Seven meroterpenoids and five small-molecular precursors were isolated from Penicillium sp., an endophytic fungus from Dysosma versipellis. The structures of new compounds, 11beta-acetoxyisoaustinone (1) and isoberkedienolactone (2) were elucidated based on analysis of the spectral data, and the absolute configuration of 2 was established by TDDFT ECD calculation with satisfactory match to its experimental ECD data. Meroterpenoids originated tetraketide and pentaketide precursors, resepectively, were found to be simultaneously produced in specific fungus of Penicillium species. These compounds showed weak cytotoxicity in vitro against HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, NCI-H1650, and A2780 cell lines with IC 50 > 10 micromol x L(-1).
Berberidaceae ; microbiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lactones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Penicillium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristics of tongue proper and tongue coating in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to explore the relationship between tongue picture and state of illness.

METHODSTongue picture was taken by digital camera and colors (red, green and blue) of tongue proper and coating were analyzed quantitatively with image processing software.

RESULTSIn the 69 patients of acute stage, the color of tongue proper was mostly light red (51 patients, 73.9%), with significant difference in comparing with other colors (P < 0.01). The color of tongue coating was mostly thin yellow (32 patients, 46.4%), and thin white was the second (29 patients, 42.0%). There was swollen tongue body in 5 patients (7.2%), teeth print on tongue margin in 12 cases (17.4%). In the 155 patients of recovery stage, the color of tongue proper was mostly dark pale (72 patients, 46.5%), the second light red (68 patients, 43.9%), color of tongue coating was mostly thin white (80 patients, 51.6%), which was significantly higher than other colors (P < 0.01), the second was yellow in tongue root region (31 patients, 20.0%). Swollen tongue body was found in 23 patients (14.8%) and teeth print on margin was found in 19 patients (12.3%). Most patients of ordinary state had light red tongue proper and thin white coating, patients of severe state mostly had dark pale tongue proper and yellow coating in root region, and the critical patients were mostly with dark pale proper and thick yellow coating. Patients with affected lung > or = 3 lobules mostly had pale dark proper and yellow coating on root, but those with involved lung < 3 lobules mostly had light red proper and thin white coating.

CONCLUSIONThe colors detected quantitatively by the method described above could comparatively reflect the difference of tongue proper and coating sensitively. Tongue picture is one of the objective evidence for judging state of illness and Syndrome Differentiation based on treatment in SARS patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Color ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Tongue ; pathology

Adult ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; etiology ; Drug Eruptions ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Phthalimides ; adverse effects

Objective To study the value of DSA for hepatic vascular anatomy,and to evaluate the efficacy of portal vein occlusion in rabbits with hepatic VX2 tumor.Methods Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups with 10 in each group,including test group A and positive control group B of ham operation.For the test group A,portal branch ligation(PBL)was performed for the left external branch after 3 weeks of the tumor implantation to the left external lobe.Two weeks later,the DSA of hepatic artery and portal vein were performed in all of the rabbits.Results The total displaying effectiveness of the branches of hepatic artery by DSA was better than that by vascular perfusion.There was hypovascular blood supply to hepatic artery implantation of the tumor in the test group A,comparing with that of the group B.Conclusion DSA can clearly display spacial details of the hepatic vascular anatomy in rabbits,and play an important role in post-procedual evaluation of the portal vein occlusion in rabbits.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture plus Dang Gui Bu Xue Qu Feng Tang for benign essential blepharospasm (BEB). Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was performed. A total of 105 participants were randomized 1:1:1 into an acupuncture group, a herbal medicine group and an acupuncture plus herbal medicine group. Participants in the acupuncture group received manual acupuncture treatment, twice a week. Participants in the herbal medicine group received Dang Gui Bu Xue Qu Feng Tang, oral administration, once a day. Participants in the acupuncture plus herbal medicine group received both treatments. The therapeutic effects of the three groups were evaluated after four weeks of treatment. The primary outcome was the Jankovic rating scale (JRS) score, and the secondary outcome was the blepharospasm disability index (BSDI) score. Results: After four weeks of treatment, the JRS total scores significantly decreased in all three groups versus baseline (P<0.05). A greater reduction in the JRS total score was reported in participants in the acupuncture plus herbal medicine group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the acupuncture group and the herbal medicine group (P>0.05). The acupuncture plus herbal medicine group had a greater decrease in the JRS severity score than the herbal medicine group (P<0.05). The reduction in the JRS frequency score was not significantly different among the three groups (P>0.05). The BSDI scores significantly decreased in all three groups versus baseline (P<0.05), but the reduction in the BSDI score was insignificantly different among the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: It is effective in the treatment of BEB either to use acupuncture and Dang Gui Bu Xue Qu Feng Tang alone or in combination. The combination therapy shows a more significant effect than either of the treatment alone.

OBJECTIVETo study the method and effects of multi-stage manipulative reduction and homemade splint fixation in the treatment of tibia shaft fractures.

METHODSTwenty-two patients (16 male and 6 female) were involved the retrospective study. The average age was 33 years (from 6 to 54 years). Single tibia shaft fracture was in 15 cases and tibiofibular fracture in 7 cases. Fracture site: 3 cases were in the upper part of the tibia, 4 in the middle part and 15 in the lower part. Fracture pattern: oblique fracture was in 8 cases, spiral fracture in 5 cases, comminuted fracture in 4 cases and transverse fracture in 5 cases. All the patients were treated with multi-stage manipulative reduction and homemade splint fixation.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 3 to 15 months (mean 6 on months). There were malunion of fracture in 1 case, delayed union in 1 case and nonunion in 1 case. The results were excellent in 18 cases, good in 3 cases and poor in 1 case according to WANG Xu-dong assessment criteria.

CONCLUSIONOn the base of traditional manipulative reduction and splint fixation, multi-stage manual correction could stabilize the broken part and prevent displacement. It had the characteristics of easy operation, reliable fixation, rapid union of fracture, few complications and influences on joint function. Multi-stage manipulative reduction and homemade splint fixation is one of the most reliable methods for closed tibia fracture.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Fractures, Closed ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; Retrospective Studies ; Splints ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the composition, function, and regulatory mechanisms of the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) gene in metastatic prostate cancer.

METHODSWe obtained the data about the whole genomic expression profiles on prostate cancer metastasis from the GEO database, and performed data-mining and bioinformatic analysis using BRB-Array Tools and such softwares as Protparam, MotifScan, SignalP 4.0, TMHMM, NetPhos2.0, PredictProtein, GO, KEGG, and STRING.

RESULTSTotally, 73 co-expressed differential genes in prostate cancer metastasis were identified, 21 up-regulated and 52 down-regulated (P <0.01). Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the highly expressed SPP1 gene encoded 314 amino acids and contained 2 N-glycosylation sites, 8 casein kinase II phosphorylation sites and 3 protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, playing essential roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) binding, ossification, osteoblast differentiation, cell adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, focal adhesion, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and ECM-receptor interaction.

CONCLUSIONThe bioinformatic method showed a high efficiency in analyzing microarray data and revealing internal biological information. SPP1 may play an important role in prostate cancer metastasis and become a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of prostate cancer metastasis and a new target for its treatment.

Computational Biology ; Data Mining ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Male ; Microarray Analysis ; Osteopontin ; chemistry ; genetics ; secretion ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo appraise the effect of single- and two-layer Percoll density gradient centrifugation in sperm separation.

METHODSTwenty semen specimens underwent single-(50%) and two-layer (90% and 45%) density gradient centrifugation, respectively. The sperm class analyzer (SCA) was used to analyze sperm density, motility and dynamic parameters and round cell density before and after the treatment.

RESULTSAfter separation, the sperm recovery rate of the single-layer method was (65.5 +/- 12.8)%, significantly higher than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.01). The percentages of grade a sperm of the single- and two-layer method were significantly higher than pre-treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), that of the single-layer was significantly lower than that of the two-layer method (P < 0.05), but the percentage of grade c sperm of the former was significantly higher than that of the latter (P < 0.05). Compared with pre-treatment, the percentage of grade a + b sperm of the two-layer method was significantly higher (P < 0.05), while that of the single-layer method showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), and the round cell density of both the methods was significantly lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the two methods (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe single-layer method yields a higher rate of sperm recovery and causes little change in the sperm motility, while the two-layer method effects a lower rate and significantly improves sperm motility. Both the methods can efficiently separate sperm from round cells, and each has its own advantages and its application value in in vitro treatment of sperm.

Cell Separation ; methods ; Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Povidone ; Silicon Dioxide ; Sperm Count ; methods ; Spermatozoa ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of tadalafil on nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).

METHODSThirty-four patients with organic erectile dysfunction (ED) were treated with oral tadalafil at the dose of 10 mg/3 d before bedtime. A month later, 14 of the patients were observed for NPT by nocturnal electrobioimpedance volumetric assessment (NEVA).

RESULTSThe parameters of erectile function significantly improved in the 14 patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOral administration of minute dose of tadalafil can improve NPT in organic ED patients.

Adult ; Carbolines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Tadalafil

This study was aimed to investigate the T cell (helper T cells) immune status in ITP patients and its relation with therapeutic response. 20 de novo ITP patients were enrolled (8 males, 12 females) with a median age of 41 (20 to 81). Real-time RT-PCR method was used to measure the gene expression of Th cells including T-bet, IFN-γ, GATA-3, TGF-β, Foxp3, IL-2, IL-4 in PBMNC of ITP patients before and after conventional dose of prednisone therapy [1 mg/(kg·d)] and in PBMNC of 20 normal controls. The results showed that T-bet, IFN-γ and IL-2 were significantly over-expressed in PBMNC of ITP patients before treatment compared with that in normal controls (p < 0.01), and compared with that before treatment, T-bet, IFN-γ, and IL-2 were markedly down-regulated in ITP patients after treatment. Before treatment, the expressions of Foxp3, TGF-β, GATA3 and IL-4 in ITP patients did not show difference from normal controls, while after treatment Foxp3 were more up-regulated than that before treatment (p < 0.05). After treatment, TGF-β expression showed a different pattern between old and young patients. TGF-β expression was down-regulated (p < 0.05) among ITP patients younger than 60, while up-regulated in older patients. It is concluded that there is an imbalance of Th1/Th2/Treg cytokines in ITP patients, which can be reversed by glucocorticoid treatment. The conventional dose of glucocorticoid may be regarded as effective therapy for de novo ITP patients, it may correlate with improvement of imbalance between Th1/The2/Treg cytokines.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Young Adult