Biotransformation of α-asarone by Alternaria longipes CGMCC 3.2875 / 中国天然药物

Biotransformation of α-asarone by Alternaria longipes CGMCC 3.2875 yielded two pairs of new neolignans, (+) (7S, 8S, 7'S, 8'R) iso-magnosalicin (1a)/(-) (7R, 8R, 7'R, 8'S) iso-magnosalicin (1b) and (+) (7R, 8R, 7'S, 8'R) magnosalicin (2a)/(-) (7S, 8S, 7'R, 8'S) magnosalicin (2b), and four known metabolites, (±) acoraminol A (3), (±) acoraminol B (4), asaraldehyde (5), and 2, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoic acid (6). Their structures, including absolute configurations, were determined by extensive analysis of NMR spectra, X-ray crystallography, and quantum chemical ECD calculations. The cytotoxic activity and Aβ

In Vivo Biocompatibility and Improved Compression Strength of Reinforced Keratin/Hydroxyapatite Scaffold

A rapid freezing/lyophilizing/reinforcing process is suggested to fabricate reinforced keratin/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold with improved mechanical property and biocompatibility for tissue engineering. The keratin, extracted from human hair, and HA mixture were rapidly frozen with liquid nitrogen and then lyophilized to prepare keratin/HA laminar scaffold. The scaffold was then immersed in PBS for reinforcement treatment, and followed by a second lyophilization to prepare the reinforced keratin/HA scaffold. The morphology, mechanical, chemical, crystal and thermal property of the keratin/HA scaffold were investigated by SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, respectively. The results showed that the keratin/HA scaffold had a high porosity of 76.17 ± 3%. The maximum compressive strength and compressive modulus of the reinforced scaffold is 0.778 and 3.3 MPa respectively. Subcutaneous implantation studies in mice showed that in vivo the scaffold was biocompatible since the foreign body reaction seen around the implanted scaffold samples was moderate and became minimal upon increasing implantation time. These results demonstrate that the keratin/HA reinforced scaffold prepared here is promising for biomedical utilization.

Clinical application of the distal island muscle flap of the gastrocnemius muscle for repairing the defects around knee and within the upper 2/3 of lower leg / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize clinical application of the distal island muscle flap of the gastrocnemius muscle for repairing the defects around knee and within the upper 2/3 of lower leg.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>18 patients with defects around knee and within the upper 2/3 of lower leg, were treated with the distal island muscle flap of the gastrocnemius muscle, including 12 cases with medial muscle head and 6 cases with lateral muscle head. The muscular flaps were covered with meshed split-thickness skin grafts. The wound at donor sites were closed directly.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the skin grafts and muscle flaps survived with superior infection at the wound edge in two cases. The patients were followed up for 8 months to 4.8 years with satisfactory cosmetic and functional results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The distal island muscle flap of the gastrocnemius muscle has a reliable blood supply, long pedicle and suitable thickness. It is an ideal method for repairing the defects around knee and within the upper 2/3 of lower leg.</p>

Micro-decompression procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate clinical result of the micro-decompression procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From September 2001 to May 2006,87 patients (male 60, female 27) with lumbar spinal stenosis underwent micro-decompression. The age of patients were from 43 to 80 years with an average of 51 years. Among them,2 cases with spinal stenosis occured in L(3,4), 47 in L(4,5), 38 in L5S1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients were followed up for 18-48 months with an average of 26 months. The results were excellent in 52 cases, good in 28, poor in 7, according to Macnab of back leg pain standard. The rate of excellent and good was 92%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Operative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis is focused at the areas causing symptomatic neural root compression rather than prophylactic decompression at areas of nonsymptomatic disease. The micro-decompression procedures are more likely to be well tolerated by older patients.</p>

Relationship between gene polymorphism of fibronectin and pneumoconiosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the genetic polymorphism of fibronectin (FN) (4 genetic locus) and pneumoconiosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>128 male I-period pneumoconiosis were selected as cases who were examined with radiography and diagnosed by the Pneumoconiosis Diagnosis Expert Panel, based on the Chinese National Diagnosis Criteria of Pneumoconiosis (GBZ 70 - 2002). According to 1:1 paired matching method, 128 dust exposure workers were selected as control who were exposed to same dust as cases. The difference of age and cumulative length of service between case and control was not over five years and two years, respectively. 5 ml peripheral venous blood was drawn and anticoagulated with 2% EDTA. The polymorphisms of FN (MspI, TaqIb, HindIII, HaeIIIb) were detected, using the method of polymerase chain restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques and PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequencies of FN Msp I (CC) in cases and control groups were 10.9% and 3.9%, respectively. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). The frequencies of FN (MspI) C allele were 41.8% and 31.2% in case and control, and the difference between cases and controls was significant (P < 0.05). The frequencies of FN HaeIIIb (AA) genotype in cases (24.2%) was higher than that in control groups (17.9%), OR = 5.0 (95% CI: 4.840 approximately 24.210). The frequencies of FN (HaeIIIb) A allele were 51.9% and 42.2% in case and control, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). The difference of TaqIb and HindIII genotype between cases and controls were not significant (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The risk of suffering from pneumoconiosis increases in workers carrying FN (MspICC or HaeIIIb AA) genotype after exposure to dust. Workers both carrying FN (HaeIIIb AA) and (MspICC) genotypes are more susceptible to pneumoconiosis. The relationship between genetic polymorphism of FN (TaqIIb, HindIII) and pneumoconiosis has not been found.</p>

Biological significance of expression of calcyclin in human pancreatic carcinoma: a tissue microarray-based study / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of calcyclin in pancreatic carcinoma and its relation to the patients' prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human pancreatic carcinoma tissue microarray was constructed, which contained 63 cores of 3 normal adult pancreas tissues, 6 chronic pancreatitis tissues, 51 pancreatic carcinoma tissues and 3 islet cell carcinoma tissues. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of calcyclin in these tissues, and the relationship between calcyclin and the clinicopatholoical features of pancreatic carcinoma was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positivity rate of calcyclin in the pancreatic carcinoma tissue was 76.5% (39/51), and calcyclin staining was more intense in the malignant cells than in the benign cells (P=0.007), suggesting a correlation between calcyclin expression and pancreatic carcinoma. No evidence was found for an association of calcyclin expression with the variables including the patients' gender, age at surgery, and tumor grade. Weak staining for calcyclin was noted in chronic pancreatitis tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Calcyclin expression is related to the pancreatic carcinomas and up-regulation of calcyclin expression is possibly an early event in pancreatic and pragression of development cancer.</p>