Notch signal pathway is closely related to the organism's development and a variety of cancers. Current models available for screening modulators of Notch signal pathway all use mouse Notch protein as substrates and those models which use human Notch protein have not been reported. To make the screen results much more reliable, the authors cloned a truncated form of human Notch1 called N100, and built the screening models for the use of it instead of mouse Notch protein. The models included an in vitro screening model based on the purified gamma-secretase enzyme and a cell model using luciferase reporter system. The screening models then have been verified by the known modulators of Notch signal pathway and the IC50 values have been obtained. The verified models can be used to screen modulators of human Notch signaling pathway effectively and it can lay the foundation for finding new modulators of this kind effectively.

Notch signal pathway is closely related to the organism's development and a variety of cancers. Current models available for screening modulators of Notch signal pathway all use mouse Notch protein as substrates and those models which use human Notch protein have not been reported. To make the screen results much more reliable, the authors cloned a truncated form of human Notch1 called N100, and built the screening models for the use of it instead of mouse Notch protein. The models included an in vitro screening model based on the purified gamma-secretase enzyme and a cell model using luciferase reporter system. The screening models then have been verified by the known modulators of Notch signal pathway and the IC50 values have been obtained. The verified models can be used to screen modulators of human Notch signaling pathway effectively and it can lay the foundation for finding new modulators of this kind effectively.
Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases ; Animals ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; Humans ; Luciferases ; Mice ; Receptors, Notch ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Signal Transduction

Objective To investigate the correlation between normal ascending aortic elasticity and the left ventricular function by 256 slice iCT.Methods 105 subjects who underwent CTA and echocardiography inspection and diagnosed with normal coronary artery and without ascending aortic atherosclerosis were collected.Subjects were divided into three groups according to age and two groups according to gender respectively.Left ventricular function parameter values on CT were measured, including ESV,EDV,SV,EF,CO and MM.The aortic elasticity on CT and echocardiography was measured and calculated respectively on cross-sectional area at 15 mm above aortic valve.The relationship between ascending aortic elasticity and the left ventricular function was evaluated.Results Bland-Altman plot revealed that there was a good conformity between CT and echocardiography in measurement the value of ascending aortic elasticity(ICC=0.988,P<0.05).In different grougs of age,normal ascending aortic elasticity was positively correlated with EDV,ESV,SV,EF and negatively correlated with MM.There was no correlation with the CO.There was a negative relationship between aortic elasticity and age(r=-0.546,P<0.05)

Angelicae Sinensis Radix, dried roots of Angelicae sinensis, is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. Six compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel and preparative HPLC. According to physicochemical properties and spectral data, the compounds were identified as senkyunolide H-7-acetate (1), o-phthalic acid (2), diisobutyl phthalate (3), p-hydroxyphenylethanol ferulate (4), ferulic acid (5) and coniferylferulate (6). Compound 1 was a new one.
Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Benzofurans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Dibutyl Phthalate ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of three vaginal bacteria inspection methods of Amsel method,gram staining Nugent score method and bacterial vaginosis (BV) Blue methodMethods The leucorrhea specimen of 99 vaginal fluid abnormal patients were examined by Amsel method,gram staining Nugent score method and BV Blue method,then compared and analyzedResultsThe positive rate was 28.28％ (28/99) in Amsel method,47.47％(47/99) in gram staining Nugent score method and 16.16％ (16/99) in BV Blue method.There were significant differences among three methods(P＜ 0.01 ).The specificity and sensitivity of gram staining Nugent score method was higher.ConclusionThe three vaginal bacteria inspection methods have advantage and shortcoming individually,suspecting patients should be followed up to detect and diagnose in chnic,or detected by many methods.The specificity and sensitivity of gram staining Nugent score method is higher,but BV Blue method is simple,faster,which has higher value in detection and diagnosis in BV.

Objective　To evaluate the diagnositic value of exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) in patients with pacemaker-dependnet.Methods　Forty-six patients remained pacemaker dependent with a fixed heart rate throughout ESE and coronary angiographic studies.Results　Thirty-four of 46 patients completed the ESE. Coronary artery disease was confirmed in 28 of 34 who had coronary angiograms. ESE had a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 83% in pacemaker-dependent patients.Conclusions　ESE has preserved diagnostic utility in pacemaker dependent patients with absolute chronotropic incompetence.

Vascular calcification is a process similar to bone de-velopment, which is excessively abnormal deposition of calcium and phosphate in blood vessel wall. It is a sign of early athero-sclerosis formation, and can reduce the atherosclerotic vascular compliance. The common regulation of vascular calcification is affected by many factors. This article discusses the formation of vascular calcification from the molecular mechanism, the chemi- ＜br> cal mechanism and metabolic factors. It also reviews the progress of the prevention of vascular calcification by traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective To observe the efficacy of growth hormone ( GH) co-treatment in poor responders undergoing IVF-ET.Methods To analyze all the ovaries low response patients treated by IVF/ICSI,80 cases were ran-domly divided into two groups:40 patients in GH group were given GH along with Gn daily until the HCG administra-tion.40 patients in the control group received the same treatment protocol except the GH co -treatment.The catching spawn number and MⅡova,fertile rate,the number of perfect embryos ,pregnant rate were observed .The serum con-centrations of IGF-I,IGFBP-3 were detected by ELISA and compared between the two groups .Results The number of oocytes retrieved ,number of MII oocytes ,cleavage ,number of embryos available of GH group were increased without statistical significance(all P>0.05 ).The serum IGFBP-3 level of 2 groups had no statistical significance .The fertile rate,pregnant rate ,serum IGF-I level were significantly higher in GH group than those in the control group ( all P<0.05).Conclusion GH co-treatment in poor responders could improve the outcome of IVF-ET,which imply that GH could improve the quality of oocytes and embryos related to the elevated IGF-1 level in serum .

Objective To observe the cerebral activation by functional MRI(F MRI) during the thumb movement in different motor fashion. Methods Four stroke patients with hemiplegia were involved in this study During the examination by F MRI, these patients were asked to move thumbs in passive, active and overcoming resistance fashion. Results (1) During the thumb at unaffected side moving in active fashion, functional activity was observed in the contralateral primary motor cortex In passive fashion, however, functional activity was observed in contralateral somatosensory cortex The overcoming resistance motor test was associated with activity in bilateral primary motor cortex and somatosensory cortex (2) The same motor tests were made in movement of the thumb at affected side , functional activity appeared not only in primary motor cortex, somatosensory cortex of affected side, but also in basal ganglia(affected area), frontal lobe, supplementary motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and contralateral primary motor cortex. Conclusion These results have proved the neurorehabilitation theory such as neuroplasticity and so on

Objective To evaluate the use of bunching forceps during radical prostatectomy. Methods 14 cases of radical prostatectomy/cystectomy were performed with the use of bunching forceps to control bleeding from the dorsal vein complex. Results The procedure resulted in minimal bleeding from dorsal complex and was helpful in rhabdosphincter. Conclusions The bunching forceps is very valuable for controlling bleeding from dorsal vein complex and for preserving rhabdosphincter.