Objective To investigate the structure and function of cross-links on stereocilia of guinea pig outer hair cell (OHC). Method The ultrastructures of cross-links on stereocilia of guinea pig OHC were observed by scanning electron microscopy and tannic acid procedures. Results The side-links ran horizontally between OHC stereocilia. The stereocilia of the same and different row on each hair cell were joined by horizontally-running links. The side-links were observed in the first turn as well as the fourth turn. There were more side-links on the intact stereocilia than that on the disrupted arrangement. The side-links in the first turn and the fourth turn were more abundant than that in the second turn and the third turn. The side-links between stereocilia were spare if the stereocilia were separated. The number of side-links on stereocilia was proportional to the number of bulb-like structures on stereocilia. Conclusion The side-link is a kind of morphological structure on hair cells stereocilia of cochlea. The results suggest that cross-links play an important role in maintaining the structure and function of the hair cell stereocilia.

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) is the first rate-limiting enzyme for sesquiterpene synthesis in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. The specific primers were designed according to the transcript sequence of AsHMGR2 from the Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Gilg transcriptome database. The full-length cDNA of AsHMGR2 was cloned by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technology, and was analyzed at bioinformatics levels; AsHMGR2 expression profiles in different tissues and in responds to different treatments were analyzed by real-time PCR. The length of AsHMGR2 Open Reading Frame (ORF) was 1 749 bp, encoding 582 amino acids. The GenBank accession number is KC140287. Tissue expression analysis indicated that AsHMGR2 was mainly expressed in root and shoot tips, followed by stem, and was lowest in leaves. Inducible-experiments showed that the genes were induced by mechanical wound as well as chemical liquid induction, and reached the highest expression level at 6 h and 8 h, separately. The full-length cDNA of AsHMGR2 and its expression patterns will provide a foundation for further research on its function in agarwood sesquiterpene biosynthesis.

Objective To show the capability of NF-κB expression in cochlea. Methods Kanamycin (KA) was subcutaneously injected twice daily for 3 and 7 days with an eight hours interval between two injections, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the tympanic cavity of mice. Equal amount of saline was injected for 7 days as control. Frozen sections of all mice cochleae were examined immmunohistochemichally with rabbit polyclonal NF-κB p50. Expression of NF-κB p50 immunoreactivity of mouse cochleae is identified as showed as brown reaction products characteristic of DAB immunohistochemistry. Results Immnoreactivity NF-κB p50 in mouse cochlea was localized in the organ of Corti, spiral limbus, tectorial membrane, the vascular stria, spiral ligament, spiral ganglion and nerve fibers. The immunoreaction could be observed in all spirals throughout the cochlea. Stronger staining was visible in spiral ligament, tectorial membrane, spiral prominence, spiral ganglion and nerve fibers, and the organ of Corti. The immunoreaction in the vascular stria was weaker than that in the structures mentioned above. The immunoreaction in the organ of Corti was observed in inner hair cells (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC), inner and outer pillar cells, Deiter's cells, and Boettcher's cells. The immunoreaction was weaker in inner sulcus cells, Hensen's cells and Claudius'cells. The stronger immunoreaction was observed in nucleus of spiral ganglion cells. The nucleus of IHC and OHC remained unstained. Conclusion The injection of LPS/KA can promote NF-κB p50 expression to induce an acute reaction in mouse cochlea.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate both mRNA and protein expression of target genes and play important roles in proliferation,differentiation,development and metabolism of cells.This paper reviews the research progress on miRNAs involvement in liver diseases,including viral hepatitis,fatty liver,drug induced liver disease,primary biliary cirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utilization status of antibiotics in rural area of Ningbo and to put forward improvement measures.METHODS: The data regarding the utilization of antibiotics were obtained by questionnaire survey and the on-the-spot investigation among the randomly selected 52 township hospitals,451 village clinics,and 117 drugstores in Ningbo.RESULTS: The irrational drug utilization phenomena were widespread in township hospitals,village clinics,and drugstores in Ningbo,which involved technical problems as well as administrative loophole,and manifested as insufficient etiology evidence,nonstandard dosage regimen,unclear indications for preventive medication or combined uses of antibiotics,and lack of effective drug control measures etc.CONCLUSION: The irrational drug utilization phenomena are widespread in rural area of Ningbo,which should be given proper intervention.

In this study, the induction of hairy roots of Bupleurum chinense DC. was explored and established after experiments at different conditions: A. rhizogenes A4 was used to infect the leaves bases of B. chinense tube seedlings. The explants were co-cultured on Phytagel-solidified media for 3 days and then, were turned into solid media, similar with the co-culture media except that bacteriostat was added. After 10 days, rootlets began to appear and after 4 to 5 weeks, rootlets can be converted into liquid shaking culture stage. Plants regeneration from hairy root was useful for the research of new germplasm production and the variety improvement breeding. In the present study, the regenerated plants were obtained. One approach was to continuously culture under light conditions the seedlings which parting off spontaneously from the hairy roots during liquid shaking culture. The other approach was to culture the callus-like tissues produced by hairy roots with the optimized regeneration media for the induction of regenerated plants. The results of present study provide a technique to induce hairy roots and plantlet regeneration of B. chinense and this technique is helpful for the researches on metabolism, especially on the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of B. chinense.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Shengxuenin(SXN) in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA).Methods 60 cases with IDA from January 2007 to June 2008 were treated with SXN,2 pellets Tid per os for 30 days.The value of erythlrocyte count (RBC),haematoglobin(Hb),hematocrit(HCT),mean corpuscular volume(MCV).mean corpuscular haematoglobin (MCH),mean corpuscular-hemoglobin concentration (MHCH),Reticulocyte(Ret) was observed at the first week,the second week,the third week and the fourth week of the treatment.Results Reficulocyte count started to increase at the lst week and haematoglobin count started to increase at the 2nd week.Haematoglobin,mean corpuscular volume,mean corpuscular haematoglobin and mean corpuscular-hemoglobin concentration returned to normal at the 4th week.The gastrointestinal side effects of this thempy were fewer than treated with other chalybeate medicines.Conclusion SXN was effective in the treatment of IDA and had little gastrointestinal side effects.

Objective To evaluate the safety of Ad-Mathl administration to inner ear and provide the base data for vestibular dysfunction gene therapy.Methods Ten mature Wistar rats were divided into normal control group(srats) and adenovirus(E1,E3-Deleted and carried mathl and enhanced green fluorescent protein report gene,Ad-Mathl-EGFP)scala vestibuli transfer group(5 rats).Right ears of the Ad-Mathl-EGFP transfering group rats were deliveried 5ul Ad-Mathl-EGFP(physieal tite 2.1 10~(11)v.P./ml)into cochleas through the way of drilling scala vestibuli of cochlear basal turn.As a control,the normal group received nothing to inner ear.In order to estimate functional condition of vestibule and cochlea,the click-evoked potentials on the surface of the cervical dura mater(CDM-CEP),auditory brain stem response(ABR)and swimming time were recorded in all rats at 7 days after treatment,and then histologic and morphologic observation were carried out after animals were sacrificed.Results All animals' morphologic observation showed that inner ear hair cells were normal after transfer.Seven days after transfer,the swimming time was 4.0±0.71 s in normal control group and 5.0±0.71 s in scala vestibuli delivery group.The threshold of CDM-CEP and ABR were 85±3.54 dB SPL and 37±4.47 dB SPL in normal control group,and 89±6.52 dB SPL and 40±3.54 dB SPL in Ad-Mathl-EGFP scala vestibuli delivery group,respectively.There was no significant difference existed between control group and Ad-Mathl-EGFP scala vestibuli delivery group.Conclusion The Ad(E1,E3-Deleted)is safe for vestibular and cochlea hair cells and can be used as an ideal vector of gene transfer.

Objective To evaluate the influences of the genotypes,anther developmental stages,and cultural conditions on the efficiency of embryogenic callus induction and plant regeneration in the anthers culture of Bupleurum chinense.Methods The different effects such as four genotypes,plant growth regulators,and temperature condition were compared in the experiments.The histological study was performed with the process of the anther culture.Results The highest inducing rate of embryogenic calli were achieved for the genotypes Zhongcaiyihao(ZCYH),Z4,and Z5 at the early-to middle-uninucleate stages,except for genotype ZPM1 at the tetrad stage.Cold pretreatment increased the production of the embryogenic callus,in which 4-day cold pretreatment improved the production of embryogenic callus from 0% to 2.2% and 5.0% for genotypes ZPM1 and ZCYH,respectively.No embryogenic callus was induced in the medium containing less than 0.75 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid(2,4-D).The highest regeneration rate (34.6%)was obtained in 1/2 MS salts regeneration medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L 6-benzylmaminopurine (BA).The low concentration of BA was able to promote the embryogenic callus formation and subsequent plantlet regeneration via somatic embryogenesis.Chromosome counting of regenerated plantlets showed mostly diploid plant (2n = 12)with only one haploid plant(n = 6).Because of the low rate of microspore embryo formation,we only tracked the process of embryogenesis from the connective tissue,instead of microspore by histological observations.Conclusion This study establishes an efficient system for embryogenic callus induction and plant regeneration system.This is the first report on the haploid plantlet through the anther culture orB.chinense.