· Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in individuals aged over 65 in the United States and other industrialized nations. Till now, we have limited choices of treatment for this kind of disease. Treatment available can be grouped into two major categories: physical and pharmacological therapies. The former received extensive attention with little success whereas the latter attract new attention with great hope of success. The pharmacological therapies indude photodynamic therapy (PDT), steroids, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors, extracellular matrix (ECM) modifiers, gene therapy, nutrition supplements, choroidal blood flow facilitators and the like. PDT treatment is the only available effective treatment for certain forms of neovascular AMD. Anecortave acetate,as a synthetic derivative of cortisol, might stabilize vision in patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) for up to 6mo through subtenon juxtascleral depot application. Intravitreous injection of VEGF aptamer stabilized or improved vision in 87.5% of patients with subfoveal CNV 3mo after treatment. Malfunction of choroidal blood flow is found in early stage of AMD. Elevation of intravascular pressure is the crucial hemodynamic factor in age-related macular degeneration, resulting in a decrease of the blood flow of choriocapillaries. Chain reactions are triggered which lead to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration,Bruch's membrane breakdown, CNV formation, AMD and blindness in the end. Therefore, specific drugs that can increase the choroidal blood flow could be very useful to prevent the AMD from developing and worsening. Although most of them are still in the experimental stage,it is hopeful to find a way to treat AMD at the early stage and to prevent the disease to be triggered and developed.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Sarcoma ; pathology

·AIM: Impairment of choroidal perfusion was found in AMD patients. We postulated that vasoactive agents,which can reduce choroidal blood flow resistance, might prevent the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). D-Timolol and L-Timolol are hypotensive agents used in cardiovascular and glaucoma therapy. Their effects on laser-induced experimental CNV rat model and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were thus evaluated.·METHODS: Male Brown Norway rats were anesthetized to receive Nd:YAG laser to break the Bruch's membrane. D-Timolol and L-Timolol were given once daily through intraperitoneal injection after laser treatment for 4wk. Fluorescein angiography was performed on 2wk and 4wk. HUVEC were tested by proliferation assay and adhesion assay with D-Timolol and L-Timolol at different concentrations.· RESULTS: D-Timolol reduced the fluorescein leakage to 83% of the control group in laser-induced rat's CNV model at a dosage of 15mg/(kg·d). L-Timolol had no effect on CNV formation even at a higher dosage of 20mg/(kg·d). D-Timolol inhibited the endothelial cells proliferation significantly by 300mg/L. L-Timolol also significantly inhibited the cell proliferation at 1 000mg/L. But at a lower dose such as 300mg/L, no significant inhibitory effect was found. Both drugs showed no effect on cell adhesion function in cell culture experiments.· CONCLUSION: D-Timolol was found to prevent CNV development in laser-induced model in vivo and inhibit vascular endothelial cells proliferation in vitro. L-Timolol had no effect on cell proliferation at the same dose, and neither on rat CNV model. The results indicate these two isomers have different functions on rat's CNV prevention and on HUVEC cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pharmacokinetic parameter and the relative bioavailability of ferulic acid in ordinary Guipi pills and ultramicro Guipi pills in rabbit.METHODS: HPLC-MS/MS was used to identify the concentration of ferulic acid in the blood sample.RESULTS: Plasma concentration of ferulic acid in ordinary pills was different from that in ultramicro pills.The main pharmacokinetic parameters of ferulic acid in ordinary pills vs.that in ultramicro pills were as follows:t1/2a:(17.59?2.57) min vs.(23.51?4.49) min;t1/2?:(300.91?38.74) min vs.(167.17?45.66) min;tmax: (9.61?1.69) min vs.(12.33?2.27) min;Cmax:(58.92?8.42) ng?mL-1 vs.(112.35?31.29) ng?mL-1;AUC: (5 851.67?895.49) ng?min-1?mL-1 vs.(8 586.13?1 497.62) ng?min-1?mL-1.There were significant difference in Cmax and AUC between ordinary pills and ultramicro pills.CONCLUSION: The application of super fine crushing technique in the preparation of Guipi pills could improve the bioavailability of Guipi pills.

Objective To observe the effect of dexamethasone(Dex)on the proliferation and os- teogenic differentiation of human marrow stromal cells(MSCs)in vitro.Methods The primary human MSCs were isolated and cultured by Ficoll seperation culture in vitro.In subcultures,human MSCs were respectively treated with dexamethasone 10~(-9),10~(-8) and 10~(-7) mol/L.The proliferation of human MSCs was measured using MTF method;cytoplasmic alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity was measured;the osteogenic marker osteopontin (OPN)mRNA were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The op- tical density values in cultures treated with dexamethasone 10~(-8) and 10~(-7) mol/L for 8 days were significantly lower than those in the controls(P＜0.05).Treatment of cells with Dex for 12 days led to a significant increase in cytoplasmic ALP activity(P＜0.05)in a dose-dependent manner.Dex induced OPN mRNA.Conclusion Dex inhibits the proliferation of human MSCs and dexamethasone 10~(-7) mol/L leads to a strong decrease in cell number.Dex induces human MSCs differentiate to osteoblastic cells.

Lipid metabolism disorder is an important risk factor to obesity, hyperlipidemia and type 2 diabetes as well as other chronic metabolic disease. It is also a key target in preventing metabolic syndrome, chronic disease prevention. Plant polyphenol plays an important role in maintaining or improving lipid profile in a variety of ways. including regulating cholesterol absorption, inhibiting synthesis and secretion of triglyceride, and lowering plasma low density lipoprotein oxidation, etc. The purpose of this article is to review the lipid regulation effects of plant polyphenols and its related mechanisms.
Animals ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; Metabolic Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Polyphenols ; pharmacology

This study aims to investigate the relationship between odor and contents of the chemical compounds in Lonicera japonica, including chlorogenic acid, galuteolin and polyphenols. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to determine the contents of chlorogenic acid and galuteolin in L. japonica. The ponptent of polyphenols was determined by UV-Vis Spectrophotometry. Electronic nose was used to extract and measure the odor of L. japonica. Then SPSS 17.0 software was employed for data processing. There is a significant positive correlation between the comprehensive index value of aroma and the contents of chlorogenic acid and polyphenols. The regression equations have been established. However, the relationship between the comprehensive index value and the content of galuteolin is not obvious. This is proof that the odor of L. japonica has close connection with the chemical compounds. Therefore, this research offered a new method for initially determine or predict the content of the chemical composition in L. japonica,
Chlorogenic Acid ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Electronic Nose ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Odorants ; analysis ; Polyphenols ; chemistry ; Smell

Objective To compare efficacy of female sterilization by modified Uchida technique and silver clips and to evaluate the influence on operation procedure and clinical effect with or without surgery training of service providers. Methods A comparative, multicenter clinical trial was performed in 18 county and township-level service centers. Totally 2198 women underwent sterilization from these 18 study center were divided into 1116 women sterilized by modified Uchida technique and 1082 women by silver clips.Those 18 centers were classified into 9 training groups which provide surgical skills of sterilization and other contents and 9 non training groups. Clinical documents of sterilization were recorded. All women were followup at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. Results There were no complications during surgery by both sterilization. The failure rate was 2.03% (22/1082) in silver clip method and the mean operative time were ( 12. 4 ± 6. 4 ) minutes in training group and ( 14. 4 ± 8. 1 ) minutes in non training group. In modified Uchida method, the failure rate was 0. 18% (2/1116) and the mean operative time were (16. 2 ± 4. 9)minutes in training group and (19.0 ±8.6) minutes in non training group. The mean operative time between two groups reached statistical difference ( all P ＜ 0. 05 ). Total ended rate in modified Uchida technique were 2. 2/hundred women year in training group and 2. 5/hundred women year in non training group, and the rate of silver slips were 3. 9/hundred women year and 4. 8/hundred women year, which did not show significant difference ( all P ＞ 0. 05 ). There was no significant difference in acceptability and side effects of all women between two methods (P ＞ 0. 05). The training of service providers could influence acceptability of women (P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions Clinical efficacy was not influenced by those two methods. The operative time and acceptability were improved by training surgeons in silver clips method.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture have obtained good outcomes, because the traditional method is invalid, but there are a variety of choices in operation time, anesthesia, surgical approach and method, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and preponderance of the manual reduction combined with unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty under general anesthesia in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS:A total of 53 patients with single vertebral osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, who were treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty, were retrospectively analyzed from July 2012 to December 2014. The new method group (32 cases) received manual reduction, underwent unilateral pedicle puncture and bone cement injection during unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty under general anesthesia. The conventional method group (21 cases) received conventional percutaneous vertebroplasty. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was an average of 6-month folow-up (3-14 months). Significant differences in visual analogue scale scores, vertebral compression ratio and kyphosis Cobb’s angle were detected in the new method and the conventional method groups at 3 days post surgery and during final folow-up compared with before surgery (P < 0.01). No significant difference in visual analogue scale scores was found between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the conventional method group, postoperative vertebral compression ratio, kyphosis Cobb’s angle and bone cement leakage rate were significantly lower in the new method group (P < 0.01). Results verified that the new method combined with the advantages of percutaneous vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty, the advantages of unilateral and bilateral puncture approach. The new method can correct kyphosis deformity, effectively recover the vertebral height and physiological curvature and the puncture is safe. Simultaneously, the leakage rate of bone cement is reduced, and the distribution of bone cement is ideal.

Objective To investigate the effect of neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) on the inflammatory reaction of the remaining liver tissue and liver function after partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats.Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF were constructed as a PH model with deligation and ablation operated on their left and middle lobes,respectively.Then,they were randomly divided into two groups:NCPB group and control group.Twelve hours after the surgery,0.5％ lidocaine was given in the NCPB group once a day,while 0.9％ saline was given in the control group.Determination of liver function,generation of the remaining liver,and deposition of IL-β,TNF-α of the pathological section was respectively made on Day 1,3 and 7 after the surgery.Results On Day 1,3 and 7 after surgery,both the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in NCPB group were,to different degrees,lower than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Strikingly,total bilirubin in NCPB group was lower than that in control group (P ＜ 0.01) on Day 7,while the level of semm albumin was higher than that in control group (P ＜ 0.01).There was no statistically significant difference on the generation of the remaining livers between NCPB and control groups.On Day 3 and 7,the deposition of IL-β,TNF-α in the pathological sections of NCPB group were lower than those in control group.Conclusion NCPB can not only effectively reduce the damage of liver function caused by PH surgery,but also improve the inflammatory reaction of the residual liver.