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 investigate the dynamic changes that occur in T cell subsets, particularly involving the surface expression of programmed death 1 (PD-1), in response to pegylated (Peg)-interferon (IFN) a-2a therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

METHODSTwenty-five patients with HCV genotype 1b chronic infection and 10 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. All the HCV patients received combination antiviral therapy of Peg-IFNa-2a (180 mug/week) plus ribavirin. At treatment weeks 0 (baseline), 4, 12, 24 and 48, the level of PD-1 protein expression on the surface of total peripheral CD8+ and CD4+ T cells was determined by flow cytometry and the level of PD-1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Independent student's t-test were used to compare mean values between the two groups, repeat measure variance analysis was used to compare mean values among multiple groups, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlation significance.

RESULTSOver the course of antiviral therapy, the proportions of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, as well as the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, increased (F = 81.23, 39.28, and 7.01 respectively; all P less than 0.01). In contrast, the PD-1 protein expression frequency on CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells significantly declined (F = 100.11 and 158.40 respectively; all P less than 0.01). The PD-1-mRNA expression level in PBMCs was: 1.40+/-0.26 at baseline, 1.30+/-0.27 at week-4, 1.14+/-0.18 at week-12, 1.06+/-0.26 at week-24, and 0.83+/-0.25 at week-48 (F = 20.09; P less than 0.01). A positive correlation existed between the PD-1 protein expression frequencies on CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells and the HCV RNA load detected at baseline (r = 0.82 and 0.75 respectively; all P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe ability of Peg-IFN-a-2a-based antiviral therapy to suppress HCV replication may involve reduction of PD-1 protein expression on the surface of CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Animals ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Metformin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy and complications of intradiscal electrothermal therapy for treatment of discogenic low back pain.

METHODSForty patients with discogenic low back pain were treated with intradiscal electrothermal therapy, and the changes in the VAS, functional status and complications after the treatment were analyzed. RESULTS The VAS score was decreased and the functional status improved obviously after the treatment, which caused no severe complications.

CONCLUSIONIntradiscal electrothermal therapy is safe and effective to rapidly achieve pain relief and obviously improve the functional status of patients with discogenic low back pain with few complications.

Adult ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; therapy ; Low Back Pain ; etiology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study quality test, and establish quality classification standard of Platycodon grandiflorum.

METHODThe seed quality and planting quality of P. grandiflorum from different producing areas and in different growing years were measured.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe range of seed purity, weight per 1000 seeds, seed moisture content,seed viability were determined and the primary seed quality classification standard was established.

Germination ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; physiology ; Platycodon ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; physiology ; Quality Control ; Reference Standards ; Seeds ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; physiology ; Water ; analysis ; standards

OBJECTIVETo review the research progress on Type IV secretion system (T4SS) in Helicobacter pylori.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were identified by searching of PUBMED (1995 - 2007) online resources using the key terms 'Type IV secretion system' and 'Helicobacter pylori'.

STUDY SELECTIONMainly original articles and critical reviews written by major pioneer investigators of this field were selected.

RESULTSThe research progress on T4SS in Helicobacter pylori was summarized. The structure and function was discussed.

CONCLUSIONST4SS is not only involved in toxin secretion and injection of virulence factors into eukaryotic host target cells, but also involved in horizontal DNA transfer to other bacteria and eukaryotic cells, through DNA uptake from or release into the extracellular milieu. It provides a new insight into the pathogenicity of Helicobacter pylori and a novel target for antimicrobials development. However, many challenges remain for us in understanding the biological role of T4SS in Helicobacter pylori.

Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; Helicobacter pylori ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathogenicity ; Multigene Family

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on simple obesity of different syndrome types, so as to understand the syndrome type most suitable to this therapy.

METHODSUsing prospective and double blind method one hundred and thirty-seven cases were divided into a group of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency (n=30), a stomach heat-dampness stagnation group (n=30), a group of stagnation of liver qi (n=27), a group of deficiency of both spleen and kidney (n=26) and a group of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency (n=24). They were treated with catgut implantation at main acupoints Liangmen (ST 21), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Qihai (CV 6), Fenglong (ST 40) and adjuvant points selected according to different syndromes, once each week, 4 weeks constituting one course, for 2 courses. Changes of body weight, body mass index (BMI), circumferences of chest, waist and hip, and symptoms and signs before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the body weight, BMI, circumferences of waist and hip in the 5 groups had significant changes; the total effective rates in the group of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency, the stomach heat-dampness stagnation group, the group of stagnation of liver qi, the group of deficiency of both spleen and kidney deficiency, the group of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency were 83.3%, 93.3%, 48.2%, 69.2% and 41.70%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoints is the best for simple obesity of the stomach heat-dampness stagnation type and the worst for the type of endogenous heat due to yin deficiency.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Catgut ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Prostheses and Implants ; Young Adult

Three representative schools of scalp acupuncture for the stroke hemiplegia such as Jiao's scalp acupuncture, Yu's scalp acupuncture and temporal three-needle are introduced and analyzed. Since the schools of scalp acupuncture are numerous and the bases of selection acupoints are complicated, it demands to determine the optimal needling acupoints by means of scientific research. Therefore, the selection acupoints would be adhering to scientific principles. The theoretical basis needs to be explored and studied further.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Hemiplegia ; therapy ; Humans ; Scalp ; Stroke ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of specific siRNA on survivin gene in transfected leukemia cells.

METHODThe small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeted survivin mRNA was synthesized in vitro and was transfected into K562 cell by Hiperfect into human leukemia cell line K562, which has high survivin expression level. The level of survivin mRNA expression was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with SYBR GREEN I. The apoptosis index of cytotrophoblasts were determined and analyzed by FCM (Annexin V-FITC/PI staining methods). The cell proliferation was examined by MTT at 48 h and 72 h after transfection.

RESULTThe level of mRNA expression was significantly inhibited by the siRNA 48 h and 72 h after transfection, the suppression rate of survivin mRNA separately reached 85.21%, 94.35% mensurated by quantitative RT-PCR with SYBR GREEN I, cell proliferation was inhibited significantly by 45.02% and 50.88%, respectively, the apoptotic rate detected by Annexin V-FITC assay reached 12.28%and 21.55%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe chemosynthesized siRNA targeting survivin could significantly down-regulate survivin mRNA. Survivin siRNA was able to inhibit the proliferation of leukemia cell line K562. Survivin may become a new target for leukemia gene therapy.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; genetics ; K562 Cells ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the significance of cytokine IL-1α and S100β expression in formation and evolution of different types of plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

METHODSThirty-four autopsy cases of Alzheimer's disease encountered during the period from 1982 to 2008 were retrieved from the archival files of Department of Pathology, Beijing Hospital. Tissue blocks were taken from hippocampus for dual immunostaining for IL-1α/Aβ and S100β/Aβ.

RESULTSImmunohistochemical studied for IL-1α/Aβ and S100β/Aβ delineated four different types of senile plaques: diffuse non-neuritic plaques, diffuse neuritic plaques, dense-core neuritic plaques and dense-core non-neuritic plaques. The numbers of IL-1α-positive microglias and S100β-positive astrocytes associated with diffuse neuritic plaques were (7.29 ± 3.04) per mm(2) and (6.49 ± 2.20) per mm(2), respectively. In contrast, the numbers of IL-1α-positive microglias and S100β-positive astrocytes associated with diffuse non-neuritic plaques, dense-core neuritic plaques and dense-core non-neuritic plaques were (3.24 ± 1.53) per mm(2) and (4.14 ± 1.77) per mm(2), (2.09 ± 1.37) per mm(2) and (2.25 ± 0.83) per mm(2), and (1.38 ± 0.90) per mm(2) and (0.58 ± 0.36) per mm(2), respectively. The numbers of IL-1α-positive microglias and S100β-positive astrocytes associated with diffuse neuritic plaques were significantly higher than those of the other three types of plaques (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe IL-1α-positive microglias and S100β-positive astrocytes may be of certain significance in transformation of diffuse non-neuritic plaques to diffuse neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Astrocytes ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interleukin-1alpha ; metabolism ; Male ; Microglia ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Plaque, Amyloid ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism