Quercetin enhances 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer by down-regulating c-Jun expression / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the enhancing effect of quercetin on the 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer.METHODS: MTT assay was conducted to evaluate the effect of quercetin on the 5-fluorouracil-induced death of gastric cancer cell line BGC-823.Co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression of c-Jun and Bcl-xL,phosphorylation of c-Jun,activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3,and release of cytochrome C in BGC-823 cells treated with quercetin and 5-fluorouracil.The apoptosis of BGC-823 cells treated with quercetin and 5-fluorouracil was analyzed by flow cytometry.RESULTS: Adjuvant therapy of quercetin significantly enhanced the 5-fluorouracil-induced death of BGC-823 cells.Meanwhile, quercetin decreased the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)of 5-fluorouracil to BGC-823 cells.Quercetin treatment significantly inhibited the expression of c-Jun,and inhibited the 5-fluorouracil-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun and the interaction between c-Jun and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2).Subsequently,quercetin inhibited the up-regulation of Bcl-xL induced by 5-fluorouracil in the BGC-823 cells. However,transfection with c-Jun plasmid abolished the promoting effect of quercetin on 5-fluorouracil-induced cell death. In addition, quercetin promoted 5-fluorouracil-induced release of cytochrome C from mitochondria and caspase-dependent apoptosis in BGC-823 cells.CONCLUSION:Quercetin treatment enhances 5-fluorouracil-induced mitochondrial apoptosis in BGC-823 cells through c-Jun/ATF2/Bcl-xL pathway.

The Short-Term Effect of Paris polyphylla Smith var. Yunnanensis Powder Combined with Anti-tuberculosis Drugs in the Treatment of Superficial Lymph Node Tuberculosis / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To observe the short-term effect of Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis powder combined with anti-tuberculosis drugs in the observation of superficial lymph node tuberculosis. Methods A total of 170 patients were randomly divided into two groups: 80 in the control group and 90 in the observation group. The observation group consisted of nodular type, infiltrating type and abscess type, each of which had 30 cases. The control group were treated with Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol. Besides the four medications, the observation group were treated with external application of Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis. Results The response rate was 30.00％in the control group and 64.44％in the observation group. The response rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, with a statistically significant difference ( <0.01). In the observation group, the response rates of abscess, infiltration and nodule were 76.67％, 73.33％and 43.33％, respectively.By the comparative analysis, the response rate of infiltration was higher than that of nodule ( <0.05), with a significant difference; the response rate of abscess was also higher than that of nodule ( <0.05), with a significant difference. There was no significant difference between the response rates of abscess and infiltration ( >0.5) .Conclusions The external application of Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis powder combined with anti-tuberculosis drugs is curative in the observation of superficial lymph node tuberculosis, especially in the types ofinfiltrating and abscess.

Study on the availability of pediatric essential medicines in China: Based on the surveys in 19 provinces / 中国卫生政策研究

Objective:To analyze the availability ofpediatricessential medicines in China, and to provide reference and suggestions for the further responses to the demand for pediatric medication in China. Methods :Using survey data collected from 19 provinces in China through the cooperation of the National Health Commission and our research group, the availability of pediatricessential medicines in China was analyzed from the perspectives of drug use and a-vailability with its influencing factors. Results :The survey results showed that the availability of pediatricessential medicines in China is generally low. The shortage in such medicines does not occur in individual regions, individual medical institutions or individual treatment areas, but it is still general in the surveyed parts of the country. The two fundamental reasons for the noticed shortage are :the research on special varieties for Children is expensive and the pricing mechanism of suitable varieties is inappropriate, which results in insufficient motivation for R&D Enterprises. Conclusions :This article suggests that the existing national pediatric medication support policies should be put in place as soon as possible, andbe further implemented for nationwide pediatric consumption. It is also recommended that health, drug supervision, bidding, pricing, medical insurance and other departments should work together to make more preferential policies to help enterprises develop special pediatric drugs to further promote the supply and respond to the demand of medicine for children in China.

Long-term outcome after cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in patients with Brugada syndrome / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the long-term outcome of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in Brugada syndrome patients and to explore how to reduce the frequency of ICD nappropriate schocks.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 14 symptomatic patients (mean age (44.3 ± 8.3) years old; all males) with Brugada syndrome implanted with ICD in our hospital between 1998 and 2012, and these patients were followed up routinely every 6 months. The initial ICD parameters were set according o conventional experience. The ventricular tachycardia (VT) zone was programmed to ventricular rate 150-188 bpm/cycle length (CL) 400-320 ms and the ventricular fibrillation (VF) zone was programmed to ventricular rate ≥ 188 bpm/CL ≤ 320 ms. The total events were recorded by ICD. The ICD parameters revision was made by electrophysiological (EP) experts in case of inappropriate shocks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Patients were followed up for mean (43.0 ± 28.3) months. A total of 297 VF/VT events were recorded by ICD. Electrophysiological experts found that 90% (178/198) episodes were true VF ( CL 130-250 ms) among of 198 VF episodes and 147 VF episodes were terminated by one shock and 21 VF events were terminated by two or more shocks, and the rest 10 VF terminated spontaneously. Only 9% (9/99) VT events were true VT (CL 320-360 ms) among of 99 VT episodes. Eight VT episodes were converted by antitachycardia pacing therapy (ATP) and the other one terminated spontaneously. The rest 90 VT episodes (91%) were supraventricular arrhythmias (SVT, CL 340-390 ms). About 90% inappropriate shocks can be reduced by Wavelet discrimination function and optimal programming (VF zone ventricular rate ≥ 222 bpm/CL ≤ 270 ms and/or VT zone ventricular rate 167-222 bpm/CL 270-360 ms ) according to the characteristics of arrhythmia of individual patient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ICD can effectively prevent sudden cardiac death and syncope in high-risk patients with Brugada syndrome. The most common complication is inappropriate shock due to SVT. Optimal ICD programming with Wavelet discrimination function can effectively reduce the frequency of inappropriate shock rate.</p>

Construction of cDNA expression library of watermelon for isolation of ClWRKY1 transcription factors gene involved in resistance to Fusarium wilt.

Full-length cDNAs are very important for genome annotation and functional analysis of genes. The number of full-length cDNAs from watermelon remains limited. Here we report first the construction of a full-length enriched cDNA library from Fusarium wilt stressed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) cultivar PI296341 root tissues using the SMART method. The titer of primary cDNA library and amplified library was 2.21 × 106 and 2.0 × 1010 pfu/ml, respectively and the rate of recombinant was above 85%. The size of insert fragment ranged from 0.3 to 2.0 kb. In this study, we first cloned a gene named ClWRKY1, which was 1981 bp long and encoded a protein consisting of 394 amino acids. It contained two characteristic WRKY domains and two zinc finger motifs. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that ClWRKY1 expression levels reached maximum level at 12 h after inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum. The full-length cDNA library of watermelon root tissues is not only essential for the cloning of genes which are known, but also an initial key for the screening and cloning of new genes that might be involved in resistance to Fusarium wilt.

LUTS in BPH patients with histological prostatitis before and after transurethral resection of the prostate / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) complicated by histological prostatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 432 cases of BPH pathologically confirmed after TURP. Excluding those with LUTS-related factors before and after surgery and based on the international prostatitis histological classification of diagnostic criteria, the remaining 144 cases were divided into groups A (pure BPH, n = 30), B (mild inflammation, n = 55), C (moderate inflammation, n = 31), and D (severe inflammation, n = 28). Each group was evaluated for LUTS by IPSS before and a month after surgery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 399 cases (92.4%) were diagnosed as BPH with histological prostatitis, 269 (67.4%) mild, 86 (21.6%) moderate and 44 (11.0%) severe. The preoperative IPSS was 21.43 +/- 6.09 in group A, 21.75 +/- 5.97 in B, 27.84 +/- 4.18 in C and 31.00 +/- 2.92 in D, with statistically significant differences among different groups (P < 0.001) except between A and B (P = 1.000); the postoperative IPSS was 5.60 +/- 2.16 in A, 7.36 +/- 2.77 in B, 11.55 +/- 3.39 in C and 16.89 +/- 3.37 in D, with statistically significant differences among different groups (P < 0.01), and remarkably lower than the preoperative one (P < 0.001). Almost all the infiltrating inflammatory cells in BPH with histological prostatitis were lymphocytes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BPH is mostly complicated with histological chronic prostatitis. The severity of LUTS is higher in BPH patients with histological prostatitis than in those without before and after TURP, and positively correlated with the grade of inflammation. Those complicated with moderate or severe histological prostatitis should take medication for the management of LUTS.</p>

Treatment of allergic rhinitis with asthma by different ways of inhaling corticosteroids / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutical effect on allergic rhinitis with asthma by different ways of inhaling corticosteroids.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety patients suffering from allergic rhinitis with asthma were classified into three groups in random and treated with budesonide (BUD) by nasal spray, inhaling and nasal spray-inhaling combined administration for 12 weeks, respectively. The concentration of serum total IgE, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and IL-5, pulmonary functions were examined before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The improvement of symptom scores of rhinitis and asthma in three groups were significant (P < 0.05). The concentration of serum total IgE, ECP and IL-5 in three groups decreased greatly after treatment (P < 0.05). There were significant improvement in FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF25%-75% in inhaling group before and after treatment (P < 0.05): FEV1 from (2.04 +/- 0.45) L to (2.47 +/- 0.54) L, FEV1/FVC from (72.73 +/- 5.59)% to (75.42 +/- 5.94)% and FEF25%-75% from 1.69 +/- 0.52 to 2.06 +/- 0.77. There was also significant improvement in nasal spray-inhaling combined groups before and after treatment (P < 0.05): FEV1 from (2.32 +/- 0.56) L to (2.76 +/- 0.58) L, FEV1/FVC from (73.80 +/- 4.17)% to (76.04 +/- 4.49)% and FEF25%-75% from 2.09 +/- 0.45 to 2.34 +/- 0.64. The significant difference of FEV1 among the three treatment groups was observed (P = 0.041).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The symptoms of rhinitis and asthma in three groups by three ways of inhaling BUD were greatly improved, no significant difference in symptom scores and serum parameters was found.</p>

Experimental study of targeting therapy of breast cancer with 131I-labeled epidermal growth factor / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effectiveness of (131)I-epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the proliferation of a heterologous graft in nude mice bearing human breast infiltrating duct carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>EGF/HAS was labeled with (131)I by chloramines-T method. Human breast cancer xenografts with positive EGFR expression were established in nude mice. The nude mice were injected with normal saline, Epirubicin Hydrochloride, (131)I-EGF, (131)I-HAS, (131)I intravenously and (131)I-EGF intratumoral administration respectively. The tumor growth inhibition rate was determined by measurement of tumor volume. Different examinations were carried out.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was remarkable significant difference of tumor volumes at 26th day among (131)I-EGF trial groups, (131)I, (131)I-HAS, and the negative control group. The tumor growth inhibition rate of (131)I-EGF trial groups was 82.0%, 80.7% respectively. Compared with the negative control group, the (131)I-EGF trial groups remarkably suppressed the growth of tumor (P < 0.05). Irreversible destruction of tissues in (131)I-EGF groups was observed under light and electron microscope. There was no evidence of hepatotoxicity, renal toxicity and myelotoxicity in nude mice bearing human breast cancer given (131)I-EGF over a 4-wk observation period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>(131)I-EGF has obvious antitumor effects on a heterologous graft in nude mice bearing human breast infiltrating duct carcinoma, with little obvious side effects.</p>

Anlysis on features of dead cases with human Streptococcus suis infections / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe the clinical and epidemiological features of dead cases with human Streptococcus suis infections, and to find the target population for preventing death and the related indicators.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Epidemiological investigation on human Streptococcus suis infections was implemented used unified questionnaires. Analysis on dead cases and survival cases (as contrast) was done.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The population with highest fatality rate was in 40-49 age group. 97.37% of dead cases had toxic shock syndrome. The mean interval from onset to admission was 0.76 days, and the mean course was 2.11 days. The progression among dead cases was faster than that among survival cases. Chief clinical manifestations of dead cases that are more frequent than survival cases are purpura (73.68%), diarrhea (50.0%), dyspnea (21.05%), conjunctival congestion (34.21%), etc. Renal impairment and liver involvement in dead cases were more significant than that in survival cases. No significant difference between mean incubation period, exposure rates of main risk factors in dead cases and in survival cases was found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Preventing toxic shock syndrome might reduce the fatality rate. The target population for preventing death is aged > or = 40. Liver function and renal function testing might be indicators for monitoring the progression of human Streptococcus suis infections.</p>

Matched case-control study for risk factors of human Streptococcus suis infection in Sichuan Province, China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the potential risk factors of human infecting with Streptococcus suis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>1: M matched case-control study was conducted. 29 human cases of Streptococcus suis infection in the early phase were included in the case group, Patients' family members, neighbors and peoples who had worked together with patients to handle deceased or sick pigs in the last week were recruited as matched controls. There were 147 controls in total. Both cases and controls received questionnaire investigation including the ways to contact sick/dead pigs. Conditional logistic regression was employed to analyze matching data.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>According to the results of multivariate analysis, slaughtering (OR = 11.978, 95% CI: 3.355-42.756), carcasses cutting and processing (OR = 3.008, 95% CI: 1.022-8.849) sick/dead pigs were associated with cases related to human Streptococcus suis infection. The attributable risk proportion were 91.65% and 66.76% respectively. The other types of exposures to sick/ dead pigs, including feeding, selling, burying and eating, were not associated with the human Streptococcus suis infection in our study population.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Slaughtering, carcasses cutting and processing sick/dead pigs were important risky behavior for humans to be infected by Streptococcus suis.</p>

Study on the effects of electrolyzed oxidizing water in root canal treatment / 实用口腔医学杂志

Objective: To clinically evaluate the efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) as a root canal irrigation solution on disinfecting bacteria and removing the smear-layer to keep the non-bacterium state in the root canal. Methods: In the first experiment, 108 single-rooted teeth that needed root canal treatment were randomly divided into two groups. EOW was used as the root canal irrigation solution in the experimental group while 30 ml/L H2O2, saline solution, and 75 g/L EDTA solution were used as controls. Bacteriological examinations were conducted from each tooth before and after treatment with the root canal irrigation solutions. In the second experiment, the 20 fresh human extracted teeth were divided into two groups and treated as same as the first experiment in root canal preparation and irrigation. After irrigation, the apical canal wall was observed using SEM. Results: There was no significant difference in bacterial growth and removing the smear layer between the group using EOW and that using saline solution, 30 ml/L H2O2 and 75 g/L EDTA solution. Conclusion:The results indicate EOW is useful as a clinical root canal irrigation solution.