Objective To improve the quality standard for Xielixiao Pills. Methods Rhizoma coptidis, Radix paeoniae alba, Fructus evodia, Poria were identified by TLC. The content of Berberine Hydrochloride was determined by HTLC. Results The identification and content determination methods were simple, accurate, exclusive, and with good reproducibility. Conclusion The improving quality standard can control the quality of this product effectively.

In recent years,Wnt/?-catenin signaling has been identified as a key player in embryogenesis and human diseases.Canonical Wnt signaling pathway is controlled by a variety of classic molecules like Wnt,?-catenin,Axin,APC,GSK-3? and CK1,which interact and coordinate to regulate the expressions of cell signaling molecules.The latest evidences suggest that some components of the Wnt/?-catenin signaling,like APC,GSK-3?,CK1,Dkk2 and WISE,play dual roles different from what they have been thought previously.Here we reviewed some recent discoveries on the canonical Wnt/?-catenin signaling pathway to provide some new ideas and principles for signaling transduction studies.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of the kidney injure in the newborn rats with endotoxemia.Methods Eighty Wistar rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into 2 groups:control group (intraperitoneal injection of saline of 0.1 ml;n = 40),lipopolysaccharide(LPS) group(intraperitoneal injection of LPS of 5 mg/kg;n =40).The rats in either group were killed at 1 h,4 h,8 h and 12 hours after intraperitoneal injection,respectively.The expressions of NF-κB and TGF-β1 in the kidney were detected by using the immunohistochemical assay.Renal ultrastructural changes was observed with a CM100 Philips electron microscope.Results The NF-κB in control group had no expression.NF-κB in LPS group mainly expressed in the renal tubular epithelial cell,increased at 1 h after test and peaked at 8 h,and slightly descended at 12 h.The expression of TGF-β1 in control group was slight,and had not show significant difference from control group at 1 h,4 h and 8 h,but significantly higher than that in control group at 12 h.In LPS group,newborn rat renal glomerular basement membrane was complete,part epithelial cell foot processes were fused and renal tubules epithelial cell mild mitochondria vacuolization was found at 4 h.Renal glomeruli epithelial cell foot processes obvious confluenced,quantities of mesangial cells mitochondria vacuole,and renal tubules epithelial cell mitochondria expanded to bubbles at 12 h.Conclusion The NF-κB involves in the pathogenesis of kidney damage induced by endotoxemia,but TGF-β1 may help to repair the damaged kidney,and may repress the production of NF-κB.

Objective To investigate the related factors for Alzheimer's disease(AD) in Han versus Uygur populations in Uygur Autonomous Region.Methods A case-control study was conducted.Firstly,people over 50 years old were involved in epidemiology inquisition in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.Then we screened for dementia by MMSE and scrutinized the person who got the score of MMSE for illiteracy(≤17),elementary school(＜20),middle school and above it(＜ 24)by Hachinski Ischemic Score(HIS) and activity of daily living scale(ADL).Finally,AD cases were diagnosed by standard of the national institute of neurologic,communicative disorders and stroke and AD-related disorders association (NINCDS-ADRDA),and controls were selected based on age roughly.Univariate and multivariate analysis of related factors for AD in the two populations were conducted by using logistic regression mode.Results There were 109 AD cases and 218 controls in Han population and 127 AD cases and 254 controls in Uygur population.Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk for AD in Han population was increased by 3.078,1.369 and 2.794 folds respectively in women,people with high level of serum total cholesterol and people with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as compared with men,people with normal level of serum total cholesterol and people with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(OR =3.078,1.369 and 2.794,respectively,all P＜ 0.05); and the risk for AD in Uygur population was increased by 3.279,3.447,1.407 and 1.746 folds respectively in women,people with brain trauma history,and people with high level of serum triglyceride and total cholesterol as compared with men,people without brain trauma history and with normal level of serum triglyceride and total cholesterol(OR=3.279,3.447,1.407 and 1.746,all P＜ 0.05).Conclusions The study demonstrates that female and high total cholesterol are the risk factors for AD in both of Han and Uygur populations.High level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is one of the risk factors for AD in Han population,and brain trauma history and high level of serum triglyceride are risk factors for AD in Uygur population.

ACKGROUND: Adriamycin (ADM) can specifically conjugate with receptor. In particular, ADM nanopartides play a target role in decreasing the cytotoxicity.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the targeting effect of addamycin nanoparticles conjugated with hyaluronic acid (ADM-HA-SSL) on oral squamous carcinomas calls in vitro.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An in vitro contrast observation was performed in College of Madne Life Science, Ocean University of China from January to July 2008. MATERIALS: Oral squamous carcinomas calls were sincerely presented by Professor Chen from the Ninth People's Hospital of Shanghai; ADM-HA-SSL (drug loading 156 mg/L) was sincerely presented by Professor Liu from College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of Chine.METHODS: Oral squamous carcinomas cells were cultured with 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/L ADM-HA-SSL. MTT assay was used to detect the targeted cytotoxicity of ADM-HA-SSL against oral squamous cell carcinomas. With the concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/L, call apoptosis was ascertained by call flow cytometry after 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cell survival rate and apoptosis rate.RESULTS: At 24 and 48 hours after induction, cytotoxicity assay revealed that the effect of ADM-HA-SSL was superior to that of free ADM (t=5.78-42.05, P < 0.01). The results of flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate was enhanced with the increase of the time (F=4 200.40, 4 775.36, P < 0.01), and the rate was also increased at the same time point with the increase ofconcentration (t=12.06-20.08, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: ADM-HA-SSL can specifically recognize oral squamous carcinomas cells and deliver adriamycin into the cells. And the effect is enhanced by the time prolonging.

Objective To identify the role of microRNA-17(miR-17)in human glioma U87 cells invasion which may regulate expression of matriv metalloproteinase(MMP)-2.Methods U87 cells were cultured in vitro,while changes in cellular morphology were observed by phase contrast microscope.The miR-17 which might regulate the expression of MMP-2 was predicted by bioinformatics and identified using dual luciferase report system.Expressions of miR-17 and MMP-2 were determined using real-time PCR and Western blot after transfection of miR-17 mimics.The invasion of U87 cells was detected in vitro by Transwell chamber.Results Expression of MMP-2 was positive by immunofluorescence cytochemistry. Using dual luciferase reporter system,miR-17 could inhibit the expression of MMP-2 by binding to its mRNA 3′UTR. Results of real-time PCR and Western blot showed that over-expression of miR-17 down-regulated expression of MMP-2. The invasion of U87 cells was suppressed by over-expression of miR-17.Conclusion MiR-17 may negatively regulate expression of MMP-2 in human glioma U87 cells and inhibit cell invasion.

To investigate the gene expression changes in the degenerated cervical intervertebral discs of rats, and to study the function of Yiqi Huayu Bushen Recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, and its discomposed formulas in regulating gene expressions in the degenerated cervical intervertebral discs.

OBJECTIVE: To make an animal model of cervical spondylosis (arthralgia syndrome type) with stimulation of wind, cold, and dampness. METHODS: Twenty-four 8 months old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly allocated into four groups: normal control group, light stimulation group, moderate stimulation group and severe stimulation group. The wind speed was 10.8-13.8 m/s, the temperature was (5+/-0.5)degrees centigrade, and the humidity was 100%. The rabbits of light, moderate, and severe stimulation groups were kept in the above-mentioned environments for 4 hours everyday, and for a total of 32, 64, and 128 hours, respectively. The intervertebral discs were stained with HE method, and observed with a light microscope. Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), 6-ketone-prostaglandin F1alpha (6-K-PGF(1alpha)) and thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) contents were measured by ELISA. Fas and Bcl-2 expressions were examined by immunohistochemical avidin-biotin peroxidose complex technique. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) mRNA expressions were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The nucleus pulposus of rabbits in the light and moderate stimulation groups shrunken, and in the severe stimulation group, the anulus fibrosus loosed or ruptured, and the cartilage end-plate became proliferated. Compared with rabbits in the normal control group, the PGE(2) content rose in the light stimulation group, the contents of PGE(2), 6-K-PGF(1alpha), and TXB(2) increased, the expressions of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNAs and Fas were up-regulated, and the expressions of TGF-beta mRNA and Bcl-2 were down-regulated in the moderate and severe stimulation groups. The expression of Fas was up-regulated mostly and Bcl-2 was down-regulated mostly in the severe group. CONCLUSION: Moderate and severe stimulations of wind, cold and dampness can lead to degeneration of cervical intervertebral discs of rabbits. The model corresponds to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine about arthralgia syndrome caused by wind, cold and dampness.

According to the recommended diagnostic criteria of obese adults in Asia-Pacific region,8 284 cases of middle-aged and elderly people in Uygur and Han populations were collected randomly to study the status and distribution characteristics of two nationalities.Standardized prevalences of obesity were 20.1 2%in Uygurs and 23.077%in Hans.Woman in Hans reached the highest prevalence.Alcohol-drinking,abnormal giycometabolism,and serum cholesterol levels were the most relevant risk factors.

Objective To explore the relation between plasmocytoid dentritic cells (pDCs) and cerebral immune-inflammation reaction following ischemic stroke. Methods Circulating pDCs were measured by flow cytometry in 62 patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), 26 healthy controls, 12 patients with asymptomatic cerebral infarction stenosis (ACI-S), and 14 patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA). The sizes of infarct lesions were assessed by DWI scanning. AIS group was further divided into lacunar infarction group, small infarction group,and large infarction group according to the infarction area. The correlation between the number of pDCs and NHISS score and CRP level was also analyzed in AIS group. Results The labsolute number of pDCs and the percentage of pDCPs to circulating blood white cells were significantly lower in AIS group than in the healthy control group (P<0.001). As compared with lacunar infarction group, the number of pDCPs decreased significantly in large infarction group. The number of pDCPs was negatively correlated with the levels of CRP and the NIHSS score. Conclutions Patients with AIS has a decreased level of circulating pDCs, which may be involved in the gathering of circulating pDCs in the infarcted brain to trigger cerebral immune reaction.