Objective To explore the mechanism of aluminum-induced damage of learning and memory by studying the change of calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ(CaMKⅡ) in the hippocampus of lactational rats. Methods Three groups of clean pregnant Wistar rats (120-200 g) were randomly divided into 3 groups. On the first day of parturition, the dams of two groups were given 0.3% and 0.6% AlCl3 through drinking water and terminated on the weaning day (21 days). Western blot was used to determine the content and activity of ?-CaMKⅡ. Results The aluminum levels in the blood and brain of aluminum-treated rats were obviously higher than that in the control (P

BACKGROUND:So far, engineered myocardium is stil facing many problems. Research has demonstrated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can be differentiated into myocardial cells. Polyglycolide and polycaprolactone are commonly used artificial polymers, which have good biocompatibility.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the growth of the poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer patch in vitro in normal myocardium and infarcted myocardium.
METHODS:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in Sprague-Dawley rats were separated using adherent separation and selection method, cultured in vitro. The third passage was labeled with DAPI. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellsuspensions (2×106/cm2) were produced and planted on poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer scaffolds to form poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer patch. After culturing for 48 hours, the specimens were observed under electron microscope, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and then observed under light microscope. Rat models of myocardial infarction were established by ligating left anterior descending coronary artery. Poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer patch was implanted into the normal and infarcted myocardium for 5 weeks. The survival of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was determined by the detection of pathology.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Results of light microscope and electron microscope demonstrated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells grew three-dimensional y on poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer patch. cells and patch were adhesive wel . Under laser confocal microscopy, compared with the first week, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were marked by DAPI in the myocardium at the fifth week. There were bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells marked by DAPI in the infracted area. Results of hematoxylin-eosin staining exhibited that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were detected in the infarct area. These results suggested that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells adhered to the poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer stent wel . The complexes of poly(glycolic acid)/poly(e-caprolactone) copolymer and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can be used for reparation of myocardium.

Objective To study the security of low dose and half-body irradiation by 60Co ?-rays as a new method of clinical radiotherapy.Methods The simulated manikin was used to simulate human body and two radiation modalities of facing and backing on radioactive source were adopted.Half-body irradiation was done by 60Co ?-rays with doses of 9,10 and 11 cGy.The exposure dose of every layer and important target organs in the simulated manikin were detected,and the security of low dose and half-body irradiation as a therapeutic method was evaluated.Results The exposure dose of every layer and sensitive organs were all within safety margin,when simulated manikin facing or backing on the radioactive source was irradiated by 60Co ?-rays with doses of 9,10 and 11 cGy.Further,the exposure dose of sensitive organs in the simulated manikin backing on the radioactive source was lower than that in those facing the radioacive source.Conclusion The method of low dose and half-body irradiation as a radiotherapeutic method is safe and feasible and the radiation modality of backing on the radioactive source is more safe.

To investigate the neuroprotective of ligustilide (LIG) against glutamate-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells, cell viability were examined by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was applied to assay cell apoptosis rate. Intracellular calcium concentration was measured by using fluorescent dye Fluo-3/AM. Cytochrome C (Cyt C), Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression were assayed by western blot. The results showed that glutamate is cytotoxic with an inhibitory concentration 50 (ID50) of 15 mmol · L(-1). Pretreatment with LIG (1, 5, 15 μmol · L(-1)) significantly improved cell viability. The apoptosis rate in glutamate-induced PC12 cells was 13.39%, and decreased in the presence of LIG (1, 5, 15 μmol · L(-1)) by 9.06%, 6.48%, 3.82%, separately. Extracellular accumulation of Ca2+ induced by glutamate were significantly reduced by LIG. The results of western blot manifested that pretreatment LIG could decrease the release of Cyt C from mitochondria, down-regulate Caspase-3 protein expression and up-regulate Bcl-2/Bax ratio, thereby protects PC12 cells from apoptosis. In summary, LIG had protective effect on glutamate-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells through attenuating the increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, and inhibiting the release of Cyt C from mitochondria to cytoplasm.
4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Aniline Compounds ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Glutamic Acid ; adverse effects ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; PC12 Cells ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Xanthenes ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels play an osteogenic role under the assistance of scaffold materials. The scaffold cannot only deliver the cels to the bone defect area, but also act as a new bone growth framework. Colagen-chitosan composite is one of ideal scaffold materials in bone tissue engineering, which has osteoinductive ability and better osteogenic ability than conventional scaffolds. Bone transport technology has been widely used in the clinical repair of long bone defects, but it has some deficiencies, such as slow osteogenesis, long time for external fixation and nonunion. How to further accelerate bone formation and reduce complications has become the current problem to be solved. Here, it is hypothesized that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels/ colagen/chitosan composite scaffold can increase the therapeutic effect of bone transport in the repair of tibial bone defects.
METHODS/DESIGN:This study is a randomized controled animal experiment, includingin vitro andin vivo tests.In vitro test: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels are isolated from the bone marrow of New Zealand rabbits aged 1-2 months, and passaged to the third generation. Then, cel suspension is added onto the colagen-chitosan scaffold to construct the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels/colagen/chitosan composite scaffold.In vivo test: Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits at 3-4 months are selected and randomly assigned to receive bone transport, scaffold implantation, bone transport+scaffold implantation, respectively. The primary outcome measures are the growth of implant materials and bone defect interface, X-ray detection of bone defect repair, hematoxylin-eosin staining and scanning electron microscope observation of bone formation in the bone defect region, immunohistochemical detection of type I colage expression in the osteogenic region, scanning electron microscope observation of interface bonding between implant materials and host bone, ultrastructure and bone formation.
DISCUSSION:The results from this animal experiment wil help to determine the feasibility of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels/colagen/chitosan composite scaffold to accelerate bone repair during bone defect repair using bone transport technology.

Objective To observe the effect of mechanical horseback riding on balance ability in stroke patient. Methods 40 stroke patients were divided into 2 groups. Treatment group was treated with mechanical horseback riding exercise and routine rehabilitation therapy, while control group was treated with the routine therapy only. They were assessed with the flat pressure test system and the Berg balance scale before and 10 weeks after the treatment. Results Comparing with control group, the whole path length and the unit path length when opening eyes decreased in treatment group （P<0.05）. Conclusion Mechanical horseback riding could improve the balance ability in stroke patients.

OBJECTIVETo study the promoter methylation pattern of p16 and hMLH1 genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and reflux esophagitis, and to correlate the results with clinical and pathologic findings.

METHODSTwelve cases of normal esophagus, 13 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 43 cases of reflux esophagitis with basal cell hyperplasia and 21 cases of reflux esophagitis with dysplasia, as confirmed by endoscopic and pathologic examination, were enrolled into the study. Genomic DNA was extracted. The promoter methylation status of p16 was measured by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The promoter methylation status of hMLH1 was measured by sodium bisulfite-restriction enzyme digestion. Immunohistochemical study for p16 and hMLH1 proteins was also carried out.

RESULTSThe rates of p16 methylation in normal esophageal epithelium, basal cell hyperplasia, dysplasia and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were 0/12, 14.0% (6/43), 38.1% (8/21) and 6/13, respectively. The p16 methylation correlated with the progress of esophageal lesions. On the other hand, the hMLH1 methylation was not observed in the normal esophageal epithelium and reflux esophagitis. One case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma showed the presence of hMLH1 methylation. The hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation did not correlate with the clinical and pathologic features.

CONCLUSIONSThe p16 methylation may be one of the earliest events in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and is also observed in reflux esophagitis. Reflux esophagitis may be related to the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese population. In contrast, hMLH1 methylation may not be directly involved in the tumorigenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Esophagitis, Peptic ; genetics ; pathology ; Esophagus ; pathology ; Female ; Genes, p16 ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; MutL Protein Homolog 1 ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Precancerous Conditions ; genetics ; pathology ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

Objective To investigate the long-term outcome of old stroke patients after rehabilitation. Methods 25 old hospitalized patients with first attack of stroke in recovery were followed up with Mini-mental Status Examination (MMSE), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Brunnstrom stages of hemiplegia, modified Ashworth scale (MAS), range of motion (ROM) in hemiplegic ankle, manual muscle test (MMT) of quadriceps femoris, Berg balance scale (BBS), modified Barthel index (BI) and the Zarit burden interview (ZBI) for caregiver before rehabilitation, discharge, 6 and 12 months after discharge. Results The Brunnstrom stages of lower limbs, MAS of upper limbs improved (P<0.05) after 3-month rehabilitation in hospital, as well as the scores of BBS, BI and ZBI. As 6 and 12 months in home, the limb function remained stable, while the scores of BBS, MMSE, BI, SAS, and ZBI improved, but SDS fluctuated (P<0.05). Conclusion It is important to offer the long-term rehabilitation or consultation service when advocating old stroke patients early return to family or community, including psychological support and intervention.

BACKGROUNDIt has been known that there are declines of dendritic cell (DC) count and its function in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which are remarkably related to the proceeding and prognosis of NSCIC. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship and clinical significance between the DC subsets (CD11c+DC and CD123+DC) and immunology state of patients with advanced NSCLC.

METHODSFlow cytometry was used to detect DC subsets, T cell subsets, NK cell percentage in the peripheral blood of 40 patients with advanced NSCLC and 10 healthy controls.

RESULTSThe expression of CD11c+DC (0.38%±0.18%) in the peripheral blood of advanced NSCLC patients, was decreased significantly compared with that of normal controls (0.66%±0.24%) (P < 0.01). The expression of CD123+DC in the peripheral blood of advanced NSCLC patients was (0.28±0.17)%, with no significant difference compared with that of normal controls (0.27%±0.11%) (P > 0.05). The percentage of CD3+ T cell and CD4+/CD8+ of patients with advanced NSCLC were significantly lower than those of normal controls (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05), and the percentage of CD8+ and NK cell of patients were higher than those of normal controls (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis showed that CD123+DC percentage was positively correlated to CD3+T cell percentage (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated to NK cell percentage (P < 0.01). The expression of DC subsets correlated with KPS and chemotherapy history of patients (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe advanced NSCLC may induce significant decreasing expression of CD11c+DC and may induce significant decrease of immunology state. There are close relationship among the expression of DC subsets and the immunology state of patients as well as the clinical biological behaviors of patients with advanced NSCLC.

Background and Objective: Comparable data are sparse for infl ammatory demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) in the Asia-Pacifi c region, and we aimed to establish a registry of patients with such diseases in the region. Methods: A network of neurologists in the Asia-Pacifi c Region was established to register patients with the targeted diseases. A standardized register form and relevant instructions in English, translated into the local language when needed, were prepared before the study start and used for data collection. Results: Eight study centres from different countries/areas participated in the study. In total, 857 patients with a validated diagnosis of different infl ammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS were registered, 591 females and 266 males with a female-to-male ratio 2.2. The mean age at onset for all patients was 35.9 (SD: 12.9) years, signifi cantly younger (p = 0.010) for females (35.1 years, SD: 12.6 years) than for males (37.6 years, SD: 13.4 years). Conclusion: Patients with different infl ammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS were in the fi rst time registered in a multi-centre study from eight countries/areas in the Asia-Pacifi c region. A platform and basis has been established for further study in the fi eld.