Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; therapy

Otolaryngology ; Periodicals as Topic

To investigate the anticancer effects of ring C in 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a series of GA derivatives featured with 9(11)-ene moiety in ring C were designed and synthesized. The structures were confirmed by IR, LC-MS and 1H NMR. Their inhibitory effects towards human prostate cancer PC-3 and leukemia HL-60 cell lines were determined. Most of the derivatives displayed stronger antiproliferative activities than GA. Particularly, compound 14 showed promising anticancer activity with the GI50 values of 4.48 µmol · L(-1) and 1.2 µmol · L(-1) against PC-3 and HL-60 cells respectively, which is worth further study.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Design ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; HL-60 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology

Steroidal saponins have a wide range of pharmacological effects and biological activities, such as anti-tumor, antifungal, hypoglycemic, immune regulation, insecticides, etc. In the last ten years, some new structures of steroidal saponins compounds were found from natural plants, they have some new and different activities. In order to accelerate the research on the drug innovation of steroidal saponins, we summarized the new progress of the research on such compounds.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Steroids ; pharmacology

AIM To study the chemical constituents from the rhizomas of Smilax glauco-china Warb.METHODS The n-butanol fraction of ethanol extract of S.glauco-china was isolated and purified by silica,Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative column,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Ten compounds were isolated and identified as phenethanol-β-D-gentiobioside (1),2-phenylethyl-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 →6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2),phenylethyl D-rutinoside (3),phenylethyl β-D-glucoside (4),hydrangeifolin Ⅰ (5),icariside D1 (6),calophymembranside B (7),2-hydroxyphenol-1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(6 → 1)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (8),β-sitosterol (9),daucosterol (10).CONCLUSION All the compounds are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Objective To study whether the organs besides digestive system of musca domestica Ⅲ instar larvae have the capability of produceing musca β-glucosidase.Methods Tissues of malpighian tubules,trachea,epiploon and body wall of musca domestica Ⅲ instar lar-vae were dissected under anatomic microscope,and the expression of β-glucosidase gene in these dissected tissues were detected by reverse transcription PCR.And the tissue localization of β-glucosidase mRNA was further identified by in situ hybridization.Moreover,anti-cellulase was used to determinate the tissue distribution with immunohistochemical staining.The relative mRNA expression levels of musca domesticaβ-glucosidase gene in these organs were tested by real-time quantitative PCR.Results The reverse transcription PCR showed that the ampli-fication products of β-glucosidase gene were observed in tissues of malpighian tubules,trachea and body wall.β-glucosidase mRNA was shown in the epithelium cells of malpighian tubules,trachea and body wall by in situ hybridization,and it was almost the same in the results of im-munohistochemical staining.The real-time quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression quantity of β-glucosidase gene in malpighian tubules and body wall were higher than that in foregut,while it was lower in itrachea than that in foregut.And it was of statistical difference in gene expression level of β-glucosidase among these organs (P <0.05).Conclusion Malpighian tubules,trachea and body wall of musca domestica Ⅲ instar larvae have the function of secreting β-glucosidase.Combining with the characteristics of secreting β-glucosidase in most organs of digestive system,it may provide a new biological method for the prevention and treatment of human diseases transmitted by musca domestica with the use of taget gene β-glucosidase.

BACKGROUNDThe epidemiologic pictures of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Shanghai from 1998 through 2002 were reported, while the current status of KD in the following five years remains unknown.

METHODSA questionnaire form and diagnostic guidelines for KD were sent to 50 hospitals providing pediatric medical care in Shanghai, China. All patients with KD diagnosed during January 2003 through December 2007 were recruited.

RESULTSIn total, 1187 cases of KD were enrolled. The incidence of KD was 36.78 to 53.28 (mean 46.32 ± 6.51) per 100 000 children under the age of 5 years between 2003 and 2007, which was higher than the year from 1998 to 2002 of (27.32 ± 7.11) per 100 000, (t = 4.406, P = 0.002). Ages at onset ranged from 12 days to 13.6 years (median 1.8 years). It occurred more frequently in summer and spring. Coronary arterial lesions (CAL), defined as ectasia or aneurysm, accounted for 19.8% (232 cases). Flattened or inverted T wave was the most frequent finding (194 cases, 20.5%) by electrocardiogram. Intravenous gamma-globulin was administrated to 1028 cases (86.6%). The occurrence of CAL seemed less frequent in the patients received gamma-globulin from day 5 to day 9 after the onset with the regimen of 1000 mg/kg once or 1000 mg/kg twice.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of KD was increasing in Shanghai. Treatment with intravenous gamma-globulin from day 5 to day 9 after the onset with the regimen of 1000 mg/kg once or 1000 mg/kg twice resulted in less coronary sequelae.

Adolescent ; Age of Onset ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo analyze the existence and the dynamic cell frequencies of human cells in goats transplanted in utero with human hematopoietic stem cell (hHSC) by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique.

METHODSInterphase FISH (IFISH) with human-specific 17-chromosome satellite DNA and/or human-specific Y-chromosome satellite DNA as probes was performed to analyze the presence and proportions of human cells in 13 transplanted goats. Samples were peripheral blood cells, bone marrow smears and liver touch imprint preparations.

RESULTSOf the 13 transplanted goats, eleven were identified to present human cells. Among them, two goats transplanted with human male HSC were found to have human male cells. The results demonstrated that these transplanted goats were human/goat HSC xenogeneic chimeras. Human cell frequencies decreased with the goat age (months), but the longest survival reached 21 months. During the detected life periods of goats, human cell frequencies in peripheral blood, bone marrow and liver tissues were less than 1@1000, but local human cell frequencies of 207.92@1000 and 392.41@1000 were detected in the liver tissues of 2 transplanted goats.

CONCLUSIONSThe existence and long-term survival of human cells in transplanted goats detected by FISH indicated that goats were appropriate recipients for hHSC in utero transplantation. The lower human cell frequencies in blood and bone marrow, and the higher local human cell frequencies in liver tissues suggested that the microenvironment of goat liver tissues might favor the survival, proliferation and differentiation of human cells.

Animals ; Female ; Goats ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Uterus ; surgery

Purpose: The global fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to widespread vaccination efforts, yet the optimal dosing schedule for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines remains a subject of ongoing research. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of administering two booster doses as the third and fourth doses at different intervals to enhance vaccine protection. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at a military regional hospital operated by the Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan. A cohort of vaccinated individuals was selected, and their vaccine potency was assessed at various time intervals following their initial vaccine administration. The study participants received booster doses as the third and fourth doses, with differing time intervals between them. The study monitored neutralizing antibody titers and other relevant parameters to assess vaccine efficacy. Results: Our findings revealed that the potency of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine exhibited a significant decline 80 days after the initial vaccine administration. However, a longer interval of 175 days between booster injections resulted in significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers. The individuals who received the extended interval boosters exhibited a more robust immune response, suggesting that a vaccine schedule with a 175-day interval between injections may provide superior protection against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of optimizing vaccine booster dosing schedules to maximize protection against SARS-CoV-2. The results indicate that a longer interval of 175 days between the third and fourth doses of the vaccine can significantly enhance the neutralizing antibody response, potentially offering improved protection against the virus. These findings have important implications for vaccine distribution and administration strategies in the ongoing battle against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Further research and large-scale trials are needed to confirm and extend these findings for broader public health implications.

Bocavirus ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Parvoviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis