To investigate formation mechanism of secologanic acid sulfonates in sulfur-fumigated buds of Lonicera japonica, secologanic acid was enriched and purified from the sun-dried buds of L. japonica by various column chromatography on macroporus resin HPD-100, silica gel and ODS. The stimulation experiments of sulfur-fumigation process were carried out using secologanic acid reacted with SO2 in the aqueous solution. The reaction mechanism could be involved in the esterification or addition reaction. The present investigation provides substantial evidences for interpreting formation pathway of secologanic acid sulfonates in sulfur-fumigated buds of L. japonica.
Alkanesulfonates ; chemistry ; Carboxylic Acids ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flowers ; chemistry ; drug effects ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; drug effects ; Models, Chemical ; Molecular Structure ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Sulfur Dioxide ; chemistry ; Water ; chemistry

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Precancerous Conditions ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Vaginal Smears ; methods

There have been very few studies on the effect of Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in inhibiting apoptosis in myocardial ischemial injury caused by coronary heart disease. In this experiment, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with-Xuefu Zhuyu decoction were used to intervene the miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model, in order to observe the effect of the combined prescription on the myocardial apoptosis and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 in the model. Totally 15 Chinese experimental miniature swine were adopted and randomly divided into the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group. The model group and the stasis-treating group were fed with high fat diets for two weeks, intervened with the coronary artery injury and then given drugs and high fat diets for eight weeks. The control group was fed with ordinary diets for 10 weeks, without the coronary artery injury. After the experiment, myocardia at the juncture of infracted areas were collected and made into formalin-fixed paraffin sections. The TDT-mediate dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect the myocardial apoptosis. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique was applied to detect Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 levels in myocardial tissues. According to the findings, the apoptosis indexes (AI) for the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group were 0.92%, 27.68%, 17.28%, respectively. The AI of the phlegm and stasis-treating group was significantly lower than that of the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the phlegm and stasis-treating group showed significantly higher Bcl-2 protein expression (P < 0.01) and lower Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expressions (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction have a significant protective effect against the myocardial apoptosis in miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Phytotherapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; analysis

In this study, the general bacterial probe and specific cellulolytic bacterial probes were used to quantify the bacteria in rumen. The total RNA were extracted and then hybridized with general bacterial probe after a dilution of concentration. The result showed that there was a high correlation between the hybridization signal and the dilution of total bacterial RNA. Based on the result above, the quantities of three cellulolytic bacteria in rumen sample were detected. The comparative RNA percentage of three cellulolytic bacteria to total bacterial RNA were similar to the previous reports. It can be concluded that the quantification of bacteria in rumen could be conducted by this approach, and which could be used in future research.

In this article,we presented the rationale and calculation procedures of a propensity score weighting method,with its application in epidemiological studies.The rationale for propensity score weighting method is similar to those for traditional standardization methods.Propensity score is used to estimate the weight for each individual.As the propensity score serves the function of observed covariates,the propensity score weighting can balance the distribution of the observed covariates between the comparison groups.There are two weighting methods according to the target standard populations:the Inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW)and the Standardized mortality ratio weighting(SMRW).Results of the example show that the distribution of the covariates tended to be consistent after weighting,and the IPTW and SMRW methods showed similar effect estimates.Propensity score weighting method can effectively balance the distribution of the confounding factors between the compared groups in non-randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of acupuncture at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10) on distribution taxis of paclitaxel in mice with lung cancer to discuss targeted relationship between acupoints and corresponding viscera.

METHODSAccording to randomized digital table, 315 SPF-grade BALB/C female mice were divided into 7 groups: blank group (group A), model group (group B), medication group (group C), acupuncture at non-acupoint group (group D), acupuncture at Feishu group (group E), acupuncture at Lingtai group (group F) and acupuncture at Feishu and Lingtai group (group G), 45 mice in each one. Except the blank group, the remaining groups were treated with N-nitroso-tris-chloroethyl urea (NTCU) to establish the model of squamous-cell carcinoma. After model establishment, group A, group B and group C were not treated with acupuncture; group A and group B were treated with intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% sodium chlorvde solution by 6 mL/kg while group C was treated with intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel by 6 mL/kg. The group D, group E, group F and group G were treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint, "Feishu" (BL 13), "Lingtai" (GV 10) and "Feishu" (BL 13) plus "Lingtai" (GV 10), respectively, then were intraperitoneally injected with paclitaxel by 6 mL/kg. The treatment was all given once a day for continuous 10 days. 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 8 h, 12 h and 24 h after the treatments, 6 mice in each group were randomly selected and sacrificed to collect samples of lung, liver, spleen, kidney and heart, etc. High performance liquid chromatography was applied to measure the concentration of paclitaxel in each organ (lung, liver, spleen, kidney and heart) at different time points.

RESULTS(1) The content of paclitaxel in lung, kidney and heart reached the peak at 2 h, then decreased significantly in group C, group D, group E, group F and group G; the content of paclitaxel in spleen showed downtrend at each time point. The content of paclitaxel in liver reached the peak at 2 h in group C and group D; the content of paclitaxel reached the peak at 8 h in group E, group F and group G. (2) The content of paclitaxel in lung in group E and group G was higher than that in group C and group D at each time point (all P < 0.01); the content of paclitaxel in lung in group F was higher than that in group C (P < 0.01) and group D (P < 0.01) only at time point of 2 h. The content of paclitaxel in lung in group G was higher than that in group F at each time point (all P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between group G and group E (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10) could influ- ence the metabolism of paclitaxel in lung-cancer mice, leading to distribution change in each organ. As a result, it could cause targeting effects, which is more significant at "Feishu" (BL 13) and "Lingtai" (GV 10).

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacokinetics ; Taxus ; chemistry

AIMTo investigate the influence and the mechanism of SK on the contractility of cultured cardiomyocytes of rats.

METHODSThe primary cultured single myocardial cell was treated with SK and the contraction frequency and size of cardiomyocyte were determined by a computer image analysis system. At the same time the effects of propranolol (a beta receptor antagonist), phentolamine (a alpha receptor antagonist), DSP (a tachykinin receptor antagonist) on the action of SK were investigated.

RESULTSSK increased contractive extend of the cardiomyocyte, in which a dose-response relationship of SK at 1.78 x 10(-8) - 1.78 x 10(-5) mol/L exists. But the frequency of contraction did not change, pretreatment with propranolol, phentolamine had no action on the effect of SK, but DSP markedly attenuated the effects of SK.

CONCLUSIONSK may directly enhance the contractility of single cardiomyocyte, which may be related with the tachykinin receptor.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Benzylamines ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Neurokinin A ; pharmacology ; Phentolamine ; pharmacology ; Propranolol ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Tachykinin ; antagonists & inhibitors

Objective To explore the effect of Fas/FasL pathway on fluoride.induced apoptosis in hurnan neumbla8toma SH-SY5Y cells.Methods The cell survival rate,percentage of apoptosis,and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasL were measured respectively after the SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to O(control),20,40,80 mg/L sodium nuoride(NaF)for 24 hours/n vitro.Furthermore,the changes of the percentage of apoptosis and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasL in 40 mg/L NaF-treated groups incubated with activaling or neutralizing anti-Fas antibody(CH11 or ZB4)also observed respectively.Results Compared with the control group(100.00%), the cell surval rates in 40,80 mg/L NaF-treated groups[(84.63±2.57)%,(69.04±5.63)%]were significandy lower(P<0.01).The percentage of apoptosis in 40,80 mg/L NaF.treated groups[(8.54±1.95)%.(17.94±2.71)%]were higher(P<0.05)than thal in the control group[(3.32±1.33)%],and increased with the dose of NaF.NaF could up-regulate Fas and FasL mRNA expression,and increased the Fas/β-actin [40 ms/L group (0.94±0.51),80 mg/L group(0.99±0.12)]and FasL/β-actin[40 mg/L group(0.96±0.42),80 mg/L group(0.99±0.24)] ratio,compared with the control[Eas/β-actin(0.50±0.33),FasL/β-actin(0.58±0.23)],both the difference had 8tatistical significances (P<0.05).NaF and CH I 1 had a synergisfic effect on apoptosis and mRNA expression levels of Fas and FasLL(F=32.89,18.46,.14.69,P<0.01)while NaF and ZB4 had an antagonistic effect (F=5.73,24.26,10.17,P<0.05 or<0.01).Conclusion NaF exposure can cause apoptosis in SH-Y5Y cells,and the Fas/FasL pmhway may play an important role in NaF-induced apoptosis.

In this article, we presented the rationale and calculation procedures of the propcnsity score matching (PSM), and its application in the designing stage of an cpidcrniological study. Based on existing observational data, PSM can be used to select one or more comparable controls for each subject in 'treatment' group according to the propensity scores estimated by 'treatment' variable and main covariates. The results of an example analysis showed that the bias for main confounders between the treated and control samples declined more than 55% after PMS. Conclusion: PSM can reduce most of the confounding bias of the observational study, and can obtain approximate study effect to the randomized controlled trials when used in the designing of thc cpidcmiological study.

OBJECTIVEDietary factors that could potentially be related to the risk of birth defects are still unknown in Shanxi province, a region with high prevalence of neural tube defects(NTDs) in China. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between NTDs and local dietary factors.

METHODSA population-based case-control study was conducted during 2003-2005 in four selected counties of Shanxi province with 363 NTDs cases ascertained and 523 control babies without any external birth defects.

RESULTSBy multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found the NTDs risk was significantly associated with low consumption of meat and legume, high consumption of pickled vegetables, noncentralized supply of drinking water and drinking tea after adjusting for maternal education level and birth defects history. A significant dose response trend was found between the NTDs risk and the lower frequencies of meat and legume consumption and higher frequency of pickled vegetable consumption, with population attributable risks (PAR) of 69.4%, 22.0% and 18.5%, respectively. Mothers who got their drinking water from river or pond during periconceptional period were more likely to have a NTD-affected pregnancy [OR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.44-8.09, population attributable risk (PAR) = 4.7%] compared with those who utilized tap or well water. Those who drank tea everyday had an elevated risk of having a NTD-affected pregnancy compared with those who didn't (OR = 4.65, 95% CI: 1.41-15.36, PAR = 2.6%).

CONCLUSIONHigher intake of meat and legume protects a woman from having a NTD-affected pregnancy, and consumption of pickled vegetables, drinking water from river or pond and drinking tea everyday increase the risk of having such a pregnancy in the study population.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Meat ; Neural Tube Defects ; epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Vegetables ; Water Supply