Objective:To study the inhibition of collagen-induced arthritis by an altered CⅡ263-272 peptide(sub268-270) with three consecutive substitutions of TCR-contacting residues.Methods:Arthritis was induced by bovine collagen type Ⅱ. The altered peptide sub268-270 was given intravenously with a dose of 90 ?g once a week. Peptide control and blank control were treated with similar approaches. The therapeutic effect of the altered peptide was evaluated by arthritis score index, radiological score and pathological score.Results:The arthritis score of rats treated with altered peptide, control peptide and blank control were 5.60?1.24, 11.20?1.21 and 11.80?1.22 respectively(P

Asphyxia Neonatorum ; blood ; drug therapy ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Naltrexone ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood

Cardiovascular Diseases ; etiology ; Diet ; Glycemic Index ; Humans

Objective:To develop a catalytic system for the asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman ( MBH) reaction of conjugated ni-troalkene with activated aldehyde, and screen out the chiral catalysts with high activity and enantioselectivity. Methods: Totally 21 chiral organocatalysts were applied in the asymmetric MBH reaction ofβ-nitrostyrene with ethyl glyoxylate, and the ee value was deter-mined by chiral HPLC. The effects of temperature, solvent and substrate ratio on the catalytic reaction were investigated. Results: In the presence of cinchona alkaloid catalyst (DHQ)2AQN, β-nitrostyrene reacted with ethyl glyoxylate in toluene at 0℃ affording the MBH adduct in 60% yield with good enantioselectivity (up to 56.9% ee). Conclusion: The bis-cinchona alkaloids with aromatic bridging group are the efficient catalysts for the asymmetric MBH reaction ofβ-nitrostyrene with ethyl glyoxylate, and moderate isolated yield and enantioselectivity are obtained.

Objective To investigate the mRNA expression of UPA and MMP-9 in gastric carcinoma and their correlation with histological type, growth-type, differentiation, vessel invasion, metastasis and prognosis. MethodsIn situ hybridization was used to detect the mRNA expression of UPA and MMP-9. ResultsIn situ hybridization revealed that among 105 cases, the positive rates of UPA mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA were both 58.1%. There was no significant relationship between UPA mRNA and histological type( r _ s = 0.123, P =0.210)and differentiation ( r _ s =0.102, P =0.298)of the tumor. However, there was a significant difference between growth-type( r _ s =0.344, P =0.001),tumor invasion depth( r _ s =0.296, P =0.002),vessel invasion( r _ s =0.198, P =0.042),lymph node( r _ s =0.332, P =0.001)and distant metastasis( r _ s =0.530, P =0.001);there was no significant relationship between MMP-9 mRNA staining and histological type( r _ s =0.143, P =0.145)and differentiation( r _ s =0.102, P =0.298)of the tumor. However, there was a statistically significant difference between growth-type( r _ s =0.267, P =0.006),tumor invasion depth ( r _ s =0.335, P =0.001)、vessel invasion( r _ s =0.209, P =0.032),lymph node( r _ s =0.343, P =0.001)and distant metastasis( r _ s =0.468, P =0.001);There was a positive relationship between UPA mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA expression( r _ s =0.237, P =0.015). The mean survival time in cases with positive UPA mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA expression were significantly shorter than that of cases with negative expression. ConclusionThe mRNA expression of UPA and MMP-9 can predict the invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma, They can be used as markers of prognosis of gastric carcinoma in clinical practice.

Many species of genus Bupleurum L. have been pharmaceutically used mainly in Asia and Europe for thousand years. Their roots are the most popular ingredients in Chinese materia medica prescriptions for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and auto-immune diseases. A plenty of chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from the species in Bupleurum L., such as saikosaponins, polysaccharides, volatile oils, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, lignins, and coumarins, most of which possess a variety of biological activities, especially for the hepatoprotective effect, antitumor activity, immunoregulation, and febrifuge efficacy. Therefore, the species in genus Bupleurum L. could be potential herbs of immunomodulator, antineoplastic, anti-oxidant, etc. Meanwhile, as potential toxicities have been discovered in some constituents, it is urgent to establish a comprehensive quality evaluation system to ensure the safety and efficiency of herbs. This paper reviews on the phytochemical and pharmacological studies, especially for the toxicology and quality control of the species in Bupleurum L., which is a reference for the species in this genus for safe usage and further development. © 2013 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines.

Objective To analyze the relationship between CT characteristics of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) and its recurrence, as well as relevant pathological mechanism. Methods The study involved 178 patients with CSDH who underwent surgery, of whom 38 patients (40 lesions) experienced recurrence of CSDH. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to assess the correlation among CT characteristics ( including side, density, width, subtype and midline shift of the hematoma) and CSDH recurrence. Results ( 1 ) The width of hematoma, midline shift, type of hematoma were found to be correlated with the recurrence of CSDH in the univariate analysis. The odds ratio (OR)and 95% confidence interval (CI) value of patients with hematoma width ＞30 mm, midline shift ＞10 mm and the separated type were 18. 400 (2.024-167. 301 ), 4. 643 ( 1. 815-11. 877 ) and 14. 385 (3. 601-57.467 ), respectively. (2) The midline shift and type of hematoma were found to be correlated with the recurrence of CSDH in the multivariate analysis, when the OR and 95% CI value of patients with hematoma midline shift ＞ 10 mm and separated type were 5. 280 ( 1. 339-20. 823) and 19. 125 (4. 175-87.619), the OR and 95% CI value of patients with hematoma width ＞30 mm was 14. 838 ( 1. 353-162.698). Conclusions Type of hematoma and midline shift are found to be independently correlated with the recurrence of CSDH, and the width of hematoma is also related with its recurrence.

Medical parasitology education has been facing some difficulties because it is a course of wide range lacking clini?cal cases and concerned specimens of parasites currently. In addition its relationship with life is not closely enough. All these reasons may impact the effect of class education negatively. Therefore it is important to increase the vitality of parasitology edu?cation and diversify the instructional mode by using the resources from Internet. In recent years the Discovery Channel has up?loaded a documentary Monsters Inside Me online. This documentary is high professional and closely linked with parasitology. It maintains numbers of clinical cases about parasitic diseases. Each episode is about 3 minutes and shortly enough to be intro?duced into class teaching. However this resource has not been fully used in domestic temporally. We found that direct introduc?tion of the documentary into class teaching can enrich teaching forms to attract learning interest of students and finally improve the teaching effect of class. Above that another popular documentary A Bite of China involves many related knowledge points of parasitology. The appropriate usage of the knowledge can build up close linkage between book and life which is extremely help?ful to give students a deep impression of parasitology. In brief it is our strong recommendation to introduce the documentary Monsters Inside Me into class.

Objective To elucidate the influence of fetal genotype in both non-diabetic gravidas and pregnant women on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) through analysis of the genotype discrepancy between maternal and fetal Pro12A1a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 (PPARG2) genes.Methods Pregnant women,who delivered in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from October 2005 to February 2007,and their newborn babies were selected,and were divided into GDM and control group.The GDM group consisted of 55 gravidas with GDM and 40 newborns born to the GDM mothers,and the control group consisted of 173 healthy gravidas and their 50 neonates.Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography was applied to detect the distribution of PPARG2 Pro12Ala alleles in all subjects.The concentrations of plasma fasting blood sugar (FBS) and several bio-markers of lipids,including total cholesterol,triglyceride,apoprotein A,high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein,were also tested for the mothers.Results (1) No significant difference was found in the frequencies of Pro/Pro genotype between the GDM mothers and control mothers (94.6% vs 90.8%,P > 0.05),nor between the GDM offspring and control offspring (95.0% vs 94.0%,P >0.05) or between the GDM mothers and GDM offspring (P > 0.05).The same was shown in the frequencies of Pro/Ala genotype both between the GDM mothers and control mothers (5.5% vs 9.2%,P >0.05) and between the GDM offspring and control offspring (2.5% vs 3.0%,P > 0.05).(2) Within both GDM and control group,the maternal FBS and various lipids concentrations of Pro/ Pro genotype gravidas showed no significant difference compared to those of Pro/Ala genotype mothers (P > 0.05).(3) Based on the four possible PPARG2 genotype pairs between the mothers and fetuses,Pro/Pro mother and her Pro/Pro fetus,Pro/Ala mother and her Pro/Ala fetus,Pro/Ala mother and her Pro/Pro fetus,and Pro/Pro mother and her Pro/Ala fetus,less Pro/Pro pairs and more Pro/Ala pairs were found in the GDM group than in the control (72.5% vs 92.0%,P=0.014; 27.5% vs 6.0%,P< 0.05).Conclusions Neither the maternal nor the offspring's Pro/Ala genotypes is associated with the genesis of GDM.However,the discrepancy of PPARG2 Prol2Ala polymorphism between mother and her fetus implies a possible cause of GDM.

In order to investigate the comprehensive quality differences of the seeds harvested in different growing time, and offer theoretical guide for the optimization of seeds' production technology, we analyzed the apparent size, 1 000-grain weight, water absorbency, germination indexes, postharvest embryo rate change, relatively contents of coumarins and the yield of single plant of its seeds of different harvesting time, and compared their comprehensive quality by Topsis analysis. The results showed that there existed obvious differences in yield and quality between seeds of 3 harvesting times. While the harvesting time postponed, the yield of single plant raised, and the shrunken seeds rate decreased, the quality of seedlings increased, while the contents of coumarins showed a steady increase, and the germination rate decreased. The comprehensive quality of the seeds harvested in the black ripe time rank the first place, followed by the brown ripe time and the yellow ripe time. As the harvesting time delays, the seeds' comprehensive quality increases, therefore, we could put off the seeds' harvesting time properly for the high efficient seed production.
Bupleurum ; growth & development ; metabolism ; physiology ; Germination ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; growth & development ; metabolism ; physiology ; Solubility ; Time Factors ; Water ; metabolism