Objective: To analyze the association of recognition and behavior of diabetic rats with the expression of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), so as to pave a way for studying the role of diabetic metabolic disorder in the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease. Methods: Animal model of diabetes mellitus was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin. Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control groups (N), 4 week diabetes mellitus model group (M4), 6 week diabetes mellitus model group (M6), and 8 week diabetes mellitus model group(M8). The changes of recognition and behavior were tested by Morris water maze task and shuttle box task. Congo red staining was used to detect the deposition of beta-amyloid in the brain tissues. Expression of Aβ was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. CREB and pCREB were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, RT-PCR, and Western blotting assay. Results: Behavioral tests showed that the learning ability and memory of animals in the diabetes mellitus model groups were impaired and significantly decreased compared with those in the normal control group(P<0.01). Compared with the normal control group, the model groups showed higher Aβ expression and lower CREB and pCREB expression (P < 0.01), with no significant difference found between the three model groups. The expression of Aβ was negatively correlated with the expression of CREB and pCREB, and was positively correlated with learning and memory impairment of animals. CREB and pCREB were negatively correlated with the learning ability and memory impairment of animals. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus can contribute to Alzheimer's disease through increasing expression of Aβ and decreasing expression of CREB and pCREB.

Objective: To observe the influence of minocycline on expression of NF-κB, GFAP, and IL-1β in rats with vascular dementia, so as to study the neuroprotective mechanism of minocycline for vascular dementia. Methods: An animal model of vascular dementia was established by chronic bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Animals were randomly divided into sham-operation group(S), 4-week model group (M4), 8-week model group (M8), 16-week model group (M16), 4-week model + Minocycline group (T4), 8-week model+Minocycline group (T8), and 16-week model+Minocycline group (T16). The behaviors of animals were tested with Morris water maze and shuttle box task. Expression of NF-κB and GFAP was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry and Western blotting,and IL-1β by ELTSA. Results: Minocycline greatly improved the behaviors of mice with vascular dementia, and promoted the learning, memory and responding abilities. The expression of NF-κB, GFAP and IL-1β in all the model groups and Minocycline treatment groups were significantly higher than that in the sham-operation group (P<0.01); and those of Minocycline treatment groups were significantly lower than the corresponding model groups (P<0.01). Conclusion: Minocycline can decrease the expression of NF-κB, GFAP, and IL-1β in the brain of rats with vascular dementia, and protect brain by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes and neuroinflammation.

BACKGROUNDMatrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) is the third generation tissue-engineering technique for the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage defects. The aim of this study was to describe this new technique and the postoperative findings in adolescent knee with focal chondral defect.

METHODSThe MACI consists of diagnostic arthroscopy and cartilage harvest, chondrocyte culture and seeding in tissue-engineering collagenous membrane, and implantation of the scaffold. Clinical outcome at minimum 1-year follow-up was assessed in seven patients (mean age (16.6 ± 1.5) years; 14 - 19 years) with full-thickness cartilage defects, with International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) score and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Besides, MR imaging was performed with T1 and T2-weighted imaging and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled (3D-SPGR) MR imaging.

RESULTSClinical evaluation showed significant improvement and MRI analysis showed that the structure was homogeneous and the implant surface was regular and intact in six patients, but irregular in one. Of all the seven patients, the cartilage defect site was nearly totally covered by the implanted scaffold.

CONCLUSIONSThese results indicated that MACI technique is an option for cartilage defect in adolescent knee joint, especially large defect of over 2 cm(2). Long-term assessment is necessary to determine the true value of this technique.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cartilage, Articular ; injuries ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; cytology ; surgery ; Male ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the association between interleukin-I(IL-1)loci polymorphisms and increased risk of gastric carcinoma in samples from northern Chinese population.Methods Blood sam- ples from 126 patients with gastric cancer and 125 controls with chronic gastritis were collected.Genomic DNA was extracted and polymorphisms at -31(C to T),-511(C to T)and at intron 2(86-bp VNTR)of IL-I RN were genotyped by PCR-CTPP,PCR-RFLP and PCR.For detection of Hp infection fast urenase test,~(14)C breath test and serum anti-Hp IgG antibody assay were used.Results Five kinds of polymorphism of IL-IRN were found as 1/1,1/3,1/4,1/2 and 2/2,and the frequencies in patients were 76.19%、4.76%、6.35%、11.90% and 0.79%,respectively.However,the frequencies in controls were 76.00%、4.00%、4.80%、13.60% and 1.60%.No significant differences were observed between cases and controls in each genotype.The polymorphism of IL-IB-31 allele was C/C,C/T and T/T.The frequencies in patients were 12.70% ,47.62% and 39.68%,and in controls 28.00%,48.80% and 23.20% respectively.IL-1B- 31 T/T carriers were at an increase risk of gastric cancer with an odds ratio of 3.772(95% CI,1.786- 7.966).IL-IB-511 alleles were C/C,C/T and T/T.The frequencies in patients were 19.20%,56.80% and 24.00% and in controls,23.38%,49.19% and 27.42% respectively.No significant differences were observed between cases and controls in each genotype.Conclusion In Chinese population,the polymor- phism of IL-1B-31 alleles may be associated with the susceptibility of gastric cancer.However,no evidence was found to support that the polymorphisms of IL-1RN and IL-I B-511 alleles had relationship with gastric cancer.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

Cardiovascular diseases are characterized by cardiac and vascular dysfunction. Prokineticin 2 ( PK2 ) is a newly found secretory peptide which plays a key role in the physiology homeostasis via prokineticin receptor 1 and 2 ( PKR1 and 2). Furthermore, PK2/PKR1 signaling pathway plays an important role in protecting cardiovascular diseases. Here we discuss the effect of PK2/PKR1 signaling in myocardial infarction, conges-tive heart failure and vascular endothelial dysfunction.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation and nerve growth factor (NGF) on neurological function recovery in rats with ischemic stroke induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

METHODSCultured hippocampal NSCs isolated from neonate rats were labeled with BrdU. Sixty-four rats subjected to transient MCAO were randomized equally into 4 groups, namely group A (MCAO model group), group B (model group with NGF treatment, group C (model group with NSC transplantation), and group D (model group with both NGF and NSC transplantation). The neurological deficits of the rats were evaluated with neurological severity score (NSS) after the treatment, and the brain tissues were examined with immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining for BrdU and nestin expression.

RESULTSThe NSS of rats in group D 2 and 4 weeks after transplantation was significantly lower than that in the other 3 groups (P<0.05), and the scores in groups B and C were significantly lower than those in group A (P<0.05). The number of BrdU- and nestin-positive cells was significantly greater in group B than in group A (P<0.05), and BrdU-positive cells were markedly more numerous in group D than in group C (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth NSC transplantation and NGF treatment can obviously improve the neurological function of rats after MCAO, but their combined use shows stronger effects. NGF can promote autologous NSC activation and proliferation, with also stimulatory effect on the proliferation of transplanted NSCs.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain Ischemia ; therapy ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; therapy ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Neurons ; transplantation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Stroke ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of red-hot needle therapy and filiform needle therapy on nodules of breast of the type of stagnation of liver-qi and phlegm coagulation.

METHODSSix hundred cases were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 300 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with red-hot needle pricking at the proliferative parts and Ashi points as main, and the control group with filiform needle therapy.

RESULTSIn the treatment group, 240 cases were cured, 58 cases improved and 2 cases were not cured with an effective rate of 99.3%; and in the control group, 113 cases were cured, 165 cases improved and 22 were not cured with an effective rate of 92.7%, with a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of red-hot needle therapy is better than that of filiform needle therapy on nodules of breast of the type of stagnation of liver-qi and phlegm coagulation.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Female ; Fibrocystic Breast Disease ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDMycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) can cause a variety of human infections, involving the lung, skin and soft tissues, and is generally believed to be acquired from environmental sources. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular diversity and antibiotic susceptibility of M. abscessus isolates as the basis for strategies to improve control and management of infection.

METHODSSeventy M. abscessus isolates from patients attending the Guangzhou Thoracic Hospital were identified from 2003 to 2005 by biochemical tests, gas chromatography, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction analysis (PRA) of heat shock protein gene hsp65, and sequencing of the quinolone resistance determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA. Susceptibilities to six antibiotics were determined by micro-broth dilution. Isolates were genotyped using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis.

RESULTSMost isolates (63/70; 90%) were susceptible to amikacin but rates of susceptibility to other antibiotics varied from moderate, clarithromycin (60%) and imipenem (43%), to low for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin (3%), and 87% of isolates had intermediate susceptibility to cefoxitin. RAPD analysis showed that the 70 clinical isolates displayed 69 unique RAPD patterns.

CONCLUSIONSThe high genetic diversity of isolates suggests that they are not transmitted from person to person but, presumably, are acquired independently from environmental sources. M. abscessus isolates displayed variable levels of susceptibility to all antibiotics tested, other than amikacin, indicating a need for routine susceptibility testing to guide treatment.

Amikacin ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Cefoxitin ; pharmacology ; China ; Chromatography, Gas ; Ciprofloxacin ; pharmacology ; Clarithromycin ; pharmacology ; Imipenem ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mycobacterium ; drug effects ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique

Objective To measure the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in neuron-like cells resulted from rat bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSCs) differentiation induced by salvia miltiorrhiza injection and provide some theoretical basis for the BMSCs transplantation. Methods The rat BMSCs were separated from rat bone marrow and cultured in vitro. After induced by basic fibroblast growth factor and 10mL/L salvia miltiorrhiza injection, the cells were identified with immunofluorescence staining against NeuN. The same procedure was performed on primarily cultured hippocampal neurons. Then, the [Ca2+]i of the differentiated neuron-like cells was determined and compared with primarily cultured hippocampal neurons. Results The BMSCs after induced by basic fibroblast growth factor and salvia miltiorrhiza injection expressed neuronal phenotypes similar to the cell appearance of neurons with NeuN. The average fluorescence intensity of the neuron-like cells derived from BMSCs was 984.75±79.51, while the average fluorescence intensity of the primarily cultured hippocampal neurons was 769.42±60.93. No significant difference was found between them (P>0.05). Conclusion The neuron-like cells from rat BMSCs differentiation induced by salvia miltiorrhiza injection possess certain neuronal properties.