Objective:To study the metabolism of pedunculoside treated with rat intestinal bacteria in vitro. Methods:Pedunculo-side and rat intestinal bacteria were incubated in vitro for 0, 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours under anaerobic condition. After extracted repeat-edly by ethyl acetate, the metabolites in the incubation media were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by HPLC. Results:Totally 90. 8% of pedunculoside was transformed to M2 after incubated with rat intestinal bacteria in vitro for 48 hours, and a detailed compari-son of HPLC profiles between M2 and rotundic acid showed M2 was rotundic acid. Conclusion: Pedunculoside can be metabolized to rotundic acid by rat intestinal bacteria in vitro.

Objective To identify the mutation of human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) and analyze the clinical characteristics of a Chinese family with long ST syndrome (LQTS). Methods The electrocardiogram and DNA samples were obtained from a Chinese LQTS family of 26 members. Genotype was performed with polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) markers at the known LQT1, LQT2, and LQT3 loci. SSCP analysis was used to find aberrant conformers. hERG mutation was confirmed by cloning and sequencing. Results Three gene carriers were linked to chromosome 7q35-36, where the potassium channel gene hERG was encoded. A 19-base pair deletion was identified. The mutation was located at nucleotide position 1 619-1 637 between transmembrane domains S4 and S5. Furthermore, A1692G polymorphism was found both in the normal control and patients. Conclusion A novel 19 bp deletion mutation of hERG is identified in a Chinese family. All gene carriers are demonstrated to be typical LQT2 ECG phenotype.

OBJECTIVETo perform mutation analysis in a family with long QT syndrome.

METHODSThe medical record of the affected child and his parents were collected. The locus of gene associated with the long QT syndrome was mapped by linkage analysis. Mutation analysis was done by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing.

RESULTSA mutation (L539fs/47) and a SNP (L564L) were found in exon 7 of the KCNH2 gene of the proband. The mutation was from the father.

CONCLUSIONA novel mutation of L539fs/47 in the KCNH2 gene was identified in the LQTS family, which might be the disease-causing mutation for the family.

Base Sequence ; ERG1 Potassium Channel ; Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels ; genetics ; Female ; Frameshift Mutation ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome ; congenital ; genetics ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pedigree ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents of Ilex pernyi.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods. The structures were identified by spectral data.

RESULTEight triterpenoid compounds were isolated and identified as ursolic acid (1), lupeol (2), alpha-amyrin (3), uvaol (4), 3beta-hydroxyurs-11-ene-13beta-olide (5), pomolic acid (6), lup-20 (29)-ene-3beta, 24-diol (7), 3beta, 23-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (8).

CONCLUSIONThe eight compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Ilex ; chemistry ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of eucalyptus globulus oil on the activity of nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-kappaB) in THP-1 cell line.

METHODSTHP-1 cells were cultured with or without eucalyptus globulus oil at different concentrations (1, 10, 100 mg x L(-1), 30 min) before being stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg x L(-1), 30 min). The location of NF-kappaB p65 subunit (NF-kappaB/p65) in THP-1 cells was detected by indirect immunofluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscope. The expression of NF-kappaB/p65 in nuclei was measured by Western-blot analysis.

RESULTThe FITC-label NF-kappaB/p65 was mainly located in the nuclei after THP-1 cells were stimulated with LPS. Whereas, no fluorescence were seen in the nuclei of cells pretreated with eucalyptus globulus oil. This effect on NF-kappaB/p65 nuclear translocation was in a concentration dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONEucalyptus globulus oil inhibits the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB induced by LPS in THP-1 cells.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Eucalyptus ; chemistry ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Tosyllysine Chloromethyl Ketone ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the complications and treatment results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for esophageal carcinoma.

METHODSSixty patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy through right thoractomy, 30 patients of whom received IORT of 15 - 25 Gy.

RESULTSIn patients who underwent IORT, 2 cases of pneumonitis, 1 case of anastomotic leak and 1 case of incisional wound infection were found. In patients underwent surgery only, 1 case of thoracic empyema and 1 case of anastomotic leak were found. All the complications ultimately healed. There was no operative mortality. During the follow-up of 3 years, in patients who underwent IORT, 2 of 3 died of radiation pneumonitis 24 and 26 months after IORT with one complicated with bronchoesophageal fistula. One of 3 died of multiple lung metastases. The 3-year survival rate was 88.0% (22/25) in IORT group and 76.0% (19/25) in surgery only group.

CONCLUSIONIntraoperative radiotherapy can reduce locoregional recurrence if performed to thoracic esophageal carcinoma patients without surgical contraindication or distant metastasis. Radiation pneumonitis, a common complication difficult to manage, implies a poor prognosis and, consequently, the lung and bronchus should be protected from the radiation.

Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiotherapy Dosage

BACKGROUNDIn China, no multicenter double-blinded prospective randomized controlled study on labor induction has been conducted till now. This study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravaginal accurate 25-μg misoprostol tablets for cervical ripening and labor induction in term pregnancy in nulliparous women.

METHODSThis was a double-blinded, prospective randomized controlled study including nulliparous women from 6 university hospitals across China. Subjects were randomized into misoprostol or placebo group with the sample size ratio set to 7:2. Intravaginal 25-μg misoprostol or placebo was applied at an interval of 4 h (repeated up to 3 times) for labor induction. Primary outcome measures were the incidence of cumulative Bishop score increases ≥3 within 12 h or vaginal delivery within 24 h. Safety assessments included the incidences of maternal morbidity and adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes.

RESULTSA total of 173 women for misoprostol group and 49 women for placebo were analyzed. The incidence of cumulative Bishop score increases ≥3 within 12 h or vaginal delivery within 24 h was higher in the misoprostol group than in the placebo (64.2% vs. 22.5%, relative risk [RR]: 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-6.0). The incidence of onset of labor within 24 h was significantly higher in the misoprostol group than in the placebo group (48.0% vs. 18.4%, RR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-5.7); and the induction-onset of labor interval was significantly shorter in the misoprostol group (P = 0.0003). However, there were no significant differences in the median process time of vaginal labor (6.4 vs. 6.8 h; P = 0.695), incidence (39.3% vs. 49.0%, RR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.4-1.5) and indications (P = 0.683) of cesarean section deliveries, and frequencies of maternal, fetal/neonatal adverse events between the groups.

CONCLUSIONIntravaginal misoprostol 25 μg every 4 h is efficacious and safe in labor induction and cervical ripening.

Administration, Intravaginal ; Adult ; Cervical Ripening ; drug effects ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Labor, Induced ; methods ; Misoprostol ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo ascertain the genetic characterization and genotype of measles viruses isolated in Shanghai region, in 2005.

METHODSMeasles virus was isolated from throat swab specimens collected from suspected measles cases and 450 bp fragment of C terminus of nucleprotein (N) gene was amplified by RT-PCR. Sequence analysis was conducted to ascertain the genotype and to compare the difference of nucleotide with other measles virus strain published in GenBank.

RESULTS4 measles viruses were isolated from 10 throat swab specimens, and the sequence analysis indicated that they belonged to H1 genotype. The homogeneity of 450 nucleotides in the C terminal of the N gene was at 98%-98.2% as compared to H1 genotype (China93-7). They differed from genotype H2 (China94-1) at 6.4%-6.9% and from genotype A (Edmonston) at 6.7%-6.9%, from measles vaccine (Shanghail91) at 7.6%-8.0%. They differed from the other measles viral strain isolated in China in 1993 - 2005 at 0.2%-3.7%. The variation within 4 isolated measles viruses was at 0.7%-1.3%.

CONCLUSIONIt was H1 genotype measles viruses,which are the native viruses in China that led to the outbreak of measles in Shanghai, in 2005.

China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Genotype ; Humans ; Measles ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Measles virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Objectives To explore the type and subtype distribution of influenza viruses in influenza-like patients and the hemagglutinin(HA)genetic variation of influenza A viruses in Shang- hai and Wuxi during the influenza prevalent season from 2004 to 2006.Methods Throat swabs were collected from the influenza-like patients in the sentinel hospitals and during the outbreaks,and then inoculated into MDCK cells to isolate influenza viruses,which were subsequently identified by direct immunofluorescence(DIF)and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).HA seg- ments of influenza A viruses were sequenced to analyze the genetic variation of HA.Results One hundred and twenty-six strains of influenza viruses,including 53 H3N2,43 H1N1 and 30 influenza B viruses were isolated from August 2004 to September 2006,and 7 outbreaks.All these outbreaks oc- curred in February or March The pathogens were identified as H1N1 in one outbreak,H3N2 in two outbreaks,B in two outbreaks and mix infections in two outbreaks(1 H1N1 and B,1 H3N2 and B, respectively).By sequencing the HA segment,the H3 and H1 segments were all homologous to the isolates from different countries in the same period.Conclusion H3N2 and H1N1 are the major strains prevalent in Shanghai and Wuxi,which reach the peak from January to March No HA and NA recom- binant strains and new HA and NA subtypes are found in these areas.The variations of H1 and H3 are similar to those found in other countries.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and predict the trend in mortality rate of stomach cancer in twenty years in China.

METHODSStomach cancer mortality data collected from the China national survey over the period 1970s - 1990s for the cause of death were analyzed.

RESULTSThe adjusted mortality rate of stomach cancer in 1990s increased by 11.0% and 6.3% for males and females, respectively. The urban mortality in 1970s was slightly higher than the rural mortality, while in 1990s the rural mortality rate was about 60% higher than the urban mortality. In 1990s, the adjusted urban mortality rate decreased by 22.2% and 26.7% for males and females, respectively. In contrast, the rural mortality rate increased by 26.4% and 22.1% for males and females, respectively. The sex ratio of stomach cancer deaths in 1990s, both in cities and rural areas, was slightly greater than that in 1970s, being more marked in the latter areas. In 1990s, the mortality rate decreased in 12 provinces, accounting for 44% in both sexes (12/27), but the decrease was more marked for females than for males except in Kiangs province. In provinces where the increased rates ranked top six positions, the magnitude of increase in rates was higher in males than in females.

CONCLUSIONThe overall mortality rates of stomach cancer in the past 20 years in China presented an increasing trend, despite there were upward and downward changes in 27 provinces and decrease in cities while increase in rural areas. Compared with other countries, the world-adjusted mortality rate of stomach cancer for both sexes in China ranks first. The increasing trend in stomach cancer mortality was seen in the older age groups (> 60 years) while a decreasing trend was seen in the younger age groups (30 - 59 years). Aging of the population could be an important factor responsible for the increase in mortality rates of stomach cancer in China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; mortality