Background and purpose:Ara-C is one of the most effective and common agents in the treatment of acute nonlyphocytic leukemia. Telomerase is a unique complex of ribonucleoprotein. It plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of cancer. In this study, we investigate the changes of mRNA expression of telomerase subunits in HL-60 cells induced by Ara-c and try to come up with a theory that could help to assess the efficacy of Ara-C. Methods:The combinations of various Ara-C concentration and the incubation time were used to treat HL-60. The ratios of apoptotic cell to necrosis cell were determined by flow cytometry and the expressions of telomerase subunits mRNA were evaluated by RT-PCR.Results:① There was no influence on transcription of telomerase subunits gene after HL-60 cells was cultured with 0~0.2ug/ml Ara-C for 12 hours;② 2ug/ml and 10ug/ml of Ara-C could down regulate the expression of hTERT from 0.80+0.07 to 0.50+0.04 and 0.39+0.03, not hTR and hTP1;③ with longer incubation with 10ug/ml of Ara-C, the percentage of apoptosis could be increased. The maximal induction of apoptosis (18.16+4.25%) could be reached at 12hrs treatment of Ara-C, then gradually decreased later on. The rate of necrosis increased with time, the maximal percentage(57.94+12.03%) of necrosis was observed at 48hrs of incubation time with drug. The mRNA level of hTERT gene also decreased along with the cultured time , the lowest value (0.18+0.03) has been documented at 48hrs time point, but not hTR、TP1.Conclusions:① Ara-C could down-regulate the expression of hTERT mRNA in a dose-and time-dependent manner, but not hTR、hTP1;② There might be no relationship between the percentage of apoptosis induced by Ara-C apoptosis and the expression of telomerase hTERT gene mRNA, but a close relationship between necrosis and the expression of hTERT mRNA has been found.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in diffuse brain injury (DBI) of rats and to explore the corresponding effect of AQP4 for brain edema. METHODS: The rat model of DBI was established using Marmarou's impact-compression trauma model. Brain water content was measured by dry-wet weight method. Blood-brain barrier permeability was evaluated by Evans blue (EB) staining. Immunohistochemical method was used to observe the expression of AQP4. RESULTS: Brain water content increased after 3 h and peaked at 24 h after DBI. Brain EB content significantly increased and peaked at 12 h after DBI. The expression of AQP4 significantly increased after 3 h and peaked at 24 h after DBI, and the number of AQP4 positive astrocytes increased. CONCLUSION The increment of the permeability of blood-brain barrier and the expression of AQP4 may contribute to the development of brain edema in rat DBI. The change of AQP4 expression in astrocytes may also contribute to determine DBI.
Animals ; Aquaporin 4/metabolism* ; Astrocytes ; Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism* ; Brain ; Brain Edema/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries/metabolism* ; Cell Membrane Permeability/genetics* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Permeability ; Rats ; Water

Objective To explore the effect of long-term depleted uranium (DU)ingestion on testosterone production in rats, and its involvement mechanism. Methods Male and female rats (F0 and F1 respectively) for 160 days, respectively. The contents of testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in serum were detected in 20 months of F0 generations, and 15 months of F1 generations. RT-PCR was used to analyze the levels of StAR mRNA and P450scc mRNA. Results Compared with the normal control group, the testosterone contents in exposed F0 and F1 generations increased, the lowest was 51.73 U/L, but those of LH and FSH decreased. The expression of StAR mRNA in the low-doze group of F1 generation (StAR/β-actin = 1.35) was up-regulated, down-regulated for other groups.compared with the normal control group (P450scc/β-actin = 0. 313), the expression of P450scc mRNA in the low- and high-dose groups of F0 generation were decreased (P450scc/β-actin = 0.21), and those in the low- and high-dose groups of F1generation were increased (P450scc/β-actin = 0.623) (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion Long-term DU exposure inhibit the male reproduction by intervening the sexual hormone production through down-regulated the expression of StAR mRNA and P450scc roRNA.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of unilateral pedicle screw fixation in treating thoracolumbar fractures through paraspinal approach.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to January 2009,21 patients with single level thoracolumbar fracture without neurological symptoms were treated with unilateral pedicle screw fixation through paraspinal approach. There were 14 males and 7 females,aged from 21 to 65 years old with a mean of 36.4 years. The duration from injury to operation ranged from 6 h to 5 d with an average of 3 d. According to the classification of Denis fracture, compression fractures happedned in 12 cases and burst fractures happened in 9 cases,including 1 case with T5 fracture, 2 cases with T7 fracture, 2 cases with T10 fracture, 3 cases with T11 fracture, 8 cases with T12 fracture, and 5 cases with L1 fracture. Based on the Flankel grade, all patients were classified as grade E. Anterior vertebral body height ratio, sagittal Cobb angle, condition of internal fixation failure, visual analogue score (VAS) were evaluated.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 12 to 36 months with an average of 20.5 months. No internal fixation failure was found. Anterior vertebral body height ratios at preoperative 3 days after operation and last follow-up were 54.3 +/- 2.8, 92.9 +/- 1.5, 93.8 +/- 1.7, respectively;sagittal Cobb angle at the three timepoints were (27.8 +/- 2.5) degrees, (5.3 +/- 0.8) degrees, (6.3 +/- 1.4) degrees, respectively; the difference was statistical significant (P < 0.05). VAS was (1.2 +/- 0.4) points at last follow-up and had obviously improved (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of thoracolumbar fractures with unilateral pedicle screw fixation through paraspinal approach is safe with the advantages of micro-trauma and less blood loss,which can not only completely retain the posterior spinal complex structure, reinforce the spinal stability, raise the reductional quality, but also improve the strength of fixation and the distribution of stress force.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of urotensin II (UII) on the lung of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) with congenital heart disease and investigate the meaning of this phenomenon.

METHODThirty eight patients with CHD were divided into three groups according to pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) measured in cardiac catheterization and surgery: normal pulmonary pressure group (N group, PASP < 30 mm Hg, n = 10), mild PH group (M group, PASP ≥ 30 mm Hg, n = 15), severe or moderate PH group (S group, PASP ≥ 50 mm Hg, n = 13). The expression of UII protein and UII mRNA in pulmonary arterioles were measured separately by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis.

RESULT(1) The results of UIIIHC staining: The UII protein expression of group M was higher than that of group N (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 14.34 ± 2.18, P < 0.01), but less than group S (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 28.92 ± 3.22, P < 0.05). (2) The results of UIIISH mRNA staining were similar to IHC staining, the A value of group M was higher than group N (12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 8.85 ± 1.41, P < 0.05), less than that of group S(12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 25.35 ± 4.33, P < 0.01). (3) Correlation study: there was a positive correlation between the A values of UIIIHC and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.64, P < 0.01, n = 38), a positive correlation between the A values of UIIISH and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.58, P < 0.01, n = 38).

CONCLUSIONThere was the expression of Urotensin II protein and mRNA in the lung of pulmonary hypertension patients with congenital heart disease, and these expression may involve the formation of pulmonary hypertension of congenital heart disease.

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Infant ; Lung ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Severity of Illness Index ; Urotensins ; genetics ; metabolism

Background Retinitis pigmentosa (RP)is a common hereditary blinding eye disease in ophthalmology.Current researches documented that RP may have the common pathophysiologic basis to Alzheimer disease and chronic neurodegenerative disease.Understanding this mechanism will offer a new therapeutic target for RP.Objective The purpose of the present study was to investigate the roles of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)/P25 activation in the apoptosis of retinal neural cells of RCS rats.Methods Eighteen SPF RCS rats and 18 RCS-rdy+ rats were randomized into 17-,25-and 35-day groups respectively and 6 rats for each.The rats were sacrificed at corresponding time points and retinal hemogenete was prepared.Expressions of CdkS,P35,P25 and tau phosphorylation in the retinas were detected by Western blot,and the kinase activity of Cdk5/P25 was analyzed by quantitative colorimetric assay.Results The expressing level of P35 protein(A340) in the retinas of 17-day-old RCS rats was near that of 17-day-old RCS-rdy+ rats(t =0.52,P＞0.05).In 25-and 35-day-old RCS rats,the expressing levels of P35 protein were 2.20±0.48 and 1.23±0.14,which were higher than those of RCS-rdy+ rats(1.43±0.13 and 0.93±0.10),showing significant differences between them(t =3.78,4.28,P＜0.05).The expression of P25 was undetectable at postnatal 17 days in RCS rats and RCS-rdy+ rats,but it showed significantly higher in RCS rats(0.300±0.003 and 0.230±0.004) than that in RCS-rdy+ rats(0.040±0.004 and 0.070±0.004) at postnatal 25 days and 35 days(t=121.81,77.51,P＜0.01).No significant difference was found in the expression of Cdk5 in RCS rats and RCS-rdy+ rats at different ages (t =-0.60,0.19,1.62,P＞ 0.05).The kinase activity of Cdk5/P25 did not show significantly different between RCS and RCS-rdy+ rats at postnatal 17 days(t =0.19,P＞0.05),but significantly higher kinase activity of Cdk5/P25 was seen in RCS rats (0.0058 ±0.0005 and 0.0056±0.0004) than that in RCS-rdy+ rats(0.0038±0.0003 and 0.0032 ±0.0007) at postnatal 25 days and 35 days (t =8.07,5.97,P＜ 0.01).No expression of tau phosphorylation was detected in RCS rats at postnatal 17 days,but significantly higher tau phosphorylation level was seen in RCS rats at postnatal 25 days and 35 days(1.80±0.22 and 1.23±0.17),which were significant different in comparison with RCS-rdy+ rats at postnatal 25 days and 35 days(1.60 ±0.20 and 1.04 ±0.12)(t=4.71,3.17,P＜0.05).Conclusions The Cdk5/P25 kinase activity shows a consistent trend with theexpressions of P25 and tau phosphorylation in the RCS rats,indicating that the upregulation of P25 induces the enhance of enzyme activity of Cdk5,which phosphorylate its substrates to result in more apoptosis of retinal neural cells.

To investigate the upregulated genes associated with cold acclimation, a cold acclimation model was established based on Balb/C mouse. mRNA of muscle and liver were isolated, and the upregulated genes of these tissues were studied by representational differential analysis (RDA). The upregulated genes then were sequenced and searched by Blast software in GenBank database. The results showed that some genes were upregulated and possibly associated with cold acclimation. Three of these genes, transferrin, fibrinogen B-beta-chains and a new gene fragment (Genbank ID: AF454762), were confirmed to be upregulated by RNA slot-blot analysis. The finding of these genes might contribute to further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cold acclimation.
Acclimatization ; genetics ; Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Gene Expression ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Transcriptome ; Up-Regulation

Objective To find out the best method for elimination of uranium contamination in rat tissues as low as possible by removal of shrapnel fragments. Methods Experimental rats were divided into six groups: route group, decontamination before surgery group, decontamination in incision group, changing surgical appliances group, removing tissues around group, and comprehensive method group. Uranium concentrations in tissues and fluids in all groups were measured at 7, 14, and 21 d after operation. The efficiency of decontamination by different methods was compared. Results The highest uranium concentration in tissues was found in the route group, but the lowest in the comprehensive method group, and the second lowest in removing tissues around group. Conclusion The comprehensive method is the best one in all of the surgical removal methods. The soft tissues around DU shrapnels should be removed if they are not critical organs.

trimester. Conclusion Moderate and severe PIH early developed during pregnancy could increase the risk of perinatal mortality, while cesarean delivery could decrease the risks in women with PIH.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of virtual reality (VR) training on the gross motor function of the lower limb and the fine motor function of the upper limb in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

METHODSThirty-five children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to VR training group (n=19) and conventional training group (n=16). The conventional training group received conventional physical therapy and occupational therapy for three months. The VR training group received VR training and occupational therapy for three months. Grip and visual-motor integration subtests in Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 were used to evaluate the fine movement in patients before and after treatment. The D and E domains of the 88-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used to evaluate the gross movement in patients before and after treatment.

RESULTSBefore treatment, there were no significant differences in grip, visual-motor integration, fine motor development quotient, scores of D and E domains of GMFM-88, MAS score, or BBS score between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, all the indices were significantly improved in the VR training group compared with the conventional training group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSVR training can effectively improve the gross motor function of the lower limb and the fine motor function of the upper limb in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Extremities ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Movement ; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy