Objective: To observe the protective effect of salvianolic acid B (Sal B) on pancreatic islet cells in diabetic rats with fluctuating blood glucose and the possible mechanisms implicated. Methods: Diabetes model in rats was established by feeding with high-sugar and high-fat diets combined with ip injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Then the rats were subjected to ip injection of insulin and/or ig administration of glucose at indicated time for 6 weeks to induce blood glucose fluctuation, with those in Sal B groups ig supplemented with Sal B 160 or 80 mg/kg. The contents of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting serum insulin (FINS), and glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) and the levels of total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in both serum and pancreatic tissues were determined with commercially available kits. Pathological changes and cell apoptosis in pancreatic islets were evaluated by HE staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. Protein levels of PDX-1 in pancreatic tissues were examined by Western blotting analysis. Results: Compared with the control group, the contents of FBG, GHb, and MDA in diabetic rats were increased significantly, while the levels of FINS, TAC, and SOD activity were decreased markedly (P < 0.01). Pancreatic islets in diabetic rats became decreased in size and number, while cell apoptosis in islets increased notably (P < 0.01). Protein level of PDX-1 was significantly decreased in pancreas of diabetic rats (P < 0.01). Supplementation with Sal B resulted in a significant decrease in FBG, GHb, and MDA contents and increase in FINS, TAC, and SOD activity in diabetic rats (P < 0.05, 0.01). Sal B significantly attenuated pathological changes and reduced cell apoptosis in pancreatic islets of diabetic rats, with the expression of PDX-1 protein up-regulated evidently (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion: Sal B can significantly ameliorate pancreatic pathological changes and improve pancreatic islet function in diabetic rats with fluctuating blood glucose, which might be attributed to attenuation of oxidative stress, up-regulation of PDX-1 expression, and suppression of islet cell apoptosis.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cadmium Compounds ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Quantum Dots ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; metabolism ; Selenium Compounds ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; Tellurium ; Zinc Compounds

Objective To observe the effect of auricular point sticking on the sleep quality of patients undergone liver transplantation.Method The sleep quality was assessed by using sleep quality scale. The patients undergone liver transplantation were randomized into two groups, both receiving auricular point sticking, while the insomnia zone was selected in the observation group and non-insomnia zone was selected in the control group, 4 weeks as a treatment course.Result In 4 weeks after the transplantation, there were significant inter-group differences in comparing the scores of unfreshing sleep, difficulty falling asleep, nightmairs, medications, post-insomnia reactivity, and the total score of the self-rating scale of sleep (SRSS) (P＜0.05); in 2 months after the transplantation, there were significant differences in comparing the scores of sleep latency, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, sleep medications, daytime dysfunction, and the global score of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) between the two groups (P＜0.05), indicating that the sleep quality in the observation group was markedly improved. Three months after transplantation, there were no significant differences in comparing the sleep indexes between the two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion Auricular point sticking at the insomnia zone can markedly improve the short-term sleep disorder in patients after liver transplantation, and can reduce the dose of sleep medications.

Background and purpose: Gene chip is a nucleic acid sequence analysis method which is based on hybridization. It is a high-through put assay which can widely detect the level of gene expression in different tissues and cell types. This study aimed to compare and bioinformatically analyze differentially expressed genes between higher malignant degree of prostate cancer tissues and prostate inflammation tissues. Methods: The total RNAs were isolated from tissues of prostate cancer and prostate inflammation by TRIzol method and then purified, reversely tran-scribed to cDNA with incorporating biotin labeling probe, hybridized with Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2.0 (covering 47000 transcripts,representing 38500 distinct genes). Picture signals of fluorescence in gene array were scanned and differential expression of gene in two tissues were compared by Command Console Software 4.0. These differential expressed genes were analyzed by bioinformatics methods finally. Results: According to the fold change ≥2, P<0.05, 1819 differential expression genes including 1025 up-regulated genes and 794 down-regulated genes were discovered. GO enrichment analysis displayed that these differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in cell cycle, cell metabolism, etc. KEGG pathway analysis found that these genes were mainly involved in some metabolism pathways including purine nucleotide metabolism. The interactions between the proteins encoded by these genes were analyzed by STING. Twenty key nodes genes including TPX2, ANLN, NUSAP1, MELK, DLGAP5, KIF11, TOP2A, RRM2 were dis-covered. Then this study revealed CEP55 and ANLN might be related to the occurrence and metastasis of prostate cancer by looking through literature. Conclusion: During the development of prostate cancer, the activation of genes related to cell cycle and cell migration, the abnormalities of genes related to metabolism and the inhibition of genes related to cell adhesion play critical roles in the development of prostate cancer. CEP55 and ANLN were related to the occurrence and prognosis of prostate cancer by systematic analysis which provided a valuable clue for the next experiment.

Objective To assess the effective length of jejunal graft when the 3~(rd) intestinal artery is u- tilized as vascular pedicle and afford a reliable theoretic base for clinical esophageal reconstruction.Methods In 32 formalin preserved and 21 fresh cadaver specimens,the diameter of 1st to 5th intestinal arteries and diameter of arterial arches are measured with linear calibre.Measure the length of jejunum that can be harves- ted as graft when the arches are extended.In the 21 fresh specimens,the 1st,2nd,4th and 5th intestinal ar- teries are ligated,acetic ester stained with red dye were injected into the lumen of 3rd intestinal artery via catheter.Extent of distribution of the arteries to the jejunum was observed.And then red ABS solution was in- jected into the 3rd intestinal artery to make into cast specimen.The blood supply distribution of jejunum through 3rd intestinal artery-arterial arch and communicating system were observed again.Results The di- ameter of the 3rd intestinal artery was the largest among the 1st to 5th intestinal arteries.The length of jejunum vascularized by 3rd intestinal artery can be as long as (142.2?62.3) (69.0～206.60cm) in acetic ester in- filtrated specimens.While in ABS east specimen,the average available extent of donor jejunum was(30.8?7.3) (23.0～37.3cm).Conclusion As observed by this applied anatomy study,the jejunum graft vascu- larized by 3rd intestinal artery alone has sufficient length to meet the need of esophageal reeonstrution.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of bulbar myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods Retrospective review was performed on 166 patients with bulbar type of myasthenia gravis, diagnosed at Tongji Hospital in the period of May 1983 through October 2005.Results Bulbar MG was a relatively rare type of MG,accounting for 5.7% (166/2888) of MG classifications.Females were more often affected than males (the ratio of male:female was 1:1.35).The peak of onset age was at 20—40 years.The incidence of myasthenia crisis in the group was 26.5% (44/166).Myasthenic crisis occurred in 10.8% (18/166) of the bulbar MG patients within 6 months after onset,resulting in a mortality rate of 6.0% (10/166) in the group.Out of the group,30 cases experienced puhnonary infections (18.1%). Thirty cases were initially misdiagnosed as other diseases such as nasopharyngeal disorders (33/166, 19.9%).The routine therapy was not very satisfactory.Median dose cyclophosphamide therapy appeared to be effective for ameliorating refractory MG.Thymectomy was performed in 25 patients,with optimistic efficacy rate up to 80.0% (20/25) in a 3-year follow-up.Conclusions The clinical analysis in the current study suggested that the bulbar MG had its own characteristics in such aspects as progression of the disease, complications,treatment and prognosis.The information of the clinical manifestations presented in this study may be useful in diagnosing and treating bulbar MG.

The radical compliance of small diameter artificial vascular grafts was measured by a device made of laser micrometer, pressure transducer, A/D card, micro computer and pulsed circulation loop, the volumetric compliance was measured by a device made of micro-syringe and pressure transducer; the longitudinal compliance was calculated from volumetric compliance and radical compliance. The research results showed that the radical compliance, volumetric compliance and longitudinal compliance would rise not only with the increase in polyurethane (PU) elasticity and salt/polymer ratio (or porosity), but also with the decrease in dipping layers (or wall thickness). Circumferential moduli E zeta and longitudinal moduli E theta could be calculated from volumetric compliance and longitudinal compliance respectively; E theta and E zeta would decrease with the increase in PU elasticity and salt/polymer ratio, but was independent on number of dipping layers. Small diameter PU artificial vascular grafts with compliance close to natural vein or artery can be prepared by choosing of more elastic PU materials (Chro or PCU1500), optimization of salt/polymer ratio (6:1), and the number of dipping layers (4-6 layers).
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Compliance ; Elasticity ; Humans ; Polyurethanes ; chemistry

Actins ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Giant Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Osteoclasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from Pholidota yunnanensis.

METHODVarious chromatographic techniques were employed for isolation and purification of the constituents. The structures were elucidated by chemical and spectral analyses.

RESULTSeven compounds were obtained and they were identified by spectroscopic analysis as n-nonacosane, cyclopholidone, n-dotriacontanoic acid, n-octacostyl ferulate, cyclopholidonol, cycloneolitsol and beta-sitosterol, respectively.

CONCLUSIONn-octacostyl ferulate and cycloneolitsol were isolated from genus Pholidota for the first time.

Alkanes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

AIMTo investigate the chemical constituents of Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook.

METHODSVarious chromatographic techniques were employed for isolation and purification of the constituents. The structures were elucidated by IR, MS, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and 2D-NMR.

RESULTSEight compounds were obtained and identified by spectral analysis as fimbriatone, confusarin, crepidatin, physcion, rhein, ayapin, scopolin methyl ether and n-octacostyl ferulate.

CONCLUSIONFimbriatone is a new compound, physcion and rhein are firstly isolated from Genus Dendrobium. The others are found from this species for the first time. Fimbriatone showed potential inhibitory effects on BGC cell line.

Anthraquinones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; Emodin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lactones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured