Generally absolute majority of wild-type microbial strains do not produce bioactive metabolites, resulting in large numbers of so-called 'useless strains' stocked or destroyed. These strains, however, would become a great source of bioactive meabolites if their secondary metabolism could be altered to produce diverse metabolites. We have therefore undertaken a research work on exploiting microbial new strain resources for drug screening by altering secondary metabolism of the 'useless strains' to discover bioactive metabolites. A considerable progress with expectant advantage desired has been made in the studies on marine-derived actinomycetic and fungal strains. This paper summarizes our research results including several new developments in brief.

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is a complex system, featured with integrity and characteristics. Structural component TCM is a well-organized integrity of traditional Chinese medicine, reflecting multi-component integration effect of TCM. It gives us a new view on the material basis of TCM. Currently, conventional researching strategies are not enough to deal with the relationship between material basis and efficacy, multi-composition, multi-targets, and multi-section mechanism. Post-genome area gives a birth to bioinformatics, which involves systematic biology, different levels of omics, corresponding mathematics and computer techniques. It increasingly becomes a powerful tool to understand complicated system and life essential laws. Research ideas, methods. and knowledge of data mining technology of bioinformatics combined with the theory of structural components of Chinese medicine bring a new opportunity for developing structural components of Chinese medicine, systematically exploring the essence of TCM and promoting the modernization of TCM.
Animals ; Biomedical Research ; Computational Biology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans

Objective To research the most commonly used five method to evaluated the difficulty airway , and compare which methods were more suited for the pregnant woman in general anesthesia. Methods 214 patients with full-term pregnancy who requested emergency or elective caesarean-section were assigned. During the pre-anesthetic visit,we evaluated patients from Mallampati score, thyromental distance, body mass index (BMI), inter-incisor gap, and upper lip bite test. After endotracheal intubation ,patients were divided into 2 groups based on Cormack classification. Results Five ways sensitivity descending order were upper lip bite test (79.5%)、Mallampati score (76.9%)、BMI (56.4%)、inter-incisor gap (51.3%)、thyromental distance (35.9%); specificity descending order were upper lip bite test (93.1%)、Mallampati scores (86.3%)、inter-incisor gap (85.1%)、thyromental distance (76.6%)、BMI (62.3%). Conclusions In pregnant women ,Mallampati score and the upper lip bite test are the better indicators to predict difficult airway.

BACKGROUND:At present, a great quantity of research has shown the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s for vascular restenosis. However, studies concerning their combined application to restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with diabetes mel itus are presently lacking.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of combined application of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s and benefiting-Qi nourishing-Yin and dissolving-congestion prescription on restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in dogs with diabetes mel itus.
METHODS:A dog model of vascular restenosis with diabetes mel itus was established by bal oon injury of femoral artery and intravenous injection of al oxan. After successful model induction, 22 dog models were randomly divided into three groups:model group (n=6), treatment with Chinese medicine (n=8), and combined treatment with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s and Chinese medicine (n=8). Serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay preoperatively and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks postoperation. Samples of vessels were taken to conduct pathomorphological observation and quantitative analysis of proliferation degree. Tissues, including heart, liver, kidney and pancreatic gland, were col ected to evaluate the safety of stem cel transplantation using hematoxylin-eosin staining at 8 weeks postoperation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels began to increase at 1 week postoperation in the Chinese medicine group and combined treatment group, at 4 weeks postoperation in the model group compared with preoperation (P<0.05). At al time points, serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels were highest in the combined treatment group, but lowest in the model group (P<0.05). Quantitative analysis of vascular proliferation demonstrated that at 8 weeks postoperation, new intimal area, new intimal/medial areas and stenosis rate were highest in the model group, but lowest in the combined treatment group at 8 weeks postoperation (P<0.05). Safety assessment of stem cel transplantation showed morphological structures of the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas were normal, no necrosis. In a word, the effects of the combined application of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s and benefiting-Qi nourishing-Yin and dissolving-congestion prescription were much pronounced in preventing restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in dogs with diabetes mel itus rather than single therapy of Chinese medicine. It is a safe and effective treatment to prevent vascular restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in dogs with diabetes mel itus.

Objective To obtain antibiotic-resistant mutants producing metabolites with antitumor activity from wild-type actinomycete strains without antitumor activity. Methods An actinomycete strain L35-1 was used as an initial strain for obtaining antibiotic-resistant mutants, which is a marine-derived wild-type strain without antitumor activity with an inhibition rate of 2.8% at the 1000 μg/ml of high sample concentration on K562 cells. The antibiotic-resistant mutants both from auto-mutagenesis and chemical mutagen-induced mutagenesis were selected by single colony isolation on antibiotic-containing plates according to the method for obtaining drug-resistant mutants in ribosome engineering. The antitumor activity was assayed by the MTT method using K562 cells for the mutants with aqueous acetone extracts of the whole broth of their fermentation.Results A total of 114 neomycin-resistant (ner) and 68 streptomycin-resistant (str) mutants, all from auto-mutagenesis, was obtained on drug-containing plates. Among them, the 7 ner and 3 str mutants appeared to be bioactive with an inhibition rate above 20% at the 100 μg/ml sample concentration on K562 cells. On the other hand, 41 str and 32 ner mutants from DES-induced mutagenesis and 46 ner mutants from NTG-induced mutagenesis were obtained by mutagen-induced mutation coupled with the single colony isolation on antibiotic-containing plates, among which, one str mutant from DES-induced mutagenesis and one ner mutant from NTG-induced mutagenesis were bioactive with an inhibition rate over 20% at the 100 μg/ml sample concentration on K562 cells. Conclusions The present result has revealed that the wild-type actinomycete strains without bioactivity might become a great source initial strains to obtain bioactive mutants by drug-resistant mutation technique.

Objective To study influencing factors for giving up chemotherapy during initial treatment in elderly patients with multiple myeloma.Methods A total of 156 elderly patients diagnosed as multiple myeloma from 2000-2010 were retrospectively analyzed.And 123 young patients with multiple myeloma were selected as control group.The causes for giving up the chemotherapy and its related factors were recorded and analyzed.Results The rate of giving up the initial chemotherapy was higher in the elderly than in young patients [58.3％ (91/156) vs.35.0％ (43/123),P＜0.05].51.7％ of the elderly patients did not accept chemotherapy after diagnosis.The main factors for giving up the initial chemotherapy in elderly patients were critically ill,economic difficult and the low tolerance.However,the economic difficulty was the first cause in the young group.Conclusions The rate of giving up the chemotherapy in the elderly patients is high.Old age,severe conditions,economic difficulty,and low tolerance are the independent factors.

Objective To provide the theoretical supportting for targeted heparanase (HPA) inhibition of cervical cancer through observing the anti-proliferative effect of the HPA inhibitor on HeLa cell line of cervical cancer. Methods The two series of 13 kinds of novel HPA inhibitors were synthesized and optimized. Heparan degrading enzyme assay kit was used to test the effect of the inhibitors on the inhibition of HPA enzyme activity. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method and scratch test were used to observe the anti-proliferative and the migration effect of the inhibitors on HeLa cells. Flow cytometry was performed to determine the cell cycles and apoptosis. The expression of HPA was evaluated by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, western blot and immunocytochemistry. Results All tested inhibitors could inhibit the activity of HPA enzyme [the range of 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) values from 4.47 to 47.19 μmol/L] and the growth of HeLa cells (the range of IC50 values from 48.16 to 96.64μmol/L). Among them, No.16 compound exhibits the strongest inhibition against the growth of HeLa, which could arrest the cell into G0/G1 and G2/M phases. The rate of cell apoptosis in the group treated with 50μmol/L No.16 for 48 hours [(11.9±1.2)%] was significantly higher than that [(6.6 ± 1.8)%] in untreated group (P=0.013). Real time PCR and western blot showed that expression levels of HPA mRNA (1.23±0.46) and protein (0.46±0.31) significantly decreased in the treated group as compared with the levels of HPA mRNA (3.43 ± 0.45) and protein (1.30 ± 0.58) in the untreated group (both P<0.05). Immunocytochemistry also showed that the treatment of No.16 significantly reduced the average optical density (0.39 ± 0.04) of HPA immuostaining signal compared with that in the control group (0.50 ± 0.09; P=0.026). Conclusion Novel 1,3-O,N spiroheterocyclic HPA inhibitors could inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cells,inhibit the HPA enzyme activity in different degree, and down-regulate the expression of HPA protein.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of bevacizumab in combination of irinotecan,fluorouracil and leucovorin for metastatic colorectal cancer treated by failed prior oxaliplatin -based regiment.

METHODSSixty-two patients were randomly divided into two groups, group A of 30 patients received bevacizumab plus irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin, group B of 32 patients received irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin. The response rate,change of tumor markers,one year survival rate and safety were observed.

RESULTSTumor response rate was 30% in group A, 21.8% in group B respectively. Disease control rate(CR+PR+SD) was 80% in group A, 50% in group B. The obvious change of concentration of tumor markers was observed between pre-treatment and post-treatment, which was significantly different in group A(P<0.05). One year survival rate, median of time to progression and median duration of survival between group A and group B were 26.7% vs 18.8%, 5.9 months vs 3.9 months, 10.9 months vs 8.9 months(P<0.05). The adverse effect in group A was the same as group B. Bevacizumab was associated with hypertension and bradycardia.

CONCLUSIONSThe chemotherapy of bevacizumab combined with irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin results in better efficacy in patients with progressive metastatic colorectal cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bevacizumab ; Camptothecin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; drug therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2/neu gene and prognosis of gastric cancer.

METHODSThe expression of HER-2/neu in gastric cancer was detected by immunohistochemical technique and analyzed in relation with the follow-up and clinicopathologic data of the patients.

RESULTSThirty-two of the 103 gastric cancer specimens (31.1%) were positive for HER-2/neu, but whose expression was not found in benign gastric lesion and normal gastric mucosa. HER-2/neu expression was not correlated with the patients' sex, age, tumor size and location or the degree of differentiation (P>0.05), but with the depth of invasion, clinical stage, lymph node and distant metastasis of the tumor and survival of the patients (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHER-2/neu expression is closely related to invasion, metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer and can be used to evaluate the biological behavior and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; biosynthesis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo prove the existence of functional area of Back-shu and provide a new thinking for clinical practice.

METHODSThe consistency between the Back-shu points and Jiaji points at the same level of spinal column was discussed from the origin and development, mechanisms and clinical application of Back-shu and Jiaji points.

CONCLUSIONThe points at the same level of spinal column has same origin of development, mechanisms and clinical functions, so as to prove the existence of functional area of Back-shu.

Acupuncture Points ; Humans