Toad venom is the Bufo bufo gargarizans or B. melanostictus after the ears of the gland secretion, used in the treatment of various cancers in recent years. Research shows that the main anti-tumor components in bufadienolide. Bufadienolide have free type structure and conjunct type structure. To identify and clarify the difference between bufogenin and bufotoxin contained in Bufonis Venenum, which was from B. bufo gargarizans, an UPLC-TQ-MS method has been established. UPLC-TQ-MS method was used to identify and quantify the major bufadienolides in Bufonis Venenum. UPLC-TQ-MS assay with positive ion mode was performed on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C, (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 µm) with the mobile phase consisting of 0. 1% aqueous formic and acidacetonitrile in gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL · min⁻¹ and the column temperature was set at 35 °C. By comparing their retention time and high resolution mass data of Bufonis Venenum extracts, 37 effective components were primarily identified by MS/MS analysis in positive ion mode. Twenty-six of them were free-type bufadienolides (bufogenin), 11 of them were conjugated bufadienolides. There were significant differences in the main composition between fresh and processed Bufonis Venenum. The study found that the chemical composition of toad venom through great changes after processing, conjunct type content is much less, free type content as well change.
Amphibian Venoms ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bufonidae ; classification ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Molecular Structure ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

0.05).RBC and haematocrit(HCT)were significantly decreased(P

The clinical analgesic effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation (EAS) on breakthrough pain induced by remifentanil in patients undergoing radical thoracic esophagectomy, and the mechanisms were assessed. Sixty patients (ASAIII) scheduled for elective radical esophagectomy were randomized into three groups: group A (control) receiving a general anesthesia only; group B (sham) given EA needles at PC4 (Ximen) and PC6 (Neiguan) but no stimulation; and group C (EAS) electrically given EAS of the ipsilateral PC4 and PC6 throughout the surgery. The EAS consisting of a disperse-dense wave with a low frequency of 2 Hz and a high frequency of 20 Hz, was performed 30 min prior to induction of general anesthesia and continued through the surgery. At the emergence, sufentanil infusion was given for postoperative analgesia with loading dose of 7.5 μg, followed by a continuous infusion of 2.25 μg/h. The patient self-administration of sufentanil was 0.75 μg with a lockout of 15 min as needed. Additional breakthrough pain was treated with dezocine (5 mg) intravenously at the patient's request. Blood samples were collected before (T1), 2 h (T2), 24 h (T3), and 48 h (T4) after operation to measure the plasma β-EP, PGE2, and 5-HT. The operative time, the total dose of sufentanil and the dose of self-administration, and the rescue doses of dezocine were recorded. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at 2, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively and the incidence of apnea and severe hypotension were recorded. The results showed that the gender, age, weight, operative time and remifentanil consumption were comparable among 3 groups. Patients in EAS group had the lowest VAS scores postoperatively among the three groups (P<0.05). The total dose of sufentanil was 115±6.0 μg in EAS group, significantly lower than that in control (134.3±5.9 μg) and sham (133.5±7.0 μg) groups. Similarly, the rescue dose of dezocine was the least in EAS group (P<0.05) among the three groups. Plasma β-EP levels in EAS group at T3 (176.90±45.73) and T4 (162.96±35.00 pg/mL) were significantly higher than those in control (132.33±36.75 and 128.79±41.24 pg/mL) and sham (136.56±45.80 and 129.85±36.14 pg/mL) groups, P<0.05 for all. EAS could decrease the release of PGE2. Plasma PGE2 levels in EAS group at T2 and T3 (41±5 and 40±5 pg/mL respectively) were significantly lower than those in control (64±5 and 62±7 pg/mL) and sham (66±6 and 62±6 pg/mL) groups. Plasma 5-HT levels in EAS group at T2 (133.66±40.85) and T3 (154.66±52.49 ng/mL) were significantly lower than those in control (168.33±56.94 and 225.28±82.03) and sham (164.54±47.53 and 217.74±76.45 ng/mL) groups. For intra-group comparison, plasma 5-HT and PGE2 levels in control and sham groups at T2 and T3, and β-EP in EAS group at T3 and T4 were significantly higher than those at T1 (P<0.05); PGE2 and 5-HT levels in EAS group showed no significant difference among the different time points (P>0.05). No apnea or severe hypotension was observed in any group. It was concluded that intraoperative ipsilateral EAS at PC4 and PC6 provides effective postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing radical esophagectomy with remifentanil anesthesia and significantly decrease requirement for parental narcotics. The underlying mechanism may be related to stimulation of the release of endogenous β-EP and inhibition of inflammatory mediators (5-HT and PGE2).

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to discuss the diagnostic accuracy of nornalized liver ADC using the spleen and renal cortex as reference organs for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis.Methods Forty three patients with liver disease (chronic liver disease group) at compensated stage and 10 healthy volunteers (control group) were retrospectively assessed with diffusion-weighted imaging at a 3.0 T MR unit.Liver ADC,spleen ADC,renal ADC and normalized ADC (defined as the ratio of liver ADC to spleen ADC or renal cortex ADC,S-ADC and R-ADC for short) were measured in patients stratified by fibrosis stage.Spearman analysis was used to see the correlation between fibrosis stages and ADC,one-way ANOVA was used to compare the ADCs in different fibrosis stages.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the performance of ADC for prediction of liver fibrosis,and show the area under the curve ( AUC),sensitivity and specificity choosing the optimal cutoff value that maximized the Youden index.ResultsTen volunteers belonged to SO stage.From SO to S4 stage,there were 2,5,9,12 and 15 patients,correspondingly,liver ADCwere (1.37±0.13) ×10-3,(1.33±0.16) ×10 -3,(1.17±0.16) ×10-3,(1.23±0.14) ×10-3and ( 1.12 ±0.11 ) × 10-3mm2/s,S-ADC were 1.86 ±0.18,1.68 ±0.12,1.34 ±0.14,1.48 ±0.15 and 1.34±0.10,R-ADC were 0.71 ±0.08,0.68 ±0.12,0.61 ±0.09,0.64 ±0.11 and 0.60 ±0.08respectively,and the differences among them were significant ( F =6.48,18.70 and 3.04,P ＜0.05 ).The correlation between fibrosis stage and S-ADC was stronger than between fibrosis stage and liver ADC,R-ADC (r =- 0.71,- 0.51,- 0.41 ;P ＜ 0.01 ).S-ADC was superior to liver ADC and R-ADC for detection of S2,S3 and S4 fibrosis stage (Youden index:0.91,0.58,and 0.59).ConclusionSpleen normalized liver ADC improves diagnostic accuracy for detection of liver fibrosis than liver ADC and renal normalized liver ADC.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; Male ; PPAR gamma ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thiazolidinediones ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics of refractory systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA)and the efficiency of glucocorticoid in therapy on this kind of disease.Methods Thirty-nine children with systemic JIA were divided into low dose group 0.5-1.0 mg/(kg?d)and high dose group 1.0-1.5 mg/(kg?d).And the efficiency was observed by change of active index after 10 and 20 days.Results The effective power was 58.8% and 72.7% after 10 days,respectively.After 20 days,the power was 76.5% and 90.9%,respectively.The power in high dose group was significantly higher than that in low dose group.It had no difference in statistical analysis for efficiency of 2 kind of glucocorticoid dosage to control fever,but it had obvious difference to control arthralgia,arthrocele,erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C-reactive protein(CRP).Conclusion Glucocorticoid therapy is very effective to control the activity of disease in patients with systemic JIA.

OBJECTIVETo establish a neonatal pig model of hemolytic jaundice.

METHODSTwelve seven-day-old purebred Yorkshire pigs were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group (n=6 each). Immunization of New Zealand white rabbits was used to prepare rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell antibodies, and rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum was separated. The neonatal pigs in the experimental group were given an intravenous injection of rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum (5 mL), and those in the control group were given an intravenous injection of normal saline (5 mL). Venous blood samples were collected every 6 hours for routine blood test and liver function evaluation.

RESULTSThe experimental group had a significantly higher serum bilirubin level than the control group at 18 hours after the injection of rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum (64±30 μmol/L vs 20±4 μmol/L; P<0.05). In the experimental group, the serum bilirubin level reached the peak at 48 hours (275±31 μmol/L), and decreased significantly at 96 hours after the injection (95±17 μmol/L), but all significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). At 18 hours after the injection, the experimental group had a significantly lower red blood cell (RBC) count than the control group [(4.58±0.32)×10(12)/L vs (5.09±0.44)×10(12)/L; P<0.05]; at 24 hours, the experimental group showed further reductions in RBC count and hemoglobin level and had significantly lower RBC count and hemoglobin level than the control group [RBC: (4.21±0.24)×10(12)/L vs (5.11±0.39)×10(12)/L, P<0.05; hemoglobin: 87±3 g vs 97±6 g, P<0.05]. The differences in RBC count and hemoglobin level between the two groups were largest at 36-48 hours.

CONCLUSIONSThe neonatal pig model of hemolytic jaundice simulates the pathological process of human hemolytic jaundice well and provides good biological and material bases for further investigation of neonatal hemolysis.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Erythrocyte Count ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Jaundice ; etiology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Swine

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the characteristics of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) patients with tinnitus, and explore the relationship of characteristics of tinnitus and audiology. METHOD: Patients diagnosed as SSHL with tinnitus were studied in the research. All patients' clinical features were analyzed, such as tinnitus frequency, pure tone audiometry, tinnitus, hearing loss degree, results of residual inhibition test. RESULT: Thirty cases were identified as mild degree hearing loss, 13 cases as moderate degree, 28 cases as severe degree and 34 cases as profound degree. And hearing impaired frequency of 13 cases was ascertained at low-frequency, 39 cases at middle-high-frequency, and 53 cases at full-range-frequency. The incidence of patients with low-frequency was about 41. 9% (44/105), and it was about 21. 9% (23/105) in those with middle-frequency. And it was 36. 2% (38/105) in cases of high-frequency tinnitus. The chi-square test show statistically significant differences between patients with the low-frequency, middle-frequency and high-frequency of the hearing loss (P<0. 05). In tinnitus residual inhibition test, positive rate of convergence type masking curve was about 72.0%, tinnitus separated type masking curve 20.0%, overlapping type was 57.9%, and the spacing type was 43.5%. There was a statistically significant difference among cases with different type masking curve (P<0. 05)with the spacing residual inhibition test positive rate. CONCLUSION There are individual differences of clinical characteristics among SSHL patients with tinnitus. Tinnitus frequency is consistent with the frequency of hearing loss. Patients had the more serious the degree of hearing loss, who had more serious tinnitus grading. Cases with the converged type curve will be fit for tinnitus masking. Therefore, combining the tinnitus detection with the audiological tests, we could obtain the clinical characteristics of SSHL patients with tinnitus.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Deafness ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Tinnitus ; complications ; pathology

Pulmonary vascular remodeling is one of the major characteristics of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, mainly represented by over-proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcription factor which is produced by the cells exposed to hypoxia. HIF-1alpha up-regulates the expression of many hypoxia response genes (HRGs) for the body to adapt to hypoxia and maintain homeostasis. The expression of HIF-1alpha in the PASMCs is remarkably elevated under hypoxic condition and it stimulates the proliferation of PASMCs. In this experiment, we used gene clone technology to design and synthesize two siRNAs based on the sequence of HIF-1alpha mRNA. They were separately subcloned into the plasmid of pGenesil-1 containing U6 promoter. The pGenesil-1 vector of the RNA interference eukaryotic expression vector specific to HIF-1alpha gene was constructed. DNA sequencing of the plasmid verified the successful construction of the HIF-1alpha RNAi. We isolated and cultured the PASMCs of rat. The pGenesil-1 vector was transferred into the PASMCs with METAFECTENE in vitro. The positive cell clones transfected with pGenesil-1 were obtained after being screened with 400 mug/ml G418. These PASMCs were cultured in normoxia and hypoxia. After 48 h, the effects of RNAi on the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. The cellular growth activities were assayed by MTT colorimetry and flow cytometry in vitro. The results showed that for the PASMCs cultured in hypoxia for 48 h, the cell proliferation of blank group and control group were remarkably increased and the HIF-1alpha mRNA expressions were up-regulated, while the cell proliferation of the treatment groups did not increase and the HIF-1alpha mRNA expressions were not up-regulated. In conclusion, we successfully constructed the recombinant plasmid of RNAi and transfected them into the PASMCs in vitro. The RNAi inhibited the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA in the PASMCs, and subsequently it remarkably suppressed the proliferation of PASMCs in hypoxia. These results indicate that HIF-1alpha plays a pivotal role in PASMC proliferation.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cloning, Molecular ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; pathology ; Pulmonary Artery ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Rats ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors of male infertility.

METHODCase control study including 94 cases and control group with a ratio of 1 to 1.

RESULTSThe risk factors of male infertility were long time heavy smoking habit (OR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.95 - 6.10), illegal sexual intercourse (OR = 7.29, 95% CI: 2.54 - 20.89), growing vegetable under plastic in higher temperature (OR = 6.73, 95% CI: 1.91 - 23.69), contact with benzene chemicals (OR = 20.53, 95% CI: 4.67 - 90.25) and having Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection (OR = 5.55, 95% CI: 2.28 - 13.53).

CONCLUSIONMale infertility was resulted from many factors repeatedly acting on men for long time. In order to prevent male infertility, issues as environmental pollution, occupational protection need to be improved while bad working condition and risky behavior should be changed.

Adult ; Benzene ; toxicity ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Pollution ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; Ureaplasma urealyticum