Objective To evaluate the expression and correlat ion of hTERT and p21(WAF1/CIP1) in colonic carcinoma. Methods A total of 45 cases of normal colonic carcinoma, 10 cases of colonic adenoma s and 10 cases of normal colonic tissues were studied using in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemical techniques. Results hTERT and p21 were found not only in colonic carcinoma (t he positive rate being 88.9% and 46.7%, respectively ), but also in colonic aden omas (the positive rate being 50.0% and 10.0%, respectively). The positive rate of hTERT expression increased significantly in advanced stage (C+D) of colonic c arcinoma ( P

Objective To measure the expression of Caspase-3 and P-gp in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adjacent tissues, and to examine these two proteins' relationships with HCC clinical and pathological characteristics and the associations between the two proteins. Methods The expression of Caspase-3 and P-gp were measured in 50 HCC tissues and adjacent tissues by EnvisionTM immunohistochemistry. HCC clinic and pathological characteristics and follow-up data were also collected and analyzed. Results The expression of Caspase-3 in HCC tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues(P <0.05). The expression of Caspase-3 in HCC tissues was significantly associated with HCC's Edmonson grade and the presence of hepatitis envelope(P <0.05). On the other hand, the expression of P-gp in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues( P <0.05 ). P-gp expression in HCC tissues was significantly correlated with HCC's Edmonson grade and the presence of cirrhosis(P < 0.05 ). The expression of Caspase-3 and P-gp was negatively correlated ( r = - 0. 600,P = 0.000). A better prognosis was observed among HCC patients with either positive Caspase-3 expression or negative P-gp expression(P < 0.05). Conclusion Caspase-3 may promote apoptosis and inhibit the development of HCC, while P-gp may have an anti-apoptosis function and play a role in HCC's drug resistance. P-gp can inhibit the function of Caspase-3 and an absence or low expression of Caspase-3 may be related to apoptosis resistance and multidrug resistance.

AIM: In this context, the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of Tongbiding Injection was used as fingerprint examples of traditional Chinese medicine to compare the different methods for evaluating the similarity. METHODS: Computing methods for similarity assessments were first compared on the basis of theoretical analysis, and then comprehensive evaluations for performances of each method of similarity assessment were investigated via data simulation and statistics. RESULTS: The results manifested that each approach had its individual properties and limitations. Distance coefficient has better general properties as compared with other methods of assessing similarity. CONCLUSION: In practie, to estimate the similarity between the fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicines, the appropriate methods would be selected for the different problems, and therefore quality of traditional Chinese medicines would be better controlled.

Animals ; Calcium ; analysis ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Motilin ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIM: To study the determination of 5 kinds of cholic acid content. METHODS: Using single standard substitue (SSS), we assayed 5 kinds of cholic acid, such as cholic acid, deoxycholic acid, hyodexycholic acid, chenodeoxychoilc acid and ursodeoxycholic acid by HPLC/ELSD. and studied the influence of the additive substitutes (such as rabbit Serum, urine and Qingkailing extract) on the measure values. RESULTS: By using any one of the 5 kinds of cholic acid standard, the content in all the 5 kinds of cholic acid could be determined. CONCLUSION: Simply as well as credibly, the SSS method could be used in quality analysis, especially in complex matrix. Also, it proved a feasible way in quality control and research of fingerprint chromatography of TCM.

OBJECTIVETo study the content of mineral elements and the principal components in Gastrodia elata.

METHODMineral elements were determined by ICP and the data was analyzed by SPSS.

RESULTK element has the highest content-and the average content was 15.31 g x kg(-1). The average content of N element was 8.99 g x kg(-1), followed by K element. The coefficient of variation of K and N was small, but the Mn was the biggest with 51.39%. The highly significant positive correlation was found among N, P and K . Three principal components were selected by principal components analysis to evaluate the quality of G. elata. P, B, N, K, Cu, Mn, Fe and Mg were the characteristic elements of G. elata.

CONCLUSIONThe content of K and N elements was higher and relatively stable. The variation of Mn content was biggest. The quality of G. elata in Guizhou and Yunnan was better from the perspective of mineral elements.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Gastrodia ; chemistry ; Minerals ; analysis ; Principal Component Analysis

Forensic Psychiatry ; Homicide ; Humans

AIMTo establish the two-dimension information fingerprints chromatograph of traditional Chinese medicine and investigate via pattern recognition.

METHODSHierarchical cluster was applied to fingerprints described by one-dimension information data and by two-dimension information data respectively and corresponding results was compared.

RESULTSThe gross classes, in which the samples denoted by two-dimension information data, classified by all kinds of hierarchical cluster methods had less differences and more robustness than the methods containing the samples expressed by one-dimension information data. The classes to which the unknown samples would be belonged were determined by hierarchical cluster analysis and artificial neural network (ANN), and the same results were obtained.

CONCLUSIONThe fingerprints characterized by two-dimension information data could provide more overall and special information as compared with the methods indicated by one-dimension information data.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cluster Analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; Pharmacognosy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Species Specificity

In this study, the "150-cavity", next to the H5N1 influenza virus neuraminidase activity site, has been used as the target to design and synthesize a structural analogue of chlorogenic acid, N-caffeoyl-GABA, using the flexible docking simulation. The docking study showed that the N-caffeoyl-GABA could be inserted into the "150-cavity" and combined with the Arg156 side chain by hydrogen bond. The best binding free energy of H5N1 NA-N-caffeoyl-GABA complex was -7.70 kcal mol(-1), equivalent that of the NA-oseltamivir. At the same time, using the H5N1 pseudotyping virus-based NA inhibitors screening model, we determined the inhibitory effect of oseltamivir, chlorogenic acid and N-caffeoyl-GABA on the NA. Compared with chlorogenic acid, N-caffeoyl-GABA significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect on NA, but less than oseltamivir. This study showed that the "150-cavity" could possibly be used as a new neuraminidase inhibitors target, and provided a path for the development of new neuraminidase inhibitors.

Objective To investigate the effects of isoflurane anenthesia on myocyte enhancer factor 2(MEF2) signaling pathway in neonatal rat hippocampus. Methods Twenty-four 5-day-old SD rats of both sexes,weighing 10-13 g, were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 12 each): control group (group C) and isoflurane group (group I). In group I, 1.5% isoflurane in 100% O2 was inhaled for 6 h. Group C received no treatment.Three rata in each group were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6 h of isoflurane anenthesia and 24 h after isoflurane anenthesia (T1-4), and the hippocampi removed for determination of MEF2 mRNA, synGAP Ⅰ mRNA, Arc mRNA and synapsinⅠ mRNA expression (by PT-PCR) and synapsin Ⅰ protein expression (by Western blot).Results Compared with group C, the expression of MEF2 mRNA, synGAP Ⅰ mRNA, Arc mRNA and synapsin Ⅰ mRNA at T1-3 and synapsin Ⅰ protein at T2-4 was up-regulated in group I ( P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Inhalation of anaesthetic concentration of isoflurane may affect synapse formation during the development of central nervous system by actirating hippocampal MEF2 signaling pathways in neonatal rats.