Objective To study the process of foam fractionation of polyphyllin in semi-batch mode. Methods Taking enrichment ratio, recovery rate of polyphyllin, and purity ratio as the performance criteria and using single examining method to examine the operational parameters, i.e. operation mode, air flow rate, initial feed concentration, solution pH value, initial feed height and temperature on separation performance. The optimal conditions of the process were obtained finally. Results The separation performance is good when gas flow rate is 400 mL/min, initial feed concentration (polyphyllins content) is 0.3 mg/mL, pH value is 7, feed height is 30 cm, and feed temperature is 40 ℃. The enrichment ratio is 25.7, recovery ratio is 42.1%, and the foam liquids purity of total polyphyllin is 41.4%, which is 4.5 times higher than that in feed purity. Conclusion Foam fractionation technique could be applied to separate polyphyllin.

In the heart, stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptors (betaAR) serves as the most powerful means to increase cardiac contractility and relaxation in response to stress or a "fight-or-flight" situation. However, sustained beta-adrenergic stimulation promotes pathological cardiac remodeling such as myocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis and necrosis, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure. Over the past decade, compelling evidence has demonstrated that coexisting cardiac betaAR subtypes, mainly beta(1)AR and beta (2)AR, activate markedly different signaling cascades. As a result, acute beta(1)AR stimulation activates the G(s) -adenylyl cyclase-cAMP-PKA signaling that can broadcast throughout the cell, whereas beta(2)AR-evoked cAMP signaling is spatially and functionally compartmentalized, due to concurrent G(i) activation. Chronic stimulation of beta(1)AR and beta(2)AR elicits opposing effects on the fate of cardiomyocytes: beta(1)AR induces hypertrophy and apoptosis; but beta(2)AR promotes cell survival. The cardiac protective effect of beta(2)AR is mediated by a signaling pathway sequentially involving G(i), G(betagamma), PI3K and Akt. Unexpectedly, beta(1)AR-induced myocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis are independent of the classic cAMP/PKA pathway, but require activation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMK II). The outcomes of cardiac-specific transgenic overexpression of either beta AR subtype in mice have reinforced the fundamentally different functional roles of these betaAR subtypes in governing cardiac remodeling and performance. These new insights regarding betaAR subtype stimulation not only provide clues as to cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of beta AR blockers in patients with chronic heart failure, but also delineate rationale for combining selective beta(1)AR blockade with moderate beta(2)AR activation as a potential novel therapy for the treatment of chronic heart failure.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Heart ; physiology ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta ; classification ; physiology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 ; physiology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 ; physiology ; Signal Transduction

Objective To describe a new kind of Y-shaped metallic stent delivery system and evaluate its feasibility and preliminary effect for managing multiple airway stenoses involving the lower trachea and the tracheal carina.Methods The Y-shaped metallic stent delivery system consisted of three- tier structure.The inner-tier was composed of four parallel guiding tubes,which was used for two guidewires and two threads passing through,the middle-tier was delivery catheter,which contained the four guiding tubes,and the outer-tier was introducer sheath.Under the fluoroscopic guidance,15 patients with multiple stenoses involving the lower trachea and the tracheal carina were treated with the new covered self-expandable Y-shaped metallic stents.Results Stent placement in the tracheo-bronchial tree was technically successful in all patients with obliteration of the dyspnea immediately after stent placement,and SaO_2 was increased form preoperative 75%—89% to postoperative 96%—99%.During follow-up a period of 3—58 weeks (M 22 weeks),all stenosis were resolved without stent-related complications,and the general physical of all 15 patents was improved with no occurrence of obviously dyspnea and bleeding.Karnofsky performance status(KPS)was improved from preoperative 26%—45% to postoperative 72%—95%.Five patients died of the following causes unrelated to stent insertion:multiple organ failure(n=3),cachexia(n=1)and pulmonary infection caused by gastrobronchial fistula(n=1),and the remaining 10 patients were alive with no evidence.of dyspnea at the time of this report.Conclusion Deployment of the covered Y-shaped metallic stent with the use of Y metallic stent delivery system in the management of airway stenoses involving the lower trachea and the tracheal earina was a simple and safe procedure and with a good short-term clinical efficacy.

Postoperative pancreatic leakage remains a persistent problem after pancreaticoduodenectomy.For patients with a soft and nonfibrotic pancreas,double binding continuous hemstitch suture is an optimal method for anastomosis.From January 2011 to June 2012,92 cases of periampullary carcinoma with a soft pancreas underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy,and then a modified technique of pancreaticogastrostomy was performed with 2 continuous hemstitch sutures placed in the mucosal and seromuscular layers of the posterior gastric wall,respectively.The median time for pancreaticogastrostomy was 12 minutes,and only 15 patients had postoperative complications.Two patients developed pancreatic leakage(1 grade A and 1 grade B)postoperatively.Pancreaticogastrostomy with double binding continuous hemstitch sutures is a simple and safe reconstruction procedure for patients with a soft and fragile pancreas who received pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Evaluation of the permeability mainly focuses on intestinal absorption in biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS). It is more complicated that the absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment in biopharmaceutics classification system of Chinese materia medica (CMMBCS) compared with single component environment, which needs suitable mathematical models to be described. Therefore, with full consideration of existing single component mathematical algorithm combining with the characteristics of intestinal absorption and metabolism, we explored and designed a new mathematical algorithm of intestinal absorption and metabolism of multicomponent drug. Then we put forward a new coefficient, P (influence), the relative change rate of the single component's intestinal absorption and metabolism under multicomponent environment compared with single component environment, which described the influences of intestinal absorption and metabolism of the component under multicomponent environment. Moreover, P (influence) highlights the distinctive characteristics of multicomponent drug's intestinal absorption and metabolism, and lays the foundation for the construction of CMMBCS.
Algorithms ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Models, Theoretical ; Solubility

Objectiv e To investigate the correlation between ( CAG) n repeat polymorphism of androgen receptor(AR)geneandmalebreastcancer.Methods 40casesofmalebreastcancerand40controlswerecol-lected.DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the AR gene CAG coding exon sequences for PCR amplifica -tion,sequencing and calculated the number of CAG repeats frquency .χ2 test and Logistic regression analysis were used assess the AR gene CAG repeat length frequency affect the number of male breast cancer risk .Results There was statistically significant difference in male breast cancer cases and controls the number of CAG repeat length frequency.Man for whom the(CAG)n≥22 repeat sequence had 3.52 times risk of male breast compared (CAG)n≤22(OR=3.52,P=0.036).Conclusion AR gene CAG repeat length is a predictor of the frequency of male breast cancer risk .Longer CAG repeats can increase the risk of male breast cancer .

This study is to investigate the effect of osthol on osteoclasts' activity, bone resorption as well as apoptosis in vitro, and explore the mechanism of osthol in preventing osteoporosis. Osteoclasts were separated from long-limb bones of new born rabbits, cultured in 24-well plate with glass slices and bone slices, and treated by 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) osthol. Osteoclasts were identified by observing live cells with phase contrast microscope, HE staining, TRAP staining and toluidine blue staining of bone resorption pits. The numbers of bone resorption pits were counted as well as the surface area of bone resorption on bone slice. Osteoclasts were stained with acridine orange to detect the cell apoptosis. The ratio of apoptotic osteoclasts was observed under fluorescence microscope. The gene expression of RANKL, OPG, TRAP and p-JNK1/2 protein expression were examined using real time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Comparing with the control group without osthol, the rates of apoptotic osteoclasts increased obviously and the number and area of bone resorption pits decreased evidently with 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) osthol. There is significant difference between control group and experiment group treated by 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) osthol. Therefore, the osthol through RANK+RANKL/TRAF6/Mkk/JNK signal pathway inhibits the osteoclasts activity, enhances osteoclasts apoptotic and inhibits the bone resorption.
Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bone Resorption ; Cells, Cultured ; Cnidium ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; Isoenzymes ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9 ; metabolism ; Osteoclasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteoprotegerin ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RANK Ligand ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase

Background Clinical and genetic heterogeneity of congenital cataract is well substantiated.Researchers often identify disease loci by linkage analysis and screen candidate gene by direct sequencing.Objective This study was to localize and identify the disease-causing genes for two Chinese families with congenital coralliform cataracts.Methods Two Chinese families(CC1 and CC2) with autosomal dominant inheritance congenital coralliform cataracts were ascertained and patients in the families underwent ophthalmological examination.Periphery blood samples were collected and DNA was extracted from 17 subjects including 11 cataract patients and 4 phenotype normal and 2 spouses.A linkage scan of genomic regions containing 25 known candidate genes was performed using 50 polymorphic microsatellite markers on genomic DNA from affected and unaffected family members and LOD scores were calculated.Candidate genes were sequenced and mutations were analyzed.Three single nucleotyde polymorphisms(SNP)(rs2305429,rs2305430,rs2242074) were sequenced and genotyped for the detect of the possibility of a common origin between CC1 and CC2.This study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by Ethic Committee of Tianjin Eye Hospital.The informed consent was obtained from subjects and their guardian before the protocol.Results A significant LOD score of 3.28(θ=0) in family CC1 and a maximum LOD score of 1.50(θ=0) in family CC2 were both produced at the microsatellite marker D2S325 linked with CRYGD gene.Sequencing of CRYGD gene showed a heterozygous single base pair change c.70C＞A in exon2,predicting to result in a P23T amino acid change.The haplotypes of two probands in their respective families was quite distinct.Conclusion These results indicate that c.C70A(p.P23T) mutation in CRYGD gene is the underlyingmolecular pathogenesis of the two families with congenital coralliform cataracts,and this mutation occurs independently in these two families rather than descending from a common ancestor.

OBJECTIVETo present a method of quantitative diagnosis of craniofacial skeleton deformities based on three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT).

METHODS20 cases with facial asymmetric deformities underwent 3D CT and the 3D images were reconstructed by Mimics 10.0 (Belgium). Anatomical landmarks were located and the coordinate of the landmarks obtained. Axial images of 1 patient with Romberg disease was used as representative case. The differences in the distance between the right landmarks and the left were calculated and analyzed.

RESULTSThe measurement results were not significantly different between two stages with an interval of 4 weeks ( P > 0.05), showing a reproducible resutls. The deviation of landmarks at facial midline increased gradually from upward to downward, reaching (2.63 +/- 0.54) mm at menton point. Paired landmarks showed asymmetry in three dimensions, especially gonion point on the left side, which was deviated 10.21 mm inward, 9.26 mm forward, 6.30 mm upward, compared to the opposite side.

CONCLUSIONSThe method of 3D CT quantitative analysis can provide precise information in the diagnosis and treatment planning of facial asymmetry deformity.

Anatomic Landmarks ; diagnostic imaging ; Cephalometry ; Craniofacial Abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Facial Asymmetry ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods