To investigate the effects of Caulis Sargentodoxae Granule (CSG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating endometriosis, on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor-2 fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) in rats with endometriosis.

Recently, novel Psidium meroterpenoids were reported in the guava leaves. According to careful analysis of the spectral data of literatures, the spectroscopic characteristics and biosynthetic pathway of Psidium meroterpenoids were summarized in this paper. The results showed that Psidium meroterpenoids had distinct spectroscopic features and reasonable biosynthetic routines, however the number order of carbon atoms was not consistent in the reported literatures. It was concluded that Psidium meroterpenoids were the characteristic chemical constituents of Psidium guajava Linn.
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Psidium ; chemistry ; Spectrum Analysis ; Terpenes ; chemistry

Objective To cultivate clinical nurse skilled in ECG identification.Methods A practical teaching model was constructed,aiming at improving clinical practice,with basic theory of ECG as premise,teaching atlas of emergency ECG as resources,and interest cultivation as means,and the practice was completed by ECG rapid reading.Results The ECG reading speed and reading accuracy of those trained students increased significantly.The baseline test scores of reading was ( 35.54 ± 9.13 ) points,the exam grade after training was (83.46 ± 9.42 ) points,comparative differences between groups was statistically significant ( t =20.008 5,P ＜0.01 ).Conclusions The teaching method which uses basic theory of ECG as premise,teaching atlas of emergency ECG as resources and interest cultivation as means conduces to cultivating the clinical nursing personnel on rapid identification of ECG.

To investigate the correlation between methylation and expression of multidrug resistance (mdr1) gene, restriction endonuclease HpaII combined with competitive PCR technique was used to quantitatively detect the methylation status of two CCGG sites located at -110 and -50 bp (region I and II) up to the transcription start site in mdr1 promoter in 54 AL and 9 MM patients. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of mdr1 gene. The results showed that inverse correlation between methylation rate of either region or total methylation rate and expression of mdr1 gene was observed. The correlation in the region I (r = -0.64) was closer than that in the region II (r = -0.4). High expression rate of mdr1 ascended significantly in low methylation group (n = 36) (P < 0.001). In comparison with chemotherapy sensitive group (n = 8), the methylation rate in refractory AL patients (n = 16) was lower (P = 0.05) in the region I, P < 0.05 in the region II and total regions. Comparing with the untreated patients (n = 36), the methylation rate in the region I and total methylation rate were lower in the patients with chemotherapy (n = 14) (P < 0.05). The methylation rate in the region II was also decreased after chemotherapy, however, no statistical significance was shown (P > 0.05). Increased mdr1 expression level accompanying with decreased methylation rate after chemotherapy was found, although no significant difference was shown (P = 0.06). It is concluded that the expression level of mdr1 gene was associated with the methylation status of CCGG in -110 and -50 bp upstream to the transcription start site, especially the -110 site. In both the patients treated with chemotherapy and the refractory patients, the methylation level of mdr1 gene decreased relatively. The rising expression of mdr1 gene after chemotherapy was associated with the decrease of methylation level.
DNA Methylation ; Genes, MDR ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Intracellular pH (pHi) has an important influence on the metabolic activity of cells or cellular processes. The intracellular pH (pHi) of long-chain alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acid-producing Candida tropicalis was determined by fluorescence technique using a pH-sensitive fluorescent probe 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate. Optimal loading conditions of the fluorescent probe into the cells were experimentally determined. Effects of extracellular pH and carbon sources for growth on pHi in the cell grown in a flask were studied; the results indicated that extracellular pH has a slight influence on pHi, whereas carbon sources such as sucrose, glucose, acetic acid, and n-tridecane showed moderate influences. Further work on the relationship between the cell growth activity and pHi was carried out in a 5 L bioreactor. The time course of specific rates of the cell growth, glucose consumption, CO2 production, and pH gradients across cell plasma membrane were plotted, where the cell growth was improved by the higher pHi at 8 - 12 h. The measured pHi values were varied from 5.72 to 6.15 at medium pH 6.0 in which glucose and sodium acetate were used together as carbon source. The investigation of pHi can be helpful for understanding its effects on the kinetics of the metabolic steps involved in the synthesis rate of alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acid and alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acid transport across plasma membranes.
Candida tropicalis ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Culture Techniques ; methods ; Dicarboxylic Acids ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Microscopy, Fluorescence

OBJECTIVETo improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of the disease on the basis of the clinical features and genetic characteristics of patients with Silver Russell syndrome (SRS).

METHODPatients diagnosed with SRS by Price criteria in 2006 to 2011 were reviewed for their clinical manifestations, physical signs, laboratory examinations and treatments.

RESULTTwenty cases with SRS were 0.08-12.17 yr old. Fifteen were male and 5 were female. The clinical characteristics included more than 80% of cases had postnatal growth retardation 100% (20/20), craniofacial dysmorphism 100% (20/20), small for gestation age 95% (19/20), asymmetry and thinning of the face and/or limbs 90% (18/20), fifth finger clinodactyly 80% (16/20), BMI < -2 SDS 80% (16/20). Their height was obviously lagging behind in the bone age. HD SDS/average of bone retardation was 3.08. The two patients with the chief complaint of external genital abnormalities would have aggressive surgical treatment and they did not use the growth hormone (GH) treatment. Only six patients had used the GH treatment. GH treatment at a dose of 0.1 IU/(kg·d) used in 2 cases achieved a growth velocity (GV) 8 - 11 cm/yr but in another 2 cases < 5 cm/yr. In genetic study, 6 patients were found to have 11p15 low methylation, 1 had low and high methylation, 1 had duplication, no relation between clinical and methylation of 11p15 was found.

CONCLUSIONThere were great variations of clinical features in SRS characterized by small for gestation age and/or postnatal growth retardation, craniofacial dysmorphism, asymmetry of the face and/or limbs or ultrafine limbs, fifth finger clinodactyly. Severely low BMI was seen and height was obviously lagging behind in the bone age. The findings of laboratory tests and imaging of SRS were not specific. Some of SRS had 11p15 imprinting defects. The treatment of SRS is mainly symptomatic.

Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Body Height ; Bone Density ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genomic Imprinting ; Growth Disorders ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Silver-Russell Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of dutasteride inhibiting fertility by studying its effects on the expressions of the epididymal epithelial junction proteins Claudin1 and β-catenin in rats.

METHODSSixteen 3-month-old SD male rats were equally divided into an experimental and a negative control group to be treated intragastrically with dutasteride at 40 mg/kg per day and the same dose of solvent, respectively, for 14 consecutive days. Then, the sperm motility and morphology of the rats were detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis, the serum levels of testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) measured by ELISA, changes in the tight junction of epididymal cells observed under the transmission electron microscope, the protein and gene expressions of Claudin1 and β-catenin determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, and the conception rate of the mated female rats calculated.

RESULTSDutasteride significantly suppressed the serum DHT level, sperm motility, and fertility of the rats (P <0.05). Interspaces between epididymal epithelial cell tight junctions were observed, the volume of epididymal fluid obviously increased, and the expressions of Claudin1 and β-catenin gene and protein remarkably downregulated in the experimental rats (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONDutasteride can significantly inhibit the fertility of male rats by reducing the serum DHT level, suppressing Claudin1 and β-catenin expressions, and damaging epididymal epithelial cell junctions.

Animals ; Azasteroids ; pharmacology ; Claudin-1 ; metabolism ; Dihydrotestosterone ; blood ; Dutasteride ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Fertility ; drug effects ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood ; Urological Agents ; pharmacology ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of strychnos alkaloids on the proliferation of adult rat neuroprogenitor cells.

METHODSStrychnos alkaloids free of strychnine and brucine were extracted from Strychnos nux vomica, and the effects of Strychnos alkaloids on the survival of HEK293 and PC12 cells were evaluated using MTT assay. In vitro cultured adult rat neuroprogenitor cells isolated from the hippocampus were treated with different concentrations of Strychnos alkaloids for 2 days, and the cell proliferation was assessed using BrdU incorporation assay.

RESULTSAt the concentration above 0.5 mg/ml, Strychnos alkaloids produced toxic effect against HEK293 cells (P<0.0001), while for PC12 cells, Strychnos alkaloids inhibited the cell survival at the concentration as low as 5 microg/ml (P<0.0001). After 2 days of exposure to 50 microg/ml Strychnos alkaloids, the neuroprogenitor cells showed significantly decreased number of BrdU-positive cells (P<0.01), but the total cell number remained stable when compared with that of the control cells (P>0.05), whereas at the concentration of 100 microg/ml, Strychnos alkaloids produced obvious cytotoxicity against the neuroprogenitor cells.

CONCLUSIONStrychnos alkaloids can significantly inhibit the proliferation of adult rat neuroprogenitor cells, and this effect is probably selective, suggesting the potential of Strychnos alkaloids as a new drug for treatment of neurocytoma.

Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Humans ; Neurons ; cytology ; PC12 Cells ; cytology ; Rats ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Strychnos ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore whether there is a relationship between gross tumor volume (GTV) and pathologic lymph node metastasis or prognosis of esophageal carcinoma, and to provide a new prognosis reference for esophageal carcinoma (EC).

METHODSSix hundred and seven patients received radical resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma from May 2002 to June 2006 in our hospital, and their pre-operative CT images were transmitted to the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy planning system by the network in digital format. Esophageal GTV targets were outlined and their GTV volumes were calculated. To analyze whether there is a relationship between GTV volume and pathologic lymph node metastasis or prognosis.

RESULTSIn the 607 cases of esophageal carcinoma, the GTV volume was (22.5 ± 16.8) cm(3) in 374 stage N0 EC patients, significantly different from that of (30.4 ± 20.1) cm(3) in 233 stage N1 EC cases (P < 0.001). There is a significant difference between the GTV volumes of the groups with and without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference of the GTV volumes of EC patients with one lymph node metastasis and those with ≥ 4 lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between GTV volume and the number of lymph node metastasis (r = 0.230, P < 0.001). The 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates since the surgery date were 83.8%, 53.5%, and 36.4%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the survival rates of stage N0 (48.5%) and stage N1 patients (18.2%, P < 0.001), and there was a significant difference between the survival rats of patients with 0, 1 and ≥ 2 lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). Cox regression model analysis showed that GTV volume, number of lymph node metastasis, pathological type, and lesion site were independent prognostic factors (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe GTV volume of esophageal carcinoma is positively correlated with the number of pathologic lymph node metastasis, and it is an independent prognostic factor for this cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Burden

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of "outside-in" arthroscopic cam resection in the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)syndrome.Methods Nine patients were treated with "outside-in" hip arthroscopy for cam or mixed type FAI syndrome between July 2015 and July 2016.All the 9 patients(11 hips)underwent osseous correction of the femoral neck and labral debridement.Before the surgery and 12 months after it,all patients were evaluated using the Harris Score and their complications were observed.Results The average postoperative Harris Score(92.5,range from 64 to 100)was significantly better compared with the preoperative one(56.4,range from 22 to 70,P＜ 0.001).One patient with blister on dorsal foot and another with fluid leakage were cured.No neurovascular injuries or cartilage injuries were found among all the patients.Conclusion "Outside-in" arthroscopic treatment of FAI with osseous correction and labral debridement is safe and effective.