Beta-Elemene is an antitumor drug which is isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Curcumae Phaeocaulis Rhizoma, it is the main component of elemene which is extracted from the plant and delivered via blood circulation after intravenous injection. The antitumor effect of beta-elemene in vitro and in vivo was definite, and beta-elemene could improve the patient immunity and no sever side effect, drug resistance or bone marrow suppression were found during the clinical studies. And human serum albumin (HSA) is a primary extracellular protein which has a high concentration distribution in blood plasma and has many characteristic physiological functions. Therefore, the binding of beta-elemene to protein may be very important for absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. Therefore, the study on the interaction of beta-elemene with drug-carrying protein is very important. In this work, molecular binding of beta-elemene to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by using spectrofluorometer. the binding constants suggested that a strong interaction and the formation of a complex between beta-elemene and HSA. This clearly implies that beta-elemene can be stored and removed by the proteins in the body. Furthermore, the fluorescence quenching results showed that the HSA fluorescence was quenched by beta-elemene through static quenching mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters showed that hydrophobic interactions play a role in the binding of beta-elemene to HSA. The negative deltaH(0) and positive deltaS(0) in case of beta-elemene therefore showed that electrostatic attraction play a role in the binding of beta-elemene to HSA.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Protein Binding ; Serum Albumin ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; Thermodynamics

Objective To understand the prevalence,drug resistance and clinical features of children with acute lower respiratory tract infection(ALRI) caused by escherichia coli.Methods From Oct. 2005 to Oct. 2006,659 patients with ALRI who were admitted to hospital were chosen and their nasopharyngeal secretions were obtained and cultured.K-B disc diffusion for antibiotic susceptibility were performed for these clinical isolates.Results Among 659 patients,118 cases were isolated escherichia coli,the rate was 17.99% which had 90 boys and 28 girls.Eighty-seven of 118 E.coli strains were with extended-spectrum ?-lactamase(ESBLs),the rate was 73.73%.All of strains were sensitive to imipenem.For ESBLs-producing strains,the ratio of resistance tocefotaxime,ceftriaxone,cefuroxime,ampicillin,piperacillin were 78.81%,73.73%,73.73%,76.27%,78.81%,respectively.Conclusions The positive rate of ESBLs producing E coli in Kunming area is high and drug resistance is severe gradually.Imipenem can be the first selection for treatment on these infections.

OBJECTIVETo study the differential expressions of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in the tissues of prostate cancer and normal prostate, and to find the role of RAGE in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

METHODSWe collected the tissue of prostate cancer and that of normal prostate from the same patient, and compared the differential expressions of RAGE at the tissue, protein and mRNA levels between prostate cancer and normal prostate tissues of 10 patients by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTSImmunohistochemistry exhibited a significantly higher expression of RAGE in the prostate cancer tissue than in the normal prostate tissue; Western blot showed that the RAGE protein expression was 2.13 times higher in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05); and real-time quantitative PCR revealed the RAGE mRNA expression of the former to be 4.2 times that of the latter (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRAGE may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer.

Blotting, Western ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Prostate ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; Receptors, Immunologic ; genetics ; metabolism

According to the designed specific primers of gene fragment based on the Salvia miltiorrhiza transcriptome data, with the method of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), this study cloned full-length cDNA sequence of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl-4-diphosphate synthase gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza bge.f.alba, this sequence is named as SmHDS and its GenBank registration number is KJ746807. SmHDS, 2 529 bp long, contains an ORF of 2 229 bp, encodes 742 amino acids, including 5' UTR 170 bp and 3' UTR 130 bp. Using bioinformatics software, having made a homology analysis of the obtained sequence, we can have a conclusion that SmHDS have a close genetic relationship with HDS of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Analysis result of prokaryotic expression revealed that in Escherichia coli, SmHDS expressed target proteins which in size are comparable with the protein predicted. Meanwhile, the 4 factors which can influence the protein expression were optimized, the 4 factors are inducing temperature, inducing time, IPTG concentrations and density of inducing host bacterium (A600). The optimal expression conditions of SmHDS were 30 degrees C until the A600 is 0.6, and add IPTG to a final concentration of 0.2 mmol x L(-1), and the induction time of 20 h. It provides theoretical basis for the further study of the function of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl-4-diphosphate synthase in the biosynthesis of tanshinone compounds.
Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; biosynthesis ; Enzymes ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; enzymology ; genetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ascites ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Child ; Cytodiagnosis ; methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective：This study was designed to evaluate the application of three markers in diagnosing lung cancer and calculate Bergman Parameter to raise the sensitivity and validity in detecting the lung cancer. Methods：Using immunoradiometric and chemiluminescence assay, we observed serum NSE (neuron-specific enolase), CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), and CA50(cancer-associated carbohydrate antigens 50) in 107 cases of lung cancer and 118 cases of benign pulmonary diseases. Bergman parameter was calculated with Bergman’s formula. Results：The sensitivity of NSE, CEA, CA50 for lung cancer were 51.4％ , 54.2％ , and 31.7％ , respectively. The specificity was 85.7％ , 89.8％ , and 93.0％ , respectively, while diagnostic accuracy rates were 64.3％ , 72.9％ , and 55.8％ . The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy rate of Bergman parameter (95.2％ , 87.5％ and 92.1％ ) were higher than these three markers in lung cancer (P<0.05). We found that Bergman parameter could be used to moniter the prognosis of advanced lung cancer. Conclusion： Serum NSE, CEA, and CA50 are of value in detecting lung cancer. Bergman parameter, calculated with NSE, CEA, CA50, is able to increase specificity and accuracy in diagnosis of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo construct an eukaryotic recombinant expression vector for retinoblastoma 1 gene (RB-1) and investigate the role of RB-1 in prostate cancer.

METHODSThe coding sequence of RB-1 gene tagged with FLAG was amplified from the plasmid CMV-RB by PCR method. The fragment was cloned into CMV expression vector and identified by restriction enzyme digestion and sequence analysis. Western Blotting was used to detect RB-1 expression and immunofluorescence was used to observe RB-1 distribution in PC-3 cells transfected with the recombinant.

RESULTSThe expression vector CMV-FLAG-RB was successfully constructed as confirmed by PCR, endonuclease digestion and DNA sequence analysis. RB-1 protein was highly expressed and showed a nuclear distribution in PC-3 cells transfected with the recombinant.

CONCLUSIONSThe eukaryotic expression vector for RB-1 has been successfully constructed and can be efficiently expressed in PC-3 cells. The expression of RB-1 is located in the cell nuclei.

Base Sequence ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure among residents in Chongqing area.

METHODSA total of 5246 residents aged 15 and over in Chongqing area were enrolled in this study by use of stratified sampling and cluster sampling methods. Data on blood pressure (SBP, DBP), pulse, height, body weight, waist and hip circumferences as well as questionnaire survey were analyzed.

RESULTSThe level of SBP and DBP and hypertension prevalence rate were significantly positively correlated with BMI (all P < 0.01). SBP, DBP levels and hypertension prevalence rate were significantly higher in people with abdomen obesity than people with normal waist circumference (all P < 0.01). BMI, waist circumference in hypertensive residents were significantly higher than non-hypertensive residents (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBlood pressure level and hypertension prevalence rate were closely related with BMI and waist circumference among residents in Chongqing area.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Urban Population ; Waist Circumference ; Waist-Hip Ratio ; Young Adult

Objective To assist clinical diagnosis of Demodex blepharitis and other related ocular surface disease.Methods 42 cases were collected from the patients diagnosed of blepharitis,dry eye or blepharitis related keratoconjunctivitis (BKC) from the outpatient of the First Hospital of Xi'an City from April and July 2016.The eyelashes were pulled out and detected for the Demodex under microscopy after adding a drop of ethanol.Results 30 cases in 42 patients were detected for the Demodex (the positive rate was 71 ％),while only 1 case in 10 healthy volunteers was detected for the Demodex with the positive rate of 10 ％.The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (x2 =10.23,P＜ 0.01).Conclusion There is a high incidence rate of Demodex blepharitis.The early rapid laboratory diagnosis for Demodex blepharitis should be paid attention to and reinforced,in order to guide the timely and accurate treatment and avoid the occurrence and development of the Demodex related blepharitis,dry eye,BKC or other ocular complications.

Objective·To investigate the effects of sodium houttuyfonate (SH) on neurons in early traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) rats and its mechanism. Methods·Forty adult female rats were randomly divided into sham group (n=8), control group (n=8) and experimental group (n=24). The sham group only received opened laminectomy without spinal cord clamping, the spinal cords in other two groups were clamped. The experimental group was divided into low [0.06 g/(kg·d)], moderate [0.12 g/(kg·d)] and high [0.24 g/(kg·d)] dose subgroups, in which SH was administrated intragastrically 1 h after operation and next two days. The other groups were given equivalent normal saline. The best therapeutic dose of SH was screened out by the results of the BBB scores and Nissl staining. To explore the neuroprotection mechanisms of SH, 72 rats were randomly divided into sham group (n=24), model group (n=24) and SH best dose group (n=24), the postoperative interventions were as same as above. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were respectively used to detect the number of motor neurons and cleaved-caspase3 positive staining neurons, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, NeuN and cleaved-caspase3 was detected by Western blotting. Results·The BBB scores on day 5 and day 7 after operation in low dose group were higher than those of control group (all P<0.01), but lower than those of moderate and high dose groups (all P<0.01), and the scores in the moderate and high dose groups were not different significantly. On day 7 after operation, compared with moderate and high dose groups, the dissolution of Nissl bodies in low dose group and control group increased, the number of Nissl bodies reduced, and the colour shallowed. But Nissl staining in moderate and high dose groups were similar. The optimal dose of SH was 0.12 g/(kg·d), which was judged by the results of BBB scores and Nissl staining. On day 3 and day 7 after operation, compared with control group, the number of motor neurons and the expression of NeuN and Bcl-2 in SH best dose group were increased (all P<0.01), while the number of cleaved-caspase3 positive staining neurons and the expression of Bax and cleaved-caspase3 were reduced (all P<0.01). Conclusion·SH has a certain neuroprotection on neurons in TSCI, its mechanism may be through upregulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, thereby reducing the neuronal apoptosis.