The antioxidant activity of lycopene is highest among the current carotenoids.Recently the researches on lycopene are focused on ingredient of functional foods in the world.The fermentation production of lycopene by Streptomyces rimosus was reported first time in China.The determination methods,such as spectrophotometric method and HPLC were constructed.Using a stain Fc of Streptomyces rimosus as a original strain,a high-yield lycopene producing mutant strain Fc' was selected after UV mutation.The lycopene yield of the strain is 2.5 times higher than the original strain Fc.The optimal fermentation conditions were determined by flask experiments,and the lycopene yield of strain Fc' reached 230mg/L in flask under the optimal fermentation condition,meanwhile the Streptomyces rimosus strain could produce purer lycopene without adding any blocking agents in its fermentation process.This results lay a good foundation for lycopene commercial production by fermentation using Streptomyces rimosus.

Objective To observe the effect of gheocorticoid by oral medication or intrathoracic iniection on the expression of IL-6,IL-8 and sIL-2R in gerum and pleural fluid in patients of tuberculous pleurisy.Methods Twenty tuberculous pleurisy patients were treated with ghcocortieoid by oral medication (oral group)and 20 cases by intrathoracic injection(injection group).ELISA wag employed to detect the levels of IL-6,IL-8 and sIL-2R in serum and pleural fluid before treatment and 3,6 and 9 days after treatment.Results The levels of serum IL-6 and IL-8 decreased and sIL-2R increased obviously in injection group at 3,6 and 9 days after treatment(P＜0.01).Meanwhile the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in pleural fluid decreased and sIL-2R increased obviously(P＜0.01).The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly lower and the levels of aIL-2R were significantly higher in injection group than those in oral group(P＜0.01).One month after treatment,the rate of complete absorpion of pleural fluid was higher in injection group(80%)than thatin oral group(45%),the rate of pachynsis pleurae was lower in injection group(10%)than that in oral group(40%),P＜0.05.Conclusions Intrathoracic injection of ghcocorticoid shows stronger suppression of cellular immune function in cavum pleurae and weaker suppression of the general immune sysmm than oral medication.Intrathoracic injection of glucocorticoid can increase the therapeutic effect and decrease side effect in tuberculous pleurisy.

The effect of astaxanthin on N(Ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced preeclampsia disease rats was investigated. Thirty pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): blank group, L-NAME group and astaxanthin group. From day 5 to 20, astaxanthin group rats were treated with astaxanthin (25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x bw(-1)) from pregnancy (day 5). To establish the preeclamptic rat model, L-NAME group and astaxanthin group rats were injected with L-NAME (125 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x bw(-1)) from days 10-20 of pregnancy. The blood pressure and urine protein were recorded. Serum of each group was collected and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activities were analyzed. Pathological changes were observed with HE stain. The expression of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B), ROCK II (Rho-associated protein kinase II), HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) and Caspase 3 were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. L-NAME induced typical preeclampsia symptoms, such as the increased blood pressure, urinary protein, the content of MDA, etc. Astaxanthin significantly reduced the blood pressure (P < 0.01), the content of MDA (P < 0.05), and increased the activity of SOD (P < 0.05) of preeclampsia rats. The urinary protein, NO, and NOS were also decreased. HE stain revealed that after treated with astaxanthin, the thickness of basilal membrane was improved and the content of trophoblast cells and spiral arteries was reduced. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that the expressions of NF-κB, ROCK II and Caspase 3 in placenta tissue were effectively decreased, and HO-1 was increased. Results indicated that astaxanthin can improve the preeclampsia symptoms by effectively reducing the oxidative stress and inflammatory damages of preeclampsia. It revealed that astaxanthin may be benefit for prevention and treatment of preeclampsia disease.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Placenta ; enzymology ; Pre-Eclampsia ; drug therapy ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Xanthophylls ; therapeutic use ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

Background Central corneal thickness (CCT)is an important parameter to evaluate corneal healthy status and is crucial for surgical planning.However,clinical study found that the center of cornea does not correspond to the thinnest point of cornea.Thus,it is essential to characterize the minimum corneal thickness(MCT) and its location.Objective Present study was to determine the thickness and location of MCT and its relationship to the fellow eye using Pentacam High Resolution technique.Methods The 564 eyes from 282 Chinese myopic patients were reviewed in this study.The CCT,MCT,pupillary central corneal thickness(PCT) and x-y coordinate of thinnest point were bilaterally measured.Written informed consent was obtained prior to the ocular biomedical measurement.Results CCT was (540.07±31.78) μm in the right eyes and (539.24±31.06) μm in the lefi eyes; PCT was (540.25±30.75)μm in the right eyes and (539.48±31.00)μm in the left eyes.MCT was (537.87± 31.91)μm in the right eyes and (536.35±31.24)μm in the left eyes,showing significant differences in all the parameters between the right eyes and left eyes expect for PCT(CCT:P=0.046;PCT:P=0.065 ;MCT:P=0.000).The C CT,PCT and M CT were significantly correlated between the right eyes and left eyes (r =0.97,0.97,0.98,P＜ 0.01).Bland-Altman plot showed a good consistence between the both eyes.The mean distance from the center was (0.50±0.21) mm in the right eyes and (0.56±0.22)mm in the left eyes,showing a significant difference (P =0.000).The difference between CCT and MCT was approximately (2.20±1.74)μm in the right eyes and (2.88±1.75) μm in the left eyes.The location of MCT in both the right eyes and left eyes tended to symmetry along the vertical midline.The distance between the R (x,y) to transformed L (x,y) was (0.29 ± 0.17)mm and the angular distance was (28.28±28.21)degree.Conclusions This study offers a range of MCT and its location in Chinese myopic patients.The difference exists between the CCT and MCT in bilateral eyes.The location of the thinnest point tends to be symmetrical along the vertical midline between the both eyes.The changes of these parameters may be helpful for the diagnosis of some corneal diseases.

This study was performed to investigate the chemical constituents in the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate. Six compounds were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate by silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and preparative HPLC. On the basis of chemical properties and spectra data, these compounds were identified as harriperfin E (1), kihadanin A (2), kihadanin B (3), 6α-acetoxyobacunol acetate (4), gardaubryone C (5), and β-sitosterol methyl ether (6), respectively. Compound 1 is a new chromone, and compounds 2-6 are isolated from this plant for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Simaroubaceae ; chemistry

To study the pharmacokinetic effect of different combined administration with monarch drug Ziziphi Spinosae Semen on its main components in rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into Ziziphi Spinosae Semen group, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis group, Ziziphi spinosae Semen-Salviae Miltiorrhize Radix et Rhizoma group and Zaoren Ansheng prescription group. After oral administration, HPLC was eluted with the mobile phase of acetonitrle-0.03% phosphate acid water in a gradient mode. The detection wavelength was 280 nm. The pharmacokinetic parameters of spinosin and ferulic acid were calculated by DAS 2. 0 software. Compared with Ziziphi Spinosae Semen group, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis group, Ziziphi Spinosae Semen-Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma group showed a lower maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and area under curve (AUC(0-t)) for spinosin and ferulic acid but higher clearance speed (CL/F); whereas the Zaoren Ansheng prescription group showed higher maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and area under curve (AUC(0-t)) for spinosin and ferulic acid but lower clearance speed (CL/F). Compared with Ziziphi Spinosae Semen group, prescription group showed slower metabolism of spinosin and ferulic
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumaric Acids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ziziphus ; chemistry

Objective To study the effects of semiconductor laser irradiation and high voltage static electric fields on small vessel damage in diabetic rats.Methods Fifty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups:8 rats in a normal group and 42 in a diabetic model group.The diabetic models were created by intrape- ritoneal injection of streptozocin.The diabetic model rats were randomly divided into four subgroups:a diabetes group,a semiconductor laser treatment group,a high voltage static electric field treatment group and a comprehensive treatment group receiving combined semiconductor laser and high voltage static electric field exposure.The rats in each treatment group were subjected to the corresponding intervention.After 20 days of treatment,the venous blood, kidney tissue and myocardium tissue of the rats were collected,and the concentrations of blood glucose,insulin,en- dothelin and tissue were detected.Results Compared with the normal group,a significant increase in blood glu- cose and endothelin was observed in the diabetic model group,along with significantly decreased blood insulin and significant small vessel endothelium proliferation in the kidney tissue.Compared with the diabetes group,endothelin levels were significantly lower in all 3 treatment groups,and blood insulin was also higher in the comprehensive treat- ment group.Conclusion There were severe abnormalities in blood glucose,insulin and endothelin as well as mild impairment of small vessel endothelium proliferation in the diabetic rats.Semiconductor laser and high voltage static electric field exposure have a role in treating and preventing these conditions in diabetic rats.

Objective To evaluate the value of amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene in the identification of clinical rare pathogenic bacteria,and guide the diagnosis and treatment for related clinical infection.Methods 12 bacterial isolates that were difficult,or unable to be identified with conventional laboratory methods,or with special phenotypes were collected. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR),then sequenced for identifying bacterial species through BLAST comparison,clinical characteristics of related infection were ana-lyzed.Results 12 clinical isolates were all positive for PCR amplification (about 1500 bp),species were all identi-fied (similarity≥99% ),the identified strains were Listeriamonocytogenes(n= 2),Brucellamelitensis(n= 2),Fu-sobacteriummortiferum(n= 1),Rothiaaeria(n= 1),Nocardiafarcinica(n= 1),Staphylococcussaccharolyticus (n= 1 ),Rhizobiumradiobacter(n= 1 ),Prevotellabivia(n= 1 ),Ralstoniamannitolilytica(n= 1 ),and Atopobium vaginae(n= 1 ). The sensitivity of 16S rRNA gene amplification was high,and the minimum detection limit of Escherichiacoli ATCC 25922 was 1.5×101 CFU/mL. Clinical data of 12 patients revealed that these strains can cause multi-sites and multi-types of infection,after patients received targeted antimicrobial therapy,11 improved, and 1 died.Conclusion Sequencing for 16S rRNA gene can rapidly and accurately identify rare,anaerobic,and difficult cultured bacteria,provide laboratory evidence for etiological diagnosis and treatment of different types of infection.

Objective To isolate and culture the rat limbal stem cells ( LSCs) in vitro,and investigate briefly their capacity for transdif-ferentiation into neural stem cells ( NSCs) with cytokine EGF,bFGF and RA.Methods LSCs derived from rats were cultured and identified by immunohistochemistry in vitro.LSCs were induced to differentiate into NSCs in the presence of EGF (20 ng/mL) ,bFGF (10 ng/mL) and with or without of RA(group 1 or group 2)(25 ng/mL) for seven days.Cultures without factors were used as control group.Then the neural marker Nestin of the coultured cells were measured by immunohistology staining.Furthermore,the positive cell rate was counted under micro-scope between the 2 groups and analyzed by statistical software.Results It showed that P63 was positive in LSCs.Nestin in both of the dif-ferentiation groups was positive at the rate of (77.01 ±6.32)%and (84.01 ±5.43)%respectively,of which the second group was higher than the first one (P<0.05).However,it was negative in the control group.A band of Nestin protein from cells was detected by western blot assay.Conclusion LSCs are successfully isolated and cultured in vitro.LSCs could be induced to differentiate into NSCs in the presence of EGF and bFGF.Moreover,the differentiation capability is enhanced in the condition of RA.

Objective To investigate the impact of optical coherence tomography(OCT) imaging on physician decision-making during primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods From January 2016 to May 2017, OCT was performed in 100 cases pre- and post- primary PCI. The pathogenesis of myocardial infarction was determined and immediate effect of PCI evaluated by OCT. Clinical outcome during a 12-months follow up was analyzed. Results The data from 17 patients were excluded for further study due to poor OCT images quality. The rates of plaque rupture, plaque erosion, calcification nodules, stent malapposition and coronary spasm were 65.1％(54/83), 26.5％(22/83), 3.6％(3/83), 2.4％(2/83) respectively among the remaining 83 patients with sufficient OCT quality images. of the overall rate of stent malposition, tissue prolapse and incomplete stent expansion was 21.7％(18/83). The incidence of edge dissection was 19.3％(16/83), and among them 2 patients required treatment with stent implantation. Among the 17 patients without stenting:coronary spasm were found in 2 cases, thrombus overload in 1 case after thrombus aspiration, plaque rupture in 7 cases , plaque erosion in 4 cases and stent malposition in 3 cases. One patient died in hospital for cardiogenic shock and one patient had subacute stent thrombosis . There were no major adverse cardiac events occurred in the remaining patients during the (11.0±4.0) months of follow-up. Conclusions OCT can identify nonoptimal stent deployment in approximately one-fourth of STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI, thus providing preliminary guidance to the physician for further mangement.