OBJECTIVETo isolate and culture mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human fetal livers and describe their biological characteristics.

METHODSMSCs were acquired using an optimized method. Cell cycles and the immunophenotype of the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The osteogenic and adipogenic differentiations were induced and identified by specific stainings, and hepatic differentiation by morphology and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe target cells derived from human fetal livers adhered to the plate with fibroblast-like morphology, whose surface markers were CD90, CD44, CD147 positive, and CD34, CD45, HLA-DR negtive. In the differentiation study, these cells could be induced to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic and hepatocyte-like cells.

CONCLUSIONMultipotent MSCs can be isolated and cultured from human fetal livers.

Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetus ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology

AIM: To investigate the differences in the distribution of SRY-related HMG box 5 (SOX5) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, COPD with pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients and healthy controls, and to explore the association of the SOX5 SNPs in COPD-related PH.METHODS: From April 2013 to April 2015, 250 patients with stable COPD were enrolled continuous-ly in Ningxia People’s Hospital according to COPD treatment guidelines (2013 edition).All the patients received echocar-diography, and were divided into COPD with PH group [pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP)≥50 mmHg, n =103] and COPD without PH group (PASP <50 mmHg, n =147).The healthy persons (matched for age, sex, race and smoking index, n =127) were selected as control group at the same period.Genotyping of SOX5 gene rs10842262 and rs11046966
loci was performed using MassARRAY genotyping system ( Sequenom).Genotype frequencies were calculated.RE-SULTS: Age, sex and smoking index showed no significantly difference between control group and COPD group, neither between COPD with PH group and COPD without PH group.Genotype frequencies of SOX5 gene rs10842262 and rs11046966 loci between control group and COPD group was of significant difference (P<0.05).Genotype frequencies of SOX5 gene rs10842262 and rs11046966 loci showed no significant difference between COPD with PH group and COPD without PH group.CONCLUSION: SOX5 gene rs10842262 and rs11046966 loci may play an important role in COPD, but not in COPD-related PH.

Adult ; Aged ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; pathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of SMU.2055 gene on acid resistance of Streptococcus mutans.

METHODSA SMU.2055-dificient mutant strain of S. mutans was constructed using homologous recombination technique. The growth of the wild-type and mutant strains was monitored in both normal and acidic conditions. The lethal pH level, glycolysis, proton permeability, cell permeability and biofilm formation of the two strains were compared.

RESULTSPCR and sequence analyses verified the successful construction of the SMU.2055-dificient mutant strain. The growth and biofilm formation capacity of the mutant strain were obviously lowered in both normal and acidic conditions. The mutant strain also showed increased lethal pH level, proton permeability, and cell permeability with impaired H-ATPase activity in acidic conditions, but its minimum glycolytic pH remained unaffected.

CONCLUSIONThe SMU.2055-deficient S. mutans mutant exhibits a lowered acid resistance, which affects the growth, lethal pH, proton permeability, H-ATPase activity, cell permeability and biofilm formation but not the minimum glycolytic pH of the mutant strain.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the pre-conceptive factors on birth ponderal index (PI).

METHODSFourteen towns were selected randomly from the 37 towns of Liuyang county, Hunan province, through cluster sampling in a prospective cohort study. Information was collected on all the women registered at the Maternity and Child Care Departments, and were planning to give birth in the coming year plus willing to receive a blood test and then followed-up until delivery. Single factor analysis would involve chi-square test and correlation analysis, while the multiple-factor analysis would adopt binary logistic regression method.

RESULTSA total of 1368 women were recruited in the cohort and 611 of them had a delivery of one child. Means of birth weight, birth length, and birth PI were (3.26 ± 0.43) kg, (50 ± 0.46) cm and 26.08 ± 3.43, respectively. Data from the multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that income (OR = 6.920, 95%CI: 1.089 - 43.974) and cortisone levels (OR = 5.121, 95%CI: 0.886 - 29.611) were related to low PI, while LDL-C (OR = 3.736, 95%CI: 0.848 - 16.461), waistline (OR = 6.846, 95%CI: 1.441 - 32.532), education (OR = 0.169, 95%CI: 0.029 - 0.995), and insulin (OR = 0.141, 95%CI: 0.016 - 1.277) were related to high PI.

CONCLUSIONBirth PI was associated with income, waistline, education, insulin, cortisone, and LDL-C. Before conception, women should go through necessary tests and keep a good physical condition to reduce their neonates of having abnormal PI.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Birth Weight ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo construct a SMU.2055-dificient mutant strain of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and evaluate its cariogenic capacity in comparison with wild-type S. mutans.

METHODSThe SMU.2055-dificient mutant strain of S. mutans was constructed using homologous recombination technique and observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The absorbance at 600 nm and pH values of the wild-type and mutant strains were monitored to evaluate their growth and acid production. After acid adaption, the two strains were challenged with acid shock and their survival rates were determined.

RESULTSPCR and sequence analyses verified the successful construction of the SMU.2055-dificient mutant strain. Observation with SEM revealed obvious changes in the morphology of the mutant strain, which showed reduced irregular substances between the individual bacteria as compared with the wild-type strain. TEM revealed major alterations in the cellular architecture of the mutant strain with blurry cell membrane and disruption of the membrane integrity. The growth capacity of the mutant strain decreased in both normal and acidic conditions but its acid production capacity remained unaffected.

CONCLUSIONSMU.2055 gene is associated with morphology maintenance, growth capacity and acid resistance of S. mutans but is not related to the acid production capacity of the bacterium.

OBJECTIVETo study the longitudinal changes of blood pressure (BP) and its related determinants before and during normal pregnancy.

METHODS14 townships were randomly selected by cluster random sampling method from 37 townships in Liuyang city, Hunan province. Subjects are all women at childbearing age in these 14 townships registered from April 2008 to December 2011. When the subjects visited to the local maternity and child-care agencies for pre-marital check, they were face-to-face interviewed and asked to fill out the questionnaire and finish the medical examination. Following-up program was carried out until delivery, with BP and other pregnancy information checked and collected. Analysis on variance of data regarding repeated measurements were used to investigate the changes of BP and related determinants.

RESULTSA total of 611 cases with complete data were recruited, after excluding 41 cases who were diagnosed as pregnancy-induced hypertension. Finally, data on 570 healthy women with singleton pregnancies was analyzed. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) at pre-pregnancy, first trimester, second trimester and third trimester were (109.9 ± 12.9) mm Hg, (100.6 ± 9.6) mm Hg, (102.6 ± 10.1) mm Hg, (107.8 ± 10.9) mm Hg, respectively while the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of pre-pregnancy, first trimester, second trimester and third trimester were (71.1 ± 9.0) mm Hg, (64.3 ± 6.6) mm Hg, (65.1 ± 6.8) mm Hg, (68.3 ± 8.1) mm Hg, respectively. The pre-pregnancy BP was lower than the three periods after pregnancy. BP of the third trimester was higher than that of the ones at first or second trimesters, with the difference statistically significant. SBP and DBP both indicated that there were statistically significant changes in the four periods and the linear trend test showed statistically significant. Pre-pregnancy BMI, pre-pregnancy waist circumference and annual per capita income were determinants which affecting the changes of BP. Higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), wider pre-pregnancy waist circumference and higher annual per capita income were associated with higher BP, while annual per capita income mainly affecting the pre-pregnancy BP.

CONCLUSIONBP of the three periods after pregnancy were lower than that of pre-pregnancy. BP of the third trimester was higher than both the first and second trimesters'. Pre-pregnancy BMI, pre-pregnancy waist circumference and annual per capita income were determinants which affecting the changes of BP.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; physiology ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To compare the regional leptomeningeal (rLMC) scale scores,Miteff scale scores and Tan scale scores to provide the clinical basis for selecting collateral circulation evaluation methods.Methods One hundred and fifteen patients with acute ischemic stroke,admitted to our hospital from August 2013 to February 2017 were chosen in our study.The rLMC scale,Miteff scale,and Tan scale were used to evaluate the collateral circulations of each patient.The credibility and validity of these 3 scales were compared.Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores at 3 months were followed by 0-2 for good prognosis and 3-6 for poor prognosis.Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent prognostic factors of ischemic stroke.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the predictive values of the 3 scales for prognoses of ischemic stroke.Results Intra-observer agreement of the 3 scales from the highest to the lowest was rLMC scale (Kappa=0.871),Tan scale (Kappa=0.842),and Miteff scale (Kappa=0.752).The test-retest reliability of the 3 scales from the highest to the lowest was rLMC scale (Kappa=0.879),Tan scale (Kappa=0.826),and Miteffscale (Kappa=0.775).The validity of the 3 scales from the highest to the lowest was rLMC scale (rs=0.690),Tan scale (rs=0.680),and Miteff scale (rs=0.650).Univariable and multivariable analyses showed that the results of collateral circulation defined by rLMC scale (OR=1.325,95％CI=1.048-1.675,P=0.019),Tan scale (OR=2.938,95％CI=1.115-7.744,P=0.029) and Miteff scale (OR=2.698,95％CI=1.050-6.931,P=0.039) were associated with prognoses of acute ischemic stroke.ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of rLMC scale,Tan scale,and Miteff scale was 0.848,0.799,and 0.759,respectively;there were significant differences among the 3 scoring methods in the area under the curve (P＜0.05),indicating the predictive values of the three to the prognoses:rLMC scale＞Tan scale＞Miteff scale.Conclusions As compared with Miteff scale and Tan scale,rLMC scale has high intra-observer agreement and validity,and is reliable but complicated.The results of collateral circulation defined by these 3 scoring methods are associated with the prognoses of acute ischemic stroke.

BackgroundCurrently available evaluation criteria for penile tumescence and rigidity have been fraught with controversy. In this study, we sought to establish normative Chinese evaluation criteria for penile tumescence and rigidity by utilizing audiovisual sexual stimulation and RigiScan™ test (AVSS-Rigiscan test) with the administration of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor.

MethodsA total of 1169 patients (aged 18-67 years) complained of erectile dysfunction (ED) underwent AVSS-RigiScan test with the administration of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor. A total of 1078 patients whose final etiological diagnosis was accurate by means of history, endocrine, vascular, and neurological diagnosis, International Index of Erectile Function 5 questionnaire, and erection hardness score were included in the research. Logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to determine the cutoff value of the RigiScan™ data. Then, the multivariable logistic analysis was used in the selected variables.

ResultsA normal result is defined as one erection with basal rigidity over 60% sustained for at least 8.75 min, average event rigidity of tip at least 43.5% and base at least 50.5%, average maximum rigidity of tip at least 62.5% and base at least 67.5%, △tumescence (increase of tumescence or maximum-minimum tumescence) of tip at least 1.75 cm and base at least 1.95 cm, total tumescence time at least 29.75 min, and times of total tumescence at least once. Most importantly, basal rigidity over 60% sustained for at least 8.75 min, average event rigidity of tip at least 43.5%, and base at least 50.5% would be the new normative Chinese evaluation criteria for penile tumescence and rigidity. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, six significant RigiScan™ parameters including times of total tumescence, duration of erectile episodes over 60%, average event rigidity of tip, △tumescence of tip, average event rigidity of base, and △tumescence of base contribute to the risk model of ED. In logistic regression equation, predict value P < 0.303 was considered as psychogenic ED. The sensitivity and specificity of the AVSS-RigiScan test with the administration of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor in discriminating psychogenic from organic ED was 87.7% and 93.4%, respectively.

ConclusionsThis study suggests that AVSS-RigiScan test with oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors can objectively assess penile tumescence and rigidity and seems to be a better modality in differentiating psychogenic from organic ED. However, due to the limited sample size, bias cannot be totally excluded.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult