BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have shown that nuclear factor-KB (NF-kB) was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the cerebral hypoxia region. Thus, we assumed whether NF-kB in the pathway of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α) upregulating VEGF and plays a bridge effect.OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of NF-kB in HIF-1α pathway of increasing expression of VEGF using HIF-1α-modified neural stem cells (NSCs) as vectors.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: In vitro observation of cytology was conducted at the Neuroscience Institute, Jiamusi University from March to December 2008.MATERIALS: Wistar rats aged less than 24 hours of both genders were used.METHODS: NSCs were transfected after amplification of adenovirus vector HIF-1α (AdHIF-ia)-green fluorescent protein (GFP).Fluorescence detection was used to determine HIF-1α-GFP and blank vector Ad-GFP expression in NSCs. Protein was extracted from transfected NSCs, blank vector NSCs and normal NSCs, separately. Subsequently, NF-kB specific inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) (50,150, 300 μmol/L) was added in HIF-1α-modified NSCs. Western blot analysis was used to determine changes in VEGF expression.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The following parameters were measured: expression of HIF-1α, VEGF and NF-kB in NSCs in each group; VEGF expression in NSCs following treatment of NF-kB specific inhibitor.RESULTS: Gene expression was associated with MOI and transfected time following AdHIF-1α-GFP transfected with NSCs. After transfected AdHIF-1α-GFP in NSCs, HIF-1α, VEGF and NF-kB expression was positively correlated. Expression of VEGF was reduced in AdHIF-1α-GFP-modified NSCs following treatment of NF-kB inhibitor PDTC in a concentration-dependent fashion.There were significant differences in VEGF expression between each concentration group (P < 0.05-0.01).CONCLUSION: NF-kB in signaling pathway of HIF-1α-upregulated VEGF expression and played a bridging effect.

Objective To explore visual-spatial working memory deficits of patients with basal ganglia damage, based on which tried to provide the new method for detecting the injuries in basal ganglia. Methods Twenty-five patients with lesions in the basal ganglia and twenty-five healthy controls performed visual-spatial working memory tasks, including a face-recognition and a spatial delayed-response. Results For the basal ganglia damage group ,the correct rate of both visual- face ( 54.5 ± 9.6 ) % and visual-spatial ( 80.0 ± 11.7 ) % working memory tasks was significantly lower than that of the control group ( ( 64.3 ± 9.5 ) %, ( 93.6 ± 4.9) %, respectively) ,and the difference was statistically significant ( u= - 147.5,80.5, P＜0. 01 ). For the patients injured in the left basal ganglia, the correct rate of visual- face working memory (48.5 ± 5.4 )% was obviously lower than that of patients injured in the right basal ganglia ( 59.2 ± 9.8 ) %, and the difference was statistically significant ( u =25.5, P＜0. 01 ) ;but the difference of correct rate for the visual-space working memory was not statistically significant( u = 52.5, P＞ 0.05 ). In contrast to the controls, both the visual-face and visual-space working memory of the group with injuries in basal ganglia,had appeared to be disable. Conclusions The results confirmed that patients with lesions in basal ganglia had deficits of visual-spatial working memory,and that injuries either in the left or the right basal ganglia can probably cause the shiftiness of cognitive function. Therefore, the injuries in basal ganglia can be detected by the visual-spatial working memory tests.

Objective To estimate the effect of the NO on the medial amygdaloid nucleus(Me), we studied the origins of the NOS positive terminals in the Me. Methods Noergic afferent projection to Me was identified by a combined NADPH-d histochemical staning and retrograde CTb immunocytochemical method after microinjecting CTb into Me. Results The double labeled of neurons (NOS and CTb) were located in dorsal raphe nucleus, locus ceruleus, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, parabrachial nucleus, ventrolateral part of periaqueductal gray.Conclution The NADPH-d positive terminals in the Me originates from the aforementioned nucleus, and may relate to the function of the Me.

The basement membrane (BM) is crucial in regulating the physical and biological activities of esophageal epithelial cells which attach to the underlying BM. In order to simulate the natural construction of BM, we prepared the fibrous scaffolds using biodegradable polylactide (PLA) and silk fibroin (SF) as the materials via electrospinning technology. BM's proteins containing collagen (IV), laminin, entactin and proteoglycan were extracted from porcine esophagus and coated on the eletrospun fibers. Morphology, mechanical strength, biodegradability and cytocompatibility of the coated and uncoated scaffolds were tested and evaluated using scanning electron micrography, mechanical test system, immunofluorescence assay and western blotting with CK14 as the primary antibody. The fibrous scaffold PLA or PLA/SF, generated from the present protocol had good formation and mechanical and biodegradable properties. After coating with BM's proteins, the scaffold could enhance the growth and differentiation of esophageal epithelial cells, which would contribute to remodel and regenerate the tissue engineered epithelium and further contribute to engineer the whole esophagus in future.
Absorbable Implants ; Basement Membrane ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Epithelium ; Esophagus ; physiology ; Fibroins ; chemistry ; Humans ; Nanostructures ; chemistry ; Polyesters ; chemistry ; Regeneration ; physiology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry

Objective To establish an accurate method for determining the content of three components in Fufang Buwu Syrup. Methods TLC scanner was selected to detect three components with silica gel G thin layer plate. The sample was separated by using cyclohexane-ethyl acetate-methylenechloride-formic acid (3∶1∶1∶0.2),λS=300 nm. Results The linearity between peak area and ferulic acid was achieved in the range of 0.36-0.84μg, psoralen was achieved in the range of 0.12-0.28 μg, emodin was achieved in the range of 0.01-0.05 μg. The average recovery was 100.7%, 100.8%, 101.0%, and RSD was 1.26%, 1.44%, 1.86%, respectively. Conclusion The method is simple and accurate, which can be used for quality control of Fufang Buwu Syrup.

In order to study the chemical constituents in the water extract of the stem of Nauclea officinalis, column chromatography over D101 macroporous resin and silica gel and an automatic purification system were used to isolate and purify the chemical constituents from the extract. Nine compounds were obtained. By analysis of the physicochemical properties and spectral data, their structures were identified as naucleamide G (1), 3, 4-dimethoxyphenol-beta-D-apiofuranosyl (1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), kelampayoside A (3), 3alpha, 5alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycordifoline lactam (4), naucleamide A-10-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), pumiloside (6), 3-epi-pumiloside (7), strictosamide (8) and vincosamide (9), separately. Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, compound 2 was found in plants of the genus Nauclea for the first time, and compounds 3 and 4 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Objective To investigate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)/extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) signal transduction pathway in regulating the expression of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in human amnion epithelial cells.Methods Primary cell culture of human amnion epithelial cells deriving from amnion of term pregnancy with normal amniotic fluid volume (AFV) or isolated oligohydramnios was conducted in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College from January to November 2011.Either group included 10 elective cesarean cases.The primarily cultured cells were treated with different concentrations (0,5,10,20 and 40 mol/L) of ERK inhibitors (U0126) for 12 h,and then the optimal concentration of U0126 which resulted in the lowest expression of phospho~ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) was added for different durations(0,2,6,12 and 24 h).Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the localization of AQP3 and Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression of total ERK1/2,p-ERK1/2 and AQP3 in human amnion epithelial cells.Statistical analysis was performed by t-test and one-way ANOVA.Results (1) Compared with those in normal AFV group,p-ERK1/2 and AQP3 expression in human amnion epithelium cells decreased in oligohydramnios group,respectively (p-ERK1/2:3.46 ± 0.33 and 2.46±0.25;AQP3:2.34 ± 0.18 and 1.56±0.10,t=9.243 and 13.292,P＜0.01).(2) In oligohydramnios groups,after treated with different concentrations of U0126,the expressions of total ERK1/2 did not change (F=0.365,P＞0.05).The expression of p-ERK1/2 and AQP3 in 5,10,20,40 μmol/L U0126 (p-ERK1/2:0.96±0.16,1.12±0.13,0.98±0.17 and 1.02±0.26; AQP3:1.10±0.09,1.12±0.08,1.13±0.06 and 1.11±0.06) were all significantly lower than those in 0 μmol/LU0126 group (p-ERK1/2:2.46±0.25; AQP3:1.56±0.10,P＜0.05).However,the expression of p-ERK1/2 and AQP3 showed no significant difference among 5,10,20,and 40μmol/L U0126 groups (P＞0.05).The optimal concentration of U0126 was 5 μmol/L.After treated with 5 μmol/L U0126 for 2 h,the expressions of p-ERK1/2 and AQP3 (1.27±0.29 and 1.44±0.12)were lower than those after treated for 0 h (2.55±0.12 and 2.15±0.09,P＜0.05).However,there was no significant difference among groups treated for 2,6,12 and 24 h.Therefore,the optimal treatment time was 2 h.(3) The expression of AQP3 was distributed in both cell membrane and cytoplasm in amnion epithelial cells with normal amniotic fluid volume or isolated oligohydramnios,but mainly in cytoplasm.U0126 did not change the localization of AQP3 expression.Conclusions U0126 inhibits the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and expression of AQP3 of women with oligohydramnios,indicating that the MAPK/ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway might regulate the expression of AQP3 in human amnion epithelial cells,and therefore affect the balance of amniotic fluid volume.

BACKGROUND:Polyurethane has good mechanical and physical characteristics and is extensively used in
clinical and experimental studies, but its hydrophobicity and histocompatibility are not ideal, which limits its use in tissue engineering as a biomaterial scaffold to some extents.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the hydrophilicity of polyurethane membrane grafted with silk fibroin and glutin and its compatibility with human hypopharyngeal cel s.
METHODS:The changes in hydrophilicity of polyurethane membrane grafted with silk fibroin and glutin were detected by contact angle measurements. Human hypopharyngeal fibroblasts were cultured in vitro on
polyurethane membrane, silk fibroin-polyurethane membrane, glutin-polyurethane membrane and tissue culture plate. Cel compatibility was compared using cytometry and cel morphology obsevation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Hydrophilicity of silk fibroin-or glutin-polyurethane membranes significantly increased (P<0.01). The hydrophilicity of silk fibroin-polyurethane membrane was higher than that of
glutin-polyurethane membrane (P<0.01). The number of cel s on the tissue culture plate was the most. The number of human hypopharyngeal fibroblasts on the silk fibroin-or glutin-polyurethane membrane was higher
than that on the polyurethane membrane, especial y on the silk fibroin-polyurethane membrane. These suggested that hydrophilicity and cel compatibility of silk fibroin-or glutin-polyurethane membrane were elevated.

This paper retrospectively analyzed the quality control methods of Fructus Forsythiae, summarized the corresponding achievements and problems on its quality control. It can provide some available envidences for the quality control of Fructus Forsythiae and its preparations.

Objective To investigate the distribution features and antibiotic drug resistance of infection pathogens isolated from elderly patients with malignancies complicated with infection following treatment in an open hematology ward.Methods From January 2010 to June 2012,specimens from hospitalized elderly patients with concurrent infection were cultured to isolate infection pathogens through routine methods.Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by the microdilution method.Results A total of 302 strains of infection pathogens were isolated from all detected samples,among which isolated strains of Gram-positive bacteria,Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were 91,194 and 17 strains,respectively.Isolated fungi were mostly susceptible to antifungal drugs.Gram-negative bacteria were highly susceptible to carbapenem,while Gram-positive bacteria were most sensitive to vancomycin and teicoplanin.Conclnsion The nosocomial infection pathogens of elderly patients with malignancies in hematology ward are most likely Gram-negative bacteria.Before specimens culture results and susceptibility are known,all these patients should be empirically treated with broad spectrum antibiotics,which have the most activity against Gram-negative bacteria as well as Gram-positive bacteria coverage.