Objective:To prepare the recombinant neuron protective protein TAT-Bcl-XL in E.coli expression system and to determine its anti-apoptosis activity.Methods:DNA fragment of TAT-Bcl-XL was obtained by RT-PCR using primers that were specific for Bcl-XL gene. Prokaryotic expression vector(pTBTOPO) was constructed by insertion of TAT-Bcl-XL DNA fragment into pCRT7/CT-TOPO vectors, and the recombinant protein was detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using anti-V5 tag epitope antibody as the primary antibody. The recombinant fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography, and the anti-apoptosis function of the purified protein was determined by flow cytometry.Results:A molecular weight of 30 000 protein was detectable in both SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Immunofluorescent staining showed the fusion protein was distributed in cell plasma after incubation with 200 nmol/L fusion protein. Flow cytometry data indicated that the recombinant protein could enhance cell survival by 40% when 293T cells were treated with 250 ?mol/L zinc chloride as a supplementation in cell culture media.Conclusion:High level expression of the reported neuron protective protein was obtained in E.coli expression system, and the purified recombinant proteins remained its anti-apoptosis activity in our preliminary characterization.

In 21st century, clinical medicine moves toward a model of individualized health care. The development of the individualized model is based on the research findings of human genomics project including genotype and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as the new health care model, that is, biological-psychological-social-environmental-spiritual. It reflects the idea of patient-centered care, and corresponds to the traditional practice of Chinese medicine, which addressed the individualized therapy on the basis of symptom pattern differentiation. However, the era of evidence-based medicine affords new meanings of individualized health care and promotes the research on the practice. The practice based on evidence would happen upon the integration of external research evidence, the expertise and experience of practitioners, and the value and preference of patients, so the decision of health care will be conscientious, explicit and judicious. This assay describes the meanings of individualized health care in different medical contexts, the characteristics of individualized practice in Chinese medicine, and proposals for further research in practice.

Cohort study is graded as level II in evidence grading system of evidence-based medicine, secondary to randomized controlled trial. It is one of the important evidence for the evaluation of health care interventions, and it has been applied recently in the evaluation of traditional medicine. The author of the article introduces the basic concept, principle, design, and implementation as well as relevant methodological issues when applied in traditional Chinese medicine.

The quality of clinical trials in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was analyzed with respect to their methodology and outcome assessment according to the concepts of evidence-based medicine (EBM). It was suggested that the essential methodological principles of EBM should be applied in clinical trials of TCM, including randomization, control and blindness. The sample size estimation, optimal parameter selection for outcome assessment, compliance and intention-to-treat analysis are all important aspects of randomized controlled trials. To bring the benefits of EBM into clinical trials will improve the quality of research in TCM and also promote international co-operation and communications. It is necessary to establish an assessment system of clinical outcome for TCM on the basis of EBM in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM objectively and scientifically.

Cell autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved pathway for degredation of cytoplasmic proteins and organelles,and it is a vital machinery for maintaining cell homestasis.Cell autophagy has a dual role in the occurence and development of hepatocarcinoma.Autophagy can serve as an anti-tumor machinery as defective autophagy promotes the malignant transformation.On the other hand,autophagy functions as a protective machinery are associated with liver metastasis and tumor related drug resistance.

Kawasaki disease,which is an acute multisystem vasculitis of unknown cause,leads to pathognomonic feature of coronary artery lesion.Recent studies show that genetic polymorphism,neutrophils,monocytes,cytokines and other factors are involved in the development of coronary artery disease.Long-term use of anticoagulant drugs may reduce coronary artery damage.

Sepsis is thought to be systemic inflammatory response syndrome that is activated by invasive infection and characterized by the involvement of inflammation,infection,immunological reaction,coagulation and tissue damage.The imbalance between the pro-and anti-inflammatory response mediated by immunologic disorder plays an important part in the progress of sepsis.Therefore,the immunological mechanisms and changes of Toll-like receptors,neutrophils,dendritic cells and regulatory T cells in sepsis are briefly focused on in the article.

The key point to define the psychological problem in children is the grasp of degree,also,the key point to educate children is the grasp of degree.Are there some principles to clarify the degree? How to quantify the degree? This paper brought forward the gold zone method of psychological guidance in children and adolescents and defined its quantitive expression as golden section.The gold zone method can grasp the scale set according to the goal,form the proper consumption value,control the interpersonal intimacy,cultivate fine thinking and behavioral pattern,and give appropriate guidance to many basic problems about children's growth.

Thiazolidinedione (TZD) is a powerful insulin sensitizer in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It acts as a ligand to the nuclear receptor PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma) and induces transcription of PPARγ responsive genes. TZD controls lipid synthesis and storage in adipose tissue, liver and many other tissues through PPARγ. Derivatives of TZD, such as rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos), are more powerful than metformin or berberine in insulin sensitization. Although they have common side effects such as weight gain and edema, these did not influence the side effects in general. However, recent findings of risk for congestive heart failure and bladder cancer have indeed significantly impaired their future in many countries. European countries have prohibited those drugs and in 2011, US will terminate application of rosiglitazone in clinics and hospitals. The multiple country actions may mark the end of TZD era. As a result, there is a strong demand for identification of TZD substitute in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In this regard, literature about PPARγ ligands and potential TZD substitute are reviewed in this article. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor is emphasized as a new class of insulin sensitizer here. Regulators of SIRT1, CREB, NO, p38, ERK and Cdk5 are discussed in the activation of PPARγ.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the major pathogens of the hospital infection.Its clinical features and drug-resisetance situations have always been concerned.But since the late 1990s,another class of MRSA has become a major concern worldwide as an emerging pathogen in the community.This new class of MRSA is called community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA).With the rapid development of the infection of CA-MRSA in 20 years,especially in the latest 3 years,CA-MRSA may be replacing the hospital-acquired MRSA strains(HA-MRSA) as one of the major pathogens in the hospital and the community as well.The characteristics of CA-MRSA are very different from those of HA-MRSA.This review summarizes the current studies of CA-MRSA on the epidemiology and the molecular characteristics.