Background:Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)is a common disorder of digestive system,however,some of patients are not responding to conventional 4-8 weeks proton pump inhibitor therapy. Aims:To investigate the effect of digital music gastric electrical pacing on clinical symptoms,anxiety and depression and esophageal motility in patients with refractory GERD. Methods:Fifty-three patients with refractory GERD from Jan. 2014 to Oct. 2015 at the Third Affiliated Hospital,the Third Military Medical University were recruited. All of them fulfilled the Montreal definition of GERD. Digital music gastric electrical pacing was performed for 15 days and the efficacy was evaluated by clinical symptom scoring,Hamilton anxiety scale( HAMA),Hamilton depression scale( HAMD)and esophageal motility manometry. Results:After 15-day treatment,the main symptoms,including heartburn,daytime and nocturnal acid reflux,upper abdominal pain,nausea,and sleep disorder were significantly improved(P < 0. 001). A great proportion of patients were complicated with anxiety and/ or depression at recruitment,and after treatment the scores of HAMA and HAMD were decreased significantly(P < 0. 001). Meanwhile,the lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure(LESP),distal wave amplitude,peristaltic wave duration,speed of peristaltic wave and distal contraction integral after treatment were significantly increased as compared with the baseline values(P < 0. 05). Conclusions:Digital music gastric electrical pacing is effective for treatment of refractory GERD with increase of LESP and esophageal body motility. The clinical symptoms and anxiety and depression are improved simultaneously. Digital music gastric electrical pacing is expected to be a new choice of non-medicine treatment for esophageal motility disorders.

Six DNA extraction methods and four DNA purification methods were compared and analyzed in this study to get higher quality DNA from the rhizospheric soil of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq.Results showed that higher purity DNA were harvested by pretreating the soil with 20 mmol/L EDTA(pH 7.5),then isolating soil DNA with CTAB-SDS-frozen-thawing,and further purified by agarose method.The recovery rate of this soil DNA was about 44.00 ?g/g ? 2.65 ?g/g soil,and they were qualified for the microbial diversity analysis in the rhizospheric soil of F.thunbergii Miq based on the 16S rDNA sequence.

This study was aimed to discuss the dynamic variation of soluble sugar contents, sucrose metabolizing en-zyme activities and gene expression quantities during the fruits development of A momum villosum, in order to pro-vide the basis of improvement of the fruit yield. Fresh fruits at three different development processes (30 DAF, 60 DAF, 90 DAF) were used to investigate changes of soluble sugar components and sucrose metabolizing enzyme activ-ities by HPLC and UV spectrophotometry. Combining with the high-throughput sequencing expression profile data of three fruit development period, the trends of three key enzymes gene expressed in sugar metabolism were analyzed. The results showed that the fruit sugar components were dominated by fructose, glucose and sucrose. The concentra-tion of hexose (fructose and glucose) gradually decreased in peel. But in seeds the concentration of hexose decreased at first and then increased. The content of sucrose and the net activities of sucrose synthase (synthesizing direction minus decomposing direction) in peel and seeds were gradually increased. The expression trends of key enzyme gene in sugar metabolism examined by RNA-seq quantification showed that sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose syn-thase gene increased and then kept constant, but the invertase gene expression trend was gradually rising. Conse-quently, sucrose synthase was the key enzyme catalyzing sucrose synthesis and decomposition. The activity of sucrose synthase and sucrose contents in peel and seeds reached the highest peak in the end of fruit mature.

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of the peripheral blood P2X5 receptor at various ambient temperatures, and to explore its relationship with deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome.

METHODSSubjects were selected by questionnaire and expert diagnosis, and assigned to the normal control group, the deficiency-cold syndrome group, and the deficiency-heat syndrome group, 20 in each group. 5 mL venous blood was collected at room temperature (25 °C) and cold temperature (-4-5 °C) respectively. Then the expression of P2X5 receptor was relatively quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and compared at room temperature and cold temperature respectively.

RESULTSThe expression of P2X5 receptor in deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome groups was lower than that in the normal control group at room temperature (P < 0.05). It decreased more at cold temperature in the deficiency-cold syndrome group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01) as well as in the deficiency-heat syndrome group (P < 0.05). The expression of P2X5 receptor showed no difference in all groups at two different temperatures (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of P2X5 receptor was different in different syndrome groups at various ambient temperatures. Ambient temperatures had insignificant effect on the expression of P2X5 receptor of the population with the same syndrome.

Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X5 ; metabolism ; Syndrome

Objective:To construct a chemiluminescense immune quantification assay based one paired mAbs against complexed prostate specific antigen ( c-PSA).Methods:Six week-old female BALB/c mice were immunized with the commercial c-PSA antigen.After serum titer reaching a platform stage ,the spleen was immunized and fused with mouse myeloma cell lines ( Sp2/0 ) .The hybridoma were screened by indirect ELISA ,and eight generated antibodies were paired to obtain a quantitative analysis of the chemical luminescence.Results:7D6 specifically recognized c-PSA,while 1A10 recognized total PSA(t-PSA).And the paired antibody 1A10/7D6 were determined to successfully construct a chemiluminescense immune response quantitative detection method through the detection of c-PSA standard and clinical serum samples .had,positive samples have statistically significant difference ( P<0.000 1 ) with negative samples.And the correlation coefficient R 2 was 0.97 between our c-PSA quantitative results and that of the Siemens c-PSA chemiluminescense immunoassay kit .The detection linear range was 0.1-100 ng/ml,and the sensitivity was 0.005 ng/ml.Conclusion:The paired monoclonal antibodies specifically detecting c-PSA were generated and a c-PSA chemiluminescense immunoassay were developed in this study .The detection capability of our method was comparable with that of the international commercial kit .

OBJECTIVETo screen and evaluate the active constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs as potent inhibitors of Cdc25 phosphatase.

METHODSThe affinity chromatography purified glutashione-S-transferase/Cdc25A phosphatase fusion protein and Cdc2/cyclin B from the extracts of starfish M phase oocytes are used as the cell cycle-specific targets for screening the antimitotic constituents. We tested 9 extracts isolated from the Chinese medicinal herbs and vegetables including the agents currently used in cancer treatment by measuring the inhibition of Cdc25A phosphatase and Cdc2 kinase activity. The antitumor activity of the extracts was also evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and flow cytometry.

RESULTSCdc25A inhibitory activity and antitumor activity are detected in the extracts isolated from three Chinese medicinal herbs Agrimona pilosa; Herba solani lyrati; Galla chinesis.

CONCLUSIONWe found three extracts isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs have potential inhibitory activity of Cdc25 phosphatase using a highly specific mechanism-based screen assay for antimitotic drug discovery.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Mitosis ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; cdc25 Phosphatases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

Objective: To screen and evaluate the active constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs as potent inhibitors of Cdc25phosphatase. Methods: The affinity chromatography purified glutashione-S-transferase/Cdc25A phosphatase fusion protein and Cdc2/cyclin B from the extracts of starfish M phase oocytes are used as the cell cycle-specific targets for screening the antimitotic constituents. We tested 9 extracts isolated from the Chinese medicinal herbs and vegetables including the agents currently used in cancer treatment by measuring the inhibition of Cdc25A phosphatase and Cdc2 kinase activity. The antitumor activity of the extracts was also evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and flow cytometry.Results: Cdc25A inhibitory activity and antitumor activity are detected in the extracts isolated from three Chinese medicinal herbs Agrimonapilosa; Herba solani lyrati; Galla chinesis. Conclusion: We found three extracts isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs have potential inhibitory activity of Cdc25 phosphatase using a highly specific mechanism-based screen assay for antimitotic drug discovery.

BACKGROUNDMiddle mediastinal masses comprise a wide variety of tumors but may also reflect lymphadenopathy, and thus remain an interesting diagnostic challenge. We performed positron emission tomography (PET) of mediastinal masses in order to evaluate the ability of PET to predict the malignancy of these tumors. We compared histologic findings, videomediastinoscopy, computed tomography (CT), and PET-CT in patients with mediastinal disease.

METHODSThirty-two patients were evaluated with CT, PET-CT and videomediastionoscopy, and all studies were performed within four weeks in each patient. (11)C-choline as a PET tracer was used to visualize masses. PET data were evaluated using the standardized uptake value (SUV) and were compared with pathologic data.

RESULTSThere were 13 men and 19 women aged from 21 to 74 (mean 45.2) years. Among the patients with mediastinal diseases, sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 12 patients, tuberculosis in 5 patients, lymphoma in 5 patients, and noncaseating granulomata without classical "sarcoid" finding in 3 patients. N2 or N3 nodal metastasis was revealed in 6 of 7 patients who had non-small cell lung cancer or suspected lung cancer, and one was negative (the pathological diagnosis was reactive hyperplasia). The accuracies for correctly diagnosing mediastinal masses for CT, PET-CT and videomediastinoscopy were 38% (12/32), 63% (20/32), and 91% (29/32) respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of videomediastinoscopy was superior to that of PET-CT (chi(2) = 11.130, P < 0.001). The SUVs were similar among these diseases. On the other hand, if the diagnostic classification was benign vs malignancy, the accuracies for CT, PET-CT and videomediastinoscopy were 53% (17/32), 75% (24/32), 100% (32/32) respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of videomediastinoscopy was superior to that of PET-CT (chi(2) = 22.042, P < 0.001). The SUV of malignant lesions (6.9, 3.2 - 9.8; n = 11) appeared to be higher than that of benign lesions (4.9, 2.9 - 8.3; n = 21), however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.054).

CONCLUSIONSTo diagnose lesions located in the middle mediastinum, videomediastinoscopy possesses the highest diagnostic accuracy, and therefore remains the gold standard. PET-CT is valuable for differential diagnosis of benign vs malignant lesions, CT alone or PET alone (SUV) may provide misdiagnosis in a substantial proportion of patients with mediastinal masses.

Adult ; Aged ; Carbon Radioisotopes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Diseases ; diagnosis ; Mediastinoscopy ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Video Recording

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of the virology background of HLA-A2 restricted HBcAg(18-27) epitope mutations in HBV infected patients in China.

METHOD30 HBV sequences with different genotypes from Genbank were analyzed by bioinformatics and the mismatched primers were designed for constructing a PCR-RFLP method to screen HBcAg(18-27)V/I in China. The distributions of HBcAg(18-27)V/I of 160 samples with HBV genotype B/C infection from 8 areas in China were screened and analyzed by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. The affinity of HBcAg(18-27)V/I to HLA-A0201 was analyzed through referencing the bioinformatics websites.

RESULTSWe successfully constructed a PCR-RFLP method for screening HBcAg(18-27)V/I from genotype B/C, and only 3 samples with HBcAg(18-27)V sequence were found in the 160 samples (3/160, 1.88%). The affinity of HBcAg(18-27)I to HLA-A 0201 was lower than the one of HBcAg(18-27)V through bioinformatic analysis (HLA ligand score was 123 vs 156, and the SYFPEITHI score was 22 vs 24).

CONCLUSIONThe last amino acid of most HBcAg(18-27) sequences of epidemic HBV strains in China is isoleucine, and not valine. Therefore HBcAg(18-27) sequence background in different HBV genotypes should be thoroughly considered when using it as a reference or control in immunological research about HBV.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Computational Biology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Female ; Genotype ; HLA-A Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; epidemiology ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study into the genetic polymorphism of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in Chinese hepatitis C patients and its relationship with HCV infection susceptibility.

METHODSPatients with hepatitis C (n=300, group A) and healthy subjects (n=520, group B) were genotyped and analysed for the repeat sequence of polymorphism of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR's exon 4 using PCR and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThe distribution of genotypes and alleles in DC-SIGN's exon 4 in the two groups did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The difference of allele frequency in DC-SIGNR's exon 4 between the two groups was also not significant (P > 0.05). However, 9/5 genotype distribution frequency of DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in patients with hepatitis C was significantly higher than that in the healthy subjects (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere is no significant correlation between the genetic polymorphism of DC-SIGN's exon 4 and HCV infection susceptibility. 9/5 genotype distribution frequency of DC-SIGNR's exon 4 in patients with hepatitis C is significantly higher and may be associated with HCV infection susceptibility.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Blood Donors ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; genetics ; Child ; Exons ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; ethnology ; genetics ; Humans ; Lectins, C-Type ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics ; Young Adult