Objective To study the morphological changes of the Schwann cells within the predegenerated nerve. Methods The ulanr and the median nerves were cut bilaterally at the axillary level in 42 SD rats. A nerve segment of 1 cm in length was harvested from the distal segment of each of the cut nerves right after the operation, 3 days, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively(group 1-7). The methods of Schwann cells culture and S-100 protein standing were used to study the temporal changes of the number of the Schwann cells, and the thickness of myelin of the predegenerated nerve were studied under electromicroscope. Results The number of Schwann cells increased after nerve transection, and reached a peak of [(3.52?0.27)?107]/ml in one week. The thickness of myelin also increased after nerve transection, and was thickest at about (231.2?8.9) nm in one week. The myelin thickness slowly decreased after this time. Conclusion The number of the Schwann cells and the thickness of myelin of the predegenerated nerve were changed with time.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) and X-ray irradiation on liver carcinoma cell lines BEL-7402. Methods Liver carcinoma cell lines BEL-7402 had been incubated with ELF-EMF (100 Hz, 0.7 mT, 30 min, 3 days) after X-ray irradiation at different doses (0, 2, 4, 6, 8,10 Gy). The cells were observed on morphologic changes with scanning electron microscope. Flow cytometry and gene microarray were used to investigate the mechanism of cell apeptosis. Results ELF-EMF plus X-ray induced apoptosis on BEL-7402 was observed under scanning electron microscope.When X-irradiation was 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy, the apoptosis ratios of combined group and only X-irradiation group were 10.0%, 14.5%, 4.3%, 5.1%, 7.1% and 0.1%, 8.1%, 0.1%, 0.4%, 2.2% (P < 0.05) on flow cytometry. The result of microarray indicated that 1465 genes were up-regulated and 1108 down*regulated in the ELF-EMF plus X-ray group in comparison with the control group. The change rates of 110 apoptosis related genes were above 2 times, which including 71 up-regulated and 39 down-regulated. Gene microarray showed that ELF-EMF and X-ray irradiation had a mainly effect on different gene of apoptosis paths (CDC25 and CHKI, ATM, p38, PTEN, p53, G1/S, Fas, G2/M, Cell Cycle, Apoptosis and Caspase). The same genes of ELF-EMF plus X-ray group were showed 13 in ELF-EMF group and 42 in X-ray group. Conclusions Apoptosis paths were significantly different between ELF-EMF and X-irradiation. ELF-EMF cooperates with X-irradiation on inducing BEL-7402 cell apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Several factors, including clinical manifestations and laboratory data, have been used to evaluate the disease activity of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). We investigated saliva indicators of disease activity in primary SS patients. METHODS: We enrolled 138 Taiwanese patients with primary SS and 100 Taiwanese normal controls. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and rheumatoid factor (RF)-IgA levels in saliva samples were measured using ELISA or fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay. Serum IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were measured by nephelometry. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was measured with an automatic ESR analyzer. The t-test and Pearson correlation test were used. RESULTS: IL-6 level was higher in primary SS patients than in normal controls (14.23±14.77 vs 9.87±7.32, P=0.012), but there were no significant differences in IL-17A, TNF-α, and RF-IgA levels. In primary SS patients, IL-6 level correlated weakly with ESR and IgG levels (r=0.252, P=0.015, and r=0.248, P=0.017, respectively), and TNF-α level correlated weakly with IgG level (r=0.231, P=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 may play a role in SS pathogenesis. Saliva IL-6 might be an indicator of disease activity in primary SS patients.
Blood Sedimentation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Saliva ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Chinese medicinal authentication is fundamental for the standardization and globalization of Chinese medicine. The discipline of authentication addresses difficult issues that have remained unresolved for thousands of years, and is essential for preserving safety. Chinese medicinal authentication has both scientific and traditional cultural connotations; the use of scientific methods to elucidate traditional experience-based differentiation carries the legacy of Chinese medicine forward, and offers immediate practical significance and long-term scientific value. In this paper, a path of inheritance and innovation is explored through the scientific exposition of Chinese medicinal authentication, featuring a review of specialized publications, the establishment of a Chinese medicine specimen center and Chinese medicinal image databases, the expansion of authentication technologies, and the formation of a cultural project dedicated to the Compedium of Materia Medica.
Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; Humans ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Reference Standards

OBJECTIVETo obtain monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) which can be widely used to detect mammalian prions (PrP) and to develop diagnostic tests for screening transmissile spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) as well as for studying pathogenesis of prion-related diseases.

METHODSBALB/c mice were immunized separately with bovine PrP peptide 29-48 (BoP1) and 89-108 (BoP2) coupled to keyhole limpt hemocyan. Two hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies against these peptides were established by cell fusion and 2 to 3 rounds of cell cloning. The reactions of the McAbs to the recombinant bovine (Bo)PrP(25-242), human (Hu)PrP(23-231) and hamster (Ha) PrP (23?231) were tested separately by Western blotting.

RESULTSThrough cell fusion, two hybridoma cell lines secreting McAbs against BoP1 and BoP2, designated D11 and D8 accordingly, were identified by ELISA and cell cloning. The McAbs produced by these cell lines reacted well with the recombinant PrP proteins; (Bo) PrP (25-242), (Hu) PrP (23-231), and (Ha) PrP (23-231), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSTwo McAbs reacting with bovine, human and hamster PrPs were successfully generated, they are potential to be used to detect PrPs in mammals and to study the mechanism of pathogenesis of TSE.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; biosynthesis ; Antibodies, Viral ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; Cattle ; Cricetinae ; Cross Reactions ; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform ; prevention & control ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Hybridomas ; secretion ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; PrPSc Proteins ; immunology ; Prion Diseases ; prevention & control ; Prions ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical compounds from the ethanol extract with inhibitory effects against aldose reductase from Thunbergia.

METHODGuided by anti-aldose reductase assay, compounds from the bioactive fraction (ethyl acetate extract) were separated and purified by various chromatographic methods including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were indentified based on analysis of the spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR data.

RESULTEight compounds were obtained and identified as 8-hydroxy-8-methyl-9-methene-cyclopentane [7,11] -1,4, 6-trihydroxy-tetrahydronaphthalene-12-one, named as thunbergia A (1), 3,4-dihydro-4,5,8-trihydroxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl) naphtha[2,3-b] oxiren-1(2H)-one (2), 8-(beta-gluco pyranosyloxy)-3,4-dihydro-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)naphtha [2,3-b] oxiren-1(2H)-one (3), galangin (4), quercetin (5), luteolin (6), 5,6,3',4'-tetrahydroxy -3,7-dimethoxy-flavone (7) and upeol (8).

CONCLUSIONThunbergia A was a new derivative of tetrahydronaphthalene, and compounds 2 and 3 were separated from the genus Thunbergia for the first time.

Acanthaceae ; chemistry ; Aldehyde Reductase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathological variations in internal hemorrhoid and evaluate the expression of nitric- oxide synthase(NOS),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),matrix metalloproteinase- 2(MMP2) and MMP9.

METHODSNormal anal cushion and internal hemorrhoids tissue samples were obtained from 24 patients with iii degree hemorrhoids after procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids(PPH) procedure. The expression of NOS, VEGF, MMP2, MMP9 and CD34 were detected by immunohistochemical staining; the microvessel density (MVD) was counted by anti- CD34 antibody; the elastic fibers were detected by orcein staining.

RESULTSThere were statistically significant differences in the expression of MVD, VEGF, MMP9 between internal hemorrhoid tissue and normal anal cushions(P< 0.05). iNOS was significantly increased in hemorrhoid tissue, but no significant difference between normal anal cushions and hemorrhoid tissue. Morphological abnormalities such as breaking, distortion, mortality, hyaline degeneration were found in elastic fibers of internal hemorrhoid tissue, but not in normal anal cushions.

CONCLUSIONAngiogenesis is evident in hemorrhoid tissue, suggesting the possible mechanism in the pathogenesis of hemorrhoids. The direct degeneration effect of MMP9 on supporting structure elastic fibers in anal cushion is another important mechanism. The high expression of iNOS suggests the inflammatory factors involve in the pathogenesis of hemorrhoids, and NO may be involve in pathological effect on hemorrhoids.

Adult ; Elastic Tissue ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hemorrhoids ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Microvessels ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Seven phenolic compounds including p-coumaric acid (1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), vanillic acid (4), luteolin (5), acacetin (6), and tricin (7), were isolated from the methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions of Echinochloa utilis grains. Compounds (1 - 4, 6) were isolated for the first time from this plant. These compounds were tested for inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 5 and 6 displayed significant inhibitory effects, with IC₅₀ values of 27.9 ± 2.6 and 14.0 ± 1.1 µM, respectively. The results suggested that E. utilis ethanolic extract may be used as a potential source of anti-inflammatory agents and functional foods for the treatment of allergic diseases.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Echinochloa* ; Ethanol ; Functional Food ; Luteolin ; Methylene Chloride ; Phenol* ; Plants ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Vanillic Acid

Activity-guided separation of the methylene chloride-soluble fraction of the leaves of Zanthoxylum schinifolium, resulted in the isolation of four coumarinoids (1 - 4), two triterpenoids (5, 6) and three fatty acid derivatives (7 - 9) as active principles. Their chemical structures were identified as collinin (1), 8-methoxyanisocoumarin (2), 7-(6'R-hydroxy-3',7'-dimethylocta-2',7'-dienyloxy)-coumarin (3), (E)-4-methly-6-(coumarin-7'-yloxy) hex-4-enal (4), lupeol (5), epi-lupeol (6), phytol (7), hexadec-3-enoic acid (8) and palmitic acid (9), on the basis of spectroscopic (1D, 2D and MS) data analyses and comparing with the data published in the literatures. Compounds 1 and 7 showed potent cytotoxicity against Jurkat T cells with IC50 values of 45.58 and 47.51 microM, respectively. The others showed moderate activity with IC50 values ranging around 80.58 to 85.83 microM, while the positive control, auraptene, possessed an IC50 value of 55.36 microM.
Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Palmitic Acid ; Phytol ; Rutaceae ; Statistics as Topic ; T-Lymphocytes ; Zanthoxylum*

The roots of Phlomis umbrosa (Turcz.) (Phlomidis Radix) have been traditionally used to treat cold, reduce swelling and staunch bleeding. Four iridoids (1 – 3 and 5) and six phenylethanoid derivatives (4, and 6 – 10) were isolated from the roots of P. umbrosa. A simple, sensitive, and reliable analytical HPLC/PDA method was developed, validated, and applied to determine 10 marker compounds in Phlomidis Radix. Furthermore, the isolates were evaluated for cytotoxic and anti-oxidant activities as well as DPPH-HPLC method. Among them, compounds 4 and 6 – 9 displayed potent anti-oxidant capacities using DPPH assay with IC50 values of 27.7 ± 2.4, 10.2 ± 1.1, 18.0 ± 0.8, 19.1 ± 0.3, and 19.9 ± 0.6 µM, and compounds 6, 8, and 9 displayed significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60 with IC50 values of 35.4 ± 3.1, 18.6 ± 2.0, and 42.9 ± 3.0 µM, respectively.
Hemorrhage ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Iridoids ; Methods ; Phlomis