Risk factors analysis on traumatic brain injury prognosis.

Objective: To investigate the independent risk factors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) prognosis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 885 hospitalized TBI patients from January 1, 2003 to January 1,2010 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi’an Jiaotong University .Single-factor and logisticregression analysis were conducted to evaluate the association of different variables with TBI outcome.

Relationship between transmembrane signal transduction pathway and DNA repair and the mechanism after global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Objective: To investigate the protein levels of phospho-ERK and phospho-APE/Ref-1 in hippocampal neurons after global cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats, and observe the relationship between transmembrane signal transduction and repair of DNA damage. The role of ERK signal transduction pathway following global cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats is further discussed.

Methods: Ninety healthy male SD rats were divided into 3 groups randomly: Sham group (S group), Ischemia reperfusion group (IR group) and Pd98059 pretreatment/ischemia reperfusion group (PD group).

Culling structured hosts to eradicate vector-borne diseases.

A compartmental model is developed, in the form of a nonautonomous system of delay differential equations subject to impulses at specific times, for mosquito-born disease control involving larvicides and insecticide sprays. Sufficient conditions in terms of the frequencies and rates of larvicides and insecticide sprays are derived, and numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the sharpness of these disease eradication conditions.

[Effect of Tanshinone II A on expression of EGF and EGFR in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721].

Objective: To observe the effect of Tanshinone II A on the expression of epidermal growth facter (EGF) and epidermal growth facter recepter (EGFR) in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721.

Methods: The human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells cultured in vitro was treated with different concentrations of Tanshinone II A. The proliferation of the cells was measured by MTT assay, and the apoptosis of the cells was investigated by flow cytometry and cytochemical staining with Hoechst 33342.

Firing activity of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons increases in a rodent model of Parkinsonism.

Objective: To investigate the changes in the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in a rat model of Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: 2 and 4 weeks after unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway in the rat by local injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the right substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the firing activity of noradrenergic neurons in LC was recorded by extracellular single unit recording.

Results: The firing rate of LC noradrenergic neurons increased significantly 2 and 4 weeks after 6-OHDA lesions compared to normal rats, respectively (P < 0.

[Expression purification and clinical application of high-risk HPV16 E4 gene].

Objective: To determine the relationship between serum antibody against HPV16 E4 and cervical cancer, and to construct HPV 16 E4 protein expression vector as an antigen to detect its corresponding serum antibody among different populations.

Methods: HPV16 E4 early gene was ligated into pRSET-A expression vector. The constructed plasmids were transformed into BL21 (DE3)cells, and induced to express HPV 16 E4 protein by isopropylthio-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG).

A novel anti-cancer effect of genistein: reversal of epithelial mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer cells.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether low dose genistein affects the invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of prostate cancer (PCa) cells.

Methods: Human PCa cell lines, IA8-ARCaP and LNCaP/ HIF-1a, were used in this study. The cell lines were found to process EMT in our previous study.

[Genetic polymorphism of 15 STR on chromosome 2 and 11 in Shaanxi Han people in China].

Objective: To investigate the genetic polymorphism of 15 short tandem repeat(STR)loci on chromosome 2 and chromosome 11 in Shaanxi Han people in China.

Methods: Fluorescence-based gene scan technique was used to examine the genetic polymorphism of 15 STR loci in 175 unrelated individuals from Chinese Han population in Shannxi province.

Results: The number of alleles D2S335, D2S396, D2S338, D2S2382, D2S305, D2S151, D2S2368, D2S391,D11S912, D11S4090, D11S4147, D11S4190, D11S4149, D11S4126, and D11S4094 was 11,11,11,10,8,8,9,12 ,7,11,8,10,5,5, and 6.

[Neurons in the corpus callosum of rats: expression of Cav2.2 and their connection].

Objective: To prove the existence neurons in the rat corpus callosum, the potential function of these neurons and their connection.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used performed to examine the expressions of NeuN, a mature neuron marker,and N-type voltage-dependent valcium channel alpha1-subunit (Cav2.2)in the section of the rat corpus callosum.

[Application of fusion gene mGM-CSF/hIL-2 to specific immunotherapy induced by hepatic tumor cell vaccine].

Background & Objective: Surgical resection is the main treatment for primary liver cancer, but there is no ideal treatment for postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Recently, due to the development of immunology, immunotherapy is regarded as a promising treatment for hepatoma. This study was to prepare H22 hepatoma tumor vaccine modified by the fusion gene of mouse granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (mGM-CSF) and human interleukin-2 (hIL-2), and explore its specific antitumor immunity.

[Construction and antitumor effect of recombinant adenovirus vector containing heterofusion gene NT4p53(N15)Ant].

Background & Objective: Peptide p53(N15)Ant from the amino-terminal of p53 fused with cell penetrating peptide antennapedia (Ant) can induce rapid cell death resembling necrosis in breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, whereas it is low cytotoxic to normal cells. This study was to construct an recombinant adenovirus vector containing NT4p53(N15)Ant gene and investigate its antitumor effects.

Methods: Adenovirus packaging system was used to construct Ad-NT4p53(N15)Ant by recombinant technique in vitro.

[Bactericidal activity of GLL-37, a novel derivative of the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37].

Objective: To develop and investigate GLL-37, a substitution analogue of the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 with anti-enzymatic degradation activity and improved efficacy.

Methods: The bactericidal activities of LL-37 and newly developed GLL-37 against 6 Gram-negative and -positive bacteria were determined by Broth microdilution assays. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of LL-37 and GLL-37 against E.

[Genetic polymorphisms of 9 X-chromosome short tandem repeat loci in a Inner Mongolia Ewenki population and their forensic evaluation].

Objective: To investigate the alleles and genotypes frequency of 9 short tandem repeat (STR) loci on the X chromosome (DXS6789, DXS101, DXS8378, DXS7132, DXS7133, DXS7423, DXS6804, DXS6799, HPRTB) of Ewenki individuals living in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.

Methods: The 9 X-chromosomal STR loci were analyzed with polymerase chain reation (PCR), followed by polyacylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining. Software SPSS13.

[Effect of ligustrazine on cell proliferation in subventricular zone in rat brain with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury].

Objective: To observe the effect of ligustrazine on cell proliferation in subventricular zone (SVZ) in rat brain with focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a sham operation group,a ligustrazine treatment group, and a control group. The ligustrazine treatment group and the control group were further divided into 5 subgroups: 1d, 3d, 7d, 14d, and 21d reperfusion after 2h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Changes in the firing activity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

In the present study, changes in the neuronal activity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and the effect of the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY-100635 in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) were investigated by using extracellular single unit recording. Rat model of PD was produced by microinjection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the substantia nigra pars compacta on the right side of the brain. The results showed that the mean spontaneous firing rate of DRN serotonergic neurons in the control and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats were (1.

[Chemopreventive effect of tamoxifen combined with celecoxib on DMBA-induced breast cancer in rats].

Background & Objective: Breast cancer can be prevented partly by tamoxifen. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is expressed in many kinds of tumors, and correlated to the occurrence and progress of tumors. This study was to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of tamoxifen combined with celecoxib, a COX-2 selective inhibitor, on 7,12-dimethylbenz anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer in rats.

The tetanus patterns for the induction of long-term depression in the adult rat hippocampus.

Previous reports suggested that a low-frequency stimulus (LFS) of 1~2 Hz (600~900 pulses) induced a homosynaptic long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic efficacy in the hippocampal CA1 area of young rats (< 4-week old). However, these stimulation protocols often failed to induce LTD in the adult CA1 hippocampus. In the present study, we examined the effects of two novel tetanus patterns on LTD induction in adult rat hippocampal slices.

[An investigation for genetic polymorphisms of 10 STR loci on chromosome X of Chinese Hui nationality population in Ningxia region of China].

Objective: To investigate the alleles and genotypes frequency of 10 short tandem repeat (STR) loci (DXS101, DXS6789, DXS6799, DXS6804, DXS7130, DXS7132, DXS7133, DXS7423, HPRTB, DXS8378) on X chromosome of Chinese Hui nationality population.

Methods: The study of 10 STR loci was performed by using the techniques of PCR, polyacylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining.

Results: Among unrelated Hui individuals, the allele numbers of 10 STR loci DXS101, DXS6789, DXS6799, DXS6804, DXS7130, DXS7132, DXS7133, DXS7423, HPRTB, DXS8378 were 9, 8, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 5 or 5 respectively; the numbers of genotypes were 17, 22, 7, 14, 14, 15, 6, 7, 12 or 8 respectively.

[Effects of kangfengshi granules on expressions of osteoprotegerin, RANKL and M-CSF in bone tissues of rats with collagen-induced arthritis].

Objective: To observe the effects of Kangfengshi Granules (KFSG) on expressions of the mRNAs of osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in bone tissues of rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

Methods: Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, untreated group, cyclosporine A (CsA)-treated group and KFSG-treated group. Except the rats in the normal control group, all the other rats received subcutaneous injection of collagen II to establish collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models.

Heat-shocked tumor cell lysate-pulsed dendritic cells induce effective anti-tumor immune response in vivo.

Aim: To study whether heat-shocked tumor cells could enhance the effect of tumor cell lysate-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) in evoking anti-tumor immune response in vivo.

Methods: Mouse undifferentiated colon cancer cells (CT-26) were heated at 42 degrees Celsius for 1 h and then frozen-thawed. The bone marrow-derived DCs pulsed with heat-shocked CT-26 cell lysate (HSCT-26 DCs) were recruited to immunize syngeneic naive BALB/c mice.

Small intestinal submucosa improves islet survival and function during in vitro culture.

Aim: To evaluate the recovery and function of isolated rat pancreatic islets during in vitro culture with small intestinal submucosa (SIS).

Methods: Pancreatic islets were isolated from Wistar rats by standard surgical procurement followed by intraductal collagenase distension, mechanical dissociation and Euroficoll purification. Purified islets were cultured in plates coated with multilayer SIS (SIS-treated group) or without multilayer SIS (standard cultured group) for 7 and 14 d in standard islet culture media of RPMI 1640.

Bile salts inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of culture human normal esophageal mucosal epithelial cells.

Aim: To investigate the effect of six bile salts: glycocholate (GC), glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC), glycodeoxycholate (GDC), taurocholate (TC), taurochenodeoxycholate (TCDC), taurodeoxycholate (TDC), and their mixture on cultured human normal esophageal mucosal epithelial cells.

Methods: Human normal esophageal mucosal epithelial cells were cultured with serum-free keratinocyte medium.3-[4,5-Dimethylthiaolyl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay was applied to the detection of cell proliferation.

Value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of congenital renal malformations.

Objective: To assess the value of ultrasound in diagnosis of congenital renal malformations.

Methods: The records of obstetric ultrasound examinations were reviewed in all the pregnant women admitted in Alta Bates Perinatal Diagnostic center (Oakland, California, USA) during 5 years.

Results: Ultrasound examination identified 58 cases of congenital renal malformations of different kinds, including 4 cases of renal agenesis, 8 multicystic dysplastic kidney, 5 cystic renal dysplasia with obstructions, 6 renal and ureteral duplications, 6 ectopic kidneys, 18 hydronephroses, 3 autosomal recessive polycystic kidney diseases, 2 autosomal dominant polycystic diseases, 1 Finnish-type congenital nephrosis, 3 Meckel-Gruber syndromes, and 2 Beckwith-Wiedemann syndromes.