OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of oxymatrine on the level of serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and its inhibitor (TIMP-2) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis (LC), as well as on liver fibrosis indexes as hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN) and IV type collagen (IV C).

METHODSChanges of all the above-mentioned indexes in patients with CHB (n = 36) and LC (n = 36) before and after treatment were determined, and the relationship of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 with liver fibrosis indexes were analyzed.

RESULTSOxymatrine could decrease the levels of MMP-2, HA, LN and IV C in patients with severe or moderate CHB and LC of Child-pugh A, B and C grade, as compared with the data before treatment (P < 0.05). Serum level of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was well correlated with the levels of liver cirrhosis indexes.

CONCLUSIONMMP-2 and TIMP-2 can be used as a reference for evaluating the degree of LC, and oxymatrine has a certain anti-LC effect.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alkaloids ; therapeutic use ; Collagen Type IV ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Laminin ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Quinolizines ; therapeutic use ; Sophora ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; blood

Chinese materia medica resource (CMM resource) is the foundation of the development of traditional Chinese medicine. In the study of sustainable utilization of CMM resource, adopting innovative theory and method to find new CMM resource is one of hotspots and always highlighted. Pharmacophylogeny interrogates the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal organisms (especially medicinal plants), as well as the intrinsic correlation of morphological taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, chemical constituents, and therapeutic efficacy (ethnopharmacology and pharmacological activity). This new discipline may have the power to change the way we utilize medicinal plant resources and develop plant-based drugs. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extends the field of pharmacophylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined in the context of plant pharmaceutical resources. This contribution gives a brief discourse of knowledge pedigree of pharmacophylogeny, epistemology and paradigm shift, highlighting the theoretical and practical values of pharmacophylogenomics. Many medicinally important tribes and genera, such as Clematis, Pulsatilla, Anemone, Cimicifugeae, Nigella, Delphinieae, Adonideae, Aquilegia, Thalictrum, and Coptis, belong to Ranunculaceae family. Compared to other plant families, Ranunculaceae has the most species that are recorded in China Pharmacopoeia (CP) 2010. However, many Ranunculaceae species, e. g., those that are closely related to CP species, as well as those endemic to China, have not been investigated in depth, and their phylogenetic relationship and potential in medicinal use remain elusive. As such, it is proposed to select Ranunculaceae to exemplify the utility of pharmacophylogenomics and to elaborate the new concept empirically. It is argued that phylogenetic and evolutionary relationship of medicinally important tribes and genera within Ranunculaceae could be elucidated at the genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels, from which the intrinsic correlation between medicinal plant genotype and metabolic phenotype, and between genetic diversity and chemodivesity of closely related taxa, could be revealed. This proof-of-concept study regards pharmacophylogenomics as the updated version of pharmacophylogeny and would enrich the intension and spread the extension of pharmacophylogeny. The interdisciplinary knowledge and techniques will be integrated in the proposed study to promote development of CMM resource discipline and to boost sustainable development of Chinese medicinal plant resources.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Knowledge ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics

Objective To compare three kinds of irradiation treatment plans for cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer,in order to arrived at proper decision for the patient.Methods From February 2001 to June 2004,43 such patients were studied with three different simulated treatment plans made including conformal plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan for every one.All plans were evaluated with iso- dose curve and dose-volume histogram.Results GTV on 95% isodose curve was 99.5%,98.2% and 87.4% in conforaml plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan,respectively;PTV_1 and PTV_2 on 95% isodose with 97.8%,97.2%,94.8% and 95.8%,86.6%,73.7%.The volume of＞20 Gy dose of left lung accepted was 18.6%,17.2% and 32.3%,in conformal plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan,respectively;the right lung received 20.5%,19.9% and 35.5%.Conclusions Conformal plan is the best in radiotherapy,as it can provide ideal dose distribution of irradiated target with adequate protection of the normal tissues.Conventional four-field plan,being easy to carry out,can replace the conformal plan in most situations.Conventional two-field has the most uneven dose distribution and largest lung volume irradiated.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of B-mode ultrasonography in detecting middle hepatic vein(MHV)in chronic liver disease patients.Methods 80 chronic liver disease patients were divided into 2 groups(chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis).Liver biopsies and the inner diameter(ID)of MHV was detected with B-mode ultrasonography.The ID of MHV was compared in the chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis groups,different liver fibrosis stages and compensation/non-compensation liver cirrhosis.The ability of ID of MHV in auxiliary diagnosis liver cirrhosis was analyzed with the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC).Results The size of ID of MHV in liver cirrhosis(3.82±1.84)mm was smaller than that of chronic hepatitis(6.15±1.67)mm(P＜0.01).The size of ID of MHV in non-compensation liver cirrhosis(2.98±1.15)mm was smaller than that of compensation liver cirrhosis(4.42±2 20)mm(P＜0.05).There was midrange negative correlation with liver fibrosis stages and the ID of MHV(rs=-0.465,P＜0.01).The cutoff point of ID of MHV diagnosis liver cirrhosis was 4.7mm.The area under ROC(AUC)achieved 0.813(P＜0.01).The sensitivity(Se),specificity,(Sp),positive predictive value (PPV),negative predictive value(NPV)and Youden index were 67.5%,90.0%,88.0%,73.5% and 57.5%,respectively.Conclusion There is well clinical value with B-mode ultrasonography detecting ID of MHV for the auxiliary diagnosis of chronic liver disease.

Objective: To investigation the diagnostic utility of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemically as a marker of peripheral neuroblastic tumors(pNT). Methods: The study included 1 024 cases, 643 primary and metastatic pNT cases, 381 non-pNT cases, including small round cell tumors such as primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), rhabdomyosarcoma, lymphoma, nephroblastoma, as well as other more common tumors (medulloblastoma, hepatoblastoma, pleuropulmonary blastoma, renal clear cell sarcoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, lipoblatoma etc). Tissue slides of these 1 024 cases were stained with TH and other common antibodies to evaluate whether TH was useful to identify pNT. Results: TH showed cytoplasmic staining in 100.0% (643/643) of pNT and 3.9% (15/381) of non-pNT. TH expression was seen in some poorly differentiated and undifferentiated tumors with focal or scattered patterns. In some cases, more scattering was seen in neuroblastoma with poor differentiation. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of TH was 100.0% (643/643), 96.1%(366/381), 97.7%(643/658) and 100.0% (366/366), respectively. There was no TH expression in the 248 cases of other small round cell tumors (PNET, rhabdomyosarcoma, lymphoma, etc), thus suggesting TH was useful to differentiate between PNET and neuroblastoma. As CD99 was positive in 95% PNET, some PNET would be CD99 negative. In those cases, particularly with diffuse rosettes forming, TH immunostaining would be useful. Conclusion TH is sensitive and specific for pNT in the differential diagnosis from other tumors of childhood and shows high diagnostic utility.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; physiopathology ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

With the surge of high-throughput sequencing technology, it is becoming popular to perform the phylogenetic study based on genomic data. A bundle of new terms is emerging, such as phylogenomics, pharmacophylogenomics and phylotranscriptomics, which are somewhat overlapping with pharmaphylogeny. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Pharmaphylogeny, advocated by Prof. Pei-gen Xiao since 1980s, focuses on the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal plants and is thus nurtured by molecular phylogeny, chemotaxonomy and bioactivity studies. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extend the field of pharmaphylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined. This review gives a brief analysis of the association and the distinguished feature of the pharmaphylogeny related terms, in the context of plant-based drug discovery and sustainable utilization of pharmaceutical resource.
Drug Discovery ; Pharmacogenetics ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics

The aim of this study was to determine if the potassium aspartate and magnesium (PAM) prevent reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias (RIVA) in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) rabbit heart. Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into control, ischemia and PAM groups. Arterially-perfused rabbit left ventricular preparations were made, and transmural ECG as well as action potentials from both endocardium and epicardium were simultaneously recorded in the whole process of all experiments. In control group rabbit ventricular wedge preparations were continuously perfused with Tyrode's solution, and in ischemia group and PAM groups the perfusion of Tyrode's solution was stopped for 30 min. Then the ischemia group was reperfused with Tyrode's solution and the PAM group with Tyrode's solution containing 2.42 mg/L PAM, respectively. ECG, QT interval, transmural repolarization dispersion (TDR) and action potentials from epicardium and endocardium were simultaneously recorded, and the RIVA of the wedge preparation was observed. Compared with control group, TDR and incidence of RIVA were significantly increased in ischemia group (P<0.05). The incidence of RIVA in control, ischemia and PAM group was 0/10, 9/10 and 1/10, respectively. Compared with ischemia group, TDR and incidence of RIVA were significantly reduced in PAM group (P<0.05). Potassium aspartate and magnesium significantly reduce TDR and prevent ventricular arrhythmia in ischemic rabbit heart.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac/etiology ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/*prevention & control ; Myocardial Ischemia/*complications ; Myocardial Ischemia/physiopathology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/*complications ; Potassium Magnesium Aspartate/*therapeutic use ; Random Allocation

Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Liver Failure ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

OBJECTIVETo study the potential risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndromes (SARS)-related deaths in Beijing.

METHODSEpidemiological data were collected among the confirmed SARS patients officially reported by Beijing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (BCDC), and information was also supplemented by a follow-up case survey. Chi-square test and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTSOld age (over 60 years) was found to be significantly associated with SARS-related deaths in the univariate analysis. Also, history of contacting SARS patients within 2 weeks prior to the onset of illness, health occupation, and inferior hospital ranking as well as longer interval of clinic consulting (longer than 1 day) were the risk factors for SARS-related deaths. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis found four risk factors for SARS-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONOld age (over 60 years) is the major risk factor for SARS-related deaths. Moreover, hospital health workers, the designated hospitals for SARS clinical services and the interval of consulting doctors (less than 1 day) are protective factors for surviving from SARS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; mortality