Objective To study the pretreatment with prostaglandin E1 ( PGE1 ) on acute superior mesenteric ar-tery ( SMA) ischemia reperfusion injury of intestinal cell in rats. Methods 18 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, sham operation group and experimental group. IRI of SMA model was made by clamping the SMA for one hour and two hours after reperfusion in the control group and the experimental group,respectively. PGE1(20 μg/kg) was injected from the tail vein in the control group and the experimental group. Character of pa-thology of small intestine was examined. The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in small intestine cells and change of IF-ABP and DAO in serum were detected. Results Pathologic changes showed that there was no change in the control group;while in the sham operation group,chorionic epithelium mucosa ulceration and hemorrhage and necrosis oc-curred more seriously than that in the experimental group. Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was higher in the sham op-eration group and the experimental group than that in the control group(P<0. 05), and it was obviously lower in the experimental group than in the sham operation group(P<0. 05). The content of IFABP and DAO in blood ser-um:it was higher in the sham operation group and the experimental group than in the control group ( P<0. 05 ) , and it was lower in the experimental group than in the sham operation group(P<0. 05). Conclusion PGE1 can relieve the alvine necrosis caused by rats' mesenteric reperfusion injury after acute artery ischemia and thus protect damaged mucosa of small intestine.

Objective To investigate the genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Guangdong Province by linear probe assay (LiPA) and core,non-structural protein 5B (NS5B) sequence analysis,and to evaluate the accuracy of LiPA for genotyping.MethodsOne hundred and ten HCV specimens from chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients in Guangdong Province were genotyped by both core,NS5B sequence analysis and INNO-LiPA 2.0.The data were then analyzed with SPSS 10.0 software.ResultsAmong the 110 specimens,core and NS5B fragment could be amplified from 97 and 62 specimens,respectively,while both fragments were obtained from 57 specimens. The results of genotyping by core sequence analysis were completely consistent with the results of NS5B sequencing.One hundred and two specimens were classified into five subtypes,i.e.genotype 1a,2a,3a,3b,6a,with frequencies of 61.8％ (64),9.8％ (10),3.9％ (4),3.9％ (4),20.6％ (21),respectively.All but genotype 6 strains can be genotyped correctly by using INNO-LiPA 2.0.However,only subtype 1b and 3b could be genotyped accurately.81.5％ genotype 6a strains were genotyped as 1b by mistake. Conclusions Genotype 6a has become the second most prevalent genotype in Guangdong Province.The LiPA cannot distinguish genotype 6a from 1b strains accurately which needs further investigation.

BACKGROUND: Schwann cells are the seed cells of neural repair, and it is a key to harvest a large number of Schwann cells with high purity and activity. OBJECTIVE: To compare the in vitro culture, purification, and morphology of Schwann cells between neonatal and adult rats, and investigate a simple and feasible culture method to harvest high-purity Schwann cells. METHODS: Totally 30 Sprague-Dawley rats, comprising 20 neonatal (1-3 days after birth, neonatal group) and 10 adult (weighing 150-200 g, adult group) rats, were included. Following double-enzyme digestion and two incubations, Schwann cells were isolated and purified by differential attachment. Cell morphology and attaching speed were determined through the use of inverted microscope. Cells were counted and cell purity was calculated. Cell proliferative ability was detected by MTT microcolorimetry. Curves of cell proliferation in each group were depicted to determine proliferative speed. Schwann cells were identified by S-100 immunochemistry.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with fibroblasts, neonatal rat Schwann cells exhibited faster, while adult rat Schwann cells showed slower, attaching speed. Both neonatal and adult groups yielded over 96% cell purity. MTT microcolorimetry results revealed that Schwann cells proliferated actively in neonatal and adult groups. Cell proliferative curves show that neonatal rat Schwann cells proliferated faster than adult rat Schwann cells (P < 0.05). S-100 immunochemistry results showed positive results in both groups. All these findings suggest that double-enzyme digestion and two incubations followed by differential attachment is a satisfactory method to harvest considerable Schwann cells with high purity and activity. Neonatal rat Schwann cells show stronger proliferative, attaching capacities than adult rat Schwann cells.

It has been 4 years since Natural Health Products Regulations(NHPRs)was enforced by Health Canada in January of 2004.In the past time,how will it affect the marketed Traditional Chinese Medicines(TCM) in Canadian market? Recently,The two TCM products Carditionic Pill (Fufang Danshen Diwan)and Chaihu Pill from Tasly have been newly certificated by Health Canada recently.Taking them as examples,this article introduces the current status.opportunities and challenges for the regulation of TCM in Canada.and suggests that the domestic TCM corporations push the product registration as soon as possible.

Objective To measure the angle and distance between superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and abdominal aorta (AA) at the level of left renal vein and duodenum in Chinese.Methods The angle and distance between SMA and AA were measured in 41 patients with normal CT findings in the supine position using 16 slices multislice spiral CT(MSCT)scanner.Results The average angle of 41 normal cases was 47.4??18.3? (mean?SD), and 3 of 41 (7.3%)≤15?,10 of 41 (24.4%)≥70?. At the level of left renal vein and duodenum, the average distance between SMA and AA were (1.3?0.4) cm and (1.4?0.4) cm respectively.Conclusion MSCT allows accurately measure the angle and distance between SMA and AA, it shows significance in the diagnosis of SMA syndrome and nutcracker phenomenon.

Objective To investigate the guidance of the endoscopic ultrasonography for the surgery selec-tion of patients with low rectal cancerthrough analyzing the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography in preoperative TN staging. Methods Eighty-seven cases with low rectal cancer received preoperative endoscopic ultrasonography examination,the preoperative staging and the postoperative pathologic comparison. The EUS accuracy of preopera-tive staging of rectal cancer was evaluated. Results The preoperative staging with endoscopic ultrasonography for patients with low rectal cancer,100% in T1 stage,96.0% in T2 stage,85.7% inT3 stage,and 100% in T4 stage. The preoperative staging and the postoperative pathologic comparison in T stage were consistent(Kappa = 0.903, P < 0.05). The preoperative staging with endoscopic ultrasonography for patients with low rectal cancer ,87.0% in N0 stage,78.6% in N1 stage,and 100% in N2. The preoperative and the postoperative pathologic comparisons in N stage were consistent(Kappa = 0.768,P < 0.05). Conclusion The endoscopic ultrasonography had a certain advantage in the clinical preoperative evaluation for patients with low rectal cancer ,especially for invasion depth and the judgment of lymph node metastasis ,with a higher accuracy.

Objective To evaluate the CT and MR features of renal oncocytoma in order to improve the ability for recognition and ima-gingdiagnosis.Methods The CT and MR findings of renal oncocytoma in 12 patients proved by pathology were retrospectively analyzed.Results CT scans were performed in 12 patients,one of which was accompanied with the contralateral renal angiomyoliptoma.In all lesions, seven were in the right kidney and five in the left.The lesions were round or oval in shape with the diameter 1.5 cm-12.3 cm.On pre-contrast scan,the homogeneous density was found in 3,calcification in 2,and central scar tissue in 5.On post-contrast images,the parenchyma of tumor was obviously enhanced in the cortical phase.However,the enhancement was attenuated in the parenchymal phase.Seven patients underwent MRI at the same time,exhibiting iso-or hypointensity on T1 WI in 4 and heterogenous hyperintensity on T2 WI in 5.Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI demonstrated homogenous enhancement in 1 and heterogenous enhancement in others with delayed enhancement of the central scar.Conclusion Most renal oncocytomas show certain characteristics on CT or MRI, which are helpful for preoperative diagnosis and surgical therapy.

Chinese materia medica (CMM) plays an important role both in the disease prevention and therapy system and also in natural drug screening. Biotechnology exhibits applicable prospects in modern research of CMM with progress of natural science and technologies. Amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplification polymorphism of DNA (RAPD), and microsatellite DNA have been used to discriminate and breed herbal varieties. Genetic transformation and techniques of tissue and cell culture are explored to protect herbal resouces and to produce active components or parts on a commercial scale. High throughput technologies of proteome and biochip are expected to probe molecular targets and routes of CMM with the changes of proteome and gene expression. The results can be helpful to novel drug development and secondary exploitation, so as to promote the modernization process of CMM.