Syndromes constitute a core aspect in the study of Chinese medicine, and research on the concept of syndromes is important to the study of the process of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. However, it is somewhat challenging to define a syndrome due to the complexity inherent in the subject, even with the assistance of the reductionism approach of modern medicine. Holistic and dynamic in nature and attaching much importance to functional changes, the newly emerging metabonomics is in many ways inline with the concepts of syndrome differentiation of pathological states in traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, metabonomics has comparatively strong advantages in the very respect of revealing the natural laws of syndrome differentiation. By reviewing and analyzing the current research on the concept of syndromes and the application of metabonomic technology to exploring the essential core of syndrome differentiation, the authors illustrated the potential commonalities. This would also show the issues requiring attention between the study of syndromes and the metabonomic technology. In the meantime this study reflected the core problems in detail and put forward suggestions with regard to reaching solutions.

Objective To investigate the application of stable microbubble test ( SMT) and surfactant protein A ( SP-A) level in gastric aspirate in predicting neonatal respiratory distress syndrome ( RDS). Methods One hundred and ten high-risk preterm infants within 1 hour after birth, with gestational age between 24 and 36 weeks, birth weight between 1 160 g and 2 010 g were admitted in the study. The gastric secretion of 1-2 ml was collected during routine aspiration for SMT. At the same time SP-A level was measured by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay. Results The SMT count and SP-A level in preterm infants with RDS were lower than those of infants without RDS [SMT: (5. 7?2. 4) microbubbleg/mm2( mb/ mm2) vs. (12.4?6.0) mb/mm2, t = 8. 355,P

The correct pairing of disulfide bonds maintains the correct folding mode and high-level structure formation of peptides and protein drugs, which is crucial for the quality control of products. In order to ensure that the disulfide bonds are correctly paired, disulfide bond analysis is an essential part of peptides and protein drug characterization. Mass spectrometry can be used to analyze disulfide bonds. However, insulin and its analogues have two pairs of disulfide bonds without restriction enzyme cutting site. Conventional collision-induced dissociation (CID) and high-energy induced cleavage (HCD) cannot accurately locate the complex disulfide bond. In our study, three methods were used to localize the complex disulfide, including enzyme digestion combined with key peptide fragment in source decay (ISD) fragmentation method, enzyme digestion combined with partial reduction alkylation method, intact protein source ISD and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) cleavage method, The applicability of insulin aspart, insulin lispro and insulin glargine were also investigated. This study provides a new way for the quality control of disulfide bonding mode of insulin and its analogues, and also provides a reference for the disulfide bond localization of peptides or proteins containing this complex disulfide bond.

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of treatment from the lung and treatment from the intestine on the level of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the lung and intestine of ulcerative colitis (UC) rats.

METHODSThe UC rat model was established in 52 rats by using rabbit intestine mucosa tissue allergen combined TNBS-ethanol model (with the model successful rate of 78.0%). Eight rats randomly selected from 40 successfully modeled rats and 8 of 16 rats from the normal group were recruited as the model group and the normal control group before intervention (at week 0). The rest 32 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, the Western medicine treatment group (salazosulfapyridine), the treatment from lung group (Huangqi Jiegeng Decoction), and the treatment from intestine group (Huangqi Huanglian Decoction), 8 in each group. Rats in each treatment group were administered with corresponding medication 8 times the dose of a 60 kg adult human. Another 8 normal rats were recruited as the normal group. Equal volume of pure water was given to rats in the model group and the normal group by gastrog avage, once per day. Contents of VIP in the lung tissue and the intestinal tissue were detected at week 0 and 4 after 4-week consecutive intervention. Pathomorphological changes of the lung tissue and the colon tissue were observed under light microscope.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group at week 0, evenly distributed diffuse inflammation could be seen in the pulmonary interstitial tissue; the bronchial wall was thickened; a huge amount of infiltration surrounded bronchi and blood vessels; a large area of necrosis of intestinal mucosa and inflammatory cell infiltration could also be seen in the model group. Pathological injuries of the lung and the colon were more alleviated in each treatment group than in the model group at the same time point. Compared with the normal control group at the same time point, VIP contents in the lung tissue significantly decreased in the model group at the end of week 4 (P<0.05); VIP contents in the colon tissue significantly increased in the model group at the end of week 0 and 4 (P <0.05). Compared with the model group, VIP contents in the lung tissue significantly increased in the Western medicine treatment group and the treatment from lung group at the end of week 4 (P<0.01); VIP contents in the colon tissue significantly decreased in the treatment from lung group and the treatment from intestine group (P<0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONTreatment from the lung and treatment from the intestine showed predominant advantage in improving local inflammation of the lung and the intestinal tract, alleviating pathological injuries, promoting repair of injuries through regulating VIP contents in the lung tissue and the colon tissue.

Animals ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Intestines ; Lung ; Male ; Rabbits ; Rats ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

AlM:To analyze and compare the effect of femtosecond laser micro - incision corneal stromal lens excision ( SMlLE) and excimer laser in situ keratomileusis ( LASlK) in the treatment of myopia after operation, to explore the safety, operability and prediction of SMlLE.METHODS:ln this prospective clinical controlled study, 100 cases ( 200 eyes ) received SMlLE and 100 cases ( 200 eyes) undergone LASl in our hospital in the same period were selected. Uncorrected visual acuity, diopter, corrected visual acuity, slit lamp examination, intraocular pressure and corneal anterior segment OCT, corneal topography (Obscan ll) of two groups in 1d, 1wk, 1, 3, 6mo, 1a were compared. lndependent samples t test was used for data analysis.RESULTS:1) Postoperative slit lamp examination:after 1d in SMlLE group, there were less eyes had corneal layer between mild cloudy or edema; postoperative 1wk corneal layer disappeared, cornea became clear and transparent. 2 ) Postoperative vision recovery: 1d after operation, vision recovery in LASlK group was better than that in SMlLE group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0. 01), there were no significant differences at 1wk, 1, 3, 6mo, 1a after operation ( P>0. 05 ). 3 ) Obscan ll examination: graphics in the SMlLE group was more regular and placed in the center, no eccentric and irregular graphics, better than that in the LASlK group. 4) Anterior segment OCT examination:postoperative corneal flap in the SMlLE group was more uniform and accurate, but it was thin in the center and slightly thick the peripheral part in the LASlK groups. 5 ) Postoperative visual quality assessment used subjective questionnaire survey. The two groups had statistically significant difference on 4 points and 1 points (P<0. 05). Complains in the LASlK groups were more that that in the SMlLE group. While, no complain of the SMlLE group was higher than that of the LASlK group. Glare of postoperative patients with night vision and dark environment in the SMlLE group was better than that of the LASlK group.CONCLUSlON: SMlLE is safe, effective, stable and predictable for the correction of myopia.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of diabetic foot (DF) patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus.Methods The data of 62 DF patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus included age, sex, the duration of disease, the concentrations of HbA1C, hemoglobin (Hb), blood-lipids, electromyogram, CDFI of lower extremities artery were analyzed retrospectively and compared with 60 patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus, but without DF.Results The factors of age, sex, Hb, albumin, electromyogram, CDFI of lower extremities artery were significantly different between two groups ( P<0.05), but no significant difference in the duration of disease, fasting blood-glucose, HBA1C, glomerular filtration rate, blood-lipids ( P>0.05).Conclusion The senility, male, peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vessel disease are the risk factors of DF with type 2 diabetic mellitus, and anemia and hypoproteinemia are often occurred in such patients.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Rectum ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Myeloid ; diagnosis ; pathology

Many reports have documented a role of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as growth factors in many cancers. The sequence and structure of insulin receptor (IR) and IGF receptor (IGF-1R) are highly similar. Both receptors are overexpressed in leukemia cells.Studies indicate that insulin can enhance the signal of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathways by activating IR or IGF-1R or hybrid IR/IGF-IR receptors, resulting in the proliferation of leukemia cells. High concentration of insulin may inhibit the growth of leukemia cells, the mechanism of which remains to be unclear. Inhibiting IR and IGF-IR can diminish the proliferation of leukemia cells. Therefore, the assumption of IR/IGF-1R as a potential therapeutic target in leukemia appears reasonable. This article summarizes the recent advancement associated with the signaling pathway of insulin effecting the proliferation of leukemia cells.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptor, Insulin ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Objective:To study the inhibitory effect of siRNA on Heparanase (HPA) expression in SKOV3 cells. Methods:Two pairs of 21 bp reverse repeated sequence targeting HPA RNA (spaced by 9 bp nueleotide) were synthe- sized and were cloned into plasmid PGenesil-1 to construct recombinant plasmid PGenesil-1(+)-HPA expressing 2 hair- pin siRNAs.The inhibition of HPA gene was detected by RT-PCR,real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining after PGenesil-1(+)-HPA was stably transfected into SKOV3 cells.Results:The recombinant plasmid PGenesil-1(+)-HPA (expressing 2 hairpin siRNAs) was successfully constructed.RT-PCR,real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining showed that there was a significant decrease in HPA mRNA and protein level in experimental group compared with those in control group.Conclusion:siRNA targeting HPA mRNA can specically suppress the expression of HPA gene in SKOV3 cells;RNA interference method provides a new way for studying the role of HPA and gene therapy of cancer.

Objective To investigate the association of multi-modality neuroimaging features and cognitive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods Nine individuals with amnestic MCI (aMCI), fifteen patients with mild probable AD, and eleven age-controlled cognitively normal controls (NC) were recruited.All participants were administered with mini-mental status examination (MMSE) and Cognitive assessment screening instrument (CASI) to assess general cognitive function.Optimized voxel-based morphometry ( VBM ) was used for the analysis with 3-D high resolution anatomical images.Values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean apparent diffusivity coefficient (ADC) were measured from different brain regions on diffusion-tensor images ( DTI) .The relationship between structural atrophy and DTI-based measurements in the selected brain regions was examined.Results The scores of MMSE and CASI were correlated with the volumetric changes in such areas as temporal, frontal and parietal lobes, and cingulate gyrus and hippocampal gyrus (P <0.001).The scores of MMSE and CASI were positively correlated with FA values, and negatively with ADC values in the white-matter-affected regions including temporal, frontal, parietal lobes, cingulate gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus (P < 0.05).Conclusions Cognitive decline was associated with atrophy and white matter microstructural alterations in temporal, frontal, parietal lobes, cingulate gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus in MCI and AD. Multi-modality imaging technique may be important in elucidating the brain mechanism of cognitive impairment.