The discovery and use of antibiotics is one of the most important breakthroughs in medical history.However, the uprising and spread of the drug-resistance bacterial pathogens have posed a great threat on human health once again.There is an urgent need to develop new antibiotics.Traditional Chinese medicine contains a large volume of bioactive substances suited for novel antibiotic development.However, clinical use of antibiotics of Chinese medicine originis are very rare despite the fact that Chinese medicine has been used for infectious diseases for many years.In this paper, we propose a new mechanism of action for Chinese medicine in treating infectious diseases based on our experimental data.Unlike conventional antibiotics which kill pathogens or inhibit their growth, the traditional Chinese medicine probably function through repressing bacterial pathogenicity.That is, they are actually “antipathogenic drugs”.There are several advantages these antipathogenic drugs possess over traditional antibiotics, including that pathogens are less likely to develop resistance and the drugs have less effect on normal members of the human microbe.

OBJECTIVE To assess the efficancy of Yangxue Qingnao granules on simvastatin-induced vascular injury model in zebrafish. METHODS Since statins can inhibit vascular development in zebrafish,in this study,we developed a novel animal model using 1 to 3 day post-fertilization larval zebrafish by optimizing the doses and duration of simvastatin exposure.Five pro-angiogenic drugs with a variety of mechanisms were tested to validate the newly developed zebrafish model. Zebrafish was treated with different concentration of Yangxue Qingnao granules( 62.5,125 and 250 μg·mL-1)for 2 d then tested for the area of subintestinal vein vessels. RESULTS Vascular regeneration promoting effect of five pro-angiogenic drugs (calycosin, astragaloside, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and Panax Notoginseng Saponins)were 8-48%,24-51%,35-58%,28-75% and 37-69%,respectively.In 62.5,125 and 250 μg·mL-1Yangxue Qingnao granules group,vascular regeneration promoting effect were 21% (P>0.05), 84%(P<0.01) and 53%(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that the zebrafish vascular injury model validated in this study could be used for in vivo angiogenesis studies and drug screening and for assessing pro-angiogenic drugs with different mechanisms.Yangxue Qingnao granules could promote the vascular regeneration in zebrafish.

Phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEAMT) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of phosphocholine, which is an important precursor of phosphatidylcholine and glycine betaine. A 1249bp 5'-flanking region of phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene was isolated by anchored PCR, based on the cDNA sequence of PEAMT from halophyte Salicornia europaea. The transcription start site was identified as A and localized at 301bp upstream of the ATG according to the results of RLM-RACE. In SePEAMT promoter region, many potential cis-acting elements were predicted by PlantCARE and PLACE programs. Aside from the basal transcriptional elements TATA-box and CAAT-box, some stress-responsive motifs such as ABRE, HSE and LTR were found. In addition, some pollen-specific activation-related elements were also present in this region. Binary expression vector was constructed by fusing SePEAMT promoter with GUS gene and designated as pPro. The pPro was transferred into tobacco by Agrobacterium-medicated transformation and transient GUS expression analysis indicated that SePEAMT promoter could drive strong GUS expression.

BACKGROUND:Tissue-engineered bone can be obtained by the combination of chondrocytes and polyglycolic acid scaffold. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of alogeneic chondrocytes/polyglycolic acid scaffold compound in the repair of thyroid cartilage defects in rabbits. METHODS: Twenty New Zealand adult rabbits were randomly divided into experimental group with implantation of alogeneic chondrocytes/polyglycolic acid scaffold compound and control group with implantation of polyglycolic acid scaffold. Gross and histological observations were done at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Gross observation results: 4 weeks after surgery, cartilage defects in the experimental group were repaired certainly, and no necrosis appeared in the repair area; in the control group, the defects were filed with muscle and connective tissues. At 8 weeks after implantation, cartilage defects in the experimental group were further repaired, with unclear repair boundaries, and in the control group, cartilage defects were no repaired and showed a notable boundary with the surrounding normal cartilage tissues. (2) Immunohistochemical staining results: the expression of type II colagen in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05) at 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. These findings indicate that the alogeneic chondrocytes/polyglycolic acid scaffold compound can promote the repair of thyroid cartilage defects in rabbits.

Objective To investigate the possible mechanism of aggregation and activation of neu-trophils(polymorphonuclear neutrophils,PMN)in mice with chlamydial pneumonitis. Methods C57BL/ 6 mice were inoculated intranasally with 3×103 inclusion-forming units(IFU)of Chlamydia muridarum(Cm) to induce the murine model of chlamydial pneumonitis. Samples of lung tissues collected at different time points after infection were stained by hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological assessment of inflammation. The levels of myelo-peroxidase(MPO)were detected for the evaluation of PMN aggregation. The mononu-clear cells were isolated from lung tissues. The inflammatory cells were counted with Giemsaˊs staining. CD11b+Gr1+ cell population and CD11b expression in lung mononuclear cells were analyzed by flow cytome-try. The expression of chemokines(MIP-2,LIX,KC and MCP-1)in lung tissues at mRNA level was meas-ured by RT-PCR. Results Chlamydial pneumonitis was induced in mice by intranasal inoculation of 3×103 IFU of Cm. Compared with the mice from control group,large amounts of inflammatory cells including PMN, monocytes and lymphocytes were induced in lung tissues of mice with Cm infection. PMN responded earlier than monocytes to the infection. The levels of MPO were significantly increased in mice with Cm infection and reached the highest level on the 7th day after infection. A decline in MPO levels was observed on the 14th day but the levels were still higher than those on day 0. The percentages and total numbers of CD11b+Gr1+ cells were significantly increased after Cm infection. Moreover,an increased expression of PMN CD11b was also detected by flow cytometry. The expression of chemokines(MIP-2,LIX,KC and MCP-1)was in-creased in lung tissues of mice after Cm infection. The results of the study indicated that Cm infection in-duced the expression of PMN chemoattractants,resulting in the recruitment of PMN. Conclusion The infil-tration and activation of PMN in lung tissues of mice were induced by Cm infection through increasing the ex-pression of chemokines. PMN played an important role in immune responses against Cm infection.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of the plasma containing Qianlongtong Capsule (QLT)-containing plasma on the expression of the Smad4 gene in prostate stromal cells in vitro and provide some experimental evidence for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with Chinese medicinal compound.

METHODSFifteen cases of BPH were equally randomized to three groups to be treated with QLT at a high dose (6 capsules once), a medium dose (3 capsules once), and a low dose (1.5 capsules once), tid, for 7 days consecutively. QLT-containing plasma was collected from the patients. Prostate stromal cells were identified by immunofluorescence when they became monolayered and cultured in the QLT-containing plasma for 24 hours, followed by detection of the expression of the Smad4 gene by real-time quantitative PCR and that of the Smad4 protein by Western blot.

RESULTSAfter treatment with the QLT-containing plasma, the expression of the Smad4 gene in the stromal cells was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner as compared with the blank control and no-QLT groups (P < 0.01). The expression of the Smad4 protein was also markedly elevated after treatment. The differences were statistically significant between the blank control and medium-dose groups (P < 0.01), low-dose and medium-dose groups (P < 0.05), and high-dose and the other groups (P < 0.01), but not between the blank control and low-dose groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONQLT-containing plasma could inhibit the proliferation and improve the apoptotic index of prostate stromal cells in vitro, which was related to the elevation of the mRNA and protein expressions of Smad4.

Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Smad4 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stromal Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective:To investigate the effect of IL-17A on the differentiation and maturation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells( BMDCs ) . Methods: Murine bone marrow cells were isolated and cultured in RPMI1640 complete medium in the presence of GM-CSF(20 ng/ml) for 8 days to induce differentiation of murine bone marrow cells to DC progenitors. Then these cells were treated with LPS(1 μg/ml) for 36 h which polarized immature DCs into mature DCs. Different concentrations of rmIL-17A(10 or 100 ng/ml) was added to the culture medium at different stages of BMDC differentiation and maturation. Co-stimulatory molecules expression on BMDC were analyzed by flow cytometry,and the culture supernatants were analyzed for IL-12p40 and IL-10 level by ELISA. Results:rmIL-17 could promote co-stimulatory molecules( CD40,CD80,CD86 and MHCⅡ) expression on BMDCs in a does-dependent manner,especially,the expression of CD40 and MHCⅡhad a significant increase in high concentration of rmIL-17A group;rmIL-17A was added while LPS induced maturation of BMDCs. CD40,CD80,CD86 and MHCⅡexpression on BMDC increased sharply in LPS plus rmIL-17A stimulation group,besides,CD86,MHCⅡ showed a higher level expression on BMDC with the increase of con-centration of rmIL-17A. Furthermore,secretion of IL-12p40 and IL-10 increased significantly in the group of DCs treated with LPS plus low concentration of rmIL-17 compared with the group without rmIL-17(P<0. 001). However,high concentration of rmIL-17A group showed significantly higher levels of IL-12p40(P<0. 001),but there was no difference in IL-10. Conclusion:IL-17A promotes the phe-notypic development of BMDC progenitors propagated in GM-CSF and cooperate with LPS to induce BMDC differentiation and matura-tion.

To investigate the production status and the safety influence factors of wolfberry in China. We investigated the detailed factors which affect the quality safe of wolfberry in the periods of July-August 2013 and July-September 2009. The factors include fertilizing patterns, the used pesticide and preliminary process wolfberry. The factors were discussed according to the results of investigation, and suggestions were proposed for the management and production departments of wolfberry.
China ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Lycium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; microbiology ; parasitology ; Pest Control ; Plant Diseases ; microbiology ; parasitology ; prevention & control

Objective To evaluate the performance of an enhanced fluorescent staining for the rapid diagnosis of invasive mycosis, especially rare cases, considering the traditional culture method always leads to delays in clinical diagnosis for its time consuming. Methods Cases of invasive mycosis identified by fluorescent staining in our hospital from September, 2017 to September, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Three rare in-vasive infections were reported in this study. Clinical specimens were pretreated using standard procedures and then smeared on slides along with the enhanced fluorescent dye. Species of the pathogens were identified accord-ing to their morphology under fluorescent microscope. The traditional culture method was used as a standard method to identify the pathogenic species based on their colony morphology, followed by PCR and sequencing analysis for further confirmation. Results Three cases of invasive mycosis caused by rare pathogens of Talaro-myces marneffei, Mucorales and Prototheca were rapidly diagnosed with the fluorescent staining method. Sequen-cing results indicated the species were Talaromyces marneffei, Rhizopus arrhizus and Prototheca wickerhamii. Conclusions Fluorescent staining is a rapid, economic and direct method for the diagnosis of invasive mycosis. The morphology of fungi is clear and easy to identify after fluorescence staining, which could be used for indica-tive diagnosis of highly suspected invasive mycosis and serve as an important complement to the traditional cul-ture method, especially for the diagnosis of rare or uncultured fungal pathogens.

OBJECTIVETo observe the blood lowering effect of telmisartan and amlodipine taking on the morning or at bedtime in hypertensive patients.

METHODSA total of 108 individuals with hypertension (grade 2 or above) were randomized to receive telmisartan and amlodipine in one of the following four therapeutic schemes: Group A (26 cases): both medications taken on the morning; Group B (28 cases): both medication taken at bedtime; Group C (27 cases): telmisartan on the morning and amlodipine at bedtime; or Group D (27 cases): amlodipine on the morning and telmisartan at bedtime. ABPM was performed before and after 8 weeks treatment.

RESULTSBP was significantly reduced in 4 groups and the value of 24 hours SBP/DBP decline for each group after treatment was 29.94/16.32, 31.37/18.35, 29.49/17.30 and 25.80/15.51 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) respectively (P < 0.05 vs. baseline). SI (smooth index) of 24 hours SBP/DBP was 1.79/1.34, 2.07/1.54, 1.70/1.43 and 1.55/1.32 respectively (P > 0.05). The night-time BP decline and the distributive difference of dipper, non-dipper, extreme dipper and reverse dipper pattern were similar among groups at both baseline and after various treatment regimens (all P > 0.05) . Morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) after treatment in group B declined more significantly than other groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTelmisartan/amlodipine administered either on the morning or at bedtime can effectively reduce blood pressure. The efficacy of BP lowering is independent of the drug taking time. There is a trend both in better BP lowering and less BP variability when two medications are administered at bedtime.

Adult ; Aged ; Amlodipine ; administration & dosage ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Benzimidazoles ; administration & dosage ; Benzoates ; administration & dosage ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged