AIMTo prepare insulin powder for inhalation by spray-drying technology, determine the deposition of the insulin powder formulation in vitro and preliminarily investigate hypoglycemic response of the dry powder with/without absorption promoters.

METHODSThe depositions of the insulin powder for inhalation were determined by the China Pharmacopoeia 2000 version addenda XH and hypoglycemic effects were evaluated by testing serum glucose with glucose oxidase-peroxidase (GOD-PAP) method.

RESULTSThe depositions of the spray-dried insulin powder for inhalation were more than 40% under various humidity and their changes were not significant when air flow was no less than 18 L x min(-1). The coadministration of insulin with 8 mmol x L(-1)/dose sodium taurocholate [PA = 59.91%, Cnadir = (33 +/- 6) %] and 10 mmol x L(-1)/dose sodium deoxycholate [PA = 47.46% , Cnadir = (32 +/- 7)%] induced a significantly greater decline in blood glucose levels, while coadministration with 1% sodium caprylate, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 250 microg/dose lecithin, 10 mmol x L(-1)/dose EDTA appeared to have no significant effect (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONInsulin powder for inhalation was relatively stable under various humidity conditions and different flow current. The use of 8 mmol x L(-1)/dose sodium taurocholate and 10 mmol x L(-1)/dose sodium deoxycholate could be able to potentially improve the bioavailability of insulin by pulmonary route.

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Deoxycholic Acid ; pharmacology ; Drug Synergism ; Female ; Humidity ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Inhalation ; Insulin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Male ; Powders ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Taurocholic Acid ; pharmacology

0.05).Conclusions The higher level of SEB-specific IgM and IgE in AD and eczema indi cates the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus,which participates in the exace rbation of allergic inflammation,is involved in the pathogenesis of AD and ecz ema.

AIMTo determine the protective effect of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) in inhalant form on experimental respiratory tract infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae in mice.

METHODSMice were infected with the method of nasal intubation drip. During infection, mice were given rhIL-2 by sc injection and the method of nasal intubation drip. There were normal group, vehicle group, model group, rhIL-2 groups and gentamicin group. In the end, the pathological changes in the lung were observed. The survival time and the mortality within a week of each group were recorded. The total protein content, the albumin content, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the activity of lactic dehydrogenase of broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were dertermined and compared.

RESULTSSymptoms of Klebsiella pneumoniae were remarkably relieved because of rhIL-2 administration. The total protein content, the albumin content, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and the activity of lactic dehydrogenase of BALF were less than those in the vehicle group and the model group.

CONCLUSIONInhalation of rhIL-2 can alleviate the pathological changes in the lung after infection. At the same dose, it could be seen that the effect of rhIL-2 in inhalant form was better than that of the injection.

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Female ; Interleukin-2 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Klebsiella Infections ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Lung ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

AIMTo observe the characteristics of vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) of guinea pigs during eccentric sinusoidal rotation in different frequencies and radius, and compare them with that during axis rotation, obtain the parameters which reflect otolith functions, and provide experimental evidence for the establishment of otolith function test.

METHODSGuinea pigs were placed in axis of rotation and in an heading out eccentric position apart from rotation axis of 330 mm, 660 mm and 990 mm respectively, their VOR were recorded and compared under stimulus of sinusoidal rotations in the frequencies of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 Hz with the peak velocity of 60 degrees/s in each position.

RESULTSBoth frequency and eccentric radius had significant effects on the VOR gain, it increased with the increase of frequencies and radius. The largest increase of the gain occurred at the frequencies of 0.3 and 0.4Hz, and no significant changes were observed above these frequencies.

CONCLUSIONEnhancement ratio (ER) of VOR gain can reflect the extent of its increase with radius, and can be used as an index of otolith function, the stimulus profile of eccentric rotation at frequency of 0.4Hz and radius of 990mm is recommended as the stimulus profile for the otolith function test.

Animals ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; physiology ; Rotation

OBJECTIVETo explore new methods to repair postburn contracture deformities in patients with extremely limited donor skin.

METHODSFive severely burned patients with extremely limited donor skin but severe deformities were enrolled in the study. The mature and the pliable scarred skin was utilized as the donor site for reconstruction of the postburn deformities. Split-thickness scarred skin was harvested for repair of postburn deformities after the scarred skin was expanded by expander, while thin razor-thin scarred skin with allo-acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was employed for the repair of postburn deformities when skin expansion was not feasible.

RESULTSAll the expanded scarred skin and composite skin grafts survived completely with good function and configuration. The long-term follow-up result was satisfactory, and the grafted skin was similar to that with split-thickness skin grafting.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to employ various split-thickness scarred skin for the reconstruction of postburn deformities. This technique is a new effective procedure for the reconstruction of postburn deformities, especially for those with extreme scarcity of donor site.

Adult ; Burns ; pathology ; surgery ; Cicatrix ; pathology ; Contracture ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo formulate recommendations in the evaluation of results of genetic analyses in paternity testing under considering mutations.

METHODSA total of 15 short tandem repeat(STR) loci were employed for this study, which were included CSF1PO, FGA, TH01, TPOX, VWA, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D21S11, PentaD and PentaE. Both 100 cases of true trio and 100 cases of false trio were investigated.

RESULTSThe numbers of mismatch alleles in different STR loci were observed in 100 cases of false trio. The different distributions of paternity index were obtained, including the changes of paternity index in each case of true trio under simulated mutations.

CONCLUSIONIn order to avoid the effect of mutations, the exclusion of paternity was never considered on the basis of a single locus. The threshold values of the combined probability of exclusion and the paternity index were important for both exclusion and inclusion of paternity. The scientific evidence for paternity testing can be obtained when both the combined probability of exclusion and the paternity index meet the threshold values. However, when either the combined probability of exclusion or the paternity index can not meet the threshold values, more genetic markers should be added.

Female ; Forensic Genetics ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Mutation ; Nuclear Family ; Paternity ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features and mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene among children with classical Rett syndrome in China.

METHODSPCR and direct sequencing were employed to analyze the three exons of MECP2 gene in 9 children recently diagnosed with Rett syndrome and their parents.

RESULTSHeterozygous mutations were identified in 5 out of 9 patients, with a mutation rate of over 50%; there was one case of insert mutation (c.913insT) and 4 cases of missense mutation (exon 3: c.316C>T (R106W); exon 4: c.502C>T (R168X), c.808C>T (R270X), and c.1126C>T (P376S). A new mutation (c.913insT) was found. No mutations were detected in their parents. Two patients had MECP2 mutations in the transcriptional repression domain (TRD). They had almost lost language functions and were found to have significantly delayed development compared with other patients.

CONCLUSIONSMutations in MECP2 gene were detected in 5 confirmed cases of Rett syndrome, and most of them were on exon 4. Mutations in the TRD of MECP2 protein may affect the language ability and development in children with Rett syndrome.

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Language Development ; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 ; genetics ; Mutation ; Rett Syndrome ; genetics ; psychology

Depression is a major mood disorder. Abnormal expression of glial glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) is associated with depression. Schisantherin B (STB) is one bioactive of lignans isolated from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill which has been commonly used as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. This paper was designed to investigate the effects of STB on depressive mice induced by forced swimming test (FST). Additionally, we also assessed the impairment of FST on cognitive function in mice with different ages. FST and open field test (OFT) were used for assessing depressive symptoms, and Y-maze was used for evaluating cognition processes. Our study showed that STB acting as an antidepressant, which increased GLT-1 levels by promoting PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Although the damage is reversible, short-term learning and memory impairment caused by FST test is more serious in the aged mice, and STB also exerts cognition improvement ability in the meanwhile. Our findings suggested that STB might be a promising therapeutic agent of depression by regulating the GLT-1 restoration as well as activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
Animals ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Depression ; Glutamic Acid ; Herbal Medicine ; Learning ; Lignans ; Memory ; Mice ; Mood Disorders ; Physical Exertion ; Schisandra

Objective To explore the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the phenotypes of photo-aging fibroblasts.Methods A photoaging cell model by repeating UVB irradiation was treated using appropriate concentration of PRP;Cell morphology and the rate of aging dying were observed under inverted microscope 24 hours later after establishment of the cell model;The expression of ROS between experimental and control group was detected using fluorescence microscope after single UVB irradiation.The relative intensity of fluorescence was analyzed using flow cytometry.Results PRP could ameliorate the large and sprawl appearance of photoaging fibroblasts obviously,reduce the generation of ROS as well as decrease the relative intensity of ROS.Conclusions PRP can decrease the level of intracellular oxidative stress caused by UVB irradiation,reduce the generation of ROS and ameliorate the senescence-like phenotypes of pho toaging fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence, current treatment, and clinical characteristics of asthma, as well as the risk factors for this disease, among children aged 0-14 years in 2010 in urban Zhongshan, China.

METHODSA total of 10 336 children aged 0-14 years were selected from urban Zhongshan by cluster random sampling. The Third National Childhood Asthma Epidemiological Questionnaire 2010 was used to analyze the prevalence, current treatment, and clinical characteristics of childhood asthma, as well as the risk factors for this disease.

RESULTSAsthma was diagnosed in 179 cases (1.73%). The prevalence of asthma in male children was significantly higher than that in female children (2.25% vs 1.16%; P<0.01). Of the 179 patients, severe attacks were common in 104 cases (58.1%), 110 cases (61.5%) had slow onset, 102 cases (57.0%) had gradually relieved conditions, 61 cases (34.1%) suffered from asthma during seasonal transition, and 150 cases (83.8%) developed asthma due to respiratory tract infection. Among all asthmatic children, 71.5% had been treated with inhaled corticosteroids, and 71.5% had been treated with bronchodilator. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a history of penicillin allergy, a family history of allergy, food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinitis, cesarean delivery, family mould, and perinatal passive smoking were independent risk factors for childhood asthma.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of childhood asthma in urban Zhongshan is on a high level, and is associated with gender. The treatment of asthma has been standardized, but still needs further improvement. The onset of asthma attack is influenced by various factors.

Adolescent ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Time Factors