OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Pseudostellaria heterophylla.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and purified by recrystallization. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis.

RESULTSeven compounds were identified as 2-minalin (1) , 3-furfuryl pyrrole-2-carboxylate (2), ursolic acid (3), acacetin (4), luteolin (5), acacetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6-->1)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (6).

CONCLUSIONAmong them, compounds 3-6 were isolated from the plant for the first time.

Caryophyllaceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, Gel ; Flavones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Luteolin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo assess if the modulating effect of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB on p21(WAF1) was mediated by upregulating transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).

METHODSTGF-beta(1) mRNA and protein expressions were measured by reverse transcription-PCR and ELISA, the protein expressions of p21(WAF1) and the downstream TGF-beta signalling including TGF-beta type I receptor (ALK-5 in VSMC), Smurf2, pSmad2/3, Smad4, Smad7 were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSPDGF-BB significantly upregulated the expressions of TGF-beta(1) at mRNA (0.79-fold) and protein (1.98-fold) levels in VSMC, significantly inhibited the expression of p21(WAF1) (-67 +/- 12)%, and enhanced the expressions of ALK-5, pSmad2/3, Smad4, Smurf2 protein by 1.21-fold, 0.95-fold, 0.69-fold and 2.55-fold respectively, inhibited Smad7 expression (-65 +/- 9)%, these alterations were partially restored by anti-TGF-beta(1) neutralizing antibody.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggested that PDGF-BB inhibited p21(WAF1) expression in VSMC partially through upregulating TGF-beta(1) expression via PDGF-BB and TGF-beta signalling pathways.

Animals ; Cell Division ; Cells ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe protective effects of magnesium sulfate against ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats have been confirmed in our previous research. However, its exact mechanism is unclear. This study was to evaluate the role of PI3K/Akt signal pathway in the protective effect of magnesium sulfate against ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine in SD rats.

METHODSRat model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was used. The SD rats were divided into four groups randomly: sham operation group, ischemia-reperfusion group, magnesium sulfate group and magnesium sulfate plus LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3K) group. The pathological changes of intestinal mucosa were examined; the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO) in plasma, the plasma contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and apoptosis rate of the intestinal mucosal cells were determined and compared. The expression of p-Akt was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSThere were more evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (higher Chiu's score, P < 0.05), enhanced DAO activity (P < 0.05), elevated contents of MDA (P < 0.05), higher apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), and lower level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the ischemia-reperfusion group compared with the sham operation group. There were less evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (lower Chiu's score, P < 0.05), lower DAO activity (P < 0.05), lower contents of MDA (P < 0.05), and lower apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), but higher level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the magnesium sulfate group compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group. There were more evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (higher Chiu's score, P < 0.05), higher contents of MDA (P < 0.05), higher DAO activity (P < 0.05) and higher apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), and lower level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the magnesium sulfate plus LY294002 group compared with the magnesium sulfate group.

CONCLUSIONSActivation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway results in the reduction of cell apoptosis, which likely accounts for the protective effect of magnesium sulfate against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing) ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; Intestinal Mucosa ; cytology ; drug effects ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; Magnesium Sulfate ; therapeutic use ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole in the treatment of children with Tourette syndrome.

METHODA prospective, multi-center, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 195 children aged 5-17 years with Tourette syndrome. The patients were assigned to two groups: aripiprazole group (n=98) and tiapride group (n=97), with the treatment dosage of 5-25 mg/d and 100-500 mg/d, respectively. After 12 weeks treatment, the clinical efficacy was assessed by the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) score, and adverse reactions were observed by side effects symptoms scale, blood biochemical indexes, and electrocardiography.

RESULTSignificant pre- and post-treatment differences were ascertained for motor tic, phonic tic, function damage and total scores of YGTSS in the both groups from the second week of treatment (P<0.0001). Compared with the tiapride group, the aripiprazole group showed a more significantly decreased function damage score of YGTSS by the second week of treatment (P<0.05). After 12 weeks treatment, total scores of YGTSS in the aripiprazole group decreased from 53.74±15.71 at baseline to 24.36±16.38, while in the tiapride group from 51.66±13.63 to 23.26±15.31. The mean reduction scores of YGTSS were 29.38 in the aripiprazole group and 28.40 in the tiapride group at the end of treatment, and the clinical response rates were 60.21% and 63.92%, respectively. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions was similar in the aripiprazole and tiapride groups, with 29.6% and 27.8% respectively. There were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse reactions between aripiprazole and tiapride groups and no severe adverse events were found in either group.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that aripiprazole showed similar therapeutic effect to tiapride in treatment of children with Tourette syndrome. Aripiprazole was safe and well tolerated in Chinese population, and can be considered as a new valid option for the treatment of tic disorders.

Adolescent ; Antipsychotic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Aripiprazole ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Quinolones ; therapeutic use ; Tiapamil Hydrochloride ; therapeutic use ; Tourette Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the relationship and the influence between pre-diabetes mellitus (PDM) and hyperuricemia (HUA).Methods 157 PDM patients,aged 20 to 75 years old were selected from the Second Clinical Medical College of Harbin Medical University,from 2009 February to 2010 February and were divided into HUA group (76 cases) and NUA group (81 cases).All the patients had not been on thiazide drugs.T-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used to calculate the differences and correlation between uric acid and biochemical indicators.Results In the HUA group,BMI was (27.74 ± 2.88) kg/m2,waist to height ratio (WSR) was (0.55 ± 0.41),TC was (6.61 ± 0.73) mmol/L,TG was (3.94 ± 1.97) mmol/L,LDL-C was (3.60 ± 0.45) mmol/L and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was (3.09± 1.20).There were significant differences noticed in BMI,TG,TC,LDL-C,HOMA-IR at higher level in the HUA group than those in the NUA group.Pre-diabetes uric acid levels were positively correlated with TG,TC,LDL-C while HOMA-1R (TG:r=0.29,TC:r=0.33,LDL-C:r=0.49,HOMA-IR:r=0.51,P＜0.05)was negatively correlated (r=－0.30,P＜0.05) with the HbAlc.Conclusion The levels of PDM uric acid might both be related with TC,TG,LDL-C and HOMA-IR.The High level of uric acid status in vivo appeared closely related to HOMA-IR,which could further promote the progress of pre-diabetic patients to diabetes and causing dyslipidemia.Our findings suggested that the levels of pre-diabetes uric acid levels should be under concern.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a method to distinguish avulsion fracture from sesamoid, accessory bone, and permanent osteoepiphyte. METHODS: Fourteen cases of suspicious avulsion fractures of articular portion of tubular bones were reviewed. Direct/indirect signs and the injury mechanism of avulsion fractures were analyzed and compared with permanent osteoepiphyte, sesamoid and accessory bones for their morphological characteristics. RESULTS: There are two cases of permanent osteoepiphytes, three cases of sesamoids, and three cases of accessory bones. These cases were characterized by smooth edges, contiguous bony cortex, without swelling of the surrounding soft tissue or obvious image changes after consecutive radiography. CONCLUSION It is fundamental in image analysis to distinguish avulsion fracture from physiological small osteoepiphyte, sesamoid bone, and aberrant accessory bone.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Ankle Injuries/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epiphyses/diagnostic imaging* ; Epiphyses, Slipped/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Fractures, Bone/diagnostic imaging* ; Humans ; Knee Injuries/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sesamoid Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Shoulder Fractures/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Currently, detecting biochemical differences before and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) for improved prediction of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major clinical challenge. In this pilot study, we analyzed the kinetics of circulating adipokine levels in patients with or without aGVHD before and after allogeneic SCT. Serum samples were obtained and stored at -80degrees C within 3 hours after collection, prior to conditioning and at engraftment after transplantation. A protein array system was used to measure the levels of 7 adipokines of patients with aGVHD (n=20) and without aGVHD (n=20). The resistin level at engraftment was significantly increased (p<0.001) after transplantation, regardless of aGVHD occurrence. In the non-aGVHD group, the concentrations of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (mean values+/-SD; 206.6+/-34.3 vs. 432.3+/-108.9 pg/ml, p=0.040) and angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) (mean values+/-SD; 3,197.2+/-328.3 vs. 4,471.8+/-568.4 pg/ml, p=0.037) at engraftment were significantly higher than those of the pre-transplant period, whereas in the aGVHD group, the levels of adipokines did not change after transplantation. Our study suggests that changes in serum HGF and ANG-2 levels could be considered helpful markers for the subsequent occurrence of aGVHD.
Adipokines* ; Angiopoietin-2 ; Graft vs Host Disease* ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Pilot Projects ; Protein Array Analysis ; Resistin ; Stem Cell Transplantation

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized by high-spiking fever, arthralgia, sore throat, and skin rash. The typical rash of AOSD is an evanescent, salmon-colored erythema, which is considered to be the major diagnostic criterion. Recently, other cutaneous manifestations of AOSD, such as persistent plaque and urticaria, have been reported. Here, we report a rare case of AOSD presenting with periorbital swelling and erythema. A 47-year-old woman was presented with periorbital swelling, erythema, high fever, arthritis, and a sore throat. One year prior to admission, she was diagnosed with AOSD based on the diagnostic criteria of Yamaguchi. The patient's periorbital swelling and erythema may not have been associated with periorbital cellulitis because they did not respond to antibiotics but did improve after treatment with steroids. Considering all of her signs and symptoms with a history of AOSD, periorbital lesion was suspected as atypical cutaneous manifestation of AOSD.
Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Cellulitis ; Edema ; Erythema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngitis ; Steroids ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset ; Urticaria

OBJECTIVETo observe the anti-virus effects of andrographolide (AD) on the retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs) signaling pathway when immunological cells were infected with H1N1.

METHODSLeukomonocyte was obtained from umbilical cord blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and immunological cells were harvested after cytokines stimulation. Virus infected cell model was established by H1N1 co-cultured with normal human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE). The optimal concentration of AD was defined by methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay. After the virus infected cell model was established, AD was added into the medium as a treatment intervention. After 24-h co-culture, cell supernatant was collected for interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection while immunological cells for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe optimal concentration of AD for anti-virus effect was 250 μg/mL. IL-4 and IFN-γ in the supernatant and mRNA levels in RLRs pathway increased when cells was infected by virus, RIG-I, IFN-β promoter stimulator-1 (IPS-1), interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-7, IRF-3 and nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) mRNA levels increased significantly (P<0.05). When AD was added into co-culture medium, the levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ were lower than those in the non-interference groups and the mRNA expression levels decreased, RIG-I, IPS-1, IRF-7, IRF-3 and NF-κB decreased significantly in each group with significant statistic differences (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe RLRs mediated viral recognition provided a potential molecular target for acute viral infections and andrographolide could ameliorate H1N1 virus-induced cell mortality. And the antiviral effects might be related to its inhibition of viral-induced activation of the RLRs signaling pathway.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; DEAD Box Protein 58 ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; virology ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; immunology ; Influenza, Human ; drug therapy ; immunology ; virology ; Interferon-beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; drug effects ; immunology ; virology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; virology ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; drug effects ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study relationships between serum ferritin and bone metabolism in patients with hip fragility fractures.

METHODSThis cross-sectional study included 76 postmenopausal women with hip fracture from Feburary 2011 to June 2012. The mean age of the women was (73 ± 10) years (range, 55-93 years) and the mean duration of menstruation was (22 ± 10)years (range, 5-50 years). Serum concentrations of ferritin, transferrin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), amino-terminal extension peptide of type I collagen (P1NP), C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (β-CTX)and femoral and lumbar bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were measured. Bone metabolism was compared between normal and elevated ferritin groups with t-test, Pearson linear, partial correlation and multiple regression analysis examined associations between iron- and bone-related markers.

RESULTSSerum ferritin concentration raised to (230 ± 146)µg/L, transferrin concentration reduced to (1.89 ± 0.33)g/L. P1NP concentration raised to (61 ± 32) ng/L when the concentration of serum ALP and β-CTX were in the normal range. T-scores for bone mineral density in the femoral neck (-2.0 ± 1.1) and lumbar (-2.1 ± 1.2) were below the normal ranges(-1.0-1.0). The subjects were divided into two groups according to serum ferritin concentration, normal group(serum ferritin concentration ≤ 150 µg/L, n = 25) and elevated group(serum ferritin concentration > 150 µg/L, n = 51). Patients of elevated group had lower bone mineral density in femoral neck and lumbar than normal group(t = 3.13,2.89, P < 0.01), and higher P1NP, β-CTX concentration (t = -2.38, -3.59, P < 0.05) . In partial correlation analysis adjusted for confounders, serum ferritin concentration was correlated negatively with bone mineral density in both femoral neck and lumbar (r = -0.335,-0.295, P < 0.05), and positively with P1NP and β-CTX (r = 0.467,0.414, P < 0.05), but not correlated with ALP (r = 0.188, P > 0.05). Transferrin concentration tended to be correlated positively with bone mineral density in both femoral neck and lumbar (r = 0.444, 0.262, P < 0.05) and negatively with ALP, P1NP and β-CTX(r = -0.326,-0.285,-0.278, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIron overload has a high prevalence in postmenopausal women with fragility fracture. Increased iron stores, which might lead to bone loss and lower bone mineral density by enhancing the activity of bone turnover, could be an independent factor to take effects on bone metabolism on postmenopausal women.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Density ; Bone Remodeling ; Collagen Type I ; blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; metabolism ; Humans ; Iron Overload ; Iron-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; metabolism ; Postmenopause ; Retrospective Studies