Objective To detect Chlamydia trachomatis phage Vp1 gene in clinical swab specimens and anti-Vp1 antibodies in serum specimens.MethodsCervical and urethral swab as well as serum specimens were collected from attendees to the sexually transmitted disease(STD) clinic in the Tianjin Institute of STD,during March 2008 to March 2011.PCR was conducted to detect chlamydial phage Vp1 gene in swab samples,enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and Western blot to detect anti-Vp1 antibody in sera.The swab specimens positive for Vp1 gene were subjected to cell culture followed by the detection of Vp1 protein with an immunofluorescence-based method.ResultsTotally,36 out of 1542 swab specimens turned out to be positive for Vp1 gene,and 23 out of 453 serum specimens for anti-Vp1 antibody.No positive results were obtained in the Vp1 gene-positive swab specimens by cell culture and immunofluorescence-based assay.ConclusionThe Vp1 gene of Chlamydial trachomatis phage and anti-Vp1 antibody are successfully detected from clinical swab and serum specimens respectively.

Objective To explore the role of glutamate in inducing cortical neuron damage in newborn rats.Methods The model of damage induced by glutamate was established on cultured cortical neurons in newborn rats with primary cultivation technique.To evaluate the severity of neuron injury, the changes of morphology were observed by inverted microscopy, the cell viability and rate of LDH releasing from neuron were detected by MTT assay and biochemical method,respectively;the rate of neuronal apoptosis was measured by flow cytometer system.Results Under the inverted microscopy, neurons showed obvious toxic damage in glutamate treatment group. Compared with controls,the cell viability significantly decreased (t=4.58 P

To summarize Professor LIU Feng-bin's clinical experience and theoretical thoughts on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), the study group designed a retrospective study on his case series and expert interview. First of all, the data of CAG patients treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between 2009 and 2013, e. g. herbs, diseases, syndrome type, prescription amount and number of herbs, was collected and processed. The statistical description and binary logistic regression were used to determined the syndrome type, initial basic remedy and modification. During the statistics, a complete and sub-group analysis was performed simultaneously. After the expert interview, the syndrome type and medication were finalized. As a result, a total of 228 CAG patients aged at (50.30 ± 10.18) were collected, including 151 males (66.23%). Of them, the TCM diagnosis and syndrome type were extracted from the information of 157 patients, including 115 cases with gastric stuffiness, 23 cases with gastric pain, 19 missing cases, 2 cases with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome, 57 cases with spleen deficiency and dampness-heat syndrome, 18 cases with spleen-stomach disharmony syndrome, 23 cases with syndrome of liver depression syndrome, 21 cases with liver qi invading stomach syndrome and 26 qi and yin deficiency syndrome, respectively. All of the 228 patients used totally 104 herbs, while the subgroups with 157 patients used 94 herbs. The most frequently used 15 herbs used in each groups were analyzed to determine the initial basic remedy and modification. Subsequently, based on the information of the sub-groups with 157 patients, with the syndrome type as the dependent variable, the logistic regression analysis was made on the most frequently used 32 herbs, in order to determined the modification in herbs for different syndrome types. After experts reviewed and modified, they believed the main causes of CAG were dietary irregularities, moodiness and weak constitution; the pathogenesis of CAG was spleen deficiency with qi stagnation, heat depression and blood stasis in the stomach meridian. The above six syndrome types and 12 herbs were determined, including Pseudostellariae Radix, Poria, Atractylodismacrocephalae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, Sepiae Endoconcha, Arecae Pericarpium, Aurantii Fructus, Perillae Caulis, Herba Hedyotis Diffusae, Scutellariae Barbatae Herba, Curcumae Rhizoma. This study summarized Professor LIU Feng-bin's clinical experience and theoretical thoughts of chronic atrophic gastritis based on clinical practice data and expert interview, with a rigorous design and good scientificity and practicability.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To apply iTRAQ technology to observe changes in protein expression group in the process of inducing C2C12 cells differentiation towards osteoblast by BMP-2.Methods The myoblast C2C12 cells were seeded in BMP-2 induced differentiation system for differentiation induction.In the 7th day,differentiation protein was extracted and labeled with iTRAQ reagent.Then,mass spectrometric detection,data analysis of differentially expressed proteins,and analysis of biological information were carried out.Results 23 significantly differentially expressed protein spots were screened by BMP-2-induced myoblast C2C12 differentiated cell protein expression profile analysis,where the protein was labeled with iTRAQ reagent.8 protein points were up-regulated,and 15 protein points were down-regulated.Trend classification found that the above differential protein had differential expression in each period of C2C12 cell osteogenic differentiation (1-7 days).Part of up-regulated protein in the early differentiation period showed high expression level;part of up-regulated protein in the late differentiation period showed high expression level;similarly,part of down-regulated protein in the early differentiation period presented low expression level;part of down-regulated protein in the late differentiation period showed low expression level.Preliminary identification showed SERCA3,Cytochrome bS,S100A4,ATPase inhibitor and ATPIF1 presented dynamic changes,which suggests that these proteins may be related to inducing osteogenic differentiation mechanism.Conclusion The results of differential protein expression trend show the necessity of full monitoring of C2C 12 cells osteogenic differentiation and indicate that iTRAQ technology is an effective method of studying protein changes of cellular molecule.Five proteins including SERCA3,Cytochrome b5,S100A4,ATPase inhibitor and ATPIF1 can be used as candidate targets for osteogenic differentiation mechanism research.

Objective To explore the walking ability and cognitive function changes in normal pressure hydrocephalus patients after cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF ) tap test for helping clinicians choose evaluation time and methods.Methods Twenty-seven patients with probable normal pressure hydrocephalus in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2013 to 2014 were included.All patients were evaluated using Minimum Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Ability of Daily Life, and Idiopathic Normal Pressure Grade Scale, underwent 1.5 T head MRI scan and had ventriculo-peritoneal shunt after informerd consent.A lumbar tap with removal of 30 ml of CSF was performed in all patients.Evaluations included the 10 m walking time and steps, Trail Making Test A, number code and Stroop test.Those tests were performed 1 day before and 4, 8, 24, 72 hours after CSF tap test.The walking test and neuropsychological test results were compared between those before and after the CSF tap test.Correlation analysis was conducted between the normal pressure hydrocephalus featured MRI characters and CSF tap test responses including Evan′s index, callosum corpus angle, mismatch between narrowed high-convexity and medial subarachnoid spaces and enlarged Sylvian fissure associated with ventriculomegaly . Results Compared with 0 h walking time (23.56(14.00) s), the 10 m walking time on the 8 hours and 24 hours after CSF tap test, which were 19.41 ( 9.00 ) s and 19.67 ( 11.00 ) s respectively, were significantly improved ( Z values in Wilcoxon signed ranks test were -3.416 and -3.443 respectively,both P<0.01).There were no statistically significant differences on every evaluation time point.The neuropsychological tests changings were significant on 24 hours and 72 hours.Compared with 0 h neuropsychological test z scale (-10.28(21.60)), the z scale on the 24 hours and 72 hours after CSF tap test, which were -6.29 (26.72), -3.37(36.15)respectively, were significantly improved (Z values in Wilcoxon signed ranks test were -3.506,-2.701 respectively, both P<0.01).The Evan′s index, callosum corpus and the feature of mismatch between narrowed high-convexity and medial subarachnoid spaces and enlarged Sylvian fissure were not statistically correlated with the response of CSF tap test.Conclusions Walking ability in normal pressure hydrocephalus patients was improved after the CSF tap test.The Evan′s index, callosum corpus and the feature of mismatch between narrowed high-convexity and medial subarachnoid spaces and enlarged Sylvian fissure might not be correlated with the response of CSF tap test.

A new method for the comparison of the treatment efficacy for specific diseases or conditions between Chinese medicine and Western medicine, which serve the same medical aim but are based on substantially different theoretical systems, was identified. Abiding by the principle of parallel subgroup design of a randomized controlled trial (PSD-RCT), participants were recruited following identical inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly allocated into two groups to receive treatment using the respective approaches of Chinese medicine and Western medicine. The Chinese medicine group was divided into subgroups according to the theory of Chinese medicine and the Western medicine group was also divided into subgroups according to the theory of Western medicine. The treatment for each subgroup was well defined in the protocol, including major formulae and principles for individualized modifications. The primary outcome measure was ascertained to be directly related to the patients' status but independent from both theories of Chinese medicine and Western medicine, while the secondary outcomes were represented by the patient-reported outcomes and some laboratory tests commonly accepted by Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Then, taking functional dyspepsia as an example, the authors explain the framework of the PSD-RCT for efficacy comparisons between Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and recommend that the PSD-RCT can be used to compare treatment efficacy for a specific disease or condition between Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and the comparison among subgroups can provide valuable clues for further studies.
Dyspepsia ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Research Design ; Treatment Outcome ; Western World

OBJECTIVETo carry out expert survey for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome characteristics of different clinical types of coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODSBy using Delphi method, we carried out two rounds of nationwide expert surveys for modern TCM characteristics of syndrome elements and syndrome types of CAD.

RESULTSBased on expert consensus, qi deficiency, blood stasis, phlegm turbidity, qi deficiency blood stasis, and intermingled phlegm and blood stasis are common TCM syndromes for different clinical types of CAD. Of them, qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm turbidity, heat accumulation, cold coagulation, yang deficiency, deficiency of both qi and yang were more often seen in patients with unstable angina than in those with stable angina. Qi deficiency, yin deficiency, and deficiency of both qi and yin were less seen. We could see more excess syndrome and less deficiency syndrome (such as qi deficiency, yin deficiency, etc.) in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) than acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Qi deficiency, blood stasis, water retention, yang deficiency, phlegm turbidity, yin deficiency, Xin-qi deficiency, and qi deficiency blood stasis induced water retention are the most common TCM syndrome types of CAD heart failure (HF). Blood deficiency, yin deficiency, heat accumulation, deficiency of both Xin and Pi, deficiency of both qi and blood, deficiency of both qi and yin, yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity were more often seen in CAD arrhythmias.

CONCLUSIONSTCM syndrome distributions of different clinical types of CAD have common laws and individual characteristics. Results based on the expert consensus supplied evidence and support for clinical diagnosis and treatment of CAD.

Angina Pectoris ; Angina, Unstable ; China ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Coronary Disease ; diagnosis ; Data Collection ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Qi ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of abdominal acupuncture for cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

METHODSThirty cases of cervical vertigo, in which the color ultrasonography indicated vertebral arterial blood insufficiency, were treated with abdominal acupuncture therapy. The points were Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Xiawan (CV 10), Shangqu (KI 17) and Huaroumen (ST 24). The treatment was given once every day and five continuous treatments made one session. Separately, before treatment and in the 1st and 5th treatments, the cervical vertigo symptom and functional assessment scales were adopted for scoring. Simultaneously, the color ultrasonography was applied to observe the blood flow changes of the bilateral cervical arteries.

RESULTSExcept the score for headache in the 1st treatment, the scores in cervical vertigo and function assessment scale in the 1st and 5th treatments were all improved significantly in 30 patients as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In the 1st and 5th treatments, on the affected side, the vertebral artery diameter, mean velocity and blood flow per minute were all improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). In one session treatment, the total effective rate was 100.0% (30/30) and the curative rate was 60.0% (18/30).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture therapy not only relieves the clinical symptoms, but also improves vertebral arterial blood supply for the patients of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype B subgenotype in China.

METHODSA cohort of 511 patients with chronic HBV genotype B infection, collected from 7 centers across China, were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) or nucleotide sequencing.

RESULTSFor the 511 patients, only subgenotype Ba was identified and subgenotype Bj was not found.

CONCLUSIONIn China, subgenotype Ba was the most prevalent HBV strains, while subgenotype Bj was very rarely found.

China ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length