OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the negative effects of continuous drought on the breeding, production and sales of Panax notoginseng, and to search countermeasures. METHODS:Field survey, literature review and key character interviews were carried out in stricken production area. Mechanism of negative effects and its future influence were analyzed preliminarily. RESULTS:Southwest China suffered from 1-in-100 chance serious drought, and noted production area of P. notoginseng located serious disaster area. The development of P. notoginseng industry was destroyed by continuous drought. CONCLUSION:The basic strategies of P. notoginseng industry reconstruction should be formulated to provide reference for sustainable development strategies of TCM industry suffering from drought in Southwest China.

Objective:To investigate the effect of MT01 on the differentiation of osteoblasts under infected condition through determining the expression level of collagen Ⅰ (Col Ⅰ )mRNA in MG63 cells treated with Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg).Methods:The cultured MG63 cells were divided into blank control,MT01,Pg, and MT01+Pg groups.MT01 at a concentration of 1 mg·L-1 was added into the MG63 cells,and the cells were incubated for 3 h.The cells treated with PBS (1 mg·L-1 )were used as control group.Then Pg (MOI=100∶1) was added.Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression levels of ColⅠ mRNA in MG63 cells at 2,4,6,8, 12 and 24 h after incubation.Results:Compared with blank control group,the levles of ColⅠ mRNA in the MG63 cells in MT01 and MT01 + Pg groups had no significant changes at 2 and 4 h (P > 0.05);the Col Ⅰ mRNA expression levels in MT01 group at 8,12 and 24 h were increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).Compared with Pg group,the expression levels of ColⅠ mRNA in MT01+ Pg at 2 and 4 h were decreased,but the expression levels of ColⅠ mRNA were increased at 6,8,12 and 24 h (P <0.05 or P <0.01).Conclusion:MT01 can up-regulate the expression level of Col Ⅰ mRNA in the infected MG63 cells; MT01 could promot the differentiation of osteoblasts under infected condition.

Objective To observe the surgical results of modified percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar decompression(PEID) and traditional PEID in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS),and to explore the optimizations scheme of PEID for DLSS.Methods 60 patients (36 males and 24 females) were brought into the research for DLSS.According to the different operation ways,the patients were randomly divided into the modified PEID group(observation group) and traditional PEID group (control group) according to the digital table method,30 cases in each group.The surgical outcome,indicators included the change in spinal canal,visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) at pre-operation,postoperative 3 d,postoperative 3 months and postoperative 6 months,operation time,headache and painful stiff nape incidence in the operation,postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results The VAS scores (postoperative 3 days,postoperative 3 months and postoperative 6 months) of the observation group were (4.37 ± 1.20) points,(2.59 ± 1.30) points,(1.29 ± 1.21)points respectively,which of the control group were (4.45 ± 1.22)points,(2.67 ± 1.36)points,(1.17 ± 1.10)points respectively,which were significantly better than (7.93 ± 1.56)points of the observation group and (8.22 ± 1.70) points of the control group before operation,the differences were statistically significant (F =1 254.387,512.762,all P ＜ 0.05).The ODI scores (postoperative 3 days,postoperative 3 months and postoperative 6 months) of the observation group were (48.64 ± 19.59) points,(27.66 ± 10.22) points,(10.69 ± 8.87) points respectively,which of the control group were (47.22 ± 20.96) points,(25.17 ± 11.93) points,(10.16 ± 7.89) points respectively,which were significantly better than (75.20 ± 23.20) points of the observation group and (70.35 ± 28.66) points of the control group before operation,the differences were statistically significant(F =1 254.387,512.762,all P ＜ 0.05).The VAS and ODI scores (pre-operation,postoperative 3 days,postoperative 3 months andpostoperative 6 months) of the observation group and control group had no statistically significant differences (VAS:t =2.088,2.124,3.021,3.173;ODI:t =2.366,1.079,1.694,1.573,all P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of neck pain and operation time of the observation group were 20.69％,(63 ± 7) min,which were significantly lower than 87.50％ and (157 ± 8)rin of the control group,the differences were statistically significant(t =3.601,2.167,all P ＜ 0.05).The central sagittal diameter of the spinal canal and the central transverse diameter of the spinal canal between the observation group and the control group had no statistically significant differences (x2 =4.260,t =3.694,all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Modified PEID has advantages in surgical efficiency,operation time and headache and painful stiff nape incidence compared with traditional PEID,so it can be chosen for DLSS.

Objective To express the novel fibronectin-binding protein Fba of group A streptococcus(GAS)and analyze its immunogenicity,so that to evaluate the immune responses to GAS infection.Methods fba gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and confirmed by sequencing.Then it was cloned into pGEX4T-2 vector and Fba protein was expressed in E.coli BL21.The protein expression was identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and Westernblot.The sera from mice infected with GAS and anti-streptolysin-O positive patients were detected using microtiter plates coated with purified Fba protein as antigen.Afterward Balb/C mice were immunized with this purified protein and the sera were collected after the third immunization for the detection of IgG titer.Results It was confirmed by ELISA and Western blot that the recombinant Fba protein had a specific affinity with anti-Fba sera of rabbit.The anti-serum IgG titer of mice imrnunized with Fba protein was up to 1:4800.Conclusions GAS infection or Fba protein immunization are able to induce high serum titer of anti-Fba which could react specifically with the recombinant Fba protein.It indicates that Fba protein has good immunogenicity and antigenicity.So Fba protein could be a GAS candidate vaccine and an important tool to detect anti-GAS titer in GAS infected patients.

Objective To observe the changes of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in cultured mesangial cells by serum from 3/4 nephrectomized rats feeding with low protein diet and α-keto acid. Methods Thirty male SD rats received 3/4 nephrectomy (Nx) were placed on 18%normal protein diet (NPD,n=10),6% low protein diet(LPD,n=10) or 5% low protein plus 1%α-keto acid diet (LK,n=10) flor 12 weeks.Ten male SD sham-operated rats fed with 18% normal protein diet were used as control (sham group).In addition,mesangial cells were cultured in sera (10%) collected from above animals treated with or without losartan (0.02 mmol/L)for 48 hours.ELISA was applied to detect the level of Ang II,TGF-β1 and fibronectin (FN) in cell medium.Westem blotting was used to determine the protein level of ATI receptor (AT1R)and real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA level of AT1R,TGF-β1 and FN. Results (1) Nutritional indices including body weight,total protein and albumin had no significant difference in each group. (2) Serum creatinine and 24 h pruteinuria were significantly inceased in nephrectomized groups compared to sham group(P<0.05,respectively).24 h proteinuria was greatly lower in LK group than that in NPD and LPD groups(P<0.05,respectively).(3)LK greatly decteased the level of Ang II[NPD(12.70±0.12)mg/g protein;sham(8.04±0.62)mg/g protein]in supernatant as well as the protein and mRNA expression of AT1R in cultured mesangial cells (P<0.05).(4)NPD serum directly induced higher secretion[FN:sham(20.58±0.46)g/g protein,NPD (39.84±0.06)g/g protein;TGF-β1:sham(10.12±O.56)mg/g protein,NPD(83.85±3.58)mg/g protein] and mRNA expression of FN and TGF-β1 compared with sham group (P<0.05).LPD decreased these increment (P<0.05) and LK showed stronger inhibitory effect (P<0.05). (5)Losartan application sharply reduced FN and TGF-β1 production both in supematant and in mRNA expression in NPD serum treated cells (P<0.05,respectively). Conclusion Low protein diet with α-keto acids supplement directly inhibits the RAS in mesangial cells which may contribute to its beneficial effect on the kidney.

Objective To establish a citrate pharmacokinetics model which is applied to evaluate the risk of citrate accumulation in patients with liver dysfunction in the continuous renal replacement treatment (CRRT) with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA). Methods The source of citrate for extracorporeal anticoagulation, the body clearance and filter elimination of citrate, which were the three major citrate fluxes of systemic citrate level, were combined into a single-pool, first order kinetic equation. The data from a published clinical study of systemic citrate kinetics in the intensive care unit patients with or without liver cirrhosis were adapted and the citrate kinetic equation was applied to predict the risk of systemic citrate accumulation in patients with normal, impaired and absent liver clearance while different RCA-CRRT protocols were carried out. Results The single pool, first order citrate kinetic modeling equation was as follows:Csys=C(0)·e-[(clb+clf)·t/V]+G/CLb+CLf×(1-e-[(clb+clf)·t/V])There was excellent agreement between published citrate measurements and our predictions. Kinetic modeling showed that the plasma citrate concentration of patients with normal citrate body clearance was no more than 1 mmol/L during common RCA-CRRT. The model predicted that when the single pass fractional extraction of citrate on the artificial kidney was above 66％, systemic steady citrate concentration would be among the safe range even in patients of impaired body metabolism of citrate.Conclusions The citrate kinetic model of RCA-CRRT can predict the risk of systemic citrate accumulation and provide the basis for designing the safe RCA-protocols for the patients with impaired body clearance of citrate.

Objective To investigate the outcome of a new designed extramedullary femoral osteotomy module and to compare with conventional intramedullary system in clinical study.Methods The extramedullary femoral osteotomy module was designed with the extramedullary alignment rod connecting with the T type rod at right angle,and it had a 5°-7° adjustable valgus design.The positioning module fixation screw was parallel with the epicondylar axis.The coronal plane of the distal femur bone cut was orientated by the extramedullary alignment rod pointing to the inguinal midpoint,and the sagittal plane was orientated by the extramedullary alignment rod keeping parallel with the distal femoral medullary cavity.The terminal distal femoral bone cut was conducted with suitable osteotomy after the orientation.Sixty patients who underwent unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from October 2015 to March 2016 were randomly divided into intramedullary and extramedullary group for prospective controlled study.Blood loss,drainage and the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were evaluated at one week postoperatively.Knee valgus angle and femoral prosthesis flexion angle were analyzed at two weeks postoperatively.Moreover,the extramedullary femoral osteotomy module was used in 273 patients (78 males and 195 females) with an average age of 68.7 (range,57-82 years old) who underwent unilateral TKA from April 2016 to January 2017.Blood loss,operation duration and lower limb ultrasonography preoperatively and at one week postoperatively were recorded.Knee valgus angle and femoral prosthesis flexion angle were measured at 2 weeks postoperatively.Range of knee motion and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score at six weeks postoperatively were also reported.Results In the randomized controlled trial,blood loss and drainage in extramedullary group was less than that in intramedullary group (t=-3.330,P=0.004).There was no significant difference in the incidence of DVT at 1 week postoperatively (x2=2.269,P=0.132) and the knee valgus angle and femoral prosthesis flexion angle at 2 weeks postoperatively within the two groups.In the clinical application,operation time was 60.13± 13.69 min,and blood loss and drainage was 109.11±70.73 ml.There were four cases of popliteal vein thrombosis,nine cases of posterior tibial vein thrombosis,and seventeen cases of muscular venous thrombosis at one week postoperatively.The incidence rate of DVT was 11.0％.There was no symptomatic pulmonary embolism at three months postoperatively.Knee valgus angle was 7.34°±0.69°,and 211 knees accounting for 77.3％ were in the range of ±3° error.Femoral prosthesis flexion angle was 6.43°±1.59°,and 273 knees were all in the range of ±10° error.Range of knee motion improved from 54.52±5.96 preoperative to 86.20±4.92 at six weeks postoperative.HSS knee score improved from 100.88°±7.51° preoperative to 110.42°±7.08° at six weeks postoperative.Conclusion The new designed extramedullary femoral osteotomy module used in distal femoral osteotomy during TKA can significantly reduce the risk of bleeding and the incidence rate of DVT postoperatively.Furthermore,patients can obtain as excellent prosthesis position and limb alignment as conventional intramedullary system.

Objective：Rat UREB1 protein coded by the gene UREB1 can specially bind to URE (upstream regulatory element) which is in the upstream of the promoter. It′ s reported that the protein of UREB1 promote the transcription of Dynorphin gene and inhibits p53 transactivation. This study was designed to clone human UREB1 gene and explore the relationship between UREB1 and the development of tumor. Methods： The artificial synthetic oligonucleotide was used as the probe to screen human brain cDNA library and human UREB1 gene was cloned. The antibody, which was produced using the recombinant UREB1 from E.coli as the antigen and immunizing the animals, was utilized for detecting the distribution of UREB1 in different tumor tissues. Results： The human UREB1 gene was cloned by using in situ hybridization for screening human brain cDNA library, and the nucleotide sequences and the deduced amino acid sequence of human UREB1 has 91％ homology with that of rat UREB1 identified previously. Western blot analysis revealed that the human UREB1 was present in all tumor tissues but the quantity of UREB1 in different tissues was not the same. Immunohistochemistry results shown that the human UREB1 distributes primarily in the cytoplasm and nuclear of tumor cells and nuclear UREB1 in carcinosarcoma is much more than that in adenoma. After analyzing the level of tyrosine phosphorylated UREB1 in a few tumor tissues, the result shown that the more malignant the tumor tissue was, the higher level the tyrosine phosphorylated of UREB1 was in that tumor tissues. Conclusion： Human UREB1 may be involved in the development of tumor and its tyrosine phosphorylation may affect the degree of tumor malignant.

Background Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most serious manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus.Although there have been substantial improvements in LN treatment over the last decade,the outcome remains unoptimistic in a considerable percentage of patients.The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mizoribine (MZR),a novel selective inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase,as induction treatment for active LN in comparison with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (CYC).Methods Ninety patients with active LN were observed.Thirty patients were given MZR orally at the dose of 300 mg every other day.Thirty patients took MMF at 2 g per day in two divided doses.Thirty patients received CYC intravenously 0.5 g every 2 weeks.Therapeutic effects and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated at the end of 24-week treatment.Oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunn's test was applied to compare the difference among the groups.For comparing categorical data between two groups,X2 test was employed.Results Early responses at week 12 were achieved by 73.3％,90.0％,and 96.7％ in MZR,MMF,and CYC groups,respectively.There was no significant difference in the complete remission rates (22.7％,24.0％,and 25.0％,respectively) or overall response rates (68.2％,72.0％,and 75.0％,respectively) among the three groups at week 24.The most prominent drop-down of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index scores was observed in MMF or CYC group,and the decline of health assessment questionnaire scores in MZR or MMF group was more prominent than that in the CYC group at week 12.Serum complement 3 (C3) or C4 levels were elevated in all groups after the treatments.CYC was more effective in inhibiting anti-double-stranded DNA antibody,while MZR was more effective in inhibiting antinuclear antibody.The incidences of AEs in patients treated with CYC were significantly higher than those in patients treated with MZR or MMF (24.2％ for CYC vs.3.3％ for MZR,and 2.6％ for MMF,P=0.01).Conclusions MZR is well tolerated and has an effect similar to MMF in the induction therapy of active LN.MZR may serve as an alternative approach for LN patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the methods of preoperative diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid.

METHODSThe temporal bone lamellar CT findings in 106 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (including cholesteatoma) were retrospectively analyzed. The CT value of pathological tissue were measured for 183 times and were compared with the surgical findings and postoperative pathological findings to definitude the CT value range of different pathological tissue. Sixty patients taken from 106 patients at random were analyzed and made the diagnosis again by the same doctor team according to the CT value of the different pathological tissue and surrounding histoclasia resulted by pathological tissue. The diagnose accordance rate was compared with the routine diagnose report from radiology department. The predetective diagnosis was made in 10 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media according to clinical manifestation (pathological changes of tympanic membrane, nature of otorrhea, character of hearing), temporal bone lamellar CT finding (CT value of pathological tissue, surrounding histoclasia) to validate the value of this study for preoperative diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid.

RESULTSThe CT value of cholesteatoma, granulation tissue, cholesteatoma combined with granulation tissue, effusion, calcified tissue, thickened and polypoid membrane was respectively (46.6 +/- 10.3) Hu, (26.6 +/-7.4) Hu, (42.1 +/- 11.4) Hu, (- 24.6 +/- 9.2) Hu, (223.6 +/- 63.7) Hu, (23.8 +/- 8.5) Hu. The diagnose accordance rate in 60 patients who were analyzed and made diagnosis again according to the CT value of the different pathological tissue and surrounding histoclasia resulted by pathological tissue raised from 68. 3% to 81.7% ( P < 0.05) . The predetective diagnose accordance rate reached at 90% according to clinical manifestation, temporal bone lamellar CT.

CONCLUSIONSIt was not reliable to diagnose and differentially diagnose different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid only by the CT value, however, the CT value could still be considered to be a very significant information. The accurate rates of diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid obviously raised by synthetically analyzing various kinds of pathological tissues in middle ear and mastoid according to clinical manifestation, temporal bone lamellar CT finding.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoid ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult