Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; therapy ; Female ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

OBJECTIVE:To compare cost-effectiveness of Xiyanping injection and Ribavirin injection in the treatment of com-mon type hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in children,and to provide evidence for rational drug use in the clinic. METHODS:The literatures about Xiyanping injection in the treatment of common type HFMD in children using Ribavirin injection as control were retrieved from CNKI,VIP,Wanfang,PubMed,Cochrane library and other databases. The decision tree was established with TreeAge Pro 2011 software to conduct cost-effectiveness analysis. Tornado diagram was used to analyze sensitive factors;single fac-tor and double factors sensitivity analysis were also conducted. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS:The total cost of Xiyanping injection and Ribavirin injection were 2 887.53 and 3 058.72 yuan,respectively. The total effective rates were 92.49% and 78.12%. Xiyan-ping injection shows cost-effectiveness advantage. The results of cost-effectiveness analysis were supported by sensitivity analysis.

OBJECTIVE:To establish the HPLC fingerprints for Sini decoction and compare the differences of compositions of Sini decoction prepared by traditional decoction and modern machine decoction. METHODS:HPLC was performed on the column of Kromasil C18 with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid(gradient elution)at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min,the detec-tion wavelength was 235 nm,column temperature was 30 ℃,and injection volume was 10 μl. The HPLC fingerprints of 10 batch-es of Sini decoction were determined with reference peak of liquiritin peaks,and common peak identification and similarity evalua-tion were conducted by using Chromatographic Fingerprint Similarity Evaluation System(2004 A edition). RESULTS:There were 18 common peaks and the similarity was no less than 0.982. According to the verification,the fingerprint of 10 batches of Sini de-coction showed good similarity with reference fingerprint,and the similarity of 10 batches of Sini decoction was high,which was prepared by the 2 methods. CONCLUSIONS:The established fingerprint is specific and stable,and can provide reference for quali-ty evaluation and control for Sini decoction;and there are no obvious differences in the main chemical compositions of Sini decoc-tion prepared by traditional decoction and modern machine decoction.

Aims: The outbreak of papaya dieback disease in Malaysia has been reported since 2003. Several reports previously confirmed Erwinia papayae and E. mallotivora to be the causal pathogen of the disease. The present study aimed to identify the causal pathogen of papaya dieback disease in Sabah. Methodology and results: Infected tissues of papaya dieback disease were collected from Kota Belud, Sabah and the bacterium responsible for the infection was isolated on Luria Bertani (LB) agar and nutrient agar (NA). Seven isolates with similar characteristics to Erwinia were isolated, subjected to the Koch’s Postulates test and then identified using 16S rRNA sequencing technique. The bacterium was identified to be E. psidii, a common pathogen to guava but not to papaya. Conclusion, significance and Impact of study: This report serves as the first confirmation of the E. psidii in causing papaya dieback disease, suggesting the possibility of this bacterium undergoing host shifting to papaya plants and the possibility of becoming another major threat to the papaya industry in the future.

Objective Previous studies have shown that genetic variants in the interferons regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) gene are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in European and Japanese, but not found in Han Chinese. We conducted this study to investigate whether genetic variants in the IRF5 gene are associated with RA in ShaanXi Han Chinese population. Methods This study was collected 576 RA patients and 768 normal controls. Six IRF5 gene polymorphisms (rs729302, rs2004640, rs752637, rs3807306, rs10954213 and rs2280714) were genotyped by the SNaPshot method. T-test and χ2 test were used for statistic analysis. The genotype and allele frequencies were evaluated using the chi square tests. Genotyping data were adjusted by Logistic regression method by age and gender. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) block structure was examined using Hapview 4.2 software. Results Six SNPs inspected complied with Hardy-weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). Two SNPs were significantly associated with RA: rs729302 A risk allele [OR=1.29, 95%CI (1.10, 1.50), P=5.57×10-3];dominant model [OR=1.58, 95%CI (1.10, 2.27), P=0.024], recessive model [OR=1.31, 95%CI (1.17, 1.64), P=0.028]. rs2004640 T risk allele [OR=1.28, 95%CI (1.08, 1.54), P=0.039]; dominant model [OR=1.27, 95%CI (1.03, 1.58), P=0.036]. In addition, there was no significant difference in rs752637, rs3807306, rs10954213 and rs2280714 SNPs between RA group and control and genotyped polymorphisms were significantly associated with RA susceptibility. Conclusion The present study confirm that rs729302 and rs2004640 in the IRF5 gene is significantly associated with increased risk of RA in ShaanXi Han Chinese population.

Objective To explore the correlation between plasma Klotho and FGF23 levels with senile hypertension .Methods Totally 180 cases of hypertension aged more than 60 years old were selected as the research group and divided into the grade 1 hypertension group(60 cases) ,grade 2 hypertension group(60 cases) and grade 3 hypertension group(60 cases) .The age and pro‐portion of male to female were basically consistent .60 elderly people without hypertension were selected as the control group .The level of plasma Klotho and FGF23 protein were tested by ELISA .The lipid level was detected by the automatic biochemical analy‐zer .The detection results were compared with those in the control group for analyzing their correlation .Results Plasma Klotho protein level in each hypertension group was lower than that in the control group ,while plasma FGF23 protein level and BMI were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0 .05) .With the blood pressure level increase ,plasma Klotho protein level was gradually decreased ,while FGF23 protein level was gradually increased .The negative correlation was found between plasma Klotho protein and FGF23 protein (r= -0 .282 ,P=0 .001) .Plasma Klotho protein and FGF23 protein had no obvious correlation with BMI (r= -0 .063 ,-0 .098 ,P>0 .05) .Conclusion Plasma Klotho protein and FGF23 protein levels have obvious correlation with the blood pressure level ,which may jointly participate in the occurrence and development of hypertension .

Chickenpox may lead to several neurological complications. Optic neuritis is one of the complications which has rarely been described, especially in immunocompetent individuals. We report a case of an 11-year-old immunocompetent girl who presented with sudden onset bilateral vision loss three weeks after varicella eruption. Ophthalmic examination revealed bilateral optic disc edema. Diagnosis of bilateral optic neuritis secondary to varicella was established based upon the preceding medical history, supported with clinical and radiological fndings.

OBJECTIVETo investigate effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on Du Meridian on the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) expression and hind limbs function recovery in experimental spinal cord injured rats.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty SD rats were divided into the normal group, the model group and the EA group, with 50 rats in each group, modified Allen method was used to establish spinal cord injury model in the model and EA group. Rats in the EA group was EA on Dazhui and Ming men acupoints after modelling successfully. At the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21th day after injury, the hind limbs function of rats was evaluated by BBB scales respectively, and the AQP-4 expression in spinal cord tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry technique and quantity analysed with image analyzer.

RESULTSAt the 1st day after spinal cord injury, the AQP-4 expression was significantly increased in gray matter and white matter of spinal cord in the model group and the EA group, which reached the peak at the 3rd day, but showed significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), and the difference at the 7th, 14th and 21th day became more significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEA on Du Meridian can down-regulate AQP-4 expression after spinal cord injury, inhibit spinal cord edema for alleviating secondary spinal cord lesion, so as to protect the residual normal spinal cord tissues and promote the rebuilding of nervous tissues.

Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Extremities ; physiopathology ; Female ; Male ; Meridians ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recovery of Function ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; metabolism ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of astragaloside on oxidative low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) mediated oxidative damage of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs).

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and EPCs were identified by flow cytometry. Adherent cells were collected after seven-day incubation and randomly divided into the normal control group, the Ox-LDL group (as the model group, at the dose of 100 microg/mL), the low, middle, and high astragaloside groups (with 100 microg/mL Ox-LDL plus 2, 10, and 50 microg/mL astragaloside). Twenty-four h later, the proliferation and adhesion capabilities of EPCs were observed using MTT colorimetry and the adhesion capability detection. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonaldehyde (MDA) in the cell supernate of each group were determined.

RESULTSAfter Ox-LDL damage, the proliferative and adhesive capacities of EPCs were significantly injured (53 +/- 8 vs 42 +/- 6, 0.49 +/- 0.12 vs 0.37 +/- 0.02, both P<0.05). The SOD content obviously decreased (21.95 +/- 1.43 vs 14.76 +/- 3.99, P<0.01), the MDA content obviously increased (3.72 +/- 0.30 vs 5.57 +/- 0.64, P<0.01). After intervened by astragaloside for 24 h, the proliferative and adhesive capacities of EPCs were significantly improved. The SOD contents of astragaloside intervention groups were obviously improved and the MDA content obviously lowered.

CONCLUSIONSAstragaloside showed significant protection on Ox-LDL damaged EPCs. Its mechanism might be correlated with antioxidative damage.

Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology