Objective To investigate the incidence and the correlative factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)who lives in Beixinjing blocks, Shanghai. Methods Residents with DM were enrolled according to resident health archives. The data of disease history, visual acuity, eye disease and introcular pressure were collected by inquiry and examination. Photography of ocular fundus was used to confirm the diagnosis of DR. Results A total of 535 residents excepted the examination with the participating rate of 90.68%, in whom 146 (27.29%) were identified as with DR. The incidence of single and proliferative DR was 22.29% and 4.30%, respectively. Duration of DM was the independent risk factor of DR, while long duration of DM, accompanied with peripheral neuropathy and body mass index was the in-order independent factor of proliferative DR. Conclusions The incidence of DR is high in residents with DM. Monitoring DR progress in DM residents with risk factors is recommended.

Objective To investigate the role of cerebellar dentate-interpositus (D-I) nuclei during acquisition of classical eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs. Methods A 500 ms tone conditioned stimulus (CS) was paired with a 100 ms corneal oxygen-puff unconditioned stimulus (US) in a delay paradigm. Guinea pigs were trained daily to acquire the classically conditioned eyeblink responses. Micorinjections of Muscimol into bilateral cerebellar D-I nuclei were performed during the 4-6 day of training session. A high-resolution potentiometer was used to detect the eyeblink responses. Results The conditioned response (CR) rates of Muscimol-injected group on session 4-6 were significantly lower than their rates on session 3 (P1=0.005,P2=0.004,P3=0.010); Their rates on session 7 and 8 were as the same level as those without microinjection on session 4 and 5 (P1=0.061,P2=0.669). However, there was no significant difference on their amplitude and peak latency of unconditioned responses (URs) during the entire course of training (P1=0.926,P2=0.939). Conclusion The cerebellar D-I nucleus is actively involved in the neural circuitry of motor learning, which is essential for both acquisition and performance of the classically conditioned eyeblink responses.

Objective To quantize the synergistic force in movement of upper limbs between shoulders and elbows. Methods The trans-verse forces of elbows and shoulders during movement were recorded in a healthy adult with an upper-limb-force-measuring plate form which comprised of 2 three-dimensional force sensors, respectively. Then he performed shoulder abduction/adduction and elbow extension/flexion at 100%, 75%, 50%and 25%of the maximum contraction force, respectively. The ratio of the active action force and the joint action force (named assessment index) was used to assess the synergistic degree of the forearm and the upper arm. Results In the shoulder abduc-tion motion, the assessment index decreased as the strength of active action decreased, meant interference of joint action increased. Howev-er, it was almost stable in the shoulder adduction, increased in the elbow extensionas, and was irregular in the elbow flexion, as the active ac-tion strength decreased, respectively. Conclusion It may be more difficult to control upper arm than the forearm.

In order to understand the alcohol's toxicity to the quantitative alternations of synapses in mouse visual cortex, the expression of synaptophysin after prenatal alcohol exposure was investigated. In present study, the experimental mice at P0, P7, P14 and P30 were grouped, as control, 2 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment and 4 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment. The pre-synaptic elements which were used to represent synapses were marked with synaptophysin (a synaptic vesicle associated protein) by immunocytochemistry technique. The synaptophysin positive boutons in layer VI of visual cortex were imaged under laser confocal microscope. With stereological methods, the number cal density of synapse in visual cortex was calculated in different groups at various ages. Moreover, Western blotting was carried out to detect the expression of synaptophysin in visual cortex. The results showed that prenatal alcohol exposure could cause synaptic loss with long-term effect and in a dose dependent manner. For instance, there were significant difference among the different treatment groups of P0, P14 and P30 as well (P < 0.05). Western blotting supported the results of immunofluorescent labeling. In conclusion, prenatal alcohol exposure can induce the synaptic loss dose dependently and with long-term effect. Our findings implicate that the synaptic loss with long-term effect in CNS probably contributes to the lifelong mental retardation and memorial lowliness associated with childhood FAS.

Objective To observe the adhesion and growth of LLC-PK1 cells and ECV304 cells on titania nanotube arrays, and provide evidence for construction of miniaturation bioartificial kidney. Methods Four different diameters nanotube materials were prepared by anodic oxidation, each material was processed by unannealed and with UV irradiation, annealed and without UV irradiation, annealed and with UV irradiation, respectively, which had 12 groups totally,then two kinds of cells were separately grown on the 12 materials. The adhesion and growth of the two kinds of cells were studied under a fluorescence microscope. MTT assay was used to test the activity of two kinds of cells on different diameters and the proliferation of two kinds of cells on 70 nm diameters. Results The adhesion and proliferation of two kinds of cells on TiO2 nanotube arrays were basically consistent, both on anatase TiO2 nanotubes with 70 nm diameter but without UV irradiation showed the optimal adhesion and activity. The activities of LLC-PK1 cells and ECV304 cells were both increased with time extended, while the absorbance of ECV304 cells was higher on pure Ti film than on titania nanotube. Conclusion TiO2 nanotube is beneficial to LLC-PK1 cells, but is unfavorable for ECV304 cells when they grow alone.

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that paeoniflorin functions as replenishing blood and treatment of autoimmune diseases, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels also play an important role in the body’s blood and immune function. However, paeoniflorin effects on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel proliferation and cytokine secretion and expression are rarely reported. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of paeoniflorin on proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels and the expression of interleukin-6. METHODS:Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were separated and culturedin vitro by density gradient centrifugation combined with attachment method. The biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were identified by flow cytometry and osteogenic/adipogenic induction. The proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels under different concentrations of paeoniflorin was detected by MTT method. The mRNA expression and secretion of interleukin-6 in the supernatant of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were isolated successfuly and had osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential. Compared with the controlgroup, 2 μmol/L and 10 μmol/L paeoniflorin significantly promoted the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. 10 μmol/L paeoniflorin could significantly decrease the proportion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels in G0/G1 phase and increase this proportion in S phase. Compared with the control group, the experimental group could significantly increase the secretion and mRNA expression of interleukin-6 (P < 0.01). It is concluded that paeoniflorin at certain concentrations can obviously promote the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels, and increase the expression and secretion of interleukin-6.

The hippocampus plays a critical role during the consolidation of trace eyeblink conditioned responses (CRs). However, the role of its related structure such as dentate gyms (DG) remains unclear. The present study was aimed at monitoring the activity of single granule cell in the DG during the consolidation of trace eyeblink CRs, and elucidating the possible role of DG during this hippocampus-dependent task. Guinea pigs (n=8) were trained on a trace eyeblink conditioning paradigm using a 200-ms tone conditioned stimulus (CS), a 200-ms corneal airpuff unconditioned stimulus (US) and a 600-ms trace interval. Controls consisted of pseudo- conditioned guinea pigs (n=8). Extracellular single unit recordings in vivo were performed in the DG of learner animals during the consolidation of trace eyeblink CRs. The results revealed that all the trace-conditioned animals acquired the trace eyeblink CRs over 14 training days, however, none of the pseudo-conditioned animals did. Furthermore, 23 of 40 single granule cells in the DG of learner animals exhibited heterogeneous activity patterns during the consolidation of trace eyeblink CRs such as increases in activities to the tone CS, trace interval or airpuff US. The results suggested that the DG might participate in the neural circuit important for the consolidation of trace eyeblink CRs, and that the granule cells might encode different information during the consolidation of trace eyeblink CRs.

AIM: To explore the transport and delivery of active drug from dexamethasone-angelica sinensis polysaccharides prodrug in the gastrointestinal tract of rats. METHODS: Dexamethasone and the prodrug were orally administered to rats at the dose of 1.96 mg?kg~ -1 (calculated by carried dexamethasone). The drugs in the plasma and contents of different parts of the rats' gastrointestinal tract were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Dexamethasone carried by the prodrug was mainly released in the contents and mucosa of cecum and colon after oral administration of the prodrug. The absorption of released dexamethasone was reduced significantly. The peak time, peak concentration and AUC were 7.2 h , 42 ?g?L~ -1 and 334 ?g?h?L~ -1 , respectively. However, free dexamethasone was found mainly in the contents and mucosa of the stomach, proximal and distal small intestine after oral administration. The peak time, peak concentration and AUC were 2.2 h, 2 120 ?g?L~ -1 and 11 875 ?g?h?L~ -1 , respectively. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone can be specifically delivered to the cecum and colon by using dexamethasone- angelica sinensis polysaccharides prodrug. The absorption of dexamethasone was reduced significantly and the drug concentration in colon was increased significantly. The prodrug has a potential in the treatment of colitis.

AIM:To explore the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone Angelica sinensis polysaccharide prodrug(DEX-AP) on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS) induced ulcerative colitis(UC) in rats and its side effects.METHODS: The experimental UC rats were induced by clusis of the solution of TNBS in 45% alcoho1(50(mg?ml~(-1))).The UC rats were orally administrated with(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX and(0.05),(0.25),(1.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX-AP(calculated by carried DEX in DEX-AP) for 7 days,respectively.The rats were killed after the amount of peripheral blood lymphocyte was counted,then the spleen,thymus and colon were separated and weighted.After the ulcerative area of colon was calculated,the colonic myeloperoxidase(MPO) activity was determined and parts of colon were paraffin sectioned and examined under light microscope by HE stain.RESULTS: After the UC rats were administrated with different doses of DEX-AP for 7 days,the ulcerative area,the weight and the MPO activity of colon reduced significantly.The reduction of MPO activity was correlated to the dose of DEX-AP and the MPO activity with DEX-AP at the doses of(0.25),(1.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) reduced more significantly than that with DEX at the the dose of(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)).The number of peripheral blood lymphocyte,spleen weight and thymus weight of UC rats reduced significantly at the dose of(0.25)(?mol?kg~(-1)?d~(-1)) DEX(P

Objective To investigate the expression of pSTAT5 in 7 pancreatic carcinoma cell lines,and the change of expression of pSTAT5 in pancreatic carcinoma cells SW1990 after growth hormone (GH) treatment, and explore its molecular mechanism. Methods Human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines (SW1990, Cap-1, Colo, Mia, AsPc, P3, PANC1) were cultured in vitro, and Western blotting was used to detect the expression of pSTAT5 in these cell lines. SW1990 in exponential growth phase was collected and nude Balb/c mice were inoculated with SW1990 cells. When tumors became palpable after inoculation, mice (normal saline group). 1 h, 2 h and 24 h after the last dose of GH treatment, the mice were sacrificed.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of pSTAT5 in SW1990 and inoculation tumor cells after GH injection. Results Positive expression of pSTAT5 was observed in all human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines (SW1990, Cap-1, Colo, Mia, Aspc, P3, PANC1). 5 minutes after GH (50 ng/ml) stimulation, the expression of pSTAT5 in SW1990 was 0.57 ±0.05, which was significantly increased; and it reached 0.64 ±0.04 at 10 minutes, then decreased to 0.39 ±0.03 at 15 minutes, however, it remained higher than that in the control group at 1 h (0.33 ± 0.02 vs 0.25 ± 0.06), and its expression at 2 h was 0.26 ± 0.03 and returned to the normal level. The expression of pSTAT5 in xenograft was not significantly changed. Conclusions GH could rapidly up-regulate the expression of pSTAT5 in SW1990 but the effect lasted for a relatively short period. GH had no significant effect on the expression of pSTAT5 in xenograft.