Objective: To analyze and identify the carotenoid in gingko seed.Methods: The chemical composition of the pigment from gingko seed was identified as carotenoid by UV absorption spectrum. Its content was determined by spectrophotometric method and its composition was analyzed and identified by thin-layer chromatography and HPLC method.Results: Gingko contained carotenoids, roughly about 489 ?g/100 g in which lutein, ?-carotene and ?-carotene amounted to 69.20%,15.80% and 7.45% respectively. Conclusion: Gingko contained large quantity of carotenoids, mainly lutein, and next in order ?-carotene and ?-carotene.

While the number of the enrolled postgraduate students is continuously increased and the various reforms go in depth, there appear some new problems and contradictions in the education of doctorial students.Among those problems,the lack of the doctorial student resource,especially the lack of the excellent doctorial student resource,is the most prominent problem that re- stricts the progress of the doctorial student education.In order to solve these problems,this article analyzes the factors influencing the resource of the students and put forward the strategy to deal with these factors.

BACKGROUND: Neuroleptic agents are effective in treating Tourette syndrome (TS). Side effects such as acute myodystonia and oculogyric crisis as well as the risk of delayed dyskinesia have led to search for alternative therapy.OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of metoclopramide in controlling the symptoms of TS and improving the intelligence and memory function without causing extrapyramidal side effects.DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial and blind method.SETTING: Neurological Department of Xiangya Hospital Affiliated to Central South University; Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Hunan Province; Neurological Department of the First People's Hospital of Nanning City; Public Health College of Central South University.PARTICIPANTS: Fifty patients with TS came from Tic Specialty Clinic,Neurological Department of Xiangya Hospital, between January 2000 and June 2001. Patients and their family members agreed toaccept our medical treatment and reexamination on fixed dates. There were 38 males and 12 females aged 5-21 years with the mean age of (10.4±4.2) years. All of them were divided into metoclopramide group and haloperidol group with 25 in each group.METHODS: Metoclopramide and haloperidol were white tablets bottled without tag (100 tablets of white color medicine in each bottle). The two types of medicine in each bottle were marked Ⅰ or Ⅱ, respectively. The blind method (patients, their parents and evaluation blinded) was used to test the real biochemical nature of the medicine. Medicine was given by a specific doctor on regular days (2, 4, 8, 16 weeks) to patients on their revisit. The daily dose of metoclopramide for body weight was 0.5-2 mg/(kg· d) and haloperidol was 0.05 mg/(kg· d) and was assigned 3-4 times (principle of dose individuality). In addition, TS patients with severe tics in metoclopramide group would receive metoclopramide 10 mg by intramuscular injection twice a day, at the initial treatment for 2-4 days. ①Before and after treatment, TS severity of patients at weeks 2, 4, 8 and 16 was evaluated by YGTSS (the total score was 100 points; the higher the score, the more severe the condition and overall impairment). ② The clinical curative effect of the medicines was evaluated with YGTSS deduction rate before and after treatment. ③ Asberg side-effect rating score: The lower the score, the fewer and milder the side effects. ④ The cognition function was evaluated with WISC score before treatment and after 3 months of treatment. WISC consisted of language and performance components with 11 subtests, while memory scale category had 10 subtests (memory score lower than the standard indicated problem in memory function).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Comparison of YGTSS in patients before and after treatment; ② comparison of efficacy in patients of the two groups; ③ comparison of intelligence quotient and memory quotient of patients before and after treatment; ④ adverse events and side effects.RESULTS: Totally 50 patients entered the final analysis. ① Comparison of Tourette' s syndrome in patients before and after treatment: YGTSS score in the two groups decreased significantly after treatment. The comparison of the differences suggested that metoclopramide had better curative effect than haloperidol. In metoclopramide group, YGTSS score was reduced steadily at weeks 2, 4, 8 and 16. In haloperidol group, YGTSS score was also reduced steadily at weeks 2, 8 and 16, but it was similar at week 2 and week 4. ② Comparison of efficacy in patients of the two groups: The total clinical curative effect rate was 92% (23/25) in both groups withoutany difference (P ＞ 0.05). ③ Comparison of intelligence quotient beforeand after treatment: In both metoclopramide group and haloperidol group itwas higher after treatment than before treatment (93.0±15.1, 87.0±14.6; 93.2±17.0, 87.3±13.6, t=3.43, 2.3, P ＜ 0.01). ④ Comparison of memory quo tient of patients before and after treatment: It was higher only in metoclo pramide group after treatment than before treatment (87.8±12.8, 75.8±15.5, t=3.30, P ＜ 0.01). ⑤ Score of Asberg side effects: It was lower in metoclo pramide group than in haloperidol group [(1.00±0.76), (3.24±1.40) points, t=7.05, P ＜ 0.01]. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that metoclopramide is effective in con trolling the symptoms of TS and improving intelligence and memory function. Metoclopramide causes mild side effects, but no extrapyramidal side effects.

Objective To explore the characteristics of dipyridamole 201 Tl myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) SPECT in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods Thirty patients with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent pharmacological stress 201Tl MPI SPECT after intravenous infusion of dipyridamole (0. 56 mg/kg) for 4 min. The early and delayed SPECT images were acquired respectively at 10 and 240 min after 201Tl injection. The images were analyzed and reported by two or three experienced nuclear medicine physicians. Results All patients were found to have abnormal perfusion patterns at delay imaging, however 90.00% (27/30) were also abnormal at early images. Six patients had reverse redistribution. Conclusion Dipyridamole 201Tl MPI SPECT imaging may be of some value for the assessment of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

The effects of combined RNA interference (RNAi) of human telomerase RNA (hTR) and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) genes on telomerase activity in a bladder cancer cell line (BIU-87 cells) were investigated by using gene chip technology in vitro with an attempt to evaluate the role of RNAi in the gene therapy of bladder transitional cell cancer (BTCC). Three TR-specific double-stranded small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and three TERT-specific double-stranded siRNAs were designed to target different regions of TR and TERT mRNA. The phTR-siRNA, phTERT-siRNA, and the combination of both plasmids phTR+phTERT-siRNA were transfected into BIU-87 cells. The expression of hTR and hTERT mRNA was detected by quantitative fluorescent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and a telomeric repeat amplification protocol was applied to detect telomerase activity. Growth inhibition of BIU-87 cells was measured by MTT assay. Gene chip analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of the combined RNAi of hTR+hTERT genes on telomerase activity and growth of BIU-87 cells in vitro. The results showed that the expression of hTERT and hTR mRNA was inhibited by pRNAT-hTERT-III, pRNAT-hTR-III, and pRNAT-hTR-III+hTERT-III in BIU-87 cells. The inhibition efficiency of pRNAT-hTERT-III, pRNAT-hTR-III, pRNAT-hTERT-III+pRNAT-hTR-III was 67% for TERT mRNA, 41% for TR mRNA, 57% for TR mRNA and 70% for TERT mRNA in BIU-87 cells respectively. The growth of BIU-87 cells was inhibited and telomerase activity was considerably decreased, especially in the cells treated with combined RNAi-hTR and -hTERT. Gene chip analysis revealed that 21 genes were down-regulated (ATM, BAX, BCL2, BCL2L1, BIRC5, CD44, CTNNB1, E2F1, JUN, MCAM, MTA1, MYC, NFKB1, NFKBIA, NME4, PNN, PNN, SERPINE1, THBS1, TNFRSF1A, and UCC1). The results indicated that hTR-siRNA and hTERT-siRNA, especially their combination, siRNA hTR+hTERT, specifically and effectively suppressed the expression of both hTR and hTERT mRNA and telomerase activity. Molecular biological mechanism by which combined siRNA-TR and -TERT inhibited telomerase activity and growth of BIU-87 cells in vitro may involve the down-regulation of the 21 genes.

Background Recent studies indicated that human amnion mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) can be induced to differentiate into multiple types of cells in vitro,but whether the hAMSCs can differentiate into ocular surface cells has not been reported yet.Objective This study was to investigate the feasibility of inducing differentiation of hAMSCs into ocular surface cells by co-culturing with human bulbar conjunctiva fibroblasts (hBCFs).Methods This study was approved by Ethic Committee of Affiliated Second Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.HAMSCs were isolated from placenta under the informed consent of healthy delivery women.hAMSCs were cultured,passaged and identified by detecting the expressions of CD44,CD45,CD73,CD90 in the cells with flow cytometer,osteogenesis and adipogenic differentiation experiments.Human conjunctival tissue was obtained during the eye operation under the informed consent of patients and hBCFs were isolated and cultured with explant culture.The cells were divided into the hAMSCs culture group and the hAMSCs and hBCFs co-culture group and cultivated in Transwell chambers for 7 days.The expressions of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the cells were assayed by immnofluorescence technique.Results Cultured hAMSCs showed the slender shape and cell body enlarged with passage.CD44,CD73 and CD90 were expressed in the cells,and the expression of CD45 was absent.After 3-4 weeks of osteogenesis and adipogenic induce,the cells showed red staining for alizarin and oil red O.In the co-culture group of hAMSCs and hBCFs,hAMSCs presented the epithelioid cell-like in shape and showed the positive response for CK19 and weaker response for α-SMA.However,in the hAMSCs culture group,the cells showed the positive response for α-SMA and absent response for CK19.Conclusions The hAMSCs can differentiate into ocular surface cells after being induced by hBCFs.And the differentiation mechanism is possibly relevant to mesenchymal cells epithelium.

The hexane extract from marine actinomycetes 124092 showed potent inhibition on B16 cell line by MTT assay. The hexane extract was fractionationed on silica gel column by vacuum liquid chromatography to afford 6 fractions(Fr1~Fr6), and Fr6 showed cytotoxic activity. To determine the bioacitve components of hexane extract, Fr6 was analyzed by GC/MS. The main components were identified as palmitic acid (11.76%), oleic acid (12.16%), linoleic acid (14.77%), and lactobacillic acid (61.31%). It have been reported that palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid possess cytotoxic activity on rat ascites tumor cells and linoleic acid have suppressive effect on human lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Objective To figure out and verify infiltration related miRNAs in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC). Methods Fresh tissues (20 samples,12 were infiltrative BUC samples,8 were non-infiltrative BUC samples) were collected in liquid nitrogen.The total RNA was extracted by using Trizol reagents.RNA quality control; miRNA microarray hybridization; data analysis.Another 22 samples were collected in fresh (15 were infiltrative BUC samples,7 were non-infiltrative BUC samples) for verifying purpose.4 types of bladder cancer cell lines were used for the study.BUC cell strain; total RNA was extracted by Trizol reagents; RNA quality control; RT-PCR and analysis of the data. Results ①In infiltrative BUC group,compared with non-infiltrative BUC group,there were 7 differentially expressed miRNAs:hsa-miR29c,hsa-miR-200a,hsa-miR-378,hsa-miR-429,hsa-miR-200c and hsa-miR-141 were up-regulated; hsamiR-451 was down-regulated.②In collected samples,the result of RT-PCR was consistent with miRNA array.③In bladder cancer cell lines,only the results of T24 were consistent with miRNA array. Conclusion Infiltration of BUC might relate with different expression of miRNAs.

Objective To explore the unique relationship between Willis circle and cerebral watershed infarction in a Chinese population. Methods A retrospective analysis of cerebral CT angiography was conducted in 471 non-cere?bral watershed infarctions and 93 MRI-diagnosed cerebral watershed infarctions (CWI)(including External CWI and In?ternal CWI)in Department of Neurology of our hospital and compare the related variations and types of Willis circle be?tween these groups. Results Compared with non-cerebral watershed infarctions, the prevalence of Uni-FTP (short for“fetal type of the Posterior cerebral artery”) in E-CWI (36.4%, P<0.05) and Bi-FTP in I-CWI (0%, P<0.05) was signifi?cantly higher in cerebral watershed infarctions. Conclusion FTP is probably an unique risk factor in Chinese patients with CWI.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of HE’s needling method (three ways for unblocking) in treating mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency.Method Forty eligible subjects with mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency were randomized into group A and group B, 20 cases in each group. Group A was intervened by mild unblocking method plus intensive unblocking method from HE’s needling method, and group B was by mild unblocking method plus warm unblocking method. The obesity-related indexes were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were significantly changed after intervention in the treatment group (P<0.05). The body weight was significantly changed after treatment in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, there were no significant differences in comparing the obesity-related indexes (body weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-hip ratio) between the two groups (P>0.05). The total effective rate was 55.0% in the treatment group versus 10.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).Conclusion HE’s needling method is effective in treating mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency, and mild unblocking method plus intensive unblocking method can produce a more significant efficacy compared to mild unblocking method plus warm unblocking method.