Adult ; Carotid Body Tumor ; complications ; Female ; Glomus Jugulare Tumor ; complications ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To study the secondary metabolites of sponge-associated fungus Beauveria feline SX-6-22. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel, ODS reversed-phase column, preparative HPLC techniques. And their structures were identified by the physicochemical properties and NMR, MS data analysis. X-ray crystal diffraction was used to confirm the absolute configuration of compound1. RESULTS: Nine secondary metabolites were isolated from the extract of the solid fermentation culture of strain SX-6-22, including four new compounds beauverins A-D (1-4) and five known compounds 1, 9-dimethyl-3, 7-dibenzofurandiol (5), diorcinol(6), cordyol C(7), mixture of violaceol (8) and violaceol Ⅱ(9). Compounds 5, 7, 8 and 9 showed strong antioxidant activity with IC50 (9.62±0.12), (11.11±0.02), and (8.44±0.08) μg•mL-1 by DPPH assay. CONCLUSION: Four new compounds and three antioxidant known compounds are isolated from sponge-associated fungus SX-6-22.

The volatile components of roots and stems of Zanthoxylum nitidum were investigated by supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction (SFE-CO2) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). Thirty-one and fifty-one compounds were identified in the supercritical extracts from roots and stems of Z. nitidum, respectively, and total twenty-seven compounds were the common constituents. Among them, the major constituents in root and stem supercritical extracts were spathulenol (18.49 and 26.18%), n-hexadecanoic acid (14.24% and 12.79%), ar-tumerone (6.95% and 8.88%), oleic acid (8.39% and 5.71%) and hexanoic acid (4.39% and 7.78%). The in-vitro MTT assay showed that the volatile components of roots and stems of Z. nitidum did not exhibited any cytotoxic activity against human cancer Huh-7 and normal IEC-6 cells. These results indicated the same nature of the volatile constituents in the root and stem of Z. nitidum. This investigation may provide further evidence for expansion of medicinal parts of Z. nitidum.
Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Humans ; Mice ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Zanthoxylum ; chemistry

Objective To investigate surgical technique and clinical efficacy of Sky bone ex- pander kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures.Methods Eighteen cases with osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures were treated with Sky bone expander kyphoplasty from August 2004 to November 2005.Under the local anesthesia,3.5-5ml of bone cements were injected into each pathologic vertebral body through unipedicle approach after reduction procedure was done with Sky bone expander.Results The postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 to 11 months, with an average of 4.5 months.Back pain was effectively relieved after the operation in all cases.No complications occurred.Conclusion The Sky bone expander kyphoplasty has the advantages of safe- ty,easy operation,minimal invasion,effective restoration of the vertebral body height and fast relief of pain.

Central composite design (CCD) is one of the most commonly used design methods in response surface optimization and has been widely applied in the field of pharmaceutics to optimize preparations. On the 20th anniversary of the introduction of CCD into China, the paper reviews its application in domestic pharmaceutical researches. Based on the brief introduction of basic principle and operation steps of CCD, the mistakes emerging in the application of CCD are summarized, including conceptual confusion with Box-Behnken design and face-centered CCD as well as wrong designs. Besides, the issues concerning the selection of factors and responses are discussed. The article is helpful for researchers to comprehensively understand the CCD and facilitates the rational application of this method.

OBJECTIVETo obtain a comprehensive understanding of the effect of the improvement of fixation strength of a newly designed expansive pedicle screw through biomechanical analyses.

METHODS100 (200 pedicles) fresh calf lumber vertebrae were used. A total of four instrumentation systems were tested including CDH (CD Horizon), USS (Universal Spine System pedicle screw), Tenor (Sofamor Denek) and expansive pedicle screw (EPS). Pullout and turning-back tests were performed to compare the holding strength of the expansive pedicle screw with conventional screws, i.e. USS, CDH and Tenor. Revision tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of the expansive pedicle screw as a "rescue" revision screw. A fatigue simulation using perpendicular load up to 1,500,000 cycles was carried out.

RESULTSThe turning back torque (Tmax) and pull-out force (Fmax) of EPS were significantly greater than those of USS, Tenor and CDH screws (6.5 mm x 40 mm). In revision tests, the Fmax of both kinds of EPS (6.5 mm x 40 mm; 7.0 mm x 40 mm) were greater than that of CDH, USS and Tenor screws significantly (P<0.05). No screws were broken or bent at the end of fatigue tests.

CONCLUSIONSEPS can significantly improve the bone purchase and the pull-out strength compared to USS, Tenor and CDH screws with similar dimensions before and after failure simulation. The fatigue characteristic of EPS is similar to that of CDH, USS and Tenor screws.

Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Screws ; Cattle ; Equipment Failure Analysis ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Internal Fixators ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Materials Testing ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; Tensile Strength

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chinese medicine and pharmacy (CMP) on the mortality of senile HIV/AIDS patients as adjunctive therapy.

METHODSHIV/AIDS patients of a certain rural area of Hanna Province, who were recruited in national CMP HIV treatment trial program (NTCMTP) in 2004, were enrolled as the CMP treatment group. HIV/AIDS patients in the same village without recruiting in NTCMTP were enrolled as the non-CMP treatment group. Data related to subjects were collected from the database of NTCMTP and National HAART Reporting System. Multiple regression analysis under Cox proportional hazard model was applied to examine the risk factors for death of senile HIV/AIDS patients.

RESULTSA total of 436 HIV/AIDS were enrolled in this study, 204 in the CMP treatment group and 232 in the non-CMP treatment group. There were 70 AIDS-relative deaths in the CMP treatment group, with 8-year mortality rate of 37.74%. There were 111 AIDS-relative deaths in the non-CMP treatment group, with 8-year mortality rate of 48.34%. The 8-year mortality rate was higher in the non-CMP treatment group than in the CMP treatment group (chi2 = 5.136, P < 0.05). Results of univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed the hazard ratio in the non-CMP treatment group was 1.41 times that of the CMP treatment group (P < 0.05). Result of multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed the hazard ratio in the non-CMP treatment group was 1.44 times that of the CMP treatment group (P < 0.05). Besides, gender and marital conditions were significantly associated with death of HIV/AIDS patients.

CONCLUSIONCMP treatment was favorable to lower the mortality rate of senile HIV/AIDS patients, and its objective evaluation awaits for further prospective study.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Alzheimer Disease ; therapy ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Communicable Diseases ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Humans ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective To investigate the effects of expression of mitochondria long-chain fatty acid oxidative enzyme (long-chain 3 hyroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase,LCHAD) and p38 mitogen activated proteinkinase (p38MAPK) signal transduction pathway in severe preeclampsia.Methods Serum-free trophoblast cells cultured in vitro were stimulated by early onset severe preeclampsia serum (E-PE group),late onset severe preeclampsia serum (L-PE group),HELLP syndrome serum (HELLP group),and normal pregnancy serum (NP group) respectively; each group was added DMEM/F12 medium,reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor (NADPH-Ⅰ) and p38 MAPK inhibitor (p38-Ⅰ)to stimulate cells.Expression of mRNA and protein of LCHAD in trophoblast cells were detected by real-time PCR and western blot.Results (1) The expression of mRNA of LCHAD:the level of mRNA of LCHAD in NP+DMEM,E-PE + DMEM,E-PE + NADPH-Ⅰ,E-PE + p38-Ⅰ,L-PE + DMEM,L-PE + NADPH-Ⅰ,L-PE + p38-Ⅰ and HELLP + DMEM,HELLP + NADPH-Ⅰ,HELLP + p38-Ⅰ groups were 1.00 ± 0.03,0.14 ±0.08,0.95 ±0.20,1.43±1.02,0.37 ±0.18,1.51 ±0.36,1.60 ±0.31,0.10 ±0.04,0.49 ±0.10,0.44 ± 0.21,respectively.The relative expressions of mRNA of LCHAD were significantly reduced in E-PE + DMEM,L-PE + DMEM and HELLP + DMEM groups compared with the NP + DMEM group (P ＜0.05).Compared with the NP groups,the relative expressions of mRNA of LCHAD were significantly increased in L-PE + NADPH-Ⅰ and L-PE + p38-Ⅰ group (P ＜ 0.05),while reduced in HELLP groups (P ＜0.05).(2) The expression of protein of LCHAD:the relative expressions of protein of LCHAD in NP +DMEM,E-PE + DMEM,E-PE + NADPH-Ⅰ,E-PE + p38-Ⅰ,L-PE + DMEM,L-PE + NADPH-Ⅰ,L-PE +p38-Ⅰ and HELLP + DMEM,HELLP + NADPH-Ⅰ,HELLP + p38-Ⅰ groups were 19.4 ± 2.2,10.7 ± 1.1,17.9±3.3,19.1 ±2.9,16.4 ±2.3,20.3 ±2.3,20.9 ±4.3,12.4 ±2.3,17.6 ±2.6,17.7 ±2.0 respectively.Compared with the NP groups,the protein expressions of LCHAD were significantly remarkably reduced in E-PE + DMEM,L-PE + DMEM and HELLP groups (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the DMEM groups,the protein expressions of LCHAD were significantly increased in NADPH-Ⅰ and p38-Ⅰ groups of E-PE,L-PE and HELLP groups (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions These studies demonstrate that long chain fatty acid oxidation was involved in the pathogenesis and development of preeclampsia.The expressions of gene and protein of LCHAD were remarkably affected by early onset severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome.NADPH-Ⅰ and p38-Ⅰ may allay the disorder of fatty acid oxidation.p38MAPK signal transduction pathway may contributed in this process.

The synthesized full-length hGLP-1 gene was cloned into pET-32a(+) to get the recombinant plasmid pET32-GLP-1, which could express a fusion protein containing thioredox, hexahistidine, and rhGLP-1 consecutively. The recombinant plasmid containing hGLP-1 was transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3) and expressed by IPTG induction. The fusion protein was purified from lysates with Ni?IDA His?Bind affinity chromatography. rhGLP-1 with the purity of 90% was achieved after enterokinase digestion, Ni?IDA His?Bind affinity chromatography again, then was concentrated by ultrafiltration. The purified rhGLP-1 showed a single band on IEF gel with an isoelectric point between pH5.2 and pH5.85. ESI mass spectrometry showed that the molecular weight was 3355.0kDa as expected. rhGLP-1 was digested with trypsin followed by mass analysis and the peptide mapping produced two expected fragments with the molecular weights of 2097.7kDa and 1005.5kDa, respectively. The purified rhGLP-1 also showed obvious biological activity for both lowering plasma glucose and stimulating insulin secretion in mice.

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Smad 7,Smurf 1 and Smurf 2 in basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.Methods Biopsy specimens were resected from 14 patients with basal cell carcinoma,19 patients with squamous cell carcinoma and 30 normal controls.Quanti- tative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical techniques were utilized to assess the expression of Smad 7, Smurf 1 and Smurf 2 in these specimens.Results The gray scale for staining of Smad 7,Smurf 1 and Smurf 2 was 166.61?7.11,166.08?8.71,and 166.25?8.15 respectively in basal cell carcinoma,161.66?5.52,166.84?9.27,and 169.98?9.48 respectively in squamous cell carcinoma.The expression levels of Smad 7,Smurf 1 and Smurf 2 were all significantly increased in basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell car- cinoma in comparison with normal controls.Conclusions The over-expression of Smad 7,Smurf 1 and Smurf 2 may interfere with transforming growth factor?signaling transduction pathway through several links,therefore prevent the inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor?on epidermal proliferation,and accelerate the abnormal proliferation in above epidermal tumors.