Expression of fibronectin and MMP-3 and its significance in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objective: To observe the expression and significance of fibronectin and metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis(AS). Methods: A total of 30 AS patients in our hospital and 30 healthy volunteers were selected in our study. Fibronectin and MMP-3 were measured and compared between these two groups. The AS group received sulfasalazine2 g daily for 3 months. Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index, bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index, bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were compared before and after treatment.Pearson's linear-correlation analysis was used to determine relationships between parameters.Results: Totally 28 patients in the AS group completed the study. Fibronectin and MMP-3 in peripheral blood of AS patients were evidently higher than that in the normal control group(P<0.05). After treated by sulfasalazine, the level of expressing Fibronectin and MMP-3 significantly decreased compared with baseline values(P<0.05). Pearson's linear-correlation analysis showed that serum fibronectin and MMP-3 level had a positive correlation with bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index global assessment, spine pain, night pain, general pain, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein(P<0.05). Conclusions: The expression of fibronectin and MMP-3 in AS patients were significantly higher than that in the normal control group, and they all decreased significantly after treatment. It indicated that both fibronectin and MMP-3 were correlated closely with the onset of AS.

A PMMA Passive Micromixer with Three-Dimensional Tortuous Mixing Chamber

In this paper,we design and fabricate a novel three-dimensional passive-micro-mixer by using Polymethyl methacrylate( PMMA). The mixer is fabricated by using ultra-precision engraving machine and bonded by an organic solvent fumigation bonding method. The mixer combines two fluid streams into a mixing chamber integrated with T-shaped pre-mixing and six tortuous shaped mixing elements. We have employed three-dimensional numerical simulations to evaluate the mixing efficiency. The simulation results indicate,under inlet fluid pressure p = 10( Pa), compared to the planar serpentine mixer and tortuous mixer,the concentration fluctuation range at the outlet diagonal reduce to 48% and 71. 6% respectively. And the mixing concentration variances also show that the mixing efficiency has a significant increase. We characterize the device by using visualization microscope,and the results are consistent with the simulation data. The device demonstrates the promising capabilities for micro total analysis system integration.

生长分化因子-5(GDF-5)促进人退行性变髓核细胞外基质表达情况的研究（英文）

目的：研究腺病毒介导的GDF-5对人退行性变椎间盘髓核细胞生长和细胞外基质表达的影响，探索椎间盘退行性变基因治疗的新途径。创新点：首次验证了GDF．5对人退行变的髓核细胞的生长和细胞外基质的分泌均具有明显的促进作用，为椎间盘退行性变疾病早期基因治疗提供了新的途径。方法：利用腺病毒介导的GDF．5转染人退变的髓核细胞，设空白对照组、阴性对照组（绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）组）和实验组（GDF-5组）三个组，3、7、14和21天四个时问点。在预定的时间点，通过蛋白质免疫印迹（Westernblotting）、番红-O染色、免疫组化染色、酶联免疫法定量检测（ELISA）、逆转录聚合酶链式反应（RT-PCR）和细胞外基质的定量分析等手段，验证GDF-5对退变髓核细胞外基质表达的影响，同时对GDF．5对髓核细胞生长情况的促进作用进行了表征。结论：Ad—GDF-5能成功转染人退变的髓核细胞（图1），能有效地促进人退变髓核细胞细胞外基质Aggreean和Ⅱ型胶原（CollagenⅡ）分泌（图4-7），RT-PCR的结果表明Aggrecan和CollagenII基因表达也得到了明显的增强（图8）。同时GDF-5对人退变的髓核细胞的生长也有一定的促进作用（图9）。因此，Ad-GDF-5是椎间盘退行性变早期基因治疗的新途径。