Objective: To fix optimum extracting craft of polysaccharides in Siwu Decoction.(Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Rhizoma Chuanxiong). Methods: The orthogonal design was used and refluxing time (A). water totalling (B) and extraction time (C) were defined as factors of the design. Results: A factor and C factor had notable influence on the content of polysaccharides. Conclusion: Optimum extracting craft was defined as follows: A 2B 1C 2.

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been induced to differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells in vitro.OBJECTIVE:To explore the association between GATA-4, Nkx-2.5 and α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) expression and cell morphological changes and structure formation in the process of BMSCs differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells.METHODS:By using myocardial lysate, BMSCs were induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes.Immunocytochemistry staining was used to detect cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and connexin43, for the identification of cardiomyocytes. In the process of directional differentiation, RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of GATA-4,Nkx2.5 and α-MHC.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:During the directional differentiation of BMSCs, the cells were changed from long fusiform to short rod, forming protrusions that were interconnected to form mesh-like, bamboo-like or myotube-like structure. When the cells were interconnected like a bamboo, cTNT and connexin43 positive cells were visible, and then the number of positive cells increased with the presence of myotube-like structure. RT-PCR results showed that during the induced directional differentiation of BMSCs, GATA-4, Nkx2.5 and α-MHC mRNA levels increased continuously. When interconnected cells formed a mesh-like structure, GATA-4 expression reached the peak and then kept a high level. When adjacent cells were fused into a myotube-like structure, α-MHC reached the peak. Additionally, the expression of Nkx2.5presented a time-dependent increase trend. Overall, during the induced differentiation of BMSCs into cardiomyocyte-like cells, the expression of cardiomyocyte specific genes, characterized by temporality and spatiality, is related to the changes of cell morphology and special structure formation.

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have been induced into islet-like cell mass in vitro. However, little researches reported on the morphological changes of cells, the types of endocrine cells in the islet-like cell mass and their relationships. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the morphological changes of cells in the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into islet-like structure and to explore the composition and distribution of endocrine cells. METHODS: Passage 3 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells growing well were cultured and expanded until the cell colonies occupies 80% of the bottom of the culture bottle, and the pancreatic tissue lysate was added for continuous induction. Dithizone staining was used to screen the islet-like cell mass directly differentiated from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The types and distribution of endocrine cells were identified by Mallory staining. Expressions of insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and somatostatin protein were detected by immunofluorescence cytochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Dithizone staining showed that the number of positive cells was increased over the induction time. (2) Mallory staining showed the red α-like cells were located in the periphery of the islet-like cell mass, the yellow β-like cells located in the center and periphery, and the light blue fibroblasts were distributed around the cell mass. (3) Immunofluorescence staining showed insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and somatostatin positive cells in the islet-like cell mass. To conclude, under certain microenvironment, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into islet-like structures which containing α, β, δ-like cells, and are surrounded by fibroblast-like cells.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Methods Clinical isolates of S. aureus were collected from the hospital during the period from 2012 to 2015 and were tested for susceptibility to vancomycin using agar dilution method. The results were interpreted according to CLSI 2016 breakpoints. VISA and hVISA strains were screened out by population analysis profile-area under the curve (PAP-AUC). E-test was carried out to determine the MIC of VISA. The clinical data of the patients infected with S. aureus were reviewed retrospectively. Results A total of 105 patients were included in this analysis. And 105 strains of S. aureus were isolated from these patients, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains (58.1％, 61/105). PAP-AUC identified 19 (18.1％) hVISA strains and 10 (9.5％) VISA strains. Overall, 52 of the 105 patients were nosocomial infections and 53 community infections. The prevalence of MRSA was 69.2％ (36/52) in nosocomial infections, higher than that in community infections (47.2％, 25/53) (P＜0.05). The prevalence of hVISA in community infections (20.8％, 11/53) did not show significant difference from that in nosocomial infections (15.4％, 8/52) (P＞0.05). The clinical outcome (P＞0.05) and length of hospital stay (P＞0.05) did not show significant difference between hVISA and non-hVISA infections, or between VISA and non-VISA infections. Conclusions The prevalence of hVISA is high in this hospital, which does not show difference between S. aureus nosocomial infection and community infection, or between MRSA and MSSA. The length of hospital stay of hVISA infection is not significantly longer than that of nonhVISA infection. The clinical outcome of hVISA infection does not show difference from that of non-hVISA infection. Larger sample size is required to better understand the prevalence and clinical features of hVISA.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of gram-negative bacilli (GNB) isolated from patients with intra-abdominal infection (IAI). Methods The patients with abdominal infection were identified retrospectively during the period from 2011 to 2015. The clinical and microbiological data were analyzed by WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 20.0. Results A total of 478 cases of IAI [hospital-acquired (HA) 290 cases, community-acquired (CA) 188 cases] were included in this analysis. CA-IAI patients at low risk were associated with significantly better outcome, and lower acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score than the CA-IAI and HA-IAI patients at high risk. The most common gram-negative bacillus isolated from intra-abdominal infections was E. coli and K. pneumoniae. The prevalence of ESBLs-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates was 75.8％ and 35.8％, respectively. The E. coli isolates remained highly susceptible to amikacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and carbapenems during the 5-year period, while the K. pneumoniae isolates showed poorer susceptibility to ampicillin-sulbactam. Conclusions The prevalence of ESBLs-producing GNB is increasing in the patients with IAI. Such isolates were resistant to commonly used antimicrobial agents, but generally susceptible to carbapenems. It is important to strengthen the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in IAIs, and choose antimicrobial therapy rationally based on the results of antimicrobial susceptibility test.

Objective: To examine the regulatory effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (G-Rg1) on endoplasmic reticulum stress and its effect on hepatocellular apoptosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute liver failure (ALF). Methods: Forty healthy, adult male C57/BL mice were randomly divided into normal saline control (NS) group, G-Rg1 blank control (G-Rg1) group, CCl₄ model (CCl₄) group, and G-Rg1 preventive treatment (CCl₄+G-Rg1) group, and an ALF mouse model was established by CCl₄ induction. Blood and liver specimens were collected from all mice upon sacrifice at 12 hours post-intraperitoneal injection. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBil) levels were determined using commercial test kits. The mRNA expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) was measured using real-time PCR. The protein expression of GRP78, CHOP, caspase12, and caspase3 were measured by Western blot. Histological changes in the liver were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the expression of GRP78 and caspase3 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Hepatocyte apoptosis was determined using terminal transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Quantitative data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and subsequent pairwise comparisons were performed using the LSD-t method. Results: Serum ALT, AST, and TBil levels in the CCl₄+G-Rg1 group were significantly reduced compared with those in the CCl₄ group (ALT: 691.30 ± 108.06 U/L vs 980.66 ± 110.29 U/L, F = 365.07, P < 0.05; AST: 195.40 ± 15.41 U/L vs 319.44 ± 89.32 U/L, F = 115.64, P < 0.05; TBil: 1.09 ± 0.11 mg/dl vs 1.56 ± 0.12 mg/dl, F = 211.29, P < 0.05). The relative mRNA expression of GRP78 and CHOP was significantly lower in the CCl₄ + G-Rg1 group than in the CCl₄ group (P < 0.05). The relative protein expression of caspase3, GRP78, caspase12, and CHOP was significantly reduced to different extents in the CCl₄+G-Rg1 group compared with those in the CCl4 group (P < 0.05). The CCl₄ + G-Rg1 group showed reduced liver tissue degeneration and necrosis compared with the CCl₄ group. Furthermore, the CCl₄+G-Rg1 group showed significantly fewer brown granules in the liver than the CCl4 group (P < 0.05), indicating that G-Rg1 preventive treatment reduced CCl₄-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Conclusion G-Rg1 prophylaxis can inhibit inflammation and reduce hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis during CCl₄-induced ALF. Its mechanism may involve the suppression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related signaling molecules to alleviate hepatocyte endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. The results of this study suggest that G-Rg1 may inhibit liver inflammation and hepatocyte apoptosis through multiple targets to protect liver function.

"Belt and Road" is an opportunity for the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) education.Based on the analysis of international development of TCM education,this paper focused on how to seize the "Belt and Road" strategic development opportunities to further promote the strategy analysis on international development of TCM education,and put forward specific implementation measures.

Objectives To analyze the studies about predicting COVID-19 by math models, to provide evidences and experiences to reduce the hazard of COVID-19. Methods PubMed, CNKI and other databases were searched for studies involving math models of COVID-19, and the studies were compared with each other and the real data. Results A total of 21 publications were included. SIR, SEIR and other models were used to predict the prevalence and evaluate the interventions. The results were predicted by SEIR^+CAQ model were the closest to the actual situation. And the control measures have effectively restrained COVID-19. Conclusion Characteristics of COVID-19 and prevention measures should be concerned, when predicting the epidemic trend of COVID-19.