GDF-15,a distant member of the TGF-superfamily,is identified as an apoptotic accelerat- ing,anti-tumorigenesis and nerve2nutritional factor in varied injures and tumors and has cardioprotective ac- tivity.The characteristics and roles of GDF-15 gene/protein and antibodies are expounded besides the rela- tionship between GDF-15 serum level/genetypes and CRC.It is also discussed here that some antitumorigenic substances inducing GDF-15 in CRC tissues and CRC cells.

Objective To explore the effect of gastrodia elata on learning and memory abilities and synaptic transmission protein(P38,Ca2+ -CaMK Ⅱ α,CREB)expression of hippocampus in model rats with Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods 24 adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group,test group and intervention group.A dose of Aβ1-40 was injected into the hippocampus of rats on test group and intervention group,the control rats were injected with normal saline.When the models were successful,the rats of control group and test groups were given with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose(50g/kg),the rats of intervention group were given with gastrodia elata powder( 50 g/kg),lasting 15 days,Morris water maze test was used for learning and memory abilities study.The expression of P38,Ca2+-CaMK Ⅱ α and CREB protein were detected by immunohistochemistry method.Results Behavioral tests showed the mean escape latencies and search time of test group were obviously increased than those of control group and intervention group,the percentage of search distance on test groups was less than that of control group and intervention group(P ＜ 0.01 ).Immunohistochemistry results showed P38,Ca2+- CaMK Ⅱ α and CREB positive cells and optical density in hippocampus CA1 on test group were less than those of control group and intervention group ( all P ＜ 0.01 ) ( P38:58.92 ± 10.82,0.208 ± 0.037 ; Ca2+-CaMK Ⅱ α:72.38 ± 14.67,0.174 ± 0.036 ; CREB:53.86 ±5.31,0.161 ±0.043 in test group;P38:87.32 ±9.56,0.371 ±0.046 ; Ca2+ -CaMK Ⅱ α:98.16 ± 16.29,0.283 ± 0.051 ; CREB:86.76 ± 7.73,0.356 ± 0.052 in intervention group; P38:102.54 ± 16.73,0.563 ± 0.078 ; Ca2 + -CaMK Ⅱ α:123.46 ± 17.65,0.436 ± 0.057 ; CREB:125.43 ±9.16,0.524 ± 0.057 in control group ).Conclusion Gastrodia elata can treat AD by increasing expression of P38,Ca2 + -CaMK Ⅱ α and CREB.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of berberine hydrochloride in Weichangning granules.Methods RP-HPLC method was set up,using Merck-LiChrospher RP-18 column(4 mm ? 250 mm,5?m);the mobile phase was methnd-water(including 0.18 % phosphoric acid and 0.22 % sodium laurylsulfonate)(68 ∶ 32),flow rate being 1.0 mL / min;column temperature was 35 ℃ and the detection wavelength was 345nm.Results A good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.30 ~ 1.80 ?g(r = 0.9995).The average recovery was 98.32 %,with RSD 0.83 %.Conclusion The method is simple,rapid and with good reproducibility for the determination of berberine hydrochloride in Weichangning granules.

Objective To investigate the effect of leflunomide and prednisone in treating refractory nephropathy syndrome.Methods The 60 refractory nephropathy patients in our hospital from Oct,2000 to May,2003 were divided into two groups at random.Paients in test group received leflunomide and prednisone.Patients in control group received mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone.Clinical data were observed in the 2nd,4th,6th,8th,12th,16th,20th,24th and 28th week.Results After receiving leflunomide therapy in the test group,the proteinuria was decreased significantly(P0.05),but rate of showing efficacy in 12th week in Leflunomide group was higher than mycophenolate mofetil group(P

Objective To study the quality standard of different specifications of Frutus Aurantii Immaturus. Methods The contents of synephrine, volatile oil, total ash, acid- insoluble ash and water in different specifications of Frutus Aurantii Immaturus were determined by HPLC or other methods according the china pharmacopoeia. Results The contents of volatile oil and synephrine in different specifications of Frutus Aurantii Immaturus were obviously different, and in accordance with empirically traditional classification. The contents of the total ash, acid- insoluble ash and water were similar in the different specifications and the total ash content was lower than 7 % which was in accordance with that recorded in China Pharmacopoeia.Conclusion Volatile oil, acid- insoluble ash, water and synephrine with a definite content limit can be chosen as the parameters for the research of quality standard of Frutus Aurantii Immaturus, which will supply evidence for the medicinal trade and research of Frutus Aurantii Immaturus.

Objective To explore the effect of vaproate sodium (VP) on Bcl-2 and Bax expression of hippocampus in seizures rats induced by pentylenetetrazole(PTZ).Methods Twenty-four adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group, PTZ group and VAP group. A dose of PTZ [35 mg/(kg?day)] was intraperitoneally injected into the rats of PTZ group and VAP group until the kindling criterion was reached. After kindling, the rats of VAP group were administered intraperitoneally with VAP[15 mg/(kg?day)];the rats of PTZ group were administered intraperitoneally with normal saline. After 30 minutes, seizures were induced by administering PTZ intraperitoneally. The influence of VAP on Bcl-2 and Bax immmunoreactivity on hippocampus neurons was studied by immunohistochemistry method.Results Bax positive cells in hippocampus in PTZ group were more than in VAP group and NC group(all P

Objective To investigate the effect of cognitive intervention on language function and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia.Methods Fifty-five elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia were randomly divided into the control group (n =27) and the experimental group (n=28).The control group received comprehensive treatment including speech-language therapy (SLT),while the experimental group was subjected to additional cognitive intervention.All patients were enrolled in an eight-week rehabilitation program.The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was used to assess cognitive function,a device for diagnosis and treatment of language disorders,ZM 2.1,was used to evaluate language function,and the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) (Chinese version) was used to assess quality of life (QOL),before and after treatment.Results After treatment,MMSE scores,language function scores in all categories and QOL scores in all dimensions improved in both groups (P＜0.05 for both).Furthermore,after treatment,there were significant differences between the two groups in MMSE scores of orientation,recall,attention and calculation,and in scores of overall language ability and the individual categories (P＜0.05 for all).Scores of the experimental group vs.the control group for the individual categories of language function were as follows:simple instructions (76.6 ± 14.1 vs.67.4± 19.3),complex instructions (66.1±12.8 vs.58.2±14.9),yes or no (72.5±12.1 vs.63.0±14.1),naming (55.0 19.5 vs.43.3±22.2),simple comprehension (67.5±21.4 vs.55.620.6),complex comprehension (44.8±17.0 vs.35.0±18.9),listening and reading words (65.4±16.7 vs.53.7±19.3),calculation (39.3±25.8 vs.25.9±19.2),memory (36.4±18.7 vs.26.3±17.8),matching (75.9±18.6 vs.65.3±17.1),simple general knowledge (68.3±18.2 vs.58.0±19.5),complex general knowledge (58.7±17.4 vs.50.0±13.3),orientation (70.7±19.6 vs.60.5±17.2) and comparison (59.9± 14.6 vs.50.2±17.5) (P＜0.05 for all).There were significant differences between the two groups in emotional function (66.7±18.2 vs.53.1±21.2),general health (67.2±12.6 vs.60.7±9.8),mental health (71.0±5.6 vs.63.1±4.2),social functioning (64.7±9.0 vs.59.3±10.2) and vitality (55.4±14.8 vs.46.9±15.6) (P＜0.05 for all).Conclusions Cognitive intervention combined with SLT can contribute to the recovery of language function and the improvement of QOL in elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of T-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay (T-SPOT.TB) using both pleural effusion and peripheral blood in tuberculous pleurisy.Methods One hundred and two cases of in patients with pleural effusion treated in Anhui Chest Hospital from January 2014 to October 2015 were enrolled in this study.T-SPOT.TB was performed using both serous effusion mononuclear cells (SEMC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC),and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were calculated.Chi square test was used for categorical variables and MannWhitney U test was used for continuous variables in non-normal distribution.Results Of the 102 participants,71 (69.61 ％) were microbiologically or clinically diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy and 31 (30.39 ％) were diagnosed with other diseases.In tuberculous pleurisy group,the median spot forming cells (SFC) of T-SPOT.TB for early secretory antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10) using SEMC were 159/2.5 × 105 (120/2.5 × 105-200/2.5× 105) and 160/2.5 × 105 (110/2.5 × 105-210/2.5 × 105),respectively;and the median SFC of T-SPOT.TB using PBMC were 30/2.5×105 (15/2.5×105-55/2.5×105) and 40/2.5×105(8/2.5×105-87/2.5 ×105),respectively.The SFC counts of SEMC were obviously higher than those of PBMC,and differences were statistically significant (for ESAT-6,Z=-7.818;for CFP-10,Z=-7.120,both P＜0.05).The ROC curve analysis showed that using a cut-off value of 38 SFC per 2.5 × 105 SEMC,the area under the curve is 0.969.The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB using PBMC were 90.14％ and 77.42％,respectively;and those of T-SPOT.TB using SEMC were 95.77％ and 93.55％,respectively.When combined the T-SPOT.TB assay using both PBMC (≥6 spots) and SEMC (≥38 spots),the sensitivity and specificity were 90.14％ and 96.77％,respectively.Conclusion The joint detection of T-SPOT.TB using both PBMC and SEMC can be an effective diagnostic method for tuberculous pleurisy.

Objective To explore the levels of serum leptin and insulin and their relationships with growth and development in premature infants.Methods The serum leptin and insulin concentrations of 37 premature infants were examined by the radioimmunoassay(day 1 and day 10,respectively),and anthropometric measurements were performed at birth.The blood sugar and triglyeride,cholesterol were tested at the same time.Twenty full-term newborn without severe diseases were controlled in 24 h after delivery and the level of leptin and insulin of them were detected,too.The results were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 software.Results The leptin and insulin levels in preterm infants were significantly lower than those in full-term infants[(6.45?2.24)?g/L vs(8.56?1.33)?g/L,(5.84?1.07)IU/L vs(10.85?5.24)IU/L Pa0.05).Serum leptin was positive correlation with serum insulin(Pa0.05).Conclusions Serum leptin and insulin can be the markers that reflect intrauterine nutrition status of preterm infants and the growth and development of fetus.A dipoinsular axis may be functional before 34 weeks gestation without maturity.The changes of leptin and insulin concentrations are useful for metabolism and growth in preterm infants.

Currently, the resistance of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs has made the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis increasingly difficult, posing a serious threat to global public health. Several studies have shown that efflux pumps are one of the important causes for bacteria to develop multi-drug resistance and extremely-drug resistance, and efflux pump inhibitors can inhibit the efflux of antibacterial drugs, thereby reducing bacterial drug resistance. Numerous natural products and synthetic compounds have been reported to possess efflux pump inhibitory activity, but they have not been applied in clinical settings because of their toxicity, pharmacokinetic properties, etc. Therefore, we summarized the efflux pump inhibitory activity, antimicrobial activity, and structure-activity relationships of reported efflux pump inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in recent years, providing references for the development of new efflux pump inhibitors with better activity and lower toxicity.