The apprentice system is the principal succession method of ancient Chinese medicine. Masters pass down knowledge via verbal instructions as well as personal deeds, and apprentices are unconsciously influenced deeply within by what they see and hear from masters. That is where the strong point of the system. However, at the same time, apprentices are confined by their master’s instructions and learn only a part of the knowledge. It is the profound meaning rather than the form, that truly represents the modern value of the system. Traditional Chinese medicine stresses the cultivation of medical ethics, purification of learning motivation, study of classic works, solid foundation of basic skills and clinical practice. It also advocates that apprentices should be led and taught in accordance to his aptitude.

AIM　To build a model of two series of PPARγ agonists thiazolidinedione and aryketo-acid derivatives using 3D-QSAR method, and to reveal the structural features affecting the binding activity to PPARγ, which relates to antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity and has a potential application to the treatment of type II diabetes. METHODS and RESULTS　48 agonists with selective activity for PPARγ were analyzed using CoMFA. Based upon the active conformation of rosiglitazone (BRL) extracted from its complex with PPARγ all agonists were aligned. The model from CoMFA showed a high ability to explain and predict the activity of PPARγ agonists with cross-validation correlation coefficient R2=0.656, that of non-cross-validataion R2=0.982, F10，37=201.1, and SE=0.115. CONCLUSION　The CoMFA contour map indicates that the steric fields mainly contribute to the binding effect, and especially a bulky group in the arylketo-acid series favors in the increase of affinity for PPARγ, as compared to the thiazolidinedione.

Objective: To develop an HPLC-DAD method for the simultaneous determination of five active flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, 3-methoxyl-quercetin, nobiletin) in Centipeda minima (L.) A.Br.et Aschers.Methods: The chromatographic separation was performed on a Diamonsil C18 column (200 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm) with the mobile phase of 0.1% phosphoric acid-acetonitrile with gradient elution at the flow rate of 0.8 ml·min-1.The detection wavelength was set at 360nm,and the column temperature was maintained at 30 ℃.Results: Quercetin, kaempferol, 3-methoxyl-quercetin, apigenin and nobiletin was linear within the range of 0.002 3-0.093 0 μg·μl-1(r=0.999 5) , 0.002 2-0.087 0 μg·μl-1(r=0.999 6),0.002 0-0.079 0 μg·μl-1(r=0.999 8), 0.000 9-0.037 0 μg·μl-1(r=0.999 8) and 0.000 8-0.031 0 μg·μl-1 (r=0.999 9), respectively.The average recovery was 97.66%(RSD=1.17%), 98.33%(RSD=1.16%), 98.63%(RSD=1.10%), 98.40%(RSD=1.52%) and 98.10%(RSD=1.36%)(n=6) , respectively.Conclusion: The method is convenient, accurate and reproducible, which can be used for the quality control of Centipeda minima (L.) A.Br.et Aschers.

Animals ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias ; pathology ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; classification ; pathology ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Asthma ; therapy ; Female ; Hot Flashes ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Menopause ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Seasons

Accident Prevention ; Accidents ; economics ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

·AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide(TA) as treatment for macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion(RVO).·METHODS: The study group consisting 30 patients (30 eyes) with RVO combined with macular edema received intravitreal 4mg TA. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), examination with slit-lamp microscope, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography(OCT) were observed during the follow-up. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS 12.0 software.·RESULTS: The visual acuity(VA) of all patients was significantly improved and the central macular thickness (CMT) was significantly relieved. There was no correlation between course, age, CMT before injection and the type of RVO. There was positive correlation between visual acuity before injection and after injection.·CONCLUSION: Intravitreal injection of TA is an easy-operated and safe therapy. After injection, macular edema can be rapidly relieved. VA at baseline is the predictor for the prognosis of VA. Some patients experience recurrence of macular edema between 3 to 6 months after injection.

Objective To investigate the variation of corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH)in plasma,the mRNA and protein expression of c-Fos and gap junction gene connexin-43(Cx43)in the myometrium of term pregnancy women,and to study the correlations among CRH,Cx43 and c-Fos at onset of labor.Methods 30 cases in labor(L group),30 cases not in labor(NL group)but in term pregnancy, and 30 cases of non-pregnant(NP group)women undergoing hysterectomy due to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia were recruited into this clinical study.Radioimmunoassay was employed to measure the concentration of CRH in plasma;in situ hybridization assay and streptravidin-biotin peroxidase(SP) immunohistoehemical techniques were respectively used to detect the expression levels of c-Fos mRNA,Cx43 mRNA and the corresponding proteins.Results(1)The concentration of CRH in L group(81.8?11.9) pmol/L was significantly higher than that in NL group(34.5?18.6)pmol/L(P

The extraction method and structure of exo-polysoccharide from schizophyllum commune by submerged cultivation were studied. Proteins were removed com p letely from the polysoccharide by the sevag method following the isoelectric poi nt precipitation method. The purified schizophyllan was proved to be homogeneou s with molecular weight 4?10 4D by sephadex G-200 column chromatography, PAGE and HPLC. Its monomer was determined by hydrolysis, PC, GC and its structure wa s analyzed by IR, enzymolysis, periodate oxidation, the results showed that schi zophyllan was only composed of glucose and it was the ?-glucan consisting of ?-(1-3) and ?-(1-6) glucosidic linkages.

Objective To evaluate the damaging degree of hepatic cell in the patients with hepatocirrhosis. Methods 25 cases of hepatocirrhosis and 13 eases of normal controls were performed the dynamic imaging with 99mTc-EHIDA.By the three compartmental model configurations,the time-activity curers of the liver cell,and the function indexes liver cell extraction and excretion were calculated.Results The peak time and mean residence time in the hepatocirrhosis group were higher than those in the normal controls(P＜0.01).Compared to normal controls, the peak value,index of uptake,take slope,and excretion slope of the hepatocirrhosis were all lower(P＜0.01).Con- clusion Liver cell imaging is a better method for reflecting the change of liver cell function,and may be used to analyse the degree of hepatocirrhosis.