Chlamydial infection in human urogenital tract induces inflammation and causes tissue damage and scarring. It is thought that cytokine production by the Chlamydia-infected cells plays a key role in chlamydial disease processes. Although many cytokines have been detected during chlamydial infection, little is known about the molecular mechanisms on how Chlamydia triggers and sustains the inflammatory cytokine cascades. In the current study, chlamydial infection of the human cervical epithelial cell line HeLa cells can induce the production of IL-8, IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-6. Using inhibitors for probing intracellular kinase signaling pathways required for the Chlamydia-induced cytokines, it was found that the Chlamydia-activated MAPK / P38 pathway is required for the chlamydial induction of IL-1α and IL-6 while both the Chlamydia-activated MAPK/ERK and MAPK/P38 pathways contribute to the production of IL-8.

The feasibility of using cord blood mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (CB-MSPCs) to regenerate cardiomyocytes and the optimal inducing conditions were investigated. The CB mononuclear cells were cultured in low serum DMEM medium to produce an adherent layer. After expansion, the adherent cells were added into cardiomyocyte inducing medium supplemented with 5-azacytidine. Cardiogenic specific contractile protein troponin T staining was performed to identify the cardiomyocyte-like cells. The results showed that the frequency of CB-MSPCs clones in CB mononuclear cells was 0.5 x 10(-6) and about 1.3 x 10(7)-fold expansion was achieved within 20 sub-cultivation. After cardiogenic induction, 70% CB-MSPCs was differentiated into cardiomyocyte-like cells. It was indicated that low serum culture could expand CB-MSPCs extensively and the expanded CB-MSPCs could be induced to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in high efficiency.
Azacitidine/pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Fetal Blood/*cytology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/*cytology ; Myocytes, Cardiac/*cytology ; Troponin T

Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Sequence, Unstable ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; genetics ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

OBJECTIVETo explore the action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on insomnia.

METHODSThirty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an EA group, 10 cases in each group. The insomnia model was made by immobilization method in the model group and EA group. After model establishment, rats in the blank group and model group were treated with fixation and no treatment was given. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6) for 15 min, once a day for 4 days. After treatment, the level of daytime and nighttime activity, open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were measured; the content of noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA) and epinephrine (EPI) in plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were detected by using euzymelinked immunosorbent assay method.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the daytime activity was increased and nighttime activity was reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were increased in the model group (all P<0. 05). Compared with the model group, the daytime activity was reduced and nighttime activity was increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were reduced in the EA group (all P< 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can restrain the over-activity of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system to treat the insomnia.

Acupuncture Points ; Adrenal Medulla ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anxiety ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; physiopathology

Accidents ; statistics & numerical data ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology

Objective To explore the relationship between 5, 10-methylenetrahydrofolate reeducates gene polymorphism of the parents and the susceptibility to their offspring having neural tube defects. To forecast and evaluate the onset risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) on the basis of 5, 10-methylenetrahydrofolate reeducates (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism on parents of the patients.Methods Electronic search strategy was carried out among the five databases from home and abroad to collect qualified research papers, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Case-control studies on association between MTHFR polymorphism and susceptibility to NTDs were collected and divided into two groups as mothers and fathers. The combined OR values and their 95% CI were calculated with Review Manager 5.0. Results 33 eligible studies were included. Statistics of the combined data showed a significant difference between the mothers with NTDs offspring carrying TT/CC, CT/CC of MTHFR gene C677T and controls. The pooled OR (95%CI) were 1.68 (1.32-2.14)and 1.20 (1.07-1.35) respectively. These was a significant difference between the fathers of the offspring with NTDs that carrying of TT/CC, CT/CC of MTHFR gene C677T and controls. The pooled ORs (95%CI) were 1.38 (1.08-1.76) and 1.32 (1.13-1.55) respectively. Conclusion The results suggested that the paternal and maternal MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism were risk factors to NTDs.

Objective To study the protective effect of compound nitroglycerin gel on rats with skin ulcer wound and its action mechanism. Methods Skin ulcer modle of 54 rats was established.Then the rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=18 each), including model control group, Jin wan hong group, and compound nitroglycerin gel group. Wound healing process and healing time were recorded.At the day 7 and 14 after the model was established, the number of fibroblasts and new blood capillaries of granulation tissue from center of the wound were measured,and RT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression levels of VEGF, Ang1 andHIF-1α. Results As compared with model control group [(24.17±5.91) days], healing time of skin in the compound nitroglycerin gel group was significantly shorter [(14.67±3.76) days, P<0.01].The numbers of fibroblasts (61.20±7.56) and new blood capillaries (9.35±1.43) were increased, and mRNA expression levels of VEGF (1.692±0.196), HIF-1α (1.527±0.174) and Ang1 (1.548±0.203) were remarkably up-regulated on 7th day (P<0.05 or P<0.01).While on 14th day, the numbers of fibroblasts (28.00±5.96) and new blood capillaries (4.20±1.30) were decreased and the mRNA expression levels of VEGF (1.156±0.123), HIF-1α(1.021±0.105) and Ang1 (1.034±0.134) were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05 or P<0.01) . Conclusion Compound nitroglycerin gel can treat skin ulcer wound via regulating the numbers of fibroblasts, new blood capillaries and VEGF/Ang1/HIF-1α signal transduction pathway.

Objective To discuss the clinical significance of postoperative application of gastrointestinal decompression after anastomosis of lower digestive tract. Methods Three hundred and sixty-eight patients undergoing excision and anastomosis of lower digestive tract were divided into two groups: the group with postoperative gastrointestinal decompression and the group without it. The clinical therapeutic outcomes and incidences of complications were compared between the two groups. Results The volume of gastric juice in the decompression group was about 200 ml every day after operation. Both groups had a smaller abdomenal circumference before operation than after operation ( P