Aim: To develop a new preparation consisting of colon adhesive pellets of sodium 4-amino salicylate for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, and to characterize the adhesive of the prepared pellets. Methods: Centrifu-gation-granulation was used to prepare sodium 4-amino salicylate pellets into which HPMC K4M and Carbomer 934P as matrix were incorporated. The pellets were coated with Surlease~((R)), and filled into enteric-coated cap-sules. The release of sodium 4-amino salicylate from the pellets was evaluated in the pH 7. 4 buffer. The adhesive property of the pellets was characterized by evaluating the transit rate of the pellets in the rat intestine in vivo, and by determing the remaining( %) of the pellets in the isolated rat colonic segment in vitro. The adhesive of the pel-lets in vivo was also verified by X-rays. Results: It was shown that the resultant pellets of round shape, good uni-formity in size, and favorable rigidity possessed the colon-adhesive and sustained-release properties. Conclusion:The simple, economical and practical approach was sucessfully utilized in the preparation of sodium 4-amino sa-licylate pellets with the remarked colonic adhesion and targeting.

Objective To observe the effect of external use of Curcuma oil on the hyperplasia of mammary glands in rats and explore the mechanism. Methods Sixty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into following groups:normal con-trol group, model control group, Sanjierubi plaster group, low-, medium- and high-dose curcuma oil emulsion groups ( n=10 each).The models of hyperplasia of mammary glands were established by intramuscular injection of estradiol benzoate and proges-terone into the medial part of the rat hind limb.Different doses of medicines were given for 4 consecutive weeks.Enzyme-linked im-munosorbent assay, HE staining and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the action mechanism of curcuma oil emulsion against mammary gland hyperplasia. Results Curcuma oil emulsion had preventive and therapeutic effects on the hyperplasia of mammary glands.The diameter of breasts was significantly reduced, the body weight restored, serum estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone and prolactin levels profoundly decreased, progesterone, testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels markedly increased and the number and diameter of lobular acini obviously reduced in high-dose curcuma oil emulsion group when compared with those in model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion Curcuma oil emulsion can remarkably improve the disturb-ance of serum hormones and inhibit the occurrence of hyperplasia of mammary glands.

Objective To evaluate application of Steinmenn pins to assist reduction in the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric fractures with proximal femoral nail antirotation(PFNA).Methods From February 2010 to June 2013,38 unstable intertrochanteric fractures were treated by us.There were 23 men and 15 women,aged from 32 to 69 years.By Evans-Jensen classification,18 cases were type Ⅲ,13 type Ⅳ and 7 type Ⅴ.They were divided into 2 groups (n =19).Group A received reduction on a traction bed assisted by Steinmenn pins plus PFNA fixation while group B received reduction only on a traction bed plus PFNA fixation.The 2 groups were compared in terms of fracture reduction,operation time,intro-operative blood loss,fracture healing time,and Harris scores one year postoperation.Results According to the evaluation system modified by Baumgaetner et al.,the postoperative quality of fracture reduction was fine in 15 cases and fair in 4 in group A while it was fine in 9 cases,fair in 8 and poor in 2 in group B,showing a significant difference between the 2 groups (P ＜ 0.05).The operation time in group A (50.7 ± 11.9 min) was significantly shorter than in group B (63.4 ± 15.1 min),and the hip joint Harris score (89.4 ±4.4) one year after operation for group A was significantly higher than that for group B (79.6 ±6.4) (P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding intraoperative blood loss,fracture heeling time and follow-up time (P ＞ 0.05).No cases of refracture,delayed union,nonunion,or avascular necrosis of the femoral head were reported.Conclusion In the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric fractures,compared with reduction only on a traction bed plus PFNA fixation,application of Steinmenn pins to assist reduction on a traction bed plus PFNA fixation may lead to better curative efficacy due to its limited invasion,simplicity and beneficial assistance in reduction.

Objective To explore the functional connectivity characteristics and intensity of brain network in depression at rest.Methods Patients with major depressive disorder(MDD)and healthy controls(HCs)underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.The total brain degree centrality(DC)of the two groups was calculated to assess the functional connection strength.Support vector machine(SVM)method was used to investigate whether abnormal DC value can recognize MDD.Results A total of 26 patients and 37 controls were included in the analysis.Compared to HCs,MDD group showed decreased DC value in the left middle frontal gyrus(t=-4.98,P＜0.05,GRF corrected)and increased DC value in the right middle temporal gyrus(t=5.02,P＜0.05,GRF corrected),right parahippocampal gyrus(t=4.80,P＜0.05,GRF corrected),and right posterior cerebellar gyrus(t=4.98,P＜0.05,GRF corrected).Additionally,no significant correlations were found between abnormal DC values and clinical variables(i.e.,17-item Hamilton depression scale and Beck depression scale scores)in MDD group(P＞0.05).SVM analysis showed that decreased DC value in the left middle frontal gyrus might be used to distinguish MDD group from HCs with an accuracy of 84.13%,a specificity of 81.08%,and a sensitivity of 88.46%,the area under the operational characteristic curve is 0.87.Conclusions Altered DC values in the left middle frontal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus,right parahippocampal gyrus,right posterior cerebellum may contribute to the pathophysiology of MDD.The change of functional connection strength of the left medial frontal gyrus may be helpful for the recognition of MDD.

Objective:To study the changes in long non-coding RNA C2dat1 expression in kidney tissues of rats at different stages of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its relationship with renal interstitial fibrosis.Methods:Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into two groups with 24 rats in each group: control group and DKD group. The rats in the control group were fed with ordinary diet, while those in the DKD group were fed with high-fat diet and drank water freely. After eight weeks of feeding, the rats were fasted for 12 h with free access to water. Then, the DKD group was given a one-time intrabitoneal injection of streptozotocin and the control group was given an equal dose of sodium citrate buffer. After 72 h, the random peripheral blood glucose concentration (≥ 16.7 mmol/L for three consecutive days) and urine sugar (positive) were tested to assess the establishment of the diabetes model. Urine, blood and kidney samples were collected at 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks. The urinary protein excretion rate within 24 h, urinary creatinine and serum total cholesterol were measured by automatic biochemical apparatus. Pathological changes in kidney tissues were observed by HE staining. The expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ delta (CaMK2D), p65, p50, α-SMA and E-cardherin was detected by immunohistochemistry. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of lncRNA C2dat1 and CaMK2D. The relationship of lncRNA C2dat1 with α-SMA, E-cardherin and CaMK2D was analyzed by correlation analysis. In in vitro experiment, renal tubular epithelial cells HK-2 were induced by high glucose. The expression of lncRNA C2dat1 and CaMK2D in HK-2 cells was detected by qPCR after 24, 48 and 72 h of intervention. Results:The rats in the DKD group showed typical symptoms such as polydipsia, polyphagia, significant weight loss and increased blood glucose as compared with the rats in the control group. Results of the biochemical tests revealed that compared with the control group, the DKD group had increased 24 h excretion rate of urinary protein, decreased urinary creatinine and up-regulated total cholesterol. HE staining showed that the rats in the control group had intact glomeruli, normal basement membrane and no mesangial hyperplasia or inflammatory cell infiltration. However, enlarged glomeruli and evenly thickened basement membrane were observed in the DKD group. Immunohistochemistry indicated that the expression of CaMK2D, p50 and α-SMA was higher in the DKD group than in the control group, while the expression of E-cardherin was lower in the DKD group. qPCR results showed that the expression of lncRNA C2dat1 and CaMK2D at mRNA level was higher in the DKD group than in the control group. In in vitro experiment, the expression of lncRNA C2dat1 and CaMK2D at mRNA level was also higher in HK-2 cells induced by high glucose than in the control group. Correlation analysis indicated that lncRNA C2dat1 was positively correlated with α-SMA and CaMK2D, but negatively correlated with E-cardherin. Conclusions:During the progression of DKD, the high expression of lncRNA C2dat1 might promote diabetic renal interstitial fibrosis by regulating the expression of CaMK2D to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the changes of whole brain white matter ( WM) structural net-work topological property in patients with schizophrenia (SP) and the associations between WM networks to-pological efficiency and clinical variables in patients. Methods Deterministic tractography was used to con-struct the WM networks of 59 patients with SP ( patients group) and 41 age-, handedness-, and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs),and graph theoretical methods were applied to investigate abnormalities in the global and nodal properties of the WM network in these patients. Partial correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between global and nodal properties of the WM network and clinical variables in pa-tients with SP. Results Both the patients with SP and HCs showed small-world organization of the WM net-works. However,compared with HCs,the patients with SP exhibited significant abnormal global topology,in-cluding increased shortest path length ( t=7. 95, P=0. 0001) and decreased global efficiency ( 30. 83 ± 16. 08,8. 25±6. 13,t=-9. 81,P=0. 002),clustering coefficiency (0. 03±0. 01,0. 02±0. 01,t=-4. 48,P=0. 0003),the average clustering coefficiency (t=-8. 28,P=0. 002),the small-worldness (3. 92±0. 79,2. 79 ±0. 56,t=-7. 82,P=0. 001) of their WM structural networks(all P<0. 005,FDR corrected). Further,the patients with SP showed a reduction in nodal efficiency predominately in the cingulate gyrus ( t=-4. 11, P=0. 000),superior occipital gyrus ( t=-6. 05, P=0. 002), superior temporal gyrus ( t=-10. 46, P=0. 001),middle temporal gyrus (t=-10. 38,P=0. 000),thalamus (t=-6. 10,P=0. 000) and putamen ( t=-8. 38,P=0. 000) (P<0. 005,FDR corrected). Partial correlation results showed that there was no signifi-cant correlation between global topological properties,node efficiency and clinical symptoms in patients group (Eglob:r=-0. 14,P=0. 279;Eloc:r=-0. 06,P=0. 628;Lp:r=0. 28,P=0. 031;Cp:r=0. 27,P=0. 043;λ:r=-0. 18,P=0. 166;γ:r=-0. 29,P=0. 026;σ:r=0. 26,P=0. 048;nEglob:r=0. 36,P=0. 005;nEloc:r=0. 02,P=0. 901). Conclusions The patients with SP exhibit the abnormal of whole brain WM structural network topological property and the node efficiencies of cortico-striato-thalamo circuitry are significantly re-duced.

Objective To investigate the effect of 1, 25-(OH)₂-VitD3 (VitD3) on renal tubuleinterstitial fibrosis in diabetic kidney disease. Methods NRK-52E renal tubular epithelial cells were divided into control group (5.5 mmol/L glucose medium treatment), high glucose group (25 mmol/L glucose medium treatment) and high glucose with added VitD3 group (25 mmol/L glucose medium combined with 10^-8 mmol/L VitD3). The mRNA and protein expression of Snail1, SMAD3, SMAD4, α-SMA and E-cadherin in NRK-52E cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis respectively. The expression and localization of Snail1, SMAD3 and SMAD4 were detected by immunofluorescence cytochemical staining. The binding of Snail1 with SMAD3/SMAD4 complex to the promoter of Coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation. The interaction among Snail1, SMAD3/SMAD4 and E-cadherin were detected by luciferase assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to inhibit the expression of Snail1 and SMAD4, and the expression of mRNA of E-cadherin was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. SD rats were randomly divided into control group, DKD group and VitD3-treated group. DKD model was established by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in DKD group and VitD3-treated group. After DKD modeling, VitD3-treated group was given VitD3 (60 ng/kg) intragastric administration. Control group and DKD group were given normal saline intragastric administration. In the DKD group and VitD3-treated group, insulin (1-2 U/kg) was injected subcutaneously to control blood glucose for 8 weeks. The mRNA and protein levels of Snail1, SMAD3, SMAD4, α-SMA and E-cadherin in renal tissues were detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression and localization of Snail1, SMAD3, SMAD4, α-SMA and E-cadherin in renal tissue. Results Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expressions of Snail1, SMAD3, SMAD4 and α-SMA in NRK-52E cells cultured with high glucose and in DKD renal tissues were up-regulated, while E-cadherin expression was down-regulated. After the intervention of VitD3, the expression levels of Snail1, SMAD3, SMAD4, α-SMA and E-cadherin in the DKD model improved to be close to those in the control group. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that Snail1 and SMAD3/SMAD4 bound to CAR promoter IV, while VitD3 prevented Snail1 and SMAD3/SMAD4 from binding to CAR promoter IV. Luciferase assay confirmed the interaction among Snail1, SMAD3/SMAD4 and E-cadherin. After the mRNA of Snail1 and SMAD4 was inhibited by siRNA, the expression of E-cadherin induced by high glucose was up-regulated. Conclusion VitD3 could inhibit the formation of Snail1-SMAD3/SMAD4 complex and alleviate the renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in DKD.
Animals ; Rats ; Cadherins/genetics* ; Diabetes Mellitus/pathology* ; Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Fibrosis/pathology* ; Glucose/pharmacology* ; Kidney/pathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Vitamin D/pharmacology*