The resistin-like molecules(RELMs)are a novel protein family with tissue-specific distribution.Recent evidences suggest their important roles in type II diabetes mellitus,inflammation,immunological reactions and cell proliferation,which provoked many interests for the researchers.This overview summarizes the structure,tissue distribution,biological functions,regulatory pathways,and their relationship with diseases of these family members.

Objective To establish the method and assess the safety，feasibility and clinical efficacies of percutaneous transhepaticcontrast-enhancedcholangio-ultrasonography(PTCECUS).Methods Twenty-one patients aged(58.5±16.65)years(range 27-93)with biliary obstruction or stricture underwent percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage or ch01ecystodrainage.A dose of more than 50 ml of 0.94% Sono Vue(Bracco，Itay)solution was injected into their bile ducts(n=17)and cholecysts(n=4)through the drainage catheter.Their biliary tracts，cholecysts and duodenums were scanned under contrast pulsed sequencing mode(CPS，Sequoia 512，Siemens)to achieve related contrast-enhanced ultrasonograms.Severity of biliary obstruction were assessed according to the PTCECUS findingswith a comparison toconventionalultrasonography(CVUS)，magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(MRCP)and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography(PTC)in a part of the patients.Results①PTCECUS gave rise to good-quality contrast-enhanced uhrasonograms of biliary tracts.②PTCECUS was superior to CVUS and in consistence with MRCP and PTC in evaluating the severity of biliary tract obstruction.This method helped to make a proper design for biliary drainage.③PTCECUS was more efficient than PTC in that PTC had the patients receive transhepatic puncture and cholangiography in separated departments.④Neither any complications immediate from transhepatic puncture and administration of SonoVue inall the 21 patients，nor those 1 to 8 months late during ultrasound follow up in 14 patients were found.Conclusions PTCECUS，characterized in bettering the display of biliary tracts，especially the severity of obstruction of biliary tracts，is safe through the procedure and valuable in supervising biliary drainage against obstructive jaundice.

Objective To culture the rabbit bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) ,and to observe their biologi-cal characteristics in vitro and the expression of BMP2 and EGFP after Ad-EGFP-BMP2 infected on them .Methods To isolate and cultivate BMSCs by density gradient centrifugation and adherent culture in vitro ;the cell cycle and the surface marks were detected by flow cytometer ;rabbit BMSCs were differentiated into the direction of osteogenetic cells by in vitro induction .After transfection , the expression of exogenous gene in the cells was detected by the immunocytochemical staining and Western blot .Results About 56 .84% of rabbit BMSCs cell cycle was in the G1 phase;the D44 expression was positive and the CD45 expression was negative ;af-ter induction by osteogenetic cells ,the Ⅰtype collagen immunohistochemical staining was positive and the alizarin red staining was positive .After transfection ,the strong expression of BMP2 and EGFP in cells was showed by Western blot and the immunocyto-chemical staining .Conclusion rabbit BMSCs are successfully isolated ,cultured and identified to have the ability of osteogenetic dif-ferentiation ;the structured Ad-BMP-2/EGFP can efficiently transfected rabit BMSCs and stably express the target gene of BMP 2 .

Objective To study the effects of short-term cryopreservation on the proliferation ,bio-characteristics and osteogenic capability of rabbit BMSCs and lay the foundation for the further study .Methods The 5th generation of rabbit BMSCs were cryo-preservated by liquid nitrogen for 30 days ,and then thawing the cells to culture it to the 10th generation in vitro ,put the non-cryo-preservated and the same generation BMSCs as the control group .The MTT ,cell cycle ,cell surface marker ,the content of ALP and the immunohistochemical staining for collagen typeⅠ and alizarin red staining for calcium after differentiation induced by osteogene-sis were used to evaluate the proliferation ,bio-characteristic and osteogenic differentiation capability of rabbit BMSCs .Results The growth incubation period of BMSCs after cryopreservated was extended ,but it gradually recover through serial passage .The prolif-eration index and the proportion of BMSCs in G1 phase were 42 .9% ± 3 .4% and 57 .0% ± 3 .4% respectively .The positive rate of cell surface marker of CD44 was 93 .62% ± 1 .05% without expression of CD45 .The contents of ALP(U/gprot) were 6 .73 ± 1 .92 and 15 .99 ± 4 .36 in BMSCs after 7th day and 14th day with osteogenic induction ,respectively .The collagen typeⅠ and alizarin red staining for calcium indicated positive at BMSCs after 14th day and 21th day with osteogenic induction ,respectively .These results showed no significant difference compared with the control group (P>0 .05) .Conclusion Short-term cryopreservation has no obvi-ous impacts on the proliferation ,bio-characteristic and osteogenic capability of BMSCs and it could be used for further study .

Objective To observe the biocompatibility of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)combined with allogeneic decalcified bone matrix(DBM)after transfecting adenoviral recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2(Ad-rhBMP-2).Methods The rabbit allogeneic DBM material was prepared according to the Ursit method.After transfecting Ad-BMP-2 on rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,the immunohistochemical was used to detect the expression of BMP-2 in the transfected cells;after 48 h of transfection,the cells were planted on the allograft DBM,then the scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the cell growth and adhesion condition on material,and the proliferation condition of BMSCs was detected by MTT. Results After 48 h of adenoviral transfection,BMSCs could express BMP-2 successfully.The scanning electron microscopy showed that the cells after transfection adhered well and massively proliferated on DBM material.The MTT assay showed that the prolifer-ation condition of the cells after transfection planted on DBM was normal,which showed no statistically significant difference when compared with the control group (P >0.05).Conclusion The Ad-BMP-2 transfection on BMSCs is well biocompatible to allogene-ic DBM.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) in mouse prostate cells and explore the putative role of EGF in prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODSSixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into two EGF groups and one control group (n=20) and subjected to subcutaneous injection of 1 and 2 microg/day EGF and distilled water, respectively, for 28 consecutive days. The cellular expression of ER and AR in the prostate of mice in different groups was evaluated by flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the positivity rate of ER and its expression level were significantly increased in the mouse prostate after EGF treatment (P<0.01), and the ER expression level was significantly higher in mouse with 2 microg/day EGF treatment than in those treated with 2 microg/day EGF (P<0.01). AR positivity rate and expression level also increased significantly in comparison with the control group (P<0.05), but no significant variation was found between 1 microg/day and 2 microg/day EGF groups.

CONCLUSIONEGF can increase the cellular expression of ER and AR in mice prostate and may play a role in the pathogenesis of prostatic hyperplasia.

Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Mice ; Prostate ; cytology ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Androgen ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; biosynthesis

Aim To explore the growth inhibition effects of jasmonates on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line,and to investigate its mechanisms.Methods After administration of 0.5~2.5 mmol?L-1 jasmonates for 6~24 hrs, the growth inhibition rates of SH-SY5Y cells were studied by MTT colorimetry.Cell cycle phases were assayed by propidium iodide staining flow cytometry. Cellular apoptosis was inspected by Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining and Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining flow cytometry.Gene expressions of PCNA, cyclin D1 and N-myc were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Results Jasmonates inhibited the growth of SH-SY5Y cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner,while the methyl jasmonate was the most efficient. After administration of 0.5 to 2.5 mmol?L-1 of methyl jasmonate for 24 hrs,the growth inhibition rates of cells reached 5.75%~88.7%(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between intrahepatic eovalently closed circular (ccc)DNA of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and pathogen-and patient-related parameters.

METHODSUltrasound-guided liver biopsies were obtained from 60 patients with chronic HBV infection. Levels of intrahepatic HBV cccDNA and serum HBV DNA were measured by quantitative fluorescence PCR. Level of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Clinical parameters, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), albumin, globulin (GLO), white blood cell, platelet, prothrombin-international normalized ratio, were measured by standard assay. Demographic information was recorded.The correlation between intrahepatic HBV cccDNA and pathogen-and patient-related parameters was assessed.

RESULTSIntrahepatic HBV cccDNA level was negatively correlated with age, GLO, ALT and grade of necroinflammation. Patients with age of 30 years or more showed significantly higher level of HBV cccDNA level than patients under 30 years-old (7.44±0.58 and 5.66±1.35; t=7.157, P less than 0.001). Intrahepatic HBV cccDNA level was positively correlated with serum HBV DNA level (r=0.916, P less than 0.001) and serum HBsAg level (r=0.727, P less than 0.001). The median ratio of HBV cccDNA to HBV DNA was 1.18, and of HBV cccDNA to HBsAg was 1.67.

CONCLUSIONIntrahepatic HBV cccDNA levels decrease with age, level of ALT, level of GLO and grade of liver necroinflammation, but increase with level of serum HBV DNA and level of serum HBsAg. To a certain extent, serum HBV DNA and serum HBsAg levels may be a sufficient marker of intrahepatic HBV cccDNA levels.

Age Distribution ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biomarkers ; DNA, Circular ; DNA, Viral ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serologic Tests

Objective:To calibrate the absorbed doses of the configured ray water with different gears of energies in accelerator based onof International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA)277 and 381 reports,so as to ensure the accuracy of the output dose of the linear accelerator during clinical radiotherapy.Methods:Elekta Infinity linear accelerator was used in this study,and the photon beam energies were respectively 6MV flattening filter(FF)mode and 6MV flattening filter free(FFF)mode.The electron beam energies were respectively 4,6,8,10,12 and 15MeV.According to the IAEA TRS277 and TRS381 reports,the calibrations of output doses in photon and electron beam waters were performed respectively by using the PTW dosimeter,PTW30013 finger type of ionization chamber and PTW34001 parallel plate ionization chamber.The error of each step was analyzed,and the accuracies of the calibrations of using different standards for the output waters of linear accelerator were compared.Results:The output amounts of photon beams of FF mode and FFF mode of 6MV at the maximum dose point in water were respectively 1.003 and 1.008cGy/MU.The output amounts of the energy of each gear of electron beams of 4,6,8,10,12 and 15MeV at the maximum dose point in water were respectively 1.003,1.002,0.998,0.999,1.000 and 1.003 cGy/MU.The calibration of the output of each gear of energy rays at the maximum dose point in water was 1cCy corresponded to 1MU,which error was less than 1%.Conclusion:The calibration for the output dose amount of accelerator in water on the basis of IAEA TRS277 and trs381 can ensure the accuracy of the output dose of the accelerator.