This study was aimed to explore the effect of total flavonoids and saponins from Huang-Qi Ge-Gen (HQGG) decoction on blood glucose (BG), serum lipid, interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-15 (IL-15) of liver in diabetes mellitus (DM) rats, in order to investigate their interactions in regulating DM processes. A total of 66 SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were the normal group, model group (A1B1), control group, total flavonoids group (A2B1), total saponins group (A1B2), and total flavonoids and saponins group (A2B2), with 11 rats in each group. Except the normal group, other groups were intraperitoneal injected with streptozotocin (STZ). And the experiment was according to 2×2 factorial design experiment scheme. The BG was determined before STZ injection and 7 days after the STZ injection. After 30 days, BG, serum lipid, IL-12 and IL-15 of liver were tested. Related indexes were calculated to the weighted composite score. Main and interactive effect of total flavonoids and saponins were studied according to the factorial design experiment scheme. The results showed that compared with the normal group, all indexes of model group showed statistical differences (P<0.05). Total flavonoids and saponins from HQGG decoction can effectively reduce BG, without any interactions between them. Both the total flavonoids and total saponins can reduce serum cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), liver IL-12 and IL-15. And there were interactive effects. The single use of herb achieved better effects than the combination. It was concluded that total flavonoids and saponins from HQGG decoction can reduce BG, CHO, TG, and liver IL-12 and IL-15 levels in rats. However, the regulation of total flavonoids and saponins on indexes mentioned above showed no additive effect.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potentiality of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase transduced endothelial progenitor cells (EPC-TK) as angiogenesis-targeting vector in the glioma treatment in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSEPC-TK were mixed with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), U87 or U251 cells at various ratios for ganciclovir (GCV) treatment. The bystander effect was observed by counting the survival cells using MTT assay, and the apoptotic cells were determined by annexin-V and propidium iodide (PI) staining. EPC-TK, EPCs, or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) were injected into the nude mice model of glioma xenograft by tail vein, for the EPC-TK group, EPC group, and PBS group, respectively. And then the changes of tumor volume and tumor vasculature were observed.

RESULTSGCV killed most EPC-TK and reduced the number of other viable cells in a cell:cell ratio-dependent and time-dependent manner. EPC-TK obviously inhibited tumor growth. The tumor volumes on day 21 were 1741.20+/- 576.10 mm(3), 3275.52 +/- 710.86 mm(3) and 3033.09+/-1134.86 mm(3) in the EPC-TK, EPC and PBS group, respectively. EPC-TK also displayed a significant effect on the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONEPC-TK can exert a potent antiglioma effect via inhibiting angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Bystander Effect ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; physiology ; Endothelial Cells ; virology ; Endothelium ; Genetic Vectors ; Glioma ; therapy ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Simplexvirus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; Transduction, Genetic ; Transfection ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo understand the pollution rates of vibrio cholera (V. cholera) in different seafood, aquatic products and their circulatory processes, so as to help making measures for cholera control and prevention.

METHODSDifferent seafood, aquatic products and breed water specimen collected from 12 provinces of China were tested from July to September in 2005.

RESULTA total of 12 104 samples of seafood and aquatic products were tested and the average pollution rate of vibrio cholera was 0.52%. The positive isolate rate of turtle sample (1.72%) was the highest among all samples. The second higher isolated rate was 1.14% in water specimen of turtle breed pool. The positive rate of bullfrog was 0.50%. The percentage of toxin strains was 47.54% and 79.31% of them were isolated from turtle and water samples of turtle breed pool. The important sector of the pollution of vibrio cholera was in turtle breed pool (2.38%).

CONCLUSIONThe average pollution rate of vibrio cholera in seafood and aquatic products in 12 provinces of China was low. It should be very necessary to supervise the sanitation in turtle breed for controlling and preventing the vibrio cholera.

Animals ; China ; Female ; Fishes ; microbiology ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Seafood ; microbiology ; Seawater ; analysis ; Turtles ; microbiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; isolation & purification

AIMTo investigate the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid (MPA), an active metabolite of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in Chinese adult liver transplant patients.

METHODSThirty-eight liver transplant patients (male 30, female 8) receiving MMF 1.0 g, twice daily in accordance with the recommended regimen were included in this study. Plasma MPA concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h after the administration of a single dose. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with 3P97 software.

RESULTSThe plasma MPA concentration-time curve was characterized with an early sharp peak reached at 0.5 - 6.0 h after oral administration. And in some patients there was a small second peak due to enterohepatic circulation of mycophenolic acid glucuronide (MPAG), which underwent deglucuronidation and re-absorption as MPA at 4 to 12 h postdose. The mean peak plasma concentration (C(max)) and area under concentration-time curve (AUC(0-12 h)) were (12 +/- 7) microg x mL(-1) and (44 +/- 16) microg x h x mL(-1), respectively. However, a large variability of pharmacokinetic parameters existed in these patients.

CONCLUSIONIn view of the inter-individual variability of MMF pharmacokinetics, plasma MPA concentration should be monitored routinely after MMF administration for individual patient.

Adult ; Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycophenolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the treatment for patients with early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODSTwo hundred and thirteen patients with previously untreated early stage primary tonsil NHL were reviewed. All patients were pathologically confirmed. According to Ann Arbor classification, 35 patients were stage I, 178 stage II. The primary treatment for stage I was radiotherapy alone in 12 and combined modality therapy (CMT) in 23 patients. The primary treatment for stage II was radiotherapy alone in 57,chemotherapy alone in 2, and CMT in 119 patients.

RESULTSThe 5-year overall survival, cancer specific survival (CSS) AND disease-free survival (DFS) for the early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were 65%, 70% and 61%, respectively. The 5-year CSS was 63% for the radiotherapy alone group and 72% for the CMT group (p = 0.064), and the 5-year DFS were 56% for the radiotherapy alone group and 62% for the CMT group. For patients with stage I disease, The 5-year CSS were 100% in both radiotherapy alone and CMT groups, and the 5-year DFS were 100% and 80% in these two groups (p = 0.148), respectively. There was no significant difference of efficacy between the two treatment s for the patients with stage I disease. For the patients with stage II disease, the 5-year CSS was 58% in radiotherapy alone group and 66% in CMT group (p = 0.051). However, CMT significantly improved DFS in stage II disease, with a 5-year DFS of 46% for radiotherapy alone and 60% for CMT (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONPatients with stage I tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with radiotherapy alone or CMT can achieve an excellent outcome. CMT significantly improve the DFS in stage II patients. There was a trend that CMT improved the survival rates in the patient with early stage disease. It was suggested that CMT should be used for the patients with early stage primary tonsil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy

Objective: To explore the predictors in patients of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Methods: A total of 142 PAF patients received RFCA in our hospital from 2013-03 to 2016-03 were studied. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Recurrence group, n=46 and Non-recurrence group, n=96. Clinical data was compared between 2 groups and AF recurrent predictors were studied by single and multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Based on quartiles of uric acid (UA) level, the patients were categorized in another set of 4 groups: Q1 group, UA<259 μmol/L, n=33, Q2 group, UA 259-320 μmol/L, n=37, Q3 group, UA 321-380 μmol/L, n=37 and Q4 group, UA>380 μmol/L, n=35. The influence of UA on AF recurrence was measured by Kaplan-Meier test, the predictive value of UA combining metabolic syndrome (UA+MS) on AF recurrence was studied by ROC curve analysis. Results: The BMI, diabetes, MS, AF duration, CHADS2 score, creatinine, UA and BNP were different between Recurrence group and Non-recurrence group, all P<0.05. Logistic regression analysis indicated that AF duration (OR=1.02,95% CI 1.01-1.03, P=0.002), UA level (OR=1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P=0.046) and MS (OR=4.73, 95% CI 1.36-16.45, P=0.014) were the independent predictors for AF recurrence. UA quartile analysis indicated that gender, BMI, MS, creatinine, LVEF and the incidence of AF recurrence had signifcant discrepancy by different UA levels, all P<0.05. ROC curve showed that the predictive values for UA+MS in AF recurrence had the sensitivity at 80.4%, specificity at 74.1% (AUC 0.79±0.04, 95% CI 0.71-0.89, P=0.0001), for UA in AF recurrence had the sensitivity at 73.9%, specificity at 57.2% (AUC 0.66, 95% CI 0.56-0.76, P=0.02); UA+MS had the higher predictive value than UA alone, P<0.05. Conclusion: Both UA and MS were related to AF recurrence, high UA level combining MS had certain predictive value for AF recurrence in PAF patients after RFCA.

Objective: To assess the risk of public health emergencies in Zhejiang Province, March 2021. Methods: An expert counsel was conducted to assess the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) , enteritis due to norovirus, chicken pox and influenza by professionals in Zhejiang CDC, based on the information from infectious disease and public health emergency surveillance in Zhejiang Province, domestic health administrative departments, World Health Organization, and European CDC. Results: In March 2021, the risk of imported COVID-19 epidemic will be high in Zhejiang Province, and the possibility of local spread could not be ruled out. The possibility of a large-scale outbreak of enteritis due to norovirus and a small-scale outbreak of chickenpox in schools and kindergartens could not be ruled out after the new term begins. An increased risk of influenza epidemic is predicted in collective units such as schools and kindergartens, yet the risk of a large-scale one will be low. Conclusion High attention should be paid to COVID-19 and enteritis due to norovirus, and general attention should be paid to chicken pox and influenza outbreak.

Objective To investigate the expressions of S100B and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and the pathologic alterations of the hippocampus in kainic acid (KA)-induced epileptic rats. Methods Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n=8) and model group (n=40).Animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy were established by intracerebroventricular injection of KA; the same volume of saline was injected into the rats in the control group. Hippocampal tissues within various phases after seizures (6, 12, 24 and 72 h, and 24 h after the success of model making) were performed Nissl staining, Timm staining and immunohistochemical staining. The expressions of S100B and CGRP were observed, and the pathologic alterations of the hippocampal neurons and glial cells were studied.Results All rat models were successfully induced with epileptic seizures. Nissl staining showed that pyknotic neuronal necrosis appeared in the CA3 area of the hippocampus in the model group with cell body atrophy and disappearance of Nissl bodies 1 week after the injection. Timm staining showed that brown particles showed stripped distribution in the CA3 area of the hippocampus and some brown particles in the molecular layer of fascia dentate. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that significant neurons lost and gliosis appeared after seizures with abundant expressions of S100B and CGRP.Conclusion KA-induced epileptic rats express abundant S100B and CGRP and appear such pathological changes as disappearance of Nissl bodies and mossy fiber sprouting, indicating that both S100B and CGRP participate in the onset of epilepsy.

OBJECTIVETo explore the use of L-carnitine before percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PESA-ICSI) in the treatment of obstructive azoospermia.

METHODSSeventy-nine cases of obstructive azoospermia treated in our center from Sep 2008 to Aug 2009 were divided into an L-carnitine (n = 43) and a control group (n = 36), the former given oral L-carnitine at 1 g bid for 3 months before PESA-ICSI, while the latter left untreated. Comparisons were made between the two groups in the number of retrieved oocytes and fertilized oocytes as well as the number and rate of good embryos.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of retrieved oocytes and fertilized oocytes. But the number and rate of good embryos were significantly higher in the L-carnitine than in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThree-month oral medication of L-carnitine before PESA-ICSI can raise the number and rate of good embryos in obstructive azoospermia patients and therefore benefit the therapeutic outcome.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; therapy ; Carnitine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Epididymis ; Humans ; Male ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDMicroRNA-206 (miR-206) and connexin 43 (Cx43) are related with the distant metastasis of breast cancer. It remains unclear whether the regulatory effect of miR-206 on Cx43 is involved in metastasis of breast cancer.

METHODSUsing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, the expressions of miR-206 and Cx43 were determined in breast cancer tissues, hepatic and pulmonary metastasis (PM), and cell lines (MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231). MCF-7/MDA-M-231 cells were transfected with lentivirus-shRNA vectors to enhance/inhibit miR-206, and then Cx43 expression was observed. Cell counting kit-8 assay and Transwell method were used to detect their changes in proliferation, migration, and invasion activity. The mutant plasmids of Cx43-3' untranslated region (3'UTR) at position 478-484 and position 1609-1615 were constructed. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to observe the effects of miR-206 on luciferase expression of different mutant plasmids and to confirm the potential binding sites of Cx43.

RESULTSCx43 protein expression in hepatic and PM was significantly higher than that in the primary tumor, while no significant difference was showed in messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. MiR-206 mRNA expression in hepatic and PM was significantly lower than that in the primary tumor. Cx43 mRNA and protein levels, as well as cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, were all significantly improved in MDA-MB-231 cells after reducing miR-206 expression but decreased in MCF-7 cells after elevating miR-206 expression, which demonstrated a significantly negative correlation between miR-206 and Cx43 expression (P = 0.03). MiR-206 can drastically decrease Cx43 expression of MCF-7 cells but exerts no effects on Cx43 expression in 293 cells transfected with the Cx43 coding region but the lack of Cx43-3'UTR, suggesting that Cx43-3'UTR may be the key in Cx43 regulated by miR-206. Luciferase expression showed that the inhibition efficiency was reduced by 46.80% in position 478-484 mutant, 16.72% in position 1609-1615 mutant; the inhibition was totally disappeared in double mutant (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONSMiR-206 can regulate the expression of Cx43, the cytobiological activity, and the metastasis of breast cancer through binding to the two binding sites in Cx43-3'UTR: position 478-484 and position 1609-1615.

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Connexin 43 ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; physiology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis