Chemical constituents of a new species of Spongia sponge collected from Sanya bay in Hainan province, were analyzed. Nine secondary metabolites 1-9 were isolated. On the basis of their spectroscopic data and chemical degradation, their chemical structures were determined as palmitoyl-heptacosane-1, 3, 5-triol (1), stigmast-4-en-3beta, 6beta-diol (2),2,3-dihydroxypropanyl hentetracosanate (3), sitosterol (4), thymine (5), gorgosterol (6), batyl alcohol (7), uracil (8) and thymidine (9). Palmitoyl-heptacosane-1, 3, 5-triol (1) is a new compound.
Animals ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; chemistry ; Porifera ; chemistry

Adult ; Homosexuality, Male ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Students ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Unsafe Sex

Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; China ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; prevention & control ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Public Health ; education

OBJECTIVEPhosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) is one of the most important steps for vascular smooth muscle contraction and Rho-kinase is involved in this process. We investigated the role of Rho-kinase in a porcine coronary artery spasm model with interleukin-1beta.

METHODSSegments of left coronary artery adventitia were surrounded by normal saline (n = 8) or IL-1beta agarose microne (n = 8) for 2 weeks. Vasospastic responses to intracoronary serotonin or histamine then studied at the saline or IL-1beta-treated site. The Rho-kinase mRNA expression in the treated site was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR). The extent of phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates (MBS, one of the major substrates of Rho-kinase) were quantified by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIntracoronary serotonin or histamine repeatedly induced coronary artery spasm and coronary arterial stenosis was evidenced at IL-1beta-treated site. Expression of Rho-kinase mRNA in IL-1beta-treated site was significantly increased compared to saline treated site (98.20% +/- 7.66% vs. 63.70% +/- 4.26%, P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that during the serotonin-induced contractions the extent of phosphorylation of MBS was also significantly increased in the spastic site (25,485 +/- 4745 vs. 6510 +/- 779, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRho-kinase upregulation at the spastic site and increased phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates are key players in inducing vascular smooth muscle hypercontraction in this porcine model.

Animals ; Coronary Vasospasm ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1beta ; adverse effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Myosin Light Chains ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Swine ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of rapamycin on the expressions of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA during vascular intimal proliferation in a porcine model of coronary stenosis induced by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta).

METHODSThe proximal segments of LAD and LCX were wrapped with cotton mesh that had absorbed sepharose bead solution with or without IL-1beta. Selective coronary angiography was performed two weeks later and the animals were killed for collecting the samples for histopathology and RT-PCR analyzing of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA.

RESULTSThe expressions of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA could be visualized in normal coronary wall. The expression of Rho-kinase mRNA was significantly enhanced and the expression of p27 mRNA was significantly decreased during the process of intimal proliferation induced by IL-1beta. Rapamycin significantly inhibited the intimal proliferation, reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells, reduced the expression of Rho-kinase mRNA and increased the expression of p27 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of Rho-kinase mRNA is upregulated and p27 mRNA downregulated in coronary artery stenosis induced by IL-1beta and these effects could be abolished by cotreatment with rapamycin.

Animals ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1beta ; pharmacology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Tunica Intima ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression status of survivin gene in pancreatic carcinoma.

METHODSExpression of survivin gene was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, Western Blot and RT-PCR in 59 cases of pancreatic carcinoma along with their corresponding adjacent benign tissues, 11 cases of chronic pancreatitis, and 7 pancreatic carcinoma cell lines.

RESULTSThe positive expression rate of survivin in pancreatic carcinoma was 72.8% (43/59). There was no relationship between the expression of survivin and tumor stage and differentiation. No expression of survivin was detected in benign tissue adjacent to the tumors as well as in samples of chronic pancreatitis. All 7 pancreatic carcinoma cell lines showed a positive expression of survivin mRNA and protein.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of survivin appears to be tumor specific to some extent in our pancreatic carcinoma samples. Survivin may be an ideal target for therapy against pancreatic carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

The probable mechanism of the reduction of rat cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury by propyl gallate was studied. Intraluminal suture middle cerebral artery occlusion model of rat was employed. Propyl gallate was injected immediately after the ischemia was happened. The activity of NF-kappaB, and the expression of COX-2 and HSP70 on the peripheral ischemia were determined by Western blotting. The expression of TNF-alpha was determined by ELISA assay. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining were employed to detect the transcription and expression of TLR-4. Results showed that propyl gallate could inhibit the activity of NF-kappaB in the peripheral ischemia, and reduce the expression of COX-2 and TNF-alpha. As the upstream of NF-kappaB, the transcription and expression of TLR-4 decreased, as well as HSP70, the endogenic ligand of TLR-4. As an antioxidant, propyl gallate could reduce the cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury through inhibiting the activity of NF-kappaB and decreasing the COX-2 and TNF-alpha in the peripheral ischemia. It also could influence HSP70 and TLR-4.
Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; complications ; Male ; Propyl Gallate ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the treatment model and the factors that influence survival of the patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC).

METHODSThe clinical data of all patients with ATC in our hospital from May. 1970 to May. 2005 were analyzed retrospectively with regard to mortality and survival rate (Kaplan-Meier). Multivariate analysis was performed by the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTSFifty cases together were analyzed. The overall 1-year, 3-year, 5-year survival rate were 39.4%, 29.6% and 20.7% respectively. The median survival time was 6 months. Univariate analysis showed the patients with their age < 55 years old, without distant metastasis, white blood cell count < 10.0 x 10(9)/L at presentation, without receiving chemotherapy, receiving radiotherapy with the dose no less than 40 Gy, receiving multiple modality therapy had a better prognosis. White blood cell count at presentation, the model of therapy were the risk factors independently influencing prognosis by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONSWhite blood cell count at presentation, receiving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy or not were the risk factors independently influencing prognosis. The prognosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma was worse; the patients with ATC maybe get a better prognosis by receiving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo construct infectious Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) based on the in vitro-ligated cDNA template of the vaccine strain SA14-14-2, and identify the virus.

METHODSFull-length genomic cDNA of JEV SA14-14-2 strain was ligated and then RNA was transcribed in vitro, the infective virus was obtained by transfecting the RNA into Vero cells and identified.

RESULTSThe infective clone of JEV was constructed, the virulence was weaker than the wild virus.

CONCLUSIONIt was possible to construct infectious clone from the production strain of live attenuated Japanese B encephalitis vaccine.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; genetics ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; pathology ; virology ; Genome, Viral ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines ; immunology ; Mice ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; immunology ; Vero Cells ; Virulence

Objective To investigate the behavioral characteristics of men who have sex with men(MSM)with sadomasochism associated bleeding and to analyze the relationship with HIV/AIDS high risk behavior.Methods Using modified snowball sampling methods(target sampling methods)to carry out a cross-sectional study on persons with behavior of sadomasochism that associated with bleeding in MSM,using a valid questionnaire.Another control group without the related behavior was set up.SPSS 13.0 was used.Results People practicing sadomasochism associated with bleeding had higher percentage in the following indicators:number of accumulated same gender sexual partners (median=20),anal intercourse(median=10),oral intercourse(median=10),hand intercourse (median=15)with same gender sexual partners,number of same gender sexual partners in the previous six months(median=4),numbers of anal intercourse(median=3),hand intercourse(median=3),were more than in the control group.People with sadomasochism associated bleeding had higher rates in the following behaviors:condom was ever broken or slipped in the previous six months (22.6%),suffering from disease of sexual transmitted infections(28.0%),involving in group-sex intercourse(34.8%),having sex with same sex strangers at the place for MSM in the previous six months(62.2%),ever having initiative or passive behavior of oral-anal sex(64.0%),fist-sex(18.9%),finger-sex(66.7%),bleeding during sexual intercourse(58.3%),first coition object was pupil (33.8%),having strong suicide attempts(33.3%)and suicide attempt(23.6%)etc.were more than in the control group.Conclusion MSM who had the behavior of sadomasochism which associated with bleeding had the higher percentage of HIV/AIDS high risk behaviors than the persons without those behaviors.The latter group called for special concern on interventions.