Objective: To investigate the effects of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate on cell cycle and apoptosis of human gastric epithelial cell line AGS cells. Methods: The inhibitory effects of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate at different concentrations on AGS cell growth were measured by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and the concentrations of taraxerol and taraxeryl acetate to be used in following experiments were decided. Then, cell cycle analysis was performed by FACScan flow cytometry after culture with taraxerol or taraxeryl acetate. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining was used to measure cell apoptosis. Results: Taraxerol significantly inhibited AGS cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Taraxerol arrested the AGS cells at G(2)/M stage. 110 μmol/L taraxerol elevated the population of AGS cells arrested in G(2)/M phase compared with solvent (P<0.05). Taraxerol also promoted early cell apoptosis in AGS cells. 110 μmol/L taraxerol increased the early cell apoptosis rate from 4.45% to 10.29%, which was 1.31 times higher than that of the untreated cells. However, taraxeryl acetate had a lower inhibitory effect than taraxerol, and it showed a tendency of G(2)/M arrest and apoptosis promotion but with no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: Taraxerol has inhibitory effects on AGS cell growth through inducing G(2)/M arrest and promotion of cell apoptosis. Taraxeryl acetate has less effect on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of AGS cells than taraxerol.

China ; Occupational Health Services

Objective: The main ingredients and the inhibitory effects of essential oil of a compound Chinese herbal medicine Weiqi Decoction (WQD) on AGS cell proliferation were to be investigated. Methods: Chemical compounds of WQD essential oil were detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis. Cell viability was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium method. Cell cycle distribution was detected by flow cytometry. Apoptosis and necrosis of AGS cells were determined by Hoechst 33342/propidium iodine staining. Results: Chemical analysis showed that the main ingredients of WQD essential oil were bornylene and 3-n-butylphthalide. Ligustilide, which is the effective compound of Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), was not detected in WQD essential oil. The essential oil inhibited cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and blocked cell cycle progression at G(2)/M stage. At the concentrations that resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest, essential oil induced both apoptosis and necrosis. Conclusion: The results suggest that WQD essential oil contains some effective ingredients for treating chronic atrophic gastritis and functional dyspepsia, and also has an antiproliferative effect on AGS cells through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis promotion in vitro. Therefore, essential oil should be retained as much as possible during stewing this decoction.

Public hospital reform pilots have been initiated recently and it is necessary to clarify some key issues. To this end, thispaper touches upon six fundamental issues, discussing the generality and value for the existence of public hospitals, differences between reforms of public hospital and those of state-owned enterprise, the public financing for and regulation on public hospitals, relationship with the private sector, as well as service and function positioning of public hospitals.

Drug Monitoring ; statistics & numerical data ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Research Design ; Serum ; chemistry

In order to study the spectral reflectance differences of Glycyrrhizae Radix under different growth conditions and lay the foundation for quantitative monitoring of Glycyrrhizae Radix remote sensing images, spectra of Glycyrrhiza species under different growth period and different varieties and different regions were measured by a portable spectrometer. The results showed that the reflectivity of annual G. uralensis was obviously higher than that of the two years plant in the visible light band own to the contents of crown layer chlorophyll. The reflectivity of two years G. pallidiflora was higher than that of G. uralensis in the near infrared band own to the leaf area index and the content of leaf water. The red edge spectrum of annual plant fluctuated largely than that of two years plant due to vegetation coverage and leaf area index. G. pallidiflora grew well than G. uralensis. Under different regions of the Glycyrrhiza species, spectral data analysis showed that within a certain range, the average annual precipitation and average annual evaporation were the major factors to affect the differences of Glycyrrhiza species spectral data under different regions owe to the leaf water content, the higher leaf water content, the lower spectral reflectance. The principal component analysis and continuum-removed method of the spectral data under different regions found that, within a certain range, the average annual precipitation and average annual evaporation were the major factors caused by the differences of Glycyrrhiza species spectral data under the different regions, Glycyrrhiza species spectral similarity related to the spatial distance.
Geography ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; Spectrum Analysis

Objective To evaluate the long-term outcome of reconstruction for urinary conti-nence function by using implantation of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS). Methods From 2002 to 2005,15 incontinent patients (14 men and 1 woman) with age range of 19-75 years treated with im-plantation of AUS were followed up. In 15 eases, there were 5 cases with traumatic urinary inconti-nence, 1 with neurogenic stress incontinence, 1 with neurogenic urgent incontinence,6 with postpros-tatectomy incontinence and 2 with neurogenie voiding dysfunction. Three eases had taken urethro-stenotomy, 3 had sphineterotomy and 1 had enterocystoplasty and ureterovesieostomy before the im-plantation for AUS. The patients were followed up for 13-55 months with mean of 37 months. The information about the continence status and pads usage, also the complications were collected. Results After implantation, 13 cases(87%)used AUS device normally, 12(92%)beeame dry and 1 (8%) got social continence. Eleven cases (85%) got continence depending on the original implanted AUS and 15% did continence by reoperation. There were 4 cases(27%) with complications including erosion of skin and urethral in 1, graft rejection in 1, urethral atrophy in 1, and voiding dysfunction in 1. Durability of 11 cases with original implanted devices was 13-55 months with mean of 38 months.Conclusion The implantation of AUS is a long-term reliable method in reconstruction for lower uri-nary tract function.

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of replacement of ordinary syringes by auto-disposal syringes (AD) in China.

METHODSSampling survey was conducted in Hebei province to collect data on the direct medical spending of hepatitis B and their Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) losses. The financial burden on hepatitis B was calculated based on the result of field survey as well as through data-base of the Second National Health Services Survey of MOH in 1998. The cost-benefit analysis was employed, in which the saving of the financial burden on hepatitis B patients attributing to unsafe injections was taken as the benefit of intervention and the increased expenditures of AD syringes as the costs.

RESULTSThe total financial disease burden of Hepatitis B in China in 2001 was between RMB 16.19 and 20.17 billion Yuan and the financial disease burden per patient was between RMB 1755.38 and 1409.64 Yuan. Study on the cost-benefit analysis in the replacement intervention program showed high financial feasibility. The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of the measure was between 32.46 and 97.39, which was bigger in rural areas than that in cities. The direct BCR was less than one when the price gap between ordinary syringe and AD exceeded RMB 0.24 Yuan.

CONCLUSIONThe intervention of safe injection practice through universal usage of AD to replace ordinary syringe seemed to be applicable due to its high potential economic benefits.

China ; epidemiology ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Cross Infection ; economics ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Disposable Equipment ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Equipment Reuse ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; economics ; transmission ; Humans ; Injections ; adverse effects ; economics ; instrumentation ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Sampling Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syringes ; economics

Background The pathological change of the anterior uveitis is the disruption of blood-aqueous barrier.Slit lamp examination appears to be limited for the evaluation of inflammatory response,and fluorescine angiography is an objective approach.However,there are few relative studies up to now in China.Objective Aim of this study was to observe the characteristics and assess the clinical applications of iris fluorescein angiography (IFA)in Chinese uveitis with brown iris.Methods Forty eyes of 40 normal subjects and 21 eyes of 13 patients with the anterior uveitis were collected in this study.IFA,slit-lamp examination and iris photograph were performed on the subjects.All individuals were informed consented at the initiation of this study.Results In normal eyes,fluorescence in iris vessels was blocked by the melanin pigment,but peripupillary weak fluorescent leakage was seen in the normal eyes with the age of ＞60 years old.The multiple patterns of fluorescence leakage were found in the patients suffered from uveitis of various etiologies although the negative slit-lamp finding,including the leakage of fluorescein around the pupillary margin and radial iris vessels in the eyes with mild diseases,transmitted fluorescence of regular iris vessels in the eyes with diffuse and local iris atrophy,and vascular tufts of the pupillary margin with coiled interwind tight clusters of thin vessels at the early phase in the eyes with dilated capillaries,microvascular anomalies and new vessel formation.The hyperfluorescence remained throughout the IFA duration.Conclusions IFA findings in uveitis vary depending on the topography,type and severity of inflammation.IFA has a good clinical applying value because of its objective assessment ability of the degree of the blood-aqueous barrier breakdown and iris neovascularization breakdown.It can exhibit the unvisible lesion under the slit-lamp and monitor the efficacy of medical theraphy in patients with active or quiescent uveitis.

OBJECTIVE: To perform the proteome analysis of conditioned medium prepared from mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers by 2-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis and mass spectrometry and to find out the possible differentiation-inhibitory factor in conditioned medium. METHODS: Feeder layers were prepared by 60Co gamma-irradiation on mouse embryonic fibroblast. Insulin-transferrin-sodium selenite supplemented medium was used to culture the feeder layers for 24 hours. The condioned medium prepared from mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers were made into powder by lyophilization, the redissolved solution was applied to Sephadex G-50 gel filtration chromatography, and then cold acetone was used to precipitate the proteins in the eluted solution. The protein samples were applied to 2D electrophoresis. The 2D images were analyzed by 2D image analysis software. Selected protein spots were digested by trypsin, analyzed by mass spectrometry, and then searched against the NCBInr batabase using Mascot MS/MS Ions Search. RESULTS: The protein samples extracted from mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers conditioned medium could be used for 2D electrophoresis. On 2D images, there were (221+/-67) spots. Most of the proteins were located in the region of MW 20 approximately 70 kD, pI 4 approximately 8. Using mass spectrometry, we preliminarily identified 13 spots: 3 keratins, 3 transferrins, 1 trypsin precursor, 2 unknown proteins (3 spots), 1 connexin 46, 1 beta-galactoside binding protein, and 1 secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine. CONCLUSION Conditioned medium prepared from mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers contain beta-galactoside binding protein and secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; chemistry ; Cysteine ; chemistry ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Galactosides ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mice ; Proteome