Objective: To comprehensively compare the qualities of Codonopsis Radix from the different planting areas for regionalizing the planting areas. Methods: The main traits and chemical compositions of 38 samples of Codonopsis Radix from the different planting areas in Jiuzhaigou County were comprehensively compared by SPSS 17.0 software using principal component and cluster analysis. Results: Five principal components whose accumulated variance contribution rate was over 85.604% were obtained. Based on these principal components, 38 samples of Codonopsis Radix from the different planting areas in Jiuzhaigou County were clustered into four groups by within-groups linkage cluster methods. Conclusion: Principal component and cluster analysis are reliable to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Codonopsis Radix. Significant differences among these samples from the different planting areas in Jiuzhaigou County are obvious. The standardization of cultivation techniques and application should be speeded up.

The paper is aimed to study the difference in yield and quality at different harvest time and determine the optimum harvest of planting Gentiana in Ludian traditional harvest period. The authors analyzed the variation in fresh weight, dry weight, dry discount rate, length, diameter, volume and the content of gentiopicroside, loganin acid, alcohol-soluble extract and total ash and made a comprehensive appraisal of yield, appearance quality and intrinsic quality by gray relational distance ideal Comprehensive Evaluation method. The results showed that there is a big difference in yield and quality both 2-year-old and 3-year-old Gentiana harvested in traditional harvest period and the comprehensive evaluation more better when harvested more later. It can be seen, Gentiana harvested the later had a better yield and quality in Ludian traditional harvest period. The harvest of Gentiana can be appropriate delayed depending on the particular circumstances of production.
Agriculture ; methods ; China ; Gentiana ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Iridoid Glucosides ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; Quality Control ; Time Factors

Objective Retrospectively evaluate the effect of Z-axis tube-current modulation technique with desired noise level to improve image quality (image noise level) and decrease radiation doses of MSCT (16-slice CT) in chest scanning. Methods Consecutive two hundred patients whose CT scan projection radiographs showed no significant abnormal were randomly divided into two groups by the examination order: Z-axis tube-current modulation (ZTCM) group (odd number, test group) and constant tube-current (CTC) group (even number, contrast group). The desired noise level of ZTCM group was 10HU and the machine automatically set the dynamic tube-current in scanning according to attenuated information of chest acquired in scan projection radiographs, the tubo-current of CTC group was set at 200mA, while the other scan parameters remained totally the same. The maximum tube-current value,CTDIvol, DLP and the tube-current of the slice at the maximum breast level of female patients were recorded respectively. The noise of image at upper lung, aorta arch, left atrium and bottom lung level were measured and compared. The qualities of Images were classified in three levels (excellent, good, poor) with double blind method. Results The mean value of maximum mA, CTDIvol, DLP and mA of the slice at the maximum breast level of ZTCM group were (178.5±125.6) mA, (10.5±3.8) mGy, (231.6±24.3)mGy/cm and (116.0±22.5) mA, those of CTC were 200.0 mA, 12.8 mGy, (274.7±18.4)mGy/cm and 200.0 mA, ZTCM group decreased by 10.8%, 19.9%, 15.7% and 42.0%,respectively, as compared with CTC group. The image quality at upper lung and bottom lung level in ZTCM group was improved significantly (P < 0.05) and the cases of excellent images in ZTCM group was significantly higher than that of CTC group (P < 0.05). Conclusion ZTCM technique not only contributes to more rational distribution of radiation doses but also realizes individuation, decreases the total radiation doses and improves image quality in chest CT scanning. It is valuable and promising in chest CT scan.

Background and purpose:Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) is playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of lymphoma patients. This study aimed to explore clinical and pathological features and bone marrow infiltration status in lymphoma patients with diffused high bone marrow glucose uptake on18F-FDG PET/CT.Methods:It was a retrospective study. Bone marrow infiltration status, pathological and clinical data from 62 cases of pathologically diagnosed lymphoma and diffused high bone marrow glucose uptake were analyzed.Results:Distribution of histopathological subtype in those cases was in accordance with that in previously reported Chinese lymphoma patients. Significant difference was demonstrated in standard uptake value (SUV) between pa-tients with aggressive and indolent histopathological subtypes (8.43vs 5.38,P=0.048), patients with and without B symp-toms (8.30vs 5.72,P=0.033), and patients with and without bone marrow infiltration (8.78vs 6.96,P=0.020). 32 patients were diagnosed as “bone marrow infiltration” by bone marrow biopsy. There was significant difference in histopathologi-cal subtype distribution between patients with and without bone marrow infiltration (P=0.001). In patients with bone marrow infiltration, there were higher proportions of mantle cell lymphoma, nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s lym-phoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. In contrast, patients without bone marrow infiltration suffered more from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, peripheral T cell lymphoma, enteropathic T cell lymphoma and extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (nasal type). False positive results in bone marrow glucose uptake may be caused by fever or anemia.Conclusion:Diffused high bone marrow glucose uptake on18F-FDG PET/CT should be evaluated in combination with the uptake values, clinical features and histological subtypes, to minimize the misdiagnosis and to better guide staging and therapy of lymphoma.

Objective To observe the effect of dexamethasone(Dex)on the proliferation and os- teogenic differentiation of human marrow stromal cells(MSCs)in vitro.Methods The primary human MSCs were isolated and cultured by Ficoll seperation culture in vitro.In subcultures,human MSCs were respectively treated with dexamethasone 10~(-9),10~(-8) and 10~(-7) mol/L.The proliferation of human MSCs was measured using MTF method;cytoplasmic alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity was measured;the osteogenic marker osteopontin (OPN)mRNA were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The op- tical density values in cultures treated with dexamethasone 10~(-8) and 10~(-7) mol/L for 8 days were significantly lower than those in the controls(P＜0.05).Treatment of cells with Dex for 12 days led to a significant increase in cytoplasmic ALP activity(P＜0.05)in a dose-dependent manner.Dex induced OPN mRNA.Conclusion Dex inhibits the proliferation of human MSCs and dexamethasone 10~(-7) mol/L leads to a strong decrease in cell number.Dex induces human MSCs differentiate to osteoblastic cells.

[Objective] To investigate the clinical characteristics and blood transfusion status of patients of liver cirrhosis and analyze its rationality.[Methods] We designed questionnaires to collect the data of patients admitted with liver cirrhosis including clinical features,blood transfusion,smoking,drinking and other living habits.We follow up the patients and analyze the blood transfusion rationality.[Results] Data on 198 patients was collected.34.8％ (69/198) of all patients were transfused at least one blood component.Total blood transfusion was 371 times,of which 52.2％ of the blood transfusion cases (36/69) were transfused with two or more blood during hospitalization.Among the 69 cases of blood transfusion,11 cases were treated with the first blood transfusion for the purpose of treatment and 58 cases for prevention.18 of those cases were infused with red blood cells of 90.5 units.54.55 ％ (60/110) and 60.91％ (67/110) of patients who had a pre-transfusion INR＞1.3 did not receive plasma.2.27％ (2/88) of patients who had a pre-transfusion INR≤1.3 received plasma.29.41％ (5/17)who had a pre-transfusion fib≤1.0 received cryoprecipitate.3.87％(7/181) who had a pre-transfusion fib＞1.0 received cryoprecipitate.[Conclusions] Blood transfusion is common in patients with liver cirrhosis.Empirical and preventive blood transfusion is common also.We should take a more scientific restrictive blood transfusion strategy.

Reduced radiosensitivity of lung cancer cells represents a pivotal obstacle in clinical oncology. The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α plays a crucial role in radiosensitivity, but the detailed mechanisms remain elusive. A relationship has been suggested to exist between hypoxia and autophagy recently. In the current study, we studied the effect of hypoxia-induced autophagy on radioresistance in lung cancer cell lines. A549 and H1299 cells were cultured under normoxia or hypoxia, followed by irradiation at dosage ranging from 0 to 8 Gy. Clonogenic assay was performed to calculate surviving fraction. EGFP-LC3 plasmid was stably transfected into cells to monitor autophagic processes. Western blotting was used to evaluate the protein expression levels of HIF-1α, c-Jun, phosphorylated c-Jun, Beclin 1, LC3 and p62. The mRNA levels of Beclin 1 were detected by qRT-PCR. We found that under hypoxia, both A549 and H1299 cells were radio-resistant compared with normoxia. Hypoxia-induced elevated HIF-1α protein expression preferentially triggered autophagy, accompanied by LC3 induction, EGFP-LC3 puncta and p62 degradation. In the meantime, HIF-1α increased downstream c-Jun phosphorylation, which in turn upregulated Beclin 1 mRNA and protein expression. The upregulation of Beclin 1 expression, instead of HIF-1α, could be blocked by SP600125 (a specific inhibitor of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase), followed by suppression of autophagy. Under hypoxia, combined treatment of irradiation and chloroquine (a potent autophagy inhibitor) significantly decreased the survival potential of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, hypoxia-induced autophagy through evaluating Beclin1 expression may be considered as a target to reverse the radioresistance in cancer cells.

OBJECTIVETo explore a treatment program for increasing therapeutic effect on rheumatoid arthritis at active stage.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-six cases were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 74) and medicine control group (n = 72). The treatment group were treated by electroacupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. , combined with meloxicam, sulfasalazine and MTX. The control group treated by simple the Western medicines. Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 79.73% in the treatment group and 51.39% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P< 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture combined with medicine has a better therapeutic effect than the simple medicine on rheumatoid arthritis at active stage.

Objective To investigate the effects of ER-α36 on invasion of human gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901 by miR-143. Methods Lentiviral vectors were constructed to generate up-and down-regulations of miR-143 lentiviruses (LV-miR-143 and LV-anti-miR-143,respectively).The viruses were used to infect human gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901.The ER-α36 protein expression level and the invasion of constructed cells were detected by Western blot and transwell. The target gene of miR-143 was predicted by bioinformatics tools.Luciferase reporter assay was carried out to confirm the predicted target gene. Results The infection efficiency of the lentivirus titers of LV-miR-143 and LV-anti-miR-143 were over 80% shown by the green fluorescence. The ER-α36 expression level,the cell invasion in LV-miR-21 group were significantly lower than those in LV-anti-miR-21 group(P<0.05). Conclusions miR-143 plays an important role in the negative control of gastric cancer invasion by the regulation of ER-α36.

The cDNA sequence encoding pokeweed antiviral protein-II was cloned from the fresh summer leaves of phytolacca amercana by RT-PCR. The recombinant PAP-II was subcloned into the expression vector pET-28a(+) and expressed in E. coli BL21 after IPTG induction. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the expressed PAP-II existed in the form of inclusion bodies. The purified fusion protein was obtained after a series of steps including cell break, inclusion body solubilization, protein refolding and purification through BBST NTA resin column. The non-radioactive ELISA-based HIV-1 integrase assay showed that the recombinant pokeweed antiviral protein-II and RTA were able to inhibit HIV-1 integrase to some extent (IC50 = 303 microg/mL, 220 microg/mL respectively). MTT assay showed that cytotoxicity of pokeweed antiviral protein II for HEP-G2 cells and Hela cells was in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 s of 93 microg/mL and 102 microg/mL, respectively. The results suggested that pokeweed antiviral protein-II is a potent anti-tumor candidate. The finding of integrase inhibitory activity and the discovery of cytotoxicity provide more insights into the anti-HIV and the anti-tumor activities of PAP-II.
Cloning, Molecular ; HIV Integrase ; drug effects ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Phytolacca americana ; genetics ; Plant Leaves ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology