Chemical constituents of the roots and stem of Salacia hainanensis Chun et How were isolated and purified with column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated based on physicochemical and spectral spectroscopic analysis. Depending on the activities of anti-alpha-glucosidase and inhibiting AGEs (advanced glycation end products, AGEs) formation in vitro, nine compounds were identified as 26, 27-dihydroxy-7, 24-tirucalladien-3-one (1), abruslactone A (2), lupeol (3), 21alpha, 30-dihydroxy-D: A-friedooleanan-3-one (4), 15alpha-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one (5), friedelin (6), mangiferin (7), epicatechin (8) and beta-sitosterol (9), separately. Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, and compound 2 was isolated from the Salacia genus for the first time, while, compounds 3, 4, 5, 8 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Catechin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Salacia ; chemistry ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Xanthones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between CCR5 delta32 gene polymorphism and condyloma acuminata.

METHODSWe used polymerase chain reaction to amplify the CCR5 gene fragments in 60 patients with condyloma acuminata and 50 age- and sampling date-matched controls, and compared the difference of genotypes between these two groups.

RESULTSNo genotype difference was found between these two groups.

CONCLUSIONCondyloma acuminata are not associated with genetic polymorphism of CCR5 delta32 gene.

Condylomata Acuminata ; genetics ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, CCR5 ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ghrelin on duodenal migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF).

METHODSThirty healthy male SD rats were randomly assigned into sham-operated group (n=6) and CRF group (n=24), and the latter group was divided into 4 subgroups according to ghrelin doses administered with or without pretreatment with the receptor antagonist D-Lys(3)-GHRP-6. After a 18-h fasting, the rats with or without pretreatment with D-Lys(3)-GHRP-6 were given subcutaneous injections of ghrelin at different doses to observe the changes in duodenal MMC recorded using a multi lead physiological recording system.

RESULTSGhrelin significantly increased the MMC cycle duration and dose-dependently enhanced the frequency, amplitude and percentage of phase III MMC cycle. This effect was inhibited by the pretreatment with ghrelin receptor antagonist D-Lys(3)-GHRP-6.

CONCLUSIONGhrelin can promote gastrointestinal motilities of rats with CRF, and the receptor of ghrelin can regulate the activity of MMC.

Animals ; Duodenum ; drug effects ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; drug effects ; Ghrelin ; pharmacology ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myoelectric Complex, Migrating ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the status of iron deposition in patients with β-thalassemia intermedia and major in mainland China.

METHODSThe status of transfusion and chelation was examined in 39 patients with β-thalassemia intermedia or major. Serum ferritin levels were measured. MRI T2* technique was used to detect cardiac and hepatic iron deposition.

RESULTSSerum ferritin levels ranged from the minimum of 1500 ng/mL up to a maximum of 11491 ng/mL. From liver MRI T2* measurement, 15 cases had severe hepatic iron deposition (38%) and moderate deposition was found in 15 cases (38%), mild in 7 cases (18%), and normal in 2 cases (5%). Heart MRI T2* showed severe heart iron deposition in 7 cases (18%), mild in 5 cases (13%), and normal in 27 cases (69%). One case had cardiac arrhythmia. Four cases were over 20 years of age, and presented with gonadal function hypoplasia. The majority of patients did not receive regular transfusion and they had delayed, suboptimal chelation due to financial problems. Serum ferritin level was closely related with timing and dosage of chelation.

CONCLUSIONSIn patients with β-thalassemia who do not receive early regular transfusion and iron chelation therapy, iron deposition may occur at an early age. Important organs and tissue functional lesions and related complications also result. Relevant agencies and family members should be aware of this trend and develop appropriate strategies to improve the medical condition and quality of life of patients with this disorder.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Transfusion ; Child ; Female ; Ferritins ; blood ; Humans ; Iron ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; beta-Thalassemia ; metabolism ; therapy

BACKGROUNDAs precise positioning of ankle radiography is not possible, quantitative measurement of all syndesmotic parameters on repeated ankle X-ray films may be of little value. The purpose of this study was to provide a set of scientific and objective evaluation criteria for assessing the quality of ankle fracture reduction accurately and reliably by an intelligent combining three-dimensional (3-D) computed tomography (CT) measurement model.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to March 2011, all the thin-slice CT images of 100 cases (50 males and 50 females) with normal ankle joint scanned by 16-slice spiral CT were collected. Two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D images of ankle joints were generated by using multiple planar reconstruction (MPR) and surface shaded display (SSD) respectively. The relevant parameters about bone structures and their relationship were measured and analyzed based on 3-D topological narrow division technique and 3-D measurement techniques combining essential elements of point, line and surface.

RESULTSIn this study, the mean distance from lateral malleolus tip to talocrural articular surface, the tip of medial malleolus anterior colliculus to talocrural articular surface and lateral malleolus tip to the tip of medial malleolus anterior colliculus were (22.83 ± 1.12) mm, (12.84 ± 1.09) mm, and (61.18 ± 2.03) mm respectively in male group, and (20.16 ± 1.00) mm, (10.30 ± 1.05) mm and (53.00 ± 1.40) mm respectively in female group. The above three parameters were correlated with gender, height and weight (P < 0.05). However, the mean perpendicular distance from lateral malleolus tip to the plane through the tip of medial malleolus anterior colliculus, the talocrural angle, later clear space, medial clear space, and the superior clear space were (9.93 ± 0.29) mm, (10.01 ± 0.38)°, (1.94 ± 0.16) mm, (2.78 ± 0.19) mm, and (3.14 ± 0.15) mm respectively in 100 cases, were not significance correlated with gender, height and weight (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThis study could provide a certain amount of relevant data for the standard of injured ankle anatomical reduction and the second surgery planning after malunion. The methods of measurement are reliable, reproducible, and easy to apply in practice.

Adult ; Aged ; Ankle Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

Membrane (M) protein genes of 20 infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains isolated in China between 1995 and 2004 were sequenced and analyzed. The M genes of twenty isolates were composed of 672 to 681 nucleotides, encoding polypeptides of 223 to 226 amino acid residues. Variations of the deduced amino acids of M gene mainly occurred at positions 2 to 17 and 221 to 233, comparing with that of the IBV strain LX4. There were deletions or insertions in the M gene of Chinese isolates at amino acid position 2 to 6, leading to the loss or gain of a glycosylation site. Phylogenetic tree based on amino acid sequences of M genes from 20 Chinese isolates and 34 reference strains showed that they were classified into five distinct clusters. Most of the Chinese IBV strains were included in clusters II and IV, forming distinct groups. The isolates in cluster II showed a close evolutionary relationship with Taiwan isolates. Furthermore, recombination especially the recombination between field isolates and vaccine strains had been observed while comparing the phylogeny of M genes with those of S1 and N genes.
Amino Acid Sequence ; China ; Genetic Variation ; Infectious bronchitis virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of AICAR on the activity of transcription factor FOXO1 and expression of ubiquitin ligase MuRF1 in rat cardiomyocytes, and explore the possible role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in proteolysis pathways.

METHODSIn vitro cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were treated with AICAR, and Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation of FOXO1 and expression of MuRF1 in the cells.

RESULTSAICAR activated AMPK in rat cardiac myocytes. Activated AMPK significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of FOXO1 and increased MuRF1 protein expression.

CONCLUSIONAMPK may regulate proteolysis by activating FOXO1 transcription factor and up-regulating MuRF1 expression.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Aminoimidazole Carboxamide ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Muscle Proteins ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ribonucleotides ; pharmacology ; Tripartite Motif Proteins ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; metabolism

Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Anus, Imperforate ; surgery ; Colon ; abnormalities ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Ischium ; abnormalities ; Treatment Outcome ; Twins, Conjoined ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the prevention and treatment of biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation.

METHODSClinical data of 183 recipients who had received liver transplantation between May 1995 and December 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSBiliary complications occurred in 15 patients (15/183, 8.2%). The incidence for short-term and long-term complication were 6.0% (11/183) and 2.2% (4/183) respectively. No biliary complications was due to hepatic artery thrombosis(HAT). Four cases who received PTC(percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography) with stent insertion,8 cases who received ERCP( endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) with stent insertion and 1 who received Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy for anastomotic stricture were successfully cured. Two cases required relaparotomy died for fungus infection eventually. The mortality due to biliary complications was 1.1%.

CONCLUSIONSThe rapid combined abdominal organ harvesting technique could shorten the ischemia time and ameliorate the injury due to vascular and bile duct variances, which could reduce the incidence of biliary complication. PTC and (or) ERCP combined with stent insertion were main procedure for biliary complications not related to HAT after liver transplantation.

Adult ; Aged ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of miR-9 in B lymphocytes, B cell lymphoma and classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) cell lines and its significance.

METHODSCD19(+) B lymphocytes were sorted from normal lymph node by magnetic beads. Total cellular micro-RNA was extracted from cHL cell line L428, B cell lymphoma cell lines Ly1 and Ly10 (diffuse large B cell lymphoma), Raji cells (Burkitt's lymphoma) and CD19(+) B lymphocytes, respectively. These micro-RNAs were separately transformed into cDNA by reverse transcription. The expression levels of miR-9 were measured by fluorescence quantitative PCR. In situ hybridization was used to detect the expression of miR-9 in cell lines.

RESULTSThe expression of miR-9 was high in L428 cells (104.44 ± 1.61), and low in cell lines of B cell lymphoma (Ly1: 2.17 ± 0.38; Ly10: 1 ± 0.015; Raji: 2.65 ± 0.89), and extremely low in CD19(+) B lymphocytes (0.0026 ± 0.00040). Compared with that in the other cell lines, the expression of miR-9 in L428 cells was statistically significant (P < 0.05). miR-9 localized in the cytoplasm diffusely and strongly in L428, but scattered and slightly with some prominent distribution around the nuclear membranes in Ly1 and Ly10, and only weakly in Raji.

CONCLUSIONSmiR-9 highly expressed in cHL cell line and might be a molecular marker for diagnosis and treatment of cHL.

B-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Lineage ; Hodgkin Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism