Qualitative analysis of Gynostemma longipes for medicinal usage / 中国中药杂志

The Qinling-Daba Mountains area is the main producing areas of Gynostemma longipes for medicinal usage, and samples of wild whole plants in Pingli, Shaanxi Province and Qingchuan, Sichuan Province were collected. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) was used to profile the chemical compositions and analyze the similarities and differences of G. longipes samples in these areas. Based on the accurate molecular weight and fragment information obtained from Q-TOF-MS~E, the structures of the main components were identified by combining with the mass spectra, chromatographic behaviors of reference standards and related literatures. The results showed that the components of wild G. longipes from different places among Qinling-Daba Mountains area were similar. Forty-five chemical components were identified in the whole plant of G. longipes from Pingli, Shaanxi Province, including 43 triterpenoid saponins and 2 flavonoids which contain all main peaks in its fingerprint. The main components are dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins, such asgypenoside ⅩLⅨ, gypenoside A and its malonylated product of glycosyl.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated MSTN gene editing induced mitochondrial alterations in C2C12 myoblast cells

Background: Myostatin (MSTN) negatively regulates muscle mass and is a potent regulator of energy metabolism. However, MSTN knockout have affect mitochondrial function. This research assessed the mitochondrial energy metabolism of Mstn−/+ KO cells, and wondered whether the mitochondria biogenesis are affected. Results: In this study, we successfully achieved Mstn knockout in skeletal muscle C2C12 cells using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and measured proliferation and differentiation using the Cell-Counting Kit-8 assay and qPCR, respectively. We found that MSTN dysfunction could promote proliferation and differentiation compared with the behaviour of wild-type cells. Moreover, Mstn KO induced an increase in KIF5B expression. The mitochondrial content was significantly increased in Mstn KO C2C12 cells, apparently associated with the increases in PGC-1α, Cox1, Cox2, ND1 and ND2 expression. However, no differences were observed in glucose consumption and lactate production. Interestingly, Mstn KO C2C12 cells showed an increase in IL6 and a decrease in TNF-1α levels. Conclusion: These findings indicate that MSTN regulates mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. This gene-editing cells provided favourable evidence for animal breeding and metabolic diseases.

New Quality Problems and Control Methods for Imported Draconis Sanguis / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To explore the new quality problems of Draconis Sanguis imported from Indonesia. METHODS: According to the quality standard of imported medicinal materials and Ch.P method, exploratory analysis was carried out on 10 batches of imported Draconis Sanguis and three batches of Draconis Sanguis fruits. RESULTS: The dracohodin content in three batches of Draconis Sanguis fruits was 1.2%-2.4%. Three batches of imported Draconis Sanguis were obtained by directly pulverization of Draconis Sanguis fruits, and loureirin A and loureirin B were detected in one batch of Draconis Sanguis, suggesting that dracaena cochinchinensis was added. CONCLUSION: Among the 10 batches of imported Draconis Sanguis, three batches are determined to be unqualified due to character inconformity, and the other batch is judged to be unqualified due to the addition of dracaena cochinchinensis.

The Financing Difficulties and Coping Strategies for the Public Hospitals from the Perspective of Public Welfare / 中国卫生经济

The continued release of demand for medical services had stimulated the development of public hospitals.In the context of insufficient government financial subsidies and inadequate hospital funds,some public hospitals tended to seek market-oriented financing support,but the contradiction between the nonprofit nature of public hospitals and the profitability nature of capital made the process of public hospital financing into a dilemma.Through the analysis of the connotation of public welfare in public hospitals and cases of PPP projects,it found that nonprofit of public hospitals did not completely exclude the profitability of capital,the market competition mechanism that capital profit behavior relied on was a prerequisite for the realization of the public welfare nature of public hospitals.Taking the advantage of market-oriented financing methods on the basis of insisting on the public welfare of public hospitals,the following measures must be taken:firstly,adhere to the government's dominant position in the direction of public hospitals;secondly,while introducing capital,it needed to focus on the reform and innovation of operational mechanisms;thirdly,convert the dividends that belong to the government into continued investment in public hospitals to support the realization of public welfare;fourth,com bined with the local government financial resources based on differentiated financing model.

TRPA1 channel mediates organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE We want to investigate the mechanism of organophosphate- induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) and find appropriate therapeutic medicine. OPIDN, often leads to pares?thesias, ataxia and paralysis, occurs in the late-stage of acute poisoning or after repeated exposures to organophosphate (OP) insecticides or nerve agents, and may contribute to the Gulf War Syndrome. METHODS FDSS Ca2 +-influx assays, single-cell calcium imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology were the major testing techniques. Transfected HEK293 cells and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were used to evaluate the effects of compounds. Wild type and trpa1 knockout mice and adult hyline brown hens were used to evaluate the neuropathological damages caused by the OPs. Transmission electron microscopy imaging was used to observe the nerve injuries ultrastructurally. High-throughput screen for TRPA1 inhibitors was accomplished by Ion Works Barracuda (IWB) automated electrophysiology assay. RESULTS TRPA1 (Transient receptor potential cation channel, member A1) channel mediates OPIDN. A variety of OPs, exemplified by malathion, activates TRPA1 but not other neuronal TRP channels. Malathion increases the intracellular calcium levels and upregulates the excitability of mouse DRG neurons in vitro. Mice with repeated exposures to malathion also develop local tissue nerve injuries and pain-related behaviors, which resembles the early symptoms of OPIDN. Both the neuropathological changes and the nocifensive behaviors can be attenuated by treatment of TRPA1 antagonist HC030031 or abolished by knockout of Trpa1 gene. In the classic hens OPIDN model, malathion causes nerve injuries and ataxia to a similar level as the positive inducer tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), which also activates TRPA1 channel. Treatment with HC030031 reduces the damages caused by malathion or TOCP. Duloxetine and Ketotifen, two commercially available drugs exhibiting TRPA1 inhibitory activity, show neuroprotective effects against OPIDN and might be used in emergency situations. CONCLUSION TRPA1 is the major mediator of OPIDN and targeting TRPA1 is an effective way for the treatment of OPIDN.

A community-based sero-epidemiological study of hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, China, 2010

Introduction:The 2010 targets of the China Hepatitis B Prevention Programme were a prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) less than 1.0% for children less than five years old and less than 6.0% for the total population. This survey assessed the prevalence of Hepatitis B infection in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China in 2009–2010.Methods:Multistage sampling was used with 2372 subjects among 17 selected villages. Blood specimen collection and testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbnet assay (ELISA) were completed using the following markers for hepatitis infection: HBsAg and antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs); hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe); and hepatitis B core antibody (total anti-HBc). The data were analysed with Epi Info, version 3.3.2.Results:The prevalence of HBsAg was 2.4% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.8–3.0; Adjusted Prevalence [AP] 2.9%); anti-HBs prevalence was 51.1% (95% CI: 49.1–53.1; AP 49.2%) and total anti-HBc prevalence was 41.7% (95% CI: 39.8–43.7; AP 45.5%). The prevalence of HBsAg and total anti-HBc positivity increased from young to older age groups, yet the prevalence of anti-HBs positivity decreased from young to older age groups (PP= 0.108 and 0.089), but females had a higher prevalence than males for total anti-HBc positivity (P< 0.001). Discussion: This survey showed that in 2010 the prevalence of HBsAg among children aged less than five years was lower than the national target of 1.0% and that the prevalence of HBsAg for the total population was lower than the national target of 6.0%.

Expression of Pigment Epithelium-derived Factor in Bladder Tumour Is Correlated with Interleukin-8 yet Not with Interleukin-1α / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an antiangiogenic factor which is effective in tumour inhibition in a variety of tumours and has not yet been studied in bladder tumour before.In this study the expression of PEDF,interleukin-1 α (IL-1α) and -8 (IL-8) in bladder tumours was investigated.Immunohistochemistry was performed on 64 bladder tumour and 23 normal uroepithelium samples.Expression change of the factors was compared with clinicopathological parameters.Correlations between PEDF,IL-1α and IL-8 were analyzed.None of the factors was in relation to gender,tumour occurrence,and size or onset pattem.PEDF (P=0.014) and IL-1α (P=0.049) expression was down-regulated with grade progression.PEDF expression was lower in normal uroepithelium than in papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) (P=0.000) and carcinoma (P=0.009) whilst IL-1α (P=0.000 and P=0.000 respectively) and IL-8 (P=0.000 and P=0.023 respectively) expression was higher in the same grouping.PEDF expression had a negative correlation with IL-8 in PUNLMP (P=0.049,r=-0.578) as well as in tumour grouping (P=0.033,r=-0.276).Deranged expressional change of PEDF,IL-1 α and IL-8 could be in relation to loss of differentiation from normal uroepithelium to papillary lesion and eventually to carcinoma.

Surgical Treatment for 11 Cases of Penile Verrucous Carcinoma

Penile verrucous carcinoma is a rare, well-differentiated and low-grade tumor. The surgeons are deficiently aware about the biological behavior and the clinicopathological characteristic of this disease, which raises difficulties during the treatment. In our present study, the clinical and pathological data of 11 patients with penile verrucous carcinoma, aged between 49 to 85 years was retrospectively analyzed. The tumors exhibited exophytic, papillary, caulifower-like or verrucose lesions of great dimensions measuring between 2 to 10 cm on the penises. The tumors were located at glans in 6 cases, invaded the coronoid sulcus in 4 cases and invaded the shaft of the penis in 1 case. Eight cases underwent partial penectomy, while the other 3 were treated with local excision. The diagnosis of penile verrucous carcinoma was confirmed by histopathologic examination of the specimens with the negative surgical margins in all the cases. Within the period of 12 to 60 months of follow-up, all the patients were disease-free with no case of recurrence and metastasis. The novel knowledge and experience of the treatment of penile verrucous carcinoma will be a useful clinical guide for surgeons in the future.

A preliminary study of radionuclide imaging of the nasal lymphatic system in nasal polyps / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the role of nasal mucosal lymphatic drainage in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>There were 25 cases in the experimental group who had nasal polyps (which was further divided into Malm-1, Malm-2, Malm-3 level 3 subgroups) and 6 cases in the control group, including thyroid cancer and laryngeal cancer patients who had normal nasal structure. The nasal polyps in the experimental group and the middle turbinate in the control group were injected with a radionuclide and a radionuclide imaging technique was used to image the nasal mucosal lymphatics. The lymphatic drainage status of the nasal mucosa through the imaging results was analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The T/NT ratio (radioactivity counting) of the region of interest (ROI) was 20. 66 +/- 1.89 in the control group and 29. 33 +/- 6.34 in the experimental group. The difference was significant (t = 3.275, P < 0.05). The T/NT ratio of the ROI was 24.40 +/- 3.19 in the Malm-1 level group, 29.31 +/- 3.39 in the Malm-2 level group, 39.21 +/- 3.15 in the Malm-3 level group. The differences of qualitative analysis were significant (F = 38. 980, P < 0.05). The quantitative analysis showed that at the injection site, signs of lymphatic development and drainage were not found in the control group or experimental group, but the phenomenon of contrast media retention existed at the injection site in the experimental group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lymphatic drainage dysfunction exists in patients with nasal polyps, and it may play a role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.</p>

Serum protein profiling to identify biomarkers for small renal cell carcinoma.

Diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are in great need. In the present study, we compared the serum protein profiles of patients with small RCC to those of healthy individuals to identify the differentially expressed proteins with potential to serve as biomarkers. Serum samples were collected from 10 patients with small RCC and 10 healthy individuals. The serum protein expression profiles were analyzed by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. Twenty-seven proteins with differences in expression levels between RCC patients and healthy volunteers were identified. Of these, 19 were expressed at different levels and eight were expressed in serum from the RCC group, but not from the control group. Six differentially expressed proteins identified by using mass spectrometry included coagulation factor XIII B, complement C3 and its precursor, misato homolog 1 (isoform CRA_b), hemopexin, and alpha-1-B-glycoprotein. Some of these serum proteins are known regulators of tumor progression in human malignancies. In conclusion, we successfully applied 2-D gel electrophoresis and identified six serum proteins differentially expressed between patients with small RCC and healthy volunteers. These proteins may provide novel biomarkers for early detection and diagnosis of human RCC.