OBJECTIVETo explicit whether the expression of the mineral-related proteins is regulated by cbfa1 in human dental papilla cells.

METHODSHuman dental papilla cells were cultured in vitro and transfected with pcDNA3-cbfa1 recombinant plasmids. After selected with G418 sulfate, a cell clone named PC-3, which could stably express the cbfa1 mRNA and protein, was proved by PCR and western blot. Then the amount of ALP and OC and the expression of OPN, BSP, ON, DMP1, DSP and DSPP were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and PCR methods.

RESULTSWe established the human dental papilla cells model PC-3 which could stably express the cbfa1 mRNA and protein. Compared with normal cells, a lot of mineral-related proteins such as ALP, OC, OPN, BSP, ON, DMP1 were upregulated in PC-3 cells.

CONCLUSIONSIn human dental papilla cells, cbfa1 can induce the expression of most mineral-related genes and proteins. It may implicate that cbfa1 must play a key role during tooth development and mineralization.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; biosynthesis ; Cells, Cultured ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; physiology ; Dental Papilla ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Osteocalcin ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of liver X receptor (LXR) agonist on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) implantation into infarcted hearts of mice.

METHODAD-MSC(Fluc+) which stably expressed firefly luciferase (Fluc) were isolated from β-actin-Fluc transgenic mice and characterized by flow cytometry. Male FVB mice were randomly allocated into the following four groups (n = 10 each): (1) sham group; (2) MI + PBS group; (3) MI + AD-MSC(Fluc+) group; (4) MI + AD-MSC(Fluc+) + LXR agonist (T0901317) group. AD-MSC(Fluc+) or PBS were injected intramyocardial into peri-infarcted region of mice heart after permanent left anterior descending (LAD) artery ligation. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was performed for quantification of injected cells retention and survival. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography.

RESULTSThe AD-MSC(Fluc+) were positive for CD44 and CD90 by flow cytometry. BLI evidenced the firefly luciferase expression of AD-MSC(Fluc+) which was positively correlated with cell numbers (r(2) = 0.98). The results of BLI in vivo revealed that LXR agonist could improve the survival of AD-MSC(Fluc+) at day 7, 14 and 21 after transplantation compared with AD-MSC(Fluc+) alone group. Cardiac function was further improved in combination therapy group compared with AD-MSC(Fluc+) alone group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLXR agonist T0901317 can improve the retention and survival of intramyocardial injected AD-MSC(Fluc+) post-MI, and the combination therapy of T0901317 and AD-MSC(Fluc+) has a synergetic effect on improving cardiac function in this model.

Animals ; Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated ; therapeutic use ; Liver X Receptors ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Myocardial Infarction ; mortality ; surgery ; Orphan Nuclear Receptors ; agonists ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

In this study, Recombinant baculoviruses rBac-NF and rBac-NG were generated for expressing F and G proteins Nipah virus (NiV) . The expression of recommbinant G (rNG) and F (rNF) protein in rBac-NF and rBac-NG infected cells were confirmed by western-blot. Both rNG and rNF showed sensitive and specific antigenic reaction to rabbit serum anti-Nipah virus in indirect immunofluorescence detection and indirect ELISA. Immunization with rBac-NF and rBac-NG infected insect cells elicited G ad F protein specific antibody responses in mice. Furthermore, the G ad F specific antibodies could neutralize the infectivity of the VSVdeltaG* F/G, the NiV F and G envelope glycoproteins psudotyped recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus expressing green fluorescence protein. The results demonstrated F and G protein expressed by the recombinant baculoviruses could be safe economic diagnostic antigens for the surveillance and monitoring of NiV and promising subunit vaccines for the prevention of NiV.
Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nipah Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombination, Genetic ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To study the changes of plasma normetanephrine(NMN) and metanephrine(MN) during the resection of adrenal pheochromocytoma. Methods Fourteen patients with adrenal pheocromocytoma and 9 patients with adrenal cortex tumor were recruited in our study. Blood samples were obtained at these time points: after anesthesia induction,the beginning of incision of skin, when exploring the tumor,resection of the tumor, and the end of anesthesia. The NMN and MN were determined by high performance liquid chromatogram (HPLC). Results NMN were obviously different among 5 time points in the patients with adrenal pheocromocytoma (P0.05). No significant difference was found between NMN and MN in the patients with adrenal cortex tumor. Conclusion NMN has markedly changed during the resection of adrenal pheochromocytoma, while MN has been relatively stable. The anesthesia induction and exploring of the tumor are the key of a successful operation. MN is the stable index in the diagnosis of adrenal pheochromocytoma.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of N, N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC) on the changes of inflammatory cytokines after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and to explore the potential mechanism. Two hundred Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into sham group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group and DEDTC (Zn chelator) treated group. MCAO model was established by the suture method. Rats were sacrificed at 6, 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. 2, 3, 5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) was conducted to measure the brain infarct volume. Newport Green was adopted to detect the chelatable zinc in the cerebral penumbra. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to determine the release of TNF-α and IL-6. Furthermore Western blot was used to analyze the expression of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway. The results showed that DEDTC resulted in a significant reduction of brain infarct volume and an obvious improvement of neurological function compared to the model group. DEDTC also decreased the release of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. The activation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway induced by I/R injury was drastically inhibited by the treatment with DEDTC. In conclusion, DEDTC could protect the brain against ischemic injury induced by MCAO, which might be relevant to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway, and the decreased release of inflammatory cytokines.

OBJECTIVETo explore the mental health status of residents scattered living in Anxian after Wenchuan earthquake so as to provide scientific basis for further mental health intervention.

METHODSA face to face interview was conducted among the scattered residents with designed questionnaire, which had three parts of the physical and emotional reaction, the relax methods and the social care and supports expected. Two-stage probability proportional to size (PPS) sample method was performed to sample 2184 from 0.44 million scattered residents in Anxian. On the basis of statistical description, mental health of different characteristics groups was compared.

RESULTSThree main symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders in 2184 residents (11.23+/-3.44) were higher than the 103 fire victims in Hunan in 2003 (10.06+/-3.26), three factor scores of SCL-90 (5.76+/-1.74) were higher than normal in 1998 repair mode (n=23 891) (4.72+/-1.44), and the statistical difference was observed (t=10.77, P<0.05; t=706.04, P<0.05). Comparing the mental health of different groups, some significant differences were found by age, gender and education background.

CONCLUSIONThe earthquake disaster brought prevalent physical and emotional reaction. Elderly people, female, junior students need mental intervention immediately. Therefore, strengthen the mental education and assistance (especially in high risk groups) would be of more significance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mental Health ; Middle Aged ; Sampling Studies ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the public health situation and needs in Anxian after Wenchuan earthquake so as to make an effective strategy for disease control and prevention.

METHODS69 concentrated settlements with 100 residents were investigated. Probability proportion to size was adopted for sampling of 2200 residents from 687 scattered households (about 440 000 scattered residents). The content of this survey included drinking water, food hygiene, environment sanitation, planning immunity and medical health service, disease surveillance and so on. SPSS 16.0 was used for data analysis, and statistical interpretation was used to describe the results.

RESULTS90.9% (31/66) resettled residents in Anxian lived in tents, 7.6% (5/66) lived in the movable-plate house, 93.3% (621/666) scattered households lived in tents and 71.9% (446/621) of them lived in tents which were built by residents themselves; the rate of drinking water disinfection in resettlement sites and scattered households were 97.1% (66/68) and 94.6% (650/687); 12.8% scattered residents had mouldy or food; 50% of resettlement sites raised animals; 43.6% (17/39) medical station didn't have bacterin inoculation service; 66.7% (10/15) lacked sufficient disinfection equipment; register rate was 50.0% (33/66) and report rate of symptoms and infectious diseases was 56.1% (37/66).

CONCLUSIONThere was still some risk of enteric and vector-borne diseases in Anxian, therefore, some tailored measures should be very important.

Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Environmental Monitoring ; Health Care Surveys ; Health Services ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Water Supply

Genome sequencing projects revealed massive cryptic gene clusters encoding the undiscovered secondary metabolites in Streptomyces. To investigate the metabolic products of silent gene clusters in Streptomyces chattanoogensis L10 (CGMCC 2644), we used site-directed mutagenesis to generate ten mutants with point mutations in the highly conserved region of rpsL (encoding the ribosomal protein S12) or rpoB (encoding the RNA polymerase β-subunit). Among them, L10/RpoB (H437Y) accumulated a dark pigment on a yeast extract-malt extract-glucose (YMG) plate. This was absent in the wild type. After further investigation, a novel angucycline antibiotic named anthrachamycin was isolated and determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the activation effect on the anthrachamycin biosynthetic gene cluster. This work indicated that the rpoB-specific missense H437Y mutation had activated anthrachamycin biosynthesis in S. chattanoogensis L10. This may be helpful in the investigation of the pleiotropic regulation system in Streptomyces.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics* ; Multigene Family ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Streptomyces/metabolism*

Objective:To explore the antidepressant mechanism of Yinxing Mihuan oral solution （YMO） by investigating its effect on depression model rats. Method:The depression rats were induced by isolation combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress （CUMS） and then randomly divided into model group， fluoxetine group （10 mg·kg^-1） and high-dose （618 mg·kg^-1） and low-dose （309 mg·kg^-1） YMO groups. A blank control group was also set up and ten rats were included in each group. Modeling lasted for 21 consecutive days， and rats were administered the 8th day after stimulation at a dose of 10 mL·kg^-1 for 14 days， except those in the blank control and model groups which were given distilled water. Afterward， the sucrose preference test， open field test， tail suspension test were carried out. The pathological changes of hippocampus in depression rats were observed after hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The content of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the hippocampus of rats in each group and the expression of NOD-like receptor 3 （NLRP3） and other proteins in its related activation signaling pathways were detected with multi-factor detection （Luminex） and Western blot. Result:After 14 days of continuous administration， compared with the blank control group， the model group witnessed significantly reduced sugar water consumption rate and the times of rearing and significantly prolonged cumulative time of immobility during tail suspension （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the fluoxetine group and the high-dose YMO group saw increases in the times of rearing， times of crossing and sugar water consumption rate and a significant decrease in the cumulative time of immobility during tail suspension （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of HE staining showed that the neurons in the hippocampus of rats in the high-dose YMO group were arranged in order and slightly loosened， without obvious microglia infiltration observed. The levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in the hippocampus of the model group increased significantly as compared with the blank control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and their content in the high-dose YMO group was significantly lowered in the comparison with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Molecular biology experiments demonstrated that compared with the results of blank group， the expression of purinergic receptor P2X7 （P2RX7）， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein （ASC）， Caspase-1 and IL-1β remarkably increased in the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Additionally， the expression of P2RX7， NLRP3， ASC， Caspase-1 and IL-1β was significantly inhibited in the fluoxetine group and the high-dose YMO group compared with the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Conclusion:YMO can improve the depression-like behaviors of rats induced by isolation combined with CUMS， and its mechanism of action is related to the regulation of the P2RX7/NLRP3 signaling pathway.