AIM:To explore the effect of leptin on the expression of degeneration-related genes in rat nucleus pulposus ( NP) cells and to detect the possible mechanism .METHODS:The normal NP cells isolated from SD rats were analyzed by immunochemistry and immunofluorescence for the collagen II and cytokeratin 19 expression.The NP cells were treated with leptin and/or interleukin-1β( IL-β).The mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, aggrecan and COL2A1 in the cells was detected by real-time PCR.Alcian blue staining and im-munochemistry were used to examine the expression of proteoglycan and collagen II .Activation of involved pathways was studied by Western blot .The inhibitors of the pathways were used to reveal the effect of these pathways on NP cells .RE-SULTS:The results of real-time PCR revealed that leptin alone up-regulated the mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5 and COL2A1.The synergy of leptin and IL-βwas found in the increased expression of MMP-1, MMP-3 and ADAMTS-5.The NP cells treated with leptin showed less expression of collagen II .Both PI3K/Akt and JAK2/SATA3 pathways were activated by leptin , whereas only inhibitor of JAK 2/SATA3 pathway reversed the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-13.CONCLUSION:Leptin may promote catabolism in rat NP cells via JAK2/SATA3 pathways, which may be the mechanism mediating the association between obesity and intervertebral disc degeneration .

AIM:Toexploretheeffectofglucocorticoidonautophagyandsenescenceinthechondrocytes. METHODS:The collagen II in the normal chondrocytes isolated from the SD rats was checked.After stimulation with glu-cocorticoid, LysoTracker Red staining, MDC staining and Western blot were used to detect the level of autophagy in the chondrocytes.The mTOR pathway related molecules were investigated by Western blot.Cell senescence was analyzed by SA-β-gal staining.RESULTS:A dose-dependent increase in the number of autophagic vacuoles was observed in the dexa-methasone-treated chondrocytes, which was demonstrated by the LysoTracker Red and MDC staining.The expression of LC3-II and beclin-1 was increased by dexamethasone, especially in the cells treated with dexamethasone for 4 d.However, P62 expression was decreased.SA-β-gal staining showed that the percentage of cell senescence was increased by dexam-ethasone.Surprisingly, the cell senescence induced by dexamethasone was exacerbated by the autophagic inhibitor 3-MA. CONCLUSION:Autophagy induced by dexamethasone protects chondrocyte from senescence.The mTOR pathway may be involved in the autophagy activation.

Objective To discuss the uhrasonography and hemodynamic characteristics of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods The 548 people were divided into CHD group (n = 373) and control group (n = 175) by the coronary angiography.And the patients in CHD group were sorted into myocardial infarction (MI) group (n= 160) and non-MI group (n= 213).All patients were above 60 years of age, and underwent carotid artery ultrasound examination.The data of carotid sonography and hemodynamics were classified and analyzed using SPSS 10.0 software.Results The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque thickness and score were much more in CHD group than in control group [(0.96±0.24) mm vs.(0.78±0.11) mm, (1.90±0.36) mm vs.(1.66±0.13)mm, (2.2±0.7) vs.(1.9±0.4), t= 14.81, 27.89 and 27.83, all P=0.00].A total of 161 (43.2%) patients had atherosclerotie plaques in CHD group, and there were 7 (4.0%) people with plaques in healthy control group(χ~2 =337.18, P =0.00).And there were 81.3% of patients with plaques in MI group, it was more than non-MI group, in which there were 12.9% of patients with plaques (χ~2 =60.88, P=0.00).The carotid peak systolic velocity (PSV) and resistance index (RI) were both higher in CHD group than in control group [(77.0±11.9) cm/s vs.(65.2±3.1) cm/s and 0.77±0.06 vs.0.67±0.08, (t= 12.26 and 50.43, P=0.00)].Conclusions Carotid ultrasonography could evaluate not only CHD, but also CHD severity in the elderly.

The present study reported the effect of two male antifertility agents gossypol acetic acid and GTW on DNA of C3H10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts. Our results showed that the cells treated with gossypol or GTW at high concentration (2-3 ?g/ml) for 4 hours, show silver grains in their nuclei as much as the positive control group, N-methyl N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) a known carcinogen. However, if the agents were used at moderate concentrations (0.5-1?g/ml), the silver grains were much less, if the concentrations of gossypol or GTW were of 0.1-0.3 ?g/ml, the silver grains were as less as the control group. In a colony-forming test, we found that the cells lost their proliferate ability, since no colonies could be formed, if gossypol or GTW were of high concentration; while at moderate or low concentrations, the colony-forming rate was as high as 8.1-10.5％. Taking all of these results into consideration, we suggest that high concentrations of gossypol or GTW can damage cell DNA severely, moderate concentration of the agents break cell DNA to a certain extent, but the cells can repair, while low concentration of gossypol or GTW exert no obvious effect on cells. The significance of these observations was briefly discussed.

Objeclive To investigate the relationship between carotid atheroselemtic(CAS)plaque and homocysteine(HCY),C-reactive protein(CRP)and ischemie eerebrovasclar desease(ICVD).Methods 468 patients with ICVD and 456 patients without eerebrovaseular disease(control group)were detected by carotid color duplex in IMI,number,size and character of carotid atherosclerosis(CAS) plaque and thelevels of HCY and CRP were evaluated,and compared with normal control group.Results(1)Compare with control group,the IMT,prevalence of CAS plaque,the rates of soft plaque in ICVD group were significantly higher(all P＜0.05).(2)The levels of HCY and CRP in ICVD were significantly higher than those in control group(P＜0.05),and in ICVD with plaque subgroup were significantly higher than those in ICVD without plaque subgroup(P＜0.05).(3)The prevalence of CAS plaque and IMT were positively correlated with the levels of HCY and CRP(r=0.32,0.30 repectively,P＜0.05).Condusion ICVD patients show increased IMT and hJish prevalence of CAS plaque.CAS plaque and hyperhomocystoinemia is an independent risk factor for ICVD.The level of CRP is an important biological marker to evaluate the severity and prognosis of ICVD.

Objective To explore the changes and the clinical signficance in serum myocardial zymogram of patients with intracerebral be hemorrhage(ICH).Methods To estimate the serum myocardial zymogram.Serum aspartate aminotrasferase(AST),lactate dehychogenase (LDH),creatine kinas (CK) in patients with ICH were measured in 3 days,then to make comparison with control group.Results The serum myocardial zymogram in ICH group were higher than that of control group(P <0.05).There were different changes in serum myocardial zymogram of various parts.The serum myocardial zymogram in group with temporal lobe damage was higher than that of group without temporal lobe damage (P < 0.05).The serum myocardial zymogram of group with colliculus brain damage was higher than that of group without colliculus brain damage(P <0.05) ,the serum myocardial zymogram of group with disorder of consciousness was higher than that of group wakefulness(P < 0.05).Conclusion There are significant changes in the serum myocardial zymogram of patients with ICH.The incidence of the serum myocardial zymogram in ICH was close]y correlated to the severity area and part of ICH,consciousness disorder.To estimate serum zymogram is helpful to judge patients' state and prognosis.

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a commonly used technology in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure. It has higher resolution and repeatability, and more importantly, it can make the vascular structure visiable which shows the plaque morphology and component, compared with traditional coronary angiography. Most researches indicated that IVUS can help doctors find out the optimized stent size, stent malapposition,stent disexpansion,and procedure complication, thus reduce the incidence of restenosis and stent thrombosis. IVUS has been widely applied in research about the predictors of PCI complication, these results benefit us to make better decision on PCI procedure. In this article, we reviewed the studies based on IVUS technology during the last 10 years and summrized according to restenosiss and stent thrombosis with BMS (bare metal stent) and DES (drug eluting stent) .

and each of the resistant strains was resistant at least to 5 antibiotics.13 strains out of the 28 harbored plasmids ranging from 1 to 6 in number and 105 Md to 2.7 Md in molecular weight.The plasmid with 50 Md was the most popular one in this study,which may be the epidemic plasmid in the urologic unit.It was also found that 2 different species of bacteria isloated from the patients with infection of the urinary tract showed identical plasmid profile,which indicates that these 2 patients may be associated with each other.

Objective:To investigate the effect of basic periodontal therapy on levels of blood glucose,blood lipid,and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-?) among patients with periodontal diseases in insulin dependent diabetes patients.Methods:Forty insulin dependent diabetes patients with periodontitis were selected and divided into basic periodontal therapy group and control group.The periodontal clinic index,blood glucose,blood lipid,glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),and serum TNF-? concentrations were assessed before treatment and 4 weeks,3 and 6months after basic periodontal therapy.Results:The HbA1c,TNF-?,total cholesterol(TC),tyiglycerides(TG) in basic periodontal therapy group were significant decreased after periodontal therapy,and meanwhile had significant difference compared with that in control group.Conclusion:The basic periodontal therapy can help to control the blood glucose level in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus with periodonitis.

0.05).The degree of angiostegnosis:1-grade stenosis in MSCTA was higher than that in DSA.The 2-grade,3-grade and 4-grade stenosis in DSA were higher than that in MSCTA(all P