Objective To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of oridonin combined with valproic acid( VPA)on leukemic cell line HL-60,and study the feasibility of oridonin combined with VPA to be used in clinical practice. Methods Oridonin of 6-12 μmol/L combined with VPA of 0. 5-1 mmol/L were added in exponential growth HL-60 cells respectively. Cell count assays were used to measure the growth inhibitory effect of oridonin combined with VPA or alone. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate apoptosis with Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining. Results Combined use of oridonin and VPA could synergistically inactivate HL-60 cells,and inhibit the cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Oridonin has a synergistic effect combined with VPA. Oridonin has a promising prospect in clinical use of leukemia.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine(ADMA)is a nitric oxide synthase(NOS)inhibitor.ADMA is formed by methylation of L-arginine residues.It innbits the formation of vasoactive substances(nitric oxide),resulting in endothelial dysfunction and vaseular diseases.A number of studies have suggested that ADMA may be a risk factor for stroke.The expression of ADMA increases significantly in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia,carotid stenosis and cardiovascular disease.

Donor shortage in corneal transplantation is an emerging issue.Recent studies showed that compared with other organ transplantation,the rejection of corneal transplantation is weak due to the immune privilege,and the anatomical and biomechanical properties of human corneas are similar to pig corneas,so genetically engineered pigs have great potentials as a new source for clinical transplantation.This review discussed current knowledge of the pathogenesis of the rejection mechanism,recent advances in gene engineering pig,and feasibility of porcine xenocorneal graft.

Objective To explore the expression level of CD4+ CD25+ CD127low-regulatory T cells (Treg) in the peripheral blood of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals,and its association with liver pathology.Methods Thirty-five HBV-infected individuals and 20 healthy controls were enrolled.The frequencies of peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg were detected by flow cytometry.HBV-related serological tests as well as ultrasound-guided liver biopsies were performed in HBV-infected individuals.The two groups were compared by t test.Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses were performed.Results The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of HBV-infected individuals was (34.57 ± 15.36) U/L,with 25 subjects of ALT＜40 U/L.Twenty subjects were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive,and 15 were HBeAg negative.The frequency of the peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg in HBV-infected individuals was (5.59 ±1.50)％,which was significantly higher than that in healthy controls [(4.85±0.95) ％ ; t=2.191,P=0.033].The level of peripheral blood CD4+ CD25-CD127low/-Treg was positively correlated with HBV viral load (r=0.495,P=0.003).Thirty-one subjects had liver inflammatory score ≤2,with a peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg level of (5.80 ± 1.44) ％,which was significantly higher than that of the rest 4 subjects who had liver inflammatory score ＞2 [(4.00±0.77)％; t=2.425,P=0.021].Twenty-four subjects had liver fibrosis score ＜2,with a peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg level of (6.00±1.44) ％,which was significantly higher than that of the rest 11 subjects who had liver fibrosis score ≥ 2 [(4.70 ± 1.24)％; t =2.559,P＝0.015].The expression of CD4 + CD25 +CD127low/-Treg in peripheral blood was inversely correlated with liver inflammation (r=-0.539,P=0.001) and fibrosis (r =-0.488,P =0.003) in HBV-infected individuals.Conclusions CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-Treg is associated with chronic condition and liver damage of hepatitis B.It may play an important role in occurrence,development and prognosis of the disease.

Objective To investigate the symptom characteristis as well as the clinical assessment methods of dysphagia and oral motor function in children with cerebral palsy(CP).Methods A total of 116 children with CP,aged 18 months to 96 months(66 boys and 50 girls),treated in Qingdao Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children from June 2009 to September 2010,were included in the study.Diagnosis and subtype of CP were determined by neuropaediatrician,the dysphagia disorders survey(DDS)as well as oral motor assessment were conducted by the speech therapists.Results Of the 116 cases,22.4％ of the cases were with mild dysphagia and 34.5％ with moderate to severe dysphagia,resulting in a prevalence of dysphagia of 56.9％.The main problems of these cases occurred during oral phase and pharyngeal phase,including inadequate feeding skills(involving sucking,biting,chewing or/and swallowing),coughing,vomiting and choking during feeding,cry/overextension of neck and head during feeding,drooling,hypertonic tongue and inadequate tongue lateralization.The severe dysphagia was encountered frequently in children with spastic quadriplegic,dyskinetic or mixed type CP children.Of the 116 cases,90 cases(77.59％)were with oral motor dysfunction(including all spastic quadriplegic,dyskinetic or mixed type children).The oral motor scores of CP children were significantly lower than those of the controls(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Oral phase dysphagia and oral motor disorder might be considered as the common clinical problems among the patients with CP,and could be assessed by using DDS combined with oral motor assessment,but for dysphagia during pharyngeal or esophagus phase,the videofluoroscopic modified barium swallow should be used for further evaluation.

Objective To explore the pathogenic effect of serum platelet derived growth factor(PDGF) in Henoch - Schonlein pur-pura nephritis(HSPN) and the influence of heparin. Methods The levels of serum PDGF were detected before and after heparin therapy by double antibody ELISA in the peripheral blood of patients. All patients were injected with heparin calcium[100 U/(kg?d)] for two to three weeks. Results The levels of serum PDGF(596.23 ? 199.43) ng/L in 30 HSPN cases before heparin therapy were significantly higher than those of the control group(259.76?69.58) ng/L (P

Objective To investigate the effects of neurotrophics and rehabilitation on the neural function recovery after the hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats. Methods Model rats of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury were given monosialotetrahexosylganglioside sodium(GM1, n=8), mouse nerve growth factor (NGF, n=8), both drugs (n=8), rehabilitation (n=8), both drugs+rehabilitation (n=8) and control (nointervention, n=8). The other 7 rats was as sham group. They were assessed with hanging and inclined plane test when 30 days old. ResultsIn the factorial design, main effect of GM1 was significant (P<0.05) but NGF (P>0.05) in hanging test; while both were significant in inclinedplane test. The interaction was not significant (P>0.05) in both tests. The main effects of drugs and rehabilitation were significant (P<0.05), as well as the interaction (P<0.05) in both tests. Conclusion GM1 may significantly improve muscle strength, voluntary movement,balance and coordination functions, and NGF may improve the balance and coordination functions. No interaction is found when combinedwith the two therapies. Rehabilitation may significantly improve muscle strength, voluntary movement, coordination and balance, and synergyeffects can be gained when combined with the drugs.

Objective To compare differences of gut microbiome between patients with severe acne vulgaris and healthy individuals by using high-throughput sequencing technology.Methods Stool samples were collected from 10 outpatients with severe acne vulgaris and 10 age-and sex-matched healthy controls.Then,the bacterial DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing for the identification of microbial species,and the differences of gut microbiome were compared between the patients and controls.Results There were no significant differences in the diversity of intestinal microflora,but only the relative abundance of a few bacteria differed significantly between the two groups.Gut microbiome in the two groups mainly consisted of Bacteroidetes,Firmicutes,Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria.There were no significant differences in the relative abundance of bacteria at the phylum and genus levels between the two groups.However,the relative abundance of Blautia producta and Coprococcus eutactus at the species level differed remarkably between the two groups.Conclusion No significant differences in the bacterial diversity indices are found,but some bacterial species significantly differ between the patients with severe acne vulgaris and healthy controls.

Objective To detect mutations in the OSMR gene in 2 Chinese families with familial primary cutaneous amyloidosis (FPCA),and to analyze their relationship with clinical manifestations.Methods Clinical data were collected from 2 families with FPCA,and genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples.PCR was performed to amplify 18 exons and their flanking sequences of the OSMR gene followed by DNA sequencing in 2 probands and their family members.One hundred healthy individuals served as controls.Results In the first family,a heterozygous mutation (c.2081C ＞ T) in exon 15 of the OSMR gene,which leads to a codon change at amino acid position 694 (p.P694L),was identified in the proband,as well as in the other 4 patients.In the second family,a heterozygous mutation (c.1538G ＞A) in exon 11 of the OSMR gene,which causes a codon change at amino acid position 513 (p.G513D),was identified in the other proband and her mother,suggesting the cosegregation of the gene mutation with the disease.None of the above mutations were detected in the healthy family members or controls.Conclusion The heterozygous mutations p.P694L and p.G513D in the OSMR gene may be associated with primary cutaneous amyloidosis.

Objective:To study the possible role of LPS and IL-13 on IL-12 production of mesangial cells in vitro.Methods:The production of IL-12 in mesangial cells was detected with ELISA kit under following different treatments:①Mesangial cells were cultured with LPS(20 ?g/ml)under different time;②The cells were cultured with different concentrations of LPS for 24 h.For observation of the effect of IL-13 on IL-12 production by mesangial cells,three groups were designed:control group,LPS(10 ?g/ml)group and different concentrations of IL-13 with LPS (10 ?g/ml).ELISA was applied to detect IL-12 in supernatants fluid from mesangial cells cultured for 24 h.The expression of IL-12p40 mRNA by mesangial cells cultured for 20 h was evaluated by RT-PCR.Results:Under basal conditions (no LPS) the production of IL-12 was hardly detected.The levels of IL-12 stimulated by LPS was significantly increased in certain doses,but the levels of IL-12 reduced accompanied with the doses and time increasing of LPS stimulantion.IL-13(1-100 ng/ml) inhibited the protein and mRNA expression of IL-12 in a dose-dependent manner(P