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 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.

Objectives To investigate the relationship of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methioninesynthase reductase (MTRR) with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Methods Case control study was used to select 244 patients with URSA (miscarriage group) and 116 normal women (control group) who were admitted to Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Tianjin Women’s and Children’s Health Center from January 2013 to March 2015. The oral mucosal epithelial cells were extracted using fluorescence quantitative PCR to detect MTHFR gene C677T, A1298C and MTRR gene loci of A66G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). The relationship between folate metabolism related gene polymorphisms of MTHFR and MTRR and URSA was analysed. Results The frequency of C677T genotype MTHFR was significantly higher in URSA group than that in the control group, and the frequency of CT genotype was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the frequencies of A1298C MTRR and A66G MTHFR between the two groups. The activity of MTHFR, red cell folate and plasma folate levels were significantly lower in URSA group than those of control group. Homocysteine levels were significantly higher in URSA group than those of control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum folic acid, red cell folate, homocysteine cysteine levels between patients <35 years old and ≥ 35 years old in URSA group. Conclusion C677TMTHFR gene polymorphism is associated with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Objective To know the efficacy and safety of the blood sugar control by double-pump a-mong severe patients with duodenectomy. Methods Divided 60 severe patients with doudenectomy into the experimental group and the,control group randomly, there were 30 cases in each group. In the control group, pa-tients received intravenous infusion with the liquid containing glucose and neutral insulin (4g: 1 U), intravenous injection of 50U neutral insulin added into 50ml normal saline by micro-pump, the pump speed was In the ex-perimental group, sugar-containing liquid without insulin was infused within 24 hours by infusion pump with u-niform speed, a neutral insulin 50U mixed with 5Oral normal saline were injected by micro-pump according to the ratio fo glucose 4g: 1U neutral insulin through the same vein. Which also adjusted the pump speed according to maintaining blood sugar in the range of 4.4～8.3mmol/L. Compared the level of blood sugar control, treatment safety, efficacy and the workload of nurses between the two groups. Results The highperglycemic index and the time to achieve target values of blood sugar in the experimental group was shorter than in the control group respectively, while the time of keep blood sugar in idea level in the experimental group was longer than in the control group. There were no significant difference about incidence rale of hypoglycemia and workload of nurses between the two groups. Conclusions Double-pump can effective control blood sugar for severe patients with duodenectomy without burden nurses' workload, which is more reasonable than the traditional method.

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

Toxicogenomics (TGx) refers to a set of technologies that assess genome-wide responses after toxic agent exposure. Altered gene expression patterns that are caused by specific exposures reveal how toxicants may disrupt cellular processes and lead to side effects. Development and application of " omics" technology facilitate the toxicogenomic research which sharing and interpretation of the enormous amount of biological information generated in toxicologic field. In recent years TGx has been widely valued and successfully applied as an effective research tool to evaluate the toxic effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Here we reviewed current progress in the field of TGx and focused on its application in traditional Chinese medicine safety evaluation, especially in revealing the mechanism, finding potential toxic biomarkers and studying compatibility detoxification of TCM.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; Safety ; Toxicogenetics