Objective: To express and purify bioactive recombinant human fibroblast growth factor-20 (rhFGF-20) protein and to prepare its polyclonal antisera. Methods: FGF-20 cDNA was amplified from human prostate tissue by RT-PCR and was subcloned into expression vector pET-24a, which was then transformed into the E. coli DE3. Expression of rhFGF-20 protein was induced in E. coli DE3 and the protein was purified by Ni2+-NTA His-Bind Resins. The purity and biological activity of rh-FGF-20 protein were determined by SDS-PAGE and cell-proliferation assay, respectively. Two New Zealand white rabbits were immunized with rhFGF-20 protein to prepare polyclonal antisera and the titer of antibody was determined by double diffusion test. Results: rhFGF-20 protein was efficiently expressed in E. coli DE3 in the form of inclusion body and homogeneous protein was obtained after purification with Ni2-NTA His-Bind Resins. Cell proliferation assay indicated that rhFGF-20 dose-dependently (50-5 000 ng/ml) promoted fibroblast cells proliferation. The prepared polyclonal antisera, with a titer of 1:32, had immunoreation with hFGF-20. Conclusion: The expressed rhFGF-20 protein can stimulate the proliferation of fibroblast cells and the prepared antisera are antigen specific.

Animals ; Beverages ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; metabolism

Humans ; Occupational Health ; Workplace ; statistics & numerical data

ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and efficacy of carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) insufflation during ERCP.MethodsBetween January and August 2011,a total of 102 consecutive patients who underwent ERCP were randomized to accept CO2 insufflation ( n =52 ) of air insufflation ( n =50 ) during the procedure.ERCP was carried out with the same instrument by an expert endoscopist who was blinded to the insufflation gas used and the procedure was controlled at 30 minutes to 1 hour.The heart rate,oxygen saturation of the patient was continuously monitored during the procedure.Before the procedure and 1 hour after the end of operation,abdominal X-ray was taken to evaluate the width of intestine,and the degree of intestinal expansion was defined as normal,mild,moderate and severe according to the width increased.A questionnaire with 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to quantify the abdominal pain and distention experienced at 1 hour,2 hours,and 6 hours after the procedure.The patients' vital signs,bowel dilatation,the average operating time,abdominal pain score and distention score on VAS,and complications in 2 groups were analyzed.ResultsThe baseline characteristics of 2 groups were comparable.ERCP was successfully performed in all the patients and no complication was observed.In CO2 group,the average operating time,mean heart rate and oxygen saturation were (45.2 ± 10.6) min,( 102.2 ± 10.3 ) bpm and ( 99.5 ± 0.5)％,which were (48.5 ± 11.2) min,( 100.3 ± 11.4) bpm and (98.9 ±0.6)％,respectively,in air group.There were no significant differences on these items between the 2 groups ( P ＞ 0.05 ).Moderate to severe intestinal expansion 1 hour after ERCP was found in 14 patients (26.9％ ) in CO2 group and in 28 patients (56.0％ ) in air group,and the latter was significantly higher than the former (x2 =11.61,P =0.009).Both of the mean abdominal pain and abdominal distention scores at 1 hour post-ERCP in CO2 group were lower than those in air group,but without significant difference (P ＞0.05).However,the mean abdominal pain scores at 2 hours and 6 hours post-ERCP in CO2 group were significantly lower than those of patients in air group (7.4 ±2.2 vs.18.7 ±4.6 at 2 hours post-ERCP,9.6 ±3.7 vs.20.1 ±4.5 at 6 hours post-ERCP,all P ＜ 0.05 ).Similarly,the mean abdominal distention scores at 2 hours and 6 hours post-ERCP in CO2 group were significant lower than those of patients in air group (7.6 ±3.6 vs.18.3 ±4.1 at 2 hours post-ERCP,8.9 ±3.7 vs.19.4 ±4.2 at 6 hours post-ERCP,all P ＜0.05).ConclusionThe use of CO2 insufflation instead of air during ERCP appears to be safe.Insufflation of CO2 during ERCP palliates the intestinal expansion,post-ERCP abdominal pain and distention comparison to insufflation of air.However,because of the single-center clinical observation with limited number of cases,the safety and efficacy of CO2insufflation during ERCP requires to be further evaluated.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Sulfur Oxides ; analysis ; Workplace

Objective To observe the influence of coal burning fluorosis on learning and memory ability in rats and reveal its possible mechanisms. Methods Healthy 48 SD rats were divided into control, low-fluoride and high-fluoride group. All rats in fluoride exposed groups were fed with the eom polluted by drying processes with burning coal containing high level of fluoride obtained from the endemic fluorosis area to produce the animal model of fluorosis. The experiment period were 3,6 mouths, respectively. The ability of leaning and memory was measured by Morris test and cholinesterase activity detected by photometric method at 3 or 6 month after experiment, respectively. Results Fluoride contents signifieantlly influenced the escape latency, the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms(the value of F was 29.29,6.47,6.50, respectively, P<0.01).In addition, the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms were influenced by the exposed time(the value of F was 16.11,45.59, P<0.01). Furthermore, the fluoride contents and the exposed time had an interaction between the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms (the value of F was 4.67,5.68, P<0.05 or<0.01). Three months after the experiment, the mean values of escape latency [(14.71± 4.85)s] of rats in highly fluoride exposed group were significantly prolonged as compared with controls [(9.28±4.22)s]; 6 month after the experiment, the mean values of escape latency[(12.42±8.03)s, (17.48± 8.05)s] of rats in both groups exposed to fluoride were significantly prolonged as compared to controls [(7.04± 3.29)s, P<0.05]. The decreased numbers of crossing the platforms[(1.62±0.87)number] and the declined time of staying the platforms[(16.70±5.02)s] were found in the rats exposed to high fluoride as compared to controls [(3.53±1.67 )number, (23.33±5.35)s, P<0.05]. The fluoride contents obviously influenced the activities of acetylcholinesterase and butylcolinesterase (the value of F was 12.83,13.27, P<0.01). On the other hand, the times of breeding also influnced the activities of butylcolinesterase (the value of F was 16.26, P<0.01). In 3 months of the experiment, the activities of butylcolinesterase [(0.55±0.12)kU/g] in low fluoride exposed group were significantly decreased in comparison with controls[(0.73±0.10)kU/g, P<0.05]. The activities of acetylcholinesterase[(0.62±0.42)kU/g] and butylcolioesterase[(0.58±0.10)kU/g] in high fluoride group were significantly decreased as compared to eontrois[(1.41±0.52), (0.73±0.10)kU/g, P<0.05]. The correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between the cholinesterase and the escape latency(r=-0.68, P< 0.01), and a positive correlation between the cholinesterase and the time of staying the platforms(r=0.57, P< 0.01). Conclusions The ability of learning and memory in rats with coal buring fluorosis was decreased, which might be connected to the decreased activity of cholinesterase in a dose-effect correlation.

Objectives To investigate the failure cause of valproate monotherapy for newly diagnosed generalized epilepsy in children and to investigate the factors related to the failure. Methods The newly diagnosed cases of general?ized epilepsy were recruited and given valproate monotherpy. After 2 years of treatment and regular follow-up, they were divided into control group and poor effect group.according to their response to the treatment. The clinic data and electro?encephalogram were collected. The reasons of treatment failure were studied using Logistic regression analysis. Results There were 231 patients who had completed this study in all. After 2 years, 62 cases had switched to other drugs because of poor efficacy. Efficacy of was satisfactory in 169 cases of children. There were 3 cases of poor compliance, and one case switched to other drug due to side effect. There were statistically significant (P<0.05) in the abnormal electroenceph?alogram (EEG) rate (poor effects group 90.32%vs. control group 61.54%), abnormal cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rate (poor effects group 45.16%vs. control grou p23.08%) and the first age of onset [poor effects group 0.50(0.42, 2.50)year vs. control group 0.75(1.50, 5.16)year] between the good effects group and poor effects group. Univariate anal?ysis showed that mental retardation,birth asphyxia,abnormal bain MRI,the first episode of age were statistically signifi? cant different between these two groups (P<0.05). Further multivariate regression analysis showed that the low first onset age (OR=2.124 P=0.004)、mentalretardation (OR=10.535,P=0.000, abnormal brain MRI(OR=1.603,P=0.020), asphyxia at birth(OR=1.913 P=0.027)were independent risk factors for the poor efficacy of valproate. Conclusions The main rea?sons for the failure of valproate monotherpy in children with generalizedepilepsy are poor efficacy,bad compliance, ad?verse reactions. The risk factors of poor efficacy are the low first onset age, mental retardation, abnormal brain MRI and asphyxia at birth etc.

Catheters ; Dacryocystitis ; surgery ; Dacryocystorhinostomy ; methods ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Skin Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation with calcaneal locking plates in treating Sanders type II and III calcaneal fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2010 and October 2012, 38 calcaneal fractures with Sanders type II or III were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with calcaneal locking plate. According to the Sanders classification, 15 fractures were classified as type II, 23 fractures as type III. The patients were divided into two groups (group A and B) according to the different fixed methods. Sustentaculum tali was fixed with one screw in group A, including 13 males and 5 females, with a mean age of (38.56±8.03) years old (ranged, 25 to 55). And sustentaculum tali was not fixed in group B, including 16 males and 4 females, with a mean age of (42.35±8.29) years old (ranged, 29 to 53). Clinical effects were evaluated according to the changes of Böhler's angle and the Maryland Foot Score and VAS score.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 12 to 20 months with a mean of 14 months. Böhler's angles and subtalar joints obtained satisfactory reconstruction in all patients. One year after operation, the mean Maryland Foot Score was 88.61±7.59 in group A; and was 82.40±9.24 in group B; Maryland Foot Score of group A was higher and foot functional rehabilitation was better than group B. The mean VAS score was 13.39±11.47 in group A; and was 22.50±13.10 in group B; VAS score of group A was lower and foot pain was less than group B.

CONCLUSIONSustentaculum tall screw fixation has advantages of strong fixed strength, high stability, less postoperative pain, rapid functional recovery in treating Sanders type II and III calcaneal fractures.

Adult ; Bone Plates ; Bone Screws ; Calcaneus ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function