ificantly lower than in both middle and low group(P＜0.05).Conclusion TP may improve the antioxidant ability of experimental aging mice.

To analyze the composition regularity of prescriptions containing Scutellaria baicalensis in Drug Standard of Ministry of Public Health of the Peoples Republic of China--Chinese Patent Medicines and Preparations on the basis of the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system (TCMISS), in order to provide reference for new drug R&D. the platform's software V2.0 was applied to establish a database of prescriptions containing S. baicalensis. The software's statistical statement module, association rules and improved mutual information method and other data mining technologies were adopted to analyze commonly used drugs, combination rules and core combination of S. baicalensis prescriptions. Having analyzed 477 prescriptions containing S. baicalensis, the researchers summarized 45 most commonly used drug combinations, whose ingredients mostly had functions of heat-clearing and damp-drying, purging fire for removing toxin and hemostasis. Drugs adopted in core combinations were relatively concentrated and selected according to definite composition methods. There were 23 diseases that S. baicalensis were most frequently applied in the treatment. Having compared three highly frequent diseases--cold, cough and dizziness, the researchers concluded that S. baicalensis could show different therapeutic effects through different combination ratios. Therefore, TCMISS (V2.0) is an important tool in analyzing the composition regularity of traditional Chinese medicines. The longitudinal and parallel comparison method is an effective method for studying the clinical composition regularity of S. baicalensis, while providing reference for new drug R&D.
China ; Drug Compounding ; statistics & numerical data ; Drug Therapy ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; therapeutic use ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on expressions of Mir-132,mir-134 in the different regions of rat brain.MethodsAll the male SD rats were divided into control group ( normal sleep group),sleep deprivation (SD).The modified multiple platform method (MMPM) was used to establish sleep deprivation model.Mir-132,mir-134 level was detected by real time PCR.ResultsMir-132 were significantly increased in SD groups in hippocampus compared with the control groups ( 51.87 ± 8.13 vs 67.25 ± 7.59 ) (P ＜0.01 ).Mir-134 were significantly decreased in SD groups compared with the control groups( 1.82 ±0.15 vs 1.45± 0.12 )(P ＜ 0.01 ).There were no statistically significant differences in cortex and thalamus (P ＞ 0.05 ).Cortex mir-132 level in SD group and control group was 1.57 ±0.10,1.48 ±0.11 respectively,and it was 1.37 ±0.09,1.36 ±0.11 in thalamus;Cortex mir-134 level in SD group and control group was 98.26 ± 5.17,100.80 ±4.15respectively,and it was 97.56 ± 6.28,91.01 ± 4.07 in thalamus.ConclusionThe upregulation of mir-132 and downregulation of mir-134 implies that two miRNAs did opposite actions in the processes of sleep deprivation.This findings indicate that hippocampus mir-132,mir-134 levels in the SD rat may reflect associated depressive patho-physiological processes.

OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of Jiji decoction (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on the cognitive function and oxidative stress in mice with vascular dementia (VD) induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODSThirty-two mice were randomly divided into nonnal group (n = 8), sham group (operation, but no cerebral ischemia/reperfusi6n, n = 8), model group (vascular dementia model induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, n = 8), and Jiji decoction-treated group (vascular dementia model plus treatment with Jiji decoction, n = 8). Fourteen days of treatment after operation, the cognitive behavior was measured in step-through test, spatial probe test and platform test. Afterwards, to assess the levels of oxidative stress, the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in brain of these mice were measured.

RESULTSData from step-through test indicated that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged and the error counts were decreased significantly ( P <0.01) compared with those of model group. Data from spatial probe test indicated that the time of entering darkroom, the time of climbing height and the time of entering bright room in Jiji decoction-treated group were shortened and the counts of climbing height were increased (P < 0.05-0.01) significantly compared with those of model group. Data from platform test showed that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged significantly (P < 0.01) compared with that of model group. Compared with normal and sham group, the activity of SOD was decreased and the content of MDA was increased in model group significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with those of model group, the levels of SOD and MDA in Jiji decoction-treated group were improved significantly (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJiji decoction could improve cognitive function of VD mice. Its mechanism might be related with the inhibition of oxidative stiess in the brain.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the role of pre-chemotherapy hemoglobin and platelet levels in the effect of chemotherapy and prognostic outcome in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO) stage Ⅰ b2 - Ⅱb cervical cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy.Methods From January 1999 to December 2010,111 patients with FIGO stage Ⅰ b2 - Ⅱ b who underwent chemosurgical treatment at the department of obstetrics and gynecology in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed.The median age of patients was 42 years (range:21 -68 years).The median level of prechemotherapy hemoglobin and platelet levels was 127 g/L and 266 ×109/L,respectively.Chemotherapy response was evaluated according to the WHO criteria,including complete response (CR),partial response (PR),arable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD).Patients who achieved CR or PR were defined as responder.Rates of clinical response were compared with the clinicalpathological variables using chi-square test.Multiple logistic regression was carried out to evaluate the relationship among the probability of achieving an optimal clinical response and the variables.The log-rank test was used to compare the homogeneity of progression-free survival and overall survival functions across strata defined by categories of prognostic variables.The Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the significance of potential prognostic factors for progression-free survival and overall survival.Results All patients received one to three cycles of chemotherapy.After the neoadjuvant chemotherapy,9 patients achieved CR,77 patients PR,23 patients SD, 2 patients PD.The overall response rate was 77.5％(86/111).By univariate analysis,the clinical response rate was associated with tumor grade( P =0.026),deep cervical stromal invasion ( P =0.029 ) and positive lymph nodes ( P =0.048 ).By multiple logistic regression,deep cervical stromal invasion ( P =0.015 ) and positive lymph nodes ( P =0.031 ) were independent predictors of optimal clinical response.By log-rank test,5-year overall survival rate and 5-year progression-free survival rate were associated with lymph nodes metastases status and lymphovascular invasion ( P =0.000),but not with hemoglobin and platelet levels( P ＞ 0.05 ).By Cox regression model,lymph nodes metastases status and lymph-vascular space involvement ( P ＜ 0.01 ) were independently prognostic factors of 5-year overall survival rate and 5-year progression-free survival rate.Conclusion Pretreatment hemoglobin and platelet levels were neither predictors of clinical response to chemotherapy nor prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of chromogenic in-situ hybridization (CISH) in detecting HER2 gene amplification in breast carcinomas.

METHODSHER2 oncogene amplification and its protein expression in 165 cases of breast carcinoma were investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and CISH.

RESULTS(1) CISH did not detect HER2 gene amplification in 107 cases of IHC negative tumors and 24 cases of IHC 1+ tumors. (2) CISH identified high copy numbers of HER2 gene amplification in 21/22 (95.5%) cases with IHC 3+. (3) In 12 HIC 2+ cases, CISH identified 3 cases of high copy number amplification, 6 cases of low copy number amplification and 3 cases without amplification.

CONCLUSIONSHER2 gene amplification detection by CISH is highly sensitive and has a high concordance with IHC detection of the protein expression. It is concluded that CISH is a tool to evaluate HER2 gene status in breast cancer and can be an implement in conventional pathology laboratories.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogenic Compounds ; Female ; Gene Amplification ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; In Situ Hybridization ; methods ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; metabolism

This paper is aimed to provide the methods of quality control and bioassay of traditional Chinese medicine injections including bioassay method. Shuanghuanglian freeze-dried powder for injection (SFPI) was chosen as study object. HPLC-ELSD fingerprints of SFPI had been established and the samples were differentiated by similarity calculation. Meanwhile, biological profiles of SFPI on Escherichia coli had been established by microcalorimetry. The similarity values were calculated using the correlation coefficient, based on quantitative thermo-kinetic parameters (T2m, Tj, I%). The results indicated that HPLC-ELSD fingerprints, which showed content changes of chemical components, could not monitor minimal variation of different samples, especially that of biological pollutants, while biological profiles could sensitively detect antibiotic activity alterations of the samples, which were kept under specific conditions. In conclusion, characterized by two-dimension, microcalorimetry could supply thermograms as biological profiles characterized to describe the bioactivity of drugs. This study could clearly demonstrate that the correlative detection was proposed as an efficient strategy for quality control of SFPI, based on HPLC-ELSD fingerprints and biological profiles, which could detect quality fluctuation of samples early and quickly and predict the potential adverse drug events (ADE) for ensuring clinical safety.
Calorimetry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Freeze Drying ; Injections ; Light ; Powders ; Quality Control ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ; Scattering, Radiation

OBJECTIVETo study the types and emergence time of YMDD motif mutation in hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase gene during lamivudine treatment.

METHODSThe serum samples were collected from 33 patients with HBV DNA rebounding and 2 non-responders after at least one year lamivudine treatment. HBV polymerase gene was amplificated by PCR, then the products were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and by direct sequence analysis.

RESULTSThe variants with YMDD mutation were 14 out of the 35 patients. Mutation patterns detected in these patients included four YIDD, six YVDD, three YI/VDD and one YI/MDD. The mean emergence time of YMDD variants was 11.07+/-3.65 months after the treatment, and the earliest one and the latest one occurred 5 months and 17 months after the treatment respectively. The emergence times of YIDD, YVDD, YI/VDD were (10.00 +/- 1.41) months, (11.67 +/- 4.41) months and (13.33 +/- 3.31) months respectively, which had no statistical significance (F = 0.543, P < 0.05). Three patients treated with lamivudine 200 mg every day after the mutation were followed up for 6 months, whose HBV variants had not vanished.

CONCLUSIONSThere are many kinds of HBV variants after lamivudine treatment, including YIDD, YVDD, YI/VDD and YI/MDD. The emergence time of variants is quite variable between different types and the mean time is (11.07 +/- 3.65) months after treatment, and there is no relationship between the type of YMDD mutation and the time of lamivudine administration.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acid Motifs ; genetics ; Child ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Products, pol ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; genetics ; Time Factors

L-glutamate (Glu) is an excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. Relatively much attention has been paid to functional expression of Glu signaling molecules in peripheral tissues very recently. The present study tested the hypothesis that the activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluRI) in neutrophils stimulated neutrophils adherence to endothelial cells by increasing the surface expression of certain adhesion molecules. Peripheral blood was obtained by venipuncture from healthy donors, and the neutrophils were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation. Neutrophils floating into DMEM/F12 culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum were then used immediately. Immunocytochemistry and real-time quantitative RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of mGluRI (mGluR1 and mGluR5) in neutrophils. The adherence of neutrophils to cultured human normal umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVE-12) was measured by the colorimetric method. Cell surface expression of adhesion molecule CD11a in the neutrophils was determined by flow cytometry. Immunocytochemistry and real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that mGluR1 and mGluR5 were constitutively expressed in neutrophils. Application of mGluRI agonist S-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (S-DHPG) (1x10(-8)-1x10(-6) mol/L) showed a dose-dependent stimulatory effect on the adherence of neutrophils to HUVE-12 (P<0.05 or P<0.01), with a maximum effect at 1x10(-6) mol/L (P<0.01). Incubations as short as 30 min were sufficient to induce increased adherence after the beginning of S-DHPG treatment. Following time extension (0.5-5 h), S-DHPG (1x10(-6) mol/L) increased the rate of neutrophils adhesion to HUVE-12 with a maximum effect at 0.5 h (P<0.01). However, a time-dependent effect of S-DHPG on the rate of neutrophils adhesion to HUVE-12 was not observed during the experimental period. 1x10(-6) mol/L of S-DHPG also induced an increased surface expression of adhesion molecule CD11a (P<0.01) when neutrophils were preincubated with 1x10(-6) mol/L of S-DHPG for 1 h. Furthermore, the specific mGluRI antagonist (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine ((+/-)-MCPG, 0.5 mmol/L) significantly abolished the stimulatory effect of S-DHPG (1x10(-6) mol/L) on the adherence of neutrophils to HUVE-12 (P<0.01). These results suggest that the activation of mGluRI in neutrophils results in increased adhesion molecule CD11a expression and thereby promotes the adherence of neutrophils to endothelial cells.
Benzoates ; pharmacology ; CD11a Antigen ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Glycine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate ; metabolism ; Resorcinols ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of intubation-surfactant-extubation (INSURE) method in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), and to investigate its possible mechanisms.

METHODSSixty-four premature infants, who were admitted for NRDS and treated with pulmonary surfactant from March 2010 to March 2012, were enrolled in the study. They were randomly divided into INSURE (n=32) and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) groups (n=32). The two groups were compared in terms of respiratory function, ventilation time, duration of oxygen therapy, complications, and prognosis, as well as expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and serum ferritin (SF).

RESULTSOxygenation index in the INSURE group was significantly higher than in the CMV group at 48 hours after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the CMV group, the INSURE group showed significantly lower incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and significantly shorter duration of oxygen therapy (P<0.05 for all comparisons). There were no significant differences in ventilation time and the incidence of pneumothorax, intracranial hemorrhage, necrotizing enteroolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and pneumorrhagia between the two groups (P>0.05). The levels of TNF-α and SF were significantly lower in the INSURE group than in the CMV group at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after treatment (P<0.05), while the level of IL-10 was significantly higher in the INSURE group than in the CMV group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSINSURE method can improve the oxygenation function of the lung, decrease the incidence of VAP and shorten the duration of oxygen therapy in neonates with NRDS, which is probably due to the fact that this method can reduce the production of TNF-α and SF and inhibit the decrease of IL-10.

Carbon Dioxide ; blood ; Female ; Ferritins ; blood ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Male ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; blood ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood