Aim To investigate the protective effect of cinnamic aldehyde ( CA ) on hormone-induced osteo-clasts proliferation and bone resorption in vitro and its molecular mechanisms. Methods RAW264. 7 cells induced into osteoclast were treated with RANKL and M-CSF and then were divided into control group, dexa-methasone ( DEX ) group and different doses of CA (11. 6, 23. 2, 46. 4 μg·L-1 ) groups. OCs were ob-served after tartrate resistant acid phosphatase( TRAP) staining. The cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay at different time points. The expression levels of TRACP5 b in cell cultured supernatants were measured by ELISA. RT-PCR technique was applied to examine the transcriptional levels of RANK and NFATc1 . Re-sults In MTT assay, the proliferation of osteoclasts stimulated by dexamethasone was promoted seriously compared with negative control group ( P < 0. 05 ) . Meanwhile, DEX could strengthen the content of TRACP5 b and up-regulate the expressions of RANK and NFATc1 mRNA. After administration of CA, the proliferation was inhibited, while the enhanced expres-sion of TRAP5b was reversed,and the over-expressions of RANK and NFATc1 mRNA were obviously down-regulated in a time-and-dose-dependent manner ( P <0. 05 ) . Conclusion The results suggest that CA in-hibits proliferation and bone resorption of osteoclast in-duced by DEX, which may be mediated by down-regu-lation of RANK and NFATc1 mRNA.

Objective:To investigate the role of dendritic cells(DC) in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion(URSA) and to study the effect and molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shou Tai Decoction ( STD ) on URSA treatment by regulating the function of DC.Methods:30 cases of normal pregnancy women and 30 cases of URSA patients were taken as control group and URSA group respectively.URSA patients were treated with Shou Tai Decoction.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were taken from both control group and URSA group before and after STD administration.The proportion of CD11c+HLA-DR+cells,CD11c+CD80+cells and CD11c+CD86+cells in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry.Moreover,the mRNA expression of HLA-DR,CD80,CD86 and Indoleamine2,3-dioxygenase( IDO) in venous blood were detected by RT-PCR assay.The protein expression of IDO was detected by Western blot.Furthermore, the cytokines, including IL-12p70 and IL-6, in the blood serum were measured by ELISA.Results:Compared with normal pregnancy women,the proportion of CD11c+HLA-DR+,CD11c+CD80+,CD11c+CD86+cells and the mRNA expression of HLA-DR,CD80,CD86 of URSA patients in peripheral blood were both increased significantly(P<0.05), while the mRNA and protein expression of IDO were decreased markedly(P<0.05).Additionally,the level of IL-12p70 and IL-6 in serum of URSA women were significantly increased ( P<0.01 ) .When compared with URSA patients before STD administration, the proportion of CD11c+HLA-DR+,CD11c+CD80+,CD11c+CD86+cells and the mRNA expression of HLA-DR,CD80,CD86 decreased significantly after STD administration ( P<0.05 ) , while the mRNA and protein expression of IDO increased markedly after STD administration(P<0.05).Meanwhile,compared with before STD administration,serum protein level of IL-12p70 and IL-6 of URSA patients decreased significantly after STD treatment ( P<0.01 ) .Conclusion: The changes of proportion and function of DC were involved in URSA.The regulatory effect of STD on DC proportion and function contribute to the treatment of URSA.

Objective To explore the sleep characteristics of submariners during a long-term voyage, so as to provide scientific evidence for ensuring submariners with good sleep during long-term voyages. Methods The sleep status of submariners who participated in a long-term voyage was tested by Self-Rating Scale of Sleep (SRSS) before the voyage, and before and after each voyage section during the voyage. The sleep status variation of submariners who performed different types of tasks, from the beginning to the end of each voyage section and of each resting-on-the-sea section was analyzed respectively. Comparison of sleep scores was performed between submariners and surface ship crew in the second voyage section. Numbers of submariners with sleep problem were compared in each voyage section. Results Generally speaking, submariners' sleep status at the end of voyage section was significantly worse than that at the beginning of voyage section and that before the whole voyage (P<0.001, P<0.01), and the sleep status at the beginning of the third voyage section was significantly worse than that before the whole voyage (P<0.05). Submariners had a steady sleep status when taking a resting-on-the-sea before starting their first voyage section, which was no significant difference from that before the whole voyage (P>0.05). After finishing a voyage section and taking a resting-on-the-sea, submariners' sleep status returned to the level of pre-voyage (P>0.05), and was significantly better than that before the resting-on-the-sea (P<0.05, P<0.01). After finishing two voyage sections and then taking a resting-on-the-sea, the submariners' sleep status showed no obvious variation (P>0.05). Compared with that of surface ship crew who accomplished the same voyage section, submariners had an obviously better sleep status after taking a resting-on-the-sea (P<0.05). Meanwhile, submariners who finished a voyage section showed a significantly worse sleep status than those resting on the sea (P<0.01) and surface ship crew who finished a same voyage section (P<0.05). In each voyage section, submariners with sleep problems who finished resting-on-the-sea were significantly less than those who finished navigation (P<0.001, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the number of submariners with sleep problems between those who taking non-resting and taking resting-at-dock after finishing the first voyage section (P>0.05), but the latter was significantly more than the former when the second voyage section was finished (P<0.05). During the resting-on-the-sea period, the numbers of submariners with sleep problems in both the second and the third voyage section were significantly more than those in the first voyage section (P<0.05, P<0.01). The numbers of submariners with sleep problems who implemented the third voyage section were significantly more than those who implemented the first and the second voyage section (P<0.01). Conclusions Generally, the sleep quality of submariners is significantly worse after accomplished a voyage section task, and the degree of sleep problems may be accumulated to worse and worse along with the increase of long-term voyage time. Whereas, submariners may have a significantly better sleep status after taking a resting-on-the-sea, implying that resting-on-the-sea is an effective way to ensure submariners a good sleep during a long-term voyage.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety of transumbilical laparoendoscopic sin-gle-site dismembered pyeloplasty ( U-LESS-P ) for the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Methods Between Mar.2011 and Mar.2012, U-LESS-P was performed in 8 consecutive pa-tients with UPJO by one experienced laparoscopic surgeon .The patients included 5 males and 3 females, with an average age of 28 (16-45) years.Of the 8 patients, six presented with flank pain , and two were a-symptomatic and discovered incidentally by health check .Of the 8 patients, seven had UPJO on the left side and one on the right side .The diagnosis was established by renal ultrasonography , diuretic renal scan , intra-venous urography (IVU) or/and computed tomography urography (CTU).Renal ultrasonography, IVU and ( or) CTU showed hydronephrosis and UPJO in the affected side , while diuretic renal scan demonstrated re-nal function deteriorated .No patients had undergone abdominal surgery previously .A 2-2.5 cm umbilical in-cision was made for single-port access .The procedures were performed using 30°5 mm or 10 mm laparoscope with a combination of conventional and bent laparoscopic instruments . Results All procedures were com-pleted successfully .None was converted to open surgery or traditional laparoscopic surgery .The mean opera-tive time was 153 (117-190) min, and the average estimated blood loss about 20 (10-40) ml.The mean time to resume oral diet was 1.5 days.The drainage remained 2-7 days.The mean hospital stay was 6 (4-8) days.With the follow-up of 3-6 months, symptom-free was investigated in all 8 cases.Ultrasonography , diuretic renal scan and IVU showed decreased or disappeared hydronephrosis .No operative complication , such as anastomotic stoma stenosis , was founded . Conclusions U-LESS-P is a safe and effective proce-dure for the treatment of UPJO , with the advantages of decreased operative morbidity , postoperative rapid re-covery and improved cosmetic result .

Objective To explore a promising system for tumor CD 44 receptor-targeted imaging and to investigate their physic-chemical properties and targeting effect on CD 44 abundant cancer cells in vitro.Methods The superparamagnetic iron oxide ( SPIO) nanoparticles were prepared by a coprecipitation in alkaline media starting from a mixed of the ferrous and ferric solution.And then the surface of the SPIO nanoparticles were modified with APTMS by a reaction with the hydroxyl groups.Finally, the hyaluronan-modified SPIO ( SPIO-HA) nanoparticles were prepared.Control and experimental groups were established after adding SPIO or SPIO-HA as agents respectively.Transmission electron microscopy ( TEM) and particle size analyzer were used to measure these nanoparticle sizes and the hydrodynamic diameters.Thermogravimetric analysis ( TGA) was carried out to evaluate the HA-content on the surface of SPIO-HA.The MRI T2 ralaxivities (1/T2 ) of the two groups at different Fe concentrations (0.09, 0.18, 0.27, 0.36, 0.45 mmol/L ) were measured on a 3.0T MR system.HepG2 cells and HL7702 cells were used for assessment of cells viability by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium ( MTT ) assay.Prussian blue staining , immunoassay fluorescence image and flow cytometry were carried out to determine the targeted cellular uptake of SPIO-HA nanoparticles.MRI were performed to show the MR T 2 value changes after incubating with HepG2 cancer cells by using T 2 WI sequences at a clinical 3.0 T MR system.One-way analysis of variance was performed to determine significant changes in MR T 2 values of blank control , SPIO-HA and SPIO groups.Results The SPIO-HA and SPIO NPs were fairly homogeneous with an average core size of 18.2 and 22.4 nm, hydrodynamic diameter of 91.1 and 103.2 nm, Zeta potential of (-45.00 ±0.86) mV and (-18.50 ±0.73) mV, and magnetic relaxivity of 0.212 ×106 M-1 · s-1 and 0.191 ×106 M-1 · s-1.Based on the TGA data , HA accounted for 24%weight of each SPIO-HA.The internalization of the SPIO-HA was confirmed by prussian blue staining , while the cells showed no obvious blue stains with SPIO , incubation of SPIO-HA with tumor cells led to blue color inside the cells.After that, we examined cancer cell binding of FITC-SPIO-HA by immunoassay fluorescence image and flow cytometry.The green fluorescence resulting from FITC-SPIO-HA was observed inside the cells in both the cytoplasm and the plasmalemma.Tumor cells treated with SPIO-HA exhibited higher fluorescence signals with 7.97-fold enhancement observed for HepG 2 cells over control particles.In vitro MR, mean T2 values of blank control , SPIO and SPIO-HA groups were ( 115.20 ±0.36 ), ( 115.07 ±0.81 ) and ( 21.67 ±0.21 ) ms, respectively.There was significant difference among those three groups (F=31 703.339,P<0.01), MR T2 values of HepG2 cells treated with the SPIO-HA NPs were lower than blank and SPIO group.In comparison, SPIO did not generate any MRI signal changes compared with blank group.Conclusion The tumor CD44 receptor-targeted MR molecular probe SPIO-HA had a good physic-chemical property and well targeted HepG2 cells.

Objective:To investigate the role of Th1/Th2 shift in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) and to study the effect and molecular mechanism of Bushen Guchong decoction on URSA treatment by regulating Th 1/Th2 paradigm.Methods:30 cases of URSA patients were given Bushen Guchong decoction administration ; meanwhile,30 cases of normal pregnancy women were taken as control group.Th1/Th2 paradigm in peripheral blood monocytes of URSA patients before and after Bushen Guchong decoction administration was detected by flow cytometry.Moreover,the mRNA expression of the specific transcription factors for Th1 and Th2 subsets -T-bet and GATA-3 were detected by RT-PCR assay.Furthermore,the relationship between the Th1/Th2 paradigm and the uterine bleeding time after Bushen Guchong decoction administration was analyzed by Pearson correlation and re -gression tests.Results: Compared with normal pregnancy women , the proportion of Th1 subset of URSA patients was increased significantly (P<0.05),while the proportion of Th2 subset was decreased markedly (P<0.05).Additionally,the ration of Th1/Th2 subsets was increased in URSA women (P<0.05).After Bushen Guchong decoction treatment ,the proportion of Th1 subsets in URSA patients and T-bet mRNA expression were up-regulated significantly ( P<0.05 ) , whereas the Th2 proportion and GATA-3 mRNA expression were down-regulated obviously (P<0.05).Moreover,the ratio of Th1/Th2 was decreased significantly (P<0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the uterine bleeding time was positively related to both the proportion of Th 1 and the ratio of Th1/Th2, while negatively related to the proportion of Th 2 subsets.Conclusion:Th1/Th2 shift was involved in URSA.Bushen Guchong decoction up-regulated the transcription level of GATA-3 and down-regulated the transcription level of T-bet.Thereby, Bushen Guchong decoction exerted the curative effect on URSA by revising Th 1/Th2 shift.