This study was aimed to explore the clinical effect on treatment of climacteric syndrome by the combina-tion of Yi-Shen Yang-Xin Shu-Gan (YSYXSG) decoction and acupuncture therapy. A total of 78 female patients suffering from climacteric syndrome were selected and randomly divided into two groups, with 39 cases in each group. The control group was treated with oral administration of estradiol valerate. The treatment group was treated with the combination of YSYXSG decoction and acupuncture therapy on basis of western medicine treatment. Four-week was one treatment course. The treatment was continued for three treatment courses. Improvement state of both groups were compared by the integration of clinical symptoms before and after treatment as well as the Hamilton's Depression Scale (HAMD)/(HAMA). The results showed that according to the clinical symptoms, both groups had im-provements in varying degrees (P< 0.05, P< 0.01), in which HAMD, HAMA, FSH decreased (P< 0.05), and E2 in-creased (P< 0.05). The treatment group had more obvious superiority compared to the control group. There was sta-tistical significance between two groups (P < 0.05). The total efficiency rate of the treatment group was obviously higher than the control group with statistical significance (P < 0.05). It was concluded that combination of YSYXSG decoction, acupuncture therapy with hormonotherapy had more superiority in improving clinical symptoms, remitting emotion of anxiety-depression and controlling patient's condition compared with pure hormonotherapy, which had su-periority.

Objective To analyze the thin-section CT features of fissure-attached nodules in asymptomatic patients.Methods The baseline and follow-up CT images of 120 asymptomatic patients with fissure-attached nodules were retrospectively analyzed.The thin-section CT findings include size,shape,density,interface,and the relationship with pulmonary fissure.Results There were 1 67 fissure-attached nodules of the 120 patients.The mean length of nodules was 5.46 mm±2.276 mm (2 - 1 5 mm).104(104/1 67,61.1%)nodules were less than 5 mm in length.1 63 (1 63/1 67,97.6%)nodules were typical and 4 (4/1 67,2.4%)nodules were atypical.All these nodules manifested as homogenous,solid,smooth interface,and widely adjacent to the fissure on CT ima-ges.Among those nodules,1 64(1 64/1 67,98.2%)nodules were triangular(88/1 67,52.7%)or oval(76/1 67,45.5%).126(126/1 67, 75.4%)nodules were abutting the major fissure.The angle between nodule and fissure was obtuse in 1 64(1 64/1 67,98.2%)fissure-attached nodules.During follow-up,4(4/1 67,2.4%)nodules increased in size and the corresponding volume doubling time (VDT) range was 863-4 228 days.However,no obvious malignant signs were found.Conclusion The thin-section CT images of fissure-attached nodules in asymptomatic patients showed the benign characteristics,most of which less than 5 mm and demonstrated trian-gle or oval,smooth interface and homogenous solid density.

Objective To establish the biological reference interval of procalcitonin(PCT) applicable for children in Chongqing.Methods Serum PCT level were detected in 120 healthy children with age from 0 to 16 years, including 73 cases of male and 47cases of female children, by using by Maglumi2000 plus PCT analysis system.All data was evaluated according to EP28-A3c document to establish the biological reference interval.Results Data of PCT levels were with non-normal distribution, and without statistical difference between children of different ages and genders(P>0.05).The biological reference interval of PCT was less than or equal to 0.038 μg/L.Conclusion It might be important to establish a usefully biological reference interval in different laboratories with relative detection system, especially for children.

Ginsenosides,which belongs to triterpenoid saponins of plant terpenoids,are the main active components of the valuable medicinal herbs ginseng and American ginseng.Recent studies show that ginsenosides have a variety of beneficial effects,including anti-inflamatory,antioxidant,and anticancer effects.Ginsenosides are synthesized by complicated modification of triterpenoid skeleton after cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene through triterpene saponin synthesis pathway in which they share common early steps with phytosterols synthesis.It outlines recent advances for the biosynthesis of ginsenosides,the cloning and characterization of genes encoding key enzymes in the pathway and the basal framework of ginsenosides biosynthesis pathway.The prospects of secondary metabolism engineering in the biosynthesis of plant natural products and its application in ginsenosides biosynthesis are also discussed.

OBJECTIVE:To determine serum concentrations of western medicines in patients treated with "traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicine" alone and to evaluate the curative effects.METHODS:A total of 60 epileptic patients who visited our hospital between Feb.1997 and June 2006 were subjected to plasma drug level monitoring and during which the patients were treated with "traditional Chinese antiepileptic drugs" alone.Plasma concentrations of 4 kinds of western medicin-es were determined by FPIA.RESULTS:Of the 60 cases,valproic acid,carbamazepine,phenytoin and phenobarbitone were detected in 18,40,41,and 47 cases/times,respectively.On average,more than two kinds of western medicines were detected in every patient,and the blood concentrations were mostly beyond effective plasma drug concentration.The total curative effects were unsatisfactory.CONCLUSION:The fact that western medicine ingredients detected in these traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicines is inconformity with medication principle of epilepsy.Traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicines should be used with caution in the clinic in the treatment of epileptic patients.

Objective To explore the prenatal genetic diagnosis for classic phenylketonuria (PKU) families.Methods Probands and their family members from three classic PKU families were analyzed by combining linkage analysis through short tandem repeats (STR) polymorphism and PCR-sequencing for the exons within mutation hot spot of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene.Results Linkage analysis found uninformative for Family 1,while 100 % confirmative information was obtained from Family 2 and 3.Sequencing showed compound heterozygous mutations of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene for all of the three probands.Five mutations were detected,namely Y166X,R243Q,R413P,EX6-96A ＞ G and IVS11-1G＞ C,and IVS11-1G ＞ C was a novel identified muntation.Information from linkage analysis and mutation screening showed clearly that the fetus of Family 1 and 2 were affected,while normal for Family 3.Conclusions For those PKU families,reliable service of prenatal genetic diagnosis could be provided by combining linkage analysis with mutation screening of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene.

Objective To identify differences in the anal sphincter surface electromyography (sEMG)variables in spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects with different severities. Methods One hundred and ten SCI patients' impairments were classified as ASIA A,B,C or D using the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury.The evaluation was pedormed using sEMG equipment with an inserted anal sensor electrode and the Glazer pelvic floor muscle sEMG protocol.The sEMG variables were recorded and compared. Results There was no significant difference in sEMG variables between groups A and B,but the mean and maximum sEMG values of groups C and D in flick contractions ( 1 s),tonic contractions ( 10 s),and endurance contractions (60 s) were significantly higher than those of group A.Compared with group C,the mean and maximum sEMG values of group D were all significantly higher. Conclusions The sEMG data from the anal sphincter during contractions decreases significantly after SCI.Glazer's pelvic floor muscle sEMG protocol is a noninvasive and convenient real-time assessment.It is a useful complementary tool for quantitative assessment of the pelvic floor muscles of SCI patients.

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of Compound Danshen Injection (CDI) in regulating the expression of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in human amnion epithelium cells (hAECs), and to study the relation between c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signal pathway and AQP3.

METHODShAECs were isolated and primarily cultured from term pregnancy with normal amniotic fluid volume and from term pregnancy with oligohydramnios, and then hAECs were further divided into four groups, i.e., the blank control group (A), the SP600125 group (B), the CDI group (C), and the SP600125 +CDI group (D). The cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay (CCK-8). The expression of total JNK, phosphorylated JNK, and AQP3 were determined by Western blot.

RESULTS(1) In hAECs with normal AFV or with oligohydramnios: There was no statistical difference in the cell viability or the expression of total JNK among the 4 groups (P > 0.05). But there was statistical difference in the expression of p-JNK (P < 0.05). Compared with A group, the expression of p-JNK was obviously down-regulated in B group, but obviously up-regulated in C group (P < 0.05). The expression of p-JNK was significantly lower in D group than in C group, but higher than that in A group or B group (P < 0.05).The AQP3 expression in the hAECs with normal amniotic fluid volume of C group and D group were higher than that in the A group (P < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the AQP3 expression between C group and D group (P > 0.05). In hAECs with oligohydramnios, the expression of AQP3 obviously decreased in B group, but up-regulated in C group (both P < 0.05). The expression of AQP3 was lower in D group than in C group, but higher than in B group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCDI could regulate the AQP3 expression in hAECs with oligohydramnios via activating the JNK signal pathway.

Amnion ; cytology ; drug effects ; Aquaporin 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology

Objective To evaluate the correlation between thin-section CT morphologic features and pathological vascular invasion in the clinical stage ⅠA peripheral lung adenocarcinoma.Methods The preoperative thin-section CT images,clinical and pathological characteristics of 102 nodules in 98 patients were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups according to pathological vascular invasion.Variables including the diameter of tumor(T) and consolidation part (C) in the mix ground glass nodule (mGGN),C/T ratio,morphology and pathological classification were analyzed by two-independent samples Mann-Whitney U test or t test and x2 test or Fisher exact probability test.Variables with significant difference in the univariate analyses were entered into multivariate analysis to explore predictors for vascular invasion.The correlation between these measurements and vascular invasion was evaluated by a ROC analysis.Results All of 102 nodules,36 had pathological vascular invasion and 66 without.The numbers of two groups with speculation,air bronchogram,abnormal vein,vascular convergence,pleural indentation were 30,30;26,26;35,3;35,39;32,39 and the mediandiameter of tumors were 2.1(1.0-3.0),1.2(0.5-3.0) cm respectively.By univariateanalysis,spiculation,air bronchogram,abnormal vein,vascular convergence,pleural indentation,and diameter of tumor were significantly associated with pathological vascularinvasion (P＜0.01).By multivariate logistic analysis,the statistically significant difference were found in speculation and abnormal vein (OR=33.867,8 161.063,P＜0.05).The ROC analysis showed the area under curve,cut-off value,sensitivity and specificity ofthe diameter of tumor and consolidation part of mGGN and C/T ratio were 0.784,2.05 cm,66.7％,78.8％;0.886,1.08 cm,82.4％,90.0％ and 0.861,0.65,79.4％,85.0％ respectively in differentiating tumors with pathological vascular invasion.Conclusion The spiculation sign and abnormal vein are independent predictors for vascular invasion in stage ⅠA peripheral lung adenocarcinoma.

In the bulge region of the hair follicle, a densely and concentrically packed cell mass is encircled by the arrector pili muscle (APM), which offers a specilized microenvironment (niche) for housing heterogeneous adult stem cells. However, the detailed histological architecture and the cellular composition of the bulge region warrants intensive study and may have implications for the regulation of hair follicle growth regulation. This study was designed to define the gene-expression profiles of putative stem cells and lineage-specific precursors in the mid-portions of plucked hair follicles prepared according to the presence of detectable autofluorescence. The structure was also characterized by using a consecutive sectioning technique. The bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence was precisely excised by employing a micro-dissection procedure. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to identify the gene expression profiles specific for epithelial, melanocyte and stromal stem cells in the bulge region of the hair follicle visualized by autofluorescence. The morphology and its age-dependent changes of bulge region of the hair follicles with autofluorescence segment were also examined in 9 scalp skin specimens collected from patients aged 30 weeks to 75 years, by serial sectioning and immuno-staining. Gene expression profile analysis revealed that there were cells with mRNA transcripts of Dct(Hi)Tyrase(Lo)-Tyrp1(Lo)MC1R(Lo)MITF(Lo)/K15(Hi)/NPNT(Hi) in the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments, which differed from the patterns in hair bulbs. Small cell-protrusions that sprouted from the outer root sheath (ORS) were clearly observed at the APM inserting level in serial sections of hair follicles by immunohistological staining, which were characteristically replete with K15+/K19+expressing cells. Likewise, the muscle bundles of APM positive for smooth muscle actin intimately encircled these cell-protrusions, and the occurrence frequency of the cell-protrusions was increased in fetal scalp skin compared with adult scalp skin. This study provided the evidence that the cell-protrusions occurring at the ORS relative to the APM insertion are more likely to be characteristic of the visible niches that are filled with abundant stem cells. The occurrence frequency of these cell-protrusions was significantly increased in fetal scalp skin samples (128%) as compared with the scalp skins of younger (49.4%) and older (25.4%) adults (P<0.01), but difference in the frequency between the two adult groups were not significant. These results indicated that these cell-protrusions function as a niche house for the myriad stem cells and/or precursors to meet the needs of the development of hair follicles in an embryo. The micro-dissection used in this study was simple and reliable in excising the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments dependent on their autofluorescence is of value for the study of stem cell culture.