 75% improvement in PASI score) response, while 9 patients (22.0%) did not. The scores of PASI, PGA and DLQI were all significantly lower after treatment compared with those before treatment (P<0.01). The serum 25(OH)D level after treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (P<0.01). No severe adverse events were observed during the experiment. Conclusion Adalimumab is effective for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, and the serum 25(OH)D level is increased after treatment, which might be related to mechanism of the effect of adalimumab.

Objective To design and prepare a polyester-coated nitinol ventricular septal defect (VSD) occluder. Methods The shape wax model was made by slightly stretching the shape of the commercially available nitinol VSD occluder. The wax model was fixed on the weaving machine and a wax model-polyester coat compomer was made using the medical 4-0 sutures by warp knitting method. Then dewaxing and defatting were done and the polyester coat was produced. The commercially available nitinol VSD occluder was placed into the coat by sheath, with the ends of the polyester coat sutured at the VSD stainless steel rivets, and the surplus parts of both ends were cut by hightemperature knife. Results The polyester coat of VSD occluder was successfully made by weaving machine and warp knitting method. Polyester coat had a waist diameter of 8 mm and a disc diameter of 12 mm, and it completely fit with the conventional nitinol VSD occluder with diameter being 8 mm. The polyester coat was sutured tightly with the VSD occluder, and the surplus parts of two ends of the VSD occluder were cut smooth by high-temperature knife, with no loosening of the wire. Conclusion The polyester coat of nitinol VSD occluder can be woven by the weaving machine and warp knitting method, and then the polyester-coated nitinol VSD occluder can be successfully made by suture and high-temperature cutting.

Objective To understand the infection status and variation tendercy of Enterobius vermicularis infection among children at national monitoring spots of soil-transmitted nematodosis from 2006 to 2010,and master the epidemic regularity,so as to provide the evidence for making control strategy and evaluating the control effect. Methods A total of 22 national monitor-ing spots of soil-transmitted nematodosis were established according to the National Surveillance Program of Soil-Transmitted Ne-matodiasis(Trial),and the children aged 3-12 years were examined through adhesive cellophane anal swabs,then the infec-tion rates of children with different ages,genders,nationalities and education levels were analyzed. In addition,the advantage, disadvantage,opportunity and threat of the monitoring work were analyzed by SWOT analysis. Results A total of 17 068 chil-dren were examined in 22 monitoring spots from 2006 to 2010,and 1 363 of them were found being infected with E. vermicu-laris,the average infection rate was 7.99%,and the infection rates of male and female children were 7.39%and 8.70%,respec-tivel;the average infection rates in each year were 10.01%,9.68%,7.41%,6.96%and 6.57%,respectively. From 2006 to 2009,the infection rates of E. vermicularis in children in Fujian Province was the highest,which were 56.15%,53.42%, 37.82%and 49.53%,respectively,but in 2010,the infection rate in Guangdong Province(46.06%)was the highest. The fur-ther analysis demonstrated that the female children,3-6 age group,Li nationality and children at kindergarten stage had relative-ly high infection rates. The SWOT analysis showed that the advantage of E. vermicularis monitoring in China was its wide cover-age and continuity,and the disadvantage was the relatively small investment from the government,the opportunity was that the national monitoring spot could drive the monitoring work at the provincial,county and other levels,and the threat was that the work was paid less and less attention to in recent years. Conclusion Though the infection rate of E. vermicularis in children at national monitoring spots of soil-transmitted nematodosis has been decreased year by year,high-endemic areas still exist,and thus the work on enterobiasis control and prevention still needs to be strengthened.

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of cold agglutination on blood group typing. 【Methods】 37℃ water bath, absorption elution test and 2-mercaptoethanol method were used to eliminate the influence of cold agglutination. Forward and reverse blood group typing, cross matching, DAT and IAT experiments were then performed on red blood cells and serum after treatment. 【Results】 Before treatment, obvious discrepancy in forward /reverse typing and nontypable cross matching in 16 blood samples were noticed due to cold agglutination. After corresponding treatments, all samples were consistent or negative in forward/reverse typing, cross matching and antibody screening. No adverse reactions to cross matching blood transfusion occurred in patients, and the increase of hemoglobin was in line with the effective standard of transfusion. 【Conclusion】 37℃ water bath, absorption elution test and 2-mercaptoethanol method can be used to eliminate the interference caused by cold agglutination to obtain correct typing results. The strong reactivity caused by cold agglutination in AIHA patients were different from other cases, which deserved our attention.

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of combined examinations for neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and fecal occult blood (OB) in the differential diagnosis of Crohn′s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: A total of 129 patients with Crohn′s disease and 120 patients with irritable bowel syndrome from October 2014 to October 2017 in Changhai Hospital were enrolled in this study. The results of NLR, CRP, ESR and OB were recorded. Logistic regression was used to study the association of the four indicators. The combined impact of the four indicators was explored with multivariable regression. ROC curve was used to compare the diagnostic value of the combined examinations with the four indicators for Crohn′s disease. The diagnosis was performed by substituting the data of individual patient into regression model. Results: The levels of NLR, CRP, ESR and OB in Crohn′s disease group were higher than those in irritable bowel syndrome group (Z=-7.067--4.148, P＜0.01). The area under the curve of combined diagnostic indicator was 0.881, which was higher than that of single NLR, CRP, ESR or OB (0.759, 0.695, 0.652, 0.643) respectively (Z=3.19-5.60, P＜0.01). When the cutoff value was 0.498, the sensitivity was 79.1%, the specificity was 83.3% and the diagnostic accuracy was 81.1%. A patient who was not included within the statistical range of this experimental study was randomly assigned to the model and 0.831 of P value was obtained, which was higher than the cutoff value of 0.498, indicating that the patient suffered from Crohn′s disease with accuracy of 81.1%. Conclusion The logistic regression model established with the combined diagnostic indicators, which was formulated by examinations of NLR, CRP, ESR and OB, exhibited higher diagnostic value than any single indicator in the differential diagnosis of Crohn′s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects and possible mechanisms of decitabine on Molt4 in vitro.

METHODSEffects of decitabine on cells proliferation were detected by using CCK-8, the apoptosis by Annexin V-FITC, cell cycles by propidium iodide-FACS. Discrepancy genes were screened by RNA-seq technique. The CpG methylation of lactoferrin (LTF) gene in Molt4 cells were identified by Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). The expression of LTF mRNA in Molt4 by RT-PCR and LTF protein expression were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSDecitabine effectively inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis for Molt4 cells by an time- and dose-dependent manners. Cell cycles were arrested at the G₀/G₁ phase. The promoter methylation degree of LTF gene in Molt4 cells was 72.3% before decitabine treatment and decreased to 45.0% after treatment with 0.50 μmol/L decitabine for 72 h. After the reduction of methylation, expression of its mRNA and protein increased, meanwhile caspase 3 and caspase 9 protein expression levels increased.

CONCLUSIONThe demethylating drug decitabine can induce apoptosis, detain cell cycle at phase G₀/G₁, inhibit proliferation and up-regulate LTF gene expression in Molt4 cells. LTF may become a new target for acute T lymphoblastic leukemia.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; Apoptosis ; Azacitidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA Methylation ; Humans ; Lactoferrin ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Promoter Regions, Genetic