Objective To determine the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in the hippocampus of rats with Alzheimer's disease(AD), and to determine the effect of butylphthalide on them and its significance. Methods Sixty male adult rats were randomly divided into a model group, a Butylphthalide group, and a control group. AD models were established by injecting β-amyloid protein 1-42 into the hippocampus of rats. Sixty days later,the rats were sacrificed and both sides of the hippocampus were sectioned for immunohistochemistry. Results Positive cells of GFAP in the hippocampus of the model group increased and the expression of VEGF decreased statistically, compared with the control group(P<0.01). The positive cells of GFAP in the hippocampus of the butylphthalide group decreased and the expression of VEGF increased significantly, compared with the model group(P<0.05). Conclusion Butylphthalide may protect the neuron-vascular unit of the hippocampus of Alzheimer model rats by inhibiting the expression of GFAP and increasing the expression of VEGF.

BACKGROUND:Preliminary experiments have demonstrated that rat liver homogenate supernatants can induce the morphological changes of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. However, little is known about whether the induced cells have some phenotypic and functional features of hepatocytes.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have some phenotypic and functional characteristic of hepatocytes after being induced by liver homogenate supernatants.
METHODS:Passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were used and divided into control group (cells were cultured in basic culture medium) and liver homogenate supernatant group (cells were cultured in liver homogenate supernatants for 3, 5, 7 days). Meanwhile, positive control group (QSG-7701 human liver celllines) and negative control group (simple liver homogenate supernatants) were set up. The protein and mRNA level of hepatocyte markers, alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme, were detected at different time points.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After inducement, the stem cells of fusiform shape began to lose their sharp edges and progressively shrunk, and then they changed into hepatocyte-like cells with the morphous of triangle, polygon and anomalism shape. Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA level of alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme significantly increased time dependently after inducement with liver homogenate supernatants (P<0.01). This study demonstrated that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are able to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro that possess some functions of liver cells.

Objective To better understand the clinical features and the diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods A case of MGUS with SLE were described including clinical manifestations and pathologic data.Literatures were also reviewed.Results The patient was admitted because of proteinuria.Laboratory findings showed monoclonal gammopathy.However,both bone marrow exam and iconography showed no signs of multiple myeloma.Lupus nephritis Ⅳ + Ⅴ was proved by kidney biopsy.Prednisone and tacrolimus were used with significant clinical improvement.Conclusion MGUS associated with SLE is not rare.MGUS criteria based on 2003 international MM working group should be used to differentiate MGUS from MM.Monoclonal protein level,plasma cell in bone marrow and free light chain are risk factors for MM progression.Treatment is based on lupus disease activity and organ damage severity.

Objective To develop a one-step PCR assay for rapid discrimination of six Brucella species and some intraspecific biovars.Methods Using 6 pairs of primers in one-step PCR to differentiate six classical Brucella species and some biovar in ordinary PCR instrument.The tested strains including 27 reference strains of six Brucella species and 239 Brucella strains were estimated by the PCR assay and biological identification methods.Results The six Brucella species could be precisely differentiated by the onestep PCR assay from the tested strains.Five biovars and vaccine strain of B.suis species could be determined,and biovars 1,3,4 and biovars 2,5,6,7,9 of B.abortus species could be identified at the level of their biovar,moreover,biovars 1,2 and 3,and vaccine strain Rev 1 of B.melitensis species were also discriminated at the biovar and strain level.The accurate rates of the biological identification method and the PCR assay were 98.33％ and 100％ respectively.Conclusion One-step PCR assay was a rapid,specific,and low cost method for identification of Brucella species and discriminating biovars in ordinary PCR instrument.

Objective　To approach the relationship betwe en glycosaminoglycan metabolism in cartilages and pathogenesis of KBD.Methods　Rhesus monkey was fed with grains and water from KBD endemic area for 18 months to produce the animal model with KBD . The glyc osaminoglycans in the monkey cartilage were extracted by the improved Dish method of Bitter. Purified glycosaminoglycans were digested with chondroitinaseABC, and the enzymatic digests were analyzed by HPLC. Results　Comparing with those of the control, the glycos aminoglycans in the head of femur, tibia plateau and costal cartilage from the Rhesus monkey fed with grains and water from KBD endemic area were undersulfated . Decreased unsaturated 4-sulphated disaccharide (△Di-4S) from the glycosa minoglycans in the head of femur and tibia plateau and decreased unsaturated 6- sulphated disaccharide (△Di-6S) from the glycosaminoglycans in the costal cart ilage were discovered.Conclusions　Detrimental factors in grains and water from KBD endemic area cause undersulfate of the cartilages glycosaminoglycans from Rhesus monkey. The glycosaminoglycans changes have a direct bearing on the patho logical alterations in morphology on the cartilages from the animal model with K BD.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Brain Ischemia ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; methods ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; enzymology ; pathology ; prevention & control

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; methods ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: Breast augmentation with polyacrylamide hydrogel injection has been used nearly for a decade in some Chinese medical therapy units. More patients need to be removing injections or a second augmentation due to complications. More attention should be paid for possibility of complications concomitant with breast malignant tumor. OBJECTIVE: Two cases of breast invasive duct carcinoma diagnosed after removing injection were analyzed retrospectively in order to increase the importance of detection rate of breast malignant tumor. METHODS: Two cases in all 41 assembled patients which were removed polyacrylamide hydrogel injections from 82 breasts were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma. The characteristics of medical history, physical diagnosis, image diagnosis and pathological examination were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The detection rate of breast malignant tumor should arise more attention in patients requiring removal of polyacrylamide hydrogel injection. The following aspects should be emphasized such as the comprehensive analysis for the results of physical diagnosis and image diagnosis, tumor-free operation with more samples from suspicious nodules and frozen pathological examination. The principles of cancer surgery should be followed in pathological diagnosed cases in case of iatrogenic metastasis and spread of breast malignant tumor.

Objective To investigate the effects of rapamycin on tumor growth and mTOR/4E-BP1 signaling pathway in xenograft of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( ESCC ) EC9706 cells. Methods The expression of factors in mTOR/4E-BP1 signaling pathway of the tumor tissues was analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Both rapamycin and cisplatin significantly inhibited the growth of transplantable tumors as compared to control group ( P < 0. 05 ) and their combination had a synergestic effect. The results of RT-PCR and Western blot show that rapamycin significantly decreased the expression of Mtor and p-4E-BP1 but increased the expression of 4E-BP1. Conclusion Rapamycin inhibits the mTOR/4E-BP1 signalling pathway, resulting in the growth inhibition of xenograft of EC9706 cells.

Objective To investigate the effect of 17β-estradiol on ketamine-induced long-term cognitive deficits in neonatal rats.Methods 80 SD male rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into group C,V,E,K and K+E,and 16 per group.Group C was intraperitoneally injected with same volume of saline for three consecutive days,Group V was subcutaneously injected with same volume of sesame oil for three consecutive days,Group E was subcutaneously injected with 600 μg · kg-1 17β-estradiol for three consecutive days,group K was intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg · kg-1 ketamine for three consecutive days,group K+E was intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg · kg-1 ketamine in combination with 600 μg · kg-1 17β-estradiol injected subcutaneously for three consecutive days.At 2 months of age,learning and memory abilities were tested with the Mortis water maze.After Morris water naze test,ten rats from each group were decapitated and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was isolated to detect acetylcholine esterase(AchE) activity with ELISA assay and to measure acetylcholine(Ach) level by hydroxylammonium chloride method.Results The escape latency ((40.26±2.36) s,(30.25±2.20) s,(21.55±2.42) s) and path length((1019.35±58.13) cm,(811.16±27.58) cm,(598.34±34.74) cm) of group K were more than those of group C on the third,fourth aud fifth training days (all P＜0.05),while escape latency ((29.46±2.20) s,(24.86± 2.14) s,(17.20±1.91) s) and path length((913.90±41.89) cm,(729.42±31.36) cm,(487.64±18.61)cm) of group K+E were significantly lower than those of group K(all P＜0.05).On test day 6,rats were subjected to a probe trial,ratio of time spent in the target quadrant ((24.5±2.7) ％) and the number of crossings over previous platform locations (1.9±0.5) in group K were fewer than those of group C (all P＜0.05),while ratio of time spent iu the target quadrant((42.3±3.0) ％) and the number of crossings over previous platform locations(3.5±0.5) of group K+E were more than those of group K (all P＜0.05).The AchE activity((0.69±0.04) U · mg pro-1) in rats PFC of group K was significantly higher than that of group C ((0.52±0.06) U · mg pro-1) (P＜0.05).The AchE activity of group K +E ((0.58±0.12)U · mg pro-1) was lower than that of group K(P＜0.05).The Ach level ((2.59±0.34)mg · g-1) in rats PFC of group K was significantly lower than that of group C ((4.35±0.56) mg · g-1) (P＜0.05).The Ach level of group K+E((3.88±0.61) mg · g-1) was higher than that of group K(P＜0.05).Conclusions These results indicate that ketamine impairs learning and memory abilities as rat matures,while 17β-estradiol treatment improves these impairments by inhibiting AchE activity and increasing Ach level.