BACKGROUND: Akt gene plays an important role in cell survival, proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis. Although mechanism of Akt gene still remains unclear, it, a major element of survival signal, has aroused much attention in the domain of molecular biological research. OBJECTIVE: To construct eukaryotic expression vector pDC316-Akt1 for Aktl gene and to observe the expression in 293 cells. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An observational study was performed at Molecular Biological Laboratory of Academy of Military Medical Sciences of Chinese PLA between September and December 2006. MATERIALS: pCD316 plasmid was provided by Benyuan Zhengyang Company; DH5α and 293 cells were reserved in our laboratory. METHODS: Aktl DNA segment was cloned from total RNA of hepatic tissue using RT-PCR and inserted into eukaryotic expressing vector pDC316 between EcoRI and Hind Ⅲ sites after sequencing. And then, 293 cells were transfected with the recombinant by liposome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aktl gene content in transfected 293 cells using Westem blotting. RESULTS: Sequencing test indicated that Aktl amino acid sequence was in accordance with wild Aktl sequence. Akt-pDC316 was transcripted in 293 cells, and Akt1 protein with relative molecular weight of 55 000 was highly expressed in 293 cells when assayed using Western blotting. CONCLUSION: Eukaryotic expression vector for Aktl gene highly expresses in 293 cells.

Objective: This study aimed to observe the long-term effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa preparation used in peritoneal injection of advanced colorectal cancer patients during surgery. Methods: A total of 83 colorectal cancer patients who received surgery between September 2006 and March 2008 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups. Palliative resection and a 10 ml P. aeruginosa peritoneal injection were performed in 30 of 83 patients in the treatment group. Simple palliative resection was conducted in the other 53 patients, which comprised the control group. Both groups were then treated by regular chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Results:The follow-up visit was completed in 79 of 83 patients, with a high follow-up rate of 95.2%. No significant difference was found in the five-year overall survival time between the two groups (P=0.403). However, the five-year median survival time in the control group was only 13.9 ± 2.14 months, whereas that in the treatment group was 17.2 ± 2.12 months. Conclusion: Within a short period, peritoneal injection of P. aeruginosa during surgery could confer certain survival advantages for advanced colorectal cancer patients. However, the long-term effect of this therapy remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate the relation of Treg/Th17 ratio with HBeAg loss in chronic HBV infection patients during enticarvir antiviral treatment. Methods: The sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from the enrolled chronic HBV infection patients and healthy controls at different time points of enticarvir antiviral treatment. The HBV markers, HBV-DNA, serum alanine transaminase(ALT), the HBV-specific IL-17 levels, and the frequencies of Th17, Treg cells in PBMCs were determined. Results: HBV-DNA and Treg cell frequencies were decreased and the frequency of Th17 cells was rapidly increased in all patients; the secretion of IL-17 decreased upon specific stimulation with HBcAg. Therapy induced inhibition of HBV replication led to great decrease of Treg/Th17. The decrease of Treg/Th17 ratio was closely related to loss of serum HBeAg at the fourth week. Conclusion: Inhibition of viral replication can not only reduce the activity of Th17 cells, but also quickly decrease the Treg/Th17 ratio. The Treg/Th17 ratio at the fourth week can serve as a marker for the effect of entacavir treatment for chronic hepatitis B.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of 23G vs 20G pars plana vitrectomy ( PPV ) combined with internal limiting membrane peeling, phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for macular epiretinal membrane with cataract. ·METHODS: Totally 45 eyes of 45 patients with macular epiretinal membrane and cataract were enrolled in this retrospective non-randomized controlled clinical study. All eyes were treated with PPV combined with internal limiting membrane peeling, phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. There were 20 eyes in 23G PPV group, and 25 eyes in 20G PPV group. The best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA ) , intraocular pressure (IOP), counting of corneal endothelial cells ( CEC) and central retinal thickness ( CRT ) were examined before surgery. BCVA results were converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution ( LogMAR ) visual acuity. All operations were performed by the same doctor. Operation time for vitrectomy and membrane peeling, average ultrasound energy ( AVE) and effective phacoemulsification time ( EPT ) were recorded. BCVA and CRT were observed postoperatively at 30d and 90d, counting of CEC was observed postoperatively at 90d. IOP was observed postoperatively at 1d and 7d. ·RESULTS:The mean operation time for vitrectomy were 12. 57± 1. 35min in 23G group and 17. 30 ± 1. 19min in 20G group. The difference was statistically significant ( t =-12. 488, P<0. 01). There were no statistical significances in operation time for membrane peeling, AVE and EPT between 23G and 20G groups ( t=-0. 68,-1. 186,-0. 737, P=0. 500, 0. 242,0. 465). On 1d after surgery, IOP in 23G group was lower than that in 20G group, the difference was statistically significant (t= -2. 345, P=0. 024). The BCVA and CRT of the two groups both improved after operations. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in terms of IOP, BCVA, and CRT ( F = 0. 465, 1. 895, 0. 689; P = 0. 499, 0. 176, 0. 411). IOP, BCVA and CRT were significant statistical different in different time-point within each group ( F=291. 245, 103. 06, 665. 402, P<0. 01 ). Different surgical methods of 23G and 20G had interactive effects on IOP with different time points ( F = 13. 245, P<0. 01 ), but different surgeries had no interactive effects on BCVA and CRT with different time points (F=1. 212, 2. 293;P=0. 283, 0. 129). The counting CEC in 23G group was more than that in 20G group postoperatively at 90d, the difference was statistically significant (t=2. 049, P=0. 048). ·CONCLUSION: The 23G PPV combined with internal limiting membrane peeling, phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation for macular epiretinal membrane with cataract is effective. Compared with 20G PPV, 23G PPV has advantages in operation time for vitrectomy and counting CEC. But lower IOP is likely in 23G PPV on 1d after surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of reinforcing Shen method (RSM) and activating blood method (ABM) in treating osteoarthritis (OA) at the molecular level.

METHODSThe physical and chemical characteristics of components from respective recipes of RSM and ABM, and network features of component-target interaction network were analyzed by computer simulation methods including chemical space, molecular docking, and biological network, etc.

RESULTSThe chemical components of RSM and ABM were scarcely scattered with larger overlapping. Among established networks, the distribution of network features was partially similar in RSM and ABM. The average target number correlated with each component was 1.86 in RSM and 2.11 in ABM respectively. Each average target number was respectively correlated with 4.46 compounds and 3.93 compounds, reflecting multi-component and multi-target actions.

CONCLUSIONComputer simulation could intuitively trace out similarities and differences of two different methods and their interaction with targets, which revealed that the compatibility of RSM and ABM could have broader protein targets and potential synergism at the molecular level.

Computer Simulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical application of mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandihular distraction to correct hemifacial microsomia with rapid prototyping technology.

METHODSThe patient' s skull resin model was manufactured with rapid prototyping technology. The osteotomy was designed on skull resin model. According to the preoperative design, the patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy and mandibular ramus osteotomy. The internal mandible distractor was embedded onto the osteotomy position. The occlusal titanium pin was implanted. Distraction were carried out by mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandihular distraction 5 days after operation.

RESULTSThe distraction in five patients was complete as designed. No infection and dysosteogenesis happened. The longest distance of distraction was 28 mm, and the shortest distance was 16 mm. The facial asymmetry deformity was significantly improved at the end of distraction. The ocelusal plane of patients obviously improved.

CONCLUSIONSRapid prototyping technology is helpful to design precisely osteotomy before operation. Mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandibular distraction can correct hemifacial microsomia. It is worth to clinical application.

Face ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Facial Asymmetry ; congenital ; surgery ; Goldenhar Syndrome ; surgery ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Mandible ; surgery ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; methods ; Osteotomy ; methods ; Osteotomy, Le Fort

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of pinhole infection in the fractured lower limbs after external fixation.

METHODSThe case-control study was designed. From May 2009 to May 2014, the clinical data of 272 patients with lower limb fracture treated by external fixation device were collected. All the patients were divided into two groups according to post-operative pinhole infection. There were 29 cases in the case group including 23 males and 6 females. The age of patients in case group ranged from 25 to 77 years old,with the average age of (53.41 ± 12.77) years old. There were 243 cases in control group including 217 males and 26 females. The age of patients in the control group ranged from 27 to 78 years old, with the average age of (48.71 ± 11.87) years old. There were nine risk factors observed in our study including age, gender, fixed time by external fixation device, diabetes, time in bed, smoking, operation condition of other parts in the body, infection condition of other parts in the body.

RESULTSThe results of univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences among age (χ² = 15.708, P < 0.001), fixed time by external fixation device (χ² = 11.940, P < 0.001), severity of the lower limb fracture (χ² =15.438, P < 0.001), diabetes (χ² = 8.519, P = 0.004) and time in bed (χ² = 7.165, P = 0.007) between case group and control group. The results of Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors of pinhole infection after fixed by external fixation device in the lower limb fracture were the advanced age (OR = 8.327, P < 0.001), fixed time by external fixation device (OR = 6.795, P < 0.001), diabetes (OR = 4.965, P = 0.001) and time in bed (OR = 4.864, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONThe advanced age, long fixed time, diabetes and long time in bed could increase the risk of pinhole infection after external fixation in the lower limbs with fracture.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; External Fixators ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo identify the Cynomorii Herba and its analogues species using DNA barcoding technique.

METHODTotal genomic DNA extracted from all materials using the DNA extraction kit. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and purified PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner 3.7.1. The Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances and GC content were computed using MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were conducted through the species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and neighbor-joining (NJ) trees.

RESULTThe ITS2 sequence lengths of Cynomorii Herba were 229 bp. The average intra-specific genetic distances of Cynomorii Herba were 0.003. The average inter-specific genetic distances between Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species were 0.760. The results showed that the minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence. The species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and NJ trees results indicated that Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species can be easily identification.

CONCLUSIONThe ITS2 region is an efficient barcode for identification of Cynomorii Herba, which provide a new technique to ensure clinical safety in utilization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Cynomorium ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Fifty-eight samples belonging to 7 species of Arisaematis Rhizoma and its adulterants were collected. The ITS2 locus was employed as a DNA barcode and amplified, sequenced and assembled for all of the collected samples. Then, ITS2 sequences have been annotated using HMM-based method. The intra- and inter-specific variations were calculated and NJ tree was constructed using MEGA 6.0 software. The results showed that inter-specific K2P distances were significantly larger than intra-specific distances for all of the three origin species of Arisaematis Rhizoma. Furthermore, three origin species, Arisaema amurense, A. erubescens and A. heterophyllum, can be respectively formed to be a single branch with high bootstrap values. It is concluded that ITS2 can be used to correctly identify Arisaematis Rhizoma from its adulterants and the application of ITS2 in the identification of traditional Chinese medicine has an important prospective.
Arisaema ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics

Objective In view of being short of the mammalian model in neuroma-in-continuity,the experiment injured the part of peroneal nerve to the formation of the neuroma-in-continuity and was applied to the foundation of farther research.Methods Twelve New Zeland rabbits were selected as experimental sub- jects randomly.One lateral peroneal nerves of twelve rabbits were resected,the damaged nervous tissues' slice were showed to the typical pathological changes of neuroma by the stain of HE,luxol fast blue after six weeks. As compared with the health sides of six model rabbits,the methods of real-time PCR and Western blot were used to evaluate the expression of CNTF,CGRP mRNA and protein in injured nerves and L_7、S_1 dorsal root ganglions respectively.Results The injured nerve formed the typical pathological changes of neuroma at six weeks.Compared with hea|thg side the expression of CNTF mRNA and protein was down-graded at the lateral of neuroma(P＜0.05),and the expression of CGRP mRNA and protein was up-graded(P＜0.05).Con- clusion The method of partly injuring the peroneal nerve could effectively set up the model of the neuroma-in- continuity,furthermore,resulted to the expression changes of the CNTF,CGRP mRNA and protein.