Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is still a great challenge in clinical practice.Tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),liver enzymes,cytokines,and some special glycoproteins,though helpful,are not sensitive and specific enough for early diagnosis of HCC.The establishment of several interesting predictive diagnostic models on liver fi- brosis/cirrhosis suggests that mathematic predictive model,which is developed based on large sample size and follow-up study, might be of higher sensitivity,specificity and feasibility in clinical application.Here we suggest that more attention should be paid to this kind of multi-parameter predictive diagnostic models clinically,so as to improve the early diagnosis of HCC in a more economical and feasible way.

Cardiomyopathies ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVBE To investigate the intervention of compound Astragalus and Salvia milt-iorrhiza extract (CASE) consisted of astragalosides, astragalus polysaccharides and salvianolic acids on the interaction of microRNA-145/microRNA-21 (miR-145/miR-21) and Smad3C/3L phosphorylation (pSmad3C/pSmad3L) down-stream of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by in vitro and in vivo experi-ments. METHODS In HepG2 cells and xenografts of nude mice, antagomir/agomir and plasmids of Smad3C/3L phosphorylation site mutation (Smad3 3S-A/Smad3 EPSM) were used to intervene miR-145/miR-21 and pSmad3C/pSmad3L expression respectively,then incorporative CASE treatment. Cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, tumor growth and histopathologic characteristics of xenografts, relevant proteins of TGF-β/Smad pathway and miR-145/miR-21 were evaluated.RESULTS CASE up-regulated miR-145 while down-regulated miR-21, inhibited cell proliferation,migration and tumor growth, accelerated cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells respectively transfected with Smad3 WT, Smad3 EPSM,Smad3 3S-A plasmids in cultured dishes and xenografts of nude mice,the above effects were more evident in HepG2 cells with increased pSmad3C.In TGF-β1-stimulated HepG2 cells and xenografts of nude mice, CASE antagonized the facilitating effects of miR-145 antagomir/miR-21 agomir on cell migration,proliferation,tumor growth and inhibiting effects of miR-145 antagomir/miR-21 agomir on cell apoptosis; CASE increased miR-145 down-regulated by miR-145 antagomir and decreased miR-21 up-regulated by miR-21 agomir,reduced protein level of pSmad3L and their proteins including TβRⅡ, pERK1/2, pJNK1/2 and pp38 while elevated pSmad3C expression. CONCLUSION These results suggest that pSmad3C/pSmad3L maybe interact with miR-145/miR-21 in HCC progression,which may be one of important molecular mechanisms of CASE's anti-HCC effects.

ObjectiveTo observe gene transcription characteristic of AC-cAMP signal pathway in thyroid of H22 tumor-bearing mice with different syndromes.MethodsThe quantitative four diagnosis and syndrome differentiation methods and Affymetrix Gene Chip Mouse Exon 1.0 ST Array were used,thyroid gene expression of normal mice,qi-deficiency syndromes (QDS) and poisonous pathogenic factors syndrome (PPFS) in early stage of H22 tumor-bearing mice were detected.Genes of AC-cAMP signal pathway in gene chips,which related with thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion were selected,and then analyzed their expressive characteristic.Results ①In key genes,TG and Pax8 were down-regulated in early stage,TSHr down-regulated in PPFS while contrary in QDS.②the transcription level of most genes in QDS were slightly higher than in PPFS,Nis,Tpo,AC,Ttf1,Titf2 and Prkaca were included.()Slight changes showed in other genes in this pathway.ConclusionIn AC-cAMP pathway of H22 tumor-bearing mice with different symptoms,some key genes showed similar characteristics including TSHr,AC,Pax8,Ttf1,Tiff2,TG,Nis and Tpo.This suggested that the thyroid is inhibited in mice with PPFS.

Objective To study the expression features of hydrolase genes related to the secretion of thyroid hormone of H22 hepatoma mice with different symptoms in early stage. Methods Firstly, The quantitative diagnosis and syndrome differentiation methods were used in H22 tumor-bearing mice in early stage, the expression profile of Tg and related hydrolase genes in poisonous pathogenic factors syndrome group (PPFS) and qi-deficiency syndromes (QDS) were got, and the major differential expression were selected. Secondly, the experiment was repeated and ELISA were used to detect T3 and T4 in serum, RT-PCR were applied to detect gene transcription level of genes including Tg, Ctsb, Ctsd, Ctsl, Napsa and Tpp1. Results ① Based on gene chip, the expression of Tg, Ctsb, Ctsd, Ctsl, Napsa and Tpp1were decreased in the first batch of experiment, the exactly ratio was Tg(0.77 in PPFS;0.84 in QDS), Ctsb(0.83 in PPFS, 0.91 in QDS), Ctsd(0.79 in PPFS;no notable change in QDS), Ctsl(no notable change in PPFS; 0.65 in QDS), Napsa(0.78 in PPFS; no notable change in QDS), and Tpp1 (0.75 in PPFS; no notable change in QDS), respectively. ② T3 and T4 downregulated in PPFS (the T3 value was 1.519±0.162ng/ml, T4 value was 2.194±0.305mg/dl) and in QDS (the T4 value is 4.366±0.727μg/dl) in early stage (P<0.01), especially in PPFS, which was in accordance with the change of Tg in both batches. ③the same trend happened in the validation of Tg(0.22 in PPFS;0.38 in QDS), Ctsb(0.31 in PPFS;0.55 in QDS), Ctsd(0.36 in PPFS;0.78 in QDS) and Napsa(0.24 in PPFS;0.59 in QDS) ,while ctsl(1.24 in PPFS;2.11 in QDS) and Tpp1 (2.85 in PPFS;0.85 in QDS)werethe opposite;even this, the total trend of the expression in QDS was still higher than that in PPFS. Conclusion All the results showed that the thyroid function of H22 hepatoma mice was inhibited in early stage especially in PPFS.

Objective To explore the permeability of nerve growth factor(NGF)through blood brain barrier and protective effect of NGF by periphery in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD).Methods The models with HIBD were established and NGF 5 ?g/kg was injected intravenously with 125I,and the permeability of NGF was observed by periphery through blood brain barrier of neonatal rats.Then apoptosis in each group was examined in tissues,samples of frontal cortex and CA1 district in cornu ammonis by TUNEL method.Results The contents of 125I-NGF in neonatal rats and ratio with blood content was higher than those of adult rats,then contents of 125I-NGF in neonatal rats with HIBD and ratio with blood content were higher than those of the neonatal rats(Pa

Multi-target drugs attract increasing attentions for the therapy of complicated neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, a computer-assisted strategy was applied to search for multi-target compounds by the pharmacophore matching. This strategy has been successfully used to design dual-target inhibitor models against both the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Based on two pharmacophore models matching and physicochemical properties filtering, one hit was identified which could inhibit AChE with IC50 value of (0.337 +/- 0.052) micromol x L(-1) and PARP-1 by 24.6% at 1 micromol x L(-1).
Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Computer-Aided Design ; Drug Discovery ; methods ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors

Objective To compare 99Tcm-MIBI MPI with delayed enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). Methods Forty patients with IDCM were included. They underwent both rest 99Tcm-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging and DE-MRI within 7 days. 99Tcm-MIBI MPI was performed to identify diffuse or segmental abnormal perfusion patterns including reduced or defect perfusion segments. DE-MRI images were divided into 4 categories: no delayed enhancement, septal, subendocardial and transmural delayed enhancement, x2 test was used for data analysis. Results Diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormality on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI were found in 19 (47.5%) and 21 (52.5%)patients respectively, while DE-MRI enhancement was simultaneously found in 5 patients of the former (5/19, 26.3%) and 18 (18/21, 85.7%) of the latter (x2 =14.401, P＜0. 001). For those (n=18) with both segmental perfusion abnormality and DE-MRI enhancement, the number of segments of the 4 DE-MRI respectively. A significant difference was found in the DE-MRI enhancement categories between normal and defect perfusion segments (x2 = 29. 183, P ＜0.001 ) and between reduced and defect perfusion segments as well (x2 =25. 110, P＜0. 001). Conclusions Both diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormalities on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI can be found in patients with IDCM. DE-MRI enhancement is more frequently found in patients with segmental perfusion abnormality.

Objective To investigate the effects of cognitive interventions (CIs) in the context of communi- ty based rehabilitation (CBR) on cognitive deficits (CDs) in stroke patients.Methods Ninety-two stoke patients with CDs were randomly divided into a CI group and a control group.All patients were treated with conventional CBR.In addition,the patients in the CI group were also treated with special intervention therapy.The patients in both groups were assessed with the neurological and cognitive status examination (NCSE) for cognitive functioning, the FCA for motor function and the BI for their ability in the activities of daily living.Results The NCSE,FCA and BI scores in the cognitive intervention group after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment and also significantly higher than those in the control group after treatment.Conclusion CIs can not only improve CDs,but also enhance recovery of motor function and ADL.

In order to effectively remove the invalid impurities in Tongan injection, optimize the optimal parameters of the impurity removal technology of liquid mixing process, in this paper, taking Tongan injection as the research object, with the contents of celandine alkali, and sinomenine, solids reduction efficiency, and related substances inspection as the evaluation indexes, the removal of impurities and related substances by the combined process of refrigeration, coction and activated carbon adsorption were investigated, the feasibility of the impurity removal method was definited and the process parameters were optimized. The optimized process parameters were as follows: refrigerated for 36 h, boiled for 15 min, activated carbon dosage of 0.3%, temperature 100 degrees C, adsorption time 10 min. It can effectively remove the tannin, and other impurities, thus ensure the quality and safety of products.
Adsorption ; Charcoal ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Quality Control