Effect of serum restriction on insulin like growth factor-1 expressions and invasiveness in human trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of serum restriction on the invasiveness and expressions of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in human trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HTR-8/SVneo cells were cultured in the presence of 1%, 5%, or 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 48 h. Fluorescence quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence staining were employed to examine the changes in IGF-1 and MMP-2 expressions at both the mRNA and protein levels in HTR-8/SVneo cells; MTT assay and Transwell invasion assay were used to assess the changes of the cell proliferation and the cell invasion ability, respectively. MMP-2 expression, cell proliferation and invasiveness were also assessed in the cells treated with recombinant human IGF-1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HTR-8/SVneo cells exhibited significantly lowered cell proliferation in cultures containing low concentrations of FBS (P<0.05). The expressions of IGF-1 and MMP-2 at both mRNA and protein levels were significantly down-regulated and the invasiveness was significantly lowered in cells cultured in the medium containing 1% FBS as compared with those of cells cultured in the presence of 5% and 10% FBS (P<0.05). Treatment of the cells with recombinant human IGF-1 significantly up-regulated MMP-2 expression (P<0.05) and increased the cell invasiveness (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>FBS restriction down-regulates IGF-1 expression in human trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells and suppress the cell invasiveness possibly by suppressing MMP-2 expression. Treatment with recombinant human IGF-1 can up-regulate MMP-2 expression and promote the invasiveness of HTR-8/SVneo cells.</p>

Clinical efficacy and safety of controlled-release dinoprostone insert: a multicenter retrospective study / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the effectiveness and safety of controlled-release dinoprostone insert for term labor induction in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty hospitals using controlled-release dinoprostone insert for term labor induction in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong province were stratified into provincial hospitals and municipal hospitals, and three hospitals of each level were selected as research units. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1390 pregnant women receiving term labor induction using controlled-release dinoprostone insert were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the the effectiveness and safety with another 957 pregnant women with induced abortion using oxytocin as the control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the controlled-release dinoprostone insert group showed a significantly longer length of the latent phase of labor (4.06∓2.65 vs 3.20∓2.08 h, P=0.003, 95%CI [0.182, 0.920]) and shorter lengths of the active phase (1.73∓1.32 vs 2.22∓1.75 h, P=0.000, 95%CI [-0.795, -0.363]) and the second stage of labor (0.49∓0.37 vs 0.54∓0.43 h, P=0.003, 95%CI [-0.137, -0.028]). No significant differences were found in the length of the first stage of labor, the vaginal delivery rate, adverse reactions, or fetal outcomes between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Controlled-release dinoprostone insert is effective and safe for labor induction at term.</p>

Effect of implantation of cardiosphere-derived cells combined with rat heart tissue-derived extracellular matrix on acute myocardial infarction in rats / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether heart tissue-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) promotes the differentiation of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) implanted in rat infracted myocardium to improve the cardiac structure and function.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat CDCs were cultured by cardiac explant methods, and ECM was prepared by decelluariztion method. In a Wistar rat model of acute myocardial infarction established by ligating the left anterior descending branch, IMDM solution, ECM suspension, 10CDCs in IMDM solution, or 10CDCs in ECM suspension were injected into the infracted rat myocardium (6 rats in each group). The cardiac function of the rats was evaluated by cardiac ultrasonography, and the percentage of positive heart fibrosis area after infarction was determined with Masson staining. The differentiation of implanted CDCs in the infarcted myocardium was detected using immunofluorescence assay for the markers of cardiac muscle cells (α-SA), vascular endothelial cells (vWF) and smooth muscle cells (α-SMA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three weeks after acute myocardial infarction, the rats with injection of CDCs in ECM showed the highest left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and percentage of fraction shortening with the lowest percentage of positive heart fibrosis area; implantation of CDCs with ECM resulted in significantly higher rates of CDC differentiation into cardiac muscle cells, vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cell (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Heart-tissue derived ECM significantly promotes the differentiation of CDCs implanted in the infracted myocardium into cardiac muscle cells, vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells to improve the cardiac structure and cardiac functions in rats.</p>

Etiologic investigation of chronic granulomatous inflammation of hand by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the causative pathogens in littoral hand infections which exhibited chronic granulomatous inflammation, the relationship between chronic granulomatous inflammation and mycobacteria and to discuss the prospects of PCR in clinical application for diagnosis of granulomatous inflammation.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>With 16S-rDNA as the target sequence, Nest-PCR was used to detect mycobacteria directly from 37 cases of chronic granulomatous inflammations, and identified them by gene sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-four of 37 cases were positive for mycobacteria by Nest-PCR, in which 17 were M.marinum, 1 M.chelonae, 2 M.avium, 2 M.kansasii, and 2 M.tubercular through gene sequencing.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Nest-PCR combining gene sequencing proved to be a liable and sensitive method to detect Non-tubercular mycobacteria (NTM) in fresh tissue. NTM is the major factor of hand specific chronic infections other than tubercular. Pathological changes are difficult to differentiate TB from NTM and bacterial evidence was necessary.</p>

The etiological study, diagnose and therapy of hand special chronic infections in littoral area / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the etiological factors of hand special chronic infections and their relationship with tuberculosis, and to give evidence for clinical diagnosis as well as treatments.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From 2002 to 2004 pathologic inspection, acid-fast stain, bacterial cultication, mycobacterial cultivation were performed in all 29 cases of hand special chronic infections.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All cases showed granulomatous lesions in pathological appearance, 2 positive in acid-fast stain, 12 positive in bacteria cultivation, and 1 nocardiosis, 1 staphylococcus epidermidis, 7 M.marinum, 1 M.tuberculosis, 1 M.fortuitum, 1 M.kansasii.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Non-tuberculo-mycobacterium (NTM) especially M.marinum are far more important as the major factor than tuberculosis and other bacterial in hand special chronic infections. Bacteria cultivation should be routine examined for all cases.</p>