Objective To observe enhancing effect of nerve regeneration on peripheral nerve defect models bridged by silicone tube idled with valproic acid (VPA). Methods In present research we demon-strate the effect of VPA on peripheral nerve regeneration and recovery of motor function following sciatic nerve transaction in rats. An 8-mm sciatic nerve deficit was created in a rat mode land bridged by a 1-cm silicone tube.Then, 10 lad of 8% VPA were perfused into the silicone chamber in the VPA group. The same volume of normal saline was delivered in the control group. Results Each animal was observed sciatic nerve function index (SFI) at 2-week intervals and studied electrophysiology at 4-week intervals for 12 weeks. Histological and morphometrical analyses were performed at the end of the experiment, 12 weeks after operation. Using the digital image-analysis system, thickness of the myelin sheath was measured, and total numbers of regenerated axons were counted. There was a significant difference in SFI, electrophysiological index (motor-nerve conduct velocity, MCV), and morphometrical results (regenerated axon number and thickness of myelin sheath) in nerve regeneration between the VPA group and controls (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion The results demonstrated that VPA is able to enhance sciatic nerve regeneration in rats, suggesting the potential clinical application of VPA for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury in humans.

According to the sequence of P450 cDNA of Eleutherococcus senticosus, specific primers were designed. Frokaryotic ex pression vector pET30a-P450 was constructed and the prokaryotic expression conditions were optimized. Results showed that the BL21 after being transformed with the recombinant expression vector accumulated the high amount of recombinant protein. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the recombinant protein was about 53 kDa. The recombinant accumulated the highest amount of recombinant protein af ter IPTG (1 mmol x L(-1)) at 27-37 degrees C for 24 h. Consequently P450 gene of E. senticosus could be expressed successfully by prokaryotic expression vector pET30a-P450. Induction temperature, IPTG concentration, medium type and amount of induction time could all influence the expression of target protein, but the impact strength was different.
Cloning, Molecular ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; genetics ; metabolism ; Eleutherococcus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the role of plasmid pYC on proteome of Yersinia pestis. Methods Two dimensional electrophoresis was performed to strains of Yersinia pestis with and without the pYC plasmid, and differential proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Results More than 500 protein spots of Yersinia pestis with and without plasmid pYC were recognized,and their protein profiles were generally similar. The chaperone GroEL was highly expressed in strains with plasmid pYC, whereas the protein GroEL was not encoded by plasmid pYC. ConclusionsPlasmid pYC has an impact on proteome of Yersiniapestis. The proteins of pYC-p10 and pYC-p11 encoded by plasmid pYC may regulate the expression of GroEL.

The adventitious root of Tripterygium wilfordii was used as experiment material to study effects of various concentration of aspartic acid, isoleucine, cysteine and arginine in MS medium on the growth and triptolide, wilforgine, wilforine contents of the adventitious roots. The results showed that compared with the control, supplemented with 0.25 mmol x L(-1) aspartic acid at 3rd week, the growth of the adventitious roots only accounted for 80%, but the content of triptolide of the adventitious roots and the medium was 1.36, 1.30 times, the content of wilforgine was 1.16, 1.37 times, the content of wilforine was 1.22, 1.63 times, respectively. At 3rd week 0.05 mmol x L(-1) isoleucine, the growth of adventitious roots was 97.3%, wilforgine of adventitious roots and medium 1.02, 1.27 times, wilforine 1.36 times and 1.15 times. At 1st week 0.25 mmol x L(-1) cysteine, the growth of the adventitious roots comprised 77.5% of the control, while content of triptolide of adventitious roots reached 1.87 times. At 2nd week 1.00 mmol x L(-1) cysteine, the growth of adventitious roots was 44.6% of the control, the content of wilforine in medium was 2.97 times. At 3rd week 0.50 mmol x L(-1) arginine, the growth of adventitious roots was 124.2%, the content of wilforgine and wilforine was 1.3, 1.4 times, respectively.
Amino Acids ; analysis ; metabolism ; Diterpenes ; analysis ; Epoxy Compounds ; analysis ; Lactones ; analysis ; metabolism ; Phenanthrenes ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Pyridines ; analysis ; metabolism ; Secondary Metabolism ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of absorbable self-enhancing cartilage nails in the treatment of radial head fractures.Methods Data of 22 patients with radial head fractures,who had undergone open reduction and internal fixation with absorbable self-enhancing cartilage nails from January 2008 to December 2011,were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,data of 18 patients were complete,including 10 males and 8 females.According to the Mason classification,there were 14 cases of Mason Ⅱ,3 cases of Mason Ⅲ and 1 case of Mason Ⅳ.Two patients were combined with radial neck fractures,9 with osteochondral fractures of capitellum,and 1 with posterior dislocation of the elbow and olecranon avulsion fracture.The radial head fractures were temporarily fixed with Kirschner wires after open reduction,then absorbable self-enhancing cartilage nails with length from 16 to 24 mm and diameters of 1.5 mm were applied to reach final fixation.The heads of nails were right underneath of cartilages without penetrating bone cortexes on the contralateral side.The radial neck fractures were reduced and fixed with T-plates or anatomical plates after the radial head fractures were fixed with cartilage nails.Four cases of osteochondral fracture of capitellum were fixed with absorbable sutures to external epicondyle of humerus.For other 5 cases of osteochondral fracture of capitellum,the bone fragments were removed due to too small to fix.Results All 18 patients were followed up for 6 to 54 months (average,31.3 months).All fractures achieved bone union,and the healing time ranged from 5 to 12 weeks (average,8.7 weeks).There were no complications,such as internal fixation failure,nonunion,hematoma,sinus formation,osteolytic changes of radial heads and so on.According to the Broberg-Morrey elbow performance score,13 cases were excellent,4 good,and 1 fair,with the total excellent and good rate of 94.44％ (17/18).At final follow-up,the elbow range of motion was 90° to 150° (average,123.8°),and the range of forearm rotation was 130° to 180° (average,152.5°).Conclusion Absorbable self-enhancing cartilage nails can be used to treat various kinds of radial head fractures,and the results are satisfactory.

International clinical trials register is one of the global measures to realize transparency in clinical trials and also one of a powerful measure to improve the quality of clinical trials. Many scholars studying the quality of TCM clinical trials find that they are poor in quality and lack transparency. Furthermore, they find that TCM clinical trial registry has many problems. We must base on the successful experiences of WHO and international clinical trial registry to establish technical specifications for registry of traditional Chinese medicine clinical study of their own. Then, it can effectively improve the overall level of TCM clinical studies. We have suggested some concrete and feasible measures to establish technical specifications for registry of traditional Chinese medicine clinical study of their own based on the problems of TCM clinical trial registry.
Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Registries

In recent 10 years, clinical trials of Chinese medicine and pharmacy (cMP) at clinicalTrials.gov.(USA) are gradually increasing. In order to analyze features of CMP clinical register, ClinicalTrials.gov register database were comprehensively retrieved in this study. Included clinical trials were input one item after another using EXCEL. A final of 348 CMP clinical trials were included. Results showed that China occupied the first place in CMP clinical register, followed by USA. CMP clinical trials, sponsored mainly by colleges/universities and hospitals, mostly covered interventional studies on evaluating safety/effectiveness of CMP. The proportions of studies, sponsored by mainland China and companies, recruitment trials and multi-center clinical trials in interventional trials were increasing. The proportions of studies sponsored by Hong Kong and Taiwan, research completed trials, unclear research status, phase III clinical trials, and published research trials in interventional trials were decreasing. Published ratios of CMP clinical trials were quite low. There were more missing types and higher proportions in trial register information.
Biomedical Research ; China ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Databases, Factual ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; United States

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of mechanical thrombectomy with stent-retriever for the anterior circulation distal vessel occlusion. Methods Consecutive cases with anterior circulation distal vessel occlusion treated with mechanical thrombectomy in Stroke Center of Changhai Hospital of Navy Medical University (Second Military Medical University) from Sep. 2013 to May 2018 were enrolled. According to whether undergoing intravenous thrombolysis, the patients were divided into bridging group and direct thrombectomy group. The primary outcome was the neurological functional prognosis at 90 d after operation measured with modified Rankin Scale (mRS, mRS score≤2 reflected good prognosis). The secondary outcomes were the rate of recanalization (modified thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia [mTICI] grade≥2b), the National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score at 24 h after operation, complications and mortality. Results Totally 36 patients aged (68.3±13.6) years (ranging from 26 to 88 years) were included. There were 27 cases with middle cerebral artery (MCA) M2 segment occlusion, 5 cases with anterior cerebral artery (ACA) A1/A2 segment occlusion and 4 cases with MCA M2 segment accompanied with ACA A2 segment occlusion. The rate of recanalization of the occluded distal vessels was 91.7% (33/36) after mechanical thrombectomy with stent-retriever. The rate of good prognosis at 90 d after operation was 52.8% (19/36). The most common complication was vasospasm (33.3%, 12/36), followed by hemorrhagic transformation (16.7%, 6/36). The incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was 5.6% (2/36) and the mortality was 8.3% (3/36). There were 14 cases in the brigding group and 22 cases in the direct thrombectomy group. The preoperative NIHSS score of the bridging group was significantly higher than that of the direct thrombectomy group (Z=3.025, P=0.002). While there were no significant differences in the NIHSS score at 24 h after operation, times of thrombectomy, the rate of recanalization, the rate of good prognosis at 90 d after operation, the incidence of hemorrhagic transformation or mortality between the bridging group and the direct thrombetomy group (all P>0.05). Conclusion The mechanical thrombectomy with stent-retriever for the anterior circulation distal vessel occlusion is likely safe and effective, and it is beneficial for vascular recanalization and good outcomes at 90 d.

Litsea cubeba is one of aromatic medicinal plant belonging to family Lauraceae. The roots, stems and fruits of L. cubeba have been widely applied as folk medicines in some districts in China for relieving rheumatism and cold, regulating Qi (meridian) to alleviate pain. Previous studies revealed that this species contains major alkaloids, in specific aporphines, and minor flavonoids, lignans as well. Related pharmacological investigations demonstrated its activities and clinical applications on cardiovascular diseases, anti-cancer, against rheumatoid arthritis, relieving asthma and anti-allergic effects, as anti-oxidants, and so on. As an effort for further exploration of this bioactive ingredients and potential drug development, this paper summarizes most phytochemical and pharmacological results. Further, future prospects are also included.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Litsea ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry