Objective To study the mRNA expression of HS1-associated protein X-1(Hax-1),an an- ti-apoptosis genc,in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)of patients with systemic lupus erythe- matosus(SLE),and further investigate the roles and significance of Hax-1 in the pathogenesis of SLE.Meth- ods Generation of longer cDNA fragments from serial analysis of gene expression(SAGE)tags for gene identi- fication(GLGI)was applied to identify the gene Hax-1 according to the Long SAGE tag.Then reverse tran- scription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)technique was used to semiquantitatively analyze mRNA ex- pressions of Hax-1 in PBMC from 34 active SLE patients and 25 healthy subjects.Results Compared with healthy controls,there was significant difference between SLE patients in the active stage and the normal controls(Z=-4.556,P＜0.01).The average level of mRNA expression in active SLE group was higher than that in healthy controls.Significant difference was found between the group with mild SLE and either the moderate or the severe one(P＜0.01).Conclusion The mRNA expression level of Hax-1 in active SLE group increase markedly,and to some extent,it is related to the activity of SLE.This provides a valuable basis for the further study on the role of apoptosis in SLE.

To establish a method for the determination of cucurbitacin in plasma samples, in order to study the in vivo pharmacokinetic characteristics of cucurbitacin in rats. Rats were intravenously injected with cucurbitacin. With diphenhydramine as the internal standard (IS), the plasma concentrations of cucurbitacin in rat plasma at different time points were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). With electrospray ionization source, the positive ion detection in the multiple reaction monitoring mode was conducted to determine the ion-pairs for target compound and IS were m/z 503.2/113.1 and m/z 256.0/167.2, respectively. Agilent ZOBAX SB-C18 column (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 1.8 microm) was adopted and eluted with methanol and 0.1% formic acid (55:45), and the flow rate was 0.2 mL x min(-1). DAS 2.0 software was applied to fit the blood concentration and calculate corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters. The rats were intravenously injected with cucurbitacin at the concentration of 3.0 mg x kg(-1). The target blood quality concentration show good linear relations within the range of 10.5-3 150 microg x L(-1) (R2 = 0.996), the lower limit of the standard curve was 10.5 microg x L(-1), and the signal to noise ratio S/N = 12. Intra- and inter-day precisions RSD was less than 6.9% and 14%, respectively; The accuracy RE ranged between 0.20% and 3.7%; The extraction recoveries ranged between 92.7% and 97.1%. Regarding the pharmacokinetic parameters of tail intravenous injection of cucurbitacin, AUC (0-t) was (811.615 +/- 111.578) microg x h x L(-1), (t1/2) was (1.285 +/- 1.390) h, CL was (3.627 +/- 0.487) L x h x kg(-1), and V(d) was (6.721 +/- 7.429) L x kg(-1). In this study, researchers established a simple, accurate, sensitive and highly specific method for determining the blood concentration of cucurbitacin, and reported the in vivo pharmacokinetic characteristics of cucurbitacin in rats for the first time.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Cucurbitaceae ; chemistry ; Cucurbitacins ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

To compare the pharmacokinetics of syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin after intravenous administration of each monomer and Ciwujia injection. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups and intravenously administrated with syringin, eleutheroside E, isofraxidin, and Ciwujia injection, respectively. The concentrations of the three components in rat plasma were determined by LC-MS/MS. DAS 2.0 software was applied to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters while the SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Significant difference (P < 0.05) was found between each monomer and the injection on the main pharmacokinetic parameters such as AUC, CL and t1,/2. Compared with the injection, the group treated with the syringin has obvious decrease in AUC, and increase in CL while the group treated with eleutheroside E has obvious increase in AUC, and decrease in CL The t1/2 of isofraxidin was prolonged in Ciwujia injection. Pharmacokinetic characters of the ingredients in the injection varied greatly from the monomer. Other constituents in the injection may have an impact on the pharmacokinetic profiles of these three components.
Administration, Intravenous ; Animals ; Coumarins ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucosides ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Lignans ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Phenylpropionates ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), to investigate whether there is a difference in the prevalence of depression and anxiety between PsA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to identify associated risk factors for depression and anxiety in PsA patients. METHODS: PsA and RA patients who visited Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology in Peking University First Hospital from May 2018 to Sep 2019 were recruited. Self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale were surveyed and compared between PsA and RA patients. Demographics and clinical features including age, gender, disease duration, disease activity score, psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), and medical application were collected. Power Doppler and grey-scale ultrasound of joints, tenosynovitis and enthesis were performed. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with mood disorders and the odds ratio of depression and anxiety between the PsA and RA patients. RESULTS: Among the 114 enrolled PsA patients, 37 (32.5%) had mood disorders, in which 36 (31.6%) with depression and 15 (13.2%) with anxiety. Compared with 201 RA patients, PsA patients showed greater odds for depression [adjusted OR (95%CI): 2.7 (1.1-6.4)]. Depression was more often observed in the PsA than in the RA patients (31.6% vs. 18.9%, P=0.011). The similar trend for anxiety was also observed, although the difference was insignificant (13.2% vs. 8.5%, P=0.185). Age (OR=0.95, P=0.008), psoriasis duration (OR=0.94, P=0.018), pain visual analogue scale (OR=1.47, P=0.011), PASI score (OR=1.07, P=0.007) and presence of ultrasound enthesitis (OR=4.13, P=0.009) were identified as factors associated with depression in the PsA patients. PASI score (OR=1.07, P=0.001) was identified as associated factor for anxiety in the PsA patients. CONCLUSION The prevalence of depression and anxiety is elevated in PsA patients. Depression is significantly more prevalent in PsA patients than in RA patients. Younger age, shorter psoriasis duration, worse pain and presence of ultrasound enthesitis are associated with depression, while severe psoriasis rash is associated with both depression and anxiety in PsA patients.
Anxiety/etiology* ; Arthritis, Psoriatic/epidemiology* ; Depression/etiology* ; Enthesopathy ; Humans ; Prevalence

Objective To develop psychosocial skills training module for schizophrenic outpatients.Methods Structured psychosocial skills training program, which were made according to community rehabilitation plan for schizophrenia, featured convenience and well operability. Subjects were 96 of 204 schizorenic outpatients in remission who were randomly assigned to receive psychosocial skills training combined medicine(observation group) or medicine only(control group) and followed up by 24 months. The changes during treatment were evaluated by positive and negative syndrome scale(PANSS), Social Disability Screening Schedule(SDSS) and patients' cognition function were also evaluated longitudinally. Results Relapse rate of control group (37%) is higer than observation group (17.7%, P＜0.01). After Last Observation Carried Forward(LOCF), control group showed higer scores than observation group on positive syndrome (8.34±2.04 vs 7.66±0.97), negative syndrome(9.15±1.97 vs 813±1.15), total score (37.64±5.58 vs 34.79±3.64) and Social disability (2.81±1.90 vs 2.07±1.47) (P＜0.01); observation group also showed a significant progress on cognition function(P＜0.05). Conclusion This trial demonstrated the efficacy of the easy-operating structured psychosocial skill training grogram in preventing relapse and improving social adoptive function for schizophrenia.

Taking application of some isolation and purification technologies, such as solvent extraction, preliminary solvent isolation, column chromatographies over silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 gel and preparative HPLC, 10 compounds were obtained from Gynura nepalensis cultivated in the suburban area of Beijing. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature as (3R) -3-hydroxy-β-ionone (1), (3S,5R, 6S, 7E) -5, 6-epoxy-3-hydroxy-7-megastigmen-9-one (2), (+) -boscialin (3), 3, 6-trans-3-hydroxy-α-ionone (4), 3, 6-cis-3-hydroxy-α-ionone (5), 3, 4-cis-3, 4-dihydroxy-β-ionone (6), ethyl caffeate (7), loliolide (8), 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (9), and 3-(hydroxyacetyl)indole (10), respectively. All compounds were isolated from the title plant for the first time, and with compounds 1, 2, 4-7, 9 and 10 being isolated from Gynura species for the first time. Structurally, the above compounds 1-6 belong to C13 nor-sesquiterpenoids, sharing the same carbon skeleton of megastigmane. According to this study, they are one of major kinds of chemical constituents of Gynura nepalensis and have important reference value for the investigation on phytotaxonomy of this species.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; Cyclohexanones ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; Indoles ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Norisoprenoids ; chemistry

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of balance-impact tuina therapy for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).Methods:A total of 118 eligible LIDH patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table method,with 59 cases in each group.The observation group was intervened by balance-impact tuina therapy,while the control group was intervened by conventional tuina therapy,both for consecutive two weeks.The scores of visual analog scale (VAS),Oswestry disability index (ODI),quality of life questionnaire-core 30 (QOL-C30) were observed before and after treatment;the relapse rate was estimated at the sixth month and twelfth month following the treatment.The data were statistically analyzed.Results:After intervention,the total effective rate was 96.6％ in the observation group versus 91.5％ in the control group,and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The VAS and ODI scores declined significantly after treatment in both groups (all P＜0.05),and the observation group was markedly lower than the control group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The QOL-C30 score increased significantly after treatment in both groups (both P＜0.05),and the observation group was markedly higher than the control group (P＜0.05).The relapse rates at the post-treatment sixth month and twelfth month in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion:Compared with the conventional tuina therapy,the balance-impact tuina therapy shows advantage in lessening pain,improving the function and enhancing the quality of life in the treatment of LIDH,and it has a lower relapse rate.Thus,this therapy is worth promoting in clinic.

Cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma of pregnant woman, originated from fetal and / or placental cells undergoing apoptosis, is mainly the short-sized DNA fragments of less than 313 base pairs in length for the sake of nuclear endonuclease selectively cleaving fetal DNA during the apoptosis process. The mean cell-free circulating fetal DNA in maternal plasma accounted for 3.4% and 6.2% of plasma total DNA during the early and the late gestation, respectively. Owing to its relative abundance, circulating fetal DNA in maternal plasma has now become the important DNA source for non-invasive prenatal molecular genetic diagnosis and it is widely used in fetal sex-determination, detection of fetal Rh (D) sequence in the plasma of the rhesus-negative woman, fetal aneuploidy detection, fetal STR genotyping and other clinical applications. Cell-free fetal DNA source, concentration, purity, size, distributions and postnatal clearance of fetal DNA in maternal plasma as well as the reported clinical applications are summarized and discussed in this paper. Based on the molecular characteristics of cell-free fetal DNA and the target gene, the using of appropriate molecular diagnosis strategy and experimental design as well as reducing the fragment size of PCR product and adjusting the PCR conditions to the optimum enable the improvement of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis accuracy.
Cell-Free System ; DNA ; blood ; metabolism ; Fetus ; metabolism ; Genetic Diseases, Inborn ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Humans ; Mothers

OBJECTIVETo detect the character of surgical treatment of massive soft tissue sarcoma in the shoulder girdle and analyze the impact factor to the result.

METHODSSeven patients with massive soft tissue sarcoma in the shoulder girdle were treated in our department between 2005 and 2009. There were 4 males and 3 females. All the patients were referred to our hospital after local recurrence post-operatively. The mean age was 43.8 years old (range 14 - 75). The maximum diameter of the tumor varied from 10 to 16 centimeters. All the patients were performed surgery, wide margin in 4 cases and marginal margin in 3 cases. Five were performed tumor resection and reconstruction with latissimus dorsi muscle flap transfer and skin graft. One was reconstructed with advanced skin flap and skin graft. The other one was treated with skin graft. The diagnosis included 3 malignant fibrous histiocytomas, 1 low grade myxoid fibrosarcoma, 1 Primitive neuroectodermal tumor, 1 rhabdomyosarcoma, 1 dermatofibrosarcomas protuberans. The MSTS score system was used to evaluate the shoulder function.

RESULTSSeven patients were followed up with long time. The mean follow up was 29 months (range 10 to 46 months). Two patients suffered local recurrence and one died of pulmonary metastasis 6 months after the second surgery for local recurrence. One patient suffered pulmonary metastasis. The last four patients were disease-free at the end of follow-up. The function of shoulder girdle was satisfactory. The mean MSTS score was 28.

CONCLUSIONSSoft tissue sarcomas in the shoulder girdle are easy to be misdiagnosed and mistreated. Wide surgical margin was the key impact factor to the local recurrence of soft tissue sarcoma in the shoulder girdle. The surgical margin and invasion of the tumor are the key factor to the prognosis. The soft tissue defect after surgery is often reconstructed by muscle flap transfer or skin flap transfer. The latissimus dorsi muscle flap transfer is often used.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Shoulder ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of posterior fixation with 3.5-mm pedicle screws in the atlantoaxial vertebrae of children.

METHODSIn this study, atlantoaxial vertebrae specimens were obtained from 10 cadavers of children aged 6-8 years. We measured the height and width of the C(1) pedicle and the midportion of C(1) lateral mass; the width of C(1) posterior arch under the vertebral artery groove and the height of the external and internal one-third of this part; the external, internal height and the superior, middle, inferior width of the C(2) pedicle (transverse foramen). Furthermore, computed tomography (CT) axial scan was performed on 20 age-matched volunteers to obtain relative data of their atlantoaxial vertebrae. We measured the length and width of the C(1) and C(2) pedicles in the atlantoaxial cross-sectional plane. On CT workstation, we also measured the angles between the longitudinal axes of the atlantoaxial pedicles and the midsagittal plane.

RESULTSFor the cadaveric specimen group, the height and width of the C1 pedicle were (5.26+/-0.44) mm and (6.26+/-0.75) mm respectively. The height of the medial one-third of the C1 posterior arch under the vertebral artery groove was (4.07+/-0.24) mm. The external, internal height and superior, middle, inferior width of the C2 pedicle was (6.86+/-0.48) mm, (6.67+/-0.49) mm, (6.63+/-0.61) mm, (5.41+/-0.39) mm and (3.71+/-0.30) mm, respectively. For the volunteer group measured by CT scan, the height and width of the C(1) pedicle were (5.47+/-0.34) mm and (6.63+/-0.54) mm respectively, while (6.59+/-0.51) mm and (5.13+/-0.42) mm of the C2 pedicle. The angles between the atlas, axis pedicles and the midsagittal plane were (9.60+/-1.32) degree and (27.80+/-2.22) degree respectively.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to place a 3.5-mm pedicle screw in the C(1) and C(2) pedicles of children aged 6-8 years old.

Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Bone Screws ; Cervical Atlas ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Child ; Humans ; Radiography