Discogenic low back pain is the common type of chronic low back pain. However,its mechanism has not been completely clarified. Considerable evidence shows that neurotrophins play an important role in discogenic low back pain. The paper summarizes the mechanism of neurotrophins on discogenic low back pain according to the pain transfer pathway of neurotrophins in intervertebral disc, dorsal horn ganglia and spinal trigeminal nucleus. Changing the pain transmission by regulating neurotrophins and its receptor will provide a new way for the treatment of discogenic low back pain.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; Low Back Pain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Posterior Horn Cells ; pathology ; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal ; pathology

Peptide cyclization, a pivotal approach to modifying linear precursors of proteins and pepticles, has been used to enhance their biological activities and serum stabilities. Recently, sortase A (SrtA) from Staphyloccus aureus becomes a promising new technology for efficiently incorporating site specific modifications into proteins, conjugating the cell surface and cyclizing the linear peptides. In this study, we constructed two recombinant expression systems, one with chitin binding domain and the other with six-histidine tag and chitin binding domain on the N-terminal of SrtA, separately. The results of enzymatic kinetics indicate that the two recombinant tags do not impair the transpeptidase activity of SrtA compared with the standard reaction reported under the same reaction condition. The two synthesized peptides with N-ternimal three glycines and C-terminal penta-amino acid motif, LPETG, were cyclized using immobilized and recycled SrtA. The SrtA-based cyclization promises to represent a simple method for easy and efficient enzymatic synthesis of large cyclic peptides.
Aminoacyltransferases ; metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Cyclization ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Enzymes, Immobilized ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Peptides, Cyclic ; biosynthesis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; enzymology

Objective To evaluate the short-and long-term outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) for gastric cancer.Methods After studying the patients' demographic data,extent of gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy,as well as differentiation and tumor TNM stage,85 patients who underwent LAG were individually matched to 85 patients who underwent open surgery (OG) between October 2004 and March 2008.The operative time,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative recovery,complications,pathological findings,and follow-up data were compared between the two groups.Results The mean operative time was significantly longer in the LAG group than in the OG group (277 ± 62) min vs.(211 ±46) min,t =7.882,P ＜0.05,whereas intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower (161 ±90) ml vs.(267 ± 141) ml,t =-5.854,P ＜0.05.In addition,there was a significant reduction in the time to first flatus and postoperative hospital stay (3.7 ± 1.3) days vs.(4.2 ± 1.1) days and (10 ± 3) days vs.(12 ± 6) days,respectively t =-2.318,-2.325,P ＜ 0.05.There was no significant difference between the LAG group and OG group with regard to the number of harvested lymph nodes and overall postoperative complications.The 5-year disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates were 76％,78％,respectively,in LAG group and 75％,73％,respectively in OG group (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions LAG is suitable and minimally invasive for treating gastric cancer.Compared to OG,the LAG will not increase the risk of recurrence and mortality after surgery.

AIM: To choose the proper excipient for molding process of Tongluo Mini-Pill (Radix Astragali,Radix Augelicae sinensis,Flos longicerae Japonicae,etc) and couplet its production. METHODS: A variety of excipients properties such as fluidity,solubility and dissolution were compared to select and determine the processing parameters of rotary perlletizer. RESULTS: Recommendation was made applying processing parameters that 10% PEG_ 2000 ,10% PEG_ 2000 or 10% gum arabic used for excipient,pelletizer had a rotational velosity of 100 rpm.pressure of 0.04 Mpa and feeding rate of 1200 g?min -1 . CONCLUSION:Selection of excipients is a key to make Tonglu Mini-Pill.

Objective:To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method on the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),and to provide evidence for the effect mechanism study and clinical application of acupuncture intervention for PTSD.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in the other groups were subjected to preparing the PTSD models using 'incarceration plus electric shock' method.After interventions,changes in rat behavior of each group were observed;changes in resting-state EEG were collected and analyzed with multichannel EEG acquisition and analysis system,and image analysis and statistical processing were performed.Results:Compared with the blank control group,the average escape latency in the model group was significantly longer (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly reduced (P＜0.01).Compared with the grasping group,the average escape latencies in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly shortened (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly increased (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the average escape latency,the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas between the acupuncture group and paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the α-wave power spectrum value in the model group was significantly decreased,and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were significantly increased (all P＜0.01);compared with the grasping group,α-wave power spectrum values in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly increased (both P＜0.01),and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were decreased significantly (all P＜0.01).The power spectrum values of α-wave,β-wave,δ-wave and (e)-wave of rats in the acupuncture group were not significantly different from those in the paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method can significantly improve the abnormal EEG activity in PTSD rats,which may be one mechanism of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method in effectively affecting the brain function in PTSD rats.

Objective:To observe the effect of acupuncture on blood oxygen concentration in the brain of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS),thus to reveal the mechanisms of acupuncture in intervening the brain function of PTSD rats.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except the blank group,rats in the other groups all received incarceration plus electric shock for 7 d to prepare the PTSD animal model.One hour before the stress model was established,rats in each group received the designated intervention:rats in the blank group and the model group did not receive any intervention;rats in the grasping group received grasping and fixation;rats in the paroxetine group received paroxetine hydrochloride solution by intragastric administration;and rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture.Six-day treatment was a course,with 2 courses of treatment conducted for a total of 12 d.After the modeling,rats in each treatment group received intervention for 5 d,and the fNIRS system was used to collect and record the changes in the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2),deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) of the involved rat's brain regions,and also to assess the brain function.Results:Compared with the blank group,the concentration of HbO2 was significantly increased,the concentration of d-Hb was significantly decreased,and the concentration of t-Hb was significantly increased in the model group and the grasping group after the intervention,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the concentrations of HbO2,d-Hb and t-Hb in the grasping group did not change significantly (all P＞0.05).Compared with the grasping group,the concentration of HbO2 was significantly decreased,the concentration of d-Hb was significantly increased,and the concentration of t-Hb was significantly decreased in the paroxetine group and the acupuncture group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the concentrations of HbO2,d-Hb and t-Hb between the paroxetine group and the acupuncture group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture can regulate the blood oxygen concentration in the brain of PTSD model rats,which may be an important mechanism of acupuncture in intervening the brain function in PTSD rats.

Humans ; Mandibular Fractures/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies

Transformed hairy roots of Polygonium multiflorum Thunb. were obtained by the transformation of Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA9402. It was clearly demonstrated that T-DNA of A. Rhizogenes Ri plasmid was integrated into the cells of hairy roots by the experiments of PCR and Southern hybridization. Through the screen of basic medium and the research of growth curve of hairy roots, the optimum inoculum time was selected in 30 days or so in the optimum condition-MS medium. On the condition, the content of rhein was 2.85 folds higher in hairy roots than that of natural plants by means of HPLC.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; metabolism ; Emodin ; analysis ; Organ Culture Techniques ; methods ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Polygonaceae ; chemistry ; cytology ; Rhizobium ; genetics ; Transformation, Genetic

Atropa belladonna is a medicinal plant and main commercial source of tropane alkaloids (TAs) including scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which are anticholine drugs widely used clinically. Based on the high throughput transcriptome sequencing results, the digital expression patterns of UniGenes representing 9 structural genes (ODC, ADC, AIH, CPA, SPDS, PMT, CYP80F1, H6H, TRII) involved in TAs biosynthesis were constructed, and simultaneously expression analysis of 4 released genes in NCBI (PMT, CYP80F1, H6H, TRII) for verification was performed using qPCR, as well as the TAs contents detection in 8 different tissues. Digital expression patterns results suggested that the 4 genes including ODC, ADC, AIH and CPA involved in the upstream pathway of TAs, and the 2 branch pathway genes including SPDS and TRII were found to be expressed in all the detected tissues with high expression level in secondary root. While the 3 TAs-pathway-specific genes including PMT, CYP80F1, H6H were only expressed in secondary roots and primary roots, mainly in secondary roots. The qPCR detection results of PMT, CYP80F1 and H6H were consistent with the digital expression patterns, but their expression levels in primary root were too low to be detected. The highest content of hyoscyamine was found in tender stems (3.364 mg x g(-1)), followed by tender leaves (1.526 mg x g(-1)), roots (1.598 mg x g(-1)), young fruits (1.271 mg x g(-1)) and fruit sepals (1.413 mg x g(-1)). The highest content of scopolamine was detected in fruit sepals (1.003 mg x g(-1)), then followed by tender stems (0.600 mg x g(-1)) and tender leaves (0.601 mg x g(-1)). Both old stems and old leaves had the lowest content of hyoscyamine and scopolamine. The gene expression profile and TAs accumulation indicated that TAs in Atropa belladonna were mainly biosynthesized in secondary root, and then transported and deposited in tender aerial parts. Screening Atropa belladonna secondary root transcriptome database will facilitate unveiling the unknown enzymatic reactions and the mechanisms of transcriptional control.
Alkaloids ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Atropa belladonna ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; genetics ; Hyoscyamine ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; metabolism ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; metabolism ; Tropanes ; metabolism

Objective In view of the trend of networking development in modern high education and the characteristics of students' strong self-learning ability, Peking Union Medical College established a multimedia morphological teaching website from 2013 including human anatomy, neuroanatomy, histology and embryology.Methods According to the teaching demand, the use of the ASP script, combined with Mysql database completed the website development, from the interface design to the curriculum, the syllabus, presentations and laboratory videos uploading.Results Through the questionnaire survey, 45% of the students use website more than 3 times a week, and course content column has the highest use frequency (79%).An independent learning platform effect has been achieved.Conclusions After nearly 4 years exploration and practice, multimedia website has become an important part of morphological courses, as a kind of new teaching mode, not only popular for college teachers and students, but also widely used in clinical teaching.