0.05), the percentage of MDC and PDC and the ratio of MDC/PDC at the second (MDC, 0.11%?0.09%; PDC, 0.06%?0.05%; MDC/PDC, 0.76?0.80), third trimester (MDC, 0.12%?0.08%; PDC, 0.07%?0.06%; MDC/PDC, 0.78?0.82) were significantly lower (P

AIM: To study the relation between prolon ge d survival of skin allograft by chuan-ke-zhi (CKZ, drug of Chinese herbal) and C D4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+ Tr) in mice. METHODS: Skin allograft and isograft model in mice were establi shed and CKZ was administered by intraperitoneal injection. To observe its influ ence on survival of the graft, three color fluorescent staining together with fl ow cytometry was used to analyze the change of CD4+CD25+ Tr. RESULTS: The survival of skin allograft in CKZ group was signifi cantly prolonged compared to control group, (19.5?2.3) days and (10.2?2.2) days, respectively, P0.05). CONCLUSION: CKZ has an effect of prolonging the survival of skin allograft. Enhancement of CD4+CD25+ Tr might be one of the mechanisms under lying its immunosuppressive effect.

Objective To discuss the application of color-coded digital subtraction angiography (ccDSA) in quantitatively analyzing the instant perfusion changes of hepatic tumors during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).Methods The clinical data of 35 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent TACE were reviewed.Before and after TACE,two-dimensional DSA (2D-DSA) was performed by using the same parameters in all patients.The image sequences were post-processed with 2D-ccDSA.On ccDSA images the regions of interest (ROIs) were measured to obtain the time-contrast-intensity (CI[t]) curves as well as the perfusion parameters,including tumor blood supply time (TBST),area under the curve (AUC),contrast-intensity peak (C I-Peak) and maximum upslope (MS),which were used to evaluate the degree of the reduction in direct blood flow and in tumor staining.The relationship between the above parameters and subjective angiographic chemoembolization endpoint (SACE) was analyzed.Results After TACE,the perfusion parameters were significantly different from pre-TACE ones.AUC and CI-Peak values were dramatically decreased.After TACE,TBST slowed a significant delay.The reduction of perfusion about 30％-40％ was equal to SACE grade Ⅲ;the reduction of perfusion about 60％-70％ was equal to SACE grade Ⅳ.Conclusion 2D-ccDSA can be used to objectively and quantitatively evaluate the effect of TACE on the perfusion of hepatic tumors,providing useful indexes for making quantitative assessment of the degree of blood flow stagnation and the reduction of tumor staining.

AIM: To investigate the effects of 17?-estradiol (E 2) on the maturation and immunologic function of dendritic cells from human peripheral blood. METHODS: Cultured DCs were treated with E 2 at doses of 10 -7 mol/L and 10 -6 mol/L. The morphologic changes were observed under the scanning electronic microscope. The immunophenotype of DCs in control and treated groups was analyzed by flowcytometry. IL-12 production in culture supernatant was examined by ELISA assay. The capability of the stimulatory activity of the DCs on allogeneic T cells in mixed reaction was tested by incorporation of 3H]-TdR. RESULTS: Compared with control group, DCs cultured in the presence of E 2 displayed less dendritic pseudopod, expressed low levels of MHC-II, CD40, CD80 and CD86, and exhibited weakly activity in stimulating the proliferation of allogeneic T cells and reduction of IL-12 production. CONCLUSION: E 2 exerts a negative effect on the maturation and immunologic function of dendritic cells from human peripheral blood.

0.05) compared with control group at 1 h and 3 h; while ~FL 1 in DEX group at 5 h (660.91?72.95) was significant lower (P

Objective To analyze the cause of delayed hemorrhage after minimally invasive percu- taneous nephrolithotomy(MPCNL),and to summarize the experience in the interventional treatment of severe bleeding after MPCNL by superselective arteriolar embolization.Methods The clinical data of 3812 cases of MPCNL from June 1998 to July 2004 were reviewed.Of them,12 patients(11 men and 1 woman;mean age,45 years)who developed severe hemorrhage after MPCNL were identified.The cause of hemorrhage and the treatment results were analyzed.Results The rate of delayed hemorrhage after MPCNL was 0.31% (12/3812).The mean time to onset of severe bleeding was 10 d after MPCNL.Renal arteriography was per- formed in all 12 patients,showing 5 arteriovenous fistulas and 7 false aneurysms.Superselective arteriolar em- bolization for hemostasis was performed in all 12 cases.All these vascular abnormalities were successfully treated by superselective embolization.Follow-up showed that the hematuria disappeared and renal function recovered well.Conclusions Severe hemorrhage following MPCNL is a rare complication,the incidence of which is significantly lower than that of conventional PCNL.The cause is mainly the arteriolar injury of re- nal puncture passage.Superselective embolization provides effective control of bleeding and currently consti- tutes the treatment of choice based on our experience.

AIM: To investigate the effect of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene transfection on the cell cycle distribution of primary cultured human chondrocytes in order to establish a tracking method of cultured human nasoseptal chondrocytes. METHODS: pEGFP-N1 plasmid was amplified in E.coli, and purified by high purity kit. Primary cultured human chondrocytes,which were initially obtained from the nasoseptal cartilage, were cultured in vitro and transferred with pEGFP-N1 by means of electroporation with Amaxa nucleofector device. Transfering process and transient expression were evaluated by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM), the transfer efficiency and the cell cycle distribution were evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: There was significant expression of EGFP at 24 h after transferring. The transfection efficiency of pEGFP-N1 into primary cultured human chondrocytes reached 35 37% at 48 h. It didn't affect the process of cell adherance and had no effect on the cell cycle distribution. CONCLUSION: Primary cultured human chondrocytes, which were transfected with pEGFP, are alive in vitro, and the transferring process doesn't affect the cell cycle distribution. These results suggest that pEGFP-N1 is an ideal transient expression vector for primary cultured human chondrocytes and it might be a well tracer in construction tissue engineered cartilage.

Objective To explore the epidemiological status of abnormal glucose metabolism and its influential factors among middle and aged population with hypertension in Chengdu area. Methods In 2008, after adopting the methods of stratified cluster sampling, the authors investigated 4685 subjects of the middle and aged population between the age of 40-79 in Chengdu urban and rural area by checking blood pressure and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTY). Patients with previously known diabetes mellitus (DM) were only asked to perform fasting glucose and to carry out a questionnaire. Comparison of the prevalence rates of abnormal glucose metabolism in hypertensive and non-hypertensive subjects was carried out. The prevalence rates of isolated impaired glucose tolerance (I-IGT) and isolated postprandial hyperglycemia (IPH) among middle and aged subjects with hypertension were acquired and the influential factors of abnormal glucose metabolism among middle and aged subjects with hypertension were analyzed. Results The prevalence rate of abnormal glucose metabolism in the hypertensive subjects was obviously higher than that in the non-hypertensive subjects; without using OGTT, 72.9% of the pre-diubetic and 54. 4% of the new diagnosed DM patients would remain undiagnosed if fasting plasma glucose detection was used alone. Age, diabetic history of first degree relatives ,overweight or obesity were the risk factors for the development of abnormal glucose metabolism among middle and aged male subjects with hypertension in Chengdu area. Exercise training and high education level were the protective factors. Age, diabetic history of first degree relatives,abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia were the risk factors for the development of abnormal glucose metabolism among middle and aged female subjects with hypertension in Chengdu area. Conclusions More than 50% of middle and aged subjects with hypertension in Chengdu area has accompanying abnormal glucose metabolism. OGTT easily discloses the abnormal status and should be a routine procedure in the diagnosis of pre-diabetes or DM in such population. Appropriate exercise, learning diabetes-related knowledge to take reasonable lifestyle, and intervention of metabolic factors such as overweight or obesity are advised. Abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia play important roles in leading to abnormal glucose metabolism among middle and aged population with hypertension.

BACKGROUNDThere are no reports on exnografting cultured human fetal neocortical cells in this infracted cavities of adult rat brains. This study was undertaken to observe whether cultured human cortical neurons and astrocytes can survive and grow in the infarcted cavities of adult rat brains and whether they interconnect with host brains.

METHODSThe right middle cerebral artery was ligated distal to the striatal branches in 16 adult stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats. One week later, cultured cells from human embryonic cerebral cortexes were stereotaxically transferred to the infarcted cavity of 11 rats. The other 5 rats receiving sham transplants served as controls. For immunosuppression, all transplanted rats received intraperitoneal injection of cyclosporine A daily starting on the day of grafting. Immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), synaptophysin, neurofilament, and microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) was performed on brain sections perfused in situ 8 weeks after transplantation.

RESULTSGrafts in the infarcted cavities of 6 of 10 surviving rats consisted of bands of neurons with an immature appearance, bundles of fibers, and GFAP-immunopositive astrocytes, which were unevenly distributed. The grafts were rich in synaptophysin, neurofilament, and MAP2-positive neurons with long processes. The graft/host border was diffuse with dendrites apparently bridging over to the host brain, into which neurofilament immunopositive fibers protruded.

CONCLUSIONCultured human fetal brain cells can survive and grow in the infarcted cavities of immunodepressed rats and integrate with the host brain.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; transplantation ; Brain ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Humans ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Neocortex ; cytology ; Neurons ; transplantation ; Rats ; Synaptophysin ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of p38 on the cycloheximide (CHX)-induced HL-60 cell death through mitochondria pathway.

METHODSInhibition of p38 pathway was by SB203580 (SB). Four groups were set up: control, SB only, CHX only and SB + CHX. Sub-diploid cell ratio was detected by PI staining flow cytometry at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 h time points, and apoptotic cell ratio by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry at 6 h and 18 h time points. High J-aggregate cells were evaluated by the J-aggregate contents, measurement of the J-aggregate (FL2) and J-monomer (FL1) by JC-1 flow cytometry, calculation of the delta psi m by FL2/FL1 and analysis of the delta psi m changes at 18 h time points.

RESULTSThe sub-diploid cell ratio in CHX group was significantly higher than that in control group at 6 h time point, and the ratio in SB + CHX group was significantly higher than that in CHX group at 9 h time point. At 18 h time point the apoptotic cell ratios in both CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference of apoptotic cell ratio between CHX group and SB + CHX group (P > 0.05). At 18 h time point the necrotic cell ratios in both CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.01); and that in SB + CHX group was significantly higher than that in CHX group (P < 0.01). The high J-aggregate cell ratios in CHX and SB + CHX groups were significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.05), and that was signficantly lower in SB + CHX group than in CHX group (P < 0.01). For the FL2/FL1 value (delta psi m) CHX group (0.17 +/- 0.01) and SB + CHX group (0.05 +/- 0.003) were significantly higher than control group (0.38 +/- 0.02) (P < 0.01), and SB + CHX group was significantly lower than CHX group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCHX can induce HL-60 cell apoptosis and the cell mitochondria depolarization, and the latter was intensified by inhibition of the p38 pathway. p38 pathway may related to the cell necrosis in the cycloheximide-induced HL-60 cell apoptosis model. s

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cycloheximide ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Membrane Potentials ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism