OBJECTIVE:To identify the medical material Ranunculus ternatus. METHODS: Potassium bromide was used for tabletting.The medical material Ranunculus ternatus and its isogeneric plants were analyzed by using infrared spectrometry.RESULTS:The infrared spectrogram of the medical material Ranunculus ternatus was distinctive and somewhat different from those of its isogeneric plants.CONCLUSION:Fourier transformation infrared spectrometry could be used for the identification of Ranunculus ternatus in that it is simple,rapid,reproducible and specific.

Objective To make hiatal hernia(HH) children grow and develop well by making correct early diagnosis and reducing misdiagnosis.Methods Reviewing clinical data of 12 patients with HH,including clinical character,X-ray diagnosis,correct examination,treatment and prognosis.Results Of 12 patients,9 cases were left HH,and 3 cases were right HH.All of them had internal expectant treatment;4 of them had operation.All of them had a good prognosis.Conclusions X-ray radiograph is a chief method of diagnosis of hiatal hernia.It is important to choose a specific position properly during radiograph examination.

Objective To investigate the changes of thyroid hormones in patients with peripartum car-diomyopathy. Methods Seventy-two patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy were consecutively enrolled and 72 healthy women who had normal delivery were regarded as control. Among all the subjects , free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the serum and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the plasma were measured. Results The levels of serum FT3 and FT4 in peripartum cardiomyopathy group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). And the level of serum TSH in peripartum cardiomyopathy group was significantly low-er than that in control group (P < 0.05). There were 24 cases with hyperthyroidism in peripartum cardiomyopa-thy group while no patient in the control group had hyperthyroidism (P < 0.05). The levels of plasma hs-CRP and IFN-γ in peripartum cardiomyopathy group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). And the level of IL-4 in peripartum cardiomyopathy group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Serum thyroid hormones elevated in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy and its mechanism might be related to abnormal immune reaction.

Objective To screen for the causative genes involved in the occurrence and development of minimal changes nephritic syndrome(MCNS) and to furtherly assist the genetic diagnosis and treatment of MCNS.Methods Human genome U133 Array Set from Affymetrix Inc was used to evaluate gene expression patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) isolated from 7 children with primary MCNS and 7 age-matched health volunteers.Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and real-time PCR were performed to identify the findings of gene chip.Results Of 33 000 genes detected,969 genes showed significant difference between children with(MCNS) and healthy volunteers;552 genes were up-regulated,while 417 genes down-regulated significantly.Findings from RT-PCR and real-time PCR were consistent with those of gene chip.Conclusions Gene chip of expression patterns is a powerful method to detect expression difference of genes correlated with MCNS.Occurrence and development of MCNS can be a complicated process that many correlative genes may participate in.

Objective To investigate the role of signal transduction of toll-like receptors(TLRs)in immunological pathogenesis in children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).Methods Thirty children with actue ITP and 30 age-matched healthy children were studied.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to evaluate the levels of TLR 1-10 and signal transducing molecules,and cytokines associated with TLRs,such as IL-1?,granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF),macrophage colony-stimulating factor(M-CSF)and IFN-?/? mRNA.Expressions of co-stimulatory molecules such as CD40,CD80 and CD86 in mo-nocyte/macrophage(MC)was analyzed by flow cytometry.Results Compared with healthy control group,the mRNA levels of TLR3,7,8 and 9 in ITP group were significantly up-regulated(Pa0.05).Transcription le-vels of MyD88-dependent and-independent pathway molecules such as MD-2,MyD88,IRAK-4,TRAF6,TAK1,TRIF,TRAM,TBK-1 and IFN-? were significantly up-regulated in acute ITP(Pa0.05).Conclusion Aberrant activation of toll-like receptors signaling may be one of the initiating factors of immune dysfunction in children with acute ITP.

AIM:To assess changes of tear film function in patients after pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation.
METHODS:Totally 126 patients with pterygium excision with amniotic membrane transplantation from January 2011 to November 2013 were entered in the study. The tear breakup time ( BUT) , the Schirmer I test ( SⅠt) and tear ferning test ( TFT ) were elevated in the patients before and after pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation. The examnation times were 1d before surgey, 1wk, 1, 2mo after surgery. Operation eyes were studied group, while opposite healthy eyes as control group.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, BUT and TFT were significantly different in the eyes with pterygium (P<0. 05); However, no obvious difference was detected in the results of SⅠt (P>0. 05). The results of BUT and TFT at 1mo after surgery in study group were significantly better than 1wk (P<0. 05), while no significant difference compared with 2mo (P>0. 05); The tear film stability in the study group at 1wk after surgery was still inferior to the control group (P<0. 05) and there was no significant difference at 1, 2mo after surgery (P all>0. 05). SⅠt results did not differ between the different examination times(P>0. 05).
CONCLUSION:Tear film stability was broken in the eyes with pterygium. Pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation can obviously restore the tear film function into normal state, and the tear film function could reach steady-state 1mo after surgery.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Yupingfeng Powder (YPFP) on cisplatin (DDP) induced oxidative damage of organs in hepatocellular carcinoma mice.

METHODSA total of 2 x10(6) Hepa1 -6 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the right flank of 15 C57BL/6 mice to establish a mice model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Then the mice were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., the model group, the DDP group, and the DDP + YPFP group, 5 in each group. Mice in the DDP group and the DDP + YPFP group were intraperitoneally injected with DDP (2. 5 mg/kg), once every three day for 2 weeks. Physiological saline was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the model group. Meanwhile, YPFP water decoction (25 g/kg) was given to mice in the DDP + YPFP group by gastrogavage once daily for 2 weeks. Corresponding distilled water was given by gastrogavage to mice in the DDP group and the model group. Fourteen days later, mice were sacrificed and the tumor inhibition ratio was calculated. The weights of kidneys, livers, and lungs were weighed and the organ coefficient calculated. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the tissue were detected. The pathologic changes were observed.

RESULTSThe tumor weight obviously decreased in the DDP group and the DDP + YPFP group when compared with the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Obvious oxidative damage existed in the kidneys and livers after induced by DDP. Oxidative damage also existed in the lungs to some extent. YPFP could obviously decrease the content of MDA and the activities of SOD in livers (P < 0.05), and increase the activities of SOD in lungs (P < 0.01). The pathologic changes showed the same effect trend.

CONCLUSIONSYPFP could protect the organs (kidney, liver, lung) from the oxidative damage induced by DDP. Anti-oxidation is one of its mechanisms.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTSTo investigate the distribution of vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes among the Hans of a lead contaminated mine in Shanxi and explore the relationship between blood lead levels and the genetic polymorphism of VDR gene.

METHODSVDR genotypes were determined by polymerase-chain-reaction and restrictive fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the blood lead level was measured by using the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry in a population of 120 pre-school children aged 5 - 6 years who were from the mine kindergarten and were unrelated Hans. An environmental questionnaire in relation to blood lead level was filled for each subject.

RESULTS(1) The gene distribution of the VDR phenotypes in these children was VDRBB, 1.7%; VDRBb, 9.2%; VDRbb, 89.2%. (2) The mean blood lead level of the children who had VDR B allele [(0.910 8 +/- 0.265 0) micromol/L] was significantly higher than that whose VDR genotype was bb [(0.740 1 +/- 0.270 1) micromol/L (mean +/- standard deviation)] (t = 2.155, P < 0.05). (3) Many factors were found to affect the blood lead levels, such as the VDR genotype, the type of fuel, educational level of mothers and so on. After controlling the possible confounding variables by multiple regression, the contribution of the VDR phenotype to the blood lead levels was still statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicated that the frequency distribution of the VDR genotype in these children was apparently different from that in Caucasians who had high frequencies of VDR B. The results also indicated that the individuals carrying the VDR B allele were more susceptible to lead poisoning.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; genetics ; Multivariate Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics ; Regression Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purpose of this study is to investigate the enantioselectivity of norgestrel (NG) transdermal permeation and the potential influence of linalool and lipids on the enantioselectivity. In vitro skin permeation studies of NG across the excised rat skins were performed with Valia-Chien diffusion cells, and the permeation samples were analyzed by enantioselective HPLC. The possible enantioselective permeation of NG across intact rat back skin and lipids extracted rat back skin and the influence of linalool were evaluated. The skin permeation rate of dl-NG was two times higher than that of l-NG when donor solutions (EtOH/H2O 2 : 8, v/v) containing l-NG or dl-NG. It may be mainly attributed to the solubility discrepancy between enantiomer and racemate. The enantioselective permeation of dl-NG across intact rat skin was observed when the donor solutions containing dl-linalool. The permeation flux of l-NG was 22% higher than that of d-NG. But interestingly, the enantioselective permeation of dl-NG disappeared under the same experimental condition except that the lipid extracted rat skin was used. Attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of stratum corneum showed that the wave number for asymmetric CH2 stretching vibrations of lipids treated with dl-linalool was greater than that of the control. The results indicated that the enantioselective permeation of NG may be contributed by the interaction between dl-linalool and lipids. More than half of lipids were composed of ceramides. The stereospecific interaction maybe existed among chiral enhancer (linalool), lipids (ceramides) and/or chiral drugs (NG).
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Lipids ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Norgestrel ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Skin Absorption ; drug effects ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Stereoisomerism

Arteriovenous Malformations ; diagnosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Child ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Job Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Mutation ; Radiography ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; genetics