Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a differentiation process of epithelial cells into mesenchymals,which is widespread in the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor.Studies show that EMT is influenced by a variety of factors such as cytokines,signaling pathways and transcription factors.Studies also show that intracellular and extracellular signal transmission could induce EMT.Signal transduction is a process which involves ligand-receptor binding in the extracellular,going into the cell and activating different nuclear transduction factor through intracellular signal transduction pathway.

Objective To study effects of diabetic nephropathy on plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods Serum BNP levels and suspected influential factors(including age,sex,blood pressure,body mass index,HbA1c,blood lipid,renal function)were investigated in 77 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Results Serum BNP was significantly different[(6.7?8.5)ng/L,(13.2?13.1)ng/L,(62.7?71.6)ng/L,P

Objective To evaluate the occurrence of antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome in patients with advanced prostate cancer treated with combined androgen blockade. Methods 24 cases of advanced prostate cancer (10 in stage C and 14 in stage D) were retrospectively studied. All the patients have been treated with combined androgen blockade (bilateral orchiectomy and flutamide). After initial beneficial response to hormonal therapy (duration 7 to 36 months), the disease became progressing.Flutamide was then discontinued. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and symptoms alterations were observed. Results Following withdrawal of flutamide, 8 patients showed a decline in PSA (mean 75%).In 6 the PSA declined more than 50%. Clinical symptoms improved in 4 patients and the prostate mass became smaller in 2. The mean duration of improvement was 4.3 months. Conclusions In patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer after initial combined androgen blockade, a trial of "antiandrogen withdrawal" is a reasonable therapeutic management prior to other more toxic therapies.

Objective To investigate the effects of the teaching model of team-based learning (TBL) in the course of TCM Basic Theory.MethodsTotally 61 undergraduates of Class 1-2 in Grade 2013 in Dalian Medical University are divided into 15 groups, three to five students in each group. TBL teaching model was performed in the chapter about Zang-Fu relationship in the course of TCM Basic theory. At the end of the study, the students received the questionnaire survey to know the effects of TBL teaching model.ResultsStudents discussed intensely with lively atmosphere in the class. The pass rate of individual test was 98.36%, and the excellence rate was 22.95%. The results of immediate feedback answer sheets showed that for the 6 multiple choice questions, each group answered at least 2 questions correctly for the first time, and 5 groups answered all the questions correctly for the first time with the joint efforts of group members.ConclusionTBL teaching model could promote the preview, activate atmosphere in class, improve learning efficiency, and increase the solidarity and collaboration in students.

Objective To explore the changes of gene and protein expressions of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in immature rats with pilocarpine-induced epilepsy treated with ghrelin. Methods The pllocarpine-induced epilepsy model in immatured rats were built, then the rats were divided into three groups: Ghrelin-treated group, saline-treated group and model group, meanwhile the normal control group was set. The NF-κB and TNF-α levels of gene and protein in the cerebral cortex of immature rats were detected. Results The expression levels of gene and protein of NF-κB and TNF-α were increased in model group,but decreased in the normal control group;NF-κB and TNF-α levels in Ghrelin treated group were obviously lower than those of saline-treated group and model group(P < 0. 05). Conclusion The protective mechanism of Ghrelin for nerve cell is cutting down the expressions of NF-κB and TNF-α in the cerebral cortex of immature rats with epilepsy and lessening inflammatory reaction in neurocytes.

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan city and to identify its cause in order to provide evidence for development of specific preventive strategies in the future.Methods Epidemic information of the disease and survey data of brucellosis cases from 2002 to 2008 in the Infectious and Endemic Disease Control Jinan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention were analyzed statistically.Results From 2002 to 2008, 52 cases were diagnosed as brucellosis, among which 39 cases from Zhangqiu city.The incidence rate ranged from 0.02 to 0.10 hundred thousandth from 2002 to 2006, and 0.25 and 0.26 hundred thousandth in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The disease was found each mouth throughout the year, marked with summer peak[38.46%(20/52)]. Patients increased year after year in summer and spring seasons(r = 0.92, P ＜ 0.01) .The disease was most commonly found in 30 - 59 age group[69.23%(36/52)];men women incidence ratio was 1.67: 1.00;farmers accounting for 94.23%(49/52). There were 5 clusters of family outbreak brucellosis, involving 12 cases. Forty five patients contacted with sheep, accounting for 86.54% (45/52). Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic in Jinan is in an upward trend, mainly in summer and spring, elderly and middle-aged men farmers are the majority of patients. Zhangqiu of Jinan city is a key place for prevention and control of brucellosis;source of infection is not completely eliminated, exotic livestock have not been effectively quarantined, practitioners with weak sense of self-protection is the main reason of the epidemic rise.

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan, Shandong Province, and to analyze epidemic trend and its cause. Methods Epidemic data of human brucellosis from 2004 to 2007 in Jinan were collected from National Disease Supervision Information Management System. The rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT) were employed to detect brucellosis in the serum samples of high-risk exposure groups involved in livestock transaction, slaughter and raising where brucellosis had been outbreak in the last three years, and epidemiological survey was conducted on the confirmed patients in 2007. Results A total of 32 brucellosis cases occurred in 2004-2007 in Jinan, among which 15 cases in 2007, 3.75 times(15/4) of those in 2004. One hundred and seventy-eight blood samples were collected from high risk population, and positive detective rate was 11.24%(20/178). Most of the patients were found in Zhangqiu and in the months from March to September, accounting for 93.33% (14/15). Farmers accounted for 93.33% (14/15) in all cases. Sixty-six point six seven percent(10/15) of the patients were over 50 years old. Male to female was 2.75: 1(11: 4) in ratio. There was a tendency of family aggregation. Two or three cases occurred in each of 3 families. All cases had a contact history with cattle and sheep, and the diagnosis were confirmed between 17-529 days(median being 70 days), in which 86.67%(13/15) of the cases were confirmed by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic of Jinan is in an upward trend. Zhangqiu is the main epidemic region. Spring and summer are the prevailing periods, most of the patients are old male farmers were the majority of the patients. It is believed that the epidemic is primarily due to potential infection sources, incompetent quarantine of imported livestock and poor awareness of self-protection among high-risk occupational groups.

Objective To explore the inhibitory effects of Zibu Piyin Recipe(ZBPYR)serum on neuron apoptosis induced by tunieamyein(Tm,5 μg/ml)and its mechamsm in vitro by using sero-pharmacological method.Method Totally 12 healthy adult male SD rats(220～250 g)(SPF)were divided randomly into control group and ZBPYR group,6 in each group,then the blank and ZBPYR serum were prepared.The mouse.neuroblastoma cell line Neum2a cells were treated with Tunicamycin(Tin,an inhibitor of N-glycoslytion)to establish the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress model.The cells treated by ZBPYR aerum of different concentrations were interventional groups,and the cells treated by blank serum were control group.The viability of Neuro2a cells was meusurcdd by MTT assay.Flow cytometry wus applied to observe the apoptosis of Neuro2a cells.Western blotting was utilized to detect the protein expressions of two molecules,ER molecular chaperone-ucose regulated protein 78(CRP78)and transcriptional factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein(CHOP).The results were analyzed by sNK-q test.Results Compared to Tm group(cell viability 0.1673±0.0213,apoptotic rate 62.7050±1.4056),The cell viability of interventional groups(5%0.5295±0.0373,10%0.5843±0.0428,15%0.6274±0.0324)increased significantly(P<0.05);and the apoptotic rate(5%47.8733±2.8166,10%46.3366±1.2748,15%39.8833±1.0524)reduced significantly(P<0.05).The protein expressions of GRP 78(5%2.1228±0.2251,10%1.3293±0.9443,15%;15%0.0931±0.1168)and CHOP(5%1.1776±0.2927,10%0.7290±0.1708,15%0.6577±0.1883)of interventional groups reduced significantly compared with Tm group(GRP78 2.9149±0.5355;CHOP 1.6611±0.2913)P<0.05.Condusions ZBPYR serurn could increase the cell viability of Neuro2a cells treated with Tm and inhibit cell apoptosis.Thereby it may have neuroprotective effects,and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of ER stress and apoptosis pathway.

This study was aimed to observe the effect ofZi-Bu Pi-Yin Recipe (ZBPYR) on the mRNA expressions of NMDA receptor subunits NR1, NR2A, NR2B in different brain regions of spleen-yin deficiency Alzheimer's Disease (AD) model rats. The levels of NR1, NR2A, NR2B mRNA expressions were detected by using RT-PCR method. The results showed that the levels of NR1, NR2A, NR2B mRNA expressions of AD group and spleen-yin deficiency AD group decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The levels of NR1, NR2A, NR2B mRNA expressions of ZBPYR treatment group increased significantly (P < 0.05). It was concluded that the expression levels of NMDAR mRNA in different brain regions of the ZBPYR treatment group increased significantly, which indicated that ZBPYR may up-regulate the protein expressions of NMDAR by increasing the expression levels of NMDAR mRNA, thereby to play the anti-dementia effect.

This study was aimed to explore the mechanism ofZi-Bu Pi-Yin Recipe (ZBPYR) on autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) to improve spleen-yin deficiency diabetes-associated cognitive decline (DACD). Rats were randomly divided into the control (cont) group, the diabetes (DM) group, the spleen-yin deficiency (pi) group, the spleen-yin deficiency diabetes (piDM) group, and the spleen-yin deficiency diabetes + ZBPYR treatment (ZBPYR) group. The expression of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3Ⅱ), inositol-requiring enzymeα (IRE1α), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were observed by western blot. The results showed that the expression of LC3Ⅱ in the DM group, pi group and piDM group decreased compared with the cont group (P < 0.05); and the expression of LC3Ⅱ of the ZBPYR group increased compared with the DM group and piDM group (P < 0.05). Compared with the cont group, the p-IRE1α of the DM group and piDM group, as well as p-JNK1 in the pi group and piDM group were increased (P < 0.05). The p-IRE1α and p-JNK1 of the ZBPYR group were decreased compared with the DM group and piDM group (P < 0.05). It was concluded that ZBPYR improved spleen-yin deficiency DACD by regulating autophagy and ERS.