Microbiome is a novel research field related to human health,agriculture,bio-energy and the environment. Gut microbiome has received much attention from researchers recently. Studies have shown that gut flora is related to some diseases,such as digestive disease(inflammatory bowel disease),metabolic disease(type 2 diabetes), cardie-cerebral vascular disease(Parkinson disease). Traditional Chinese materia medica(TCMM) has long been used as a tonic and taken in a large amount. Gut flora has an effect on pharmacology and toxicology of TCMM after entering the gastroin?testinal tract. This article is intended to review recent researches on microbiome,common detection techniques and the relationship with hepatotoxicity induced by Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.,scutel?laria baicalensis that directly affects the intestinal tract,nephrotoxicity induced by Rhizoma Alismatis and pneumonia induced by Xiao-Chaihu-Tang.

Objective:A study was conducted to observe and compare the efficacy and safety of endostar combined with peme-trexed in elderly patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods:Sixty advanced lung adenocarcinoma (ⅢB-Ⅳ) patients who never received any therapy were included. The patients were divided into two groups. One group comprised endostar treatment com-bined with pemetrexed (26 cases of males, 15 cases of females, and 11 cases of individuals aged 65 years old to 78 years old), and the other group comprised pemetrexed only (34 cases of males, 20 cases of female, and 14 cases of individuals aged 65 years old to 78 years old). The two groups were treated for 4 to 6 cycles, and evaluation of treatments was performed every two cycles. Results:The endostar group was re-treated for 80 cycles, and the average cycle was 3.1. The group without endostar was re-treated for 115 cycles. The short-term effects are as follows. The total effective rates (RRs) in the experimental and control groups were 23.1%and 14.7%, re-spectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The disease control rate (DCR) was not significantly different (P>0.05). For pleural effusion, RR and DCR were significantly better in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). In the experimental group, compared with PD, the microvessel density (MVD) in the DCR showed higher expression, and a statistically signif-icant difference (P=0.03) was observed. In the control group, compared with PD, the MVD in the DCR also showed higher expression, but no significant difference (P=0.73) was observed. The long-term effects were as follows: median progression-free survival (PFS), median survival, and side effects between the two groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). Conclusion: Endostar combined with pemetrexed showed increase in total efficiency in elderly patients with lung adenocarcinoma, and malignant pleural effusion was controlled without increasing the toxicity of chemotherapy. MVD can be used as a predictor of Endostar application.

Objective To explore any effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the proprioception and balance of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods Forty patients with KOA were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG),each of 20.The PNF techniques of isotonic combined contraction,and rhythmic stable and dynamic reversal were applied in the EG,while the CG received quadriceps muscle strength training.Knee proprioception was evaluated using knee angle reconstruction experiments,and balance ability was measured using the one leg standing test (OLS) and the five times sit to stand test (FTSST).Results The errors in active and passive knee angle reconstruction at 30°,60° and 110° all improved significantly in the EG,but not in the CG.After the treatment,the OLS and FTSST results improved significantly in the EG,but only the OLS results improved significantly in the CG,not the FTSST times.Even so,the average OLS time in the EG was significantly longer than that of the CG after the training.Conclusion Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation can improve the proprioception and balance of persons with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective To observe the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on osteogenic differentiation abili?ty and cell proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs), and to explore the role of bFGF on the process of osteogenic differencitiaion in vitro. Methods HGFs were cultured in vitro until the 3rd passage when they were divided into four groups:normal medium as group 1, normal medium with 10μg/L bFGF as group 2, osteogenic medium as group 3 and osteo?genic medium with 10μg/L bFGF as group 4. MTT assay was used to evaluate the proliferation of HGFs. Alkaline phospha?tase (ALP) staining and Alizarin red staining were applied to investigate osteogenic potential of HGFs under different culture conditions. Results bFGF at concentration of 10 μg/L could increase HGFs proliferation in both normal and osteogenic medium (P<0.01). HGFs could be induced towards osteogenic differentiation and form mineralized nodule in osteogenic me?dium. However, 10μg/L bFGF had no effects on ALP activity and mineralized nodule formation of HGFs during osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion bFGF could promote the proliferation of HGFs but show no effects on osteogenic differentiation of HGFs at concentration of 10μg/L.

Objective To investigate the potential mechanism of inhibition of ursolic acid(UA) on growth of human gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901 in vitro.Methods SGC7901 cells were cultured in vitro,MTT assay was used to observe the effect of UA on growth of SGC7901 cells in various concentrations for different times.After SGC7901 cells were treated by 0—40 ?mol/L UA for 24 h,morphological changes were observed by inverted microscope.Apoptotic changes were detected by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM).Protein expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blotting.Results UA(20—40 ?mol/L) could significantly inhibit the growth of SGC7901 cells in a(dose-and) time-dependent manner,the IC_(50) value of UA for SGC7901 cells for 12,24,36,and 48 h were((57.50?)1.18),(34.28?2.05),(27.54?1.11),and(24.83?1.02) ?mol/L,respectively.After UA((20—)40 ?mol/L) treatment for 24 h,SGC7901 cells turned round and floated at different levels;SGC7901 cells were arrested at G_0/G_1 phase and apoptosis was induced,and the apoptotic rate was increased along with the increase of UA concentration.Meanwhile Bcl-2 protein expression decreased,whereas Bax protein expression unchanged.Conclusion UA has a stronger antitumor effect on SGC7901 cells.Cytotoxic effect,proliferation inhibition,and apoptosis may be involoved in the mechanism of UA,and the apoptosis caused by UA may be enhanced by decrease of Bcl-2 protein expression.

AIM: To explore the curative effect of methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy on thyroid associated ophthalmopathy.
METHODS:Fifty- one cases ( 96 eyes ) with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy were treated with methylprednisolone ( 500mg/d ) for 3d, and then retrobulbar injection of octreotide (0. 1mg/mo) for 3mo in one course. Symptoms and signs of the patients were observed before and after the treatment course.
RESULTS: Symptoms of 49 cases were improved significantly. In all cases, the mean value of exophthalmus of the patients was significantly decreased after the treatment by 3. 1 ± 1. 4mm. The height of palpebral fissure was significantly decreased after the treatment by 2. 4 ± 0. 9mm, there were statistically significant difference before and after treatment (P<0. 05).
COCLUSION: Methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy can improve symptoms and signs of the patients with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy with high safety and no obvious side effect.

Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; diagnosis ; Pleural Effusion

Objective To study the prognostic influencing factors for intravenous thrombolysis combined with endovascular interventional therapy in patients with acute moderate to severe cerebral infarction. Methods From September 2013 to December 2015,the clinical data of 179 patients with moderate to severe acute cerebral infarction treated with intravenous thrombolysis combined with endovascular interventional therapy at the Cerebrovascular Disease Center,Shanghai Changhai Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. They were all treated with intravenous thrombolysis combined at least 1 endovascular interventional therapy (intra-arterial thrombolysis,mechanical thrombectomy or stenting)within 4. 5 h after onset. The patients with mRS ≤2 were divided into a good prognosis group (n = 71),those with 3≤mRS≤ 6 were divided into a poor prognosis group (n = 108)according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores after 3 months of treatment. The clinical data of both groups were analyzed,including age,sex,previous history,the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)score and Alberta stroke program early CT score (ASPECTS)immediately before and after treatment. The influencing factors of prognosis were further analyzed with multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Results The rate of good prognosis was 39. 7%(71 / 179). There were significant differences in age,history of transient ischemic attack at 1 week before the disease onset,the NIHSS score,and ASPECTS score before thrombolysis (62 ± 14 years vs. 71 ± 11 years,8. 4% (6 / 71)vs. 1. 9% (2 / 108),16 ± 6 vs. 19 ± 6,and 9. 5 ± 1. 0 vs. 8. 5 ± 1. 9,respectively;all P < 0. 05). There were no significantly difference in other stroke risk factors between the 2 groups (all P > 0. 05). There were significant differences in the NIHSS score immediately after treatment,24 h intracranial hemorrhage transformation,and intraparenchymal hemorrhage between the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group (10 ± 3 vs. 15 ± 7,7. 0%[5 / 71]vs. 28. 7%[31 / 108],and 0 vs. 12. 0%[13 / 108];all P < 0. 01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the age (OR,1. 047,95% CI 1. 014 -1. 081;P = 0. 005),NIHSS score immediately after treatment (OR,1. 121,95% CI 1. 050 -1. 196;P =0. 001)were the prognostic risk factors for intravenous thrombolysis combined with endovascular interven-tional therapy for moderate to severe cerebral infarction. The ASPECTS on admission (OR,0. 382,95% CI 0. 233 -0. 627;P < 0. 01)was the protective factor. Conclusions The age and the NIHSS score immediately after treatment are the prognostic risk factors for intravenous thrombolysis combined with endovascular inter-ventional therapy for moderate to severe cerebral infarction. With the increase of age and the NIHSS score after treatment,the prognosis of patients is even worse. With the increase of ASPECTS score at admission,the prognosis is better.

Objective To investigate the pluripotency of human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs), and provide a novel cell source for tissue engineering. Methods With informed consent from volunteers, fresh and healthy gingiva were collected. The hGFs were obtained from the gingiva by tissue culture. The third passage of hGFs was cultured in osteogenic medium, chondrogenic medium and adipogenic medium. Cells without differentiation were taken as control. Cells were examined by al?kaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, Alizarin red staining, Alcian blue staining and oil red O staining for detecting of the abili?ty of differentiation pluripotency. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to examine the expression of osteogenic marker genes ALP, runt-related transcript factor 2 (Runx2), chondrogenic marker aggrecan (AGR) and adipogenic marker peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 (PPARγ2). Results The hGFs cultured in osteogenic medium showed massive violet deposit at day 7 and calcium nodulus at day 28, meanwhile, the expressions of ALP and Runx2 were higher than those of control (P<0.01). In chondrogenic group cells were found blue deposit at day 14. In adipogenic group lipid-filled droplets stained with oil red O were found in cells at day 14. However, hGFs in control group had no any positive stain?ing. Furthermore, expressions of AGR and PPARγ2 were significantly higher than those of control (P<0.01). Conclusion Human gingival fibroblasts have the pluripotency of osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation.

Objective To summarize the early experience of thymectomy by robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) with the da Vinci S Surgical System.Methods A total of 16 patients was underwent thymectomy from October 2016 to May 2017 by RATS.Among them,there were 10 cases of thymic hyperplasia,5 cases of thymoma and 1 case of thymic small cell carcinoma,including 11 cases of myasthenia gravis (MG).The Osserman types were as follows:type Ⅰ (5),type ⅡA (3),type ⅡB (2),and type Ⅲ (1).Clinical data were collected and analyzed.Results The operations were successfully accomplished by RATS in all the 16 patients without any conversion to open surgery and major complication.The docking time was 2-45 (11.69 ± 11.03) min.The operation time was 47-152 (84.06 ± 25.67) min.The blood loss was 0-150 (57.50 ± 37.32) ml.The diameter of thymus or tumor was 4-19.5 cm and (8.22 ± 3.64) cm.Fourteen cases were removed tracheal intubation in the operation day,and the other 2 cases taked off in 6th and 8th days.One case occurred myasthenia gravis crisis after surgery.All patients were followed up for 2-7 months after discharge without MG recurrence.Conclusions The da Vinci S Surgical System can be safely,accurately and stably used for thymectomy.