Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. It is very important to explore the biomarkers for the early prediction of preeclampsia. Some peptides released from placenta, such as soluble Flt-1 and placenta growth factor (PlGF), have been revealed for definite prospects of application. Meanwhile, the recent advances in proteomics, metabolomics and microRNA shed light on searching of new biomarkers for preeclampsia prediction.

ObjectiveTo establish separate and appraisal methods of murine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and optimize the suitable conditions inducting MSCs directional differentiating into adipocytes in vitro.MethodsThe differential adherence to plastic was employed to separate MSCs. CFU-f and successive CFU-f cultures were employed to characterize the potent of proliferation and self-renewal of MSCs. The different adipogenic medium was used as induction for the differentiation of MSCs into adipocytes. The differentiated cells were identified by oil red O immunohistochemistry stain.ResultsThe purified MSCs showed the morphology of fibroblasts. It was found that the number of CFU-f formation depended on the planted number of MSCs. It showed a good relationship. Small type colony of CFU-f had little potent to re-clone, but almost 90% big type colony of CFU-f had the potent to regenerate CFU-f. The MSCs could directionally differentiated into adipocytes induced by different adipogenic medium. But more than 96% MSCs differentiated into mature adipocytes when induced by combined with dexamethasone (DM), 1-methy-3-isobutylxanthine (IBMX), insulin (IS) and indomethacin (ID).ConclusionThe purified MSCs can be harvested by method of differential adherence to plastic, and these MSCs have the potent of proliferation and self-renewal. Moreover, more than 96% MSCs can differentiate into mature adipocytes when induced by combined with DM, IBMX, IS and ID.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Female ; Glycolipids ; metabolism ; Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Middle Aged ; Rectal Neoplasms ; secondary

Objective To observe the difference in treament of thoracolumbar vertebral bodies fractures be- tween AF nail and Dick nail.Methods From March 1998 to March 2007,85 cases of thoracolumbar vertebral bod- ies fractures were followed up.20 cases were fixed with Dick nail,and 65 cases with AF nail.Results The mean,fol- low-up period was 12 months.By comparison of the operating rime,bleeding amount,the recovery rate of vertebral height,the reduction of Cobb angle and capacity of vertebral canal,AF nail was much better than Dick nail.But there was no marked difference in the recover of nerve function.Conclusion AF nail has more power to reduce vertebral height and is easier to set than Dick nail.It will be worthy of more and wider application in basic level hospitals.

Canine Interferon-gamma (CaIFN-gamma) cDNA was cloned from spleen T cells of dog by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CaIFN-gamma cDNA were digested with Hind III and Not I, and inserted into pRc/CMV2 expression vector. The pRc/CMV2/CaIFN-gamma vector was sequenced, and predicted to produce a signal peptide of 23 amino acids and a mature protein of 143 amino acids with a molecular weight of 19 kD. Two potential N-glycosylation sites are located at positions 16 and 83 of the mature protein. Comparison of the CaIFN-gamma protein sequence with that of CaIFN-gamma reported from DDBJ/GenBank revealed a homology of 99%. To establish a long time expression system, pRc/CMV2/CaIFN-gamma vector was transfected into mouse SP2/0 cell line. The SP2/0 cells culture supernatants was harvested and the antiviral activity was measured following cytopathic-effect inhibition assay using Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK)-vesicular stomatitis virus(VSV) system. Initial transformants with G418 phenotype produced recombinant CaIFN-gamma titers ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 u/mL of culture medium.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bone Marrow Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Cattle ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; analysis ; chemistry ; Dogs ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins

BACKGROUNDNeoadjuvant chemotherapy provides an excellent model for evaluation of potential predictive factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of different biological factors in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-five patients treated with 4 cycles of neoadjuvant taxanes and anthracycline were included in this retrospective study. Using pretreatment biopsy materials, immunohistochemical studies were performed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), HER-2, Ki-67 and p53 protein expression. The associations among biological markers and clinical and pathological complete response (pCR) were analyzed.

RESULTSThe overall clinical response was 86%, including 33% clinical complete response (cCR) and 53% clinical partial response. The pCR was just 17%. In the univariate analysis, only HER-2 overexpression was predictive of cCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.018). No significant associations between other biological factors and cCR were found. Absence of ER, PgR expression and overexpression of HER-2 were predictive of the pCR (P=0.002, 0.001, 0.01, respectively). Ki-67 and p53 failed to show an association with pCR. In multivariate analysis, overexpression of HER-2 remained as an independent variable in predicting the cCR (P=0.021). However, negative ER was the only parameter that maintained statistical significance in predicting the pCR (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with overexpression of HER-2 and negative hormonal receptor status are much more likely to respond to neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy than those with the opposite characteristics. These factors could serve as predictive markers for this regimen.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; analysis ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

12 strains of H2-producing bacteria were isolated and purified from anaerobic sludge, aerobic sludge and river bottom sludge by Hungate method. A new species of high efficient hydrogen production bacterium Enterococcus sp. LG1 (registration number: EU258743 ) was studied deeply. It was showed that the Enterococcus sp. LG1 was an anaerobic and Gram-negative bacterium. Sequence analysis of this type of clones showed that it was affiliated with the genus Enterococcus and it was not reported yet in other paper at present. Meanwhile, batch tests of anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production by Enterococcus sp. LG1 were investigated by using sterilization pretreated sludge as substrate. The changes of soluble COD, protein, carbohydrate and pH value during hydrogen fermentation were monitored. It was found that only hydrogen and carbon dioxide were produced by this strain and no methane was detected during fermentation. The maximal hydrogen yield was 36.48 mL/g TCOD and the hydrogen concentration in the gas phase was 73.5%. The Enterococcus sp. LG1 was a butyrate fermentation bacteria analyzed by metabolites.

Intracerebral hemorrhage is a kind of nervous system disease with high mortality and disability. By analyzing the clinical variables closely associated with the functional outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage, a scoring scale that can quickly predict the outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage is established, which is helpful to guide clinicians in risk stratification and clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. At present, more than 10 clinical outcome scoring scales have been developed. This article summarizes these scoring scales of intracerebral hemorrhage in chronological order, and reviews their constituent variables, outcome evaluation value, and follow-up verification.

AIMTo study the changes in rheological properties, namely the parameters of the hysteresis loops and yield stress versus time for human semen after ejaculation.

METHODSEjaculates were obtained from volunteers and immediately put into the test cup of a Brookfield Programmable DV-11 Rheometer, by which the hysteresis loops and yield stress were determined.

RESULTS(1) Yield stress values dropped down from more than 3000 mPa to 60 mPa in about 5 minutes after ejaculation; (2) The shape of the hysteresis loops of shear stress versus shear rate was changed from the counter-clockwise direction, that enclosed a large area, into the clockwise direction, that enclosed a very small area.

CONCLUSIONHuman ejaculate originally possesses semi-solid or visco-elastic body behavior and in 5 minutes after liquefaction, it becomes a thixotropic fluid or shearing thinning fluid with very low viscosity.

Adult ; Elasticity ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Linear Models ; Male ; Rheology ; Semen ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Stress, Mechanical ; Viscosity

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this research was to study the genetic diversity of F-ATPase subunit gene uncEBF derived from Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) clinical isolates, furthermore to investigate the relationship between the genetic diversity of F-ATPase and S. mutans aciduric ability.

METHODS38 S. mutans strains included 18 high acid tolerance strains and 20 low acid tolerance strains. Gene uncEBF of these isolates were amplified with specific primers from S. mutans genomic DNA, and the PCR products were analyzed by RFLP and sequenced. SPSS 11.0 statistic software assayed the results.

RESULTSIt was testified that two genotypes A and B of PCR-RFLP were revealed when digested with Alu I and Dde I digested fragments of uncEBF displayed two different patterns C and D. Fisher exact two-tail test showed that the distributions of A and B genotype strains with different acidurance were different (P < 0.05), and the proportion of A genotype strains from high acidurance group was higher than that from low acidurance one. Some of these amplified uncEBF genes from different genotype were sequenced and testified that there existed variation of Alu I and Dde I recognized sites.

CONCLUSIONThis study indicated that uncEBF gene of S. mutans F-ATPase obviously exhibited genetic diversity.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Dental Caries ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Streptococcus mutans