A series of epidemiological and experimental studies demonstrate a positive and significant association between exposure to particulate matter and cardiovascular-related incidence and hospitalization. Several possible mechanisms have been proposed,including vascular dysfunction,atherogenesis,arrhythmogenesis and oxidative stress and inflammation. So far the studies on the effect of particulate matter derived from dust events on cardiovascular diseases are limited,and different conclusions are drawn. The advances in recent studies were reviewed in this paper,and suggestions for further research were made.

Objective To estimate quantitatively the impact of the ambient PM10 on the hospital outpatients for cardiovascular diseases of local residents. Methods Time serial analysis using generalized addictive model (GAM) was applied. After controlling for those confounding factors such as long-term trend, weekly pattern and meteorological factors, considering lag effect and the influence of other air pollutants, excess relative risks (ER) of daily hospital visits associated with increasing PM10 level were estimated by fitting a Poisson regression model. Results A 10 ?g/m3 increase in PM10 levels was associated with an ER of 0.380% (95%CI: 0.326% ～0.433%) for hospital visits for cardiovascular diseases. Lag effect of 4 days with an ER of 1.166% (95%CI:1.121%～1.212%) were observed. The ER value increased when CO, NO2, SO2 concentrations were introduced. Conclusion The ambient PM10 concentration is positively associated with daily hospital visits for cardiovascular diseases in Beijing.

The transcription factor of ethylene responsive factor binding protein (ERF) is belonged to AP2/ERF superfamily, which is known to be unique in plants. AP2/ERF proteins have important functions in the transcriptional regulation of a variety of biological processes related to growth and development, as well as various responses to environmental stimuli. An ERF gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza is cloned and divided into ERF gene family group VII of Arabidopsis and Rice. It contains a MCGGAI (I/L) motif referred to as CMVII-1 and a single intron in the 5'-flanking region of the AP2/ERF domain. Sequence analysis reveals that the region of second extron has abundant polymorphism sites. There are 21 single nucleotide polymorphism sites (SNPs) in the 264 bp region, among them, 14 SNPs are synonymous substitutions and 7 SNPs are non-synonymous substitutions. Though analysis of 181 samples from Shandong, Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces, it reveals that each production area has its own special genotypes, 5 SNPs show significant difference. Cluster based on UPGMA method reveals that different populations from specific province have clustered together. It shows that SmERF gene will be a candidate molecular marker for the identification of Salvia miltiorrhiza from different areas.

Objective To study the changes of life span and pathology in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)-G93A mice after intracardiac transplantation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs).Methods hMSCs were isolated from bone marrow cells obtained from healthy donors and cultured.The purity and morphology were assessed by flow cytometry (FCM).hMSCs (3×10~6) resuspended in 0.2 ml DMEM was injected into the heart of 8 week-old SOD1-G93A mice.In non-transplantion control SOD1-G93A mice, only DMEM was injected.The mice were evaluated for signs of motor deficit with 4-point scoring system previously described by Weydt et al.The age of onset and life span in mice were assessed.The pathological change including number of motor neurons was investigated by Nissl staining.Immunofluorescence staining with specific human nuclear antibody was used to confirm the transplant of hMSCs in mice.Results The onset symptoms in untreated SOD1-G93A mice appeared at (156.56±3.60) days of age and the average life span was (188.32±3.51) days.hMSCs transplantation delayed the onset of ALS type symptoms about 16 days (x~2=10.888, P=0.001) and prolonged the life span about 14 days compared to the untreated SOD1-G93A littermates((202.19±4.09) days vs (188.32±3.51) days, x~2=3.917, P=0.04).The loss of motor neurons in untreated mice was earlier and more severe than in hMSCs transplanted mice.At 20 weeks, the number of motor neurons in transplanted mice was significantly higher than those in untreated mice.Human specific nuclear antigen in brain and spinal cord was detected in transplanted SOD1-G93A mice.Conclusion hMSCs can be implanted for a long-term into central nervous system by intracardiac transplantation and the transplantation can prolong life span, and delay the onset of the disease and motor neuron loss in SOD1-G93A mice.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the efficacy and safety of Guizhi fuling capsule combined with mifepristone in treatment of uterine fibroids. METHODS:116 patients with uterine fibroids were randomly divided into control group and observation group. Control group was orally given Mifepristone tablet 25 mg,2 h before meal in the first day of menstrual period,once a day,for con-tinuous 10 d;observation group was additionally given Guizhi fuling capsule 3 pills in non-menstrual period,3 times a day. 3 months was regarded as a treatment course,it lasted 2 courses. Clinical efficacy,and E2,FSH,SHBG,uterine volume,menstrual blood volume,uterine fibroid volume and incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups before and after treatment were observed. RE-SULTS:Total effective rate in observation group was significantly higher than control group,the difference was statistically signifi-cant(P<0.05). After treatment,the FSH,E2,uterine volume,menstrual blood volume and uterine fibroid volume in 2 groups were significantly lower than before,and observation group was lower than control group,the differences were statistically signifi-cant(P<0.05);but there were no significant difference in the SHBG and adverse reactions between 2 groups(P>0.05). CONCLU-SIONS:The clinical efficacy of Guizhi fuling capsule combined with mifepristone in treatment of uterine fibroids is more signifi-cant than mifepristone alone,with good safety.

Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a teaching model originating from the construc-tivism theory, which stressed the meaning construction in problem situation by collaborative learning, conversation and completing knowledge. Based on the times background, development of learning theory, teaching situation, cognitive strategies, ideological connotation about constructivism, PBL's practical significance, its teaching forms, teaching resources, internal motivation, and the teaching evaluation were analyzed deeply, which was beneficial to carrying out PBL normatively in medical education, so as to provide the theoretical support for further exploration and innovation of PBL.

Saussurea medusa is a rare traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Besides anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, it has effects of disinhibiting cold, dispelling dampness and promoting blood circulation. Flavonoids are the main medicinal compounds in S. medusa. Contents of flavonoids and expression of flavonoids biosynthesis related genes in white and red (induced by low temperature, high sucrose and high light) callus were analyzed. The results showed that the total flavone in red line was 3.60 times higher compared to white line. The accumulation of rutin in red line (0.25% of dry weight) was 2.40 times higher compared to white line. Anthocyanins were abundant in red line, with the contents of cyanidin 3-O-glucosidechloride and cyanidin 3-O-succinyl glycoside 0.12% and 0.19% of dry weight respectively. CHS, F3'H, FNS, FLS, DFR and ANS genes were highly expressed in red line compared to white line. Expression of three transcription factors (MYB, bHLH and WD40) in red line was significantly higher than that in white line, especially the expression of MYB (19.70 times higher compared to white line). These results indicated that high expression levels of transcription factors induced high expression of structural genes in red line, thereby enhancing the flavonoids biosynthesis. The expression of bHLH and WD40 was similar, whereas it was significantly different from that of MYB, indicating that bHLH and WD40 could form a binary complex to regulate expression of structural genes and flavonoids biosynthesis.
Anthocyanins ; chemistry ; Cell Line ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Saussurea ; chemistry ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

This article was aimed to study the correlation among traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome elements in the first year after ischemic stroke. Data of TCM four examinations were collected among subjects all over China by cross-sectional study, using the same observing rating scale. The results showed that internal-heat, internal-wind and phlegm-damp syndrome were risk factors with obvious positive correlation. On the contrary, blood-stasis, internal-heat and qi-deficiency syndrome were in obvious negative correlation. But syndrome of yin-deficiency had no significant correlation with other syndrome elements. It was concluded that there were remarkable positive correlations on excess syndromes, such as wind, fire and phlegm. The syndromes of excess in the branch are easily to be combined.

Objective:To identify monoclonal antibody McAb2 recognizing epitope of Fba of GAS.Methods:The overlapped peptides were synthesized and their abilities to bind McAb2 were detected by dot-ELISA.The predominance amino acids specific for McAb2 were screened using phage 7 peptide library.Results:The result by dot-ELISA analysis demonstrated that the synthetized peptide,amino-acid residues 100-112~(th),could bind McAb2 with high affinity.The predominance amino acids specific for McAb2 were ITPDL,which was located in 100-110~(th)aa of Fba by panning with phage 7 peptide library.Conclusion:The domain and the predominance amino acids of Fba recognized by McAb2 is determined.The results would contribute to the research of the role of Fba on the pathogenic mechanism of GAS,the identification of function of McAb2,and the development of epitope-peptide vaccine.

The correlations between soil nutrition and yield as well as active compound contents of Coptis teeta were analyzed. The contents of 13 soil factors, rhizome biomass and the content of berberine, jatrorrhizine, and palmatine in rhizome of C. teeta were determined, and analyzed by factor analysis (FA) and correlation analysis (CA). FA showed that the first three factors accounted for 86.9% of the total variance. The contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn correlated with the first factor. The content of organic matter, N, available N, available P, and available K correlated with the second factor. CA showed that yield of C. teeta had a significant positive correlation with available P (r = 0.931) at 0.01 level, and available N (r = 0.703) at 0.05 level. The content of berberine of C. teeta had a significant positive correlation with available P (r = 0.680) at 0.05 level. The yield and berberine content of C. teeta were high in the soil with high contents of available N and available P.
Berberine ; analysis ; metabolism ; China ; Coptis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; metabolism ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; metabolism ; Phosphates ; analysis ; metabolism ; Potassium ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Soil ; chemistry