AIM:To investigate the effect of pretreatment of stem cell factor(SCF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF) on the proliferation and the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) into cardiomyogenic cells.METHODS:The MSCs,isolated primarily from bone marrow,and purified by passage culture,were obtained from the adult rats of four groups:the rats were pretreated by 5 daily injections of SCF;the rats were pretreated with G-CSF;the rats were pretreated with SCF and G-CSF;the rats were treated without any intervention.The 4th passage of MSCs was labeled by DAPI and cellular cycle analysis was conducted by flow cytometry before co-culture.The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes cultured for 3 days were co-cultured with DAPI-MSCs.The percentage of the differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyogenic cells during the five co-culture days was analyzed.The morphologic changes of MSCs and the proteins expression of cardiac myosin heavy chain(MHC) and troponin T(TnT) were recorded respectively with digital microscope camera system and immunofluorescence technique.The percentage of the differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyogenic cells was also calculated.RESULTS:The percentage of MSCs in G0/G1 phase in SCF/G-CSF group was significantly lower than that in SCF group,G-CSF group and the control group.The percentage of MHC protein-positive MSCs in SCF/G-CSF group was markedly higher than that in SCF group,G-CSF group and the control group,and that in SCF group and G-CSF group was significantly higher than control group.The percentage of TnT protein-positive MSCs in SCF/G-CSF group,SCF group and G-CSF group was significantly higher than that in control group.CONCLUSION:SCF and G-CSF show the ability to stimulate the proliferation of MSCs and induce MSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes.The combination of using SCF and G-CSF is more effective than using only SCF or G-CSF.

Objective To survey prevalence of behavior problems in children of off-farm workers and effects of family factors on children' s behavior problems.Methods The study was done in the whole 7 schools for off-farm workers' children in Shanghai Baoshan district,including all 3 ～ 6 grades students of primary school and 1 ～3 grades students of junior high school.Totally 4350 students finished survey (95.4％).Achenbach' s child behavior checklist ( CBCL,parent' s version) and general family questionnaire were used.Results ( 1 ) Prevalence of behavior problems in children was 11.2％ ; 12.8％ 12 ～ 16 years children had behavior problems( 14.7％boys and 10.4％ girls) ; 11.4％ of one-child children had behavior problems compared with that of 11.2％ child with siblings children ( x2 =0.038,P ＞ 0.05 ).(2) Total score ( 20.64 ± 17.67 ) and factor scores of thought problems,depressed,hyperactivity,delinquent rule-breaking behavior were higher than those of Chinese norm (P ＜0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ) among 6 ～ 11 years boy group.Total score ( 17.23 ± 14.73 ) and scores of thought problems,depressed,social problems,hyperactivity,delinquent rule-breaking behavior were higher than those of Chinese norm (P ＜ 0.01 ) among 6 ～ 11 years girl group.Among 12 ～ 16 years boy group,total score (20.44 ± 19.32) and all factor scores of CBCL were higher than those of Chinese norm(P＜0.01 ).Total score ( 17.02 ± 16.72) and scores of immature,delinquent rule-breaking behavior,brutality were higher than those of Chinese norm(P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜0.01 ) among 6 ～ 11 years girl group.(3)Multi-regression analysis showed that poor parent-child relationship was the most important predict factor for higher score of CBCL among all family risk factors (P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion Children of the off-farm workers and their families need special mental health care program.

Adaptation, Physiological ; Animals ; Brain Stem ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Gene Expression ; Gene Library ; Motion Sickness ; genetics ; Rats

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Motion Sickness ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In order to investigate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograpy (ERCP) in liver cirrhosis patients with common bile duct stones, we retrospectively analyzed data of 46 common bile duct stones patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent ERCP between 2000 and 2008. There were 12 cases of Child-Pugh A, 26 cases of Child-Pugh B, and 8 cases of Child-Pugh C. 100 common bile duct stones patients without liver cirrhosis were randomly selected. All the patients were subjected to ERCP for biliary stones extraction. The rates of bile duct clearance and complications were compared between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. The success rate of selective biliary cannulation was 95.6% in liver cirrhotic patients versus 97% in non-cirrhotic patients (P>0.05). The bile duct clearance rate was 87% in cirrhotic patients versus 96% in non-cirrhotic patients, but the difference was not statistically significant. Two liver cirrhotic patients (4.35%, 2/46) who were scored Child-Pugh C had hematemesis and melena 24 h after ERCP. The hemorrhage rate after ERCP in non-cirrhotic patients was 3%. The hemorrhage rate associated with ERCP in Child-Pugh C patients was significantly higher (25%, 2/8) than that (3%, 3/100) in non-cirrhotic patients (P<0.01%). There was no significant difference between these two groups in the rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and cholangitis. ERCP is safe and effective for Child-Pugh A and B cirrhotic patients with common bile duct stones. Hemorrhage risk in ERCP is higher in Child-Pugh C patients.

Objective To explore the CT features of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML), and to improve the diagnosis of this disease.Methods The clinical materials and image findings of 15 cases (8 female, 7 male) with renal EAML proved by pathologies were retrospectively studied.Plain and enhancement CT scan were performed in all 15 patients.Nine of the 15 cases were correctly diagnosed and the other were misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (n=5), renal oncocytoma (n=1).Results There were some distinctive findings of EAML: (1) Little hypodense or iso-high-density, well defined, round lesion with diameter of 2 to 5 cm.(2) The tumor may involve the medulla of kidney or grow out without haematuria.(3) Most lesions showed obviously uniformity enhancement at artery phase, with a few of them showed inhomogeneous enhancement There were thickening and circuitous vessels in a few lesions.(4) Enhancement mode was quick-in and quick-out.Conclusions CT findings combined with clinical materials have important value in making a correct diagnosis of EAML preoperatively.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asthma ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

This study is to screen the Chinese herbal compounds which could inhibit the production of Abeta and investigate the underlying mechanism. Ten types of compounds which have potential value in the treatment of AD were selected as initial screening trial. The cell models which used could overexpress Abeta and beta-secretases or Abeta and gamma-secretases. Extracellular Abeta was determined by ELISA after the cell models treated with different concentrations of compounds (0.5-100 micromol x L(-1)), separately. Then the compounds were selected which could inhibit extracellular Abeta and their best concentration ranges were decided, too. Furthermore, the cell viability and apoptosis rate, the level of intracellular Abeta, beta and gamma-secretases were determined after the cell models treated with different concentrations of selected compounds. The results showed that 4 of the 10 compounds could reduce the level of extracellular Abeta; they were cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin, and their best concentration ranges were 0.5-5.0, 0.5-5.0, 5.0-50, 1.0-25 micromol x L(-1), respectively. Further study indicated that the 4 selected compounds were nontoxic to the cellular models and lowering intracellular Abeta were more effective compared with extracellular; of which astragalosides and gastrodin showed dose-dependent inhibition to the activities of beta and gamma-secretases, with the maximum inhibiting rates of 78.2% and 80.3%, respectively. In conclusion, cryptotanshinone, astragalosides, gastrodin and paeoniflorin could inhibit the expression and secretion of Abeta, and the underlying inhibiting mechanism of astragalosides and gastrodin were related with the reduction of the beta and gamma-secretase activities, respectively.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Apoptosis ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate CT findings of concealed rupture of intestine following abdominal trauma.Methods CT findings of 11 cases with concealed rupture of intestine following abdominal trauma proved by surgery were identified retrospectively.Results The main special signs included:(1)Free air in 4 cases,mainly around injured small bowel or under the diaphragnl,or in the retroperhoneal space or and in the lump.(2)High density hematoma between the intestines or in the bowel wall(4 cases).(3)Bowel wall injury sign,demonstrated as low density of the injured intestinal wall,anenuated locally but relatively enhanced in neiighbor wall on enhanced CT.(4)Lump around the injured bowel wall with obvious ring.shaped enhancement(4 cases).Other signs included:(1)Free fluid in the abdominal cavity or between the intestines with blurred borders.(2)Bowel obstruction.Conclusion CT is valuable in diagnosing concealed rupture of intestine following abdominal trauma.

Objective To measure and evaluate mesenteric artery by comparing the multi-slice spiral CT mesenteric artery images with autopsy specimens. Methods Totally 230 normal subjects were selected to undergo abdominal multi-slice spiral CT and enhanced CT. We processed the images;R3econstructed 3D images, analyzed and compare the mesenteric artery images obtained by multi-slice spiral CT with autopsy specimens. Results 1. Diameters of mesenteric artery obtained by vivo image were significantly larger than that of autopsy specimens (P<0.05);2. Start locations, branch types and running directions of both superior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric artery were much different between traditional autopsy specimens information and our results.3. Different reconstruction methods had different advantages. Especially, STS-MIP method could present the level of mesenteric artery better. Conclusion The method for mesenteric artery study using multi-slice spiral CT can enhance scanning and 3D reconstruction with workstation has been approved to work well, and it is superior to traditional autopsy specimen method. It is also convenient for mesenteric artery scientific evaluation. The result data of this method are reliable. Moreover, this method is available to research with large number of specimen.