ObjectiveTo investigate the ideal surgical period of children with tongue-tie.MethodsThe data of 517 children with tongue-tie treated by simply clipped surgery or horizontal-to-vertical plasty were analyzed retrospectively to evaluate the effect of operation and the level of phonologic prognosis.ResultsThe sex ratio was approximately 10∶4 (male∶female) in all groups. Two cases occurred postoperative hemorrhage. The follow-up compliance was better in children <1 year old, but higher levels of noncompliance occurred in children >1 years old. One year after surgical treatment, there were no phonologic disorders caused by tongue motion in children <1 year old, but the levels of phonologic prognosis in children >1 years old were better, moderate, and insignificant respectively.ConclusionThe ideal surgical period of children with tongue-tie is age of 6～12 months.

AIM: To explore the fundus fluorescein angiographic characteristics and relevant clinical significance of age-related macular degeneration(AMD).METHODS: Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) was performed on 149 eyes of 112 patients using Nikon NF-505 fundus camera.RESULTS: Out of 149 eyes, 90 eyes were atrophic AMD (60.4%), 59 eyes were exudative AMD (39.6%) which were further divided, according to the composition and location of lesion, into subfoveal choroidal neovasculari-zation (CNV)(7 eyes of classic type, 26 eyes of occult type, 9 eyes with disciform cicatrices, juxtafoveal CNV(2 eyes of classic type, 12 eyes of occult type), and extrafoveal CNV(3 eyes of occult type).CONCLUSION: FFA can show CNV of AMD patients and its quality and location, which is helpful to guide the treatment and evaluate the prognosis.

Nine compounds were isolated from the leaves of Ilex latifolia. Their structures were respectively identified as 5-hydroxy-6, 7, 8, 4'-tetramethoxyflavone (1), tangeretin (2), nobiletin (3), 5-hydroxy-6, 7, 8, 3', 4'-pentamethoxyflavone (4), 5, 6, 7, 8, 4'-pentamethoxyflavonol (5), 5, 6, 7, 8, 3', 4'-hexamethoxy-flavonol (6), 5-hydroxy-3', 4', 7-trimethoxyflavanone (7), soyacerebroside I (8), and soyacerebroside II (9) by their physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data Compounds 1-9 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ilex ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

BACKGROUNDPeroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is a kind of ligand-activated transcription factors binding to peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE), a specific recognition site. It is thought to play a critical role in glucose and lipid metabolism and in inflammation control. The aim of this study was to establish a new cellular model for the quick screening of lipid-lowering drugs, which may be effective as PPAR-gamma ligands on the PPRE-mediated pathway regulatory system.

METHODSTwo plasmids were constructed: pXOE-PPARgamma, in which the human PPARgamma gene was in the downstream of TFIIIA gene promoter, and pLXRN-PPRE-d2EGFP, in which the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was subcloned into PPRE. The xenopus oocytes were injected with these two plasmids, and consequently treated with prostaglandin E1, pioglitazone, and different kinds of lipid-lowering drugs. After 3 days, the oocytes were observed under a fluorescence microscope. To confirm the drug action,we injected pXOE-PPARgamma plasmid into the oocytes, which then treated with prostaglandin E1 and Hawthorn flavonoids. The mass of expressed lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in the cells was determined by enzyme labeling linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe expression of EGFP was only induced by prostagalandin E1, pioglitazone, Hawthorn flavonoids. A concentration-response relationship was seen between expressed EGFP and Hawthorn flavonoids. The levels of LPL in both Hawthorn flavonoids groups and PPARgamma ligand prostagalandin E1 group injected with pXOE-PPARgamma plasmid increased significantly (< 0.001) compared with controls, and a concentration-response relationship was observed between LPL mass and Hawthorn flavonoids.

CONCLUSIONSIt is possible to establish a PPRE regulatory EGFP reporter system in xenopus oocytes to monitor the activity of PPARgamma ligand. Hawthorn flavonoids can increase the expression of gene downsteam of PPRE by effect on the PPRE pathway regulatory system.

Alprostadil ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Crataegus ; Female ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Lipoprotein Lipase ; biosynthesis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Oocytes ; metabolism ; PPAR gamma ; physiology ; Peroxisome Proliferators ; pharmacology ; Plasmids ; Response Elements ; physiology ; Xenopus

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanism of curcumin in reducing blood lipids by establishing gene expression system of human low density lipoprotein receptors (LDL-R) in Xenopus Laevis oocytes (XLO).

METHODSThe expression of LDL-R on cytomembrane was determined using immuno-fluorescent, ligand-fluorescent and immune colloidal gold techniques after human LDL-R containing p3.7 LDL plasmid was led into nucleus. And the expression of LDL-R gene in XLO was quantitatively determined by ELISA after being interfered with different concentrations of curcumin.

RESULTSThe human LDL-R gene could be expressed on XLO, which could be significantly enhanced by curcumin in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion One of the paths of curcumin in reducing blood lipids and anti-atherosclerosis was improving LDL-R gene expression and increasing the LDL-cholesterol absorption of cells.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Microinjections ; Oocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Receptors, LDL ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Xenopus laevis

OBJECTIVETo study the genotoxicity of components of diesel engine exhausts with ethanol-diesel blending fuel. To provide scientific arguments to find more economical and less polluted fuels.

METHODSAmes test, comet assay and GC-MS technique were used to test the genotoxicity and 16 kinds of PAHs on diesel engine exhausts with different proportions of ethanol (E0, E5, E10, E20).

RESULTSBoth Ames test and comet assay were positive. It shows that diesel engine exhausts can lead to mutation and DNA damage, especially in pure diesel oil. But the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level decreased in exhausts of E5. With the increase of ethanol proportion in diesel oil, the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level increased.

CONCLUSIONCompared with pure diesel oil and high proportion of ethanol fuel, E5 can reduce the genotoxicity and the brake specific exhausts of PAHs.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; Air Pollution ; Carbon Monoxide ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Gasoline ; toxicity ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Particulate Matter ; Vehicle Emissions ; toxicity

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is the No.1 risk factor for patients with atherosclerosis (AS) and is directly related to the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease. Therefore, prevention and treatment of AS is of great importance and of practical significance in controlling the incidence and mortality of CAD. With its peculiar syndrome-dependent therapy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has accumulated abundant practical experiences in this field and good clinical effects have been achieved. Chinese herbal medicine, with its particularly unique advantages and high potentials yet to be tapped, displays its huge strength in HLP prevention and treatment. The progress of studies concerning prevention and treatment of HLP by Chinese herbal medicines, in the form of monomers or compound recipes, is reviewed in this paper.
Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Receptors, LDL ; analysis

Objective:To elucidate the effect of hsa-microRNA-218(hsa-mir-218)on exogenous granulysin (GLS) expression in 293T cells.Methods:Total RNA was extracted from THP-1 cells induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetatefor (PMA), and GLS gene was amplified by RT-PCR, and then cloned into pDsRed-Express-C1 to construct the GLS expression vector pDsRed-GLS.Then 293T cells were co-transfected with pDsRed-GLS and pGenesil-mir-218 (pGenesil-mir-control) and laser confocal microscopy was per-formed 36 h later to detect their co-expression .Total RNA and protein were extracted 48 h post transfection , and RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the effect of hsa-mir-218 on exogenous GLS expression .Results:The GLS expression vector pDsRed-GLS was constructed successfully and laser confocal microscopy indicated that it was co -expressed with the interference vector .Compared with that of cells transfected with pGenesil-mir-control, Western blot showed a markedly decrease of GLS protein expression (50%) in the cells transfected with pGenesil-mir-218.However, GLS mRNA expression remained unchanged .Conclusion: hsa-mir-218 nega-tively regulates GLS expression at a post-transcriptional level , and this provides an experimental basis for future study of mechanism of GLS expression regulated by mir-218 .

Objective To analyze the injury characteristics, using data from the National Injury Surveillance System (NISS), 2006 to 2008, to develop a injury prevention strategy. Methods 129 hospitals from 43 surveillance points in NISS were selected according to the DSP sample framework, also considering the capacity of local CDC. Results Relative information on 1 318 739cases were analyzed. The number of male cases were more than the females. The top three causes of injuries were as follows: falls (28.02%,29.36%,30.12%), traffic-related (23.07%,21.61%,21.44%)and blunt injuries (21.46%, 21.17%, 20.59% ). The major places where injuries occurred were: road/street (29.80%, 27.73%, 28.37% ) and at home (21.51%, 22.80%, 24.02% ). Recreation activities (35.63%, 41.93%, 42.13% ) and at work (24.43%, 22.60%, 21.44% ) were the two major activities when injuries took place. Most injury cases were unintentional (83.81%, 86.32%, 86.71% ) and mild (70.42%, 74.79%, 73.90% ). Rush hours that caused injuries to happen were between 7 to 10 AM.Conclusion Male injury cases were more than females. Falls, road traffic-related and blunt injuries were the major causes, with most of them were unintentional and minor.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanisms and effective target points of lipid-lowering drug, Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, and study the effect of curcumin on the expression of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors in macrophages in mice.

METHODSMacrophages in mice were treated with curcumin, which was purified from the ethanolly extraction of Rhizoma Curcumae Longae for 24 h. The LDL receptors expressed in the macrophages were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and assay of DiI labeled LDL uptake by flow cytometer.

RESULTSIt was found for the first time that 10 micromol/L-50 micromol/L curcumin could obviously up-regulate the expression of LDL receptor in macrophages in mice, and a dose-effect relationship was demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONOne of the lipid-lowering mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine, Rhizoma Curcumae Longae, was completed by the effect of curcumin through the up-regulation of the expression of LDL receptor.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; Mice ; Receptors, LDL ; drug effects ; genetics ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects ; genetics