Objective To investigate the antagonistic effect of ω-3PUFAs on cognitive impairment in MK-801-induced schizophrenia (SZ) rats and its mechanism.Methods Rat model of schizophrenia was induced by MK-801.Morris water maze was used to detect the change of cognitive function in rats.The number of neonatal neurons in hippocampus was detected by Brdu staining.CREB,p-CREB,BDNF,TrkB and p-TrkB levels were detected by Weston Blot.Results MK-801 induced schizophrenia-like cognitive impairment (the escape latency in the water maze test was (6.51±3.10)s for Ctr group,(15.27±6.20)s for Mod group;acrossing times was (4.63±1.06) times for Ctr group,(2.00±1.15) times for Mod group),reduced the number of neonatal neurons in hippocampus (the relative level of neonatal neuron number per unit area,Mod/Ctr was 0.656±0.066) and impaired the CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathway (the relative level of gray value,Mod/Ctr:CREB was 0.393±0.065,p-CREB was 0.591±0.015,BDNF was 0.716±0.115,TrkB was 0.787±0.029,p-TrkB was 0.586±0.013).ω-3PUFAs improved the CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathway activity by increasing CREB and TrKB level and their phosphorylation (the relative level of gray value,Pre/Ctr:CREB was 1.139±0.111,p-CREB was 0.845±0.243,BDNF was 0.864±0.133,TrkB was 0.916±0.022,p-TrkB was 0.952±0.047),and then recovered the number of neonatal neurons in hippocampus (the relative level of neonatal neuron number per unit area,Pre/ Ctr was 1.183±0.101),thereby reduced the cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia rats(the escape latency in the water maze was (7.44±4.55)s for Pre;acrossing times was (3.86±1.68) times for Pre).Conclusion ω-3PUFAs can relieve the MK-801-induced schizophrenia-like cognitive impairment.

Objective To study the effect of dynamic stress stimulation on the expression of Sox9 mRNA and protein in metaphyseal chondrocytes in vitro, and to explore the specific mechanism of mechanical signal transduction. Methods The rat metaphyseal chondrocytes separated and cultured for the 3rd generation in vitro were randomly divided into four groups:control group (all interventions were not applied), simple dynamic pressure group (a dynamic pressure stimulus with a size of 90 mmHg and a frequency of 0.1 Hz was applied using an open pressure control culture system), simple calcium antagonist group (the concentration of 10μmol/L nifedipine was given) and dynamic pressure+calcium antagonist group (a dynamic pressure stimulus with a size of 90 mmHg, frequency of 0.1 Hz and concentration of 10 μmol/L nifedipine were given at the same time). The expression of Sox9 mRNA was detected after 24 h intervention by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in four groups. The expression of Sox9 protein was detected by Western blot assay. The intracellular free Ca2+ in metaphyseal chondrocytes was labeled with Fluo-3/AM, and the average fluorescence intensity detected by laser scanning confocal scanning microscopy was compared between four groups. Results The expression of Sox9 mRNA was 3.81 times higher in dynamic stress group than that in the control group, and the protein expression level was 2.33 times higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the expression of Sox9 mRNA and protein between the calcium antagonist group and the control group. The expressions of Sox9 mRNA and protein were lower in dynamic pressure+calcium antagonist group than those in the dynamic stress group, but which were higher than those of control group(P<0.05). The results of average fluorescence intensity showed that there was no significant difference in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration between four groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion Dynamic stress stimulation can increase the expression of Sox9 mRNA and protein in rat metaphyseal chondrocytes. There is calcium channel involvement in the mechanical signal transduction.

Objective To investigate a new surgical method by using pectoralis minor muscle for its partial transplantation to reconstruct the function of the opposite thumb anastomosed vessels and nerves. Methods The proposed method was evaluated by taking 20 cases of adult cadaveric thoraxes and hands,then compared with the morphology and dimension of both pectoralis minor muscle and palmer muscle to study the feasibility of the new method.Based on the observed data.We selected five suitable cases,in which the opposi- tion function was lost,and then applied the new operation on them with partial transplantation of pectoralis mi- nor muscle anastomosed vessels and nerves according to the results of anatomic study.The follow-up study was conducted to observe the functional recovery of opposition of the thumb.Results The main results can be summarized as follows.First,the anatomical position of pectoralis minor muscle was stable,and every peetoralis minor muscle was provided with self-sustaining artery,vein and nerve.The oppostition process of cadaveric hand succeeded after similar transplantation to clinic operation.Second,follow-up studies conducted 6 - 12 months after the operation showed that all five patients recovered fully.The muscle strength in all five cases re- covered to level four or higher.The shape of palm eminence was satisfactory.Conclusion The surgical method of pectoralis minor muscle transplantation for reconstructing the opposition function of the thumb was based on the clinical and anatomical application.The function of opposition of the thumb reached the satisfacto- ry requirement after the operation.So,the new surgical method can achieve better results than other existing operation methods.

Objective To investigate the source and genetic background of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the year of 2006,in China. Methods From January to December 2006,a total number of 302 consecutive and non-repetitive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were collected from 17 Teaching hospitals in 15 areas. Genotypes of SCCmec were determined by multiplex PCR and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to type the house-keeping genes. The implementation of the spa typing method was straightforward,and the results obtained were reproducible,unambiguous,and easily interpreted. Results All areas but Dalian harbored SCCmec Ⅲ while Dalian harbored SCCmec Ⅱ most. There were two strains in Guangzhou,harboring SCCmec Ⅳ. There were four strains of sequence type(ST),with ST239 accounted for 46.7% and ST5 accounted for 44.4%. ST59 accounted for 6.7% and ST88 accounted for 2.2%. There were fourteen strains of Spa typing,with t30 accounted for 52.6% ; t37 accounted for 27.2% ; t2 accounted for 12.9% ; t632 accounted for 2.3% ; t437 accounted for 1.3% ; t570,t601 accounted for 0.7% ; t377,t459,t796,t899,t1152,t2649 accounted for 0.3% ; no-typing accounted for 0.3%,respectively,pvl gene was not detected. Conclusion The main clone strains were ST239-MRSA-SCCmec Ⅲ-t30,ST5-MRSA-SCCmec Ⅱ-t2,with unique geographic distributions across the whole nation.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) in treating patients with lingual hemangioma (LHG).

METHODSEA therapy was applied on 36 patients by directly inserting the platinum needles into LHG through a trocar with plastic insulating cannula to protect the normal tissues and connecting the needles with the electro-chemical therapeutic apparatus of model ZAY-B. Then electricity was given until the tumor body got contracted and rigid. The result was assessed 6 months after EA was started.

RESULTSAll patients were treated effectively, namely, the effective rate was 100%, with the therapeutic effect reaching grade I in 29 patients (80.6%), grade II in 7 (19.4%), and all having the function of tongue recovered to normal.

CONCLUSIONEA shows special superiorities in treating LHG, proved to bring about less injury and quick recovery and being simple in operation. Especially when applied on huge LHG, it could not only remove the tumor, but also preserve the function of the tongue, so it is a brand-new approach that is likely to be accepted by patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Electroacupuncture ; methods ; Female ; Hemangioma ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Tongue Neoplasms ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

This study was to determine the protective effect of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3PUFAs) on MK-801-induced cognitive impairment in schizophrenia (SZ) rats and the underlying mechanism.A rat model of schizophrenia was induced by MK-801.The cognitive function of rats was assessed using a Morris water maze.The number of hippocampal neurons was measured by Nissl staining.The expression of CREB,p-CREB,BDNF,TrkB,p-TrkB,AKT,p-AKT,ERK,and p-ERK in the hippocampus of rats was detected by Western blotting.The results showed that ω-3PUFAs attenuated MK-801-induced cognitive,impairment and hippocampal neurons loss,reversed the injury of the CREB/BDNF/TrtB pathway induced by MK-801,and antagonized MK-801-induced down-regulation of p-AKT and p-ERK in the hippocampus of rats.In conclusion,ω-3PUFAs enhances the CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathway by activating ERK and AKT,thereby increasing the synaptic plasticity and decreashng neuron loss,and antagonizing MK-801-induced cognitive impairment in schizophrenic rats.

Natural polymeric materials and their derivatives are organic macromolecular compounds which exist in plants, animals, and micro-organisms. They have been widely used in the preparation of scaffolds for skin tissue engineering recently because of their good histocompatibility and degradability, and low immunogenicity. With the improvement of the preparation technics, composite materials are more commonly used to make scaffolds for dermal tissue engineering. This article summarizes the classification and research status of the commonly used natural polymer materials, their derivatives, and composite scaffold materials, as well as makes a prospect of the research trends of dermal scaffold in the future.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Humans ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Skin ; growth & development ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a kind of adult stem cells which have the capability to differentiate into multiple cell types as well as self-renew continuously. Recent studies demonstrate that MSCs are low immunogenic and able to exert immunomodulatory function by various approaches, such as suppression of the lymphocyte proliferation, reduction of the dentritic cell generation, maturation and function, down-regulation of the CTL formation and enhancement of regulatory T-cell proportion. In vivo experiments show that MSC infusion can prolong the survival time of allo-skin graft in baboon and ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice. Successful reports have been documented about clinical application of MSC in the management of graft-versus-host disease. In this review, the immunological characteristics and the immunomodulation functions in vitro and in vivo of MSC were summarized.
Animals ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Immunomodulation ; physiology ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; immunology ; physiology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the role of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in tracing rhesus bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSCs) during tissue-engineered bone formation in vivo.

METHODSAd5.CMV-GFP was amplified by infecting QBI-293A cells, and the bone marrow was harvested from the ilium of adult male rhesus to obtain rBMSCs, which were cultured and passaged in vitro. GFP was transfected into the third-passage rBMSCs via adenovirus vector and the labeled cells were inoculated into absorbable HA scaffold and cultured for 3 days, with untransfected rBMSCs as control, before the cell-matrix compounds were implanted into the latissimus dorsi muscles of rhesus. Samples were harvested at 6 week and embedded in paraform, and ground sections of the bone tissue were prepared to observe green fluorescence under laser scanning confocal microscope. Propidium iodide staining of the sections was also performed for observation.

RESULTSThe rBMSCs grew well after GFP transfection, and green fluorescence could be seen 24 h after the transfection and became stronger till 48 h, with a positive transfection rate beyond 80%. Six weeks after cell implantation, the rBMSCs labeled by GFP-emitted green fluorescence were detected in the bone tissue under laser scanning confocal microscope.

CONCLUSIONGFP can effectively trace BMSCs during bone tissue engineering, and the transplanted BMSCs constitute the main source of bone-forming cells in bone tissue engineering.

Animals ; Bone Substitutes ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Macaca mulatta ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDIn county-level tuberculosis (TB) dispensaries in China, the accurate diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT) needs to be improved by developing and validating clinical and radiographic predictors.

METHODSThe study was conducted simultaneously in three counties per province in Chongqing Municipality and Liaoning Province in China between May 2005 and May 2006. A total of 432 new SNPT patients who are HIV-negative and more than 15 years old diagnosed by expert panels in county-level TB dispensaries were recruited. Their sputum samples were collected for culture before anti-TB treatment, and the treatment outcomes (changes of X-rays) were followed up at the end of the 6th month.

RESULTSOf the 432 SNPT patients, sputum culture positive (9.7%) or culture negative with good changes of X-rays at the end of the 6th month (73.6%) was validated as SNPT. Four predictive variables were associated with validated SNPT in the multivariate logistic regression model: age ≤55 years old (odds ratio (OR) 5.66; 95% CI 2.69-11.91), >60 days of cough (OR 3.73; 95% CI 1.10-12.65), ≥10% of pulmonary consolidation in the lungs (OR 5.40; 95% CI 2.90-10.06), and pulmonary consolidation in the upper lobe anterior segment (OR 3.00; 95% CI 1.57-5.72). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model was 0.77 (95% CI 0.71-0.83).

CONCLUSIONFour predictors of clinical and radiological characteristics that had a good diagnostic performance of SNPT deserve to be recommended as index indicators of SNPT diagnosis in county-level TB dispensaries in China.

Adult ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HIV Seronegativity ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sputum ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis