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Objective: To investigate effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and its ligands on cytotrophoblast invasion and its influence on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activities on cytotrophoblast cells., Methods: Samples of fresh placental trophoblast tissue were obtained from the pregnant women in first trimester. Cytotrophoblasts were isolated, cultured, and added with PPARgamma. Immunocytochemistry and inverted microscopy were used to examine the protein expression of PPARgamma in the cytotrophoblasts. Isolated cytotrophoblasts were inoculated in the Transwell chamber The natural stimulatory ligand of PPARgamma15-deoxy-delta (12, 14)-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and synthesized stimulatory ligand of PPARgamma troglitazone (TGZ) of the concentrations of 0, 1, and 10 micromol/L respectively were added respectively to examine the invasion ability of the cytotrophoblasts. Immunofluorochemistry and confocal technique and RT-PCR were used to examine the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9., Results: PPARgamma protein expression was detectable in the cytotrophoblasts, mainly in the nuclei. The invasion indexes of the cytotrophoblasts stimulated by 15d-PGJ2 and TGZ of different concentrations were significant lowered in a concentration-dependent manner, the effect of 15d-PGJ2 being stronger than that of TGZ (P < 0.05). After stimulated by 15d-PGJ2 and TGZ of different concentrations the mRNA expression and protein expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in the cytotrophoblasts were all inhibited significantly (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: PPARgamma plays an important role in the modulation of trophoblast invasion, and PPARgamma ligands can inhibit the trophoblast invasion through downregulating MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions.

In this study, betA gene was introduced into the pollen plantlets of Populus simonii x P. nigra using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The four kanamycine-resistant plants obtained were identified as transgenic plants by PCR detection and the results were all positive. The result of quantitative real-time PCR detection showed that the betA gene was transcribed and expressed in all the transformed plants, but the transcript levels are different. Test of salt-tolerance of the transgenic plants showed that 80%-00% of transgenic plants were rooted while 0 of non-transgenic plants were rooted at 0.55% NaCl stress, and 0 of transgenic plants were rooted at 0.70%-0.80% NaCl stress. The betaine content analysis showed the betaine content of the transgenic plants are obviously higher than that in non-transgenic plants, so transformation betA gene raised the salt tolerance to the transgenic plants.

Objective: To investigate the dynamic changes of heart rate variability (HRV) in acute cerebral vascular disease, in order to make a criterion for evaluating cerebral function, and establish an assessment for risk stratification after acute stroke., Methods: All 35 patients who suffered from cerebral vascular disease in the distribution of the carotid artery system were studied from 1 to 7 days following the stroke. HRV analysis with 24-hour Holter tapes was performed every day or every other day continuously for 5 days. According to GCS, the patients were divided into two groups. Critical cerebral vascular disease (CCVD): a state of severe cerebral dysfunction with the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) value between 3 and 8. Non-critical cerebral vascular disease (nCCVD): a state of slightly cerebral dysfunction with the GCS value between 9 and 15., Results: Of the 35 patients, 17 were classified to CCVD, 18 to nCCVD. The CCVD patients had significantly decreased HRV, especially the standard deviation of all R-R intervals (SDNN) and total frequency (TF). The 24-hour heart rate variability graph lost its circadian variation showing a low and plain curve during the whole day. There was a significant correlation between the decrease of HRV and bad prognosis. The borderline of HRV for prognosis was: SDNN