Medicinal properties are specific attributes of traditional Chinese medicines(TCM). The medicinal property theory is an important principle for the compatibility of traditional Chinese medicines. In this paper, medicinal properties, flavors and meridian tropism were combined to represent TCM medicinal properties; and multiple medicinal properties were further combined into medicinal property combination modes. TCMs and medicinal property combination modes were divided according to their efficacies, which were regarded as the concept of inductive logic programming and finally got medicinal property combination and compatibility rules with different efficacies. These medicinal property combination and compatibility rules were used to form the theoretical model through the entity grammar system, realize the automatic reasoning process from the medicinal property combination and compatibility to the efficacies, verify the reasoning result and analyze their rationality and limitations, in order to provide new ideas for revealing the relations between the TCM compatibility rules and efficacies.
Drug Interactions ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Meridians ; Models, Theoretical

Objective To investigate the expression level of miRNA-146a (miR-146a) in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells aging and age-related macular degeneration (AMD),and discuss its regulation mechanism of AMD by repressing VEGF-A.Methods The expressions of miR-146 and VEGF-A were examined by qRT-PCR in RPE cells in mice aged 2 months,8 months,12 months,18 months or 24 months,and in RPE cells from 75 years old AMD patients.The protein level of VEGF-A was also detected by Western Blotting.Finally,the effects of overexpression of miR-146a in APRE-19 cell line on expression of VEGF-A was checked.Results MiR-146 was up-regulated to 8 times or 24 times at 18 months or 24 months aged mice,and the expression of VEGFA was down-regulated in aging RPE from 1.5 times to 0.8 times.However,the expression of miR-146 decreased to 14.5 times and VEGF-A increased in RPE cells of AMD.In cultured cells,overexpression of miR-146a inhibited the expression of VEGF-A.Conclusion Up-regulation of miR-146a in aging RPE cells and its down-regulation in AMD suggest a potential of miR-146a as molecular marker.MiR-146a overexpression inhibits the expression of VEGF-A,supporting a potential clinical treatment of miR-146 in AMD.

Objective: To explore the effect of iodine overdose on cathepsin B and D in thyroidcell line (FRTL). Method: The cells were treated with potassium iodide (0, 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100mmol/L). After treatment 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours, the cells were collected. The activities of cathepsin B (CB) and cathepsin D (CD) were assayed by fluorospectrophotometry and Lowry, respectively. The mRNA levels of CB and CD were determined with real-time PCR. Results: After 12 and 24 hours, the activities of CB and CD, treated by 50mmol/L potassium iodide were decreased significanty. The mRNA levels of CB and CD of 50mmol/L potassium iodide group were decreased significanty after treatment 24 hours. Conclusion: The decreased activities of CB and CD were one of reasons of thyroid colloid retention resulted from iodine excess.

Objective To investigate the value of detecting methylated SEPT9 gene (mSEPT9) in serum and stool in screening colorectal cancer in elderly people.Methods Subjects were divided into three groups, the colorectal cancer group (n=82), the colorectal polyps group (n=80) and the healthy control group (n=100).Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect mSEPT9 in peripheral blood and feces.The relationship between mSEPT9 and clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal cancer was analyzed.The agreement between serum and stool results was analyzed.Results The positive rate of serum mSEPT9 was 73.2％ in the colorectal cancer group, 6.3％ in the colorectal polyps group and 4.0％ in the healthy control group, with statistical significance between the colorectal cancer group and the other two groups (P＜0.01).The sensitivity and specificity for plasma mSEPT9 detection in screening colorectal cancer were 73.2 ％ and 95.6％, respectively.The positive rate was higher in patients with tumor maximum diameter over 3.0 cm, invasion of the entire serosa layer, lower differentiation or advanced clinical staging (P＜0.05).The detection results of plasma mSEPT9 were in complete agreement with those of stool mSEPT9 from the same patients.Conclusions The expression of mSEPT9 is high in elderly patients with colorectal cancer and has a high sensitivity and specificity for PCR detection.Complete agreement can be seen in results from plasma and feces.Detecting mSEPT9 can be a valuable approach to screening colorectal cancer in the elderly.

Objective To observe the expression of Neuropilin (NRP)-1, 2, to calculate micro vessel density (MVD) in colorectal cancer, paraneoplastic tissues, normal tissues, and to investigate the correlation between NRP-1, 2 and MVD to understand the role of NRP-1, 2 in the process of tumor angiogenesis. Methods Expression of NRP-1 and NRP-2 were studied by immunohistochemistry in 66 specimens from colorectal cancer, paraneoplastic tissues and normal tissues. MVD was assessed based on CD105 immunohistochical staining. Results (1) The positive expression of NRP-1, 2 in colorectal cancer, paraneoplastic tissues, normal tissues were 71.2%, 25.8%, 0;80.3%, 15.2%, 0 respectively. There was a statistical difference between them (P<0.05). (2)The quantity of MVD in colorectal cancer, paraneoplastic tissues and normal tissues were 35.682±5.542, 14.485±3.301 and 6.864±1.771 respectively. There was a statistical difference between them (P<0.05). (3) Expression of NRP-1, 2 had a good correlation with the tumor size, infiltrating depth, lymph node metastasis, Dukes stag-ing (P<0.05), but no correlation was found with the tumor position, histological types, differentiation degree and the gender or age of patients (P>0.05). (4) The MVD value had no correlation with the gender or age of patients, tumor size, position, histological types (P>0.05), but had a good correlation with infiltrating depth, lymphatic metastasis and Dukes staging (P<0.05). (5) There was a positive correlation between NRP-1, 2 and MVD value (P<0.01). Conclusion NRP-1, 2 may play an important role in the angiogenesis of the colorectal cancer, and it correlates with the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer closely.

Objective To evaluate the speech recognition ability in noise enviroment in older adults with age-related hearing loss and to discuss the influences of age ,hearing loss and cognitive function on the ability of speech recognition in noise enviroment .Methods A total of 90 older adults aged over 60 years at the hearing clinic of Xinhua hospital were divided into three groups according to the age ,which were 60~69 y group (88 ears) ,70~79 y group (64 ears) ,> 79 y group (28 ears) .All the participants completed pure tone audiometry ,the Mandarin hearing in noise test (MHINT) and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) .The pure tone average hearing threshold (PTA) ,signal-to -noise ratio (SNR) of MHINT and MMSE scores were obtained .We used the statis_tical software SPSS 17 .0 to analyze the correlations among age ,PTA ,adaptive SNR and MMSE scores .ResuIts ①PTA and SNR increased with the age .The difference of PTA and SNR for different age groups was statistically sig_nificant (P<0 .01) .②The difference SNR among different PTA groups were significant (P<0 .01) ,and when the influence of MMSE scores was controlled the difference was still significant .There was a significant linear correlation between PTA and SNR (r=0 .326 ,P<0 .01) .MMSE scores decreased with the increasing of PTA ,and there was also a linear correlation between PTA and MMSE scores (-0 .187 ,P<0 .05) .③Adaptive SNR and MMSE scores were correlated (r= -0 .201 ,P<0 .01) ,but there was no significant linear relationship .Besides ,SNR of the cog_nitive function impairment group (<27 points) was significantly greater than that of the normal cognitive function group (27~30 points) (P<0 .01) .However ,among the three PTA groups ,the differences were not statistically significant .ConcIusion The hearing in noise test reflects the ability of speech recognition in noise enviroment in ol_der adults ,and can be used to assess the hearing functions in elder .Speech recognition in noise ,peripheral hearing loss and cognitive functions are relevant .Cognitive functions have an influence on the evaluation of the hearing func_tion for older adults .

OBJECTIVETo investigate COX-2 expression in patients with gastric cancer and its relationship with angiogenesis and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer.

METHODSCOX-2 expression and CD34-stained microvessel density (MVD) were detected by immunohistochemical methods in specimens from 96 patients with gastric cancer. The correlations among COX-2 expression, MVD and clinicopathologic features were analyzed.

RESULTSThe COX-2 positive rate and MVD in gastric cancer were significantly higher than those in the normal gastric mucosa (80.2% vs. 13.3%; 32.5+/- 8.3 vs. 13.1+/- 2.4, all P< 0.01). The COX-2 positive rate and MVD in the patients with stage III and IV were significantly higher (91.4% and 34.9+/- 8.7 respectively, P< 0.01), than that in the patients with stage I and II. The COX-2 positive rate and MVD in the cases with lymph node metastasis were 87.9% and (35.0+/- 8.5) respectively, higher than those in the cases without lymph node metastasis (P< 0.05). The Spearman rank correlation test showed a significant correlation between COX-2 expression and tumor MVD (r=0.311, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCOX-2 plays an important role in gastric cancer angiogenesis. COX-2 and angiogenesis induced by COX-2 contribute to tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective:To investigate the effect of moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) on the immune system in rats with different levels of exhaustive exercise.Methods:Fifty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group (n=8),an exhaustive group (n=24),and a moxibustion group (n=24).The exhaustive group was randomly divided into a 1-time exhaustive group,a 4-time exhaustive group and a 7-time exhaustive group,with 8 rats in each group.According to the treatment time,the moxibustion group was randomly divided into a 1-time moxibustion group,a 4-time moxibustion group and a 7-time moxibustion group,with 8 rats in each group.Rats in the exhaustive groups and the moxibustion groups were subjected to replicating the exhaustive swimming models.Rats in each moxibustion group received mild moxibustion for 15 min immediately after the exhaustive modeling,once every other day.Twenty-four hours after the corresponding exhaustive exercise,the rats in each group were tested for the levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G,IgA,IgM and acid phosphatase (ACP),and the morphological changes of spleen tissues were observed.The level of IgA was detected by immunoturbidimetric assay,and the levels of IgG,IgM and ACP were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results:Compared with the 1-time exhaustive group,swimming time of rats in the 4-time exhaustive group was significantly prolonged (P＜0.01),and swimming time of rats in the 7-time exhaustive group was significantly shortened (P＜0.01).Compared with the 7-time exhaustive group,exhaustive swimming time of rats in the 7-time moxibustion group was significantly prolonged (P＜0.01).Compared with the blank group,the IgG level in the 1-time exhaustive group was significantly decreased (P＜0.01),and the levels of IgG,IgA and IgM in the 4-time exhaustive group and the 7-time exhaustive group were all significantly decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),while the ACP level was increased significantly (both P＜0.01).Microscopically,the number of splenic corpuscles in the 1-time exhaustive group was reduced;the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 4-time exhaustive group was damaged;the number of splenic corpuscles in the 7-time exhaustive group was reduced,and there was no obvious germinal center.Compared with the 4-time exhaustive group,the IgA level in the 4-time moxibustion group was significantly increased (P＜0.01),and the ACP level was significantly decreased (P＜0.01).Compared with the 7-time exhaustive group,the levels of IgG,IgA and IgM in the 7-time moxibustion group were significantly increased (all P＜0.01),and the ACP level was significantly decreased (P＜0.01).Microscopically,the number of splenic corpuscles in the 1-time moxibustion group was reduced;the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 4-time moxibustion group was damaged together with hyperplasia of some splenic corpuscles;blast cells were proliferated in the center of some splenic corpuscles in the 7-time moxibustion group.Conclusion:Moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) can improve the levels of igG,igA and igM,reduce the ACP level,repair damaged spleen tissues,and enhance the immunity of the body to some extent in the long-term fatigue rats.

Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Cystectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in colorectal carcinoma and its relationship with the clinicopathological parameters, and to reveal the role of CXCL12/CXCR4 in the invasion and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma.

METHODSCXCR4 expression was studied in 53 colorectal cancer tissues and 27 normal tissues by immunohistochemistry. Its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer patients were analyzed. The CXCR4 expression in tumor and normal specimens and its metastatic sites were assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSFifty-three colorectal cancer patients,collected from July 2005 to February 2007 in our hospital,were enrolled in this study. CXCR4 was positive in 39 cancer tissue specimens(73.6%) and its high expression rate (in > 50% of cells) was 45.3%. High CXCR4 expression rate was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastases (N(1)+N(2): 65.4%) than that in those without metastases(N(0) 25.9%). There were also associations between the high CXCR4 expression and the vascular and lymphatic vessel invasions (P<0.01). Meanwhile, there was a rising trend of high expression rate according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage and pathologic grade,but no significant difference was found(P>0.05). There were no significant correlation of CXCR4 expression with clinicopathological parameters such as tumor location, tumor size, depth of tumor invasion(P>0.05). In addition, the CXCR4 mRNA expression in primary tumor specimens (n=27) from AJCC stage IIII( patients was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. CXCR4 mRNA expression of liver metastasis specimens(n=5) was significantly higher as compared with the primary colorectal cancer specimens(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSChemokine receptor CXCR4 is associated with the progression of colorectal carcinoma. High CXCR4 expression is associated with metastasis. The CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling pathway may be a potential novel target of therapy for patients with colorectal cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism