Antimony ; adverse effects ; Dust ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; pathology

The whole herb of Solanum nigrum L. can be used as the herbal drug. In this study, UHPLC-Q Exactive high resolution mass combined with GNPS molecular network was used for the rapid characterization of the components in the leaves of S. nigrum L. A total of 157 compounds were identified, including 30 steroid alkaloids, 61 steroid saponins, 35 flavonoids, and 31 other compounds (amino acids and organic acids), by comparison with the data reported in the literature, and mass fragmentation characteristics analysis, as well as the correlation of known and unknown nodes in the GNPS molecular network. Compared with the fruits and stems, the leaves of S. nigrum L was rich in a variety of steroidal saponins, steroidal alkaloids, and flavonoids, and the results lay the foundation for the precise resources utilization of S. nigrum L.

ObjectiveTo investigate the difference of pathogenicity between the two genotypes of human metapneumovirus(hMPV) for the further research.MethodsAt various time after hMPV infection in BALB/c mice,viral titers of lung tissue were measured by real-time RT-PCR,pathology was assessed by a histopathological scoring system,airway responsiveness was assayed by animal lung function monitoring equipment.Pathogenicity was then measured by detailed evaluation through the results above.Results There is no significant difference in weight of mice between control group and experimental group through dynamic monitoring ; though the difference was exists in airway responsiveness and pathological changes of mice between control group and experimental group,the differences were not statistically in airway reaction,pathological changes and virus drops among the three groups of experimental group.ConclusionThere is no difference in pathogenicity between the two subtypes of hMPV in infection of BALB/c mice,viral genotype do not appear to be associated with pathogenicity.

The shape and structure of granules are controlled by the granulation process, which is one of the main factors to determine the nature of the solid dosage forms. In this article, three kinds of granules of a traditional Chinese medicine for improving appetite and promoting digestion, namely, Jianwei Granules, were prepared using granulation technologies as pendular granulation, high speed stirring granulation, and fluidized bed granulation and the powder properties of them were investigated. Meanwhile, synchrotron radiation X-ray computed micro tomography (SR-µCT) was applied to quantitatively determine the irregular internal structures of the granules. The three-dimensional (3D) structure models were obtained by 3D reconstruction, which were more accurately to characterize the three-dimensional structures of the particles through the quantitative data. The models were also used to quantitatively compare the structural differences of granules prepared by different granulation processes with the same formula, so as to characterize how the production process plays a role in the pharmaceutical behaviors of the granules. To focus on the irregularity of the particle structure, the box counting method was used to calculate the fractal dimensions of the granules. The results showed that the fractal dimension is more sensitive to reflect the minor differences in the structure features than the conventional parameters, and capable to specifically distinct granules in structure. It is proved that the fractal dimension could quantitatively characterize the structural information of irregular granules. It is the first time suggested by our research that the fractal dimension difference (Df,c) between two fractal dimension parameters, namely, the volume matrix fractal dimension and the surface matrix fractal dimension, is a new index to characterize granules with irregular structures and evaluate the effects of production processes on the structures of granules as a new indicator for the granulating process control and optimization.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fractals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Powders ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ; Synchrotrons ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cellular effects of Pien Tze Huang (PZH) in the HT-29 human colon carcinoma cell line.

METHODSThe viability of HT-29 cells was determined by MTT assay. A fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis with annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) and JC-1 staining were performed to determine cell apoptosis and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, respectively. Activation of caspase 3 was evaluated by a colorimetric assay. The mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSPZH, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, reduced viability and induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells. Moreover, PZH treatment resulted in the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase 3, and an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

CONCLUSIONPZH inhibits the growth of HT-29 cells by inducing cancer cell apoptosis via regulation of the Bcl-2 family and activation of caspase 3, which may, in part, explain its anticancer activity.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Colonic Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of intrajejunal nutrition on uptake of amino acid and enzyme-protein synthesis in pancreatic acinar cell and subcellular fractionation and zymogen granules in dogs with acute pancreatitis.

METHODSFifteen dogs were induced acute pancreatitis by retrograde injection of 5% sodium-taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Radioactive tracing and electron microscope were used to evaluate the change of amino acid uptake, enzyme-protein synthesis in acinar cell, subcellular fractionation, the quantitative analysis of mean zymogen granule number and mean zymogen granule area after injection L-(3)H-phenylalanine 30, 60, 120 1nd 180 min on the 7(th) day.

RESULTSThe radioactivity of L-(3)H phenylalanine uptake by pancreatic acinar cells and incorporations of L-(3)H phenylalanine into newly synthesized enzyme-protein peaked at 60 min. In enteral nutrition (EN) group it was higher that that in parenteral nutrition (PN) group (P < 0.05), and then gradually declined. The radioactivity peaked at 60 min in zymogen granule, lysosomal-mitochondria and microsomal subcellular fractionation. The latter two decreased, bat there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). The change of the mean number and mean area of zymogen granules were not significant different between the EN group and PN group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEN or PN do not stimulate pancreatic acinar uptake amino acid and enzyme-protein synthesis in acinar cell and subcellular fractionation.

Acute Disease ; Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Enteral Nutrition ; Enzyme Precursors ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Male ; Pancreas, Exocrine ; metabolism ; Pancreatitis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Random Allocation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the bone state with ultimate stress by examining biomechanical distribution of upper femur in Chinese, in order to accumulate more experiences for clinical work.

METHODSTotally 60 Chinese femurs from fresh cadavers were randomly divided into two groups. All the femurs were cleaned, and the body age ranged from 36 to 72 years old, averaged 56.4 years, including 41 from males, and 19 from females. These two groups underwent mechanical stress and bending stress tests. Special mechanical laboratory and machines were used to get the information. Results about the loading value at each testing point under stress were collected.

RESULTSThe four faces of the upper femur suffered different stress under external forces. The bone on upper femur can tolerate more mechanical stress than bending stress. Medial and lateral region of the femur neck and the rear side of the small tuberosity section were themain position enduring the vertical stress. The rear position of the base femur neck and the small tuberosity section were the main regions enduring the bending stress. Those main positions had strong cancellous bones. The intertrochanteric fracture fixation and artificial femoral stems were designed depending on this biomechanical basis.

CONCLUSIONAccording to our experiment result, doctors need to chose more effective fixations for upper femur fracture, and femoral stems for the patients. More information should be collected by further researches.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Femur ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stress, Mechanical

OBJECTIVETo report the clinical characteristics and treatment of 3 patients with juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG).

METHODSA retrospective review of the medical records of 3 patients with JXG.

RESULTSJXG was characterized by solitary or multiple yellowish cutaneous nodules, or eye involvement . It could also affect pituitary. JXG was easily misdiagnosed as Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Treatment for JXG was surgical excision of a solitary skin lesion and some cases might be, spontaneous regression. In cases with multisystem involvement, chemotherapy regimens used to treat LCH may be effective.

CONCLUSIONSJXG is one of the more common non-Langerhans histiocytic proliferations and is frequently seen in infants and children. LCH-like chemotherapy is effective for patients with symptomatic multisystem JXG.

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Xanthogranuloma, Juvenile ; diagnosis ; therapy

BACKGROUNDAdipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are capable of differentiating into cardiomyogenic and endothelial cells in vitro. We tested the hypothesis that transplantation of ADSCs into myocardial scar may regenerate infracted myocardium and restore cardiac function.

METHODSADSCs were isolated from the fatty tissue of New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in Iscoves modified dulbeccos medium. Three weeks after ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery of rabbits, either a graft of untreated ADSCs (UASCs, n = 14), 5-azacytidine-pretreated ADSCs (AASCs, n = 13), or phosphate buffer saline (n = 13) were injected into the infarct region. Transmural scar size, cardiac function, and immunohistochemistry were performed 5 weeks after cell transplantation.

RESULTSADSCs in culture demonstrated a fibroblast-like appearance and expressed CD29, CD44 and CD105. Five weeks after cell transplantation, transmural scar size in AASC-implanted hearts was smaller than that of the other hearts. Many ADSCs were differentiated into cardiomyocytes. The AASCs in the prescar appeared more myotube-like. AASCs in the middle of the scar and UASCs, in contrast, were poorly differentiated. Some ADSCs were differentiated into endothelial cells and participate in vessel-like structures formation. All the ADSC-implanted hearts had a greater capillary density in the infarct region than did the control hearts. Statistical analyses revealed significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, myocardial performance index, end-diastolic pressure, and peak +dP/dt, in two groups of ADSC-implanted hearts relative to the control hearts. AASC-implanted hearts had higher peak -dP/dt values than did control, higher ejection fraction and peak +dP/dt values than did UASC-implanted hearts.

CONCLUSIONSADSCs transplanted into the myocardial scar tissue formed cardiac islands and vessel-like structures, induced angiogenesis and improved cardiac function. 5-Azacytidine pretreatment before implantation is desirable for augmenting myogenesis. Transplantation of 5-azacytidine-treated ADSCs into the myocardial scar was more efficient than that of untreated ADSCs in preservation of cardiac function.

Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; Animals ; Azacitidine ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Rabbits ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVEAccording to the information obtained from the revision of total hip arthroplasty, the situations of the artificial femoral stem under physiological stress were analyzed preliminarily. In order to accumulate clinical experience, the discussions about how to enlongate the life of artifical joints were performed.

METHODSFifty-three patients required revision operations were selected, including 28 males and 25 females,with an average age of 74.66 years old (61 to 84 years old). The average life of artificial joints was 18.24 years (3 to 27 years). The initial weightbearing was started 11 days (5 to 16 days) after the first operation. The main reasons for the revision were the spontaneous loosening and trauma. Based on imaging and surgical findings, as well as the histological pathology, the situations of the stems in human bodies were determined.

RESULTSFemoral prosthesis would sink under physiological stress. The design of femoral stems, motion of patients', and bone growth determined the secondary stability. Straight stems were helpful for physiological subsidence of prosthesis, achieving the stability with close bone-implant contact by bone growth,which allowed the patient to do early landing exercise. The collared prosthesis and prosthesis combined with internal fixation limited the subsidence of femoral stems. Their stability depends on the time of initial placement and the bone growth for supporting. Delaying the inital weightbearing was suggested for patients with these protheses.

CONCLUSIONAccording to the actual situation of the patients, the appropriate chosen of femoral stems and time to perform the weightbearing can extend the life of the femoral prosthesis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prosthesis Design