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

Background The main mechanism of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the formation of retinal neovascularization. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) is primarily factor for DR. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of angelicae sinensis decoction for supplementing blood ( ASD), a kind of traditional prescription of Chinese herbal medicine, on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in vitreous and serum of STZ-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Thirty-four SPF male SD rats were fed using high fat diet for 8 weeks and then the streptozocin of 25 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected to create the type 2 diabetic models. ASD (3.6 g/kg) and 10 mg/kg Gli of 5 mi were administered intragastrically from the 4th day of high fat die though 8 weeks respectively. Other 10 matched rats were used as normal control group. The body weight, blood glucose level ,triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were detected in 4 and 8 weeks after usage of drug. The vitreous and serum samples were obtained in the 8 th weeks for the VEGF detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This experiment comlied with the Regulations for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission. Results The body weight and HDL in DM group were significantly lower than those of normal control group in 4 or 8 weeks ( P＜0. 01 ), but in ASD and Gli groups ,the body weight and HDL were higher than those of the DM group (P＜0. 05 ). the blood glucose level and TG were elevated in DM group compared with normal control group (P＜0. 01 ), but those in ASD group and Gli group were decreased in comparison with DM group ( P＜0.05 ). EIISA revealed that no significant differences were found in VEGF levels between normal control group and ASD group or Gli group (P＞0. 05 ), but in DM group, the serum VEGF level (147.65±4. 55 ng/L) was reduced and vitreous VEGF level (673.45± 100. 85 ng/L) was raised,showing the considerable differences (P＜ 0.05 ). No any correlation was found between serum VEGF level and vitreous VEGF level (r=0.314,P＞0. 05). Conclusion ASD can decrease the VEGF level in vitreous,implying that ASD postpone the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy in DM rat.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of growth hormone (GH) combined with Radix Dipsaci on the body growth and the bone mineral content (BMC) of hypophysectomized rats.

METHODSThe GH deficiency rats model was established using the hypophysectomized operation through the skull and the throat. Qualified rats were divided into the sham-operation group (n = 15), the negative control group (n = 13), the GH intervention group (n = 13), and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group(n = 12). GH (0.25 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected from the cervical part in the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group at the same time, while equal volume of normal saline was injected to the rest groups. 0.7 mL/100 kg Radix Dipsaci was given by gastrogavage to the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group at the same time, while equal volume of normal saline was given by gastrogave to the rest groups. The body weight, the tail length, and the body length were measured during the intervention period. Blood was withdrawn after 14-day intervention. The femoral bone and the tibial bone were taken out. The levels of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (OC) were measured. The width of the tibial epiphyseal plate was measured. The bilateral femur bone mineral density (BMD) and BMC were measured using the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTSThe body weight, the body length, the length of the femoral bone, the length of the tibial bone, the width of the epiphyseal plate, the levels of the GH, IGF-1, ALP, and OC increased in the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group after 2-week intervention, showing statistical difference when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). But there was no statistical difference in the tail length though it also increased (P > 0.05). There was insignificant difference in the aforesaid indices between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, the BMD of the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group increased with statistical difference (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the BMC of the GH intervention group and the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group increased with statistical difference (P < 0.01). It was highest in the GH combined with Radix Dipsaci group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGH combined with Radix Dipsaci showed unobvious effect on promoting the growth. But it could elevate BMD and BMC, and improve the bone metabolism.

Animals ; Bone Development ; drug effects ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Dipsacaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Growth Hormone ; pharmacology ; Hypophysectomy ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo build three-dimensional (3-D) visible model for surgical treatment of infection of fascial spaces of hand.

METHODSSerial thin cross-sections (0.2 mm) of hand were made by cryomicrotome, and the thin cross-sections of metacarpal parts were observed. A personal computer was employed to reconstruct 3-D model of metacarpal fascial space.

RESULTSThe shapes, locations and adjacent relations of the mid-palmar space, thenar space and metacarpal bones were displayed clearly from computerized 3-D model, which could be the cross-reference of the cross-sections expediently.

CONCLUSIONThe computerized 3-D reconstruction of metacarpal fascial spaces can provide some guidance for surgical treatment of infection and other diseases of metacarpal fascial spaces.

Anatomy, Cross-Sectional ; Hand ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional

A series of novel sorafenib analogues were designed and synthesized. The cytotoxic activities of these compounds were tested in four tumor cell lines. Some of the compounds showed potent antiproliferative activity against the tested cell lines with IC50 = 4-20 micromol x L(-1). Some compounds demonstrated competitive antiproliferative activities to sorafenib against tested cancer cell lines. Among them, compound 7c demonstrated significant inhibitory activities on ACHN, HCT116 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC50 values of 9.01, 4.97, 6.61 micromol x L(-1), respectively.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Niacinamide ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Phenylurea Compounds ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship

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 investigate the clinical effect of continuous infusion of vancomycin in the treatment of intracranial infection secondary to traumatic brain injury by intrathecal injection and intravenous infusion. Methods 96 patients with traumatic brain injury from December 2015 to March 2017 were randomly divided into study group and control group, the patients were randomly divided into study group and control group (n=48).The study group of patients with continuous drainage combined with vancomycin intrathecal injection treatment, the control group of patients with continuous drainage combined with vancomycin intravenous infusion. The clinical effects of two groups of patients with secondary intracranial infection after traumatic brain injury were recorded. Results After treatment, the total effective rate of clinical treatment in the study group was as high as 89.58%, compared with 70.83% in the control group, the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion Vancomycin intrathecal injection combined with continuous drainage is effective in the treatment of secondary intracranial infection after brain injury, and it is beneficial to protect the quality of life and life safety of the patients.

Objective To prepare and identify the andrographolide-hydroxypropyl-?-cyclodextrin(an- drographolide-HP-?-CD)inclusion compound.The tool ratio between andrographolide and HP-?-CD and the thermodynamic constants in inclusion were studied simultaneously.Methods The andrographolide- HP-?-CD inclusion compound was prepared with lyophilization technique.Meanwhile,the inclusion com- pound was identified by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)methods,infrared spectrometry(IR),and X-ray diffraction(XRD),respectively.The tool ratio between host and guest moleculars and the thermo- dynamic constants during the inclusion process were also researched by phase solubility method.Results An 1:1 molar ratio inclusion complex of andrographolide with HP-?-CD could be formed at 25,35,and 45 C.The phase diagram was A_L type and the procedure of inclusion was a heat release process.Conclusion The solubility of andrographolide-HP-?-CD inclusion compound can be increased obviously by the above- mentioned preparing techniques.

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics of relapsing polychondritis(RP)and to improve early recognition for it.Methods Clinical and laboratory data of 56 patients with RP were analyzed retrospectively.Results Ratio of number of male patients to female ones was 1.2.Age at onset was(46?11)years(ranging from 27 to 71)and average interval between onset and diagnosis was(21? 35)months,(8?6),(16?31)and(29?37)months for patients initial onset with auricle,respiratory tract and joints involved,respectively.Site involved included airway in 40 patients(71.4%),auricle in 32 (57.1%),joints in 32(57.1%),eyes in 27(48.2%),nasal chondritis in 25(44.6%)and inner ear in 13(23.2%).At initial stage of the course,17 patients were misdiagnosed as respiratory infection (30.4%),nine as perichondritis(16.1%),six as pulmonary tuberculosis(10.7%),five as rheumatoid arthritis(8.9%).Seven of 40 patients with airway involvement received metallic stents for their tracheobronchial stenosis.Four patients whose condition never improved after regular therapy all had respiratory involvement.Conclusions Patients of RP with initial onset at non-auricle,non-nasal sites tended to be misdiagnosed.Prevalence of airway involvement was not so low with a poor prognosis in patients of RP.

(3S)-Linalool synthase (LIS) is a key enzyme involved in the monoterpene biosynthetic pathway. Based on our previous transcriptome study, the expression level of LIS gene was exceedingly related to glycyrrhizic acid (GA) biosynthesis. Therefore, we used hairy root culturing to further investigate the effect of LIS on the GA biosynthesis. A LIS gene (GenBank accession number: MZ169552) was cloned from Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The plant binary overexpression vector pCA-LIS was constructed by gene fusion. G. uralensis hairy roots overexpressing LIS were induced by the Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834. The expression levels of LIS were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and the contents of GA in hairy root lines were determined by UPLC. It was found that in the hairy root lines overexpressing LIS, the expression levels of LIS were significantly higher than that in the wild type, while the contents of GA were remarkably lower than those in the wild type and negative control. These findings indicate that the expression level of LIS is negatively correlated with the accumulation of GA. In this study, LIS was cloned from G. uralensis for the first time and the negative regulatory effect of LIS on GA biosynthesis was confirmed by reverse genetics. This work provides support for further improvement of the molecular regulatory network of GA biosynthesis in G. uralensis.