More and more attention has been drawn on nano-materials in the application of molecular imaging and targeted cancer therapy. Quantum dots, due to their rich surface chemical properties and bright stable fluorescence, have been used as a new type of nano-probes and widely used in molecular, cellular and vivo biological imaging. In recent years, many inspiring achievements have been obtained in the study on quantum dots surface modification and biological imaging in cell and animals. In this article, current status and the latest developments of the study and the application are reviewed.

OBJECTIVETo develop a HPLC method for simultaneous determination of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in Spica Prunellae.

METHODAfter ultrasonic extraction with 75% ethanol solution containing 1% formic acid, the ethanol-extract of Spica Prunellae was analyzed on an Elite SinoChrom ODS-AP column using gradient elution of 0.01% phosphoric acid (A) and acetonitrile (B) at a flow rate of 0.9-1.0 mL x min(-1). A wavelength switch program was used for detection at 330 nm (0-33 min) and 203 nm (33-40 min). The column temperature was set at 20 degrees C and injection volume was 50 microL.

RESULTThe calibration curves of all analytes were linear. The average recoveries were 93.7%-105.2% with RSDs not more than 4.5%. The contents of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid in Spica Prunellae were 0.0401-0.0968, 0.99-2.57, 0.243-0.556, 4.06-8.13 mg x g(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe described method is sensitive, convenient and accurate, and is suitable for the simultaneous determination of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in Spica Prunellae.

Caffeic Acids ; analysis ; Calibration ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cinnamates ; analysis ; Depsides ; analysis ; Oleanolic Acid ; analysis ; Prunella ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; analysis

AIM: To detect the protein expression of TIMP3 and RUNX3 in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) from acute leukemia (AL) patients and to investigate the relationship between the methylation status of genes and their expressional levels. METHODS: Protein expression of TIMP3 and RUNX3 in 50 samples of BMMCs and 10 samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy volunteers was detected by Western blotting. The prognostic factors related to AL and data from methylation specific polymerase chain reaction were also analyzed. RESULTS: The expression level of RUNX3 with methylation was less than that without methylation in BMMCs from AL patients. The complete remission (CR) rate was related to RUNX3 expression and blasts in bone marrow (BM). BMMCs from patients with silencing of RUNX3 and higher blasts in BM had a lower CR rate. CONCLUSION: Absence of RUNX3 protein expression resulting from methylation of RUNX3 promoter probably plays a role in the pathogenesis of AL and is of value in prognosis. No relationship between methylation of TIMP3 promoter and the pathogenesis of AL is observed.

Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy betweenLing Gui Ba Fa(eight magic turtle techniques) acupuncture and ordinary acupuncture in treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D).Method Sixty patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened byLing Gui Ba Faacupuncture at Gongsun (SP4) and Neiguan (PC6), and the control group was intervened by ordinary needling Gongsun and Neiguan. For both groups, Tianshu (ST25), Dachangshu (BL25), Shangjuxu (ST37), Fenglong (ST40), and Pishu (BL20) were added. Theclinical efficacies of the two groups were compared by evaluating the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) clinical symptoms score and IBS Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) questionnaire. The two groups were treated 3 times a week, 10 sessions as a treatment course, andwere evaluated by using the scales before and after the treatment followed by statistical analysis and determination of the therapeutic efficacy.Result The scales were significantly improved in both groups after the treatment (P<0.05), and the improvement in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.01); the total effective rate was 90% (27/30) in the treatment group, higher than 80% (24/30) in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Ling Gui Ba Faacupuncture can produce a more significant efficacy than ordinary acupuncture in treating IBS-D, and can obviously enhance the quality of life of thepatients, providing an advantageous treatment scheme to clinic.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of diagnosis and treatment on hyperthyroidism after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT).Methods The clinical data of a female patient who suffered from hyperthyroidism after AHSCT at Department of Hematology of the Third Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University at December 2008 were analyzed retrospectively.The clinical manifestation,laboratory examination,diagnosis and treatment of the patient were summarized and analyzed, and the relevant literatures were reviewed.Results The patient developed the symptoms of hyperthyroidism at 39 months after AHSCT,and had the clinical manifestation and laboratory examination results specific to hyperthyroidism.The patient was diagnosed as diffuse toxic goiter (Graves’disease)and had good prognosis after drug therapy.Conclusions It is rare to develop hyperthyroidism after AHSCT that has specific clinical manifestation and can be confirmed by laboratory examination.Graves'disease has good prognosis with early diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To explore the surgical techniques of transsphenoidal approach neuroendoscope-assisted sella turcica tumor resection. Methods The clinical data of 71 patients who had underwent transsphenoidal approach neuroendoscope-assisted sella turcica tumor resection were retrospectively analyzed. Results Among the 71 patients, pituitary tumors was in 67 cases (including recurrent pituitary tumors 4 cases), and Rathke cysts in 4 cases. A total of 54 cases had gross total resection, 10 cases had near total resection, and 7 cases had subtotal resection. Some patients had postoperative complications, including transient diabetes insipidus in 16 cases, refractory hyponatremia in 2 cases,cerebrospinal rhinorrhea in 1 case,hypothyroidism in 1 case,rhinorrhagia and synechia nasal in 1 case, hyposmia in 4 cases, and perioperative cerebral infarction in 1 case. There was no surgery related death. After 3 months' follow- up, 12 cases were found to have nasal mucosa atrophy. Conclusions The transsphenoidal approach neuroendoscope-assisted sella turcica tumor resection is safe and effective, with less serious complications, but the complications of nasal cavity should not be ignored.

AIM:To investigate the influence of fat mass and obesity-associated(Fto)gene on the aberrant contraction of aortic smooth muscle in diabetes mellitus(DM)mice,and to explore the mechanism of Fto gene underlying the calcium regulation.METHODS:Smooth muscle-specific Fto gene knockout(FtoSMKO)mice were generated using Cre-loxP technology.The experiment involved 3 groups of mice:wild-type(WT)group,DM model group and FtoSMKO-DM group,with 15 mice in each group.In DM group and FtoSMKO-DM group,type 1 DM was induced by intraperitoneal injec-tion of streptozotocin.The mice in WT group were injected with equal volume of citric acid-sodium citrate buffer solution.The influences of different drugs on the contraction responses of aortic smooth muscle in mice were analyzed using a multi-myograph system.The expression level of FTO protein in the aortic tissues was detected by Western blot.RESULTS:(1)Compared with WT mice,the expression levels of FTO protein in the aortic tissues of DM mice were significantly in-creased(P＜0.01).(2)The expression level of FTO protein in smooth muscle was significantly decreased after knockout of Fto gene(P＜0.01).Compared with WT group,the mice in DM group exhibited a significant decrease in body weight and a marked increase in fasting blood glucose level(P＜0.05).There were no noticeable differences in body weight or fasting blood glucose level between FtoSMKO-DM group and DM group(P＞0.05).(3)The contraction responses of aortic smooth muscle in DM group were substantially increased by phenylephrine compared with WT group.Specifically,vaso-constriction responses mediated by non-L-type calcium channels and store-operated calcium channels(SOCC)were signifi-cantly enhanced in DM group.In addition,the responses mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors(IP3R),which facilitate calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum,were significantly enhanced.However,the responses mediated by caffeine-activated ryanodine receptors(RyR),which also facilitate calcium release from the sarcoplasmic re-ticulum,were significantly inhibited(P＜0.05).(4)Compared with DM group,the phenylephrine-induced contraction re-sponses of aortic smooth muscle in FtoSMKO-DM group were greatly weakened(P＜0.05).In particular,the vasoconstriction responses mediated by non-L-type calcium channels and SOCC in FtoSMKO-DM group were greatly suppressed(P＜0.05),while those mediated by caffeine-activated RyR were dramatically boosted(P＜0.05).However,IP3R-mediated responses were not affected(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION:Smooth muscle-specific Fto gene knockout suppresses contractile hyperre-sponsiveness in the aortic smooth muscle of DM mice,which may be attributed to involvement of FTO protein in calcium regulation in the vascular smooth muscle.

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of Piezo1 channel activation promoting the increase in intra-cellular Ca2+ concentration([Ca2+]i)of rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells(CASMCs).METHODS:The primary CASMCs of SD rats were cultured,and the expression and subcellular localization of Piezo1 in the cells were observed by immunofluorescence staining.The Piezo1 and stromal interaction molecule 1(STIM1)in CASMCs were knocked down by siRNA transfection,and the expression levels of the proteins were detected by Western blot.Utilizing laser confocal mi-croscopy,the change of[Ca2+]i in CASMCs was detected by Fluo-4 AM fluorescent probes.RESULTS:It was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining that the expression of Piezo1 existed in primary rat CASMCs.Immunofluorescence staining also showed that Piezo1 was co-located with sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2(SERCA2),mitochondrial outer membrane protein TOM20 and nuclear membrane protein lamin B1.Western blot results showed that the protein expres-sion levels of STIM1 and Piezo1 were significantly down-regulated by siRNA transfection(P<0.05).Compared with con-trol group,Yoda1,the agonist of Piezo1,could increase the extracellular Ca2+ influx of CASMCs(P<0.01).However,the Ca2+ influx mediated by Yoda1 was not affected by the inhibition of L-type calcium channels.Treatment with Yoda1 in-creased the intracellular Ca2+ release of CASMCs(P<0.01).However,inhibition of calcium channels on endoplasmic re-ticulum,ryanodine receptor and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor,did not affect intracellular Ca2+ release mediated by Yoda1.After the Ca2+ in endoplasmic reticulum was emptied using thapsigargin(TG),Yoda1 also mediated the Ca2+ re-lease of other organelles in CASMCs(P<0.01).After inhibition of L-type calcium channels,treatment with store-operated calcium channel(SOCC)inhibitor BTP2 or knockdown of STIM1 led to the decrease in extracellular Ca2+ influx of CASMCs mediated by Yoda1(P<0.01).Treatment with TG increased the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum of CASMCs after knockdown of Piezo1(P<0.05),but the extracellular Ca2+ influx mediated by TG was not affected.After inhibition of L-type calcium channels and SOCC,knockdown of Piezo1 led to the decreases in intracellular Ca2+ release and extracellular Ca2+ influx induced by Yoda1(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The Piezo1 agonist orchestrates the influx of extracellular Ca2+ by activating Piezo1 channels on the cell membrane and inducing the indirect activation of SOCC.More-over,it facilitates the release of Ca2+ from organelles.Consequently,these pathways synergistically elevate the[Ca2+]i of rat CASMCs.