[A case of diabetic retinopathy with coagulation factor Ⅷ and Ⅻ deficiency]

The patient was a 48-year-old male with a previous history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The patient had persistent bleeding after vitrectomy of the left eye, and the patient was examined for abnormal coagulation factor Ⅷ combined with Ⅻ. This case suggests that we need effective control of blood glucose and blood pressure in patients undergoing vitrectomy in clinical work, and adequate examination of coagulation function. Patients with coagulation factor deficiency should be treated with plasma transfusion to supplement coagulation factors before performing the necessary surgical treatment to prevent severe bleeding.

Correlation Study of Galectin-3 in Patients with an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Ventricular Remodeling Before and After Surgical Correction

Objective

The present study aims to observe the changes in galectin-3 (Gal-3) expression levels in patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm and ventricular remodeling and analyze Gal-3's correlation with ventricular remodeling.

Methods

A total of 102 patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm were included as the research subjects. Gal-3 expression levels in the peripheral blood of the patients were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before the operation and then three and six months after. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), interventricular septal thickness, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness were recorded, and the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated. Changes in Gal-3 expression levels, LVMI, LVEF, and LVEDD were observed before and after surgery, and these changes were then analyzed.

Results

There were significant differences in Gal-3 expression levels, LVMI, and LVEDD before surgery and three months after (P < 0.001) but no significant difference in LVEF (P = 0.887). There were significant differences in Gal-3 expression levels, LVMI, LVEDD, and LVEF (P < 0.05) three and six months after surgery. Before surgery and three and six months after surgery, Gal-3 was positively correlated with LVMI and LVEDD (R = 0.697, R = 0.571, and R = 0.454, respectively), and a receiver operating characteristic curve found that Gal-3 was able to predict ventricular remodeling, with an area under the curve value of 0.721.

Conclusion

Gal-3 expression levels are correlated with ascending aortic aneurysms combined with ventricular remodeling, which provides a reference value for predicting ventricular remodeling.

Determination of Tissue Distribution of Alisol G, a CB1R Antagonist, in Rats by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Peripheral CB1R blockers without crossing the blood–brain barrier (BBB) have demonstrated therapeutic benefits in metabolic syndromes, including obesity. Among them is Alisol G, a tetracyclic triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma (zexie), which can effectively reduce the weight of obese mice. Results from CP55940-induced [35S] GTPγS cannabinoid-type 1 receptor (CB1R) binding assay show an IC50 of 34.8 μmol/L for Alisol G, implicating its role as a CB1R antagonist. The purpose of our study is to assess whether Alisol G could serve as a peripheral CB1R antagonist for obesity treatment. In this study, we build a simple, reliable, and sensitive method to detect the concentration of Alisol G in rat tissue by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that Alisol G was mainly distributed in intestinal midgut, mucosa and small intestine, with little brain exposure. We suggested that intestine may be the main acting sites of Alisol G. Through comparison of brain and blood concentrations of Alisol G, our data showed that Alisol G cannot penetrate the BBB easily. In conclusion, Alisol G may represent a peripheral CB1R antagonist for the further treatment of obesity.

[Course of Revision of the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 and the Forensic Contribution]

Abstract

From January 15 to March 3, 2020, seven editions of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 have been issued successively by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, and the guidelines' name was changed from Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia to Diagnosis and Treatment for COVID-19. It optimized and perfected the etiology, clinical manifestations and types, diagnostic procedures and specific treatment measures of the disease, so that the clinical management of the cases was more scientific. In the revision process of guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, forensic medicine experts have also made some positive suggestions on clinical diagnosis and treatment. Especially regarding the pathological changes of COVID-19, they have repeatedly called for rapid autopsy at different levels. With the support, understanding and cooperation of all parties, pathological examination of more than ten cases of the remains were carried out, which made an important contribution to the understanding of the clinical characteristics and pathological characteristics of the disease and the improvement of treatment plans.

Optical determination of spin diffusion length and interfacial spin mixing conductance in epitaxial Pd/Fe bilayers

We present a detailed study of the photoinduced magnetization precession and magnetic relaxation in epitaxial Pd/Fe films on MgO(0 0 1) substrates via all-optical pump-probe techniques. We explicitly formulate the correlation between the Gilbert damping and the effective damping in the optical approach. Furthermore, a non-local Gilbert damping induced by spin pumping is demonstrated self-consistently by the Gilbert damping dependence on Pd thickness and the [Formula: see text] relationship of damping with Fe thickness [Formula: see text]. The non-local Gilbert damping enables the determination of spin diffusion length [Formula: see text] in Pd and interfacial spin mixing conductance [Formula: see text]. Our work paves the way toward the optical determination of spin transport parameters.

Flavonoids rather than alkaloids as the diagnostic constituents to distinguish Sophorae Flavescentis Radix from Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma: an HPLC fingerprint study

Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Sophora flavescens Ait., SFR) and Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma (S. tonkinensis Gapnep., STR) are two commonly used traditional Chinese medicines from Sophora (Leguminosae) plants, which are believed to possess similar bioactive components with entirely different clinical applications. In order to find out the characteristic chemical constituents potentially leading to the unique medicinal properties claimed for each of the two closely related TCMs, an HPLC fingerprint method was developed for analyses of the alkaloid and flavonoid constituents of SFR and STR, respectively, which were further evaluated and compared through similarity calculation and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The results from the present study showed that the alkaloid fingerprints of the two herbs were similar, with many components co-existing in both drugs and various batches of samples from different species being mixed together in the HCA dendrogram. However, their flavonoid constituents were totally different with specific fingerprints being yielded for each herb, and further HCA analysis showed that the tested samples could almost be clearly divided into two groups based on their origins of species. The results from the present study indicated that the flavonoid constituents could serve as the differentially diagnostic constituents of SFR and STR and might potentially attributed to their distinct therapeutic effects.

[The whole genome-wide screening of the longevity-related gene of Uyghur population in Hotan, Xinjiang]

Objective: To discuss the whole genome-wide screening of the longevity-related gene of Uyghur population in Hotan, Xinjiang. Methods: The whole gene scanning using genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on the pooling DNA and the SNP-Map strategy in the longevity group (≥90 years old) and control group (persons who died before 70 years old) was carried out. Then, through detecting varieties of SNP locus, the frequencies of genotype and allele were calculated by sequencing and PCR- restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Results: There was no significant difference of rs6450874, rs6800573 and rs6741735 genotypes and alleles frequency distributions between the two groups, however, there were statistical differences of rs1718307, rs4449651, rs11217987 and rs2907092 genotypes and alleles frequency distributions between the two groups. The TT genotype of rs11217987 (OR=1.462, P=0.034) and the GG genotype of rs2907092 (OR=3.000, P=0.018) were positively correlated to the longevity. And the T allele of rs11217987 (OR=1.382, 95%CI: 1.075-1.776) and the G allele of rs2907092 (OR=1.672, 95%CI: 1.267-2.205) had strong potential function to prolong life. The TT genotype of rs4449651 (OR=6.892, P=0.009) and rs1718307 (OR=4.036, P<0.001) were positively correlated to the longevity. Moreover, the T allele of both SNPs (OR=1.793, 95%CI: 1.298-2.477; OR=1.830, 95%CI: 1.391-2.407) had strong potential function to prolong life. Conclusions: The GWAS test can effectively and extensively analyze human longevity-related genes. And rs1718307, rs4449651, rs11217987 and rs2907092 are related to the longevity of Uyghur population in Hotan, Xinjiang.

[Anti-complement alkaloids from whole plants of Viola yedoensis]

Fifteen alkaloids were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of the whole plants of Viola yedoensis by various column chromatographic techniques such as silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were identified as neoechinulin A（1）,N-benzoyl-L-p-hydroxy-phenylalaninol（2）,aurantiamide acetate（3）,aurantiamide（4）,anabellamide（5）,trichosanatine（6）,indole-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester（7）,3-carboxyindole（8）,N-trans-feruloyl-tyramine（9）,paprazine（10）,7'-（3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl）-N-[(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]propenamide（11）,cannabisin F（12）,N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)octacosanamide（13）,N-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)hexacosanamide（14）and N-benzoyl-L-phenylalaninol（15）. All the compounds except 3 and 4 were isolated from this plant for the first time. These alkaloids exhibited anti-complement activity against the classical pathway(CP)and the alternative pathway(AP)with the CH50 and AP50 values ranging from 0.12 to 0.33 g•L⁻¹ and 0.22 to 0.50 g•L⁻¹, respectively. Preliminary mechanism study using complement-depleted sera showed that these alkaloids acted on different complement components in the complement activation cascade.

Age-Related Response of Rumen Microbiota to Mineral Salt and Effects of Their Interactions on Enteric Methane Emissions in Cattle

Mineral salt bricks are often used in cow raising as compensation for mineral losses to improve milk yield, growth, and metabolic activity. Generally, effects of minerals are partially thought to result from improvement of microbial metabolism, but their influence on the rumen microbiota has rarely been documented to date. In this study, we investigated the response of microbiota to mineral salt in heifer and adult cows and evaluated ruminal fermentation and enteric methane emissions of cows fed mineral salts. Twelve lactating Holstein cows and twelve heifers fed a total mixed ration (TMR) diet were randomly allocated into two groups, respectively: a treatment group comprising half of the adults and heifers that were fed mineral salt and a control group containing the other half fed a diet with no mineral salt supplement. Enteric methane emissions were reduced by 9.6% (P < 0.05) in adults ingesting a mineral salt diet, while concentrations of ruminal ammonia, butyrate, and propionate were increased to a significant extent (P < 0.05). Enteric methane emissions were also reduced in heifers ingesting a mineral salt diet, but not to a significant extent (P > 0.05). Moreover, the concentrations of ammonia and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were not significantly altered in heifers (P > 0.05). Based on these results, we performed high-throughput sequencing to explore the bacterial and archaeal communities of the rumen samples. Succiniclasticum and Prevotella, two propionate-producing bacteria, were predominant in samples of both adults and heifers. At the phylotype level, mineral salt intake led to a significant shift from Succiniclasticum to Prevotella and Prevotellaceae populations in adults. In contrast, reduced abundance of Succiniclasticum and Prevotella phylotypes was observed, with no marked shift in propionate-producing bacteria in heifers. Methanogenic archaea were not significantly abundant between groups, either in adult cows or heifers. The shift of Succiniclasticum to Prevotella and Prevotellaceae in adults suggests a response of microbiota to mineral salt that contributes to higher propionate production, which competes for hydrogen utilized by methanogens. Our data collectively indicate that a mineral salt diet can alter interactions of bacterial taxa that result in enteric methane reduction, and this effect is also influenced in an age-dependent manner.

Regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylations of ingenane diterpenoids by Mortierella ramanniana and Gibberella fujikuroi

The regio- and stereo-selective hydroxylations of two ingenane diterpenoids, 20-deoxyingenol (1) and 13-oxyingenol dodecanoat (2), by the filamentous fungi Mortierella ramanniana and Gibberella fujikuroi were investigated in the present study. Four undescribed metabolites (3-6) of substrate 1 and two undescribed metabolites (7 and 8) of substrate 2 were isolated. All the metabolites were identified as hydroxylated ingenane derivatives by extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS data analyses. All the biotransformed compounds and the substrates were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against three human cancer cell lines, including human colon cancer Caco-2, breast cancer MCF-7, and adriamycin (ADM)-resistant MCF-7/ADM cell lines. All ingenane alcohols (1, and 3-6) displayed no significant cytotoxic activities. The substrate 13-oxyingenol dodecanoat (2) showed moderate cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ values being 35.59 ± 5.37 μmol·L^-1 (Caco-2), 24.04 ± 4.70 μmol·L^-1 (MCF-7), and 22.24 ± 5.19 μmol·L^-1 (MCF-7/ADM). However, metabolites 7 and 8 displayed no significant cytotoxicity. These results indicated that the hydroxylation at the C-13 aliphatic acid ester of substrate 2 can significantly reduce the cytotoxic activity.

Anti-Complementary Components of Helicteres angustifolia

A first phenalenon derivative with an acetyl side chain at C-8, 8-acetyl-9-hydroxy-3-methoxy-7-methyl-1-phenalenon (compound 1), and a pair of new sesquilignan epimers at C-7″ of hedyotol C and hedyotol D analogs, hedyotol C 7″-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (compound 2) and hedyotol D 7″-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (compound 3) were isolated from the aerial parts of Helicteres angustifolia together with nine known compounds (4–12). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including mass spectroscopy, and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance. Eleven isolates exhibited anti-complementary activity. In particular, compounds 4 and 5 exhibited potent anti-complementary activities against the classical and alternative pathways with CH₅₀ values of 0.040 ± 0.009 and 0.009 ± 0.002 mM, and AP₅₀ values of 0.105 ± 0.015 and 0.021 ± 0.003 mM, respectively. The targets of compounds 4 and 5 in the complement activation cascade were also identified. In conclusion, the anti-complementary components of H. angustifolia possessed chemical diversity and consisted mostly of flavonoids and lignans in this study.

Anticomplement monoterpenoid glucosides from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa

Six new (1-6) and 19 known monoterpenoid glucosides were isolated from the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa. The monoterpenoid glucosides 1, 2, 7, 10-19, and 22 exhibited anticomplement effects with CH50 and AP50 values ranging from 0.14 to 2.67 mM and 0.25 to 3.67 mM, respectively. In a mechanistic study, suffrupaeoniflorin A (1) interacted with C1q, C3, C5, and C9, while galloylpaeoniflorin (12) and galloyloxypaeoniflorin (19) acted on C1q, C3, and C5 components in the complement activation cascade.

β3GnT8 regulates laryngeal carcinoma cell proliferation via targeting MMPs/TIMPs and TGF-β1

Previous evidence showed β1, 3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 8 (β3GnT8), which can extend polylactosamine on N-glycans, to be highly expressed in some cancer cell lines and tissues, indicating roles in tumorigenesis. However, so far, the function of β3GnT8 in laryngeal carcinoma has not been characterized. To test any contribution, Hep-2 cells were stably transfected with sense or interference vectors to establish cell lines that overexpressed or were deficient in β3GnT8. Here we showed that cell proliferation was increased in β3GnT8 overexpressed cells but decreased in β3GnT8 knockdown cells using MTT. Furthermore, we demonstrated that change in β3GnT8 expression had significant effects on tumor growth in nude mice.We further provided data suggesting that overexpression of β3GnT8 enhanced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) at both the mRNA and protein levels, associated with shedding of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase TIMP-2. In addition, it caused increased production of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), whereas β3GnT8 gene knockdown caused the reverse effect. The results may indicate a novel mechanism by which effects of β3GnT8 in regulating cellular proliferation are mediated, at least in partvia targeting MMPs/TIMPs and TGF-β1 in laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 cells. The finding may lay a foundation for further investigations into the β3GnT8 as a potential target for therapy of laryngeal carcinoma.

Viola yedoensis liposoluble fraction ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice

Viola yedoensis is a component of traditional Chinese herb medicine for inflammatory diseases. Chemical constituents of V. yedoensis have been shown to possess antibacterial, anti-HIV, and anticoagulant effects in experimental research; however, their anti-inflammatory properties remain to be demonstrated. In this study, a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury was used to investigate the effect of petroleum ether fraction of V. yedoensis (PEVY) on inflammation in vivo. After being shown to have anti-complementary activity in vitro, PEVY was orally administered to the mice at doses of 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg. Treatment with PEVY significantly decreased the wet-to-dry weight ratio of the lung, total cells, red blood cells, protein concentration, and myeloperoxidase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. PEVY markedly attenuated lung injury with improved lung morphology and reduced complement deposition. In addition, PEVY suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Taken together, PEVY protects the lung from acute injury, potentially via inhibiting the activation of the complement system and excessive production of proinflammatory mediators.

Quantitative methylation analysis of multiple genes using methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme-based quantitative PCR for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma

DNA methylation is a promising biomarker for cancer. This study was aimed at investigating the methylation levels of multiple genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to identify a combination of methylation markers that would be useful for the diagnosis of HCC. The methylation status of a panel of nine tumor-associated genes (APC, GSTP1, RASSF1A, CDKN2A, SFRP1, RUNX3, SOCS1, Hint1, and HIC-1) in 8 normal liver tissues and 47 paired HCCs and non-tumorous tissues (NTs) was determined using a modified methylation-sensitive, restriction enzyme-based quantitative PCR (MSRE-qPCR) method. The methylation levels of six genes (APC, CDKN2A, GSTP1, RASSF1A, SFRP1 and RUNX3) were significantly higher in HCCs than in adjacent NTs (P<0.05). Although the AUC (area under the curve) for each individual gene was low to moderate (range: 0.576 to 0.835) according to receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the combination analysis of these six genes resulted in an increase of AUC of 0.954 with 85.1% sensitivity, 89.4% specificity, 88.9% positive predictive value, and 85.7% negative predictive value in discriminating HCC tissues from NT tissues. These results indicate that the analysis of a combination of these six methylated genes may be a promising method for the risk assessment and diagnosis of HCC.

Inhibitors from natural products to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, is still one of the most challenging diseases of the early 21st century. Reverse transcriptase (RT), protease (PR) and integrase (IN) are three key enzymes of HIV-1. Despite the shortcomings of chemical drugs such as toxicity, lack of curative and multiple effects, the search for more and better anti-HIV agents has been focused on natural products. Many natural products have been shown to possess promising activities that could assist in the prevention and amelioration of the disease. Most of these natural anti-HIV agents have other medicinal values as well, which afford them further prospective as novel lead compounds for the development of new drugs. These natural products can deal with both the virus and the various disorders that are caused by HIV. In this review, natural inhibitors of RT, PR and IN have been found to be classified and the relationship between structure and inhibitory activity is discussed.

Diffusivity control in molecule-on-metal systems using electric fields

The development of methods for controlling the motion and arrangement of molecules adsorbed on a metal surface would provide a powerful tool for the design of molecular electronic devices. Recently, metal phthalocyanines (MPc) have been extensively considered for use in such devices. Here we show that applied electric fields can be used to turn off the diffusivity of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) on Au(111) at fixed temperature, demonstrating a practical and direct method for controlling and potentially patterning FePc layers. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we show that the diffusivity of FePc on Au(111) is a strong function of temperature and that applied electric fields can be used to retard or enhance molecular diffusion at fixed temperature. Using spin-dependent density-functional calculations, we then explore the origin of this effect, showing that applied fields modify both the molecule-surface binding energies and the molecular diffusion barriers through an interaction with the dipolar Fe-Au adsorption bond. On the basis of these results FePc on Au(111) is a promising candidate system for the development of adaptive molecular device structures.

Time-resolved electronic phase transitions in manganites

The dynamics of first-order electronic phase transitions in complex transition metal oxides are not well understood but are crucial in understanding the emergent phenomena of electronic phase separation. We show that a manganite system reduced to the scale of its inherent electronic charge-ordered insulating and ferromagnetic metal phase domains allows for the direct observation of single electronic phase domain fluctuations within a critical regime of temperature and magnetic field at the metal-insulator transition.

Constructing an array of anchored single-molecule rotors on gold surfaces

Molecular rotors with a fixed off-center rotation axis have been observed for single tetra-tert-butyl zinc phthalocyanine molecules on an Au(111) surface by a scanning tunneling microscope at LN2 temperature. Experiments and first-principles calculations reveal that we introduce gold adatoms at the surface as the stable contact of the molecule to the surface. An off-center rotation axis is formed by a chemical bonding between a nitrogen atom of the molecule and a gold adatom at the surface, which gives them a well-defined contact while the molecules can have rotation-favorable configurations. Furthermore, these single-molecule rotors self-assemble into large scale ordered arrays on Au(111) surfaces. A fixed rotation axis off center is an important step towards the eventual fabrication of molecular motors or generators.

Site-specific kondo effect at ambient temperatures in iron-based molecules

Kondo resonances are a very precise measure of spin-polarized transport through magnetic impurities. However, the Kondo temperature, indicating the thermal range of stability of the magnetic properties, is very low. By contrast, we find for iron phthalocyanine a Kondo temperature in spectroscopic measurements which is well above room temperature. It is also shown that the signal of the resonance depends strongly on the adsorption site of the molecule on a gold surface. Experimental data are verified by extensive numerical simulations, which establish that the coupling between iron states and states of the substrate depends strongly on the adsorption configuration.

Iridoid glycosides from Harpagophytum procumbens D.C. (devil's claw)

Iridoid glycosides, harprocumbide A (6''-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosylharpagoside, 1) and harprocumbide B (6''-O-(cis-p-coumaroyl)-procumbide, 2) were isolated from the tubers of Harpagophytum prucumbens D.C., along with nine known iridoid glycosides 6-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosylharpagoside (3), and harpagoside (4), harpagide (5), 8-cinnamoylmyoporoside (6), 8-O-feruloylhapagide (7), procumbide (8), 6''-O-(p-coumaroyl)-procumbide (9), 8-O-(p-coumaroyl)-harpagide (10) and 8-O-(cis-p-coumaroyl)-harpagide (11). Compound 10 showed marginal inhibition activity against macrophages respiratory burst.

Selective analysis of molecular states by functionalized scanning tunneling microscopy tips

Selective analysis of molecular states in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has so far been achieved in a few cases by tuning the bias range of the STM in high-resolution measurements. Correspondingly, perylene adsorbed in a close-packed monolayer on Ag(110) is imaged mainly through the pi states of the molecule. By contrast, functionalizing the STM tip with a perylene molecule leads to a mismatch between the energy levels of the STM tip and the molecule adsorbates and, instead, images only the metal states of the underlying silver surface. The observation opens a route for better energy selectivity in electron transport measurements through organic interfaces.

[Identification of the fumatory Radix Bupleuri with sulfur by static headspace GC-MS]

OBJECTIVE

To identify whether Radix Bupleuri (Bupleurum chinense) was fumed with sulfur.

METHOD

A static headspace GC-MS method was used to detect sulfur in the fumatory Radix Bupleuri, the authentic samples free of sulfur was detected as reference.

RESULT

Sulfur was detected in six samples from nine samples collected in different locations.

CONCLUSION

The method can be used to detect sulfur rapidly in the fumatory Radix Bupleuri with sulfur.

cis-Eudesmane sesquiterpene glycosides from Liriope muscari and Ophiopogon japonicus

Two new cis-eudesmane sesquiterpene glycosides, liriopeoside A (1) and ophiopogonoside A (2), were extracted and purified from tubers of Liriope muscari and Ophiopogon japonicus, respectively, along with three known compounds. Their structures were elucidated as 1beta,6beta-dihydroxy-cis-eudesm-3-ene-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 1beta,4beta,6beta-trihydroxy-cis-eudesmane-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) by spectral data analysis. The structure and the relative configuration of compound 1 were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. This is the first time that cis-eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes have been reported from the genera Ophiopogon and Liriope.

ING4 induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and enhances the chemosensitivity to DNA-damage agents in HepG2 cells

The known members of inhibitor of growth (ING) gene family are considered as candidate tumor suppressor genes. ING4, a novel member of ING family, is recently reported to interact with tumor suppressor p53, p300 (a major component of histone acetyl transferase complexes), and p65(RelA) subunit of NF-kappaB. In this study, we investigated the cellular behaviors of HepG2 cells with exogenous ING4. Interestingly, the overexpression of ING4 negatively regulated the cell growth with significant G2/M arrest of cell cycle, and moreover, enhanced the cell apoptosis triggered by serum starvation in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, the exogenous ING4 could upregulate endogenous p21 and Bax in HepG2 cells, not in p53-deficient Saos-2 cells, suggesting that G2/M arrest induced by ING4 could be mediated by the increased p21 expression in a p53-dependent manner, although there is no significant increase of p53 expression in HepG2 cells. Moreover, HepG2 cells with exogenous ING4 could significantly increase cell death, as exposed to some DNA-damage agents, such as etoposide and doxorubicin, implying that ING4 could enhance chemosensitivity to certain DNA-damage agents in HepG2 cells.

Biotransformation of Quinovic Acid Glycosides by Microbes: Direct Conversion of the Ursane to the Oleanane Triterpene Skeleton by Nocardia sp. NRRL 5646

[reaction: see text] Quinovic acid glycosides were microbially deglycosylated by a Nocardia sp. to their aglycon quinovic acid and its biogenetic counterpart, cincholic acid (3), via an unprecedented carbon skeleton rearrangement involving a methyl group migration. The structures of the metabolites were established by ESI-LC/MS and 2D-NMR techniques.

A novel liver-specific zona pellucida domain containing protein that is expressed rarely in hepatocellular carcinoma

We currently identified a liver-specific gene that encodes a novel zona pellucida (ZP) domain-containing protein named liver-specific ZP domain-containing protein (LZP). The full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of human LZP has 2,255 bp with a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1,635 bp. The gene is localized on chromosome 10q21.3 and spans 40 kb with 9 encoding exons and 8 introns. The deduced protein sequence has 545 amino acid residues, with an N-terminal signal peptide followed by 3 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains and a ZP domain in C-terminal section. Interestingly, human LZP is expressed specifically in liver out of 23 tissues examined, and its mouse counterpart was detected at very early stage during embryo development. Moreover, LZP can be secreted into blood, albeit the protein was localized mainly on the nuclear envelop of hepatocytes. Most importantly, LZP is down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and HCC cell lines; meanwhile, the decreased level of hLZP messenger RNA (mRNA) could, at least in some HCC samples, be related to the methylation status of the putative LZP promoter. However, overexpression of hLZP in HCC cell line SMMC-7721 and human liver cell line L02 by stable cell transfection did not inhibit cell growth, implying that the down-regulation of hLZP in HCC might be a consequence of the dedifferentiation involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. In conclusion, these data suggest that LZP is a liver-specific protein involved possibly in hepatocellular function and development, and the protein could be used as potential negative biomarker for HCC pathologic diagnosis.

27-Nor-triterpenoid glycosides from Mitragyna inermis

From the bark of Mitragyna inermis, two 27-nor-triterpenoid glycosides, named inermiside I (1) and II (2), were isolated and their structures determined based on extensive 2D-NMR and MS spectral analysis as 6-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-[3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-pyrocincholate and 6-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-pyrocincholate, respectively. In addition, the known quinovic acid (6), 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-quinovoic acid (3),beta-D-glucopyranosyl-[3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)]-quinoviate (4) and cytotoxic 3-O-(beta-D-6-deoxy-glucopyranosyl)-quinovic acid (5) were also isolated.

Establishment of an artificial β-cell line expressing insulin under the control of doxycycline

AIM: Artificial β-cell lines may offer an abundant source of cells for the treatment of type I diabetes, but insulin secretion in β-cells is tightly regulated in physiological conditions. The Tet-On system is a “gene switch” system, which can induce gene expression by administration of tetracycline (Tet) derivatives such as doxcycline (Dox). Using this system, we established 293 cells to an artificial cell line secreting insulin in response to stimulation by Dox.

METHODS: The mutated proinsulin cDNA was obtained from plasmid pcDNA3.1/C-mINS by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and was inserted downstream from the promoter on the expression vector pTRE2, to construct a recombined expression vector pTRE2mINS. The promoter on pTRE2 consists of the tetracycline-response element and the CMV minimal promoter and is thus activated by the reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator (rtTA) when Dox is administrated. pTRE2mINS and plasmid pTK-Hyg encoding hygromycin were co-transfected in the tet293 cells, which express rtTA stably. Following hygromycin screening, the survived cells expressing insulin were selected and enriched. Dox was used to control the expression of insulin in these cells. At the levels of mRNA and protein, the regulating effect of Dox in culture medium on the expression of proinsulin gene was estimated respectively with Northern blot, RT-PCR, and radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS: From the 28 hygromycin-resistant cell strains, we selected one cell strain (tet293/Ins6) secreting insulin not only automatically, but in response to stimulation by Dox. The amount on insulin secretion was dependent on the Dox dose (0, 10, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 μg•L⁻¹), the level of insulin secreted by the cells treated with Dox (1000 μg·L^-1) was 241.0 pU·d^-1× cell^-1, which was 25-fold that of 9.7 pU·d^-1× cell^-1 without Dox treatment. Northern blot analyses and RT-PCR further confirmed that the transcription of insulin gene had already been up-regulated after exposing tet293/Ins6 cells to Dox for 15 min, and was also induced in a dose-dependent manner. However, the concentration of insulin in the media did not increase significantly until 5 h following the addition of Dox.

CONCLUSION: Human proinsulin gene was transfected successfully and expressed efficiently in 293 cells, and the expression was modulated by tetracycline and its derivatives, improving the accuracy, safety, and reliability of gene therapy, suggesting that conditional establishment of artificial β-cells may be a useful approach to develop cellular therapy for diabetes mellitus.

Insight into hepatocellular carcinogenesis at transcriptome level by comparing gene expression profiles of hepatocellular carcinoma with those of corresponding noncancerous liver

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. In this work, we report on a comprehensive characterization of gene expression profiles of hepatitis B virus-positive HCC through the generation of a large set of 5'-read expressed sequence tag (EST) clusters (11,065 in total) from HCC and noncancerous liver samples, which then were applied to a cDNA microarray system containing 12,393 genes/ESTs and to comparison with a public database. The commercial cDNA microarray, which contains 1,176 known genes related to oncogenesis, was used also for profiling gene expression. Integrated data from the above approaches identified 2,253 genes/ESTs as candidates with differential expression. A number of genes related to oncogenesis and hepatic function/differentiation were selected for further semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis in 29 paired HCC/noncancerous liver samples. Many genes involved in cell cycle regulation such as cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, and cell cycle negative regulators were deregulated in most patients with HCC. Aberrant expression of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway and enzymes for DNA replication also could contribute to the pathogenesis of HCC. The alteration of transcription levels was noted in a large number of genes implicated in metabolism, whereas a profile change of others might represent a status of dedifferentiation of the malignant hepatocytes, both considered as potential markers of diagnostic value. Notably, the altered transcriptome profiles in HCC could be correlated to a number of chromosome regions with amplification or loss of heterozygosity, providing one of the underlying causes of the transcription anomaly of HCC.

[Analysis of heart rate variability during acute exposure to hypoxia]

Objective. To investigate the changes of autonomic nervous system during acute exposure to an altitude of 5000 m by analysing heart rate variability (HRV). Method. 11 healthy male volunteers aged 18-30 were observed during inhalation of low oxygen gas mixture to simulate acute exposure to hypoxia. HRV was analyzed with both time domain and frequency domain methods. The eleven subjects were divided into two groups--Group A with good tolerance and Group B with poor tolerance. Result. During hypoxia heart rate increased markedly and RMSSD (the square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals) decreased markedly; normalized low-frequency (LFn. u.) and LF/HF ratio increased significantly, while HF and normalized high-frequency (HFn. u.) reduced significantly. LFn. u. and LF/HF increased more apparently in group B than in group A during hypoxia of 5-10 min and RMSSD decreased more in group B during 10-15 min. Conclusion. The results suggested that cardiac sympathetic activity increased and cardiac vagal activity decreased during acute hypoxia. The analysis of HRV could predict the tolerance to hypoxia.

[Expression of delta 6-fatty acid desaturase gene from Mortierella alpina in Saccharomyces cerevisiae]

delta 6-fatty acid desaturase is the rate-limiting enzyme of the desaturation of linoleic acid in the production of an essential fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid. The 1.4 kb fragment in plasmid pTMACL6 encoding delta 6-fatty acid desaturase from Mortieralla alpina ATCC16266 was subcloned into the yeast-E. coli shuttle vector pYES2.0, thus an expression recombinant plasmid pYMAD6 containing target gene was constructed and obtained in the SC-Ura media. The pYMAD6 was introduced into defective mutant INCSc1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by LiAc method. When linoleic acid was provided as an exogenous substrate to the yeast cultures expressing delta 6-fatty acid desaturase activity under appropriate media and temperature condition, the level of gamma-linolenic acid reached 31.6% of the total yeast fatty acids by GC-MS detecting, which is the highest report of delta 6-fatty-acid desaturase gene in S. cerevisiae.

[Effects of tail suspension on learning and memory function of mice]

Objective. To study the effects of simulated weightlessness on learning and memory capability of the brain. Method. Accuracy fraction, error frequency and pass rate were observed among control, restrained control, tail suspended (TS) control, restrained, and tail suspended mice in square water maze tests. And latent period and error time were observed in control and 30 degrees tail suspension mice in step down test. Result. The indices did not change significantly during learning period. Accuracy fraction of tail suspended group was reduced significantly in the tests as compared with pretest values. In step down test, latent period and error time showed no difference between TS 5 h and 2 d in untrained mice, but shortened evidently after TS 2 d and prolonged after TS 7 d in trained mice, which suggested the degradation of learning and memory ability after TS 5 h and 2 d respectively. Conclusion. Acute tail suspension depressed brain's learning ability and quality, while tail suspension of 7 d and 12 d impaired the spatial memory in mice.

Ultrasonographic study of carotid artery structural changes with natural longevity

The changes in carotid artery structure during the natural longevity of the Uighurs people were compared with other ethnic groups. The 419 subjects were divided into (1) longevity and (2) older groups as follows: Uighurs longevity group in Hotan (ULH); and Uighurs, Hans and Kazaks older groups in Hotan or Balikun (UOH, HOH, HOB and KOB). The wall thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA) was measured by ultrasonography. Risk factors were evaluated by measuring total cholesterol (T-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and fasting glucose, and by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Wall thickness and blood pressure were greater in the Balikun groups than in the Hotan groups. The CCA wall was thicker in Uighurs and Kazaks than in Hans, in the ULH than in the UOH. There was no significant difference in blood pressure among the Hotan groups. LDL-C and glucose were higher and HDL-C was lower in the Hotan groups than in the Balikun groups. T-C, LDL-C, TG and glucose were higher in the HOH than in the ULH and UOH. Systolic blood pressure and LDL-C were higher and TG was lower in the KOB than in the HOB. These results suggest that an increased CCA wall thickness can be attributed to age in Hotan, and to a higher blood pressure level in Balikun, and that the higher blood pressure affected the Balikun groups more than the Hotan groups.

24-hour blood pressure in Uygur, Kazakh and Han elderly subjects in China

The Uygur in Hotan (Xinjiang, China) are reported to have a long life expectancy. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between variations in blood pressure (BP) and longevity. Cross-sectional surveillance was carried out in both Hotan and Barkol. The subjects were divided into five groups: 1. Uygur longevity subjects in Hotan (103 subjects, age >90 yr); 2. Uygur elderly subjects in Hotan (107 subjects, age 65-70 yr); 3. Han elderly subjects in Hotan (41 subjects, age 65-70 yr); 4. Kazakh elderly subjects in Barkol (117 subjects, age 65-70 yr); 5. Han elderly subjects in Barkol (50 subjects, age 65-70 yr). BP was monitored and analyzed using the fourteen devices of ambulatory BP monitoring. The prevalence of hypertension was lowest in the Uygur (16.2% in Uygur elderly subjects in Hotan; 23.7% in Uygur longevity subjects in Hotan; 27.0% in Han elderly subjects in Hotan; 42.0% in Han elderly subjects in Barkol; 50.0% in Kazakh elderly subjects in Barkol). The ratio of dips in BP was largest in the Han (57% in Han elderly subjects in Barkol; 50% in Han elderly subjects in Hotan; 50% in Uygur longevity subjects in Hotan, 49% in Uygur elderly subjects in Hotan; 17% in Kazakh elderly subjects in Barkol). The 24-h mean systolic BP in Uygur longevity subjects in Hotan was not different from those in Uygur elderly subjects and Han elderly subjects in Hotan, nor did the 24-h mean diastolic BP differ from those in Uygur elderly subjects and Han elderly subjects in Hotan respectively. In conclusion, Uygur subjects seem to be less hypertensive, compared to Kazakh subjects. Uygur longevity subjects had more dipping in their BP variation than did the Kazakh subjects in Xinjiang, China.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele: is it a genetic link between Henoch-Schönlein nephritis and IgA nephropathy?

Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is a multi-organ systemic vasculitis, which shares many clinical, histological and immunological features with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). To address whether these two diseases have a common genetic background, the polymorphism of the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) gene has been analyzed using PCR in patients diagnosed with HSPN (N = 43) and IgAN (N = 97), together with normal controls (N = 98) and patients with acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis (APGN), under the concept that IL-1 might play an important role in mediating pathogenesis of vasculitis and glomerulonephritis. It was found that the allele frequency and carriage rate of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele (IL1RN*2) of the IL-1ra gene increased significantly in HSPN patients as compared to IgAN (P < 0.01), APGN (P < 0.05) and normal subjects (P < 0.01). Interestingly, varied carriage rates of IL1RN*2 were found among various groups of IgAN patients presenting with different clinical manifestations. The carriage rate of IL1RN*2 was significantly higher in patients with recurrent gross hematuria than other groups of IgAN patients (P < 0.01). Furthermore, although the carriage rate of IL1RN*2 was higher in HSPN (46.5%) than average IgAN patients (26.8%; P < 0.01), there was no significant difference in the carriage rate of IL1RN*2 between HSPN and those IgAN patients with recurrent gross hematuria (42.8%l P > 0.05). It suggested that the IL1RN*2 allele might be a genetic marker shared by HSPN and a special group of IgAN patients with recurrent gross hematuria. Our preliminary observation provided a genetic evidence to support the hypothesis that HSPN and certain subgroup of IgAN are closely related diseases. Such an association of the gene polymorphism of IL-1ra between HSPN and IgAN with recurrent gross hematuria might serve as a key to explore their pathogenesis and eventually a specific intervention.

Syndrome of endemic arsenism and fluorosis. A clinical study

Sixty-five patients in Xinjiang with syndrome of endemic arsenism and fluorosis (SEAF) were investigated clinically from March 1982 to August 1989. SEAF is a kind of chronic syndrome resulting from the combined, harmful effects of two trace elements, arsenic and fluorine. Peripheral neuritis and cardiovascular changes were observed in this syndrome more often than in simple arsenism or simple fluorosis. The excessive quantities of these two trace elements in blood might have a synergic, harmful effect on the nervous and circulatory systems. No definite conclusion could be reached with regard to the morbidity of skin and visceral tumors in this series. The incidence of associated skin cancer was found to be 7.7% and an associated Grade II squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus was encountered in one patient.

Nutrition, metabolism, and hypertension. A comparative survey between dietary variables and blood pressure among three nationalities in China

The prevalence of hypertension among Kazak, Han, and Uygur nationalities living in Xinjiang Autonomous Region was 15.3%, 4.2%, and 2.1%, respectively; 257 men (92, 92, 83 subjects, respectively), aged 40-59 years were studied. The variables analyzed were serum total cholesterol, total protein, albumin, alpha-GT, triglyceride, plasma fibrinogen, and glucose concentrations; and urinary Na, K, Ca, Mg, urea nitrogen, taurine, sulfate, and NaCNS (an index of smoking), content. The data on nutritional variables indicated that Kazak subjects have a higher intake of sheep meat and milk, add salt to milk and tea, and take little starchy food, fresh fruits, and vegetables, as compared with Han and, especially, Uygur subjects. Statistical analysis showed Na intake (Na/K) exerted a prehypertensive effect; Ca (Ca/Mg) was implicated in blood pressure regulation; an antihyperlipidemic factor may exist in the Kazak diet; animal protein is correlated with elevated blood pressure; alcohol consumption may contribute to hypertension; and a mosaic model of metabolic disturbances, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, impaired fibrinolytic activity, and hyperlipidemia, appear to exist.