OBJECTIVETo explore the role of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the directional differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into Leydig cells.

METHODSAfter purification and identification, we inoculated the third-generation BMSCs of SD rats onto a six-orifice board and then randomly divided them into groups A (normal saline control), B (human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG] + platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF] induction), C (hCG + PDGF + 5.0 ng/ml bFGF induction), D (hCG + PDGF + 10.0 ng/ml bFGF induction), and E (hCG + PDGF + 20.0 ng/ml bFGF induction). On the 7th, 14th and 21st day of induction, we observed the morphological changes of the cells and measured the level of testosterone (T) and expression of 3 beta hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) in the supernatant by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTSAfter induction, the BMSCs of groups B, C, D, and E exhibited microscopic features of enlarged size, inter-connection, long-shuttle or irregular shape, adherent growth, and large round nuclei, all characteristic of Leydig cells. With the prolonging of time and enhanced concentration of bFGF, gradual increases were observed in the T level and the count of 3β-HSD-positive BMSCs in the four induction groups, with statistically significant differences between group B and groups C, D, and E (P < 0.05), as well as between group C and groups D and E (P < 0.05), but not between D and E (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe bFGF has an obvious promoting effect in the in vitro induced differentiation of rat BMSCs into Leydig cells.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; metabolism ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; metabolism

Objective To explore the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation( RFCA) on cardiac reverse remode-ling and improvement of life quality in cardiomyopathy patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation( PAF) . Methods 95 cardiomyopathy patients with PAF were enrolled in our study and divided into two groups. RFCA group:62 patients received circumferential pulmonary vein isolation, ( left ventricular end-diastolic ) LVEDD ≥55 mm (male), LVEDD ≥50 mm (female); Drug group:33 patients were treated with drug for controlling heart rate ( resting heart rate around 60~80 bpm, heart rate during daily activity <100 bpm) . 72 hours after admission or 6 months after surgery in RFCA group, when the heart rate returned to normal or 6 months after treatment in Drug group, Short-Form36(SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of living in the patients respectively; transthoracic echocardiography was performed in sinus rhythm;LAD, LVEDD and LVEF of the patients were measured. Results in RFCA group, LAD and LVEDD of 62 patients reduced and LVEF increased in 6 months after surgery statisti-cally significant(P<0. 05). In Drug group, 6 months after treatment, LAD and LVEDD of 33 patients increased ( P<0. 05 ) , without significant change in LVEF. There was no statistical significance in psychological health, physical function and general health perceptions, but there was significant improvement in social function and phys-ical function,affective state, physical role and energy in both RFCA group and drug group (P<0. 05), and it was more obvious in RFCA group(P<0. 05). Conclusion RFCA can reverse cardiac structural remodeling via sinus rhythm maintenance and improve the quality of life in cardiomyopathy patients with PAF.

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

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

Epiglottis ; pathology ; Humans ; Palatine Tonsil ; Tissue Adhesions ; diagnosis ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; radiotherapy

Objective: To investigate the bonding strength of different resin composites .Methods:Methacrylate-based resin APX and silorane-based resin composite P90 were chosen in this study , with their corresponding adhesives Clearfil SE Bond ( SE) and Filtek P90 System Adhesive ( SA) .The speci-mens were divided into three groups:(1) bulk group, filling each block with the same composite , then curing;(2) direct filling group, curing and polishing one composite , then filling a new composite direct-ly;( 3 ) bonding group , after curing and polishing one composite , conditioning the surface with adhe-sives, then filling a new composite.Cut each resin blocks into 1 mm ×1 mm ×14 mm each piece, detec-ting the microtensile strength , and analyzing by One-Way ANOVA and LSD .Results: ( 1 ) The micro-tensile strength of the bulk group was the highest .(2) In direct filling group, the microtensile strength of 4 subgroups showed no statistical significance with each other but lower than that of the bulk group .(3) In bonding group, the microtensile strength of repairing with APX was higher than that with P 90.When repairing with same composite , the microtensile strength was higher if the resin type of substrates was same with restorations than that was different .The microtensile strength of adhesives SE was higher than that of SA.(4) The sorting of the microtensile strength: bulk>SE bonding APX >SA bonding APX>SE bonding P90=direct filling>SA bonding P90.Conclusion:Retention force is higher when substrates are repaired with methacrylate-based resins and corresponding adhesives .Retention force is lower when repaired with silorane-based composites and corresponding adhesives .Types of the substrate composites show no influence on the bonding strength .

Objective To evaluate the effects of different doses of propofol on traumatic brain injury in rats .Methods Forty-eight healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats , aged 7-8 weeks , weighing 270-320 g , were randomly divided into 6 groups ( n=8 each ) using a random number table :sham operation group (group S ) , traumatic brain injury group (group I) ,fat emulsion group (group F) and low-dose propofol group (group L) , medium-dose propofol group (group M ) ,and high-dose propofol group (group H ) .Traumatic brain injury model was established according to the method described by Feeney .In group S ,0.9% normal saline was infused into the left femoral vein at 3.49 ml·kg-1 ·h-1 .In I ,F ,L ,M and H groups ,0.9% normal saline ,20% fat emulsion 3.49 ml·kg-1 ·h-1 ,and propofol 17.46 ,34.92 and 69.84 mg·kg-1 ·h-1 were infused into the left femoral vein ,respectively .Blood samples were collected from the right common carotid artery at 15 and 60 min of infusion (T1-2 ) for determination of serum S100β protein concentrations . The rats were then sacrificed after collecting blood samples at T2 and brains were removed for microscopic examination of the pathological changes of the cerebral cortex (light microscope ) and ultrastructure of neurons in the cerebral cortex (transmission electron microscope) .Results The serum S100β protein concentrations were significantly higher at T1 ,2 in the other five groups than in group S ( P<0.05 ) .Compared with I and F groups ,the serum S100βprotein concentrations were significantly decreased at T1 ,2 in L ,M and H groups ( P<0.05) .Compared with group L ,the serum S100βprotein concentrations were significantly decreased at T2 in M and H groups , and the serum S100β protein concentrations were increased at T1 in H group ( P< 0.05 ) . The serum S100β protein concentrations were significantly higher at T1 ,2 in H group than in group M ( P<0.05 ) .Light microscopic examination showed that nucleus condensation , cell necrosis , and cell edema were significantly attenuated in L ,M , and H groups as compared with group I;normal neurons could be found in group M .Transmission electron microscopic examination showed that the severity of neuronal damage was significantly attenuated in L ,M ,and H groups as compared with group I .Conclusion Different doses of propofol can reduce traumatic brain injury in rats .

Objective To observe CNTF gene expression and expressive variety during postnatal development in rat spinal cord. Methods The spatial expression of CNTF mRNA in spinal cord was examined by in situ hybridization with dig\|CNTF cDNA probe.Reverse transcription\|polymerse chain reaction(RT\|PCR),as hemi\|quantitative method was used to investigate the expressive variety of CNTF mRNA levels in spinal cord during postnatal development. Results Hybridized signals of CNTF mRNA was found only in part of glial cells on the peripheral region of the ventral and lateral white funiculi of spinal cord,but could not be detected in the gray matter of spinal cord.The expression of CNTF mRNA in spinal cord appeared with a lower level on the first postnatal day.It increased significantly at postnatal 15th days,the expression of CNTF mRNA reached the peak at 30th days,and it began to decrease on the 60th days. Conclusion This study indicated that CNTF mRNA might be expressed in part of glial cells in the white matter.There was expression in spinal cord on the 1st day after birth and the expression levels of CNTF mRNA possessed the changeable character during spinal cord development.

Objective To investigate the effective MRI sequences and describe the correlation between MRI and visual evoked potential(VEP)in diagnosing optic neuritis.Methods One hundred and fifty-four eyes with visual impairment of 98 patients with diagnoses of optic neuritis,papillitis,multiple sclerosis and Devic's disease underwent MRI and VEP examination. The MRI findings were analyzed and correlated with VEP results and clinical presentation by using x2 test,wilcoxon test and Kappa test.Results Out of the 154 sick eyes.56 eyes presented thickened optic nerves.76 eyes had normal diameter of the optic nerve,and 22 eyes had thin optic nerves.A total of 132 optic nerves showed abnormally high signal in STIR sequences.including involvement of intraocular segment in 7,intraorbitsl segment in 135,intracanalicular segment in 109,intracranial segment in 97,optic chiasm in 56,and optic tract in 23.A total of 54 patients underwent postcontrast MRI. Seventy-four optic nerves of 87 eyes showed enhancement.Among the 196 eyes of 98 patients,132 eyes presented visual impairment and simultaneous abnormal MR signal of the optic nerve.and 26 eyes had both normal vision and normal MR signal of optic nerve.The consistency of MRI findings and vision status was 80.61%(Kappa=0.453,P＜0.01).Among the 175 eyes with VEP results.129 eyes had visual loss with simultaneous VEP abnormalities,and 30 eyes had both normal vision and normal VEP results.The consistency of VEP and vision status was 90.86%(Kappa=0.731,P＜0.01).Among the 175 eyes with VEP results,117 eyes had abnormal MR signal of the optic nerve and simultaneous abnormal VEP,and 24 eyes had both normal MR signal of the optic nerve and normal VEP.The consistency of MRI findings and VEP was 80.57%(Kappa=0.460,P＜0.01).Conclusion STIR sequence and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR sequence combined with fatsuppression are helpful in diagnosis of optic neuritis.VEP is helpful in diagnosing optic neuritis and in finding subclinical visual problem.The MRI combined with VEP could improve the diagnostic accuracy of optic neuritis.

Objective To observe the expression of Frizzled protein in mouse tooth germ at bell stage and explore the possible function of Wnt/Frizzled signal molecules. Methods Mouse embryos at 17 and 19 days of gestation (E17 and E19) as well as mice postnatal day 2 (PN2) were employed in our study. The frozen sections of the first lower molar were made and indirect immunofluorescence technique was carried out on the sections. The location of Frizzled protein was observed under the fluorescence microscope. Results Frizzled protein was expressed weakly in the inner- and outer- dental epithelium at E17. At E19,the positive staining was found to distribute at the summit of both pre-ameloblasts and pre-odontoblasts. At P2,Frizzled protein was expressed strongly at the summit of ameloblasts and odontoblasts. Conclusion Wnt/Frizzled signal molecules may be involved in the differentiation of ameloblasts and odontoblasts.