Objective:To discuss the significance of standardized treatment for cancer pain, according to the Cancer Pain Treat-ment Specification (2011 Edition) issued by the Ministry of Health, PR China. Methods:Clinical data of 126 patients with cancer pain, who were admitted to the Department of Medical Oncology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, were collected to com-pare the improvement of the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, number of breakthrough pain, and quality of life score after treatment. The relationships between different pain grades, disease entities, and treatment effect were analyzed. The influence factors of pain relief were also analyzed by using Logistic regression analysis. Results:1). Following standardized treatment, the improvement rate of NRS score has shown significant differences in pain grading (P=0.001) and gender (P=0.000). However, no significant differences were ob-served between different diseases (P=0.112). The improvement rate of the life quality score and the number of breakthrough pain had no significant difference after standardized treatment. 2). The grading of cancer pain and the disease entities had little effect on cancer pain relief. 3). The anti-tumor treatment and“no distant metastasis”were the independent factors that brought about the decrease in NRS and quality of life scores.“No distant metastasis”(P=0.046) was the independent factor that reduced the number of pain out-breaks. Conclusion: The standardized treatment positively affects the NRS score, number of breakthrough pain, and quality of life score. Patients who received anti-neoplastic therapy and who had no distant metastasis showed significant treatment effectiveness in pain management.

Nerve growth factor is one of the most important factors playing an important role in regulating the growth, development and survival of the neuron. The purified NGF from human placenta has been reported, the tissue from which can be isolated the NGF is very limited. It is important for basic research and clinic application to expression hNGF by genetic engineering. By polymerase chain reaction,gene fragment encoding the mature part of ?-NGF was amplified using the DNA of human placenta as template. The fragment was sequenced and inserted into expression vector pET-15b, and the recombinant expression vector pET15b-NGF was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3)pLysS. After inducing with IPTG the NGF was higher expressed up to 25% of the total cell proteins. The expression product was purified with metal chelate affinity chromatography on Ni-IDA agarose under denaturing condition. The purity of rNGF was higher than 90% and yield of rNGF was 4.56mg/L expressing bacteria. SDS-PAGE revealed the NGF expression product had a Mr 16kDa. Western-blot displayed the recombinant product had strong immunological activity with rabbit anti-human ?-NGF polyclonic antibodies. The expression products were dealed with solubilizing inclusion bodies and refolding protein. The test of nerve fiber growth of chicken embryo DRG neurons displayed rNGF had biological activity.

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

OBJECTIVETo review the clinical features of the thoracolumbar fracture with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in order to avoid delayed or missed diagnosis.

METHODSFive patients of thoracolumbar fracture with AS treated from April 2005 to June 2007 in our department were studied retrospectively, male 4 cases, female 1 case, the age from 26- to 72-years-old with an average of 44.8 years. Analysis including: case history, number of the ankylosed vertebras, characteristic of fracture, active state rheumatism.

RESULTSThe patients had the history of AS for average 22.6 years. The mean number of the ankylosed vertebras was 18.2. Of the 5 cases, 1 case encountered traffic accident, 1case was sprained, and 3 cases without trauma were diagnosed as stress fracture. Two cases were trans-vertebra fracture: the fracture line was through T6, T7, or L1 vertebral body respectively; 3 cases were through the disc space: 2 cases were through L1,2 disc space, 1 case was through L2,3. No compression fracture and neurological injury were found. The acute inflammatory index such as ESR and CRP in 4 cases didn't correlate with the degree of pain. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) hadn't significant effectiveness in relieving pain. The patients were diagnosed as 'relapse' of AS in other hospital, and had been misdiagnosed for average 1.51 months.

CONCLUSION1) the fracture is prevalent at the middle or late period of AS when extensive ankylosis has been existed at the thoracolumbar region; 2) the fracture is common at the lower thoracal spine and the upper lumbar spine, and the majority is the stress fracture; 3) the fracture line may be through the vertebral body, but more often through the disc space; 4) it is like an exacerbation of AS and therefore to be missed diagnosis; 5) when the back pain exacerbated suddenly in the middle or late period of AS, the degree of pain not correlating with acute inflammatory index, and the NSAIDs ineffective, the thoracolumbar fracture should be considered.

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; complications ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries

Objective To investigate the expression of caspase-10 in differentiated thyroid carcinoma and association with its development and metastasis. Methods Thyroid samples from 37 patients in a period from January 2006 to December 2007, with differentiated thyroid carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed for caspase-10 by immunohistocbemistry(streptavidin-perosidase, S-P), compared to control group of 46 cases with nodtdar goiter. The relationship between the expression of caspase-10 and the clinical pathologic characteristics of thyroid carcinoma were also explored simultaneously. Results caspase-10 were observed as brown or yellow particles located in the cytoplasm or cell membrane of nodular goiter but there were no significant evidence for its positive expression in thyroid carcinoma, caspase-10 expression was markedly down-regulated in differentiated thyroid carcinoma(29.73%,11/37) compared with benign nodules(71.74%,33/46, χ2=14.528, P<0.01). The positive expression in 18 cases with lymph node metastasis(11.11%,2/18) was significantly lower than those in 19 patients without lymph node metastasis(47.37%,9/19; χ2=4.210, P<0.01). There was no significant correlation(P> 0.05) between the expression of caspase-10 and the clinical pathologic characteristics including male, age, TNM stage and pathologic type. Conclusion Down-regulation of caspase-10 may play a critical role in carcinogenesis and development of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Based on the full-length cDNA of BmalphaTX14 from Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK), gene of the mature peptide of BmalphaTX14 was cloned into the yeast expression vector pPIC9K. After transforming, screening and inducing, tricine-SDS-PAGE and Western blot proved that rBmalphaTX14 protein was expressed in the medium for up to 84 hours, getting nearly 120 mg/L. Recombinant BmalphaTX14 was purified rapidly and efficiently through Ni-NTA-agarose, polyethylene glycol precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. The purified rBmalphaTX14 proved to have the anti-insect activity by toxicity assay. Meanwhile, genomic gene of BmalphaTX14 was cloned and sequenced by PCR method, sequence analysis of this gene showed that BmalphaTX14 had an intron of 408 base pairs located at the signal peptide encoding region, which was similar with the characteristic of other alpha-type sodium ion-channel toxin. Considering both the genomic organization and the peptide function, BmaTX14 proved to be a membership belonging to alpha-type sodium ion-channel toxin.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Scorpion Venoms ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Scorpions ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of -141C insert/delete polymorphism with schizophrenia in Wuhan of Hubei province.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted to analyze the polymorphism in the D(2) receptor gene promoter region with schizophrenia. A total of 120 cases of schizophrenia diagnosed according to CCMD-II R criteria and 100 normal controls were recruited in the study.

RESULTSIn this sample, the allele and genotype showed statistically significant differences between patients and normal controls (P<0.05).Especially, the frequency of -141C del was 11% in patients and 18% in control(OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.30-0.96; P<0.05). This allele was less common in schizophrenia than in normal controls (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe -141C del polymorphism is associated with schizophrenia.The polymorphism may modify the association with other factors. Possibly -141C del in the DRD(2) promoter region is a strong candidate for a protective factor for this trait.

Adult ; Alleles ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; genetics ; Schizophrenia ; diagnosis ; genetics

The discovery of high performance leading antidiabetic compounds containing sulfonamide and 4-aminophenylacetic acid moieties is reported. This was achieved by the synthesis of 6 intermediates and subsequently 20 target molecules using 4-aminophenylacetic acid as the starting materials, and through a few synthetic routes aided by multi-step reactions including sulfonylation of amino group, deacylation of amides and esterification of carboxyl group, as well as acylation of amino group. The chemical structures of the twenty-four new compounds were determined using 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HR-MS techniques. Screening in vitro of their peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activation activities showed weak relative PPAR activation activities to most of the target molecules. However, 4 target molecules exhibit PPAR over 58%, and as high as 81.79% for TM2-i, presenting itself as potent leading compound for antidiabetic drugs. This research also confirms that it is probable to achieve esterification of carboxyl group and deacylation of fatty acid N-phenyl amides concurrently in SOCl2/alcohol solvent system. This provides new synthetic method for the selective reaction within molecules containing both carboxyl and N-aryl amido groups of fatty acids.
Aniline Compounds ; chemistry ; Fatty Acids ; chemistry ; Hep G2 Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors ; metabolism ; Phenylacetates ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Sulfonamides ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEEarly gestational mammalian fetuses possess the amazing ability to heal cutaneous wounds in a scarless fashion. Over the past years, scientists have been working to decipher the mechanisms underlying this regenerative repair. The remarkable phenotypic differences between fetal and adult healings behooves us to learn their characteristics in genetics, which represents potentially important mechanisms involved in wound repair observed in fetal versus adult tissues. In this sense, it is reasonable to construct subtractive cDNA library for future research.

METHODSMiddle laparotomy and hysterotomy were performed on pregnant rabbits at 20-day gestation to expose the fetal back, and a longitudinal incision through the skin was made on the back of the fetus. The traumatized fetal skin was harvested 12 hours post-operation, the fetus control and traumatized adult skin specimens were taken at the same time. dscDNA was synthesized from total RNA of skin samples with SMART technology. Taking one of the three samples as Tester respectively and the other two as Drivers, we obtained 1 forward and 2 reverse hybridization products. After being amplified with selective polymerase chain reaction, the products were inserted into a vector, and then transferred into E. coli HB101. The colonies were screened afterwards.

RESULTSThe wounded fetuses were alive for a long time even after birth. Every determinant step, such as RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, Rsa I digestion, adaptor ligation and hybridization, was well-operated. Subtractive efficiency identification demonstrated that the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was successful. Insertion into vector and transferring to E. coli were satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSInstead of classic SSH, an improved SSH with 2 Drivers was applied for the experiment. Results confirmed that the improved program was reasonable and correct in both theory and practice. The subtractive cDNA library we have obtained is going to be used for future researches to reveal scarless healing related gene(s) and its (their) expression.

Animals ; Cicatrix ; genetics ; DNA, Complementary ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fetus ; Gene Library ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Animal ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; injuries ; Wound Healing ; genetics ; physiology

This paper is aimed to develop rapid, sensitive and convenient HPLC-MS/MS methods for the quantification of levosimendan and its metabolites OR-1855 and OR-1896 in human plasma. According to the different natures of the compounds, two sets of liquid chromatography and ionization modes were used for determination the concentration of levosimendan and its metabolites OR-1855 and OR-1896 in human plasma, separately. Following protein precipitation with methanol, the levosimendan and internal standard (rosuvastatin) were separated on a Capcell MG III C18 column (35 mm x 2.0 mm ID, 3 microm) with the mobile phase consisted of methanol-15 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate-formic acid (55: 45: 0.02, v/v/v). A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization source was used as the detector and operated in the negative ion mode. Its metabolites OR-1855, OR-1896 and internal standard doxofylline were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Zorbax Extend C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm ID, 5 microm) with the mobile phase consisted of methanol-15 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate-formic acid (65 :35 :0.1, v/v/v). A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization source was used as the detector and operated at the positive ion mode. The linear concentration ranges of the calibration curves for levosimendan and OR-1855 and OR-1896 were 0.10-50.0 ng x mL(-1), 0.20-100 ng x mL(-1), 0.20-100 ng x mL(-1), respectively. The lower limits of quantification of levosimendan and OR-1855 and OR-1896 were 0.10 ng x mL(-1), 0.20 ng x mL(-1), 0.20 ng x mL(-1), respectively. The methods proved to be sensitive, simple and rapid, and suitable for the pharmacokinetic study of levosimendan injection.
Acetamides ; blood ; Cardiotonic Agents ; blood ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Humans ; Hydrazones ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Pyridazines ; blood ; metabolism ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods