Humans ; Water ; Rivers ; Skull/anatomy & histology* ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Anthropology

Ergosterol is the important component of the fungal membrane, and having stable structure. This makes it a suitable indicator for growth of fungi. In the paper, isolation and determination techniques of ergosterol as the indicator of the fungal biomass were reviewed. The methods of extracting ergosterol include traditional saponification and refluxing, rapid physical disruption, rapid ultrasonication, supercritical fluid extraction and so on. The ergosterol determination methods are high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and thin-layer chromatography, et al. The application of these techniques was also introduced. Finally, the paper prospected the feasibility of applying the ergosterol as the indicator of fungal biomass in composting.

Objective：To lay a foundation for the resistant breding, the anti-virus CTV-cp gene was transformed into the epicotyles mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Poncirus trifoliata. Method:The explants used for the genetic transformation were the epicotyls from P.trifoliata.The Agrobacterum tumefaciens strain was EHA101 containing vector plasmid pGA482GG.The coat protein gene (CTV-cp gene)，GUS gene and NPT II gene were introduced into the transformation plasmid.Results:Ceftaxime used as antibiotics was better than carbenicillin. The concentration was 300 mg*L-1；The selection pressure for kanamycin was 50 mg*L-1;70.0% of the resistant plants were GUS-positive; extra gene was proved to be in P.trifoliata plant by southern blot examination. Conclusion:An effective genetic transformation mediated by Agrobacterium tumefacines,which harbours a CTV-cp gene, has been developed in P.trifoliata.Transgenic CTV-cp plants were obtained.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the apoptosis of brain tissue cells and the expression of Caspase-3 in the rats with cerebral-cardiac syndrome (CCS).

METHODSA total of 70 healthy SD rats were selected. Ten was randomly recruited as the sham-operation group, and the rest were used for CCS model preparation. Thirty successfully modeled rats were divided into the model group, the EA group, and the non-EA group, 10 in each group. The model was prepared using injecting collagenase + heparin into the caudate nucleus. Equal volume of 0.9% sodium chloride injection was injected to rats' caudate nucleus in the sham-operation group. EA was started on the 1st day of modeling. Shuigou (GV26), Fengfu (GV16), Neiguan (PC6), and Xinshu (BL15) were needled in the EA group. Four points in the hips were needled in the non-EA group. The EA needling lasted for 20 min each time, once daily, for 3 successive times. No EA was administered to the sham-operation group or the model group. The apoptosis of brain tissue around the hematoma and the expression of Caspase-3 were detected using TUNEL and immunochemical assay.

RESULTSTUNEL cells could be occasionally seen with fewer Caspase-3 expression in the sham-operation group. More TUNEL positive cells appeared in the tissue around the hematoma of the model group with a large amount of Caspase-3 expression. The TUNEL positive cells and Caspase-3 expression were obviously less in the EA group than in the model group and the non-EA group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSEA could inhibit the apoptosis of brain tissue cells in CCS rats. Its mechanisms might be associated with down-regulating the Caspase-3 expression of the brain tissue around the hematoma.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; Electroacupuncture ; Heart Diseases ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe the millimeter wave therapy responses in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

METHODSEighty patients were randomized divided into 4 groups. The first group was treated with both millimeter wave irradiation and routine medication, the second group with millimeter wave irradiation, the third with pretending millimeter wave irradiation and routine medication and the fourth with routine medication. Pain, extravasated blood level and autonomic nerve system condition were double-blindly evaluated either before or after the treatment.

RESULTSStatistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was found as the degree of pain was compared before and after treatment of all the 4 groups. The first and second group, which were affected by the millimeter wave irradiation, had obvious improvements in the extravasated blood level and autonomic nerve system condition (P < 0.05). When the 4 groups were compared with each other, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the first and the fourth groups, and the second and the fourth groups regarding the reduction of pain. According to extravasated blood level, significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in the first and third or fourth groups, the second and third or fourth groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe irradiation of holographic point by millimeter wave can improve the patients' pain, extravasated blood level and autonomic nerve system condition. It might provide a new treatment method for burning mouth syndrome.

Acupuncture Points ; Burning Mouth Syndrome ; therapy ; Humans ; Microwaves ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study on the effect of been pollen on development of immune organ of animal.

METHODA total of 144 one day-old broilers were randomly divided into 2 groups, in which each group included 72 chickens. The control group was fed on the basal diet for 42 days, and that of experiment group supplemented 1.5% bee pollen. Six chickens in each group were selected and slaughtered at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 days respectively, and the thymuses, cloacal bursa and spleens were obtained, weighted, fixed in Bouin liquid and made into paraffin section.

RESULTCompared with control group, the weight and the relative weight of thymuses, cloacal bursa and spleens of experiment group increased significantly (P < 0.05) or extremely significantly (P < 0.01). In experiment group, the cortex of thymic lobule, bursa nodule and Periarterial Lymphatic Sheaths thicken obviously; the volume of bursa nodule, splenic nodule and ellipsoid augmented, and the germinal center of splenic nodule were obvious; the thymic corpuscle increased; the plica of cloacal bursa developed well and the degenerating of it retarded.

CONCLUSIONThe diet supplemented bee pollen could boost the early development of thymus and cloacal bursa, retard the degenerating of cloacal bursa and promote the immune response of spleen.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Animals ; Bees ; Bursa of Fabricius ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Chickens ; growth & development ; immunology ; Female ; Male ; Organ Size ; Pollen ; Random Allocation ; Spleen ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Thymus Gland ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

By referred to a lot of data, some new drug delivery systems(DDSs) including the Sustained and Controlled DDS, the Targeted DDS, the Transdermal DDS, the Bioadhensive DDS, the PowderJect DDS and the Self-Emulsifying DDS and their applications in TCD since 2000, will be summarized and some latest DDSs in the world including drug-eluting stents, gene therapy carrier system, biological chip, biomolecular motor-powered nanodevice and nanotrap will be also introduced in this paper. The objective of this paper is to introduce the new DDSs proceedings of and their applications in the Traditional Chinese Drugs(TCDs) and to provide some references for the pharmaceutics of TCD. For several recent years, the great success have been achieved in studying the new DDS application in the change of preparation of TCD by the investigators at home, but there is a large difference between at home and at board. So it is necessary to make a greater advance. During the modernization of TCD, there is an effective way that the new drug delivery systems(DDSs) will be applied in the change of the preparation of TCD.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Administration Routes ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Nanotechnology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Skin Absorption ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

BACKGROUNDThe cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have some non-lipid-lowering effects, such as inhibiting myocardial remodeling. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear.

METHODSThe left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated to establish a rat model of heart failure, and the rats were divided into a sham operation (SO) group, myocardial infarction model (MI) group, and MI-atorvastatin group. Changes in hemodynamic parameters were recorded after the final drug administration. Histological diagnosis was made by reviewing hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine the expressions of type I and type III collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor-2 (TIMP-2). Further, primary rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured and the MTT assay was performed to determine the effect of atorvastatin on cardiac fibroblast proliferation.

RESULTSThe model of heart failure was established and the results of HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining revealed that the rats in the heart failure group showed obvious hyperplasia of fibrotic tissue, which was significantly reduced in the atorvastatin group. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the MI group showed a significantly increased expression of type I and type III collagen, MMP-2, and TIMP-2, but a significantly reduced MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio. Compared with the MI group, the atorvastatin group showed significantly reduced expression of type I and III collagen, unchanged expression of MMP-2, significantly reduced expression of TIMP-2, and an increased MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio. We further found that atorvastatin significantly inhibited the Ang II-induced fibroblast proliferation and the expression of type I and type III collagen in cardiac fibroblasts while increasing the MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio.

CONCLUSIONSThese data suggest that atorvastatin can inhibit cardiac fibroblast proliferation and enhance collagen degradation by increasing the MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio, thereby inhibiting the formation of myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction.

Animals ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Heptanoic Acids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Pyrroles ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; genetics ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the short-term therapeutic effectiveness of body gamma-knife in patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

METHODSForty-eight patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma were treated by body gamma-knife therapy. The dosage distribution and other radiotherapeutic plans were established on the basis of the carcinoma position, clinical target volume, and patient health condition. The isodose curve was 50%-60% and covered about 95% of the target volume. The single dose was 350-450cGy. The radiation was performed once every one or two days for 10-12 times.

RESULTSThere were 33 patients with back pain. 63.6% of the patients got completely controlled, 30.3% pain remitted, and 6.1% ineffective after 2 to 18 months of therapy. The analgesic effective rate was 93.9%. Among 28 patients with obstructive jaundice, 21 patients (75.0%) recovered. Among 42 patients who received CT, tumor disappeared in 5 patients (11.9%), tumor size decreased in 30 patients (71.4%), remained unchanged in 5 patients (11.9%), and enlarged in 2 patients (4.8%). The 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month overall survival rates were 77.1%, 37.5%, and 10.4%, respectively. The whole process was tolerable for all patients and no severe side-effect was observed.

CONCLUSIONSBody gamma-knife can achieve a high local control rate and survival rate. Its short-term therapeutic effectiveness is satisfactory. Body gamma-knife is a safe and reliable treatment option for patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Radiosurgery ; methods ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVESThe value of supraomohyoid neck dissection used in treating oral squamous cell carcinoma was discussed.

METHODSTwenty-seven cN0 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were entered into the study. Supraomohyoid neck dissection was performed to remove the lymphatic tissue of level I, II, and III. The operation duration and shoulder function were recorded.

RESULTSThe average operation duration was (1.6 +/- 0.2) h. Nineteen percent (5/27) of the cN0 neck were proved positive pathologically which included two cases in level I and four in level II (one case had both level I and II metastases). Shoulder function recovered in three months after operation. All patients were followed up from two years to four years and none of them had local or neck recurrence.

CONCLUSIONSSupraomohyoid neck dissection is a right choice for cN0 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma with its advantages in both curing neck lymphatic metastases and preserving neck and shoulder contours and functions.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Neck Dissection ; methods ; Neoplasm Staging