OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of nitric oxide synthase III (NOS III) mRNA in the heart, aorta, kidney and liver of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

METHODSTwo hundred and ninety-four total RNA samples were obtained from the tissues of ventricle, aortic smooth muscle, kidney and liver of SHR and normotensive rats (Wistar-Kyoto rats, WKY). RNA array was used to determine the mRNA levels of NOS III of the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with WKY, the systolic blood pressure increased significantly in SHR at 6-week-old, 8-week-old, 10-week-old and 12-week-old [(158.50 +/-7.69 vs 108.67 +/-5.89) mmHg, (174.33 +/-4.46 vs 128.50 +/-4.97) mmHg, (198.00 +/-13.45 vs 142.00 +/-3.58) mmHg, (216.67 +/-8.91 vs 141.17 +/-4.92) mmHg, P<0.01], and the ventricle/body weight ratio was significant higher at 10-week-old and 12-week-old [(4.08 +/-0.17 vs 3.59 +/-0.11, 4.05 +/-0.18 vs 3.40 +/-0.19)mg/g, P<0.01]. In the heart tissue and the kidney, the mRNA levels of NOS III were significantly increased at 6-week-old, 8-week-old, 10-week-old and 12-week-old (1.12 +/-0.18 vs 0.90 +/- 0.15, 1.46 +/- 0.34 vs 1.06 +/-0.18, 1.66 +/- 0.31 vs 1.21 +/- 0.30, 1.98 +/- 0.40 vs 1.31 +/-0.38, P <0.05) and at 4-week-old, 6-week-old, 8-week-old, 10-week-old and 12-week-old (1.10 +/- 0.21 vs 0.81 +/-0.11, 1.28 +/-0.18 vs 0.95 +/-0.13,1.31 +/-0.23 vs 0.99 +/-0.23, 1.70 +/-0.30 vs 1.08 +/-0.25, 1.83 +/-0.33 vs 1.15 +/-0.20, P<0.05 or P<0.01), respectively. There was no significant difference of the NOS III expression in the liver and no significant signals were detected in the aortic smooth muscle.

CONCLUSIONThe results provide the evidence of the increased expression of NOS III in different tissues in SHR and suggests the progressive nature of essential hypertension.

Animals ; Hypertension ; enzymology ; genetics ; Kidney ; enzymology ; Liver ; enzymology ; Male ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY

To study the alkaloids from Melodinus moraei,seven compounds were separated and purified by column chromatography over silica gel, reverse phase silica gel and preparative HPLC. Their chemical structures were elucidated by MS and spectral data (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR) as scandine(1),tabersonine(2),melodinine N(3),melodinine P(4), melodinine T(5),19-epimeloscandonine(6),16-hydroxy-19S-vindolinine(7). Compounds 1-7 were isolated from M. moraei for the first time．The bioassays showed all tested samples displayed antitumor activity against the cell lines such as A549,PC-3,HGC-27 and HL-60.

BACKGROUNDHuman bocavirus (HBoV) is a parvovirus recently found to possibly cause respiratory tract disease in children and adults. This study investigated HBoV infection and its clinical characteristics in children younger than five years of age suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infection in Beijing Children's Hospital.

METHODSNasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infection during the winters of 2004 to 2006 (from November through the following February). HBoV was detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification and virus isolation and the amplification products were sequenced for identification.

RESULTSHBoV infection was detected in 16 of 333 study subjects. Coinfections with respiratory syncytial virus were detected in 3 of 16 HBoV positive patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection. The median age for HBoV positive children was 8 months (mean age, 17 months; range, 3 to 57 months). Among the HBoV positive children, 14 were younger than 3 years old, 9 were younger than 1 year old and 7 were younger than 6 months. These 16 positive HBoV children exhibited coughing and abnormal chest radiography findings and more than 60% of these children had wheezing and fever. Ten children were clinically diagnosed with pneumonia, 2 bronchiolitis, 2 acute bronchitis and 2 asthma. One child died.

CONCLUSIONSHBoV was detected in about 5% of children with acute lower respiratory infection seen in Beijing Children's Hospital. Further investigations regarding clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of HBoV infection are needed.

Bocavirus ; isolation & purification ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Parvoviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology

Cosmetics containing botanic ingredients have been used from thousands of years up to now in China. Because of the consumers' demand for health and beauty,the number of products about " botanic" have been growing rapidly in the cosmetics market,which has played an important role in upgrading the industry and enhancing the international competitiveness nowadays. Therefore,to strengthen the management about used botanic raw materials in cosmetics products and revise the application regulation of new raw materials has become an important work to ensure product quality,promote the healthy and stable development of cosmetic business. The article summarizes the related mandatory regulations and standards about botanic ingredients which used as activity function in major cosmetic business countries or regions. Furthermore,the information of botanic ingredients commonly used in non-special cosmetics notification and special cosmetic registration system were described to expect the better application and development.
China ; Consumer Product Safety ; Cosmetics/standards* ; Government Regulation ; Plant Preparations/standards*