Objective: To study the alkaloid constituents of Huperzia serrata (Thunb.) Trev.. Methods: Various chromatographies were used for separation and purification of the alkaloids and spectroscopic analysis was used for determination of the chemical structure. Results: An alkaloid constituent(alkaloid A) was isolated from H. serrata . Conclusion: Alkaloid A was a new compound, named huperzinine B.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, diabetes group and treatment group( n = 10). Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was utilized to establish a rat model of DCM. The rats with DCM in treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with NaHS solution. After treated for 12 weeks, the hearts isolated from rats were perfused on a langendorff apparatus. The ventricular hemodynamic parameters were measured. The ultrastructures of myocardium were observed using electron microscopy. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in myocardial tissue were determined by spectrophotometry. The expressions of C/EBP homologous protein( CHOP), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and Caspase 12 at mRNA level in myocardium were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure were damaged obviously in diabetic rats. In myocardial tissue, the content of MDA was increased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased. CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 mRNA expressions were increased significantly. Compared with diabetes group, cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure damage were improved in treatment group. The content of MDA was decreased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were increased significantly. The mRNA levels of CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 were increased.

CONCLUSIONH2S can protect myocardium in diabetic rats, maybe it is related to reduce oxidative stress damage and inhibition of the ERS-induced apoptosis pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Streptozocin ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism

Hearing Loss ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Factors

0.05).At the late stage (8-48 h) of incubation,the presence time of E7_(49-57)/K~b was significantly pro- longed on the surface of Tat-E7_(49-57)-incubated cells than that on the surface of other peptides-incubated cells (all P

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations and treatment regiment of children with juvenile dermatomyositis(JDM).Methods The clinical manifestation,changes of serum muscale enzyme,myopathic laboratory examination,treatment and prognosis of 15 children with JDM retrospectively admitted from Jan.1990 to Jan.2004 were analyzed.Results All of the children had symmetrical weakness of the proximal muscles.The most frequent features were heliotrope and Gottron's papules.Elevated muscle enzymes were noted in all cases.Electromyography revealed typical change of myopathic type and muscle biopsy was compalible with myositis in all cases.Most of patients achieved normal muscle enzymes within 1 month and had improved muscle strength with 2.5 monthes of the initiation of corticosteroid therapy.Conclusion It is very important to know the clinical features of JDM,and prompt diagnosis and treatment will result in an improved prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the role of CT and MR/in the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome(PRES).Methods Eight women with PRES(6 pregnant women,1 case after chemotherapy,and 1 patient with hypertension)were enrolled in our study.All of them had MR imaging (T_1WI,T_2WI,FLAIR,DWI),and five cases underwent post-contrast T_1WI and three dimensional contrast enhanced MR angiography(3D CEMRA).Two cases also had CT scan.Results MRV in all 8 patients showed no evidence of stenosis,dilation,or thrombosis in cranial veins and sinuses.MRI demonstrated multiple lesions located in bilateral parieto-occipital lobes(8 cases),bilateral basal ganglia(2 cases),and bilateral frontal lobes(4 cases).The lesions were prominent within white matter,some of them involved gray matter(3 cases).Lesions appeared as hyperintense signals on FLAIR and T_2-weighted images, isointense or mildly hypointense signals on T_1-weighted images,normal or decreased intensity on DWI,and isointensity or hyperintensity on apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)maps.Post-contrast T_1WI showed mild reversible enhancement and 3D CEMFdisplayed numerous reversible“grape-like”enhancements in terminal arterial branches along the middle cerebral artery(MCA),anterior cerebral artery(ACA)and posterior cerebral artery(PCA).Follow-up scan showed decreased abnormal signals.Conclusion Lesions of PRES are usually located in parieto-occipital lobes,especially in white matter,but they can also be seen in frontal lobes and basal ganglia bilaterally.Post-contrast T_1WI and 3D enhanced MRA can provide useful information in the manifestation of reversible enhancement.MRI has advantages to display lesion in PRES,

AIMTo study the alkaloid constituents of Huperzia serrata (Thunb.) Trev..

METHODSChromatographic methods were used for the isolation and purification. Structure was elucidated on the basis of chemical analysis and spectroscopic data.

RESULTSAn alkaloid constituent was isolated from H. serrata (Thunb.) Trev..

CONCLUSIONThe compound was found to be a novel lycodine type alkaloid with tricyclic structure named huperzinine C.

Huperzia ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyridines ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis, differential diagnosis and the treatment of Zenker diverticulum (pharyngo esophagus diverticulum) in thyroid operation.

METHODSSeven cases suffering from thyroid masses diagnosed Zenker diverticulum in thyroid operation between July 2001 and December 2011 were reviewed.

RESULTSZenker diverticula in the patients were resected. Only one case was complicated with the formation of false capsular bag, infection and fistula postoperatively, but cured with draining eventually.

CONCLUSIONSZenker diverticulum may exist in some patients with thyroid mass. Resection of diverticulum may be performed in thyroid operation, with a good prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Zenker Diverticulum ; diagnosis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo observe and compare the effects of 17beta-estradiol (EST) on the phasic and tonic contractile activities of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats in vitro.

METHODSDifferent concentrations of 17beta-estradiol were added into the perfusion muscular sockets containing uterine smooth muscles of SD rats, and the activities of muscle contraction were recorded at the same time.

RESULTS17beta-estradiol had obvious depression effects on spontaneous rhythmic contraction of the uterine smooth muscles in a concentration-dependent manner, it could considerably decrease muscular tension, the mean amplitudes and frequencies of contractile waves (P < 0.01); it could also suppress the uterine contraction stimulated by KCl, CaCl2 or prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). Based on the contraction of uterine smooth muscle stimulated by KCl, IC50 was 7.278 micromol/L and pD2 was -0.862 when calculated by linear regression method. 17beta-estradiol could also inhibit the maximal CaC12 contraction of uterine smooth muscle in the Ca2+ free Krebs solution, which the ECQ was 1.422 x 10(-3) mol/L, pD2 was 2.847 (control), but the E50 was 3.028 x 10(-3) mol/L, p2 was 2.519 (added with EST) when calculated by linear regression method.

CONCLUSIONThe depression effects of 17beta-estradiol on the spontaneous rhythmic contraction and activated contraction of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats could be mediated through the blockage of C2+ influx through potential-dependent Ca2+ channels of plasma membrane.

Animals ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Myometrium ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVEThough myasthenia gravis (MG) is a typical autoimmune disorder, there was some controversy on the treatment of the childhood-onset MG. By observing the efficacy of different therapies, the authors analyzed the affecting factors of prognosis in childhood-onset MG.

METHODThe retrospective data of 155 patients with childhood-onset MG (age of MG onset was less than 15 years) were collected from Department of Neurology, Beijing Tongren Hospital (January 2000 - February 2010). The patients were non-randomly divided according to their treatment into 3 groups (glucocorticoid, thymectomy and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy groups). Postintervention status meeting the criteria of Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) "complete stable remission, CSR", "pharmacologic remission, PR", "minimal manifestations, MM", or "Improved, I" was regarded as desirable response, which was used as primary indicator of observation. The authors assessed the efficacy of three therapies and analyzed the influencing factors of prognosis by using Chi-square test and Logistic regression.

RESULTAt 3 months of treatment, glucocorticoid group showed the highest effective rate. At the end of 1 year or 2 years of treatment, glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy group showed the highest effective rate respectively. The generalization rate of MG at 2 years, 10 years and 20 years in childhood-onset ocular MG patients were 4.3%, 10.7%, and 41.5%, respectively. Of patients with generalization of MG, 48.1% occurred within 2 years, 92.6% within 20 years. Univariate analysis showed that in childhood-onset ocular MG patients, variables such as age at onset (> 10 years), LG-MG and with chronic fatigue were significantly associated with general MG conversion. Whereas multivariate analysis showed that patients with age at onset (> 10 years) and chronic muscle fatigue were apt to convert to generalized MG.

CONCLUSIONGlucocorticoid appeared to have an effect that leads to early remission of symptoms in childhood-onset MG patients and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy appeared to have better long-term effect. For those childhood-onset ocular MG patients with longer course of disease, older age of onset, chronic fatigue, or LG-MG, physicians should try to prevent the generalization of MG by immunosuppressive therapies.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymectomy ; Young Adult