Hypermethylation of IGSF4 gene for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia.

Background: For patients with pregnancy-induced thalassemia, fetal cord blood or amniotic fluid is invasively collected in the traditional diagnosis and prediction of thalassemia. However, there is no specific molecular target in the diagnosis of thalassemia using fetal DNA from the plasma of pregnant women.

Material/methods: The promoter of cell surface adhesion molecule (IGSF4) gene was found to be down-regulated in patients with homozygous thalassemia, and the expression of IGSF4 was closely associated with the methylation of its promoter.

Autologous nerve implantation into denervated monkey skin promotes regeneration of Meissner's corpuscle.

Background: The aim of this study was to observe the effects of autologous nerve implantation into the denervated finger flap on the regression and regeneration of sensory nerve endings and Meissner's corpuscles.

Material/methods: Bilateral nerves of fingers were separated: one was removed and the other was implanted into the denervated finger in the implantation group. In the non-implantation group, both nerves were removed.

Recombinant adenoviral microRNA-206 induces myogenesis in C2C12 cells.

Background: The expression of microRNA-206 (miR-206) is high in skeletal muscle but low in most other tissues. The expression of miR-206 is increased in muscular dystrophy, suggesting its involvement in the pathogenesis of muscle diseases. To determine the role of miR-206 in muscle cell differentiation and explore a possible gene therapy vector, we constructed a miR-206 adenoviral expression vector (AdvmiR-206) and tested for transfection into C2C12 stem cells.

Resuscitative effect of hyperoxia fluid on high-altitude hemorrhagic shock in rats and antishock mechanisms.

Pathophysiological characteristics of hemorrhagic shock at high altitude are different from that at plain which involve severe injury, high mortality, difficult treatment and compromised liquid tolerance. High-altitude pulmonary/cerebral edema and multiple-organ dysfunction render the conventional treatment ineffective. Herein, we evaluated the resuscitation effects of hyperoxia solution on high-altitude hemorrhagic shock in rats.

Statistical analysis of blood pressure measurement errors by oscillometry during surgical operations.

Objectives: Although a validated oscillometry sphygmomanometer satisfies the accuracy criteria of Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), its long-term blood pressure (BP) measurement error during operations remains to be determined. We aim to (a) compare the error range throughout surgical operations with the accuracy criteria of AAMI, and (b) investigate the probabilities of occurrence of abnormal, large errors and clinically meaningful errors.

Methods: BP level were measured from 270 participants using oscillometry and arterial cannulation (invasive method) in the same BP monitor throughout surgeries.

Ursolic acid induces apoptosis in human leukaemia cells and exhibits anti-leukaemic activity in nude mice through the PKB pathway.

Background And Purpose: Ursolic acid (UA) has been extensively used as an anti-leukaemic agent in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, we investigated the ability of UA to induce apoptosis in human leukaemia cells in relation to its effects on caspase activation, Mcl-1 down-regulation and perturbations in stress-induced signalling pathways such as PKB and JNK.

Experimental Approach: Leukaemia cells were treated with UA after which apoptosis, caspase activation, PKB and JNK signalling pathways were evaluated.

The inhibitory effect of Zingiber corallinum Hance essential oil on drug-resistant bacteria and evaluation of its acute toxicity.

Background: The excessive and irregular use of antibiotics could result in the generation and diffusion of drug-resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Zingiber corallinum Hance essential oil (ZCHO) on drug-resistant bacteria, especially on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Material/methods: Susceptibility testing was used to evaluate the effect of ZCHO on growth inhibition of drug-resistant bacteria by paper disk method.

2ME and 2OHE2 exhibit growth inhibitory effects and cell cycle arrest at G2/M in RL95-2 human endometrial cancer cells through activation of p53 and Chk1.

Evidence is accumulating that estradiol (E2) may play a dual role in carcinogenic and anticarcinogenic effects by different metabolic pathways. It has been shown that some metabolites of E2 exert proliferative and others anti-proliferative properties on human cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of E2 and its four primary metabolites including 2-hydroxyestradiol (2OHE2), 4-hydroxyestradiol (4OHE2), 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME), and 4-methoxyestradiol (4ME) on proliferation and cell cycle in RL95-2 human endometrial cells were investigated.

Interruption of the MEK/ERK signaling cascade promotes dihydroartemisinin-induced apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Artemisinin, the active principle of the Chinese medicinal herb Artemisia annua, and its derivatives (i.e. dihydroartemisinin, DHA) were reported to exhibit anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells by grape seed extract occurs via activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase.

Purpose: To characterize the functional role of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and other apoptotic pathways in grape seed extract (GSE)-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells by using pharmacologic and genetic approaches.

Experimental Design: Jurkat cells were treated with various concentrations of GSE for 12 and 24 h or with 50 microg/mL GSE for various time intervals, after which apoptosis, caspase activation, and cell signaling pathways were evaluated. Parallel studies were done in U937 and HL-60 human leukemia cells.

[Present application situation of medical consumble materials and the standard management].

This paper introduces the present application situation of medical consumable materials in consumption, use, quality control and computer management. It presents the concrete contents of standard management in quality guarantee, rules and regulations, and cost reduction.

[The medical gas central supply system and its quality control].

This paper introduces the principles of the medical gas central supply system and its structure, Classification, standards, flow chart and its advantages, and its quantity guarantee and quality control.

An investigation of the prevalence of depressive symptoms in soldiers during military training.

Objectives: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in soldiers during military training in Chinese army and to identify associations between depressive symptoms and socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods: The self-rating depression scale (SDS) was used to assess self-reported experiences of depression among 1107 young adult males during military training. The following socio-demographic variables are considered as independent variables: age, service time, settlement type, education, levels of family income, family type, education of parents, health status, history of negative accidents, social support status and hobby status.

[Effects of hypoxia on ET and NO levels in cultured umbilical venous endothelial cells of native Tibetan].

Aim: To assay ET and NO in venous blood of native Tibetan and to investigate the effects of hypoxia on ET and NO levels in cultured umbilical venous endothelial cells of native Tibetan.

Methods: ET and NO in venous blood of native Tibetan, immigrant Han and lowland Han were assayed. Umbilical venous endothelial cells (UVECs) from native Tibetan and immigrant Han newborns were cultured and divided into 4 groups: (1) Native Tibetan control group (TC), (2) Native Tibetan hypoxic group (TH), (3) Immigrant Han control group (HC), (4) Immigrant Han hypoxic group (HH).

[Expression of bax protein in the cartilage cells of epiphyseal plate].

Objective: This experiment was designed to investigate the expression of Bax in the chondrocytes of the epiphyseal plate cartilage.

Methods: Immunocytochemistry ABC method was used to determine the distribution of Bax immunoreactivity in the epiphyseal plate cartilage of rats.

Results: Bax immunoreactivity was non-uniformly distributed throughout the epiphyseal cartilage.

Study on frequency and predictors of dementia after ischemic stroke: the Chongqing stroke study.

Objective: We studied a large hospitalized cohort of patients aged 55 years and over with acute ischemic stroke to identify the frequency and predictors of poststroke dementia.

Methods: A total of 434 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled in this study. During admission, the demographic data, vascular risk factors, stroke features, and neurological status information were collected.

[The study of a image compression method based on wavelet statistical characteristic].

The statistical characteristic is the key to image compression. Here we have studied the statistical characteristic of wavelet subimage, and designed a new image quantization algorithm referred to statistical characteristics of both wavelet subimage and human visual.

[The biological characteristics of endothelial cells of human umbilical vein and the mechanism of intracellular signal transduction].

We observed the synthesis and release of vasoactive polypeptides (VPs) in the endothelial cells of human umbilical blood vessels (HUVEC). The results showed: (1) The content of VPs in the endothelial cells of non-innervated human umbilical vessels is higher than that of mesenteric vessels. (2) These VPs are synthesized by endothelial cells and released into the outside of cell bodies.

Early changes and rules of cardiac function and hemodynamics in rabbits with experimental myocardial contusion.

Objective: To study changes and rules of the left ventricular functions in rabbits with myocardial contusion through parallel functional analysis by using echocardiography combined with cardiac catheter intervention.

Methods: Thirty healthy rabbits were selected and impacted to make moderate or severe myocardial contusion by BIM-II biomedical impact machine. The changes of hemodynamics and cardiac systolic and diastolic functions were respectively observed before injury and 1, 4, 8 and 24 hours after injury.

[Effects of insulin on the distribution of actins in vascular smooth muscle cells in the process of proliferation via mitogen-activated protein kinase in vitro].

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is often accompanied by changes in intracellular actin distribution. The changes are controlled by the signal transduction pathways of protein kinase C/mitogenic activated protein kinase (PKC-MAPK), but the mechanism is unclear. In order to study the effect of insulin on the intracellular signal transduction (PKC-MAPK) probably involved in the modulation of proliferation and redistribution of actins in the VSMCs, the DNA synthesis, MAPK activities and its gene expression, and the redistribution of intracellular actins were investigated in the isolated VSMCs of SHR pretreated with PKC inhibitor and/or insulin, respectively.

[Experimental study on the early liver injury and expression of TNF-alpha mRNA after burns complicated by endotoxemia].

Objective: To observe the distribution and cell localization of TNF-alpha mRNA and its protein and study their role on pathogenesis of liver injury in rats.

Methods: An animal model in which rats were subjected to 20% TBSA III degree burns combined with intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used for this experiment. The changes in the hepatic morphology, functions and TNF-alpha content in the serum and the expression, localization of liver TNF-alpha and TNF-alpha mRNA were determined with LM and EM, quantitative analysis, immunohistochemistry(IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH).

Infrequent loss of heterozygosity of APC/MCC and DCC genes in gastric cancer showing DNA microsatellite instability.

Aim: To investigate the role of DNA microsatellite instability (MSI) in gastric carcinogenesis by studying associations between MSI status, clinicopathological features, and loss of genetic loci.

Methods: Six microsatellite loci and loss of heterozygosity at APC, DCC, and MCC were analysed by polymerase chain reaction based methods in 53 cases of advanced gastric cancer.

Results: MSI was observed in 32.

[Expression of mRNA for endothelin-1 and its receptors in rat kidney after burn injury].

Objective And Methods: We studied expression of messenger RNAS for endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptor subunits (ETA, ETB) by northern blot hybridization and in situ hybridization in rat kidney following 30% TBSA full thickness burns.

Results: Expressions of that ET-1, ETA, and ETB mRNA expression are all evidently increased at 1 hour postburn. ET-1 and ETA reached its maximal mRNA expression at 3 hour postburn.