Metformin is the most commonly prescibed drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus as it is inexpensive, safe, and efficient in ameliorating hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Numerous epidemiological studies indicate that diabetic population is not only at increased risk of cardiovascular complications, but also at substantially higher risk of many forms of malignancies. Meanwhile, epidemiological and clinical observation studies have shown that metformin use reduces risk of cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and improves prognosis and survival rate of the cancer patients. Furthermore, metformin has been used for cancer therapy in clinical trials. Thus, metformin is emerging as a new cancer therapy or adjuvant anticancer drugs. This review summarizes recent progress in studies of metformin use and its molecular mechanism.
Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Metformin ; therapeutic use ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy

Objective To investigate the species composition and quantitative dynamic state of rodent and parasitic flea in Huairou District of Beijing City,and to carry out serologic monitoring of animal plague.Methods Rodent density was investigated at different habitats in eight villages and towns between 2009 and 2011.Serum samples from captured rodents were detected by indirect hemagglutination test,and genotypes of collected parasitic fleas were identified.Results A total of 709 rodents which belong to eight different kinds were captured with a rodent density of 2.52％ (83/3 300),and Rattus niviventer and Apodemus peninsulae were dominant species,acounted for 46.4％ (329/709) and 18.1％(128/709),respctively.Five hundred and sixty-three serum samples of rodents were tested by plague indirect hemagglutination,and all of them were plague antibody negative.Two hundred fleas were checked with a flea infected rate of 29.63％ (48/162),and a flea index of 1.23; Paraceras crispus and Leptopsylla pavlovskii were dominant flea species,a total of 30 and 27,respectively.Conclusion Some environment conditions are suitable for rodents survival,even though there is no sign of animal plague epidemic.

Objective To observe the anesthesia and recovery results of sevoflrane and remifentanil combined anesthesia in open or laparoscopic surgeries. Methods 60 cases of ordinary surgeries from the department of gynecology and general surgeries were included in this study with 30 cases in each group. (1)recording total sevoflurane inhalation time, muscular relaxant amount, end tidal sevoflurane concentration;(2)recording BP,HR at 10 min after induction,operation staring and ending,ventilation recovery, opening eye and extubation period;also sevoflurane concentration 5 min after stopping medicine and ventilation recovery;recording time period between surgery ending and autonomous respiration recovery , eye opening and extubation. Results No any adverse events happen in each patient.the sevoflurane inhalation time in open surgery group was (157.20 ± 47.28) min, longer than that of laparoscopic surgeries group (73.50 ± 11.23)min(P<0.05), we had seen no statistical significance in all other index observed (P>0.05). Conclusion Sevoflurane combined remifentanil anesthesia can achieve stable intra-operative maintenance and rapid postoperative recovery quality , we suggest the widespread usage of it in clinic.

Objective To assess the reliability and validity of the Tree-Drawing Test in medical college students.Methods The study randomly selected 312 aged 19 to 23-year-old medical students to take part in TreeDrawing Test.In addition,a total of 275 college students were selected to receive re-test,30 days late and Pearson correlation coefficient of two tests were calculated.The three raters were invited to assess 30 trees painting score,analyzing the Kendall coefficient of concordance between the scores to verify raters' reliability; parts of students also participated in the 16PF test,SAS,SDS test,analyzing the correlation coefficient between the various test results,in order to assess the effectiveness of the Tree-Drawing Test.Results The re-test reliability in different time was 0.570-0.733 and 0.341-0.713 (P＜0.05),the raters' reliability was 0.491 ～ 0.626(P＜0.05),there are some correlations between Tree-Drawing Test and 16PF,SAS,SDS.Conclusion The Tree-Drawing Test has good reliability and validity; it can be applied to the detection of college students' psychological assessment and psychological problems.

Objective To explore the in vivo killing effects of nanosecond pulsed electric fields on mouse breast cancer in tumor bearing BALB/c mice. Methods Twenty four BALB/c mice models with subcutaneous EMT-6 breast cancer were prepared and divided into experimental group and control group (n=12). In experimental group, the mice were treated by the pulsed electric fields with peak voltage of 700 V/cm, rise times of 57 ns, durations of 70μs and duty ratio of 50%on the tumor tissue with two parallel electrodes under anaesthesia. One hundred pulses were given and the energy was just 9.75 J with effective action period of 7 ms. Tumor volume, animal weight and histopathologic changes after 1, 3, 5 and 7 d were observed after irreversible electroporation. Results The tumor volume in experimental group increased more slowly than that in control group, especially at the 1-3 d after treatment with a standstill. Histopathological examination results showed that the tumor tissue had obvious coagulation necrosis and tissue edema after electrical stimulation treatment, and mass vacuole like structure appeared in tumor tissue from the third day after treatment and vascular injury occurred at the early stage. Conclusions In the given field conditions, steep pulsed electric field has inhibitory effect on tumor growth. In order to achieve more ideal tumor therapy effect, further studies on steep pulse dose are needed.

Genechip was applied to explore gene expression profile of islets in rats at various stages of pregnancy. Compared with the normal control group, differential expressions of hundreds of genes were detected during pregnancy. Reg3α gene expression was markedly increased during pregnancy, which may be related to islet regeneration.

AIM: To study the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and receptor-CD36, and investigate the relationship between tumor invasive capability and microvessel density and thrombospondin-1. METHODS: 43 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases were under investigation. Tissues from tumor, corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissue were stained with CD34 to show the MVD. TSP-1 and CD36 were examined by immunohistochemistry (SP) and RT-PCR. Relationship between clinical pathological features and above parameters was analyed. RESULTS: The staining of TSP-1 in HCC tissue is significantly lower than that in corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissue. Expression of TSP-1 was correlated to tumor thrombi, capsule, tumor invasive capability and CD36. CD36 was also correlated to tumor thrombi and tumor invasive capability. MVD was significantly higher in TSP-1, CD36 positive group than that in negative group. CONCLUSION: TSP-1 inhibits the growth, invasion and angiogenesis in HCC. TSP-1 may take effect through CD36.

Objective: To explore the effect of age and gender on head-up tilt test (HUTT) for diagnosing the patients with suspected vasovagal syncope (VVS).
Methods: A total of 1223 patients who received HUTT in our hospital from 2008-08 to 2012-12 were studied. The patients were from 7 to 79 years of age and divided into 4 groups. Group 1, the patients≤20 years of age, n=145, Group 2, the patients at (21-40) years, n=375, Group 3, the patients at (41-60) years, n=584 and Group 4, the patients>60 years, n=119. The HUTT comprised a 30 min basic phase and 20 min sublingual nitroglycerin provocation phase. According to ECG and blood pressure changes, the HUTT positive patients included vasodepressor type, cardio-inhibitory type and mixed type.
Results: The overall positive rate of HUTT was 51%(624/1223) and the female was higher than male, (60.1%vs 39.9%), P=0.001. The positive rates in 4 age groups were at 68.3%, 49.1%, 48.6% and 47.9% respectively. In HUTT positive patients, there were 51.4% (321/624) patients with mixed type of VVS, 28.7% (179/624) with vasodepressor type of VVS and 19.9% (124/624) with cardio-inhibitory type of VVS. The positive HUTT reaction was inlfuenced by the age as in male:x2=15.65, P=0.016 and in female:x2=18.84, P=0.004. For basic phase of HUTT, there were 74.8%of positive reactions started at 22.5 (17.5-27.5) min of the test without age difference, P>0.05;for sublingual nitroglycerin provocation phase of HUTT, there were 81.9%positive reactions started at 7.5 (5-10) min and the female was earlier than male (7.5 vs 10) min, P=0.004.
Conclusion: There were age and gender differences for HUTT diagnosing the patients with VVS for their positive rate, type and starting time.

To offer the reference and method for salt damage in the cultivation of Marsdenia tenacissima, the seeds of M. tenacissima collected from Maguan city ( Yunnan province) were taken as the test materials to study the effects of different priming materials on improving germination and growth under high-level salt stress condition. Four different treatments, which were GA3, KNO3-KH2PO4, PEG-6000, NaCl, combined with ANOVA were applied to test the performance of germination energy, germination percentage, germination index, MDA, SOD, and CAT. The results showed that the seed germination was obviously inhibited under salt stress and the soaked seeds with different priming materials could alleviate the damage of salt stress. Under these treatments, the activities of SOD, CAT the content of soluble protein significantly increased. While the content of MDA significantly decreased. The maximum index was obtained when treated with 1.20% KNO3-KH2PO4, the germination percentage increased from 52.67% to 87.33% and the activity of SOD increased from 138.01 to 219.44 respectively. Comparing with the treatment of 1.20% KNO3-KH2PO4, the germination percentage of treating with 300 mg x L(-1) GA3 increased from 52.67% to 80.67%, while the activity of SOD increased from 138.01 to 444.61.
Germination ; drug effects ; physiology ; Marsdenia ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Nitrates ; pharmacology ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Potassium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Seeds ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Sodium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Stress, Physiological ; Xanthones ; pharmacology

AIMTo find new peroxisome proliferator-activated y agonists with high activity and low toxicity.

METHODSBased on JTT-501 and JTT-20993, new isoxazolidine-3,5-dione and noncyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds were designed and synthesized. Their insulin-sensitizing activities were evaluated.

RESULTSEight new compounds were obtained. The structures of synthesized compounds were characterized by NMR, MS and IR. Four compounds (1A-4A) showed insulin-sensitizing activities.

CONCLUSIONCompounds (1A and 3A) showed excellent insulin-sensitizing activities and should be worth further investigation.

3T3-L1 Cells ; Animals ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; agonists ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Isoxazoles ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Mice ; PPAR gamma ; agonists ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology