Objective To investigate the imaging features and preoperative staging value of ultrasonic endoscopy and gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast in the gastric carcinoma examination.Methods One hundred and sixty eight patients with gastric carcinoma verified by operation and pathology in our hospital from October 2010 to October 2015 werecollected.Then their imageological data including ultrasonic endoscopy and gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast examinations were retrospectively analyzed and compared with the postoperative pathological results.Results The accuracy rate of preoperative T staging in ultrasonic endoscopy was significantly higher than that of gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast,the difference had statistical significance(P＜0.05);the accuracy rate of preoperative N/M staging in gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast was s1gnificantly higher than that in ultrasonic endoscopy,the difference had statistical significance(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ultrsonic endoscopy and gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast have different advantages and values in preoperative staging:ultrasonic endoscopy has higher accuracy rate in the diagnosis of primary gastric carcinoma;gastrointestinal ultrasonic contrast is better in diagnosing metastasis of gastric carcinoma,moreover which shows the consistency with postoperative pathological staging.

Objective To study the mutagenic action of antiepileptic drugs(AEDs), and find an effective way to prevent the mutagenesis induced by AEDs,by observing the effects of AEDs on serum folic acid(FA) level and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency in epileptic children.Methods Ninty epileptic children were divided into different groups on the basis of the different drugs they had taken, then detected the two indexes at different time points.Results The serum FA level and SCE frequency of the patients significantly decreased and increased after they took carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA)respectively. The two indexes went back respectively when supplied with FA.Conclusions Both CBZ and VPA possess mutagenic action, yet nitrazepam does not.FA may help repair the chromosome damage and reduce the mutagenesis effects.

Objective Nrf2 is an important neuroprotective factor and the ubiquitin proteasome system ( UPS) , as a highly specific intracellular protein degradation pathway, plays an important role in maintaining gene and protein functions.This paper pres-ents a preliminary study on the relationship between Nrf2 and the ubiquitin proteasome system in the mouse model of traumatic brain in-jury ( TBI) . Methods Forty-two healthy male ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups: control, TBI +sulforaphane ( SFN) and TBI+vehicle, and 12 Nrf2-knockout mice were included in the TBI+Nrf2 -/-group.The animals of the TBI+SFN group were treated with SFN while those of the TBI+vehicle group with the same volume of 10%corn oil at 5 minutes after TBI.At 24 hours after TBI, brain samples were collected from the mice for determining the Nrf2 expression and ubiquitinated protein content by Western blot and the changes in the Nrf2 and ubiquitinated proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Results Compared with the controls, the mice in the TBI+vehicle group showed significantly increased expressions of Nrf2 ( 0.09 ± 0.02 vs 0.66 ±0.09, P<0.05) and ubiquitinated proteins (3.27 ± 0.21 vs 10.58 ±0.75, P<0.05).In comparison with animals in the TBI+vehicle group, those in the TBI+SFN group exhibited a signifi-cant increase in the Nrf2 protein level (0.66 ±0.09 vs 1.22 ±0.14, P<0.05) but a decrease in the ubiquitinated protein level (10.58 ±0.75 vs 6.97 ±0.86, P<0.05), and those in the TBI+Nrf2 -/-group showed a markedly decreased expression of the Nrf2 protein (0.66 ±0.09 vs 0.17 ±0.02, P<0.05) but increased expression of the ubiquitinated protein (10.58 ±0.75 vs 14.35 ± 0.65, P<0.05).Similar results were observed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Conclusion Nrf2 played a neu-roprotective role in the mouse model of traumatic brain injury by regulating the ubiquitin proteasome system.

Objective To compare the effect of levosimendan and milrinone on treatment of severe heart valve disease patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Methods Fifty-six severe heart valve disease patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome were selected, and the patients were divided into levosimendan group and milrinone group according to treatment method with 28 cases each. Both groups received symptom-relieved therapy, including cardiotonic, diuresis and other drugs. The patients in levosimendan group were combined with 24 h of continuous intravenous injection of levosimendan 0.05-0.20 μg/(kg·min) for 1 week, and the patients in milrinone group were combined with 24 h of continuous intravenous injection of milrinone 0.25-1.00 μg/(kg·min) for 1 week, in order to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 65 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). The cardiac output, cardiac index, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and the serum levels of lactic acid, creatinine, N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were compared between 2 groups. Results There were no statistical differences in cardiac output, cardiac index, LVEF, and the serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid, NT-proBNP before treatment between 2 groups (P>0.05). The cardiac output, cardiac index, LVEF, and the serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid and NT-proBNP after treatment in 2 groups were significantly better than those before treatment, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There were no statistical differences in cardiac output, cardiac index and LVEF after treatment between 2 groups (P>0.05). The serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid and NT-proBNP after treatment in levosimendan group were significantly lower than those in milrinone group: (102.82 ± 21.31) μmol/L vs. (115.64 ± 58.73) μmol/L, (1.7 ± 1.4) mmol/L vs. (2.2 ± 1.0) mmol/L and (1 149 ± 515) ng/L vs. (1 321 ± 472) ng/L, and there were statistical differences (P<0.05). Conclusions Both the two drugs can significantly improve cardiac function in severe heart valve diseases patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, while the levosimendan has more advantages in lowering serum creatinine, lactic acid value and NT-proBNP.

Objective To evaluate whether S-100β protein could be a serum marker for traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods From June, 2013 to October, 2014, 24 patients with complete SCI were measured the serum S-100β protein concentrations with en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay, one week, three and six months after SCI. Serum from ten healthy persons was as normal control. Re-sults The serum S-100βprotein concentrations increased one week and 3 months after SCI (Z>4.273, P<0.001). Conclusion The increase of serum S-100βprotein may help assessing early impairment after complete SCI.

Objective To investigate whether elevated pre-procedural C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations may be relevant to early outcome in patients undergoing PCI.Method 100 consecutive patients undergoing pereutaneuous coronary intervention (PCI) were included in our study.Peripheral blood samples for CRP and IL-6 testing were withdrawn before PCI.Acute vascular complications resulted from PCI were determined by subsequently coronary angiography.The early coronary events during hospitalization were clinically followed.Results Thirty patients developed acute vessel occlusion,and another one developed subacute coronary thrombosis at 2 days after PCI.Increased levels of CRP correlated well with the occurrence of vascular complications as regards the significant difference existing amongⅠvsⅢandⅠvsⅣquartile groups,P

The direct acting substances of Cuscuta chinensis in vivo were preliminarily identified through the correlation analysis of "metabolites-effect identification" model. The ovariectomized female rats were i.g administered with 95% ethanol extract part, 40% ethanol elution part and n-butanol extract part of Cuscuta chinensis. The serum fingerprints of different parts and times of administration were established by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS. At the same time, serum estradiol (E₂), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were detected. Bivariate correlation analysis and grey correlation analysis were used to screen estrogenic components. The results showed that nine direct acting substances in vivo highly related to estrogen effect were found in the drug containing serum, which were hyperoside, astragalin, methyl quercetin glucuronide, quercetin-diglucuronide, quercetin, apigenin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol glucuronide and kaempferol. We can preliminarily screen out the direct acting substance of estrogen effect of Cuscuta chinensis in vivo based on the research idea of serum spectrum effect correlation. It provides a reliable basis for revealing the estrogeneffective substances of Cuscuta chinensis and confirming the quality markers. This experiment was approved by Harbin University of Commerce Ethics Committees (Approval No. HSDU2020-065).

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of male reproductive toxicity of metadoxine (MTDX) on mice and rats.

METHODSMouse multiple endpoints assay and Hershberger assay were employed to evaluate the potential estrogenic and/or antiandrogenic effects of MTDX. In mouse multiple endpoints assay, MTDX (0, 640, 1500 and 4000 mg/kg, respectively) were administered once daily p.o. for 5 days in sexually matured and ovariectomied female NIH mice. Five endpoints evaluated as markers of estrogenicity included the ratio of uterine weight to body weight, incidence and extent of uterine fluid imbibition (hydrometra), vaginal epithelial cornification during estrous cycle (estrinization) and thickness of uterine epithelial cell and stroma cell. In Hershberger assay, MTDX (0, 600 and 1500 mg/kg, respectively) was administered once daily p.o. for 10 days to castrated male SD rats with or without testosterone propionate (TP, 12.5 mg/kg, i.p. for 10 days) substitution. Relative weight of androgen dependent issues was measured.

RESULTSIn mouse multiple endpoints assay, ratio of uterine weight to body weight was 1.33, 1.38 and 1.31 x 10(-4) in MTDX 640, 1500 and 4000 mg/kg groups, respectively, without significant difference from that in control group (1.22 x 10(-4)). Thickness of uterine uterine epithelial cell (0.90 and 1.03 microm) and stroma cell (3.38 and 3.25 microm) in MTDX 1500 and 4000 mg/kg groups was not significantly different from the control group (0.85 microm and 2.77 microm, respectively). In Hershberger assay, relative weight of prostate plus seminal vesicle, levator ani muscle and bulbocavernous muscle was 1.13, 0.17 and 0.42, respectively, in the 1500 mg/kg group, significantly decreased as compared with those in the control group (1.46, 0.24 and 0.70, respectively) (P < 0.01). Relative weight of prostate plus seminal vesicle (1.29) in the MTDX 600 mg/kg group reduced slightly, with statistical significance (P < 0.05), as compared with that in the control group (1.46).

CONCLUSIONSIn the present study, MTDX did not exhibit any estrogenic effect in mice in vivo. However, it had antiandrogenic activity in castrated male SD rats, indicating that its antiandrogenic effect may be involved in it's male reproductive toxicity.

Androgen Antagonists ; toxicity ; Animals ; Drug Combinations ; Endpoint Determination ; Female ; Genitalia, Male ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Orchiectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Pyridoxine ; toxicity ; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid ; toxicity ; Rats

Phylogenetic relationship between Paecilomyces hepiali and Cordyceps sinensis was studied by analyzing the sequence of rDNA-ITS. The samples of C. sinensis were collected from Hualong County in Qinghai Province and Kangding County in Sichuan Province in May and June, respectively. The rDNA-ITS fragments were obtained by PCR amplification with the template genomic DNA of the fresh stroma or caterpillar body of the collected samples and the cultured mycelium of P. hepiali, with the universal fungal primers ITS1/ITS4. The amplified fragments were cloned into pMD18-T Vector and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis was performed with these sequences and those from GenBank. The result showed that all of the 46 clones randomly chosen from the amplification of C. sinensis shared identical or almost identical rDNA-ITS regions and had over 99% identity with some rDNA-ITS sequences of Hirsutella sinensis and C. sinensis registered in GenBank, but all of them had only about 72% identity with that of P. hepiali. Two pairs of specific primers were designed based on the rDNA-ITS sequence of P. hepiali, then PCR and Nest-PCR were performed with the template genomic DNA of the stroma or caterpillar body of C. sinensis samples mentioned above. The apparent bands amplified by Nest-PCR were obtained from all of the samples, and the sequences showed 100% identity with the rDNA-ITS sequence of P. hepiali. In addition, another pair of specific primers were designed based on the rDNA-ITS sequence registered in GenBank as the marker of C. sinensis (accession no. AB067740) but the latter only shared 87.3% identity with that of H. sinensis (accession no. AJ309353). This pair of primers was used to amplify the C. sinensis samples by PCR, and the amplified sequence showed 100% identity with that of AB067740. The result indicated that H. sinensis is the main body of C. sinensis, while some other endoparasitic fungi such as P. hepiali commonly exist in the natural C. sinensis.
Base Sequence ; Cordyceps ; classification ; genetics ; DNA, Fungal ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Paecilomyces ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

The technology of liquid fermentation for producing the recombinant analgesic peptide BmK AngM1 from Buthus martensii Karsch in Pichia pastoris was studied by single-factor and orthogonal test. The results showed that the optimal culture conditions were as follows: 1.2% methanol, 0.6% casamino acids, initial pH 6.0, and three times of basal inoculation volume. Under the above culture conditions, the expression level of recombinant BmK AngM1 in Pichia pastoris was above 500 mg x L(-1), which was more than three times of the control. The study has laid a foundation for the large-scale preparation of BmK AngM1 to meet the needs of theoretical research of BmK AngM1 and development of new medicines.
Amino Acids ; pharmacology ; Analgesics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Animals ; Fermentation ; Gene Expression ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Methanol ; pharmacology ; Peptides ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Scorpion Venoms ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Scorpions ; chemistry