Birth Weight ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male

Une new flavonoids named as notabilisin K (1), together with four known compounds, morusin (2), mulberrofuran A (3), neocyclomorusin (4) and mornigrol F (5) are separated from 95% ethanol extracts of the twigs of Morus notabilis. Compounds 2-5 are separated from this plant for the first time. Notabilisin I, notabilisin J exhibits certain effect against cells of HCT-116, HepG2 and A2780 with IC50 values ranging from 1.47 μmol x L(-1) to 5.46 μmol x L(-1). Morusin exhibits strong effect against five kinds of human cancer cells (BGC823, A2780, HCT-116, HepG2 and NCI-H1650) with IC50 values ranging from 0.74 μmol x L(-1) to 1.58 μmol x L(-1).
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; Benzofurans ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Morus ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Terpenes ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the methylation status in the promoter region of Dickkopf-3 (Dkk3) gene in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS),and to initially explore the relationship between the methylation of this gene and survival time.Methods Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was applied to measure the promoter methylation of Dkk3 gene in 43 bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of MDS patients.As controls,70 normal peripheral blood samples from general outpatients were examined.Results In 43 patients with MDS,7 patients (16.3 ％) showed Dkk3 gene methylation.And 5 of them were semi-methylation status,2 of them were exhaustive methylation status.In 70 controls,1 showed Dkk3 gene semi-methylation.The frequency of methylation in MDS patients was significantly higher than that of controls (x2 =8.93,P =0.005).In the Dkk3 methylation group,2/7 were from bone marrow and 5/7 were from peripheral blood.Meanwhile,2 patients were RA,1 patient was RCMD,4 patients were RAEB.There was no significant difference between the different sample source (bone marrow or peripheral blood) for the results of the methylation status (x2 =0.051,P =0.821).Either between the different sex,age,type,chromosome and WPSS score (P ＞ 0.05).The progress of disease didn't influence the methylation frequency (P ＞ 0.05).The smvival analysis showed no relationship between the methylation of this gene and smvival time.Conclusions In this MDS group,there is high level of methyl-modification in Dkk3 gene.The methylation of Dkk3 might be one of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the progress of patients with MDS.The peripheral blood sample maybe a better substitute in detective of Dkk3 with MDS.

Objective To explore the possible mechanism and protective effect of Xuebijing injection (血必净注射液)and dexamethasone on rats with paraquat-induced chronic pulmonary injury.Methods Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups:normal group(n=5),model group(n=5), treatment groups(n=20).In the normal group,normal saline was used,while in the other groups,20% paraquat 80 mg/kg was injected peritoneally for poisoning.After 2 hours of intoxication,low dose Xuebijing injection(1.25 g/kg),high dose Xuebijing injection(2.50 g/kg),dexamethasone(25 mg/kg),high dose Xuebijing injection combined with dexamethasone(combined group)respectively were administered into the four different treatment groups,equal amount of normal saline was given to the normal and model groups,and the treatment continued for 4 days.At 28 days after paraquat injection,5 rats in each group were killed respectively,serum transforming growth factor-?1(TGF-?1)and hydroxyproline(HYP)level in the lung homogenate were measured,and pulmonary coefficient and histological changes were observed.Results In the treatment groups,the levels of serum TGF-?1 and lung tissue HYP,pulmonary coefficient were leas than those of model group,and among the treatment groups,combined group had the best results(all P

ObjectiveTo investigate the methylation status in the promoter region of secreting frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2) gene in patients with myelodyplastic sydrome (MDS) and to initially explore the relationship between the methylation of this gene and prognosis/survival time.MethodsMSP method was applied to examine the promoter methylation of SFRP2 gene in 43 bone marrow or peripheral blood samples of MDS patients.As controls,70 normal peripheral blood samples from volunteers of general outpatients were examined.Then some of the patients were followed up.ResultsIn 43 patients of MDS,10 samples (23.3 ％)showed SFRP2 gene methylation,and all of them were semi-methylation status.In 70 controls,no sample showed SFRP2 gene methylation.The frequency of SFRP2 gene methylation in MDS patients was significantly higher than that in controls (x2 =17.86,P ＜0.0001).Of the 10 SFRP2 gene methylation samples,5 were bone marrow samples and 5 were peripheral blood samples.In this group of patients,3 patients were diagnosed as RA,1 patient was diagnosed as RAS,2 patients were diagnosed as RCMD,3 patients were diagnosed as RAEB and 1 patient was diagnosed as MDS-U.There was no significant difference between the different sample source (bone marrow or peripheral blood) for the results of the methylation status (x2 =0.912,P ＞0.05).Either no significant difference between the different sex,age,type,chromosome and WPSS score (all P ＞0.05).The progress of disease didn' t influence the methylation rate (P ＞0.05).16 patients accepted follow-up and 11patients died,3 patients went to AML.2 died patients showed SFRP2 gene methylation.The survival analyses showed no relationship between the methylation of this gene and survival time(x2 =0.022, P ＞0.05).ConclusionIn this MDS group,there is a high level of methyl-modification in SFRP2 gene.The methylation of SFRP2 may be one of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the progress of patients with MDS.The peripheral blood sample maybe a better substitute in detection of SFRP2 with MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dust ; analysis ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Pneumoconiosis ; prevention & control ; Sentinel Surveillance ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Welding ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the level of anti-adenovirus neutralizing antibodies and Gagspecific cellular immune responses in Macaca fascicularis immunized with different dosage of recombinant adenovirus vaccine Ad5-HIVgag by repeated intramuscular injection.Methods The Macaca fascicularis were randomly divided into four groups of 6.Different amount of the purified Ad5-HIVgag(0.99 × 1011 VP,4.94 × 1011 VP,24.68 × 1011 VP) or PBS were administered in 3 weeks interval and five times.The level of anti-adenovims neutralizing antibodies and Gag-specific cellular immune responses at different time points were detected by neutralization assay and Elispot assay respectively.Results High level of anti-adenovirus neutralizing antibodies could be detected in three groups immunized with Ad5-HIVgag at 3 weeks after first immunization.The neutralizing antibodies reached peak at 8 weeks after primary immunization,and declined slightly at late time.Significant HIV-1 Gag-specific cellular immune responses were detected in all Ad5-HIVgag immunized groups at 5 weeks post first immunization.The Gag-specific cellular immune responses declined at 12 weeks and then increased with time.Conclusion Anti-adenovirus neutralizing antibodies could be induced in Macaca fascicularis immunized with Ad5-HIVgag by repeated intramuscular injection.And the Gag-specific cellular immune responses tended to increase with the injection times.The presence of anti-adenovirus neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccination with adenovirus vectors in Ad5-naive animals did not further reduce Gag-specific cellular immune responses.

Objective To compare the foreign gene-specific and vector-specific immune responses in BALB/c mice immunized with rAd5 or rAAV2/1 expressing the same gene.Methods BALB/c mice were immunized with rAd5-gag or rAAV2/1-gag once,HIV-1 Gag-specific and vector- specific cellular immune responses were analyzed by Elispot assay,HIV-1 P24-specifc IgG and vector-specific IgG were tested by ELISA assay.Results Mice immunized with rAd5-gag induced potent Gag-specific cellular immune responses and that were significantly higher than Ad5-specfic cellular responses,while rAAV2/1-gag elicited weak Gag-specific and AAV2/1-specific cellular responses.Both P24-specific and Ad5-specific IgG titers induced by rAd5-gag were high and in similar level.Higher level of P24-specific IgG was found in mice inoculated with rAAV2/1-gag than rAd5-gag.And the P24-specific IgG titers were higher than the vectorspecific IgG titers in mice immunized with rAAV2/1.Conclusion rAd5 could elicit strong foreign genespecific cellular and humoral immune responses,weak vector-specific cellular responses and strong vectorspecific antibodies,rAAV2/1 could induce potent foreign gene-specific antibodies that were much higher than vector-specific IgG,while both foreign gene-specific and vector-specific cellular responses were very low.

BACKGROUNDUlcerative colitis (UC) is associated with differential expression of genes involved in inflammation and tissue remodeling. MicroRNA (miRNA) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC by regulating the gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and control crucial physiological processes. This study aimed to identify aquaporin 8 (AQP8) expression and its relationship with miRNA in UC patients.

METHODSHuman colon samples, in this study, were obtained from 20 patients with UC and 16 healthy subjects undergoing diagnostic colonoscopy at the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between December 2009 and June 2010. We screened different genes from UC tissues and healthy subjects using genome-wide microarray, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Regulation of gene expression by miRNAs was assessed by luciferase reporter construct assays and transfection of specific miRNA mimics and inhibitor.

RESULTSWe identified that 1596 genes were increased and 1301 genes were decreased in UC patients compared to healthy subjects. Among them, we focused on the analysis of AQP8 which was decreased three folds in UC tissues (P < 0.01). The expression of AQP8 mRNA and protein were decreased in UC tissue and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α treated HT29 cells compared with controls (P < 0.05). We searched candidate target miRNAs of AQP8 through bioformatics and the luciferase report assay analysis indicated that miR-424, miR-195, miR-330, miR-612, and miR-16 which has complementary site in the 3-untranslated region (3'UTR) of AQP8 could decrease the relative luciferase activities by 10% - 45%.

CONCLUSIONAQP8 and its relationship with miRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of UC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aquaporins ; genetics ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of sexual dysfunction with psychological abnormalities by analyzing the sexual function and mental state of the patients with redundant prepuce or phimosis.

METHODSThis study included 216 randomly selected patients with redundant prepuce or phimosis and 85 normal male controls. We conducted investigations among the subjects using a questionnaire on the general data of the patients, Chinese Index of Sexual Function for Premature Ejaculation (CIPE), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Then we assessed the status of premature ejaculation (PE) and erectile dysfunction (ED), calculated the incidence of psychological abnormalities, such as depression and anxiety, and analyzed the correlation of PE and ED with the mental state of the patients.

RESULTSThe PE and ED patients scored significantly higher than normal controls on SCL-90, somatization, compulsion, depression, anxiety and other factors (P < 0.05). CIPE scores were correlated with the scores on SCL-90, somatization, compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety and other factors, while ED-related scores showed no correlation with the scores on SCL-90 and other factors.

CONCLUSIONPatients with redundant prepuce or phimosis have poor mental health, and there is an interaction between PE and the mental state of the patient.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phimosis ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; physiopathology ; psychology