OBJECTIVETo study the effect of total flavanones of Sedum sarmentosum (SSTF) on the apoptosis of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) and its mechanism.

METHODDifferent concentrations of SSTF and HSC-T6 cells were co-cultured for different period of time. The MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of SSTF on the proliferation of HSC-T6 cells. The flow cytometry Annexin-V/PI double staining method was adopted to detect SSTF's effect on HSC-T6 cell apoptosis. Western blotting and Real-time PCR methods were applied to observe the effect on the protein and mRNA expressions of apoptosis-related cytokines Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3.

RESULTSSTF significantly inhibited HSC-T6 cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in a dose and time dependent manner. According to Western blotting result, SSTF promoted apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2, Bax and promoting the protein expression of Caspase-3; according to a further Real-time PCR study, Bcl-2 mRNA levels can inhibit Bcl-2 and promote Bax and Caspase-3 expressions.

CONCLUSIONSSTF has the effect of promoting the apoptosis of HSC-T6 mainly by inhibiting Bcl-2 and promoting protein and mRNA expressions of Bax and caspase-3.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavanones ; pharmacology ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sedum ; chemistry

Objective In order to obtain the reference sequences and relative expression of transcription genes and study the genetic base of active ingredients in Penthorum chinense, which were useful for researching functional gene to P. chinense. Methods In this study, by performing Illumina Hiseq 2000 and de novo assembly, the transcriptome of whole plant was sequenced, the data were filtered and assembled, and the unigene was compared and annotated. Meanwhile, the genes related to the synthesis of metabolic pathway of active ingredients in P. chinense were analyzed. Results Totally, 40 005 442 valid short sequences were obtained, and 42 306 unigenes were spliced by de novo. Also, a total of 518 open reading frames (ORF) were obtained by ORF analysis, and 75 ORF of them had transcription factor domains. In addition, by performing KEGG pathway analysis, 33, 32, 59, and 68 unigenes were found to be involved in the pathway of flavonoid biosynthesis, steroid biosynthesis, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, and 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, respectively. Conclusion The datasets provided in this study will contribute significantly to genetic improvement and study on the genes related to biosynthesis pathway of pharmaceutical active substances from P. chinense.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a one-step esterification derivative analysis method for fatty acids in Cordyceps sinensis. and analyze and compare the composition and content of fatty acids of 12 samples from five counties of Yushu prefecture of Qinghai province. METHODS: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of fatty acids was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in combination with comparison to reference substances, then the data was compared. RESULTS: Thirteen kinds of fatty acids of C14-C20 were found with a total amount of 79.81 - 160.20 mg · g^-1. For a same sample, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid were the three kinds of fatty acids with the highest contents, the total content of which accounted for 92.81% -95.66% of the total 13 fatty acids. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acid was much higher than that of saturated fatty acids, and the ratio of UFA/SFA was 4.23-6.63. The fatty acids of 18 carbon and 16 carbon were the component with the highest amount and content, and the ratio of C18/C16 ranged from 4.04 to 6.19. Furthermore, the composition of the 13 fatty acids was basically consistent, while the content and proportion of the fatty acids varied greatly in samples from different origins. CONCLUSION: The method of fatty acids determination in Cordyceps sinensis set up by this research is simple, accurate, and reproducible, which is suitable for the fatty acids analysis in natural Cordyceps sinensis. The qualitative and quantitative data of the fatty acids could provide references for better recognition of the value of Cordyceps sinensis and further studies on its quality control.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of 15 nucleosides in Cordyceps sinensis, and investigate the differences in the composition and contents of these 15 nucleosides in 12 samples from 5 counties of Yushu prefecture, Qinghai province.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To explore the status quo and the correlation of professional practice environment and job burnout in head nurses. Methods Totally 646 head nurses from city state hospitals of Hunan Province was selected by cluster sampling method. Participants were investigated by using the Chinese Version of Profession Practice Environment Scale for Head Nurses and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results The professional environment score was 215.95±22.81, which was in the moderate level. The score of emotional exhaustion (EE) in head nurses was 24.56 ± 10.64, depersonalization (DP) was 8.92 ± 4.17 and personal accomplishment (PA) was 35.55±13.08, all stating moderate burnout. Meanwhile, the scores of EE and DP were negatively correlated with professional practice environment (r=-0.350--0.161, P≤0.01), while the PA was positively correlated with professional practice environment (r=0.078- 0.271, P≤0.01). Conclusions Professional practice environment in head nurses is correlated with job burnout. Hospital leaders should pay more attention to head nurses′professional practice environment to decrease job burnout in head nurses.

This study aims to establish an HPLC method for simultaneous determination of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases components in Gastrodia elata. The separation was carried out on an Agilent Zorbax Bonus-RP (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column with a methanol-(0.04% acetic acid) water solution gradient elution program at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature was 36 degrees C, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. The volume of injection was 20 μL. The nine components including gastrodin, cytosine, uracil, cytosine, adenine, thymine, uridine, guanosine and adenosine were well separated. The calibration curve was well linear in the range of 2.04-262.00 mg x L(-1), 0.20-24.67 mg x L(-1), 0.18-23.75 mg x L(-1), 0.20-25.83 mg x L(-1), 0.20-26.67 mg x L(-1), 0.16-20.00 mg x L(-1), 0.22-27.71 mg x L(-1), 0.20-24.29 mg x L(-1), 0.24-30.58 mg x L(-1), respectively, and the correlation coefficient was between 0.998 9-0.999 9. The average recovery of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases were 96.4%-99.6%, RSD less than 2.7% (n = 6). The contents of gastrodin in all the seven Tibet cultured Gastrodia elata samples were over 2 mg x g(-1). Further, all samples contain higher contents of adenosine, guanosine, uridine and cytidine compared to low contents of cytosine, uracil, adenine and thymine. The established method is accurate, reproducible and suitable for the determination of gastrodin and eight nucleosides and nucleobases comppnents in Gastrodia elata.
Benzyl Alcohols ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Gastrodia ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Nucleosides ; analysis ; Nucleotides ; analysis

Oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT)was performed in 419 first-degree relatives(FDRs)of type 1 diabetes mellitus. GADA, IA-2A, and IAA were determined by radioligand assay, and the positive rates were 7.16%, 1.43%, and 1.26%, respectively. Intravenous glucose tolerance test(IVGTT)and nateglinide-OGTT were performed in 39 controls, 11 first-degree relatives with positive autoantibody(Ab+group), 14 ones with negative autoantibody(Ab-group)during 5-7 days.The first-phase insulin release(FPIR), area under insulin release during 0-10 min [AUC0-10] of IVGTT and the value of(ΔI30/ΔG30)of nateglinide-OGTT in Ab+group were lower than those of control and(2.75±0.37 vs 3.61±1.05)mU/mmol, all P＜0.05]. The 1st min insulin release in Ab+group was lower than that of Ab-group [(3.80±0.30 vs 4.52±0.70)mU/L, P＜0.05]. The HOMA-IR was higher in Ab-group than that in control group(2.92±1.04 vs 1.96±1.22, P＜0.05). The results suggest that the positivity rates of autoantibodies in FDRs of type 1 diabetes mellitus are very close to those of Caucasian. There exist insulin secretion defects in FDRs with positive autoantibody while insulin resistance in FDRs with negative autoantibody.

Objective To investigate the expression of Oct4 in liver cancer, and the interrelation of the Oct4 and Wnt/β-catenin genes in hepatocellular carcinoma( HCC) cell line HepG2. Methods RTPCR technique was used to detect the expression of Oct4 and β-Catenin in HCC specimens; RNAi was used to knock-down the expression of Oct4 in HepG2, and the change of Wnt/β-catenin related genes were detected by Real time-PCR. Results In HCC specimens, the expression of Oct4 and β-Catenin in tumor and cirrhotic liver tissues were stronger than normal liver tissues. In SiRNA Oct4 HepG2 cells, the expression of Oct4 was downregulated, and β-catenin as well as Wnt10b were in a positive correlation with Oct4, TCF3 was in negative correlation with Oct4. Clone formation and move ability of the HepG2 were downregulated. Conclusions The expression of Oct4 was higher in tumor tissues than in normal liver tissues. Silencing Oct4 by SiRNA-0ct4 in HepG2 resulted in decreased ability of clone formation and cell movement.

This paper discusses the mechanism of cellobiose in fungal cellulase induction a nd repression, and its inhibition of cellulases hydrolytic activity. Depending on the research result of cellulose binding domain, our hypothesis is that the main function of Exo-1,4-?-glucanase is to destroy th e crystal structure of cellulose to facilitaty hydrolyzing of ?-1,4 glucosidic bonds. A new strategy for the efficient transformation of cellulose material is advanced at t he end.