Objective To observe the effects of fosinopril(FOS),a new generation angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI),on protein and mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-?_1(TGF-?_1) of rat glomerular mesangial cell(GMC) induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS);to demonstrate the preventive mechanism against glomerular sclerosis by applying FOS.Methods The cultured GMC in classic way were divided into 3 groups:control group;LPS group;LPS+FOS group.TGF-?_1 concentration in GMC supernatant fluid was detected by ELISA;TGF-?_1 mRNA expression was determined by semiquantitative real-time RT-PCR.Results LPS group was obviously higher than control groups in TGF-?_1 secretion and mRNA expression,while LPS+FOS group decreased distinctively in TGF-?_1 secretion and mRNA expression compared with LPS group.Conclusions FOS has obviously inhibited on TGF-?_1 expression of rat GMC both at protein level and mRNA level,which reveals that it may be an important mechanism by FOS on restraining the development of glomerulosclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the second to the fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) and body mass index (BMI) in infertile men of the Han ethnic group in Ningxia.

METHODSUsing anthropometry, we calculated the mean ratio of 2D:4D and BMI of 197 infertile men and 148 normal healthy male controls, followed by analysis of their relationship.

RESULTSThe BMI was correlated positively with the 2D:4D ratio of the left hand in the infertile men (P < 0.05) and in the patients with a higher 2D:4D ratio of the left hand (P < 0.05), but negatively with the 2D:4D ratio of the righ/left (Dr-1) (left: P < 0.01; Dr-l: P < 0.05). The mean 2D: 4D ratio and BMI were both lower in the normal control than in the infertile men, with statistically significant differences in BMI (P < 0.05) and the 2D:4D ratio of the left hand (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere is a correlation between the 2D:4D ratio and BMI in infertile men.

Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Fingers ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; diagnosis ; Male

The chemical investigation on Ganoderma philippii led to the isolation of sixteen compounds by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. On the basis of spectroscopic data analyses, their structures were elucidated as 2, 5-dihydroxyacetophenone (1), methyl gentisate (2), (S) -dimethyl malate (3), muurola-4, 10 (14) -dien-11beta-ol (4), dihydroepicubenol (5), 5-hydroxymethylfuran carboxaldehyde (6), ergosta-7, 22E-dien-3beta-ol (7), ergosta-7, 22E-dien-3-one (8), ergosta-7, 22E-diene-2beta, 3alpha, 9alpha-triol (9), 6/beta-methoxyergo-sta-7, 22E-dien-3beta, 5alpha-diol (10), ergosta-4, 6, 8(14), 22E-tetraen-3-one (11), ergosta4, 6, 8-(14), 22E-etetraen-3beta-ol (12), 5alpha, 8alpha-epidioxy-ergosta-6, 22E-dien-3beta-ol (13), 7alpha-methoxy-5alpha, 6alpha-epoxyergosta-8-(14), 22E-dien-3beta-ol (14), ergosta-8, 22E-diene-3beta, 5alpha, 6beta, 7alpha-tetraol (15), and ergosta-5, 23-dien-3beta-ol, acetate (16). All the compounds were obtained from this fungus for the first time, and compounds 4 and 5 were isolated from the Ganoderma genus for the first time.
Ganoderma ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; isolation & purification

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Cochlea ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Epithelium ; metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels ; chemistry ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of gefitinib in the treatment of fe- male patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of lung who had failed to previous chemotherapy.Methods These patients received 250mg of gefitinib orally,once daily until disease progression or development of intol- erable toxic reaction.They were evaluated one month after treatment and every other month thereafter.Results Among the 27 evaluable patients,there were 1 CR(3.7%),11 PR(40.8%),10 SD(37.0%)and 5 PD(18.5%). The overall response rate was 44.5%(95% CI 29%～68%);and 22 patients(81.5%)gained profit(CR+PR+ SD)from the clinical therapy(95% CI 62%～94%);the mean TTP was 7.2 months.Symptomatic improvement rate was 80.0%.The main adverse effects were mild rash and diarrhea.Conclusion gefitinib has significant efficacy in the treatment of female patients with advanced tung cancer who had failed to previous chemother- apy.Adverse effects are mild.gefitinib is a suitable therapy for these patients.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of fosinopril (FOS) on proliferation and secretion of extracellular matrix of rat glomerular mesangial cell induced by LPS.

METHODSIn vitro culture method for glomerular mesangial cells (GMC) of rat was established and passages 3 - 10 of the cells were used in the experiment after identification. The experiment included the following 5 groups: control group (Ctrl), LPS group (LPS), high, medium and low dose FOS groups (FOS1, FOS2 and FOS3 groups, respectively). GMC proliferation was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) incorporation method at 24 and 48 h; the changes of laminin (LN), fibronectin (FN) and ColIV protein secretion was detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The changes of LNbeta(2) mRNA expression was detected by semi-quantitative real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTS(1) LPS could induce the mesangial cell proliferation, FOS inhibited this effect of proliferation induced by LPS. (2) Mesangial cells could secrete some extracellular matrix (ECM) protein in normal culture medium, mesangial cell secreted ECM protein was significantly higher in LPS group than that in Ctrl group (P < 0.01), but significantly lower in all FOS groups than that in LPS group (P < 0.01). (3) Mesangial cell could express LNbeta(2) mRNA in normal culture medium, LNbeta(2) mRNA expression was significantly higher in LPS group than that in Ctrl group at all time points, but was significantly lower in FOS group than that in LPS group.

CONCLUSIONSLPS could induce increased secretion of the ECM, including LN, FN, ColIV; FOS could inhibit the secretion of ECM in GMC in a dose-dependent manner at mRNA and protein levels.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; secretion ; Fosinopril ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Mesangial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of the extract of Ginkgo biloba leaf on hypercholestrolemia in children with primary nephritic syndrome (NS).

METHODSThirty-five children with NS were randomized into 2 groups for treatment with prednisone plus Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (18 cases) or with prednisone plus dipyridamole (17 cases) for 8 weeks. After completion of the treatments, the therapeutic effects were evaluated and the changes in the blood biochemical markers assayed.

RESULTSThe 8-week treatment with the extract significantly ameliorated the clinical symptoms and blood biochemistry as compared with prednisone plus dipyridamole group (P<0.01). The levels of urinic protein and blood lipid in Ginkgo leaf group were significantly lower than those in prednisome plus dipyridamole group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe extract from Ginkgo biloba leaf can lower blood lipid levels and urinic protein in children with NS and improve their clinical syptoms and the renal function, therefore has much clinical value as an adjuvant treatment of steroid therapy in such children.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dipyridamole ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; complications ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect of manshuailing oral liquid on patients with congestive heart failure of type heart and kidney Yang deficiency.

METHOD90 patients of heart failure were randomly divided into 2 groups. 45 cases in the routine treatment group (RT) received general therapy including diuretics and digitalis, and 45 cases in the Chinese herb medicine group (CH) were treated basically with the above medicine, with additional manshuailing oral liquid. The clinical effect was summarized 6 weeks after treatment.

RESULTTotal effect rate was 82.2% and 62.2% in CH and RTgroup respectively. Compared with pretreatment, heart function including stroke volume (SV), stroke volume index (SVI), cardiac index (CI), shorten rate of left ventricular short axe (deltaD%), distance of inter-ventricular septal to mitral valve (EPSS) were all improved significantly in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and with even better effects in the CH group than the RT group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), except the SV.

CONCLUSIONManshuailing oral liquid can alleviate clinical symptom, decreased EPSS, increase deltaD% and improve heart function.

Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiotonic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Digoxin ; therapeutic use ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Heart Function Tests ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; therapeutic use ; Isosorbide Dinitrate ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilator Agents ; therapeutic use ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects of using the Chinese Shang Ring in circumcision children with either phimosis or redundant prepuce, and to investigate its superiority over the similar devices available.

METHODSA total of 824 children with phimosis or redundant prepuce underwent circumcision with the Shang Ring. The clinical data were assessed concerning the duration of the procedure, incidence of post-operative complications, time of recovery and appearance of the penis.

RESULTSThe procedure duration was (2.6 +/-1.2) min, and the complications included infection in 4 (0.6%), edema in 21 (3.2%), delayed removal of the ring in 10 (1.5%), redundant and asymmetric mucosa attributable to performance in 6 (0.9%) of the cases. The wounds healed and the rings were removed at 13.4 +/- 5.8 days after circumcision, with well-smoothed incision and good cosmetic results.

CONCLUSIONChild circumcision with the Chinese Shang Ring is easy and simple in performance, with less operative time, fewer complications and better cosmetic results.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Circumcision, Male ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Penis ; surgery ; Phimosis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

A comprehensively comparison of the chemical profiles between sun-drying BJ (NBJ) and sulfur-fumigated BJ (SBJ) was conducted by HPLC analysis and the discrepant peaks were identified or tentatively assigned by HPLC-ESI-MSn. A total of 32 chemical components were used for qualitative comparison. Meanwhile, a quantitative comparison of BJwere conducted by HPLC analysis and determining seven compounds from 3 NBJ and 3 SBJ samples dramatic chemical changes were found. After sulfur fumigation, the contents of flavonoids glycosides and phenolic acids were remarkably reduced, but the contents of flavonoids aglycones were significantly increased. Multivariate statistics, including principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) were used to investigate the potential damaging effect of sulfur-fumigating process. The PCA score plots showed six samples were clearly classified into the sun-drying and sulfur-fumigating groups. And according to VIP >1, the most important chemical markers were apigenin, luteolin and 3,5-dicaffeoylquninic acid which could be used to distinguish NBJ and SBJ samples. Combining the results of qualitative and quantitative analysis, it showed that the sulfur fumigation has a significant effect on BJ.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Fumigation ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Sulfur