AIM: To investigate the effects of homocysteine (Hcy) on apoptosis and expression of caspases-3 in cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMCs). METHODS: HVSMCs were cultured in vitro. The rate of apoptosis in HVSMCs was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of caspases-3 mRNA in HVSMCs was detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The rates of apoptosis in HVSMCs incubated with 500 ?mol/L Hcy for 0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h were 2.39%?0.47%, 2.45%?0.64%, 7.58%?1.02%, 13.37%?4.71% and 17.69%?3.13%, respectively. The ratio of the absorbance of caspases-3 mRNA/GAPDH was 0.24?0.08, 0.29?0.10, 0.89?0.26, 1.37?0.24 and 1.82?0.53,respectively, suggesting that Hcy induces the apoptosis and expression of caspases-3 mRNA in HVSMCs in a time-dependent manner. The rates of apoptosis in HVSMCs incubated with 0, 100, 200, 500 or 1 000 ?mol/L Hcy for 24 h were 2.68%?0.23%, 2.79%?0.12%, 8.45%?2.41%, 13.37%?4.71% and 23.75%?5.56%, respectively, revealing that Hcy induced the apoptosis in HVSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Hcy induces the apoptosis in HVSMCs by regulating the expression of caspases-3, which may be one of the mechanisms involved in atherosclerotic effects of Hcy.

OBJECTIVETo study the differences of HPLC fingerprints with the total quantum statistical moment for the Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) processed by various ways, and to verify the additive properties of total quantum statistical moment.

METHODThe extracts of BYHWD were obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation firstly, and then were dissolved with five solvents of different solubility parameter from 11.4 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2) to 23.40 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2) respectively. Their chromatographic fingerprints were determined by HPLC, finally the total quantum statistical moment parameters and its superposition properties were manual calculated and analyzed by their expressions.

RESULTAs a contrast as the whole prescription, the similarities of the various processed samples with butanol (11.4 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2)), methanol (13.5 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2)), 68% methanol (16. 67 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2)), 34% methanol (20.03 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2)) and distilled water (23.40 Cal(1/2) x cm(-3/2)) were 0. 074, 0. 973, 0. 934, 0. 991, 0. 993, respectively and while the RSD of these total quantum zero moment, center moment and variance of each chromatographic fingerprints for them were 63.04%, 16.22%, 69.38%, which showed significant difference in these chromatographic fingerprints. The total quantum statistical moment parameters of the superimposed chromatographic fingerprint with each sole samples were 3.203 x 10(5) mAu x s, 29.85 min, 389.97 min2, whereas the whole prescription's were 6.548 x 10(4) mAu x s, 29.44 min, 389.00 min2, that suggested that the absolute difference percentages between the superimposed and the whole were 2.209%, 1.389%, 0.2484%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe total quantum statistical moment of the chromatographic fingerprints is of characteristics with additive properties, it can be used in static and dynamic quality controlled analyses in the Chinese medicine multiple component systems.

Biometry ; methods ; Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Solubility

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of infective endocardits(IE)by exploring the causes,pathogenic microorganism,clinical characteristics and therapeutic results of patients with IE.Methods From January 2006 to January 2016,89 cases with IE in Ganzhou People's Hospital were collected,and the clinical charac-teristics were analyzed retrospectively.Results Among the IE patients,40.5%had congenital heart diseases,33.7%had rheumatic heart diseases,18.0% were post－PCI or operative endocarditis,and patients without basic cardiac diseases accounted for 7.9%.The most common clinical manifestations were fever (86.5%),followed by anemia (85.4%).The blood culture positive rate was 63.4%.Streptococci viridians were the most common causative organ-isms(44.2%),followed by coagulase －negative staphylococci(21.2%).Eighty－six patients received echocardio-graphy examination,vegetation was observed in 61cases (68.5%).The hospital mortality rate was 10.1%,mostly due to refractory congestive heart failure and sepsis.Conclusion Congenital heart disease showed an upward trend, rheumatic heart disease decreased significantly.Intermittent fever,anemia are the main clinical manifestations.Blood culture positive rate is not high,Streptococcus viridians is the most common causative organism.Echocardiography is the main basis for the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVETo explore the once sampling quantitation of Houttuynia cordata through its DNA polymorphic bands that carried information entropy, from other form that the expression of traditional Chinese medicine polymorphism, genetic polymorphism, of traditional Chinese medicine.

METHODThe technique of inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) was applied to analyze genetic polymorphism of H. cordata samples from the same GAP producing area, the DNA genetic bands were transformed its into the information entropy, and the minimum once sampling quantitation with the mathematical mode was measured.

RESULTOne hundred and thirty-four DNA bands were obtained by using 9 screened ISSR primers to amplify from 46 strains DNA samples of H. cordata from the same GAP, the information entropy was H=0.365 6-0.978 6, and RSD was 14.75%. The once sampling quantitation was W=11.22 kg (863 strains).

CONCLUSIONThe "once minimum sampling quantitation" were calculated from the angle of the genetic polymorphism of H. cordata, and a great differences between this volume and the amount from the angle of fingerprint were found.

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; DNA, Plant ; Genetic Variation ; Houttuynia ; genetics ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics

Methanol fuel is a most promising substitute for gasoline. It is scarcely reported about methanol-fueled exhaust on the health effect, neither about genotoxicity research between methanol- and gasoline-fueled exhaust. In the present study, the two kinds of exhaust were sampled directly from tailpipe at the same type bus, the same state, L5178Y thymidine kinase (TK) gene mutation assay was used to investigate their genotoxicity at the same dose range, and compared with micronucleus and comet assay. The results showed that the genotoxicity of gasoline-fueled exhaust is stronger than that of methanol-fueled exhaust, while the cytotoxicity of methanol-fueled exhaust is stronger than that of gasoline-fueled exhaust at dose range. The study demonstrated that L5178Y TK gene mutation assay is more sensitive than micronucleus and comet assay.
Gasoline ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Methanol ; adverse effects ; Motor Vehicles ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Mutation ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; Vehicle Emissions ; adverse effects

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of a modified single-trunk arterialised venous flap in reconstruction of soft tissue defect in hand and foot.Methods:From January 2019 to June 2022, 25 patients with soft tissue defect in hand and foot were treated in the Department of Hand and Foot Plastic Surgery of Lecong Hospital of Shunde in Foshan. The soft tissue defects were reconstructed with a venous flap, of which a single trunk of vein was ligated and then a blood flux of the flap was re-established via a modified single vein trunk. One patient had soft tissue defect in dorsal foot and toes, 3 patients had defects in dorsal hand, 3 patients had defects in 2 digits and 18 patients had defects in single-digit. The sizes of defects were 2.0 cm×1.0 cm-10.0 cm×4.5 cm. The sizes of flaps were 2.0 cm×1.0 cm-12.0 cm×5.5 cm. Donor sites of the 19 cases were directly sutured and 6 were covered by skin grafts. The postoperative follow-ups were conducted at outpatient clinics and via telephone reviews to observe the survival of flaps. Functional recovery of 23 cases whose soft tissue defects in hand were evaluated according to the Evaluation Standard of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. The sensory recovery of flaps was evaluated according to the comprehensive flap scale.Results:All 25 single-trunk venous flaps survived successfully. There were small number of blisters on 5 flaps, due to tissue oedema. One patient lost in follow-up. The other 24 patients had 2-18 months of follow-up. The appearance of flaps was soft and thin, with wear-resistant. According to the Evaluation Standard of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, the function recovery were excellent in 12 cases, good in 9 cases and poor in 2 cases. Sensations of the flaps were 90-99 point with an average of 97 point according to the comprehensive flap scale, of which 22 flaps were in excellent and 2 in good.Conclusion:The method of ligation of single vein-trunk to make a arterialised venous flap is a simple surgical procedure. There are many selections of donor site with minimum damage. It is an effective method and with satisfactory outcomes.

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of repairing interphalangeal joint defect of hand with free transfer of part of the 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint tissue flap precisely cut with the aid of digital 3D printing technology.Methods:From December 2016 to December 2020, 7 patients with partial joint defects of proximal interphalangeal joints of fingers were treated in Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, Shunde Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University(Foshan Shunde Lecong Hospital). Before surgery, three-dimensional data of hand and foot bones were collected, and the 3D printing model was used to simulate the operation in vitro. During the operation, the first dorsal metatarsal artery-the 2nd dorsal metatarsal artery was used as the pedicle, and the 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint composite tissue flap with a required size was harvested with the assistance of the navigation template to tranfer and repair the small joint defects of hand. All 7 cases entered follow-up at outpatient and telephone. Results:All 7 cases survived. Postoperative follow-up was 3-24(mean 9.5) months, Range of motion of the repaired interphalangeal joint was (56 ± 6)°; According to the Evaluation Standard of Thumb and Finger Reconstruction Function of the Society of Hand Surgery of the Chinese Medical Association, 2 cases were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 1 case was poor.Conclusion:Transfer of the free 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint tissue flap assisted by 3D printing technology in repair of the small joint defect of the hand can accurately harvest the tissue flap, which is clinically reliable.