This study is to establish an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for simultaneous determination of 5 flavones and saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae including neo-mangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin B II, timosaponin B III and timosaponin A III. Samples were analyzed on a Merck Purospher STAR column(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile( A) and 0. 1% formic acid (B) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1). The column temperature was set at 40 °C. The DAD detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the nebulizing gas flow rate was 2.0 L · min(-1) and temperature of drift tube was 105 °C. The volume was 10 μL. The five compounds were well separated with good linear correlations. The mean recoveries were between 102.0%-104.0%. This method was quick and reliable which provides a foundation for quality control of R. Anemarrhenae.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between lamivudine-resistant mutants of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and serum HBV DNA loading before antiviral therapy.

METHODSThis study involved 106 patients with hepatitis B receiving lamivudine treatment for an average of 32 months (rang 12-48 months). Serum HBV DNA loadings were measured with PCR before and every 4 to 6 months during lamivudine therapy. HBV YMDD mutants were detected using mismatched PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) during lamivudine treatment.

RESULTSHBV DNA loading was significantly higher in patients infected with HBV YMDD mutants during lamivudine therapy than those infected with HBV without YMDD mutation.

CONCLUSIONHigh viral loading in hepatitis B patients before treatment is associated with high likeliness of HBV YMDD mutation during lamivudine treatment. HBV DNA loading may be indicative for the occurrence of YMDD mutation during lamivudine therapy.

Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Viral Load ; genetics

Objective To investigate the effect of high power microwave(HPM) irradiation on neuropeptide Y (NPY) and neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the cerebral cortex and hippoeampus of Wistar rats. Methods A total of 110 Wistar rats were used for this study.Three groups of 30 Wistar rats were exposed to HPM irradiation at intensities of 3,10,30 and 100 mW/cm~2,respectively.Twenty rats served as controls and were ex- posed to sham HPM irradiation.At 6 h,and at 1,3,7,14 and 28 d after irradiation,five rats from each group were sacrificed,and their cerebral cortices and hippocampi were harvested.HE staining was used to highlight any change in the structure of the cerebral cortex or hippocampus.Immunohistochemistry techniques and image analysis were used to study the changes in NPY and nNOS expression.Results 10 to 100 mW/cm~2 HPM irradiation caused pyc- nosis and deep staining of some neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.The increase in nNOS expression and decrease in NPY expression observed were significant at 3 days after irradiation.Conclusion HPM irradiation can induce injury in neurons of the cerebral cortex and hippoeampus,and abnormal NPY and nNOS expression.

We found previously that ACh can significantly inhibit the proliferation of cultured human pituitary adenoma cells. In order to make a further investigation of the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, we observed the levels of protein kinase C (PKC), [Ca(2+)](i) and cAMP/cGMP in cultured pituitary adenoma cells after treatment with ACh. The results demonstrate that (1) compared with control, PMA, a PKC activator, increased the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells. However, after a 15-min treatment with ACh (10 micromol/L), a significant reduction of the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells was observed, and the reduction effect could be blocked by atropine. (2) The level of [Ca(2+)](i) of single adenoma cells was found to decrease immediately on the addition of ACh (10 micromol/L), which could also be blocked by atropine. (3) ACh increased the amount of cAMP in the cytoplasm of human pituitary adenoma cells, but had no effect on that of cGMP. These data provide an important clue to explore the molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, and suggest that the modulating effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells results from the interactions of several cellular signaling pathways.
Acetylcholine ; physiology ; Adenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Humans ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo summarize our experiences in the treatment of type C3 (AO/OTA) distal radius fractures fixed with AO 2.4 mm locking plates combined with percutaneous pinning after manipulative reduction.

METHODSFrom May 2009 to March 2012, 19 patients (2 cases of both sides) with type C3 (AO/OTA) distal radius fractures were treated with volar locking plates combined with percutaneous pinning for distal radius after manipulative reduction. Among the patients, the average age was (45.3 ± 17.4) years old (ranged, 31 to 66 years old). The fracture were complicated with ulnar styloid fracture in 14 wrists and 6 wrists had distal radioulnar joint instability. All the patients had closed fracture and the mean duration was (6.7 ± 3.5) days (4.5 to 9 days). The Henry approach was applied to expose the fracture site. Joint capsule and ligaments were retained for indirect reduction. After indirect reduction, the poking reduction technique was used to correct the residual compression, and congruence of distal ulnar radial joint was verified under fluorscopic guidance. Styloid process was first pinned percutaneously and then AO 2.4 mm volar locking plate was used to support rigid fixation. The fractures complicated with distal radioulnar joint instability and ulnar styloid fracture were treated with forearm plaster support in supination for 6 weeks.

RESULTSNineteen patients (21 wrists) were followed up for an average duration of 10.5 months (ranged, 7 to 17 months). Radiographic bone union of distal radius was achieved in all cases, nonunion of the ulnar styloid occurred in 3 cases, and no distal radioulnar joint instability occurred. Tendon irritation was found in 2 cases and disappeared after the internal fixation was removed. The volar tilt, radial angle, radial length, incongruence of articular surface and distal radioulnar joint were observed at the follow-up. According to Batra and Gupta scoring system, 13 wrists were assessed to have a score of more than 80, 5 wrists 70 to 90, 3 wrists less than 70. Meanwhile, the subjective and objective evaluation was executed,range of motion of wrist, residual deformity and complications were observed. According to Sarmiento's modification of the system of Gartland and Werley, 17 wrists got an excellent result, 3 good and 1 fair.

CONCLUSIONType C3 (AO/OTA) distal radius fractures could be managed with manipulative reduction. Locking plate internal fixation combined with percutaneous pinning can offer enough support for early mobilization and rehabilitation, resulting in a better clinical outcome and satisfactory prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures ; complications ; surgery

A series of tacrine-methoxybenzene hybrids (5a-5i) were designed, synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of cholinesterases (ChEs). All the compounds had better ChEs inhibitory activities than tacrine with IC50 values at the nanomolar range. Compound 5h exhibited the strongest inhibition on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with an IC50 value of 6.74 nmol x L(-1) and compound 5f showed the most potent inhibition on butyrylcholinesterase with IC50 value of 3.83 nmol x L(-1). Kinetic and molecular modeling studies showed that these hybrids targeted both the catalytic active site and the peripheral anionic site of AChE.
Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Anisoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Binding Sites ; Butyrylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Catalytic Domain ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drug Design ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Tacrine ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of vitamine B(6) (Vit B(6)) and Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZY, for activating blood circulation to remove stasis) in patients with localized scleroderma(LSD).

METHODSThirty-three patients were treated with XFZY and Vit B(6), with 15 cases taking orally prednisone acetate and 20 healthy volunteers as the control. Their level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the patients with LSD before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSThe level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha in the serum from the patients with LSD were higher than those of healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). After treatment with Vit B(6) and XFZY, the level of sIL-2R and TNF-alpha from the patients with LSD decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but there were no difference between the group taking Vit B(6) plus XFZY and the group given prednisone.

CONCLUSIONThe activating blood circulation to remove stasis approach in treating LSD with integrative Chinese and Western drugs got better results, and metabolic disorder of tryptophan might be correlated with the etiology of LSD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Scleroderma, Localized ; blood ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Vitamin B 6 ; therapeutic use

Objective To explore the relationship between esophagus cancer patients and both environmental and genetic factors,through analyzing the data on birth orders from esophagus cancer patients of Shanxi province.Methods Both Greenwood and Haldane methods on birth order were used to study the 1101 cases with esophagus cancer from Shanxi province.All the patients had received surgery and were diagnosed,by pathological evidence.First certificates of the patients were confirmed through the standard genetic epidemiologic investigation.Birth order was investigated on probands of the 1101 cases with esophagus cancer and their 44 siblings.Results Results form the Greenwood method showed that there was a tendency for cases with esophagus cancer in birth orders First to Third.However,the Haldane method showed that the results were quite different between actual value and the average theory value of 6A (6A(actual value)=17 118,(X)6A(average theory value) =19 290,X=∣6A-(X)6A∣/√V6A =7.63,X ＞ 2) which suggested that the birth order had some effects on the occurrence of esophagus cancer.In addition,the actual value of 6A was lower than the theoretic average value,and the parents at younger productive age or baby at the first birth was easy to develop esophagus cancer.Conclusion Esophagus cancer was related with the birth order,especially at early order,which was not consistent with the national reports on esophagus cancer.Results from this study suggested that there were certain effects of environmental risk factors on esophagus cancer patients.

Objective To investigate the changes of hydrogen sulfide (H_2S) level in plasma in order to explore the role of H_2S in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to congenital heart disease (CHD).Methods There were 9 CHD patients and 9 normal children in this study. The plasma concentration of H_2S and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of each child were measured. Meanwhile, the relationship between H_2S level and PAP was analyzed.Results The plasma level of H_2S in the group of CHD significantly decreased compared with control group (32.13?2.25) ?mol/L vs [(43.69?2.05)?mol/L, P

Objective To search for new clinical intervention method to perimenopausal syndrome women.Methods Choose Kupperman score ≥ 11 points,CES-D depression score ≥ 20 points hospital outpatients,who were perimenopausal syndrome moderate or above,definitely have depression,and were randomly divided into observation group and experimental group of each 30 people.The experimental group was given “exercise prescription" training,the observation group was given routine instruction,and effect was evaluated after 10 weeks.Results Kupperman score in the experimental group lowered from ( 24.80 ± 8.002 )to ( 15.20 ± 7.039) and CES-D depression score decreased from (25.67 ± 6.418) to ( 19.93 ± 4.927,) after intervention.the difference between two groups was significantly statistic( F =23.344,15.063,P ＜0.01 ),but there was no difference in the observation group ( P ＞ 0.05 ).After intervention,Kupperman score in the experimental group ( 15.20 ± 7.039 ) was significantly lower than the control group ( 23.13 ± 7.447 ),and CES-D depression score in the experimental group ( 19.93 ± 4.927 ) was significantly lower than the control group (26.70 ±5.920),the difference between two groups was significantly statistic( F =18.560,23.158 ;P ＜0.01 ).Conclusions The exercise prescription can effectively reduce the incidence of perimenopausal syndrome and depression symptom.