To explore the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of estrogen and especially observe the effect of estradiol on the content of cholesterol in J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells which were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophages were incubated with ox-LDL or with both ox-LDL and estradiol (1, 0.1 or 0.01 micromol x L(-1)). Oil red O staining was used to observe the formation of foam cells, and cholesterol oxidase fluorometric was used to determine the content of cellular cholesterol content. Western blotting and RTFQ-PCR were used to observe the expressions of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-B I ) in J774a.1 foam cells. Compared with the control cells, J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells showed significantly increased contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.001) and decreased SR-B I mRNA expression (P < 0.01). Estradiol treatment significantly lowered the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.05), and increased SR-B I protein and mRNA expression (P < 0.01) in the foam cells in a dose-dependent manner. Estradiol can inhibit the formation of mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells by decreasing the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester and up-regulating the expression of SR-B I in the foam cells.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Cholesterol Esters ; metabolism ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Foam Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Scavenger Receptors, Class B ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the clinical features of primary retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF), and to find out better method for diagnosis and therapy. Methods Nine patients with primary RPF in Peking Union Medical College Hospital since 1990 to 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Results All patients had abnormal findings in CT or MRI, and 8 of them had chronic non-specific inflammation of the retroperitoneum in pathology. Six patients had renal involvement and 2 of them had severe renal failure. Eight of the patients had received therapy with corticosteroid or tamoxifene. Conclusions RPF is an uncommon collagen vascular disease characterized by a chronic non-specific inflammation of the retroperitoneum.Because of the atypical manifestations of RPF, awareness of the disease is important.CT and (or) open biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis.Management typically includes surgery and drug treatment.Corticosteroid therapy or more recently,tamoxifen has been used successfully. The clinical and radiographic improvement with drug treatment has been seen in several patients and confirmed the diagnosis,thereby early diagnosis and treatment can bring the patient more excellent renal and general outcome.

A BBB co-culture cell model consisting of rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) and astrocytes (AS) was established to study the effect of Angelica dahurica coumarins on the transport behavior of puerarin across blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vitro and in vivo. The barrier function of this model was evaluated by measuring the transendothelial resistance, phenol red permeability and BBB related protein expression. The permeability assay and western blot methods were performed to study the effects of Angelica dahurica coumarins on the BBB permeability and the expression of BBB related protein. The animal experiment protocols in this study were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xi'an Jiaotong University (Animal Ethics No.: 2021-1329). The results showed that the established BMEC/AS co-culture model could be used to evaluate drug transport across BBB in vitro. After combined with Angelica dahurica coumarins, the transport capacity of puerarin was significantly increased in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, Angelica dahurica coumarins enhanced BBB permeability and inhibited the protein expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin. Angelica dahurica coumarins might increase BBB permeability by inhibiting the expression of P-gp and tight junction protein, thereby increasing the content of puerarin in brain tissue.

To develop a LC-MS/MS method for the determination of five kinds of trace ginkgolic acids in diterpene ginkgolides meglumine injection materials, the column was Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse plus C18 (3.0 mm x 50 mm, 1.8 µm), and the mobile phase consisted of methanol-water (containing 0.2% formic acid) (95:5) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL · min(-1). The multiple reaction ion monitoring (MRM) with an ESI interface in the negative ion mode was selected. The results showed that the linear ranges of five kinds of ginkgolic acids were in the range of 0.2-36.0 µg · L(-1) (r ≥ 0.999 5). The lowest limit of quantification (LOQ) of ginkgo acid C13: 0, C15:1, C17:2, C15:0 and C17:1 were 0.18, 0.18, 0.21, 0.10 and 0.20 µg · L(-1), respectively. The average recovery was between 73.28% and 87.56%, and the average content of total ginkgolic acids in three batches of samples was in the range of 0.023-0.028 µg · g(-1), which was much lower than 2 µg · g(-1) prescribed in drug registration standards. This method is simple and rapid with high sensitivity, which can be used for the determination of five kinds of trace ginkgolic acids in diterpene ginkgolides meglumine injection materials.
Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Ginkgolides ; analysis ; Injections ; Limit of Detection ; Salicylates ; analysis ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

The extracting technology of salidroside, tyrosol, crenulatin and gallic acid from Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma was optimized. With extraction rate of salidroside, tyrosol, crenulatin and gallic acid as indexes, orthogonal test was used to evaluate effect of 4 factors on extracting technology, including concentration of solvent, the dosage of solvent, duration of extraction, and frequency of extraction. The results showed that, the best extracting technology was to extract in 70% alcohol with 8 times the weight of herbal medicine for 2 times, with 3 hours once. High extraction rate of salidroside, tyrosol, crenulatin and gallic acid were obtained with the present technology. The extracting technology was stable and feasible with high extraction rate of four compounds from Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma, it was suitable for industrial production.
Chemical Fractionation ; methods ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Coumarins ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; Gallic Acid ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; isolation & purification ; Phenols ; isolation & purification ; Phenylethyl Alcohol ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Rhodiola ; chemistry

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans

Objective:To explore the relation of social adaptability to theory of mind (Tom)and executive function (EF)in Chinese children with autism.Method:Thirty-eight children aged 6.0 -12.9 years and meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)criteria for autism were re-cruited.They were assessed with the Children's Adaptive Behavior Rating Scale,Chinese Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (C-WISC),Tom test and EF task,then their adaptive quotient (ADQ),intelligence quotient, scores of theory of mind and executive function were obtained.Results:In this sample,the ADQ was (85.4 ± 20.9),the T scores of independent factor,cognitive factor and social self-control factor were separately (40.2 ± 17.3),(43.3 ±15.7)and (42.0 ±16.0).The median total intelligence quotient was (102.1 ±24.0).After con-trolling for age and intelligence quotient,the score of first false belief understanding was positively correlated with social responsibility subsclale score and social self-control factor score (r =0.50,0.45,Ps <0.05).In executive function test,scores of immediate and delayed recall for details of Rey complex figure recall task were negatively correlated with social responsibility subscale score (r =-0.46,-0.47,Ps <0.05).In Stroop tests,the second test time,the forth test time,the forth test error number and alpha numeric connection error number were negatively cor-related with economic activity subscale score (r =-0.63,-0.57,-0.45,-0.57,Ps <0.05).The second test time of Stroop was negatively correlated with the scores of individual choose subscale and social self-control factor (r =-0.46,-0.50,Ps <0.05).Conclusion:It suggests that social adaptability may be related to theory of mind and executive function.The autistic children with better theory of mind and executive function have better social a-daptability.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of health-related risky behaviors in adolescents with bipolar disorder.Methods:Fifty adolescents aged 12 -18 years,fulfilled the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems,Tenth Revision(ICD-10)criteria for bipolar disorder(29 in depressive state, 19 in manic state,and 2 in mixed state)and 100 healthy-matched controls were recruited.Their health-related risky behaviors were assessed using the Questionnaire for Adolescents Health-related Risky Behavior Inventory (AHRBI) and the Questionnaire for Adolescents Health-related Risky Behavior Inventory for Parent (AHRBI-P).Results:The bipolar group had higher AHRBI scores in the total scale and six subscales than controls,including Aggression and Violence (AV),Health-Compromising Behavior (HCB),Rule Breaking (RB),Unprotected Sex (US),Self-injury and Suicide (SS),and Smoking and Drinking(SD)[Total scores,55.5(38,119)vs.46(38,65);P <0.05].Besides, the scores of 26 items of bipolar group were all higher than controls(Ps <0.05).The scores in the total scale and six subscales had no difference between AHRBI and AHRBI-P.According to the partial correlation analysis (de-pressive state =0;manic state =1),the AHRBI and AHRBI-P scores of Self-injury and Suicide subscale were nega-tively associated with the episode state (r =-0.32,-0.33;Ps <0.05).The AHRBI scores of'destroy properties'which belongs to the Aggression and Violence subscale were positively associated with the episode state (r =0.32, P <0.05).Conclusion:The adolescents with bipolar disorder have more health-related risky behaviors than the healthy adolescents.The depressive patients have higher risk of suicide.While,the risky behavior of destroying properties tend to occur among the manic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a technical process for the separation and purification of total flavones from Licorice. METHODS: The static absorption capacity of macroreticular adsorptive resins D101、Hz-806、AB-83 for total flavones from licorice were compared. The macroreticular adsorptive resin columns on the Licorice extractives were eluted respectively with different concentrations of ethanol, then the content, the weight of residue and purity coefficient of flavones from Licorice in the eluant were detected. RESULTS: The optimal technological conditions were found in AB-8 as follows: flow rate=3ml/min, sample concentration=1.5 mg/ml, pH=5 and 80% ethanol was used as eluting agent. CONCLUSIONS: AB-8 macroreticular adsorptive resin can effectively separate and purify total flavones from licorice, the purity coefficient thus obtained being over 50%, which meets the requirement of the study of effective components of herbal medicine.

Objective:To explore the relationship between development of social skills and executive function and theory of mind in children and adolescents with autism.Methods:Forty-six children and adolescents with autism aged 6 to 17 years were recruited.The diagnosis was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder,Fourth Edition(DSM-Ⅳ),and severe mental disorders were excluded by the screening of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age children (K-SADS).The Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT),Trail-Making Test,Verbal Fluency Test,Stroop Color-word Task,the First-Order Belief Test and the Second-Order Belief Test were used to assess executive function and theory of mind,and Social Response Scale (SRS) was used to assess social skills.The correlation between results of Executive Function and SRS was analyzed.The SRS scores between groups passing and without passing of First-Order Belief Test and Second-Order Belief were compared.Results:In the aspect of Executive Function,RCFT scores were positively correlated with autistic behavior factor score of SRS (r =0.31-0.41,Ps ＜ 0.05),meanwhile,immediate recall structure scores of RCFT were positively correlated with social motivation factor scores of SRS (r =0.30,P ＜ 0.05),delayed recall structure scores of RCFT were positively correlated with SRS total scores(r =0.34,P ＜ 0.05).In Stroop Colorword Task,errors of the first task were positively correlated with social cognitive factor scores of SRS (r =0.32,P ＜ 0.05).There were no correlation between other Executive Function results and SRS scores (r =-0.21-0.24,Ps ≥0.05).In the aspect of Theory of Mind,there was no significant difference in SRS scores between groups passing or without passing (t =-0.68-1.73,Ps ≥ 0.05).Conclusion:The development of social skill in children and adolescents with autism may have relationship withexecutive function,but have no relationship with the theory of mind.