Objective To observe the effects of Wendan decoction (WD) on depression-like behavior in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) and explore the related mechanism.Methods Rodent model of PD was established by unilaterally lesioning medial forebrain bundle with 6-hydrodopamine.After intragastric administration with WD,the rats's behavior changes were detected by the open field test,sucrose preference test and forced swimming test;the contents of monoamine neurotransmitters in the rat brain were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.Results Compared with those of sham-operated rats,the horizontal and vertical activities of the PD model rats decreased significantly,and sucrose consumption decreased significantly,but immobility time during forced swimming was significantly prolonged.The contents of dopamine (DA),5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and DA in the striatum decreased significantly.After administration of WD for 2 weeks,the immobility time of the PD model rats was significantly decreased,sucrose consumption increased significantly;DA,5-HT and NA levels in the mPFC increased significantly.Conclusion WD improves the depression-like behavior in PD model rats,and the mechanisms may involve the regulation of monoamine neurotransmitters in mPFC.

Hepatocytes ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunity, Innate ; Liver Diseases ; immunology ; pathology

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; Hepatitis C ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferons ; therapeutic use

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of brain wave-biofeedback on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Methods29 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder used VBFB3000 Brain Wave-Biofeedback system to control the 4～8 Hz brain wave and activate the 12～16 Hz wave twice a week.Results84.6% children primarily with attention deficit became normal,as well as 100% with hyperactivity,91.6% with mixed appearing.ConclusionBrain Wave-Biofeedback is effective on any types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVETuberculosis remains a severe public health issue, and the Beijing family of mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is widespread in East Asia, especially in some areas in China, like Beijing and Tianjin. This study aimed at determining the mutation patterns of drug-resistant Beijing strains of M. tuberculosis isolated from Tianjin, China.

METHODSA total of 822 M. tuberculosis isolates were screened for drug resistance by an absolute concentration method and the genotype was identified by PCR. 169 drug-resistant isolates of the Beijing family were analyzed for the potential mutations in the rpoB, katG, inhA promoter region and in rpsL, rrs and embB genes, which are associated with resistance to rifampin (RFP), isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (SM) and ethambutol (EMB) respectively by PCR and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSFifty-eight out of 63 RFP-resistant isolates were found to carry the mutations within the 81-bp RFP resistance determining region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene and the most frequent mutations occurred at codon 531 (44.4%), 526 (28.6%), and 516 (7.9%) respectively. 16 mutation patterns affecting 12 different codons around the RRDR of rpoB were found. Of 116 INH-resistant isolates, 56 (48.3%) had the mutation of katG 315 (AGC-->ACC) (Ser-->Thr), 3 (2.6%) carried S315N (AGC-->AAC) and 27 (16.0%) had the mutation of inhA-15A-->T. 84 out of 122 SM-resistant isolates (68.9%) displayed mutations at the codons 43 or 88 with AAG-->AGG (Lys-->Arg) of the rpsL gene and 22 (18.0%) with the mutations at positions 513A-->C, 516C-->T or 905 A-->G in the rrs gene. Of 34 EMB-resistant isolates, 6 had mutation with M306V (ATG-->GTG), 3 with M306I (ATG-->ATT), 1 with M306I (ATG-->ATA), 1 with D328Y (GAT-->TAT), 1 with V348L (GTC-->CTC), and 1 with G406S (GGC-->AGC) in the embB gene.

CONCLUSIONThese novel findings extended our understanding of resistance-related mutations in the Beijing strains of M. tuberculosis and may provide a scientific basis for development of new strategies for diagnosis and control of tuberculosis in China and other countries where Beijing strains are prevalent.

Base Sequence ; China ; DNA Primers ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology

The clinical tumor therapy was greatly challenged due to the complex characteristics of tumor microenvironment, however, which also provide arena for novel therapeutic strategies. In this study, poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(lactic acid)-SS-poly(β-amino ester (PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE) triblock copolymers with pH and GSH double response were synthesized, polymer micelles were prepared by thin film hydration method for loading of silybin to improve its antitumor activity. The critical micelle concentration was determined by pyrene fluorescence method as 1.8 μg·mL^-1. The particle size was 155.30 ± 1.80 nm as determined by dynamic light scattering, with polydispersity index of 0.168 ± 0.004. The drug loading and entrapment efficiency of the micelles were determined by HPLC as (5.48 ± 0.04)% and (68.52 ± 0.48)%, respectively. The in vitro drug release profiles showed that the micelles have low pH sensitivity and high GSH responsiveness, and exhibited sustained release profiles. The good biocompatibility of the material was proved by measuring the hemolysis rate and cytotoxicity of the blank micelle. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate of tumor cells showed that the drug loaded PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE micelles had significant inhibitory effect and apoptosis-inducing effect on MDA-MB-231 cells. The results of wounding healing assay and Transwell invasion test showed that the drug loaded PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE micelles could significantly inhibit the metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. The PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE drug-loaded micelles prepared in this study have good inhibitory effect on tumor growth and anti-tumor metastasis in vitro, which lays the foundation for the further application of silybin.

Objective The main objective of this study was to explore the prevalence and clinical characteristics of human coronavirus NL63 infection in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in Changsha.Methods Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) samples were collected from 1185 hospitalized children with ALRTI at the People's Hospital of Hunan province,between September 2008 and October 2010.Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to screen for coronavirus NL63,which is a 255 bp fragment of a part of N gene.All positive amplification products were confirmed by sequencing and compared with those in GenBank.Results The overall frequency of coronavirus NL63 infection was 0.8％,6 (60％) out of the coronavirus NL63 positive patients were detected in summer,2 in autumn,1 in spring and winter,respectively.The patients were from 2 months to two and a half years old.The clinical diagnosis was bronchopneumonia ( 60％ ),bronchiolitis ( 30％ ),and acute laryngotracheal bronchitis( 10％ ).Four of the 10 cases had critical illness,4 cases had underlying diseases,and 7 cases had mixed infection with other viruses. The homogeneity of coronavirus NL63 with those published in the GenBank at nucleotide levels was 97％-100％.Conclusion Coronavirus NL63 infection exists in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection in Changsha.Coronavirus NL63 infections are common in children under 3 years of age.There is significant difference in the infection rate between the boys and the girls:the boys had higher rate than the girls.The peak of prevalence of the coronavirus NL63 was in summer.A single genetic lineage of coronavirus NL63 was revealed in human subjects in Changsha.Coronavirus NL63 may also be one of the lower respiratory pathogen in China.

Objective To explore the distribution and characteristics on genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the relationship between Beijing genotype and drug-resistant phenotypes in Tianjin city. Methods 656 clinical strains were collected from Tianjin Center for Tuberculosis Control and ten other Tuberculosis Institute in Tianjin from January 2008 to June 2009.Information regarding administration, clinical as well as laboratory findings of patients were collected.Proportion method was adopted to detect the susceptibility on four anti-tuberculosis drugs, namely streptomycin (SM), isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP) and ehambutol (EMB). Both Beijing and non-Beijing genotypes were differentiated by multiplex PCR. The relationship between Beijing genotype and drug-resistant phenotypes was analyzed. Results In this study, the overall resistance rate of MTB was 26.98%, with multidrug-resistant rate was 6.25%. Among 656 MTB strains, 600isolates (91.46% ) belonged to Beijing genotype. There was significant difference between Beijing and non-Beijing genotype (x2=4.26, P=0.039) among the Tianjin household registered population.Concerning the drug resistance, there was no significant difference between the two groups.Conclusion Beijing genotype strains were the predominant one in Tianjin. The proportion of people infected with the Beijing genotype strains in Tianjin household registration of patients was significantly higher than the proportion of patients in the floating population in the same region.Results from the statistical analysis did not reveal any statistically significant association between Beijing genotype and drug resistance.

OBJECTIVETo prepare a stable water-based magnetic fluid.

METHODSA water-based magnetic fluid was prepared by addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the coating agent for the magnetic particles. After preparation of Fe3O4 by co-precipitation method, PVP was added for its coating, followed by ultrasonic agitation and purification.

RESULTSThe magnetic nanoparticles of homogeneously small size and water-based magnetic fluid were obtained, which had good dispersion in water with strong magnetism.

CONCLUSIONPVP can be used as a surfactant to stabilize the magnetic fluid.

Ferrous Compounds ; chemistry ; Magnetics ; Materials Testing ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Povidone ; chemistry ; Surface Properties ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry