ObjectiveTo explore the role of HSP27 in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury and hepatic ischemic preconditioning (IP).MethodsMale C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 3 groups:control group (sham operation),IR group (only hepatic IR),rHSP27 + IR group (rHSP27 injection before IR).The extent of liver injury was evaluated among these 3 groups.Murine HSP27 was silenced by short hairpin RNA and mice were subjected to IR with or without IP after interfering succeeded.Serum ALT and AST levels,hepatic histological damages and mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6) were measured.Results Silencing hepatic HSP27 aggravated IR injury indicated by higher concentration of serum ALT and AST (P＜0.05),reinforced by severer histological damage and more expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (P＜0.05),while injection of rHSP27 or IP ameliorated hepatic IR injury.Western-blot showed HSP27 expression was significantly higher in IP group than sham group.Silencing HSP27 largely removed the IP-induced hepatoprotection,indicated by restoration of caspase-3 induction.ConclusionHSP27 is an essential endogenous defense of liver against IR injury.Hepatic ischemic preconditioning can improve subsequent IR injury via up-regulation of HSP27,which is related to HSP27-mediated reduction of apoptosis.

To evaluate if Ningmitai Capsule combined with antibiotics therapy is safer and more effective than simple antibiotics therapy for chronic prostatitis, we firstly retrieved the China journal full-text database (CNKI), China's outstanding master's/doctoral dissertation database, Wan Fang database, VIP science and technology periodical database, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Secondly, we selected research literatures from 2000 to 2013 on Ningmitai Capsule combined with antibiotics therapy for chronic prostatitis. Then, the data were filtered by Cochrane system evaluation method and conducted for Meta-analysis on the effectiveness, chronic prostatitis symptoms index (NIH-CPSI) and microscopy count of white blood cell in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS-WBC) via Stata 12.0 software. Finally, 11 articles including 2 079 samples were totally involved. The Meta-analysis results showed that compared with simple antibiotics treatment, Ningmitai Capsule combined with antibiotics therapy significantly increased the cure rate[OR=2.47, 95% CI (2.08, 2.93)] and lowered NIH-CPSI[WMD=-8.14, 95% CI (-9.39, -6.90)] as well as EPS-WBC[WMD=-6.14, 95% CI (-8.11, -4.17)]. So the study suggests that Ningmitai Capsule can significantly improve the cure rate and related indicators of simple antibiotics therapy for chronic prostatitis, which provides certain references for improving clinical treatment.

Molecular beacon probe was designed based on a specific DNA sequence of Nocardia to PCR detection of thisbacterium.The strains of Nocardia、Gordina and Rhodococcus were inoculated in Brain Heart Infusion Agar medium separately,then the growth condition was observed,DNA was extracted as a template;the molecular beacon probe was designed based on the partial secA 1 gene sequences of Nocardia strains,and the probe was added into the reaction system of real time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-PCR),and the fluorescence signal was tested at the end of PCR.Showed that the amplified secA1 gene of Nocardia could produce positive fluorescence signal in RT-PCR,but those of Gordonia and Rhodococcus with control groups showed negative results because of no fluorescence signal.In conclusion as a housekeeping gene,secA1 is an ideal target molecule to identify the actinomycetes strains on the species level in the systematic evolution research,and the technique of fluorescence molecular beacon probe is accurate,rapid and sensitive for detecting the Nocardia strains with secA1 gene.

OBJECTIVEConditioned taste preference (CTP) is a taste learning reflex by which an animal learns to prefer a substance which tastes not well and has been studied with much interest in recent years. However, the neural substrates of CTP are less known. This study aimed to determine the possible neural path- ways of CTP and whether serum leptin level and the leptin receptor (OB-Rb) in the hind brain are involved following CTP formation.

METHODSWe established CTP of quinine in rats with a 2-bottle preference test. The serum leptin concentrations were detected, the expression of c-fos in the rat brain was tested to determine the nuclei in relation with establishment of CTR Finally, the OB-Rb mRNA expression was examined by RT-qPCR assay in parabrachial nucleus (PBN) and the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) of the hind brain.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the level of serum leptin was higher in the CTP group (4.58 ± 0.52 vs 1.67 ± 0.25 µg/L, P < 0.01); increased c-fos positive cells were found in the anterior hypothalamus (AH, 221.75 ± 4.96 vs. 178.50 ± 6.63 cells/mm², P < 0.05), the basal lateral amygdala (BLA, 70.75 ± 6.17 vs 56.50 ± 3.62 cells/ mm², P < 0.05) and the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST, 41.25 ± 1.32 vs 32.50 ± 1.02 cells/mm², P < 0.05). But in ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH, 20.75 ± 2.73 vs 38.5 ± 1.54 per 1 mm², P < 005), PBN (21.50 ± 2.24 vs 36.25 ± 1.49 cells/mm², P < 0.05) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA, 22.25 ± 1.53 vs 35.50 ± 2.11 cells/mm², P < 0.05), the number of c-fos positive cells was decreased in the CTP group. In addition, we found OB-Rb mRNA expression in PBN of CTP group rats was higher than that of control group (0.95 ± 0.055 vs 0.57 ± 0.034, P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference of OB-Rb mRNA expression in NST between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONNuclei AH, BLA, NST, VMH, PBN and CeA participate in the formation of CTP. Leptin and its receptor in PBN may be involved in the formation and maintenance of CTP.

Animals ; Conditioning (Psychology) ; Leptin ; blood ; Rats ; Receptors, Leptin ; physiology ; Rhombencephalon ; physiology ; Taste ; physiology

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of thick-slab single-shot turbo spin-echo (SSTSE)T2 ?-weighted sequence in magnetic resonance fetography (MRF)for fetal abnormalities.Methods 328 of 1 990 pregnant women with the diagnosis of fetal congenital defects on prenatal ultrasound screening or chromosome examination were randomly selected,and 338 fetuses were ob-tained.These fetuses were scanned by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and MRF.The diagnostic results from the two MR methods were compared.Results Six hundred and twenty-four lesions were detected by MRF.The primary diagnosis based on conventional MRI was changed for 14 lesions (2.2%).New findings were identified for 48 fetal lesions (8.4%)and 66 ma-ternal lesions.However,78 fetal lesions could not to be identified by MRF.MRF could increase the diagnostic confidence for fetal lesions with high water content (56.1% of the lesions).Conclusion MRF can yield more precise information for fetal extremities, fluid-filled cavities,pathological hydrops and cystic lesions.As an additional aid to the conventional multi-slice T2-weighted se-quence.

Objective Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)used to be evaluated by an-alyzing the characteristics of the brain gray matter via diffuse tensor imaging (DTI).This study was to characterize the damage to the mi-crostructural integrity of the brain gray matter in aMCI and AD patients using the mean diffusivity ( MD) of DTI and to investigateits transformation rules. Methods This retrospective study included 30 cases ofaMCI, 30 cases of AD, and another 30 normal controls. We measured the MD values of the whole brain gray matter , established the MD network of the water molecules in the gray matter , char-acterized the small-world network, and performed correlation analysis by neuropsychological assessment . Results Compared with the normal controls, the MDnetworks of the aMCI and AD groupsexhibited abnormal small world characteristics , namely, a higher clustering coefficient and a longer path , which reflected the damage to themicrostructure of the gray matter , and theaverage connectivity in the aMCI patients was lowerthan that in thenormal controls but higher than that in the AD group ( P<0.05) .The MD values of the gray matter were negatively correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale scores in the 11 hub regions of the brain , including the bilateral hippo-campus and the limbic system ( P<0.05) . Conclusion The diffusion feature of the water molecules in the brain gray matter of the aMCIpatient may help to detect early ADand reflect the damage to the brain microstructure in patients with neurodegenerative diseases .

Stirred culture offers a number of advantages over static systems as it maintains a stable, homogeneous culture environment and is easy to scale-up. This paper focused on the development and application of stirred tank bioreactor to culture hematopoietic cells. Preliminary study of stirred culture of hematopoietic cells was carried out in cord blood mononuclear cells culture in spinner flask. The results showed that the amplification rates of total cell, CFU-GM and BFU-E, with the exception of CFU-Mk, were greater in spinner flask than T-flask. The number of total cells increased 20 fold after 14 days incubation in spinner flask. The amplification rates of CFU-GM, CFU-Mk and BFU-E reached maximum at 10th day, 10th day and 7th day respectively, and the maximal amplification rates were 9.2-fold, 5.5-fold and 2.4-fold respectively, whereas the rate of CD34+ cells in spinner flask was (6.7 +/- 4.0)-fold at day 10. These results indicated that the stirred culture system is better than the static culture systems for hematopoietic cell proliferation. The biocompatibility of cord blood MNC to different types of materials used in bioreactors was also tested. The results showed that glass, stainless steel 316L and polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) supported the growth of hematopoietic cells well. A higher cell density was reached in stirred bioreactors with controlled pH and DO than static culture. These findings suggested that the controlled large-scale culture could be used to overcome the clinical shortage of hematopoietic cells.
Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Bioreactors ; Cell Culture Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Erythroid Precursor Cells ; cytology ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Stainless Steel

Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of benzene on sperm DNA.

METHODSTwenty-seven workers exposed to benzene for over two years were included in the experiment group and 35 unexposed ones were chosen as controls. Damage by benzene on sperm DNA was detected by modified single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE).

RESULTSThe benzene concentration in the air of the workplace of the exposed workers was (86.49 +/- 2.83) mg/m3, twice that of the national maximum allowance (40 mg/cm3). Urinary, trans-muconic acid in the exposed group was (1.40 +/- 0.62) mg/L (n = 27), significantly higher than that of the controls [(0.82) +/- 0.16) mg/L, n = 35]. After SCGE, the percentage of head DNA in the exposed group [(70.18% +/- 7.36%, n = 13 ] was significantly lower than that of the controls (90.62% +/- 2.94%, n = 16), P < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONHigher concentration of benzene could cause damage to the sperm DNA of the workers exposed to it.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Benzene ; analysis ; toxicity ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features of different variants of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

METHODSOne hundred and two cases of FSGS were retrieved from the archival files of Peking University First Hospital during the past 6-year period. The pathologic findings were reviewed and the degrees of active and chronic changes were assessed by morphometric analysis. The histopathologic patterns were then correlated with clinical manifestations.

RESULTSAmongst the 102 cases of primary FSGS studied, 55.9% belonged to the NOS (not other specified) variant, while the perihilar, cellular, tip and collapsing variants accounted for 6.9%, 25.5%, 4.8% and 6.9% respectively. The level of proteinuria in the cellular and tip variants were much higher than that in the NOS variant; and the incidence of nephrotic syndrome in the tip and collapsing variants was higher than that in the other three variants (chi(2) = 12.23, P < 0.05). The activity score of the cellular and collapsing variants was also higher than that of the other three variants (P < 0.05). The interval between disease onset and renal biopsy diagnosis in the perihilar variant was longer than that in the other variants. The chronicity score of this variant was higher than that of the tip and NOS variants (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the total scores of active and chronic changes of the tip variant was lower than that of the cellular and collapsing variants (P < 0.05); and its chronic score was lower than that of the NOS and perihilar variants (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe NOS variant is the commonest morphologic pattern seen in primary FSGS. The cellular and collapsing variants are the patterns associated with active lesions, while perihilar variant is the pattern associated with chronic lesions. The tip variant shows mild pathological changes compared with the other patterns.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; blood ; classification ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Glomerulus ; pathology ; Male ; Serum Albumin ; metabolism ; Young Adult