This study investigated whether the curative effect of short-pulse gastric electrical stimulation (GES) on the vasopressin-induced dyspeptic symptoms was mediated by central opioid peptide-producing neurons. Five female beagle dogs implanted with 1 pair of electrodes in gastric serosa were used in a two-experiment study. In experiment one, the brain was scanned by positron emission tomography in 3 dogs with and without short-pulse GES, and the radioactivity in nuclei of solitary tract (NST) and hypothalamus was detected. Experiment two was composed of 4 sessions. In session one, the dogs were injected with vasopressin in the absence of short-pulse GES. With session two, the short-pulse GES was simultaneously given via the electrodes with the injection of vasopressin. In sessions three and four, naloxone and naloxone methiodide was administered respectively in the presence of short-pulse GES. Motion sickness-like symptoms were scored and compared among the different sessions. The results showed that the short-pulse GES significantly increased the radioactivity in NST and hypothalamic nuclei (P<0.05, vs control). The short-pulse GES could ameliorate the vasopressin-induced motion sickness-like symptoms in dogs. Naloxone, but not naloxone methiodide could attenuate the curative effects of short-pulse GES. It is concluded that NST and hypothalamic nuclei may participate in the mediation of the curative effects of short-pulse GES on dyspepsia-like symptoms. Central opioid peptide-containing neurons presumably mediate the therapeutic effect on dyspeptic symptoms of short-pulse GES.

Objective To describe the prevalence and neuropsychological character of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) associated with Parkinson' s disease(PD-MCI). Methods One hundred and three PD patients and a control group of 32 healthy old subjects were chosen. Psychometric assessment included the Mini Mental State Examination, the Dementia Rating Scale and a series of neuropsychol ogicaltests. The Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression was used to assess depression in PD patients. Results (1)Twenty-one (20.4%) PD patients was diagnosed with dementia, 45 (43.7%) had a MCI and only 37(35.9%) had no cognitive impairment; (2) Subjects with PD-MCI were older, had a later onset of the PD,and displayed more severe motor symptoms compared with those without cognitive impairment; (3) The prevalence and neuropsychological profile of PD-MCI were thought to correlate with the dominating side and subtype of Parkinsonian symptoms, for patients with left-sided dominant symptoms had a significantly higher chance of suffering MCI than those with right-sided dominant symptoms, the ratio being 74.2% vs 42.2%,χ<'2 =7. 589,P <0.05; The tremor-dominant group took less time than the mixed group for Stroop word test measurement ((80.8±39.9) s vs (94.4±30.0) s,t=3.332,P<0.01). Conclusion Identification of MCI is of important clinical significance, which helps to treat patients differently and thus predict the prognosis.

Objective To explore the rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities and the related factors,so as to provide a scien-tific basis for the rehabilitation policy-making for people with disabilities. Methods From June,2014 to July,2015,based on the national special survey of basic services and needs of people with disabilities in Jiangsu,China,this paper clarified the factors related with the rehabilitation needs of the disabled into the individual characteristics, economic characteristics, environmental characteristics and so on by the de-scriptive statistics method. The Logit model was established to explore the factors related with rehabilitation needs. Results In Jiangsu,43% people with disabilities aged 16 and above had rehabilitation needs.Contingency table analysis and Chi square test showed that individual characteristics,economic characteristics and environmental character-istics had significant impact on the rehabilitation needs of the disabled.Multiple regression analysis showed that all the 18 variables were the significant related factors. Conclusion In order to meet the rehabilitation needs of the disabled, the refined and precise rehabilitation program should be designed in line with the different characteristics of the disabled.Through the effective docking of sup-plies and needs,we can provide accurate rehabilitation services for the disabled.

OBJECTIVETo investigate and clarify the indications of breast reconstruction after mastectomy with various methods.

METHODSA clinical analysis was made, based on 44 patients with the 45 breasts who had received breast reconstruction after mastectomy in our hospital from 2003 to 2005. The methods of breast reconstruction included in tissue expander/implant (5 cases), implants covered by latissimus dorsi flap (13 cases), latissimus dorsi flap along (3 cases), DIEP flap (6 cases), TRAN flap (10 cases) and solid double-pedicle TRAM flap (8 cases).

RESULTSAll of the flaps survived well in total 40 patients (40 breasts) who were used a flap for breast reconstruction. Superficial skin necrosis occurred in 1 case with the method of tissue expander/implant; rupture of breast prosthesis and infection occurred in 1 case with the technique of implant with a latissimus dorsi flap; subcutaneous seroma occurred in 1 case with the method of DIEP flap; partial flap necrosis occurred in 2 cases with the method of TRAM flap. By the follow-ups of 3 - 12 months, the reconstructed breasts were well-shaped and there were no complications such as abdominal hernia.

CONCLUSIONSThese 6 methods for breast reconstruction achieved the satisfactory results for the requirement of breast reconstruction in Chinese women. With the development of plastic surgery technique, the indications of breast reconstruction were enlarged.

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period

The roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis are widely used in Chinese medicine for their action of clearing heat, detoxicating, relieving cough, dispelling sputum and tonifying spleen and stomach. The reason why Glycyrrhiza uralensis has potent and significant actions is that it contains various active secondary metabolites, especially glycyrrhizic acid. In the present study, we cloned the cDNA coding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary CoA reductase (HMGR) involved in glycyrrhizic acid biosynthesis in Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The corresponding cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins. Recombinant HMGR exhibited catalysis activity in reduction of HMG-CoA to mevalonic acid (MVA) just as HMGR isolated from other species. Because HMGR gene is very important in the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in Glycyrrhiza uralensis, this work is significant for further studies concerned with strengthening the efficacy of Glycyrrhiza uralensis by means of increasing glycyrrhizic acid content and exploring the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in vitro.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; metabolism ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mevalonic Acid ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Plant Roots ; enzymology ; Plants, Medicinal ; enzymology ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo reveal the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) gene polymorphism of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and the correlation between HMGR gene polymorphism and the content of glycyrrhizic acid.

METHODLiquorice plants containing different content of glycyrrhizic acid were used as materials. RT-PCR was used to amplify their HMGR gene sequences, which were connected with vector pMD19-T for clone sequencing. Multiple alignments were performed to analyse HMGR gene polymorphism of G. uralensis. Then the correlation between HMGR gene polymorphism and the content of glycyrrhizic acid was revealed.

RESULTHMGR gene sequences polymorphism included codon mutation, base substitution mutation, copy number polymorphism and allele heterozygosity. There were 4 types of mutations in HMGR gene coding amino acid sequences, namely -HSL, -HSV, GALLV, GALSV. Among them, -HSV type was common in liquorice plants, -HSL type only existed in liquorice plants with low content of glycyrrhizic acid, and GALSV type only existed in liquorice plants with high content of glycyrrhizic acid.

CONCLUSIONHMGR gene sequences of G. uralensis are highly polymorphic and related to the content of glycyrrhizic acid.

Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; metabolism ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Isoenzymes ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo analyse the effect of expression proteins containing different escherichia coli of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary-coenzyme A reductase(HMGR) genic mutation on the conversion efficiency of MVA with GC-MS method, in order to lay a foundation for revealing the function of HMGR gene polymorphism of Glycyrrhiza uralensis in the production of high-quality G. uralensis medicines.

METHODThe expression carrier was established from four HMGR genic mutation types cloned from G. uralensis and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21. The protein was induced to express, detected and purified. The purified protein was adopted for in vitro enzymatic reaction. TLC and GC-MS were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis on reaction products.

RESULTThe catalytic activity of L/V genotype(-HSL and -HSV) was similar, and so was the catalytic activity of the genotype with GA insertion (GALLV and GALSV), but the catalytic activity of the latter was around 2 times higher than that of the former.

CONCLUSIONThe functional gene polymorphism of G. uralensis may be the molecular foundation for the production of high-quality G. uralensi medicines.

Biocatalysis ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Cloning, Molecular ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study organochlorine pesticide and heavy metal residuals of Chrysanthemum morifolium.

METHODThe contents of organochlorine pesticide residuals was determined by chromatography, Cu, Pb, Cd was determined by AAS, and As, Hg was determined by AFS.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe contents of organochlorine pesticide and heavy metals residuals are up to "Green Trade Standards of Importing & Exporting Medicinal plants & Preprations" (MOFTEC, 2001), but the contents are different among four cultivars clearly.

Cadmium ; analysis ; China ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Copper ; analysis ; DDT ; analysis ; Ecosystem ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lead ; analysis ; Lindane ; analysis ; Mercury ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Pesticide Residues ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development

This study investigated whether the curative effect of short-pulse gastric electrical stimulation (GES) on the vasopressin-induced dyspeptic symptoms was mediated by central opioid peptide-producing neurons. Five female beagle dogs implanted with 1 pair of electrodes in gastric serosa were used in a two-experiment study. In experiment one,the brain was scanned by positron emission tomography in 3 dogs with and without short-pulse GES,and the radioactivity in nuclei of solitary tract (NST) and hypothalamus was detected. Experiment two was composed of 4 sessions. In session one,the dogs were injected with vasopressin in the absence of short-pulse GES. With session two,the short-pulse GES was simultaneously given via the electrodes with the injection of vasopressin. In sessions three and four,naloxone and naloxone methiodide was administered respectively in the presence of short-pulse GES. Motion sickness-like symptoms were scored and compared among the different sessions. The results showed that the short-pulse GES significantly increased the radioactivity in NST and hypothalamic nuclei (P＜0.05,vs control). The short-pulse GES could ameliorate the vasopressin-induced motion sickness-like symptoms in dogs. Naloxone,but not naloxone methiodide could attenuate the curative effects of short-pulse GES. It is concluded that NST and hypothalamic nuclei may participate in the mediation of the curative effects of short-pulse GES on dyspepsia-like symptoms. Central opioid peptide-containing neurons presumably mediate the therapeutic effect on dyspeptic symptoms of short-pulse GES.

OBJECTIVETo study the biological characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and detect JAK2 mutation in BMSCs from myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) patients.

METHODSJAK2 V617F mutation and exon 12 mutation in 70 MPN patients' blood or bone marrow samples were detected. Isolated BMSCs were then characterized their phenotype, mesenchymal differentiation capacity and existence of JAK2 mutation.

RESULTSBMSCs derived from the patients were similar with healthy donors in terms of morphology, surface antigen and differentiation ability. Of them, 38 patients' blood or bone marrow samples harbored JAK2 V617F, and identified that 3 V617F-negative-patients' samples existed JAK2 exon 12. No patients' BMSC harbored JAK2 mutation though their blood or bone marrow samples carried JAK2 mutation.

CONCLUSIONBMSCs from MPN patients had similar biological characteristics with healthy donors. BMSCs from MPN patients known to bear JAK2 mutation in blood or bone marrow cells didn't carry the mutation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Bone Marrow Neoplasms ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2 ; genetics ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; genetics ; Young Adult