BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that Wnt signaling pathways play an important role in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanism and regulation of the Wnt signaling pathways, as wel as Wnt signaling pathway effects on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
METHODS:A computer-based search of PuMed database and CNKI database from September 1998 to March 2013 was performed to search related articles. The key words of“Wnt, mesenchymal stem cells, Wnt signaling pathways, osteoblastic differentiation, canonical wnt signaling pathway, non-canonical signaling pathway”in English or Chinese were used to search the articles in the title and the abstract. A total of 31 articles were included to review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Wnt signaling pathways play a critical role in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Canonical Wnt signaling pathway, non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway, and their mutli-factors were involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. The osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells can be promoted effectively via specific induction of Wnt signaling pathways. Wnt11, FZD6, sFRP2, sFRP3 and Ror2 expressions increase, while Wnt9a and FZD7 decreases during the regulation. However, the relations of factors in Wnt signaling pathways and how to use the mechanism of Wnt signaling for promoting mesenchymal stem cells faster, more accurate differentiation need further studies.

Objective To observe the morphological changes of sinusoidal endothelial cells(SECs) in the patients with chronic hepatitis B, and to study the relationship between the SECs changes and the development of hepatic microcirculation disorders. Methods The liver biopsy tissues from fifty three cases with hepatitis B were observed with light microscope and transmitted electronic microscope. Results The morphologies of SECs in patients with chronic hepatitis B changed significantly. The main manifestations included decreased sizes and reduced numbers of penestrate on SECs, basal membrane formation, cellular connection development between SECs, occurrence of WP bodies in SECs and the disappearance of SECs. The intimate contact occurred between SEC and lymphocyte or Kupffer cell. Conclusions The morphologies of SECs in patients with chronic hepatitis B develop significant change, which might be the initial step in the development of hepatic microcirculation disturbances.

Objective To investigate status about the heart rate variability and executive function in patients with insomnia.Methods The study involves 165 cases of patients with insomnia and 92 cases normal.The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) screening for insomnia,Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) for the assessment of executive function and Self-generate Physiological Coherence System (SPCS) were used to collect the data of heart rate variability (HRV).Results The SDNN,RMSSD,TP,LF,HF of HRV of the insomnia group were significantly higher than these factors of control group (t=2.712,2.726,2.427,2.542,2.338,P＜0.05 or P＜ 0.01).In the WCST,number of completed categories,conceptualization percentage of the group of patients with insomnia were significantly lower than the control group (t=-2.368,-2.165,all P＜0.05),persistent errors,persistent error percentages,continuous number of responses of patients' group were significantly higher than the control group (t=2.712,2.991,2.690,all P＜0.01).TP,LF,HF,LF/HF of HRV and the number of error responses,persistent errors,persistent error percentages,continuous number of responses of WCST had significant negative correlations (r=-0.171--0.245,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),while the conceptualization percentage were significantly positively correlated (r=0.198-0.227,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion The results show that insomnia not only cause individual autonomic disorders,but damage the executive function of prefrontal.HRV and executive function in patients with insomnia have close relationships.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the transdermal delivery characteristics of Gentiana macrophylla complex components system through different parts of the skin under micro-needles conditions. Two-chamber diffusion cells were used, different parts of isolated skin and micro-needle pretreated isolated mouse skin were applied separately, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) similarity evaluation methods were used to evaluate transdermal delivery characteristics of Gentiana macrophylla complex components system on receiving pool and the permeation rate and penetration amount of Gentiopicroside at different parts of mouse skin. In the 24 h, the similarity between receiving fluid which was on passive transdermal delivery and micro-needle transdermal delivery conditions and original fluid were ranged from 83.0% to 98.9%; By the micro-needle pretreatment with different parts of the mouse skin, the time that Gentiana macrophylla complex components system though abdominal skin to the receiving fluid which reached 90% similarity compared with that of original fluid was 4 h, which was 18 h at back skin and 12 h at neck skin separately. Micro-needles can be used as the ideal ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine complex transdermal delivery; transdermal absorption time delay could be greatly reduced and its bioavailability was improved. The permeation rate and similarity to original liquid of Chinese medicine complex components increased significantly in the abdominal skin relative to the neck and back skin under micro-needle conditions.

Objective:To detect the interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and expressions of applipoprotein E (ApoE) in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with different body-mass indexes (BMI),and to explore the diagnotic value of 11Pittsburgh comound-B (11C-PIB) combined with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT imaging in AD.Methods:A total of 58 AD patients were divided into four groups according to their BMI:low BMI group(BMI <18.5 kg·m-2,n=18),normal BMI group(18.5 kg·m-2≤BMI <24.9 kg·m-2,n=13),high BMI group(24.9 kg·m-2≤BMI <29.9 kg·m-2,n=12)and obese group(BMI ≥29.9 kg·m-2,n=15).All the patients underwent PET/CT imaging (11C-PIB and 18F-FDG).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy rate,the expression rates of ApoE (ε2,ε3,and ε4) and the levels of serum IL-6 were detected.The relationship between BMI and the expression rates of ApoE and the serum levels of IL-6 were analyzed by Spearman analysis.Results:The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy rate of the patients in low BMI group diagnosed by 11C-PIB and 18F-FDG PET/CT were 87.5%,80.0%,and 84.6%,which were higher than those diagnosed by 11C-PIB (55.6%,50.0%,and 53.8%) or 18F-FDG (42.9%,50.0%,and 46.2%)alone (P<0.05).The serum levels of IL-6 and BMI of the AD patients had a negative correlation(r=-0.407,P=0.002).The expression rate of ApoE ε4 allelic gene(60.3%) of the AD patients was higher than those of ε2(18.9%) and ε3 allelic genes(20.7%),but there was no correlation between the BMI and the expression rates of different ApoE allelic genes of the AD patients(r=-0.028,P=0.833).Conclusion:11C-PIB and 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnotic value in the AD patients.11C-PIB and 18F-FDG combinated with serum IL-6 level and BMI could diagnose and evaluate AD more exactly.

OBJECTIVETo document morphological changes in hepatic microcirculation in liver tissue with hepatitis B and the pathogenesis of hepatic microcirculatory disturbances.

METHODSLiver tissue samples were obtained from patients with hepatitis B by liver biopsy. These samples were examined with a light microscope and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSHepatic microcirculatory disturbances existed in patients with hepatitis B, including those with normal liver function, manifested by red blood cell aggregation in sinusoids seen under light microscope and sinusoidal capillarization seen under electron microscope. Weibel-Palade bodies in sinusoidal endothelial cells were seen in 26 out of 53 cases. Intimate contacts were found between lymphocyte/Kupffer cells and sinusoidal endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONSHepatic microcirculatory disturbances exist in patients with hepatitis B. The appearance of Weibel-Palade bodies in sinusoidal endothelial cells may be a key step in the development of hepatic microcirculatory disturbances.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Liver Circulation ; Male ; Microcirculation ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged

Objective:To explore the effects of mindfulness-based decompression therapy on fear of disease progression, quality of life and sleep quality in patients with acute ischemic stroke, in order to provide intervention measures to alleviate fear of the disease progression degree and improve sleep and quality of life in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:This study was a randomized controlled study. Using the convenience sampling method, 98 patients with acute ischemic stroke who attended the Department of Neurology at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from November 2021 to September 2022 were selected for the study, and the study population was divided into experimental group ( n=49) and control group ( n=49) using the random number table method. The control group received conventional care, and the experimental group received mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy for 8 weeks in addition to conventional care. Compared the scores of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) between the two groups of patients before and after intervention using two independent sample t-tests, and further compared the score spread of each scale before and after intervention between the two groups of patients using Mann-Whitney U test. Results:In the experimental group, 4 cases fell off and 3 cases had imperfect questionnaire information, while in the control group, 2 cases fell off and 5 cases had imperfect questionnaire information. Finally, 42 cases were included in each group. The 23 males and 19 females in the control group aged (48.31 ± 7.61) years old, while 25 males and 17 females in the experimental group aged (50.19 ± 8.64) years old. There was no significant difference in FoP-Q-SF, SS-QOL and PSQI scores between the two groups before intervention (all P>0.05). After intervention, the scores of FoP-Q-SF and PSQI in the experimental group (35.79 ± 7.04, 7.19 ± 2.58) were lower than those in the control group (38.52 ± 4.02, 9.45 ± 2.28), while the SS-QOL score (200.36 ± 21.75) was higher than that in the control group (185.41 ± 15.90), the differences were statistically significant ( t=2.19, -4.26, 3.60, all P<0.05). After intervention, the scores of FoP-Q-SF and PSQI in the experimental group were lower than those before intervention (39.69 ± 4.15, 10.00 ± 2.85), while the SS-QOL score was higher than that before intervention (176.93 ± 23.54), the differences were statistically significant ( t=4.80, 10.45, -11.43, all P<0.05). The score spreads of FoP-Q-SF, SS-QOL, and PSQI in the experimental group before and after intervention were 1.00 (0.00, 9.25), 20.00 (12.75, 32.75), 3 (1, 4), which were higher than 1.00 (-1.25, 2.00), 5.50 (1.00, 10.25), 0 (-1, 2) in the control group, the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-2.30, -5.74, -5.53, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Mindfulness-based decompression therapy can effectively relieve the fear of disease progression and improve the quality of sleep and life in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Objective To explore the influencing factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with metabolic syndrome(MS)and investigate the correlation between the level of 25(OH)D3 and T2DM combined with MS.Methods 592 in patients with T2DM admitted to the Department of Endocrinology of Shenzhen Second People's Hospital were selected from January to December 2020.They were divided into simple T2DM group(T2DM,n=194)and T2DM combined with MS group(MS,n=398).Results Compared with the T2DM group,the MS group had lower 25(OH)D3 levels[26.30(20.50,32.39)vs 24.20(20.16,29.47),P<0.05].Spearman correlation analysis showed that 25(OH)D3 was negatively correlated with MS,FPG,TG,LDL-C,and 24 hUAlb(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Logistic regression analysis showed that 25(OH)D3 was a protective factor for T2DM combined with MS.Conclusions Patients with T2DM and MS have lower 25(OH)D3 levels.25(OH)D3 is a protective factor for T2DM combined with MS.

Objective:To understand the characteristics of sexualized drug use (SDU) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chengdu and classify their behavioral patterns by applying the two-step cluster (TSC) algorithm and by exploring the association between SDU patterns and high risk sexual behaviors, in order to provide a reference basis for the development of HIV prevention interventions.Methods:Supported by an MSM-friendly organization in Chengdu from December 2021 to February 2022, MSM were recruited by on-site survey and peer referral to collect information on sociodemographics, SDU characteristics, sexual behaviors, STD diagnosis, and HIV status. TSC was performed to classify the characteristics of SDU, and the differences between groups were compared. Chi-square test and multiple binary logistic regressions were used to identify the relationship between SDU clusters and HIV-related risk sexual behaviors.Results:A total of 727 MSM were surveyed, and 39.8% (289/727) of the respondents reported SDU experience with a same-sex partner in the last six months. TSC clustered SDU-MSM into three behavioral pattern groups. There were significant differences in monthly income, types of drugs used for SDU, mode, frequency, polydrug use, multiple sexual partners, non-adherence to condom use, and group sex among the three groups of SDU-MSM ( P<0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that the third category of SDU-MSM was 2.22 (95% CI: 1.06-4.66) times more likely than the first category not to use condoms consistently; the third and second categories were 2.82 (95% CI: 1.18-6.77) times and 8.78 (95% CI: 3.42-22.42) times. Conclusions:The prevalence of SDU among MSM in Chengdu was more than 1/3, and different SDU clustering pattern was associated with high-risk sexual behaviors. MSM with higher SDU frequency, drug use, and polydrug abuse are more difficult to adhere to condom use and more likely to have group sex and high risk sexual behaviors, increasing the risk of STD and HIV infection, and need to strengthen SDU surveillance and intervention.

Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILRs), also called CD85s, ILTs, or LIRs, are important mediators of immune activation and tolerance that contain tandem immunoglobulin (Ig)-like folds. There are 11 (in addition to two pseudogenes) LILRs in total, two with two Ig-like domains (D1D2) and the remaining nine with four Ig-like domains (D1D2D3D4). Thus far, the structural features of the D1D2 domains of LILR proteins are well defined, but no structures for the D3D4 domains have been reported. This is a very important field to be studied as it relates to the unknown functions of the D3D4 domains, as well as their relative orientation to the D1D2 domains on the cell surface. Here, we report the crystal structures of the D3D4 domains of both LILRB1 and LILRB2. The two Ig-like domains of both LILRB1-D3D4 and LILRB2-D3D4 are arranged at an acute angle (∼60°) to form a bent structure, resembling the structures of natural killer inhibitory receptors. Based on these two D3D4 domain structures and previously reported D1D2/HLA I complex structures, two alternative models of full-length (four Ig-like domains) LILR molecules bound to HLA I are proposed.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Antigens, CD ; chemistry ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; chemistry ; Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B1 ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; chemistry ; Models, Molecular ; Peptides ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Receptors, Immunologic ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction