Insulin-like growth factors (IGF), regulated by their receptors and binding proteins, play a pivotal role in human cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Increasing evidence has revealed that IGF system is involved in the genesis and progress of various malignancies including lung cancer. Recent studies in regard to IGF axis expression in the lung cancer cell lines, pulmonary tissue samples and blood circulation of lung cancer patients have shown that the IGF axis may contribute to the transformation and progression of lung cancer. Several researches have shown that a number of drugs targeting the IGF receptor are being investigated in clinical trials and suggest a potential therapeutic efficacy. This article reviews the updates and progress in the research of IGF axis in lung cancer.

To study the action mechanisms of Qinggan Huoxue Recipe (QGHXR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and its separated recipes by observing their effects on expressions of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in rats with alcoholic liver fibrosis (ALF).

“Mechanical memory” approach was commonly used in the knowledge learning of traditional Chinese medicine, which makes students often feel that the knowledge is too abstract, and this method is thus ineffective. “Qihuang the way” using Unity 3D game development platform inte-grates the elements of medical knowledge of the Chinese medical history, and combines TCM theoretical knowledge learning with serious games , which can help invoke students' enthusiasm and improve learning efficiency in an entertaining way.

Objective To discuss the role of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in pharmaceutical care by successful intervention of severe drug-drug interaction in 3 patients with hematological disease treated with voriconazole and rifampin.Methods Three patients with hematological disease were monitored for the plasma concentration of voriconazole before,during,and after the concomitant use of rifampin.The severity of this drug interaction was revealed,risks for developing invasive fungal infection and tuberculosis dissemination after chemotherapy were evaluated based on the TDM results,and alternative regimens were recommended.Results Voriconazole plasma concentration was normal at baseline but significantly depressed after combination with rifampin in all 3 cases.Concomnitant use of rifampin leads to a rapid decline in plasma concentration of voriconazole in 2-3 days,and withdraw of this enzyme induction effect takes 8-10 days after discontinuation of rifampin.Conclusion TDM is a helpful tool for providing pharmaceutical care,it helps to objectively visualize the degree of clinically important drug-drug interactions.Clinical evidence together with TDM results suggests high risk for developing invasive fungal infection and tuberculosis dissemination in hematology patients while using this combination therapy.Discontinuation of rifampin was suggested and accepted.For these patients,combination of voriconazole and rifampin should be avoided.

ObjectiveTo survey 0—6 years old disabled children in Guiyang.Methods4 999 children aged 0—6 years old chosen randomly from 9 145 children of 12 blocks were investigated with the disability sampling survey criteria of 1987.ResultsThe rate of disabled children in Guiyang was 1.58%, and was not significantly different compared with that of whole country (1.36%) and other three areas including Siping City (P>0.05),but significantly higher than that of other six districts including Heping district of Tianjin municipality (P<0.05). All kinds of disability found by this survey were separately intellectual disability (0.92%),comprehensive disability (0.28%),limb disability (0.24%),vision disability (0.10%),psychiatric disability (0.03%),and hearing disability (0.02%). Rates of intellectual and vision disabilities were significantly higher than that of whole country ( P>0.05).ConclusionSome diseases are directly relative to occurrence of disability. The poor income of the children family,lower education of his parents and not gotten preschool education were risk factors of disability. The institution based rehabilitation and community based rehabilitation are main rehabilitation forms to disabled children.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the root of Wrightia pubescens.Methods Compounds were isolated by the combined use of colum chromatography,preparative HPLC and recrystallization,and their structures were identified by their physicochemical and spectroscopic data.Cytotoxic activities of the compounds were evaluated using MTT method in vitro.Re?sults Twelve compounds 1-12 were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble part from 75% ethanol extract of the root of W.pubescens, and identified as scopoletin(1),coumarin(2),cleomiscosin B(3),mollugin(4),4-hydroxybenzoic acid(5),vanillic acid(6), vanillin(7),4-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-2H-pyran-2-one(8),β-sitosterol(9),β-daucosterol(10),ursonic acid(11),and me?dioresinol(12). Compound 4 showed cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells in vitro with IC50of 8.0 mg/L. The IC50of compound 11 against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells was 14.7 and 18.2 mg/L,respectively.Conclusion Compounds 1-5,8 and 12 were isolated from the genus Wrightia for the first time. Compounds 6 and 10 were isolated from the title plant for the first time. Compounds 4 and 11 showed cytotoxic activities against tumor cells in vitro.

Nowadays, nanotechnologies have shown wide application foreground in the biomedical field of medicine laboratory tests, drug delivery, gene therapy and bioremediation. However, in recent years, nanomaterials have been labeled poisonous, because of the disputes and misunderstandings of mainstream views on their safety. Besides, for the barriers of technical issues in preparation like: (1) low efficacy (poor PK & PD and low drug loading), (2) high cost (irreproducibility and difficulty in scale up), little of that research has been successfully translated into commercial products. Currently, along with the new theory of "physical damage is the origin of nanotoxicity", biodegradability and biocompatibility of nanomaterials are listed as the basic principle of safe application of nanomaterials. Combining scientific design based on molecular level with precision control of process engineering will provide a new strategy to overcome the core technical challenges. New turning point of translational medicine in nanotechnology may emerge.
Biocompatible Materials ; Nanostructures ; toxicity ; Nanotechnology ; Translational Medical Research

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danning Tablet (DNT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of damp-heat syndrome type. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded and positive drug parallel controlled trial was performed. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled into the study and divided into two groups: DNT-treated group (n=102) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=33). Body mass index (BMI), principal symptoms, liver function, blood lipids, iconographic, and compositional parameters were measured before and after treatment, respectively. RESULTS: In the two groups, BMI, distress in hepatic region, fatigue, anorexia, liver function, blood lipids and iconographic parameters were significantly improved, and the improvements of BMI, distress in hepatic region were better in DNT-treated group than in UDCA-treated group. The histological study also showed that DNT had positive effect in treatment of NAFLD. CONCLUSION: DNT is an effective drug to treat patients with NAFLD of damp-heat syndrome type and is more effective than UDCA.

OBJECTIVETo explore the prognostic markers in osteosarcoma.

METHODSExpressions of p53, c-myc, bcl-2 and apoptosis index (AI) in 28 osteosarcoma specimens were detected by ABC immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labelling (TUNEL). The relationship between gene expression and apoptosis, and their correlations with pathologic classification and prognostic factors were analyzed.

RESULTSThere was negative correlation between the expressions of p53, c-myc, bcl-2 protein and AI, which was closely related to the long term survival of patients but was not related to pathologic types of the tumor.

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of p53, c-myc, bcl-2 protein and AI can be used as an index for predicting the progression and prognosis of osteosarcoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Apoptosis ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of Wuling mycelia on seizure development and learning ability induced by pentylenetetrazole-kindling epilepsy in rats.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into four groups: pentylenetetrazole-kindling model group (model group), low dose Wuling mycelia (0.3 g*kg(-1)) group (LD-WM group), high dose Wuling mycelia (0.6 g*kg(-1)) group (HD-WM group) and control group. The rats were intraperitoneal injected with a subconvulsive dose (35 mg*kg(-1)) of pentylenetetrazole (saline in control group) every 48 h for 12 times. Wuling mycelia was intragastrically applied 30 min before pentylenetetrazole injection. An 8-arm radial maze ( 4 arms baited) was used to measure the learning ability. Histamine was measured by chemical fluorometric enzyme immunoassay.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the kindling stage of LD-WM group degraded significantly after 7th injection, the latency to the onset of myoclonic jerks (LTMJ) and the latency to the onset of generalized seizures (LTGS) prolonged after the 6th and 7th injection, respectively (P<0.05). The kindling stage of HD-WM group also degraded markedly after the 6th to 8th injection, and the LTMJ and the LTGS extended after the 8th to 9th and 6th injection, respectively (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the frequency of working memory error (WME) and reference memory error (RME) of the model group in the 8-arm radial maze increased through 3-d training (P<0.05). The memory tests showed that the impairment induced by pentylenetetrazole was partially reversed by Wuling mycelia. Compared with the control group, brain histamine contents (hippocampus, cortex, thalamus and hypothalamus) were significantly lower in model group (P<0.05). But compared with the model group, hippocampal histamine contents in LD-WM group and hippocampal, thalamic and hypothalamic histamine contents in HD-WM group were elevated (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONWuling mycelia can delay the kindling and ameliorate the ability of learning in rats with pentylenetetrazole-induced epilepsy and the enhancement of neuronal histamine activity may be one of possible mechanisms.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Histamine ; metabolism ; Kindling, Neurologic ; drug effects ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Pentylenetetrazole ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley