ObjectiveTo probe the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic generalized myokymia.MethodsSeven patients with idiopathic generalized myokymia were analysed retrospectively.ResultsAll 7 patients showed prominent myokymia characterized by undulating and vermicular movements spreading across the muscle surface. The myokymia in gastrocnemius muscles in all cases. The myokymia also appeared in both upper extremities in 5 patients,and in faces,waist,back,abdomen and all extremities in 2 patients. Muscle rippling movement was induced and increased by exercise,and persistent during sleep. The vermicular myokymia could be observed easily in the relaxation of the muscles. Electromyography tests showed myokymic discharges in 5 patients,but normal in 2 patients. 5 patients of them were cured with carbamazepine and phenytoin sodium.ConclusionThere are typical clinical features and effective treatment in the patients with idiopathic generalized myokymia.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Potentilla chinesis and their anticancer activities.

METHODChemical constituents were isolated by repeated column chromatography (Toyopearl HW-40C and preparative HPLC). The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis. The isolated compounds were screened with two anticancer models.

RESULTFifteen triterpenes, alpha-amyrin (1) , beta-amyrin (2) , ursolic acid (3) , corosolic acid (4), euscaphic acid (5) , pomolic acid (6) , tormentic acid (7), 2alpha, 3alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (8), 2beta, 3beta, 19alpha-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (9), asiatic acid (10) , 24-hydroxy tormentic acid (11) , myrianthic acid (12), oleanolic acid (13), maslinic acid (14) and 2alpha, 3alpha-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (15) , were isolated from P. chinesis.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1, 2, 4 -15 were isolated from the plant for the first time. Compounds 4, 8 - 10, 12, 14 and 15 show anticancer activities. Compounds 4, 9 show strong activities.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Potentilla ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

The effects of over-expression of testis-specific expressed gene 1 (TSEG-1) on the viability and apoptosis of cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells were investigated, and the immortal spermatogonial cell line GC-1spg (CRL-2053™) was obtained as the cell model in order to explore the function of TSEG-1. We transfected the eukaryotic vector of TSEG-1, named as pEGFP-TSEG-1 into cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells. Over-expression of TSEG-1 inhibited the proliferation of GC-1spg cells, and arrested cell cycle slightly at G0/G1 phase. Transfection of TSEG-1 attenuated the transcript levels of Ki-67, PCNA and cyclin D1. In addition, over-expression of TSEG-1 induced early and late apoptosis, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of GC-1spg cells. Moreover, transfection of TSEG-1 significantly enhanced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and transcript levels of caspase 9, and decreased the expression of Fas and caspase 8 in GC-1spg cells. These results indicated over-expression of TSEG-1 suppresses the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of GC-1spg cells, which establishes a basis for further study on the function of TSEG-1.

Phlomis umbrosa is a traditional medicinal plant, distributed in the north of China. In the west of Hubei province, its roots were used in the treatment of the rheumatic diseases in Tujia nationality. To study the chemical constituents from the rhizome of Phlomis umbrosa chemical constituents were isolated from the plant by using repeated silica gel, toyopearl HW-40 and preparative HPLC chromatography. The structures of the compounds were elucidated on the basis of one and two dimensional NMR spectroscopic techniques and HRESI-MS. Ten compounds, 6"-syringyl-sesamoside (1), decaffeoylverbascoside (2), calcelarioside B (3), verbascoside (4), isoverbascoside (5), alyssonoside (6), sesamoside (7), shanzhiside methyl ester (8), 8-acetyl-shanzhiside methyl ester (9), 7-epiphlomiol (10) were isolated from P. umbrosa. Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2-6 are isolated from this plant for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Phlomis ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-tumor effects and mechanism of tumor vaccines and whether chemotherapeutic agents administered prior to immunotherapy could augment the efficacy of the vaccines.

METHODSC57/BL mice inoculated with Lewis lung cancer cells were used as tumor models. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene modified LA795 and Lewis lung cancer cell lines were administered as allogeneic and autologous tumor vaccines, respectively. After Lewis cells (1 x 10(7)) inoculation, the mice received irradiated GM-CSF secreting cancer vaccine solely or in combination with carboplatin. The survival of the mice was observed. The cytotoxicity of spleen cells or purified CD8(+) cells was analyzed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Serum level of IL-4 and IFN-gamma was detected using ELISA method.

RESULTSThe cytotoxicity of the spleen cells or purified CD8(+) T cells against Lewis cells in the mice immunized with cancer cell vaccine was significantly increased, relative to that of the control, untreated group (P < 0.05). Serum level of Th1-type cytokine IFN-gamma was increased after vaccination, whereas Th2-type cytokine IL-4 showed no significant change. The GM-CSF secreting cancer cell vaccine had no significant influence on the survival of the mice with established heavy tumor burden. The combination of chemotherapy and cancer vaccine could statistically prolong the survival time; whereas any method itself had no significant effect.

CONCLUSIONThe GM-CSF secreting cancer cell vaccine can induce immune responses. The chemotherapeutic agents may be beneficial to enhance the anti-tumor activity of cancer vaccine.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cancer Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Carboplatin ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Transfection

The effects of over-expression of testis-specific expressed gene 1 (TSEG-1) on the viability and apoptosis of cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells were investigated, and the immortal spermatogonial cell line GC-1spg (CRL-2053™) was obtained as the cell model in order to explore the function of TSEG-1. We transfected the eukaryotic vector of TSEG-1, named as pEGFP-TSEG-1 into cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells. Over-expression of TSEG-1 inhibited the proliferation of GC-1spg cells, and arrested cell cycle slightly at G0/G1 phase. Transfection of TSEG-1 attenuated the transcript levels of Ki-67, PCNA and cyclin D1. In addition, over-expression of TSEG-1 induced early and late apoptosis, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of GC-1spg cells. Moreover, transfection of TSEG-1 significantly enhanced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and transcript levels of caspase 9, and decreased the expression of Fas and caspase 8 in GC-1spg cells. These results indicated over-expression of TSEG-1 suppresses the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of GC-1spg cells, which establishes a basis for further study on the function of TSEG-1.
Animals ; Caspase 8 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cell Line ; Cyclin D1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; G1 Phase ; physiology ; Histones ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ki-67 Antigen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Resting Phase, Cell Cycle ; physiology ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the frequency distribution in polymorphism of the apoprotein B 3' variable number tandem repeat (ApoB3'VNTR) and influence factors on hyperlipemia in civil aircrew.

METHODSApoB genotypes were determined by PCR technology and agarose gel electrophoresis. The blood lipids were measured by routine kits. Personal information of flight personnel was collected by questionnaire.

RESULTSPrevalence of the total dyslipidemia (49.5%) and overweight (55.6%) of flight personnel were much higher than that of domestic general population (29.2% and 49.1%) respectively (P < 0.05). There were 16 alleles and 54 kinds of genotypes of ApoB3'VNTR in the 682 flight personnel. The frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes of aircrew in the two air companies had same trend, which was different from the general population. The frequency of the homozygote was 76.54%, which was much higher than that of the other peoples home and abroad (21.50%). The frequency of the big allele (VNTR > or =39) in hyperlipemia groups were higher than that of normal groups. By analysis of co-variance, the body mass index (BMI), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the total cholesterol(TC) increased with the cumulate flight hours (P < 0.05). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the BMI was the only factor influencing blood lipids, and the cumulate flight hours was only factors affecting the BMI. Taking the cumulate flight hours logarithm as the independent variable(X), and the BMI as dependent variable(Y), the linearity equations was: Y = 2.730X + 13.584 (R2 = 0.159, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThere are perhaps special genetic characteristics in the polymorphism of the ApoB3'VNTR in the aircrew. The big allele is correlated with the hyperlipemia. The flight burden not only directly affects the BMI and blood lipids levels, but also it can indirectly affect the lipids levels by BMI.

Adult ; Apolipoproteins B ; genetics ; Aviation ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minisatellite Repeats ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To explore factors influencing the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in different genders so as to provide reference for the specific prevention of the disease. Methods A nested case-control study was conducted to analyze factors influencing the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in Jinchang cohort population who were randomly selected through stratified sampling by age and followed up. A risk prediction model was established and the goodness of fit was evaluated by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC). Results The standardized incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in this follow-up population was 12.32%, and the incidence rate of males (13.65%) was greater than that of females (11.29%). The difference was statistically significant ( 2=4.267, P<0.001). Age, education, elevated systolic blood pressure, and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were common risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in both men and women. Elevated fasting plasma glucose (OR=2.556, 95% CI: 1.618-4.038) and elevated triglyceride (OR=1.535, 95% CI: 1.058-2.227) were only associated with men. Abdominal obesity (OR=1.414, 95% CI: 1.013-1.974) was only associated with women. The area under ROC of male and female prediction models was 0.835 (95% CI: 0.815-0.856) and 0.809 (95% CI: 0.788-0.831), respectively. The sensitivity was 78.0% and 78.9%, the specificity was 78.8% and 73.1%, and the diagnostic coincidence rate was 91.3% and 82.4%, respectively. Conclusions There are different risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in males and females, and targeted prevention and control measures should be taken according to gender. The risk prediction model established by Logistic regression had certain guiding value.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; CDC2 Protein Kinase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Checkpoint Kinase 1 ; Female ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Organometallic Compounds ; toxicity ; Oxidative Stress ; Protein Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley