OBJECTIVETo explore the expression patterns of the chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 in human sperm.

METHODSWe collected semen samples from 10 fertile men, performed density gradient centrifugation, and then determined the expressions of both CXCL12 and CXCR4 in the sperm by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTSRT-PCR revealed the mRNA expressions of CXCL12 (0.641 +/- 0.180) and CXCR4 (0.464 +/- 0.100) in the sperm. However, only CXCR4 rather than CXCL12 was expressed at the protein level, and the positive staining for CXCR4 was observed mainly in the posterior part of the acrosome.

CONCLUSIONCXCL12 and CXCR4 are involved as important molecules in regulating the function of human sperm.

Acrosome ; metabolism ; Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism

Objective To verify the effectiveness of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) with multi-layer electrodes in gastric emptying measurement by simulation experiments using EIT with three-layer electrodes.Methods Firstly,EIT system with three-layer electrodes and gastric emptying measurement simulation equipment was designed and constructed to simulate gastric emptying process and obtain EIT reconstruction images.Secondly,the region where the electrical characteristic of gastric changes was selected as region of interest.Finally,the relative impedance change rate in region of interest for every image obtained from all three layers was consecutively recorded,then the gastric emptying curve was formed and gastric emptying time was calculated.Results There are obvious differences among the sharp of impedance change curves of interested region for three layers,and the gastric emptying time and process of each layer is also different from one another.It is suggested that the passing path and emptying manner of food in gastric emptying process reflected by EIT images varied from layer to layer.Therefore,the necessity and feasibility of using EIT with three-layer electrodes in gastric emptying measurement study is verified.Conclusions EIT with three-layer electrodes can provide more abundant information of gastric motility function associated with gastric emptying pathology and physiology state.It is likely to be a noninvasive,convenient and effective imaging method for the detection and evaluation research on gastric emptying and gastric motility.

Objective To evaluate the CT features and pathologic findings of MTC. Methods The CT features of 28 patients with MTC confirmed pathologically were analyzed retrospectively and correlated with pathologic findings. Results The tumor invaded one lobe of the thyroid in 22 cases(78.6%), two lobe in 6 cases(21.4%). 5(17.9%) of them presented with heterogeneous hypodense masses and 23(82.1%) of them presented with homogeneous hypodense solitary masses . 20 patients had metastatic lymph nodes. The thyroid masses were enhanced slightly, while the lymph nodes were enhanced obviously. Correlating with pathologic findings, the heterogeneous lesions composed of cystic areas and/or necrosis, while the homogeneous lesions composed of homogeneously distributed tumor cells with no cystic areas or necrosis. The metastatic lymph nodes were hypervascular. Conclusion The CT features of MTC may be described as homogeneous diffuse hypodense mass, with slight enhancement,and invasion of one thyroid lobe in most cases. The metastatic lymph nodes are characterized with enhancement.

Objective_To investigate whether hUCMSCs undergo malignant transformation when exposed to MCF-7B breast cancer microenvironment and whether the abnormal activation and over expression of STAT3 play an impor-tant role in this transformation.Methods_The experiment was divided into three groups:blank group ( hUCMSCs were separately cultured),experimental group(hUCMSCs were indirectly co-cultured with MCF-7B breast cancer cells),positive control group(MCF-7B breast cancer cells were separately cultured).Morphology of cells was detec-ted by invertedmicroscope.Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry.The mRNA expression of STAT3, c-Myc and Bcl-xL was tested by real-time PCR.The protein expression and location of p-STAT3,c-Myc and Bcl-xL were detected by immunofluorescence.The protein expressions of p-STAT3,STAT3,c-Myc and Bcl-xL were also meas-ured by Western blot.Results_The experimental group cells showed typical morphology of the tumor cells.The cells proportion of experiment group in G1 phase was significantly lower than that of the blank group(P<0.05),but which in S and G2 phase were significantly higher than those of the blank group(P<0.05).The mRNA expression levels of STAT3 ,c-Myc and Bcl-xL in experimental group was significantly higher than those in blank group ( P<0.05).p-STAT3,STAT3,c-Myc and Bcl-xL protein were significantly higher than those of the blank group(P<0.05),and they were mainly located in the nuclei.The protein expression of STATS also showed significant changes in experimental group.Conclusions_hUCMSCs trends to malignant transformations when exposed to MCF-7B breast cancer microenvironment.The abnormal activation and over expression of STAT3 are of important factors leading to the malignant transformation of hUCMSCs.

Objective to develop a rotation monitoring device to monitor animal rotation during experiments.Methods Use serial port controls,USB and rotary encoder et al.modern computer cience,with the combination of traditionally experimental methods and the software designed in VC language.Results A mini animal rotation monitor was developed,which could continuously monitor animal rotation and intelligently display the rotaion.conclusion Statistic analysis of experimental data proofs the rationality and effectiveness of the apparatus.The rotational behavior monitor can play an importance role in research into the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease(PD)and screening the anti-PD drugs.

According to the multi-information characteristic of pulse tracings in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the dynamic analysis and identification technique of sonogram,the multi-information detection system of pulse examination was constructed by combining B-type ultrasound and flexible transducer.It made information integration of supersonic dynamic image,pressure pulse wave,photoelectric capacity pulse wave and electrocardiogram,and though the aggregate analysis of computer information processing technique,established the pulse tracings signature analysis method,formed optimized solving scheme for describing the four attributes("location,velocity,shape and potential") of pulse examination in TCM.From the multi-information data of healthy people's pulse tracings collected by this system,it can be infer that the new method of objectification of pulse examination referred in this article is feasible,and have gain the prospective effect.It provides a new method and characteristic data for the clinical study of objectification of pulse examination and teaching of TCM.

To explore the status of the job satisfaction of the authorized and contract staff in a university affiliated hospital in the dilution situation of the hospital staffing management, and to discuss the key factors and reasons affecting the satisfaction difference. The questionnaire was developed based on Minnesota Satisfaction short form with extra items covering “the comprehensive satisfaction evaluation”. According to the hospital population of staff, the cluster random sampling method was used, and survey was conducted on the spot. Both authorized staff and the contract staff showed high degree of satisfaction. But the contract staff showed higher degree of satisfaction of leadership and their own responsibility sense than the authorized staff. The contract female staff showed higher degree of overall satisfaction than the authorized female staff. The discussion based on the results showed that new human resource management mode, new mechanism of flexible management of staff, targeted staff with targeted management.

To explore the patterns and ideas of medical cooperation between Beijing and Hebei Chinese Medicine hospitals under the background of the integration of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions. By searching the 2015 China statistical yearbook for health, a survey was conducted among doctors and patients in a Hebei hospital, which is cooperate with the Beijing hospital. We found that Beijing-Tianjin regional medical resources were imbalanced, and Hebei medical resources were insufficient, and patients and doctors were satisfied with the cooperation. There are still some difficulties in Chinese medicine hospital of Beijing and Tianjin cooperation, and many departments need to work together to promote Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei rational allocation of medical resources.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. METHODS: Cells of the rat hepatocyte line BRL were cultured. The hepatocytes were treated with LPS, ERS inducer thapsigargin (TG), and ERS inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), respectively or in their different combination. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The cyto-nuclear morphological changes of apoptosis cells were detected by the fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258. The apoptosis rate was assessed by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining. Expressions of GRP78 as ERS marker protein, CHOP, caspase-12 and cleaved-caspase-3 as ERS related protein were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: LPS could cause a decrease in cell viability and an increase in apoptosis rate in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The expression of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-12 and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins were significantly increased with LPS treatment. TG led to a marked decrease in cell viability and an increase in apoptosis rate, which aggravated the hepatocyte injury induced by LPS; whereas 4-PBA alleviated LPS-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSION ERS mediates LPS-induced hepatocyte injuries, indicating that ERS may play a vital role in the pathogenesis of LPS-induced hepatocyte injuries.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Survival ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Hepatocytes ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Phenylbutyrates ; Rats

Objective Practical electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system with certain measurement resolution (MR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) differs a lot from ideal simulation conditions in EIT methodology research. The aim of this paper was to study the impact of practical system with different MR and SNR on EIT. Methods Based on the ideal simulation boundary voltages of adjacent excitation and adjacent measurement pattern, practical systems whose MR were 0.1 mV and 0.01 mV, SNR ranged from 40-80 dB and no noises were simulated, simulation study for three imaging models A, B and C with different positions in the to-be imaged field under practical system conditions above was carried out using the combined Tikhonov-NOSER regularization algorithm, and error of reconstruction (ER) function and structure similarity (SSIM) function were adopted for quantitative evaluation of image effect. Results There are differences between images obtained under different MR and SNR for different image models. In order to obtain images for three models, SNR of system should be at least 40-50 dB when MR was 0.01 mV. For the goal to obtain high quality images of A, B and C, SNR should be 80, 70 and 60 dB respectively. When MR was 0.1 mV, SNR for obtaining images of A, B, C were 60, 50 and 40 dB. Moreover, the improvement of images with increasing SNR under MR of 0.1 mV was not as obvious as that of MR at 0.01 mV. Conclusions Blind pursuit of single high SNR is of no help to improve system performance and image reconstruction effect except increasing the difficulties in hardware design. The extremity SNR is 50-60 dB for system with MR of 0.01 mV and 60-70 dB for system with MR of 0.1 mV.