Objective To explore the mechanism of tripterygium wilfordii hook f(TWHF)for Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis(HSPN,nephrotic type)in children.Methods All the children with HSPN(nephrotic type)were divided into 3 groups casually.Method of radioactive pairs conjugating analysis was used to determine the numbers of glucocorticoid(GC)receptors(GCRs).Results were statistically analysed respectively.Results GCRs tested in all the patients with HSPN(nephrotic type)before treatment were statistically lower than those in control group of normal children;GCRs in all the patients tested after 1 week treatment with GC were lower than before treatment.Three weeks later,GCRs in patients treated with TWHF increased much higher than them without TWHF.Following up the recurring times of all the patients 3 months to 5 years,they were much more in patients treated without TWHF treatment than in patients treated with it.Conclusions TWHF treatment on HSPN(nephrotic type)is obviously effective.It can not only decrease the dosage of GC,but decrease the recurring times.One of the mechanism may be TWHF can resist the down-regulation GC to GCR,and enhance the effect of GC.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of adolescent scoliosis in Guangzhou for development of effective prevention and treatment program to the disease. Methods From November2007 to July 2009, 30 142 students between 7 to 20 years old in primary and junior middle schools received physical check-up for detection of scoliosis through physical and radiographic examination.Results 211 cases were diagnosed as scoliosis (Cobb angle≥10°) , with the prevalence rate as 0.70%. 192 patients with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) were detected, accounting for 91.00%. There were 19 cases of congenital scoliosis, accounting for 9.00%. Sex ratio of scoliosis was 180/31. The prevalence of scoliosis was significantly lower in boys than that in girls (x2= 112.332, P＜0.001 ).Conclusion The crude prevalence of adolescent scoliosis was 0.70% in Guangzhou with majority of idiopathic scoliosis. Investigation on scoliosis among school-age population seemed to be important for the purposes of early diagnosis, selection of effective prevention and treatment.

AIMTo identify "Shegan" [Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.] and relative medicinal plants of Iris including Iris tectorum Maxim., I. dichotoma Pall., I. germanica L. and I. japonica Thunb. by ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase Large Gene (rbcL) sequence analysis.

METHODSGeneral DNA was isolated from the fresh leaves of Belamcanda chinensis and 4 Iris spp. by CTAB. A pair of primers was designed to amplify the rbcL gene and PCR Preps DNA kit was used to purify the PCR products. The rbcL sequences were determined by ABI (Applied Biosystems Inco.) Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer.

RESULTSA fragment of about 750 bp of rbcL gene from Belamcanda chinensis and 4 Iris spp. were amplified and sequenced. The rbcL sequences of Iris tectorum, I. dichotoma Pall. and I. japonica were reported for the first time. The rbcL sequences of 5 species of Iridaceae were aligned and analyzed using Clustal (Version 8.0) and MEGA (Version 2.0.) programs. The nucleotide number of difference is from 1.000 to 20.000. The tranversions is from 0.000 to 9.000 and the transitions is from 0.000 to 14.000. Phylogenetic tree based on rbcL partial sequence data indicated that the eleven samples of 5 species clustered separately.

CONCLUSIONThe sequence variation of rbcL can be used to identify Belamcanda chinensis and 4 species of relative medicinal plants of Iris. The molecular phylogenetic tree accords with the classical taxonomy.

Base Sequence ; Chloroplasts ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; analysis ; Genes, Plant ; Iridaceae ; classification ; genetics ; Iris Plant ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo in vestigate the chemical constituents of Sarcandra glabra and obtain a more comprehensive understanding on its effective components.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic method and their structures were elucidated by physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTFive flavonoid glycosides were isolated and identified as kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucuronide (1), quercetin-3-O-alpha-D-glucuronide (2), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside methyl ester (3), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxy-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranosyl flavanone (4), neoastilbin (5), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (6), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (7), isofraxidin (8).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-6 were isolated from the genus Sarcandra for the first time. The glucuroide compounds compounds 1-3, were first isolated from the genus Sarcandra.

Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Glucuronides ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETrichosanthin (TCS), a ribosome-inactivating protein extracted from the root tuber of Chinese medicinal herb Trichosanthes kirilowii maximowicz, has various pharmacological properties including abortifacient, anti-tumor and anti-virus. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TCS on infectious brain injury induced by Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) in mice.

METHODSNinety mice were randomly assigned into three groups: Normal control group (n=30), Model group (n=30) and TCS-treated group (n=30). Viral encephalitis was induced by intracranial inoculation of HSV-1 in the latter two groups. The TCS-treated group was injected with TCS 30 minutes before HSV-1 inoculation. The water content of brain tissue was measured at 1, 12, 24 and 48 hrs, and at 4 and 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation. The viral titer of brain tissue and brain histopathological changes were detected at 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation. The neurological deficient scores were determined daily.

RESULTSThe water content of brain tissue in the TCS-treated group between 48 hrs and 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation was significantly lower than that in the Model group (P < 0.05), although it was significantly higher than that in the Normal control group (P < 0.05). The viral titer of brain tissue in the TCS-treated group was markedly lower than that in the Model group (1.16 +/- 0.45 vs 2.89 +/- 0.44; P < 0.05) 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation. The neurological deficient scores of the TCS-treated group after 24 hrs of HSV-1 inoculation were significantly lower than that in the Model group but were higher than those of the Normal control group. TCS treatment resulted in alleviated pathological changes of brain tissue compared with the Model group 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation.

CONCLUSIONSTCS has protective effects against infectious brain injury induced by HSV-1 in mice.

Animals ; Body Water ; metabolism ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Encephalitis, Viral ; drug therapy ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; drug therapy ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Male ; Mice ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Trichosanthin ; therapeutic use

A new neo/E counterselection technique was set up using Red recombination, which could be used in constructing recombinant plasmid. Firstly, linear targeting cassettes were amplified by PCR; secondly, two steps of homology recombination occurred in vivo: (1) The neo/E counterselection targeting cassette, consisting of a unique endonuclease recognition site and an antibiotic resistance gene, was introduced into the targeted region. (2) The neo/E cassette was replaced in the second round of recombination by another linear targeting cassettes DNA fragment carrying the targeted gene. For selecting a correct recombinant plasmid from the mixture of nonrecombinant and recombinant clones, the unique endonuclease recognition site in the nonrecombinant clones was cut by endonuclease and then transformed into the E. coli competent cells, up to 20% correct recombinants were yielded. A recombinant plasmid of pGL3-Basic PC1900T was successfully constructed in this way. Application of this technique offers a new and highly efficient way for recombinant plasmids construction.
Bacteriophage lambda ; genetics ; DNA, Recombinant ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Genetic Engineering ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Rec A Recombinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Adult ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pubic Symphysis Diastasis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare and evaluate the biocompatibility of three kinds of dentin bonding agents Xeno III (XO), Adper Prompt (AP), Single bond2 (SB) through cell culture in vitro.

METHODSThree kinds of dentin bonding agents (XO, AP, SB) were applied on the surface of the dental slices which were 5.0 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm in depth. By immersing the slices into the DMEM culture medium, the maceration extracts were obtained. Normal dental pulps of teenagers were collected and human pulp fibroblast was cultured using tissue explant method. The fifth generation pulp cells were exposed to culture medium containing different concentrations of maceration extracts (100.0%, 50.0%, 25.0%, 12.5%) for 24, 72, 120 h. At last, MTT method was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the dentin bonding agents on human pulp fibroblast.

RESULTSThe results showed that all three kinds of dentin bonding systems had cytotoxicity to human pulp fibroblast in different degree in vitro. The cytotoxicity of XO and AP was less than SB. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of cell culture in vitro indicated that total-etching adhesives system has more irritation to pulp than self-etching adhesives system.

Adhesives ; Adolescent ; Dental Pulp ; Dentin ; Dentin-Bonding Agents ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Resin Cements

To study the expressions of CD34 and CD117 in the tissues of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) and to explore the relationship with clinical pathology and it's evaluation on the prognosis of HCC patients. The expressions of CD34 and CD117 were examined by two-step methods of PV-9000 of immunohistochemistry in 55 HCC cases, 10 liver cirrhotic specimens and 6 normal liver specimens. Clinical-pathological data, tumor recurrent rate and survival rate after hepatectomy were recorded and analyzed with Fisher's Exact Test, Pearson X2 Test, Kaplan-Meier, Log-Rank Test and Cox Regression. The positive expression of CD34 was found in 65.4% of HCC, 20% of cirrhostic liver specimens and 16.7% of normal liver specimens, respectively. Significant differences found among the three groups, and the CD34 expression was significantly associated with vessel embolus (X2 = 4.000, P = 0.046) and the histological grades (X2 = 11.008, P = 0.001). The positive expression of CD117 was 47.3%, 10% and 0% in HCC, cirrhotic liver specimens and normal liver tissues, respectively, and statistical differences esxisted among the three groups. The CD117 expression was dramatically related to the histological grades (X2 = 5.115, P = 0.024) and clinical stages (X2 = 15.459, P = 0.000). Median disease free survival time after hepatectomy was significantly shorter in the group with positive-expression of CD34 (X2 = 4.105, P = 0.043) and CD117 (X2 = 28.023, P = 0.000) than the negative-expressed groups, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that CD117 expression status, serum AFP levels and the size of tumor were independently prognostic factors for HCC patients. Tthe results demonstrated that CD34 and CD117 might play an important role in liver carcinogenesis and the progression of HCC, and they might potentially serve as markers for HCC prognosis.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local

Objective To explore the application value of 320-slice volume CT in detecting the cerebral transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods One-stop CT scan was performed at intermission of onset on 11 patients with cerebral TIA; the data of plain CT scans, CT angiography (CTA) and whole brain perfusion on these patients were collected. Analysis by synthesis was performed on these imaging data. Results No lesions responsible for the attack were found in the brains of 11 patients with TIA under plain CT scan; 3 of them performed MRI did not have positive results. CTA indicated that the vascular networks in 10 patients were obviously sparse in the region of lesions responsible for the attack;the corresponding vessels in 8 of them became thin; both vascular thrombosis and compensatory angiogenesis occurred in 2 patients. The cerebral perfusion indicated that perfusion areas corresponding to clinical symptoms displayed delayed mean transit time and time to peak level in these 11 patients.Decreased regional cerebral blood flow was noted in 5 patients and regional cerebral volume increased mildly in 3 patients. Conclusion The 320-slice-volume CT perfusion imaging can obtain the information about whole brain perfusion, routine CT scan and CTA by injecting a kind of contrast medicament for only one time, thus can assess the ischemic cerebrovascular disease comprehensively.