Adult ; Endocarditis ; microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mycoses ; Recurrence

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Kangai-1 Protein ; genetics ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on transcription regulation genes of host cells by gene chip assays in cultured cells with intact HCV genome.

METHODSHuh-7 hepatoma cells were cultured and infected with in vitro constructed HCV. The total RNAs, proteins and cell culture supernatants of HCV infected cells and control cells were isolated. Proteins and cell culture supernatants were used to detect the HCV replication and protein expression in cell culture system. The HCV protein expression was detected with Western blotting. Released HCV from infected cells was analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Total RNA was qualified using 10 g/L agarose gel electrophoresis. cRNA was synthesized, fluorescence labeled and purified, then hybridized with Agilent oligo microarray (20173 probes). Differential expression of genes related to transcription in cell culture system was analyzed.

RESULTHCV was positive in cell culture supernatants and HCV protein expression was also positive according to Western blotting results. Eleven up-regulated and 11 down-regulated genes related to transcription were found after Agilent gene chip screening.

CONCLUSIONIntact hepatitis C virus cell culture system provides an useful tool for study on the affects of HCV infection on transcription regulation genes in host cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genome, Viral ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; growth & development ; Hepatocytes ; virology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; virology ; Transcription, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of Polygonatum odoratum.

METHODSilica gel column chromatography was used to separate and purify the chemical constituents. The structures were elucidated by chemical and spectral analysis.

RESULTOne dipeptide and one furostanol glycoside were isolated from the rhizomes of P. odoratum, and their structures were identified as O-acetate of N (N-benzoyl-S-phenylalaninyl)-S-phenylalaninol (1) and 22-hydroxy-25 (R and S)-furost-5-en-12-on-3beta,22,26-triol 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompound (2) is a new compound and is first reported to be of the furostanol monoglycoside glycosylated at C-26.

Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonatum ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

AIM: To investigate antioxidant activities and life span prolonging effects of the extracts from the roots of Incarvillea younghusbandii Sprague, and to study the correlations between these activities and the polar intensity of the extracts. METHOD: Five extracts (IYS1, IYS2, IYS3, IYS4 and YS5) with different polar intensity were prepared. Antioxidant activities in vitro were determined by LPO inhibitory and free radicals scavenging experiments. Life span prolonging effects in vivo were evaluated by feeding Drosophila melanogaster. RESULT: Total phenolic content in extracts were solvent-dependent and decreased in the order of IYS4 > IYS1 > IYS3 > IYS5 > IYS2. Organic extracts (IYS1 and IYS4) showed excellent LPO inhibitory activity, O(2)(· -) and ·OH scavenging activity compared to ascorbic acid (or benzoic acid, or BHT), while aqueous extracts (IYS2, IYS3 and IYS5) did not. The antioxidant activities (in vitro) were solvent dependent and decreased in the order of IYS4 > IYS1 > IYS3 > IYS5 ≥ IYS2. Drosophila melanogaster was fed with organic extracts (IYS1 or IYS4) at 5.0 mg mL(-1). The mean life span were increased by 24.4% (IYS1) or 23.0% (IYS4) in female and 15.3% (IYS1) or 16.9% (IYS4) in male; the maximum life span were increased by 8.4% (IYS1) or 11.2% (IYS4) in female and 9.7% (IYS1) or 15.8% (IYS4) in male, and the survival curves were significantly shifted to the right after fifteen days in both sexes survival period. Feeding aqueous extracts (IYS2, IYS3 or IYS5) at 5.0 mg·mL(-1), the significant life span prolonging effects were not achieved. The life span prolonging effects of the extracts were solvent-dependent and decreased in the order of IYS4 ≥ IYS1 > IYS3 > IYS2 > IYS5. CONCLUSION Extracts from the roots of Incarvillea younghusbandii Sprague showed excellent antioxidant activities and significant life span prolonging effects in Drosophila melanogaster. Positive correlations existed between the antioxidant activities and total phenolic content. Life span prolonging effect was positively correlated with the total phenolic content or antioxidant activities. The extracts possess better life span prolonging effect in females than in males.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bignoniaceae ; chemistry ; Drosophila melanogaster ; drug effects ; Female ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Longevity ; drug effects ; Male ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Sex Factors

Purpose To study the clinicopathological, immunophynotypic features of pituicytoma and its rare ependymal variant with discussion of its diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Methods 7 cases of pituicytoma, including 6 conventional pituicytomas and 1 ependymal variant tumor, were evaluated by HE staining and immunohistochemistry, and the relevant literatures were reviewed. Results Microscopically, the tumors were composed of closely packed plump spindle cells arranged in short fascicle and storiform pattern in 6 conventional pituicytomas, and whorl and papillary architecture with obvious perivascular rosette formation in the ependymal variant tumor. Immunohistochemically, all tumor cells were diffuse positive for S-100 and TTF-1, but negative for IDH1 R132H, Olig-2, CD34, NF, Syn, CgA, and pituitary hormones. Ki-67 proliferation index was less than 2％ in all cases. GFAP and EMA were only focally positive in conventional pituicytomas, whereas GFAP was diffuse positive in ependymal variant tumor with EMA dot-like staining in more than half of tumor cells. Conclusion Pituicytoma is a rare low grade glioma derived from neurohypophysis. To study helps recognition of extending morphological spectrum of pituicytoma and its new variant, which is important for its differential diagnosis consideration and clinical therapy.

To investigate the prevalence of drug-resistance mutations, resistance to antiretroviral drugs, and the subsequent virological response to therapy in treatment-naive and antiretroviral-treated patients infected with HIV/AIDS in Henan, China, a total of 431 plasma samples were collected in Queshan county between 2003 and 2004, from patients undergoing the antiretroviral regimen Zidovudine + Didanosine + Nevirapine (Azt+Ddi+Nvp). Personal information was collected by face to face interview. Viral load and genotypic drug resistance were tested. Drug resistance mutation data were obtained by analyzing patient-derived sequences through the HIVdb Program (http://hivdb.stanford.edu). Overall, 38.5% of treatment-naive patients had undetectable plasma viral load (VL), the rate significantly increased to 61.9% in 0 to 6 months treatment patients (mean 3 months) (P＜0.005) but again significantly decrease to 38.6% in 6 to 12 months treatment patients (mean 9 months) (P＜0.001) and 40.0% in patients receiving more than 12 months treatment (mean 16 months) (P＜0.005). The prevalence of drug resistance in patients who had a detectable VL and available sequences were 7.0%, 48.6%, 70.8%, 72.3% in treatment-na(1)ve, 0 to 6 months treatment, 6 to 12 months treatment, and treatment for greater than 12 months patients, respectively. No mutation associated with resistance to Protease inhibitor (PI) was detected in this study. Nucleoside RT inhibitor (NRTI) mutations always emerged after non-nucleoside RT inhibitor (NNRTI) mutations, and were only found in patients treated for more than 6 months, with a frequency less than 5%, with the exception of mutation T215Y (12.8%, 6/47) which occurred in patients treated for more than 12 months. NNRTI mutations emerged quickly after therapy begun, and increased significantly in patients treated for more than 6 months (P＜0.005), and the most frequent mutations were K103N, V106A, Y181C, G190A. There had been optimal viral suppression in patients undergoing treatment for less than 6 months in Queshan,Henan. The drug resistance strains were highly prevalent in antiretroviral-treated patients, and increased with the continuation of therapy, with many patients encountering virological failure after 6 months therapy.

Using a bioassay-guided fractionation technique, two compounds were isolated from the roots of Incarvillea younghusbandii Sprague through silica gel, reverse-phase C18 column chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. Their structures were identified as acteoside (1) and isoacteoside (2) by ESI-MS, GC-MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR. 1 and 2 showed *OH scavenging capacity similar with benzoic acid, higher O2*- (or *OH) scavenging capacity than ascorbic acid, far higher hepatic LPO inhibitory activities than 2, 6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) or ascorbic acid, and more powerful effect on protecting erythrocytes from oxidative damage than ascorbic acid. The *OH scavenging capacity was positively proportional to the concentrations of 1 and 2 ranging from 0.015 6 to 0.500 0 mg x mL(-1). The hepatic LPO inhibitory activities increased with the increasing concentrations of 1 and 2 from 0.001 9 to 0.250 0 mg x mL(-1), but decreased slightly with the increasing concentration from 0.250 0 to 1.0000 mg x L(-1).
Animals ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bignoniaceae ; chemistry ; Free Radical Scavengers ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture for persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR).Methods:A total of 154 PAR patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group,78 cases in the treatment group received acupuncture at meridian points,while 76 cases in the control group received acupuncture at non-meridian points.The treatment was done every other day,3 times a week for a total 4 weeks.The total nasal symptom score (TNSS),the total non-nasal symptom score (TNNSS) and the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) were measured before the treatment and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment,as well as 1 month and 3 months after the treatment to compare the clinical effect between the two groups.Results:After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate in the treatment group was 92.3％,versus 76.3％ in the control group,showing a statistically significant difference (P＜0.05).Intra-group comparisons of TNSS,TNNSS and RQLQ scores after 4 weeks of treatment showed statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).Between-group comparisons of TNSS,TNNSS and RQLQ score after 4 weeks of treatment and in follow-up visits showed statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture is effective for PAR,and acupuncture at meridian points can produce a better effect than acupuncture at non-meridian points.

BACKGROUNDElevating the head of bed (HOB) 30° - 45° has been widely supported as a means of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) prevention. However, it was poorly adhered in clinical practice. This observational study aimed to investigate the factors impeding this simple practice at the bedside.

METHODSThis prospective study was conducted in 33 Chinese academic hospital intensive care units (ICUs). HOB angle was measured four times daily at 5 - 7 hour intervals. The predefined HOB elevation goal was an angle ≥ 30°.

RESULTSThe overall rate of achieving the HOB goal was 27.8% of the 8647 measurements in 314 patients during 2842 ventilation days. The HOB goal of ≥ 3 times/d was consistently achieved only in 15.9% of the cases. Almost 60% of patients had at least one 24 hours period during which the HOB goal was never documented. This low rate of protocol compliance was not associated with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score or dependence on vasopressors. In a survey, "nurse workload" was identified as the most important factor for non-compliance with the HOB goal. In addition, the rates of compliance were significantly different (P < 0.001) between physicians self-reporting that they either did or did not know the Institutes of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) ventilator bundle.

CONCLUSIONSLow adherence to a HOB angle of ≥ 30° was found in this nationwide survey. Nursing workload and lack of knowledge on VAP prevention were important barriers to changing this practice.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Guideline Adherence ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; prevention & control ; Respiration, Artificial ; statistics & numerical data