Esophageal cancer related gene 4 (ECRG4) serves as a tumor suppressor gene through interacting with NF-κB and p53 pathways.Multiple studies have demonstrated that the down-regulated expression of ECRG4 occurs in a variety of cancer types,indicating a potential application of ECRG4 as a molecular diagnostic marker as well as a therapeutic target

Objective To evaluate the effects of rheumatoid arthritis treated with modified Duhuo-Jisheng decoction and western conventional treatment. Methods 120 patients with heumatoid arthritis of our hospital from January 2010 to 2013 August were recruited and randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 60 patients in each group. The control group was treated with oral intake of Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and Meloxicam in acute stage and oral intake of diclofenc in stable stage, while the treatment group was further added modified Duhuo-Jisheng decoction on the basis of the control group. TCM symptom score, arthritis symptom score, symptomatic relief time, ESR, CRP, RF were observed after 3 months’ treatment. Results After 3 mouths’ treatment, the total effective rate was 90.0%(54/60) in the study group and 70.0%(42/64) in the control group. There was no significant difference(χ2=4.193,P<0.05) between the two groups. CRP,ESR, RF[The treatment group respectively(22.06±10.31)mg/L, (25.18±17.80)mm/h, (28.19±4.17)IU/L,the control group respectively (14.11±7.32)mg/L, (24.16±22.09)mm/h, (36.08±5.24)IU/L]decreased after the treatment in both groups compared with the values before the treatment[The treatment group respectively (82.16± 21.37)mg/L, (68.84±9.71)mm/h, (84.92±15.31)IU/L,the control group respectively (52.46±22.26)mg/L, (62.72±33.31)mm/h, (85.17±14.23)IU/L, P<0.01],while the decrease of CRP in the treatment group was much obvious than the control group(P<0.05),but the change of ESR had no statistical significance between the two group after the treatment(P>0.05);Number of joint tenderness, The number of swollen joints, Time of morning stiffness, Dual hands grip strength , 20 m walking time decreased obviously in both groups after the treatment[After the treatment, the treatment group respectively (3.43 ± 1.46), (2.95 ± 1.35), (19.32 ± 16.54)min,(79.35±22.14)mmHg,(19.32±4.81)s,the control group respectively (4.63±4.21), (3.55±2.47), (21.23 ± 19.37)min,(77.81 ± 16.22)mmHg,(25.15 ± 5.81)s before the treatment, the treatment group respectively(10.71±5.12), (7.95±3.97), (109.32±68.52)min, (47.12±18.22)mmHg, (36.21±6.62)s, the control group respectively (11.54±5.32), (7.64±4.01), (96.02±58.39)min, (49.67±16.48)mmHg, (36.33± 7.23)s](P<0.05). Conclusion Duhuo-Jisheng decoction could effectively improve the clinical symptoms of aged patients with osteoporosis and reduce the levels of their ESR, CRP, and RF.

ObjectiveTo investigate the neural mechanism of processing the salient target during the visual search task with spatiotemporal patterns of event-related potential(ERP).MethodsSixteen subjects were asked to judge the existence of a low or high salient target from 4 items,in which one distractor might be also salient or not.A two-way repeated-measure ANOVA was carried out for behavioral performance and ERP data( distractor saliency:YES,NO)*( target:none,low salient,high salient).ResultsSignificant interaction was found between target and distractor for the reaction time (F( 1.99,29.79) =21.56,P=0.00).For the low salient target,significant difference of reaction time was found between the YES (552.57 ± 82.32 ms) and NO (540.47 ± 75.68 ms)of distractor saliency( t (15) =- 2.489,P =0.025 ).However,such difference of reaction time was not significant for the high salient target.The statistical parametric mapping of F-value of ERP suggested the effect of the distractor saliency revealed in the right fronto-parietal-temporal areas related to stimulus novelty and the effect of the target saliency appeared in the parietal-occipital regions related to visual processing during the same stage ( 350 ～ 450ms ).The significant interaction occurred in the left temporal regions (450 ～ 600 ms ) related to stimulus familiarity and its classification.ConclusionDue to both mechanisms of the parallel processing for the target and the distractor during the perceptual stage and the effective classification of the familiar network within left hemisphere during the stage of pattern classification,the salient target can be processed quickly in spite of the interference from the salient distractor.

Objective To obtain highly purified botulinum neurotoxin A light chain(BoNT-ALC) protein in E.coli by genetic engineering and multi-step purifications, and identify its metalloproteases activity.Methods The full-length of BoNT-ALC was cloned from BoNT A by PCR and inserted into plasmid pET-22b.Then pET-22b-ALC was transformed into E.coli BL21( DE3) strains and induced by IPTG.The protein was purified by Ni-NTA sepharose,anion exchange column and gel filtration.The enzymatic activity of the protein was identified by SNAP-25.Results and Conclusion A highly purified and homogeneous protein is obtained, which shows good enzymatic activity.

Objective To investigate the neural mechanism of the reduction of switch cost induced by short presentation of the task cue.Methods The event-related potentials (ERP) was recorded from 19 subjects while they performed a Chinese Stroop switching task.The factorial design of repeated-measures was adopted with the cue presentation time (100/1000 ms) and the type of succeeding task (repeat/switch).Results For the switch cost of reaction time (the switch subtracts the repeat),the difference between the long cue group (15.0 ± 33.3 ms) and the short group (0.80 -±40.7 ms) had the significantly tendency( t (18) =- 1.77,P=0.09).During the stage of cue processing,the ERP effects of cue reveal in the frontal-occipital areas ( 100 ～ 200 ms),frontoparietal and tempo-occipital regions (200 ～500 ms),frontoparietal network and centro-occipital regions (500 ～900ms).During the stage of task execution,the ERP effects of the cue were observed from the left fronto-occipital areas ( 300 ～ 400 ms) to parieto-occipital areas (400 ～ 900 ms).The ERP effects of the task started from the right hemisphere (500 ～600 ms ) and extended to bilateral prefrontal and centro-parietal area (600 ～900 ms ).Conclusion The short cue presentation can not only start up the preparation of frontoparietal network earlier during cue processing stage but also enhance its retrieval in the left dorsal lateral frontal cortex during task executive stage.

To study the abnormal distribution of type Ⅳ collagen and laminin chains in glomerular basement membrane (GBM) in membranous nephropathy (MN).Methods 52 cases of MN were collected and staged according to electron microscopic morphological characteristics,and 10 cases of kidney tissues of minimal change disease were used as normal GBM control.Distribution pattern of or5 (Ⅳ) chain,laminin α5and β2 chains,and laminin α2 and β1 chains were detected using immunofluorescence method.Results In minimal change disease,α5 (Ⅳ) chain,laminin α5 and β2 chains all showed continuously linear positive expression along GBM,and laminin α2 and β1 chains were negatively expressed in GBM.In stage Ⅰ MN,α5 (Ⅳ) chain,laminin α.5 and β2 chains all showed continuous linear positive expression along GBM.In stage ⅡMN,the expression of α5 (Ⅳ) chain was increased and showed abundant spikes on the basis of continuous linear positive staining along GBM,and the expression of laminin α5 and β2chains was increased,and segmental spikes were seen on the basis of continuous linear positive staining along GBM.In stage ⅢMN,the expression of α5 (Ⅳ),laminin α5 and β2 chains was also enhanced and segmental double tracks were seen.The expression of laminin α2 chain was negative in GBM in stage ⅠMN,but granular positive expression along GBM was seen in stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ MN.No positive expression of laminin β1chain was seen in GBM in different stages in MN.Conclusion The GBM thickness in MN originates not only from intrinsic type Ⅳ collagen chains and laminin chains,but also from laminin α2chain,which only exist in glomerulus mesangium in normal condition.

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the 5 main components (original syringin,chlorogenic acid,eleutheroside E,isofraxidin and quercetin-3-rhamnoside) in the fruits and roots of wild Acanthopanax senticosus. METHODS:UPLC was per-formed on the column of Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.3% phosphoric acid (gradient elu-tion)at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min. Detection wavelength was 300 nm,column temperature was 30 ℃,and injection volume was 10μl. RESULTS:The linear range was 24.56-184.2 μg/ml for syringin(r=0.9993),18.454-138.405 μg/ml for chlorogenic acid(r=0.9993),8.416-63.12 μg/ml for eleutheroside E (r=0.9997),3.286-24.645 μg/ml for isofraxidin (r=0.9993) and 2.522-18.915μg/ml for quercetin-3-rhamnoside(r=0.9998);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 1%;recover-ies were 99.14%-100.50%(RSD=0.48%,n=6)for syringing in the fruits of A. senticosus、99.03%-100.45%(RSD=0.50%,n=6) for chlorogenic acid in the fruits of A. senticosus、99.22%-100.44%(RSD=0.44%,n=6)for eleutheroside E in the fruits of A. sen-ticosus、99.80%-100.80%(RDS=0.44%,n=6)for isofraxidin in the fruits of A. senticosus、99.76%-101.10%(RSD=0.51%,n=6) for quercetin-3-rhamnoside in the fruits of A. senticosus;99.21%-101.20%(RSD=0.73%,n=6)for syringing in the root of A. senti-cosus、99.81%-101.20%(RSD=0.52%,n=6)for chlorogenic acid in the root of A. senticosus、100.00%-101.50%(RSD=0.62%, n=6)for eleutheroside E in the root of A. senticosus、99.22%-100.40%(RSD=0.47%,n=6)for isofraxidin in the root of A. senti-cosus. CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple and stable with good reproducibility,and can be used for the simultaneous determi-nation of original syringin,chlorogenic acid,eleutheroside E,isofraxidin and quercetin-3-rhamnoside in the fruits and root of wild A. senticosus.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of task probability on context processing using AX-type continuous performance test (AX-CPT) and event-related potential (ERP).

METHODSWe set 3 groups of complementary probabilities (AX/AY: 0.55/0.15, 0.35/0.35, and 0.15/0.55) for AX task and AY task and kept the probability 0.15 for both BX and BY tasks. Eighteen subjects were asked to press the button only when the go-probe (X: green "<" or ">") followed the go-cue (A: blue "ooo") and withdraw response when the go-probe or a nogo-probe (Y: red "<" or ">") followed the nogo-cue (B: blue "xxx").

RESULTSAs the task probability increased, the reaction time of AX task was shortened and the rate of false alarm of BX task increased significantly. The probability effects of ERP revealed by statistical parametric mapping occurred in many regions during both cue and probe stages: cue A in the parietal central (300-350 ms) and the left occipital area (450-500 ms); cue B in the right frontal pole (350-500 ms) and the left frontal pole (750-950 ms); AX probe in the right frontoparietal area (200-250 ms), the left frontal pole, the right dorsal prefrontal and bilateral parietal region (300-400 ms), and the bilateral occipital area and parietal region (400-650 ms); AY probe in the fronto-central area (350-500 ms) - the P3 effect; BX probe in the right temporal and the left occipital areas (300-350 ms); BY probe in the left temporal area (150-250 ms).

CONCLUSIONThe task probability not only influences both the encoding of go-cue and expectancy of nogo-cue but also modulates the neural assemblies of probe processing differentially.

This study was aimed to investigate the diuretic effect ofMori Cortex and to identify effective fractions inM. Cortex. Metabolic cages were used to firstly observe the diuretic effect ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts on rats. Medications were continuously given for 5 days to screen for the best dosage of diuretic effect. Picric acid assays were used to detect creatinine levels in serum and urine after 5-day medication. Then, the diuretic effect of each chemical split fraction inM. Cortex was studied in order to indentify the effective parts. The results showed that after administration ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts for 3 to 5 days, compared with the control group, there was a significant diuretic effect on rats (P<0.05 orP<0.01). And the medium-dose ofM. Cortex aqueous extracts showed the best effect (P<0.01). However,M. Cortex aqueous extracts had no significant effect on creatinine levels in serum and urine. Assays of diuretic effect of chemical split fractions ofM.Cortex indicated that compared with the control group, 30% ethanol fraction and fatty oil fraction had the best diuretic effect (P<0.01). It was concluded thatM.Cortex aqueous extracts had a significant diuretic effect. And the chemical fractions contributed mostly to this effect were mainly existed in the 30% ethanol fraction and fatty oil fraction.