Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) s a serine/tyrosine kinase which s expressed widely and regulates various signal transduction pathways in mammalian cell. As one of the key branches of MAPK pathway, p38 MAPK signaling pathway plays an important role in various physiological and pathological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. In recent years, the research on p38MAPK signaling pathway in cell growth, metabolism and function of osteoclast, osteoblast and chondrocyte related to bone metabolism has attracted increasing attention. This article reviews the relationship beween p38MAPK and bone metabolism, in order to investigate the mechanism of action of p38MAPK in bone metabolism related diseases.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of depression and its etiological factors in patients with cryptorchidism 6-16 years after surgical treatment.

METHODSUsing Self-Rating Depression Scale and Correlation Factor Questionnaire, we investigated the incidence of depression symptoms among 70 patients with cryptorchidism 6-16 years after surgical treatment and another 70 healthy males as controls, and analyzed the related factors of depression symptoms.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of depression symptoms was 50% in the cryptorchidism patients postoperatively, extremely significantly higher than 4.3% in the control group (χ2 = 23.5, P <0.01). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the main risk factors of depression symptoms were worries about natural fertility (F = 15.8992, P <0.01), dissatisfaction with scrotal appearance (F = 4.6003, P <0.05), and the status of being married (F = 4.1002, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSymptoms of depression often occur in cryptorchidism patients after operation, and the major etiological factors are infertility, dissatisfaction with scrotal appearance, and the status of being married.

Adult ; Body Image ; psychology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cryptorchidism ; psychology ; surgery ; Depression ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility, Male ; psychology ; Male ; Marital Status ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Scrotum ; pathology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Time Factors

To investigate the distribution of the genes of two major metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL; i.e., IMP and VIM) and class 1 integrons (intI) in the clinical imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a total of 65 isolates, from a university hospital in Sichuan between December 2004 and April 2005 were screened for MBL genes by PCR using primers specific for bla ( IMP-1 ), bla ( VIM ) and bla ( VIM-2 ) genes. The MBL-positive isolates were further assessed for class 1 integrons by PCR using specific primers. The nucleotide sequences of several PCR products were also determined. The results revealed that the bla ( VIM ) gene was found in 81.5% (53/65) of all isolates, bla ( VIM-2 ) gene was found in only 1 isolate and the intI gene was observed in 45.3% (24/53) of bla ( VIM )-positive isolates. One isolate carried simultaneously both bla ( IMP-1 ) and intI genes, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of such isolate in southwest China. These observations highlight that the genes for VIM beta-lactamase and class 1 integrons were predominantly present among the imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa tested, confirming the current widespread threat of imipenem-resistant, integron-borne P. aeruginosa.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; China ; DNA Primers/chemistry ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; Imipenem/*pharmacology ; Integrons ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Models, Genetic ; Pseudomonas Infections/genetics ; Pseudomonas Infections/*microbiology ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa/*metabolism ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; beta-Lactamases/*metabolism

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/ kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a newly discovered serine protease belonging to the pro-protein family. After being synthesized and secreted by the liver, PCSK9 can be transported in conjunction with low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on the cell surface into lysosomes for degrading LDLR, so that the plasma level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) failed to be degraded due to the receptor deficiency, which resulted in a rise in plasma LDL-C.PCSK9 inhibitors can effectively inhibit the function of PCSK9 to reduce the level of blood lipids suggested a therapeutic target for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, which can not only reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events together with the adverse reactions, but also can reverse the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.This review mainly states that the discovery of PCSK9 targets, the function of PCSK9, and the current status of major PCSK9 inhibitors.

Objective To explore the feasibility of artificial silastic framework(SF)in repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.Methods Twenty healthy adult dogs with tracheal defects for 2.5 cm?6.0 cm-3.0 cm?6.0cm were randomly and equally divided into experimental group(repaired with SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae)and control group(repaired with T-silastie tubule combined with sternohyoid fascial flap).After the operation,the animals were sacrificed at the 4th,8th,16th,24th, and 48th weeks respectively for harvesting the tracheae that were used for tracbeoscopically observing in- flammatory reaction of the repaired defect area and light microscopically observing epithelium healing on the repaired defect area.Results In the experiment group,the repaired trachea was smooth,without proliferation of granulation;and at the 8th week,the repaired defect area was covered with epithelial cells,with good functional recovery of respiration,phonation and deglutition.In the control group,there was obvious proliferation of granulation on the tracheal surface near anterior and posterior ends of T-silas tic tubule.The animals were under asphyxia to die with extraction of T-silastic tubule.Conclusions SF has excellent tracheal skeletal function.In the meantime,SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae is a simple but effective method for repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.

Objective To examine how stroke affects muscle coordination and whether muscle function will be improved after rehabilitation.Methods Ten stroke patients with mild hemiparesis and six age-and sex-matched controls were investigated at baseline.Velocity-encoded phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (VE-PC MRI) and surface eleetromyography (sEMG) were performed to evaluate muscle coordination of thigh muscles during knee extension and flexion and the effect of rehabilitation. Results Using VE-PC MRI,we found that the peak velocity of rectus femoris was lower in the affected limb (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tablet (JXT) in improving heartfunction of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and speckle trackingimaging (STI) technology.

METHODSRecruited were 60 inpatients with confirmed CHD by coronary angiography at First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2013to November 2014. They were assigned to the treatment group (group A) and the control group (groupB) according to random digit table, 30 cases in each group. Patients in group A took JXT, 0.45 g/tablet,4 tablets each time, 3 times per day, while those in group B took Simvastatin Tablet, 20 mg/tablet, 1 tablet each time, once per evening. The therapeutic course for all was 8 weeks. The long axis view of theheart of 18 segments STI Peak strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa parameters were performed in all patients before and after treatment.

RESULTSBefore treatment segments of STI strain LS and TDI longitudinal peak systolic peak Sa were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Each segment of STI peak longitudinal strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa in the two groups were higher after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment each segment of STI parameters of LS and eachTDI segment parameters of Sa were significantly lower in group B than in group A (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJXT could improve heart function of CHD patients to different degrees, and its curative effect was betterthan that of routine Western medicine (Simvastatin Tablets) treatment.

Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart ; drug effects ; Humans ; Simvastatin ; therapeutic use ; Tablets

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics in a girl with 2q37 deletion syndrome. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples taken from the patient and her parents, and was subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES) and low-coverage massively parallel copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). Candidate CNVs were verified by chromosomal karyotyping analysis and fluorescence quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The child was found to harbor a 6 Mb heterozygous deletion in 2q37 by WES and CNV-seq. The deletion has encompassed 98 genes with a range from GBX2 to LINC01881, and was de novo in origin. The result of fluorescence quantitative PCR was consistent with that of WES and CNV-seq. However, karyotyping analysis has failed to detect the deletion. CONCLUSION The patient was diagnosed with 2q37 deletion syndrome. Combined WES and CNV-seq method features high resolution, high throughput, and high sensitivity, which can significant raise the diagnostic rate for patients with mental disorder, multiple malformations and unknown syndromes.

To investigate the distribution of the genes of two major metallo-β-lactamases (MBL; i.e., IMP and VIM) and class 1 integrons (intI) in the clinical imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a total of 65 isolates, from a university hospital in Sichuan between December 2004 and April 2005 were screened for MBL genes by PCR using primers specific for blaIMP-1, blaVIM and blaVIM-2 genes. The MBL-positive isolates were further assessed for class 1 integrons by PCR using specific primers. The nucleotide sequences of several PCR products were also determined. The results revealed that the blaVIM gene was found in 81.5% (53/65) of all isolates, bla gene was found in only 1 isolate and the intI gene was observed in 45.3% (24/53) of blaVIM-positive isolates. One isolate carried simultaneously both blaIMP-1 and intI genes, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of such isolate in southwest China. These observations highlight that the genes for VIM β-lactamase and class 1 integrons were predominantly present among the imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa tested, confirming the current widespread threat of imipenem-resistant, integron-borne P. aeruginosa.

Many antineoplastic agents can cause myelosuppression and thrombocytopenia. Thrombopoietin (TPO) is believed to be the major cytokine affecting the proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytes and increasing circulating platelet levels. We have designed and synthesized a TPO mimetic peptide, it can increase circulating platelet levels in vivo. For increasing half-life and forming dimer, the peptide was expressed as chimeric proteins with human IgG1 Fc fragments. The cDNA of TPO mimetic peptide was synthesized chemically and linked respectively to 5' terminus of human IgG1 Fc cDNA fragments in various length (Fc1: Fc 5' 648 bp; Fc2: Fc 5' 270 bp; Fc3: Fc 5' 267 bp; Fc4: Fc 5' 90 bp), and cloned into expression plasmid pET28a (+) for constructing four recombinant plasmids. By transforming the four recombinant plasmids into E. coli. BL21 (DE3) respectively, we got 3 kinds of engineered E. coli which express TPO + Fc chimeric proteins(28 kD TPO + Fc1, 12 kD TPO + Fc2 and 12 kD TPO + Fc3) at high level respectively, the expressed proteins were purified with DEAE-Sepharose FF and S-Sepharose FF column. The bioactivities of the expressed chimeric proteins(TPO + Fc1, TPO + Fc2 and TPO + Fc3), TPO mimetic peptide, and PEG4000 coupled TPO mimetic peptide were evaluated with Ba/F3-mp1 in vitro and with carboplatin-induced thrombocytopenia mice in vivo, the expressed chimeric proteins have higher activity than TPO mimetic peptide both in vitro and in vivo, the EC50 on Ba/F3-mp1 cells were 13, 10, 10, 50, and 25 nmol/L respectively, all of them can increase circulating platelet counts. Their imol/Lunogenicity were valuated in mice, none of them can elicit mice to produce antibodies to TPO mimetic peptide, meanwhile three TPO + Fc chimeric proteins can elicit mice to produce antibodies to human IgG1 Fc. These studies have laid basis for production of TPO mimetic peptide by genetic engineering.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Blood Platelets ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments ; genetics ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Immunoglobulin G ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligopeptides ; chemical synthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Thrombocytopenia ; blood ; immunology ; Thrombopoietin ; genetics ; immunology ; pharmacology