Physical Activity,Sedentary Behavior,and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients:The MIDiab Study

The aim of this study was to explore the associations of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity(MVPA)time and sedentary(SED)time with a history of cardiovascular disease(CVD)and multifactorial(i.e.,blood pressure(BP),body mass index(BMI),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),and glycated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c))control status among type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients in China.A cross-sectional analysis of 9152 people with type 2 diabetes from the Multifactorial Intervention on Type 2 Diabetes(MIDiab)study was performed.Patients were grouped according to their self-reported MVPA time(low,<150 min·week−1;moderate,150 to<450 min·week−1;high,≥450 min·week−1)and SED time(low,<4 h·d–1;moderate,4 to<8 h·d–1;high,≥8 h·d–1).Participants who self-reported a history of CVD were identified as having a CVD risk.Odds ratios(ORs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs)of CVD risk and multifactorial control status associated with MVPA time and SED time were estimated using mixed-effect logistic regression models,adjusting for China’s geographical region characteristics.The participants had a mean±standard deviation(SD)age of(60.87±8.44)years,44.5%were women,and 25.1%had CVD.After adjustment for potential confounding factors,an inverse association between high MVPA time and CVD risk that was independent of SED time was found,whereas this association was not observed in the moderate-MVPA group.A higher MVPA time was more likely to have a positive effect on the control of BMI.Compared with the reference group(i.e.,those with MVPA time≥450 min·week−1 and SED time<4 h·d–1),CVD risk was higher in the low-MVPA group:The OR associated with an SED time<4 h·d–1 was 1.270(95%CI,1.040–1.553)and that associated with an SED time≥8 h·d–1 was 1.499(95%CI,1.149–1.955).We found that a high MVPA time(i.e.,≥450 min·week−1)was associated with lower odds of CVD risk regardless of SED time among patients with T2DM.

Angiogenesis-related cytokines in serum of proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients before and after vitrectomy

AIM: To evaluate serum concentrations of angiogenesis- related cytokines in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) before and after vitrectomy. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 30 PDR patients with varying severity before and after vitrectomy. Serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA). RESULTS: Serum concentrations of VEGF, PEDF, IL-8 and IP-10 were significantly higher in PDR patients than that in controls, respectively (P <0.05). VEGF concentration decreased significantly in postoperative samples than that in preoperative samples (P <0.05). The concentrations of PEDF, IL-8 and IP-10 did not exhibit significant changes after vitrectomy. CONCLUSION: Elevated cytokines levels in serum may be diagnostically useful in PDR. Angiogenesis-related cytokines play important roles in the development of PDR, and would instruct the risk assessment of pathogenetic condition in PDR patients.

The Relationship of Expression of bcl-2, p53, and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) to Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in Renal Cell Carcinoma

To investigate the relationship of bcl-2, p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to cell proliferation, apoptosis and pathological parameters, the patterns of cell growth and turnover in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 34 patients with RCC were examined. Cell proliferation activity was detected by PCNA immunostaining and the proliferation index (PI) was expressed as a percentage of the PCNA-positive cells in the tumor cells. Apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxy- nucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), and the apoptotic index (AI) was expressed as a percentage of the TUNEL-positive cells in the tumor cells. Expressions of bcl-2 and p53 were assessed immunohistochemically. Our results showed that the PI ranged from 6.0 % to 24.0 % (median 12.3 %) and the AI from 2.0 % to 8.0 % (median 5.4 %) in RCC. The expression of the bcl-2 protein was demonstrated in 15 cases (44.1 %); the expression of the p53 protein, however, was seen in only 3 case. bcl-2 positivity was not associated with PI or AI or any pathological parameters. There were close associations between PI and tumor grade and stage, and a significant relationship between AI and the tumor grade of RCC. Our study suggests that bcl-2 positivity was not associated with PI or AI or any pathological parameters. There are close associations between PI and AI and tumor grade and stage of RCC. Active cell proliferation may be accompanied by frequent apoptosis in RCC.

Migration and differentiation of bone marrow-derived multipotent adult progenitor cells through tail vein injection in a rat model of cerebral ischemia

BACKGROUND:Multipotent adult progenitor cells(MAPCs) from the bone marrow have been shown to differentiate into neurons. OBJECTIVE:To observe migration,survival,and neuronal-like differentiation of MAPCs by tail vein injection. DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:Randomized,controlled experiment of neural tissue engineering was performed at the Laboratory for Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease,Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine,Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology between September 2006 and August 2007. MATERIALS:Eighty Sprague Dawley rats,3-6 months old,underwent cerebral ischemia/reperfusion by thread technique,and were randomly divided into model and MAPCs groups(n=40). METHODS:Mononuclear cells were harvested from bone marrow using the Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation method.After removing CD45 and glycophorin A-positive cells(GLYA^+) with immunomagnetic beads,CD45 GLYA adult progenitor cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine(5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine,BrdU).A total of 1 mL cell suspension,containing 5×10~6 MAPCs,was injected into the MAPCs group through the tail vein.A total of 1 mL normal saline was injected into the model rats. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:After 60 days,BrdU and neuron-specific enolase double-positive cells were observed using immunofluorescence.Cell morphology was observed under electron microscopy,and nerve growth factor mRNA was measured through RT-PCR.In addition,rat neurological functions were measured with behavioral tests. RESULTS:Immunofluorescence revealed that MAPCs positive for BrdU and neuron specific enolase were found surrounding the ischemic focus in the MAPCs group.Microscopic observation suggested that MAPCs-derived neuronal-like cells connected with other nerve cells to form synapses.Compared with the model animals,the level of nerve growth factor mRNA was significantly upregulated in rats injected with MAPCs(P<0.05).In addition,rats in the MAPCs group performed better in behavioral tests than the model group on days 28 and 60(P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Transplanted MAPCs migrated to the ischemic region,survived,and differentiated into neuronal-like cells,resulting in stimulation of nerve growth factor mRNA and improved neurological function in ischemic rats.

The expression of MYH9 in osteosarcoma and its effect on the migration and invasion abilities of tumor cell

Objective: To determine the expression of non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9(MYH9) in osteosarcoma and its effect on the migration and invasion abilities of tumor cell. Methods: A total of 65 cases of osteosarcoma and 20 cases with benign osteochondroma who underwent resection operation in the Orthopaedics Department of our hospital from January 1st 2009 to January 1st 2015 were selected. Their mR NA levels of MYH9 were tested by q rt-PCR. Immunohistochemical method was used to examine the expression of MYH9 in osteosarcoma and the correlation between the positive expression of MYH9 and the clinicopathological features of patients was illustrated by statistical analysis. MYH9 was compounded artificially. The expression of MYH9 in SAOS2 osteosarcoma cells was decreased by si RNA. Scratch test was used to determine the change of SAOS2 cell migration ability after MYH9 silence. Transwell assay was employed to detect the change of cell invasion ability after MYH9 silence.Results: The expression levels of m RNA of MYH9 and protein in osteosarcoma tissues were significant higher than those in benign osteochondroma tissues. The high expression of MYH9 in osteosarcoma tissues was apparently related to the high Enneking classification(III classification) and lung metastasis. SiR NA of MYH9 could evidently decrease the expression level of MYH9 in SAOS2. The down-regulated expression of MYH9 could inhibit the migration and invasion abilities of SAOS2 cells. Conclusions: MYH9 shows a trend of high expression in osteosarcoma tissues, and its high expression is associated with features such as tumor invasion and metastasis. The down-regulated MYH9 can realize an anti-tumor effect by inhibiting the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.

The Expression of Toll-like Receptor 2 and 4 mRNA in Local Tissues of Model of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Mice

Summary: To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 mRNA in local tissues of model of oropharyngeal candidiasis in mice and to explore the potential role of TLR2 and TLR4 in earlier period of immune response, a murine model of oropharyngeal candidiasis inoculated by cotton wool balls saturated with candida albicans was established. Mice were sacrificed at the indicated time points and the oropharyngeal tissues were excised. The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that low level of TLR2/4 mRNA could be detected in oropharyngeal tissues, but they were markedly up-regulated 6 h after inoculation, peaking after 12-24 h. Tissue TLR4 mRNA was gradually down-regulated 24-48 h, while TLR2 mRNA levels remained high up to the 72nd h. These data suggested that oropharyngeal infection of Candida albicans could result in up-regulation of TLR2/4 mRNA expression in local tissues, which might play important roles in earlier period of immune response.

Neurocyte Apoptosis and Expressions of Caspase-3 and Fas after Spinal Cord Injury and Their Implication in Rats

To study the expression of neurocyte apoptosis and the changes of caspase-3 and Fas after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats, improved Allen’s method was used to make model of acute SCI at the level of T9 and T10. The animals were divided into six groups: a control group and 5 injury groups. The segments of injured spinal cords were taken 6, 24, 48 h and 7, 15 days after injury for morpho-logical studies, including HE staining, Hoechst33258 staining and TUNEL labeling. The expression of caspase-3 was detected by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. TUNEL-positive cells be-gan to appear in the compression region 6 h after the injury, mostly located in the gray matter. TUNEL-positive cells were found in both gray and white matter, reaching a peak at the 3rd day. They began to decrease at the 7th day, distributed mostly in the white matter. Fas increased at the 6th h and peaked at the 3th day. Caspase-3 mRNA increased at the 6th h, peaking 48 h after the trauma, and de-creased after 7 days. The protein expression of caspase-3, as revealed by immunohistochemical staining, was similar to TUNEL in time. It is concluded that apoptosis takes place after spinal cord injury, and caspase-3 mRNA and protein expressions were enhanced in the apoptosis. The expression of caspase-3 has a positive correlation with Fas expression.

Effect of fragile histidine triad gene transduction on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

AIM:To evaluate the inhibitory effects of human fragile histidine triad(FHIT) gene on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma line Hep3B in vitro. METHODS:A recombinant pcDNA3.1(+) /FHIT including the functional region of FHIT gene was constructed and transferred into human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. mRNA and protein expression of the FHIT gene in the transfected cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot,respectively. The effect of FHIT on proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Changes in cell cycle and apoptosis were assayed by flow cytometry. Five mice received subcutaneous transplantation of Hep3B-FHIT;5 mice received subcutaneous transplantation of normal Hep3B and Hep3B-C as controls. The body weight of nude mice and tumor growth were measured. RESULTS:RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that the expression level of FHIT-mRNA and FHIT protein was higher in Hep3B cells after infection withpcDNA3.1(+) /FHIT. The growth of Hep3B cells treated with pcDNA3.1(+) /FHIT was significantly inhibited. The pcDNA3.1(+) /FHIT-transfected Hep3B cells showed a significantly higher cell rate at G0-G1 phase and increased apoptosis in comparison with controls(P < 0.05) . The growth of transplanted tumor was inhibited markedly by FHIT. Tumors arising from the Hep3B-FHIT cells occurred much later than those arising from the Hep3B and Hep3B-C cells. The growth of Hep3B-FHIT cells was slow and the tumor volume was low. CONCLUSION:Transduction of FHIT gene inhibits the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induces cell apoptosis in vivo and in vitro.

Surface Modification of Biomimetic PLGA-(ASP-PEG) Matrix with RGD-Containing Peptide:a New Non-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer and Tissue Engineering

RGD-containing peptide (K16-GRGDSPC), characterized as non-viral gene vectors, was fabricated to modify the surface of PLGA-ASP-PEG matrix, which offered the foundation for gene transfer with porous matrix of gene activated later. Peptide was synthesized and matrix was executed into chips A,B and chip C. Chip C was regarded as control. Chips A and B were reacted with cross-linker. Then chip A was reacted with peptide. MS and HPLC were used to detect the MW and purity of peptide. Sulphur, existing on the surface of biomaterials, was detected by XPS. The purity of un-reacted peptide in residual solution was detected by a spectrophotometer. HPLC shows that the peptide purity was 94%-95%, and MS shows that the MW was 2 741.3307. XPS reveals that the binding energy of sulphur was 164 eV and the ratio of carbon to sulphur (C/S) was 99.746 ∶0.1014 in reacted chip A. The binding energy of sulphur in reacted chip B was 164 eV and 162 eV, C/S was 99.574∶0.4255, and there was no sulphur in chip C. Peptide was manufactured and linked to the surface of biomimetic and 3-D matrix, which offered the possibilities for gene transfer and tissue engineering with this new kind of non-viral gene vector.

A study on the psychological needs of nurses caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 from the perspective of the existence,relatedness, and growth theory

Objective:This study aimed to explore the psychological needs of nurses caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)and to propose corresponding interventions.Methods:In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 nurses who cared for patients with COVID-19.Interview data were analyzed by category analysis from the perspective of the existence,relatedness,and growth theory(ERG).Results:The existence needs were mainly reflected in health and security needs,whereas the relatedness needs consisting mainly of interpersonal needs,humanistic concern needs,and family needs;further,the growth needs were mainly reflected as a strong need for knowledge.Existence needs were the main needs during the epidemic,with health and security needs influencing each other.Humanistic concern needs were the most important of the relatedness needs;interpersonal and family needs were also growing.Conclusion:It is found that the existence,relatedness,and growth needs coexist in clinical nurses.It is helpful to take effective interventions to meet their needs if the needs of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients could be perceived well.

Clinicopathological Features and Prognosis of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Cervix

Small cell carcinoma of cervix (SCCC) is a rare disease with highly aggressive behaviour and is pathologically hard to diagnose.In this study, the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the condition were examined.Clinical records and follow-up data of 7 cases of SCCC were retrospectively studied.Our results showed that five non-recurrent cases initially presented irregular vaginal bleeding or increased apocenosis of varying degrees.Pathological examination revealed that the stroma was diffusely infiltrated with small monomorphous cells ranging from round to oval shape.Three cases were immunohistochemically confirmed.One case was accompanied with squamous cell cancer.Of the 7 cases, one case was classified as stage Ⅰb 1, two stageⅠ b2, one stage Ⅱ a, one stage Ⅱb , and one stage Ⅲ b.On the basis of their stages of condition, one subject with stage III b underwent chemotherapy, and one with stage Ib2 received extensive hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphadenectomy, while the other 5 cases were treated by extensive hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in combination with pre-and/or post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.Of the 7 patients, 4 had relapse-free survival of 14, 14, 16 and 28 months respectively.It is concluded that SCCC is an aggressive tumor with propensity for early pelvis lymph node metastases.Early-stage patients should be treated by extensive hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in combination with pre-and/or post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Progression of myopia among undergraduate students in central China

AIM:To investigate the progression of myopia and risk factors among university students in central China.METHODS:A total of 7359 first-year undergraduate students at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China were recruited to the study and invited to a centralized clinic for medical examination,including optometry,and re-examined after one year.Correlation analyses were performed to assess the associations between one-year myopia progression and various parameters.RESULTS:The spherical equivalent refraction for the overall population was-3.14±2.28 D at baseline.The rate of myopia progression over 0.50 D after one year was 41.9%,and the 1-year progression of myopia was-0.47±0.58 D.There was no difference of mean 1-year myopia progression between male and female or difference among age group.The myopia progression of original myopia was severer than progression of new-onset myopia.There was also difference of mean myopia progression among different degrees of myopia at baseline.The under corrected eyes had a higher percentage of myopia progression than well corrected eyes(χ^(2)=7.90,P<0.01).There was no correlation between myopia progression and height,weight,body mass index,hemoglobin(Spearman correlation,ρ=-0.078,-0.152,-0.170,-0.096,respectively,all P>0.05).CONCLUSION:Myopes still progress in undergraduate students,especially in high myopes.

Effects of Electroacupuncture on the Pain Threshold and the NMDA R1 mRNA in DRG on Neuropathic Pain Rats

Summary: To observe the effect of multiple electroacupuncture (EA) on the pain threshold and theregulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of neuropathicpain rats. Rats were prepared with a unilateral chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve.EA was done in acupoints "Huan Tiao" and "Yang Ling Quan" for 30 min every day and the thermalthresholds were detected after EA at 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 days after operation. On day 14 after nerve in-jury, the in situ hybridization method was used to investigate the change of NMDA R1 mRNA inL4-L5 DRG. The thermal threshold reduced significantly from day 3 after operation in CCI rats.After multiple EA treatment, the ipsilateral thermal hyperalgesia relieved gradually and the thermalthreshold had no difference with control side after day 5 (P＞0. 05). From Day 7 after operation, thethermal threshold at each time point were significantly different compared with CCI group respective-ly(P＞0. 05). Moreover the EA had accumulative effect. On Day 14 after operation , the NMDAR1mRNA positive neurons and the mean optic density in ipsilateral L4-5 DRG were less than that ofcontrol side(P＜0. 05), mainly in medium and small neurons. After EA treatment, the NMDAR1mRNA positive neurons in ipsilateral DRG had no considerable difference comparing with those ofcontrol side , significantly increased comparing with CCI group(P＜0. 05). It's concluded that theNMDA receptors in DRG relate closely with the generation and development of neuropathic pain.The multiple EA treatment can attenuate the thermal hyperlgesia of neuropathic pain rats and regu-late the NMDA receptor.

Progress in the diagnosis and treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer, being the most common cancer type, accounts for 13% of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors globally each year. Small cell lung cancer(SCLC) accounts for approximately 15% of newly diagnosed lung cancers each year, but its annual death toll accounts for 25% of that of lung cancer. We summarized relevant clinical studies to elaborate the epidemiology, pathological and clinical characteristics and the treatment status of small cell lung cancer. This paper first described the epidemiology and the pathological and clinical characteristics of SCLC and the systematic treatment of extensive-stage SCLC and then introduced the current targeted therapy and immunotherapy for SCLC to provide clinicians and patients with a more systematic, comprehensive, and beneficial treatment regimen. We expect that these studies can provide clinicians with a clear direction in molecularly targeted therapy or immunotherapy, so that a treatment approach with better antitumor effects and longer-lasting clinical benefits can be provided to the patients.

A new cycloartane triterpenoid from the leaves and stems of Fritillaria hupehensis

A new triterpenoid has been isolated from the leaves and stems of Fritillaria hupehensis Hsiao et K.C.Hsia.Its structure wasestablished as(23Z)-9,19-cycloart-23-ene-3α,25-diol 1 through chemical and spectroscopic studies including 2D NMR.Anotherknown triterpenoid 9,19-cycloart-25-ene-3β,24ξ-diol 2 was also isolated.

Construction of Antisense MT1-MMP Vector and Its Inhibitory Effects on Invasion of Human Ovarian Cancer Cells

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP/MMP-14) plays crucial roles in tumor cell growth, invasion, and angiogenesis. To clarify whether the endogenously expressed MT1-MMP in metastatic human ovarian carcinoma cell lines SKOV3 plays a critical role in tumor cell invasiveness, antisense MT1-MMP cloned in eukaryotic expression vector pMMP14as was transferred into SKOV3 cells. 48h after transfection, decreased expression of endogenous MT1-MMP protein was detected in pMMP14as-transfected SKOV3 cells and the activation of pro-MMP2 was inhibited markedly. The mean percentage of invasive cells was (62.50±5.30) % in pMMP14as-transfected cells, which was obviously less than that (97.20±6.90) % in the control. Thus, antisense MT1-MMP effectively inhibited the endogenous MT1-MMP expression and the invasiveness in SKOV3 cells, suggesting that MT1-MMP may be a therapeutic target molecule for human invasive ovarian cancers.

Multifactor Regulation on Expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in Endometrial Stromal Cells

Objective To investigate the regulatory effect of multifactor on the matrixmetalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1)in endometrial stromal cells.Methods The endometrial stromal cells separated from the proliferative endometrialtissues were incubated with medium alone, 17-β estradiol (E2,10-8 mol/L),medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA, 10-6 mol/L), E2 (10-8 mol/L)+MPA (10-6 mol/L), E2(10-8 mol/L)+MPA (10-6 mol/L)+RU486 (10-5 mol/L) or HB-EGF (10 ng/ml) for 48 hrespectively. The expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected by in situhybridization, immunocytochemistry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Western blotting.Results Compared with control group [mRNA, 0.729 ± 0.090 (MMP-9) and 1.056 ±0.154 (TIMP-1); protein, 0.545 ± 0.086 (MMP-9) and 0.745 ± 0.154 (TIMP-1)],expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in E2 alone, progestin alone or E2 combined withprogestin group were respectively: mRNA, 0.413 ± 0.069, 0.402 ± 0.073 and 0.407± 0.039; 0.487 ± 0.093, 0.503 ± 0.093 and 0.468 ± 0.075; protein, 0.294 ± 0.076,0.331 ± 0.064 and 0.265 ± 0.049; 0.425 ± 0.085, 0.397 ± 0.065 and 0.435 ±0.099. RU486 weakened the expression level of down-regulation, while HB-EGFelevated the level of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 after 48 h treatment (mRNA, 0.955 ± 0.068and 1.396 ± 0.238; protein, 0.780 ± 0.109 and 0.985 ± 0.165).Conclusions 1) Both E2 and progestin can down-regulate the expressions of MMP-9and TIMP-1 in endometrial stromal cells, but RU486 can inhibit the effect. 2) HB-EGFcan elevate the level of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. 3) E2, progestin and HB-EGF have effecton the ratio of MM-P/TIMP-1.

Effects of anisodamine on altered [Ca^(2+)]i and cerebral cortex ultrastructure following acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits

BACKGROUND: Calcium ion (Ca2+) overload plays an important role in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Anisodamine, a type of alkaloid, can protect the myocardium from ischemia and reperfusion injury by inhibiting intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i overload. OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of anisodamine on [Ca2+]i concentration and cortex ultrastructure fol- lowing acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rabbits. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized and controlled trial was performed at the Department of Emergency, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from September to December 2006. MATERIALS: Forty healthy rabbits were used to establish models of acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. Anisodamine was provided by Lianyungang Dongfeng Pharmaceutical Factory; Fura-2 was purchased from Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute; dual-wave length fluorescent spectrophotometry system and DM-300 software were provided by Bio-Rad, USA; OPTON-EM10C transmission electron microscope was product of Siemens, Germany. METHODS: Forty rabbits were randomly divided into the following groups: sham operation, ischemia, ischemia/reperfusion, and anisodamine, with ten rabbits in each group. Models of complete cerebral ischemia injury were established. In addition, blood was collected from the femoral artery of rats in the ischemia/reperfusion and anisodamine groups to induce hypotension and establish reperfusion injury models. The bilateral common carotid artery clamp was removed from the anisodamine group 20 minutes after ischemia, and anisodamine (10 mg/kg body mass) was injected via the femoral vein. Rabbits in the sham operation group underwent only venous cannulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [Ca2+]i concentration was determined using a dual-wave length fluorescent spectrophotometry system, and cortical ultrastructure was observed following uranyl-lead citrate staining. RESULTS: The levels of [Ca2+]i in the ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion groups were significantly in- creased, compared with the sham operation group (P < 0.01), and the levels of [Ca2+]i in the anisodamine group were remarkably less than the ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion groups (P < 0.01). Ultrastructural damage to the cortex was greatly aggravated with increasing levels of [Ca2+]i. In the ischemia group, cortical neuronal membranes were fragmentally damaged, including the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, as well as neurite swelling, and slight chromatin margination. In the ischemia/reperfusion group, the cellular membrane was ruptured with aggravated mitochondrial swelling, increased chromatin margination, obscure neurite structure, and the disappearance of endoplasmic reticulum. However, in the anisodamine group, cel- lular damage was obviously alleviated. The appearance and structure of cortical neurons was relatively normal, with intact cells. There was slight swelling of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, as well as mild chromatin margination. CONCLUSION: Cerebral tissue injury was related to increased [Ca2+]i levels following ischemia/ reperfusion. Anisodamine exhibited a protective role on acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting the increase in [Ca2+]i levels.

Regulatory Effect of Estrogen, Progestin and HB-EGF on the Expression of HOXA10 Gene in Ishikawa Cells

HOXA10 gene plays an essential role in differentiation of the endometrium and in human reproduction.The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect of sex steroids and HB-EGF on HOXA10 gene in Ishikawa cells.Ishikawa cells were incubated with 17-beta estradiol(10-8 mol/L),medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA)(10-6 mol/L),RU486(10-5 mol/L) or HB-EGF(10 ng/mL) for 48 h respectively.The expression of HOXA10 gene was detected by immunofluorescence,reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Western blotting.Our results showed that either estrogen alone,progestin alone or progestin combined with estrogen could significantly increase the expression of HOXA10 gene 48 h after the treatment(P<0.05).But estrogen combined with progestin and RU486 could inhibit the up-regulation by estrogen and progestin.HB-EGF could elevate the expression of HOXA10 gene 48 h after the treatment(P<0.05).It is concluded that both estrogen and progestin can up-regulate the expression of HOXA10 gene in Ishikawa cells,but RU486 can inhibit the effect and HB-EGF can elevate the expression level of HOXA10 gene.

The Use of Calcaneal Anatomic Plate in Arthroscopically-assisted Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures

To discuss and evaluate the method and effect of using calcaneal anatomic plate in treatment of intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus with assistant of arthroscope, 86 intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus in 78 patients were reduced by open reduction, and rigid fixation was made with calcaneal anatomic plate under assistant of arthroscope. The average follow-up duration was 18 months (range 12-30 months). The effect of treatment was evaluated according to AOFAS and X-ray before and after operation. The results showed that 86 patients have obtained satisfactory reduction according to X-ray, and there was significant difference before and after operation (P<0.01), the total excellent and fine rate was 91.86 %. Treating intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus with calcaneal anatomic plate under arthroscope may provide more chance to achieve anatomical reconstruction, which can lead to satisfied recovery of function and few complication.