AIM: To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) fluctuations measured at home and in the clinic over a 24-hour period.METHODS: A prospective investigational study.A total of 120 Chinese participants were selected from five communities in the Chengdu area.Patients underwent a clinical interview and IOP was measured both at home and in the clinic.IOP were measured at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m., 2 a.m., 6 a.m.using the same pneumatonometer.Measurements were taken in the sitting position.RESULTS: The average 24-hour IOP measured in the clinic was slightly lower than that at home.The mean difference in 24-hour IOP measurements between home and clinic was 0.27 mmHg.The IOP fluctuation in the clinic was higher than at home (the mean difference was 0.01 mmHg).There was no statistically significant difference in the average 24-hour IOP measured at home vs in the clinic.The average IOP measured at 2 p.m.at home (16.04±5.95 mmHg) was significantly higher compared with the measurement in the clinic (15.43±5.16 mmHg) (P<0.05).The overall agreement between 24-hour IOP measurements made in the clinic and at home in diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma was 85.0% (K coefficient: 0.68).CONCLUSION: The 24-hour IOP measured in the clinic was similar to that measured at home, and the method of measuring IOP in the clinic is acceptable in diagnosing primary open angle glaucoma.

OBJECTIVETo understand the HIV epidemic and its correlation among the community-based drug users in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

METHODSIn 2008, 13 drug users were identified as seeds in Dongguan. Respondent driven sampling was applied to recruit community-based drug users. A structured questionnaire was used for a face to face interview. Intravenous blood samples were collected for the measurement of HIV, HCV and syphilis antibodies. RDS analysis tool (RDSAT) was applied for adjusting the estimates and bivariate analysis.

RESULTSA total of 303 drug users were recruited within 15 weeks and 300 blood samples were collected. After RDSAT adjustment, the prevalence rates of HIV, HCV and syphilis were 14.7% (95%CI: 6.1% - 25.4%), 63.2% (95%CI: 55.7% - 71.7%), and 4.7% (95%CI: 1.8% - 8.2%) respectively. The HIV prevalence rates among those who were HCV seropositive, migration, younger than 26 years at their first drug use, and ever shared needles or syringes were 22.9% (95%CI: 10.8% - 37.0%), 26.9% (95% CI: 11.4% - 44.9%), 19.9% (95%CI: 8.3% - 35.7%), and 29.1% (95%CI: 12.3% - 45.1%) respectively. The proportions of the drug users who were enrolled at methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) of local residency, migration were 20.9% (95%CI: 4.1% - 44.6%), 2.3% (95%CI: 0.0% - 7.0%) respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe HIV epidemic among the community-based drug users in Dongguan is serious. Drug users who are HCV seropositive, migration, younger than 26 years at their first drug use, and ever shared needles or syringes are more likely to be HIV seropositive.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Users ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk-Taking ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; epidemiology ; Unsafe Sex ; Young Adult

The research was conducted to study the breeding system of Prunella vulgaris L. Flowering dynamics was observed. Pollen viability, stigma receptivity, pollen-ovule ratio (P/O), out-crossing index (OCI) were measured. Bagging experiments were conducted. The results showed that the life span of one single flower was 1-2 days, the flowering span for the inflorescence of stalk was 7-14 days, the P/O was 1 046+/-148. 26, the OCI was 2. Combined with results of bagging experiment, the breeding system of P. vulgaris L. was mixed with cross-polination and self pollination. In the absence of pollination insects, the pollination and fertilization can be accomplished with high seed setting rate, and the seeds have a relatively high germination rate.
Breeding ; Pollen ; growth & development ; physiology ; Pollination ; Prunella ; growth & development ; physiology ; Tissue Survival

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Solanum lyratum Thunb.and their anti-tumor activities.METHODS The extract from S.lyratum was isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and Sephadex LH-20,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The anti-tumor activities were determined by MTT mothod.RESULTS Twenty-one compounds were isolated and identified as royleanone(1),dinbutyl phthalate(2),dipentyl phthalate(3),sativan(4),2′,4′-dihydroxy-chalcone(5),isopetasin(6),balanophonin(7),10-eicosenoic acid(8),4,6,7-trimethoxy-5-methyl-coumarin(9),hydroxydihydrobovolide(10),axillarin(11),xanthocyanin(12),magnoflorine(13),verlinic acid(14),apigenin(15),luteolin(16),7-ketositosterol(17),pinoresinol(18),bavachinine(19),bisbenzopyran(20),isotachioside(21).The IC50 values of compounds 6-7,11 and 18-19 ranged from(28.37±3.71)to(73.26±8.61)μmol/L.CONCLUSION All the compounds are first isolated from this plant.Compounds 6-7,11 and 18-19 have certain anti-tumor activities.

OBJECTIVETo study neuro-protective effect of naomaitong on brain damage after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) in the aged rats.

METHOD11 groups of 20-22-month old SD rats were subjected to 3 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion with the intraluminal filament technique, followed by 12 hours of reperfusion. Nervous symptom, oedema of brain, infarct size, morphology and superfine structure of brain, etc were monitored thoughout cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

RESULTInfarct size of brain in ischemia and reperfusion groups were significantly greater. Oedema of it was higher, nervous symptom of it was more serious, and morphology and superfine structure brain were more obvious than those of sham-operated group. Nervous symptom, oedema of brain, infarct size, morphology and superfine structure of brain in treated groups were ligher than those of untreated groups (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONNaomaitong can protect brain damage after focal cerebral I/R in the aged rats.

Age Factors ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pueraria ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rheum ; chemistry

Objective To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of 10 Chinese patients with 17? hydroxylase/17,20 lyase deficiency (17OHD). Methods Clinical features and laboratory data were collected from 7 kindreds with 17OHD. PCR products and subclone sequencing were performed to screen the mutation of CYP17A1 gene. Results All patients had typical clinical presentation of sexual infantilism, hypertension and hypokalemia. The laboratory examinations indicated decreased plasma cortisol, 17-hydroxy progesterone, estradiol and testosterone, and elevated blood adrenocorticotrophic hormone(ACTH), follcie-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH). CT scan showed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. 5 CYP17A1 mutations were identified, 4 of which are novel types D487_F489del, the most frequent mutation, was identified in 4 families and 45% alleles. Conclusion Our study indicates that 17OHD should be considered in the diagnosis of patients with sexual infantilism. D487_F489del is the most frequent mutation in Chinese 17OHD patients.

Betulinic acid is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid, which has antiretroviral, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to investigate the HBV DNA replication inhibition in the mouse model with betulinic acid. Hydrodynamic injection method via the tail vein with the Paywl. 3 plasmid was used to establish the animal mode (n = 15), and the mice were randomly divided into the PBS control group (n = 5), Betulinic acid treatment group (n = 5) and lamivudine control group (n = 5). The day after successful modeling , the mice would have taken Betulinic acid (100 mg x kg(-1)), lamivudine (50 mg x kg(-1)), PBS drugs orally, once daily for 7 days, blood samples were acquired from the orbital venous blood at 3, 5, 7 days after the administering, HBsAg and HBeAg in serum concentration were measured by ELISA and the mice were sacrificed after 7 days, HBV DNA southern detections were used with part of mice livers. The results showed that betulinic acid significantly inhibited the expression of HbsAg in the mice model at the fifth day compared with the control group, and there was no significant differences between the effects of lamivudine and the PBS control group; both the betulinic acid and lamivudine groups had no significant inhibition for the HBeAg expression; the HBV DNA expressions of the liver tissue from the betulinic acid and lamivudine groups were inhibited compared with the control group. Taken together, these results reveal betulinic acid can inhibit the HBsAg expression and replication of the liver HBV DNA in the mouse model.
Acute Disease ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; DNA Replication ; drug effects ; DNA, Viral ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; immunology ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to determine the gene expression changes of iron transporters-divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ferroportin 1 (Fpn1) in the duodenal tissue of diet-induced obese mice.

METHODSC57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control (NC) and obesity model (OM) group, 6 in each, and fed on conventional and high-fat diet respectively for 14 weeks by table of random number. Then the DMT1 and Fpn1 mRNA contents in duodenal tissues of the animals were measured by Real-time PCR method, and the protein expression levels were analyzed by Western blot test.

RESULTSThe Real-time PCR detection results showed that, compared with the NC group for which the mRNA expression level was defined as 1.0, the Fpn1 mRNA expression in OM group (0.58±0.11) was reduced significantly (t = 6.71, P = 0.014), whereas the relative expression level of DMT1 mRNA in OM group (0.89±0.26) showed no obvious alteration (t = 2.01, P = 0.122). Western blot results showed that the relative protein expression levels of Fpn1 in OM and NC group were 0.32±0.06 and 0.65±0.19, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 5.37, P = 0.026). The DMT1 protein relative abundance was 0.88±0.21 in OM group and 0.92±0.17 in NC group, and the difference has no statistical significance (t = 1.84, P = 0.185).

CONCLUSIONFpn1 gene expression is inhibited in the duodenum of diet-induced obesity mouse while DMT1 expression keeps unchanged, and this implies that decreased iron export from enterocytes into circulation might be responsible for the impaired iron absorption in obesity.

Animals ; Cation Transport Proteins ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Duodenum ; Gene Expression ; Iron ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Obese ; RNA, Messenger

To determine the optimal condition of pollen germination. The pollen of Prunella vulgaris was cultured in vitro. Pollen germination rates were recorded using 10% H3BO4, 30% Ca(NO3)2, 20% MgSO4 and 10% KNO3 as the basic mineral medium with PEG of different molecular weight, sucrose of various density and multiple pH value. The rates were also measured under different cultivation temperature and pollen acquisition time. The optimal condition of pollen germination is 10% H3 BO4, 30% Ca(NO3)2, 20% MgSO4, 10% KNO3, and 25% PEG-4000 as the medium, with pH about 6. 5 and pollen acquired at the beginning of blossom.
Flowers ; physiology ; Pollen ; physiology ; Prunella ; physiology

Objective To develop an ultra -high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to determination the plasma concentration of glimepiride(GLP), fluoxetine(FLU) and their metabo-lites-hydroxy glimepiride ( M1 ) and norfluoxetine ( NFLU) in human. Methods Midazolam was used as internal standard ( IS ) , plasma was precipited by acetonitrile .Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Acquity UPLC BEH C 18 column.A mixture of acetonitrile-0.1%for-mic acid was used as the mobile phase with the flow rate at 0.45 mL· min-1 , gradient elution.The column temperature was set at 40 ℃.The mass spectrometric analysis was performed using an Acquity Xevo TQD triple quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with an electro -spray ionization(ESI) source in the positive ion mode.The multiple re-action monitoring was used to determination the drug concentration in the samples.Results The standard curve of GLP , M1, FLU, NFLU were y=1.49 ×10 -2 x +4.23 ×10 -2 ( r =0.999 7 ) , y =0.97 ×10 -2 x -0.26 ×10 -2 ( r =0.999 5 ) , y =1.72 × 10 -2 x +9.48 × 10 -2 ( r=0.999 3 ) , y =8.66 ×10 -2 x -1.05 ×10 -2 ( r =0.999 4 ) ,respectively.The linearities were within the concentration range of 5 -1000 , 2.5 -500 , 1 -200 , 0.5 -100 ng· mL-1 for GLP, M1, FLU and NFLU in human plasma.The recoveries of four analytes were greater than 90%, the intra and inter-day precision were less than 15%.Conclusion The method is simple , rapid and suitable for the quantitative determination of plasma glimepiride , fluoxetine and their metabolites , pharmacokinetic and drug interaction studies.