Blood circulation activating effect of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) on venous thromboembolism rat.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the blood circulation activating effect and mechanism of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) in vivo, using a venous thromboembolism (VTE) rat model. METHODS: We established the VTE rat model, and then intervened with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), as well as low, medium and high doses of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng), to observe the blood circulation activating effect of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) on VTE rats. RESULTS: After the treatment with high concentrations of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng), the pulmonary thromboembolism was alleviated, and the lower limb thrombosis was markedly improved. Moreover, the expression quantities of plasma activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and D-dimer, as well as endothelin, von Willebrand factor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in thrombosis segment tissues were markedly down-regulated; while those of nitric oxide and tissue-type plasminogen activator were up-regulated. After low and medium concentration Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) treatment, no obvious improvement was observed in each index. Moreover, the high concentration Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) showed comparable efficacy to the positive drug LMWH. CONCLUSION: This data suggests that high concentration of Sanqi (Radix Notoginseng) is effective in preventing and treating VTE.

Synthesis and anti-metastatic effects of novel chiral ionone alkaloid derivatives.

Novel chiral ionone alkaloid derivatives were synthesized and evaluated their anti-metastatic effects in human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The chiral center C-6 of derivatives exerted an important role in response to the anti-metastatic activity. Comparing with a positive control of LY294002, compounds 17b and 19a exhibited potent inhibitory effects on the EGF-induced invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells with IC50 values of 0.026 ± 0.003 and 0.016 ± 0.002 µM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 17b and 19a showed inhibitory effects on the expressions of p-PKCζ and p-integrin ß1 in MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, compounds 17b and 19a offer potential to be developed as novel anti-metastasis agents.

[Evaluation of sagittal temporomandibular condyle position in adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients by cone-beam CT].

PURPOSE: To evaluate condyle-fossa relationship and provide some evidences for functional orthopedic treatment in adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients. METHODS: Forty adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients (18 males, 22 females) who have to temporomandibular symptom were involved in this study and 42 adolescent Angle Class I patients (19 males, 23 females) served as control which had impacted teeth needed to take cone-beam CT (CBCT). Mimics 10.01 software was used to measure the depth of the mandibular fossa, the angulation of the posterior wall of the articular tubercle, anterior joint space, superior joint space, posterior joint space in CBCT imaging. Paired t test was applied for comparison between 2 groups using SPSS 15.0 software package. RESULTS: The measured data on left and right side in both Angle Class II division 1 patients and Angle Class I patients had no significant differences (P>0.05). The depth of the mandibular fossa, the angulation of the posterior wall of the articular tubercle, the superior joint space have no significant difference (P>0.05). The anterior joint space decreased significantly (P<0.05) and posterior joint space increased significantly (P<0.05) in adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients compared with adolescent Angle Class I patients. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients, anterior joint space decreased and posterior joint space increased compared with Angle Class I patients. And the condyle may move forward for compensation. Orthodontists should pay attention to condyle-fossa relationship in adolescent Angle Class II division 1 patients before functional orthopedic treatment.

[Distribution of Salmonella paratyphi A outer membrane protein X gene and immune-protective effect related to its recombinant expressed products].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution and sequence conservation of outer membrane protein X(ompX)gene in Salmonella paratyphi A isolates as well as the immunogenicity and immuno-protection of ompX gene products. METHODS: OmpX gene in Salmonella paratyphi A isolates was detected by PCR and the amplification products were sequenced after the T-A cloning process. OmpX gene product was expressed with E. coli expression system and the expressed rOmpX was extracted by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. SDS-PAGE and Bio-Rad Gel Image Analyzer were applied to examine the expression and yield of rOmpX. Both antigenicity and immune-reactivity of rOmpX were detected by immune-diffusion test, ELISA and Western blot assay. The immunoprotective effect of rOmpX against infection of Salmonella paratyphi in mice was determined and the agglutinative titers of sera from rOmpX-immunized mice was measured by micro-Widal's test. RESULTS: All the tested Salmonella paratyphi A isolates had ompX gene with high nucleotide or amino acid sequence identity (99.2%-100.0% or 98.4%-100.0%). When rOmpX was induced to rabbits to produce high level antibody and combined with antiserum against whole cell of Salmonella paratyphi A, the results displayed a positive Western hybridization signal. Results from ELISA demonstrated that 95.6% (65/68) of the serum samples from paratyphoid-A patients were positive on rOmpX antibody. Mice that were immunized with 100 µg or 200 µg rOmpX displayed an immune-protective rate of 93.3% (14/15) or 100.0% (15/15). Sera from those rOmpX-immunized mice provided 1 : 10-1 : 40 agglutination titers in both H antigens of Salmonella paratyphi A and Salmonella typhi. CONCLUSION: The recombinant expression product of ompX gene could be used as a candidate antigen for developing genetic engineering vaccines against Salmonella paratyphi A infection.