Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of systemic infusion of MSC culture supernatant in STZ-induced diabetic rats, and explore the mechanism of effect of MSC secretion on promoting regeneration of the islet tissues. Methods The diabetic animal model was reproduced in 35 SD rats by intraperitoneal injection of a single large dose of streptozotocin (STZ, 65mg/ kg). The 30 successfully induced diabetic rats were randomly divided into MSC culture supernatant infusion group (CM, n=15) and medium infusion group (M, n=15), and in addition, 15 normal rats were used as control. Animals were intravenously transfused with MSC supernatant (CM group) or raw medium (M group), then the contents of blood glucose were determined 3 days after infusion. The serum insulin and C-peptide levels were monitored and the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed on the 7th day of infusion to evaluate the therapeutic effect of MSCs supernatant infusion in diabetic rats. Finally, all the experimental animals were sacrificed at indicated time points and the pancreatic tissues were collected for multiple immunofluorescence staining (MIFS), in order to observe the β-cell regeneration after MSCs supernatant infusion, and to further explore the possible mechanism involved in the experiment. Results At the early stage after infusion (<7 days), the blood glucose level declined and the contents of serum insulin and C-peptide increased obviously in CM group as compared with that of M group (P<0.05). IPGTT showed that the islet function was significantly enhanced in CM group compared with M group. MIFS showed that the number of β cells in the destroyed islets in CM group rats was significantly increased as compared with that of M group rats. In addition, the proliferation rate of β cells was obviously higher in CM group (4%) than in control group (0.5%, P<0.01). Conclusion Treatment with MSCs culture supernatant obviously prompted β cell proliferation in the destroyed islets, resulting in regeneration of the islets with islet function recovery, thus it effectively controls the advance of diabetes.

Objective The three-dimensional reconstructed images of maximum intensity projection (MIP) for membranous labyrinth and internal auditory meatus in Chinese adults were observed and measured in order to provide anatomic basis for otolosurgery and nerosurgery. Methods Thirty inner ears of 15 volunteers were scanned by using a circular temporal coil and three-dimension fast spin echo sequence with a 1^5T GE-signal MRI scanner. All original images were transferred to MRI workstation and all the structures of inner ear were reconstructed, rotated from various angles and measured by using maximum intensity projection. All the data were analyzed using SPSS 10.0 software. Results Anatomic structures of membranous labyrinth and internal auditory meatus were well demonstrated in three-dimensional reconstructed images of MIP in all volunteers. All three semicircular ducts, utricle, saccule, cochlear duct and internal auditory meatus produced high intensity signal. The results of measurement were statistically in significant.Conclusion Three-dimensional reconstruction of MlP might document, lively, stereoscopically and directly, the minute structures of membranous labyrinth and internal auditory meatus. We provide the basic data for the establishment of the MRI measurement criterion of inner ear.

Aim To monitor the whole blood trough concentration of cyclosporine A (CsA) in renaltransplant recipients reciving triple therapy with mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine andprednisone and to establish an optimal therapeutic window of CsA. Methods Sampleswere measured by specific fluorescence polarization immunoassay. According to the timeafter operation and different therapy plan, the whole blood trough concentration of CsA ineach group was compared with that in control group.Results The optimal therapeuticwindow of CsA with MMF plan was 150~300 ?g? L-1 (less than one month after op-eration), 120~260?g?L-1 (1~

Objective To find some risk factors correlated with test anxiety of middle school students,and to find out influencing pathway for test anxiety. Methods 647 middle school students were investigated with Sarason' Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), Achievement Motivation Scale (AMS), Coping Style Scale for School Students ( CSS), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire( EPQ), Egma Minnen av Bardndosnauppforrestran(EMBU) and Family Environment Scale-Chinese Version(FES-CV). Statistics were done with version of SPSS14.0,and data were analyzed by Pearson correlation, multiple linenear stepwise regression and path analysis. Results The rates of test anxiety respectively was mild 25.97% ,moderate 45.65% ,severe 28.38%; there were no significant different between the male and female students anxiety ( 16.71 ± 6.44,17.01 ± 7.02, t = 1. 469, P = 0.334). Test anxiety positively correlated with Achievement motivation, reach motivation of competition, endurance, escape, expos, deny the fantasy,family conflicts,parental punished severely,excessive interference,objective deny,overprotective of father.( r 1-16 :0. 214,0. 135,0. 254,0. 216,0. 308,0.472,0. 492,0. 168,0. 249,0. 537,0. 282,0. 102,0. 238,0. 185,0. 233,0.301,0.273; P 1-16 = 0. 000 ～ 0. 030) , and negatively correlated with Problem-solving, rationalizing interpretation, family cohesion, informative, entertaining, emotional expression, organization, parental warmth and understanding ( r1-9: -0. 121, -0. 134, -0. 178, -0. 215, -0. 221, -0. 101, -0. 298, -0. 136, -0. 168; P 1-9 =0.000 ～0.007). Enter test anxiety regression equation is the reached motivation of competition,emotional expose,organization, psychosis, Neuroticism, parent's warm and understanding , mother's refuse and deny ( t 1-7: 2.496,2.521, -2.687, -2. 150,3.503,2.237,2.259; P1-7 =0.001 ～0.038). Conclusion Test anxiety is commonly find in middle school students. Test anxiety is affected by some paths that are personality,achievement motivation,emotional coping style,family environment and parental education methods.

Objective To investigate the effects of female sex hormones in cow's milk on metabolism of blood lipid in young male rats.Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 21 days old were assigned randomly to 4 groups,each containing 12 rats,and fed with quantitative milk from postpartum cow,milk from pregnant cow,commercial whole milk and artificial milk,respectively.Serum total cholesterol (TC),triacylglyeriol(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and urinary creatinine (Cr) were determined with automatic biochemical analyzer.Serum progesterone(P4)and urinary free estriol(UFE3) were determined with immunochemiluminometric assays after all rats were killed at 53 days old.SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results Total estradiol and P4 were 1 189.66 pmol/L,833.98 pmol/L,588.17 pmol/L,286.48 pmol/L and 9.76 nmol/L,10.18 nmol/L,2.83 nmol/L,0.92 nmol/L in milk from pregnant cow,commercial whole milk,milk from postpartum cow and artificial milk groups,respectively.Serum TC were respectively(1.78?0.29) mmol/L,(1.94?0.20) mmol/L,(2.10?0.28) mmol/L and (2.11?0.22) mmol/L in pregnant milk,commercial whole milk,postpartum milk and artificial milk groups,and TC in pregnant milk group was lower than that in postpartum milk group or artificial milk group(P0.05).Conclusion Milk from pregnant cow may reduce serum TC in young male SD rats,which may be related to the conjoined effect of estradiol and P4.

BackgroundIt is important to measure the corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and axial length accurately for calculating IOL power. The interchange outcomes from different measuring methods and apparatus will cause unreliable IOL power. ObjectiveThe present study was to compare the differences of corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth (ACD) measured by IOLMaster and Orbscan Ⅱbefore and after laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) and further compare the axial length measured by IOLMaster and A-ultrasound. Methods One hundred and thirty eyes from 65 consecutive myopic patients before LASIK and 56 eyes of 28 cases with 1-month follow-up duration after LASIK in Henan Eye Institute were enrolled in this study. The K value, ACD between IOLMaster and Orbscan Ⅱ as well as results of axial length between IOLMaster and A-ultrasound were compared by using paired t test. The agreements of the measured values among IOLMaster, Orbscan Ⅱ and A-ultrasound were evaluated using Bland-Altman plot. ResultsBefore LASIK,the K value measured by IOLMaster,Orbscan Ⅱ were ( 43.32 ± 1.52 ) D and ( 42.99 ± 1.45 ) D respectively with the difference value of( 0. 33 ±0. 03 ) D, showing a significant difference(t=10. 380,P=0.000) and a positive relation between them(r=0.971,P=0.000). After LASIK,the K value measured by IOLMaster, Orbscan Ⅱwere(39. 02±2. 14) D and ( 38.91 ±2. 04) D with the difference value (0. 12±0. 33 ) D, presenting a significant differences between them (t =2.715, P =0.009). Bland-Altman plots indicated the disagreement in K value and uninterchangeable. Before LASIK, the ACD measured by IOLMaster,Orbscan Ⅱ and A-ultrasound were ( 3.72 ± 0. 22 ) mm, ( 3.69 ±0. 22 ) mm and ( 3.75± 0.27 )mm respectively and no significant differences were found between them (P ＞ 0. 05 ). Axial length measured by IOLMaster significantly prolonged in comparison with A-ultrasound(25.59± 1. 01 mm vs 25.22±0.99 mm ) , and the difference was( -0. 37 ±0. 30 ) mm, showing significant difference ( t =- 14. 098, P =0. 000 ) and positive correlation ( r =0. 954, P =0. 000 ). Axial length values measured by IOLMaster were ( 25.54 ± 1.05 ) mm in preoperation and ( 25.48 ± 1.01 ) mm in postoperation with the difference (0.052±0. 412)mm, showing statistically insignificant difference between them (t=0. 946,P=0. 348). ConclusionsKeratometries measured by IOLMaster,Orbscan Ⅱ are much more different. Therefore,these two methods are not recommended to use interchangely. ACD measured by IOLMaster,Orbscan Ⅱ and A ultrasound are proved to obtain the similar results and is clinically interchange. Axial length measured by IOLMaster is longer than that measured by A-ultrasound.

Objective To identify the role of paravertebral muscles in the pathogenesis of scoliosis.MethodsParavertebral muscles were gotten from the 37 patients(12 congenital scoliosis patients and 25 idiopathic scoliosis patients) during the operations.Cryostat sections were cut by 10 μm nd stained with H&E,m-GT,NADH-TR,ATPase.ResultsMyogenic changes,incuding muscle fibrosis,fiber necrosis,etc,were common in paravertebral muscles of scoliosis patients,however regenerating fibers were quite rare.Diffuse fibrosis and remarkablely disorganized fiber directions presented in most of congenital scoliosis patients,while focal fibrosis without necrosis in most of idiopathic scoliosis patients.Neurogenic changes were found in one congenital scoliosis patient and 4 idiopathic scoliosis patients,however four of the five patients had undergone orthopedics.Thickened capsule wall of muscle spindles and connective tissue infiltration in muscle spindles were found in both kinds of scoliosis.ConclusionThere are some differences on pathological changes of paravertebral muscles between congenital scoliosis and idiopathic scoliosis,which indicates that paravertebral muscles may play a special role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis.

Objective To investigate the role of CD4~+CD25~+ Treg cells on the pathogenesis of ankylos- ing spondylitis(AS), and to study the machanism of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-?blocker on the treatment of AS by detecting the number of CD4~+D25~+ Treg cells before and after the treatment. Methods The diagno- sis of 10 AS patients was made based on the 1984 modified New York criteria. The patients received subcuta- neou injection of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor-Fc fusion protein(rhTNFR-Fc)(etaner- cept)50 mg weekly for 8 weeks and 10 heathy subjects were enrolled for control. The mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood in beth patients and controls. The number of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells and CD4~+ CD25~(high)T cells and the expression of CTLA-4. were detected by flow cytometry. Results The proportion of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells(24?19)% in total CD4~+ T lymphocytes of peripheral blood and CD4~+CD25~(high)T/CD4~+ T (6?6)% from AS patients before treated with rhTNFR-Fc was higher than that in healthy volunteers and AS patients after treatment(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of occludin, ZO-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in cerebral microvasculature following Pulse Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) induced BBB permeability change.

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats were randomized into PEMF and sham exposed groups (n = 8). After exposure to PEMF at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, and 12 h, BBB permeability was measured by Evans-Blue extravasation. The expression of occludin, ZO-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and western blotting. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were detected by EnzChek gelatinase assay.

RESULTSCompared with the sham group, PEMF exposure led to increased permeability of the BBB to EB, which was prolonged after exposure. BBB permeability became progressively more severe, and recovered at 6 h. The gene and protein expression of occludin and ZO-1 were significantly decreased, while MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression were significantly increased after exposure to PEMF. All levels of expression recovered 12 h following PEMF.

CONCLUSIONChanges to BBB permeability were related to the alteration expression of tight junction proteins and matrix metalloproteinase after exposure to PEMF.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; metabolism ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tight Junctions ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDHuman urotensin II (UII) is the most potent mammalian vasoconstrictor identified so far. Our previous study showed that UII is a potent mitogen of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) inducing ASMC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The signal transduction pathway of UII mitogenic effect remains to be clarified. This study was conducted to investigate the signal transduction pathway in the proliferation of ASMC induced by UII.

METHODSIn primary cultures of rat ASMCs, activities of protein kinase C (PKC), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and calcineurin (CaN) induced by UII were measured. The effect of CaN on PKC and MAPK was studied by adding cyclosporin A (CsA), a specific inhibitor of CaN. Using H7 and PD98059, inhibitors of PKC and MAPK, respectively, to study the effect of PKC and MAPK on CaN. The cytosolic free calcium concentration induced by UII was measured using Fura-2/AM.

RESULTSUII 10(-7) mol/L stimulated ASMC PKC and MAPK activities by 44% and 24% (P < 0.01), respectively, after incubating for 20 minutes. It increased CaN activity in a time-dependent manner, being 1.68 times as that of control for 24 hours (P < 0.01). It promoted the cytosolic free calcium concentration increase of 18% (P < 0.01). CsA 10(-6) mol/L and H7 50 micromol/L inhibited UII-stimulated CaN activity by 45% (P < 0.01) and 21% (P < 0.05), respectively, while PD98059 50 micromol/L had no effect on CaN activity (P > 0.05). CsA 10(-6) mol/L inhibited UII-stimulated PKC activity by 14% (P < 0.05), while having no effect on MAPK activity (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUII increases cytosolic free calcium concentration and activates PKC, MAPK and CaN. The signal transduction pathway between PKC and CaN has cross-talk.

Animals ; Calcineurin ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Enzyme Activation ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Mitogens ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Trachea ; cytology ; Urotensins ; pharmacology