ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Xiaoyao powder combined with prozac and psychological therapy on post-stroke depression (PSD).Methods85 PSD patients were randomly divided into the treatment group (n=43) and control group (n=42). All patients were treated with routine therapy, including prozac and psychological therapy. Patients in the treatment group were also given Xiaoyao powder. Scores of Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), modified Barthel index (MBI) and Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) of all patients were evaluated before and after therapy.ResultsAfter treatment, the effective rate and MBI scores were significantly higher and scores of HAMD and SSS were significantly lower for patients of the treatment group compared with those of the control group (P<0.01).ConclusionXiaoyao powder combined with prozac and psychological therapy can improve depression and neural function of PSD patients significantly.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the fungal composition in Massa Medicata Fermentata based on culture dependent method and independent PCR-SSCP technique.

METHODFungi were directly isolated from Massa Medicata Fermentata samples. The obtained strains were identified according to morphology and DNA sequence. Meanwhile the total fungal DNA was extracted from Massa Medicata Fermentata samples, the cultural independent PCR-SSCP technique based on β-tubulin gene were used to identify the mycobiota.

RESULTAccording to cultural method, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus oryzae were present in Massa Medicata Fermentata samples, while A. flavus and A. niger were present in fried Massa Medicata Fermentata samples. In contrast, 5 species were obtained by PCR-SSCP technique, A. flavus was overlapped with fungal taxa derived from culture dependent method; A. ambiguu and A. s ivoriensis were dominant with relative abundance of 57% and 35% respectively, while the relative abundance of A. flavus was as low as 4%. None species was obtained from fried Massa Medicata Fermentata samples.

CONCLUSIONPCR-SSCP based on β-tubulin gene could distinguish fungi into species, culture dependent method combined with culture independent method could better understand the fungal composition associated with Massa Medicata Fermentata fermentation.

Fermentation ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Tubulin ; genetics

mended to detect possible leakage of fat within central spinal canal.

To prepare PLGA fiber scaffolds by electrospinning process and investigate the influence of preparation parameters on the structure of the scaffolds. With the compound of THF and DMF as the solvent, the PLGA fiber scaffolds with different surface morphology were fabricated via altering PLGA solution concentration, flowing rate and applied electric field strength. The morphology and diameter of the fibers were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The biocompatibility of cell-scaffold complex was also evaluated by seeding human dermal fibroblasts onto the PLGA fiber scaffolds, including cell adhesion and proliferation. The results show that the diameter of fibers and the bound of distributing increase with the increase in the concentration of PLGA solution. As the flowing rate increases, the diameter of fibers increases. However, with the increase in the applied electric field strength, no significant difference in the diameter of the fiber can be observed. Furthermore, both the increase in the concentration of PLGA solution and applied electric field strength in the volume range of current investigation can lead to the reduction in the beads formation within the scaffold. The results of in vitro cell culture on the PLGA scaffolds also confirm that the PLGA fiber can support the adhesion and proliferation of huaman dermal fibroblasts.

Synthetic biology research methods which design and build a new artificial biological systems (medicinal plants or microorganisms system) with specific physiological functions through clarifying and simulating the basic law of the biosynthesis of active components of traditional Chinese medicine, is considered to be a potential method to produce an abundant resources of bioactive components. Tanshinones is a kind of diterpene quinone compounds with important pharmacological activities from traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza. This article systematically introduced the research progress of the synthetic biology of S. miltiorrhiza, in order to provide references for studies on other terpenoid bioactive components of traditional Chinese medicines, and give new research strategies for the sustainable development of traditional Chinese medicine resources.
Diterpenes, Abietane ; biosynthesis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; metabolism ; Synthetic Biology

Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Glycogen ; metabolism ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle ; pathology ; Pyomyositis ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of dopamine (DA) and metabolite in striatum of Parkinson's disease (PD) rats treated by bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modified by plasmid pIRESneo-EGFP-BDNF.

METHODpIRESneo-EGFP-BDNF was transfected to MSCs with electroporation. The rat models of PD were set up by 6-OHDA and then divided into four groups randomly, which were Sham group, PD group, BDNF group. The rotating behavior of rat models induced by apomorphine (APO) intraperitoneally which transplanting bone MSCs or MSCs modified by plasmid pIRESneo-EGFP-BDNF through cerebral lateral ventricle after 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The levels of DA, homovanillic acid (HVA), dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in striatum of each group.

RESULTSThe rotation numbers (r/min) of MSCs group or BDNF group in the 2nd, 4th and 8th week after transplanting were significantly decreased compared with that of PD group (P < 0.05). Those of BDNF group were specially significant compared with those of MSCs group (P < 0.05). The levels of DA, HVA, DOPAC and the ratios of DA/HVA, DA/DOPAC in stratum after PD rats intervened by transplanting cells through cerebral lateral ventricle after eight weeks were increased significantly in BDNF group or MSCs group while compared with PD group, especially in BDNF group.

CONCLUSIONThe behavior of rat with PD was improved significantly by increasing the levels of DA and decreasing metabolic rate of DA in striatum while transplanting BDNF modified bone MSCs through cerebral lateral ventricle.

Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; Corpus Striatum ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Genetic Engineering ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Parkinson Disease ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the reliability of a newly developed grating projection system 3DSS-STD-II by three-dimensional reconstruction of dental cast, so as to offer some evidence for dental computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM).

METHODSFive groups' data of mandibular dentition cast from different angle: Occlusion, right lateral dentition, anterior dentition, left lateral dentition and posterior of the cast were scanned and acquired by 3DSS-STD-II new measuring system. The five groups of acquired data were then under simplification and combination process and the digital dental cast was finally reconstructed by the reverse engineering software Geomagic 6.0. After the reconstruction process, the plaster dental cast and digital reconstructed dental cast were then manually and digitally measured respectively by different items: Width of incisors, width of anterior dental arch, width of buccal segment, length of anterior dental arch and length of buccal segment. The manual process was undergone by vernier caliper and the digital process was by reverse engineering software. The statistical analysis was then undergone in order to evaluate the reliability, repeatability and scan-precision of the new grating projection system.

RESULTSWith the statistical analysis results, the grating projection system 3DSS-STD-II showed its good reliability and repeatability in three-dimensional reconstruction of dental plaster cast. There were no significant differences between the data acquired by 3DSS-STD-II digital scanning system and manual measurement by vernier caliper in the precision.

CONCLUSIONThe new grating projection system of 3DSS-STD- II equipped with high reliability and fast speed can meet the need of the fast data acquisition and three-dimensional reconstruction of dental cast and CAD process.

Computer-Aided Design ; Dental Arch ; Dental Occlusion ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Tooth

OBJECTIVETo study mechanism of antitumor activity of Sargassum Fusiforme Polysaccharide (SFPS).

METHODThe effect on cell cycle and apoptosis was studied with flow cytometry (FCM). Intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2+]i was marked with Fluo-3/AM and measured with laser scanner confocal microscope (LSCM).

RESULTSFPS inhibited G0/G1 stage SGC-7901 from entering to S stage and increased APO%. The [Ca2+]i showed a transient rise and return to the original level. The concentration could be raised again by administering CaCl2.

CONCLUSIONThe antitumor effect of SFPS seems to be accomplished through the apoptosis associated with the increase in intracellular calcium concentration. Intracellular stores release the calcium during its action.

Antineoplastic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Humans ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Sargassum ; chemistry ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Studies have shown cell-free microRNA (miRNA) circulating in the serum and plasma with specific expression in cancer, indicating the potential of using miRNAs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and therapy. This study was to investigate whether plasma miRNA-21 (miR-21) can be used as a biomarker for the early detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to explore its association with clinicopathologic features and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. We used real-time RT-PCR to investigate the expression of miR-21 in the plasma of 63 NSCLC patients and 30 healthy controls and correlated the findings with early diagnosis, pathologic parameters, and treatment. Thirty-five patients (stages IIIB and IV) were evaluable for chemotherapeutic responses: 11 had partial response (PR); 24 had stable and progressive disease (SD+ PD). Plasma miR-21 was significantly higher in NSCLC patients than in age- and sex-matched controls (P < 0.001). miR-21 was related to TNM stage (P < 0.001), but not related to age, sex, smoking status, histological classification, lymph node status, and metastasis (all P > 0.05). This marker yielded a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area of 0.775 (95% CI: 0.681- 0.868) with 76.2% sensitivity and 70.0% specificity. Importantly, miR-21 plasma levels in PR samples were several folds lower than that in SD plus PD samples (P = 0.049), and were close to that in healthy controls (P = 0.130). Plasma miR-21 can serve as a circulating tumor biomarker for the early diagnosis of NSCLC and is related to the sensitivity to platinum-base chemotherapy.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carboplatin ; administration & dosage ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Remission Induction