The chemical constituents isolated from Desmodium species (Leguminosae) included terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids compounds. Modem pharmacological studies have showed that the Desmodium species have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, diuretic, antipyretic, analgesic and choleretic activity. This article mainly has reviewed the research advances of chemical constituents and biological activities of Desmodium species since 2003.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Humans

Background The proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells is a primary link during angiogenesis.Studies showed that heat shock protein B6 (HspB6) promotes the secretion of multiple angiogenesis-related factors and therefore leads to neovascularization.Understanding the effects of neutralizing HspB6 antibody on the biological behavior of human choroidal vascular endothelial cells has an important significance in the target treatment of choroidal neovacularization diseases.Objective This study was to address the role and mechanism of neutralizing HspB6 antibody in tube formation of human choroidal vascular endothelial cells.Methods Human choroidal vascular endothelial cell line was normally cultured and harvested for total RNA extraction.Expressions of HspB6 mRNA and protein in human choroidal vascular endothelial cells were detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry (FCM).The cells were seeded on 96-well plate covered with matrigel at the density of 2×104/hole.Then the neutralizing HspB6 antibody at the concentration of 100 μg/Land 500 μg/L was added into the medium respectively,and the control cells were set without the addition of HspB6 antibody.The number of capillary tubes was calculated 12 hours after culture by three-dimensional matrigel assay.In addition,0,50,100,500 μg/L of neutralizing HspB6 antibody were added into the cell medium separately for 24hours,cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method was employed to assay the inhibitory rate(IR) of the cells.Transwell test was used to count the cell number across chamber membrane for the evaluation of migration ability of the cells.The apoptosis of the cells was assayed by FCM.Results Both HspB6 mRNA and protein were expressed on human choroidal vascular endothelial cells.The number of capillary tube formation of human choroidal vascular endothelial cells was (67.25±5.75),(60.39±6.41) and (39.76±10.73) /field in the 0,100 and 500 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 antibody groups,with significant difference among them (F =10.210,P =0.012),and the tube number was significantly less in the 500 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 antibody group compared with 0 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 group (P =0.005).The IR of neutralizing HspB6 antibody to the cellular proliferation and migration was enhanced with the increases of concentration and time lapse(Fconcentration =7.485,P =0.002 ; Ftime =16.684,P =0.001).The number of the cells through Transwell chamber membrane was 14.0 ± 2.5,11.1 ± 0.8,6.6 ± 0.1,6.7 ± 0.2 in the 0,50,100,500 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 antibody group respectively,and that in the 100 μg/L and 500 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 antibody group was lessened in comparison with the 0 μg/L neutralizing HspB6 antibody group(both at P=0.000).The apoptosis rate of the cells was (22.73 ± 2.53)％ in the neutralizing HspB6 antibody group,which was significantly lower than (13.33±2.08) ％ of the control group (t=4.967,P=0.008).Conclusions Neutralizing HspB6 antibody inhibits capillary tube formation of human choroidal endothelial cells in vitro in dose-and timedependent manner,probably through suppressing the proliferation and migration and promoting the apoptosis of choroidal endothelial cells.

Adult ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; therapy ; Hepatitis ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Plasma Exchange

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical pathologic and immunohistochemical features of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors (GIMTs), and to investigate the value of molecular markers in GIMTs clinical differentiation diagnosis.

METHODSThe clinical and pathological data of 210 cases of GIMTs, collected from Jan. 1987 to Dec. 2005 in our hospital, were investigated retrospectively. GIMTs were rediagnosed by using standard immunostaining technique in paraffin-embedded tissue. The expression level of CD117, CD34, Desmin, SMA and PS100 were detected by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSAmong 210 cases of GIMTs, 127 cases were Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) (60.5%), 33 leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas (15.7%), 27 neurogenic tumours (12.8%), and 23 miscellaneous tumors (11.0%). The incidences of GIST, leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma were similar among men and women. Men were more likely to develop neurogenic tumors and miscellaneous tumors than women. Of all the GISTs, 51.2% cases originated from stomach, 19.7% from small intestine, 11.0% from esophagus, 10.2% from colon and rectum. The most common location of leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas was esophagus (45.5%). The most common location of neurogenic tumors was retroperitoneum (74.1%). Common symptoms of GISTs included digestive tract hemorrhage in 36 cases (28.3%), abdominal pain in 27 cases (21.3%) and abdominal mass in 24 cases (18.9%). Other GIMT cases except GISTs had no first symptom of digestive tract hemorrhage. It was noticed that 79.5% of GISTs had no obvious invasion, and 72.7% of leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas had no obvious invasion. 33.3% of neurogenic tumors invaded the adjacent organs or tissues. No metastases had been found in other GIMT cases except GISTs. The neoplastic cells of GISTs were composed of various percentage of spindle (72.5%), epithelioid (11.8%) and mixed-type cells (15.7%). The percentage of spindle cells in leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas was 94. The immunohistochemical results of GISTs showed that the positive rate of CD117 was 93.7%, CD34 was 69.3%, Desmin was 13.4%, SMA was 12.6%, and PS100 was 10.2%. The immunohistochemical results of leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas showed that the positive rate of Desmin was 78.5%, SMA was 63.6%, while as the expressions of CD117, CD34, and PS100 were negative. Diffuse strong positive staining of PS100 was observed in 88.9% of neurogenic tumor patients.

CONCLUSIONSGISTs are the most common tumors among GIMTs. GISTs are different from neurogenic tumors, leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas in initial symptom, tumor location, biological behavior and immunophenotype. Immunohistochemistry plays an important role in differentiating GISTs from leiomyomas and neurogenic tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Mesenchymoma ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of hepatitis B virus infected patients who is negative for HbsAg.

METHODSDNA sequences of 46 patients were analyzed. In these patients, HBsAg was negative but HBV DNA was positive and six new HBsAg variants were identified. Four of the six variants were combined point mutants and two were insertion variants. These S genes were subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector EBO-plpp, and the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmids were transfected into COS7 cells. Cell lines expressing mutant type HBsAg were obtained. The supernatants were detected by ELISA and RIA.

RESULTSOnly the two-amino acid-insertion variants could be detected and the others failed to react with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against HbsAg.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that the point mutations and insertions may result in a conformational change of the S gene, which affect HBsAg antigenicity, suggesting a possible relationship between the variants and the negative conversion of HBsAg of the patients.

Animals ; Antigenic Variation ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Transfection

Objective To find out the arsenic pollution in Yangzonghai lake and its influence to the surrounding drinking water source and the local food and to provide a scientific basis for arsenic pollution control,drinking water and food safety. Methods Arsenic monitoring were carried out in 10 points of Yangzonghai lake,45 water sources within 5 km of Yangzonghai lake, and locally produced food. Results From September 2008 to December 2009, the water arsenic concentrations of Yangzonghai lake ranged 0.06 - 0.18 mg/L, the average arsenic concentrations were 0.12 mg/L and 0.10 mg/L for 2008 and 2009, respectively, the value of 2009 was higher, and the difference was statistically significant(t = 3.284, P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant difference in the average of arsenic concentration of Yangzonghai lake between the dry and rainy season in 2009(t = 0.905, P ＞0.05). The arsenic concentrations from the No. 3 spring water ranged from 0.12 - 30.36 mg/L. After a peak value early in October 2008, the No. 3 spring water showed a downward trend month by month. In 2008 the average arsenic concentration was 23.92 mg/L, 2009 was 2.41 mg/L, down 89.92% over the previous year, the difference was statistically significant(t = 9.582, P ＜ 0.05 ). In January and February 2009, the average arsenic concentration (11.96 mg/L) was significantly higher than those of March-December(0.50 mg/L, t = 57.759, P＜ 0.05). In Yangzong town, the arsenic concentration in the drinking water and river met the national drinking water health standards. Among 78 samples monitored of the locally produced food in Yangzong town, 77 passed, with a pass rate of 98.72%. Conclusions Arsenic contamination has been effectively controlled. The drinking water and local food production has not been contaminated by arsenic except aquatic products in Yangzonghai Lake. It is recommended to take effective measures to prevent water contamination.

BACKGROUNDSyncope is common in children and adolescents, with 15% estimated to have had at least one syncopal episode by age 18. In recent years, an increasing number of children, especially girls at their school age, have developed unexplained syncope. The mechanism of an unexplained syncope exhibited by children is incompletely studied; the association between different hemodynamic patterns and clinical features is also not clear. The aim of the study was to investigate the hemodynamic patterns of children with unexplained syncope and to examine the clinical relevance.

METHODSTwo hundred and eight children [87 boys, 121 girls, aged 3 - 19 years, mean (11.66 +/- 2.72) years] were selectively recruited from May 2000 to April 2006 when they presented syncope as their main complaint at the Multi-center Network for Childhood Syncope in Beijing, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, and Shanghai of China. All of the patients underwent head-up tilt tests; data were analyzed using SPSS version 10.0 for Windows. Continuous variables were expressed as the mean +/- standard deviation. Dichotomous variables were compared through a chi(2) test. A value of P < 0.05 (two sided) was regarded as statistically significant.

RESULTSThe age distribution of children with syncope was approximately normal. Head-up tilt tests was positive in 155 children, and the incidence of positive response of the baseline head-up tilt test for diagnosing unexplained syncope was 50.48%. The sensitivity value and diagnostic value of sublingual nitroglycerin head-up tilt test were both 74.52%. The hemodynamic pattern was normal in 53 children. The 155 children, who were positive in head-up tilt tests, showed signs of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (60, 28.8%), the vasoinhibitory pattern (72, 34.6%), the cardioinhibitory pattern (5, 2.4%), and the mixed pattern (18, 8.7%). The gender distribution between the two age groups (age < 12 years vs age > or = 12 years) was not different (P > 0.05). The distribution of hemodynamic patterns between the children of the two age groups (age < 12 years vs age > or = 12 years), and the children with different complaints (dizziness vs syncope) was significantly different (P < 0.05), while the distribution between the children of different sexes and different lasting time of syncope (< or = 5 minutes vs > 5 minutes) was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Different hemodynamic patterns were differentiated by differing syncope inducements, presymptoms, and complicated symptoms during and after syncope.

CONCLUSIONThe tested girls were more prone when compared with the boys to have unexplained syncope, and the peak age was around twelve years old. The incidence of positive response of head-up tilt tests was also relatively higher for the girls. The distribution of hemodynamic patterns for different ages was different. For children with unexplained syncope, we should use head-up tilttests to distinguish the hemodynamic patterns in order to adopt rational therapeutic measures.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex ; Sex Characteristics ; Syncope ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Tilt-Table Test

Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Diseases ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; urine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pigmentation Disorders ; complications ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVESTo facilitate gene therapy research using recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (rAAV2) vector as gene transfer vehicle, and to construct a rAAV2 based vector carrying bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) and observe its expression in bone mesenchymal stem cells.

METHODSThe coding sequence (1.3 kb) of BMP7 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the pcDNA1.1(+) plasmid containing the human BMP-7 cDNA. After purified, the gene fragment was cloned into a plasmid pUC18 and termed plasmid pUC18-hBMP7. The recombinant pUC18-hBMP7 was digested by Kpn I and Sal I and further ligated to the pSNAV by T4DNA ligase. The resultant plasmid PSNAV-hBMP7 was transformed into DH5a Escherichia coli, and positive colonies were screened by PCR and digest with restriction enzyme to identify the correct recombinant clones. BHK-21 cells were transfected with the purified pSNAV-BMP7 plasmid according to a standard calcium phosphate precipitation method. The cells were then cultured in selection media containing 800 micro g/ml G418 (Gibco/BRL). G418-resistant BHK-21 cell clones were isolated and the integrity of hBMP7 gene was determined by PCR using the above PCR primers. To package the virus, stably transfected BHK-21 cells were subsequently infected with recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1 (rHSV-1). The collected cells were processed by chloroform treatment, PEG8000/NaCl precipitation and chloroform extraction for purification. The titer was determined using quantitative DNA dot blots and the purity was examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Following infection with rAAV2-BMP7 at multiplicities of infection of 1 x 10(5) vector genomes per cell and subsequent culture, MSCs were assessed qualitatively for BMP7 production.

RESULTSTransient transfection showed an efficiency of 98.8% in MSCs. RT-PCR showed that MSCs had transcription of BMP7 that was enhanced by the gene transfer. BMP-7 expression in MSCs was identified by Western-blot.

CONCLUSIONSThe hBMP7 recombinant adeno-associated virus vector is successfully constructed. The present in vitro study demonstrates that rAAV2-BMP7 could infect MSCs.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cells, Cultured ; Dependovirus ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the application of the island flap based on the postfemur neurocutaneous nutrient vessel.

METHODSThe flap was designed and applied to repair the defects in the gluteal, popliteal fossa or the bilateral postfemur areas. A total of 11 cases (12 defects) were treated with this method. The size of the defects ranged from 4.0 cm x 7.8 cm to 8.3 cm x 16.6 cm.

RESULTSOf the 12 defects, 9 achieved complete success. Epidermal necrosis occurred in the distal part of the flap in 3 defects owing to venous stasis, which were cured with skin grafting. Postoperative follow-up for 8-19 months showed that the appearance, texture, and function of the flap were satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSThe advantages of the flap lie in the reliable blood supply, constant anatomy, and without sacrificing a major artery. The key points for the flap survival are utilizing the "Superficial vein-nutrient vessel of the cutaneous nerve system" and retaining a comet tail-shaped soft-tissue pedicle in the flap creation.

Arteries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Necrosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Skin ; injuries ; pathology ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; pathology ; transplantation ; Thigh ; Wound Healing