Objective To analyze the efficacy of the combination of MALDI-TOF and immunoadsorption to detect new biomarkers for lupus. Methods Twenty lupus patients at active stage (SLE group), 10 SLE patients in remission (SLE control group), 10 RA patients and 10 PSS patients (other rheumatic disease control group) and 20 healthy volunteers (healthy control group) were enrolled. The serum samples before and after immunoadsorption from SLE group and those from the control groups were co-incubated with activated chitosan copper derivative nano material. The adsorbed nano material was spotted onto the matrix used in MALDI-TOF for analysis by the Axima-CFR plus MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer. T-test was used for statistical analysis. Results MALDI-TOF MS screening showed that three potential protein biomarkers of mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio 3136, 3264, 3326 were found to be very specific for lupus patients: All of them were expressed before immunoadsorption in high quantity and none of them could be detected both after immunoadsorption and in all the three control groups. None of them (<10 000) were in the molecular weight range of the biomarkers used nowadays such as auto antibodies and complement (>50 000). Conclusion The combination of MALDI-TOF and immunoadsorption is effective in the detection of new serum protein biomarkers for lupus and it may be helpful in the screening of SLE patients at active stage from healthy people.

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), an autophagy marker protein, in ameloblastomas. Methods Immunohistochemical methods were employed to evaluate the expression of LC3 in104 cases of ameloblastomas and 20 cases of normal oral mucosal tissues. The results were analyzed by a semiquantitative analysis method. Results The reactivity of LC3 in the epithelial cells of ameloblastomas was positive, and the positivity rate was significantly higher than that in normal oral mucosal tissues (P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences between the LC3 expression levels with respect to age, gender, or recurrence (P ＜ 0.05). The positivity rate in mandible ameloblastomas was significantly higher than that in maxilla and gingiva ameloblastomas (P ＜ 0.05). The reactivity for LC3 was significantly higher in solid ameloblastomas than that in the other three tissue types (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Autophagic activity in ameloblastomas was higher than that in normal oral mucosal tissues. This suggests that autophagy plays an important role during tumorigenesis, and contributes to the local invasion of ameloblastomas.

This paper aimed to explain the clinical thinking of using the method of unblocking the bowels and harmonizing viscera. Based on theory of "viscera-bowels extraordinary connection" of The Gateway to Medicine （《医学入门》）， combined with the theoretical research， clinical practice and individual experience of ancient physicians， modern scholars， it is believed that viscera qi disorder caused by bowels qi blocking is the basic mechanism of insomnia. In clinic， it is common that gallbladder phlegm-heat harassing the heart spirit， stagnant blood and qi in stomach blocking the pericardium， turbid heat in large intestine causing fire and affecting liver， dampness insmall intestine trapping the spleen， water retention in the bladder drying up lungs， and the inhibited original qi of sanjiao damaging the kidney， which could be treated with Wendan Decoction （温胆汤）， Taohe Chengqi Decoction （桃核承气汤）， Chengqi-series Decoction （承气汤类方）， Linggui Zhugan Decoction （苓桂术甘汤）， Wuling Powder （五苓散）， Xiaochaihu Decoction （小柴胡汤）， respectively.