Objective To observe the effect of T-2 toxin on growth and development of rat epiphyseal plate of left knee and metaphyseal bone of femur and tibia in normal and low nutritional status, to find out possible pathogenic factors of Kashin-Beck disease and provide experimental basis for early intervention. Methods Ninety 3-week-old Wistar rats, weighing 60 - 70 g, were randomly divided into three groups: control group(general feed), T-2 toxin + general feed group, T-2 toxin + low nutrition feed group, thirty rats in each group with equally sex ratio. T-2 toxin (1.0 mg/kg) was administered orally 5 times a week via a gavage needle for 4 weeks. The change of hair, activity and body weight was observed. After 1, 2, 4 weeks, the epiphyseal plate of left knee and metaphyseal bone of femur and tibia (including distal femur and proximal tibia) were collected. Specimens were processed with HE and Masson staining. The morphology of chondrocytes and matrix collagen content in epiphyseal plate was observed. Trabecular bone volume fraction in tibial metaphyseal bone was analyzed by Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software. Results In the control group, rats were in good movement and hair with light, but in T-2 toxin + general feed group and T-2 toxin + low nutrition feed group, rats were found with reduced activities and hair with dark color. Body weights(g) of the control group, the T-2 toxin + general feed group and the T-2 toxin + low nutrition feed group were 81.0 ± 6.2, 79.0 ±5.1, 77.0 ± 7.5, respectively, by the end of first week; 101.8 ± 6.7, 97.0 ± 6.8, 93.0 ± 5.3, respectively, by the end of second week; 151.1 ± 15.7, 126.5 ± 11.9, 106.5 ± 11.5, respectively, by the end of fourth week. There was significant difference in groups by second week and the fourth week (F = 9.72, 41.65, all P ＜ 0.05 ). There was significant difference among multi-groups by the fourth week(all P ＜ 0.01 ). Under light microscope, at the second weeks, coagulative necrosis of chondrocytes was found in hypertrophic zone in the two groups with T-2 toxin; at the fourth weeks, cell necrosis increased. Masson staining showed collagen staining in the two groups with T-2 toxin significantly turned to clear pale coloration, indicating that the collagen matrix was significantly reduced. Image analysis showed there was significant difference in groups at the second and fourth week(F= 9.72, 41.65, all P＜ 0.05)in tibial metaphyseal trabecular bone volume fraction. There was significant difference between T-2 toxin + low nutrition feed group[(0.55 ± 0.12)％, (0.21 ± 0.0)％] and control group[(0.67 ± 0.09)％, (0.51 ± 0.14)％] by the second and fourth week(all P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions Under normal nutritional status, T-2 toxin can induce hypertrophic epiphyseal cartilage necrosis, collagen content decreased in epiphyseal plate, metaphyseal trabecular bone formation disorders; in the low nutritional status, T-2 toxin can lead to rat epiphyseal necrosis and significant metaphyseal bone disorder, but whether the performance is related to Kaschin-Beck disease needs to be studied further.

Advances in mechanism and application of the heating effect in breeding of microorganism are reviewed in this paper. Heat produces mutagenesis effect and screening effect. Heating mutagenesis effect is occurred through the substitution of G-C base pair induced by heat, and heating screening effect produces higher forward mutation rate induced by other mutagens.

Objective To evaluate the biocompatibility of vessel extracellular matrix (VECM) with bladder smooth muscle cells of rabbits,and to discuss the feasibility of vessel extracellular matrix as a matrix for urinary tract reconstruction.Methods Primary cuhured bladder smooth muscle cells (RBSMCs) iso- lated from New Zealand rabbits were implanted on VECM (1?10~6 cells/ml).The effect of VECM on meta- bolic activity,attachment,proliferation of RBSMCs were monitored in vitro by inverted light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The extracts of VECM and emulsion were prepared as experimental group and positive controls separately.The culture medium was used as negative control,and simple culture medium without cells was used as blank control.The cell viability was monitored by MTT method after 1-,3-,5-d see- ding.The in vivo tissue response to VECM was investigated by implanting into the subcutaneous sites of the rabbits.Results VECM exhibited nontoxic and bioactive effect on RBSMCs.RBSMCs could be attached to and proliferated on VECM and remained their morphologies.The cell proliferation rates of experimental group were 95.61%、98.34%、102.91%,respectively,after 1,3,5 d;those of negative control group were 100.00% ,respectively;and those of positive control group were 35.14%、38.95%、32.66%,respectively. There was significant difference in the rate between experimental group and positive control (P＜0.01),and no significant difference in the rate between experimental group and negative control (P＞0.05).In vivo, VECM demonstrated favorable tissue compatibility without tissue necrosis and fibrosis.Conclusions VECM exhibits nontoxic and bioactive effects on primary cultured bladder smooth muscle cells.It is a suit- able material for urinary tract reconstruction.

Objective To prepare human prostatic carcinoma-targeted ultrasound contrast agent and assess its targeted ability in vitro. Methods Human prostatic carcinoma-specific polyclonal antibody PSM(C-15) was attached to the surface of self-made liposome microbubbles by electrostatic attraction to prepare targeted microbubbles. Immunofluorescent staining assay was used to identify the combination of PSM(C-15) with liposome microbubbles and the targeted microbubbles were added to prostatic-carcinoma cells and then observed under the light and fluorescence microscope to evaluate the targeting ability of the targeted liposome microbubbles with prostatic carcinoma cells in vitro, while the common liposome microbubbles were controls. Results Targeted microbubbles were positive in immunofluorescent straining assay. In vitro study of the targeting ability showed the targeted microbubbles could actively adhere to LNCaP cell. While the control was negative. Conclusion The targeted liposome contrast agent with highly specific biological activity was prepared successfully. The contrast agent could bind to human prostatic carcinoma cells specially and effectively in vitro.

The chemical investigation on Ganoderma philippii led to the isolation of sixteen compounds by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. On the basis of spectroscopic data analyses, their structures were elucidated as 2, 5-dihydroxyacetophenone (1), methyl gentisate (2), (S) -dimethyl malate (3), muurola-4, 10 (14) -dien-11beta-ol (4), dihydroepicubenol (5), 5-hydroxymethylfuran carboxaldehyde (6), ergosta-7, 22E-dien-3beta-ol (7), ergosta-7, 22E-dien-3-one (8), ergosta-7, 22E-diene-2beta, 3alpha, 9alpha-triol (9), 6/beta-methoxyergo-sta-7, 22E-dien-3beta, 5alpha-diol (10), ergosta-4, 6, 8(14), 22E-tetraen-3-one (11), ergosta4, 6, 8-(14), 22E-etetraen-3beta-ol (12), 5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 22E-dien-3beta-ol (13), 7alpha-methoxy-5alpha, 6alpha-epoxyergosta-8-(14), 22E-dien-3beta-ol (14), ergosta-8, 22E-diene-3beta, 5alpha, 6beta, 7alpha-tetraol (15), and ergosta-5, 23-dien-3beta-ol, acetate (16). All the compounds were obtained from this fungus for the first time, and compounds 4 and 5 were isolated from the Ganoderma genus for the first time.
Ganoderma ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of calcium dependent adhesion molecules (cadherin) during the implantation and development of human embryo by studying the expression of E-cadherin in human embryo and blastocysts.

METHODSExpression of E-cadherin in preimplantation embryos and blastocysts was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay and quantitated by laser scanning confocal microscopy.

RESULTSExpression of E-cadherin was found in all the preimplantation embryos and blastocysts the present authors studied. The expression was higher in blastocysts than that in preimplantation embryos.

CONCLUSIONThe above results suggested that human embryos and blastocysts could express E-cadherin and the expression increased during their development. These may be of significance to the adhesion and implantation of the human embryo and blastocysts.

Blastocyst ; metabolism ; Cadherins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo, Mammalian ; metabolism ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of trophinin expression in human oocytes and preimplantation embryos.

METHODSThe expression of trophinin in 9 human oocytes, 16 blastomeres and 12 blastocysts were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay and observed under laser scanning confocal microscope.

RESULTSHuman oocytes, blastomeres and blastocysts were all positive for trophinin expression, and the positivity intensified significantly in the course of the embryonic development (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTrophinin may play an important role in human embryo implantation by mediating homophilic adhesion between the embryo and the endometrium during the implantation window.

Blastocyst ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Oocytes ; metabolism ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of daily living activities with location and severity of trau- matic brain injury (TBI) and to provide a theoretical basis for improving the accuracy of expert opinion. METHODS: Five hundred and one cases of patients with TBI were selected. Detailed records included following: pre-injury situation, location and severity of injury, treatment and education. Daily living activi- ties scale (Barthel index) was applied to test the subjects' daily living activities. The relevance among location and severity of TBI and Barthel index was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In mild TBI group, there was no significant difference in Barthel index among each location (P>0.05). In moderate TBI group, there were significant differences in Barthel index between subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral lobe injury, also between parietal, occipital lobes injury and frontal lobe injury, parietal, occipital lobes injury and temporal lobe (P<0.05), respectively, whereas no significant difference in Barthel index between frontal lobe injury and temporal lobe injury (P>0.05). In severe TBI, there were significant differences in Barthel index between every two different locations (P<0.05). CONCLUSION There is some correlation between the location of TBI and Barthel index, which provides an important reference value for analyzing and determining daily living activities after TBI.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Brain Injuries/rehabilitation* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Outcome Assessment, Health Care ; Trauma Severity Indices

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of T-614 in treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Methods Two hundred and eighty patients with active RA were randomly allocated to 3 groups:T-614 50 mg each day,25 mg each day or placebo.Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline,2,4,6,12, 18 and 24 weeks.Results The ACR response rate was significantly higher in the T-614 treatment group com- pared with the placebo group during the first 6 weeks.After 24 weeks,25 mg/d,50 mg/d dosage group and the placebo group showed 39.1%,61.3% and 24.2% in ACR20,23.9%,31.2% and 7.4% in ACR50 respectively.A time-response in ACR response after 24 weeks was observed,with clear superiority of the 25 mg/d and 50 mg/d dosage groups compared to the placebo,and 50 mg/d dosage group compared to 25 mg/d dosage group(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the polymorphism of TNF-α gene 308, 238 locus and the susceptibility to pneumoconiosis.

METHODSEighteen published case-control studies about TNF-α gene 308, 238 locus polymorphism and pneumoconiosis susceptibility were searched out from sino-foreign databases from January 1994 to December 2010. Meta-analysis was applied on the published research to calculate the pooled OR value (95%CI) and stratified analyze the types and species of pneumoconiosis.

RESULTSEleven of the published research articles were selected into the analysis, including 10 research focusing on TNF-α gene 308 locus, with 1408 cases and 1639 controls in total. The meta-analysis showed that comparing with Gln/Gln carriers, Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were 1.89-fold (95%CI: 1.10 - 3.24), 1.53-fold (95%CI: 1.25 - 1.87), and 1.56-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.90) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis, respectively. The stratified analysis showed that among coal workers, the TNF-α gene 308 locus Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were separately 2.29-fold (95%CI: 1.22 - 4.29), 1.56-fold (95%CI: 1.20 - 2.03), 1.64-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 2.11) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis than Gln/Gln carriers; and among Asian people, the TNF-α gene 308 locus Gln/Arg, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were separately 1.58-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.95) and 1.57-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.94) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis than the Gln/Gln carriers. Four case-control research focus on the study of TNF-α gene 238 locus, including 391 cases and 391 controls in total. The analysis showed that comparing with the non-carriers, TNF-α gene 238 locus Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were 6.03-fold (95%CI: 1.35 - 26.97), 1.87-fold (95%CI: 1.07 - 3.30) and 2.36-fold (95%CI: 1.37 - 4.07) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis.

CONCLUSIONTNF-α gene 308, 238 locus Arg/Arg, Gln/Arg, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers are more susceptible to pneumoconiosis.

Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Pneumoconiosis ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics