Sijunzi Decoction (SJZD) is a classical prescription for curing spleen deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine, consisting of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Atractylodes Macrocephalae Rhizoma, Poria, and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparate cum Melle. Modern pharmacological experiments have proved that sponin, flavonoid, and polysaccharide are the most active ingredients in SJZD. SJZD has been used to regulate gastrointestinal function and enhance immunity ability. Effects on tumor cell apoptosis and anti-aging have also been reported. But few report on SJZD polysaccharide and its therapeutic basis research was found. This review is to give a comprehensive summary of information regarding the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of SJZD to help us take the action for reasonable clinical utilization and further researches of SJZD.

Objective Multimeric cyclic RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) peptides are capable of improving the integrin αvβ3-binding affinity due to the polyvalence effect.In this study,the authors prepare 99Tcm-la-bearing cyclic RGD tetramer E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2,and evaluate its biodistribution and imaging in nude mice beating U87 MG human glioma xenografts with integrinαvβ3-positive.Methods 99Tcm-hydrazino-nictinamide (HYNIC)-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was prepared by two-step method,while HYNIC wag chosen as bifunctional chelator,and tricine and trisodium triphenylphosphine-3,3,3-trisuifonate (TPPTS) as coligands.The af-finity of c (RGDyK) monomer,HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 dimer and HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 tetramer to integrin αvβ3 was compared by in vitro competitive assay against binding of 125I-c(RGDyK)to integrin αvβ3.positive U87 MG human glioma cells.The biodistribution [the percentage of injection dose per gram of tissue(%ID/g)] and imaging were performed in nude mice bearing UB7MG human glioma xenografts.Re-suits The labeling yield of 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)2}2 was over 95%,and the radiochemical purity was more than 99%after purification with Sop-Pak C18 cartridge.The 50%inhibiting concentration (IC30) val-ues of c(RGDyk),HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 and HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 were 85.9,9.5 and 4.5 nmol/L, respectively.The result indicated that RGD tetramer possessed a significantly higher affinity to in-tegrinαvβ3.The biodistribution data showed that 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was excreted mainly through kidneys.The tumor uptake of 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was two times higher than 99Tcm- HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2,at 1h postinjection,with the uptake of(10.32±0.07)%ID/g and(5.15±0.52)%ID/g,respectively,which was consistent with the in vitro competitive binding data.The tumor up-tale of 99Tcm-HYNIC.E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was still as higher as(9.35±1.35)%ID/g at 4 h postinjec-tion, which demonstrated that the retention time of radiotracer in tumor was long enough.The imaging showed that tumor was clearly visualized at 1h postinjection,and the image at 4 h postinjection Was better.Conclusion The higher tumor uptake and longer retention time in tumor make 99Tem-HYNIC-E{E[c(RG-DfK)J 2}2 a promising radiotracer for integrinαvβ3-positive tumors imaging,furthermore,suggest that radi-onuelides(such as 90Y).1abeled RGD tetramer is more suitable for the therapy of integrin αvβ3-positive tumors.

OBJECTIVETo establish discriminant functions of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by studying it from quantitative diagnosis angle, hoping to reduce interference of subjective factors in diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

METHODSA Chinese medical clinical epidemiological survey was carried out in 439 IBS-D patients using Clinical Information Collection Table of IBS. Initial syndromes were obtained by cluster analysis. They were analyzed using step-by-step discrimination by taking information of four Chinese medical diagnostic methods and serum brain-gut peptides (BGP) as variables.

RESULTSClustering results were Gan stagnation Pi deficiency syndrome (GSPDS), Pi-Wei weakness syndrome (PWWS), Gan stagnation qi stasis syndrome (GSQSS), Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (PSYDS), Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDHS), cold-damp disturbing Pi syndrome (CDDPS). Of them, GSPDS was mostly often seen with effective percentage of 34. 2%, while CDDPS was the least often seen with effective percentage of 5.5%. A total of 5 discriminant functions for GSPDS, PWWS, GSQSS, PSYDS, and PWDHS were obtained by step-by-step dis- crimination method. The retrospective misjudgment rate was 4.1% (16/390), while the cross-validation misjudgment rate was 15.4% (60/390).

CONCLUSIONThe establishment of discriminant functions is of value in objectively diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

Alarmins ; Brain ; Cluster Analysis ; Diarrhea ; classification ; diagnosis ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; classification ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yang Deficiency

OBJECTIVETo investigate how network education can improve college students' knowledge on sexual and reproductive health in Ningbo city.

METHODSFrom December 2012 to June 2013, we conducted a questionnaire investigation among college students in Ningbo city about the effects of network education on their knowledge about sexual psychology, sexual physiology, sexual ethics, and reproductive health.

RESULTSA total of 7 362 college students accomplished the investigation, of whom 2 483 (42.1% males and 57.9% females) received network education, while the other 4 879 (24.1% males and 75.9% females) did not. Approximately 47.1% of the male and 28.0% of the female students acquired sexual and reproductive knowledge via network education. Reproductive health-related network education significantly enriched the students' knowledge about the reproductive system and sex, pubertal development, sexual physiology, conception and embryonic development, methods of contraception, sexual psychology, sexually transmitted diseases and their prevention, pregnancy care and eugenics, and environment- and occupation-related reproductive health (P < 0.01). It also remarkably improved their cognitive attitude towards reproductive health knowledge (P < 0.01). Those who received reproductive health-related network education showed a significantly higher rate of masturbation (P < 0.01) but markedly later time of the first masturbation (P < 0.01) than those who did not.

CONCLUSIONNetwork education can enhance the effect of reproductive health education among college students and improve their sexual experience and health.

China ; Contraception ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Masturbation ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; Reproductive Health ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; psychology ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

Objective To retrospectively analyze the therapeutic effect on patients with tonsillar carcinoma and factors affecting their prognosi. Methods Clinical data of 61 patients pathologically confirmed with tonsillar carcinoma without distant metastasis were analyzed. All the patients were treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from April 1997 to April 2008. There were 2 patients with undifferentiated carcinoma, 26 with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and 33 with median-well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. According to the AJCC 2002 staging criteria for head-neck cancers, there were 9 staged Ⅰ cases, 7 staged Ⅱ cases,23 staged Ⅲ cases and 22 staged Ⅳ cases. The treatment was radiotherapy alone in 27 cases, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in 23 cases, surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy in 6 cases, neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy in 3 cases, radiotherapy with salvage surgery in 2 cases. Results The overall 5-year survival rate was 50. 2%. For 16 cases with staged Ⅰ-Ⅱ staged, there were 8 cases with radiotherapy alone, 5 years survival was 50. 0%, 6 cases with surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy, 5 years survival was 83.3%. The difference between the two treatments was not significant in statistics (P=0.318). For Ⅲ-Ⅳ staged 45 cases, there were 19 cases with simple radiotherapy, 5 years survival was 51.5%, 21 cases with radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy, 5 years survival was 36.4%, 5 cases with surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy, 5 years survival was 75.0%. The difference among the three treatments was not significant in statistics (P=0.239). According to T stages, the 5-year survival rates of stage T1-T4 cases were 91.8%, 46.8%, 29.1%, 0% respectively (χ~2=30.168, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that T stage, therapeutic effect of primary site and cervical metastatic lymph node were the independent prognostic factors (P<0.05). Conclusions T stage, the therapeutic effect of primary site and cervical metastatic lymph node were the independent prognostic factors. For Ⅰ-Ⅱ staged tonsillar tumor cases, based on organ preservation, were tendency to choice simple radiotherapy. For Ⅲ-Ⅳ staged cases,yet the ralationships between therapeutic mode and therapeutic effect still need further researches.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Notch1 in human tongue squamous carcinoma (TSCC) and precancerous lesion, and to explore the potential relation between Notch1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

METHODSThe expression of Notch1 and EGFR was detected in human TSCC (n = 41), tongue leukoplakia (LP) (n = 39) and normal tongue mucosa (n = 7) by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSIn normal tongue mucosa and LP, the positive staining of Notch1 was mainly distributed in stratum corneum, partially in stratum granulosum and stratum spinosum, but not in stratum basale, while the positive staining of EGFR was mainly distributed in stratum basale, rarely in stratum spinosum, but not in stratum granulosum and stratum corneum. In TSCC, Notch1 expression was mainly distributed in locations of squamous metaplasia, but not in peripheral cells of carcinomas, while EGFR expression was detected mainly in peripheral cells of carcinomas, but not in locations of squamous metaplasia.

CONCLUSIONNotch1 promotes the differentiation of epithelial cells in tongue mucosa and acts as a tumor suppressor in TSCC. EGFR may act as a negative regulator of Notch1 expression in epithelium of tongue mucosa and TSCC, for maintaining cell proliferation and promoting the tumorigenesis and progression of TSCC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukoplakia, Oral ; Mouth Mucosa ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Tongue ; Tongue Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of overexpression of exogenous Notch1 in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) cells on cell growth and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in vitro.

METHODSHuman TSCC cell line Tca8113 cells were transiently transfected with the eukaryotic expression plasmid pRAMIC-IRES2-EGFP encoding exogenous intracellular fragment of Notch1 and control plasmid pIRES2-EGFP by Lipofectamine 2000, respectively. Untransfected parental Tca8113 cells served as control. The cell proliferation was evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay. The apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein levels of Notch1 and EGFR in Tca8113 cells were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. The expression of EGFR protein in Tca8113 cells was detected by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTSMTT assay showed that the cell proliferation of Tca8113 cells transfected with pRAMIC-IRES2-EGFP was significantly inhibited as compared with controls (P < 0.05). After transfected with pRAMIC-IRES2-EGFP for 48 h, the apoptosis rate of Tca8113 cells was significantly higher than those of Tca8113 cells transfected with pIRES2-EGFP and untransfected Tca8113 cells (P < 0.05), and Notch1 expression was significantly increased at mRNA (P < 0.05) and protein (P < 0.05) levels, while EGFR expression was significantly decreased at mRNA (P < 0.05) and protein (P < 0.05) levels.

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of exogenous Notch1 may inhibit cell growth and down-regulate EGFR expression in TSCC cells.

Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; RNA, Messenger ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Tongue Neoplasms ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate a retro-grade auricular flap for repairing large alar defects.

METHODSTwenty-nine adult cadavers were anatomically used for vascular investigation of the frontal, nasal and temporal regions by injecting a dye into the main vessels. Based on the anatomical study in these regions, a retro-grade auricular flap was designed for repairing alar defects in 16 patients.

RESULTSThe blood supply of the auricle could be nourished by the inner carotid artery system from the supratrachlear artery and supraorbital artery through the frontal arterial anastomotical network into the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery. It is then passing the main trunk of the superficial temporal artery into the ear area through the auricular branches of the superficial temporal artery. The retro-grade auricular island flap could be formed by basing the supratrachlear artery and the supraorbital artery through the vascular network between the superficial temporal artery and the supratrachlear artery or the supraorbital artery. Sixteen patients with large alar defects and half-sized nasal defects were successfully repaired by this technique.

CONCLUSIONSThe retro-grade auricular island flap, based on the inner carotid artery system, could be a good and safe flap for repairing a large alar defect or half-sized nasal reconstruction.

Adult ; Arteries ; Cadaver ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Ear Auricle ; blood supply ; Humans ; Nose Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Temporal Arteries

The present study investigated whether a co-application of tramadol (TRA) and dihydroetorphine (DHE) would exert a synergy in analgesic effect and delay acute tolerance development. Intraperitoneal injection of TRA (in mg) and subcutaneous injection of DHE (in ng) were delivered in fixed proportions (1:6.25, 1:12.5, 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, and 1:200). The effect of analgesia was accessed by tail-flick test and analyzed with isobolographic analysis. For test of acute tolerance, six successive injections of either TRA (20 mg/kg) alone, DHE (1 000 ng/kg) alone, or a combination of TRA (20 mg/kg) and DHE (250 ng/kg) were administered. We found that (1) except for 1 mg : 6.25 ng and 1 mg : 50 ng, combinations, all the other ratios produced a significant synergy in their analgesic effect; (2) the effect of analgesia induced by repeated TRA plus DHE injections lasted significantly longer, indicating a slower onset of acute tolerance. These results indicate that TRA and DHE injections in certain dose ratios can induce synergistic analgesia, which is resistant against the development of acute tolerance.
Analgesics, Opioid ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Drug Synergism ; Drug Tolerance ; physiology ; Etorphine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Pain ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tramadol ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

Objective (1) To evaluate the effect of insertion of two 15-amino-4,7,10,13-tetraoxapentadecanoic (2 PEG4 ) linkers into cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) Dimer E [c(RGDfK)]2 on receptor binding in vitro, (2) to assess its biodistribution in vivo and (3) to investigate the value of 99Tcm labeled 2PEG4-Dimer for integrin αvβ3-positive tumors imaging.Methods The expression of U87 human glioma cells and integrin αv β3 was determined by immunofluorescence staining.The half-inhibition concentrations (IC50) for 125 I-cyclo (Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Tyr-Lys) (c(RGDyK) ) of c ( RGDyK ), hydrazinonictinamide ( HYNIC )-Dimer and HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer binding to integrin αvβ3 were measured.99Tcm-HYNIC-Dimer and 99Tcm-HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer were synthesized using non-SnCl2 formulation.Biodistribution and imaging studies were performed in nude mice bearing human glioma xenografts.The unpaired t test was used for statistical analysis.Results The labeling yield of the two radiotracers was more than 95%, and the radiochemical purity was more than 99% through Sep-Pek C18 cartridge.HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer had significantly higher binding affinity of integrin αvβ3 than c(RGDyK) and HYNIC-Dimer (IC50 = 0.8 nmol/L, 27 nmol/L and 2.4 nmol/L, respectively).Biodistribution study showed that 99Tcm-HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer was mainly excreted via the kidney.The tumor uptake of 99Tcm-HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer was higher than that of 99Tcm-HYNIC-Dimer at 2h post injection ((5.71 ±0.96) and (2.10 ±0.50) % ID/g, t =4.80, P＜0.05).The xenografted tumors were visible at 0.5 h post injection and the image contrast increased with time due to the tracer clearance of the background tissue.Conclusion 99 Tcm-HYNIC-2PEG4-Dimer is a promising radiotracer for integrin αvβ3-positive tumor imaging.