Humans ; Siblings ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Genetics

Chemical constituents from the acetone extract of twigs of Manglietia hookeri were isolated and purified by various column chromatographic methods over silica gel and sephadex LH-20, and preparative TLC. The structures of these compounds were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis, including NMR and MS spectra. Six eudesmane sesquiterpenes were obtained and their structures were identified as trans-eudesmane-4, 11-diol(1), β-eudesmol(2), (-) -10-epi-5β-hydroxy-β-eudesmol (3), epi-carrisone (4), 6-hydroxy-eudesm-4(14) -ene(5) and gynurenol(6). All the compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Furthermore, the 13C-NMR data of compound 3 were reported for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnolia ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes, Eudesmane ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; metabolism ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; blood ; metabolism ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; pharmacology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Toll-Like Receptor 9 ; agonists ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Truncus Arteriosus, Persistent ; diagnostic imaging ; Ventricular Septum ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of transforming growth factor-beta 3 gene transfer on type I collagen synthesis of cells of HSC-T6.

METHODSTransforming growth factor-beta 1 expression plasmid and transforming growth factor-beta 3 expression plasmid were constructed. The recombinant expression plasmids pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 1 and pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 3 were respectively transfected and cotransfected into cultured HSC-T6 cells; expression of TGF betav1, TGF beta 3, type I collagen mRNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR, expression of TGF beta 1 and type I collagen protein were detected by Western blot. The recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 1 was transfected into cultured HSC-T6 cells; positive clones were selected by G418. The positive clones were transfected by the recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 3; expression of TGF beta 1, TGF beta 3 and type I collagen mRNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR; expression of TGF beta 1 and type I collagen protein were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSHSC-T6 was transfected by recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 1 and pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 3 and the transfection efficiency was 28.2%. After the cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-TGF beta 3, type I collagen mRNA and the protein expression in the cells were higher than those in the untransfected cells (control group) (P < 0.05). The increase reached to the maximal at 72 h after the transfection. Expressions of type I collagen mRNA and the protein in the cells transfected by pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 1 were higher than in those cotransfected by pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 1 and pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 3 (P < 0.05). TGF beta 1 protein, type I collagen mRNA and type I collagen protein expression significantly decreased in the clones transfected by recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-TGF beta 3 (P < 0.05), but the changes of TGF beta 1 mRNA were not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSExpression of type I collagen increased after the cultured HSC-T6 cells were transfected by TGF beta 3 gene. The significant decrease of the expression of type I collagen of the TGF beta 3 gene transfected positive clones suggests that TGF beta 3 could inhibit the occurrence of liver fibrosis.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Genetic Vectors ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3 ; genetics

Objective To investigate selcnium(Se) levels of environment and human body in Gaomi City and Zichuan District of Shandong. Methods Lijiaying Township in Gaomi City of Weifang City, Zhaili Township and Longquan Township in Zichuan District of Zibo City were selected. Two farming soil samples at different spot, local wheat and corn, residents nail samples from 3 to 4 families were collected in each natural village in the investigated towns. The contents of Se were detected by 2,3-diamino naphthalene fluorescence method. Results Se level of the soil, wheat, corn, and nails in Lijiaying [(0.054 ± 0.019), (0.022 ± 0.009), (0.018 ± 0.007), (0.365 ± 0.108)mg/kg] was significantly lower than that in Zhaili [(0.425 ± 0.080), (0.130 ± 0.043), (0.098 ± 0.026), (0.751 ± 0.134)mg/kg] and Longquan[(0.487 ± 0.153), (0.112 ± 0.030), (0.097 ± 0.029), (0.735 ± 0.145)mg/kg;P < 0.01]. In Lijiaying, Se was deficient in soil, wheat, corn(< 0.200, < 0.025 mg/kg), above Se deficiency diagnosis and below Se-adequate level in the nail, while in Zhaili and Longquan, the Se level in the soil (0.425, 0.487 mg/kg), wheat(0.130, 0.112 mg/kg), corn (0.098, 0.097 mg/kg), nails (0.751, 0.735 mg/kg) was adequate (≥0.400 mg/kg). Conclusions The external environment is Se-deficient in Lijiaying, Se-adequate in Longquan and Zhaili. The selenium level in human body is consistent with the external environment.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3 ; genetics ; metabolism

To determine heat-shock protein (Hsp)90 expression is connected with cellular apoptotic response to heat stress and its mechanism, chicken (Gallus gallus) primary myocardial cells were treated with the Hsp90 promoter, aspirin, and its inhibitor, geldanamycin (GA), before heat stress. Cellular viability, heat-stressed apoptosis and reactive oxygen species level under different treatments were measured, and the expression of key proteins of the signaling pathway related to Hsp90 and their colocalization with Hsp90 were detected. The results showed that aspirin treatment increased the expression of protein kinase B (Akt), the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 and p-IKKα/β and the colocalization of Akt and STAT-3 with Hsp90 during heat stress, which was accompanied by improved viability and low apoptosis. GA significantly inhibited Akt expression and p-IKKα/β level, but not STAT-3 quantity, while the colocalization of Akt and STAT-3 with Hsp90 was weakened, followed by lower cell viability and higher apoptosis. Aspirin after GA treatment partially improved the stress response and apoptosis rate of tested cells caused by the recovery of Akt expression and colocalization, rather than the level of STAT-3 (including its co-localization with Hsp90) and p-IKKα/β. Therefore, Hsp90 expression has a positive effect on cellular capacity to resist heat-stressed injury and apoptosis. Moreover, inhibition of Hsp90 before stress partially attenuated its positive effects.
Apoptosis* ; Aspirin ; Cell Survival ; Chickens* ; Heat Stress Disorders ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Transducers

OBJECTIVESTo investigate total drinking water intake of adults in the four cities of China in summer.

METHODSA total of 1483 adults aged 18 - 60 yrs from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou were selected using multiple-stage random sampling method. The information of amounts and types of daily drinking water was recorded by subjects for seven consecutive days using a quantitative measurement. The amounts and types of daily drinking water among different cities and between men and women or urban and rural was analyzed.

RESULTSThe median of daily total drinking water of subjects was 1488 ml, with significant difference among the four cities (1579, 1793, 1150, 1467 ml in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou city, respectively, χ(2) = 154.31, P = 0.000). The median of daily drinking water was significantly higher in men (1679 ml) than women (1370 ml) (Z = 8.34, P = 0.000), but no significant difference was found between urban (1514 ml) and rural (1466 ml) daily drinking water median (Z = -0.81, P = 0.420). The median of daily consumption of plain water, tea and beverages were 786, 109, 186 ml, respectively. Among four cities, the highest consumption of plain water was in subjects of Guangzhou (917 ml), while the highest tea consumption in Shanghai (257 ml) and the highest beverages consumption in Shanghai (323 ml) and Beijing (264 ml). Consumption of tea in men (229 ml) was significantly higher than that in women (57 ml) (Z = 7.52, P = 0.000). Subjects in urban (693 ml) had lower consumption of plain water than those in rural (914 ml). The proportion was 32.4% (480/1483) for subjects with water drinking less than 1200 ml per day.

CONCLUSIONThe daily consumption of total drinking water, including plain water, tea and beverages is different in adults among different cities and is different in gender and regions. It is nearly 1/3 of subjects with daily total drinking water less than current Chinese recommended water intake (1200 ml).

Adolescent ; Adult ; Beverages ; China ; Drinking ; physiology ; Drinking Water ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seasons ; Urban Population ; Young Adult

AIM:To investigate the inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODS:Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were pretreated with EEP (7.5,15 and 30 mg/L) or 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA,4 mmol/L) for 1 h and then treated with ox-LDL (100 mg/L) or tunicamycin (TM,4 mg/L) for 24 h.The cell viability and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining,respectively.The activities of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in the medium and caspase-3 in the HUVECs were measured.The protein and mRNA levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP),a proapoptotic molecule under endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS),and its downstream Bcl-2 were examined by Western blot and real-time PCR,respectively.RESULTS:Like PBA (an ERS inhibitor),EEP protected HUVECs from ox-LDL-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner,as assessed by the increased cell viability and the decreased LDH release,apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activation.The decrease in cell viability and the increases in LDH release,apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activation induced by TM,an ERS inducer,were also attenuated by EEP.Moreover,EEP suppressed ox-LDL-induced CHOP upregulation and Bcl-2 downregulation,and this effect was similar to that of PBA.Similarly,EEP significantly suppressed TM-induced CHOP upregulation both at the protein and mRNA levels.CONCLUSION:EEP may protect HUVECs from ox-LDL-induced apoptosis,and the mechanism is at least partially involved in suppressing CHOP-mediated ERS-associated apoptotic pathway.