Dust ; prevention & control ; Germany ; Humans ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; Population Surveillance ; Silicon ; adverse effects

Garcinia plants are one of the rich sources of natural xanthones and benzophenones which have attracted a great deal of attention from the scientists in the fields of chemistry and pharmacology. Recently, many structurally unique constituents with various bioactivities, especially anti-tumor activity, have been isolated from Garcinia plants. This concise review focused on the anti-cancer activity natural products isolated from Chinese Garcinia plants, and the research finding by authors and collaborators over the past several years were cited.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzophenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Garcinia ; chemistry ; classification ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Terpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Xanthones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

Aim To discuss the pathway of resveratrol for anti-acute myeloblastic leukemia.Methods Human acute myeloblastic leukemia cell Kasumi-1 was applied in this study.After different doses of Res treatment for different time, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)colorimetry was used to detect the cell proliferation.Furthermore, apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry.Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)were used to detect the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax for mRNA and protein.The activity of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(STAT3)was detected by immunoblotting and Luciferase reporter gene assay.On the other hand, leukemia-bearing mice models were made to investigate the live situation, survival time and the activation of STAT3 by Western blot and immunohistochemical method.Results Resveratrol could suppress the proliferation of Kasumi-1, and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.At the same time, the ratios of Bcl-2/Bax and phosphor-signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(p-STAT3)were decreased significantly.In vivo, resveratrol could prolong the life span of Kasumi-1-bearing mice and attenuate the activity of STAT3 in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusions Resveratrol is a natural occurring chemotherapeutic agent present in Chinese Herbals.The regulatory effect on signaling pathways involved in STAT3 by resveratrol may be associated with its anti-leukemia effect.

Objective To investigate etiology and clinical features of acute pancreatitis (AP) in young patients. Methods In total, 423 patients with AP admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei province during January 2006 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed, 55 cases aged 34 years or less as young group and another 55 cases aged more than 34 years as middle- and elderly-age group. Their etiology, clinical features and illness scores based on some standard criteria were assessed. Results Proportion of varied etiologies of AP in young group was different from that in middle- and elderly-age one (x2 = 17. 107, P = 0. 009) , mainly as biliary and idiopathic pancreatitis in young group and as biliary and alcoholic pancreatitis in middle- and elderly-age one. Incidence of diet-related and idiopathic pancreatitis were higher in young group than that in middle- and elderly-age one ( x2 =4. 853, P = 0. 028 and x2=4. 274, P = 0. 039 ). Scores of the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II ( APACHE II ) , Ranson criteria and the bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis ( BISAP) were all lower in young group than those in middle- and elderly-age one (t = 5. 381 , P = 0. 000; t = 4. 388 , P = 0. 000 and t=3. 083, P = 0. 003 ) . There was no statistically significant difference in scores of computed tomography severity index ( CTSI) between young group and middle- and elderly-age one (t = ±0. 750, P > 0. 05 ) . Recurrence rate of AP was lower in young group than that in middle- and elderly-age one ( x2 =4. 251, P = 0. 039). Cholecystitis was more complicated in young group, pregnancy was more complicated in young group (x2 =4. 151 , P =0. 042) , and elevated blood glucose was more complicated in middle- and elderly-age one (x2 = 13. 285 , P = 0. 000 ) . Conclusions Etiology of AP varies in young patients with more dietary factors, occurrence of systemic complications and risks for death are lower in young group than those in middle- and elderly-age one, and there was no statistically significant difference in local complications and severity of illness between the two groups.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Buruli Ulcer ; pathology ; surgery ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium ulcerans ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic efficacy of unilateral multiple channels approach in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

METHODSA retrospective review (from March 2003 to October 2012) was conducted on 685 consecutive patients, a total of 885 vertebrae were involved. Eighty-two cases (99 vertebrae) with bone cement leakage when less than 0.3 ml bone cement was injected to fill the fracture were given PVP procedure by unilateral multiple channels approach. 38 cases were male (45 vertebrae) and 44 cases were female (54 vertebrae). The average age was 75.4 years old (from 69 to 92). The operation time, amount of injected bone cement and complications were recorded. Rate of excellent and good outcomes was studied by measuring the cement distribution on the X-ray film. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) system were used to evaluate the pain relief and improvement of daily activity function respectively at preoperation and 1 hour, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation.

RESULTSAll these ninety-nine vertebrae were treated in 82 cases with PVP of unilateral multiple channels approach. The average operation time was 33 minutes. The rate of excellent and good outcomes of cement distribution was 98.8%. The VAS score was (8.40 +/- 0.73) before surgery,and (2.50 +/- 0.43), (2.00 +/- 0.33), (1.80 +/- 0.28), (2.10 +/- 0.17) at 1 hour, 1 month,3 months and 6 months respectively after operation. ODI was (40.94 +/- 2.72) before surgery, (9.64 +/- 2.60) at 1 month after surgery, (8.52 +/- 2.30) at 3 months after surgery and (7.77 +/- 2.15) at the final follow-up. The differences of the VAS and ODI between pre-operation and post-operation had statistical significance (P<0.01). No spine or nerve injuries occurred intraoperatively.

CONCLUSIONThe unilateral multiple channels approach in percutaneous vertebroplasty can obviously relieve the pain and effectively improve the functional activity, provide a satisfied cement distribution in vertebral body with cement leakage after a small amount infusion.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Cements ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebroplasty

Objective To analyze the clinical features in patients with primary cardiac tumors and surgical treatment of primary cardiac tumors.Methods A retrospective analysis of primary cardiac tumors patients from June 2002 to September 2012 was performed.79 patients were confirmed using cardiac echocardiography.Primary cardiac tumors were excised using general anesthesia during cardiopulmonary bypass.Results Only 5 patients relapsed after the follow-up for 6 months to 5 years.No tumor recurrence and distant metastases were found in the other patients.Conclusion Left atrial myxoma should be removed by surgical resection as soon as possible once there is a clear diagnosis.The surgical effect of left atrial myxoma is good but it may relapse.The malignant cardiac tumors progress rapidly and should be removed by early surgery combined with comprehensive treatment to improve the prognosis.

Objective In order to provide the basis for establishment of food allergy models , we compared the differences of sensitivity and alterations of intestinal flora of food allergy models in two strains of mice .Methods Forty 4-5-week old female BALB/c and Kunmimg mice were divided into control group ( n=10) and food allergy goup ( n=30), respectively.Ovalbumin (OVA) was injected to the mice to establish food allergy models .Serum OVA-specific IgE of the mice was assayed by ELISA .The jejunum tissue was examined by pathology with HE staining .The changes of fecal flora were detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).Results (1)Among the sensitized 60 mice, OVA-sIgE levels were significantly increased in 27/30 BALB/c mice and 21/30 KM mice compared with those of control groups(P<0.001).Moreover, there were more evident inflammatory cell infiltration , epithelial cell shedding and cytolysis in the jejunal villi of BALB/c mice than those of KM mice.(2) After food allergy modeling, there were significant changes of intestinal flora in the BALB/c mice (P<0.001), while only significant change of evenness was found in the KM mice (P<0.05).(3)There were changes of abundance , Shannon index and evenness of intestinal flora in the model groups of BALB/c and KM mice.Conclusions BALB/c mice are more sensitive to OVA allergy than KM mice .The composition of intestinal flora is different among different strains of mice .The changes of intestinal flora after OVA challenge in BALB /c mice are more obvious than those in KM mice .

Objective: To study the attenuating effect of angiotensin I type 1 receptor antagonist losartan and an-giotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on aortic atherosclerosis in rabbits. Methods: Thirty-one male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups:control group,high cholesterol diet group,losartan group, captopril group and combined drug administration groupdosartan+captopril). The animals were killed after 16 weeks and the serum total cholesterol ,triglyceride, high and low density cholesterol .atherosclertic ratio,endothelin,NO,plaque area percentage,aortic cholesterol content and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis were determined. Results:The plaque area percentage,aortic cholesterol contents and endothelin levels of 3 drug treatment groups were significantly lower than that of high cholesterol group,NO contents and VSMC apoptosis were significantly higher. Conclusion:Losartan and captopril can attenuate aortic atherosclerosis induced by high cholesterol diet .combined administration of the 2 drugs at low doses are more effective. The mechanism may be related to the protection of endothelial function and the effect on apoptosis of VSMC.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing. It is associated with conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and together with its co-morbidities, obesity has become a fast-growing public health concern and health burden. However, weight loss has been shown to reduce the development and improve these conditions. This paper looks at the epidemiology, obesity-related comorbidities, in particular pre-diabetes, and the various strategies that can be implemented to prevent and treat this looming problem.