Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the sea cucumber Holothuria impatiens collected from the South China Sea.Methods The pure compounds were isolated by extraction,partition and multi-chromatography.Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical evidence.Results Three triterpene glycosides were isolated and identified as holothurin A1(Ⅰ),holothurin A(Ⅱ) and pervicoside C(Ⅲ),together with a physiological substance of adenosine(Ⅳ).Conclusion All were isolated from Holothuria impatiens for the first time.Three glycosides showed significant cytotoxic activities.

In this paper, a review and prospect to the progress in the studies on the chemical structures, pharmacological activities, methods of isolation and structural elucidation of as-terosaponins from starfish were reported.

Objective To investigate the existence of neglect and explore the relationship between spacial attentional deficits and hemisphere in patients with schizophrenia. Methods 51 schizophrenic patients and 55 healthy controls were measured with line bisection test and number bisection test、 Results In the Line Bisection Test,shcizophrenic patients group showed a negative deviation, in which the 2cm line( -0.03 ± 0. 74 )% and mean ( - 0. 02 ± 0. 03 ) % deviation rates were more significantly leftward than that of the normals ( ( 0. 00 ±0.02 ) %, ( - 0.00 ± - 0.01 ) %, P ＜ 0. 05 ) respectively. The mean deviation rates of the patients (P ＜ 0. 01 ) and control groups (P ＜ 0. 05 ) were also significantly leftward compared with zero value. In the number bisection test,schizophrenic patients group showed a negative deviation and a significant leftward bias on the interval 5 ( - 0.07 ±0.18)% ,7( -0.08 ±0.22)% and 9( -0.09 ±0.28)% ) than that of the normals(( -0.01 ±0.05)% ,(0.01± 0. 08 ) % and (0.00 ± 0.14 ) %, P ＜ 0.05 respectively). Conclusion Schizophrenic patients have a right-neglect, suggesting that spacial attentional deficits exist, and it may be related to the left cerebral hemisphere dysfunction.

Objective To investigate the expression of FHIT gene in the 60Co gamma-ray irradiated human lymphocytoblast(AHH-1) cell and the bystander effect cell,and to explore the function of FHIT gene in the bystander effect of ionizing radiation.Method Preparation of bystander effect cell model:after irradiated with different dose of 60Co gamma-ray(0,2,5 Gy),the directly irradiated AHH-1 ceils were collected immediately by centfifugation and co-cultivated with non-irradiated cells in Transwell.forming the bystander effect group P1.In addition,some culture media supernatant of direcfly irradiated cells were transfefred to the non- irradiated cells culture medium,forming the group P2.Then cells were collected at 0,6,12,and 24 h after irradiation and the total RNA and protein were extracted.RT-PcR and Western blot were performed to determine the FHIT mRNA and protein level.respectively.Flow cytometry assay and cell counting were conducted to detect the alteration of cell cycle and cell proliferation,respectively at 0,24 h after irradiation.Results The mRNA level of FHIT gene among control cells,directly irradiated cells and bystander cells showed no obvious difference. while the FHIT protein level of the directly irradiated ceils and bystander cells was siguificandy down-regulated compared with the control cells(F=102.45,P<0.001).Moreover,the directly irradiated cells and bystander cells showed significant G2 phase arrest and obviously inhibited the proliferation ability.Conclusions 2 and 5 Gy of 60Co γ-ray irradiated AHH-1 cells can result in down regulation of the FHIT protein expression,which suggests that FHIT gene is involved in the process of bvstander effect induced by irradiation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgolide B (GB) against ischemic stroke-induced injury in vivo and in vitro, and further explore the possible mechanisms concerned. METHODS: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mice and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-treated N2a cells were used to explore the neuroprotective effects of GB. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was detected via Western blot and qRT-PCR. RESULTS: GB treatment (4 mg/kg, i. p., bid) significantly reduced neurological deficits, water content, and cerebral infarct volume in tMCAO mice. GB also significantly increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, reduced the expression of caspase-3, and protected against OGD/R-induced neuronal apoptosis. Meanwhile, GB caused the up-regulation of BDNF protein in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that GB might protect the brain against ischemic insult partly via modulating BDNF expression.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor* ; Caspase 3 ; In Vitro Techniques ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mice ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Stroke* ; Up-Regulation ; Water

Objective:To examine the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) of children through Meta-analysis.Methods:We searched data on relative risk ( RR) and 95 % confidence interval ( CI) on cohort studies published between January 2000 and July 2019 from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database. We used Stata software 15.1 to perform the Meta analysis with random effect model applied to pool RRs according to the results of heterogeneity test through subgroup analysis and Meta regression analysis to explore the potential heterogeneity, publication bias and sensitivity. Results:A total of eleven cohort studies involving 1 631 618 samples and 9 276 ASD cases were included in this Meta-analysis. Results showed that maternal smoking was associated with the increased risk of autism spectrum disorder ( RR=1.16, 95 %CI: 1.02-1.32). For subgroup analysis, the pooled RR for prospective studies ( RR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.10-1.23) appeared higher than that in the retrospective studies ( RR=0.92, 95 %CI: 0.83-1.06). The pooled RR for studies with adjusted confounding factors ( RR=1.13, 95 %CI: 1.04-1.23) was higher than that without ( RR=1.12, 95 %CI: 1.04-1.20). In studies that exposure to smoking assessed before delivery, inter-study heterogeneity appeared higher than those after delivery. Sample size and time of assessment on smoking seemed the sources of heterogeneity. No significant publication bias was observed in this study, and the results were quite stable. Conclusions:Maternal smoking was associated with the increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. However, value of the combined effect seemed low. High-quality, large-sample, and prospective cohort studies should be conducted to further verify the causal relationship, based on the correction of potential confounding factors.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to explore the secular trends of overweight and obesity prevalence between 2007 and 2011 in children and adolescents in Guangzhou.

METHODSThe data of physical examination was collected from the routine measurements carried out by the Health Care Facilities of Primary and Secondary schools between 2007 and 2011. Random stratified cluster sampling was conducted, all the students aged 5-18 years old form 19 primary and secondary schools from 4 districts (Tianhe district, Yuexiu district, Baiyun district and Haizhu district) were included in this survey, including 27 944 students in 2007 and 38 284 students in 2011. Body mass index reference norm established by Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC) and the WHO cut-off criteria were employed for overweight and obesity screening, and the trend was analyzed.

RESULTSPrevalence of obesity in children and adolescents (7-18 years old) significantly increased from 5.96% (1 553/26 055) in 2007 to 6.56% (2 339/35 664) in 2011, and the difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 9.195, P < 0.05). Overweight and obesity was more common in boys (overweight: 13.25% (1 766/13 329) in 2007 and 13.87% (2 559/18 451) in 2011; obesity: 7.82% (1 042/13 329) in 2007 and 8.63% (1 592/18 451) in 2011) than in girls (overweight: 7.43% (946/12 726) in 2007 and 8.17% (1 406/17 213) in 2011; obesity: 4.11% (523/12 726) in 2007 and 4.48% (771/17 213) in 2011), and the difference showed statistical significance (overweight:χ(2) = 236.123 in 2007 and χ(2) = 292.892 in 2011; obesity:χ(2) = 158.533 in 2007 and χ(2) = 247.794 in 2011. All P values < 0.05). Further analysis found that significant increases occurred in boys aged 16 and 17 years old and in girls aged 12 years old (boy: 16 years old,χ(2) = 6.820, P < 0.05. 17 years old, χ(2) = 4.893, P < 0.05. girl: 12 years old,χ(2) = 5.921, P < 0.05).

RESULTSof Join-point regression showed that for boys less than 10 years old the prevalence increased with age increasing (in 2007, APC = 3.75; in 2011, APC = 1.76), while over 10 years old the prevalence decreased with age increasing (in 2007, 10-18 years old's APC = -18.58; in 2011, 10-18 years old's APC = -15.95). While for girls the prevalence of obesity increased with age increasing between 7-9 years old (APC = 12.16), decreased with age increasing through 9 to 18 years old (APC = -17.23) in 2007. The prevalence decreased with age increasing for girls in 2011 (APC = -4.66).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of obesity is high and still increasing in children and adolescents in Guangzhou, and it is higher in boys than in girls. It is more likely to become obesity at 10 years for boys, and for girls the prevalence decrease with age increasing.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Overweight ; epidemiology ; Prevalence