OBJECTIVETo determine the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D in different solvents and its n-octanol/water partition coefficients.

METHODCombining shaking flask method and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the n-octanol/water partition coefficients of pulchinenosiden D, the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D in six organic solvents and different pH buffer solution were determined by HPLC analysis.

RESULTn-Octanol/water partition coefficients of pulchinenosiden D in different pH were greater than zero, the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was increased with increase the pH of the buffer solution. The maximum equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was 255.89 g x L(-1) in methanol, and minimum equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was 0.20 g x L(-1) in acetonitrile.

CONCLUSIONUnder gastrointestinal physiological conditions, pulchinenosiden D exists in molecular state and it has good absorption but poor water-solubility, so increasing the dissolution rate of pulchinenosiden D may enhance its bioavailability.

1-Octanol ; chemistry ; Acetonitriles ; chemistry ; Biological Availability ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intestinal Absorption ; Kinetics ; Methanol ; chemistry ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Solvents ; chemistry ; Water ; chemistry

Objective To detect the expressions of DNA damage checkpoint genes including A TR, A TM, Chk1 and Chk2 in human primary gliomns and explore their relations with tumor progression. Methods SYBRTM Green real-time quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expressions of ATR, A TM, Chk1 and Chk2 genes in 35 cases of primary gliomas and 10 of normal brain tissues. Results In glioma tissues of various pathological grades, the expressions of the target genes, with the exception of A TM gene, were significantly increased as compared to those in normal brain tissues (P<0.05). Chk1 gene expression was significantly higher in grade Ⅳ than in grade Ⅱ and Ⅲ gliomas (P<0.05), but no significant differences were found in A TR or Chk2 gene expression between grade Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ gliomas (P>0.05). Conclusion The up-regulation of ATR, Chk1 and Chk2 genes in primary glioma suggests their association with the pathogenesis of glioma. Chk1 expression may indicate the malignancy of glioma and help evaluate the pathological grade of glioma.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of paiqian chewing tablet (PQCT) on lead discharging and health in children.

METHODSAdopting self-control and inter-group control method, 94 children with blood lead level exceeding 100 microg/L were randomly divided into the observed group and the control group. The observation period for both groups was 30 days.

RESULTSAt the 20th and 30th day of treatment, the urinary lead output in the observed group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and showed significant difference as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). Besides, the total amount of urinary lead discharging in the observed group was significantly more than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPQCT has markedly lead discharging improvement action with no influence on urinary calcium and zinc excretion. As all the routine indexes of blood and urine ranged within the normal extent, it demonstrated that PQCT was harmless to the health of observed individual.

Child ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; urine ; Lead Poisoning ; drug therapy ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Tablets

OBJECTIVETo explore the signal transduction pathway in the differentiation and apoptosis of leukemia cells induced by heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor 17-Allyl amide-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG).

METHODSKasumi-1 cells were treated with increasing concentrations or exposure time of 17AAG. The total kit protein (CD117), phosphorylated kit protein and its downstream signaling molecules were measured by Western blot analysis. Mutated kit protein from control and 17AAG-treated Kasumi-1 cells was immunoprecipitated and immunoblotted for associated chaperones.

RESULTSTotal kit protein and kit activity were decreased in 17AAG treated cells, but c-kit mRNA level was not. Total AKT protein and phospho-AKT, as well as phospho-STAT3 were rapidly down-regulated in Kasumi-1 cell after treatment with 17AAG. There was no change in total STAT3 protein. Immunoprecipitation showed that 1 microM 17AAG treatment for 1 hour caused kit associated HSP90 decrease and HSP70 increase.

CONCLUSION17AAG-induced apoptosis of Kasumi-1 cells is associated with a decline in Asn822Lys mutated kit protein level and phosphorylated kit, and with a downregulation in its downstream activated signaling molecules involved in proliferation. AKT is a client protein of HSP90. The changes of kit associated HSP90 and HSP70 satisfy the circulation mode of molecular chaperone complex.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzoquinones ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lactams, Macrocyclic ; pharmacology ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The "Huang gua" melons were measured for their physical properties including firmness and static elastic modulus. The vibrational characteristics of fruits and vegetables are governed by their elastic modulus (firmness), mass, and geometry. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate firmness of fruits and vegetables based on their vibrational characteristics. Analysis of the vibration responses of a fruit is suggested for measuring elastic properties (Firmness) non-destructively. The impulse response method is often used to measure firmness of fruits. The fruit was excited using three types of balls (wooden, steel and rubber) and the vibration is detected by an accelerometer. The Instron device was used to measure the static elastic modulus of the inner, middle and outer portions of melon flesh. Finite element (FE) technique was used to determine the optimum excitation location of the chosen measurement sensor and to analyze the mode shape fruits. Four types of mode shapes (torsional or flexural mode shape, first-type, second-type spherical mode and breathing mode shape) were found. Finite element simulation results agreed well with experimental results. Correlation between the firmness and resonant frequency (r2=0.91) and between the resonant frequency and stiffness factor (r2=0.74) existed. The optimum location and suitable direction for excitation and response measurement on the fruit were suggested.
Cucurbitaceae ; physiology ; Elasticity ; Finite Element Analysis ; Food Analysis ; methods ; Fruit ; physiology ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; methods ; Models, Biological ; Physical Stimulation ; methods ; Vibration

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of 17-allylamide-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG), a heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitor, on the growth, differentiation and apoptosis of leukemic Kasumi-1 cells.

METHODSKasumi-1 cells were treated with 17AAG at different concentrations in suspension culture. Cell proliferation was analysed by MTT assay, expression of myeloid-specific differentiation antigen and cell cycle by flow cytometry, cell apoptosis by annexin V staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. KIT protein was analysed by Western blot and c-kit mRNA by RT-PCR.

RESULTS17AAG treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the cell proliferation with the IC(50) of 0.62 micromol/L. A dose-dependent increase in early apoptosis occurred at 24 hours treatment and in late apoptosis at 48 hours treatment. 17AAG induced a time- and dose-dependent increase in expression of myeloid cell surface protein CD11b and CD15, a progressive decline in S-phase cell fraction and an increase in G(0)/G(1) cells. When Kasumi-1 cells were incubated with 1 micromol/L of 17AAG, KIT protein began to decrease at 2 hours and KIT protein could hardly be detected at 20 hours, but c-kit mRNA was not decreased.

CONCLUSION17AAG treatment of Kasumi-1 cells could lower KIT protein expression, inhibit cell proliferation, induce cell partial differentiation, apoptosis and accumulation in G(0)/G(1) phase.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Benzoquinones ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Humans ; Lactams, Macrocyclic ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

This study was aimed to investigate the expression of c-MPL in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the correlation of the c-MPL expression with CD34 and CD38, so as to define the expression of c-MPL in leukemic stem cells. The expression levels of CD34, CD38 and c-MPL were detected by flow cytometry in bone marrow cells from 29 newly diagnosed AML patients. The relationship of c-MPL positive cell ratio with clinical parameters and correlation of c-MPL with CD34 and CD38 expression in AML patients were analyzed. The results showed that expression level of c-MPL in AML patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls (P < 0.05), and the expression level of c-MPL did not correlate with age, sex, white blood cell count, AML1-ETO fusion gene and remission after chemotherapy, but the expression of c-MPL in M2 and M5 patients was higher than that of normal control (P < 0.05). Expression of c-MPL in CD34 positive AML patients was obviously higher than that in CD34 negative AML patients (P < 0.01). c-MPL was significantly higher expressed in CD34(+) cells than that in CD34(-) cells (P < 0.001), while c-MPL expression was not significantly different between CD34(+)CD38(-) and CD34(+)CD38(-) cell groups. Positive correlation between c-MPL and CD34 expression was observed (r = 0.380, P = 0.042). It is concluded that expression of c-MPL is higher in AML patients, and positively correlates with the expression level of CD34. The c-MPL expresses in leukemic stem cells.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Receptors, Thrombopoietin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

iASPP can prompt the cell proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of many cells. There are putative binding sites of transcription factor GATA-2 upstream of iASPP transcription start site. GATA-2 plays an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and progenitors. This study was aimed to explore the role of GATA-2 protein in iASPP gene transcription. Firstly, the expression of iASPP and GATA-2 protein in some leukemia cell lines was detected by Western blot. Second, The expressive vector of pCMV5-GATA2 and the luciferase reporter vectors containing possible binding sites of GATA-2 were constructed and co-transfected into HEK293 and CV-1 cells. Then the luciferase activity was assayed by luminometer. Also, ChIP assays were performed to further confirm the specific binding of GATA-2 to iASPP promoter. The results showed that GATA-2 was overexpressed in most cell lines with high level of iASPP. GATA-2 exhibited a significant effect on luciferase activity of reporter gene iASPP and in a dose-dependant manner. The relative luciferase activity was up-regulated to about two-fold of the empty vector control when the transfection dose of pCMV5-GATA2 plasmid was increased to 100 ng. While the effect was more significant in CV-1 cells and showed a 6.7-fold increase. The ChIP assay demonstrated the in vivo specific binding of GATA-2 to iASPP. The binding sites of GATA2 were located between nt -361 ∼ -334 in upstream of iASPP gene transcription start site. It is concluded that transcription factor GATA-2 can bind with the cis-regulatory region of the iASPP promoter and up-regulate iASPP expression.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; GATA2 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; K562 Cells ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection

Objective: To evaluate and compare the surgery prognosis of the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients who underwent conventional and endoscopic thyroidectomies via areola. Methods: From January 2012 to December 2017, 887 patients with PTC underwent thyroidectomy. The A group of 693 patients underwent traditional thyroidectomy, and B group of 194 patients underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical methods, pathological features and complications were analyzed and compared between two groups. Results: The mean age of A group was older than B group: (45.2 ± 11.5) years vs. (34.9 ± 9.4) years, P<0.01. The drainamount and drain maintenance in B group were significantly higher than those in A group (P<0.01). The operative methods in two group had significant difference (P<0.01). The patients in B group were successful in operation and no one transferred to open operation. The tumor size in the A group was larger than that in B group, and more bilateral multifocal tumors were in A group (P<0.01). The number of lymph nodes dissection in A group was more than that in B group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the postoperative complications (P > 0.05). Conclusions The results show that patients with PTC who underwent conventional and endoscopic thyroidectomies via areola have similar surgical prognosis.Therefore, choosing the appropriate cases for endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast areola approach may be regarded as an alternative surgical technique to conventional thyroidectomy which has the oncological safety and cosmetic results.

Objective To explore the value and method of using carbon nanoparticles in endoscopic treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.Method 74 cases were randomly divided into two groups,34 cases in experimental group which were injected with carbon nanoparticles,and 40 cases in the control group without any injection.All cases were analyzed in terms of the tumor size,the number of lymph nodes and parathyroid gland injury.Results All patients underwent the operation smoothly.The postoperative pathological specimens result showed there was no statistical difference of carcinoma size between the two groups.The number of lymph nodes dissected was 177 in the control group and 220 in the experimental group (the rate of lymph node black staining rate was 89％).In the experimental group,the average number of lymph node detected in each patient was 6.47±2.13,more than 4.42±1.91 in the control group.The number of parathyroid glands found in the experimental group was 3 and 11 in the control group,and the difference had no statistical significance.Postoperative temporary laryngeal recurrent nerve injury occurred to 2 cases in each group,and no statistical difference was found.Conclusion Using carbon nanoparticles in endoscopic treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma can increase the detection rate of lymph node,and to some extent,reduce the parathyroid injury.It has a certain clinical significance,However,care should be taken to avoid contamination of the mirror field of view.