Objective To study the biological activities of Synechococcus sp.PCC7942 with trans-mutated hCu,Zn-SOD-gene.Methods Synechococcus sp.PCC7942 with trans-mutated hCu,Zn-SOD were administered orally for 20d to mice,then the activities of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde(MDA) were determined.Results The activities of GSHPx in serum and the activities of CAT in blood increased obviously;the activity of SOD in serum and liver increased markedly;the content of MDA in serum and liver decreased obviously.Conclusion Synechococcus sp.PCC7942 with trans-mutated hCu,Zn-SOD-gene had obvious antioxidant effect in vivo.

Objective To investigate the roles of matrix metalloproteinase-9, -2 (MMP-9, 2), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1,2 (TIMP-1, 2) in pathogenesis of the accretio placenta. Methods The women with the placenta accrete were recruited and the placenta (23) and deciduas tissues (9) after labor were obtained, and the placenta (28) and deciduas (11) from women without the placenta accreta were obtained as control to get, too. The expressions of MMP-9, -2, TIMP-1, 2 in the placental and decidual tissues were analyzed by real-time PCR. Results mRNA expression of MMP-9 in the placenta accreta was (3.21?0.76) copies/?g total RNA, significantly higher (P

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Runx2/Cbfa1 in the developing dentin and differentiating odontoblasts.

METHODSA postnatal mice teeth developing model was built histologically. Immunohistochemical technique was adopted to determine the expression of Runx2/Cbfa1 in the developing pulpo-dentinal complex in mice.

RESULTSRunx2/Cbfa1 was merely present in predentin in the exact and before the 11th day's postnatal stages. Meanwhile, it was positively located in odontoblasts and dental pulp cells in root region, but negatively in coral part after the 11th day's stages.

CONCLUSIONRunx2/Cbfa1 may play an important role in the deposing of tooth dentin and in the differentiating of odontoblasts and pulp cells.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; Dental Pulp ; Dentin ; Mice ; Odontoblasts ; Tooth

This study aimed to observe changes in the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) system in the blood and liver tissue of rats with hepatic cirrhosis at different stages by studying the effect of H2S on the course of hyperdynamic circulation in rats with hepatic cirrhosis.H2S concentration in the blood from the portal vein and inferior vena cava of hepatic cirrhosis rat model induced with carbon tetrachloride was detected on the 15th,30th,and 52nd day.The expression of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) protein,and CBS and CSE mRNA in the liver was detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),respectively.The results indicated that H2S concentration in the blood from the portal vein and inferior vena cava of rats with hepatic cirrhosis was significantly lower than that in the control group.H2S was gradually decreased with the development of the disease and significantly lower in the blood from portal vein than in the blood of inferior vena cava at the mid-stage and the late stage groups.The expression levels of CBS and CSE protein,and CBS and CSE mRNA in the livers with hepatic cirrhosis at different stages were all higher than those in the control group,and the expression gradually increased with the development of the disease.The expression of CBS was lower than CSE in the same stages.The results indicated that the CSE mRNA was expressed predominantly in the cirrhosis groups as compared with CBS rnRNA.Among experimental rats,the H2S system has an important effect on the occurrence and development of hyperdynamic circulation in rats with hepatic cirrhosis.This finding adds to the literature by demonstrating that H2S protects vascular remodelling in the liver,and that CSE is indispensable in this process.

Objective To evaluate interventional therapy for biliary stricture (BS) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods The efficacy of interventional therapy for BS after OLT from Oct 2003 to Jan 2006 was analyzed retrospectively. Fifty-three patients received 107 times of interventional therapy through endoscopic retrograde cholangiography ( ERC) which included 68 nasobiliary catheter placements,26 biliary balloon dilatations and stent placements and 13 ERC. Nine patients received 11 times of interventional therapy through percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography ( PTC) including 2 PTC, 7 percutaneous drainages,3 biliary balloon dilatations and 1 biliary stent replacement. One patient received bile drainage through T tube. Results The success rate of ERC was 88. 8% (95/107) , that of nasobiliary catheter placement 94% (64/68) , biliary stent placement 88. 5% (23/26). The success rate of PTC was 81. 8% (9/11) , that of percutaneous drainage was 100% (7/7) , biliary stent replacement 100% (1/1). The curative rate of interventional therapy for 53 patients with BS was 28. 3% (15/53) ,the improvement rate was 41. 5% (22/53). The curative rate of interventional therapy for anastomotic, extrahepatic, intrahepatic hilar and diffuse BS was respectively 66. 7% (4/6)、66. 7% (10/15)、50% (1/2)、0 (0/7) and 0 (0/22). Conclusions The efficacy of interventional therapy for BS after OLT was not satisfactory. The result relates to the type of BS, for anastomotic, extrahepatic and solitary intrahepatic BS this therapy was effective, while that for hilar and diffuse BS the prognosis was poor.

OBJECTIVEPulmonary surfactant protein-D (SP-D) is regarded as a valuable biomarker in acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This study was to explore the changes of SP-D content in lung tissue following ALI and the effect of dexamethasone (Dex) on the SP-D content in young rats.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-four 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into control, ALI and Dex-treated groups. ALI was induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (4 mg/kg) in the rats from the ALI and Dex-treated groups. Normal saline was given for the control group. Dex (5 mg/kg) was administered 1 hr after LPS injection in the Dex-treated group. At each time interval of 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hrs after LPS injection, eight rats of each group were randomly chosen and sacrificed. Western blot was employed to detect the content of SP-D in lung tissues.

RESULTSThe pulmonary SP-D content decreased significantly at 36, 48 and 72 hrs after LPS administration in the ALI group, and reduced to a nadir (0.92 +/-0.11 vs 3.27 +/- 0.52) at 48 hrs compared with that of the control group (P < 0.01). The SP-D content in the Dex-treated group increased significantly at 36,48 and 72 hrs after LPS administration when compared with the ALI group (P < 0.01). A significant difference in the SP-D content between the Dex-treated and the control group was noted only at 72 hrs after LPS administration (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe SP-D content in lung tissue was reduced following ALI in young rats at the early stage. Early administration of Dex can significantly increase the pulmonary SP-D content.

Animals ; Dexamethasone ; therapeutic use ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Lung ; chemistry ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; drug therapy ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDCortical spreading depression can cause migraine attack, and up-regulate matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in animal. This study aimed to determine the impact on the structure and function of the blood-brain barrier by measuring plasma MMP-9 levels in patients at the acute and late stages of migraine attacks in order to elucidate the pathological mechanisms involved.

METHODSWe recruited a case-control cohort of 38 adult migraine patients and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects. Five milliliter blood samples were collected at the acute and late stages of migraine (days 1 - 7), and also from the control subjects. Solid phase double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine plasma MMP-9 levels. Statistical analysis was performed using the SAS version 9.1.

RESULTSInitial plasma MMP-9 levels of migraine patients were significantly higher than those of controls ((12.612 ± 0.016) µg/L vs. (6.069 ± 0.023) µg/L, respectively, P < 0.05). High MMP-9 expression was observed during days 1 - 6 of migraine attacks, with highest expression occurring on day 3 ((17.524 ± 0.035) µg/L). During attacks, MMP-9 levels were similar in migraine patients with and without aura (P > 0.05); in addition, levels were not correlated with degree of headache pain (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSWe hypothesize that migraine could lead to increased plasma MMP-9 levels resulting in blood-brain barrier damage. MMP-9 levels increase during days 1 - 6 of migraine attacks, peaking on day 3. Therefore, MMP-9 could be used as a biological marker to guide treatment of migraine attacks.

Adult ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Migraine Disorders ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

AIMTo investigate the antagonistic effects of the novel compounds on vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 and the effect on the blood pressure of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

METHODSOrgan bath experiment and whole cardiac function experiment were used.

RESULTSThe analogues of o-CPhe-D-Trp-D-Phe(-X)-OH showed good ability against endothelin biological effects. When X was displaced by 3-F, 3-Cl or 4-Cl, the novel compounds inhibit the vascular constriction induced by ET-1 in a concentration-dependent manner, the IC50 +/- L95 were (0.09 +/- 0.05), (0.15 +/- 0.06) or (0.11 +/- 0.03) mumol.L-1 respectively. The blood pressure of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats was decreased. No significant effect on cardiac function of rats was discovered.

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrate that among the six kinds of compounds, those with o-CPhe-D-Trp-D-Phe (-X)-OH configuration showed good biological effects.

Animals ; Aorta ; drug effects ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists ; Endothelins ; pharmacology ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Molecular Structure ; Peptides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Wistar ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of real-time fluorescent quantitative (qPCR) assay in detecting mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) in paraffin embedded tissues for diagnostic purpose.

METHODSUsing qPCR assay, 1000 consecutive formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues (from 2011 to 2012) suspected of MTB infection were tested by amplifying the MTB specific insertion sequence 6110 (IS6110). The specificity of the PCR product was confirmed by Sanger sequencing as compared with the MTB genomic DNA of the IS6110 sequence. Tissues with Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining were used as control.

RESULTSIn the 1000 samples, 513 were positive for mycobacterium by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining (detection rate 51.3%); whereas 546 were MTB positive by qPCR assay (detection rate 54.6%). Concordance rate for both assays was 73.1%. The diagnosis rate increased by 14.4% by combinination of Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining and qPCR results. More interestingly, by analyzing the Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining and qPCR results three cases of M.leprae infection and four cases of non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) infection were identified.

CONCLUSIONSqPCR detection of MTB in FFPE tissue is more sensitive than Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining assay. Combination of these two assays can increase the detection rate and also identify some rare cases of NTM infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Paraffin Embedding ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Staining and Labeling ; methods ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the secular trend in incidence and mortality rate of gastric cancer in Tianjin and to provide evidence and reference for making prevention and control strategy for gastric cancer.

METHODSData derived from Tianjin cancer registry system were analyzed by descriptive epidemiological method and Joinpoint model. A total of 17990 gastric cancer cases reported in Tianjin from 1981 to 2002, including 12755 males and 5235 females were studied.

RESULTSThe annual percent change (APC) of crude incidence rate for males and females was -0.92% (Z = -3.85, P = 0.001) and -0.79% (Z = -2.67, P = 0.015), while the APC of standard incidence rate was -3.55% (Z = -13.52, P = 0.000) and -3.47% (Z = -12.85, P = 0.000). There was a descending trend of incidence rate in males and females above 45-years-old, however, in male under 45 years it showed an increased trend and in females it kept stable. The APC of crude mortality rate was -1.66% ( Z = -5.79, P = 0.000) for males and -1.84% (Z = -6.02,P = 0.000) for females, while the APC of standard mortality rate was -4.60% ( Z = -15.79, P = 0.000) for females and -5.36% ( Z = -8.28, P = 0.000) for males during 1989-2002. Mortality and incidence ratio also indicated a downward trend.

CONCLUSIONDespite its declining trend in Tianjin, gastric cancer still remains an important public health problem in facing of the aging society and many risk factors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Survival Rate