Objective To study the triterpenoid saponin from bulbs of Bolbostemma paniculatum.Methods The compound was isolated by repeated silica gel chromatographies and its strcuture was eluci-dated on the basis of physico chemical property and spectral analysis. Results A novel triterpenoidsaponin was isolated and determined as olean 12-en-28-oic acid, 3- {[2-O-[6-O-[(3R)-4-carboxy-3-hydrox-y-3-methyl-1-oxobutyl]-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-β-D-glucopyranosyl] oxy}-2, 16, 23-trihydroxy-28-[2-O-α-L-rhamnose (1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl] ester ( I φ. Conclusion Compound I is a novel compoundnamed as dexylosyltubeimoside Ⅲ.

AIM: To observe the expression of undulin(Un) in liver tissue and to clarify the diagnostic significance of serum Un in experimental rat liver fibrosis. METHODS: Rat liver fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride. The expression of Un in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical method. Serum Un levels was measured by enzyme immunoassay.RESULTS: Expression of Un increased in fibrotic liver than normal liver, and it was mainly distributed in portal tract stroma, central veins and fibrotic septa in fibrotic liver. Also, the level of serum Un was significantly higher in fibrotic liver than normal liver.CONCLUSION: These data suggest that Un should be a component of the hepatic extracellar matrix, and its expression could be increased greatly in fibrotic rat liver. Serum Un levels may be used as an indicator in liver fibrosis diagnosis.

Objective To explore the expression of protease activated receptors (PARs) on human monocytes. Methods Flow cytometry and RT - PCR was used to detect the expressions of PARs on human monocytes that purified by MACS. Results FACS analysis showed that monocytes expressed PAR - 1 , PAR - 3 , PAR - 4, but not PAR - 2.RT - PCR revealed that monocytes expressed PAR - 1 and PAR -3, but not PAR -2 and PAR -4 mRNA. Conclusion PARs is expressed on human monocyte cells,which may facilitate further investigation of the potential functions of PARs on monocytes.

Objective To investigate the clinical and molecular pathological features of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A (LGMD2A) of Chinese patients. Methods Thirty cases of LGMD with excluding LGMD2B were included in this study. The muscle specimens were performed by a standard series methods of histochemistry, enzymohistochemistry, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The clinical and molecular pathological features of LGMD2A were retrospective analyzed. Results Five cases with no or only trace expression of calpain-3 protein were diagnosed as calpainopathy (LGMD2A) by Western blot analysis. The age of onset of these 5 patients ranged from 10 to 45 years and the duration of the disease were about 2-10 years. Proximal muscles weakness and atrophy of lower limbs were predominantly involved. In all patients,symptoms progressed slowly. The ambulation could be retained for many years but running and jumping were impaired early. The serum creatine kinase level was elevated moderately to markedly. Electromyography showed myopathic patterns in all cases. Two siblings had similar symptoms indicating autosomai recessive inherited pattern. Pathologically, there was marked variation in fibre size and most small fibres were round. Some necrotic and regenerating fibers were seen. Fibres with centrally placed nuclei can be found frequently. No infiltrations of inflammatory cells were seen. Lobulated fibers were observed in 2 patients by NADH-TR stain. The expression of dystrophin, caveolin-3, α-, β-, γ- and δ-sarcoglycan protein were normally staining of 5 LGMD2A patients' specimens by immunohistochemistry. Two patients had reduced staining of dysferlin by immunohistochemistry study. Conclusions Clinical and pathological characteristics of our 5 LGMD2A patients are consistent with typical muscular dystrophy features reported in other countries. Identification of calpian-3 deletion by Western blot is essential for the diagnosis of calpainopathy.

Background Heavy metals may play an important role in environmental risk factors associated disorders of activities of daily living (ADL) in older adults. Objective To investigate the associations between plasma levels of six heavy metals (zinc, arsenic, cadmium, lead, manganese, and copper) and ADL disorders in older adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from 2018 to 2019 among 1412 rural elderly people in Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The plasma metal concentrations were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and subsequently classified into three groups (T1-T3) based on tertiles, with the T1 group as the reference. The samples were assessed for ADL disorders using the ADL scale. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline model (RCS) were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess the associations between heavy metals and the prevalence of reporting ADL disorders. Results The mean age of the study population was (68.52 ± 5.92) years, 825 (58.4%) female and 587 (41.6%) male. Of these, 372 (26.34%) subjects reported ADL disorders, and most of them were female (74.30%). The results of logistic regression showed that the participants in the cadmium T2 group (0.15-0.25 µg·L⁻¹) had a higher risk of ADL disorders compared to the T1 group (≤0.15 μg·L⁻¹) (OR=1.552, 95%CI: 1.086, 2.134). After stratification by sex, the relative risk of ADL disorders was lower in the plasma copper T3 group (>1019.58 µg·L⁻¹) compared to the T1 group (≤868.12 μg·L⁻¹) in men (OR=0.481, 95%CI: 0.232, 0.998). The relative risk of ADL disorders was higher in the plasma cadmium T2 group (0.15-0.25 µg·L⁻¹) compared to the T1 group (≤0.15 μg·L⁻¹) in women (OR=1.758, 95%CI: 1.182, 2.616). The RCS results showed that the risk of ADL disorders in men was nonlinearly associated with copper (P_nonlinear=0.011, P_overall<0.05). Conclusion High levels of cadmium are positively associated with the risk of reporting ADL disorders, while high levels of copper are negatively associated with the risk of reporting ADL disorders in men.

Objective To investigate the clinical and pathological features of Guillain-Barré syndrome with treatment-related fluctuations ( GBS-TRF ).Methods Clinical data were obtained from medical records of patients with GBS-TRF during the period 1999 to 2014 in our Hospital.Sural nerve specimens were collected and summarized retrospectively ( two cases ).Results Eight of 868 cases with GBS had at least one TRF including three chronic hepatitis B patients.The onset of disease was ranged in age from six to 63 years, averaging 34 years.It is more common in men than in women in a ratio of seven:one.Triggering infections occurred in three patients.The initial symptom included weakness of the lower limbs ( five cases ) and upper extremities ( three cases ).Sensory symptom was presented in six patients.Five patients had associated respiratory paralysis.None of them had cranial nerve palsy or autonomic dysfunction.Five patients had two attacks , one had three attacks and two had six attacks.The interval between attacks ranged between 14 days and 46 days ( mean 23 days ).The striking pathologic finding was the presence of sectional selective nerve fiber degeneration ( SNFD ) with evidence of demyelination.Conclusions Patients with GBS-TRF shows similar onset age , preceding infection , cerebrospinal fluid findings, and electrophysiologic characteristics comparing to patients with GBS ,while there are more male patients than female patients.SNFD found in sural nerve biopsy reveals ischemic neuropathy , which predicts that injury of arterioles might play an important role in the pathogenesis of GBS -TRF.

Objective To assess the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of parasitic diseases among technicians from disease control and prevention institutions. Methods The Assessment on National Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention Techniques was organized in September,2015. Together,124 subjects from disease control and prevention institutions at prov-ince,prefecture or county levels in 31 provinces joined the assessment. A database was built consisting of subjects'basic infor-mation and assessment scores. Statistical analysis was used to analyze the scores by gender,age,professional title,institutions and places of participants. Results The average total score of all the subjects was 123.3,with a passing rate of 57.3%. The av-erage scores of male subjects(48 subjects)and female subjects(76 subjects)were 125.9 and 121.7 respectively;the average scores of the subjects aged under 30 years(57 subjects),between 30 and 40 years(61 subjects)and above 40 years(6 sub-jects)were 119.6,128.1 and 111.2 respectively;the average scores of persons with junior(94 subjects),intermediate(28 sub-jects)and senior(2 subjects)professional titles were 119.2,135.9 and 140.5 respectively. The average theoretical assessment score of all the subjects was 61.9,with a passing rate of 62.9%. The average practical skill assessment score of all the subjects was 61.4,with a passing rate of 58.1%. Conclusions The theoretical assessment results range widely. The theoretical knowl-edge results of technicians from disease control and prevention institutions are low in general. Therefore ,the specific training based on daily work needs to be enhanced.

Mimecan belongs to a family of leucine-rich proteoglycans that are secreted into the extracellular matrix. In order to investigate the function of mimecan, the coding region of mimecan was amplifed from a human pituitary cDNA by PCR and the recombinant prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-M was constructed. The vactor was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3)and the GST-M fusion protein of 38 Kd was ecpressed in the bacteria under induction of IPTG. After purification, the fusion protein was infucted into New Zealand rabbits to prepare polyclonal antibody. The antibody was tested by Western blotting for their specificity and sensitivity. Using the antibody it was found the mimecan was expressed highly in certain types of human pituitary tumor tissues. These results make it possible for studying the biological function of mimecan.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of the payment reform at public hospitals in Sanming city.Methods Interrupted time series analysis was used to compare changes of the average days of stay,per capita hospitalization expense,outpatient expense per visit,proportion of medical expense and that of drugs during hospitalization at 21 public hospitals at or above county level before and after the DRGs reform.Results Comparisons before and after the reform found the average days of stay at the original momentum,poor control in curbing the proportion of medical expense and that of drugs during hospitalization,adropping followed by rising trend in the outpatient expense per visit,and minimal drop of the abovementioned proportions.Conclusions The rapid growth of outpatient and hospitalization costs at tertiary hospitals may be incurred by unreasonable cost transfer,structural trend of hospitalization expense makeup,and rationality pending scrutiny.

Tripartite-sector reform (a synergistic reform in public health services,medical insurance and medicine production-circulation) in Sanming city was described in the paper which centers on medical insurance.Tapping full potentials of the medical insurance,the city achieved efficient synergy among healthcare,medical insurance and medication systems.This reform has trimmed out inflated drug pricing to some extent for rooms of maneuver of medical service pricing changes,thus curbing excessive growth of medical costs successfully.The authors proposed areas of further improvements including the relationship between achieving such objective as curbing medical expenditure,and advancement of technical/medical service capacity;that between integrative control of medical insurance expenditure and protection of people's health;the equilibrium of interests between medical insurance,healthcare and medication.All these will contribute to the goal of healthy patients flow and a hierarchical medical system.