Gastrodinol derivatives and prenylated flavones from the flower branch of Gastrodia elata.

Based on the research progress and traditional usage with whole herbal of the TCM "Tianma", chemical studies herein on the flower branch of Gastrodia elata were carried out in-depth and got 13 compounds including the gastrodinols (1-4), the flavonoid morins (5-8, 11-12), together with the specialist mulberrofurans (9, 13) and gastrodiamide (10) for the first time from the species. The antibacterial and cholinesterase inhibitory activities were then evaluated and the results showed that compounds 5, 11, 12, 13 have good activity against anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and compounds 9, 13 had good acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. All these results provide new chemical composition for better understanding the traditional application of "Tianma" and for exploring new pharmacological ingredients.

Total Synthesis of Gastrodinol via Photocatalytic 6π Electrocyclization.

The first total synthesis of gastrodinol, an unprecedented poly-p-cresol-substituted natural product with a rearranged and reconstructed C ring moiety, is reported. Our synthesis features a convergent fragment approach. The Sonogashira coupling reaction forges the two segments together to furnish the conjugated ene-yne. Photocatalytic 6π electrocyclization followed by spontaneous aromatization is used to construct the tetrasubstituted B ring at the late stage. Further study shows that gastrodinol exhibits significant cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines in vitro (IC50 2.5-3.8 µM).

[Clinical Significance of Screening Thalassemia with High- Throughput Sequencing].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of high-throughput sequencing (NGS) in screening the thalassemia genes. METHODS: The peripheral blood of 2 858 cases of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy from October 2014 to October 2016 randomly were collected in department of obstetrics, the third people's hospital in Dongguan city. Peripheral blood was used for the blood routine examination, hemoglobin electrophoresis, traditional thalassaemia gene screening and NGS. RESULTS: The rate of missed diagnosis for α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia using NGS was 0.87% and 1.59%, respectively. Meanwhile, the missed rate of screening for α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia by traditional screening models was 26.77% and 2.38%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia screened by NGS was 0.994 and 0.991, respectively, however, the area under the ROC curve of screening for α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia by the traditional screening model was 0.866 and 0.988, respectively. The sensitivity, rate of missed diagnosis, Youden index and negative predictive value of screening for α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia using NGS all were superior to those using traditional screening. CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional screening model, the NGS screening for thalassemia genes shows a high accuracy, moreover can avoid missed diagnosis resulted from screening by conventional method, suggesting that the NCS possesses the accurate and diagnostic value for screening of thalassemia and can widely apply to clinical practise so as to provid the guarantee for early diagnosis of thalassemia.

[Present situation of congenital defects in five counties (cities) of Gansu province in 2009 - 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the situation of congenital defects' in five counties/cities in Gansu province so as to provide scientific evidence for the development of effective interventions. METHODS: General information was collected on all the neonates who were born in Dunhuang city, Jingchuan county, Hui county, Weiyuan county and Yongjing county in Gansu province between Oct. 1(st), 2009 to Sep. 30(th), 2010, with all of their gestational age above 28 weeks. Neonates would include live birth, dead fetus and still birth. RESULTS: The overall incidence of congenital defects was 7.49‰ in the five counties/cities in Gansu province in 2009. Ranking order in the top three showed as congenital heart disease, pigmented nevus and limb deformity. Disease with the highest mortality was congenital heart disease (0.79‰). The incidence of congenital defects was 8.35‰ in 2010 with the ranking order of the top three as congenital heart disease, neural tube defects/pigmented nevus and hydrocephalus. Diseases having the highest mortality was congenital heart disease (1.10‰). Different incidence rates on congenital defects were seen in related areas, with the highest incidence as 14.65‰ in Dunhuang city. Hui county had the lowest incidence-3.28‰. CONCLUSION: Different incidence of congenital defects were seen in respective areas in Gansu province, with the change of ranking orders. Different strategies should be developed differently depending on the current states of congenital defects in respective areas, according to the three-grade prevention model, to reduce the occurrence of congenital defects.

[Investigation of the effect of heparin gelatin sponge stickers for traumatic tympanic membrane perforation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of heparin gelatin sponge stickers in the treatment of traumatic perforation of tympanic membrane. METHODS: Total of 79 cases (83 ears) of traumatic perforation of tympanic membrane were randomly divided into two groups: the test group had 54 patients (58 ears), and the control group had 25 cases (25 ears). The test group received the treatment of heparin gelatin sponge stickers, and the control group received conservative traditional drying method. All the subjects were followed up for 4 weeks, observed and recorded the rate and healing period of traumatic tympanic membrane. RESULTS: In 4-week's follow-up, 56 ears were cured in the test group, with a rate of 96.55%. Fourteen ears were cured in the control group with a rate of 56.00%. The healing rate of test group was significantly higher than that of the control group (χ(2) = 18.79, P < 0.01). The average of healing period was 17.6 days in the test group, and 32.0 days in the control group. There were significant differences in healing period between two groups (t = 6.37, P < 0.01). All the cured tympanic membrane in the test group was morphologically complete. In all followed up patients, there were no allergies and signs of infection, as well as other adverse reaction in the process of healing. CONCLUSION: The heparin gelatin sponge can effectively enhance closure of the traumatic perforation of tympanic membrane and can shorten the healing period of traumatic perforation of tympanic membrane, and the smaller of the perforation, the shorter of healing period.

[The status of occupational health of female migrant workers in traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine and bio-pharmaceutical industry in Gansu province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status of occupational health of female migrant workers in different kinds of pharmaceutical industries in Gansu province and to provide the basis for improving occupational health condition. METHODS: One thousand eight hundreds and one female workers from 16 enterprises were selected by cluster sampling in Gansu province and investigated by interviewing and questionnaires. RESULTS: There were statistical significances of education level, status of residency registrations, employment relationship and occupational hazards among female workers in three types of enterprises (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The morbidities of skin disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 4.46%, 2.53% and 3.70%, respectively. The morbidities of reproductive system disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 48.57%, 36.70% and 36.11%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The levels of education and working conditions of female workers in the traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine plants are low. There are more severe occupational hazards in female workers of the traditional Chinese medicine plants.

[Survey on the influencing factors of malnutrition in rural children under 7 years of age in Gansu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the status and influencing factors of malnutrition in rural children under 7 years of age in Gansu Province. METHODS: By stratified random cluster sampling, 9 390 rural children under 7 years of age from 4 counties of Gansu Province were enrolled. A cross-sectional investigation on children's nutritional status was performed. The major influencing factors of malnutrition were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The detection rate of under-weight was 3.60% (338 cases). The growth retardation occurred in 992 cases (10.56%). Athrepsy was found in 196 cases (2.49%) out of 7 868 children under 5 years of age. Gender, age, birth weight, life style, parents' educational level and family income were influencing factors of malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: More attention should be paid to the issue of malnutrition of rural children under 7 years of age in Gansu Province. The prevalence of malnutrition may be reduced through increasing family income and nutrition education, and improving parents' education level and children's life style.

[Apigenin affects semen parameters in male mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of apigenin on semen parameters in male mice. METHODS: Totally 100 healthy male mice of Kunming strain were randomly divided into 5 groups according to the body weight: negative control, solvent control, low-dose apigenin, median-dose apigenin and high-dose apigenin, the latter three groups given intragastric apigenin at a fixed time every day for 7 and 14 days. At 35 days after the first medication, all the mice were killed and detected for the sperm motion parameters by computer aided sperm analysis (CASA). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in sperm motion parameters, density and motility between the negative control and the three apigenin groups after 7-day medication. At 14 days, the high-dose apigenin group showed remarkable decreases in average path velocity (VAP), straight line velocity (VSL), straightness (STR), wobbliness (WOB), the percentage of grade b sperm and sperm motility, and a significant increase in beat cross frequency (BCF) as compared with the negative control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Apigenin affects sperm motility in male mice to a certain extent.

[A case-control study on JWA promoter -76G-->C polymorphism and the susceptibility of bladder cancer].

OBJECTIVE: This case-control study was aimed to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in JWA promoter region, to assess the effect of SNP on transcriptional activity, and to probe the relationship between SNP and the risk of bladder cancer. METHODS: The design of one control per case was adopted. The JWA gene promoter region in 155 patients with bladder cancer and in 155 cancer-free controls was amplified by PCR-SSCP technique, and the SNP were confirmed by direct DNA sequencing. The recombinant plasmids of JWA promoter fragment which contain the SNP were constructed as CAT reporter gene and were transfected transiently into NIH 3T3 cells for disclosing whether SNP changes the transcriptional activity of the promoter. RESULTS: A novel SNP -76 G-->C at promoter region of JWA gene was found. The frequencies of the C allele and GC genotype at JWA promoter -76G-->C in bladder cancer group (10.00% and 20.00% respectively) were significantly higher than those in control group (5.16% and 10.32% respectively) (P < 0.05). The transcriptional activity of -76GC allele genotype was significantly down-regulated as compared with that of -76GG allele genotype (P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that JWA polymorphism at promoter -76G-->C is an independent novel risk factor for bladder cancer. CONCLUSION: The JWA -76G-->C variant genotype may play an important role in transcription regulation of JWA gene and in the susceptibility to bladder cancer.