Objective To test the reliability and validity of self-management instrument for person with schizophrenia.Methods The instrument was psychometrically tested by using 396 people with schizophrenia among 8 mental health service centers in Beijing.The instrument was test by internal consistency analysis,test-retest reliability,exploratory factor analysis,confirmed factor analysis,known-groups validity.Results The Cronbach α coefficient of instrument was 0.96,Pearson coefficient was 0.791.Factor analysis of the instrument resulted in six factors:medication compliance,medication management,symptom management,maintain daily life and social functioning,manage health recourse and support,and self-efficacy.The six-factor solution accounted for 61.70％ of the total variance.The results also showed that the newly developed instrument was positively correlated with PIH.The results also demonstrated that the instrument could discriminate patients' self-management ability according to their living status,work status,education background,and financial burden.Conclusion The newly developed instrument has adequate psychometric properties and may be useful in intervention program and assessing self-management in individuals with schizophrenia.

In the face of escalating problems with pathogen control, the development of proper formulations of existing antibiotics is as important as the development of novel antibiotics. Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic with potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Currently, only injectable solution of daptomycin has been approved for clinical use. In the present study, the formulation of PEGylated liposomal daptomycin (PLD) was prepared and optimized, and its efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA252) strains was investigated. The obtained PLD had a mean vesicle diameter of (111.5 +/- 15.4) nm and a mean percent drug loading of (5.81 +/- 0.19) % with high storage stability. Potent activity of PLD against MRSA was demonstrated in vitro with a more sustained effect than that of conventional liposomal daptomycin and daptomycin solution. In addition, intravenous administration of a single dose (equal to human use) of PLD significantly increased the survival of mice in a MRSA252 systemic infection model compared with other formulations. Drug distribution in the lung was significantly enhanced following administration of PLD, and no measurable tissue lesions or pathological changes were detected during PLD treatment. Taken together, PEGylated liposomes loaded with daptomycin may represent a promising approach to reduce MRSA252 infections, especially those involving bloodstream dissemination, such as hematogenous pulmonary infection.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Daptomycin ; pharmacology ; Liposomes ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; Mice ; Staphylococcal Infections ; drug therapy

Objective To study the clinical significance of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) positive lesions in transient ischemic attacks (TIA) patients,TIA patients with fully reversible lesions were compared with the other patients for investigating the predictive value of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) for distinguishing between TIA and stroke.Methods Fifty-seven patients hospitalized with TIA at Department of Neurology,Central Hospital of Baotou August 2009 to June 2011 were identified.All patients had brain magnetic resonance imaging within 24 h after onset,then they were divided into DWI positive group and negative group.A follow-up MR imaging or CT was available in patients of DWI positive group.According to MRI or CT,patients were divided into TIA group and cerebral infarction (CI) group.Clinical features and DWI Imaging were compared between the two groups.For each lesion,the quantitative parameters on initial DWI (ADC) were recorded,and comparisons between reversible and irreversible lesions were performed.Results The ADC values were (630.4 ±25.9) × 10-3 mm2/s in lesions with TIA and (495.2 ±60.0) x 10-3 mm2/s with brain infaction (t =6.669,P =0.000).The relative ADC ratio values were lower (62.6％ ±7.4％ vs 82.1％ ±5.6％,t =7.013,P =0.000) in lesions with subsequent infarct than in those that were fully reversible.Conclusions ADC values are moderately decreased in DWI lesions from TIA patients,while ADC values are significantly decreased in CI group.It is useful to early distinguish TIA from CI by comparing ADC and rADC values.

In this study, we developed a novel liposome-silica hybrid nano-carrier for tumor combination therapy via oral route, using paclitaxel and cyclosporine as a model drug pair. Optimization of the preparation of the drug-loading formulation and characterization of its physicochemical parameters and drug release profile were performed in vitro. Then in vivo pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics studies were performed. The results showed that the obtained formulation has a small particle size (mean diameter of 100.2 +/- 15.2 nm), a homogeneous distribution [the polydispersity index was (0.251 +/- 0.018)] and high encapsulation efficiency (90.15 +/- 2.47) % and (80.64 +/- 3.52) % for paclitaxel and cyclosporine respectively with a mild and easy preparation process. A sequential drug release trend of cyclosporine prior to palictaxel was observed. The liposome-silica hybrid nano-carrier showed good biocompatibility in vivo and co-delivery of cyclosporine and paclitaxel significantly enhanced the oral absorption of paclitaxel with improved anti-tumor efficacy, suggesting a promising approach for multi-drug therapy against tumor and other serious diseases via oral route.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Biological Availability ; Cyclosporine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Female ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Particle Size ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sarcoma 180 ; pathology ; Silicon Dioxide ; chemistry ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the effect of mild hypothermia on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NGCs) in hippocampal subgranular zone after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the underlying mechanism.Methods SD rats were divided into sham-injured group (only left dura mater exposed),hypothermia group (sham injury + mild hypothermia therapy for 72 hours),TBI group (unilateral fluid percussion was used to generate severe TBI),and TBI + hypothermia group (TBI + mild hypothermia therapy for 72 hours) according to the random number table,with 8 rats per group.Hippocampal homogenates or brain tissues were harvested after BrdU (100 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to rats once a day for 7 days postTBI.Expressions of BrdU and double cortin in hippocampal subgranular zone were respectively detected by immunohistochemical or immunofiuorescence staining.Level of Sirt1 (silence information regulatory proteins,Sirt1) in hippocampus was detected by Western blot.Results BrdU-and double cortin-positive cells in rat hippocampal subgranular zone greatly increased at 7 days after TBI in comparison with sham-injured group (P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,BrdU and double cortin in rat hippocampal subgranular zone in TBI + hypothermia group was significantly higherthan that in TBI group [(257.4 ± 34.3) vs (196.4 ± 23.8) ; (346.4 ± 42.2) vs (245.7 ± 33.2),P ＜0.01].Moreover,mild hypothermia reversed TBI-induced over-expression of Sirt1 [(0.62 ± 0.075) vs(1.18 ± 0.11),P ＜ 0.01].Conclusion Mild hypothermia therapy can promote proliferation andneuronal differentiation of NSCs in hippocampal subgranular zone after TBI and the possible mechanismmay relate to the inhibition of over-expression of Sia1.

Objective To investigate the effect of silence regulatory protein 1 (Sirt1) on axonal outgrowth. Methods The hippocampal neurons was first isolated in vitro from rat embryos. The distribution and expression of Sirt1 were then detected 72 h later. The down-regulation of Sirt1 was induced by RNAi technology and up-regulation of Sirt1 was in-duced by overexpression of Sirt1 and resveratrol (RES). Immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the axon length. Results Immunofluorescence staining showed that Sirt 1 was located in neuronal cell body and neurite, especially in the distal axons. Down-regulation of Sirt1 significantly decreased axonal length compared with siRNA control group [(178.3 ± 3.2) μm vs. (110.2 ± 18.30) μm, P< 0.01 ]; Overexpression of Sirt1 significantly increased axonal length com-pared with eGFP control group [(178.3±3.2)μm vs (310.6±39.5)μm, P<0.01 ];Activation of Sirt1 by RES treatment al-so significantly increased axonal length compared with vehicle control group (DMSO treated group) [(291.7±13.2)μm vs. (525.1±49.1)μm, P<0.01 ]. Conclusions Sirt1 plays a key role in axonal growth which may be used as a potential thera-peutic target of axon regeneration.

Objective To investigate the effect of the overexpression of NeuroD1 on mediating transdifferentiation of spinal reactive astrocytes into neurons. Methods Spinal cord astrocytes were cultured from the SD rat, and reactive astrocytes were prepared by scratches treatment. Cells were divided into blank groups (NV group), control virus group (GFP group) and NeuroD1 virus group (NeuroD1 group). At 7 d after scratches treatment, GFP and NeuroD1 groups were infected with retroviruses carrying the GFP gene and and GFP gene plus NeuroD1 gene, respectively,whereas NV group was not infected with the virus. Twenty-four hours late, the culture medium were replaced by neuron conditioned medi?um. Cell morphology was examined at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 14 d. DCX positive and NeuN positive cells were detected at 7 d and 14 d after infection by using immunofluorescence staining method, respectively. Results After replacement with the neuron conditioned medium, the nucleus was obviously plump, the cytoplasm was thin and neurites was reduced and ex?tended. Compared with the NeuroD1 group, neurites of NV group and GFP group were shorter with many branches and the nucleus was smaller. At 7 d after infection, cell morphology of NV group and GFP group gradually recovered, but cell morphology of NeuroD1 group did not. Compared with NV group and GFP group, NeuroD1 group had more DCX(9.84 ± 2.06%)and NeuN(8.25±2.78%)positive cells [F values 40.107 for DCX and 21.73 for NeuN (P<0.05)]. Conclusion The overexpression of NeuroD1 can mediate the transdifferentiation of spinal reactive astrocytes into neurons.

AIMTo establish a method for identification of the activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) synthesized by cultured hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSSDS-gelatin polyacrylamide gels electrophoresis was used for the identification of MMPs synthesized by cultured HSC.

RESULTSMMP-2 and MMP-9 in culture medium and HSC were sensitively identified, and MMP-2 activity was higher than MMP-9 in culture medium, the changes of MMPs in culture medium and HSC were also observed after 24h medicine treatment.

CONCLUSIONZymography is suitable for the studies on the role of HSC in the regulation of extracellular matrix turnover.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; methods ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar