Objective To induce mouse embryonic stem(ES)cells to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells by means of a 5-step model system.Methods E14.1 mouse ES cells were cultured in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor(LIF)for 2 days(step 1),then the cells were cultured in hanging drops to form embryonic bodies(EBs)and the resulting EBs were cultured in suspension for 6 days in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor bFGF(step 2).Subsequently the EBs were cultured in the medium containing glucagon- like peptide 1(GLP-1),hepatocyte growth factor(HGF),nerve growth factor(NGF)and nicotinamide for 10 days(step 3).After that,the EBs were dissociated into single cells,and the cells were cultured in monolayer in the presence of GLP-1,betacellulin,activin A,bFGF and nicotinamide for 10 days(step 4).Finally,the cells were cultured in low-glucose medium containing nicotinamide for 4 days(step 5).Insulin and some other islet- related genes expressions were investigated using RT-PCR and insulin expression was also investigated by DTZ- staining and immunohistochemistry.The percentage of insulin-secreting cells was evaluated by flowcytometry and insulin concentrations were measured by RIA.Results mRNA expression of insulin became visible at step 3 and more evident at step 5.Additionally,at step 5,mRNAs of glucagon,somatostatin,pancreatic polypeptide(PP), pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1(PDX-1),beta-cell E box transactivator 2(Beta2)and neurogenin 3(Ngn3) were detected.DTZ-staining positive cells and insulin immunohistochemical staining positive cells were observed. The percentage of insulin-positive cells was(24.0?2.5)%(n=6).In the presence of 5.6 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L glucose,insulin concentrations were(0.05?0.01)?g/L and(0.13?0.02)?g/L respectively(n= 6).Conclusion E14.1 mouse ES cells can be induced to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells by the 5-step model system.Insulin-secreting cells can release insulin into culture medium when treated with glucose,and insulin concentrations increase with rising concentration of glucose.

Objective To reinvestigate the value of overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Methods Fifty-two patients with Cushing syndrome and 153 patients with simple obesity or essential hypertension in whom Cushing syndrome was excluded were studied retrospectively in order to compare the sensitivity and specificity of different serum cortisol cut-off levels in overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Results The sensitivity of 50% of basal serum cortisol level at 8:00 and of the serum cortisol cut-off levels of 275,200,138,50 nmoL/L at 8:00 after the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test was 92.3%,92.3%,92.3%,92.3% and 100.0% respectively, and the specificity was 90.8%,98.7%,96.1%,91.5% and 78.4%,respectively.Conclusion The serum cortisol cut-off level of 50 nmol/L in the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test has very high sensitivity and can be used as a screening test for Cushing syndrome.

Objective To find direct effect of Chinese herbs Bu Gu Zhi (Psoralea corylifolia L) and Bai Zhi (Dahurian angelica root) Extracts on melanocyte adhesion and migration in vitro. Methods Ethanol extracts obtained from two kind of Chinese medicinable herbs were tested. Human melanocytes were obtained from neonatal foreskins and 48-well culture dish covered with fibronectin were used to perform melanocyte adhesion assay; Motility was assessed using the micropore filter method. Results: The extracts of Bu Gu Zhi(Psoralea corylifolia L), Bai Zhi(Dahurian angelica root) obviously showed an effect in increasing of human melanocyte adhesion and migration on fibronectin. Conclusion It is suggested that Buguzhi(Fructus Psoraleae) and Baizhi(Radix Angelicae Dahuricae) might induce melanocyte adhesion and/or migration in the treatment of vitiligo.

Nitric oxide (NO), which is involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, immune system, reproductive system, digestive system and other physiological activities, is an important biological substance with activity. Under normal physiological conditions, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) can precisely regulate the nervous system NO production, release, diffusion and inactivation processes. But an excess of NO associates with the development of cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's psychosis nervous system diseases, while inhibition of nNOS activity can regulate the content of NO in vivo, and produce a therapeutic effect on some of the nervous system diseases. This review mainly describes the structure and regulation of nNOS and recent developments of small molecule inhibitors of nNOS.
Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology

Hepatocellular adenoma(HCA)is a benign liver tumor with a low incidence.It mostly occurs in women of childbearing age,and often manifests as a single mass.This paper reported a case of multiple HCA in a middle-aged man.Serological examination showed elevated triglycerides level,and normal hepatic function.The patient had no history of viral hepatitis.Upper abdominal enhanced MRI examination showed multiple space-occupying lesions in liver,which tended to be benign.A total of 3 intrahepatic tumors were resected,and all of them were confirmed to be HCA by pathological examination.Both oncocytes and normal hepatocytes were found mild steatosis.The patient recovered well without tumor recurrence after surgery.

Diagnosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is challenging because of its rarity and uncertain etiology. It frequently occurs in young women during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, and rarely found in elder women with no history of cardiovascular disease or coronary risk factors. In this article we report a case of SCAD in a 75-year-old woman without traditional cardiovascular risk factors who presented with syncope and mild chest discomfort. There were no abnormal electrocardiographic changes and no elevated cardiac enzymes were detected. Computed tomography of brain revealed nothing abnormal. Coronary artery disease was suspected. Coronary angiogram revealed dissection in the middle left circumflex artery. The patient underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and was free of symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Our report suggests that emergency coronary angiography is indicated if syncope caused by coronary artery disease is suspected.
Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Humans

BACKGROUNDThe condition of concomitant upper lobe emphysema and lower lobe fibrosis as identified by computer tomography is known as combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). CPFE has distinct clinical characteristics compared with emphysema alone (EA) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) without emphysema. However, the pulmonary inflammation characteristics of CPFE are not well known, and the differences between CPFE and the other two diseases with regards to pulmonary inflammation need to be explored. The pulmonary inflammatory characteristics were investigated in CPFE patients and compared with EA and IPF.

METHODSFraction exhaled nitric oxide (Fe,NO) and differential cell counts, the concentrations of monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG/CXCL9), interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10/CXCL10), and interferon-inducible T cell alpha chemoattractant (I-TAC/CXCL11) were measured in induced sputum obtained from subjects with CPFE (n = 22), EA (n = 22), IPF (n = 14), and healthy volunteers (HV, n = 12). In addition, immunohistochemistry was used to quantify the expression of nitric oxide synthases in alveolar macrophages in 23 lung tissues from patients and control subjects.

RESULTSThe CPFE group had higher alveolar NO than subjects in the EA and HV groups (P = 0.009, P = 0.001, respectively) but not than the IPF group (P > 0.05). Numbers of sputum eosinophils were significantly elevated in CPFE and IPF groups compared with the HV group (P = 0.001, P = 0.008). In contrast, eosinophil counts in EA group did not differ from those in the HV group. Compared with the EA and HV groups, the CPFE group had a lower concentration of I-TAC/CXCL11 in sputum supernatants (P = 0.003, P = 0.004). Immunoreactivity for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was higher in the CPFE group than in the EA group (P = 0.018, P = 0.006, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe pulmonary inflammation of CPFE group is more similar to IPF group, while the distal airway inflammation is more significant in CPFE and IPF groups than in EA group. Lung eosinophil cell infiltration and high NOS expression in alveolar macrophage might participate in this pathogenesis.

Aged ; Breath Tests ; Chemokines ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; analysis ; Pneumonia ; etiology ; pathology ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; pathology ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; pathology ; Sputum ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the ultrastructural changes of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule after alcohol consumption.

METHODSForty-eight Wistar mature male rats were divided into two groups randomly: control group (A) and experimental one (B). 6 ml/(kg x d) of 50 degrees alcohol was perfused through the gastric tube for 39 days in Group B; and 6 ml/(kg x d) of normal saline was supplemented in Group A. The ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule was observed by transmission electron microscope at day 14, 27 and 40.

RESULTSIn Group A, the pykno-basement membrane was unstriated and uniform, Sertoli cells showed cytoplasmic profusion, with big nucleus, well-distributed nucleoplasm, distinct nucleolus, more mitochondria and plain hierarchical tight-junction. And the ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule in Group B began to change at the end of the first spermatogenic cycle (D 14) and changed more and more evidently with the ethanol administration, mainly as follows: (1) more lysosomes and vacuolisation found in Sertoli cells, and organelles decreased and blurry; (2) more and bigger vacuoles among the spermatogonia, Sertoli cells and basement membrane; (3) obvious apoptosis of spermatogonia and apoptotic bodies aggregated near the membrane; (4) more cytoplasm and vacuolisation in the sperm of the convoluted seminiferous tubule, and disarranged, deleted or clustered mitochondria in the sperm tail; (5) blurry and rigid tight-junction; (6) thickened, wrinkled or broken basement membrane and under-basement

CONCLUSIONAlcohol can cause ultrastructural changes of the basement membrane, tight-junction and Sertoli cells of the membrane. rat convoluted seminiferous tubule and apoptosis of spermatogonia.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Basement Membrane ; drug effects ; pathology ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seminiferous Tubules ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; pathology

Objective: To explore GRACE (global registry of acute coronary events)score on short term prognosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)in patients elder than 75 years with primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Methods: A total of 104 STEMI patients elder than 75 years with primary PCI in our hospital from 2011-11 to 2014-01 were studied. Based on GRACEscore at admission, the patients were divided into 2 groups: Lower/mid risk group, n=72 patients with GRACEscore at 112-154 (136.5±10.6) and High risk group, n=32 patients with GRACE score at 155-202(167.8±12.3). The baseline condition and outcomes were compared between 2 groups and the primary endpoint was 1 year mortality. Predictive value of GRACEscore on 1 year mortality was evaluated by ROC curve, the relationships between Lower/mid risk group, High risk group and clinical outcomes were assessed by log-ranksurvive curve andunivariate Cox regression analysis. Results: The area under ROC curve for GRACEscore predicting 1 year mortality was 0.788 with the sensitivity at 70.0%and specificity at 84.0 %.Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that compared with Lower/mid risk group, High risk group had the higher risk of 1-year death (HR=5.75, 95% CI 1.486-22.256, P=0.0113); log-rank survive curve presented that High risk group had the higher 1 year mortality (21.9% vs 4.2%, P=0.0039). Conclusion: GRACE score may further distinguish the lower/mid risk and high risk populations in elder STEMI patients; it may also predict 1 year clinical prognosis.

[Objective] The aim of our study is to examine nodule prevalence in a population over 40 years old in order to explore the relation between prevalence of thyroid nodules and metabolic parameters.[Methods] A total of 1875 individuals who were over 40 years of age were received the questionnaire and underwent thyroid ultrasonography examinations.Height,weight,waist circumference,blood pressure were measured.Levels of fasting blood glucose,fasting serum insulin,glycated hemoglobin,blood lipids,thyroid stimulating hormone and free T4 were detected.Body mass index (BMI) and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated.[Result] The study included a total of 1875 subjects (513 men and 1362 women).The age of subjects were between 41 and 113 years old,and the mean age was 57.4±7.1 years old.The prevalence of thyroid nodules was 51.2％,and the prevalence of thyroid nodules in women was significantly higher than that in men (53.4％ vs.45.2％,P=0.002).The prevalence of thyroid nodules was significantly higher in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (59.2％ vs.49.5％,P=0.009) and hypertension (56.5％ vs.47.8％,P＜ 0.001).Result of multivariate binary logistic regression revealed that hypertension (OR=1.405,P=0.002),female sex (OR=1.490,P=0.001),older age (OR=1.028,P＜0.001),and hypertriglyceridemia (OR=1.589,P=0.005) were independent risk factors for thyroid nodules.The prevalence of thyroid nodules increased along with age,systolic blood pressure and serum triglyceride level.[Conclusion] The prevalence of thyroid nodules and metabolism-related diseases were high in population over 40 years old.After adjusted for age and sex,hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension were possible independent risk factors for thyroid nodules especially in women.In general,hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension might play an important role in the pathological process of thyroid nodules.