Objective To evaluate the CT and MRI characteristics of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma(PCNSL)in immunocompetent patients,and enhance its diagnosis level.Methods CT and MRI data of 20 patients with PCNSL confirmed by histo-pathology were analyzed retrospectively.MRI scans were performed with and without Gadolinium contrast.Two of them had contrast-enhanced CT scan;six had CT scan without contrast administration;1 had CT scan with both non-contrast and contrast enhancement.Re- suits Totally,38 lesions were found in all patients:14 lesions of them were single and 24 lesions were found in 6 patients.Generally,the lesions were located in the surface and/or midline of the brain.The signal features and density were similar to meningioma,and strongly enhancing after contrast administration.Thirty-six of the 38 lesions had spicular sign peripheral to the lesion.Conclusion Although the manifestations of the PCNSL are variety,there are still many characteristics in the medical imaging,especially in the locations,the signal features,and spicular sign in the edge of the lesions after contrast material injection.

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristic of the fMRI brain map in patients undergoing needling at Zusanli (ST36) by reinforcing method for exploring the essence of Meridian-Collaterals and the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating diseases.

METHODSTwenty-six healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups by double blinded method, 16 in the acupoint group and 10 in the non-acupoint group. Using GE Signa 1. 5 T superconducting MRI system, the fMRI was performed with Gradient echo-EPI sequence. Post-processing of fMRI data was performed using the Functool software (GE-ADW4.0) to generate positive correlation coefficient brain functional activating images and the data was analyzed statistically using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSBrain functional area was elicited in 13 out of the 15 patients in the acupoint group and 10 in the non-acupoint group. Among them, the temporal elicited area in the acupoint group showed specificity (Fisher's Exact test, P = 0.022) and only the difference in contralateral hemisphere activation rate was of statistical significance (McNemer test, P = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONAcupoints has its own specific brain activated areas. The therapeutic effect of acupoint might be mediated through brain to treat diseases and regulate functional disorder of organs. There exists special transmission channel of meridian.

Acupuncture ; methods ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; physiology ; Brain Mapping ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male

AIMTo study the pharmacokinetics of spinosin in rat plasma after oral administration of Suanzaoren extract using sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) as internal standard by RP-HPLC method.

METHODSPlasma samples were deproteined with acetonitrile, followed by evaporation of the acetonitrile to dryness. The residual was then resolved in mobile phase and HPLC separation was achieved on a Hypersil C18 (5 microns, 200 mm x 4.6 mm ID) column at 35 degrees C. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (15:85:1) at a flow rate of 0.7 mL.min-1. The UV detection wavelength was set at 334 nm.

RESULTSThe calibration curve was shown to be linear over the range from 18.1 to 903.5 micrograms.L-1 (r2 > or = 0.995). Mean recovery was 94.5%. Within-day and between-day precisions RSD were less than 9.0%. The limit of quantitation was 18.1 micrograms.L-1. The plasma spinosin was stable at -20 degrees C.

CONCLUSIONThe simple, sensitive and accurate HPLC method developed has been applied to determine the pharmacokinetics of spinosin in rat plasma after having taken Suanzaoren extract at a single dose.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Flavonoids ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Ziziphus ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of arecoline on hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats and to elucidate its possible mechanism.

METHODSForty five Wistar rats were fed with high fructose diet for 12 weeks to induce type 2 diabetic rat model. rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8): control group, model group and model group were treated with different dose (0, 0.5, 1, 5 mg/kg) of arecoline. After 4 weeks, the fasting blood glucose, blood lipid and insulin level measured , mRNA expression of liver constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the protein expression of p-AKT and glucose transporter4 (GLUT4) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS1.5 mg/kg arecoline could significantly decrease the level of fasting blood glucose, blood lipid, blood insulin level and liver G6Pase, PEPCK, IL-6, TNF-alpha mRNA level in type 2 diabetes rats. 1.5 mg/kg arecoline also could significantly increase CAR, PXR mRNA level and p-AKT and GLUT4 protein expression.

CONCLUSIONArecoline improved hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats by increasing the mRNA levels of CAR and PXR leading to the creased glucose metabolism and inflammation related genes expression.

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Glucose-6-Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; metabolism ; Receptors, Steroid ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Background Age-related cataract is one of the common causes of blindness.Although the pathophysiology of age-related cataract is far from clearly understood,it is well accepted that DNA damage plays an important role in the disease pathogenesis.Objective The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes of age-related cataract.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out.This study complied Declaration of Helsinki and approved by Ethic Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Two hundred and eleven patients with agerelated cataract and 147 normal subjects were enrolled from a “ Jiangsu Eye Study:Funing 2011 Eye Disease Epidemic Survey”.All the subjects aged from 50 through 80 years with matched age and gender between the two groups.The percentage of tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) were detected by comet assay to assess the extent of DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes.Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 17.0 software,and the differences of the percentage of tail DNA and OTM were compared between the age-related cataract group and normal control group by independent sample t test as well as among the 50-59 years group,60-69 years group and ≥70 years group by one-way analysis of variance.Results Comet assay showed a round lymph cell with the clear border in the normal group;while in the age-related cataract group,the cell was bigger with a comet-like tail.The percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (21.75 ± 3.51) ％ and 6.54 ± 1.65 in the age-related cataract group,and those in the normal control group were (9.31 ±3.60)％ and 2.18 ± 1.10,respectively,with significant differences between them (t =32.67,P =0.00 ; t =28.02,P =O.00).In the 50-59 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.04±2.86) ％ and 5.92± 1.14,and in the 60-69 years subgroup of the age-related cataract group,the percentage of tail DNA and OTM in peripheral lymphocytes were (20.77 ±2.93) ％ and 6.13 ± 1.14,which were significantly reduced in comparison with (22.79 ± 3.67)％ and 6.95±1.91 of the ≥70years subgroup(TailDNA％:q=2.75,P=0.00; q=2.02,P=0.00;OTM:q=1.03,P =0.02 ; q =0.82,P =0.00).Conclusions The pathogenesis and development of age-related cataract probably is associated with DNA damage.

It is a challenging and important project to prolong the in vivo half life of protein and peptide drugs by physicochemical methods without new molecular entities generation. Protein crystallization provides a new strategy for improving the stability and in vivo delivery of these drugs. We show here that recombinant human interferon-alpha (rhIFN) can form spherical crystals. The physical and chemical features of the crystals were characterized, and drug dissolution was determined in vitro. The pharmacokinetics of crystallized interferon after sc injection in rabbit at 1.5 x 10(7) U x kg(-1) was compared to that of soluble form. The crystals were characterized as mono-dispersed spheres, with yield of > 80%, mean diameter size of about 16 microm and crystallinity of 23.2%. The in vitro dissolution behavior of crystallized rhIFN was featured as low initial burst release (21% within the first 2 h) and prolonged cumulative dissolution time up to 72 h without biological potency lost. After sc administration of soluble and crystallized interferon in rabbits, the peak time (T(max)) and half life (t1/2) were prolonged from (1.80 +/- 0.45) h and (1.35 +/- 0.35) h to (13.20 +/- 2.68) h and (10.68 +/- 1.97) h, respectively. The corresponding peak concentration decreased from (1 411.10 +/- 575.28) U x mL(-1) to (721.37 +/- 206.55) U x mL(-1). PK/PD analysis indicated that (96.87 +/- 20.30) % of relative bioavailability was obtained. The research results of this work will provide important academic value and application prospect for improving clinical therapeutic effect and development of biomacromolecules delivery system for protein and peptide drugs.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Biological Availability ; Crystallization ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Solubility ; Surface Properties

Objective To investigate the effects of Longdan Xiegan Decoction on the expression of Notch signaling-related genes in rats with experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU).Methods Totally 24 Lewis rats were randomly divided into normal control group,EAU model group and Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group.A rat model of EAU was established in the EAU model group and Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group,followed by intragastrical administration of Longdan Xiegan Decoction in the latter group after successful modeling.On day 12 after different treatments,the spleen and lymph nodes were isolated from rats of all the three groups for the collection of CD4 + T ceils,and the levels of both Th17 and Treg cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to calculate the ratio of Th17 to Treg cells.Meanwhile the levels of Notch1,Notch2,Notch3,Notch4 mRNAs expression were monitored by qRT-PCR.Moreover,the expressions of Notch signaling-related proteins were further detected using ELISA technique.Results Flow cytometry showed increased Th17 cell level but decreased Treg cell level in the EAU model group when compared with the normal control group.However,after treatment with Longdan Xiegan Decoction,the Th17 level was decreased,whereas the Treg level was increased,and the ratio of Th17 to Treg gradually restored to equilibrium when compared to EAU model group.qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of Notch1,Notch2 and Notch4 mRNAs in Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group (all P ＜ 0.01),but lower than those in EAU model group on day 12 after treatment (all P ＜ 0.01),without Notch 3 expression in the spleen and lymph nodes.In addition,Notch 1,Notch 2 and Notch 4 protein levels of the spleen and lymph nodes in Longdan Xiegan Decoction treatment group showed the similar tendency as compared to those of Notch 1,Notch 2 and Notch 4 mRNAs (all P ＜ 0.01),and the expression of Notch 3 protein was still not observed.Conclusion Longdan Xiegan Decoction can effectively relieve the imbalance of Th17/Treg cells in EAU rats,and its mechanism may involve the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into Th17 and Treg cells,which is regulated by Notch signaling.

Objective To investigate the regulatory roles of rno-miR-30b-5p in the expression of Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 autophagy genes and their expressions in rats with experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU).Methods Application of dual luciferase report system was conducted to detect the regulatory roles of rno-miR-30b-5p in Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 gene expression.Lewis rats were randomly divided into control group and EAU group,with 6 rats in each group.Next,rats in EAU group were immunized to establish EAU model.After treatments,Genesis-D fundus camera was used to observe the fundus inflammation every day.After immunization for 12 days,the pathological features of rat ciliary body and retina were detected,and meanwhile,the spleen and lymph nodes in both groups were isolated to detect the expressions of rno-miR-30b-5p,Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 genes by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR);the levels of autophagy related proteins were determined by ELISA.Results Dual luciferase report gene expression assay confirmed that Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 were target genes of rno-miR-30b-5p.Twelve days after immunization,compared with the control group,rats in the EAU group had severe iris adhesions and severe blood vessel swelling,and pathological examination revealed massive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ciliary body and retina.Furthermore,rno-miR-30b-5p mRNA was 0.46 ±0.01,0.29 ±0.17in the spleen and lymph nodes in EAU group,respectively,which was down-regulated when compared with the control group (P ＜0.01);whereas the expressions of Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 were significantly upregulated,and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).ELISA results showed that Atg5,Atg 12 and Becn 1 protein expression levels in the spleen and lymph nodes in EAU rats were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion rno-miR-30b-5p can regulate the expressions of Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 autophagy-related genes.The down-regulation of rno-miR-30b-5p expression in the spleen and lymph nodes in EAU rats can significantly up-regulate the expressions of Atg5,Atg12 and Becn1 genes,thereby regulating the pathogenesis of uveitis.

AIMTo evaluate the similarity between two chromatographic fingerprints automatically with computer.

METHODSChromatogram can be treated as vector of hyperspace, and the similarity between them can be counted according to vectorial angle formula. This process was performed with software written in Visual Basic 6.0. The two main functions of this software are automatic peak tracking in two fingerprints under the same analytic condition and computing the similarity automatically.

RESULTSThe HPLC fingerprints of eleven kinds of Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth (a traditional Chinese herb) from different sources were obtained and the similarities were calculated with this software. This method was shown to be a good way to evaluate the similarity between two fingerprints. A sample washed seven times with hot water can be clearly discriminated from other samples of Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth with similar results.

CONCLUSIONThis method is a good way to evaluate the similarity between two fingerprints and is helpful in quality control of traditional Chinese medicine.

Evodia ; chemistry ; classification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Software Design

AIMTo prepare heart-protecting musk pH-dependent gradient-release pellets and investigate the drug release in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSThe pH-dependent gradient-release pellet system was prepared by using HPMC, Eudragit L-30D-55 and Eudragit L100-Eudragit S100 (1:5) combinations as coater. The release of borneol and total ginsenoside from pH-dependent gradient-release pellets were determined according to the method of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2000) in the simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. The gastrointestinal transit and disintegration of pellets was investigated by using gamma-scintigraphic trace in volunteers. The pharmacokinetics of borneol of heart-protecting musk pH-dependent gradient-release pellets was studied in 6 healthy volunteers by GC methods.

RESULTSThe f2 value of release data of borneol and total ginsenoside of the heart-protecting musk pH-dependent gradient-release pellets was 79.6 in the simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions. The gamma-scintigraphic trace evaluation demonstrated that the pellets coated with HPMC, Eudragit L-30D-55 or Eudragit L100-Eudragit S100 (1:5) combinations can disintegrate in stomach, duodenum and jejunum or ileum. The gastrointestinal transit time of pellets was about 5 hours in fasted state and about 6 hours in fed state. The concentration-time curves of borneol of heart-protecting musk pills fit in two-compartment model. The pharmacokinetics data showed that borneol had a short time of absorption and elimination. The mean residence time (MRT) of borneol of heart-protecting musk pills was 2.61 hours. The plasma concentration of borneol of heart-protecting musk sustained-release capsule which consisted of three kinds of pellets coated with HPMC, Eudragit L-30D-55 or Eudragit L100-Eudragit S100 (1:5) combinations was steadier than those of heart-protecting musk pills, its Cmax was lower than and Tmax was near to those of heart-protecting musk pills, its MRT was 4.0 hours, and its relative bioavailability was 96%.

CONCLUSIONThe lipidsoluble borneol and watersoluble total ginsenoside of heart-protecting musk pH-dependent gradient-release pellets can release simultaneously while sustained-releasing in vitro. The heart-protecting musk pH-dependent gradient-release pellets had the characteristics of pH-dependent gradient-releasing and disintegration while transiting in gastrointestinal tract. A characteristic of gradient sustained-release was shown in the concentration-time curves of borneol of heart-protecting musk sustained-release capsule in volunteers.

Adult ; Bornanes ; pharmacokinetics ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; administration & dosage ; Gastrointestinal Transit ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactose ; analogs & derivatives ; Male ; Materia Medica ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Methylcellulose ; analogs & derivatives ; Oxazines ; Polymethacrylic Acids ; Random Allocation