OBJECTIVETo investigate the species of Ligularia distributed in the northwestern China and their medicinal uses in the local area.

METHODField investigation, specimen collection, taxonomic study and datum check were adopted.

RESULTThere are 29 species and 1 varieties of Ligularia distributed in the northwestern China, and 18 species of them had been used as folk medicines with the function of resolving phlegm, relieving cough, clearing heat and toxins.

CONCLUSIONThe northwestern China is abundant in medicinal resource of Ligularia.

Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Antitussive Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; classification ; China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ecosystem ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Pharmacognosy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification

Objective To understand the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated sexual characteristics among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Foshan,Guangdong province.Methods Respondent-driven sampling method was used to recruit MSM who were 18 years and older,living in Foshan longer than 6 months.Scales of depression,demographical information,and characteristics of sexual behaviors were collected using a self-designed questionnaire.Respondent-Driven Sampling Analysis Tool and SAS were used to generate crude and estimated population proportion as well as 95％ confidence intervals (CI).Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore potential factors associated with depressive symptoms.Results Among 249 respondents,the mean age (standard deviation) was 31.9 (8.5) years,with 43.5％ of them having had 7-9 years of education while 25.9％ had 10-12 years.49.7％ of the respondents were currently married.56.7％ of them had bisexual orientation.42.3％ of them met their sex partners in parks/toilets and 63.3％ of them had their first sex with a female.The estimated prevalence of depressive symptoms was 34.8％(28.2-42.3) among MSM in Foshan.Younger age,lower education levels,only had oral sex,and regularly meetingr sexual partners in parks were associated with depressive symptoms,with the adjusted odd ratio (95％ CI) as 3.31 (1.39-7.86),2.23 (1.01-4.93),3.09 (1.10-8.70) and 2.38(1.20-4.75),respectively.Conclusion Depression related symptoms might associate with the demographical and sexual characteristics of MSM in Foshan,suggesting that psychological interventions should involve components as demographical and sexual characteristics.

Objective To investigate the effect of povidone - iodine diluent on proliferation and apoptosis of cervical cancer cell HeLa and to provide the theoretical basis for its clinical application. Methods Human cervical cancer cell line HeLa in logarithmic growth phase were treated with different dilutions of povidone - iodine and the cells treated with physiological saline were set as the control group. The cells viability,morphological change,formation of apoptotic bodies,cell apoptosis and the apoptosis - related protein expression in HeLa cells were assessed by MTT assay,Hoechst33342 staining, AnnexinV / PI flow cytometry and Western blotting. Results Povidone - iodine diluent remarkably inhibited human cervical cancer cell line HeLa growth in a concentration - dependent manner. The inhibitory rates of HeLa cells were 25. 3% , 30. 8% ,33. 4% ,60. 3% ,71. 2% ,85. 3% ,89. 1% and 91. 2% when the concentration of povidone - iodine solution were 0. 001% ,0. 005% ,0. 01% ,0. 05% ,0. 1% ,0. 5% ,1% and 2% ,respectively. The nuclear chromatin of HeLa cells treated with povidone - iodine dilution was agglutinated and contracted,and the nucleus was fragile and appeared apoptotic body,with dense and dense stain or fragment dense staining. With the increase of the concentration of povidone -iodine dilution,the apoptotic rate of HeLa cells increased,so were Caspase - 8 ,Caspase - 3 and cleaved PARP. Conclusion Diluted povidone - iodine can strongly inhibit the proliferation of human cervical cancer cell line HeLa and the possible mechanism was the promotion of apoptosis.

BACKGROUNDThe diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), especially hypoplastic MDS, and MDS with low blast counts or normal karyotype may be problematic. This study characterized ID4 gene methylation in patients with MDS and aplastic anemia (AA).

METHODSThe methylation status of ID4 was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR (MethyLight PCR) in 100 patients with MDS and 31 patients with AA.

RESULTSThe MDS group had a higher ID4 gene methylation positivity rate (22.22%) and higher methylation levels (0.21 [0-3.79]) than the AA group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there were significant differences between the hypoplastic MDS and AA groups, the MDS with low blast count and the AA groups, and the MDS with normal karyotype and the AA groups. The combination of genetic and epigenetic markers was used in much more patients with MDS (62.5% [35/56]) than the use of genetic markers only (51.79% [29/56]).

CONCLUSIONSThese results showed that the detection of ID4 methylation positivity rates and levels could be a useful biomarker for MDS diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia, Aplastic ; genetics ; Child ; CpG Islands ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Differentiation Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the polymorphism of HLA-DRB1 alleles and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Yi nationality of Yunnan.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) genotyping method was conducted in 79 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 47 ethnically matched controls in Yi Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Chuxiong.

RESULTSHLA-DR7 and DR11 allele frequencies in type 2 diabetic mellitus patients were significantly higher than those in non-diabetic control subjects respectively(P is 0.009, RR is 8.329;P is 0.029, RR is 7.734).

CONCLUSIONDR7 and DR11 alleles are probably susceptible genes of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Yunnan Yi nationality.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the polymorphism of HLA-DQA1 alleles and type 2 diabetes in Yi nationality of Yunnan.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) genotyping method was conducted in 58 ethnic Yi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 82 ethnically matched controls from Chuxiong of Yunnan. Then a study was made on the association between the polymorphism of HLA-DQA1 alleles and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

RESULTSThe frequency of HLA-DQA1*0301 allele in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls (P=0.002, RR=3.097), and the frequency of HLA-DQA1*0601 in the patients was significantly lower (P=0.025, RR=0.429).

CONCLUSIONIn Yi nationality of Yunnan, HLA-DQA1*0301 allele may be a susceptible gene and the HLA-DQA1*0601 allele may protect individuals from the risk of diabetes mellitus.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of transfecting DHFR (human double-mutant dihydrofolate reductase) gene into mouse bone marrow cells and the effect of resistance to high dose MTX chemotherapy.

METHODSAfter DHFR gene was transfected into mouse bone marrow cells with retroviral vector, the cells were treated with methotrexate (MTX) and then CFU-GM (granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit) assay was performed. Peripheral blood leucocytes and platelets, body weight and survival rate were observed. After treatment with high dose MTX, the expression of drug resistance gene was checked by RT-PCR in the transfected bone marrow cells.

RESULTSSFG-F/S-NeoR gene-transfected mice bone marrow cells yielded drug-resistance colonies to MTX (donor mice: 15.8%, recipient mice: 18.0%, control: 0) The peripheral blood leucocytes and platelets, body weight recovered gradually and the survival rate was 83.3% at the 40th day, while 0 in controls in gene transfected mice after large dose MTX treatment. RT-PCR of transgenic mouse marrow cells showed the band of F/S gene (400 bp).

CONCLUSIONDHFR gene can not only be integrated and expressed in bone marrow cells but also improve their drug-resistence to MTX.

Animals ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Erythrocyte Count ; Genetic Vectors ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Methotrexate ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mutation ; Retroviridae ; genetics ; Survival Analysis ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of JAK/STAT signaling pathway activation on the transdifferentiation and secretion of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) induced by high glucose in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells.

METHODSHuman kidney cells (HKC) were cultured and then divided into four groups: low glucose (LG) group, high glucose (HG) group, high mannitol (LG + M) group, and HG + AG490 group. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis were used to determine the expression of tryosine phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 ( p-JAK2). The protein expressions of STAT1, STAT3, p-STAT1, and p-STAT3 and the expressions of alpha-SMA and E-Cadherin were observed by Western blot. The contents of TGF-B1, fibronectin and type I collagen in the supernatants of the cultured HKC were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of TGF-beta1 mRNA was measured by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSCompared with LG group, the expressions of JAK2, p-STAT1, p-STAT3, and TGF-beta1, mRNA were significantly increased in HG group from 6 to 72 hours. Meanwhile, the contents of TGF-beta1 and collagen I in the supernatants and the expression of alpha-SMA increased and the expression of E-Cadherin decreased. The expressions of JAK2, p-STAT1, p-STAT3, and TGF-beta mRNA as well as the levels of TGF-beta1 and collagen I in the supernatant s in HG + AG490 group were significantly lower than in the HG group. The expressions of alpha-SMA and E-Cadherin were also decreased in HG + AG490 group.

CONCLUSIONActivation of JAK/STAT signaling pathway may be involved in the high glucose-induced transdifferentiation and overproduction of TGF-beta1, and ECM proteins in HKCs.

Cell Line ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Glucose ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Janus Kinases ; physiology ; Kidney Tubules, Proximal ; cytology ; metabolism ; STAT Transcription Factors ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; biosynthesis ; secretion ; Urothelium ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the technical feasibility of QAMS to determine different structural types of ingredients in Zhizi Jinhua pill, a Chinese patent medicine.

METHODEmodin was chosen as the internal reference substance. The relative correction factors (RCF) of berberine, baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, aloe-emodin, wogonin, rhein, chrysophanol and physcion to emodin were calculated with the peak areas determined at 254 nm. The ruggedness of these RCFs was validated. The contents of emodin in the samples of Zhizi Jinhua pill were determined by using the external standard method, and the contents of the other nine ingredients were calculated by their RCFs. The contents of these ten ingredients in all samples were also determined by the external standard method.

RESULTNo significant differences were observed between the quantitative results of the two methods. The obtained RCFs were credible.

CONCLUSIONThe established QAMS method can be used for quantitative determination of different structural types of multi-compounds in Zhizi Jinhua pill. It can provide reference for the quality control of Chinese patent medicine.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Dosage Forms ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of transferring fusion gene of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene and cytidine deaminase (CD) gene into mouse bone marrow cells in order to observe the drug resistance of high dose methotrexate (MTX) and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) in the bone marrow cells and to improve the tolerance of myelosuppression following combination chemotherapy.

METHODSHuman double-mutant dihydrofolate reductase-cytidine deaminase fusion gene was transferred into two mice bone marrow cells by retroviral vector. Resistant colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) assays were performed in mouse bone marrow cells by retroviral infection and after treatment by drugs (Ara-C, MTX, and Ara-C + MTX). DNA was extracted from mouse bone marrow cells. The expression of drug resistant genes in mouse bone marrow cells after transferring by retroviral vector was checked by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTSBone marrow cells after coculture with the retroviral producer cells transduced with the genes (SFG-F/S-CD) showed the drug resistance colonies yield (Colony formation after exposure to Ara-C, MTX and Ara-C + MTX were 56%, 22% and 14%, respectively) and the increase in drug resistant to both MTX and Ara-C (P < 0.005). Expression of DHFR and CD gene in extracted DNA of transfected mice were demonstrated by PCR.

CONCLUSIONSDouble drug resistant gene can not only integrate and co-express in mice bone marrow cells but also increase the drug resistance to MTX and Ara-C.

Animals ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Artificial Gene Fusion ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytarabine ; pharmacology ; Cytidine Deaminase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Male ; Methotrexate ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; Transfection