ObjectiveTo investigate the kidney protective e ffects of losartan in diabetic rat and its kidney protective mechanism. MethodsThe rats were randomly divided into the following groups:norm al control (group C), streptozotocin diabetic (group DM) and diabetic rats t reated with losartan (group DL). After eight weeks study, the mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor ? 1(TGF ? 1), TGF ?type Ⅱ receptor (T? RⅡ)and fibronectin in renal cortices of all three groups were measured by quan titative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT PCR). The prote in expressions of transforming growth factor ? 1(TGF ? 1), T?RⅡ and fib ronectin in renal cortices of all three groups were measured by histoimmunochemi stry.The levels of blood glucose,urea and creatinine were measured by biochemic al assy.The concentrations of blood insulin and angiotensin Ⅱ were measured by radioimmunoassay. The rates of urinary albumin excretion were measured by sulfos alicylic acid assay.ResultsAfter eight weeks, mean glomerula r volume, kidney weight / body weight ratio, urinary albumin excretion ratio, bl ood urea and creatinine were significantly higher in diabetic group than in norm al control group(P

Objective To investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the expression of cardiac adiponectin and its receptors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 8 in each: untreated control group (C group), NAC-treatment group (CT group), diabetic untreated group (D group) and diabetic NAC-treatment group (DT group). After 8 weeks, plasma glucose and insulin, and cardiomyocyte cross sectional area were measured. Cardiac protein expression of adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 (adipoR1 and adipoR2), AMP-activated protein kinase ? (AMPK?), phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase ?-subunits and glucose transporter 4 (GluT4) were determined by Western blotting. Plasma and myocardial adiponectin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Plasma and myocardial free 15-F2t-isoprostane levels were assayed by enzyme immunoassay. Results Compared with C group, the ratio of ventricular weight to body weight and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, plasma and levels of free 15-F2t-isoprostane in myocardium and the protein expression of myocardial adipoR1 increased significantly in diabetic rats (D group) (P

It has been 4 years since Natural Health Products Regulations(NHPRs)was enforced by Health Canada in January of 2004.In the past time,how will it affect the marketed Traditional Chinese Medicines(TCM) in Canadian market? Recently,The two TCM products Carditionic Pill (Fufang Danshen Diwan)and Chaihu Pill from Tasly have been newly certificated by Health Canada recently.Taking them as examples,this article introduces the current status.opportunities and challenges for the regulation of TCM in Canada.and suggests that the domestic TCM corporations push the product registration as soon as possible.

Objective To understand willingness of current medical undergraduates to work at community health-care service(CHS)institutions after their graduation to provides information for professional training for them.Methods Totally,2714 medical undergraduate students were recruited from three medical schools in east,middle and west China by multi-level sampling methods for questionnaire survey on their basic information and willingness to be employed at CHS institutions.results of the survey were described by relative numeric and tested by chi-square test for smtistical inference.Results About 60.6%of medical undergraduate students were willing to work at CHS organizations permanently or temporarily.Their willingness to work there differed with their native living areas and grades they were studying significantly(P＜0.01).Reason for those they would work at CHS organizations after graduation included work less stress and easier,and that for those reluctant to work there included low-income and lack of social respect for general practitioners.Conclusions Nowadays,few medical undergraduate students would like to work at CHS organizations after their graduation,which was influenced mainly by traditional ideas and concepts of employment,personal career devdopment,economic income,and so on.It is suggested that ideas of community work be strengthened for medical undergraduate students and their employment concepts be changed in the future.

Objective To observe the 3 years or more effects on optical correction,refraction,and orthokeratology with rigid gas permeable contact lens(RGPCL) wearing in patients with keratoconus.Design Retrospective case series.Participant 73 keratoconus patients(136 eyes) fitted with RGPCL.Methods Patients wearing RGPCL for 3 years or more in Peking University Optometry & Ophthalmology Center were observed.Correct visual acuity was determined before and at 1,2 and 3 years of lens wearing,and the refractive power,corneal curvature,corneal astigmatism and corneal morphological changes were measured with auto-refractomer/keratometer and keratoconus screening analysis system of computer-assisted corneal topography at the same time.The changes of base curve and RGPCL power were also compared.All patients were divided into mild keratoconus group(Group A),moderate and severe keratoconus group (Group B).Main Outcome Measures Visual acuity,refractive power,base curve of RGPCL,corneal topography parameters.Results The patients wore RGPCL for 49.3?15.3 months(36-76 months).At the initial visit,uncorrected visual acuity(UVA) was 3.76?0.45, corrected visual acuity with spectacles(SPVA) was 4.57?0.53,and with RGPCL(RGPVA) was 4.89?0.14.RGPVA was improved significantly (F=171.994,P=0.000).RGPVA at last visit(4.95?0.11) was better than that at initial visit(t=-6.733,P=0.000),which was more significant in group B than that in group A.The rate for RGPVA more than 0.8 at the initial,1 year,2 years and 3 years of lens wearing was 85.13%,86.76%,85.60%and 84.62%respectively.At the initial visit and last visit,the myopia diopters and the corneal astigmatism were 7.13?4.01D vs.6.23?3.42D(P=0.014) and 6.23?3.24D vs.4.42?2.34D(P=0.000) respectively.The RGPCL base curve and lens power were 7.38?0.50 mm vs.7.54?0.42 mm(P=0.000),and -6.22?3.59 D vs.-5.33?3.09 D(P=0.000) respectively. The changes of power and base curve of lens in group B were more significant than that in group A.The decrease of 9 corneal topography parameters between initial visit and last visit was significant statistically(all P

AIM: To develop and perfect the similarity algorithm on chromatographic fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). METHODS: The experimental and simulated data were used to investigate and verify the characteristics on the new and former methods on similarity evaluation for chromatographic fingerprints method. RESULTS: There are many strong points for new similarity algorithm in practice. CONCLUSION: The new method provides more rationality and practicability in TCM quality control and analysis compare to existing methods.

Chinese materia medica (CMM) plays an important role both in the disease prevention and therapy system and also in natural drug screening. Biotechnology exhibits applicable prospects in modern research of CMM with progress of natural science and technologies. Amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), random amplification polymorphism of DNA (RAPD), and microsatellite DNA have been used to discriminate and breed herbal varieties. Genetic transformation and techniques of tissue and cell culture are explored to protect herbal resouces and to produce active components or parts on a commercial scale. High throughput technologies of proteome and biochip are expected to probe molecular targets and routes of CMM with the changes of proteome and gene expression. The results can be helpful to novel drug development and secondary exploitation, so as to promote the modernization process of CMM.

Objective To explore the association between interleukin (IL)-28B variation and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.MethodsA total of 280 HCV infected patients including 200 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and 80 spontaneous clearance patients of HCV infection were enrolled in the study.The rs8099917 single nucleotide polymorphyism (SNP) of IL-28B gene was detected and the association between IL-28B variation and spontaneous clearance of HCV infection was analyzed.The data were compared using chi square test.ResultsThe genotype frequencies of TT and non TT (TG and GG) of IL-28B rs8099917 between CHC patients and spontaneous clearance patients were not significantly different ( x2 =15.874,P ＜ 0.01 ). The prevalence of TT genotype in the spontaneous clearance group was 86.2％,which was higher than that in CHC group (62.0％).T and G allele frequencies in CHC group were 78.0％ and 22.0％,respectively,and those in spontaneous clearance group were 92.5％ and 7.5％,respectively,which indicated that T allele was dominant in spontaneous clearance patients. The allele frequency of rs8099917 was statistically different between the two groups (P＜0.01).The spontaneous HCV clear rate in rs8099917 TT patients was 2.84 folds of non-TT patients,while the risk of chronicity of non-TT (TG+GG) patients was 1.36 folds of TT patients.Conclusion The IL-28B (rs8099917) TT genotype is associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection,which can be an important factor to predict the spontaneous clearance of HCV.

Arapidscreeningmethodforthedeterminationofcarbamatepesticides(CBPs)residuesin vegetables by measuring acetylcholinesterase ( AChE ) inhibition rate using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry ( ESI-MS ) has been established. After pretreatment by QuEChERS method, sample solution reacts with AChE using acetylthiocholine as substrate. AChE inhibition rate was calculated by determination of the conversion of substrate to product ( thiocholine) using ESI-MS. The temperature, time and concentration conditions of enzymatic reactions have been optimized. The relationship between the concentration of 10 kinds of common CBPs and AChE inhibition rate was researched. Matrix effects of real vegetables were studied. The limit of detection ( LOD) , which was measured by 3 times of enzyme inhibition rate of pesticide-free vegetable samples, was 0. 01-0. 05 mg/kg. The results showed that the method was better than the current national standard method of china for rapid screening of pesticide residues and fully meet the requirements of maximum residue limits( MRL) for pesticides in food of national food safety standard. False positive results were avoided effectively due to its good ability of resistance matrix interference. The reliability was proved by analyzing vegetables with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method is simple, rapid, sensitive, reliable, and can be used for the rapid, high-throughput screening of CBPs in vegetables.