OBJECTIVE: A im To investigate the role of qercetin(Que) -induced autophagy in the death of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 cells. METHODS: After treatment with different concentration of Que, the growth inhibition of the SMMC-7721 cells were assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. The fluorescent staining was applied to identify the autophagy after Que treatment. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and Western blot analysis were used to study the autophagic mechanisms involved in death of SMMC-7721 cells. RESULTS: The proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells were significantly inhibited in a dose and time-dependent manner after Que treatment. Autophagy was also induced in MCF-7 cells as detected by MDC staining and Fluorescent staining in the early phase. The autophagy specific inhibitor 3-MA or chloroquine potentiated Que's cytotoxicitiy in SMMC-7721 cells when administered 1h before Que; The expression of cathepsin B increased after Que treatment. CONCLUSION: Que can significantly inhibit the growth of the SMMC-7721 cells by inducing the autophagy, which is a protection mechanism that can reduce the cytotoxicity induced by Que in SMMC-7721 cells. The activation of Cathepsin B is considerable in autophagy process.

Objective To investigate the changes of serum leptin levels and the influential factors in maintenance peritoneal dialysis patients.Methods Seventy-six peritoneal dialysis patients were chosen at the time before,and 3 months,6 months,12 months,18 months and 24 months after they began the peritoneal dialysis therapy,to examine body mass index (BMI),triceps skinfold thickness (TSF),abdominal circumference,homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),the plasma lipid profile,and leptin in the same situation.Results For 24 months,these patients showed higher serum leptin level than the values before commencing peritoneal dialysis treatment (P ＜ 0.01).The level of leptin was positively correlated with the BMI(r =0.412,P ＜ 0.01),TSF(r =0.308,P ＜ 0.01),abdominal circumference(r =0.284,P ＜ 0.01),HOMA-IR(r =0.184,P ＜ 0.01) and TG(r =0.288,P ＜ 0.01),negatively corelated with the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)(r =-0.285,P ＜ 0.01).Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that BMI (β =0.339,P ＜ 0.01),TGβ =0.157,P ＜ 0.01) and HDL (β =-0.126,P ＜ 0.05)were significant predictive factors for the changes of serum leptin levels.Conclusion Leptin maybe involve in the occurrence and the development of cardiovascular events like other metabolic parameters in peritoneal dialysis therapy.

Objective To establish the methods for controlling quality of Yiqi Congming Pills, and to improve the quality standard for the pills. Methods Yiqi Congming Pills were sampled from the products of 3 mainpharmaceutical companies in China market, 2 batched from each company. Radix Puerariae, Radix Astragali, Fructus Viticis, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis, Radix Codonopsis in Yiqi Congming Pills were observed under microscope for microscopic identification. Radix Astragali, Rhizoma Cimicifugae, Radix Paeoniae Alba, and Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis were identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for qualitative differentiation. The contents of puerarin and paeoniflorin in Yiqi Congming Pills were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Results The microscopic characteristics of Radix Puerariae, Radix Astragali, Fructus Viticis, Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis, Radix Codonopsis in the pills were obvious and were easy for discrimination. The spots in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) chromatograms of Radix Astragali, Rhizoma Cimicifugae, Radix Paeoniae Alba, and Cortex Phellodendri Chinensis were clear without interference of negative reference. Puerarin had a good linearity in the range of 0.00112~3.50676μg, and the average recovery rate was 98.2%(sR=1.4%, N=9 ). Paeoniflorin had a good linearity in the range of 0.00333 ~ 3.328 μg, and the average recovery rate was 98.4%(sR = 1.8%, N = 9). Great differences existed in the contents of puerarin and paeoniflorin of Yiqi Congming Pills from the three pharmaceutical companies. Conclusion The established qualitative and quantitative methods are of accuracy, credibility and repeatability, and are effective for controling the quality of Yiqi Congming Pills.

Amphetamine-type stimulants ( ATS ) , a group of new-type synthetic drugs mainly in psychological dependence, are abused more and more severely in recent years. MicroRNAs ( MiRNAs ) are an important class of endogenous non-coding small RNAs that mediate posttranscriptional negatively regulation of gene expression by targeting specific mRNA sequences to in-hibit the translation of mRNAs or degrade the expression of mR-NAs. ATS can induce the changes in the expression of miRNAs in addiction-related brain regions which directly involve in the regulation of ATS-induced addictive behaviors. Therefore, to study the regulatory role of miRNAs in ATS-induced addiction has important implications for dependent mechanisms of new-type drugs and the discovery of the new targets of drug actions.

This paper was mainly on pesticide degrading microorganisms. The major pesticide degrading bacteria were Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Flavobacterium, Alcaligenes, Arthrobacter, etc. The major pesticide degrading fungi were Aspergillus,Pinicielium, Rhizopus, Trichoderma, Fusarium, etc. The major pesticide degrading actinomycetes were Nocardia, Streptomyces, etc.

Objective To study the influences of polysacch arides(PS)from Radix Codonopsis on immune function and hematopoiesis in mice.Methods Several experiments have been condu cted for detecting delayed type hypersensitivity(DTH),hemolysin antibody concentration,endogenous spleen colony,3 H-TdRpermeate nuleated cells in bon e marrow.Results By oral administration,PS from Radix Codonopsis can promote the humoral immunity and PS at a small dosage en-hance the cellular immunity.PS from Radix Codonopsis can also elevate the hemoglobin cont ent of the hemolysis -induced blood -deficiency mice and increase the formation of endogenous spleen c olony,but has less effect on DNA synt hesis in the bone marrowof blood -deficiency mic e caused by 60 Co -?ray.Conclusion PS from Radix Codonopsis can enhance the im-mune function and improve the compen satory hematopoiesis of spleen and t heir mechanisms need to be further studied.

ObjectiveTo investigate the social and family support in the recrudescent schizophrenia. MethodsThe Social Support Scale and The Family Environment Scale were adopted in the 71 patients with recrudescent schizophrenia. Other 49 non-recrudescent patients were adopted as control. ResultsAs compared with controls, the scores of recrudescent schizophrenia in external support, social support, familiarity and expressiveness were obviously lower, while the scores of the conflict and the control were higher. Logistic regression showed the familiarity was the protective factor, while conflict and control were risk factors of recrudescence. ConclusionThe patients with recrudescent schizophrenia get lower social and family support which might play an important role in the recrudesce of the schizophrenia.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of low-dose intravenous cyclophosphmide (IV CTX) in treatmerit of old patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).MethodsTwenty-three old patients with newly diagnosed, untreated SLE were included.Patients received 3 times fortnightly IV CTX pulses at a fixed dose of 400mg followed by 3 monthly pulses.All patients were orally administered 0.8mg/kg of prednisone.The changes of the indexes were observed before and after 12 weeks treatment including the scores of SLE disease activity index(SLEDAI) and the levels of C3, C4 ,24-hour urinary protein and anti-dsDNA antibody.ResultsAmong 23 patients, 19 were followed up to 24 weeks, SLEDAI 4 weeks after treatment were all significantly lower than those before the treatment (P ＜0.01).At week 8, SLEDAI continued to decrease(P ＜0.05).At week 4,the level of urine protein, the levels of complements C3 and C4 and ds-DNA decreased significantly compared with that before the treatment (P ＜0.05).ConclusionIntensive low-dose CTX plus prednisone was effective in newly diagnosed, untreated old patients with SLE, and could reduce adverse effect.

ObjectivesTo examine the validity of high-frequency Doppler ultrasound in identifying knees synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).MethodsNinety-five consecutive patients with active RA were examined withhigh-frequency Doppler ultrasound to examine synovitis signals in knees.Synovial tissue samples of 51 patients were obtained by closed needle biopsy from knees after ultrasound examination.Serial synovial tissue sections were stained with H&E and immunohistochemical staining,and the histopathological synovitis scores were evaluated.The relationship among clinical, histopathological and ultrasound synovitis indexes was analyzed by Spearman's rank order correlation test and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.ResultsAmong 95 RA patients,the median thickness of synovial membrane in ultrasound was 2.8 mm,the median depth of effusion was 2.7 mm; Doppler signals of synovial blood flow were detected in 82％(78/95 ) of patients and the median semiquantitive grading of synovial blood flow was 1.0.The thickness of synovial membrane and synovial blood flow at Doppler ultrasound correlated positively with histological synovitis score,hyperplasia of the lining layer,and inflammatory infiltration in sublining area (the thickness of synovial membrane:r=0.438,0.424,0.368,respectively; synovial blood flow:r=0.357,0.377,0.347,respectively; all P＜0.05).Although there was no significant difference in clinical synovitis indexes between patients with histologically low-grade and high-grade synovitis,the thickness of synovial membrane and synovial blood flow in ultrasound in patients with histologically high-grade synovitis was significantly higher than those with low-grade synovitis(P=0.001,0.036,respectively).When the thickness of synovial membrane in ultrasound was ≥ 3.9 mm,the specificity of diagnosing the high-grade synovitis was 96.7％ and the sensitivity was 61.9％.ConclusionSynovitis signals at high-frequency Doppler ultrasound correlate with histopathological synovitis,and it might be helpful in evaluating the severity of histopathological synovitis.

Objective To assess the therapeutic efficacy of colonic tumor with targeted microbubbles encapsulated VEGFR2 monoantibody (mAb) combined with ultrasonic abrupted destroy.Methods Seventeen Balb/C nude mice with subcutaneous colonic carcinoma xenografts were divided into three groups:group A (5 mice) underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) examination and sham ultrasonic abrupted destroy;group B (6 mice) underwent lipid-microbubbles administration combined with ultrasonic irradiation;group C (6 mice) underwent VEGFR2 monoantibody-loaded microbubbles injection combined with ultrasonic irradiation.Red fluorescent protein(RFP) was labeled to all the nude mice model.Both CEUS and flurography were performed before and one week after abrupted destroy.The size,fluroscent area and fluroscent intensity(FI) and vessel density (VD) of each tumor were measured and compared.Results The parameters of length,fluroseent area,FI and VD of each tumor before abrupted destroy were no significant difference among three groups ( P ＞0.05).Parameters of post-sham ultrasonic abrupted destroy in group A were higher than those before sham ultrasonic abrupted destroy ( P ＜0.05).FI and VD in group B were significantly lower than those after abrupted destroy( P ＜0.05).There were no difference of length,fluroscent area of tumor in group B between pre- and post- ultrasonic abrupted destroy (P ＞0.05).Length,fluroscent area,FI and VD of each tumor in groups C were decreased significantly compared with post ultrasonic abrupted destroy ( P ＜0.01 ).There were significant difference of length,fluroscent area,FI and VD of each tumor among groups after ultrasonic abrupted destroy( P ＜0.05).Conclusions VEGFR2 mAb-loaded lipid microbubble combined with ultrasonic abrupted destroy can improve the therapeutic efficacy of colonic tumor.