[Aesthetic reconstruction strategy for postburn facial scar and its clinical effect].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the aesthetic reconstruction strategy for postburn facial scar and its clinical effect. METHODS: Three hundred and forty-two patients with postburn facial scars were hospitalized from January 2000 to December 2015. Local expanded flap or deltopectoral expanded flap was used for reconstruction according to the location and size of the facial scar. The forehead expanded flap could be chosen for the scar in dorsum nasi or inferior eyelid. The local expanded flap was chosen when the scar width was smaller than 5 cm in cheek, chin, and marginal mandible region. The expanded deltopectoral flap was chosen when the scar width was larger than 5 cm in cheek, chin, and marginal mandible region or the scar contracture was too serious to cause displacement of lips, nose, or eyelid, and the wound width was larger than 5 cm after release. The facial scars of 82 patients, with size ranged from 6.0 cm×2.5 cm to 15.0 cm×10.0 cm, were reconstructed with expanded local flaps. The facial scars of 260 patients, with size ranged from 8.0 cm×7.0 cm to 38.0 cm×13.0 cm, were reconstructed with expanded deltopectoral flaps. After expansion of 2 to 6 months, the facial scars were excised and completely released first of all. The transfer way of local flap and size of deltopectoral flap with pedicle were designed according to the size and shape of the wound. Three weeks after transfer of deltopectoral flap, flap delay procedure was conducted. One week later, the pedicle was severed from the flap to reconstruct the remaining scar. Anti-scar medicine, laser therapy, and elasticized fabric were used postoperatively on the scars in both donor and recipient sites. RESULTS: During the postoperative follow-up for 3 to 12 months, the flaps of 40 out of 82 cases reconstructed with expanded local flaps were in good color and texture. Before 2008, mild scar hyperplasia was observed in the incision of 19 patients; with application of laser after 2008, the number of patients with scar hyperplasia was decreased. During the postoperative follow-up for 3 to 12 months, the flaps of 90 out of 260 cases reconstructed with expanded deltopectoral flaps were in good color and texture. The expander was exposed from the incision in 15 patients, while it did not affect the later treatment. Nine unilateral flaps showed poor blood circulation at the distal end, and they were healed after dressing change. In the early phase, necrosis was observed in one flap after transfer, and it was healed after transplantation of free skin graft. Scar hyperplasia was observed in the chest donor site of one patient, and it was improved after laser therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Postburn facial scar could be reconstructed with local or deltopectoral flaps, following the principle of similarity. The expansion could increase the size of the flaps, reduce the thickness of the flaps, and lower the donor site damage.

Genomic profiling of the response of Candida albicans to itraconazole treatment using a DNA microarray.

The application of genome-wide expression profiling to determine how drugs achieve their therapeutic effect has provided the pharmaceutical industry with an exciting new tool for drug mode-of-action studies. We used DNA chip technology to study cellular responses to perturbations of ergosterol biosynthesis caused by the broad-spectrum antifungal agent itraconazole. Simultaneous examination of over 6,600 Candida albicans gene transcript levels, representing the entire genome, upon treatment of cells with 10 microM itraconazole revealed that 296 genes were responsive. For 116 genes transcript levels were decreased at least 2.5-fold, while for 180 transcript levels were similarly increased. A global upregulation of ERG genes in response to azole treatment was observed. ERG11 and ERG5 were found to be upregulated approximately 12-fold. In addition, a significant upregulation was observed for ERG6, ERG1, ERG3, ERG4, ERG10, ERG9, ERG26, ERG25, ERG2, IDII, HMGS, NCP1, and FEN2, all of which are genes known to be involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. The effects of itraconazole on a wide variety of known metabolic processes are discussed. As over 140 proteins with unknown function were responsive to itraconazole, our analysis might provide-in combination with phenotypic data-first hints of their potential function. The present report is the first to describe the application of DNA chip technology to study the response of a major human fungal pathogen to drug treatment.

[Studies on chemical constituents of Gaultheria leucocarpa var. Yunnanensis (Franch.) T. Z. Hsu & R. C. Fang].

OBJECTIVE: To separate and identify the chemical constituents of the aerial part of Gaultheria leucocarpa var. yunnanensis. METHOD: The compounds were extracted with solvents, isolated by column chromatography and identified by spectral analysis. RESULT: Four compounds were identified as n-dotriacontane and its homologous compound(1), ursolic acid(2), vanillic acid(3), and quercitrin(4). CONCLUSION: The compounds 1, 4 were obtained from the plant for the first time, and 2 and 3 were from above-ground part of the plant for the first time.

[Screening of anti-bacteria activity of extracts of Gaultheria leucocarpa var. yunnanensis].

OBJECTIVE: To further develop Gaultheria leucocarpa var. yunnanensis, anti-bacteria constituents in it were screened. METHOD: The constituents were extracted by chromatographic process. The anti-bacteria test was made with regulatory method of analysis. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Anti-bacteria test with extracts of water, acetic ester and n-butanol showed that 3 extracts from 22 samples had anti-Staphylococcus aureus action, and the extracts from root and stem showed the same result. 2 extracts could kill Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The lower the concentrate, the less the anti-bacteria action was. These results suggested that not only essential oil but other ingredients from G. leucocarpa var.yunnanensis have anti-bacteria activity. Anti-fungi test of the same extracts didn't indicate remarkable action.

[Studies on resources of ethnomedicine Gaultheria leucocarpa var. yunnanensis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the resources of G. leucocarpa var. yunnanensis for further development of this drug. METHOD: Field investigating, consulting with relevant experts and looking into available specimens. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: G. leucocarpa var. yunnanensis is widely distributed in the southern regions of the Yangtze River. The field investigation suggests that the distribution center is situated in Yunnan province, mainly in Kunming, Chuxiong and Dali counties. The climate in these areas is moderate and moist. G. leucocarpa var. yunnanensis is not a dominant species in this natural environment. In some places, it grows with other species of Gaultheria, such as G. fragrantissima, G. tetramera, G. griffithiana and G. leucocarpa var. cumingiana. It is distributed at altitudes from 400 m to 3,500 m. Accustomed to different sunshine conditions, G. leucocarpa var. yunnanensis prefers stronger sunlight and commonly grows on sunny slopes, seldom in dense forest, propagating itself by roots. As a folk medicine, G. leucocarpa var. yunnanensis is commonly used to treat rheumatic arthritis(RA), dazzling, suppressed menstruation, cold, cough, asthma, strain hematemesis, eczema, ascites, wound, amebic dysentery, acute and chronic prostatitis. It is suggested that further pharmacological and clinical researches of this plant be concentrated on the treatment of RA and relief of aches.

[Systemic breeding of the new variety of Biantiao ginseng (Panax ginseng)].

OBJECTIVE: To breed new varieties of Biantiao ginseng for high yield and fine quality. METHODS: Systemic breeding methods were applied. About 3,000 outstanding Biantiao ginseng roots were selected and planted in breeding field, and self-crossed for four generations. During the course, inferior lines or plants were rejected. Then strain comparison, identification of resistance to black-speck disease, and analysis of active compositions were carried out. RESULTS: "Biantiao 1" (BT1), the first new variety of Biantiao ginseng, with green stems and thick, long, elegant roots and median resistance to black-speck disease, has been harvested since 20 years. The percentage of Biantiao ginseng roots and yield were 15% and 30% higher than the control's respectively. The content of total ginsenosides and the main monomers was 1.8%-2.5% higher than the control's. The characteristics of overground part and root of BT1 were uniform and stable. CONCLUSIONS: BT1, a new excellent ginseng variety, has a good potential value to be generalized in ginseng production.

[Comparison of ITS sequences between wild ginseng DNA and garden ginseng DNA].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the genetic differences between wild ginseng and garden ginseng (Panax ginseng). METHOD: The sequences of ITS1 and ITS2 of wild ginsengs were determined on LKB DNA sequencing station through Si-liver Sequence DNA Sequencing System. The sequencies were aligned with DNA SIS software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The ITS1 and ITS2 of Panax were 220-221 and 222-224 bases in length respectively. In Panax ginsehg, the seqences of ITS1 were very stable, but ITS2 were changeable. The ITS2 sequences of No. 87 and No. 110 of the wild ginseng collected from Fusong Heilongjiang (China) were exactly the same as those of No. U41680(Jun Wen) and No. U41682(Jun Wen) of garden ginseng collected from Heilongjiang Province (China) and Korea respectively, but different from those of No. U41681(Jun Wen) from Hubei Province (China) in three bases (447, 449, 450) The result implies that the cultivated ginsengs may have been introduced from two different populations of the wild ginseng.

[A study on AFLP fingerprinting of land races of Panax ginseng L].

OBJECTIVE: To obtain more information on DNA fingerprintings of five land races of Chinese ginseng, namely, Damaya (DMY), Changbo (CB), Yuanbangyuanlu (YBYL) and Huangguo (HG). METHODS: The five land races were detected by amplified restriction fragment polymorphism (AFLP) markers with 11 combined primers (M2, M3, M16, M20, M53, M56, M57, M68, M69, M72, M84 in Mse I). RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Only 4.6% polymorphic sites was found. It was further verified that only a little diversity existed among the land races. The polymorphic sites of CB were much more than those of the others, which suggests that there are more heterozygotes in CB populations, and it is closer to wild ginseng than the others.