Association between flood and the morbidity of bacillary dysentery in Zibo City, China: a symmetric bidirectional case-crossover study.

This study examined the relationship between daily morbidity of bacillary dysentery and flood in 2007 in Zibo City, China, using a symmetric bidirectional case-crossover study. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) on the basis of multivariate model and stratified analysis at different lagged days were calculated to estimate the risk of flood on bacillary dysentery. A total of 902 notified bacillary dysentery cases were identified during the study period.

Clinicopathological significance and a potential drugtarget of RARβ in non-small-cell lung carcinoma: a meta-analysis and a systematic review.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. Aberrant RARβ promoter methylation has been frequently investigated in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer. The aim of present study was to carry out a meta-analysis and a systematic review to evaluate clinicopathological significance of RARβ promoter hypermethylation in NSCLC.

[Research progress on case-control study].

Several new varients related to the case-control designs have been developed in the recent decades, and this article briefly summarized four new designs: two-stage design, case-specular study, exposure-crossover study and case-case-time-control study. This paper involved principles of study design, requisites for application, advantages and disadvantages on all the studies.

Compatible stability study of panax notoginseng saponin injection (xueshuantong®) in combination with 47 different injectables.

Panax Notoginseng Saponin (PNS) injection (Xueshuantong®, XST) plays an important role in acute and chronic treatment of cardiovascular disease in China. XST, a freeze-dried powder injection of PNS, contains ginsenosides, Rg1, Rb1, Re, Rd. and notoginsenoside, R1.

Ursolic Acid Nanocrystals for Dissolution Rate and Bioavailability Enhancement: Influence of Different Particle Size.

Background: Ursolic acid (UA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, has been reported to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, but the poor oral bioavailability of UA owing to the poor aqueous solubility and membrane permeability limits the further clinical application.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to develop UA nanocrystals and microcrystals employing high pressure homogenization (HPH) and to evaluate their effects on UA oral bioavailability.

Method: The crystalline morphology of UA nanocrystals and microcrystals prepared by HPH was observed by scanning electron microscopy and the crystalline state was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD).

Metabolomics approach to explore the effects of Kai-Xin-San on Alzheimer's disease using UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF mass spectrometry.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that influences elderly populations, with no effective method for its treatment so far. To improve its diagnosis and treatment, changes of small molecule metabolite during AD should be elucidated. Kai-Xin-San (KXS) is an herbal formulae that has been widely used to treat mental disorders, especially amnesia and depression in China.

Mycobacterium Lysine ε-aminotransferase is a novel alarmone metabolism related persister gene via dysregulating the intracellular amino acid level.

Bacterial persisters, usually slow-growing, non-replicating cells highly tolerant to antibiotics, play a crucial role contributing to the recalcitrance of chronic infections and treatment failure. Understanding the molecular mechanism of persister cells formation and maintenance would obviously inspire the discovery of new antibiotics. The significant upregulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3290c, a highly conserved mycobacterial lysine ε-aminotransferase (LAT) during hypoxia persistent model, suggested a role of LAT in persistence.

Quantitative analysis of burden of bacillary dysentery associated with floods in Hunan, China.

Background: Jishou and Huaihua, two cities in the west of Hunan Province, had suffered from severe floods because of long-lasting and heavy rainfall during the end of June and July 2012. However, the Disability Adjusted of Life Years (DALYs) of bacillary dysentery caused by the floods have not been examined before. The study aimed to quantify the impact of the floods on the burden of bacillary dysentery in Hunan, China.

Assessment of the efficacy of drug transdermal delivery by electro-phonophoresis in treating tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Electro-phonophoresis (EP) has been used in various clinical fields. The objective of present study is to evaluate the skin permeability of isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) in patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis with the aid of EP to validate the clinical applications of this transdermal delivery system for the treatment of superficial extrapulmonary tuberculosis. INH and RIF solutions were delivered transdermally, with or without EP, in the surrounding tissue of the lesion for 0.

Giant mediastinal thymolipoma in a patient with Gardner's syndrome.

Gardner's syndrome is a hereditary disorder inherited as an autosomal dominant with high penetrance and variable expression that is caused by a mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. It is characterized by gastrointestinal polyps associated with multiple osteomas, dental anomalies, and skin and soft tissue tumors. We present a case of 30-year-old female patient with Gardner's syndrome who presented with a giant mediastinal thymolipoma.

Performance Assessment of Internal Quality Control (IQC) Products in Blood Transfusion Compatibility Testing in China.

Internal quality control (IQC) is a critical component of laboratory quality management, and IQC products can determine the reliability of testing results. In China, given the fact that most blood transfusion compatibility laboratories do not employ IQC products or do so minimally, there is a lack of uniform and standardized IQC methods. To explore the reliability of IQC products and methods, we studied 697 results from IQC samples in our laboratory from 2012 to 2014.

Analysis of Risk and Burden of Dysentery Associated with Floods from 2004 to 2010 in Nanning, China.

This study aimed to examine the association between floods and the morbidity of dysentery and to quantify the burden of dysentery due to floods in Nanning, China. A generalized additive mixed model was conducted to assess the relationship between monthly morbidity of dysentery and floods from 2004 to 2010. The years lived with disability (YLDs) of dysentery attributable to floods were then estimated based on the WHO framework of the burden of disease study for calculating the potential impact fraction.

Surgical treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis: is video-assisted thoracic surgery "better" than thoracotomy?

Objective: To compare video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy and conventional open lobectomy in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) who require surgery.

Methods: Forty patients with pulmonary TB who required lobectomy were randomized to receive either VATS or open lobectomy. Patient demographic, pulmonary function, operative, and postoperative data were compared between the groups.

Randomized controlled trials of induction treatment and surgery versus combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy in stages IIIA-N2 NSCLC: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy of induction treatment plus surgery for improving postoperative survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in stages IIIA-N2 is controversial, especially compared with the combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published phase III randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to quantitatively evaluate the survival benefit of preoperative induction treatment vs. combined chemoradiotherapy.

Sleeve lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery versus thoracotomy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Both video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy are used for sleeve lobectomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This retrospective study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of VATS sleeve lobectomy for NSCLC patients.

Methods: Between May 2009 and May 2013, 51 sleeve lobectomies (10 by VATS and 41 by thoracotomy) were performed for patients with NSCLC.

Down-regulation of c-Met and Bcl2 by microRNA-206, activates apoptosis, and inhibits tumor cell proliferation, migration and colony formation.

Hsa-miRNA-206 (miR-206), highly expressed in skeletal muscle, has recently been discovered to have anticancer properties in different tissues. However, the role of miR-206 on lung cancer is still ambiguous. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-206 on the development of lung cancer.

Trend of non-communicable disease mortality for three common conditions in the elderly population from 2002 to 2010: A population-based study in China.

Objective: There is a lack of data focusing on non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality in the Chinese elderly population over the past decade.

Methods: Using mortality data from the Chinese Health Statistics, we explored the crude and age-standardized mortality trend of three major NCDs in the Chinese population ≥65 years of age from 2002 to 2010, namely, malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Subpopulations characterized as rural and urban residence, and by gender and age were examined separately.

Preparation Procedure and Pharmacokinetic Study of Water-in-Oil Nanoemulsion of Panax Notoginseng Saponins for Improving the Oral Bioavailability.

Background: Due to the effects of gastric acid, glycosidase and intestinal flora in the gastrointestinal environment, panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) can easily be resolved and metabolized when it is administered orally, limiting its oral bioavailability.

Methods: The formula of PNS nanoemulsion (PNS-N) was optimized using a pseudoternary phase diagram, and the PNS-N was prepared by high pressure homogenization. The type, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), refractive index, pH and content of PNS-N were characterized.

Nanotoxicity: the toxicity research progress of metal and metal-containing nanoparticles.

Along with the exuberant development of nanotechnology, a large number of nanoformulations or non materials are successfully applied in the clinics, biomedicine, cosmetics and industry. Despite some unique advantages of nanoformulations, there exist potentially worrying toxic effects, particularly those related to metal and metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs). Although various researches have been conducted to assess the metallic and metal-containing nanoparticles toxic effects, only little is known about the toxicity expressive types and evaluation, reasons and mechanisms, influencing factors and research methods of metal and metal-containing nanotoxicity.

Transcription factors COUP-TFI and COUP-TFII are required for the production of granule cells in the mouse olfactory bulb.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) persist in the adult mammalian subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle. Primary NSCs generate rapidly dividing intermediate progenitor cells, which in turn generate neuroblasts that migrate along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb (OB). Here, we have examined the role of the COUP-TFI and COUP-TFII orphan nuclear receptor transcription factors in mouse OB interneuron development.

Effect of Baicalin-loaded PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles modified by OX26 antibody on regulating the levels of baicalin and amino acids during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Baicalin has many pharmacological activities, including neuroprotective function against ischemia and neurodegeneration. In our previous study, we found that Baicalin-loaded PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles modified by OX26 antibody (OX26-PEG-CSLN) might be a promising carrier to deliver drugs across the blood-brain barrier for the treatment of brain diseases. So, the aim of this present study was to further elucidate the mechanisms of OX26-PEG-CSLN cerebral ischemia protection by monitoring the changes of extracellular amino acids.

Interleukin-8 -251A/T gene polymorphism and lung cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis.

Many studies have examined the association between the interleukin-8 -251T/A (rs4073) gene polymorphism and lung cancer risk in various populations, but the results have been inconsistent. In this meta-analysis, PubMed was searched for case-control studies published through 01 December 2013. The data were extracted, and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Preparation and evaluation of Baicalin-loaded cationic solid lipid nanoparticles conjugated with OX26 for improved delivery across the BBB.

Purpose: A novel brain targeting drug delivery system based on OX26 antibody conjugation on PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (OX26-PEG-CSLN) was prepared.

Methods: The Baicalin-loaded PEGylated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles modified by OX26 antibody (OX26-PEG-CSLN) were prepared by emulsion evaporation-solidification at low temperature method. The immune-gold labeled OX26-PEG-CSLN was visualized by transmission electron microscopy.

Treatment of chest wall tuberculosis with transdermal ultrasound-mediated drug delivery.

Chest wall tuberculosis (TB) is an endemic disease with a large number of variants. The condition affects numerous parts of the body and can penetrate the skin to form chronic open ulcers. Current treatment methods include oral anti-TB drugs and surgery.

Tanshinone I selectively suppresses pro-inflammatory genes expression in activated microglia and prevents nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, known as Danshen, is a well-known traditional Chinese herb which has been used extensively for the treatment of various diseases, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases for thousands of years. Tanshinone I is one of major bioactive flavonoids of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae. Modulation of microglial over-reaction may represent a therapeutic target to alleviate the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.