The effects of E-cadherin-transfected neural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation for spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats were investigated. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into model control group, NSCs group, empty plasmid group and E-cadherin overexpression group (n=15 each). The animal SCI model was established by using the modified Allen's method. NSCs were cultured. Rats in NSCs group were subjected to NSCs transplantation. E-cadherin gene eucaryotic expression vector and pcDNA3.1-E-cadherin were respectively transfected into cultured NSCs, serving as empty plasmid group and E-cadherin overexpression group respectively. At 7th day after transplantation, neurological function of all rats was assessed by Tarlov score. After rats were sacrificed in each group, the number of BrdU and Nestin positive cells was counted by immunohistochemistry. Immumofluorescence method was used to detect the expression of neurofilament protein (NF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). As compared with model control group, the Tarlov score and the number of of BrdU and Nestin positive cells, and the expression of NF and GFAP in NSCs group, empty plasmid group, and E-cadherin overexpression group were increased significantly (P<0.05), and those in the E-cadherin overexpression group were increased more significantly than the other transplantation groups (P<0.05). It was suggested that E-cadherin could be conductive to nerve regeneration and repair probably by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs.

Objective To prepare lianzhang microemulsion and investigate its physicochemical properties. Methods The formulation was optimized with the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams drawn in a titration method. The process parameters were screened by a single factor test, and the physical and chemical properties of the microemulsion were preliminarily studied. Results The formulation of lianzhang microemulsion was as follows:copts root extracts:polygonum cuspidatum extractstea oilEL35 propylene glycolwater as 11. 417721. The microemulsion was obtained with mean diameter of 30. 9 nm by stirring the solution for 20 min at 1 400 r·min-1 and 75 ℃. The particles were uniformly distributed,and the microemulsion was clear and transparent without turbidity,phase separation and precipitation after the temperature test and acceleration test. Conclusion The preparation technology of lianzhang microemulsion is simple and stable.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Shumai Capsule (SMC) on angiogenesis and expression of relevant growth factor in rats with myocardial ischemia (MI).

METHODSModel rats of MI were duplicated and treated with SMC (SMC group), bFGF + calparine (positive control group) and normal saline (model group) respectively. Besides, a sham-operative group was set up and treated with normal saline. The rats were sacrificed in batches at the time after being medicated for 1, 2 and 4 weeks, for determining von Willebrand factor (vWF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression in ischemic myocardium by immuno-histochemical staining, myocardial micro-vessel density (MVD) using digital analysis system, and the gene expression of VEGF by quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operative group and the model group, levels of MVD, protein and gene expression of VEGF in the SMC group were higher respectively at three time segments (all P <0.01), but showed insignificant difference to those in the positive control group.

CONCLUSIONSMC could promote angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium of rats, the up-regulation on VEGF mRNA and protein expression might be one of the potential mechanisms of SMC in promoting angiogenesis.

Animals ; Capsules ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Objective:To understand the current situation of physicians′ competency in China and statistically analyze its influencing factors, hence providing referential evidences for promoting their competency.Methods:The evaluation scale for Chinese physicians′ competency was developed by referring to sophisticated overseas evaluation frameworks. Based on the electronic platform of the medical alliance, stratified sampling was conducted at 39 hospitals in 13 provinces, from which 2 156 physicians were surveyed, and statistical analysis was made on the current situation and influential factor of their competency in 6 dimensions(medical knowledge, diagnosis and treatment, scientific research and teaching, interpersonal communication, spirit of professionalism, population health)Results:The score range in multiple dimensions of physicians′ competency was between 2.85 and 3.89(5 in total), among which spirit of professionalism dimension scores the highest, and teaching and research dimension scores the lowest. Logistic regression analysis shows that their competency level in 6 dimensions is correlated to a range of factors, including gender, degree, title, supervisor qualifications, standardized training program of specialist physicians, and affiliation or not to teaching hospitals( P<0.05). Conclusions:Their overall competency is expected to be elevated. To name a few, they are lack of teaching and research abilities, and need to conduct clinical-oriented scientific research; they are expected to enrich knowledge structure, and need to embrace a wider concept of health; they need to improve their non-technical service abilities, and should further emphasize their humanistic quality; physicians′ practice competency depends upon their extent of medical education, and ensuring the quality of standardized training becomes the key measure.

Objective To retrospectively review the PET/CT imaging features of sarcoidosis and improve the diagnostic accuracy of this benign disease.Methods The PET/CT imaging characteristics and clinical data, including lesion size, distribution, standardized uptake value (SUV) and the ratio of misdiagnosis, of 11 sarcoidosis patients (5 confirmed pathologically and 6 clinically) were retrospectively analyzed.Results (1) Eleven patients had lymph node involvement:mediastinum and hilar lymphadenopathy in 11/11, supraclavicular fossa lymphadenopathy in 8/11, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy in 8/11, pelvic cavity lymphadenopathy in 3/11.(2) Extrathoracic lesions were found in 7/11 with 4 lung involvement, 2 liver involvement, 1 parotid gland and temporalis involvement and 1 bilateral iliac and sacral bone involvement.(3) The size of the lesions ranged from 1.0 to 4.6 cm and the CT density ranged from 30 to 40 HU.The lesions in the lung are hypodense and in the liver are slightly hypo-or iso-dense.18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake of all lesions was definitely increased in 6 cases; 18F-FDG uptake of some lesions was moderately or definitely increased in 2 cases, and slightly increased uptake in 3 cases.(4) The PET/CT diagnosis was consistent with the final diagnosis in 6/11.The 5 cases of misdiagnosis were malignant lymphoma (4/11) and lung cancer ( 1/11 ).Conclusions Differentiation between sarcoidosis and lymphoma in patients presenting with hilar lynphadenopathy can be difficult.Whole-body PET/CT may be helpful in the differentiation of the two diseases.

Objective To analyze the causes for diffuse bone marrow uptake of 18F-FDG on PET/CT scans. Methods Sixty-six patients with diffuse bone marrow uptake on whole-body FDG-PET/CT imaging were enrolled for this study. Seventy-nine healthy subjects ( with no history of tumor or recent fever) were selected as normal control. The SUVmax and SUVmean were measured in bone marrow and mediastinum in both groups. The maximum (bone marrow SUVmax/ mediastinum SUVmax) and mean value ratios (bone marrow SUVmean/ mediastinum SUVmean) were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed by one-factor variance analysis. Results With diffuse bone marrow uptake pattern of 18F-FDG, 27 were caused by injection of hematopoietic growth factor, 21 by hematopathy and 18 due to fever. SUVmeanof those three causes were 3.076±1.955, 3.633±2.405 and 2.546±0.791 respectively, each was significantly different from that of the control group (1.026±0.190; F =34.465, P<0.001). Conclusion Diffuse bone marrow uptake on FDG-PET/CT are caused by both benign and malignant reasons.

Sulfur fumigation (SF) is a universal phenomenon in primary processing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in modern times. In the process, fumigation, sulfur or both of them act on the TCMs. Some active components of TCMs change quantitatively or qualitatively during the processing. At the same time, the sulfur dioxide and heavy metal would remain and cause a serious influence on quality and future development of TCM. This article reviews the chemical compositions change after SF to study the change law and their influence on quality. This article provide references for SF in TCMs' processing for a better and safer quality.
Drug Contamination ; Fumigation ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Quality Control ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Infestation, moldy and other phenomenon in the processing and storage of Chinese herbal medicines is a problem that faced in the production of Chinese traditional medicine. The low productivity of traditional processing methods can not guarantee the quality of Chinese herbal medicines. Sulfur fumigation is the first choice of grassroots to process the Chinese herbal medicine with its low cost and easy operation. Sulfur fumigation can solve some problems in the processing and storage of Chinese herbal medicines, but modern pharmacological studies show that long-term use of Chinese traditional medicine which is fumigated by sulfur can cause some serious harm to human liver, kidney and other organs. This paper conducts a review about the application history of sulfur fumigation, its influence to the quality of Chinese herbal medicines as well as domestic and foreign limits to sulfur quantity, and a brief introduction of the status of modern processing technologies in the processing of food and some Chinese herbal medicines, the problems ex- isting in the Chinese herbal medicines processing, which can provide a reference basis for the further research, development and application of investigating alternative technologies of sulfur fumigation.
Fumigation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Quality Control ; Social Control, Formal ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective To construct a bicistronic expression vector containing HPV type 6b L1 gene, to express the recombinant vector in mammalian cells, and to establish a cell strain stably expressing HPV6b L1 gene. Methods After endonuclease digestion and purification, the gene fragment of HPV6b L1 was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pIRES2-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The identification of the recombinant was realized via endonuclease digestion and sequence analysis. Then, the recombinant plasmid pIRES2-HPV6bLl-EGFP was transfected into NIH3T3 (a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line) cells. Subsequently, the expression of EGFP was observed by fluorescent inverted microscopy, and HPV6b L1 mRNA expression by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Results The recombinant plasmid pIRES2-HPV6bLl-EGFP was successfully constructed, transfected into N1H3T3 cells, and selected by G418. The expression of EGFP was seen under an inverted fluorescence microscoy. RT-PCR proved the expression of HPV6b LI mRNA in transfected cells. Conclusions The recombinant plasmid pIRES2-HPV6bLl-EGFP was successfully constructed and transfected into NIH3T3 cells. Inverted fluorescent microscopy and RT-PCR confirmed the successful expression of HPV6b L1 in NIH3T3 cells.

OBJECTIVETo observe the three-dimensional distribution of vessels, and to establish a new method for measurement of blood flow velocity in mice cerebral cortex using two-photon laser scanning microscopy and fluorescence probe labeling technique.

METHODSThe mouse was made cranial window surgery and injected Texas-Red through tail vein after anesthetized. The three-dimensional imaging of vessel was obtained through z-stack scanning, and blood flow velocity was quantified through line scanning.

RESULTSWe could detect vascular distribution for more than 500 µm depth using two-photon microscopy. The velocity of blood flow was (0.59 ± 0.12) mm/s in capillary.

CONCLUSIONThe method for observing the brain blood flow by two-photon microscopy was established, which could achieve quantification of single vascular blood flow velocity and provide experimental evidence for basic research and medical applications.

Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Brain ; blood supply ; Capillaries ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Hemodynamics ; Mice ; Microscopy, Fluorescence