Objective To evaluate the regulatory role of mTOR signaling in activation of renal interstitial fibroblasts and the potential effect on interstitial fibrosis. Methods 8-week old female C57BL/6 mice (n=30) underwent unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) to induce renal interstitial fibrosis. Animals were randomly divided into rapamycin (2 mg·kg-1· d-1) group and UUO group (vehicle-treated) (n=15 each group). Daily intraperitoneal injection of rapamycin or saline was applied to animals from day 1 before operation to the end of experiment.Three mice were sacrificed at day 1,3,7,14 respectively and kidneys were harvested for further analysis.NIH3T3 cells were stimulated by TGF-β for 12 hours with the presence or bsence of rapamycin (100 nmol/L). Results Immunofluorescent co-staining revealed that active fibroblasts highly expressed pS6K and α-SMA in kidney interstitium.Administation of rapamycin significantly inhibited activation of mTOR signaling in fibroblasts and ameliorated interstitial fibrosis of obstructed kidneys.Real-time PCR confirmed that rapamycin decreased the mRNA expression of FSP1,TGF-β,CTGF and Col4A1 in fibrotic kidneys. In vitro experiment revealed that TGF-β induced highly expression of pS6K and αSMA in cultured NIH3T3 cells,which could be markedly inhibited by rapamycin. Conclusions mTOR signaling highly activates in interstitial fibroblasts during kidney fibrosis.Inhibition of mTOR signaling by rapamycin decreases the activation of fibroblasts and ameliorates interstitial fibrosis.

Objective To evaluate the effect of prefilling blood reservoir with mannitol-adeninephosphate MAP) solution on the damage to erythrocytes in intraoperative salvaged blood in patients.Methods One hundred and fifty blood samples were collected from 150 patients who were scheduled for elective spinal surgery requiring blood salvage,and were equally and randomly divided into 5 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:group N,group N1,group N2,group M1 and group M2.The blood reservoir was not prefilled before surgery in group N,while the blood reservoirs in N1,N2,M1 and M2 groups were prefilled with normal saline (NS) 100 ml,NS 200 ml,MAP solution 100 ml and MAP solution 200 ml,respectively.Blood sauples were obtained for erythrocyte osmotic fragility test after the salvaged blood was washed,and hemolysis rates in different concentrations of hypotonic NaCl solution were calculated.The concentration of free hemoglobin in the clear supernatant liquid (FHb) of washed blood placed for 0 h (T0),1 h (T1) and 2 h (T2) were detected.Results Compared with N and N1 groups,the hemolysis rate of washed erythrocytes under 0.48％ 0.68％ NaCl solutions was significantly decreased,the concentration of FHb at T1 was decreased,and no significant change was found in FHb at T2 in group M1.Compared with N and N2 groups,the haemolysis rates of washed erythrocytes under 0.48％-0.68％ NaCl solutions were significantly decreased,and the concentrations of FHb at T1,2 were decreased in group M2.The concentration of FHb was significantly lower at T2 in group M2 than in group M1.Conclusion Prefilling blood reservoir with MAP solution can mitigate the damage to erythrocytes in the intraoperative salvaged blood in patients,and the efficacy of prefilling of 200 ml is superior to that of prefilling of 100 ml.

Unicellular green alga,Dunaliella salina(D.salina),is a biflagellar alga without cell wall,which is a kind of very important eukaryotic microalga.In the previous study,the research of D.salina focus on the morphology,the mechanism of salt tolerance and ?-carotene,however,with the rapid development of microalgal biotechnology,a lot of work about D.salina was reported in recent years.In the area of molecular biology,the studies of D.salina mainly place emphasis on the cloning and analysis of important functional genes,regulatory sequences,and the expression of foreign genes using D.salina as host.The research advance in these aspects were reviewed.

Objective To observed the immigration and proliferation of Schwann cells in acellular xe- no-nerve graft in rats.Methods The sciatic nerves on the right side of the rats were exposc.d and 0.8cm long segments of the nerves were removed from the mid-thigh level and replaced by 1.0cm long rabbit nerves made acellular through chemical extraction.After 4 months,the immigration and proliferation of Schwann cells in the graft were revealed by HE staining,S-100 immunohistochemieal staining and transmission electromicro- scope.Results In the rats repaired by acellular nerves,regenerated axons upgrow into the graft,and a- round regenerated axons there were abundant cells aligned,the cytoplasm of which were S-100 immunoreac- tive.Electromicroscope observing showed that regenerated axons were surrounded by myelin formed by the mi- grated cells reoccupied the acellular segments.Conclusion The host Schwann cells can immigrate into rab- bit nerve grafts made acellular through chemical extraction and form myelin enwrapping regenerated axons in rats.

AIM:To investigate peripapillary vessel density and its relationship with other ocular parameters in highly myopic eyes with peripapillary intrachoroidal cavitation (PICC), and to analyze risk factors for PICC.METHODS:Cross-sectional study.A total of 35 highly myopic eyes with PICC, 40 highly myopic eyes without PICC and 35 normal eyes were included in this study.All participants underwent fundus photography and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).OCT angiography was also performed to image the retinal vasculature in the peripapillary areas of different sectors, including the radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) and optic nerve head (ONH) layer.The difference of morphology changes in optic disc and peripapillary vessel density between these three groups were compared.Correlations between peripapillary vessel density and PICC and risk factors for the presence of PICC were analyzed.RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the three groups in spherical equivalent refraction (SER), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), axial length, peripapillary atrophy β-zone (β-PPA) area, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and the presence of tilted optic disc, posterior staphyloma and myopic maculopathy (MMD) (P<0.05).There were significant differences among the three groups in the peripapillary vessel density both in RPC (54.34±5.58, 57.54±7.44, 64.42±3.50) and ONH (51.24±7.43, 52.75±9.96, 61.25±4.15) layers (P<0.001).In highly myopic eyes, vessel density was significantly lower in eyes with PICC than in those without in inferotemporal area both in the RPC (56.76±6.62,63.84±6.02,67.52±4.78) and ONH (56.47±5.79,60.38±4.72,64.18±4.37) layers.The vessel density was significantly correlated with the presence of MMD, β-PPA area and RNFL thickness in the RPC layer, whereas correlated with the presence of MMD, PICC and RNFL thickness in the ONH layer (P<0.05).Tilted optic disc and posterior staphyloma were independent risk factors for the presence of PICC (OR=8.007, 95%CI: 2.045-31.348;OR=7.558, 95%CI: 1.398-50.026).CONCLUSION:Highly myopic eyes with PICC had relatively lower peripapillary vessel densities, especially in the temporal area, than those without.Tilted optic disc and posterior staphyloma were independent risk factors for the presence of PICC.

Objective To investigate the palatal bone thickness in adult with normal occlusion Methods The cone beam computerized tomography records of 32 adults with normal occlusion ( 16 males and 16 females), mean age (30. 1 ±6. 5) years, were used to measure the bone thickness at midpalatal area and the right and left palatal sides. Coronal slices at 3 mm intervals were generated. Slice 1 was the coronal slice through the posterior border to the incisive foramen, while Slice 7 was the coronal slice 18 mm away from the incisive foramen. At each coronal slice, the midpalatal sites were Site M and the sites on the exterior margin of the hard palatal were Site D. Four equally divided parts on the line linking Site M to Site D were named Site A, B, C from the interior to the exterior respectively. Palatal bone thickness were measured at these sites. Results Significant differences were noted from Slice 1 to Slice 7, the bone thickness of palate tended to decrease from the front to the back. The thickest site at hard palatal was 12. 6 mm, locating at Site D of Slice 1, while the thinnest site was 2. 7 mm, locating at Site B of Slice 7.The palatal bone thickness ranged from 10. 5 mm(maximum) to 5. 8 mm(minimum) at Slice 2 and Slice 3. No statistical significance was found between the left and right sides ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). Conclusions The favorable sites for miniscrew placement were the anterior region of the hard palate in adult. The length of miniscrew ranged from 5 mm to 10 mm can be placed from 6 mm posterior to the incisive foramen.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whole blood viscosity changes at different time points in rats model with lumbar vertebrae semidislocation, study Shi's theroy of qi and blood and "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" [symbols: see text], also reveal pathological physiology characteristics of spinal disorder.

METHODSThirty-six SPF male rats weighted 350 to 450 g were randomly divided into rotatory fixation group (RF group), simple fixation group (SF group) and Sham group (Sham group), 12 rats in each group. Exterior vertebrae implanted through L4-L6 segments of lumbar vertebrae in RF and SF group were connected fixed device. In RF group, L5 spinous process were rotated to right, and caused L5 spinous process was non collinear with L4 and L6; in SF group, external fixed device were simple connected without rotation. At 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after fixation, whole blood viscosity changes were tested.

RESULTSAt 4 and 8 weeks after fixation, high (150/s), medium (60/s) and lower (10/s) shear rate in RF and SF group were higher than that of Sham group (P<0.05). At 1 and 12 weeks, there was no sigificant differences among three groups in whole blood viscosity (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION"Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" [symbols: see text] vertebrae could raise whole blood viscosity, increase degree of bloos stasis and induce or aggravate spinal disorder in further.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo detect the effects of lumbar vertebrae Gucuofeng on the substance P content of hypothalamus and dorsal root ganglia in rat models.

METHODSA hundred and twenty SPF level SD male rats with the weight of 350 to 450 g were randomly divided into rotary fixation group (RF group), simple fixation group (SF group) and sham-operation group (Sham group). The external link fixation system was implanted into the L4-L6 of rats in RF group and SF group; and in RF group, that the L5 spinous process was rotated to the right resulted in L4, L5, L6 spinous process not collinear; in SF group, the external link fixation system was simply implanted and not rotated. The rats of Sham group were not implanted the external link fixation system and only open and suture. The substance P content of hypothalamus and dorsal root ganglia were detected at 1, 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation.

RESULTSSubstance P content of hypothalamus in RF group and SF group was lower than Sham group at 1, 4, 8 weeks after operation (P<0.05). Substance P content of dorsal root ganglia was higher than Sham group at 1, 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation (P<0.05). There was no significant differences in the substance P content of hypothalamus among three groups at 12 weeks after operation (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONLumbar vertebrae Gucuofeng can inhibit the analgesic activity of substance P in hypothalamus and promote the synthesis and transmission of substance P in dorsal root ganglia, so as to cause or aggravate the pain.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ganglia, Spinal ; chemistry ; Hypothalamus ; chemistry ; Joint Dislocations ; metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Substance P ; analysis ; physiology

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of triptolide on bortezomib-induced apoptosis in multiple myeloma cell line NCI-H929(H929). MTT assay was applied to detect the inhibitory effects of triptolide and bortezomib alone or combined at different concentrations on H929 cells, the cell apoptosis was assayed by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The results showed that both triptolide (10 - 100 ng/ml) and bortezomib (10 - 100 nmol/L) alone or combination inhibited the proliferation of MM cell line H929 in a concentration-dependent manner. The apoptotic rate of H929 cells in group of triptolide combined with bortezomib was much higher than that in groups of single drug or control; moreover, the apoptotic rate of H929 cells treated by non-inhibitory concentration of triptolide (10 ng/ml) combined with bortezomib (40 nmol/L) for 24 h was significantly higher than that by bortezomib alone (P < 0.05). It is concluded that triptolide can significantly enhance the pro-apoptotic activity of bortezomib in MM cells.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Boronic Acids ; pharmacology ; Bortezomib ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; pathology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology

Objective To study the relationships between hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) and family history of hypertensive disease, gender, age and disease course in Guangzhou. Methods The clinical profiles of 425 (269 male and 156 female) patients with HICH admitted to Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou from 2000 to 2004 were collected. The relationships between disease incidences in different family histories of hypertensive disease, genders, ages, courses of disease and blood pressure were analyzed. Results In all 425 cases with HICH, the ratio of male to female of people with family history of hypertensive disease was significantly higher than that without in male.There were no obvious differences between with and without family history in female. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were higher in the male than in the female in young group. In middle-aged group and elder group, there were no significant differences in SBP and DBP between the male and the female. The distributions of SBP and DBP were all acute stage＞ subacute stage＞ convalescence stage. Conclusions Hypertensive disease should be supplied with different strategies of prevention and cure in accordance with different ages, genders and courses of disease, which can decrease the incidence of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage maximally.