Objective: To study the chemical constituents from Fritillaria pallidiflora. Methods: The constituents were isolated from F. pallidiflora and purified by column chromatography, and the structures were identified by spectra analysis and chemical methods. Results: Sixteen compounds were isolated from F. pallidiflora, including phenolic acids, esters, alkaloids, and the structures were identified as 1,4-diphenylbutane (1), cis-cinnamic acid (2), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3), acetovanillone (4), 9-octadecenoicacidmethylester (5), methyl ferulate (6), 1-O-feruloylglycerol (7), trans-isoferulic acid (8), syringaresinol (9), pinoresinol (10), 2,3-O-diferuloylglycerol (11), 1,3-O-diferuloyl-glycerol (12), cyclo (L-Pro-L-Ala) (13), cyclo (L-Leu-L-Val) (14), bis (diethylene glycol)phthalate (15), and cyclo-(Phe-Val) (16). Conclusion: All compounds are isolated from F. pallidiflora for the first time, and componds 1, 3-8, 10-13, 15, and 16 are isolated from the genus of Fritillaria for the first time.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normal range of the 33 elements (Li, Be, B, Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Th and U) in human whole blood of general population in Hunan province. METHODS: Blood samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the normal range. The influences of district, gender and age to the element content in blood samples were also observed. RESULTS: The normal range of 33 elements in blood samples from general population in Hunan province were obtained. Gender was shown to statistically influence the concentrations of B, Mg, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Cs, Hg and Pb (P < 0.05), while age was shown to influence the concentrations of Co, Ni, Cs and Hg in women (P < 0.05) as well as Cu, Se and Hg in men (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Although there are variables in different districts, the normal ranges of trace element in blood of the four cities in Hunan province are established.
Age Factors ; Asian People/ethnology* ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Reference Standards ; Reference Values ; Residence Characteristics ; Sex Factors ; Trace Elements/blood*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the collagen constitution of hyperplastic scar (HS) in different ages and the change of relative factors.

METHODSThirty cases with HS were divided into two groups according to patients' age: group 1 (1 - 19 years, A) and group 2 (20 - 50 years, B). The normal skin (NS) from corresponding age of volunteers was employed as control group. The changes in TGFbeta1, collagenase (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1beta) and the collagen ratio were observed by means of in situ hybridization technique and SABC (Strept-Avidin-Biotin complex) immunohistochemistry and image analysis.

RESULTSThe ratio of type I to type III collagen in A group was 6.48 in average and 3.76 in B group, but there was no evident difference in the ratio during the disease process in both groups. The expression of TGFbeta1 in A group was much higher than that in B group (P < 0.01). The TIMP-1 mRNA expression showed no difference among all age groups in HS patients, but it was much higher than that in NS group. The MMP-1 expression was evidently lower than TIMP-1 expression, and there was no difference in MMP-1 expression compared with NS group.

CONCLUSION(1) The TGFbeta1 expression in HS patients was negatively correlated with age, and the increased expression of TGFbeta1 produced an increase ratio of type I to type III collagen. (2) High level expression of TIMP-1 led to the formation of HS by inhibiting MMP-1 expression, and the expression was not related to age.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Burns ; metabolism ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Collagen Type III ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; biosynthesis ; Middle Aged ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; biosynthesis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; biosynthesis ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the effects of TENS on metatarsus plantar flexion and inversion in stroke patients,and to explore its mechanism.Methods Thirty-two stroke patients with gastrocnemius spasticity were randomly divided into a control group (n=16) and a TENS group (n=16).All patients were treated with foot sup- ports,neurodevelopmental and manipulation therapies.In addition,the TENS group received TENS on the anterior tibialis,peroneus longus and brevis muscles.All patients were assessed in terms of their Chinese stroke scale(CSS) and H reflex scores before and after therapy.Results Compared with those in the control group,the H reflex scores in the TENS group were obviously decreased,while H reflex latency was prolonged and H/M was reduced. Gait in the TENS group was evidently improved.Conclusion TENS is an effective therapy to decrease gastrocnemi- us spasticity and to improve the gait of stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in neurodegenerative disorders, although the inflammation may not the initiating factor. Parkinson disease (PD) is characterized patho?logically by the accumulation of alpha synuclein (α-syn) and the loss of the dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), which has been reported to be induced by the stereotaxic injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the SN region in rodents. This study is to investigate the therapeutic benefit of the inhibition of miR-873 in PD. METHODS Rats received the right-unilaterally injection with concentrated LV-sponge or LV-EGFP 3 d before LPS treatment, 7 or 14 d after LPS treatment. The animals were tested for rotational behavior with the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine dissolved in sterile saline at 21 d after LPS injection. The regulation of miR-873 on the genes related with cholesterol transport and inflammation was assayed in SH-SY5Y cells and U251 cells. RESULTS TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway was involved the regulation of miR-873 by LPS. The luciferase assay showed that HMGCR, ABCA1 and A20 were down- stream genes of miR- 873. The transfection of miR- 873 decreased the cholesterol levels in cell membrane, but increased in lysosome in SH-SY5Y cells. Compared with the control SH-SY5Y cells, cholesterol levels were higher in lysosome with α-synuclein overexpression or LPS treatment. The transfection of miR-873 increased the α-syn levels in lysosome in cells with α-synuclein overexpression. The loss of dopaminergic neuorns induced by LPS was significantly respectively decreased by 22.8%, 35.6% and 57% after the inhibition of miR-873 at 3 d before LPS treatment, 7 or 14 d after LPS treatment. Compared with LPS-treated group, the number of the rotation of rats was decreased by 60.4%, 33.5% and 13.2% after the inhibition of miR-873 at 3 d before LPS treatment, 7 or 14 d after LPS treatment. The inhibition of miR-873 significantly decreased accumulation of α-syn. The mRNA levels of HMGCR, ABCA1 and A20 in SN were decreased by LPS treatment, which was attenuated by the injection of LV- sponge. CONCLUSION The selective regulation of miR- 873 can protect the dopaminergic neurons from the LPS-induced damage. The inhibition of miR-873 can attenuate the relocation of cholesterol in lysosome and the accumulation of α-syn in neurons induced by LPS via the regulation of HMGCR, ABCA1 and A20.

Objective To evaluate the quality of the portal images acquired by computed radiography(CR)system and conventional screen-film system,respectively.Methods imaging plates (IP)and X-ray films of a home-devised lead phantom with a leakage of 6.45% were acquired,and modulation transfer function(MTF)curves of the both images were measured using edge method.Portal images of 40 nasopharyngeal cancer patients were acquired by IP and screen-film system respectively.Two doctors with similar experience evaluated the damage degree of petrosa] bone,the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve of CR images and general images were drawn according to two doctors evaluation results.Results The identification frequency of CR system and screen-film system were 1.159 and 0.806 Lp/mm respectively.For doctor one,the area under ROC curve of CR images and general images were 0.802 and 0.742 respectively.For doctor two,the area under ROC curve of CR images and general images were 0.751 and 0.600 respectively.The MTF curve and ROC curve of CR are both better than those of screen-film system.Conclusion The image quality of CR portal imaging is much better than that of screen-film system.The utility of CR in linear accelerator for portal imaging is promising in clinic.

Objective To evaluate the use of gated SPECT in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and the effects of percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) on myocardial perfusion.Methods 99 Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) images were performed in 31 HOCM patients before PFSMA and in 15 patients 3-7 d after PTSMA.The images in different left ventricular segments were analysed by using scores.Results In 99Tcm-MIBI images, uptake decreased at the septal regions in 12 HOCM patients (80.0%, 12/15) after PTSMA, 18F-FDG images also showed decreased uptake at the septal regions in 5 HOCM patients (33.3%, 5/15) after PTSMA.Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI images might be an important method to evaluate PTSMA results, and 18 F-FDG images showed important value as reference.

AIMTo investigate the paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactic acid) amphiphilic diblock copolymer (PMT).

METHODSPMT was prepared by solid dispersion technique. The average size and size distribution were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The morphology was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 1HNMR. The influences of the copolymer molecular weight and the paclitaxel-fed amount on PMT were studied. Therapeutic effect of PMT was studied on Kunming mice liver cancer H22.

RESULTSPMT showed nanometer size and spherical morphology with core and shell. The sizes of PMT increased with increasing the molecular weight of the hydrophobic segment in PEDLLA or increasing the drug-loaded amount. The tumour inhibiting effect of PMT was similar with that of Taxol.

CONCLUSIONIt will provide an experiment basis for the development of new kind of intravenous administration of paclitaxel.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Lactic Acid ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Microspheres ; Nanotechnology ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Particle Size ; Polyethylene Glycols

Curcumin is naturally occurring polyphenolic compound found in turmeric and has many pharmacological activities. The present study was undertaken to evaluate anti-allergic inflammatory activity of curcumin, and to investigate its inhibitory mechanisms in immunoglobulin E (IgE)/Ag-induced mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) and in a mouse model of IgE/Ag-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis (PSA). Curcumin inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dependent prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) dependent leukotriene C4 (LTC4) generation dose-dependently in BMMCs. To probe the mechanism involved, we assessed the effects of curcumin on the phosphorylation of Syk and its downstream signal molecules. Curcumin inhibited intracellular Ca2+ influx via phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1) activation and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway. Furthermore, the oral administration of curcumin significantly attenuated IgE/Ag-induced PSA, as determined by serum LTC4, PGD2, and histamine levels. Taken together, this study shows that curcumin offers a basis for drug development for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases.
Administration, Oral ; Anaphylaxis* ; Animals ; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase ; Curcuma ; Curcumin* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Histamine* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins* ; Leukotriene C4 ; Mast Cells* ; Mice* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phospholipases ; Phosphorylation ; Prostaglandin D2

Curcumin is naturally occurring polyphenolic compound found in turmeric and has many pharmacological activities. The present study was undertaken to evaluate anti-allergic inflammatory activity of curcumin, and to investigate its inhibitory mechanisms in immunoglobulin E (IgE)/Ag-induced mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) and in a mouse model of IgE/Ag-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis (PSA). Curcumin inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dependent prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) dependent leukotriene C4 (LTC4) generation dose-dependently in BMMCs. To probe the mechanism involved, we assessed the effects of curcumin on the phosphorylation of Syk and its downstream signal molecules. Curcumin inhibited intracellular Ca2+ influx via phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1) activation and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway. Furthermore, the oral administration of curcumin significantly attenuated IgE/Ag-induced PSA, as determined by serum LTC4, PGD2, and histamine levels. Taken together, this study shows that curcumin offers a basis for drug development for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases.
Administration, Oral ; Anaphylaxis* ; Animals ; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase ; Curcuma ; Curcumin* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Histamine* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins* ; Leukotriene C4 ; Mast Cells* ; Mice* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phospholipases ; Phosphorylation ; Prostaglandin D2