Gentianae Urnulae Herba, dried whole herb of Gentiana urnula,is a commonly used Tibetan medicine. However, only the character identification is used as quality control standard officially at present. As a part of project for the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition), the quality standard of this species was established in this study. The tests of water content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of the crude drugs were carried out following the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1). The TLC identification method was established by using gentiournoside A as reference substance, and a mixture of ethyl acetate-methanol-water-formic acid(7:1. 5:1: 0. 2) as the developing solvent system on silica gel G TLC plate. The content of gentiournoside A was assayed by HPLC on an Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm,5 μm) column, using acetonitrile-water (0.1% phosphoric acid) (26:74) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature is at 30 degrees C and the detection wavelength is at 240 nm. As a result, gentiournoside A and the other constituents were separated and presented the same fluorescence light comparing with the reference substance on TLC detected under the UV light(366 nm). The methodology validation for the assay of gentiournoside A showed that it was in a good linear correlation in the range of 0.009 95-0.398 g x L(-1) with the regression equation of Y = 1 467.1X +41.407(r = 0.999 9), and the average recovery was 98. 3% (RSD 2.2%). The mass fractions of gentiournoside A, water content, ethanol-soluble extractives of 15 batches samples were varied in the ranges of 0.175% -1.83%, 8.60% - 9.93% and 29.2% - 35.2%, respectively. Total ash and acid-insoluble ash were 10.2% - 17.2% and 5.26% - 10.8% detected from 10 batches samples. The recommended standards of quantitative indexes are that the mass fractions of gentiournoside A and extractives are not less than 0.80% and 26.0%, respectively; the water, total ash and acid-insoluble ash are not more than 12.0%, 15.0% and 8.0%, respectively.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

At present, cancer is still one of the most serious threats to human health. Despite the wide application of multiple cancer therapies in clinical practice, the therapeutic effects of most cancers are still far from satisfactory. In recent years, the discovery of regulated cell death may be a good first step on the road to treat cancer. Ferroptosis is triggered by lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cell membrane catalyzed by iron ion. It has been widely concerned as an emerging target for cancer therapy. With the booming of biomedical nanotechnology, ferroptosis as an emerging therapeutic target has attracted extensive attention. Here, we review the advance on the intersection of ferroptosis and biomedical nanotechnology. First, the research background of ferroptosis and nano-preparation as well as the feasibility of ferroptosis-based nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDS) for cancer treatment are presented and analyzed. Then, the strategies for inducing ferroptosis based on nano-DDS are summarized, mainly including: the promotion of Fenton reaction, the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX-4) and the restriction of the cysteine-glutamate exchange transporter (system Xc^-). Furthermore, the combination therapy strategies based on biomedical nanotechnology induced ferroptosis are also discussed. Finally, we shine the spotlight on the prospects and challenges of ferroptosis-based nanotherapeutics in clinical application.

Adult ; Coal Mining ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)for the minimal submucosal invasion of early gastrointestinal tumor. Methods A total of 242 patients with early gastrointestinal tumor,who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection,were retrospectively analyzed. The accuracy of EUS diagnosis was calculated based on postoperative histopathological findings as the golden standard,and influencing factors were also analyzed. Results Overall diagnostic accuracy of EUS for sub-mucosal invasion of early gastrointestinal tumors was 72. 3%(175/ 242),with an overstaging rate of 21. 5%(52/ 242)and an understaging rate of 6. 2%(15/ 242).Tumor size(P = 0. 018)and location(P = 0. 005) had significant effects on the diagnostic accuracy of the minimal submucosal invasion of early gastrointestinal tumor by EUS. The overstaging rate in the lesion length of diameter>3 cm was higher than those of 3 cm or less[27. 0%(33/ 122)VS 15. 8%(19/ 120),P = 0. 807],the overstaging rates of early colonrectal and gastric cancer were also significantly higher than the understaging rate[ Colonrectum:12. 2%(9/ 74)VS 2. 7%(2/ 74),P= 0. 028;Stomach:26. 9%(28/ 104)VS 2. 9%(3/ 104),P = 0. 000]. Conclusion Endoscopic ultrasonography is of diagnostic value for the invasion depth of early cancer in gastrointestinal tract. However,precaution should be taken in large lesions and the tendency of overstaging in gastrointestinal tract.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of combining auricular point sticking and a healthy diet to treat simple obesity in children aged 6-9 years old.Methods: A total of 190 eligible obese kids were divided into an observation group and a control group using the random number table method, with 95 cases in each group. The observation group was intervened by auricular point sticking plus guide on a healthy diet, while the control group was only provided with the guide on a healthy diet. The therapeutic efficacy was observed after intervention for three consecutive months, as well as the changes in body mass (BM), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and subcutaneous fat thickness. Results: After the 3-month intervention, the total effective rate was 91.6％ in the observation group, versus 74.7％ in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.01); in both groups, the BM, BMI, WC, HC, and subcutaneous fat thickness all decreased significantly (P<0.05), and were lower in the observation group than in the control group, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point sticking plus a healthy diet is safe and effective in treating simple obesity in children, producing more significant efficacy than healthy diet intervention alone.

Whether or not an abormal expression of IL-6 mRNA in PBMNCs from IDDM patientswas examined using a hihgly sensitive,specific and semiquantitative protocal,i.e.reverse tran-scription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).The relative levels of IL-6mRNA in PBM-NCs from 12 early IDDMpatients (8.20?3.85yr),29 newly diagnosed NIDDM patients(54.85?9.12yr)23 normal childrens (8.20?3.26yr) and 12 normal adults (31.92?11.22yr)weredetermined.Significantly high expresion levels of IL-6 mRNA were found in PBMNCs from pa-tients with IDDM (P

Objective To investigate the importance of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in the development of quinolone resistance in clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria.Methods A total of 541 consecutive clinical isolates of gram-negative ba- cilli resistant or intermediate to ciprofloxacin were screened for the qnrA gene by PCR.Conjugation experiments were carried out with azide-resistant E.coli J53 as a recipient.The aac(6')-Ib-cr gene was detected.The mutations in the quinolone-resist- ance-determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA and parC genes were identified in qnrA positive strains.Results qnrA was identi- fied in 7 of the 541 strains.Among the qnrA positive strains,5 were Enterobacter cloacae.No qnrA was detected in nonfer- menters.Quinolone resistance was transferred in 4 of 7 qnrA positive strains.Transconjugants had 12-to 125-fold increases in MIC of ciprofloxacin relative to that of the recipient.Seven strains contained qnrA with a nucleotide sequence identical to that originally reported.Two transconjugants with higher ciprofloxacin MICs contained aac(6')-Ib-cr gene.Mutations occurred in the QRDR of the gyrA and parC genes in 5 PCR-positive clinical strains.Conclusions Transferable plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance associated with qnrA is highly prevalent in clinical strains of Enterobacter spp.aac(6')-Ib-cr gene and mutations in the quinolone targets may co-exist with qnrA,which may contribute to the further increase of resistance to quinolones.

In order to identify novel genes involved in spermatogenesis, testis cDNA samples from Balb/C mice of different postnatal days were hybridized with the whole mouse genome Affymetrix chip to screen the testis-specific genes. The characteristics of the selected genes were analyzed by RT-PCR as well as other bioinformatic tools. A novel differentially expressed testis-specific gene (GenBank Accession No: NM_029042) in the developmental stages of testes was identified, and named TSCPA. Cellular mapping prediction of TSCPA indicated that its protein was probably expressed in nuclei, and one putative domain (aa 332-377) was anchoring domain of cAMP-dependent type II PK. The result of subcellular localization of GFP-TSCPA fusion protein in Cos-7 cells showed that TSCPA protein was expressed in nuclei. RT-PCR analysis revealed that TSCPA was expressed specifically in mouse and human testis. TSCPA gene was expressed weakly in 21-day-old mouse testis and the expression was increased gradually from 38th day to 6th month of mouse testes. No expression of hTSCPA was found in cryptorchidism and Sertoli-cell-only syndrome patients. It was concluded that the expression profile of TSCPA in human and mice indicated that TSCPA might play an important role in spermatogenesis.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum homocysteine ( Hcy ) and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral infarction combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after stroke, and observe the plasma Hcy levels and cognitive function improvement when treated with folic acid and vitamin B12 .Methods 87 acute cerebral infarction combined with COPD patients as the research object, then the general clinical data were recorded, hematology indexes ( Hcy, folic acid, vitamin B12 ) were determined, and their cognitive function with a simple mental state scale (MMSE) was assayed.According to the plasma Hcy levels, the subjects were divided into Hcy-normal group (n =21) and Hcy-increased group (n=66), then compare the cognitive function between the two groups.Hcy-increased subjects were randomly divided into intervention group (conventional treatment +folic acid 2.5 mg +VitB12 0.5 mg) and control group (conventional treatment).After six months follow-up, we retested plasma Hcy levels and MMSE assessment, comparison of plasma Hcy concentration change and cognitive function improvement between two groups.Results Compared with Hcy-normal group, plasma folic acid, VitB12 levels significantly decreased in Hcy-increased group (P<0.05).And Hcy concentration was negatively correlated with folic acid(r=-0.351,P =0.000)and VitB12(r=-0.242,P=0.015)levels.In addition, the MMSE, directional force and delayed recall score decreased in Hcy-increased group compared with the Hcy-normal group ( P<0.05 ).Hcy levels were significantly lower than the baseline level (P<0.05), MMSE and the sub-project of cognitive function score increased after treated with folic acid and VitB12 for six months, although there was no statistically significant difference.Conclusion Plasma Hcy level is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral infarction combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients treated with folic acid and VitB12 may help slow the recent cognitive dysfunction after stroke in the near future.

OBJECTIVETo understand the demography changes and behaviors in drug users.

METHODSelf-reported questionnaires was used and longitudinal investigation was conducted in one of the detoxication centers in Beijing in 1998 and 2000. Drug users were randomly chosen.

RESULTSResults showed that age of drug users tend to become younger with the numbers of drug users aged below 25, increased from 18.7% in 1998 to 28.2% in 2000. Majority of drug users remained males, but the proportion of females seemed to increase. Distribution of occupation showed that the largest increase fell among individual enterprisers, from 15.2% in 1998 to 25.9% in 2000. With educational back-ground, the proportion of lower than elementary education level, including illiterate, increased. Fifty percent of drug users were unmarried which increased from 40.8% in 1998 to 53.2% in 2000. Needle sharing was quite common, 16.5% in 1998 and 11.9% in 2000, but the decrease was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Fifty-seven point three percent of the injecting drug users did not have constant partners to share equipments. Proportion of extra-marriage sexual practice increased from 12.5% in 1998 to 27.5% in 2000, and significant difference (Chi-square = 12.50, P < 0.001). Multiple partners in extra-married drug users was also found (mean = 2). Compared to 1998, condom use during every sexual practice increased in 2000, but 47.7% drug users still never used condom.

CONCLUSIONIn summary, as the quick increase of drug users, sharing of injecting equipment and high-risk sexual behavior, including multiple partners and unprotected sex, were quite common, with the possibility of HIV epidemic in drug users.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Demography ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Needle Sharing ; adverse effects ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Safe Sex ; statistics & numerical data ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires