Objective To investigate the effects of chitosan(CS)/pcDNA3.1(+) CrmA on the expression of interleukin-13 (IL-1β3) converting enzyme (ICE) and IL-1β in chondrocytes.Methods Rabbit chondrocytes were isolated and cultured.Chondrocytes were treated with PBS,10 μg/ml CS/pcDNA3.1(+) and CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) CrmA respectively for 6 hours.Then 10 ng/ml IL-1β was added into the culture medium.After 48 hours,the messenger RNA and protein expression of ICE and IL-1β in chondrocytes were detected by using real time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting.Results In CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) CrmA treated group (0.52 ±0.09),the mRNA expression of ICE inchondrocytes was significantly inhibited compared withcorresponding samples of CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) group (0.84±0.11,t=4.42,P＜0.01) and PBS group (1.00±0.10,t=6.58,P＜0.01).ICE protein expression in CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) CrmA treated group (0.20±0.03) was markedly lower than CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) (0.37±0.05,t=4.85,P＜0.01) and PBS treated group (0.44±0.07,t=6.68,P＜0.01).There was no significant difference of ICE mRNA and protein expressions in chondrocytes between CS/pcDNA3.1(+) group and PBS group.Significant difference of IL-1β mRNA expression was found in the three groups.IL-1 β mRNA expression level was significantly lower in CS/pcDNA3.1(+) CrmA treated group (0.55± 0.08) than CS/pcDNA3.1(+) (0.69±0.06,t=3.50,P＜0.01) and PBS group (0.99±0.04,t=11.12,P＜0.01) of chondrocytes.IL-1β protein expression level of chondrocytesin CS/pcDNA3.1(+) CrmA group (0.230±0.020) was significantly lower than CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) (0.450±0.060,t=5.07,P＜0.01)and PBS groups (0.610±0.090,t=8.70,P＜0.01) of cells.Significant difference of IL-1β mRNA and protein expression between CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) and PBS group was also observed (t=7.61,P＜0.01;t=3.63,P＜0.01).Conclusion CrmA mediated by chitosan can significantly suppress the mRNA and protein expression of ICE,thus down regulat the expression of IL-1β,which may be one of the mechanisms of CS/pcDNA3.1 (+) CrmA in the treatment of osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration.

Objective:To investigate the role of PUMA,a Bcl-2 family member,in oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.Methods:In vitro,LoVo cells were treated with 1.2,2.4,4.8 ?mol/L oxaliplatin for 24 h and 4.8 ?mol/L oxaliplatin for 6,12,24 h,PUMA expression was assessed by Western blot analysis.The anti-sense PUMA plasmid was constructed by gene recombination.PUMA expression was suppressed by stable transfecting anti-sense PUMA plasmid into LoVo cells.The apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry analysis(FCM) and proliferation rate was assessed by MTT assay.Results:Oxaliplatin induced PUMA expression in a time-and dose-dependent manner;stable cell lines expressing the anti-sense PUMA vector were established and named LoVo puma(-/-) cells;oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis was decreased by suppression of PUMA expression;the proliferation rate in LoVo puma(-/-) cells was higher than that in LoVo cells after oxaliplatin treated.Conclusion:Our data suggest that PUMA plays an important role in oxaliplatininduced apoptosis in LoVo cells and the sensitivity of LoVo cells to oxaliplatin was abrogated by suppression of PUMA expression.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy of self-made Kirschner wire hook in the treatment of severely displaced proximal humerus fractures in children.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to February 2012,35 children with severely displaced proximal humerus fractures were treated with self-made Kirschner wire hook fixation,including 25 boys and 10 girls with an average age of 13.2 years old ranging from 5 to 17. The duration from injury to operation was 1 to 10 days with an average of 4.5 days. Preoperative diagnoses were confirmed by X-ray films as type III in 26 cases and type IV in 9 according to the Neer-Horwitz classification of the proximal humerus fractures. All fractures were close fracture without nerve or vascular injuries. Anatomical reduction was achieved by open reduction and the fractures were fixed by self-made Kirschner wire hook. Intra-operative and postoperative complications, postoperative radiographic examination, upper extremity length and range of shoulder motion were observed and recorded. Neer score system was used to evaluate shoulder function.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 6 to 18 months with an average of 12.1 months. The mean Neer score of the injured side was 94.2 +/- 4.8 (ranged, 84 to 99), 30 patients got an excellent result and 5 good according to the Neer scores. The X-ray showed all the fractures healed without shortening deformity or epiphyseal arrest at early stage. There were no complications related to the implant including loosening or breakage of the self-made Kirschner wire hook. The range of shoulder motion in the injuried side was similar to the normal side, except in abductor lift. All the patients could participate in normal physical activities.

CONCLUSIONThe method of open reduction and fixed with self-made Kirschner wire hook is a safe,effective,convenient treatment for severely displaced proximal humeral fractures in children.

Adolescent ; Bone Wires ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular

Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Diving ; adverse effects ; Ear Canal ; injuries ; Nitrogen ; Oxygen ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rabbits

Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Mucocele ; Nose Diseases ; pathology ; Turbinates ; pathology

Good medicinal herbs, good drugs. Good evaluation method and indices are the prerequisite of good medicinal herbs. However, there exist numerous indices for quality evaluation and control in Chinese medicinal materials. However, most of these indices are non-interrelated each other, as well as having little relationship with efficiency and safety. The results of different evaluatior methods may not be consistent, even contradictory. Considering the complex material properties of Chinese medicinal materials, single method and index is difficult to objectively and comprehensively reflect the quality. Therefore, it is essential to explore the integrated evaluation methods. In this paper, oriented by the integrated evaluation strategies for traditional Chinese medicine quality, a new method called integrated quality index (IQI) by the integration of empirical evaluation, chemical evaluation, and biological evaluation was proposed. In addition, a study case of hypertoxic herb Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. was provided to explain this method in detail. The results suggested that in the view of specifications, the average weight of Jiangyou aconite was the greatest, followed by Weishan aconite, Butuo aconite, Hanzhong aconite, and Anxian aconite; from the point of chemical components, Jiangyou aconite had the characteristic with strong efficacy and weak toxicity, next was Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite; taking toxicity price as the index, Hanzhong aconite and Jiangyou aconite have the lower toxicity, while Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite have the relatively higher one. After the normalization and integration of evaluation results, we calculated the IQI value of Jiangyou aconite, Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite were 0.842 +/- 0.091, 0.597 +/- 0.047, 0.442 +/- 0.033, 0.454 +/- 0.038, 0.170 +/- 0.021, respectively. The quality of Jiangyou aconite is significantly better than the others (P < 0.05) followed by Hanzhong aconite, which is consistent with the traditional understanding of genuineness. It can be concluded that IQI achieves the integrated control and evaluation for the quality of Chinese medicinal materials, and it is an exploration for building the good medicinal herbs standards. In addition, IQI provides technical supports for the geoherbalism evaluation, selective breeding, the development of precision decoction pieces, high quality and favourable price in market circulation, and rational drug use.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards

The stable and controllable quality of decoction pieces is an important factor to ensure the efficacy of clinical medicine. Considering the dilemma that the existing standardization of processing mode cannot effectively eliminate the variability of quality raw ingredients, and ensure the stability between different batches, we first propose a new strategy for Chinese medicine processing technologies that coupled with individuation processed and cybernetics. In order to explain this thinking, an individual study case about different grades aconite is provided. We hope this strategy could better serve for clinical medicine, and promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine processing skills and theories.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; standards ; Cybernetics ; standards ; Drug Therapy ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; toxicity ; Humans ; Quality Control

Quality control is one of the key scientific tissues in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). In order to overcome the deficiencies of assessment indexes, including little systematization and quantification, as well as loose association with clinical efficacy and dosage, a new integrated method named controllability pyramid ( CP) is first proposed in this paper. In addition, some study cases are used to explain how this model is constructed. We hope the establishment of CP could promote the clinical-orien- ted integrated innovation research of TCM, and provide control strategy and technology examples for improving the quality of Chinese medicines and clinical efficacy.
China ; Drug Evaluation ; methods ; standards ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Quality Control

Objective To investigate the differences of protein and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in osteoclasts (OC) and osteoclast-like cells (OLC) obtained by mechanical and inducement methods. Methods Mechanical separation method was used to separate mature osteoclasts from long bones of SD rats aged one-day;and inducement culture method was applied to induce OLC by using RANKL (100 ng/mL) and M-CSF (100 ng/mL) . The protein expression of MMP-9 was measured by immunocytochemistry and mRNA expression of MMP-9 was assayed by in situ hybridization. Results The integral optical density (IOD) and average optical density (AOD) of positive cells in the visual field were higher in the 12-d group of inducement method as compared with the 3 d-group of mechanical method. Conclusions It is suggested that the protein and mRNA expression of MMP-9 in OLC obtained by 12 d inducement method is much high than in OC obtained by 3 d mechanical method. OLC obtained by inducement method can be applied in the study of osteoporosis.

To research the effect of continuous cropping on cotton soil microorganisms and soil microorgan-isms on grow of cotton,we studied the total numbers of aerobic self-nitrogen-fixing bacteria,potassium bacteria,cellulose decomposing bacteria,phosphate solubilizing bacteria,organic-phosphorus-dissolving bacteria distributed in continuous cropping cotton fields of regimental farm 2 and 3 of the first agricultural division through dilution spread plate method.Results showed that the total numbers of five kinds of bacte-ria was highest in blooming and bolling periods,lowest in seeding periods and higher in before sowing pe-riods.The total numbers of five kinds of bacteria was no notable regular changes with continuous cropping year.The numbers of aerobic self-nitrogen-fixing bacteria at different cotton growth stages in regimental farm 2 was higher than in regimental farm 3 and the numbers change of other bacteria was varied in different cotton growth stages in regimental farm 2 and 3.Soil beneficial bacteria were negatively correlated with a variety of soil nutrient ion and free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria were significantly positive correlated with soil total nitrogen.