The α4β2-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a ligand-gated ion channel that is distributed throughout the nervous system. It is involved in the regulation of various neurotransmitters including acetylcholine, dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and norepinephrine. α4β2-nAChR plays an important role in learning, memory, cognition, attention, inflammation, and pain. A large number of studies have shown that α4β2-nAChR is an important therapeutic target for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, depression, nicotine dependence, pain, etc. It is an important target in the early diagnosis and curative effect detection of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. This review summarizes the role, mechanisms and related drug research advances on α4β2-nAChR ligand drugs in neurological diseases, as well as providing a theoretical basis for identifying and developing more suitable α4β2-nAChR-related compounds.

BACKGROUNDNeoadjuvant chemotherapy provides an excellent model for evaluation of potential predictive factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of different biological factors in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-five patients treated with 4 cycles of neoadjuvant taxanes and anthracycline were included in this retrospective study. Using pretreatment biopsy materials, immunohistochemical studies were performed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), HER-2, Ki-67 and p53 protein expression. The associations among biological markers and clinical and pathological complete response (pCR) were analyzed.

RESULTSThe overall clinical response was 86%, including 33% clinical complete response (cCR) and 53% clinical partial response. The pCR was just 17%. In the univariate analysis, only HER-2 overexpression was predictive of cCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.018). No significant associations between other biological factors and cCR were found. Absence of ER, PgR expression and overexpression of HER-2 were predictive of the pCR (P=0.002, 0.001, 0.01, respectively). Ki-67 and p53 failed to show an association with pCR. In multivariate analysis, overexpression of HER-2 remained as an independent variable in predicting the cCR (P=0.021). However, negative ER was the only parameter that maintained statistical significance in predicting the pCR (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with overexpression of HER-2 and negative hormonal receptor status are much more likely to respond to neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy than those with the opposite characteristics. These factors could serve as predictive markers for this regimen.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; analysis ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

12 strains of H2-producing bacteria were isolated and purified from anaerobic sludge, aerobic sludge and river bottom sludge by Hungate method. A new species of high efficient hydrogen production bacterium Enterococcus sp. LG1 (registration number: EU258743 ) was studied deeply. It was showed that the Enterococcus sp. LG1 was an anaerobic and Gram-negative bacterium. Sequence analysis of this type of clones showed that it was affiliated with the genus Enterococcus and it was not reported yet in other paper at present. Meanwhile, batch tests of anaerobic fermentative hydrogen production by Enterococcus sp. LG1 were investigated by using sterilization pretreated sludge as substrate. The changes of soluble COD, protein, carbohydrate and pH value during hydrogen fermentation were monitored. It was found that only hydrogen and carbon dioxide were produced by this strain and no methane was detected during fermentation. The maximal hydrogen yield was 36.48 mL/g TCOD and the hydrogen concentration in the gas phase was 73.5%. The Enterococcus sp. LG1 was a butyrate fermentation bacteria analyzed by metabolites.

Objective To study the effects of cooking practice education on their status of nutrient intake and blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) over 60 years old.Methods Four-hour cooking practice education lecture was offered per month for 57 patients with T2DM over 60-year old based on balance diet and food exchange list,with features including requiring patients joining the lecture with their family members together,demonstration of raw and fresh dietary materials and cooked food,choice of food to eat by the patients themselves according to their own dietary regimen.Sixty patients with T2DM who were only educated by outpatient department of nutrition for 35 minutes were selected as control.After twelve months of education,indices such as scores of awareness of knowledge of food exchange list,status of nutrient intake and blood glucose control,and so on,were compared between the two groups to evaluate the effects of cooking practice education.Results After 12- month education,score of knowledge of food exchange list in the experiment group increased significantly,as compared to that in the control group.Intake of energy [(6304?826) kJ] and fat [(46?6) g] decreased significantly in the experimental group [(6921?860) kJ and (63?9) g,respectively],and fasting blood glucose [(7.1?0.8) mmol/L],postprandial blood glucose [(11.2?1.1) mmol/L] and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c [(6.2?0.5)%] were decreased significantly,as compared to those in the control group [(7.8?0.9) mmol/L,(12.4?1.2) mmol/L,and (6.5?0.7)%)],respectively.Conclusions Cooking practice education is effective to correctly use diet regimen and improve status of nutrient intake and control of blood glucoses for over-60-year patients with T2DM.

A simple and sensitive Reverse Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method was established to provide a new alternative for clinical diagnosis of Avian influenza A H5N1 virus. The method employed a set of six specially designed primers that recognized eight distinct sequences of the target for amplification of nucleic acid under isothermal conditions. In current study, fifty-one experimentally infected animal specimens and viral cultures that had been tested were analyzed by RT-LAMP for NA gene and HA gene, respectively. The amplification process of LAMP was monitored in real-time by the addition of SYBR Green dye. Meanwhile, the result showed high correlation between nested PCR and RT-LAMP. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion analysis and sequencing of the amplified product. When the sensitivity of this assay was tested by serial 10-fold dilutions of RNA molecules from specimens, it was found that the RT-LAMP method achieved theoretically a sensitivity of 10 RNA molecules. Thus, we concluded that the RT-LAMP assay has potential usefulness for rapid detection of the Avian influenza A H5N1 virus.
Animals ; Birds ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; diagnosis ; virology ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of 5-fluorouracil-FU in combination with astragalus membranaceus(AM) on amino acid metabolism in mice model of gastric carcinoma induced by 3-methylcholanthrene(MC).

METHODSMice gastric carcinoma models were established by 3-methylcholanthrene induction and randomly divided into different groups, and received 5-FU treatment (group A) 5-FU plus AM (group B), 5-FU plus a high dose of AM(group C), no treatment (group D). Normal mice were used as control (group N). Free amino acid in the tumor specimens were examined.

RESULTSThe levels of free Valine, Methionine, Leucine, Arginine and cystine in the tumor specimens in group D were significantly higher than that in group N(P< 0.05). The levels of free serine in group A, B, C, D were significantly higher than that in group N. The levels of free glutamic acid in group A, B were significantly higher than that in group N(P< 0.05). The levels of free proline in group C, D were significantly higher than that in group P, N(P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe increasing levels of free serine and proline in tumor specimens in gastric cancer mice model reveals metabolic disturbance of amino acid. 5-FU plus astragalus membranaceus can decrease the level of free glutamic acid in the mice models, and inhibit tumor growth.

Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; Fluorouracil ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Phytotherapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the curative effect of YU Yun pulse-feeling-based acupuncture therapy for the treatment of middle-late liver cancer. Methods A total of 60 middle-late liver cancer patients were divided into control group and treatment group by stratified randomization method,30 cases in each group. The control group was given integrated Chinese and western medicine therapy according to the clinical pathway, including anti-cancer treatment such as vascular interrention,molecular targeted therapy,chemotherapy,radio therapy, and focal ablation therapy,as well as chinese medicine treatment based on disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation. And the treatment group was given YU Yun pulse-feeling-based acupuncture therapy on the basis of treatment for the control group. The two groups received 12-week treatment, and then their curative effects were compared. Results The treatment group had better effect on increasing the survival rate, prolonging survival time, improving the scores of clinical symptoms, stabilizing tumor size, and increasing the scores of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS)than the control group,the difference being significant (P < 0.05 or P <0.01). Conclusion YU Yun pulse-feeling-based acupuncture therapy exerts certain curative effect for the treatment of middle-late liver cancer.

Objective To explore rationale and clinical application of simplified modified radical thyroideetomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.Methods From Jan.2007 to Jun.2010,349 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma received simplified operative procedure based on standard modified radical thyroidectomy.The simplified procedure took a low small collar incision(about 10-12 cm).In separating upper and lower skin flaps,subcutaneous tissues covering posterior triangle of neck and posterior edge of sternoeleidomastoid muscle were spared to protect sensory nerves.Subtotal thyroidectomy Was performed to resect the affected lobe,isthmus,and the majority of opposite lobe without considering the size of primary tumor or whether metastasis to the neck lymph nodes happened.Soft tissues of the mainly metastatic areas(Ⅱ a、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴb)were cleared.The accessory nerve was not exposed routinely to avoid stimulation.Lymph nodes metastasis in different areas was recorded respectively.Complications in different operative modes were compared.Results Compared with standard modified radical thyroidectomy,the simplified mode had shorter scar-and no limit of neck mobility.Because of muscles and nerves pemervation,movement dysfunction and abnormal sensation of neck and shoulder decreased obviously.The operation duration was shortened.Cervical lymph node status Was evaluated,which provided basis for prognosis judgment and comprehensive treatment.Conclusions The simplified modified radical procedure has the benefit of decreased trauma while maintains the similar recurrence rate compared to modified radical thyroidectomy.It improvs the life quality of patients.This procedure fits the principle of functional radical neck dissection better.

ObjectiveTo observe the morphological feature of myocardial changes in adult rat exposed to citreoviridin(CIT) with selenium and protein deficiency.MethodsAccording to 2 × 2 factorial design,48 healthy male Wistar rats aged 4-week were randomly divided into four groups:group Ⅰ (Se-Pro-CIT+,low selenium and low protein plus CIT group),group Ⅱ (Se-Pro-CIT-,low selenium and low protein without CIT group),group Ⅲ (Se+Pro+CIT+,adequate selenium and adequate protein plus CIT group),and group Ⅳ (Se+Pro+CIT-,adequate selenium and adequate protein without CIT group),12 rats in each group.After one week of normal adaptive feeding,all the rats were fed with selenium and protein deficiency feed for 2 months,and then the animals in group Ⅰ and group Ⅲwere fed with 8 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 of CIT for 2 more months,after that the CIT dose was increased to 10 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 for the final 2 weeks.At the end of the experiment,all the rats were sacrificed by femoral artery bleeding,and body and heart weight were measured.Heart weight index was calculated and histopathological changes were observed under light microscope.Results Heart weight indexes of the 4 groups(Se-Pro-CIT+,Se-Pro-CIT-,Se+Pro+CIT+ and Se+Pro+CIT- groups) were (3.65 ± 0.45) × 10-3,(3.05 ± 0.19) × 10-3,(3.83 ± 1.06) × 10-3 and (3.31 ± 0.52) × 10-3,respectively.The results of factorial analysis showed that the effects of CIT on heart weight index were statistically significant(F =8.524,P ＜ 0.05 ),the effects of Se + Pro were not statistically significant(F =1.347,P ＞ 0.05),and there were no interactions between the two factors (F =0,048,P ＞ 0.05).Morphologically,tissue fibrosis around branch coronary artery in group Ⅰ rats,plenty of cardiocyte pycnosis in group Ⅱ,and myocardial scattered necrotic foci in group Ⅲ were observed,accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration in group Ⅲ,and normal myocardial structure in group Ⅳ rats.Conclusions Citreoviridin plays a major role in causing myocardial injury( degeneration and necrosis) and CIT combined with selenium and protein deficiency can aggravate the

OBJECTIVETo observe the drug resistance and drug efflux pumps gene mRNA of Saccharomyces albicans, including CDR1 gene and MDR1 gene, at different stage of biofilm formation in chemostat, furthermore to analysis the relationship between the drug efflux pump gene expression and the biofilm related drug resistance.

METHODSTo form the mature biofilm in vitro in chemostat, then collect the biofilm strains at different development stages (2, 12, 24, 48 h) to semi-quantified mRNA amount of CDR1 gene and MDR1 gene by one step RT-PCR method. Using XTT reduction method to test the dynamic change of Saccharomyces albicans drug resistance in biofilm.

RESULTSAntifungal resistance of biofilm-grown cells increased conjunction with the biofilm maturation. Compared with earth stage of biofiom strains, the amount of CDR1 mRNA gene in mature biofilm strains increased, while MDR1 gene did not.

CONCLUSIONThere is positive correlation between drug resistance and biofilm maturation of Saccharomyces albicans. Biofilm related drug resistance appears to be partially associated with the upregulation of drug efflux pumps, although the variation is not shown coincidence. During the biofilm formation, CDR1 gene expression is actively up-regulated, but MDR1 gene expression is stable.

Antifungal Agents ; Biofilms ; Candida albicans ; Drug Resistance, Fungal ; Fluconazole ; Fungal Proteins ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; Saccharomyces