Syndromes constitute a core aspect in the study of Chinese medicine, and research on the concept of syndromes is important to the study of the process of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. However, it is somewhat challenging to define a syndrome due to the complexity inherent in the subject, even with the assistance of the reductionism approach of modern medicine. Holistic and dynamic in nature and attaching much importance to functional changes, the newly emerging metabonomics is in many ways inline with the concepts of syndrome differentiation of pathological states in traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, metabonomics has comparatively strong advantages in the very respect of revealing the natural laws of syndrome differentiation. By reviewing and analyzing the current research on the concept of syndromes and the application of metabonomic technology to exploring the essential core of syndrome differentiation, the authors illustrated the potential commonalities. This would also show the issues requiring attention between the study of syndromes and the metabonomic technology. In the meantime this study reflected the core problems in detail and put forward suggestions with regard to reaching solutions.

Objective To observe the changes of intracerebral amino acid transmitters in the periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) of newborn rats with microdialysis and so as to explore the role of excitotoxicity in PVL.Methods Replicated the model for PVL at the age of postnatal day 5 (P5) by intracerebral injection of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA).Before injection of 3-NPA,and 15 min,30 min,45 min,60 min,75 min,90 min after injection of 3-NPA,collected the sample of extracellular fluid (ECF) at the corpus callosum above the left ventricle through microdialysis,respectively.After microdialysis,the experimental rats were allowed to survive to P6-P14,and then they were killed and the brains were prepared for HE stain.The amino accids of dialysate were quantified through high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),and then the excitotoxic index (EI) was calculated.Results Fifteen min to 45 min after injection of 3-NPA,the concentrations of glumate (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp) of ECF elevated significantly,and then returned to the normal levels.Fifteen min to 75 min and 15 min to 30 min after injection of 3-NPA,the concentrations of glycine (Gly) and GABA significantly elevated,respectively,and returned to normal levels at 90 min and 45 min after injection of 3-NPA,respectively.But the EI,which indicated the balance of excitatory amino acids(EAAs) and inhibitory amno aciols(IAAs),significantly elevated 15 min to 75 min after injection of 3-NPA,then retured to normal level after 90 min.Sub-cortical and periventricular white matter rarefaction and significant lateral ventricle enlargement were observed in HE staining.Conclusions Changes of intracerebral amino acid transmitters in the PVL of newborn rats show regularity:EAAs,IAAs of ECF and EI elavate in the early stage,and then return to the normal level quickly.It indicates that excitotoxicity play a great role in PVL,especially at the early stage.Therefore,the preventions of PVL must be executed at the early stage.

ObjectiveTo study the effct of the early rehabilitation of acute stroke with acupunction added to rehabilitational training.Methods120 patients with acute stroke were divided into 2 growps with 60 cases each:the acupunction growp,in which the patients were acepted acupuncture added to rehabilitational training,and the control growp,in which the patients were acepted the rehabilitational training only.All the patients were evaluated with Clinical Nervous Functional Deficiency(CNFD),Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA) and Modified Barthel Index(MBI).Results The scales of CNFD,FMAanal Deficiency (CNFD),Fugl-Meyer Assess me that of the control growp.The rate of cure and significantly in the acupunction growp was 75%,while that of the control growp was 41.7%(P<0.01).Conclusions Acupunction compared with the rehabilitational training is effective on the with stroke.

Objective:Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a key molecule negatively regulating osteoclast differentiation and activation; and the conserved mycobacterial heat shock 70 (HSP70) peptide p111-125 has also been found to inhibit inflammation reactions in chronic arthritis. BaculoDirectTM baculovirus expression system was selected to express recombinant OPG-HSP70 in insect cells.Methods:The human functional fragment (p22-194) of OPG and functional fragment (p111-125) of mycobacterial HSP70 gene were cloned into the transfer vector pENTRTM/SD/D-TOPO. The recombinant plasmid was performed an LR reaction with the BaculoDirectTM Linear DNA to generate recombinant baculovirus DNA. The cultured Sf9 insect cells were directly transferred with the recombinant baculovirus DNA,and the pure recombinant baculovirus was obtained. Then recombinant baculovirus was infected Sf9 insect cells again to express the OPG-HSP70 gene.Results:The target protein was detected at the time of 48h post infection,reached at highest yield at the time of 72h post-infection. A 28kDa protein immunostaining band was detected by Western blotting from lysate of those cells.And the purified protein was obtained by using Ni-NTA system. Functional stuies on the fusion protein showed it significantly reduce osteoclast cell number[(3.10?0.640) cells under each microscope field in treatment group by comparing to (10.70?0.817)cells in the control group] in the osteoclast inhibition test,and reduce the inflammation reaction in a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) mice model (P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the gene mutation in the areas of pre core/core (Pre C/C) and basic core promotor (BCP) of HBV DNA and its clinical significance.

METHODSThe nt 1 735-1 965 segment of HBV DNA was amplified with PCR in 54 cases with chronic hepatitis B and 10 cases with post-hepatitis cirrhosis. Then the PCR product was sequenced.

RESULTSThere were 168 site mutations in 48.5% (33/68) cases with hepatitis B. The first ten mutation sites were nt 1 764 (58.8%), 1 762 (48.5%), 1 799 (21.0%), 1 766 (14.7%), 1 896 (13.2%), 1 754 (8.8%), 1 899 (8.8%), 1 768 (7.4%), 1 814 (7.4%) and 1 913 (7.4%). Three rare mutations of nt 1907, 1 922 and 1 923 were also detected. The mutations of nt 1 896, 1 764 and 1 762 were found in 16.7%, 35.2% and 35.2% of chronic hepatitis, and in 30.0%, 60.0% and 60.0% respectively of post-hepatitis cirrhosis cases. There was statistical significance between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe mutations in the areas of Pre C/C and BCP of HBV DNA might possibly be associated with liver fibrosis. There are many mutation sites in HBV DNA and mutation occurs frequently, therefore gene sequencing is helpful to the design of gene chip and to clinical application.

DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Mutation ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

Animals ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Influenza Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Influenza, Human ; prevention & control ; virology ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

In this study, we explored the feasibility of biotin-mediated modified polymeric micelles for pancreatic cancer targeted photodynamic therapy. Poly (ethylene glycol)-distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (mPEG2000-DSPE) served as the drug-loaded material, biotin-poly(ethylene glycol)-distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (Biotin-PEG3400-DSPE) as the functional material and the polymeric micelles were prepared by a thin-film hydration method. The targeting capability of micelles was investigated by cell uptake assay in vitro and fluorescence imaging in vivo and the amounts of Biotin-PEG-DSPE were optimized accordingly. Hypocrellin B (HB), a novel photosensitizer was then encapsulated in biotinylated polymeric micelles and the anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated systemically in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that micelles with 5 mol % Biotin-PEG-DSPE demonstrated the best targeting capability than those with 20 mol % or 0.5 mol % of corresponding materials. This formulation has a small particle size [mean diameter of (36.74 ± 2.16) nm] with a homogeneous distribution and high encapsulation efficiency (80.06 ± 0.19) %. The following pharmacodynamics assays showed that the biotinylated micelles significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of HB against tumor cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo, suggesting a promising potential of this formulation for treatment of pancreatic cancer, especially those poorly permeable, or insensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; Biotin ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Humans ; Micelles ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Photochemotherapy

Vaccination is the primary strategy for the prevention and control of pandemic influenza. Because influenza virus is highly variable across strains, universal influenza vaccines need to be developed to address this problem. This review describes the research progress in conserved epitopes of influenza virus, the advances in the research and development of universal influenza vaccines based on the relatively conserved sequences of NP, M2e, HA2, and headless HA, the mechanisms of cross-protection, and the methods to improve cross-protection.
Animals ; Cross Reactions ; Humans ; Orthomyxoviridae ; immunology ; Species Specificity ; Viral Proteins ; immunology ; Viral Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology

Animals ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Genome, Viral ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology ; Orthomyxoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; RNA, Viral ; genetics

Objective To investigate the relationship between neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) and substance P in rats suffering from spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighted (220±40) g, were randomly divided into three groups: sham group (n=20), normal group (n=20) and model group (n=20) and then were subdivided into subgroups of 24 h, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks respectively after SCI. SCI model was established at thoracic 10 segment of rat with NYU impactor device. The colon tissue of the rats was resected and stored. Substance P in serum and tissue was measured by ELISA. The tissue was examined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting to analyze the expression of substance P. Results The colon intestinal transmission function decreased and delineated at minimum value at 3 weeks in the model group. There was statistical significance with respect to the content of substance P in serum and tissue between the sham group and model group at 3 weeks. The expression of substance P in the sham group was (3.12±0.51) times of the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion Substance P may take part in NBD after SCI in rats.