OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus.

METHODIsolation and purification were carried out on silica gel column chromatography, prepared thin layer chromatography and sephadex LH - 20, et al. The structures were identified by spectral analysis.

RESULTTwelve compounds were obtained from bark of D. dasycarpus and the structures were determined as dictamnine (I), fraxinellone (II), skimmianine (III), gamma-fagarine (IV ), beta-sitosterol (V), obacunone (VI), limonin disophenol (VII), fraxinellonone (VIII), wogonin (IX), rutevin (X), kihadinin B (XI), dasycarine (XII).

CONCLUSIONCompounds IX and XI were isolated from genus Dictamnus for the first time, and compound VIII was isolated from the species for the first time.

Alkaloids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Dictamnus ; chemistry ; Flavanones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Limonins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the role of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCUS) in the diagnosis of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Methods In eleven patients with rectal GISTs before surgery, gastrointestinal ultrasound contrast agent were injected into rectal lumen and tumor’s two dimensional ultrasound features were analyzed. Microbubbles were injected into the vein to investigate the feature of lesion microcirculation perfusion. After the surgery, according to the tumor diameter and mitotic count, rectal GISTs were classified as very low-risk, low-risk, intermediated-risk and high-risk tumors. The very low-risk and low-risk tumors were grouped together as one group while the intermediated-risk and high-risk tumors were grouped together as another group. According to ultrasound performance and pathological type, ultrasonic features of rectal GISTs with different risk levels were estimated. Results Among all rectal GISTs cases, 63.6%(7/11) were low-risk. Under DCUS, the tumor diameter was less than 5 cm, with regular round, hypoechogenicity, uniform low enhancement and less internal liquefaction necrosis. For the 36.4%(4/11) high-risk cases, under DCUS, the tumor diameter was≥5 cm, with irregular round or lobulation, mixed hyperechogenicity and hypoechogenicity, nonuniform high enhancement, large blood vessel and common liquefied necrosis region. The biological behavior of rectal GISTs was relevant to lesion size, liquefaction necrosis and enhancement mode of ultrasound contrast and irrelevant to the bound and shape of lesion. The accuracy of DCUS and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were 90.9%(10/11) and 72.7%(8/11) respectively. Conclusions DCUS is considered as an effective tool in diagnosingrectal GISTs and can get useful information of the biological characteristics. It has great value for the diagnosis and treatment of rectal GISTs.

To study the effect of alpha1-acid glycoprotein 1 (ORM1) polymorphism on the concentration of free nortriptyline in serum, genotyping analysis was employed in ORM1 by sequencing. Eighteen unrelated male adults were chosen and given a single dose of 25 mg nortriptyline orally, then the blood samples were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48, 72, 96 and 168 hours after drug administration. Nortriptyline and 10-OH-nortriptyline in serum and ultrafiltrate were detected for the total and free concentration by using HPLC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared among different ORM1 genotypes. No significant differences were shown in the pharmacokinetic parameters of total nortriptyline and 10-OH-nortriptyline. The mean AUC(0-infinity) of free nortritpyline in ORM1 * F/ * F1 subjects was significantly higher than that in ORM1 * F1/ * S and ORM1 * S/ * S subjects [(119.1 +/- 74.4) ng x mL(-1) x h vs (51.4 +/- 23.2) ng x mL(-1) x h and (42.4 +/- 11.6) ng x mL(-1) x h]. The percentage of protein binding in subjects with ORM1 * F1/ * F1 genotype at 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 h after administration was slightly lower than in those with ORM1 * F1/ * S and ORM1 * S/ * S genotypes while the distinct difference was shown at 4 h (P < 0.05). Different ORM1 genotypes might affect the protein binding percentage and the concentration of serum free nortriptyline. The ability binding to the drug was higher in subjects with ORM1 * S/ * S genotype than in those with other two genotypes, so as to cause the lower concentration of free nortriptyline.
Adult ; Area Under Curve ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Nortriptyline ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Orosomucoid ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protein Binding

Objective To investigate the effects of the intervention,rehabilitation and speech development of children with severe hearing loss in some rural areas.Methods 61 children,including 35 males and 26 females,were diagnosed as severe hearing loss with ABR and 40 Hz-AERP from June 2004 to July 2008.All the children failed hearing screening or visited the hospital as outpatients.The ages ranged from 2 to 72 months with the average age of 17.59 months.During telephone follow-up,the questionnaire was used to gather the data regarding the usage of hearing aids,hearing and speech rehabilitation,speech development,and communication abilities.Results 33 (54.10%) children were fitted with hearing aids,and 2 (3.28%) received cochlear implants,while 26(42.62 %) neither had hearing aids nor cochlear implants.10 cases with hearing aids also had speech training,whereas 23 children with hearing aids did not receive the training.2 cases with cochlear implants and 2 cases with hearing aids were found to have good speech development and communication ability,while 31 cases with hearing aids had delayed speech development.26 cases without any devices had to rely on sign language for their commumication.Conclusion Children in rural area with severe hearing loss experience greater speech and communication difficulties because many of them have no access to intervention and speech training.The results suggest that it would be very important to increase public awareness and educate parents to have their children wear hearing aids and receive speech training.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of drilling through the growth plate and using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) to treat femoral head epiphyseal ischemic necrosis,which can be done in juvenile rabbits.Passage-four bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled ADSCs were cultured,assayed with MTT to determine their viability and stained with alizarin red dye to determine their osteogenic ability.Two-month-old,healthy male rabbits (1.2 to 1.4 kg,n=45) underwent ischemic induction and were randomly divided into five groups (group A:animal model control;group B:drilling;group C:drilling & ADSCs;group D:drilling & BMP-2;and group E:drilling & ADSCs & BMP-2).Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),X-ray imaging,hematoxylin and eosin staining and BrdU immunofluorescence detection were applied 4,6 and 10 weeks after treatment.Approximately 90％ of the ADSCs were labeled with BrdU and showed good viability and osteogenic ability.Similar results were observed in the rabbits in groups C and E at weeks 6 and 10.The animals of groups C and E demonstrated normal hip structure and improved femoral epiphyseal quotients and trabecular areas compared with those of the groups A and B (P＜0.01).Group D demonstrated improved femoral epiphyseal quotients and trabecular areas compared with those of groups A and B (P＜0.05).In summary,drilling through the growth plate combined with ADSC and BMP-2 treatments induced new bone formation and protected the femoral head epiphysis from collapsing in a juvenile rabbit model of femoral head epiphyseal ischemic necrosis.

Objective: To explore the related influencing factors of high frequency hearing loss (HFHL) in workers exposed to noise and establish a prediction nomogram for HFHL. Methods: A total of 822 workers exposed to noise from 46 enterprises were included. A questionnaire survey and a pure-tone hearing test were conducted for the workers. The data of noise level of the workers exposed was also collected. After single factor analysis of related influencing factors, the multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the final independent influencing factors of HFHL. Finally, a nomogram model was established by R software to achieve individual prediction of HFHL. Results: Among the 822 workers exposed to noise, 166 (20.2%) workers had HFHL. In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, increasing age, men, increasing wearing earphone time, less wearing earplugs, and high noise level were the independent risk factors for HFHL. The C-index of the nomogram model for predicting HFHL was 0.834 (95%CI: 0.748~0.903) . The area under the predictive power curve of nomogram model was 0.834 (95%CI: 0.799~0.869, P<0.001) . Conclusion Age, sex, wearing earphone time, wearing earplugs, and noise level are independent influence factors for HFHL. The nomogram model is successfully established as a accurate and visible tool for individually predicting the HFHL risk in workers exposed to noise.

OBJECTIVETo study the role of changes of matrix metalloproteinase-2, 9 (MMP-2, 9) activity in the development of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

METHODSThe rat liver fibrosis model was established by peritoneal injection of DMN (at a dose of 10 mg/kg, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks). The dynamic changes of liver fibrosis were observed at different time points (1d, 2d, 3d, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks). The MMP-2, 9 activity was measured by zymogram method. Liver ultrastructure was observed by electron microscope. The expressions of type IV collagen (CIV), laminin (LN), type I collagen (CI) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) were examined by immunohistochemistry. The tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) content was measured by Western blot method.

RESULTSThe MMP-2, 9 activity (gray value) significantly increased in the 2d and 3d DMN model rats (2d: normal/model group, MMP-2: 54.72+/-4.56/70.76+/-7.63; F = 16.27, P < 0.05; MMP-9: 25.72+/-4.29/51.76+/-15.33, F=13.38, P < 0.05). The positive staining area percentage of CIV in the sinusoidal walls decreased in the 2d, 3d and 1 weeks model rats (2d: normal/model group, 6.06+/-1.35/2.86+/-0.63, F=69.12, P < 0.05), but significantly increased in the 4w model rats (normal/model group, 6.06+/-1.35/8.04+/-1.50, F=14.42, P < 0.05). There was a remarkable negative correlation between the MMP-9 activity and expression of CIV in the sinusoidal walls (r = -0.729, P < 0.05). Positive expressions of LN and CI increased, and the strongest positive staining of them displayed in the 4w model rats. The formation of basement membrane was also observed in the 4 weeks model rats. Expression of TIMP-2 significantly increased in the late stage of fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONSThe increase of MMPs activity, especially MMP-9 which degrades the CIV normally distributed under the sinusoidal endothelium is the important factor in the formation of sinusoidal capillarization. The deposition and reconstitution of LN and new synthetic CIV, adding the deposition of CI constitute the high density basement membrane. The increase of TIMP-2 expression in the late stage of the fibrosis may be one of reasons why natural resolution of DMN-induced liver fibrosis is difficult.

Animals ; Collagen Type IV ; analysis ; Laminin ; analysis ; Liver ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; enzymology ; pathology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; analysis

OBJECTIVE: To explore the temperature field distribution and variation rules during treatment with mild moxibustion and sparrow-pecking moxibustion of TCM. METHODS: Six healthy subjects were selected. Mild moxibustion and sparrow-pecking moxibustion were exerted at Zusanli (ST 36) respectively, for 25 min. Using infrared thermal imaging instrument, the temperature field distribution was measured during moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36). The simulated thermometer was adopted to measure the temperature field distribution during moxibustion at the imitated cortex. At 20 min of mild moxibustion and sparrow-pecking moxibustion, the temperature field distribution generated by moxibustion was observed at the imitated cortex and Zusanli (ST 36) separately. The temperature values were collected at the sites 0.7, 2.1 and 3.5 cm far from the center of the moxibustion-exerted places successively, and then the characteristics of temperature field distribution and variation rules were compared between different moxibustion methods at the imitated cortex and Zusanli (ST 36). RESULTS: At 20 min of mild moxibustion and sparrow-pecking moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), the temperature field distribution focused on the center of moxibustion-exerted site and the temperature was reduced to all directions and illustrated as a curved surface graph, whereas, the temperature field distribution at the imitated cortex was consistent with that at Zusanli (ST 36). With mild moxibustion, the temperature field was distributed uniformly along the longitudinal temperature gradient; whereas, with sparrow-pecking moxibustion, the longitudinal temperature of the temperature field was greatly different, in which, the maximum temperature and the average temperature were higher than those with mild moxibustion respectively and the first time up to the peak value of sparrow-pecking moxibustion was shorter than that with mild moxibustion. The thermal transfer was presented at the non-moxibustion exerted areas during the moxibustion experiment at Zusanli (ST 36). CONCLUSION A distance feature is presented in the temperature field measured by simulated thermometer and generated under suspension moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36). The warm stimulation effect of sparrow-pecking moxibustion is much more obvious at the moxibustion-exerted center as compared with mild moxibustion and the area of warm stimulation generated by sparrow-pecking moxibustion is more concentrated as compared with mild moxibustion. The radiation energy produced by suspension moxibustion is scattered and attenuated in skin tissue, resulting in a certain temperature gradient in the temperature field. The warm stimulation generated at skin surface by moxibustion has a warming-dredging effect.
Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Sparrows ; Temperature ; Torso

The objective of this study was to explore the differences between refractory anemia with ringed sideroblast (RARS) and RARS associated with marked thrombocytosis (RARS-T) in the clinical, biological features and prognosis. The morphological changes of cells were observed by bone marrow smear and biopsy. Immunologic phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometry, and chromosome was examined by conventional chromosomal analysis. JAK2 V617F and MPL W515L mutations were screened by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) and sequence analysis. The results showed that this case was clinically diagnosed as RARS with thrombophilia, the level of serum potassium was positively related with platelet counts. When platelets increased, the clusters of atypical giant platelets and megakaryocytes were observed in peripheral blood and bone marrow examined by bone marrow smear and bone marrow biopsy respectively, JAK2 V617F and MPL W515L mutations were negative. It is concluded that RARS may transform into RARS-T accompanied with megakaryocyte proliferation, large atypical platelets and negative JAK2 V617F. Preventing thrombophilia and monitoring relative gene mutations are necessary when atypical giant platelets and fluctuant platelet counts occurred in process of RARS with tendency to RARS-T.
Aged ; Anemia, Refractory ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Anemia, Sideroblastic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Blood Platelets ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Platelet Count ; Thrombocytosis ; pathology

Brucella is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes infection in domestic animal and humans,mainly parasitizing in cells and macrophages of hosts.Brucella can lead to abortion and sterility in animals.Meanwhile,it also causes arthralgia,weakness,undulat fever,hepatosplenomegaly and other symptoms in humans.Brucella relies on immune escape mechanism in the confrontation with the host.It can help Brucella "camouflage" to evade the identification of the immune system of the hosts and replicate within cells to persist to establish a long-term infection in the host.As a result of the existence of this mechanism,the treatment of Brucella infection is quite difficult.Type Ⅳ secretion system (T4SS) is a key virulence factor and it is essential for Brucella to survive in host cells.The effector proteins secreted by T4SS can help regulate the immune response against Brucella.In this article,we reviewed the studies on related proteins of the type Ⅳ secretion system of Brucella and its immune response,especially the relationship between the secretions of effector proteins mediated by VirB operon and immunity of the host.