An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) combined with reference herb method was developed to rapidly screen commercial sulfur-fumigated ginseng. Sufur-fumigated ginseng reference herb was prepared using genuine ginseng by conventional procedure. Then the reference sulfur-fumigated ginseng sample was analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS to identify characteristic marker components. 25-hydroxyl-Re sulfate with higher abundance was se- lected as marker compound from 8 characteristic components identified in sulfur-fumigated ginseng reference herb. The fragmentation of 25-hydroxyl-Re sulfate was extensively investigated, fragment ion m/z 879.44 with higher intensity was chosen as the characteristic ion of sulfur-fumigated ginseng. The response of ion m/z 879. 44 was improved by optimizing the MS conditions so that this ion could be used as the characteristic marker ion for screening purpose in ion extracting screening mode. The established approach was successfully applied to inspect 21 commercial ginseng samples collected from different cities in China It was found that the chemical profiles of 9 samples were similar to that of sulfur-fumigated ginseng reference herb, and the characteristic ion m/z 879. 44 of 25-hydroxyl-Re sulfate was also detected in these samples, suggesting that there were nearly 43% ginseng samples analyzed being sulfur-fumigated. This findng agreed well with the results of sulfur dioxide residues of these 21 commercial ginseng samples determined with the method documented in Chinese Pharmacopeia Compared with the method documented in Chinese Pharmacopeia, the proposed approach is more rapid and specific for screening sulfur-fumigated ginseng. SFDA of China should strengthen the enforcement to prohibit ginseng being sulfur-fumigated, so that ginseng and it preparations could be effectively and safely benefit to the health of human beings.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; standards ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Fumigation ; Panax ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reference Standards ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; Sulfur Dioxide ; analysis ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; standards ; Time Factors

Objective To study the changes and significance of serum beta 2-microglobulin(?2-MG),cytocine interleukin-2(IL-2) in the clinical progress of childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).Methods One hundred and ten patients of childhood ITP were chosen for the test group(70 cases of primary ITP and 40 cases of recurrent ITP),and 110 normal children for the control group.Levels of serum ?2-MG and IL-2 were determined by radioimmunoassay kit and analysed with two sample t-test.Results Among the patients,the serum IL-2 levels were significantly lower and serum ?2-MG levels were significantly higher than those in control group(P0.05).Conclusion Determining serum IL-2 and ?2-MG levels has important significance to reflect the progress of disease and direct treatment.

Objective To evaluate preliminarily the significance of dynamic detection of Wilms'tumor gene(WT1)expression level on monitoring minimal residual disease(MRD)and predicting clinical relapse in patients of malignancy following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT).Methods WT1 expression level WaS measured with real.time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RQ-RT-PCR)method on 102 bone marrow specimens from 31 patients following allo.HSCT.WT1 expression level was determined as the ratio of WT1 mRNA to ABL mRNA times 100%.Resuits The levels of WT1 expression showed significant difference between the relapsed group and the non-relapsed group(P＜0.01),with 0.80%and 0.17%as their median expression level respectively.After dynamic measuring WT1 expression level on patients in the relapsed group.the level was found to increase significantly as compared with those during or before the clinical hematological relapse.both being＞1.0%.The level at the time of relapse Was significantly higher than the latest previous one(P＜0.05).Conclusion Dynamic detection of WT1 expression level with RQ-RT-PCR may be of help in monitoring MRD and warning clinical relapse Oil the patients following allo-HSCT.

Objective: To observe the improving effect of muscle regions of meridians needling method on the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegic type. Methods: A total of 100 children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the visiting sequence, with 50 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment. The treatment group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus muscle regions of meridians needling method. The electromyography (EMG) signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres were detected before treatment, and 3 months and 6 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by Peabody developmental motor scale-fine motor (PDMS-FM) and fine motor function measure (FMFM). Results: Three and six months after treatment, the EMG signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres, grasping scores and visual-motor integrated scores of PDMS-FM and the FMFM scores in both groups increased to varying degrees compared with the same group before treatment, and the intra-group differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Six months after treatment, the results of the above three items in the treatment group were all better than those in the control group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Muscle regions of meridians needling method added on the basis of conventional rehabilitation can effectively reduce the muscle tone of upper limb and enhance the muscle strength, and improve the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type. The efficacy is superior to that of the conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment.

OBJECTIVEUsing Markov model Monte Carlo simulation to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of screening Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection to prevent gastric cancer.

METHODSThe Markov model was developed based on the natural course from H. pylori infection to gastric cancer. Two strategies were compared: (1) screening for H. pylori and treatment for those with positive tests, and (2) without screening and treatment. Data used for model simulation including transition probability, efficacy of test and treatment were collected from related research publications. Markov model Monte Carlo simulation combined with bootstrap method was used to perform base-case analysis and estimate the confidence interval of cost-effectiveness ratios. The probability sensitivity analysis was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness in multiple uncertainty factors.

RESULTSAssuming H. pylori eradication will prevent 50% of attribute gastric cancer, the screening strategies would prevent 16.6% cases of gastric cancer. Cost-effectiveness were 10,405 Yuan (95% CI: 4,238 - 27,727 Yuan) per GC prevented, 64 Yuan (95% CI: 31 - 97 Yuan) per QALY saved and 1,374 Yuan (95% CI: 352 - 86,624 Yuan) per life year saved.

CONCLUSIONScreening and treatment for H. pylori infection in population was potentially effective in the prevention of gastric cancer, and screening in high incidence area of gastric cancer would be more effective and economic.

Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; Helicobacter pylori ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Markov Chains ; Probability ; Stomach Neoplasms ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily investigate the mechanism of small interfering RNA (siRNA) induced apoptosis in glioma U251 cells by silencing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).

METHODSU251 cells were divided into the normal control group, the mock group and experiment group, the mock and experiment group were transfected with mock vector (Ad-null) and the recombinant adenovirus carrying bFGF-siRNA (Ad-bFGF-siRNA) respectively at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100. After 72 hours, the expression of related proteins was revealed by the method of Western blot. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) was measured with flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, Groups were compared using single factor analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA).

RESULTSAfter U251 cells were transfected with bFGF-siRNA, the results of Western blot showed that after 72 hours of transfection the bFGF protein in the experiment group decreased obviously, meanwhile Cytochrome C, Caspase-3 and Bax showed increased expression while in the Bcl-xl and Bcl-2 proteins decreased expression. The proportion of high mitochondrial membrane potential of cells by flow cytometry, the experimental group was 74.4% ± 4.7% decreased significantly compared with the control group 92.1% ± 2.5%, the mock group 90.9% ± 1.8% (F = 28.805, P < 0.05); laser scanning confocal microscopy results showed that the red fluorescence and green fluorescence ratio of the experimental group was 0.83 ± 0.12 decreased significantly compared with 1.36 ± 0.40 of the control group and 1.32 ± 0.35 of the mock group(F = 7.920, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONsiRNA targeting bFGF induced U251 cell apoptosis may be achieved through the mitochondrial pathway.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; genetics ; Glioma ; pathology ; Humans ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo provide a convenient method for screening obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in pregnant women.

METHODSSeventy-eight pregnant women with suspected OSAHS were calculated for the EP index using Epworth sleepiness score (ESS) with also measurement of the neck circumference (NC) and body mass index (BMI). The apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) was calculated and the lowest SaO(2) (LSaO(2)) measured through a 7-h polysomnography (PSG). The women were then divided into 4 groups according to the AHI and LSaO(2). The ESS was compared with the PSG-AHI and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was generated.

RESULTSAll the clinical indexes (NC, BMI, EP, AHI, and LSaO(2)) showed significant differences between the 4 groups (P<0.05). EP and PSG were found to have greater correlations to AHI (r=0.759, P=0.000) than NC (r=0.668) and BMI (r=0.663). The area under the ROC of the EP (0.825) was greater than that of NC (0.772) and BMI (0.784). The index of EP showed greater clinical diagnostic value of OSAHS in pregnancy. Base on the ROC, EP at the optimal operating point of 7.5 had a sensitivity of 76.8% and specificity of 68.2% for diagnosis of OSAHS in pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONThe ESS is an economic and convenient method for screening OSAHS in pregnant women with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Polysomnography ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the sex chromosome meiotic segregation in inv(Y) patients by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

METHODSConventional cytogenetic procedures (GTG and CBG banding) and FISH were performed on metaphase chromosome. Three-color FISH was performed on sperm samples using a probe mixture containing CEPX, Tel Xp/Yp and Tel Xq/Yq to investigate the sex chromosome segregation of five inv(Y) (p11.1q11.2) carriers. A healthy man with normal semen parameters was used as control.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the abnormal sex chromosome number and recombination frequencies in each spermatozoon from the patient in comparison with that in the control.

CONCLUSIONThere was no apparent sex chromosome abnormality in the sperm of the inv(Y) (p11.1q11.2) carriers. Sperm-FISH allows further understanding of the sex chromosome segregation pattern and an accurate genetic counseling.

Case-Control Studies ; Chromosome Inversion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Male ; Meiosis ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-glioma effect of recombinant adenovirus mediated combined gene therapy of bFGF-siRNA and HIV1-Vpr in vivo.

METHODSMouse glioma model was established by injecting 5 × 10(6) LN229 cells into BALB/c-nu nude mice. 30 nude mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: the negative control group, mock group, bFGF-siRNA group, Vpr group and combined therapy group, which at regular intervals were injected with PBS, rAd5-null, rAd5-bFGF-siRNA, rAd5-Vpr, rAd5-bFGF-siRNA plus rAd5-Vpr, respectively. The tumor volume was recorded every third day to draw a growth curve. After four weeks treatment, the mice were killed and specimens were taken. HE, immunohistochemical and TUNEL staining were performed to observe the cell morphology, detect the changes of relevant target proteins and cell apoptosis, respectively. Also the ultrastructural changes were observed by electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe tumor growth inhibition rates were 36.9%, 37.2% and 58.6% in the bFGF-siRNA group, Vpr group and combined therapy group, respectively, and the combined therapy group showed the most significant effect (P < 0.05). Also the results of HE, immunohistochemical and TUNEL staining revealed that the combined therapy group had the best effects on proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induced in glioma cells (P < 0.05). The most significant ultrastructural changes were observed in the combined therapy group.

CONCLUSIONThe combined gene therapy of bFGF-siRNA with Vpr shows a prominent and synergistic anti-glioma effect compared with that of mono-gene therapy in nude mice.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Products, vpr ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Therapy ; Glioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism