OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Syringae Cortex. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and purified by silica (200-300), pre-HPLC and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The structures were identified on the basis of spectral data and physiochemical properties. RESULTS: Twelve compounds were isolated and identified as syringin(I), sinapylal-dehyde 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(II), syringaldehyde(III), coniferyl aldehyde(IV), betulinic acid(V), oleuroprin(VI), oleoside dimethyl ester(VII), ligstroside(VIII), 2″-epifraxamoside (DC), β-sitosterol(X), n-triaconatanoic acid(XI) and 2-(4-hydroxyphe-nyl)-ethyl-l-dodecyloctadecanoate) (XII). CONCLUSION: Compounds II-V, VII and XI-XII are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Objective To study the film￣forming property of film￣forming materials in dragon blood ethanol solution, and provide the reference for screening of film￣forming materials for dragon blood plastics. Methods PVA124,PVA1788, PVP￣K30, EC, MC, PVB were chosen to study the film￣forming property of film￣forming materials based on solubility, formation time, and adhesion. Results PVA1788 and PVP￣K30 mixed in dragon blood ethanol solution in proportion of 4:1 showed good film￣forming property, and the membrane was smooth, uniform and easy to tear off.However, PVA124 and PVP￣K30 mixed in proportion of 4:1 precipitated in dragon blood ethanol solution.EC, MC and PVB were not easy to tear off the membrane. Conclusion PVA1788 and PVP￣K30 mixed in proportion of 4:1 and added with propylene glycol is the optimal choice of film￣forming material for dragon blood spray film.

Collagen Type I ; analysis ; Collagen Type III ; analysis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Liver ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Confocal

Objective To assess the influence of active movement of the affected upper limb on the prognosis for patients after acute cerebral infarction.Methods From 2007 to 2008, 171 consecutive patients with acute cerebral infarction were registered prospectively in this study. Active movement of the hemiplegic upper limb was assessed on the 14th day after stroke onset. Ability in the activities of daily living was assessed using the Barthel index one year later.Results Finger flexion and extension on the 14th day after stroke onset correlated positively with Barthel index scores 1 year later. NIHSS scores at admission, the time interval from onset to admission and stroke history were significant predictors of the prognosis 1 year later.Conclusion Assessing the active movement of the hemiplegic upper limb on the 14th day after stroke has good predictive power for the prognosis of acute cerebral infarction patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possibility of placenta mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) differentiation into dermal fibroblast, and the potency of PMSCs used in cutaneous wound healing and stored as seed cells.

METHODSEnzyme digestion method was used to obtain PMSCs, and PMSCs were amplified after culture in vitro. Flow cytometry assay, osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation were done for MSCs identification. The induction medium composed of DMEM/F12 + 50 microg/ml VC + 100 ng/ml connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was added into the 24-well plate for 16 days induction period. Pictures were taken to record morphologic change. Immunofluorescence tests were performed to detect Vimentin, FSP-1, collagen I , collagen III, desmin and laminin expression before and after induction. At the same time osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation were used to assay the differentiation ability change after induction. The induced dermal fibroblasts were frozen in liquid nitrogen and recovery and trypan blue was used to detect cell viability.

RESULTSAfter CTGF induction, PMSCs got obvious fibroblasts morphology, the protein level of Vimentin, FSP-1, collagen I, collagen III and Laminin increased, PMSCs started to express Desmin, the dermal fibroblasts specific proteins, and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation ability was diminished. PMSCs were successfully induced into dermal fibroblasts, and these induced cells could get a high cell viability ( more than 90% ) after recovery.

CONCLUSIONSPMSCs could be induced into dermal fibroblasts by CTGF in vitro. PMSCs have the potential application in skin wound healing, and can be used as seed cells of dermal fibroblasts.

Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Placenta ; cytology ; Pregnancy

Danggui, Agelicae Sinensis Radix, is a widely used Chinese herb to enrich blood, but its quality cannot be effectively assessed by the known chemical markers such as ferulic acid, ligustilide, polysaccharides, etc. A new bioassay was therefore developed to quantify the Enrich-Blood Bioactivity (EBB) for the quality assessment of Danggui raw materials. Danggui sample was first extracted with ethanol and water, respectively. Then the ethanolic extract and water extract were mixed as a test sample to quantify the amount of EBB by mice experiment. The blood deficiency mode in mice was developed by intraperitoneal injecting cyclophospharmide and phenylhdrazine hydrochloride. The quantity of red blood cell was chosen as EBB marker. Cyclosporine A was chosen as a control substance. EBB in analytes was quantified by the amount reaction of parallel line analysis (3, 3') method. The results indicated that the reliability test for quantifying EBB was passed through and the measured value was valid. The analytes showed the significant EBB (P < 0.05). The correlation coefficient was 0.9984 (n=5) between the amount of cyclosporine A (0.035-0.56 g x kg(-1)) and the increased number of red blood cell. The relative standard deviation (RSY) on the amount of EBB was estimated to be 6.15% (n = 6) by six replicated tests, and the confidence limit rate was 26.68% (n = 6). Five Danggui samples, which were collected from different cultivation areas with various morphological characters, showed the variety of EBB in the range of 21.95-44.16 U x g(-1). It is concluded that the developed method is accurate to quantify the EBB of Danggui raw materials, and is therefore suitable to assess its quality.
Angelica sinensis ; chemistry ; Animals ; Biological Assay ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocyte Count ; Erythrocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEChemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand stromal-derived factor 1 alpha (SDF-1alpha) have been paid increasing attention for their involvement in megakaryocytic hematopoiesis. It has been revealed in recent years that they can induce mature and immature megakaryocytes (MKs) to migrate through bone marrow endothelial cells (BMEC) by increasing the affinity of MKs for BMEC. Thus MKs maturity and eventual release of platelet from MKs ensues. While maturity disturbance of MKs and impaired production of platelets have been regarded as the main pathogenesis of ITP, the mechanism of which still remains unclear. Therefore, a clear understanding of the levels of CXCR4 and SDF-1alpha within bone marrow in children with ITP will help us to elucidate further the mechanism of ITP as well as to provide direct theoretical evidence for predicting treatment effect and evaluating prognosis.

METHODSBone marrow were aspirated from 28 children with AITP and 12 normal children. Percoll density gradient and immunomagnetic beads method were used to purify megakaryocytes from the bone marrow. The immune cytochemistry was used to detect CXCR4 on megakaryocytes. The levels of SDF-1alpha were detected by ELISA. SPSS10.0 statistical software was used to deal with the experimental data.

RESULTSBefore the treatment in children with AITP, both the CXCR4 expression on megakaryocytes and the SDF-1alpha level in bone marrow plasma were markedly decreased compared with the normal controls (P < 0.05). As to the cases who were sensitive to the high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (HDIVIgG), the CXCR4 and SDF-1alpha levels were much higher in children after the treatment than those before the treatment (P < 0.05). In 6 cases insensitive to HDIVIgG, before the treatment the CXCR4 level was much lower than the children sensitive to HDIVIgG (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe low levels of CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system in bone marrow may be one of the factors which contribute to the maturity disturbance of megakaryocytes and disturbance of platelets production in AITP, while decreased CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system may be caused by the effect of autoantibody against platelet. The mechanism of HDIVIgG in the treatment of AITP may involve in the increasing expression of CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system. The level of CXCR4 on megakaryocytes may play a certain role in predicting the treatment effect of immunoglobulin.

Adolescent ; Bone Marrow ; metabolism ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; Chemokines, CXC ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Infant ; Ligands ; Megakaryocytes ; metabolism ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; blood ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo establish a diagnostic model of protein fingerprint pattern in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases.

METHODSThe CSF samples were obtained from 29 NSCLC patients with brain metastasis, 23 non-tumor patients and 10 early-stage NSCLC patients without brain metastases for analysis of the protein expression profiles using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). The data were then analyzed by Biomarker Wizard software, and the tree analysis patterns were generated using the decision-tree model in Biomarker Patterns software. The diagnostic model was tested for its clinical application.

RESULTSFive protein peaks were identified showing differential expression between patients with brain metastases and those without brain metastases. Combination of the 3 protein peaks (m/z: 8698.00, 1215.32 and 1245.70) could discriminate these two samples with a sensitivity of 100.00% (29/29) and a specificity of 100.00% (23/23). Five proteins were differentially expressed between the NSCLC patients with brain metastases and the non-tumor patients. With one protein peak (m/z: 6050.00), these two samples could be discriminated with a sensitivity of 90.00% (9/10) and a specificity of 78.26% (18/23).

CONCLUSIONThe established diagnostic model of CSF protein fingerprint pattern provides high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of NSCLC with brain metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Brain Neoplasms ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; pathology ; secondary ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins ; genetics ; Decision Trees ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptide Mapping ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Animals ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Brucella Vaccine ; immunology ; Brucella abortus ; immunology ; Female ; Immunization ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Periplasmic Binding Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Ribosomal Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of surgical treatment for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT).

METHODSThe studies were analyzed for 55 patients with pHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy in our hospital from 1985 to 2002.

RESULTSEight patients were asymptomatic. The skeletal manifestations were found in 24 cases, urinary stones in 10 cases, and both skeletal manifestations and urinary stones in 13 cases. Pathological bone fractures occurred in 16 cases. Hypercalcemia was discovered in all patients with the average value of (3.1 +/- 0.4) mmol/L, ranging from 2.7 to 3.9 mmol/L and. Fifty patients showed elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) with the average value of (489.2 +/- 69.2) pg/ml, ranging from 102 to 2,000 pg/ml. Preoperatively all patients underwent sonography, CT and/or scintigraphy. The overall preoperative image-directed localization rate was 90.9%. Follow-up was done from 6 months to 2 years after surgery. The symptoms and signs of all patients relieved postoperatively with the improving of osteoporosis and healing of bone fracture. Of all cases, 39 presented with temporary hypocalcemia, 37 showed circumoral paresthesia in whom 10 showed tetany, 15 showed eucalcemia and one had mild hypercalcemia after operation. The serum calcium was normal in all cases with hypocalcemia by Rocaltrol and calcium supplementation for 1 - 3 weeks. PTH level decreased to normal fro 2 weeks to 2 months in 47 cases and was still mildly higher than normal in 3 cases.

CONCLUSIONSParathyroidectomy is an effective approach to patients with pHPT. With preoperative image-directed localization techniques, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is a valid surgical strategy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parathyroidectomy ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome