Objective To investigate the accuracy of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in diagnosing acute severe panereatitis.Methods Thirty three patients with acute severe pancreatitis were enrolled in the study and all of them underwent CEUS and spiral computed tomography(CT) scan.CT was taken as gold standard in acute severe pancreatitis diagnosis.CEUS were done within 72 hours after CT scan.Results Compared with CT, the sensitivity, specificity,accuracy, positive predictive value,and negative predictive value of CEUS for detecting the necrosis of pancreas were 90%, 95%, 94%, 90% and 95%respectively.The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value,and negative predictive value of CEUS in diagnosing severe acute pancreatitis were 85%, 92%, 88%, 94% and 80% respectively, while 37% ,86% ,58%, 78%, 50% for conventional ultrasound respectively.Conclusions CEUS is accurate in detection of pancreatic necrosis and diagnosis of acute severe pancreatitis.

Objective To investigate the biological activities of a conditioned medium for human dermal papilla. Methods Culture medium of the lower passage human dermal papilla cells was collected as the conditioned medium. The growth pattern and the growth curve of the higher passage human dermal papilla cells cultured with conditioned medium were observed in vitro. And the morphology of the co-culture of the higher passage human dermal papilla cells and the lower passage human dermal papilla cells was observed. Results The higher passage human dermal papilla cells, which was cultured with conditioned medium from the lower passage human dermal papilla cells, showed aggregative growth pattern. And the growth curve of the higher passage human dermal papilla cells was much better than that in the control groups (P

Objective To investigate the change of aquaporin 2 (AQP2) mRNA and protein levels in renal collecting duct of SD rats after hypoxin caused by rising of the altitude to 4600 m. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 1 week group), and 10 rats in Xining city were used as control group. All the 40 SD rats were transported to Kekexili Natural Reservation areas (4600 m) in Qinghai province. Rats of four experimental groups were sacrificed and renal tissue samples were harvested at different time point respectively, the control group rats were treated in Xining city (2260 m) as well. The concentration of plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) was measured by radioimmunity method. The expression of AQP2 mRNA and proteins was evaluated by real-time fluorescent quantitative-PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Results The concentration of plasma ADH was decreased at 24 h and was only 28.5% of that of control group, reaching the lowest concentration at 48 h [(86.94±6.49) μg/L vs (302.5±310.48) μg/L], then it increased gradually and was similar to the control group at 7 d [(306.46±11.14) μg/L vs (302.53±10.48)μg/L, P＞ 0.05]. There were significant differences of the control group with 24 h, 48 h and 72 h groups, respectively[(302.53± 10.48) μg/L vs (142.46±10.57)μg/L, (86.94±6.49)μg/L, (169.65±11.15) μg/L respectively, P＜0.01]. The change of AQP2 gene expression level was consistent with the change of ADH. It was decreased at the begining when exposure to altitude and it reached its lowest level at 48 h. It was then returned to high level similarly to that of the control group at 7 d (0.09±0.01 vs 0.09± 0.008, P＞0.05 ). There were significant differences of the control group with 24 h, 48 h and 72 h group, respectively (0.09±0.008 vs 0.04±0.005, 0.03±0.002, 0.04±0.003 respectively, P＜0.01 ). Conclusions AQP2 expression in the renal collecting duct of SD rats is altered over the period exposed to altitude. It is decreased in the early hypoxia period, and is increased in later period. This change may be related to the intensity of hypoxia, which is mediated by a potential adaptation mechanisms against hypoxia caused by high altitude.

Presently, there are many issues in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) decoction, such as the uncertain sources of TCM, the lack of reminder for medication taboo, the nonstardard herb operation, and difficult supervision, etc. A digital service system of TCM decoction was established to solve the problems mentioned above. The digital service system mainly includes automatic coding for checking in & out, drug medication taboo database, digital operation in decoction, distribution through 2D code, the corresponding application for mobile phone, and the information supervision platform for TCM decoction. The digital service system of TCM decoction can track the quality & duty of the pieces, remind decoction medicine contraindications, improve the standard operation process of decoction, develop decoction distribution & tracking through cell phone, save the waiting time, and hence provides a new supervising method for TCM decoction. The digital service system of TCM decoction solves the key issues for the formula, operation, delivery and supervision of TCM. In the same vein, this system will expand the market share of TCM decoction and promote the development of TCM.

By means of comparing biomasses of biodegradation fungi,Fusarium sp.HG-P-01 for ?-cypermethrin,a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used widely in China,in five different media,the Czapek-Dox medium was selected as the best medium for mycelia growth.Furthermore,an experiment of central composite rotatable design(CCRD) was used to optimize the content of nutrient components.The optimal composition of C,N and P in media for HG-P-01 were 20.94 g/L,1.82 g/L and 1.66 g/L,respec-tively,in which an expectant or real rate of ?-cypermethrin-degradation got to 96.34% or 93.78% by HPLC for a concentration of 50 mg/L after 24 h treatment.The predicted value in degradation rate model was con-sistent with that from HPLC method.

Objective To find out the resistant situation and drug of Mycobacteria patients in Sichuan and offer foundation for clinical.Methods Two hundred randomized clinical isolates of Mycobacterium were determined by Roche drug sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method.Results Of the 200 clinical isolates,192 stains were Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) (96.0％),8 strains (4.0％) were non-tuberculosis mycobacterium(NTM).Of the 192 MTB strains,108( 57.3％ ) sensitive strains and 84 (43.7％)stains were resistant to one or more than one drugs.Among these 84 resistant strains 23 were multi-drug resistant ( MDR,12.0％ ),4 were extensively drug resistant( XDR,2.1％ ).The anti-TB drug resistance rates were:SM(16.7％),INH(20.8％),RFP(17.2％),EMB(10.9％),PI(16.1％),LFX(8.8％),AMK ( 16.7％ ),CPM ( 6.2％ ),PTA ( 33.3％ ),respectively.Conclusion The resistance rate of tuberculosis keeps at a high level in Sichuan,especially the resistance rate of multiple (≥4) drug,we should oar attention.

OBJECTIVETo identify the botanical origin of the Guijiu in Shosoin of Japan from Tang Dynasty, and trace its medicinal history.

METHODAnatomical characteristics of the underground parts of Guijiu in Shosoin were compared with those of Hosta plantaginea and H. ventricosa, and research on the medicinal history of Guijiu was made based on its original identification results and describes in herbals.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONGuijiu in Shosoin of Japan was derived from the underground parts of H. plantaginea and is one of Guijiu used in Tang Dynasty and earlier on.

China ; History, Medieval ; Hosta ; anatomy & histology ; Japan ; Pharmacognosy ; history ; Plant Roots ; anatomy & histology ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology

The authors compared and analyzed the correlated meridians in Internal Classic and Study on the Eight Extra-Channels and Vessels by clinical observation on acupuncture for treatment of oculomotor paralysis and reorganization research on ancient related literature, and course of meridians and collaterals, manifestations of disease and function were used as indexes. The present symptoms of oculomotor paralysis (paralytic strabismus) are well consistent with the delineation in Internal Classic such as inability to open eyes, blurring of vision and pain of outer canthus. The results indicate that it is important to regulate the Qiao Meridian function for acupuncture treatment of oculomotor paralysis; the method of the twelve regular meridians and the eight extra-meridians is different for treatment of this disease, for the twelve regular meridians treating the superficiality and the eight extra-meridians treating the origin, and the combinativue use of the two methods can display the TCM theory thought and the characteristic of simultaneous treatment of principal and subordinate symptoms; there is closely relation between musculature diseases and pathological change of oculomotor paralysis and it is helpful in perfecting therapeutic principles and research methods.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Meridians ; Ophthalmoplegia ; diagnosis ; therapy

Industrial biocatalysis is currently attracting much attention to rebuild or substitute traditional producing process of chemicals and drugs. One of key focuses in industrial biocatalysis is biocatalyst, which is usually one kind of microbial enzyme. In the recent, new technologies of bioinformatics have played and will continue to play more and more significant roles in researches of industrial biocatalysis in response to the waves of genomic revolution. One of the key applications of bioinformatics in biocatalysis is the discovery and identification of the new biocatalyst through advanced DNA and protein sequence search, comparison and analyses in Internet database using different algorithm and software. The unknown genes of microbial enzymes can also be simply harvested by primer design on the basis of bioinformatics analyses. The other key applications of bioinformatics in biocatalysis are the modification and improvement of existing industrial biocatalyst. In this aspect, bioinformatics is of great importance in both rational design and directed evolution of microbial enzymes. Based on the successful prediction of tertiary structures of enzymes using the tool of bioinformatics, the undermentioned experiments, i.e. site-directed mutagenesis, fusion protein construction, DNA family shuffling and saturation mutagenesis, etc, are usually of very high efficiency. On all accounts, bioinformatics will be an essential tool for either biologist or biological engineer in the future researches of industrial biocatalysis, due to its significant function in guiding and quickening the step of discovery and/or improvement of novel biocatalysts.
Biocatalysis ; Computational Biology ; trends ; Enzymes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Industrial Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intracellular distribution and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in myocardial cells in scalded rats.

METHODSWistar rats were used in this study and forty of them were inflicted with 40% III degree scald on the back and eight normal ones as control. The samples of plasma and myocardial tissue were harvested at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 postburn hours (PBHs), and samples were also obtained from normal rats as control. The plasma CK-MB activity was determined by routine method. The activation states of all the members of MAPKs [p38 kinase, ERKs (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases) and JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase)] in the myocardial tissue samples were detected by Western blotting. The tissue slides were stained by immunohistochemistry methods.

RESULTSActivation of p38 kinase and ERK with nuclear translocation was found postburn, especially during 1, 3 and 6 PBHs (P < 0.01). But there was no activation of JNK during 1 - 24 PBHs. The plasma CK-MB content increased at 3 PBH and reached summit at 12 PBHs (P < 0.05 - 0.01).

CONCLUSIONp38 kinase and ERK signal pathways might play important roles in the early postburn injury of myocardial cells, inducing myocardial injury.

Animals ; Burns ; metabolism ; Female ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism