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Biliary atresia is a rare infant disease that predisposes patients to liver transplantation and death if not treated in time. However, early diagnosis is challenging because the clinical manifestations and laboratory tests of biliary atresia overlap with other cholestatic diseases. Therefore, it is very important to develop a simple, safe and reliable method for the early diagnosis of biliary atresia. Herein, a novel NIR-II fluorescence probe, HZL2, with high quantum yield, excellent biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity and rapid excretion through the liver and gallbladder was developed based on the oil/water partition coefficient and permeability. A simple fecal sample after injection of HZL2 can be used to efficiently identify the success of the mouse model of biliary atresia for the first time, allowing for an early diagnosis of the disease. This study not only developed a simple and safe method for the early diagnosis of biliary atresia with great potential in clinical translation but also provides a research tool for the development of pathogenesis and therapeutic medicines for biliary atresia.
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C-Glycosides are important natural products with various bioactivities. In plant biosynthetic pathways, the C-glycosylation step is usually catalyzed by C-glycosyltransferases (CGTs), and most of them prefer to accept uridine 5'-diphosphate glucose (UDP-Glc) as sugar donor. No CGTs favoring UDP-rhamnose (UDP-Rha) as sugar donor has been reported, thus far. Herein, we report the first selective C-rhamnosyltransferase VtCGTc from the medicinal plant Viola tricolor. VtCGTc could efficiently catalyze C-rhamnosylation of 2-hydroxynaringenin 3-C-glucoside, and exhibited high selectivity towards UDP-Rha. Mechanisms for the sugar donor selectivity of VtCGTc were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation (MM/GBSA) binding free energy calculations. Val144 played a vital role in recognizing UDP-Rha, and the V144T mutant could efficiently utilize UDP-Glc. This work provides a new and efficient approach to prepare flavonoid C-rhamnosides such as violanthin and iso-violanthin.
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OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement effect and mechanism of different extracts from Tylophora yunnanensis on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH）. METHODS Normal human liver LO2 cells were induced to steatosis by free fatty acid， then were divided into normal group， model group， silybin group （100 μmol/mL）， T. yunnanensis ethanol extracts （TYS） group （50 μg/mL）， T. yunnanensis ethyl acetate extracts （TYSA） group （50 μg/mL）， and T. yunnanensis n-butanol extracts （TYSB） group （50 μg/mL）. After 24 hours of drug intervention， the deposition of lipid droplets was observed in LO2 cells in each group. The contents of total cholesterol （TC）， triacylglycerol （TG）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and glutathione （GSH）， the activities of aspartate transaminase （AST）， alanine transaminase （ALT） and superoxide dismutase （SOD）， the mRNA expressions of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1（ Keap1）， nuclear factor E2-related factor 2（ Nrf2） and heme oxygenase 1（ HO- 1） were detected. NASH rat model was induced by a high-fat diet， and then divided into normal group， model group， silybin group （12.6 mg/kg）， TYS group （80 mg/kg）， TYSA group （80 mg/kg） and TYSB group （80 mg/kg）， with six rats in each group. The liver indexes of rats in each group were calculated after 6 weeks of drug intervention. The liver histopathological changes were observed， and the contents of TC， TG， HDL-C and LDL-C， AST and ALT activities in serum， the contents of MDA and GSH， SOD activities in liver tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with model group， TYS， TYSA and TYSB could reduce lipid droplet deposition， intracellular TC， TG and MDA contents， AST and ALT activities， and increase SOD activity， GSH content， and Keap1， Nrf2， HO-1 mRNA expression levels in LO2 cells after steatosis to varying degrees， with some differences being statistically significant （P＜0.05）. They also significantly improved liver injury in NASH model rats， reduced their liver indexes， TC， TG， LDL-C and MDA contents， AST and ALT 1-042） activities， and increased HDL-C （except for TYS and TYSB）， GSH contents and SOD activity， with TYSA having the most significant effect （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TYS， TYSA and TYSB have a certain improvement effect on NASH， among which TYSA has the most obvious effect. Its mechanism of action may be related to upregulating the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and inhibiting oxidative stress
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OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effects of different polar parts fro m total f lavonoids of Scutellaria amoena on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD）model rats. METHODS The total flavonoids of S. amoena （SAF）were extracted by reflux extraction with ethanol ，suspended with water ，and then extracted with ethyl acetate and n-butanol in order to obtain the extraction parts of SAF （recorded as SAFA and SAFB respectively ）. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into normal group （n＝ 6）and modeling group （n＝30）. Modeling group was given high-lipid diet to induce NAFLD model. After modeling ，modeling group was randomly divided into model group （normal saline ），fenofibrate group （positive control ，20 mg/kg），SAF group （300 mg/kg），SAFA group （300 mg/kg）and SAFB group （300 mg/kg）；they were given relevant intragastical administration ，once a day，for consecutive 6 weeks. After last administration ，the liver index was calculated ；the levels of total cholesterol （TC）， triacylglycerol（TG），aspartate transaminase （AST），alanine transaminase （ALT），high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） in serum ，the levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD），glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px），malondialdehyde（MDA），interleukin-1β（IL-1β），IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）in liver tissue were detected；the pathomorphological changes of liver tissue were observed. RESULTS Compared with normal group ，the liver index ， the levels of TC ，TG，AST，ALT，LDL-C，MDA，IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in serum/liver tissue of model group were all increased significantly （P＜0.05）， while the levels of HDL-C，SOD and GSH-Px were all decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group ，except there was no statistical significance in the serum levels of HDL-C and ALT in SAFA group （P＞0.05），above indexes in serum/liver tissue of rats in groups of polar parts from total flavonoids of S. amoena were significantly improved （P＜0.05）；inflammatory cell infiltration and fatty vacuoles in liver tissue were significantly improved. Compared with SAF group and SAFA group ，the levels of TC，TG，AST，MDA，IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased significantly in SAFB group（P＜0.05），while the level of SOD was increased significantly （P＜0.05）；pathomorphological changes of liver tissue were improved more significantly. CONCLUSIONS Each polar part from total flavonoids of S. amoena can improve NAFLD by regulating oxidative stress and inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors. The n-butanol polar part has more obvious effect .
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Xiaoer-Feire-Kechuan (XFK) is an 11-herb Chinese medicine formula to treat cough and pulmonary inflammation.The complicated composition rendered its chemical analysis and effective-component elucidation.In this study,we combined quantitative analysis and bioactivity test to reveal the anti-inflammatory constituents of XFK.First,UPLC-DAD and UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS methods were estab-lished and validated to quantify 35 analytes (covering 9 out of 11 herbs) in different XFK formulations.Parallel reaction monitoring mode built in Q-Orbitrap-MS was used to improve the sensitivity and selectivity.Then,anti-inflammatory activities of the 35 analytes were analyzed using in vitro COX-2 inhibition assay.Finally,major analytes forsythosides H,I,A (8-10),and baicalin (15) (total contents varied from 21.79 to 91.20 mg/dose in different formulations) with significant activities (inhibitory rate ≥ 80％) were proposed as the anti-inflammatory constituents of XFK.The present study provided an effective strategy to discover effective constituents of multi-herb formulas.
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Objective:To establish and apply the intervention model of professional attitude for nursing undergraduates in universities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and to explore its effect on the professional attitude of the nursing undergraduates.Methods:The study started in August 2018 included two steps. The first step was to develop intervention model of professional attitude for nursing undergraduates in universities of TCM based on the three-stage theory of Kelman ′s attitude formation and with Delphi method. After two rounds of expert consultation, the intervention model of professional attitude for nursing undergraduates in universities of TCM was finally formed, including three intervention stages, a total of 41 intervention measurements. The second step was to use the historical control research method. Grade 2016 nursing undergraduate (the year 2016—2020) in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine was taken as the experimental group ( n=86) and adopted the intervention model. Grade 2012 nursing undergraduate (the year 2012—2016) in the same university was taken as the control group ( n=56) and did not adopted the intervention model during their university study. The two groups were continuously evaluated by "Scale for Nurse ′s Professional Attitude" during their four years in the university. The measurement time was within one week of admission and the 16th week of the second semester of each academic year, with a total of 5 times of measurement. Results:Repeated measurement design showed that the scores of Scale for Nurse′s Professional Attitude of the two groups changed with time. At the end of the first year, the score of the scale in the experimental group was (6.06±0.95) points, higher than (5.41±1.08) points of the control group ( t value was 3.765, P<0.001). There was no difference between the two groups at other time points ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The intervention model of professional attitude for nursing undergraduates in universities of TCM has good operability and can improve the professional attitude of nursing undergraduates in universities of TCM during their freshman year. The intervention model needs to be further adjusted to improve the professional attitude in the subsequent learning stage.
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Huang-Qin is a traditional Chinese medicine with antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Its major bioactive compounds are diverse flavone O-glucuronides and glucosides. Although three flavonoid O-glycosyltransferases have been identified from S. baicalensis, this information is not sufficient to elucidate the structural diversity of flavonoid glycosides. In this study, nine glycosyltransferase candidate genes were discovered from S. baicalensis by BLAST analysis and their functions were characterized after heterologous expression. Three new flavone O-glycosyltransferases were able to catalyze the formation of major compounds in S. baicalensis, including baicalin and wogonoside. These enzymes could also utilize exogenous flavones as sugar acceptors. This work further elucidates biosynthetic pathways for Scutellaria flavonoid O-glycosides.
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In recent years, cancer has become a major concern in relation to human morbidity and mortality. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are the bioactive peptide with antitumor activity and found in many organisms, including mammals, amphibians, insects, plants and microorganisms. ACPs have been suggested as promising agents for antitumor therapy due to their numerous advantages over traditional chemical agents such as low molecular masses, relatively simple structures, greater tumor selectivity, fewer adverse reactions, ease of absorption, a variety of routes of administration and low risk for inducing multi-drug resistance. Combining with the related research in our group, we summarized the mechanisms of ACPs to provide some directions for research and development of peptide-based anticancer drugs.
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Animals , Humans , Antineoplastic Agents , Neoplasms , PeptidesABSTRACT
The physiology and pathology of the heart and kidney are interdependent and interact with each other, and dysfunction of any one of them causes dysfunction of the other, namely cardiorenal syndrome, in which type I and type Ⅱ have the highest incidence rate and are the commonest in clinic. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of treating the cardiorenal syndrome. It believes that the disease is located in the heart and kidney, and Wenyang Yiqi, Huoxue Lishui and other methods shall be adopted to effectively improve the heart and kidney function of patients. However,the pathogenesis of cardiorenal syndrome is complicated, and the clinical manifestations are diverse, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat in the early stage, and causes missing of the best intervention timing and a poor prognosis. Biomarkers play a vital role in predicting the occurrence and development of cardiorenal syndrome. Therefore, efforts shall be made to look for biomarkers with better specificity and sensitivity, accurately evaluate physiological and pathological changes in heart and kidney, so as to achieve early diagnosis and early intervention of cardiorenal syndrome, and improve the effect of disease diagnosis and treatment. At present, domestic and foreign scholars have studied and applied more markers mainly in renal tubular injury, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, kidney injury molecule-1 and urinary interleukin-18. In addition, other studies have found cell cycle arrest inducing factors, such as insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7, tissue inhibitor metallo proteinase-2, and fibroblast growth factor 23 associated with mineral metabolism. The increase of the content of these biomarkers in the body is earlier than the rise of serum creatinine, which can better predict the occurrence of early cardiorenal syndrome, and has a high application value and research value. After summarization of the biomarkers relating to type I and Ⅱ cardiorenal syndrome in domestic and foreign literatures, the research progress of several representative markers were reviewed to provide reference for related research.
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Objective To investigate the expression and significance of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), an autophagy marker protein, in ameloblastomas. Methods Immunohistochemical methods were employed to evaluate the expression of LC3 in104 cases of ameloblastomas and 20 cases of normal oral mucosal tissues. The results were analyzed by a semiquantitative analysis method. Results The reactivity of LC3 in the epithelial cells of ameloblastomas was positive, and the positivity rate was significantly higher than that in normal oral mucosal tissues (P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences between the LC3 expression levels with respect to age, gender, or recurrence (P ＜ 0.05). The positivity rate in mandible ameloblastomas was significantly higher than that in maxilla and gingiva ameloblastomas (P ＜ 0.05). The reactivity for LC3 was significantly higher in solid ameloblastomas than that in the other three tissue types (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Autophagic activity in ameloblastomas was higher than that in normal oral mucosal tissues. This suggests that autophagy plays an important role during tumorigenesis, and contributes to the local invasion of ameloblastomas.
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A temperature-responsive hydrophilic block copolymer fluorescence sensor based on selective analysis of Al3+was designed and synthesized. The polymer fluorescent probe (L64-BTPA-SHMA) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and characterized by 1 H NMR,and the recognition performance of the polymer probe was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the fluorescence response of Al3+detected by this polymer fluorescence probe was significantly affected by temperature. The higher the temperature, the lower the fluorescence intensity was observed. The results showed that 0.1 g/L polymer fluorescent probe had a good selectivity to Al3+in buffer solution at 25℃and pH 7.4,and was not affected by other metal ions. A fluorescence detection method based on this polymer probe for Al3+was developed. In this method,the fluorescence intensity was linear with Al3+concentration in the range of 2. 0 -18. 0 μmol/L, with a correlation coefficient of 0. 9977 and a detection limit of 1.43 μmol/L. The fluorescence response between the polymer fluorescence chemosensor and Al3+could be altered by controlling the temperature change. The successful application of the polymer fluorescence probe for detecting Al3+residues in agricultural products has practical application value.
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Objective To explore a research reagents and consumables management method based on network to improve hospital reagents procurement management. Methods The current situation and existing problems of scientific research reagents and consumables management were introduced, and the necessity, significance and process of a network-based management mode were put forward. Results The newly-proposed management mode contributed to optimizing resources layout and controlling purchase process. Conclusion The network-based management mode enhances the efficiency of hospital consumables management,decreases the cost and improves hospital management. [Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2018,39(5):81-83,96]
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Objective Understand the hospital surgical treatment of female infertility patients after discharge health needs,to provide evidence for continuity of the corresponding nursing measures.Methods After surgical treatment of hospital preparation of hospital,100 cases of infertility patients designed questionnaire,to understand the patient's health requirements.Results About 94％ of patients had continuity care needs,The need for continuity care content in the top three:observation,the knowledge of the disease,mental health counseling.Continuity of care means demand is in the top three:We Chat public information push,add patients group of exchange of experience and telephone follow-up on a regular basis.Conclusion the hospitalized patients with infertility of the continuity of care after discharge and demand is high,enhancing health education for patients after discharge,the continuity of the individualized modern nursing measures,improve the patients discharged from hospital after conception rate and quality of life.
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The present study was designed to synthesize 2-Cyano-3, 12-dioxooleana-1, 9(11)-en-28-oate-13β, 28-olide (1), a lactone derivative of oleanolic acid (OA) and evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity. Compound 1 significantly diminished nitric oxide (NO) production and down-regulated the mRNA expression of iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further in vivo studies in murine model of LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI) showed that 1 possessed more potent protective effects than the well-known anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone by inhibiting myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, reducing total cells and neutrophils, and suppressing inflammatory cytokines expression, and thus ameliorating the histopathological conditions of the injured lung tissue. In conclusion, compound 1 could be developed as a promising anti-inflammatory agent for intervention of LPS-induced ALI.
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Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Mice , Acute Lung Injury , Drug Therapy , Genetics , Allergy and Immunology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Allergy and Immunology , Cyclooxygenase 2 , Genetics , Allergy and Immunology , Interleukin-1beta , Genetics , Allergy and Immunology , Interleukin-6 , Genetics , Allergy and Immunology , Lipopolysaccharides , Lung , Allergy and Immunology , Macrophages , Allergy and Immunology , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Neutrophils , Allergy and Immunology , Oleanolic Acid , Peroxidase , Genetics , Allergy and Immunology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha , Genetics , Allergy and ImmunologyABSTRACT
To differentiate traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) derived from congeneric species in TCM compound preparations is usually challenging. The roots of(PG),(PQ) and(PN) are used as popular TCM. They contain similar triterpenoid saponins (ginsenosides) as the major bioactive constituents. Thus far, only a few chemical markers have been discovered to differentiate these three species. Herein we present a multiple marker detection approach to effectively differentiate the threespecies, and to identify them in compound preparations. Firstly, 85 batches of crude drug samples (including 32 PG, 30 PQ, and 23 PN) were analyzed by monitoring 40 major ginsenosides in the extracted ion chromatograms (EICs) using a validated LC-MS fingerprinting method. Secondly, the samples were clustered into different groups by pattern recognition chemometric approaches using PLS-DA and OPLS-DA models, and 17 diagnostic chemical markers were discovered. Aside from the previously known Rf and p-F, ginsenoside Rscould be a new marker to differentiate PG from PQ. Finally, the above multiple chemical markers were used to identify thespecies in 60 batches of TCM compound preparations.
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Objective To explore the perioperative nursing points of 6 patients with true hermaphroditism. Method Six patients with true hermaphroditism from September 2009 to February 2014 were treated with surgeries , with perioperative nursing performed. Result All the operations were successful without serious complications and the wounds were on primary healing. Conclusions Perioperative nursing interventions over the patients with true hermaphroditism can alleviate role conflicts and help them overcome the psychological obstacles. Postoperative nursing including careful care to the perineum incisions and artificial vaginas, and health instruction can ensures postoperative rehabilitation.
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Objective To investigate the differences of curriculum designs for undergraduate nursing majors among different TCM colleges and universities;To provide evidence for the development of the accreditation standards for academic quality of baccalaureate degree program in TCM colleges and universities which can be used as the standards for teaching reform. Methods Cultivating plans of 20 TCM colleges and universities for undergraduate nursing majors were collected. Current status and deficiency in curriculum design were obtained through comparative study and statistical analysis.Results The course names were lack of standardization;proportion of Chinese and Western medicine related courses were unreasonable;theoretical and practice teaching were irrelevant;optional courses were greatly inconsistent and irrational. Conclusion The further reform of the curriculum design for the undergraduate nursing majors in TCM colleges and universities is in urgent need, which can be standardized by developing the accreditation standards for academic quality of baccalaureate degree program in universities of Chinese Medicine.
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Pharmacognosy (Chinese Medicine) discipline has a long history and International cooperation is more and more frequent, but the communication of the Chinese traditional medicine cul-ture is very difficult. In order to solve this problem, it is urgent to improve the professional English level of the students. Thus, combined with the education survey and interview results, as well as the reports in previous studies and our own experience, we think about how to set pharmaceutical profes-sional English course and put forward some suggestions such as the innovation of curriculum organiza-tion strategy, convergence of basic English course, teaching content and form being closely linked to academic activities, and paying attention to highlighting the subject characteristics of pharmacognosy (Pharmacy).
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The objective of this study was to construct an improved thioredoxin fusion protein expression system, and express the cathelicidin-derived peptide, Lf-CATH2. The improved fusion vector Lf-CATH2-pET32α(-TS) was successfully constructed by firstly deleting the thrombin site and S tag from the pET-32α vector, then inserting the Lf-CATH2 plus a thrombin site instead. Afterwards, Lf-CATH2 was expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion protein. After the cleavage by thrombin, Lf-CATH2 was released and subsequently separated using affinity chromatography. The antimicrobial activity of purified Lf-CATH2 was also examined. The improved expression vector significantly increased enzyme cleavage efficiency by 37%, and Lf-CATH2 could be expressed in high yield and maintain the biological activity. This novel thioredoxin fusion protein expression system enables a quick production of high-yield bioactive cationic peptides like cathelicidins.
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Cathelicidins , Chromatography, Affinity , Escherichia coli , Genetic Vectors , Recombinant Fusion Proteins , Thioredoxins , GeneticsABSTRACT
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contains a big array of chemical constituents. These constituents un-dergo various metabolic reactions to produce complex in v iv o metabolites. Identification and distribution of these metabolites are important to reveal the effective constituents from a complex formulation. Recently, developments had been made to elucidate the complex metabolic process. In this review, we summarized the methods and strategies developed for TCM metabolism. Application of these metabolic results has also been discussed.