Tripterygium glycosides preparation which extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii (TWHY), was widely used to treat the autoimmune diseases. Previous works demonstrated that TWHF had potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. But the different quality and high incident rate of side effects of different manufactures inhibited its clinical application. Since TWHF had been generally known to play a therapeutical effect by synergism of multiple constituents, it was necessary to build the relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and bioactivity so as to ensure the quality safety and efficacy. The HPLC fingerprint showed that description and content of peaks from different manufactures were diverse. Only 11 common peaks were found. In this study, mice spleen cells stimulated by Con A were used to test the proliferation inhibition bioactivity of TWHF preparations, which were incubated with 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75, 1.88 and 0.94 mg x L(-1) TWHF preparations for 48 h. The results showed that mice spleen cells proliferation was inhibited by all TWHF preparations significantly compared with the control group, which suggested the TWHF preparations showed immune suppress activity. The TWHF preparations from 7 manufacture showed different IC50 value, which might belong to different contents which showed in the HPLC fingerprint. Moreover, a relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and the bioactivity were established to identify important constituents by grey relational analysis (GRA). The result showed that all the contents were relative with the IC50, especially No. 5 and 10 peaks, but No. 1 peak, which was proved to be triptolide, had few contribute to the inhibition of mice spleen cells proliferation. The study of relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and the IC50 by GRA could help to investigate mechanism of bioactive and provide an evidence for the quantification of multi-constituents.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Spleen ; cytology ; drug effects ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

Objective To determine the levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(SICAM-1) in serum and induced sputum in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP),and to investigate the role of SICAM-1 in pathogenesis of MPP.Methods The levels of SICAM-1 in serum and induced sputum and sputum cell count were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) kit in 44/34 children with MPP in acute episode period,36/28 children in remission episode period and 38/30 healthy children.Results The levels of serum SICAM-1,sputum SICAM-1 and percent of neutrophil(N),lymphocyte(L),eosinophile(EO),mast cell(Ma) were significantly higher in acute episode period in MPP than those in remission episode period and control group,respectively((all P0.05);)the indexs in remission period and in controls showed no marked difference.The le-(vels of) serum and sputum(SICAM-1) in children with asthma attack in acute and remission episode periods in MPP increased significantly compared with those in children without asthma in both periods(P

Objective To observe the expression of hypoxia inducible faetor-1α (HIF-1α) in the retina of rabbits with acute high intraocular pressure and to investigate the mechanism of systemic domestic recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) protecting the retina from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods First, control group and model group were established in rabbit eyes. The acute high intraocular pressure model was established by saline perfusion into anterior chamber, and then hypodermic injection of domestic rhEPO was made. HIF-1α protein in the retina was observed by immunohistochemical staining method on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 after retinal ischemla-reperfusion, respectively. Results No cells with HIF-la positive expression were observed in the retina of the control group. Ceils with HIF-1α positive expression in the model group outnumbered those in the control group (P < 0. 01). The resemblance pattern occurred in EPO group but its degree was slightly greater than that in the model group from day 3 after ischemia-reperfusion (P<0.05). Conclusion Domestic rhEPO can down-regulate the expression of HIF-1α in the retina with acute high intraocular pressure, which may be one of the mechanisms that rhEPO protects the retina from ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Culture environment is the key factor in the construction of dermal skin.It was investigated that the effects of the culture methods,including the static culture and spinner flask culture,and stir speeds on the cells proliferation,metabolism and distribution within collagenchitosan sponges.A higher cell density and specific growth rate was obtained with spinner flask culture versus static culture,especially,the 80 r/min spinner flask culture.The cell distribution in dermal substitutes from stirred culture system was more uniform than static culture,as well as that with increase of stir speeds in spinner flask.In summary,the spinner flasks culture with proper stir speed shows promise for the construction of dermal substitutes in vitro.

Objective To investigate the effect of Tangshan earthquake stress on the executive and memory func?tion in adults. Methods The objects were recruited from Tangshan Kailuan Mining Group. The exposed group included 251 subjects whose mothers exposed to the Tangshan earthquake during pregnancy in 1976. The control group included 341 subjects whose mothers was pregnant the year after the Tangshan earthquake. According to mother's pregnancy time relative to the earthquake exposed group was divided into 3 subgroups:the late pregnancy of earthquake exposed group, the second trimester of earthquake exposed group and the early pregnancy of earthquake exposed group. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was used to evaluate executive function, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) was used to evaluate memory function. Results The index of WCST were not different between two groups (P>0.05). Com?pared with control group, BVMT-R total scores were lower in earthquake exposed group [(25.54 ± 7.45) vs. (27.28 ± 7.10), P<0.01]. In the earthquake exposed group, pregnancy and sex had interaction effect on the nonpreservative errors (nRpe) of WCST (P<0.05). In the late pregnancy earthquake exposed group, male had higher nRpe than female (P<0.01). Preg?nancy time had main effect on offsprings' BVMT-R scores (P<0.05). The BVMT-R total scores were lower in late trimes?ter pregnancy and in second trimester pregnancy than in the early pregnancy (P<0.05). Conclusion The Tangshan earth?quake has potential effect on the memory function of the offsprings. The second trimester (4-to 6-month) and the third trimester (7-to 9-month) may be the sensitive pregnancy window of the stress during the pregnancy. The male offspring from late pregnancy of exposed earthquake have poorer executive function than female.

OBJECTIVETo explore the possibility of using an endovascular microcoil as a gene delivery system.

METHODSAnti-adenoviral monoclonal antibodies were covalently attached to the collagen-coated surface of platinum microcoil. These antibodies were used to tether adenovirus encoding green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP). Cell culture studies with rat arterial smooth muscle cells (A10) assessed transduction on or near the coil. Platinum coils coated with Ad-GFP were implanted into the ligated common carotid artery (CCA) of adult rats in a model of arterial stasis and pressurization. After 7 days, CCA segments were harvested, and coils were removed for histopathology and GFP expression studies, while organs were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction to assess viral biodistribution.

RESULTSIn cell culture studies, GFP-positive smooth muscle cells were detected only on the platinum coil surface. After 7 days, GFP was detected on the harvested platinum coil and in the organizing thrombus within the CCA according to fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Morphometric analyses revealed that (13.3 +/- 2.0)% of cells within the organized thrombus were transduced with Ad-GFP via the gene delivery system. Ad-GFP was not detectable by polymerase chain reaction in lung, liver, or kidney.

CONCLUSIONSGene delivery endovascular microcoils represents an interventional device-based gene therapy system that can serve as a suitable platform for either single or multiple gene therapy vectors.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Aneurysm ; surgery ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Biological Availability ; Carotid Artery, Common ; drug effects ; metabolism ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; therapeutic use ; Genetic Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; analysis ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Platinum ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Transduction, Genetic ; instrumentation ; methods

The fruit of Lycium ruthenicum is a common folk medicine in China. Now it is popular for its antioxidative effect and other medical functions. The adulterants of the herb confuse consumers. In order to identify a new adulterant of L. ruthenicum, a research was performed based on NCBI Nucleotide Database ITS Sequence, combined analysis of the origin and morphology of the adulterant to traceable varieties. Total genomic DNA was isolated from the materials, and nuclear DNA ITS sequences were amplified and sequenced; DNA fragments were collated and matched by using ContingExpress. Similarity identification of BLAST analysis was performed. Besides, the distribution of plant origin and morphology were considered to further identification and verification. Families and genera were identified by molecular identification method. The adulterant was identified as plant belonging to Berberis. Origin analysis narrowed the range of sample identification. Seven different kinds of plants in Berberis were potential sources of the sample. Adulterants variety was traced by morphological analysis. The united molecular identification-origin-morphology research proves to be a preceding way to medical herbs traceability with time-saving and economic advantages and the results showed the new adulterant of L. ruthenicum was B. kaschgarica. The main differences between B. kaschgarica and L. ruthenicum are as follows: in terms of the traits, the surface of B. kaschgarica is smooth and crispy, and that of L. ruthenicum is shrinkage, solid and hard. In microscopic characteristics, epicarp cells of B. aschgarica thickening like a string of beads, stone cells as the rectangle, and the stone cell walls of L. ruthenicum is wavy, obvious grain layer. In molecular sequences, the length of ITS sequence of B. kaschgarica is 606 bp, L. ruthenicum is 654 bp, the similarity of the two sequences is 53.32%.
Berberis ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; China ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Lycium ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVEExercise induced oscillatory ventilation (EIOB) during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is associated with severity and prognosis of disease, but clinical approach for the character of EIOB due to circulatory dysfunction are seldom reported.

METHODSThis retrospective analysis of symptom-limited maximum CPET data with an increment of 10-20 W/min in 38 patients with CHF. We calculated the duration, frequency, amplitude and other parameters of EIOB.

RESULTSThere were 31 presenting with EIOB (82%) in all patients with CHF. In EIOB group, VE amplitude were (12.4 ± 4.4)L/min (accounting for 81% ± 30% of mean) and duration were (77.0 ± 20.0)s. The number of patients whose EIOB presenting at rest, exercise, recovery stage and the whole eriod were 24, 31, 4 and 4, respectively. Except VE, there were VO2, VCO2, RER and PETO2 presenting EIOB in all 31 patients; VE/VCO2, VO2/VE and breath frequency in 29 patients; PETCO2 in 26 patients; VT and VO2/HR in 25 patients; and HR in 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONEIOB may occur in any period of CPET, mostly in severe patient with CHF, and presenting in many variables. Due to it is resulted from the circulatory dysfunction, we should call it circulatory (cardiac) oscillatory breathing abnormality.

Exercise Test ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Oxygen Consumption ; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena ; Retrospective Studies

Large epiglottic cysts can block the glottis, leading to serious consequences. This condition presents a challenge in terms of airway management for anesthesiologists during induction of anesthesia. We report the use of a Shikani™ Seeing Optical Stylet combined with a Macintosh laryngoscope to aid tracheal intubation in seven patients with large epiglottic cysts. Use of this technique can avoid cyst rupture and allow smooth, safe intubation.
Epiglottis ; pathology ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; methods ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; methods ; Laryngeal Diseases ; pathology ; Laryngoscopes ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To explore the relationship between size,shape and function of the left atrium appendage (LAA) and its thrombosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to provide evidence for clinical risk assessment,prognosis evaluation and treatment guidance.Method Length,diameter,end-diastolic volume (EDV) and ejection velocity (PEV) of LAA were measured in 41 patients with AF,and thrombus in LAA was detected by TEE.Results Thrombus in LAA was detected in seven of 41 patients of AF (17%).No significant difference in size and EDV was found between the patients with and without thrombus,but there was significant difference in PEV between them (P