Folium Perillae (FP) is a traditional Chinese materia medica, which has been used for treating inflammatory diseases. In order to clarify the material basis of FP' s pharmacological activity and anti-inflammatory mechanism, we presented a review about some of the primary chemical components in FP, such as volatile oils, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, glycosides, triterpenes and steroids, and about the anti-inflammatory activity of FP extract and its major mechanism, such as regulating the viability and function of innate immune cells, controlling the balance of helper T cells, based on related research in recent years. This study aims to provide reference for further research and development of new drugs based on FP.

OBJECTIVETo identify the Cynomorii Herba and its analogues species using DNA barcoding technique.

METHODTotal genomic DNA extracted from all materials using the DNA extraction kit. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) regions were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and purified PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner 3.7.1. The Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances and GC content were computed using MEGA 5. 0. Species identification analyses were conducted through the species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and neighbor-joining (NJ) trees.

RESULTThe ITS2 sequence lengths of Cynomorii Herba were 229 bp. The average intra-specific genetic distances of Cynomorii Herba were 0.003. The average inter-specific genetic distances between Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species were 0.760. The results showed that the minimum inter-specific divergence is larger than the maximum intra-specific divergence. The species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine and NJ trees results indicated that Cynomorii Herba and its adulterants species can be easily identification.

CONCLUSIONThe ITS2 region is an efficient barcode for identification of Cynomorii Herba, which provide a new technique to ensure clinical safety in utilization of traditional Chinese medicine.

A new steroid with a long cross-conjugation structure, 15a-hydroxy-(22E, 24R)-ergosta-3, 5, 8 (14), 22-tetraen-7-one (1), was isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus aculeatus. Its structure was established by the extensive spectroscopic analyses, and its cytotoxicities against P388, HL-60, and PC-3 cell lines were measured in vitro.
Animals ; Aspergillus ; chemistry ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cholestenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Seawater ; microbiology

Objective To build a Monte Carlo dose verification tool for IMRT Plan by implanting an irradiation source model into DPM code and to extend the ability of DPM to calculate any incident angles and irregular-inhomogeneous fields.Methods The virtual source and the energy spectrum unfolded from the accelerator measurement data were used,in combination with optimized intensity maps,to calculate the dose distribution of the irradiation irregular-inhomogeneous field.The irradiation source model of accelerator was substituted by a grid-based surface source.The contour and the intensity distribution of the surface source were optimized by IMRT.The dose calculation was realized by combining the position of the emitter with the fluence map from the IMRT plan.The weight of the emitter was decided by the grid intensity.The direction of the emitter was decided by the combination of the virtual source and the emitting position.The weighted fraction of the emitter was also combined with the flux grid intensity based on the particle transport model of DPM code.Results The accuracy of calculation was verified by comparing with the measured data.It was illustrated that the differences were acceptable (＜ 2％ inside the field,2-3 mm in the penumbra).The dose calculation of irregular field by DPM simulation was also compared with that of FSPB (Finite Size Pencil Beam).The passing rate of gamma analysis was 95.1％ for peripheral lung cancer.The regular field and the irregular rotational field were all within permissible range of error.The calculation time of regular fields were less than 2 h,and that of the test of peripheral lung cancer was 160 min.Conclusions The adapted DPM code with its simple irradiation source model is faster than that with classical Monte Carlo procedure.Its computational accuracy and speed satisfy the clinical requiremcnt,and it can be useful as a Monte Carlo dose verification tool for IMRT Plan.

In this paper, the chloroplast psbK-psbI intergenic spacers of 18 species of Dendrobium and their adulterants were amplified and sequenced, and then the sequence characteristics were analyzed. The sequence lengths of chloroplast psbK-psbI regions of Dendrobium ranged from 474 to 513 bp and the GC contents were 25.4%-27.6%. The variable sites were 71 while the informative sites were 46. The inter-specific genetic distances calculated by Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) of Dendrobium were 0.006 1-0.058 1, with an average of 0.028 4. The K2P genetic distances between Dendrobium species and Bulbophyllum odoratissimum were 0.093 2-0.120 4. The NJ tree showed that the Dendrobium species can be easily differentiated from each other and 6 samples of the inspected Dendrobium species were identified successfully through sequencing the psbK-psbI intergenic spacer. Therefore, the chloroplast psbK-psbI intergenic spacer can be used as a candidate marker to identify Dendrobium species and its adulterants.
Chloroplasts ; DNA, Chloroplast ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Dendrobium ; classification ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics

Objective To investigate the characteristics of plaque morphology of the patients with unstable angina(UA)by intravascular ultrasound(IVUS). Methods24 patients with stable angina pectoris(SA)and 33 patients with unstable angina(UA)were examined by coronary coronary arteriograph(CAG)and intravascular ultrasound(IVUS).The culprit lesions about the characteristic of the plaque were studied,the external elastic membrane cross-sectional area and lumen cross-sectional area were measured,the plaque area,plaque burden,eccentricity index were calculated,and the remodeling index was examined. ResultsExternal elastic membrane area,plaque area and vascular remodeling ratio were significantly greater at target lesions in UA patients than in patients with SA(P＜0.05).Positive remodeling and soft plaque were predominantly in UA patients(P＜0.05). ConclusionThe morphological features of coronary artery plaques in UA group were significantly different from those in SA group.More soft plaque,plaque rupture,thrombus formation,and positive remodeling were found in UA patients compared with SA patients.

BACKGROUND: Several factors, including clinical manifestations and laboratory data, have been used to evaluate the disease activity of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). We investigated saliva indicators of disease activity in primary SS patients. METHODS: We enrolled 138 Taiwanese patients with primary SS and 100 Taiwanese normal controls. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and rheumatoid factor (RF)-IgA levels in saliva samples were measured using ELISA or fluorescent enzyme-linked immunoassay. Serum IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were measured by nephelometry. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was measured with an automatic ESR analyzer. The t-test and Pearson correlation test were used. RESULTS: IL-6 level was higher in primary SS patients than in normal controls (14.23±14.77 vs 9.87±7.32, P=0.012), but there were no significant differences in IL-17A, TNF-α, and RF-IgA levels. In primary SS patients, IL-6 level correlated weakly with ESR and IgG levels (r=0.252, P=0.015, and r=0.248, P=0.017, respectively), and TNF-α level correlated weakly with IgG level (r=0.231, P=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 may play a role in SS pathogenesis. Saliva IL-6 might be an indicator of disease activity in primary SS patients.
Blood Sedimentation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Saliva ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Adolescent ; Apolipoproteins E ; blood ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemias ; complications ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Diseases ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Kidney Glomerulus ; blood supply ; pathology ; Male ; Thrombosis ; pathology

Natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphomas represent a rare type of lymphoma derived from either activated NK cells or cytotoxic T cells. They are most commonly extranodal and tend to present as destructive lesions within the midline facial structures. Other than the nasal cavity and Para nasal sinuses, several other extra nodal sites of involvement have been reported, including the pharynx, gastrointestinal tract, and testis. Occasionally, pleural effusion has also been observed. Here, a case of lymphoma of NK/T-cell type presented as pleural effusion was reported. The patient was previously misdiagnosed as B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by pathological and immunohistochemistry (IH) analysis for pleural membrane biopsy specimen. After the analysis of the pleural fluid cells by a combination of morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular (MICM) methods in Beijing Dao-Pei hospital, some lymphoblasts were found morphologically, which expressed cytoplasmic CD3 (cCD3) and CD56 by flow cytometry analysis and had a clonal T-cell receptor gamma (TCR-gamma) gene rearrangement by molecular analysis, so that the diagnosis was finally corrected as NK/T-cell lymphoma and an allogeneic stem cell transplantation was successfully performed. In conclusion, this unusual case highlights the significance of MICM combined techniques for the diagnosis of lymphoma, as well as an unusual presentation of a rare disease and the successful treatment.
Cytological Techniques ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; complications ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natural Killer T-Cells ; Pleural Effusion ; diagnosis ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of propofol on cell invasion and expressions of aquaporin-3 (APQ-3) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in human lung adenocarcinoma cancer A549 cells.

METHODA549 cells were treated with propofol at the concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L for 12 or 24 h. RT-PCR was used to detect the effect of propofol on AQP-3 mRNA level in A549 cells, and the effects of propofol treatments for 24 h on AQP-3 and MMP-9 protein expression and the invasive ability of A549 cells were assessed with Western blotting and Transwell assay, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the control cells, the cells treated with 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L propofol showed a obvious inhibition of AQP-3 mRNA expression, with inhibition rates ranging from 0.19 to 0.65 in cells with a 12-h treatment and from 0.13 to 0.41 in cells treated for 24 h; 100 µmol/L propofol treatment for 24 h produced the strongest inhibitory effect (0.13∓0.035, P<0.05). AQP-3 protein expression in cells treated with 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L propofol for 24 h (0.91∓0.009, 0.60∓0.020, and 0.57∓0.006, respectively) and MMP-9 protein expression in cells treated with 50 and 100 µmol/L propofol for 24 h (0.65∓0.006 and 0.46∓0.021, respectively) were significantly lower than those in the control cells (P<0.05). Treatment with 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L propofol for 24 significantly lowered the number of invading cells (122.55∓17.20, 96.33∓5.82, and 74.33∓2.85, respectively) compared with the control group (199.33∓23.88, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment with 50 and 100 µmol/L propofol inhibits cell invasion by down-regulating the expression of AQP-3 and MMP-9 in A549 cells.