Modified Sijunzi Granules Exhibit Hemostatic Effect by Activating Akt and Erk Signal Pathways via Regulating 5-HT and Its Receptors Levels.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemostatic effect of modified Sijunzi Granules (MSG) in primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) zebrafish model and explore the potential mechanism. METHODS: AB strain wild type zebrafish were treated with simvastatin (6 µmol/L) for 24 h to establish the hemorrhage model (model control group). The zebrafish were treated with MSG at different doses (55.6, 167, and 500 µg/mL), respectively. The hemostatic effect was assessed by examining the intestinal bleeding and hemostatic rate. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) content was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. The expressions of 5-HT2aR, 5-HT2bR, and SERT genes were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR). The protein expressions of protein kinase B (Akt), p-Akt, extracellular regulated protein kinases (Erk), and p-Erk were examined using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The intestinal bleeding rate was 37%, 40%, and 80% in the 55.6, 167, and 500 µg/mL dose of MSG, respectively, in which 55.6 and 167 µg/mL MSG dose groups were associated with significantly decreased intestinal bleeding rate when compared with the model control group (70%, P<0.05). Significantly higher hemostatic rates were also observed in the 55.6 (54%) and 167 (52%) µg/mL MSG dose groups (P<0.05). MSG increased the 5-HT content and mRNA expression levels of 5-HT2aR, 5-HT2bR, and SERT (P<0.05). In addition, caspase3/7 activity was inhibited (P<0.05). Significant increase in p-Akt and p-Erk was also detected after treatment with MSG (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MSG could reduce the incidence and severity of intestinal bleeding in zebrafish by activating MAPK/Erk and PI3K/Akt signal pathways through regulating the levels of 5-HT and its receptors, which may provide evidence for the treatment of ITP.

Trends and projections of inflammatory bowel disease at the global, regional and national levels, 1990-2050: a bayesian age-period-cohort modeling study.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a global health concern with varying levels and trends across countries and regions. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies. METHODS: Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, we examine IBD incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates in 198 countries from 1990 to 2019. To assess changes in the burden of IBD, estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) were calculated, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the future 30-year trends of IBD. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 405,000 new IBD cases globally (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 361,000 to 457,000), with 41,000 deaths (95% UI 35,000 to 45,000) and 1.62million DALYs (95% UI 1.36-1.92million). The global age-standardized incidence rate in 2019 was 4.97 per 100,000 person-years (95% UI 4.43 to 5.59), with a mortality rate of 0.54 (95% UI 0.46 to 0.59) and DALYs rate of 20.15 (95% UI 16.86 to 23.71). From 1990 to 2019, EAPC values for incidence, mortality, and DALYs rates were - 0.60 (95% UI - 0.73 to - 0.48), - 0.69 (95% UI - 0.81 to - 0.57), and - 1.04 (95% UI - 1.06 to - 1.01), respectively. Overall, the burden of IBD has shown a slow decline in recent years. In SDI stratification, regions with higher initial SDI (high-income North America and Central Europe) witnessed decreasing incidence and mortality rates with increasing SDI, while regions with lower initial SDI (South Asia, Oceania, and Latin America) experienced a rapid rise in incidence but a decrease in mortality with increasing SDI. Predictions using a Bayesian model showed lower new cases and deaths from 2020 to 2050 than reference values, while the slope of the predicted incidence-time curve closely paralleled that of the 2019 data. CONCLUSION: Increasing cases, deaths, and DALYs highlight the sustained burden of IBD on public health. Developed countries have stabilized or declining incidence rates but face high prevalence and societal burden. Emerging and developing countries experience rising incidence. Understanding these changes aids policymakers in effectively addressing IBD challenges in different regions and economic contexts.

Epidemiological and clinical features of hypertrophic scar and keloid in Chinese college students: A university-based cross-sectional survey.

Background: Hypertrophic scar (HS) and keloid (KD) are common dermal fibroproliferative growth caused by pathological wound healing. HS's prevalence is currently undetermined in China. Though it primarily occurs in dark-skinned individuals, KD can develop in all races, and its prevalence among Chinese people is poorly documented. Objective: To explore the present epidemiological status of them in Chinese college students. Methods: We conducted a university-based cross-sectional study at one university in Fujian, China. A total of 1785 participants aged 16-34 years (mean age, 20.0 ± 2.0; 58.7% female) were enrolled and statistical analyses were performed. Results: HS and KD were observed in 5.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.2-6.2) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3-1.0) of the population respectively. There was a significant difference by sex in HS (P < 0.05), but not in KD. The prevalence of HS and KD both showed a significant difference by age (P < 0.05), but not in ethnic and native place distribution. The occurrence of HS and KD were both concentrated in individuals 9-20 years old (HS: 77.2%; KD: 81.8%). They were mainly distributed in the upper limbs (52.1%; 64.3%), and the main cause was trauma (51.0%; 35.7%). In addition, male sex was a risk factor for HS (adjusted P < 0.001), and KD was associated with age ≥22 years and family history (adjusted P < 0.050). Conclusion: HS and KD are common in Chinese college students, and more attention and research is warranted.

Activation of ß2-adrenergic Receptor Ameliorates Amyloid-ß-induced Mitophagy Defects and Tau Pathology in Mice.

Defective mitophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction have been linked to aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). ß2-Adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) is critical for mitochondrial and cognitive function. However, researchers have not clearly determined whether ADRB2 activation ameliorates defective mitophagy and cognitive deficits in individuals with AD. Here, we observed that the activation of ADRB2 by clenbuterol (Clen, ADRB2 agonist, 2 mg/kg/day) ameliorated amyloid-ß-induced (Aß1-42 bilateral intracerebral infusion, 2 µl, 5 µg/µl) memory deficits. Activation of ADRB2 also attenuated Aß-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, as revealed by increased ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP/Δψm) and complex I activity. Further studies revealed that ADRB2 activation restored mitophagy deficits, as revealed by the increased light chain 3 (LC3)-II/LC3-I ratio, Atg5 levels, and Atg7 levels and decreased p62 levels, along with the upregulation of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin and NAD+ levels. Activation of ADRB2 rescued Aß-induced oxidative stress and neuronal death. ADRB2 activation also attenuated Aß-induced tau hyperphosphorylation by regulating glycogen synthase kinase-3ß expression in the hippocampus. Finally, we established that Clen improved mitophagy and attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction, and tau pathology in mice by activating the ADRB2/Akt/PINK1 signaling pathway. Conversely, the inhibition of ADRB2 by propranolol (ßAR antagonist, 10 µM) blocked the Clen-mediated improvements in pathological changes in N2a cells. The results from the present study indicate that ADRB2 activation may be a therapeutic strategy for AD.

Hyaluronic acid and albumin based nanoparticles for drug delivery.

Albumin, a multifunctional protein, is widely used to prepare nanocarriers. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural glycosaminoglycan that can specifically bind receptors, such as cluster of differentiation-44. Therefore, HA is commonly used as ligands for the surface modification of versatile nanocarriers. The combined utilization of albumin and HA as nanocarriers shows outstanding superiorities including efficient targeting, reducible particle size, pH and/or hyaluronidase sensitive drug release, combining capacity for various drugs, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, biodegradability and high stability. However, to the best of our knowledge, HA and albumin based nanoparticles have not been reviewed for drug delivery so far. This review involves the introduction of the essential information of HA and albumin as well as a brief presentation of the preparation methods of HA and albumin based nanocarriers. Moreover, the application of HA and albumin based nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers in tumors, joints, vitreum and skin tissue is systematically discussed with the potential and prospect in combined therapy and theranostics. In addition, the unique advantages of the HA and albumin based nanoparticles and their contributions to the improvement of drug delivery systems are further expounded in detail.

Phytosterols in hull-less pumpkin seed oil, rich in ∆7-phytosterols, ameliorate benign prostatic hyperplasia by lowing 5α-reductase and regulating balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Pumpkin seed oil is widely used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in elder men. However, its active components and mechanism have remained to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to investigate the active components of pumpkin seed oil and its mechanism against BPH. DESIGN: Total phytosterol (TPS) was isolated from hull-less pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Styriaca) seed oil and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Three phytosterols were purified by preparative HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) and confirmed by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). TPS (3.3 mg/kg body weight, 1 mL/day/rat) was administered intragastrically to the testosterone propionate-induced BPH rats for 4 weeks. The structure changes of prostate tissues were assessed by hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining. The expression of androgen receptor (AR) and steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC-1) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, while that of 5α-reductase (5AR), apoptosis, or proliferation-related growth factors/proteins was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction or western blotting. RESULTS: The ∆7-phytosterols in TPS reached up to 87.64%. Among them, 24ß-ethylcholesta-7,22,25-trienol, 24ß-ethylcholesta-7,25(27)-dien-3-ol, and ∆7-avenasterol were confirmed by NMR. TPS treatment significantly ameliorated the pathological prostate enlargement and restored histopathological alterations of prostate in BPH rats. It effectively suppressed the expressions of 5AR, AR, and coactivator SRC-1. TPS inhibited the expression of proliferation-related growth factor epidermal growth factor, whereas it increased the expressions of apoptosis-related growth factor/gene transforming growth factor-ß1. The proliferation-inhibiting effect was achieved by decreasing the ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) phosphorylation, while apoptosis was induced by Caspase 3 activation through JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: TPS from hull-less pumpkin seed oil, with ∆7-phytosterols as its main ingredients, is a potential nutraceutical for BPH prevention.

Developmental neurotoxicity and toxic mechanisms induced by olaquindox in zebrafish.

Olaquindox (OLA) has been widely used as an animal feed additive in China for decades; however, its toxicity and toxic mechanisms have not been well investigated. In this study, the developmental neurotoxicity and toxic mechanisms of OLA were evaluated in zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of OLA (25-1,000 mg/L) from 6 to 120 hours post fertilization (hpf). OLA exposure resulted in many abnormal phenotypes in zebrafish, including shortened body length, notochord degeneration, spinal curvature, brain apoptosis, damage of axon and peripheral motor neuron, and hepatotoxicity. Interestingly, OLA increased zebrafish spontaneous tail coiling, while reduced locomotor capacity. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) showed that the expression levels of nine marker genes for nervous system functions or development, namely, α1-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (gfap), myelin basic protein (mbp), synapsinII a (syn2a), sonic hedgehog a (shha), encoding HuC (elavl3), mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (manf) growth associated protein 43 (gap43), and acetylcholinesterase (ache) were all down-regulated significantly in zebrafish after treated with OLA. Besides, the anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic genes bcl-2/bax ratio was reduced. These results show that OLA exposure could cause severe developmental neurotoxicity in the early stages of zebrafish life and OLA might induce neurotoxicity by inhibiting the expression of neuro-developmental genes and promoting apoptosis.

Comparative investigation of phytochemicals among ten citrus herbs by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and evaluation of their antioxidant properties.

The citrus herbs have proved their important medicinal and nutritional values as medicine-food dual-purpose herbs, functional foods, or medical herbs in China. In this study, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity among ten typical citrus herbs (ethanol extracts) were investigated comprehensively. The major ingredients and their contents were analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry, and the differences of typical fragment ions between flavanone-7-O-rutinoside(s) and flavanone-7-O-neohesperidoside(s) were discriminated properly in negative electrospray ionization mode. Total polyphenols, total flavonoids, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), and ferric reducing antioxidant power tests were performed, which indicated their beneficial values and antioxidant effects. The medicine-food dual-purpose herbs including Chenpi, Juluo, Daidaihua, Huajuhong, Xiangyuan, and Foshou exhibited antioxidant capacities significantly by decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species intensity (P < 0.01), enhancing superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities (P < 0.01) in H2 O2 -induced RIN-m5F cells. Moreover, the functional foods Zhishi, Zhiqiao, and Qingpi showed moderate antioxidant bioactivity, while the medical herb Juhe showed weak antioxidant bioactivity, which were consistent with the multivariate analysis of their major flavonoids. The study provided a new sight for the chemical differentiation and practical application of citrus herbs as medicine-food dual-purpose herbs, functional foods, or medical herbs.

A natural complex product Yaocha reduces uric acid level in a live zebrafish model.

INTRODUCTION: This study was aimed to assess uric acid (UA)-lowering effect and its possible mechanisms of a natural complex product Yaocha in a live zebrafish model. METHODS: The zebrafish high UA model was established by feeding 5 dpf zebrafish with both an uricase inhibitor potassium oxonate at 10 mM and an UA synthesis precursor xanthine sodium at 0.5 mM for 24 h. Yaocha was administered to the high UA zebrafish through soaking at 3 various concentrations, with allopurinol as a positive control. UA level, xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity, and mRNA expression of hypoxanthine guanine-phosphoribosyltransferases transferase (HPRT1) and organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) were measured. RESULTS: Yaocha effectively reduced UA level and inhibited xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in the high UA zebrafish. Yaocha could be a potential therapeutics for hyperuricemia through up-regulating HPRT1 and OAT1 gene expression and suppressing XO activity. DISCUSSION: These results suggested that Yaocha hold a potential for high UA prevention and therapy, possibly through inhibiting UA production and promoting urate secretion and purine conversion.

The Negative Emotions Due to Chronic Illness Screening Test (NECIS): Construct Validity in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease in Mainland China.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are susceptible to the negative emotion and its adverse influence on the disease prognosis. It is of great necessity to have a simple measurement to timely assess negative emotions in patients with CAD. The Negative Emotions due to Chronic Illness Screening Test (NECIS) is a newly developed tool to measure negative emotions. However, the construct validity has not been established yet. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the construct validity of the NECIS in individuals with CAD in mainland China. METHODS: The tool was administered in a convenience sample of 376 patients with CAD hospitalized in three general hospitals in Wuhan City, China. Construct validity was evaluated through factorial validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity. Additionally, the assumed relationship between negative emotions with other associated variables (perceived control and perceived social support) was tested to provide additional evidence of the construct validity of the NECIS. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis established and confirmed a two-factorial structure of the NECIS. Convergent validity and discriminant validity of the NECIS were proven to be adequate. Two hypotheses regarding the relationship between negative emotions and associated variables (perceived control and perceived social support) were confirmed, which supported the satisfactory construct validity of the NECIS. CONCLUSION: The NECIS had sound construct validity when applied to patients with CAD in mainland China. This study added new knowledge regarding the construct validity of the NECIS, which supported its psychometric properties for future use.

[Diagnostic Value of Protocadherin 15 for NK/T Cell Lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether PCDH15-SI is stable and accurate to diagnose NK/T-cell lymphoma or not. METHODS: The paraffin-biopsiy specimens were collected from 45 cases of NK/T-cell lymphoma and 33 cases of non-NK/T-cell lymphoma in Department of pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The paraffin sections were stained by immunohistochemistry and blank controls were set up. The peripheral blood was collected from these cases of NK/T-cell lymphoma and non-NK/T-cell lymphoma, as well as from the normal controls in the same hospital. The serum PCDH15 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry showed that PCDH15 were expressed in biopsy specimens of both the NK/T-cell lymphoma in the experimental group and the non-NK/T cell lymphoma in the control group. The expression rate in the NK/T-cell lymphoma group was higher than that in control group. The PCDH15-SI can be detected in NK/T cell lymphoma, non-NK/T cell lymphoma and the normal controls, which is higher in lymphoma patients than that in control, and the serum level was higher in the non-NK/T-cell lymphoma patients than that in the NK/T-cell lymphoma patients. Also, the serum level was higher in the patients with advanced disease than that in the patients at early stage. CONCLUSION: PCDH15 does not act as the new diagnostic marker for NK/T cell lymphoma. The serum level of PCDH15-SI may be helpful to the staging and judging therapeutic effect and prognosis for the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

[Effects of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin on MPC-11 Myeloma Cells Cultured In Vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on myeloma cell line MPC-11 in vitro and its anti-tumor mechamism so as to provide the theoretic evidence for treatment of multiple myeloma by using rhEPO. METHODS: MPC-11 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium, then the MPC-11 cells in logarithmic growth phase were seed in 96 well culture plates at a density of 1×104/ml cells with 100 µl per well. For all the experiments, the control and rhEPO groups were set up, and the rhEPO group was divided into different concentration groups: 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 200 and 400 rhEPO U/ml. The cultured MPC-11 cells in each groups were collected at day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and the viability of MPC-11 cells was assayed by using CCK-8 method, the MPC-11 cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining, the levels of IL-6, IgG and kappa light chain in cell supernatant were detected by ILISA. RESULTS: The apoptosis rate in MPC-11 cells treated with 200 U/ml of rhEPO at day 21 was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.05); the apoptosis rate in MPC-11 cells treated with 400 U/ml of rhEPO at day 10, 15, 21 was higher than that in control group at same time points, respectively (P<0.05), suggesting that the MPC-11 cell apoptosis rate was enhanced with increase of rhEPO concentration and prolonging of culture time(P<0.05), the IL-6 level in supernatant of cell treated with 400 U/ml of rhEOP for 15 days was lower than that in control group(P<0.05), while the IL-6 level in supernatant of cells treated with 100, 200, 400 U/ml of rhEPO for 21 days decreased (P<0.05); The levels of IgG and kappa light chain in supernatant of cells treated with 400 U/ml of rhEPO for 21 days all were significantly lower than those in control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The rhEPO can induce apoptosis of MPC-11 cells with concentration- and time-dependent manner, and can reduce levels of IgG, kappa light chain secreted by MPC-11 cells with time-dependent manner.

Comparison of dexmedetomidine and propofol for conscious sedation in inguinal hernia repair: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Objective The ideal agents for conscious sedation during ambulatory inguinal hernia repair are still unclear. We aimed to compare the analgesic, sedative, haemodynamic, and side effects of dexmedetomidine with those of propofol in combination with fentanyl for conscious sedation in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. Methods Eighty patients undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair were prospectively randomized to receive either dexmedetomidine (n = 40) or propofol (n = 40). Dexmedetomidine and propofol dosages were adjusted to maintain the targeted level of sedation. Results After administration of sedative drugs, patients who received dexmedetomidine had a significantly lower heart rate. The intraoperative requirement of fentanyl was significantly lower in patients who received dexmedetomidine compared with patients who received propofol. Administration of dexmedetomidine was associated with a reduced postoperative pain score, longer time for onset of sedation, and a slightly longer recovery time. No serious adverse events occurred in either group. The patients' overall satisfaction score was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine is an effective adjuvant when co-administered with fentanyl for conscious sedation in patients who undergo inguinal hernia repair. Administration of dexmedetomidine decreases the requirement of fentanyl and the pain score, but slightly prolongs the time to sedation and recovery.

Cardioprotective effect of novel sulphonamides-1,3,5-triazine conjugates against ischaemic-reperfusion injury via selective inhibition of MMP-9.

Diseases affecting cardiovascular system are ranked as a top most cause of morbidity and mortality. Herein, a novel class sulphonamides-1,3,5-triazine conjugates have been synthesized and tested for inhibitory activity against MMP-2 and MMP-9. The results of the study showed that these molecules efficiently inhibit MMP-9 than MMP-2, revealing compound 8e as the most potent inhibitor (IC50  = 2.34 ± 0.56 nm). Due to involvement of MMP-9 in many cardiovascular diseases, particularly in myocardial ischaemia (MI), compound 8e was further subjected for the determination of the protective effect on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury in rats.

Rapid detection and identification of infectious pathogens based on high-throughput sequencing.

BACKGROUND: The dilemma of pathogens identification in patients with unidentified clinical symptoms such as fever of unknown origin exists, which not only poses a challenge to both the diagnostic and therapeutic process by itself, but also to expert physicians. METHODS: In this report, we have attempted to increase the awareness of unidentified pathogens by developing a method to investigate hitherto unidentified infectious pathogens based on unbiased high-throughput sequencing. RESULTS: Our observations show that this method supplements current diagnostic technology that predominantly relies on information derived five cases from the intensive care unit. This methodological approach detects viruses and corrects the incidence of false positive detection rates of pathogens in a much shorter period. Through our method is followed by polymerase chain reaction validation, we could identify infection with Epstein-Barr virus, and in another case, we could identify infection with Streptococcus viridians based on the culture, which was false positive. CONCLUSIONS: This technology is a promising approach to revolutionize rapid diagnosis of infectious pathogens and to guide therapy that might result in the improvement of personalized medicine.

[Clinical outcome of 489 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and associated factors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical outcome of 489 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and to identify factors associated with the clinical outcome. METHODS: Medical records of 489 DLBCL patients admitted to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from Jan 2000 to Dec 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into CHOP and RCHOP (rituximab plus CHOP) groups depending on their chemotherapy regimens. The clinical outcomes of the two groups of patients were compared. RESULTS: The RCHOP group had a higher response rate than the CHOP group (84.3% vs. 75.6%, P = 0.015). The multivariate analysis showed that splenomegaly, low absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), high IPI scores, and CHOP was associate with the low overall-response rate. In the CHOP group, low ALC (OR = 2.060, 95% CI: 1.159-3.661, P = 0.014) and high IPI scores (OR= 2. 157, 95% CI: 1.170-3.978, P = 0.014) were associate with low response rate. In the RCHOP group, anemia (OR = 3.010, 95% CI: 1.238-7.314, P = 0.015) and high IPI scores (OR = 2.872, 95% CI: 1.193-6. 914, P = 0.019) were associate with low response rate. For patients with 0.8 x 10(9)/L-1.0 x 10(9)/L ALC, RCHOP therapy was more effective than CHOP. The expression of Bcl-2 and the phenotype of immuno-classification (GCB/non-GCB) were not associated with the difference of overall response rate between the CHOP and RCHOP groups. CONCLUSION: RCHOP therapy increases the overall response rate compared with CHOP alone. Low ALC and anemia is associate with low response rate to CHOP and RCHOP therapy, respectively.

[Estimation of PMI using late postmortem phenomena in the basis of 49 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the influencing factors of using late postmortem phenomena to estimate PMI and to provide experience for an accurate estimation. METHODS: Forty-nine corpses of late postmortem were collected in Shaoxing City, Zhuji area from 2004 to 2011. The related factors were analyzed including season, scene, estimated PMI, exact PMI, cause of death and main factors effected PMI, etc. RESULTS: Of all 49 cases, 20 corpses were outdoor, 11 were indoor and 18 were in water. Thirty-seven cases were successful to estimate PMI and 12 cases were unsuccessful. The main factors affected PMI were infection, poisoning, human destruction and high-pressure electric shock, etc. CONCLUSION: In general, PMI can be correctly estimated by late postmortem phenomenon. When the cases included infection, poisoning and human destruction, we should estimate PMI with the comprehensive analysis.

Catalpol increases brain angiogenesis and up-regulates VEGF and EPO in the rat after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion.

To investigate the role and mechanism of catalpol in brain angiogenesis in a rat model of stroke, the effect of catalpol (5 mg/kg; i.p) or vehicle administered 24 hours after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) on behavior, angiogenesis, ultra-structural integrity of brain capillary endothelial cells, and expression of EPO and VEGF were assessed. Repeated treatments with Catalpol reduced neurological deficits and significantly improved angiogenesis, while significantly increasing brain levels of EPO and VEGF without worsening BBB edema. These results suggested that catalpol might contribute to infarcted-brain angiogenesis and ameliorate the edema of brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) by upregulating VEGF and EPO coordinately.

On the p-norm joint spectral radius.

The p-norm joint spectral radius is defined by a bounded collection of square matrices with complex entries and of the same size. In the present paper the author investigates the p-norm joint spectral radius for integers. The method introduced in this paper yields some basic formulas for these spectral radii. The approach used in this paper provides a simple proof of Berger-Wang's relation concerning the infinity -norm joint spectral radius.