Objective To assess the clinical significance of changes tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha level and the relationship between serum TNF-? and glucose levels in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM). Methods 71 patients with gestational diabetes mellitus were enrolled.40 normal pregnant women were assigned to be control group.Then the concentrations of blood glucose and TNF-? were determined. Results Blood TNF-? level in GDM patients was signficantly higher than that in normal pregnant women(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of DMF on the human liver cells (HL-7702) in vitro.

METHODSLiver cells were exposed to different concentrations of DMF (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mmol/L) for 12 hours. Apoptotic rate, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in liver cells were measured by FCM and western blotting respectively.

RESULTSThe increase in apoptotic rate of hepatocytes in concentration-manner was shown after DMF treatment for 12 h. After treatment the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased steadily and lower than the control group (P < 0.01), the expression of Bax showed no significant difference among the groups of different dosage by one-factor analysis of variance (P > 0.05), as the increase of the dosage of DMF. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax dropped with the dosage of DMF increasing, and the ratio in 200 mmol/L of DMF was significantly lower than that of the control (P < 0.01). The new lands of procaspase-3 in 150, 200 mmol/L were observed, which demonstrated that there was active caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONDMF can induce apoptosis of cultured adult normal hepatocytes in vitro, and the mechanism might be related to the decrease of Bcl-2/Bax and the cleavage of Caspase-3.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Dimethylformamide ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective To measure the expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR) in human melanocytes and to evaluate the biologic effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) on human melanocytes.Methods Melanocytes were obtained from circumcision specimens of healthy males,and neutrophils were isolated from heparin-andcoagulated peripheral blood of healthy human followed by a primary culture.Then,the melanocytes in third passage were cultured with or without the presence of various concentrations (200,400,600,800 μg/L) of rhG-CSF for 72 hours.The growth and morphology of melanocytes were observed.Flow cytometry was performed to detect the expression of G-CSFR in untreated human melanocytes,neutrophils and erythroleukemia cells (HEL 92.1.7).Western blot and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were carried out to measure the expression of G-CSFR protein and mRNA respectively in the neutrophils,HEL 92.1.7 cells,treated or untreated human melanocytes.Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was performed to evaluate the proliferation,and dopa-oxidation assay to estimate the tyrosinase activity,of treated melanocytes.Results The expression rate of G-CSFR was 76.81％ ± 10.70％ in human melanocytes,significantly higher than that in the HEL 92.1.7 cells (2.53％ ± 1.54％,P ＜ 0.01 ),but lower than that in the neutrophils (85.76％ ± 15.71％,P ＜ 0.05).Both G-CSFR protein and mRNA were expressed in melanocytes,and there was no significant differences in the expression level of G-CSFR protein and mRNA among melanocytes treated with different concentrations of rhG-CSF (both P ＞ 0.05).The expression levels of G-CSFR protein and mRNA in the melanecytes were significantly higher than those in the HEL 92.1.7 cells (both P ＜ 0.01 ),but lower than those in the neutrophils (P ＜ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01 ).rhG-CSF at 200-800 μg/L displayed a significantly promotive effect on the proliferation of melanocytes (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05 ),and the effect was in a dose-dependent manner when rhG-CSF ranged from 200 to 600 μg/L (P ＜ 0.01 ).The rhG-CSF at 600 μg/L and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at 20 μg/L showed an equivalent effect on the proliferation of melanocytes (164.04％ ± 13.0％ vs.165.62％ ± 10.6％,P ＞ 0.05).However,rhG-CSF from 200 to 800 μg/L had no significant impact on the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes (all P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions G-CSFR is expressed in human melanocytes. rhG-CSF can promote the proliferation of cultured human melanocytes,but has no obvious influence on the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes.

To identify whether a highly repeated GT sequence from DCA1 promoter from Dunaliella salina,which have been proved to be a salt-inducible promoter in our previous study,would be a salt-inducible regulation element,different primers were designed to amplify 6 different-length fragments of DCA1 promoter from D.salina by PCR.After these fragments were respectively inserted into the HindⅢ-BamH I sites of the vector pU?GUS,serial expression vectors containing the gus gene were generated.D.salina cells transformed with these recombinant plasmids by electroporation were grown in liquid media containing different concentrations of sodium chloride respectively.GUS enzyme activity was measured histochemically and fluorometrically.The results revealed that 3 fragments containing GT repeated sequence drove the external gus gene expression and the expression pattern of the gus gene was regulated by the concentrations of sodium chloride.Additionally,the 2 fragments without tandem GT sequence drove the gus gene expression,but the expression pattern of the gus gene wasn't regulated by the concentration of sodium chloride;Also,the upstream fragment of the tandem GT sequence wasn't able to drive the gus gene expression.In conclusion,the highly repeated GT sequence from the DCA1 promoter plays an important role in the salt-inducible regulation of DCA1 promoter from D.salina and might be a novel salt-inducible element.

OBJECTIVE: To test the technical parameters of GlobalFiler® PCR Amplification Kit for its application to forensic application value and to investigate the genetic polymorphisms. METHODS: The validation was conducted in sensitivity, mixed samples, species specificity, adaptability, survivability, consistency, peak height balance and stability. The amplification and detection of the genomic DNA from 373 unrelated individuals from Beijing Han nationality were extracted by automation workstation. RESULTS: Global-Filer® PCR Amplification Kit was adaptive to some mixed, degraded and inhibited samples. The power of sensitivity and adaptability and peak height balance showed well. The distributions of genotype frequencies for 21 STR loci in the population were all in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05). The PIC value of the 21 STR loci was among 0.536 to 0.940; the H value was among 0.558 to 0.933; the DP value was among 0.783 to 0.992; the PE value was among 0.243 to 0.874. CONCLUSION GlobalFiler® PCR Amplification Kit is suitable for criminal cases and DNA database in forensic practice. And 21 STR loci in Beijing Han nationality have high polymorphism, which have application value in forensic practice and population genetics.
Asian People/genetics* ; Beijing ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Ethnicity ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Loci/genetics* ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards* ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Reproducibility of Results ; Species Specificity

Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in diagnosis of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (eAML).Methods The CEUS features of 18 patients with 18 histopathologically proved renal eAMLs were retrospective analyzed using both of qualitative and quantitative approachs.Tumor conventional ultrasound and CEUS features were observed.The Sonoliver software was applied to perform quantitative analysis,which provided five parameters,including the maximum intensity (IMAX),rise time (RT),time to peak (TTP),mean transit time (mTT) and area under the curve (AUC).Results All of 18 lesions were pathological proved as eAML,among them,heterocyst was observed in 7 lesions,1 lesion had dissemination inter-kidney and vessel invasion,necrosis or cystic degeneration was found in 3 eAMLs.On conventional ultrasound,eAML showed hypoecho,isoecho and hyperecho were 14(77.8％),3(16.7％) and 1 (5.6％) respectively.Blood flow could be detected in 16 (88.9％) lesions.On CEUS,the characters of slow-in,synchronous-in,slow centripetal enhancement and entire enhancement were observed in 10 (55.6％),8 (44.4％),8 (44.4％) and 12 (55.6％) lesions,respectively.Most of eAMLs showed homogeneous enhancement (15/18,83.3％) and hyper-or iso-enhancement (16/18,88.8 ％) at peak time.The characters of fast-out,synchronous-out and slow out were observed in 8 (44.4％),2 (11.2％) and 8 (44.4％) cases,respectively.Pseudocapsule was detected in 5 (27.8％) lesions.The parameters of RT,TP and AUC for eAMLs were higher than that for renal cortex (P ＜ 0.05),while the parameters of IMAX and mTT had no significant statistical difference between eAMLs and renal cortex(P ＞0.05).Conclusions Qualitative and quantitative analysis of CEUS reflect the blood perfusion of eAMLs in different aspect,which offer some useful informations for the diagnosis of eAMLs.

Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of a novel biodegradable polymer and rapamycin-coating stent, the EXCEL stent, in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), as compared with the CypherTM stent. Methods In this prospective, non-randomized study, 60 consecutive patients with symptomatic CAD received either an EXCEL stent (n=32), or a CypherTM stent(n=28),according to their respective treatment intention. Follow-up angiography was performed at a mean of 180±40 days. The primary endpoint of the study was the occurrence of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), including death, myocardial infarction, or target-vessel revascularization during the 6 months after stenting. The secondary end points included the in-stent late luminal loss (LLL), percentage of in-stent stenosis of the luminal diameter, and the rate of restenosis (luminal narrowing of 50 percent or more) at 6 months. Results There were no significant differences between the two groups in baseline characteristics, including the distribution of target vessel and lesion types. During the follow up period of 6 months, there were no occurrences of MACE in either group. Twenty-seven patients(84%) in the EXCEL group and 10 (36 %) in the CypherTM group underwent quantitative coronary angiography at 6 months. For these patients, no restenosis occurred, and there were no differences in the in-stent stenosis of the luminal diameter (5.98±5.52% vs 5.21 ±6.3%,P＞0.05) and the LLL (-0.02±0.09 mm vs -0.01±0.07 mm, P＞0.05). Conclusions Compared with the CypherTM stent, the EXCEL Stent with biodegradable polymer and rapamycin-coating showed similar efficacy in the prevention of neointimal proliferation, restenosis, and associated clinical events in CAD patients.

Objective Acrysof IQ Restor multifocal toric intraocular lens ( IOL) is a new product , which allows a single sur-gical procedure for presbyopia correction and corneal astigmatism management .This study was to evaluate the early clinical effects of phacoemulsification cataract surgery with implantation of a diffractive multifocal toric IOL . Methods We retrospectively analyzed 7 cases (9 eyes) of corneal astigmatism ≥1.0 diopter (D) treated by phacoemulsification with implantation of an Acrysof IQ Restor toric IOL.The patients were followed up for 3 months for observation of uncorrected distance visual acuity ( UDVA) , best corrected distance visual acuity ( CDVA) , uncorrected near visual acuity ( UNVA ) , best corrected near visual acuity ( CNVA ) , spherical equivalent (SE) refraction, focal depth, residual astigmatism, rotational stability of the IOL, contrast sensitivity (CS), and spectacle independ-ence preoperatively and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after operation . Results At 3 months after surgery , the UDVA ( log-MAR), CDVA, UNVA, and CNVA were 0.07 ±0.10, 0.02 ±0.11, 0.12 ±0.06, and 0.08 ±0.07, respectively, with an SE re-fraction within ±0.50 D of the attempted spherical correction in 8 eyes (88.9%) and a focal depth of (5.32 ±1.78) D.The residual astigmatism at 3 months was significantly reduced as compared with the baseline ([0.25 ±0.28] vs [1.55 ±0.39] D, P<0.05), but showed no statistically significant differences from the preoperative an-ticipated residual astigmatism (P>0.05).At 3 months, the mean IOL axis rotation was (3.11 ±1.61)°and CS was remarkably im-proved ( P<0 .05 ) , while CS with or without glare was not significantly different from that at 1 month at all spatial frequencies ( P>0.05) except at 18.0 cpd (P<0.05). Conclusion Implantation of the Acrysof IQ Restor multifocal toric IOL provides excellent overall quality of vision, spectacle independence, visual quality, and rotational stability for patients with cataract and corneal astigmatism.

This study was to build a canine portal hypertension model by intra-portal administration of high polymer material polyurethane and organic solvent tetrahydrofuran mixed solutions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the model. Twelve local crossbreed dogs were selected randomly, with intra-portal administration of 8% (weight/volume) polyurethane- tetrahydrofuran solutions through an incision in the upper abdomen to build the portal hypertension model. We measured the portal vein pressure before modeling, during modeling, and four-, eight-, and twelve- weeks after modeling, respectively. Then we evaluated the effectiveness of the model comparing values of data with those data obtained before modeling started, which were regarded as the normal values. The results showed that the portal vein pressure rose by 2. 5 times after the solution administrated instantly as much as that before modeling, and maintained at 1. 5 times after 4 weeks. This method presents an easy operation, low animal mortality and reliable model of portal hypertension. Its less abdominal adhesions and its ability in keeping normal anatomic structure specially make it suit for surgical research of portal hypertension.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Furans ; adverse effects ; Hypertension, Portal ; Polyurethanes ; adverse effects ; Portal Vein ; physiopathology

The paper introduces a designing idea and a carrying-out scheme about expanding functions of single channel electrocardiograph in Chinese community medical service and looks forward to its applying prospects.
Community Health Services ; Electricity ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Software