Objective:To determine the effects of TGF-?1 on the cytoskeleton in cultured human dental pulp cells(HPCs).Methods:Human dental pulp cells were cultured from dental pulp tissue explants digested with collagenase I. Semi-confluent cultures of the cells maintained under serum deprivation were treated with 20 ng/ml of TGF-?1 for 30 min, 1, 6 and 24 h respectively.Then cells were processed for BODYPY-phalloidin direct fluorescence examination of the actin filaments,DAPI direct fluorescence of the nucleus and Rhodamine Red(TM) indirect immunofluorescence of tubulin-?. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to investigate the changes of actin filaments and microtubules.Results:Disintegration and reorganization of actin filaments were observed in human dental pulp cells treated by TGF-?1 at 20 ng/ml. Actin filaments assembly was found near the cell membrane,specially after 30 min exposure.Disintegration of actin filaments was most obvious after 6 h treatment.Actin filaments were reorganized after 24 h exposure.Microtubules mainly remained intact in the cells during TGF-?1 treatment.Conclusion:TGF-?1 at 20 ng/ml may induce actin cytoskeletal reorganization in human dental pulp cells.

AIM: To compare the difference in serum prolactin levels and the concentrations of anti-infective factors of human colostrums between normal labor and cesarean section. METHODS: The serum prolactin levels were measured at 48 h, 96 h after parturition in 100 cases of normal labor and cesarean using radioimmunoassay. Furthermore, the levels of SIgA, IgG, IgM, C3, C4 were tested in 100 cases at the same time using the technique of immuno-turbidimetry. RESULTS: The serum prolactin levels in normal labor tested at 48 h after parturition were significantly different with that of the cesarean section group. But there was no significant difference in serum prolatin levels 96 h after parturition between the two groups. The levels of SIgA,IgG,IgM,C3 and C4 of the colostrum in the cesarean group were higher significantly than those of the normal group at 48 h after parturition. (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). At 96 h after parturition, there was no significant difference in SIgA, IgG, IgM and C3 between the two groups except C4. CONCLUSION: At 48 h after paturition, the serum prolactin levels of normal labor group are higher than that of the cesarean section group. The concentrations of anti-infective factors (SIgA, IgG, IgM, C3 and C4) of human colostrums at 48 h after paturition in cesarean section group are higher than those of normal labor group.

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of low-intensity warfarin anticoagulation in over 80-year-old patients with nonvascular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Methods The 180 NVAF patients aged over 80 years were randomly assigned into 2 groups: 90 patients in lowintensity warfarin anticoagulation group (target value of INR 1.6-2.0), the other 90 patients in standard-intensity warfarin anticoagulation group (target value of INR 2. 0-3.0). All patients were followed up in outpatient-department for one year. Main outcome measures included the incidence rates of bleeding and thromboembolic events, and secondary outcome measures included the warfarin dosage and times of INR＞3.0. Results The incidence rate of thromboembolic events was 4.4% (4/90) in low-intensity group and 3.3% (3/90) in standard-intensity group with no statistically significant difference between these two groups (P＞0. 05). However, the incidence rate of hemorrhage was significantly lower in low-intensity group than in standard-intensity group [5.6% (5/90) vs. 16.7%(15/90), P＜0. 05]. Meanwhile the warfarin dosage was significantly lower in low-intensity group than in standard-intensity group [(1. 55±0. 63) mg vs. (2.31±0.57) mg, P＜0.05]. The times of INR＞3.0 were less in low-intensity group than in standard-intensity group (P＜0. 05). Conclusions Therapy with low-intensity warfarin anticoagulation in NVAF patients aged over 80 years may be equally effective as, but safer than that with standard-intensity warfarin.

Aim To examine the inhibitory effect of re-combinant cardiac troponin fusion protein composed of subunit I and artificial peptide which was called CIS on tumor growth. Methods The CIS ’ s effect on the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HU-VEC) was examined using MTT assay in vitro. Chick chorioallantoic membrane model was applied to study the alteration of angiogenesis treated with purified re-combinant CIS protein. The effect of tumor growth trea-ted with CIS was observed using several in vivo mice xenograft models. Results There was a statistically significant reduction in HUVEC cell proliferative rate when the cells were treated with purified CIS fusion protein, which was also shown in a dose-dependent manner. A decreased amount of new blood vessel for-mation ( angiogenesis) on chick embryo chorioallantoic membranes was observed in recombinant CIS protein treated group compared to the untreated control group. A significant inhibition of tumor growth rate was a-chieved in CIS treated mice compared to CIS untreated control mice in 6 different mouse xenograft models. Conclusions The fusion protein CIS shows the inhibi-tory effect on the tumor growth in our in vivo mouse models, and such inhibition could be mediated by the mechanism of CIS’ s effect on the decrease of HUVEC cell proliferation and further the reduction of angiogen-esis in tumor tissues. This work could provide the foundation for the in-depth investigations on the phar-maceutical application of CIS targeting anti-tumor ther-apy.

Objective To explore the feasibility of one-stop examination with Revolution CT for axial perfusion of normal pancreas.Methods Thirteen patients who received axial perfusion scan by one-stop examination with Revolution CT were analyzed as perfusion group.Two radiologists measured pancreatic CT perfusion (CTP) parameters independently and selected optimal phase for CTA and three phases of enhanced images.The effect dose (ED) was calculated.Eighteen patients who underwent abdominal enhanced CT and CTA with spiral scan were included as control group.Patients in both groups had no pancreatic disorders.The interobserver variation of CTP parameters was estimated.Two independent radiologists separated the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery (SPDA) image into 5 points according to image quality,and the consistency was assessed.The subjective points of SPDA image quality of two groups was compared.CT value,images noise,CNR and SNR of SPDA on CTA images and those of pancreas on three phases enhanced scan images between two groups were compared.Results ICC values of all CTP parameters were higher than 0.75.The ED of perfusion protocol was (24.52±-0.01)mSv.The subjective image scores of SPDA on CTA images in both groups were both 5,the consistency was good (Kappa=0.629,0.769).The CT value,CNR,and SNR of SPDA on CTA images of CTP group were higher than those of control group (all P＜0.05).The CT value,CNR,and SNR of pancreas of CTP group were higher than those of control group in venous phase and balanced phase (all P＜0.05).Conclusion The pancreatic CT one-stop examination can be performed by Revolution CT scanner with maximum detector width with acceptable radiation dose,from which pancreatic CT perfusion data,enhanced images with high quality and better CTA images can be extracted.

Objective To explore the feasibility of axial whole-liver one-stop examination with Revolution CT.Methods Totally 19 patients were underwent upper-abdominal enhanced examination with Revolution CT and acquired whole-liver CT perfusion (CTP),vein phase and balanced phase enhanced images.Two observers recorded the rank and peak CT value corresponding to time-density curve (TDC) of abdominal aorta and portal vein respectively on the CTP images.The perfusion parameters including blood flow (BF),blood volume (BV),hepatic arterial fraction (HAF),mean transit time (MTT),time to peak (TP) of left and right liver lobe were measured.The images of hepatic artery CTA and portal vein CTV were reconstructed and the arterial phase enhanced images were extracted using the images corresponding to abdominal aorta and portal vein peak TDC.And the radiation dose of CT perfusion and one-stop examination were recorded.The differences between perfusion parameters of left and right liver lobe were compared and the consistency of two observers were analyzed.Results The differences between BV and MTT of left and right liver lobe were statistical significance (both P＜0.05).The subjective scores of hepatic artery CTA,portal vein CTV and arterial phase images were greater than 1 point.The two observers were in great consistence (Kappa＞0.6).The effective radiation dose in perfusion phase and one-stop examination were 14.47 mSv and 21.29 mSv.Conclusion With low radiation dose,Revolution CT axial wholeliver perfusion one-stop examination can provide multiple quantitative parameters of liver CTP and clear hepatic artery CTA,portal vein CTV and 3 phase enhanced scan images,which has broadly prospective in clinical application.

Objective To assess the ability of a deep machine learning technique for improving the quality of one-stop renal low dose CTP images.Methods Twenty-one cases who underwent renal noncontrast CT,triple-phase contrast enhanced CT,and CT perfusion (CTP) were collected prospectively.Revolution CT scanner was used with the scan protocol as followed:120 kVp,20 mA for CTP and 100 mA for triple-phase conctrast enhancement,axial scan,ASIR-V80％,rotation 0.5 s,coverage area for z-axial 160 mm,thickness 5 mm.A total of 15 phases were obtained for the first 28 s and then scanned once at 39,43,47,51,63,83,113,213,353,593 s for CTP,which the phases at the 22,51 and 153 s were the cortical phase,medullary phase and excretory phase,respectively.All CTP data was reconstructed with a deep machine learning technique pixel shine A7 model.The data before and after reconstruction was in group A and in group B,respectively.Compared the all data of cortex in the cortical phase and CTP parameters between the two groups.Results There were significant differences of CT values of SD of cortex (9.04 ± 1.77 and 5.75 ± 1.00,respectively),CT values of SD of elector spinae (8.52 ±2.28 and 5.67 ±0.98,respectively),CNR(16.28 ±6.61 and 28.90 ±1.50,respectively) and SNR (21.41 ± 6.67 and 30.65 ± 7.67,respectively) between the two groups (t=1.562,6.286,5.925,-5.892,-17.274,P＜0.05).The SD of images after PS-B was lower than that before PS-B significantly and SNR was improved obviously.There were no differences of cortical blood flow (BF),blood volume (BV),time to peak (TP) and medullary permeability of surface (PS) between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The reconstruction of deep machine learning PixelShine technique PS-A7 can reduce the noise of images obtained with low tube current,improve the SNR and can not effect the CTP parameters.

Objective:To explore the prolonged therapeutic regimen for patients with plaque psoriasis, who showed a positive response to 4-week treatment with tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured.Methods:A multicenter, randomized, open-labelled, parallel-controlled clinical study was conducted. A total of 232 patients with plaque psoriasis were collected, who showed a positive response to previous 4-week treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured with the psoriasis area and severity index[PASI] improvement rate being 50%-90%. At week 5, they were randomly and equally divided into 2 groups: test group receiving treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream once a day, and control group receiving a sequential regimen of 0.05% tazarotene gel on weekdays once a day followed by 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream on weekends once a day. After 2-and 4-week prolonged treatment, the efficacy and safety of the 2 therapeutic regimens were evaluated and compared. Measurement data were compared between 2 groups by using covariance analysis or t test, and enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test. Results:From the 5th to the 8th week, 200 out of the 232 patients completed the treatment. Data collected from 110 patients in the test group and 112 in the control group were enrolled into the full analysis set, and those from both 113 patients in the test group and control group were enrolled into safety analysis set. After consecutive 6-and 8-week treatment, the decline rates of the PASI score were 73.05% ± 16.69% and 78.46% ± 15.40% respectively in the test group, which were significantly higher than those in the control group (66.73% ± 21.77%, 67.02% ± 34.19%, respectively, both P < 0.05) . After 6-week treatment, the proportion of subjects who achieved PASI90 was significantly higher in the test group (14 cases, 12.7%) than in the control group (5 cases, 4.5%, χ2=4.842, P=0.028) ; After 8-week treatment, the proportions of subjects who achieved PASI75 and PASI90 (61.8%, 23.6%, respectively) were significantly higher in the test group than in the control group (48.2%, 12.5%, respectively, both P < 0.05) . During the consecutive 8-week treatment, there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the test group (15.0%) and control group (23.9%, χ2=2.822, P=0.093) . Conclusion:For patients who showed a positive response to 4-week treatment with 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream, but were not completely cured, the continuous use of 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream for 4 weeks is a superior therapeutic regimen compared with the sequential regimen of 0.05% tazarotene gel followed by 0.05%/0.05% tazarotene/betamethasone dipropionate cream.

The choice of females to accept or reject male courtship is a critical decision for animal reproduction. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been found to regulate sexual behavior in many species, but it is unclear how 5-HT and its receptors function to regulate different aspects of sexual behavior. Here we used Drosophila melanogaster as the model animal to investigate how 5-HT and its receptors modulate female sexual receptivity. We found that knockout of tryptophan hydroxylase (Trh), which is involved in the biosynthesis of 5-HT, severely reduced virgin female receptivity without affecting post-mating behaviors. We identified a subset of sexually dimorphic Trh neurons that co-expressed fruitless (fru), in which the activity was correlated with sexual receptivity in females. We also found that 5-HT_1A and 5-HT₇ receptors regulate virgin female receptivity. Our findings demonstrate how 5-HT functions in sexually dimorphic neurons to promote virgin female receptivity through two of its receptors.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Drosophila/physiology* ; Drosophila melanogaster/physiology* ; Serotonin ; Drosophila Proteins/physiology* ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology* ; Transcription Factors ; Nerve Tissue Proteins