Objective The effects of flight factors on dog and rats are observed to acumulate the elementary data and experiences for space biology research and development of life support systems.It will be the first basic step for manned space flight in future.Methods Female dogs,Xiao-Bao and Shan-Shan were on board of two Model T-7A(S2)rockets separately.Duration of flight was about 25 min and height about 70 km.Four physiological parameters:electrocardiogram,blood pressure,breath and skin temperature were recorded.Results Both of two dogs returned safely and healthy.The physiological parameters of Xiao-Bao were successfully recorded on the first rocket.On the second one,partial data of Shan-Shan were interfered by the strong vibration during the separation of rocket body and cone.The obvious changes of heart rate,ECG and blood pressure were recorded for Xio-Bao to be affected by the effects of hyper-gravity and microgravity factors.These changes were normal,temporal and reversible physiological stress responses.Conclusion The dog can tolerate the action of variable factors during the T-7A(S2)flight and no pathological after-effects were observed.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of cognitive functions with gender, age, education and polymorphism of dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene in healthy adults.

METHODSFour hundred and fifty-five healthy participants have completed 3 cognitive function tests including Tower of Hanoi (TOH), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Trail Making Test (TMT). Peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants, and genomic DNA was extracted according to a standard phenol-chloroform procedure. Rs3758653 in the promoter region of the DRD4 gene was genotyped using Illumina GoldenGate genotyping assay.

RESULTSMales have performed better than females in terms of TOH executive time and TOH total score, but did worse in TOH planning time. Most of the measured cognitive domains were affected by age and education. Cognitive ability has decreased along with increased age and decline of educational years. The polymorphism of rs3758653 has mainly correlated with the TOH executive time. Compared with A allele carriers, G allele carriers did worse in TOH executive time.

CONCLUSIONGender, age, education and the rs3758653 polymorphism of the DRD4 gene play an important role in cognitive functions in healthy adults.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Cognition ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Dopamine D4 ; genetics ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo build a protocol of separation and induction of megakaryocytes derived from cord blood mononuclear cells.

METHODSRed blood cells were precipitated by hydroxyethyl starch (HES). Mononuclear cells were obtained by density gradient centrifugation with Ficoll. The inducing efficiencies of megakaryocytes by using of different cytokine cocktails and culture media were analyzed.

RESULTSThe best choice for erythrocyte sedimentation and high efficiency of nucleated cells retrieving were obtained by using of 1.5% HES. The isolated cord blood mononuclear cells were cultured with domestic serum-free medium supplemented with 116t (IL-11, IL-6, TPO), st36(SCF, TPO, IL-3, IL-6), pt36 (PDGF,TPO,IL-3,IL-6) or pst36 for 7 days. St36 group (50 ng/ml SCF, 50 ng/ml TPO, 20 ng/ml IL-3 and 50 ng/ml IL-6) yielded the most CD41/CD61 positive [(6.79±1.97)×10⁴]. The cell viability [(82.85 ± 0.64)%] of st36 group by using of imported serum-free medium was better than [(60.90±6.93)%] that in domestic medium on day 7 after induction, and CD41/CD61 positive cells count [(18.60±1.97)×10⁴] were more than domestic serum-free medium group. Therefore, we chose imported serum-free medium containing st36 to induce cord blood mononuclear cells. After a prolonged culture, the total cell numbers increased accompanied with an elevated percentage of CD41/CD61 positive cells, which reached (54.27 ± 6.31)% on day 14. Wright-Giemsa staining showed that different phase cells, such as megakaryoblast, promegakaryocyte and granular megakaryocyte, occurred after 10 days'culture. Clone forming unit-megakarocytes (CFU-MK) assay showed that the colonies count increased with the prolonged incubation. CFU-MK colonies were [1 236.0±32.9] on day 14, which was higher than that in medium without induction (P<0.01). Platelets from megakaryocytes showed agglutination function after 10 days'culture.

CONCLUSION1.5% HES was the best solution to precipitate erythrocytes. The combination of an imported serum-free medium with IL-3, IL-6, SCF and TPO showed better induction efficiency than domestic medium or other cytokine cocktails. Meanwhile, induced megakaryocytes produced functional platelets.

Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Division ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Humans ; Megakaryocyte Progenitor Cells ; cytology