DNA methylation, catalyzed by methyltransferases, is a normal epigenetic DNA modification approach in eukaryotic cells. However, abnormal methylation often results in the development of tumors. Decitabine, as one of the most important DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, may be useful in clinical tumor therapy through demethylating tumor suppressor genes. The relationship between DNA methylation and tumor and research advances in DNA methylation inhibitors are reviewed in this article.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the MR findings of lumbar elements and chronic low back pain(CLBP).Methods The patients underwent lumbar MRI examinations and sent for a questionnaires of low back pain (LBP).Among them,139 patients whose questionnaires illustrated with CLBP were enrolled.The enrolled patients included 68 patients with nerve roots compression and 71 patients without.Meanwhile,198 hospital staffs underwent lumbar MRI examinations and were sentfor a LBP questionnaire.Among them,62 patients without LBP and nerve roots compression were enrolled.Categorical regression was used to analyze the relationship between MR findings and CLBP.The MR findings iucluded nerve roots compression,average disk degeneration scores(ADD),high-intensity zones (HIZ),Schmorlnodes,Modic Ⅰ change,average facet joints degeneration scores(AZZ),facet joint effusion,high T2 signal in interspinous ligament and subcutaneousparaspinal muscles edema.The regression model was used to analyze the MR imaging and CLBP.Results The regression model was statistically significant (F=9.478,P＜0.01).All predictors yielded an adjusted value was 0.446.Among all predictors,nerve roots compression,ADD,AZZ,subcutaneous or paraspinal muscles edema were statistically associated with the VAS degree (P＜0.05).The sum of the importance of the four predictors above was 0.983.The quantification of predicted VAS degree increased as ADD level increased.The quantification of predicted VAS degree increased to the top at the 2 AZZ level and then decreased.Nerve roots compression and Subcutaneous or paraspinal muscles edema yielded higher quantification of predicted VAS degree level.Conclusion ADD,AZZ,subcutaneousparaspinal muscles edema were probably associated with CLBP degree after adjusting for nerve roots compression.

Objective To explore the polysomnography(PSG) characteristice of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OS-AHS) and primary snoring(PS) in children and clinical value of PSG in children with sleep disorders. Methods We analyzed 74 children with OSAHS and 62 with PS, every patient being monitored with PSG for 7 hours at night for 16 parameters, including apnea hypopnea index(AHI), periodic leg movement index(PLMI),and the lowest oxygen saturation(LSaQ2) etc. The parameters of the 2 groups were comparaed. Results Comparaed with PS group, there was statistically significant difference in parameters such as PLMI, AHI,LSaQ2,the moderate oxygen saturation(MSaO2).AHI in non- rapid eye movement (NREM)(P

To summarize Professor LIU Feng-bin's clinical experience and theoretical thoughts on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), the study group designed a retrospective study on his case series and expert interview. First of all, the data of CAG patients treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between 2009 and 2013, e. g. herbs, diseases, syndrome type, prescription amount and number of herbs, was collected and processed. The statistical description and binary logistic regression were used to determined the syndrome type, initial basic remedy and modification. During the statistics, a complete and sub-group analysis was performed simultaneously. After the expert interview, the syndrome type and medication were finalized. As a result, a total of 228 CAG patients aged at (50.30 ± 10.18) were collected, including 151 males (66.23%). Of them, the TCM diagnosis and syndrome type were extracted from the information of 157 patients, including 115 cases with gastric stuffiness, 23 cases with gastric pain, 19 missing cases, 2 cases with spleen-stomach weakness syndrome, 57 cases with spleen deficiency and dampness-heat syndrome, 18 cases with spleen-stomach disharmony syndrome, 23 cases with syndrome of liver depression syndrome, 21 cases with liver qi invading stomach syndrome and 26 qi and yin deficiency syndrome, respectively. All of the 228 patients used totally 104 herbs, while the subgroups with 157 patients used 94 herbs. The most frequently used 15 herbs used in each groups were analyzed to determine the initial basic remedy and modification. Subsequently, based on the information of the sub-groups with 157 patients, with the syndrome type as the dependent variable, the logistic regression analysis was made on the most frequently used 32 herbs, in order to determined the modification in herbs for different syndrome types. After experts reviewed and modified, they believed the main causes of CAG were dietary irregularities, moodiness and weak constitution; the pathogenesis of CAG was spleen deficiency with qi stagnation, heat depression and blood stasis in the stomach meridian. The above six syndrome types and 12 herbs were determined, including Pseudostellariae Radix, Poria, Atractylodismacrocephalae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus, Sepiae Endoconcha, Arecae Pericarpium, Aurantii Fructus, Perillae Caulis, Herba Hedyotis Diffusae, Scutellariae Barbatae Herba, Curcumae Rhizoma. This study summarized Professor LIU Feng-bin's clinical experience and theoretical thoughts of chronic atrophic gastritis based on clinical practice data and expert interview, with a rigorous design and good scientificity and practicability.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Protamines are a group of highly basic proteins first discovered in spermatozoon that allow for denser packaging of DNA than histones and will result in down-regulation of gene transcription[1].It is well recognized that the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) encodes P6.9,a protamine-like protein that forms the viral subnucleosome through binding to the viral genome[29].Previous research demonstrates that P6.9 is essential for viral nucleocapsid assembly,while it has no influence on viral genome replication[31].In the present study,the role of P6.9 in viral gene transcription regulation is characterized.In contrast to protamines or other protamine-like proteins that usually down-regulate gene transcription,P6.9 appears to up-regulate viral gene transcription at 12-24 hours post infection (hpi),whereas it is non-essential for the basal level of viral gene transcription.Fluorescence microscopy reveals the P6.9's co-localization with DNA is temporally and spatially synchronized with P6.9's impact on viral gene transcription,indicating the P6.9-DNA association contributes to transcription regulation.Chromatin fractionation assay further reveals an unexpected co-existence of P6.9 and host RNA polymerase Ⅱ in the same transcriptionally active chromatin fraction at 24 hpi,which may probably contribute to viral gene transcription up-regulation in the late infection phase.

Objective To explore the rule of the Nrf2-ARE in renal interstitial fibrosis and the mechanism of butylphthalide on renal protective effect.Methods Seventy-two male CD-1 mice were divided into 4 groups,Sham group,UUO group,NBP group,ACEI group.The Sham group and UUO group were gavaged with physiological saline.The NBP group was gavaged with butylphthalide.The ACEI group was gavaged with benazepril.After 3,7,14 days,6 mice were executed and collection of kidney tissue.The expression of Nrf2,γ-GCS and type Ⅰ collagen were detected by immunohistochemisty,RT-PCR and Western blot.The correlation of Nrf2 and γ-GCS was assessmented by linear regression.Results The expression of type Ⅰ collagen in UUO group was increased compared with the Sham group,However,the expression of Type Ⅰ collagen in NBP group or ACEI group were reduced compared with the UUO group.Compared with Sham group,the expression of Nrf2mRNA,γ-GCSmRNA and type Ⅰ collagen mRNA in uuogroup were increased in 3,7,14 days after surgery.Compared with UUO group at 7th,14u day,the lelve of Nrf2 mRNA were apparently increased in NBP group (P＜0.05).It was a positive correlation between the Nrf2 and γ-GCS and negative correlation between the γ-GCS and Type Ⅰ collagen.Conclusion The renal protective effect of butylphthalide in the renal interstitial fibrosis was more predominant than benazepril.The roles maybe occurred through increased the expression of Nrf2 and γ-GCS and alleviated the expression of Type Ⅰ collagen in nephridial tissue.

By functional plates,16 strains which can produce?-mannana-se were isolated frnm 28 Bacillus spp.Using a pair of degenerated primers,the conserved fragments of?-mannanase gene from the selected strains were amplified by PCR.The obtained nucleotide fragments were sequenced and compared with the homologous?-mannanase genes in GenBank and a phylogenetic tree was generated.Comparing to the genes coding?-mannanase published,the cloned nucleotide fragments show the highest sequence identity between 62% and 98%.The genes coding fnr?-mannanase of Bacillus circulus have low identity while the?-mannanase genes of Bacillus subtilis and other Bacillus spp. have high identity.

Background The molecular biological mechanisms of diabetic retinopathy(DR)is unclear up to now.Researches have proved that endoplasmic reticulum stress(ER Stress)-associated factors are elevated in peripheral blood in patients with diabetic retinopathy.and P58 IPK can inhibit those factors.So the relationship between P58 IPK and DR is worth to investigate. Objective The aim of this study was to detect the dynamic expression of P58 IPK in the retina of diabetic rats. Methods The diabetic animal models were established in 18 clean male SD rats by intraperitoneal injection of stilptozotiein(STZ)at a dose of 60 mg/kg.The rats were sacrificed in 1,3,6 months after injection.The expression change of P58 IPK mRNA in the rats retina was detected by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.Other 6 matched normal rats were used as control groups.This experiment followed the Regulations for the Administration of Affair Concerning experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission. Results The rats showed more drinking,more food and more urine after STZ injection with the blood glucose level≥ 16.5 mmol/L.The success rate of diabetic models was 100%.The A value of P58 IPK mRNA/β-actin in rat retina was 0.800±0.005 and 0.975±0.008 after injection of STZ.and that of control rats was 0.725±0.006,showing statistically significant difference between them(t=22.589,t=62.784,P＜0.05).In 6 months after injection of STZ,the expression of P58 IPK mRNA in experimental diabetic rat retina was evidently lower than the eontrol rats(0.671±0.004 versus 0.725±0.006,t=-17.984,P＜0.05).Conclusion P58 IPK has a close relation to the pathogenesis of DR,and it plays a retarding role for DR.

OBJECTIVECurrently people regard polysomnography (PSG) monitoring as the golden standard for diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in children. However, due to the high cost, time and manpower consuming, PSG is not applicable to epidemiological investigation and clinical screening, especially not suitable for child patients and remote hospitals in Xinjiang. Therefore, it is of important clinical significance to find out a simple method (e.g. a kind of serum index) to primarily screen out suspicious patients for early diagnosis and treatment. The present study was conducted to assess the clinical usefulness of the measurement of orexin-A concentration in serum as a diagnostic predictor to screen patients with OSAHS in children.

METHODSSerum orexin-A concentration was measured with enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit in 60 patient with snoring before performing polysomnography (PSG). Subsequently all the subjects underwent PSG test. Forty subjects were diagnosed as having OSAHS, and twenty subjects had no OSAHS. These 20 non-OSAHS subjects served as controls. Compared with the PSG results the clinical usefulness of the measurement of orexin-A concentration in serum was assessed as a diagnostic predictor to screen patients with OSAHS. Correlation between orexin-A levels and apnea hypoventilation index (AHI), micro-arousal index (MAI) and lowest SaO2 (LSaO2) were analyzed.

RESULTSThe serum orexin-A levels in the OSAHS group [(0.49 +/- 0.10) microg/L] was significantly higher than that of the control group [(0.28 +/- 0.11) microg/L, P < 0.01]. If a patient's level of orexin-A was higher than 0.36 microg/L, the patient more likely to have OSAHS. The sensitivity rate was 85.0% and the specificity was 80.0%. Serum orexin-A levels in children with OSAHS correlated positively with the AHI (r = 0.427, P < 0.05) and MAI (r = 0.468, P < 0.05), but correlated negatively with the LSaO2 (r = -0.527, P < 0.01) and the mean oxygen saturation (MSaO2) (r = -0.541, P < 0.01), not correlated significantly with the BMI (r = -0.212, P > 0.05). The serum orexin-A levels in the OSAHS children after who under went tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy significantly decreased (P < 0.05) 3 months after surgery as compared with pre-operation level.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that the serum level of orexin-A could be used as a predictor in screening for OSAHS children and a biological marker of the severity of OSAHS children.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; blood ; Male ; Neuropeptides ; blood ; Orexins ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; blood ; diagnosis