The principal constituents of Radix Astragali include Radix Astragali soap glucoside,Radix Astragali polysaeeharide,amino-butyric acid,calcium and trace elements (selenium,manganese,iron,zinc,copper).Radix astragali has the function of protecting heart and kidney,two-ways regulating blood sugar and the blood pressure,resisting tumor,hypoxia,senile and oxidation,and enhancing immunity.This article reviewed pharmaceutical effects of Radix Astragali and its preparation of recent studies.

Objecteve To study the relation between the enhanced CT image parameters and metastasis, type of peripheral lung cancer. Methods The enhanced CT image parameters of 138 peripheral lung cancers confirmed by pathology were analyed retrospectively. Both plane scan and contrast-enhanced CT were performed in all the patients, and boundary CT value of each lung cancer was measured. Results Contrast-enhanced CT showed that peripheral lung cancer had big and bent peripheral vessels, and the peripheral density of tumor mass was correlated with its metastasis. The frequency of adenocarcinoma metastasis was higher than that of squamous carcinoma. Conclusion Contrast-enhanced CT was helpful for predicting the latent possibility of peripheral lung cancer metastasis.

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to investigate the effects of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and calcium hydroxide on proliferation and differentiation of human pulp cells from primary and permanent teeth.

METHODSCell proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The mRNA expression levels of dentinogenesis-related factors, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), and odontoclastogenesis-related factors, such as osteo- protegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), were determined by real time polymerase chain reac- tion (PCR).

RESULTSPrimary and permanent pulp cells treated with calcium hydroxide exhibited significantly lower proli- feration rates than the control cells (P<0.01). By contrast, the MTA-treated group showed significantly higher proliferation rates than the control group (P<0.01). Real time PCR results showed that calcium hydroxide-treated primary pulp cells exhi- bited significantly decreased ALP, DSPP, and OPG expression compared with the control group (P<0.01). Conversely, the MTA-treated group displayed significantly increased ALP, DSPP, and OPG expression (P<0.01). Calcium hydroxide-treated primary pulp cells also exhibited significantly upregulated RANKL expression (P < 0.01); by contrast, MTA-treated cells did not show any change in RANKL expression (P>0.05). Likewise, MTA-treated permanent pulp cells showed significantly upregulated ALP and DSPP expression (P < 0.01). However, the calcium hydroxide-treated group remained almost the same as the control group (P > 0.05). Neither MTA nor calcium hydroxide affected OPG and RANKL expression in per- manent pulp cells (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMTA is more suitable as a pulp-capping agent, particularly in primary teeth, than calcium hydroxide.

Aluminum Compounds ; Calcium Compounds ; Calcium Hydroxide ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Dental Pulp ; Dentition, Permanent ; Drug Combinations ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Humans ; Oxides ; Phosphoproteins ; Sialoglycoproteins ; Silicates

AIM: To evaluate the reliability of making a research model of coronary artery stenosis and local myocardial infarction reproduced in dog by ligating canine LAD. METHODS: We disparted 30 aged healthy cross-breed dogs [(18.5?6.7) kg] into three groups. The near part of the LAD through left minimal thoracic incision was ligated to interdict 25% (group A), 50% (group B), 75% (group C) of the flux, respectively. The changes of plasma endothelium-derived factors NO, ET-1, sP-selectin and CTnT were measured before ligation and at different time points after ligation. The expression of P-selectin gene in cardiac muscle was detected by Western blotting. The segments of distal parts of the ligated LAD were cut and pathological changes of the patches of topical cardiac muscle were observed by electronic microscope. RESULTS: After ligation, NO/ET-1, P-selectin and CTnT had significant changes in group B (P

Objective To observe the effect of psychological support therapy on anxiety resulted from pain after stroke. Methods 40 patients with anxiety after stroke were divided equally into psychological support treatment group and control group. They were assessed with Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain before and after treatment. Results The scores of HAMA and VAS improved more in treatment group than in control group (P<.01). Conclusion The psychological support therapy can reduce the anxiety and pain after stroke.

Objective:To differentiate human embryonic stem cells ( hESCs ) into keratinocytes ( K-hESCs) and analyse the expression characteristics of biomarkers of K-hESCs.Methods: The hESCs of line H9 were seeded on matrigel in mTeSR1 medium.The hESCs were directly differentiated into kerati-nocytes in epithelial differentiation medium with bone morphogenetic protein 4, retinoic acid and N2 sup-plement.The karyotype of K-hESCs was analyzed, comparing the gene expression differences of K-hESCs with human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs), human immortalized oral epithelial cells (HIOECs) and HaCaT by Real-time PCR.Molecular characteristics of the cell differentiation were observed throughout the process by immunocytochemical techniques.Results:H9-hESCs were successfully differentiated into the cells that exhibited characteristics of keratinocytes in epithelial differentiation medium.The karyotype of K-hESCs was 46, XX; and the keratinocyte gene p63 expression in K-hESCs was significantly lower than that in HaCaT ( P<0.05) , but there was no significant difference of p63 expression in K-hESCs, comparing with that in HGECs and HIOECs ( P >0.05 ) .Conclusion: H9-hESCs could be directly differentiated into K-hESCs.The gene expression of K-hESCs was similar to that of epithelial cells in the early stage of monolayer cells differentiation with high proliferative activity.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of Citrus medica var. sareodactylis from Sichuan province, and to provide evidence for the development and utilization and quality evaluation of the medicinal material.Methods Various chromatographic techniques were used to purify the components of this herb. Compounds were identi-fied by their physical characteristics and spectral feature. Results Seven compounds were isolated from Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, and they were identified as sibiricol (Ⅵ), 7-methylesculetin (Ⅶ), bergapten (Ⅷ), sigmasteryl acetate(Ⅸ), 5-methoxyfurfural(Ⅹ), limonin(Ⅺ), daucosterol (Ⅻ). Conclusion Compound Ⅵ, Ⅶ and Ⅸ are isolated from plants of Rutaceae for the first time.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling in the occurrence and progression of diabetic nephropathy.Methods The miRNA expression profiling was detected by miRNA TaqMan Low Density Array chip from 10 patient with diabetic nephropathy,10 diabetes patients with normoalbuminuria and 10 health control.Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to verify the result of miRNA array in serum samples of 66 patients with diabetic nephropathy (36 patients with microalbuminuria,30 patients with macroalbuminuria),40 diabetes patients with normoalbuminuria and 40 health control.And the relationship of differetial expression with clinical features was analyzed.Results miR-150-5p,miR-155-5p,miR-30e-5p and miR-3196 being validated by real-time quantitative PCR differentially expressed in 3 groups of serum samples from the diabetes patients with microalbuminuria (n=36),with normoalbuminuria (n=40) and health control (n=40) (P ＜ 0.05).Serum miR-150-5p (P=0.005) and miR-155-5p (P=0.006) changed significantly between diabetes patients with microalbuminuria (n=36) and with macroalbuminuria (n=30).Compared with the diabetes patients with microalbuminuria,serum miR-150-5p and miR-155-5p increased by 2.3 and 1.5 times in macroalbuminuria group,respectively.Estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary albumin excretion rate significantly correlated with serum miR-150-5p and miR-155-5p level.Conclusions miR-150-5p and miR-155-5p may be involved in the process of pathological mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy.Serum miR-150-5p and miR-155-5p may be regarded as potential biomarkers to diagnosis the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy.

ObjectiveTo assess the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy(CIMT) on sub-acute stroke patients with upper extremity motor dysfunction.Methods63 patients with hemiplegia after stroke were divided into two groups: control group(31 cases) and CIMT group(32 casese). The two groups received the regular rehabilitation training for 14 d. Then the control group went on the the regular rehabilitation training, while the CIMT group received CIMT for 14 d. All patients were assessed by the Action Research Arm Test(ARAT) and Fugl-Meyer(FMA) on the first day, the 15th day and the 30th day after the treatment.ResultsARAT score and FMA scores were higher in CIMT group than in the control group 30 d after the treatment and in CIMT group 15 days after the treatment(P<0.001).ConclusionCIMT is more effective to improve the upper limb motor function of the sub-acute stroke patients than the regular rehabilitation training.

Cell migration or movement is a highly dynamic cellular process, requiring precise regulation that is essential for a variety of biological processes. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of tiny non-coding RNA molecules that function as critical post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Emerging evidence demonstrates that miRNAs play important roles in cell migration and directly contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, cell adhesion, and cell signalling that controls cell migration by targeting a large number of protein-coding genes. Accordingly, the dysregulation of these miRNAs has been linked to several migration-related diseases. In this review, we summarize and highlight the recent advances concerning the roles and validated targets of miRNAs in the control of cell movement.
Animals ; Cell Movement ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; RNA ; genetics ; RNA, Untranslated ; genetics