The blood-brain barrier (BBB) exerts its central nervous system (CNS) protective function as it hinders the delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents to the brain. With the development of nanotechnology during the last thirty years, the nanocarriers for delivering drugs make it possible to transport drugs across the BBB. The brain-targeted drug delivery system usually consists of two parts: nanocarriers and brain-targeted strategies. In this review, several kinds of nanocarriers are introduced for brain-targeted drug delivery. We focus on several possible strategies for brain-targeting and comment on their advantages and disadvantages in application.

Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The aim of this study was to investigate whether shear stress could promote function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) treatment in vitro, and to study whether shear stress contributed to vascular injury repair by EPCs. EPCs were isolated and characterized; EPCs' proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein level in vitro were investigated by culturing confluent EPCs in 4 mg/mL SBP under physiological shear stress (15 dyne/cm2) for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, EPCs were transfused into rats after wire-induced carotid artery injury augmented re-endothelialization. The results showed that, compared to the SBP group, the shear stress+SBP group obviously enhanced EPCs proliferation, migration, adhesion, tube formation and eNOS protein expression in vitro (P<0.01). After one week, immunofluorescence staining showed that endothelial regeneration rate obviously enhanced in shear stress+SBP group (P<0.01). The present study demonstrates that shear stress can promote function of endothelial progenitor cells treated with SBP, which improves the vascular injury repair potentials of EPCs.
Animals ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Progenitor Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Stress, Mechanical

Objective To investigate the relationship of iPTH levels, calcium and phosphorus metabolism with cardiovascular event status in the chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Methods This article retrospectivly studied the clinical and laboratory data of 87 CRF patients. 66 patients of A group didnt occur cardiovascular events,and 21 cases of B group occurred cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. This article analyzed iPTH levels,serum calcium, phosphorus, calcium and phosphorus product and therelationship between cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events between the two groups. Results Decreased iPTH,increased serum C reactive protein and increased lipoprotein(a) had relationship with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with chronic renal failure,but calcium,phosphorus,calcium and phosphorus product has nothing to do with the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events increased significantly in dialysis patients than in non - dialysis patients. Conclusiou Chronic renal failure patients on dialysis levels of serum iPTH, CRP level, LP(a) level and dialysis could lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Objective:To establish an atomic absorption spectrometry method for the determination of lead and ferrum in pre-mix-ture coating film. Methods:The samples were digested by microwave digestion system, and Pb was determined by graphite atomic ab-sorption spectrometry(GFAAS), and Fe was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry(FAAS). Results: There was good linear relationship within the range of 1.0-5.0 μg·L-1(r=0.999 4) for lead and 0.1-1.0 mg·L-1(r=0.998 4) for ferrum. The recovery of lead was 91. 3%(RSD=1. 4%,n=9)and that of ferrum was 89. 9%(RSD=3. 5%,n=9). Conclusion: The method is accurate and stable, which can be used for the determination of lead and ferrum in pre-mixture coating film

Background and purpose: Accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes that lead to the activation of proto-oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes play important roles in development and progression of bladder cancer. We aimed to investigate the methylation patterns of TWIST1 gene in bladder cancer. Methods:A total number of 78 histologically conifrmed bladder tumor samples and paired 75 urine samples constituted the study group and was compared with 75 age-matched and gender-matched non-cancerous individuals. DNA was puriifed from both tumor, adjacent tissues and urine samples. The methylation status of the TWIST1 gene was analyzed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in both urinary bladder cell carcinoma samples, adjacent tissues and urine samples. Sensitivity and speciifcity values of the method were assessed and compared with the results of the cytology test. Results:Methylation of TWIST1 was detected in 88.5%of carcinoma samples and 84%of the paired urine samples,respectively;11.5%carcinoma adjacent tissues and 5.3%control urine sample was methylated. The sensitivity by urine cytology detection method was 49.3%in in bladder cancer patients, and was 17.3%in control group. The sensitivity of TWIST1 genes was 66.7%for low-grade cases. The sensitivity of urine cytology was 33.3%for the same low-grade cases. Conclusion:The methylation analysis of TWIST1 gene may be a simple, non-invasive, sensitive, and speciifc method for early detecting bladder cancer cells in urine.

Objective To retrospectively compare the clinical results of locking plate of proximal humerus (LPPH) and traditional AO plates in treatment of proximal humerus fractures in aged osteoporotic population. Methods From July 2002 to May 2005, 37 old osteoporotic patients with humerus fractures were treated with LPPH and traditional AO plates respectively in our department. The results were compared retrospectively. Results Follow-ups were conducted six weeks, 12 weeks and one year postoperatively to assess shoulder scores, bone healing and necrosis of humerus head. Comparison showed that the results for LPPH group were statistically better than those for traditional AO plate group in rate of implant loosening and SPADI (shoulder pain and disability index) scores. Conclusion LPPH has an obvious advantage over traditional AO plate in treatment of proximal humerus fractures in aged osteoporotic people.

Objective To investigate the transfection of human papilloma virus types 16E6 gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of cervical carcinoma cell line C33A. MethodsPlasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 was stably transfected into C33A cells by liposome, and the expression of HPV16E6 mRNA and protein in the transfected cells, the cells transfected with blank vector and the cells without transfection were identified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The growth, proliferation and cell cycles of the 3 kinds of C33A cells were by cell growth curve plotting and flow cytometry analysis. ResultsC33A cells were transfected stably by liposome with plasmid pcDNA3-HPV16E6 (C33A-E6 cells)and plasmid pcDNA3 (C33A-P cells). The growth of C33A-E6 cells was more rapid than those of C33A-P and C33A cells (P0.05). ConclusionHPV16E6 is involved in the cell cycle probably through some signal pathways, and promotes cell division and proliferation of C33A cells.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expressions of glucose transporter protein-1 ,vascular endothelial growth factor in pancreatic cancer and the clinical indicators.Methods Im-munohistochemical staining was done in glucose transporter protein-1,vascular endothelial growth factor in pancreatic cancer and normal pancreas tissues.Results Glucose transporter protein-1,vascular endothelial growth factor of pancreatic cancer were expressed higher than that in normal tissue.The difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05).VEGF expression was related with lymph node metastasis,not with tumor grade,clinical stage(P<0.05).Glut-1 expression was related with tumor size,clinical stage and lymph node metastasis,not with pathological grading(P< 0.05).Conclusions Glucose transporter protein-1 ,vascular endothelial growth factor in pancreatic cancer are highly expressed .Both of them may participate in occurrence and development in pancreatic cancer.

This study was aimed to observe the effect of Softening Liver and Reducing Enzyme Mixed Agent (SLREXA) in the prevention of acute liver injury rats induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). A total of 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were the SLREXA low-, middle-, high-dose group, glucurolactone group, normal group and model group. Intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 was used to induce acute liver injury rat mod-el. Intragastric administration of SLREXA was given to each Chinese medicine group. Intragastric administration of distilled water was given to the normal group and the model group. Intragastric administration of glucurolactone aque-ous solution was given to the glucurolactone group. On the 12th day of the experiment, after 16-hour fasting, rats were killed. Pathological changes in liver tissues were examined. Blood serum was determined for alanine aminotrans-ferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The liver homogenate was determined for superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tis-sues of rats. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of mRNA in liver heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The re-sults showed that in the microscopic examination of liver tissues, compared with the model group, different doses of SLREXA can alleviate pathological damages of liver in varying degrees. Levels of blood serum ALT and AST content in different doses of SLREXA groups and glucurolactone group were significantly lower than those of the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, contents of GSH-Px, GSH, SOD, CAT in the liver ho-mogenate were significantly increased, and MDA content was decreased significantly (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01) in differ-ent doses of SLREXA groups and glucurolactone group; compared with the model group, the HO-1 mRNA relative expression quantity in the normal group and each treatment group increased obviously, with statistical significance (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). It was concluded that SLREXA can prevent CCl4-induced liver injury rats with definite thera-peutic effect.