Notch signaling, a highly conserved pathway, is wide-ly found in invertebrates and vertebrates. By mediating cell com-munication, it can regulate many physiological and pathological processes in various kinds of cells, including cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in multi-cellular organism. Accu-mulating evidence shows that abnormality in Notch signaling is highly related to diabetes mellitus and its complications. Accord-ingly, this paper reviews the molecular basis of Notch signaling and the relations between its abnormal expression and diabetes mellitus, and focuses on the impact of key elements in the Notch signaling pathway on diabetic complications as well as correlative mechanisms.

This study is to report the study of protective effects of myricitrin against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and the investigation of the possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin. The model of H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was used to determine the protective effects of myricitrin. The levels of LDH, MDA and the activities of SOD, NO were measured using the respective kits. The H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was detected using MTT reduction, TUNEL assay, JC-1 and ROS staining. The activation of Caspase-3 was also measured by fluorometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined with Western blotting assay. Myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results show that myricitrin could attenuate H2O2-induced decrease in the activities of SOD (P < 0.01). Myricitrin could decrease the levels of LDH, MDA and increase cell viability and the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01). Myricitrin had protective effects in a dose-dependent manner between 32 micromol x L(-1) to 64 micromol x L(-1). Myricitrin pretreatment could attenuate H2O2-induced increase of p-ERK. Moreover, myricitrin pretreatment could up-regulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, down-regulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and decrease the expression of Caspase-3, 9. In conclusion, myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. Myricitrin can enhance the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes and decrease the production of free radicals. The possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin are due to myricitrin-mediated inhibition of phosphorylation of the apoptosis signaling pathways-related kinase ERK, up-regulation of the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, and down-regulation of the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein.

Objective To explore the short?term functional outcomes of the reconstruction of the proximal humerus by re?verse shoulder arthroplasty after tumor rescetion. Methods 8 patients who underwent reverse shoulder arthroplasty after tumor resection between January 2013 and December 2014. 5 were female and 3 were male, mean aged was 38 years old (25-61). 2 chon?drosarcomas and 6 giant cell tumors. Enneking stageing of 2 cases with chondrosarcoma were stageⅠB and stageⅡB. 6 giant cell tumors were Campanacci stage 3, meanwhile 3 cases had pathological fractures. The deltoid and axillary nerve were intact in all patients by image analysis before the operation. The proximal humerus was resected according to Malawer typeⅠresection. Then reverse shoulder arthroplasty reconstruction and bone graft was performed. The follow?up was scheduled, and the patient received X?ray examination of the shoulder. The range of motion of the shoulder was measured, the Constant?Murley score and musculoskel?etal tumor society(MSTS) score was recorded. Results The mean duration of the operation was 2.7 h (2-3.5 h). The bleeding in the operation was 510 ml (300-850 ml). The mean length of humerus resection was 8 cm (6-10 cm). The allografts were used in 7 cases and reimplantation after tumor bone deactivation was used in one. The latissimus dorsi transfer were performed in 2 cases. The rotator cuff were resected 1-1.5 cm from the great and lesser tubercles. The follow?up was 13 months (3-26 months). No infec?tion, dislocation, or loosening of prosthesis was found by the last follow?up. The X?ray showed the case who received reimplanta?tion after tumor bone deactivation had achieved bone union 1 year postoperation,7 cases received allograft had still nonunion at the host?graft junction. Bone resorption were found in all cases in different extent but the prosthesis were stable. No local recur?rence of the tumor was found. At last follow?up, active abduction was 155° (100°-175° ) and active forward elevation was 150° (115°-170°) and Constant?Murley score was 76%(68%-87%). The MSTS score was 92%(87%-97%). Conclusion The func?tional outcomes of the reconstruction of the proximal humerus by reverse shoulder arthroplasty after tumor rescetion was satisfied in early period. The reverse shoulder arthroplasty can be used in younger patient, but long?term results need further study.

This article was aimed to study constructive standards for the database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) documentation. Refer to relevant national standards, specifications and other fields of universal standards such as metadata specification of health information dataset, medical science data sharing, metadata standard, data of pop-ulation health sciences shared metadata standard, basic scientific data sharing network project standard, Chinese A-cademy of Sciences data application environment construction and service standards, combined with the specification for TCM literature resources, Chinese medicine literature database was constructed. The results showed that 6 major categories and 17 specifications were established to standardize the construction of TCM literature database. It was concluded that the standardization of TCM literature database was able to realize TCM literature database construc-tion standard and process, and to facilitate the sharing of TCM data resources.

Objective To investigate the effects of genistein on the mRNA expressions of collagen (Col), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP ) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) in human embryonic skin fibroblasts (CCC-ESF-1).MethodsThe cultured CCC-ESF-1cells were divided into a black control group, an estradiol group and genistein groups of different doses. The mRNA expressions of ColⅠ, ColⅢ , MMP-1, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were detected by RT-PCR.Results Compared with the black group, estradiol and medium dose of genistein (0.451 ± 0.037, 0.446 ± 0.047vs.0.385 ± 0.061, allP<0.05) could promote the proliferation of the CCC-ESF-1 cells, estradiol and medium dose of genistein could up-regulate the mRNA expressions of ColⅠ (0.960 ± 0.012, 0.929 ± 0.015vs.0.812 ± 0.014, allP<0.01), ColⅢ (0.892 ± 0.009, 0.824 ± 0.022vs.0.768 ± 0.025, allP<0.01), TIMP-1 (0.841 ± 0.023, 0.838 ± 0.053vs.0.751 ± 0.027, allP<0.01) and TIMP-2 (0.456 ± 0.017, 0.448 ± 0.036vs.0.381 ± 0.029, allP<0.01), and down-regulate MMP-1 mRNAexpression (0.398 ± 0.043, 0.402 ± 0.044vs.0.525 ± 0.006, allP<0.01).Conclusions Genistein could promote the proliferation of the CCC-ESF-1 cells, and that may be related with up-regulating the mRNA expressions of ColⅠ, ColⅢ , MMP-1, TIMP-1and down-regulating MMP-1 mRNA expression.

AIM:To observe the effect of ginkgolide B (GB) on the intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) and mitochondrial function of cultured rat retinal neurons in vitro.METHODS:in vitro primary culture of rat retinal neurons was used in the experiment. The apoptosis model of glutamate-induced retinal neurons was established and co-cultured with ginkgolide B. The [Ca2+]i and mitochondrial membrane potential of the retinal neurons were detected by laser scanning confocal microscope.RESULTS:Glutamate decreased the survival rate of retinal neurons,increased the apoptosis and the [Ca2+]i,lowered the mitochondrial membrane potential. The [Ca2+]i was clearly diminished and the mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly increased with the GB intervention,and the apoptosis decreased significantly.CONCLUSION:GB protects retinal neurons from glutamate induced neurotoxicity. The effect of GB on retinal neurons might be due to its ability to decrease the [Ca2+]i and increase mitochondrial membrane potential.

Aim To investigate the changes in the ex-pression of WNK1 in spinal cord of a rat model with bone cancer pain. Methods Female SD rats, weig-hing 170 ~200 g, were randomly divided into three groups:normal control group (group C, n=3), sham operation group ( group S, n =3 ) and bone cancer pain group ( group BCP, n =24 ) . Group C was not given any treatment, and group S was injected into the bone marrow of left tibia with 5 μl PBS solution while group BCP with 5 μl WALKER 256 mammary gland cancer cell suspension (approximately 1 × 105 cells). Mechanical paw withdrawal threshold ( MWT ) was measured at d1 before inoculation ( baseline) and d3, 6,9,10,11,12 after inoculation. Group S and C were sacrificed at d 12 while group BCP at d 3 ,6 ,9 ,12 after inoculation and spinal cord ( L4~6 ) were removed at different time points for detection of WNK1 mRNA ex-pression by qRT-PCR and WNK1 protein expression by Western blot. Results Compared with group C and S,group BCP’ s MWT started to decrease since d 3 ( P<0. 05 ) . The mRNA expression of WNK1 in spinal cord was up-regulated(P<0. 05) from d 3 showing an increasing trend over time until d 9 ( peak ) and then down-regulated to d 12 ( P >0. 05 ) while the protein expression upregulated since d6 and also showed an in-creasing trend to d 12 ( P<0. 01 ) . Conclusion The expression of WNK1 in spinal cord of a rat model with bone cancer pain increased abnormally, which may be involved in the occurrence and maintenance of a rat model with bone cancer pain.

AIM: To observe the effect of ginkgolide B (GB) on glutamate-induced apoptosis in the cultured neurons of rat retina. METHODS: Neurons of rat retina were cultured and apoptosis was induced by glutamate. The neurons were cultured with different concentration of GB and the survival rate was monitored by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptosis in the cultured neurons and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were observed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: After exposed to glutamate, the survival rate and the number of Bcl-2 positive cells obviously decreased. At the same time, the number of Bax positive cells obviously increased, and the number of the apoptotic cells also obviously increased. Such phenomena were relieved by the treatment of ginkgolide B, with raise of survival rate and the expression of Bcl-2. Meanwhile, the expression of Bax and the apoptosis of neurocytes obviously decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Ginkgolide B protects retinal neurons from the virulence induced by glutamate. Such effects of GB might be brought about by increasing the expression of Bcl-2 while decreasing Bax, resulting in increasing the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax and so reducing the apoptosis in the cultured neurons of rat retina.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms of ureaplasma urealyticum(Uu)resistance to macrolide antibiotics.Methods Twenty strains of clinical isolates of Uu with variable resistance to macrolides and reference strain ATCC 27618 were examined for mutations in 23SrRNA.Results As compared with the sequence of reference strain ATCC 27618 and GenBank,three mutations were found in 23SrRNA of Uu clinical isolates.C2243N(TorC)was found in the 23SrRNA in 5 strains with the phenotype resistance to roxithromvcin and azithromycin.A2149C and A2181T were found in the 23SrRNA in 9 strains with the phenotype resistance to roxithromycin and midrange resistance to azithromycin,and 6 strains with the phenotype of sensitivity to roxithromyein and azithromycin.Conclusions The mechanisms of Uu resistance to roxithromycin and azithromycin may be related with the mutations in 23SrRNA.It may warrant further investigation.

Objective To study the anatomy of splenic hilum blood vessels in order to thread ligature(endoligature)instead of using stapler during the process of laparoscopic splenectomy and to evaluate the prelimnary clinical results.Methods 41 children patients underwent laparoscopic splenectomy with this technique(endoligature)for various hematologic and autoimmune disorders,including 25 cases of hereditary spherocytosis,13 idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura,and 3 hypersplenic granulocytopenia.The anatomy of splenic pedicle,the adjacent relation between splenic vessel and pancreas were detected by color Doppler ultrasonography preoperatively.The above-mentioned parameters were compared with that found intraoperatively.Results The relationships of splenic vessel and pancreas was of type Ⅰ in 24 cases and type Ⅱ in 17.In 31 cases,the major splenic blood vessels were ramified into branches 2 cm away from the hilum and in 10 it was within 2 cm as detected by preoperative ultrasonography.These characters were largerly identified by laparoscopic laparotomy,and in all the 41 cases laparoscopic splenectomy was successfully accomplished using this endoligature instead of vasculature stapler.There was no serious complication.The mean operating time was(114 ±31)min,the estimated blood loss was(51 ±23)ml.Conclusions Ultrasonography could identify the anatomic type of splenic vessel,and its relation with the pancreas.Endoligature in the management of splenic pedicles during laparoscopic splenectomy is safe and reliable.