Eight phenolic compounds were isolated from Rhododendron phaeochrysum var. agglutinatum and their sructures were identified as phaeochrysin (1), (2R)-4-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) -2-butanol (2), (-) -rhododendrol (3), rhododendrin (4), (+) -isolariciresinol (5), (-) -lyoniresinol (6), lyoniresinol-9'-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (7), and dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl-3a-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (8). Compound 1 is new, and compounds 2, 5-8 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; Rhododendron ; chemistry

BACKGROUND: Blood stem cells (BSCs) are the most primitive cells in the immune system and can be differentiated into many kinds of cells. As the regulatory cells of immune response, dendritic cells (DCs) have been attracted more and more attention in the field of autoimmune diseases. Due to different resources of precursor cells, DCs have different cytokines, ideal cytokine matching,applying orders, and experimental cultured conditions. Furthermore, development, phenotypic expression, and mature degree are still different.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- a ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the culture system and provide improved method for inducing functional DCs in vitro, derived from cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic precursor cells (HPC).DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Observational study, which was performed in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nanjing Medical University from March 2005 to November 2005.MATERIALS: The cord blood was collected from neonatal umbilical cord in the 81 Hospital of Nanjing City. CD34 monoclonal antibody coated magnetic bead system (MACS) was provided by Miltenyi Biotec Company, Germany; human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF), human recombinant interleukin-4 (rhlL-4), and human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-α (rhTNF-α) by Pepro Tech Company, USA.METHODS: CD34+HPC were isolated and purified from umbilical cord blood by using a high-gradient magnetic cell sorting system (MACS). Then the cells were cultured with different culture medium which contained different combinations of cytokines:GM-CSF and TNF-α (GT) or GM-CSF, TNF-α and IL-α (GTI) in order to be induced to differentiate into dendritic cells (DCs).The DCs derived from CD34+HPC were identified for their morphology and phcnotype by FACS and laser scanning con_focal fluorescence microscopy, and also for their abilities of inducing proliferation of allogenic T cells by 3H-TdR incorporation assay.RESULTS: The purity of selected CD34+ cells with MACS was more than 90%. DCs could be obtained from CD34+HPC by the culture in presence of GM-CSF and TNF-α or GM-CSF, TNF- o and IL-4. With the time of culture lasting, the cells expressed lower level surface antigen of CD34 and HLA-DR (P ＜ 0.05), and possessed the phenotypes of DCs characterized by higher expression of CD80, CD86, CD83 and CDIa. At 13-15 days, the cells possessed higher level of phenotypes of DCs compared to 7-9 days and 10-12 days. DCs induced with GTI culture system expressed higher levels of surface antigen CD80, CD86, CD83,CD 1 a and a lower level of CD 14 than those induced with GT culture system. DCs displayed typical morphology and property and expressed higher level surface antigen of CD86 and CD80, especially expressed CD86 when they were induced with proper cytokines of GM-CSF and TNF- α added at 0 hour, and of IL-4 added at 48 hours.CONCLUSION: DCs can be generated from CD34+HPC by proper culture system, the design of GM-CSF + TNF- α + IL-4(GM-CSF and TNF- α were added at 0 hour, IL-4 was added at 48 hours) is preferred.

BACKGROUND:Hip arthroplasty and internal fixation are presently effective therapeutic methods in treatment of femoral neck fracture in the elderly. However, which method can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications remains controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To systematical y review the reoperation, postoperative complications and 1-year and 2-year mortality after hip arthroplasty and internal fixation in the elderly with femoral neck fracture.
METHODS:Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were retrieved by computer for articles published before May 2013. Systematic review on randomized control ed trials of hip arthroplasty versus internal fixation for femoral neck fractures in the elderly was conducted using the Cochrane Col aboration’s RevMan 5.2 software. Outcome measures included reoperation, main complications related to the surgery and mortality.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Six published randomized control ed trials of nine literatures containing 1 496 cases were involved in this review. Meta-analysis results indicated that reoperation rate was greater in the internal fixation group within and more than 2 years after the surgery compared with the hip arthroplasty group (P<0.000 01). Compared with hip arthroplasty group, internal fixation significantly increased the main complications related to the surgery [OR=8.79, 95%CI(6.50-11.88), P<0.000 01]. No significant difference in 1-year and 2-year mortality after surgery was detected between the internal fixation and hip arthroplasty groups [OR=0.85, 95%CI(0.66-1.11), P=0.23;OR=0.88, 95%CI(0.70-1.10), P=0.27]. These data suggested that the long-term reoperation rate and incidence of main complications were obviously higher in internal fixation compared with hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fracture in the elderly, and no significant difference in 1-year and 2-year mortality after the surgery was detectable between the two methods. Clinical recommended hip arthroplasty in the repair of femoral neck fracture in the elderly.

Objective To illustrate and analyze the clinical feature and treatment of botulism introduced by illegal injection of botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT),in order to provide some evidence for early diagnosis and treatment strategy.Methods Retrospective analysis of 13 botulism patients was performed in this article.All of the patients were suffered from illegal injection of botulinum neurotox in products.Support treatments were carried out according to their severe grade,and the courses of disease and the curative effects were observed.Results A new category was first identified as injection induced botulism to describe such a situation of cosmetic injection out of the hospital with neither the prescribed botulinum toxin product nor a doctor.One in 13 patients graded mild botulism,the other 12 patients graded middle level.The processes of the new botulism had 4 stages:preclinical stage (4 days),progressive stage (9.8 days),apical stage (9.1 days) and restoration stage (5.2 months).The relationships of a positive correlation in injection dose and the length of progressive stage were identified,while a negative correlation with the length of preclinical stage was revealed.Conclusions The earlier2-3 weeks after illegal injection are crucial for intense care because of the acceleration in this period.Absolute rest and active treatments as well as antitoxinum are benefit for the recovery of patients.

AIM:To investigate the effect of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 ( STAT 1 ) on proliferation and interferon-β(IFN-β) sensitivity of human non-small-cell lung cancer H1299 cells.METHODS:STAT1 or EGFP gene was transfected into H1299 cells by the lentiviral vectors system.The cell number was counted under a mi-croscope and cell proliferation was tested by MTT assay.In addition, the cells transfected with STAT1 and EGFP were trea-ted with IFN-βand cell viability was measured by MTT assay.The protein levels of p-STAT1, ICAM-1 and PCNA were de-tected by Western blot.RESULTS: Over-expression of STAT1 inhibited H1299 cell proliferation (P<0.05).H1299 cells transfected with STAT1 gene had a higher sensitivity to IFN-βthan the control cells transfected with EGFP ( P <0.05).Overexpression of STAT1 increased the protein level of p-STAT1, and reduced IACM-1 expression in H1299 cells. Moreover, STAT1 enhanced STAT1 phosphorylation and downregulated the expression of PCNA in H1299 cells treated with IFN-β.CONCLUSION:STAT1 inhibits the proliferation and enhances the IFN-βsensitivity of non-small-cell lung cancer H1299 cells.

Objective　To compare the Immunoreactivity of various HEV Antigen with Anti-HEV IgM. Methods Solid-phase enzyme immunoassay( EIA ) was developed for detecting anti-HEV IgM by using synthetic peptides E30, E42, E33, and recombinant antigen from HEV ORF-2. Results Of 60 anti-HEV positive sera by using E30, E42, E33 and recombinant antigen as coating antigen, Anti-HEV IgM positive rates were 76.7%, 26.6%, 18.3% and 66.7% respectively. In Acute-phase and convalescence-phase sera of the patients with Hepatitis E, Anti-HEV IgM positive rate was 90% and 3.3% respectively. Conclusions The HEV E30-based EIA will be very useful in the early diagnosis of Hepatitis E.

Objective To examine the effects ofulinastatin (UTI) on cardiac dysfunction in mice with heat stroke and its possible mechanism.Methods 20 mice were divided into four groups randomly:room temperature plus normal saline (Sham+NS),room temperature plus UTI (Sham+UTI),heat stress plus normal saline (HS+NS),heat stress plus UTI (HS+UTI),5 each.105U/kg UTI was delivered by intraperitoneal injection before the onset of the heat stress.Room temperature groups were housed at room temperature (23.0 ± 0.5 ℃),while heat stress groups were kept in an incubator at 36.5 ± 0.5 ℃ and humidity of 65.0％ ± 2.0％.The rectal temperature (Tr) reaching 42℃ was taken as severe heat stroke,and the time in two heat stress groups was recorded.The mice were transferred to the room temperature (23.0 ± 0.5 ℃) for natural cooling after the heat stroke onset.6 hours after the treatment,cardiac output (CO) was ultrasonographically detected,the myocardium was separated for histopathological examination and the expression of total p38 and phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) was determined by Western blotting.Results The time to reach 42℃ in HS+UTI group was significantly prolonged (P=0.044).Compared with the Sham+NS group,the CO in HS+NS and HS+UTI group decreased significantly (P=0.017),and the score of myocardial inflammation (P＜0.001) and p-p38/p38 ratio (P＜0.001) increased.The CO was significantly higher in HS+UTI group than in HS+NS group (P=0.030),and the score of myocardial inflammation (P＜0.001) and p-p38/p38 ratio (P=0.001) were significantly lower.Conclusion Ulinastatin might improve the cardiac function in mice with heat stroke by decreasing the p-p38 and alleviating the inflammation response.

A method was proposed for the separation and determination of paraffin waxes in food by HPLC-evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD). A normal-phase column was used to separate nonparaffinic and paraffinic materials without resolving the latter into individual components. The t-test method was adopted for the evaluation of mean difference between response factors of n-alkanes in paraffin waxes on ELSD detector. No mean difference was obtained between response factors, which can be used for quantitative determination of paraffin waxes in food. The determination results obtained by HPLC-ELSD were compared with those by GC-MS. The linear range for the determination of paraffin waxes was in the range from 10 to 500 mg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.9988, and the limit of detection was 1.0 mg/L. With the spiking level of 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg, the recovery ranged from 84.6% to 105.4% and the relative standard deviation ranging from 5.4% to 7.2%. The proposed method is simple, fast and sensitive.

Objective To observe the protection of human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cell, from UVA damage by resveratrol and its possible mechanism. Methods HaCaT cells were incubated with or without 0.01 mmol/L or 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol after exposure to 5 J/cm2 UVA irradiation. Unirradiated HaCaT cells-without the treatment with resveratrol served as the control. After another 24-hour culture, MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of cells, RT-PCR and Western-blot to measure the iNOS mRNA and protein expression respectively, electron microscopic technique to observe the changes in cell ultrastructure. Results After irradiation with UVA of 5 J/cm2, the proliferation of HaCaT cells decreased with the absorbance at 490 nm descending from 0.889±0.083 to 0.542±0.004, while a significant increase was observed in the relative expression level of iNOS mRNA and protein in HaCaT cells (1.532±0.041 vs 0.009±0.003, 1.331 ±0.046 vs 0.003±0.001, both P < 0.05) with the presence of typical apoptotic cells. The treatment with 0.01 and 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol significantly promoted the proliferation of irradiated cells with the absorbance at 490 nm being 0.753±0.435 and 0.892±0.173 respectively, but inhibited the mRNA (0.853±0.038 vs 1.532±0.041, 0.392±0.033 vs 1.532±0.041, both P< 0.05) and protein expression level (0.809±0.018 vs 1.331±0.046, 0.412±0.026 vs 1.331±0.046, both P< 0.05) of iNOS in irradiated cells, and the resveratrol of 0.1 mmol/L was more effective than that ofO.01 mmol/L in all tested parameters (P< 0.05). Furthermore, no apoptofic cells or necrotic cells were observed in irradiated ceils incubated with resveratrol. Conclusion Resveratrol effectively protects HaCaT cells from UVA damage, which may be related to the inhibition of UVA-induced iNOS expression by resveratrol.

Objective To investigate the typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate and its confidence interval in tank-transported copper ore by using bootstrap resampling techniques. Methods Bootstrap resampling method, coupled with kernel density estimation, introduced to acquire the typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate in copper ore. Results The typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate in copper ore was expressed as the central tendency of the means of resampling, and two kinds of confidence interval, empirical percentile and bias-corrected accelerated confidence interval, were provided as standard error. Conclusion It is clearly demonstrated that this method has an advantage to give a robust description in explanation of central tendency and variation range of gamma-radiation dose rate data profiles.