Purpose To investigate the expression and clinical significance of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).Methods The human tissue specimens were paraffin-embedded blocks which were collected from the Department of Pathology.miR-21 was detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) in 90 cases of PCa and 69 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Results The ISH data showed that the positive rate of miR-21 in PCa (71.1％) was significantly higher than that in BPH (24.6％) (P ＜ 0.05),the expression of miR-21 correlated with the Gleason grade (P ＜ 0.05),and no relationship was observed with other clinicpathological features (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The miR-21 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PCa,which can be a new diagnostic target for PCa.

With the emergence of the modified forms of acupuncture-moxibustion such as dry needle,the discipline acupuncture-moxibustion faces significant opportunities and challenges.The concept and treatment of acupuncture-moxibustion need to combine with modern medicine to consolidate the effectiveness and apply the research results to guide clinical treatment.By reviewing the brief history of acupuncture-moxibustion in the Western countries and summarizing the definitions,this article was to propose the trend and development strategies of this discipline in the future.

Objective To explore the potential mechanisms of regulating adiponectin secretion and expression in vivo in rats.Methods To observe the regulation of adiponectin by fasing-refeeding and β-adrenergic agonists, male Wistar rats were fasted for 18 h and allowed to refeed or a β3-adrenergic receptor agonist was infused into refeeding rats.The effects of insulin clamp on adiponectin secretion and expression, including euglycemichyperinsulinemic clamp and hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, were also investigated.Plasma adiponectin level was determined by radioimmunoassay.Adiponectin mRNA expression in adipose tissue of rats was detected by realtime PCR.Results (1) Refeeding 18 h fasted rats increased plasma adiponectin concentration (about 2-fold) and adipose tissue adiponectin expression (about 3-fold), which were completely blocked by administration of β-adrenergic agonist.(2) Hyperinsulinemic clamp increased plasma adiponectin concentration and adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue.Conclusions Adiponectin secretion and expression are acutely regulated in vivo by nutritional status.Insulin and β-adrenergic agonists regulate adiponectin secretion and expression in adipose tissue.

To study the chemical constituents of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f., a new aurone glycoside named as (Z)-7, 4'-dimethoxy-6-hydroxyl-aurone-4-O-β-glucopyranoside was isolated from the 95% ethanol extracts of the rhizomes and roots of Veratrum dahuricum (Turcz.) Loes. f. by repeated column chromatography on silica gel and recrystallization. Its structure was established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and its cytotoxicities against HepG-2, MCF7 and A549 cell lines were measured in vitro.
Benzofurans ; isolation & purification ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Veratrum ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the carbapenem-resistant mechanism of one strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae( KPN) and one strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa( PAE) .Methods The identity of the isolates was confirmed by using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, 16S rDNA and special gene amplification .The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the antimicrobial agents were determined by VITEK 2 Compact System .CarbaNP Antimicrobial susceptibility testing , plasmid extraction, electroporation experiment , PCR amplification, and cloning and sequencing were carried out to analyze the en-coding gene of β-lactamases.Results The types of β-lactamases of the KPN were blaKPC-2 and blaSHV, confirmed by se-quencing of the PCR products , and that of the PAE were blaKPC-2 .Only blaKPC-2 was displayed in both transformants .All of the results of CarbaNP were type A .Conclusion Both strains of KPN and PAE resisting to carbapenem produce a plasmid-mediated carbapenemase blaKPC-2 , which belongs to Bush group 2f, class A β-lactamase.The extended-spectrum β-lacta-mases gene encoding blaSHV of the KPN might be located in the chromosome or not in the plasmid carrying with blaKPC-2 .

Objective To explore value of detecting fetal thymus size with the thymic-thoracic ratio (TT-ratio).Methods Prenatal ultrasonography examinations were performed on totally 317 normal singleton healthy pregnancies from 18 to 39 gestational weeks.The normal thymus of fetus were observed on the three-vessel-trachea (3VT) view.The anteroposterior diameter of the thymus (T1) was measured between the anterior border of the aortic arch and posterior border of sternum.The intrathoracic mediastinal diameter (T2) was measured between the anterior border of thoracic vertebral body and posterior border of sternum.The TT-ratio was then calculated as the ratio of T1 to T2.Scatter plot between TT-ratio and gestational age was drawn.And the Spearman regression analysis was performed.Results The thymus of fetus was shown as an irregular homogenous structure in the anterior mediastinum on the 3VT view.The mean TT-ratio was 0.45± 0.03.There was no correlation between TT-ratio and gestation (rs =0.06,P=0.29).Conclusion Prenatal ultrasound can display the thymus obviously.TT-ratio could be applied to assess the fetal thymus size,which can provides clinical basis for the detection of absent or hypoplastic thymus in fetus.

A plasmids of continuous expressing shRNAs targeting the NDV NA-1 Phosphoprotein (P) gene was designed.Virus titration,Real Time RT-PCR,CPE indicated that P-specific siRNA could inhibit virus replication at 36 h post-virus infection.In future studies,a combination of siRNAs targeting the NP and L gene may be used as a tool to study NDV replication and antiviral therapy.

ObjectiveTo analyze the characteristic of the T peak-end interval (Tpe) in dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) patients with heart failure and its significance in evaluation of global dispersion of ventricular repolarization.MethodsFifty-three inpatients were enrolled in this study,which included 28patients with DCM and heart failure (DCM group),and 25 patients with supraventricular tachycardia and without structural heart disease (control group).The Tpe and the dispersion of QT interval (QTd) from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram(ECG) were acquired and measured,and consequently the corrected numerals of the average of Tpe (Tpe-AVEC),the maximal Tpe (Tpe-MAXC) were acquired.ResultsThe levels of Tpe-AVEC,Tpe-MAXC and QTd in DCM group were significantly higher than those in control group [ ( 106.31 ±26.34) ms vs.(82.72 ± 10.01 ) ms,(234.05 ± 69.75) ms vs.( 119.15 ± 11.55 ) ms,( 119.17 ± 67.62) ms vs.( 39.74 ± 17.04 ) ms ] ( P ＜ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsThe global dispersion of ventricular repolarization is significantly increased in patients with DCM and heart failure.The Tpe-AVEC and Tpe-MAxc are recommended to be used for evaluating the dispersion of ventricular repolarization as the prognostic index in patients with DCM and heart failure.

Aim To investigate the effects of dioscin ( Dio) on rat myocardial contractility. Methods Left ventricular contractile function was measured using the Langendorff non-recirculating mode of isolated rat heart perfusion. Effects of low, middle and high concentra-tion of Dio were investigated by measuring left ventricu-lar systolic pressure ( LVSP ) and left ventricular end diastolic pressure ( LVEDP) . Also, peak rates of rise/fall of left ventricular pressure ( ± dp/dtmax ) of isolated rat heart were calculated. Effects of Dio on intracellu-lar free calcium concentration in rat H9 c2 cells were measured by using the confocal microscopy. Mitochon-drial membrane potential was detected with multifunc-tional microplate reader. Results With 0. 1, 1 μmol · L-1 Dio, LVSP were significantly enhanced from (11. 55 ± 0. 52), (10. 53 ± 0. 28) kPa to (13. 08 ± 0. 72), (12. 53 ±0. 64) kPa(P<0. 01); +dp/dtmax were dramatically increased from ( 0. 38 ± 0. 10 ) , (0. 40 ± 0. 07) kPa·ms-1 to (0. 42 ± 0. 11), (0. 43 ± 0. 02) kPa·ms-1(P<0. 05). With the 10μmol· L-1 Dio, LVSP and + dp/dtmax were both decreased from (12. 13 ± 0. 33) kPa and (0. 42 ± 0. 04) kPa· ms-1 to ( 9. 46 ± 0. 77 ) kPa and ( 0. 24 ± 0. 04 ) kPa ·ms-1 (P <0. 01). With 0. 1, 1, 10 μmol·L-1 Dio, the relative fluorescence intensity of intracellular free calcium concentrations was increased significantly from (16. 62 ± 0. 89) to (21. 48 ± 0. 80), (25. 68 ± 0. 69) and (19. 84 ± 0. 66)(P <0. 01)respectively. 0. 1, 1μmol·L-1 Dio showed no significant effects on the mitochondrial membrane potential of rat H9 c2 cells, while with effects of 10 μmol·L-1 Dio, the ra-tio of JC-1 monomer and J-aggregates was changed from (1. 14 ± 0. 03) to (1. 35 ± 0. 06)(P<0. 01), indica-ting a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane poten-tial. Conclusion Low and middle concentrations of Dio show a positive inotropic effect on isolated rat heart, as the LVSP and + dp/dtmax are enhanced, which may concern with the increase of the intracellu-lar concentration of Ca2+. It will not cause the calcium overload while the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ is increased by low and middle concentration of Dio in the myocytes except high concentration of Dio.

A white-rot fungi Rigidoporus sp.W-1 which could produce laccase was isolated. The fermentation conditions in shaking flasks were investigated. The optimal carbon source was wheat bran and (NH 4) 2SO 4 was the optimal nitrogen source. The components of the medium were optimized by orthogonal experiment. When W-1 was cultured under the optimum conditions, the activity of laccase could get to 7.1U/mL in 7 days.A great amount of crude laccase could be obtained by adding fresh medium to the 7 days old mycelium.