The prescription combinations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on the taste and channel tropism, the Qi movement, as well as the compatibility according to multiple combination principles and medicinal property and flavor combination of several traditional Chinese medicines. With the in-depth study on the prescription compatibility, researchers have realized that the medicinal property theory is the core of TCM combinations. However, there is no definite method for combinations based on medicinal properties. In this paper, the authors put forward an method for designing prescription combinations based on bipartite graph and the greedy algorithm. With the medicinal property combinations of Siweilurong Pills for example, the authors proved this method could provide ideas for quickly choosing herbal medicines for prescription combinations, and discussed the prospect of this method in substituting previous and endangered herbal medicines and banned medicinal materials.
Algorithms ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy

Objective To investigate the changes of serum troponin I (cTnI) in children with severe pneumonia in the early time and its significance in the diagnosis of myocardial damage.Method cTnI was measured by automatic chemo-immuno-analyzer in 47 patients with severe pneumonia during acute stage and 25 patients during recovery stage.Results The levels cTnI in blood of 33 patients with severe pneumonia during the acute stage were obviously higher,with the abnormal rate 70.2%.There was a remarkable difference compared with control group(P

Objective To investigate the feasibility of low-dose CT perfusion imaging(CTPI)examination combined with iterative model reconstruction (IMR) in the brain.Methods 80 patients with clinical suspicion of acute cerebral infarction underwent the cerebral CTPI were enrolled in this study.30 normal hemispheres on group A [35 cases,80 kV,150 mAs, filtered back projection(FBP)] and group B(45 cases,80 kV,30 mAs, IMR) were selected to evaluate respectively.The pictures' subjective scores, effective radiation dose (ED),CT value,SD,signal to noise ratio(SNR), contrast to noise ratio(CNR) and the perfusion parameters of the grey matter (GM) and white matter(WM) in each hemisphere of the middle cerebral artery(MCA) territory were respectively compared at ASPECTS level 2 for the two groups.Results The ED were 2.52,0.50 mSv for group A,B.There were no statistical significances in the perfusion parameters,CT value, SD, CNR of the ROIs of the GM and WM,the SNR of the ROIs of the GM and the pictures' subjective scores between group A, B (P>0.05).There was statistical significance in the SNR of the ROIs of the WM between group A,B (P<0.05).Conclusion IMR combined with 30 mAs of the CTPI can reduce the radiation dose apparently while maintain the stability of the image quality and perfusion parameters.

In order to meet the requirements of medical teaching contents and curriculum system reform, we adopt the experience ofHarvard University School of Medicine to integrate Biochemistry and Cell Biology into a new one—— "Chemistry and Biology of theCell". We have carried out the integration of the two courses three times. In this new course, repeated contents have been reduced, thelinkage of the two courses has been increased, and the burden of students was lightened,which makes students contact the clinic earlierand enables to improve the students' ability to solve problems.

Objective:To increase the understanding of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, rhabdomyolysis and acute renal injury in advanced-aged patients with Parkinson's disease after abdominal surgery.Methods:We report a case of malignant syndrome, rhabdomyolysis and acute renal injury in an 85-year-old patient with Parkinson's disease after abdominal surgery in our department.The diagnosis and successful treatment experience were summarized, and a literature review was conducted.Results:The body temperature was as high as 40.5℃ in this patient, accompanied by stiffness, sustained involuntary shaking, increased muscle tone, serum creatine kinase at 104 615 U/L, tachycardia, low blood pressure, accelerated breathing rate, disturbance of consciousness, excessive sweating and other clinical manifestations, which met the diagnostic criteria for neuroleptic malignant syndrome.The patient had complications including concurrent rhabdomyolysis, acute renal injury and shock.The emergency was resolved after an early diagnosis and proactive treatment.Conclusions:If patients with Parkinson's disease have a high fever with rigidity or sudden aggravation within a short period of time after medication, the possibility of neuroleptic malignant syndrome should be considered and the causes should be screened.

Multi-component traditional Chinese medicines are an innovative research mode for traditional Chinese medicines. Currently, there are many design methods for developing multi-component traditional Chinese medicines, but their common feature is the lack of effective connection of the traditional Chinese medicine theory. In this paper, the authors discussed the multi-component traditional Chinese medicine design methods based on medicinal property combination modes, provided the combination methods with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine for the prescription combinations, and proved its feasibly with hypertension cases.
Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of a new CD44 variant on invasion of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSThe full length cDNA encoding CD44v17 was obtained from the total RNA isolated from the MCF-7/ADR cells by reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and subcloned into pMD19-T vector. The CD44v17 gene sequence and reading frame were confirmed by two restriction enzymes and nucleotide sequencing, and then inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1. The pcDNA3.1-CD44v17 was transfected into MCF-7 cells by Lipofectamine. The changes of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression at gene and protein levels were detected by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. The number of the cells through the artificial matrix membrane in every group was counted to compare the change of the invasive ability regulated by CD44 variant. The ERK and p-ERK were investigated by Western blotting to approach the molecular mechanisms of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression regulated by CD44 variant.

RESULTSThe new gene sequence was successfully cloned into recombinant vector pcDNA3.1 and identified by the two restriction enzymes. It was confirmed that the reconstructed plasmid contained the sequence of CD44 gene variant which was composed of 1 to 4 exons, 16 to 17 exons, and 1 to 205 bases of 18 exons. The new gene sequence was sent to NCBI for publication and obtained the registered number FJ216964. The up-regulated levels of the CD44 gene mRNA and protein were respectively detected by RT-PCR and flow cytometry in MCF-7 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-CD44v17. The invasiveness of the cells and the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were clearly activated by hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment and blocked by CD44 neutralizing antibody. Pretreated MCF-7/CD44v17 cells with the neutralizing antibody against CD44 and the inhibitor of MAPKs signaling pathway strongly block the expression of p-ERK.

CONCLUSIONA new CD44 gene variant has been found in adriamycin-resistant human breast cancer MCF-7/ADR cells. The expression vector pcDNA3.1-CD44v17 has been cloned and constructed successfully. HA can be integrated with CD44 variant and then regulates the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, which increases the invasion ability of MCF-7 cells through the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hyaluronic Acid ; pharmacology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Phosphorylation ; Plasmids ; Protein Isoforms ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection

To explore hemorrhage risk and the clinical significance of abnormal change of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), plasma fibrinogen (FIB), plasma thrombin time (TT) and d-dimer (D-D) in de novo acute leukemia (except for APL), the different bleeding manifestations of 114 cases of de novo acute leukemia with different coagulation indexes were analyzed retrospectively. The correlation between these blood coagulation indexes and the possible correlative clinical characteristics were analysed, including age, sex, type of acute leukemia, initial white blood cell(WBC) and platelet(Plt) count, the proportion of blast cells in bone marrow and cytogenetic abnormality of patients at diagnosis. The results indicated that the incidence of abnormal blood coagulation was as high as 78.1% for de novo AL patients. These patients with 5 normal blood coagulation indexes may have mild bleeding manifestation, but the more abnormal indexes, the more severe bleeding. Both PT and D-D were sensitive indexes for diagnosis of level II bleeding. Incidence of abnormal blood coagulation significantly correlates with the proportion of blast cells in bone marrow (χ(2) = 4.184, OR = 1.021, P < 0.05) and more with D-D (P < 0.01), while age, sex, type of AL, WBC count, Plt count and abnormality of cytogenetics did not correlate with abnormal blood coagulation. It is concluded that the coagulation and fibrinolysis are abnormal in most patients with de novo acute leukemia. More abnormal indexes indicate more severe bleeding, and both PT and D-D are sensitive indexes for diagnosis of level II bleeding. Higher proportion of blast cells in bone marrow predicts higher incidence of abnormal blood clotting. Acute leukemia with elderly age, high white blood cell count and adverse cytogenetics do not predict severer abnormal blood clotting. Detection of PT, APTT, TT, FIB, and D-D may help to judge whether the patients are in a state of hypercoagulability or disseminated intravenous coagulation, which will provide experiment evidences for early intervention and medication.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Coagulation ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Child ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; Hemorrhage ; pathology ; Humans ; Leukemia ; blood ; pathology ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombin Time ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo detect the MSX1 gene mutation in a Chinese family with oligodontia.

METHODSBlood samples were obtained from seven affected and seven unaffected individuals in the pedigree. All exons and flanking intronic boundaries of the MSX1 gene were amplified with polymerase chain reaction technique and then directly sequenced. The website of bioinformatics was used to predict the effect of the mutation on the function.

RESULTSA splicing mutation (IVS1-2A > G) was found at position -2 near the 3' end of the IVS1 of MSX1, which made a change of the intron 1 splice acceptor site. None of the mutation was found in normal individuals of the family and in 100 unrelated healthy matched control individuals.

CONCLUSIONSIVS1-2A > G was a novel splicing mutation identified in the MSX-1 gene and it might be responsible for nonsyndromic oligodontia in this family.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; MSX1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Tooth Abnormalities ; genetics ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the differences of blood glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels between the patients with acute cerebral infarction and healthy controls, and explore the relation between HbA1c level and both neurological deficits scores and imaging of lesions in number. Methods One hundred and eighty-six patients with acute cerebral infarction within 1 week were performed neurological deficits scales after the admission; the HbA1c level was measured within 24 h admission; brain MRI scan was performed on these patients 48 h after onset or stabilization. Glucose tolerance test was taken at the rehabilitation of infarction (except for having a clear history of diabetes before). At the same time, 160 healthy controls were checked on the level of HbA1c and taken the glucose tolerance test. The differences of blood HbA1c levels between the patients with acute cerebral infarction and healthy controls were investigated; and the relation between HbA1c level and both neurological deficits scores and imaging of lesions in number was explored. Results The HbA1c level in patients with acute cerebral infarction (6.982%±1.803%) was significantly higher than that in the controls (5.128%±0.592%, P<0.05). The level of HbA1c in patients with cerebral infarction and the neurological deficits scores were positively correlated (r=0.760, P<0.05). The level of HbA1c in patients with 2 lesions (6.635%±0.427%) was obviously higher than that in patients with 1 lesion (5.803%±0.307%, P<0.05); The level of HbA1c in patients with 3 or more lesions (8.571%±0.519%) was obviously higher than that in patients with 1 or 2 lesions (P<0.05). Conclusion Diabetes is a major risk factor for cerebral infarction. High HbA1c level might cause a series of cerebrovascular diseases, thus it is an important factor in the happening of cerebral infarction and HbA1c level is an important indicator of the early assessment of the severity of the diseases. The incidence of cerebral infarction can be decreased by controlling hyperglycaemia, lowering the HbA1c levels.