Objective To investigate whether functional Wnt-?-catenin signaling is present in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC),and the effect of blocking this signaling on activation of HSC. Methods?-catenin expression in HSC was examined by immunocytochemistry.Wnt signalings in HSC-T6 were assessed using a T cell factor (TCF)-dependent luciferase reporter gene (pTOP- FLASH) assay.Wnt signalings in HSC-T6 were blocked by transfecting with a dominant negative TCF (dnTCF) expression plasmid,then the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (?-SMA) and collagen typeⅠwere examined by Western blot.Results?-catenin staining was positive in the nuclei of HSC-T6.Luciferase activity in the cells transfected with pTOPFLASH was significantly higher than that in the cells transfected with pFOPFLASH (P

Eleven type 1 diabetic patients who received fixed regime of insulin Glargine were included in the study.The levels of fasting serum insulin were measured for each subject at 6:00 in three consecutive mornings.The variability of mean fasting serum insulin in each subject was 3.3%-41.5% (mean 15.4%).The variability did not correlate with the dose of Glargine statistically.

Objective:To investigate the effects of sensitized sera on bone marrow transplantation and clarify the role of antibody in the process of rejection.Methods:Two hundred microlitres sensitized sera or non-sensitized sera were injected into normal BALB/c one day before transplantation.Ten millions (1?107) bone marrow cells from C57BL/6 were transfused to the recipients after lethal irradiation.The donor-reactive antibodies in recipients before transplantation were measured by complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) method.Moreover,the survival analysis and engraftment evaluation of the recipients were carried post transplantation.Results:The CDC results showed that donor-reactive antibodies existed in the recipients which had received sensitized sera transfusion.Eighty percent (80%) of the recipients received sensitized sera transfusion died of bone marrow failure about 10 days post transplantation,while the recipients received non-sensitized sera transfusion were long-term alive.Furthermore,the hematopoietic recovery and percentage of donor chimera analysis declined along with time in the sensitized sera transfusion recipients,and there were significant differences compared with those in the non-sensitized sera transfusion recipients (P

60 curved root canals of permanent teeth with angles of curvature ranging from 15°to 40°(Schneider's methodology)were prepared using the instruments of Hyflex CM(HC) and ProTaper(PT) Universal respectively(n=30).Using standardized pre-and post-instrumentation paralleling periapical radiographs,canal curvature was determined by image analysis software and the clinical shaping effect of Hyflex CM and ProTaper rotary NiTi files were compared.The canal curvature in group HC and PT decreased by 4.54°±3.25° and 5.63°±3.84° respectively(between pre-and post-treatment in both groups,P<0.05;between groups,P>0.05).Hyflex CM can meet the clinical necessity for the instrumentation of curved root canals.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on DNA of testicular cells and sperm chromatin structure in mice.

METHODSMice were exposed to 50 Hz, 0.2 mT or 6.4 mT electromagnetic fields for 4 weeks. DNA strand breakage in testicular cells was detected by single-cell gel electrophoresis assay. Sperm chromatin structure was analyzed by sperm chromatin structure assay with flow cytometry.

RESULTSAfter 50 Hz, 0.2 mT or 6.4 mT EMFs exposure, the percentage of cells with DNA migration in total testicular cells increased from the control level of 25.64% to 37.83% and 39.38% respectively. The relative length of comet tail and the percentage of DNA in comet tail respectively increased from the control levels of 13.06% +/- 12.38% and 1.52% +/- 3.25% to 17.86% +/- 14.60% and 2.32% +/- 4.26% after 0.2 mT exposure and to 17.88% +/- 13.71% and 2.35% +/- 3.87% after 6.4 mT exposure (P < 0.05). Exposure to EMFs had not induced significant changes in S.D.alphaT and XalphaT, but COMPalphaT (cells outside the main population of alpha t), the percentage of sperms with abnormal chromatin structure, increased in the two exposed groups.

CONCLUSION50 Hz EMFs may have the potential to induce DNA strand breakage in testicular cells and sperm chromatin condensation in mice.

Animals ; Chromatin ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Comet Assay ; DNA ; analysis ; radiation effects ; DNA Damage ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Spermatozoa ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Testis ; cytology ; radiation effects

Objective Preoperative autologous blood donation ( PABD) may reduce the need for allogeneic blood , but it may also cause a short massive blood loss in pregnant women , and its fetal and maternal safety has to be adequately assessed .This study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of PABD for pregnant women and their fetuses . Methods A prospective observational study was conducted among the women who met the inclusion criteria and gave birth in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between January and December 2013 .According to the clinical validation of risk stratification criteria for peripartum hemorrhage of California 2013 , the ca-ses were classified into a low-, a medium-, and a high-risk group.Data on blood donation procedures , obstetric outcomes, and blood transfusions were collected after delivery for analysis . Results Totally, 92 pregnant women accomplished 115 blood donations .The median volumes of the donated blood were 300, 300, and 400 mL in the low-, medium-, and high-risk groups, respectively ( P>0.001).There were no significant changes in HR , SBP and SpO2 during the blood donation procedures (P>0.05) except for the fall of diastolic blood pressure by an average of 3.4 mmHg (P<0.05) at 5 minutes after blood collection, which was restored to normal later.Non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns were not found in any of the cases .The levels of HB and HCT were remarkably lower af-ter donation than before it (P<0.05) but restored to normal before delivery in the PABD cases who donated once only (P>0.05), which were similar to those in the cases who donated twice , with no significant differences before and after the donation (P>0.05). Homologous blood transfusion was performed for 5 cases (17.9%) in the high-risk group, with the volume of blood loss >2000 mL in all the cases.All the newborns survived without asphyxia and there was no perinatal death . Conclusion PABD can provide timely autologous whole blood donation for pregnant women .Under strict management , PABD is feasible and safe for pregnant patients who are at a high risk for massive blood loss during delivery or have a rare type of blood no readily available .

Twelve cases of Bartter's syndrome were reported and reviewed retrospectively.Usually vomiting was the first sympton in children,while fatigue was common in adults.Bartter's syndrome was characteristic of hypokalemia,metabolic alkalosis,elevations of plasma renin activity,serum angiotersinⅡand aldosterone and juxtaglomerular apperatus hyperplasia.Supplementation of potassium choloride was the main manner of therapy.

Objective To study the effect of Shuangteng Bitong Cataplasm on TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB and inflammatory cytokines in rats with collagen-induced arthritis; To discuss relevant mechanism of action. Methods A CIA model was made by subcutaneous injection of collagen emulsion from rat tail. Rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,Shuangteng Bitong Cataplasm high-dose and low-dose groups.The contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in plasma were evaluated by ELISA, and the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in synovial tissues were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Compared with the model group, the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in serum decreased remarkably in the Shuangteng Bitong Cataplasm low-dose and high-dose group, and the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in synovial tissues decreased remarkably. Conclusion Shuangteng Bitong Cataplasm can inhibit inflammatory reaction and regulate the expressions of relevant factors in synovial tissues to realize the anti-flammatory effects.

OBJECTIVETo understand the genotypic mapping of Mycobacterium leprae identified in China and to compare with those from other countries to select suitable alleles for epidemiological investigation in the transmission chain of leprosy.

METHODSVarious number of tandem repeat(VNTR) in genomic DNA of Mycobacterium leprae was used in the present genotyping study. 33 skin biopsies from Wenshan prefecture,Yunnan province and 17 from other parts of China were studied. DNA extracted from skin biopsies of leprosy patients was subjected to PCR followed by agarose gel analysis and DNA sequencing to determine the number of repeats.

RESULTSLoci GGT-5,12-5,21-3 and 23-3 were as highly homogenous as 100%; The homogeneity of loci AC-8, 18-8, 27-5 and rpoT were 97%, 94%, 97% and 85% respectively. Loci GTA-9, AC-9 and 6-7 showed significant allelic diversity in isolates and the diversity of GTA-9 in Mycobacterium leprae isolated from China was also different from those identified other countries. We had subjected loci GTA-9 and the ten loci to phylogenetic tree analysis respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe present study revealed that the genotype of Mycobacterium leprae identified from China was close to the strains from the Philippines and India although a few loci were somehow differentiate. Locus 12-5 manifested as only 3 copies in China whereas 4-5 copies predominating in other countries. 12-5 locus might serve as a useful marker to diffrentiate Chinese strains from those in other countries. However, further study on the diversity of GTA-9 was needed in China. The molecular typing of Mycobacterium leprae from different geographic areas might be useful in studying the transmission of leprosy.

Alleles ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leprosy ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Mycobacterium leprae ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin ; microbiology

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism