With the development of stem cells and regenerative medicine (treatment of various diseases using stem cells) research, the induction of differentiation of human stem cell technology has also made significant progress. The development of chemical biology offers a variety of small biological molecules for stem cell biology. This review focuses on how small molecule compounds (natural and synthetic) induce differentiation of stem cells.

AIM: To establish the quality standard of Huanglian Despensiing Granules (Rhizoma Coptidis). METHODS: TLC identifications of berberine hydrochloride, jateorrhizine hydrochloride and palmatine hydrochloride in Rhizoma Coptidis carried out. The contents of berberine hydrochloride and jateorrhizine hydrochloride were determined by means of HPLC. RESULTS: The linear ranges of berberine hydrochloride and jateorrhizine hydrochloride were 0.17076～0.838?g( r =0.99996), and 0.11796～0.5898?g( r =0.9959), respectively their average recoveries were 98.82 ( RSD =1.702) and 98.4 ( RSD =1.312), respectively. The characteristic spots of Rhizoma Coptidis could be detected by TLC. CONCLUSION: The methods reported in this paper are easy to operate, and can provide accurate and reproducible results, thus are able to control the quality of the Huanglian Despensing Granules.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the risk factors for cervical cancer in the areas of high incidence, and provide evidence for current intervention of cervical cancer.

METHODSIn the areas of Xiangyuan County, Shanxi Provicne with high incidence of cervical cancer, 1 997 women were interviewed using a questionnaire, including baseline information, menstrual, marital and pregnancy histories, sexual behavior, health habits, contraception, medical history and family history of cancer, etc., after its screening with six kinds of methods. All subjects, including 84 cases with pathological diagnosis of greater than cINI, and 1 784 cases with pathological diagnosis of normal, were tested for high-risk HPV.

RESULTSThe overall rates of HPV infection were 20.8% (415/1 997) in high-risk subjects, 97.7% and 14.2% in the cases and control groups, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that risk factors with statistical significance included high-risk HPV infection, age at first sexual intercourse, history of pregnancy and abortion, the number of sexual partners and family history of cancer. Analysis with non-conditional logistic regression model revealed high-risk HPV infection, multiple sexual partners and family history of cancer associated obviously with occurrence of cervical cancer. In addition, there was significantly positive relationship between HPV infection, which increased with the number of sexual partners, and extramarital sexual activity both in males or females.

CONCLUSIONSThe main risk factor for cervical cancer in this region was high-risk HPV infection, which related to sexual behavior, hygienic habits during menstruation and puerperium. It was particularly important to detect and treat precancerous lesions and to implement behavior modification. In addition, further research on genetic susceptibility was suggested.

Abortion, Induced ; Adult ; Analysis of Variance ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Multivariate Analysis ; Papillomaviridae ; Papillomavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Partners ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tumor Virus Infections ; epidemiology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; virology