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

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

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

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

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.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relative risk factors of adult measles in Qingdao city.

METHODSCase-control study was used to collect the information from 70 adult measles cases and 140 controls. Information would include general social and demographic characteristics, history and times regarding measles vaccination, demography of the study of population etc.

RESULTSThe case group had lower proportion of measles vaccination (chi2 = 26.88, P < 0.05, OR = 5.12, 95% CI: 2.69 - 9.73) than the control group with statistical significance. The vaccination frequencies were stratified as three ranks: 0, 1, > or = 2 times for analysis. When having 0 and 1 time measles vaccination, no statistical significance was found in these two groups (chi2 = 1.86, P = 0.173), but there were statistical significance between 0 and > or = 2 times (chi2 = 45.24, P = 0.000, OR = 13.35, 95% CI: 5.80 - 30.71), 1 and > or = 2 times (chi2 = 26.23, P = 0.000, OR = 7.91, 95% CI: 3.37 - 18.59) in the two groups. It was also found that the proportion of floating population was higher in case group than that of the control group (chi2 = 21.60, P < 0.01, OR = 4.06, 95% CI: 2.21 - 7.45). At the same time, statistically significant correlation was found between adult measles and average family incomes (chi2 = 2.23, P < 0.05, OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.15 - 3.76) by single-factor statistical analysis.

CONCLUSIONResults showed that 'without history of measles vaccination' was key relative risk factor for the adult measles while being a part of 'floating population' and those having lower incomes were among vulnerable groups.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Income ; Measles ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Measles Vaccine ; Risk Factors ; Transients and Migrants ; Vaccination ; statistics & numerical data

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

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and feasibility of simultaneous bilateral carotid stenting for treating patients with bilateral atherosclerotic carotid stenosis.

METHODSThe clinical data of 39 consecutive patients with bilateral atherosclerotic carotid stenosis undergoing simultaneous bilateral carotid artery stenting in Fuwai hospital from January 2005 to December 2009 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The reduction of the angiographic diameter stenosis after stenting and clinical outcomes of 30 days after stenting including hyperperfusion syndrome, hemodynamic depression, stroke, myocardial infarction and death were assessed.

RESULTSThe patients were 43 - 78 (65.9 ± 8.5) years old, and there were 25 (64.1%) male. Carotid stenting procedure success rate was 100%. Distal embolic protection devices were used in all patients, and 20 (51.3%) out of 39 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery after carotid stenting. The angiographic diameter stenosis reduced from (87.0 ± 5.8)% to (10.2 ± 5.6)% after stenting (P < 0.01). Up to 30 days after carotid artery stenting, the incidence of hyperperfusion syndrome, hemodynamic depression, minor stroke, major stroke, myocardial infarction and death was 2.6% (1/39), 28.2% (11/39), 5.1% (2/29), 0, 2.6% (1/39), 2.6% (1/39), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe data show that simultaneous bilateral carotid stenting is a technically feasible and safe alternative for patients with severe bilateral atherosclerotic carotid stenosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome