Autophagy is a crucial biological process of eukaryotes, which is involved in cell growth, survival and energy metabolism, while the premise of the autophagy function is activated autophagic flux. It has been confirmed that impaired autophagic flux promotes pathogenesis of many chronic inflammatory diseases, especially cancer, neurodegenerative disease and tissue fibrosis, therefore the analysis of autophagic flux state is important for revealing autophagy function and the mechanism of autophagy related diseases. Given that autophagy is a dynamic process with multiple steps, it is very hard to observe the real state of autophagic flux. Summarized here is the novel concept and current approach to detect autophagic flux. This knowledge is crucial for the researching of the biological function of autophagy, and may provide some strategies for developing autophagy-related drug.
Autophagy ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; pathology ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; pathology

Chemokines are small cytokines with chemotactic activity, they are involved in regulating immune responses and inflammatory responses. In the development of tumors, chemokines are multi-functional mediators that not only affect the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor, but also have an important impact on tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Besides, they are important targets of tumor therapy. Here we review chemokines involved in the regulation of signaling pathways, analyze the mechanism of chemokines in the development of breast cancer, summarize the chemokines targeted drugs for breast cancer in recent years and make a prospect about the role of chemokines in anti-breast cancer therapy.

OBJECTIVETo compare the value of the new national criteria (2 major or one major plus 3 minor criteria) with the Duke criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE).

METHODSA total of 205 patients with clinical diagnosis of IE admitted at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were included in this study. Among them, IE was pathologically confirmed in 97 patients. The sensitivities of both criteria for the diagnosis of IE were compared.

RESULTSIn 205 cases, the same microorganisms were detected twice in blood cultures in 13 cases (8.3%). Vegetations were detected by echocardiography in 183 patients (89.3%). In 97 cases with pathologically confirmed IE, the same microorganisms were detected twice in blood cultures in 6 cases (6.2%). Vegetations were detected by echocardiography in 89 patients (91.8%). IE diagnose was made in 44 (45.5%) and 86 (88.7%, P < 0.05 vs. Duke criteria) out of 97 pathologically confirmed IE patients by the Duke criteria and new national criteria, respectively. The specificities were 100% and 95.7% by Duke and new national criteria, respectively (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWith the addition of echocardiographic evidence of endocardial involvement and 2 minor criteria as definite diagnostic criteria, the sensitivity of the new national criteria is superior to that of the Duke criteria for diagnosing IE and the specificity for the diagnosis of IE between the two criteria is similar.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Echocardiography ; standards ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reference Standards ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct a eukaryotic expression vector for expressing hepatitis C virus (HCV) recombinant NS5B-EGFP fusion protein and obtain a stable transfected HepG2 cell line.

METHODSThe coding region of NS5B gene of HCV was amplified by PCR and was digested by Xho I/Kpn I. This fragment was inserted into pEGFPN3 with T4 ligase and transformed E. coli TG1. The positive recombinant plasmid was selected, then the recombinant plasmid was transfected into HepG2 cell by Lipofectin AMINE 2000. Cells containing stable transformants were selected by the ability of resistance to G418 and isolated with a limited dilution. The stable transfected cell line expressing high level NS5B-EGFP fusion protein was obtained.

RESULTSThe eukaryotic expression vector named pEGFPN3-ns5b was successfully constructed and the stable transfected HepG2 cell line expressing NS5B-EGFP fusion protein was obtained.

CONCLUSIONThe stable transfected HepG2 cell line could express NS5B-EGFP fusion protein, could be used for anti-HCV infection with ns5b gene as the target.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Animals ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Thiazolidinediones ; therapeutic use ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism

Based on leads provided by Neijing and other literature, analyze origins of the three-yin and the three-yang and the their respective contents of yin and yang, indicating the principle that the order of yang-qi from more to less is Yang ming, Tai yang, Shao yang, and the order of yin-qi is Tai yin, Shao yin, Jue yin. According to the location of five (six) zang-organs, respective yin-qi content is defined, and according to the principle of more yin-qi matches more, and less yin-qi matches less, five (six) zang-organs match each other. The zang-organs above the diaphragm joints with The Hand-Channels and the zang-organs below the diaphragm with The Foot-Channels, completing the nomenclature of twelve meridians. The names of the six yang-channels correspond to the yin-channels of the exterior-interior relationship, the yin-channels link with hands (feet), and the yang-channels also link with hands (feet), and the amount of yin-qi of the zang-organs corresponding to the yin-channels and the amount of yang-qi of the fu-organs corresponding to yang-channels are in a state of balance. Based on this principle, nomenclature of six channels are completed. Emphasize that the nomenclature of twelve meridians contains profound TCM theories, especially, TCM, by yin-yang, three-yin and three- yang, illustrates living phenomena from the whole to the system and organ level in human body, and the scientific principle "yin-yang can be unlimitedly divided" and its significance, which must guide the studies on living phenomena with modern life sciences from the whole to the molecular level.
Humans ; Meridians ; Terminology as Topic ; Yin-Yang

Objective A multicenter, randomized, controlled and open-labled clinical trial was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of recombinant human insulin injection ( Yousilin R) and treated with Yousilin R versus Novolin R for 12 weeks respectively. Results Compared with baseline,the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c ( HbA1c ) at the end of 12 weeks treatment decreased from 10. 77% to 7. 72% ( P ＜0. 05 ) in Yousilin R group and from 10. 33% to 7. 62% ( P ＜0. 05 ) in Novolin R group,2-hour postprandial plasma glucose ( 2hPG ) decreased from 15.49 mmol/L to 9. 72 mmol/L ( P ＜ 0. 05 ) in Yousilin R group and from 15.33 mmol/L to 10. 07 mmol/L( P ＜ 0. 05 ) in Novolin R group, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) decreased from 10. 90 mmol/L to 7. 31 mmol/L( P ＜0. 05 ) in Yousilin R group and from 10. 22 mmol/L to 7.21 mmol/L (P ＜0. 05) in Novolin R group. The changes of HbA1c, 2hPG and FPG from baseline to endpoint in Yousilin R group was similar to those in Novolin R group ( P ＞ 0. 05 ).Furthermore, hypoglycemic events(26. 42% vs 30. 48% ), other adverse events( 13.21%vs 16. 19% ) ,and serious adverse events( 1.89%vs 1.90% )were comparable between Yousilin R and Novolin R groups(P ＞0. 05 ). Conclusions Yousilin R has similar efficacy, safety and compliance profiles to Novolin R group in the treatment of diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVETo identify and characterize the epitope associated with the virus attachment protein (VAP) of hantaan virus.

METHODSThe monoclonal antibody 3G1 was used as the ligand to biospan from a phage-displayed 12-amino acid peptide library, then the positive phage clones were chosen and sequenced. The amino acid sequences of them were compared with that of hantaan virus G2 in homology. The characteristics of positive phage were studied by IFA and ELISA. A decapeptide combining to cell membrane was observed under laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM).

RESULTSThe conservative motif PX(1-2) HX(0-2) H displaying on positive clones shared homologous amino acid sequence with G2 96YPWHTAKCHY105.

CONCLUSIONG2 96YPWHTAKCHY105 might play some roles in virus binding to host cell, and might be a possible key epitope of hantaan virus VAP.

Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Hantaan virus ; immunology ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Oligopeptides ; immunology ; metabolism ; Peptide Library ; Vero Cells ; Viral Proteins ; immunology ; metabolism

After consulting literature, following the original meaning of the paper about slow-rapid reinforcing-reducing method in Huangdi's Internal Classic, in combination with explanation of later ages, and comprehension and clinical experience of the authors, it is put forward that the slow-rapid reinforcing-reducing method in Huangdi's Internal Classic is not single manipulation method, but it is a guiding principle for reinforcing-reducing manipulation, it includes many manipulation methods and they were listed, and all of the reinforcing-reducing methods of later ages are developed from these. In the teaching material Acupuncture and Moxibustion Sciences they are included in single reinforcing-reducing method, reducing extension and intension of this definition. The relative description in the teaching material only is slow-rapid reinforcing-reducing method of narrow sense, but the manipulations can be divided into qi-carrying manipulating needle type and three-one pushing-pulling type.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Four crystalline forms of clopidogrel bisulfate were characterized by analytical techniques. Aiming to research the absorption characteristics of clopidogrel bisulfate polymorphs after taken orally by rat, and to estimate the influence of crystal form to pharmacodynamic action, four crystalline forms of clopidogrel bisulfate were administered intragastrically to rats, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the contents of clopidogrel bisulfate and its metabolite in rat plasma. The metabolite of clopidogrel bisulfate was detected in rat plasma. There were significant deviations among four crystalline forms in the areas under curve of the metabolite of clopidogrel bisulfate. We concluded that the different crystal forms of clopidogrel bisulfate showed different pharmacokinetic characteristics, which might affect pharmacodynamic action.
Absorption ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Crystallization ; Male ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; Ticlopidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; X-Ray Diffraction