The life sciences platform based on Oracle database technology is introduced in this paper. By providing a powerful data access, integrating a variety of data types, and managing vast quantities of data, the software presents a flexible, safe and scalable management platform for biomedical data processing.
Computational Biology ; Database Management Systems ; Medical Informatics Applications ; Software

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of botulinum toxin type A on the expression of substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) and alpha smooth muscle actin A (alpha-SMA) in wound healing.

METHODS60 rats were randomly divided into group C (control) group L (low-dose) and group H (high-dose), with 20 rats in each group. The wound-healing model was established by excision of four full-thickness skin (1 cm x 1 cm, around the injection site) on the back of all SD rats on the 7th day after BTA injection. The wound size was measured and the expression of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA in wound granulation tissue was assayed by immunohistochemical staining and computerized image analysis before operation, and 3 days, 7 days and 14 days after operation.

RESULTSAll the wounds healed 14 days after operation. The wound size in L and H group was not significantly different with that in C group on the 3rd day and 7th day after operation. The positive immuno-staining of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA in group L and H was significantly weaker than those in C group. Meanwhile, the positive immuno-staining of all above substances in H group was weaker than those in L group significantly.

CONCLUSIONSBotulinum toxin type A can decrease the expression of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1, and alpha-SMA in wound healing in a dose-dependent manner with no effect on the healing time.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; pharmacology ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Substance P ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

Objective: To observe the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of fraction flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with SYNTAX score≥33 unsuitable for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: A total of 117 CAD patients admitted in our hospital from 2012-01 to 2015-06 were enrolled. Since SYNTAX score≥33, EuroSCORE>6, the patients were unsuitable for CABG and treated in 2 groups: Medication group, n=20 and PCI group, during FFR-guided PCI procedure, patients received ROTA or IVUS according to physician's experience, n=97. All patients were followed-up for at least 12 months. Meanwhile, taking "coronary stent and bypass", "CABG and PCI" as key words, we searched relevant documents in VIP Chinese science and technology journal full-text database, WanFang medical database, ChinaNet and Chinese biomedical literature database from 2012-01-01 to 2015-12-31, patients' outcomes were compared with the above references to explore the clinical benefit. Results: ① PCI group and Medication group had similar SYNTAX score and EuroSCORE, P>0.05. The common pathogenesis was LAD involvement, chronic occlusion was 31.3% (5/16) in patients with partial revascularization.②PCI group had 18.6% (18/97) incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE), 2 patients died during follow-up period and 9 received revascularization; Medication group had 60% (12/20) incidence of MACCE, 3 patients died during follow-up period; the difference between 2 groups showed statistical meaning, P<0.05.③There were 22 relevant documents retrieved as comparison; in our research, PCI group had similar incidence of MACCE to the documents, P>0.05; Medication group had increased incidence of MACCE than the documents, P<0.05. Conclusion: FFR-guided PCI could bring clinical benefit in CAD patients with SYNTAX score≥33 unsuitable for CABG.

The infection status of anisakid larvae was examined in 290 marine fish of 25 species and in 108 cephalopods of 3 species purchased in Bayuquan region, Yingko city nearby the coast of the Bohai Sea from may to August 1992. A total of 7,327 larvae were collected from 156 fish of 19 species and 8 squids of one species. The 3rd-stage larvae of Anisakis simplex were collected from 121 fish (63.4%) of 15 species (N = 191) and from 8 squids (14.8%) of one species (N = 54), and they were total, 5,992 (81.8%). Out of remaining 1,335 larvae, 154 (2.1%) were classified as Thynnascaris type B from 23 fish of 4 species, 1,013 (13.8%) as Thynnascaris type C from 79 fish of 13 species. 164 (2.2%) as Hysterothylacium China type V from 20 fish of 4 species, 3 (0.04%) as Raphidascaris from 3 fish of 2 species and one was Pseudoterranova decipiens larva.
Animal ; Anisakiasis/veterinary* ; Anisakiasis/parasitology ; Anisakiasis/epidemiology ; Anisakis/isolation & purification ; Anisakis/classification* ; China ; Fish Diseases/parasitology* ; Fish Diseases/epidemiology ; Fishes ; Larva ; Seawater ; Squid/parasitology*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of botulinum toxin type A (Botox A) injection on hypertrophic scar in rabbit ear model.

METHODSThe hypertrophic scar model was established in 16 Japanese rabbits' ears. These wounds were divided into two groups as group T (treated with Botox A, n = 48) and group S (not treated, n = 48). The wounds healing times and scar hypertrophy were observed with 8 specimen of normal skin at the rabbit ears as sham group B. HE stain was used to assess the hypertrophic index (HI). The expression of collagen I and III was tested by western-blot. The cell cycle of fibroblasts was studied by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe HI was significantly lower in group T than in group S (P < 0.01). The expression of collagen I and III, as well as the ratio of I to III, was markedly stronger in group S than in group T (P < 0.01). Compared with group T, more fibroblasts were in G2-M in group S and fewer in G0-G1 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLocal injection of Botox A can inhibit the formation of hypertrophic scar and the activity of fibroblasts in rabbit ear model. It can significantly decrease the expression of collagen I and III in hypertrophic scar, as well as the ratio of collagen I to III. It serves as the basis for the treatment of hypertrophic scar with Botox A.

Animals ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ear ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Rabbits ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate in vitro anti-tumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs on human gastric cancer cells, and investigate the relationship with Bcl-2 expression.

METHODSSingle cell suspension was prepared from fresh gastric cancer tissue and exposed to taxol (Tax), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin (CDDP), adriamycin (ADM), mitomycin (MMC) respectively for 48 hours. Metabolic activity and inhibitory rate of cells were detected by MTT assay. Expression of Bcl-2 was examined with immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe inhibitory rates of cancer cells exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs were different and Tax, 5-FU, CDDP had remarkably higher rates than ADM and MMC. The lower differentiated gastric cancer cells were more sensitive than the higher ones. Positive expression rate of Bcl-2 was 80% and the positive cells showed resistance to 5-FU, ADM and MMC.

CONCLUSIONSChemosensitive testing by MTT assay can constitute the prediction for the application of chemotherapeutic drugs individually. Overexpression of Bcl-2 may contribute to multiple drug-resistance of tumors.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cell Survival ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitomycin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Mitomycins ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo construct tree models for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)and explore the oncogenesis process of NPC.

METHODSBased on the software which Desper et al developed, tree models were constructed for colorectal carcinoma (CC) from the comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) data of 118 CC patients and for NPC from the CGH data of 140 southern Chinese patients, respectively.

RESULTSTree models for CC suggested that changes in -18q and +20q were important early events in colorectal carcinogenesis. As changes in -18q occurred prior to those in -17p, there might be some cause-effect relationship. Tree models for NPC suggested that change in -3p was an important early event in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis, and those in -11q, -14q, -16q, -9p were also non-random genetic events in carcinogenesis, suggesting that there might be tumor-associated genes existing on these chromosome arms. The tree model also suggested the existence of oncogene on the short arm of chromosome 12.

CONCLUSIONConstructing tree models based on the CGH data to demonstrate the initiation and progression of NPC might help elucidate its multigene, multistep and multipathway development. It may provide valuable clues to explore the mechanism of tumorigenesis.

Chromosome Aberrations ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization

OBJECTIVETo understand the status of occupational health of female migrant workers in different kinds of pharmaceutical industries in Gansu province and to provide the basis for improving occupational health condition.

METHODSOne thousand eight hundreds and one female workers from 16 enterprises were selected by cluster sampling in Gansu province and investigated by interviewing and questionnaires.

RESULTSThere were statistical significances of education level, status of residency registrations, employment relationship and occupational hazards among female workers in three types of enterprises (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The morbidities of skin disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 4.46%, 2.53% and 3.70%, respectively. The morbidities of reproductive system disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 48.57%, 36.70% and 36.11%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe levels of education and working conditions of female workers in the traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine plants are low. There are more severe occupational hazards in female workers of the traditional Chinese medicine plants.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drug Industry ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Transients and Migrants ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the dynamic changes of T lymphocyte subsets in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients.

METHODSSequential anti-coagulated blood samples were collected from 62 seropositive SARS patients during the first week, the second week, the first month, the 2nd-3rd month, and 1 year after disease onset. T-lymphocyte subsets including CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, and naive and memory CD4 + T cells were detected by flow cytometry. Samples from 56 healthy blood donors were also detected as healthy controls.

RESULTSA rapid restoration in T-lymphocyte subsets was observed during a short period after infection. During the 2-3 months after disease onset, CD8 + T cell count returned to the normal level. At the same time point, CD4 + T cell and naive CD4 + T cell counts increased to (534 +/- 197)/mm3 and (175 +/- 75)/mm3 respectively. Total lymphocytes, T lymphocyte, CD4 + T and naive CD4 + T cell were still significantly lower than the normal levels even one year after disease onset.

CONCLUSIONThe periphery T lymphocyte subsets in SARS infection shows transient decrease and then rapid recovery.

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Time Factors

AIMTo study the chemical constituents of the stem of Cassia siamea.

METHODSThe compounds were isolated by chromatography on silica gel, and identified on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTSFive compounds were isolated and identified as: beta-sitosterol (I), sucrose (II), n-octacosanol (III), 2-methyl-5-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-7-hydroxy-chromone-2'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (IV) and piceatannol (V).

CONCLUSIONCompound IV is a new compound. Compounds II, III and V were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Alcohols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Monosaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification