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Aim: To analyze the impact of nongenetic factors and gene polymorphisms on warfarin dose requirements in elderly Shanghai Han Chinese patients. Materials & methods: Genotypes of CYP2C9 (rs1799853 and rs1057910), FPGS (rs7856096), ApoE (rs7412 and rs429358), GGCX (rs699664 and rs12714145), EPHX1 (rs4653436, rs1877724, rs1051740 and rs1131873), NQO1 (rs1800566 and rs10517), ABCB1 (rs1045642), VKORC1 (rs9923231) and CYP4F2 (rs2108622) in 214 patients with stable warfarin dose were determined and their demographic characteristics were recorded. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that VKORC1 rs9923231, CYP2C9*3 rs1057910, ApoE rs7412, age, BMI and concomitant amiodarone could explain 37.0% of the individual variations of daily stable warfarin dose. Conclusion: VKORC1 rs9923231, CYP2C9*3 rs1057910, ApoE rs7412, age, BMI and concomitant amiodarone play an important role in stable dose variation of warfarin in elderly Shanghai Han Chinese patients, whereas ABCB1 rs1045642 is not a significant genetic factor.

Three typical contaminant bacteria, namely, Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, and Lactobacillus, were selected from fermented milk. The strong specific genes were screened as target sequences, and the droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) amplification system and reaction conditions were optimized. We established a ddPCR detection method for the three kinds of bacteria in fermented milk and then verified the specificity and sensitivity of the method. Absolute quantitative results were also analyzed. Results showed that ddPCR detection method for the three contaminants was specific and sensitive, and that the lowest detectable concentrations of Gluconobacter, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus plantarum were 8.8 × 100 CFU/mL, 8.9 × 101 CFU/mL, and 9.6 × 101 CFU/mL, respectively. The relationship between the quantitative analysis results and ddPCR test results was good, proving the feasibility of ddPCR for absolute quantitative detection. This manuscript reports on establishment of a ddPCR detection system for three bacterial contaminants in fermented milk. The ddPCR detection system has efficient detection of targeted bacterial contaminants in fermented milks that can be valuable to the dairy industry in terms of preventing economic loss due to microbial spoilage and associated quality defects.

Background: Wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) is characterized by the presence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Although there are some clinical drugs targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inhibiting CNV, two major side effects limit their application, including the excessive activity of anti-VEGF and frequent intraocular injections. To explore better treatment strategies, researchers developed a hypoxic modulator retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)- specific adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing endostatin to inhibit CNV. However, the mechanism of endostatin is complex. Instead, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) can inhibit VEGF-induced angiogenesis through two simple and clear mechanisms, giving rise to sequestration of VEGF and forming an inactive heterodimer with the membrane-spanning isoforms of the VEGF receptor Flt-1 and kinase insert domain-containing receptor. Objective: In this study, we chose sFlt-1 as a safer substitute to treat wAMD by inhibiting VEGFinduced angiogenesis. Methods: The AAV2/8-Y733F-REG-RPE-sFlt-1 vector was delivered by intravitreal injection to the eyes of mice. AAV2/8-Y733F vector is a mutant of the AAV2/8 vector, and the REG-RPE promoter is a hypoxia-regulated RPE-specific promoter. Two animal models were used to evaluate the function of the vector. Results: In the cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia model, the results demonstrated that the AAV2/8- Y733F-REG-RPE-sFlt-1 vector induced the expression of the sFlt-1 gene in RPE cells through hypoxia. In the laser-induced CNV model, the results demonstrated that the AAV2/8-Y733F-REG-RPE-sFlt- 1 vector reduced laser-induced CNV. Conclusions: Hypoxia regulated, RPE-specific AAV vector-mediated sFlt-1 gene is a hypoxiaregulated antiangiogenic vector for wAMD.

Direct-expansion solar assisted heat pumps (DX-SAHPs) have a great potential for various applications and are conductive to the environment by using low-temperature ambient energy and solar radiation. This review paper aims at presenting the advancements and the current status of DX-SAHPs. A systematic literature review highlights and discusses various aspects of this technology, including system configurations, performance optimisation, simulation models, and various applications in practice. This review indicates that integrating solar collector-evaporators with some advanced technologies, such as photovoltaic, PCM thermal storage and heat pipe, makes DX-SAHPs perform better under different climates and applications. This study concludes that there are clear trends for promoting commercialisation prospects of the technology with introducing DX-SAHPs into various industries and exploring multi-functional applications of DX-SAHPs. To realise greater commercial success, some suggestions for further research are also made. This review work is expected to serve as a good guide for researchers working or interested in the DX-SAHP field.

This study investigated a novel LPG vaporisation system utilising direct-expansion solar-assisted heat pump (DX-SAHPV) 1 for supplying residential gas. The DX-SAHPV applies a collector-evaporator to obtain heat energy from both solar radiation and ambient air to produce hot water to vaporise LPG liquid. It can operate in six operating modes depending on the weather and gas load conditions. In this study, a dynamic model and control strategies realising the mode switching were developed to carry out the operating performance evaluation of the system. By applying the typical meteorological year data and the gas load data of a community in Beijing, China, the performance of the DX-SAHPV was evaluated and analysed for the whole year and two selected days. The simulation results show that the system can vaporise adequate LPG liquid for the community throughout the year. The solar energy contribution accounts for approximately 68% of the total heat energy for the water heated vaporisation. It was also found that the DX-SAHP obtains average monthly values of COP ranging from 2.72 to 3.37 and solar collector efficiency varying between 93 and 152%. In addition, which mode the system operates at any time on selected days was predicted and the running time of each mode in each month was discussed.

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy and predictive performance of Bayesian dosing for warfarin in Chinese patients. Materials & methods: Six multiple linear regression algorithms (Wei, Lou, Miao, Huang, Gage and IWPC) and a Bayesian method implemented in Warfarin Dose Calculator were compared with each other. Results: Six multiple linear regression warfarin dosing algorithms had similar predictive ability, except Miao and Lou. The mean prediction error of Bayesian priori and posteriori method were 0.01 mg/day (95% CI: -0.18 to 0.19) and 0.17 mg/day (95% CI: -0.05 to 0.29), respectively, and Bayesian posteriori method demonstrated better performance in all dose ranges. Conclusion: The Bayesian method showed a good potential for warfarin maintenance dose prediction in Chinese patients requiring less than 6 mg/day.

This study numerically describes the transient behaviours of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) natural vaporisation in a cylinder using an experimentally validated model. The model can be applied to easily predict transient compositions and thermophysical properties during the vaporisation process under various conditions. A simple graphical design procedure is presented to determine the Wobbe Index and the corresponding composition as design references for gas burners to avoid incomplete combustions. The effects of initial composition, surrounding temperature and discharge rate of LPG on both the LPG natural vaporisation and the residue amount in the cylinder are simulated and investigated. The results demonstrate that the present work may serve as a useful tool to evaluate the LPG behaviours throughout the vaporisation, design or retrofit gas burners, and predict the unburned residue.

Dysiarenone (1), a dimeric C21 meroterpenoid featuring an unprecedented 2-oxaspiro[bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-9,1′-cyclopentane] carbon skeleton, was isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea arenaria. The structure of 1 was determined by HRMS and NMR spectroscopic analyses coupled with ECD calculations. Dysiarenone showed inhibitory activities against COX-2 expression and the production of prostaglandin E2 with an IC50 value of 6.4 μM in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

Objective: To study the effect of tirofiban combined with PCI on myocardial damage and platelet activation in patients with STEMI. Methods: Patients with STEMI who were treated and underwent PCI in Wujiang First People’s Hospital in Suzhou between March 2015 and February 2017 were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into two groups, intervention group received tirofiban combined with PCI therapy, control group received routine PCI therapy, and the myocardial damage indexes and platelet activation indexes of two groups of patients were detected. Results: 24 h after PCI treatment, serum S100A/B, H-FABP, GDF-15, cTnT, FKN, MDA, sFas, sTWEAK and 8-OHdG levels of intervention group were obviously lower than those of control group; before PCI treatment and 24 h after PCI treatment, peripheral blood CD62p and PAC-1 expression intensity as well as serum P-selectin, thrombospondin and CD40 ligand levels of intervention group were obviously lower than those of control group. Conclusion: Tirofiban therapy before PCI can help alleviate myocardial damage and inhibit platelet activation.

Emodin has been recognized to be an anti‑cancer agent against a number of types of human cancer. It was demonstrated that TNF receptor‑associated factor 6 (TRAF6) was correlated with cancer angiogenesis and metastasis. The present study confirmed the association between TRAF6 and the angiogenesis/metastasis of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). The anti‑angiogenesis and metastatic effects of emodin, in addition to its molecular mechanisms in ATC, were investigated. A total of two ATC cell lines, namely 8505c and SW1736, were studied. ATC cells were implanted into nude mice to form xenografts or to establish lung metastasis models. Emodin was used to incubate ATC cells or to treat animals orally. An MTT assay was used to assess cell proliferation. A wound healing assay was employed to evaluate cell migration. ELISA analysis was used to detect the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) content. Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression levels. In the in vivo study, cancer angiogenesis was assessed by micro vascular density measurement. The lung metastatic rate was the criterion for cancer metastasis. The results of the present study demonstrated that the proliferation of ATC was inhibited by emodin. The activation of the TRAF6/hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)‑1α/VEGF and TRAF6/basigin (CD147)/matrix metalloproteinase‑9 (MMP9) pathways were associated with the angiogenesis and metastasis of ATC. In a concentration‑dependent manner, emodin inhibited the TRAF6/HIF‑1α/VEGF and TRAF6/CD147/MMP9 signaling pathways to suppress angiogenesis and metastasis. In conclusion, emodin exerted anti‑angiogenic and anti‑metastatic activities in ATC by affecting TRAF6‑mediated pathways.

Dysiarenone (1), a dimeric C

Four new sesquiterpene quinols, dysiquinols A–D (1–4), and four new sesquiterpene quinones, (5S,8S,9R,10S)-18-ethoxyneoavarone (5), (5S,8S,9R,10S)-19-ethoxyneoavarone (6), (5R,8R,9S,10R)-18-ethoxyavarone (7), and (5R,8R,9S,10R)-19-ethoxyavarone (8), together with a known compound, avarol (9), were isolated from the South China Sea marine sponge Dysidea avara. The planar structures of new compounds were elucidated by interpretation of HRESIMS and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, and their absolute configurations were determined by comparison between the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. The cytotoxicity of 1–9 against human myeloma cancer cell line NCI-H929 and their NF-κB inhibitory activity were evaluated. Among these metabolites, dysiquinol D (4) showed the most potent cytotoxic and NF-κB inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 2.8 and 0.81 μM, respectively.

Four unusual meroterpenoids, dysivillosins A–D (1–4), were isolated from an organic extract of the marine sponge Dysidea villosa collected from the South China Sea. Their planar structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS techniques, while the relative and absolute configurations were elucidated by NOESY experiments and comparison between the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. To the best of our knowledge, dysivillosins A–D are the first examples of terpene-polyketide-pyridine hybrid metabolites from the nature. Anti-allergic activity evaluation showed that compounds 1–4 potently inhibited the release of β-hexosaminidase, a marker of degranulation, in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 8.2–19.9 μM. Additionally, the four meroterpenoids could downregulate the production of lipid mediator leukotrienes B4 (LTB4) and pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 mast cells. Further biological investigations revealed that dysivillosin A (1) could suppress the phosphorylation of Syk and PLCγ1 in IgE/FcɛRI/Syk signaling pathway, which resulted in the inhibition of degranulation and the downregulation of LTB4 and IL-4 production in mast cells.

In this paper, a novel kind of sensors for simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature based on all-dielectric metasurfaces is proposed. The metasurfaces are constructed by an array of silicon nanoblocks on top of the bulk fused silica substrate. We used three-dimensional full wave electromagnetic field simulation by finite integral method to accurately calculate the transmission spectrum of the metasurfaces. Two transmission dips corresponding to the electric and magnetic resonances are observed. Both dips shift as the ambient refractive index or the temperature changes. Simulation results show that the sensing sensitivities of two dips to the refractive index are 243.44 nm/RIU and 159.43 nm/RIU, respectively, while the sensitivities to the temperature are 50.47 pm/°C and 75.20 pm/°C, respectively. After introducing four holes into each silicon nanoblock, the electromagnetic field overlap in the surrounding medium can be further promoted, and the sensitivities to the refractive index increase to 306.71 nm/RIU and 204.27 nm/RIU, respectively. Our proposed sensors have advantages of polarization insensitive, small size, and low loss, which offer them high potential applications in physical, biological and chemical sensing fields.

Metal screws are the most widely used in treating syndesmotic injuries; however, failure and the rigidity of the screws can threaten the success of the treatment and increase the cost of care. We performed open reduction and internal fixation of a fibula fracture followed by fixation of the tibiofibular joint with an olive wire and one half of an external fixator. We present a review of 1 patient treated with this material. We believe this method to be a physiologic fixation system with the advantage of being safe, inexpensive, adjustable, and effective; however, further clinical investigation and comparison to other methods is needed in order to better understand it clinical utility.

(±)-Quassidines I (1) and J (2), two pairs of new bis-β-carboline alkaloid enantiomers, were isolated from the stems of Picrasma quassioides. Their structures were determined by the analysis of spectroscopic data, including HRESIMS and 2D NMR, and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The racemic mixtures of 1 and 2 were resolved into two pairs of enantiomers, (+)-S-1a and (-)-R-1b and (+)-S-2a and (-)-R-2b, by HPLC using a chiral Daicel IB-3 column, respectively, which represents the first successful example to resolve bis-β-carboline racemic mixtures. The absolute configurations of the two pairs of enantiomers were determined by comparison between the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. The cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that (+)-S-1a and (+)-S-2a showed more potent cytotoxicity against human cervical HeLa and gastric MKN-28 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 4.03-6.30 μM than their enantiomers with IC50 values of 9.64-12.3 μM; however, the two (+)-S-quassidines showed similar activities to their enantiomers against the mouse melanoma B-16 cancer cell line.

An unusual meroterpenoid, dysidinoid A (1), was isolated from the South China Sea sponge Dysidea sp. Its structure was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods including HRESIMS and 2D NMR, and its absolute configuration was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Dysidinoid A (1) is the first meroterpenoid from Nature bearing a 9,4-friedodrime skeleton and a 2,5-dionepyrrole unit. Dysidinoid A (1) showed potent antibacterial activity against two strains of pathogenic bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with MIC90 values of 8.0 μg/mL against both.

Four new tetracyclic meroterpnes, dysiherbols A-C (1-3) and dysideanone E (4), were isolated from a Dysidea sp. marine sponge collected from the South China Sea. Their complete structures and absolute configurations were unambiguously determined by a combination of NMR spectroscopic data, ECD calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Within the sesquiterpene quinol structures, dysiherbols A-C possess an intriguing 6/6/5/6-fused tetracyclic carbon skeleton. The NF-κB inhibitory and cytotoxic activity evaluation disclosed that dysiherbol A (1) showed potent activity with respective IC50 values of 0.49 and 0.58 μM, which were about 10-fold and 20-fold more potent than those of dysiherbols B (2) and C (3), which feature hydroxy and ketone carbonyl groups at the C-3 position.

This paper introduces the adjustment curve equations of district heating system commonly used in secondary network. On this basis, adjustment curve equations of the adjustment that combines quantity adjustment and quality adjustment are proposed. Then taken a community in Zhangjiakou as an example, we compare the power consumption of the adjustment scheme proposed in the paper with that of quality adjustment and quality adjustment with different quantitative ratio in each period. The analysis shows that the adjustment scheme has much more potential in energy-saving.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is an important source of residential gas in China. Conventional LPG vaporizer mainly depends on electric heating as its heat source. In this paper, a new LPG vaporization system using solar thermal energy is designed for a residential community in Beijing. A detailed economic analysis of the solar LPG vaporization system is performed by the use of life cycle savings (LCS) method. Mortgage payment, maintenance cost, fuel cost, income tax, salvage value and the time value of money are also taken into account. It is concluded that the solar vaporization system has a significant life cycle savings of 77,589 Yuan after 15 years and is more economical than the conventional electric vaporization system with the same vaporization capacity.

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in oleic acid and octadecene medium under high-temperature and dispersed in chloroform. Nitroaromatic explosives and their relative compounds, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), nitrobenzene (NB), 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNBCl) and p-nitrotoluene (NT) can obviously cause the fluorescence quenching of the synthesized QDs. Under the optimum conditions, a nonlinear response was observed over the concentration range of 10(-8) to 10(-5) M for them all. The modified Stern-Volmer quenching equations of ln I(0)/I versus C show a good linear relation in 10(-5) M order of magnitude, and the detection limits approach 10(-6) to 10(-7) M.

To establish an HPLC method for determination of chlorogenic acid and baicalin in Yinhuang film-coated tablets.HPLC isocratic elution was adopted, with the C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) as the chromatographic column, methanol-water-phosphoric acid (45: 55: 0.2) as the mobile phase. The flow rate was set at 1.0 mL x min(-1), and column temperature was set at 30 degrees C. The detection wavelength was 328 nm, and the sample size was 20 microL.At concentrations ranging between 2.200-44.00, 24.20-242.0 mg x L(-1), peak area of chlorogenic acid and baicalin showed good linear relationship, the average recoveries were 99.63% (RSD 1.8%, n = 9) and 99.72% (RSD 1.9%, n = 9), respectively.The method is simple that it can accurately measure the content of chlorogenic acid and baicalin in Yinhuang film-coated tablets.

To evaluate the application of ²⁰¹TI and (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy in assessment of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for osteosarcoma.Twenty-two patients with osteosarcoma underwent both ²⁰¹TI and (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy. According to tumor necrosis rate (TNR), 22 patients were classified into three groups: Group 1(necrosis less than 50%), Group 2(50% ≊ 89% necrosis) and Group 3(necrosis greater than 90%). The uptake ratio(UR) was obtained in images before and after chemotherapy. The alteration ratio(AR) and tumor necrosis ratio (TNR) were calculated.In ²⁰¹Tl images,UR(pre) and UR(post) (mean ± s.d.) of Group 1 were 2.14 ± 0.67, 2.07 ± 0.71 (P0.05); UR(pre) and UR(post)of Group 2 were 3.45 ± 1.57 and 2.02 ± 0.97 (P0.01); UR(pre) and UR(post) of Group 3 were 3.57 ± 0.67 and 1.36 ± 0.20 (P0.01). In (99m)Tc-MIBI images, UR(pre)and UR(post) of Group 1 were 1.66 ± 0.42 and 1.85 ± 0.70 (P0.05); UR(pre) and UR(post) of Group 2 were 2.39 ± 1.41 and 1.68 ± 0.72 (P0.05);UR(pre) and UR(post) of Group 3 were 2.56 ± 0.60 and 1.19 ± 0.14 (P0.01). The AR value in (201)Tl scintigraphy was -0.03-0.72, the liner regression analysis of AR versus TNR showed a highly significant positive correlation (r=0.95). The AR value in (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy was -1.21-0.64, the liner regression analysis of AR versus TNR showed a highly significant positive correlation (r=0.71). The liner regression analysis of AR in ²⁰¹TI scintigraphy versus AR in (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy showed a highly significant positive correlation (r=0.70).The AR changes significantly after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and is positively correlated with TNR, which indicates that ²⁰¹TI- and (99m)Tc-MIBI scintigraphy can be used for evaluation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

To investigate the value of(99m)Tc-MIBI/(18)F-FDG-dual-isotope simultaneous acquisition (DISA) in diagnosis and treatment of patients with myocardial infarction.Sixty-three patients with myocardial infarction who underwent DISA before and after treatment were enrolled in the study. All cases were divided into subgroups based on different treatment and myocardial viability: Group A1 (n = 16) with coronary revascularization and viable myocardium, A2 (n = 9) same as A1 but no viable myocardium; B1 (n = 6) with coronary revascularization + stem cell transplantation and viable myocardium, B2 (n = 7) same as B1 but no vital myocardium; C1 (n = 8) with stem cell transplantation and viable myocardium, C2 (n = 17) same as C1 but on viable myocardium. The changes of uptake rate of (99m)Tc-MIBI/(18)F-FDG before and after treatment were analyzed with SPSS 13.0 software.There were statistical significances in DF value of (99m)Tc-MIBI or (18)F-FDG imaging before and after treatment in all groups (P0.05), except Group A2 (P0.05). The improvement of blood perfusion and metabolism in cardiac survival groups was more marked than that in non-cardiac survival groups after treatment (P0.05). Furthermore, Group B1 was superior to Groups A1 and C1; Group B2 was superior to Group A2 and Group C2 (P0.05 or0.01).(99m)Tc-MIBI/(18)F-FDG DISA can detect myocardial viability and is of value for patients with myocardial infarction to choose appropriate therapeutic strategies. The degree of cardiac improvement after treatment can be evaluated by DISA.

A certain product of the air source heat pump is selected as the study object in the paper. By variant condition operating performance of such air source heat pump in variant condition of the air source heat pump offered by manufacturer, the thermodynamics analyses are made based on the first law of thermodynamics and exergy analyze theory. Coefficient of Performance (COP) and exergy efficiency in variant operating condition are calculated, and then the curves for the relationship of COP and exergy efficiency with the outlet temperature of the chilling water/heating water and the environment temperature are plotted. The COP functions concerning with the outlet temperature of the chilling water/heating water and the environment temperature are fitted. Conclusions on variant condition and operation of the air source heat pump are drawn by comparing these two theories. Finally, it indicates that the best operating condition should be set considering COP, exergy analysis and practical requirement for cold and thermal.

To observe the effect of isolating the chondrocytes from articular cartilage with the method of three-step enzymatic digestion, and the biological characteristics of the isolated chondrocytes during cultivation in vitro in order to evaluate their biological activity.The method of three-step enzymatic digestion was designed that the articular cartilage was digested one by one with the 1 g/L trypsin and 1 g/L EDTA, 1 g/L hyaluronidase and 2 g/L collagenase I in the culture medium to isolate chondrocytes. The harvesting and viability rate of the primary chondrocytes were detected. During the passage cultivation in vitro, the changes of the chondrocytes shape and growth were observed, the changes of the collagen type I and II and aggrecan in the extracellular matrix were investigated and detected.(1) The extracellular matrix of articular cartilage was completely dissolved by the three-step enzymatic digestion, and the chondrocytes were completely isolated from the solid matrix. The number of the harvested chondrocytes from every gram of wet cartilage was 50.3 x 10(6) on average, and their viability rate was 98.8% on average. (2) The primary and first passage chondrocytes had triangle or multi-angle shape, and became elliptic shape at the growing confluence with the positive immunohistochemical stain of collagen type II and the strong heterochromia to toluidine blue. The content of sulfate glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in the extracellular matrix of the primary passage cells was (92 +/- 10) microg/cm(2). The chondrocytes after the third passaging gradually became spindle shape with the negative stain of collagen type II and the weak heterochromia to toluidine blue. The content of sulfate GAG of the fourth passage cells was (48 +/- 12) microg/cm(2).(1) The method of three-step enzymatic digestion can make the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage completely degraded, and has advantages in the high efficiency of harvesting primary chondrocytes, high cellular viability rate and simple manipulation. (2) The primary and first passage chondrocytes have fine biological activity, and the chondrocytes after the third passaging have lost their special biological activity.

Objective: To investigate the role of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT in diagnosis and assessing severity of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: Thirty-eight patients with primary, tentative diagnosis of PD and eighteen age-matched normal controls were studied with 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT imaging. The regions of interests (ROIs) were drawn manually on cerebellum (CB), occipital cortex (OC) and three transverse plane slice-views of striatums, the semiquantitative BG (background)/[(OC+CB)/2] were then calculated. Results: A lower uptake of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 in striatums were displayed in thirty-six out of thirty-eight PD patients by visual inspection, compared to controls. In twenty-four PD cases with HYS (Hoehn and Yahr scale) stage I, a greater loss of DAT uptake was found in striatum and its subregions contralateral striatum to the affected limbs than in the same regions of the controls, although the striatal uptake was bilaterally reduced. Using Spearman correlation analysis showed that the reduction of the uptake ratios significantly correlated with the UPDRS in striatum and all its subregions in the PD group (P