Long-term potentiation(LTP)is an important form of synaptic plasticity and an objective indicator to investigate learing and memory synaptic mechanisms.With the development of brain slice technology,more and more experiments associated with LTP are carried out on brain slices,which aim to investigate the mechanism in biology and the change in physiology or biochemistry are carried out on the brain slice.This paper gives an overview of recent advances in research of LTP with technology of brain sliceby suchexamples as follows:The regulated expression mechanisms of long-term potentiation at CA1 synapses,the characteristics of LTP induced in hippcampal slices and its relation with the slice-recovery conditions,the enhancement of the magnitude of early longterm potentiation at CA1 hippocampal synapse by the activation of dopamine receptor,and the enhancement of associative long-term potentiation by the activation of β-adrenergic receptors at CA1 synapses in rat hippocampol slices.

Objective:To evaluate effect of telephone follow-up combined with written instruction on compliance and Helicobacterpylori (H.pylori) eradication in patients with H.pylori infection.Methods:A total of 160 H.pylori positive patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group (n=80 in each group).Ml the patients got the guide instruction named the guidance of clinical medication for H.pylori infection patients before the treatment.The patients in the experimental group were added individualized follow-up with telephone.The compliance,eradication ofH.pylori,adverse events,and satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups.Results:The eradication rate of H.pylori in the perprotocol analysis for the experimental group and control group were 64.4％ (47/73) and 56.5％(35/62),respectively (P=0.380),while in the intention-to-treat analysis,the rates were 58.8％ (47/80) and 43.8％ (35/80,P=0.082),respectively.The compliance rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (91.3％ vs 77.5％,P＜0.05).There was significant difference in patients' satisfaction in good ones (75.3％ vs 51.6％) and poor ones (5.5％ vs 21.0％) between the 2 groups (P＜0.05).There were 11 patients in the experimental group and 36 patients in the control group,who appeared adverse reactions such as nausea,bad breath,abdominal distention,poor appetite,and defecation habit change during the process of eradicating H.pylori,but the occurrence rate in the experimental group was obviously lower than that in the control group (15.1％ vs 58.1％,P＜0.05).Conclusion:The telephone follow-up cannot increase the H.pylori eradication rate,but it can improve compliance and satisfaction for the patients and relieve adverse effects.

OBJECTIVETo analyse a special kind of Schisandra chinensis with the white fruit using ITS2 barcode at molecular levels.

METHODITS2 regions were sequenced bidirectionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner, MEGA 5.0 software was used to align the sequences. The ITS2 secondary structure was predicted using ITS2 web server, BLAST 1 method was used to identify the S. chinensis with the white fruit.

RESULTThe length of the ITS2 sequence was 231 bp. And the sample was identified as S. chinensis using the method of BLAST 1. Their mean interspecific genetic distance (K2P distance) among the populations of the S. chinensis with the white fruit and S. chinensis was far lower than the mean interspecific genetic distance between the S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera.

CONCLUSIONBy using ITS2 the S. chinensis with the white fruit was identified as S. chinensis, and the ITS2 barcode could be used to identify S. chinensis and S. sphenanthera.

DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Fruit ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Software

AIMTo establish a new and simple flow injection method for the rapid determination of acetylspiramycin (ASPM).

METHODSASPM was determined by chemiluminescence (CL) method combined with flow injection (FI) technology, which was based on the inhibitive effect of ASPM on the chemiluminescence reaction of the luminol-K3Fe (CN)6 system.

RESULTSThe decrease of chemiluminescence intensity was proportional to the logarithm of ASPM concentration (0.1-100) microgram.L-1, the detection limit was 40 ng.L-1 (3 sigma). The whole process, including sampling and washing, could be completed in 0.5 min with a RSD less than 3.0% (n = 5).

CONCLUSIONThe FI-CL method is of both high sensitivity and good selectivity giving a throughput of 120 h-1. The proposed method was applied successfully to the determination of ASPM in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine without any pre-treatment. It was found that the ASPM concentration reached its maximum after being orally administrated for two hours.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; blood ; urine ; Flow Injection Analysis ; Humans ; Luminescent Measurements ; Luminol ; chemistry ; Male ; Microchemistry ; Spiramycin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; blood ; urine

Objective To construct wtp53/junB fusion gene and its eukaryotic expression vector in order to provide the basis for further application of polygene union therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and gene recombination techniques were used to construct the eukaryotic vector of pEGFP-C1-wtp53/junB fusion gene, which carries the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The transfection of pEGFP-C1-wtp53/junB in hepatoma HepG2 cells was detected by the location of green fluorescence. Results The DNA sequence of wtp53/junB fusion gene was successfully cloned into the pEGFP-C1 plasmid and the sequence was the same as what we expected. Green fluorescence located on cell nucleus proved that pEGFP-C1-wtp53/junB was transfected into HepG2 cell line successfully. Conclusion We successfully constructed the eukaryotic vector of pEGFP-C1-wtp53/junB fusion gene, which carries the EGFP, and transfects it into human hepatoma cell nucleus. It may lay the basis for studying the synergetic effect of wtp53 and junB in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To evaluate monoenergetic imaging of dual energy CT in the visualization of metal fixation of factures. Methods In total, 29 patients with factures underwent 36 metal fixations,including 11 external fixations implanting in tibiofibula (n = 11 ) and 25 internal fixations (cervical spine,n=10; lumbar spine, n=4; tibiofibula, n=8; radial bone, n=3). They were recruited into this study.After dual energy CT scan, monoenergetic software was used to post-process with the following 6 photon energies: 40, 70, 100, 130, 160, 190 keV. Two radiologists evaluated and rated the reformatted images with 6 different photon energies and average weighted 120 kV images according to the following 4-score scale. Score 1: nonassessable, with marked artifact; score 2: assessable, moderate artifact; score 3: good,mild artifact, good visualization of bony structures; score 4: excellent, no artifact. Kruskal-Wallis was used to perform statistical analysis of image quality for total fixations, external and internal fixations with various selective kev settings and average weighted 120 kV. Results For total fixations, monoenergetic imaging of dual energy CT has 25 fixations with score 3 and 4, but 120 kV has only 4 fixations with score 3 and 4.Monoenergetic imaging of dual energy CT improved image quality of fractures with metal fixation compared to average weighted 120 kV images ( F = 116. 487, P ＜0. 01 ). Images of 130 kev had the best image quality for external metal fixation (9 fixations with score 3 and 4, F = 60. 902, P ＜ 0. 01), while 70 kev was best for internal metal fixation ( F = 122. 149, P ＜ 0. 01). Conclusions Monoenergetic imaging of dual energy CT improves image quality of fractures with metal fixation. Reformatted images at 70 keV and 130 keV havethe optimal image quality for internal and external metal fixation, respectively.

Objective:To observe influence of up‐regulated expression of myocardial heat shock protein (HSP) 70 in‐duced by heat stress on myocardial calcium‐activated potassium channel (KCa ) 3.1 expression in rabbits with atrial fibrillation (AF) caused by rapid atrial pacing (RAP) .Methods :A total of 24 New Zealand white rabbits were ran‐domly divided into sham operation group (n=8 ,only implant electrode without pacing ) ,pacing group (n=8 ,right atrium (RA) received RAP at 600 times/min for 6h) and heat stress pacing group (heat stress group ,n=8 ,received heat stress preconditioning ,then the same RAP as pacing group ) .Results:Compared with sham operation group and pacing group ,there were significant up‐regulation of HSP70 mRNA and protein expression in different sites of heart [HSP70 protein ,left atrium (LA):(39.00 ± 3.21) vs .(39.75 ± 2.82) vs .(69.75 ± 3.45) ,RA: (38.38 ± 2.92) vs .(39.50 ± 3.89) vs .(69.00 ± 2.93) ,left atrial appendage (LAA):(37.75 ± 3.28) vs .(39.00 ± 3.89) vs . (68.63 ± 3.23) ,right atrial appendage (RAA): (37.00 ± 3.85) vs .(38.38 ± 3.74) vs .(68.75 ± 2.82)] in heat stress group , P<0. 01 all ,but there were no significant difference between pacing group and sham operation group , P>0.05 ;compared with pacing group with down‐regulation of KCa3.1 mRNA and protein expressions ,there were significant up‐regulation of KCa3.1 mRNA and protein expressions in different sites of heart [KCa3.1 protein ,LA:(21.25 ± 1.67) vs .(24.00 ± 2.62) ,RA :(21.13 ± 1.96) vs .(23.75 ± 1.83) ,LAA :(21.00 ± 2.07) vs .(23.75 ± 1.67) ,RAA:(20.88 ± 2.03) vs .(23.50 ± 2.45)] in heat stress group ,P<0.05 all ,and there were no significant difference between heat stress group and sham operation group , P>0. 05. Conclusion:Heat stress may induce up‐regulated expression of myocardial HSP 70 of myocardium ,and HSP 70 may inhibit down‐regulation of KCa 3. 1 mR‐NA and protein expressions in rabbits with atrial fibrillation.

The study investigated the effects of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on the proliferation and apoptosis of a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (SMMC-7721 cells) in vitro. HSP70 oligonucleotide was transfected into SMMC-7721 cells by the mediation of Sofast transfection reagent. Inhibition rate of SMMC-7721 cells was determined by using MTT method. Apoptosis rate and cell cycle distribution were measured by flow cytometry. Immunocytochemistry staining was used to observe the expression of HSP70, Bcl-2 and Bax. The results showed that HSP70 ASODN at various concentrations could significantly inhibit the growth of SMMC-7721 cells, and the inhibition effect peaked 48 h after transfection with 400-nmol/L HSP70 ASODN. Cytometric analysis showed the apoptotic rate was increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner in the HSP70 ASODN-treated cells. The percentage of cells in the G(2)/M and S phases was significantly decreased and that in the G(0)/G(1) phase increased as the HSP70 ASODN concentration was elevated and the exposure time prolonged. Immunocytochemistry showed that treatment of SMMC-7721 cells with HSP70 ASODN resulted in decreased expressions of HSP70 and Bcl-2 proteins, and an increased expression of Bax protein. It was concluded that the HSP70 ASODN can inhibit the growth of the SMMC-7721 cells and increase cell apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of HSP70. HSP70 ASODN holds promise for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The viral RNA was extracted from purified cymbidium mosa ic virus (CyMV) isolated from Dendrobium orchid cultivated in Hainan island. The gene of the movement protein (MP) was amplified by means of reverse transcripti on-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and cloned into pGEM-T easy vector. Se quence analysis showed that the gene fragment contained 3 open reading frames (O RFs) which may be encoding 14 kD、12 kD and 10 kD peptides. The nucleotide seque nce of the cloned gene fragment shared 97.8% homology with the MP genes of CyMV isolated from orchids cultivated in Hawaii and Singapore.

The introduction of stapling instruments and improved understanding of pathology has resulted in a greater proportion of low rectal cancer patients undergoing sphincter-preserving resection.A variety of alternative techniques have been proposed to avoid a permanent stoma,including abdominal pull through,abdominal trans-sphincteric resection and intersphincteric resection.However,these damages always inflicted on the anal sphincters with poor functional results.More recently,the anterior perineal plane for ultra-low anterior resection of the rectum (APPEAR) technique was developed which approaches the anurectum via an anterior transperineal approach and exploits an anatomic space within the pelvic floor musculature termed “rectal no-man's laud”.The ability to access this segment of distal rectum by the perineal approach may determine whether a sphincter-saving resection can be performed for a proportion of patients who would otherwise require a permanent stoma.We performed laparoscopic APPEAR for a 46-year old woman with low rectal cancer with satisfactory results.