In this paper, the five strains of Polygonatum odoratum were used as the experimental materials to test the supercooling point, freezing point, the degree of supercooling, the transition stage time, cooling time and water composition of the plant tissue. The cold resistance of P. odoratum was analyzed with the Gray Correlation Method. The results showed that the cold resistances of the five strains of P. odoratum were different, and the water content of plant tissue had some relevance with freezing point and supercooling point, whereas, it could not be measured when the moisture content was too low. The order of cold resistance of the five strains of P. odoratum was ZJCY, DYYZ, XYYZ, CYYZ and JZ I.
Cold Temperature ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; physiology ; Polygonatum ; chemistry ; classification ; physiology ; Water ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of surface molecule CD96 on stem cell (LSC) in children with acute leukemia, and to explore its clinical significance.

METHODSBone marrow mononuclear cells were isolated in 69 children with newly diagnosed acute leukemia. CD34(+)CD38(-)CD123(+) LSCs were separated from these cells by flow cytometry (FCM) and then cultured, and CD96 expression on LSCs was detected by FCM. R-banding technique was used to analyze the karyotypes of the 69 children, and the data of their routine blood and immunological tests were collected.

RESULTSCD96 was mainly expressed in children with acute myelogenous leukemia, and expressed to a lesser extent in those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (P<0.05). The median expression level of CD96 in Uyghur children was 23.4%, versus 21.2% in Han children (P>0.05). The majority of children with CD96-positive children presented poor-prognosis karyotypes. Compared with CD96-negative children, children with CD96-positive children had a significantly lower complete remission rate (P<0.05) and significantly higher infection and relapse rates after chemotherapy (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSChildren with acute leukemia who have CD96-positive LSCs have a poor prognosis. CD96 may be a new indicator of prognosis in children with acute leukemia.

Adolescent ; Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; pathology ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; chemistry ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; pathology ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupoint injection by astragalus injection on local SIgA and pathomorphologial changes in rats with chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (CPID).

METHOD50 female Wistar rats were randomly devided into 6 groups, in which CPID model was made except the normal group and sham operation group. The astragalus injection group and the 0.9% NaCl injection group were treated by acupoint injection in Guanyuan (RN4) and Zusanli (ST36). The group was fed Qianjinpian solution into stomach. The histopathologic changes of rats' uterus of each group were observed and SIgA in vagina flushing was detected.

RESULTThe model group showed inflammatory changes, and astragalus injection group and Qianjinpian group showed little histopathologic changes. The levels of SIgA in astragalus injection group were significantly higher than those in other groups, but that in the model group was the lowest.

CONCLUSIONThe deficiency of local SIgA lead to repeatedly attack of CPID. The treatment of acupoint injection by astragalus injection can improve the excretion of SIgA, reinforce the local immunity, and prevent the repeatedly attack.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; blood ; Injections ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; blood ; pathology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Uterus ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the optimum conditions for preparing poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles and evaluate the bioactivity of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles.

METHODSBovine serum albumin (BSA)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared using a double emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The preparation process of nanoparticles was optimized by orthogonal test with the particle size, encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug loading (DD), and recovery as the indexes. HGF-loaded nanoparticles were then prepared under the optimized conditions. The EE, DD and release characteristics of BSA?loaded nanoparticles and HGF-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated using a BCA kit and HGF ELISA kit. The bioactivity of HGF-loaded nanoparticles was evaluated using CCK8 proliferation assay.

RESULTSThe HGF-loaded nanoparticles prepared under the optimized conditions had a uniform size with a mean diameter of 234.4∓4.8 nm, an EE of (77.75∓3.04)% and a recovery rate of (49.33∓9.34)%. The in vitro release curve highlighted an initial burst drug release followed by sustained release from the nanoparticles. HGF-loaded nanoparticles obviously promoted the proliferation of Hacat keratinocytes in vitro.

CONCLUSIONHGF-loaded nanoparticles prepared using double emulsion?solvent evaporation method under optimized conditions possesses a high EE with a good sustained drug release profile and a good bioactivity.

Shigella flexneri is an infectious pathogen that causes dysentery to human, which remains a serious threat to public health, particularly in developing countries. In this study, the global protein expression patterns of S. flexneri during transition from exponential growth to stationary phase in vitro were analyzed by using 2-D PAGE combined with MALDI-TOF MS. In a time-course experiment with five time points, the relative abundance of 49 protein spots varied significantly. Interestingly, a putative outer membrane protein YciD (OmpW) was almost not detected in the exponential growth phase but became one of the most abundant proteins in the whole stationary-phase proteome. Some proteins regulated by the global regulator FNR were also significantly induced (such as AnsB, AspA, FrdAB, and KatG) or repressed (such as AceEF, OmpX, SodA, and SucAB) during the growth phase transition. These proteins may be the key effectors of the bacterial cell cycle or play important roles in the cellular maintenance and stress responses. Our expression profile data provide valuable information for the study of bacterial physiology and form the basis for future proteomic analyses of this pathogen.
Bacterial Proteins ; analysis ; Computational Biology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Kinetics ; Peptide Mapping ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; methods ; Shigella flexneri ; growth & development ; metabolism ; pathogenicity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Temperature ; Trypsin ; pharmacology ; Virulence

OBJECTIVETo assess the rhythmic and timbral perception ability in musical activities for postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant users.

METHODSTwelve normal-hearing and 12 adult cochlear implant users were recruited in this study. Rhythm discrimination, instrument identification, and instrument number detection measurements in Musical Sounds in Cochlear Implants (MuSIC) test battery were used to assess the rhythmic and timbral perception ability for both normal-hearing and cochlear implant users.

RESULTSCochlear implant subjects achieved 84.4% correct in rhythm discrimination test on average, which was not significantly different from the performance of normal-hearing subjects (85.1%) (t = 0.116, P > 0.05). The average score of instrument identification and instrument number detection test for cochlear implant subjects were 72.3% and 39.2%, respectively. The performance of cochlear implant subjects in both of two tests were significantly poorer than those of normal-hearing subjects with 88.3% and 73.5% correct, respectively (t = 2.498 and 4.673, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPostlingually deafened cochlear implant subjects, on average, performed significantly poorer in timbral perception tasks relative to normal hearing subjects, while close to the ability of normal hearing subjects in rhythmic perception.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Auditory Perception ; Case-Control Studies ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Deafness ; rehabilitation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Music ; Perception ; Periodicity ; Pitch Perception ; Young Adult

Objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of autologous cytokine induced killer (CIK) cells combined with IL-2 in treatment of elderly patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 6 elderly MDS patients and were stimulated by cytokines in vitro to form CIK cells. The autologous CIK cells were then infused back into the corresponding patients. The regimen was repeated every 4 weeks. Effector cell proportion changes, adverse effects, effects on inflammation, hemoglobin level and blood transfusion were assessed after treatment. The results showed that after autologous CIK cell infusion, the percentages of CD3(+), CD3(+)CD8(+) and CD3(+)CD56(+) increased significantly (p < 0.05). No severe adverse effects were observed in all patients. It also significantly reduced inflammation frequency and shortened high fever duration. During stable stage of disease, the CIK cell infusion could reduce the red blood cell infusion amount and stabilize hemoglobin level. However, the natural course of transformation from myelodysplastic syndromes to high-risk subtypes could not be changed by CIK cell treatment. It is concluded that the autologous CIK cell infusion is a safe and effective therapy for geriatric myelodysplastic syndrome.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Lymphocyte Transfusion ; Male ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) receptors in the differentiation of rat glioma C6 cells.

METHODSRat glioma C6 cells were treated with the agonist LTD(4), the CysLT(1) receptor antagonist montelukast and the differentiation inducer forskolin. Cell morphology and GFAP protein expression were determined after treatments.

RESULTForskolin (10 μmol/L) induced morphological changes and GFAP protein expression (cell differentiation) in C6 cells, but LTD(4) (0.1-100 nmol/L) did not induce these changes. Montelukast (1 μmol/L) alone did not affect C6 cell differentiation, while it induced the differentiation when combined with the LTD(4) (100 nmol/L).

CONCLUSIONThe CysLT(2) receptor may modulate the differentiation of rat glioma C6 cells.

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colforsin ; pharmacology ; Cysteine ; Glioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Leukotriene Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Leukotriene D4 ; pharmacology ; Leukotrienes ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; agonists

OBJECTIVETo construct HEK293 cell lines stably expressing hCysLT(2) receptor, and to evaluate its application in screening of synthetic compounds with antagonist activity.

METHODSThe recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-hCysLT(2) was transfected into HEK293 cells using Lipofectamin 2000. The transfected HEK293 cells were selected in 96 well plates by limiting dilution with 600 μg/ml C418 for 8 weeks. The expression of human CysLT(2) receptor was detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. In HEK293 cells stably transfected with hCysLT(2), the agonist LTD(4)-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2(+)]i) was measured as the index for screening compounds with antagonist activity.

RESULTAfter selection in 96 well plates by limiting dilution, 12 monoclones were obtained and 11 of them highly expressed hCysLT(2) receptor. The positive control ATP at 50 μmol/L and LTD(4) at 100 nmol/L elevated [Ca2(+)]i in hCysLT(2)-HEK293 cells. AP-2100984 inhibited LTD(4)-induced [Ca2(+)]i elevation, but selective CysLT(1) receptor antagonists did not exert such an effect. The newly synthesized compounds DXW2, DXW3, DXW4, DXW5, DXW9, DXW25, DXW26, DXW29 and DXW35 at 1 μmol/L significantly inhibited LTD(4)-induced [Ca2(+)]i elevation. The IC(50) values of DXW4 and DXW5 were 0.25 μmol/L and 7.5 μmol/L.

CONCLUSIONHEK293 cell lines stably expressing hCysLT(2) receptor have been successfully constructed, and can be used to screen compounds with CysLT(2) receptor antagonist activity.

Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Leukotriene Antagonists ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist, on morphological changes in rat neurons after ischemic injury.

METHODSThe in vivo ischemia injury was induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h and reperfusion (R) for 24 h (OGD/R) in rat neurons primary culture and mixed cortex culture. In the presence or absence of various concentrations of montelukast, neuron number, area of neuron, number of neuritis per neuron, branch number of primary neuritis and primary neurite length were determined for evaluating morphological changes in neurons.

RESULTSOGD/R significantly reduced neuron number, and altered neuron morphology. In cortical neuron cultures, montelukast (0.0001-1 μmol/L) attenuated OGD/R-induced reduction in neuron number, and inhibited OGD/R-induced increase in branch number of primary neuritis. In the mixed cultures, montelukast (0.0001-0.1 μmol/L) increased the primary neurite length, and reduced number of neuritis and branch number of primary neurite after OGD/R.

CONCLUSIONMontelukast has a protective effect on ischemic injury in neurons.

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Hypoxia ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Leukotriene Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley