OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Bushen Huatan Recipe (BHR) on the Akt signal pathway in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) model rats with insulin resistance (IR).

METHODSFifty Wistar female PCOS rats were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups, i.e., the control group, the model group, the low dose BHR group (5.406 g/kg), the medium dose BHR group (10.812 g/kg), and the high dose BHR group (21.624 g/kg), 10 in each group. Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin were detected to calculate homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), glycogen synthetase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4), and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR-gamma) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. The expression of insulin signal transduction molecular kinase B (Akt) was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, HOMA-IR and the mRNA expression of PPAR-gamma mRNA significantly increased, the mRNA expression of GSK-3beta, GLUT-4, and IRS-1, protein expression of Akt and p-Akt significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, HOMA-IR significantly decreased, the mRNA expression of GSK-3beta, GLUT-4, IRS-1, and Akt protein significantly increased in the high dose BHR group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The mRNA expression of p-Akt protein increased more obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). mRNA expression of GSK- 3beta and GLUT-4 significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of PPAR-gamma significantly decreased in the low and middle BHR groups (P < 0.05). The expression of p-Akt significantly increased in the low dose BHR group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIR and abnormal insulin signal pathway existed in PCOS model rats. BHR could improve IR of PCOS rats, which was correlated with regulating protein expression of insulin signal transduction molecules.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Insulin Resistance ; Phytotherapy ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; Periarthritis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Tendons ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to explore the effect of Notch signaling depression on the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 cells.

METHODSMice RAW264.7 cells were cultured and differentiated into osteoclasts with the induction of RANKL. The expressions of Notch1, Notch2, Deltal, Jagged1, Hes1, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and Cathepsin K genes during osteoclastogenesis were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Osteoclast formation was analyzed using TRAP assay with suppression of Notch receptors by a selective γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI).

RESULTSNotch1, Notch2, Delta1, Jagged1, and Hes1 expressions in RAW264.7 cells were upregulated following 50 ng · mL-RANKL stimulation for 3 d, concomitant with the expression of the osteoclast differentiation markers TRAP and Cathepsin K. Notch2 and Jagged1 had the most remarkable increase in the Notch family members. GSI inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 cells and Hes1 expression dose-dependently.

CONCLUSIONNotch signaling activation may promote RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 cells.

Animals ; Cathepsin K ; Cell Differentiation ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; Osteogenesis ; RANK Ligand

BACKGROUND:Recently, the biodegradable materials with good biocompatibility and with no adverse reaction have been widely applied in the clinical treatment and care of gynecology and obstetrics. The development of the biodegradable material is very rapid. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the application of biodegradable materials in gynecology and obstetrics. METHODS: The first author searched PubMed and CNKI databases for articles related to biodegradable materials in gynecology and obstetrics using the keywords of “degraded materials, biodegradable materials, gynecological care, surgery” in Chinese and English respectively. This article has an outlook of the potential application in gynecology and obstetrics based on clinical experience. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Biodegradable materials with good biocompatibility and biological security play an important role in biomedical materials. Their polymers and degradation products show smal adverse reactions to the body, and have good biomechanical properties, physical and chemical properties and good workability, which have been widely used in gynecology and obstetrics, such as absorbable stylolite and tampon tape. Although we have made a great progress on the biomaterial research, it stil has the limitation and safety flaws in the clinic. As the biomaterial research is further developed, the biomaterial application prospect wil be more promising.

BACKGROUND:Repair of large-area burns and severe post-traumatic skin defects has always been urgent clinical breakthrough technology bottleneck. With the development of tissue engineering, epidermal stem cel s are increasingly being used in tissue engineering, cel replacement therapy and genetic engineering. Therefore, the isolation and identification of epidermal stem cel s is becoming the research focus of concern.
OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in biological markers of epidermal stem cel s.
METHODS:The Chinese Biomedical Literature database, CNKI database, China Academic Journals Ful-text database, PubMed database and EMbase database were retrieved for articles about specific markers of epidermal stem cel s using the keywords of“epidermal stem cel s, integrin, keratin, P63, CD71, telomerase, ACE, cx43, hoechst”in Chinese and English. Older theoretical perspectives and repetitive research were excluded.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Final y, only 40 articles were included in result analysis. Epidermal stem cel s bring a new source for skin tissue repair. Epidermal stem cel s distribute in the fol icle eminence and basal layer of the epidermis. About 4%cel s in the basal layer, however, are stem cel s. Therefore, it is critical to correctly isolate, culture and identify skin stem cel s. As a reason, specific markers of epidermal stem cel s become a hotspot. Currently, a great progress in the biological markers of epidermal stem cel s has been made, but there is stil no absolute and proven marker for epidermal stem cel s. Most studies are focusing on integrin, keratin, P63, CD71, connexin 43, and telomerase. In addition, hoechst, CD90, CD98, CD200 have been reported recently. Each marker has its own shortcomings, and there are stil many problems that need to be solved.

Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases ; deficiency ; genetics ; Mutation

Objective To investigate the relationship between the polymorphism of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1 ) gene and risk of chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods 120 patients with chronic HBV infection(case group)and 100 age-and sex-matched healthy individuals(healthy control group)were randomly enrolled to this study.The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was adopted to detect the single nucleotide polymorphism of TGF-β1 gene(T29C),and made the comparative analysis combined with TGF-β1 mRNA level. Results The risk of HCC occurrence in the patients carrying genotype CC was decreased than that in the patients carrying geno-type TT (OR=0.317,95%CI =0.110-0.913,P =0.033;OR=284,95%CI =0.093 -0.866,P =0.027),the risk of HCC in pa-tients carrying allele C was significantly decreased compared with that in the patients carrying allele T(OR =0.570,95%CI =0.341 -0.953,P =0.032;OR=0.548,95%CI =0.320-0.936,P =0.028).In the HCC group,the patients carrying genotype CC had the lower lever of TGF-β1 mRNA.Conclusion TGF-β1 gene polymorphism(T29C)may be related to the risk of chronic HBV infection progressing to HCC.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize morphology and drug release kinetics of protein-loaded poly(?-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(?-caprolactone) amphiphilic block copolymeric (PCE) microspheres, and elucidate the mechanistic details regarding protein release. METHODS: BSA-loaded PCE microspheres were prepared using a water-in-oil-in-water, followed by solvent evaporation. Morphology of the polymer microspheres was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Protein loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency were determined by extracting the proteins from the microspheres and measured using MicroBCA method. Protein release kinetics was characterized by cumulative release against the date of release incubation. RESULTS: The protein-loaded PCE microspheres were spherical and possess smooth surface under SEM. Protein loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency in the microspheres were independent of PCE molecular weight. However, the kinetic features of the protein release varied significantly with PCE molecular weight, suggesting a diffusion-degradation combined release mechanism. For the microspheres made of larger molecular weight PCE 4000, the portion of protein release attributed to diffusion from the polymer matrix was remarkably less than that from microspheres of small molecular weight PCE. In vitro release profile can be simulated using a diffusion-degradation model(Q=k1t1/2+k2t+k3t2+k4t3)(r=0.997). CONCLUSION: PCE microsphere formulation can offer sustainedrelease of proteins with initial burst and incomplete release reduced to acceptable level.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of dynamic delta model of end stage liver disease(MELD)in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods Ninty-seven patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis were enrolled in the study and followed for 1 year followed up.Child-Turcotte- Pugh(CTP)score and MELD score were calculated twice for each patient on the first day of admission and one month later.The difference between two MELD scores represented the delta MELD.The predictive value related with delta MELD,MELD and CTP scores was determined by the area under receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results Ten patients died within 3 months,whose delta MELD(3.23?2.77) were higher than those of survivors(0.15?0.39)(P

Abstrac:Objective To analyze the efficacy and safety of medpor-coated tear drain in lacrimal bypass surgery without skin incision. Methods The data of 7 patients(7 eyes) who underwent no skin incision of lacrimal bypass surgery with medpor-coated tear drain were ret-rospective reviewed. The operation result and complications were observed. Results All patients were followed up for 5~17 months. Com-plete or significant improvement of epiphora was achieved in 5 cases at the last follow-up. Complications included conjunctival granulation hy-perplasia (3 eyes),nasal mucosal granulation hyperplasia (2 eyes),and discomfort (4 eyes). Conclusion The lacrimal bypass surgery with medpor-coated tear drain could be expected to improve epiphora of refractory lacrimal obstruction. The main complications are granulation hyperplasia and discomfort.