Chinese meteria medica (CMM) chain is a long-span chain covering agriculture which mainly depends on the forces of nature as well as high-tech CMM industry, CMM expertise industry and fast developing CMM circulation industry. Imbalance among the development of these industries produces bottlenecks and hinders the operation of the entire production chain. After analyzing the structure of Chinese meteria medica industrial chain from the perspective of national economy industry, three industry classifications and differentiation of factor intensity, we conclude that the complex structure of CMM industry chain is attributable to these three aspects. And the complexity is mainly shown at complex industry, varied product types, different coordination of various industrial sections and different technical growth speed of varied industry. We propose that structural complexity is the natural property of the chain, which is the main reason of industry sector development imbalance and bottleneck. Results of this research could provide theoretical analysis for future research on the coordination of industrial chain and the efficiency of resource allocation.
China ; Drug Industry ; economics ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

MeSH is a controlled vocabulary developed by U.S. National Library of Medicine. It is used for indexing articles for MEDLINE/PubMed or building search strategies for medical literatta-e retrieval. MeSH terminology provides information on how TCM being understood and accepted by western medicine, with the time when the terms added in, the scope notes, and hierarchical structure of terms in the category of Complementary Therapies. This article thoroughly discussed the definition and classification of complementary therapies in MESH.

By using three-dimensional finite element analysis method, the necessity of tail joints in the establishment of finite model specifically for the widely used tail-suspended rat experiments in weightlessness simulation was explored. A weightlessness tail-suspended three-dimensional finite element rat model was established using CT scan and Abaqus software, and the computation and analysis were conducted using the same model. The stress distribution and displacement in tail, lumbar spine, pelvis and femur of a tail-suspended rat both with and without cartilage were simulated and calculated.The results showed that stress distribution and displacement of tail-suspended rat were quite different between rats with cartilage and without cartilage, which affected the calculation precision of the model. Accordingly the consideration of articular cartilage in establishing the tail-suspended three-dimension finite element rat model is quite necessary,In addition, the asymmetry of pelvis stress distribution of tail-suspended rat suggests that the degree of balance of tail-suspended rat will affect the stress distribution in rats.

BACKGROUND: During the hip replacement, selection of prosthesis often depends on patients' bone condition. There has been no gold standard for selection of prosthesis. It will be of scientific significance to select femoral prostheses implanted under different bone densities through three-dimensional finite element analysis and simulated contrast mechanical tests.OBJECTIVE: Three-dimensional finite element analysis was employed to select femoral prostheses according to different bone densities, and simultaneously simulated contrast mechanical tests were performed to determine the age criteria regarding the selection of femoral prosthesis during the hip replacement.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An open experiment was performed at the Second Department of Orthopedics, First Clinical Hospital of Jilin University and Institute of Biomechanics, Jilin University between September 2006 and May 2007.MATERIALS: Freshly adult femoral specimens were harvested from cadavers.METHODS: Three-dimensional finite element models of femur were established using Solidworks software. Following the known formula, the bone density and elastic modulus at different age brackets were calculated and input into the computer. The human one-foot standing condition was simulated and pressure was loaded on the reconstructed femoral models.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Some biomechanical characteristics of uncemented and cemented femoral prostheses, such as the distress distribution and initial micromovement at different bone densities, were measured.RESULTS: Relatively well-distributed whole distress and slight initial micromovement of uncemented femoral prostheses were found in male patients at 30-60 years old and in female patients at 40-55 years old. Symptoms of cemented femoral prostheses the same as the uncemented femoral prostheses were present in male patients at 60-70 years and in female patients older than 55 years old.CONCLUSION: Results of three-dimensional finite element analysis and simulated contrast mechanical tests suggest that uncemented femoral prostheses provide better therapeutic effects in male patients younger than 60 years and in female patients younger than 55 years than cemented femoral prosthesis.

Objective To investigate the influence of Qiliqiangxin capsule on the exercise tolerance in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods 86 patients with chronic heart failure were selected and recruited into a control group and an observation group randomly. The patients in the control group were given angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, diuretic,carvedilol or metoprolol and dixina. The patients in the observation group were given Qiliqiangxin capsule on the basis of the control group. The change of exercise tolerance and left ventricular ejection fraction in all patients were detected after 4 weeks.Results The distance of walking in 6 minutes increased for all patients after 4 weeks' treatment(P＜0.05), while the observation group increased more significantly than the control group(P＜0.05). The left ventricular ejection fraction increased for all patients after therapy 4 weeks (P＜0.05), while the observation group increased more obviously than the control group (P＜0.05). The total excellent rate and effective rate in the observation group were both higher than the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion Qiliqiangxin capsule can increase the clinic curative effect by increasing the exercise tolerance and improving the heart function of patients with chronic heart failure.

OBJECTIVETo investigate diagnostic efficacy of transvaginal three-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (3D-HyCoSy) in assessing tubal patency with chromolaporoscopy.

METHODSA total of 157 infertile women underwent 3D-HyCoSy to evaluate tubal patency. Among these patients, 39 patients were also examined by chromolaporoscopy. The concordance of the two clinical assessment methods was analyzed by the Kappa coefficient test.

RESULTSAmong the 306 oviducts examined by 3D-HyCoSy, 99 (32.4%) were patent, 126 (41.2%) partially obstructed, and 81 (26.5%) completely obstructed. Diagnostic results with 3D-HyCoSy were not statistically different from those obtained in the 39 women (78 oviducts) who also underwent chromolaporoscopy, and the two methods showed a high concordance (k=0.747, P=0.000). The 3D-HyCoSy procedure had a sensitivity of 84.8% (28/33), a specificity of 96.2% (25/26), and positive and negative predictive values of 93.3% (28/30) and 86.2% (25/29) respectively.

CONCLUSIONTransvaginal 3D-HyCoSy can accurately reveal the spatial path and morphology of the oviduct and is a safe and effective method to evaluate tubal patency.

Contrast Media ; Fallopian Tube Patency Tests ; methods ; Fallopian Tubes ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Infertility, Female ; diagnostic imaging ; Laparoscopy ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed that donor systemic injection of B7/CD28 costimulatory blocker cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin (CTLA-4Ig) needed in T cell activation can markedly prolong the survival time of rat renal allografts, which, however, has limitations, such as high dose, extensive influence, poor specificity, systemic adverse reactions.OBJECTIVE: In order to improve the targeting of CTLA-4Ig, we modified the dendritic cells of donors and recipients in vitro with CTLA- 4Ig and observed the influence of two kinds of dendritic cells applied alone or together on the survival of renal allografis in rats.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The randomized controlled animal experiment was performed between April 2003 and July 2004 at Laboratory of Department of Urinary Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.MATERIALS: Kidney donor: inbred Brown-Norway rats, kidney recipient: inbred Lewis rats, unrelated lymphocyte donor: Wistar rats.METHODS: Bone marrow derived dendritic cells of Lewis and Brown Norway rats were modified with CTLA- 4Ig gene recombinant adenovirus in vitro. Animal models of kidney transplantation were built with Brown Norway rats as donors while Lewis rats as recipients. The modified dendritic cells were injected into Lewis rats through femoral vein 24 hours before kidney transplantation alone (group 1 (n=8), donor dendritic cells; group 2 (n=8), recipient dendritic cells) and in combination (group 3 (n=8), donor and recipient dendritic cells). While the recipients without injection were used as control (group 4 (n=6)).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival time of renal allografts; the reaction degrees of splenocytes to donor and unrelated antigen determined by MTT method on day 20 postoperation.RESULTS: Survival time of renal allografts in group 2 was not prolonged compared with group 4 while the survival time was markedly prolonged in group 3 (P < 0.01). The response of rat splenocytes to donor antigen in group 1 and group 3 was obviously lower than that in group 4 (P < 0.01), while the response to unrelated antigen was similar to group 4.CONCLUSION: Donor dendritic cells modified with CTLA- 4Ig can significantly prolonged survival time of rat renal allografts and the administration of both donor and recipient dendritic cells modified with CTLA- 4Ig can induce a longer survival time of renal allografts. Recipient dendritic cells cannot prolong the survival time of renal allografts.

Objective To investigate the possible mechanisms using different chemicals to improve the skin aging by the effect of estrogen,vitamin E,vitamin C on the transcriptional level of MMP-1 and HAS-2 mRNAs in cultured human skin fibroblast in vitro.Methods The different concentrations of estrogen,vitamin E,vitamin C were put into cultured human skin fibroblasts.After 24 hours,RT-PCR was used to detect the effects of the different chemicals on the transcriptional levels of the HAS-2 and MMP-1 mRNAs in fibroblasts.Results The effects of estrogen and vitamin C on the MMP-1 mRNA had significant difference between the high dose group and blank control group,and between the low dose group and blank control group (P＜0.05) ; the difference between the low dose group and high dose group was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).The effects of vitamin E and vitamin C on Has-2 mRNA also had significant difference between the high dose group and the blank control group,and between the low dose group and blank control group (P＜0.05),but the difference between the low dose group and high dose group was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Conclusions Estrogen and vitamin C can reduce the transcription of MMP-1 gene,which decreases the degradation of collagen in the skin; vitamin E and vitamin C can increase the transcription of HAS-2 gene,which may possibly increase the synthesis of hyaluronic acid to alleviate the skin aging.

Objective To investigate the effects of different magnitudes of mechanical stress on human interverte-bral disc degeneration. Methods The human intervertebral disc cells were subjected to different magnitudes of mechanical stress (0, 6%, 12%, or 18%elongation) for 24 h using a Flexercell Strain Unit. The mRNA expressions of anabolic genes (col-lagen-1A1, collagen-2A1, aggrecan and versican) and catabolic genes (MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5) were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot methods. Results The expression levels of collagen-1A1 and collagen-2A1 were increased at 12%of mechanical stress, and collagen-2A1 was decreased at 18%of mechanical stress compared with those of control. The mRNA expressions of catabolic genes, MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5, were increased at 12%and 18%of mechanical stress than those of control. The mechanical stretch induced a magnitude-dependent increase in ADAMTS-4 synthesis, which was finely tuned by stretching-triggered activation of distinct mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades. Specifically, an ERK1/2 specific inhibitor, U0126, significantly inhibited the stretching-induced ADAMTS-4 expression, whereas the inhibitors of p38 and JNK, SP6000125 and SB203580, showed only slightly effect on the stretching-induced ADAMTS-4 expression. Conclusion The different magnitudes of mechanical stretch exhibited different effects on the bio-logical behavior of intervertebral disc cells, which profoundly affects the intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective To investigate the influence of menstrucal cycle and anatomic site on the fractional anisotropy (FA) values of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in normal breast. Methods Prospectively enrolled 96 volunteers, who have identified with normal menstrucal phase and without breast diseases were found via the breast examination, ultrasound and MRI scan. The cases were divided into three groups according to menstrucal phase: menstrual period group(menstrual cramps 1 to 6 d), proliferative phase group(menstrual cramps 7 to 14 d) and secretory phase group(menstrual cramps 15 d to the next), and each group consisted of 32 subjects. All subjects were performed bilateral breast cross-sectional T1WI, T2WI, DWI and DTI scaning. On the nipple level figture, the mammary gland was divided into three regions including the anterior, central and posterior parts, and the FA values of the different phases and regions were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was applied to analyse the difference of FA values in different menstrual phase and anatomic site. Results The FA values of the anterior region in menstrual phase, proliferative phase and secretary phase were 0.21 ± 0.07, 0.24 ± 0.09 and 0.17 ± 0.07, and the difference had significant difference(P=0.014).The FA values of the central region were respectively 0.15±0.08, 0.18±0.09 and 0.15±0.07, and without the statistically significant difference(P=0.090). The FA values of the posterior region were 0.21 ± 0.11, 0.24 ± 0.13 and 0.16 ± 0.11, and also showed significant difference(P=0.002). In different regions, the difference of FA values between menstrual phases and proliferative phases were also had statistically significant(P=0.018, 0.045, respectively). In the same region, the FA value was lowest in the secretary phase, and the proliferative phase was slightly higher than menstrual phase. Conclusion The FA values are affected by menstrual cycle and anatomic site.