ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effects and related mechanisms of the Zuogui Jiangtang Shuxin prescription （ZJSP） on glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in MKR mice with diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM）， with a focus on elucidating its regulatory role on the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/forkhead box protein O1 （FoxO1）/cluster of differentiation 36 （CD36） signaling pathway and lipid deposition. MethodsFifty 8-week-old male MKR mice were fed a high-fat diet for four weeks and then intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin （STZ） while maintaining a high-fat diet to establish a DCM model. The mice were randomly divided into the model group， the low-dose（14.43 g·kg^-1）and high-dose（28.86 g·kg^-1） ZJSP groups， and the metformin group （0.25 g·kg^-1）， with age-matched FVB mice as a normal control group. Each group received intragastric administration of normal saline or corresponding concentrations of ZJSP at equal volumes. After four weeks， fasting blood glucose （FBG） and cardiac function were measured. Blood was collected from the eyeballs under anesthesia to detect fasting insulin （FINS） and blood lipid levels. Myocardial tissue morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and lipid deposition in the heart was assessed using oil red O staining. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of AMPK， FoxO1， and CD36 in myocardial tissues. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression levels of AMPK， p-AMPK， FoxO1， p-FoxO1， and CD36. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed significantly increased levels of FBG and FINS （P<0.01）， elevated levels of triglycerides （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） （P<0.01）， and significantly decreased left ventricular ejection fraction （EF） and fractional shortening （FS） values （P<0.01）. HE staining revealed marked cardiomyocyte hypertrophy， disarray， and widened intercellular spaces in myocardial tissues. Oil Red O staining showed extensive red deposition areas and fine lipid droplet accumulation in the myocardial tissue. AMPK mRNA expression was decreased， while FoxO1 and CD36 mRNA expressions were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The p-AMPK/AMPK protein expression ratio in myocardial tissues was significantly reduced， while the p-FoxO1/FoxO1 protein expression ratio and CD36 protein expression levels were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups exhibited significantly reduced FBG （P<0.01）， decreased FINS and blood lipid levels （TG， TC， LDL-C） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved cardiac function （P<0.05）， noticeable amelioration of myocardial histopathological morphology and lipid deposition， increased AMPK mRNA expression （P<0.01）， with significantly downregulated FoxO1 and CD36 mRNA expressions （P<0.01）， elevated p-AMPK/AMPK protein expression levels in myocardial tissue （P<0.05）， significantly decreased p-FoxO1/FoxO1 ratios （P<0.01）， and downregulated CD36 protein expression levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionZJSP exerts a protective effect on the heart in type 2 DCM of MKR mice， and its mechanism may be associated with the regulation of the AMPK/FoxO1/CD36 signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effects and related mechanisms of the Zuogui Jiangtang Shuxin prescription （ZJSP） on glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in MKR mice with diabetic cardiomyopathy （DCM）， with a focus on elucidating its regulatory role on the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/forkhead box protein O1 （FoxO1）/cluster of differentiation 36 （CD36） signaling pathway and lipid deposition. MethodsFifty 8-week-old male MKR mice were fed a high-fat diet for four weeks and then intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin （STZ） while maintaining a high-fat diet to establish a DCM model. The mice were randomly divided into the model group， the low-dose（14.43 g·kg^-1）and high-dose（28.86 g·kg^-1） ZJSP groups， and the metformin group （0.25 g·kg^-1）， with age-matched FVB mice as a normal control group. Each group received intragastric administration of normal saline or corresponding concentrations of ZJSP at equal volumes. After four weeks， fasting blood glucose （FBG） and cardiac function were measured. Blood was collected from the eyeballs under anesthesia to detect fasting insulin （FINS） and blood lipid levels. Myocardial tissue morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， and lipid deposition in the heart was assessed using oil red O staining. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of AMPK， FoxO1， and CD36 in myocardial tissues. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression levels of AMPK， p-AMPK， FoxO1， p-FoxO1， and CD36. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed significantly increased levels of FBG and FINS （P<0.01）， elevated levels of triglycerides （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） （P<0.01）， and significantly decreased left ventricular ejection fraction （EF） and fractional shortening （FS） values （P<0.01）. HE staining revealed marked cardiomyocyte hypertrophy， disarray， and widened intercellular spaces in myocardial tissues. Oil Red O staining showed extensive red deposition areas and fine lipid droplet accumulation in the myocardial tissue. AMPK mRNA expression was decreased， while FoxO1 and CD36 mRNA expressions were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The p-AMPK/AMPK protein expression ratio in myocardial tissues was significantly reduced， while the p-FoxO1/FoxO1 protein expression ratio and CD36 protein expression levels were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups exhibited significantly reduced FBG （P<0.01）， decreased FINS and blood lipid levels （TG， TC， LDL-C） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved cardiac function （P<0.05）， noticeable amelioration of myocardial histopathological morphology and lipid deposition， increased AMPK mRNA expression （P<0.01）， with significantly downregulated FoxO1 and CD36 mRNA expressions （P<0.01）， elevated p-AMPK/AMPK protein expression levels in myocardial tissue （P<0.05）， significantly decreased p-FoxO1/FoxO1 ratios （P<0.01）， and downregulated CD36 protein expression levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionZJSP exerts a protective effect on the heart in type 2 DCM of MKR mice， and its mechanism may be associated with the regulation of the AMPK/FoxO1/CD36 signaling pathway.

Objective:To quantify any correlation between the severity of spinal curvature of an adolescent with idiopathic scoliosis and their cardiopulmonary exercise endurance.Methods:The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) results and the full-length spinal X-rays in a standing position of 64 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis were reviewed retrospectively. Independent t-tests were used to compare the two datasets obtained from those with left or right thoracic scoliosis. The correlation between the Cobb angle and cardiopulmonary exercise endurance was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, multiple factor linear regression and two-stage linear regression.Results:After adjusting for gender, age, height and weight, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the Cobb angle was significantly negatively correlated with maximum tidal volume (β=-0.013) and significantly positively correlated with the rate of respiration (β=0.421). The relationship between the Cobb angle and cardiopulmonary exercise endurance was non-linear. With a Cobb angle > 34°, a 1° increase reduces cardiopulmonary exercise endurance by a factor of 1.4 on average. At smaller Cobb angles the corresponding increase is about 0.87 times.Conclusions:The Cobb angle is a negative predictor of ventilation during exercise among adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. The more severe a patient′s spinal curvature, the lower the cardiopulmonary exercise endurance is likely to be.

To investigate the effect of nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDK) on the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, nucleoside diphosphate kinase gene (ndk) was overexpressed along with the hyaluronic acid-producing genes in recombinant B.subtilis. Two engineered strains named Hp8tg and Pn8tg were constructed.Uniform hyaluronic acid (HA) could be obtained from both engineered strains.HA produced by both recombinant strains was confirmed by monosaccharide composition analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.Inducing conditions of HA fermentation were optimized by response surface methodology.Overexpression of ndk could increase the production and molecular weight of HA by 1.3-fold and 1.1-fold, respectively. This study revealed for the first time that overexpression of ndk could relieve the inhibition effect of uridine diphosphate (UDP) on Class II HA synthase and increase the production and molecular weight of HA, which proves to be an efficient strategy for the production of HA, and the preparation of other polysaccharides.

Using a series of purification methods including silica gel， Sephadex LH-20 and preparative high performance liquid chromatography， secondary metabolites of Myrothecium sp. were purified from the ethyl acetate extract of the solid fermentation product. Based on structure characterization and investigation on the physical and chemical properties a， twelve monomeric compounds were identified as 3''-hydroxyverrucarin A (1), verrucarin A (2), verrucarin L acetate (3), verrucarin J (4), verrucarin K (5), roridin A (6), roridin D (7), roridin H (8), roridin J (9), verrol 4-acetate (10), (3S, 3aS, 6α, 6aR)-dihydrosporothrioride (11) and 4,6-dihydroxy-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone (12). Compounds 1, 5 and 9 -12 were isolated from Myrothecium sp. for the first time.Compounds 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 exhibited strong inhibitory effects on Candida albicans, with a minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC50） of 0.318, 0.218, 0.047, 0.569 and 0.558 μg/mL, respectively.

Objective To explore the effect of scoliosis-specific exercises ( SSE) on patients with mild ado-lescent idiopathic scoliosis ( AIS) . Methods Thirty patients with mild AIS were assigned to a control group ( n=10) or an SSE group ( n=20) . The control group received routine health education, while the SSE group completed a 60-minute set of SSE 2 to 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The angle of trunk rotation ( ATR) , maximum Cobb angle and angle of vertebral rotation (AVR) were recorded. Bone strength parameters including the speed of sound (SOS), Z-score and percentile distal radius were measured. Surface electromyography ( sEMG) was performed for the erector spinae muscle. In addition, forced vital capacity ( FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second ( FEV1) were measured and compared with the predicted values ( FVC/pred% and FEV1pred%) . A falling index ( FI) and quality of life ( QOL) were measured. Results Compared with before the treatment, the average maximum Cobb angle in the control group increased significantly after the lessons, but there was no significant difference in any of the other measures, including QOL. For the control group the activation rate of the concave side of the apex level erector spi-nae was significantly lower than on the convex side both before and after the lessons. The SSE group showed no sig-nificant improvement in their average ATR, maximum Cobb angle, AVR or FI results, but their average SOS, Z-score and percentile of the distal radius, FVC, FEV1 and motor function improved significantly after the treat-ment. Before the treatment the activation rate of their concave side was also lower than on the convex side, but after the treatment there was no significant difference between them on average. Conclusion Early SSE can prevent further deformation, promote bone strength, improve lung function reduce the difference in the motor control of the bilateral erector spinae muscles among patients with mild AIS. It can promote a better quality of life and is worth ap-plying in clinical practice.

Objective To explore the efficacy and side effects of recombinant human interleukin by adopting abdominal subcutaneous injection method and the traditional deltoid subcutaneous injection method. Methods A total of 106 patients were admitted to either intervention group or control group by course of treatment. The patient of control group (5-8 course of treatment) adopted traditional deltoid injection method and the intervention group (1-4 course of treatment) received abdominal injection method (1 times a day and 14 days per course of treatment) . Then we observed the incidence of pain and local adverse reactions in patients with injection sites. Results In the intervention group patients was 22. 6% in the incidence of moderate to severe pain, and 14. 2% subcutaneous scleroma rate, 18. 9% local redness and swelling occurred rate, that all were lower than those of the control group (χ2 = 2. 80, 4. 71, 5. 22;P < 0. 05 ). Conclusions The implementation of abdominal subcutaneous injection can reduce the patient's pain, promote successful completion of treatment and deserve further clinical dissemination.

Objective To study the prognostic factors of survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with sunitinib.Methods From May 2008 to Dec 2012,the clinical data of 82 cases with mRCC adminstered by sunitinib were reviewed retrospectively.The study included 60 male patients and 22 female patients,whose age ranged from 29 to 82 years [mean (56.1±11.3) years].Among them,52 cases presented hematuria,flank pain and palpable mass.The size of renal tumor ranged from 2.0 to 18.0 cm [mean (8.0±3.0) cm].The location of tumor included 41 in left kidney,37 in right kidney and 4 in bilateral kidney.The pathological tissue obtained from the operation in 69 cases and from biopsy in 13 cases.The pathological results demonstrated renal cell carcinoma in 75 cases,papillary cell carcinoma in 2 cases,chromophobe cell carcinoma in 2 cases,sarcomatoid carcinoma in 2 cases,collecting duct carcinoma in one case.The site of metastasis included lung in 50 cases,liver in 11 cases,bone in 14 cases,pancrease in 3 cases,retroperitoneal lymph node in 31 cases.In 52 cases,the ECOG scores ranged from 1 to 2.The others scores were more than 3.The average level of hemoglobin,AKP,LDH and leukocyte were (132±24)g/L,(90±65) U/L,(168±114) U/L and (6.4±2.0)×109/L,respectively.Before treatment,the abnormal cases in those parameters were 59,9,6 and 2,respectively.According to the MSKCC risk model,14 cases were classified into the high risk group and 68 cases into medium risk group.74 cases were accepted the sunitinb therapy within one year after diagnosis and 8 cases were accepted same therapy until one year after diagnosis.The overall survival (OS) rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model was used to analyze the relationship between the influencing factors and the prognosis.Results The average OS was (21.6± 14.1) months (ranged 2.8 to 64.1 months).The survival rate at 1 st,2nd and 3rd year were 71％,64％ and 58％,respectively.Single factor analysis showed that significant prognostic factors were as follows:ECOG performance status ≥ 2 (P =0.005),clinical symptom during first clinic visiting (P =0.031),without nephrectomy (P =0.012),the number of metastatic sites ≥ 2 (P =0.015),hemoglobin before treatment (P=0.005),serum AKP level before treatment (＞126 U/L) (P=0.007),MSKCC score≥ 3 (P =0.000),the presence of liver metastases (P =0.000) and bone metastases (P =0.000) and relative dose intensity in the first month (1M-RDI) of sunitinib ≥ 50％ (P=0.000).Cox regression model showed that the beneficial predictive factors were ECOG performance status＜2 (P=0.136),no symptom during the first clinic visiting (P=0.801),serum AKP ＜126 U/L (P=0.618) before treatment,the absence of bone (P =0.068) and pancreas metastases (P =0.265).Sunitinib 1M-RDI ≥ 50％ was the independent predictive factor (P=0.000).Conclusions In targeted therapy era,there is some change in the prognostic factors for mRCC and target drug play an important role in the prognosis of mRCC.Sunitinib 1M-RDI ≥50％ is the independent predictive factor for the prognosis of renal carcinoma.

Objective To investigate the clinical features , diagnosis and key technique points of laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for small adrenal pheochromocytoma . Methods From Oct.2006 to Jun. 2011, clinical data of 32 cases with small adrenal pheochromocytoma (≤3.0 cm) were collected and retro-spectively analyzed .Hypertension was observed in 12 patients, whereas 20 patients presented with adrenal incidentaloma .Thirteen patients had a left adrenal neoplasm , eighteen patients had a right adrenal tumor , while one patients had bilateral tumors .The positive rate of plasma-free metanephrines ( MNs) and 24-hours urinary catecholamine (CA) in diagnosing small renal pheochromocytomas was 92.6%(25/27) and 81.3%(26/32) respectively.The main localization diagnosis included ultrasonography , 131I-MIBG, and CT or MRI, with positive rates of 71.9%(23/32), 93.8%(15/16) and 96.9%(31/32) respectively.All the laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed retroperitoneally .During the surgery , the internal part of the adrenal gland closing to the retroperitoneum was dissected first , and the whole adrenal gland was resected completely. Results Partial adrenalectomy was performed for 30 cases and radical adrenalectomy for 2 ca-ses.All operations were successful without perioperative or postoperative complications .The maximum diame-ter of tumor was 1.7±0.2 (1.0-3.0) cm.Histopathological results showed that all the cases were benign pheochromocytoma.The operative time was 82 (40-210) min.The estimated blood loss was 57 (20-180) ml.No patient required blood transfusion . Conclusions Plasma-free MNs, 24-hours urinary CA and VMA are important qualitative examinations in detection of adrenal pheochromocytoma .Ultrasonography , CT,MRI, and 131 I-MIBG are important in the localization of adrenal tumors .Retroperitoneal laparascopic partial adrenalectomy is the preferred choice in the management of small adrenal pheochromocytoma .Dissecting the internal part of the adrenal gland closing to the retroperitoneum first and exploring the whole adrenal tissue are the key technique points during the operations .

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors and pathogenic characteristics of catheterrelated infection (CRI) in intensive care unit (ICU),so as to find a better way for its treatment.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on 247 deep-venous catheter (DVC) from January 2007 to December 2010.ResultsAmong 247 patients,positive results of 41 patients diagnosed CRI,negative results of 206 patients undiagnosed CRI.Compared with undiagnosed CRI patients,found the correlation of the underlying infectious diseases,indwelling time of catheter and puncture sites associated with CRI occurred(P ＜ 0.05 ).CRI major pathogen was gram-positive bacteria (58.5％,24/41 ),in which Staphylococcus epidermis was the major pathogenic bacteria(22.0％,9/41).The drug resistance occurred in most pathogen.Conclusions The occurrence of CRI is related with multiple clinical factors.The gram-positive bacteria is the major pathogen.The etiological monitor should be enforced in patients with DVC.