Complement Factor H ; genetics ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome ; genetics ; Humans

This study was performed to investigate the chemical constituents in the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate. Six compounds were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate by silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and preparative HPLC. On the basis of chemical properties and spectra data, these compounds were identified as harriperfin E (1), kihadanin A (2), kihadanin B (3), 6α-acetoxyobacunol acetate (4), gardaubryone C (5), and β-sitosterol methyl ether (6), respectively. Compound 1 is a new chromone, and compounds 2-6 are isolated from this plant for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Simaroubaceae ; chemistry

Background The condition of the sclera is associated with many ocular diseases.The measurement of human scleral thickness in vivo is helpful for us to understand the features of the sclera and related diseases.Objective The present study was to measure the anterior sclera thickness(AST) in patients with senile cataract and to analyze the relationship among AST and other associated ocular parameters.Methods This study was approved by the Ethic Commission of First Hospital of Peking University.Written informed consent was obtained from each individual prior to examination.One hundred and five senile cataract patients were recruited in this study.Central corneal thickness (CCT),corneal curvature (CCV) and axial length were measured using ultrasonic pachymeter,keratometer,and A-scan unit,respectively.The AST was measured at 2 mm posterior to the scleral spur in the temporal meridian using ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM).The differences of CCT,CCV,ocular axial length and AST between bilateral eyes and the different sexes were compared by the Paired test and independent sample t test.The correlations among various parameters were assessed by the Pearson linear correlation analysis.The differences of CCT and AST among different axial length groups were evaluated by one-way ANOVA.Results No significant differences were found in the CCT,CCV,axial length and AST between bilateral eyes (t =0.584,P =0.561 ; t =1.161,P =0.248 ; t =0.140,P =0.889 ; t =0.342,P =0.773).Temporal AST at 2 mm posterior to the sclera spur was (0.589 ±0.051)mm in the right eyes.An insignificant decline in CCT was found in the male group compared with the female group (right eyes:t =0.469,P =0.641 ; left eyes:t =0.465,P =0.643).However,compared with the female group,the increase of axial length,reduction of the mean CCV value and enhancement of the mean AST were observed(right eyes:all P＜0.01 ;left eyes:all P＜0.01).CCV showed a negative correlation with ocular axial length (r =-0.50,P＜0.01),but no significant correlation was found among age,CCT,ocular axial length and AST(P＞0.05).No remarkable differences were found in CCT and AST among the various axial length groups (CCT:F =0.998,P=0.372;AST:F=1.919,P=0.383).Conclusions In senile cataract patients,correlation is not found between AST and CCT;the increase of axial length is not associated with the thinning of the eyeball wall to a certain extent.Differences exist in some ocular parameters between different sexes.

Background A close relation between sclera thickness and glaucoma has been determined.Clinical features vary in different types of glaucoma patients,which hints that the scleral thickness might be distinct among these patients.Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the differences of central corneal thickness(CCT),anterior scleral thickness(AST) and axial length in glaucomatous patients.Methods This study was approved by the Ethic Commission of First Hospital of Peking University.Written informed consent was obtained from each individual prior to the examination.A retrospective descriptive study was designed.One hundred and sixty consecutive patients were recruited from March,2009 to November,2010 in First Hospital of Peking University,including 35 eyes with primary angle closure glaucoma(PACG) (35 cases),34 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma POAG) (34 cases),37 eyes with normal tension glaucoma(NTG) (37 cases)and 17 eyes of ocular hypertension OHT) (17 cases).Thirty-seven eyes of 37 subjects with incipient cataract served as the control group.CCT and ocular axial length were measured with ultrasonic pachymeter and A-scan unit,respectively,and AST at the temporal quadrant 2 mm posterior to the scleral spur was measured by ultrasonic biomicroscopy (UBM).The measuring parameters among different groups were compared by analysis of covariance,and the correlations of AST,CCT with ocular axial length were analyzed using Pearson linear correlation and linear regression.The differences and correlation of CCT,AST and AL among five groups were analyzed.Results The CCT values in PACG group,POAG group,NTG group,OHT group and control group were (535.54 ± 5.20),(550.47 ± 5.28),(521.61 ± 5.07),(575.75 ± 7.76) and (535.06± 5.06) μm,respectively,showing a significant difference among them (F =9.560,P =0.000),and the CCT value of OHT group was increased in comparison with POAG group,PACG group,NTG group and control group(all P =0.000).The CCT of the POAG group was thicker than that in the PACG group,NTG group and control group(P=0.046,0.000,0.040).No significant difference was found in CCT among NTG group,PACG group and control group(P=0.950,0.060).The AST values of PACG group,POAG group,NTG group,OHT group and control group were(0.593±0.050),(0.600±0.050),(0.592-±0.060),(0.610-±0.060) and(0.604±0.060) mm,respectively,showing a insignificant difference among them (F =0.700,P =0.590).The axial length in the patients with PACG was shorter than that of the POAG group,NTG group,OHT group and control group (all P =0.000).The Pearson correlation analysis showed significantly positive correlation between CCT and AST in POAG group and NTG group(r=0.445,P=0.008;r=0.400,P=0.014).Conclusions This study confirms that there is dissimilarity in CCT but not in AST among different types of glaucomatous patients.The changes of CCT and AST are consistent in POAG and NTG patients.

Aspergillus oryzae is an important microorganism,which was widely used in the fields of food,brewing,pharmacy and fermentation industry etc and was termed as a generally regarded as safe(GRAS) organism by the United States Food and Drug Administration(FDA).The strategies for promoting the expression of homologous and heterologous proteins in Aspergillus oryzae were reviewed.Which included the usage of strong promoters,multicopies of coding genes,optimization of culture medium and overexpression of the hemoglobin domains(HBD) etc.Heterologous proteins were usually exhibited low expression in Aspergillus oryzae due to the degradation by the proteinases from host.Therefore,development of proteinase auxotrophic stains of Aspergillus oryzae as host is neccessary.In addition,fusion of the heterologous protein with a highly secreted protein of Aspergillus oryzae was an alternative way to prompt the expression of heterologous protein in Aspergillus oryzae.

Background Stromal-derived factor 1α /chemokine receptor 4(SDF-1α/CXCR4) axis is one of the important signals which mediates several different activities such as chemotaxis,adhesion,proliferation and survival resulting in recruitment to sites of immune and inflammatory reactions.Considerable evidence suggests that CXCR4/SDF-1α axis is involved in tumor angiogenesis and plays a key role in the development of ocular neovascularization.Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of CXCR4 antagonist on the development of cxperimental corneal neovascularization(CNV).Methods CNV model was established in the left eye of 8-weekold clean BALB/c mouse by putting the filter with 1 mol/L NaOH at the central cornea for 40 seconds.The animals were randomizcd into hyaluronate group and CXCR4 antagonist group,and the edydrops was topically administered respectively on the day of modeling 4 times per day for 14 days.CNV was examined under the slit lamp at the fourteenth day,and then the corneal suspension and section were made.Expressions of CXCR4 mRNA and protein in corneas were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot.The CD31 level in cornea was assayed by flowcytometry and immunochemistry.The expression of VEGF in burned corneas and suspension from mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with CXCR4 antagonist in vitro was detected by ELISA.The use of the animal followed Ragulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results Two weeks after corneal alkali burn,the growth of CNV peaked under the slit lamp.Compared with hyaluronate group,CNV was obviously decreased in the CXCR4 antagonist group.Immunochemistry showed that intensity of positive staining for CD31 in cornea in the CXCR4 antagonist group was weaker than the hyaluronate group.Flowcytometry clarified that CD31 positive cells rate was 9.50％ ±2.34％ in the CXCR4 antagonist group and 17.50％ ±3.16％ in the hyaluronate group,showing a significant difference between them (t=-7.312,P＜0.05).In 2,4,7 days after cornea alkali burn,the expressions of CXCR4 mRNA and protein were significantly enhanced in burn corneas compared with normal corneas(P＜0.01 ;P＜0.05).ELISA showed that the VEGF expression level in corneal tissue and supernatant of mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro were significantly lower in the CXCR4 antagonist group than that of hyaluronate group(t =10.927,5.151,P＜0.05).The expression level of VEGF in corneal suspension was lower in the GM-CSH+CXCR4 antogonist group than that in the GM-CSH group (P＜0.05).Conclusions CXCR4 antagonist can reduce experimental CNV by down-regulating VEGF expression in cornea.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationships between smooth-muscle tumors of gastrointestinal (GI) tract and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and the efficacy of surgical management.

METHODSThe clinical and pathological data of 135 cases of GISTs were collected, including cases of leiomyomas/leiomyosarcoma between 1993 and 2003 and GIST between Jan. 2000 and Jul. 2005. The surgical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS82.1% of former leiomyomas/leiomyosarcomas was corrected to GISTs. Overall 5-year survival rate was 79.7%. Univariate analysis revealed preoperative metastasis, tumor size, mitotic index, and postoperative metastasis or recurrence were correlated with overall survival in patients with completed resection. Multivariate analysis showed that only postoperative metastasis or recurrence were the indicators of poor prognosis, but without statistical significance (P=0.064). However, multivariate analysis for disease-free survival showed that preoperative metastasis and mitotic index were two independent predictors of poor prognosis (P=0.001 and P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSMost former leiomyomas/leiomyosarcomas of GI tract should be corrected to the diagnosis of GISTs. Complete surgical resection is the choice of treatment for GISTs. Preoperative metastasis and mitotic index are two independent predictors of poor prognosis.

Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore and analyze the cognitive quality of professional divers.

METHODS165 professional divers were tested with Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), 80.8 Neural Type Measuring Form, etc. with 230 common people, 49 sailors and 66 trainee divers as control.

RESULTSThere were significant difference among professional divers of different ages in the type of nerve activity, cognitive style, action stability, memory span, time reaction, the perception of space, act of attention and dark adaptation (P < 0.05); Over all, the cognitive quality of professional divers did not differ significantly in education level or working years (P < 0.05); Professional divers were superior to the common people in depth perception, cognitive style, act of attention, action stability, the perception of space and dark adaptation, but inferior to them in intelligence, memory span and time reaction (P < 0.05); There were significant difference in such cognitive indicators as the type of nerve activity, depth perception, kinesthetic memory, cognitive style, the perception of space and dark adaptation (P < 0.05); Compared with the trainee divers, professional divers were significantly better in the type of nerve activity, cognitive style, act of attention, action stability and the perception of space (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs a specified profession, diving needs some particular cognitive quality, while the profession itself would affect professional divers' cognitive ability to a certain extent.

Adult ; Cognition ; Diving ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; psychology ; Occupations ; Perception ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Cuichan Zhunsheng Decoction (CZD) on the cervical ripening factors in late pregnancy.

METHODSNinety women with full-term pregnant ready for labor inducing were equally assigned to 3 groups. The treated group was orally treated with CZD, the control group was with pitocin by adding 1 U into 500 mL of 5% glucose for intravenous dripping in 6 h, and the placebo group was orally treated with simulator of CZD as placebo, with the medication lasted for 3 days. Changes of cervical length and width, and neck tube diameter were measured by vaginal B-ultrasonography to estimate the degree of cervical maturation referring to the clinical Bishop scale; meanwhile, changes in blood levels of prostaglandin E2alpha(PGE2alpha), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured.

RESULTSThe total effective rate on cervical ripening was 96.7% in the treated group, which was significantly superior to those in the control group (83.3%) and the placebo group (26.7%, P < 0.05). The blood levels of PGE2alpha, IL-8, and ET-1 after treatment in the treated group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group (P < 0.05), and levels of PGE2alpha and IL-8 were higher in the control group than in the placebo group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCZD can promote the cervical ripening through raising blood levels of PGE2alpha, IL-8 and ET-1, altering the structure of cervical tissue to reduce the cervical tension, which could increase the maturation of cervix, induce delivery sign, so as to elevate the vaginal delivery rate and reduce the percentage of caesarean birth.

Adult ; Cervical Ripening ; drug effects ; Dinoprostone ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; drug effects

In order to understand the intracellular mechanism of preconditioning, we investigated the relationship among activities of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs), the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor -1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and the effect of hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) on cell injury induced by hypoxia-reoxygenation in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes 24 h after brief hypoxia. Cultured cardiomyocytes of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), hypoxia preconditioning (HPC), hypoxia preconditioning + mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor PD98059 (HPC+PD98059), and control (C). We measured the survival rate and apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes at 6 or 12 h after hypoxia/reoxygenation, activities of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs), and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha). We found that the survival rate of cardiomyocytes in hypoxic preconditioning group increased by 6.08% and 7.91% at 6 and 12 h after hypoxia/reoxygenation (n=6, P<0.05), respectively, and the apoptotic rate decreased by 10.92% and 14.34% (n=6, P<0.05) respectively. Hypoxic preconditioning increased the abundance of phospho-ERK1/2 by 3-folds and expression of HIF-1alpha by 1-fold in whole cell extracts from hypoxic preconditioned cardiomyocytes. PD98059, an inhibitor of the upstream kinase of ERKs, abolished the anti-injury effect, ERKs activation, and expression of HIF-1alpha induced by hypoxic preconditioning. Statistical analysis indicated that there was negative correlation between apoptotic rate and activities of ERKs or expression of HIF-1alpha, and positive correlation between activities of ERKs and expression of HIF-1alpha. It is concluded that hypoxic preconditioning protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced injury and that upregulation of HIF-1alpha through ERKs pathway mediates the cardioprotection of hypoxic preconditioning.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; pathology ; Nuclear Proteins ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; biosynthesis ; physiology