AIM: To study the association of the human paraoxonase 2 (PON2) 311Cys/Ser polymorphism genotypes and coronary heart disease (CHD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) in Chinese subjects of north area. METHODS: PON2-311 cysteine (C type) / serine (S type) polymorphism was determined using PCR and restriction mapping with DdeⅠ, in 75 elder patients with type 2 DM, 39 with CHD,36 without CHD, and 38 normal elder controls. RESULTS: There was significant difference in frequencies of genotypes between CHD in type 2 DM group and normal control group( P

The quality of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) has been mainly evaluated based on chemical ingredients, yet recently more attentions have been paid on biological ingredients, especially for pill-based preparations. It is a key approach to establish a fast, accurate and systematic method of biological ingredient analysis for realization of modernization, industrialization and internationalization of TCMs. The biological ingredient analysis of TCM preparations could be abstracted as the identification of multiple species from a biological mixture. The metagenomic approach based on high-throughput-sequencing (HTS) and big-data-mining has been considered as one of the most effective methods for multiple species analysis of a biological mixture, which would also be helpful for the analysis of biological ingredients in TCMs. Simultaneous identification of diverse species, including the prescribed species, adulterants, toxic species, protected species and even the biological impurities introduced through production process, could be achieved by selecting appropriate DNA biomarkers, as well as applying large-scale sequence comparison and data mining. By this approach, it is prospective to offer an evaluation basis for the effectiveness, safety and legality of TCM preparations.
Biological Products ; chemistry ; Data Mining ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Metagenomics ; methods

Exosomes are extracellular nanovesicles secreted by a variety of cell types such as cardiomyocyte, hepatocytes, and stem cells. They carry specific sets of mRNA, microRNA, and proteins, which play a role in intercellular communication in almost each physiological and pathological process. Exosomes, which are released after tissue cell injury, can initiate repair/regeneration responses by triggering inflammation and active fibroblast, and finally lead to tissue fibrosis. However, exosomes released by stem cells can retard tissue fibrosis by enhancing cell survival and reducing apoptosis. In this paper, we reviewed the research progress in the relationship between exosomes and tissue fibrosis.

Objective To examine the effects of exercise intensity and duration on the structure,function and fibrosis of the left and right ventricular,and to discuss the potential mechanism in these processes.Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sedentary(Sed)group,a moderate exercise(ME)group and an intensive exercise(IE) group,each of 16.Rats in Sed group were not given any training,while those in ME group and IE group run on treadmill at the speed of 15.2 m/min with the slope gradient of 5° and 28 m/min with the slope gradient of 10 degree 1 hour per day,5 days per week.Eight and 16 weeks after the training,we recorded the body weight and measure end-diastolic diameter,end-diastolic wall thickness,and ejection fraction of both ventriculars using the ultrasonic testing.All rats were then sacrificed after blood sampling.Elisa was used to measure serum cTnI concentration,and sirius red staining was applied to evaluate collagen volume fraction of both ventriculars.Results Eight or sixteen weeks after the training,the average bi-ventricular end-diastolic diameter of ME and IE rats was bigger than Sed group.There were no differences in end-diastolic diameter of both ventricular between ME group and IE group after sixteen-week training,but the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter of IE group was greater than ME group.As exercise intensive increased and time accumulated,the end-diastolic wall thickness of both ventriculars increased but without statistical significance.At sixteen-week intervention,the bi-ventricular ejection fraction of IE rats was significantly lower than Sed and ME groups,while there was a decreasing trend eight weeks earlier without significant differences.After 8 or 16 weeks of training,the serum cTnI was significantly higher in IE rats than Sed group or ME group,but there was no significant differences between ME group and Sed group.After 16 weeks' exercises,the average bi-ventricular collagen volume fraction of ME or IE group was greater than that after 8 weeks' exercises.The average collagen volume fraction of the right ventricular was greater than Sed group at the same time points,and after sixteenweek training the right ventricular collagen volume fraction in IE group was significantly greater than ME group.However,there were no significant differences in the measurement of the left side among different groups.The serum cTnI was negatively correlated with the left and right ventricular systolic function(r=-0.327,P=0.029 and r=-0.582,P=0.000).Moreover,it was positively correlated with the right ventricular collagen volume fraction moderately,but had no correlation with the left ventricular collagen volume fraction.Conclusion(1)Sixteen-week moderate and intensive exercise result in left ventricular dilation,and the dilation increases with the increase of the exercise intensity.Only 8 weeks' exercise at the same intensity can lead to right ventricular dilation,but exercise intensity has little influence on the right ventricular dilation.(2)Long-term moderate or intensive endurance exercises may cause bi-ventricular hypertrophy potentially.The left ventricular hypertrophy and dilation may not be synchronous with hypertrophy followed by dilation,while the right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation is synchronous.(3)The temporary decrease in bi-ventricular systolic function after intensive endurance exercise may be caused by ventricular injury,with more serious injury in the right ventricular than in the left.Moderate exercises don't cause ventricular injury,thus there is little or no influence on ejection fraction.(4) Long-term (8 or 16 weeks)moderate or intensive endurance exercises can increase the right ventricular collagen volume fraction,which may indicate cardiac fibrosis following right ventricular injury but not in the left ventricular.The bi-ventricular collagen volume fraction at sixteenth week in ME and IE rats are greater than corresponding rats at eighth week.It may result from the hypertrophy of bi-ventricular cardiomyocyte after 8-week training,followed by increase in the extracellular matrix but not cardiac fibrosis.

Objective To explore the expression level of miR-21 in exercise-induced right ventricular (RV) fibrosis,and to analyze the role of miR-21 in exercise-induced right ventricular fibrosis.Methods Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sedentary (Sed) group,a moderate exercise (ME) group and an intensive exercise (IE) group,each of 24.Rats in the Sed group were free of exercises,while those in ME and IE groups ran an hour on treadmill at 5°and 10° slopes at the speed of 15.2 m/min and 28 m/min respectively for 8 weeks,12 weeks or 16 weeks every day,5days per week.Twenty-four hours after the last training,all rats were sacrificed after blood sampling.The right ventricles were removed,and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) was tested using Sirius red staining,Collagen Ⅰ (Col Ⅰ) content was quantified using Immunofluorescence.The expression level of miR-21 was measured using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results Af ter 12 weeks (P＜0.05,P＜0.05) and 16 weeks (P＜0.01,P＜0.01) of intensive exercises,the average CVF in the right ventricular was significantly higher than that of Sed and ME rats.Compared to Sed and ME groups,12 weeks (P＜0.01,P＜0.01) and 16 weeks (P＜0.01,P＜0.01) of intensive exercises significantly increased RV collagen Ⅰ content.Compared to the Sed group,the expression of miR-21 in RV increased significantly in the IE group (P＜0.01,P＜0.05 and P＜0.05).After 16-week intensive exercises,the miR 21 expression was positively correlated with the RV Col Ⅰ content.Conclusion The right ventricular fibrosis induced by long-term intensive exercises is associated with increased miR-21 expression level.Therefore,miR-21 is a potent therapeutic target and novel biomarker of the exercise-induced right ventricular fibrosis.

It is significant for theory and application to study on marine microbial exopolysaccharides with differential structures and activities endowed by the specific marine environment.The recent progress of the research on the structures and bioactivities of marine microbial ex- opolysaccharides was reviewed,and the prospect of the research and development of the marine microbial exopolysaecharides was also expec- ted.

Because of lots of ethical problems,military medical triage has been unaccepted by general doctors.But it's adopted by American Army in front of facts of the war.The main principles of the military medical triage are justice and efficiency.They practice the military medical triage through tow steps.First,all patients are assigned into urgent,immediate ,delayed,minimal or ambulatory and expectant status in decreasing order of medical urgency.Second,choosing the model of triage depends on nonaustere,austere or extreme conditions.The ethical issues of American military medical triage focus on four aspects - how to deal with minimally injured patient treatment first,how to treat expectants,how to care for noncombatant casualties and who decide the model of triage.

Background The dosage of verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) for central exudative chorioretinopathy(CEC) depends on the calculation formula of Treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration with Photodynamic Therapy Study Group(TAP)and Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy Study Group(VIP).Some local adverse responses or normal tissue damage have been noted under the standard dose of verteporfin during the treatment of CEC.So it is necessary to explore an appropriate therapeutic dosage of verteporfin.Objective This clinical study aimed to observe and compare the clinical efficacy and safety of different doses of verteporfin PDT for CEC.Methods Ninety eyes of 90 patients with CEC were enrolled in this study with the approval of the Ethic Commission of Affiliated Second Hospital of Nanchang University.Written informed consent was obtained before PDT.The patients were randomly divided into standard dose group,half dose group and 1/3 dose group.All of the patients received PDT.Standard dose(6 mg/m2),3 mg/m2 or 2 mg/m2 of verteporfin was applied in the three groups respectively,with the laser intensity 50 J/cm2.The patients were followed-up for 3 months.Repeat treating regimen was performed in the same way in the patient with fundus fluorescein leakage after initial PDT.Results The BCVA(logMAR) value was 0.44±0.36 after PDT in the standard dose group.Visual acuity improved in 20 patients (66.67％),stabilized in 8 patients(26.67％)and decreased in 2 patients (6.67％).The BCVA showed a significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative BCVA (t =6.719,P =0.000).CNV disappeared in 19 patients (63.33％),obviously improved in 7 patients (23.33％),partially disappeared in 3 patients (10.00％) and unchanged in 1 patient (3.33％).The central fovea thickness (CFT)value was significantly declined in postoperation compared with preoperation (t =5.758,P =0.000).Eight patients received secondary PDT with the recurrence rate 26.67％.In the half dose group,visual acuity improved in 18 patients(60.00％),stabilized in 11 patients(36.67％)and decreased in 1 patient (3.33％).CNV disappeared in 16 patients (53.33％),obviously improved in 8 patients (26.67％),partially disappeared in 5 patients (16.67％) and unchanged in 1 patient (3.33 ％).Significant difference was seen between the preoperative BCVA and postoperative BCVA(t=8.294,P =0.000).The decrease of C FT was significant in postoperation(t =8.493,P =0.000).Ten patients received secondary treatment with the recurrence rate 33.33％.In 1/3 dose group,visual acuity improved in 8 patients (26.67 ％),stabilized in 12 patients (40.00％),decreased in 10 patient (33.3％).CNV disappeared in 8 patients (26.67％),obviously improved in 8 patients (26.67％),partially disappeared in 6 patients (20.00％) and unchanged in 8 patient (26.67％).There was no significant difference between the preoperative BCVA and postoperative BCVA (t =0.536,P =0.596).The difference between preoperative CFT and postoperative CFT was insignificant(t =0.942,P=0.354).Fourteen patients received secondary PDT and 8 patients received three times with the recurrence rate 73.33％.Conclusions 3 mg/m2 verteporfin PDT for CEC shows a similar clinical efficiency and safety to 6 mg/m2 verteporfin.3 mg/m2 verteporfin PDT can decrease cost,but the effect of 2 mg/m2verteporfin PDT is not satisfacted.

Child ; Cryptococcosis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; diagnosis ; therapy

Bronchitis ; diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Infant ; Male