BACKGROUND:Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-volerate (PHBV) is a noticeable tissue engineering material of polyhydroxyalkanoates family. It has the properties of low immune rejection response and good biocompatibility, and its degradation products are non-toxic.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biocompatibility of PHBV membrane material and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s in vitro.
METHODS:Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s at passage 3 were seeded upon PHBV membrane as experimental group and upon conventional culture plates as control group. Then we calculated the adherent cel number of two groups at 1, 2 and 4 hours and got the cel adherent rate. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay was used at days 2, 4, 6, 8 to observe the cel proliferation of two groups. Fluorimetric method with the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258 was used to detect the DNA content of cel s at days 3, 6, 9 and 12 in both groups. After cel s were seeded upon PHBV membrane for 5 days, the cel growth upon the material was examined under a scanning electron microscope.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:When the cel s were cultured for 1 hour, the adherent rate in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group;but there were no significant differences between two groups at the other two periods. No difference was found in the cel proliferation and the DNA content between the two groups. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s seeded upon PHBV membrane for 5 days grew wel with spindle morphology and the intercel ular connections were tight and more extracel ular matrices were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Taken together, PHBV membrane material shows a good biocompatibility with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s.

We presented a new method for vessel segmentation and vascular structure recognition for coronary angiographic images. During vessel segmentation, a new vessel function was proposed to attain vessel feature map. Then the region growing algorithm was implemented with an automatic selection of seed point, extraction of main vessel branch, and vessel detail repairing. In the algorithm of vascular structure recognition, a fuzzy operator was used, which can detect the structures of vascular segments, bifurcations, crosses, and tips. The experimental results indicated that there was about 5 percent larger vessel region which was extracted by the proposed segmentation method than that by the simple region growing algorithm, and several thinner vessels were resumed from the lower gray region. The results also indicated that the fuzzy operator could correctly infer the simulative and real vessel structure with 100% and 90.59% correctness rate on the average, respectively.
Algorithms ; Coronary Angiography ; Humans ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; X-Rays

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of serum cytokines concentrations and A- PACHE scores in evaluating the illness state for critical trauma patients.Methods A clinical prospective self-control trial was performed,in which 36 patients admitted to ICU by SIRS were enrolled.Objects were divided into mild and severe trauma group according to APACHE score.The TNF-?and IL-6 concentrations were determined on the 1st, 3rd and 5th day of admission,the APACHE score were assessed at the same time.Statistic analysis was performed according to this group.Results The TNF-?concentrations decreased continuously in the following days while IL-6 decreased from the 7th day in the mild trauma group.In the severe trauma group the TNF-?and IL-6,APACHE score concentrations kept increasing.There was a significant difference of TNF-?and IL-6 concentrations between severe trauma and mild trauma group.Conclusion Dynamic measurement of TNF-?and IL-6 concentrations with APACHE score provide great help to evaluate the illness state and predict the prognosis.

Objective To study the expression of MCP-1 and its correlation with SSc.Methods Twenty-seven patients with SSe and 21 healthy control subjects were examined for MCP-1 expressions by ELISA.mRNA and protein of MCP-1 in fibroblast cells from 5 SSc patients and 3 healthy subjects were also measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.At the same time,the correlation between the expression levels of MCP-1 and SSc was analyzed.Results The plasma level of MCP-1 was significantly higher in pa- tients with SSc than in healthy control subjects(787?393)pg/ml versus(426?266)pg/ml,P

BACKGROUND:As a noticeable tissue engineering material of polyhy droxyalka noates family, poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)(P3HB4HB) exhibitsgood biocompatibility, adhesion and mechanicalproperties, presenting aextensive application future in tissue-engineered research.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biocompat ibilityin vitroand ectopic osteogenic differentiationin vivoof P3HB4HB and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels.
METHODS:Passage 5human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels transplanted ontothe three-dimensional P3HB4HB scaffoldwereincubated with osteogenic induction medium (test group)or with no osteogenic induction(control group), respectively. After 5-day incubation, thecelgrowth was assessed by acridine orange staining and scanning electron microscopy; after14-day incubation, both kinds of cel-scaffold composites were subcutaneously implanted into the nude mice. At 16 weeks after implantation, the cel-scaffold composites were removed to observeectopic osteogenic differentiationin vivousing hematoxylin-eosin staining, von Kossa staining and colagen type I immunohistochemical staining.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Acridine orange staining showed that cels adhered wel on the surface of the scaffold;under thescanning electron microscope, induced celsgrew wel on the P3HB4HB scaffold and produced abundant extracelular matrixes. In addition, at 16 weeks after implantation, there were osteoidtissues in the test group, positive for von Kossa staining as wel as colagen type I immunohistochemical staining;furthermore, hematoxylin-eosin staining showednumerous osteoblasts and bone lacunas. In contrast, no bone tissues appeared in the control group. To conclude, P3HB4HB is a suitable material for bone tissue engineering.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of the enterovirus 71 ( EV71 ) infection complicated with pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage as a fulminant and often fatal illness.Methods The medical records of three cases with EV71 infection were retrospectively reviewed for clinical manifestations, laboratory data, medications, and outcome.Results All the cases were infants and died of the infection. These infants had no skin or mucosal lesions, however, they had sudden onset of cyanosis and tachypnea 1 to 2 days after the onset of the febrile disease with vomiting. All these 3 cases were misdiagnosed and were treated for shock on admission. Pulmonary hemorrhage was not considered in any of the cases on admission. All the cases received tracheal intubation when foamy secretions were discharged from the mouth and nose of the patients and notable cyanosis occurred. After intubation, pink foamy fluid flew out from the endotracheal tube in all the 3 cases. The patients had hyperglycemia and limb weakness, two had tachycardia, and hypertension was found in one case. Chest X-ray showed bilateral or unilateral widespread air space opacity, but the cardiac size and shape were normal. All the patients had leukocytosis. Enterovirus 71 infection was confirmed by detection of specific nucleic acid sequences of the virus from throat swab and tracheal secretions samples and in one case in cerebrospinal fluid.Conclusions Pulmonary edema or pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in the 3 cases with EV71 infection. The initial presentation was nonspecific with fever and vomiting, and sudden appearance of cyanosis, tachypnea, tachycardia, hypertension or hypotension, limb weakness, which may suggest pulmonary edema or hemorrhage. Excessive fluid resuscitation may deteriorate the illness, on the contrary, fluid restriction and inotropic agents, and early intubation with positive pressure mechanical ventilation may be the proper treatment.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and identify fatty acids in the seeds of Sterculia lychnophora.

METHODThe compositions was isolated and determined by GC-MS technique, and area normalization method was used to make quantitative analyze of the content of compositions.

RESULTS21 Fatty acids and 5 other compositions were isolated and determined.

CONCLUSIONThe major fatty acids are 9,12(Z,Z)-octadecadienoic acid(37.96%), hexadecanoic acid(24.77%), 9-(Z)-octadecenoic acid(19.77%) and octadecanoic acid(5.01%).

Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Palmitic Acid ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Sterculia ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the relationship of the levels of peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-?(PPAR-?)mRNA,MMP-9 with the severity of coronary artery lesions in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD).Methods One hundred and fifty three patients with CHD who underwent coronary angiography were admitted.The expression of PPAR-?mRNA in lymphocytes of peripheral blood was detected by using RT-PCR,the level of MMP-9 enzyme was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorent assay,and the severity of coronary artery lesions were analyzed. Results As compared with control(0.624-0.13),PPAR-?mRNA expression was significantly lower in CHD patients(0.4+0.12).Negative correlation was found between PPAR-?mRNA and the classification(r=-0.56,P＜0.01)of coronary artery lesions,so was the number of coronary artery lesions(r=-0.42,P＜0.01).MMP-9 level was significantly higher in CHD patients(1.27?0.16)?g/L than that in controls(1.21?0.05)?g/L.Positive correlation was found between MMP-9 level and the classification(r=0.36,P＜0.01)of coronary artery lesions,so was the number of coronary artery lesions(r=0.30,P＜0.01).Negative correlation was also found between PPAR-?mRNA expression and MMP-9 level.Conclusions PPAR-?is a negative regulator of coronary artery lesions and PPAR-?inhibits the activation of MMP-9.It may be a valuable method for protecting patients from the incident of coronary artery disease to activate the expression of PPAR-?and decrease the level of MMP-9.

AIMTo develop a capillary gas chromatographic method for the determination and pharmacokinetic study of patchouli alcohol in rat plasma after iv administration.

METHODSThe drug was extracted with ethyl acetate. Eugenol was used as internal standard. The separation was carried out on a HP-5MS quartz capillary column, with high-purity nitrogen as carrier gas and flame ionization detector (FID) as detector. The column temperature was maintained at 80 degrees C for 1 min and then programmed to 200 degrees C at a rate of 15 degrees C x min(-1); it was held at 200 degrees C for 1 min, and then programmed to 290 degrees C at a rate of 60 degrees C x min(-1); the final temperature was held for 1 min. The temperature of both injector and detector was set at 290 degrees C.

RESULTSThe standard curve was linear from 25 to 5 000 microg x L(-1) in rat plasma. The recovery of this method was from 90.0% to 110.0% with satisfactory relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 10.0%. The pharmacokinetic parameters demonstrated patchouli alcohol were consistent with the two-compartment open model and showed linear pharmacokinetics. The T1/2beta, AUC and MRT of patchouli alcohol in patchouli oil were all higher than that of patchouli alcohol.

CONCLUSIONThis method is quick, precise and reliable. The pharmacokinetics of patchouli alcohol is different from that of patchouli alcohol in patchouli oil.

Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Male ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sesquiterpenes ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics

In early 2011, the serious outbreak of porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection suddenly recurred in Henan and neighboring Provinces. To investigate the etiology of massive infection with PRV, 16 800 serum samples, 905 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) back-feeding tissues, and 56 PR gene deleted live vaccines were colleted from January 2011 to May 2013 to detect PRV field infection using a PRV gE antibody test kit. The gE and TK genes of 11 new epidemic PRV strains were sequenced by PCR, and their molecular characteristics were analyzed. Moreover, virus titer determination, protective test against PRV, and vaccine potency testing were performed. The results showed that the detection rate of PRV field infection-positive pig farms was 68.06%, and the overall positive rate of PRV field infection in serum was 38.47%; the positive rates in breeding sows, breeding boars, reserve pigs, and commercial pigs were 40.12%, 30.88%, 54.67%, and 26.52%, respectively. The new epidemic strains were in the same evolutionary branch and belonged to the virulent strain group. Compared with the classical PRV strain, the virulence of new epidemic strains changed a little. The length of gE gene was 1 787 bp, and the length of TK gene was 963 bp. The nucleotide homologies of gE and TK genes to Chinese reference strains were 98.2%-99.8% and 98.90%-99.6%, respectively, and the amino acid homologies were 97.1%-99.8% and 97.5%-99.4%, respectively. Commercial vaccine had a 100% protective effect against the new epidemic strains. The positive rate of PRV field infection was 0% in vaccine and 40.44% in back-feeding tissues. The results confirmed that PRV field infection rates were rising sharply among pigs in Henan and neighboring Provinces after 2011. The main virulence genes of new epidemic PRV strains did not change significantly over the years. PR gene deleted live vaccines had no PRV field infection and could completely resist the attack of new strains. The virus carriage of breeding boars and reserve pigs and the serious PRV field infection in PEDV back-feeding tissues were the main causative factors for massive infection with PRV and epidemic outbreak in Henan and neighboring Provinces from 2011 to 2013.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animal Feed ; analysis ; virology ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Female ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Pseudorabies ; epidemiology ; virology ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Sus scrofa ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics