In this study, we explored the feasibility of biotin-mediated modified polymeric micelles for pancreatic cancer targeted photodynamic therapy. Poly (ethylene glycol)-distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (mPEG2000-DSPE) served as the drug-loaded material, biotin-poly(ethylene glycol)-distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (Biotin-PEG3400-DSPE) as the functional material and the polymeric micelles were prepared by a thin-film hydration method. The targeting capability of micelles was investigated by cell uptake assay in vitro and fluorescence imaging in vivo and the amounts of Biotin-PEG-DSPE were optimized accordingly. Hypocrellin B (HB), a novel photosensitizer was then encapsulated in biotinylated polymeric micelles and the anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated systemically in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that micelles with 5 mol % Biotin-PEG-DSPE demonstrated the best targeting capability than those with 20 mol % or 0.5 mol % of corresponding materials. This formulation has a small particle size [mean diameter of (36.74 ± 2.16) nm] with a homogeneous distribution and high encapsulation efficiency (80.06 ± 0.19) %. The following pharmacodynamics assays showed that the biotinylated micelles significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of HB against tumor cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo, suggesting a promising potential of this formulation for treatment of pancreatic cancer, especially those poorly permeable, or insensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; Biotin ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Humans ; Micelles ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Photochemotherapy

AIMTo explore the change of number working memory ability in healthy young adults, a continuous 3-back number working memory task were performed for an hour and 12 Blocks according to different COMT genotypes of young adults.

METHODS18 different genotype subjects were chosen from 112 healthy young adults, P3 event-related potentials was utilized to observe the relationship between this COMT polymorphism and cortical physiology in a continuous working memory task.

RESULTSSubjects bearing the Val/Val homozygote had significantly higher mean P3 amplitudes than Val/Met heterozygote (P < 0.01), however, no significant differences in comparison to Met/Met homozygote.

CONCLUSIONVal/Met Heterozygote subjects are associated with the poorest performance of working memory. There is a relationship between COMT genotype and P3 visual event-related potentials evoked from 3-back task.

Adult ; Brain ; enzymology ; physiology ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Event-Related Potentials, P300 ; genetics ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term ; physiology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the mRNA and protein expression levels of interferon(IFN)-?in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),to analyze the relationship between IFN-?and disease activity,and to evaluate the role of IFN-?in the pathogenesis of lupus.Methods SYBR green dyeⅠbased real-time quantatives PCR method was used to compare the mRNA expression levels of IFN-?in the peripheral blood leucocyte of SLE patients and healthy controls.Surum levels of IFN-?were measured with ELISA method.Results IFNA1 mRNA expression level in SLE patients(2.8?3.5)was signifi- cantly lower than that of normal controls(12.7?10.7,P=0.000).There was no significant difference between patients treated with glucocorticoid and those without in the expression level of IFNA1(P=0.549).Serum levels of IFN-?in SLE patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls(P=0.003).The SLEDAI score and anti-dsDNA antibody correlated positively,and complement components C3,C4 and leukocytes correlated negatively with serum concentration of IFN-?.IFN-?level correlated with the presence of fever and rash. Conclusion The close relationship between IFN-?serum level and disease activity in SLE patients suggests that IFN-?might be of importance in the disease process.

The hypertension is one of chronic vascular diseases, which often implicates multiple tissues causing stroke, cardiac hypertrophy, and renal failure. A growing body of evidence suggests that inflammatory mechanisms are important participants in the pathophysiology of hypertension. In this study, the inflammatory status of these tissues (kidney, liver, heart, and brain) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was analyzed and its molecular mechanism was explored. The tissues were dissected from SHR and age-matched control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats to investigate the abundance of inflammation-related mediators (IL-1beta, TNFalpha, ICAM-1, iNOS, C/EBPdelta and PPARgamma). mRNA levels were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and protein expression was evaluated by Western blot. To evaluate the oxidative stress of tissues, carbonyl protein content and total antioxidant capacity of tissues were detected by spectrophotometry and ferric reduction ability power (FRAP) method. The results suggest that: (1) Expressions of inflammation-related mediators (IL-1beta, TNFalpha, ICAM-1, iNOS, C/EBPdelta and PPARgamma) in SHR were higher compared with those in WKY rats except no evident increase of IL-1beta mRNA in liver and brain in SHR. (2) Tissues in SHR contained obviously increased carbonyl protein (nmol/mg protein) compared to that in WKY rats (8.93+/-1.08 vs 2.27+/-0.43 for kidney, 2.23+/-0.23 vs 0.17+/-0.02 for heart, 13.42+/-1.10 vs 5.72+/-1.01 for brain, respectively, P<0.05). However, no evident difference in the amount of carbonyl protein in liver was detected between SHR and WKY rats. (3) Total antioxidant capacities of kidney, liver, heart and brain were markedly lower in SHR than that in WKY rats (P<0.05). Thus, the present data reveal a higher inflammatory status in the important tissues in SHR and indicate that inflammation might play a potential role in pathogenesis of hypertension and secondary organ complications.
Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cytokines ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; pathology ; Inflammation ; pathology ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oxidative Stress ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the cure effects of Jiangu Fufang on osteoporotic model induced by ovariectomy.

METHODRats were ovariectomized and administered drugs for 3 monthes. Bone mineral density and biomechanics properties, histomorphometric analysis and biochemical index such as calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase were detected.

RESULTJiangu Fufang could significantly increase bone density and biomechanics properties. The level of calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase were restored by Jiangu Fufang. Jiangu Fufang could significantly increase area of bone trabecula, thickness of cortical bone and bone trabecula.

CONCLUSIONJiangu Fufang could cure osteoporosis through increasing bone mineral density, improving bone biomechanics properties, and effecting bone metabolism.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Calcium ; blood ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Femur ; physiopathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Phosphorus ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

This paper introduces an EMG multi-gateway analysis diagnosis and information management system. The clinical applications show that this system has higher efficiency and standard report contents, and easy statistical analysis. And it also offers EMG standard figure, normal value data, nerve and muscle select scheme etc, for reference.
Automatic Data Processing ; Computers ; Electromyography ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; methods ; Management Information Systems ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; standards ; Software

Objective To investigate the hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutation in the Enhancer Ⅰ (HBV Enh Ⅰ ) / X-promoter and to analysis the relationship between chronic HBV-related disease spectrum.Methods 275 patients were enrolled in this study,including 100 cases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB),74 cases of liver cirrhosis (LC),101 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),grouping by different HBV genotypes,using semi-nested PCR amplification of HBV Enh Ⅰ / X-promoter and sequencing DNA,the mutations were determined by alignment to HBV reference sequence,the data was compared by x2 test and analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.Results ①Genotyping results:61.48％ (158/257) were infected with HBV genotype B,including 70 cases of CHB,36 cases of LC and 52 cases of HCC;38.52％ (117/257 ) were infected with HBV genotype C,including 30 cases of CHB,38 cases of LC and 49 cases of HCC. ②In the patients were infected with HBV genotype B,A1123Y mutation in LC was significantly higher than in CHB (30.56％ vs.8.58％,x2 =8.533,P =0.005,A =4.693,95％ CI[ 1.567 -14.056 ] ),HCC was significantly higher than in CHB (28.85％ vs.8.58％,x2 =8.607,P =0.003,A =4.324,95％ CI [ 1.544 -12.109]);A1317G mutation in HCC was significantly higher than in CHB (30.77％ vs.7.14％,x2 =11.687,P =0.001,A =5.778,95％ CI[ 1.955 - 17.076] ).In the patients were infected with HBV genotype C,T1323C mutation in HCC was significantly higher than in C HB (30.61％ vs.6.67％,x2 =6.318,P =0.012,A =6.176,95％ CI [ 1.301 - 29.331 ] ).③ Multivariate regression analyses showed that A1317G(OR =5.706,95％ CI[1.770 - 18.837],P =0.004) and T1323C (A =5.810,95％ CI[ 1.114 - 30.306],P =0.037) mutation were risk factors for HCC.Conclusion HBV Enh Ⅰ / X-promoter mutations were associated with the development of LC and HCC,the mutations can help to predict the occurrence of LC and HCC.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of microwave irradiation on the expression and regulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

METHODSNeurons were exposed to 90 mW/cm(2) microwave irradiation for 10 minutes. Western blot was used to determine the expression of HSP27, HSP70, HSP90 and heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hour respectively. Real-time RT-PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of HSF1. DNA-binding activity of HSF1 was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).

RESULTSThe protein expression of HSP27 was significantly increased by 22%, 36%, 18% at 3, 6, 12 h, respectively (P < 0.05). The protein expression of HSP70 was significantly increased by 23%, 32%, 26% at 3, 6, 12 h, respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The protein expression of HSP90 was significantly increased by 27%, 33% at 6, 12 h, respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The DNA-binding activity of HSF1 was stimulated, however, no significant change of the expression of HSF1 was observed on both the mRNA and protein levels.

CONCLUSIONThe transcriptional activity of HSF1 is activated by microwave irradiation, which promotes the expression of HSPs. Heat shock response which contributes to establish a cytoprotective state is induced by microwave irradiation in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo detect the gene mutation of a family with piebaldism.

METHODSDiagnosis of a patient with piebaldism was constructed by pathology, ultrastructural examination and typical clinical-phenotype. Detection of gene mutation was carried out by PCR and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSG 2528A substitution transition in the KIT gene was found in the proband of the family with piebaldism. This mutation resulted in S850N substitution in protein product of KIT gene. No mutation was found in 100 normal individuals and other family members.

CONCLUSIONThe mutation of S850N maybe one cause of clinical phenotype of the family with piebaldism.

Adult ; Base Sequence ; China ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation, Missense ; Pedigree ; Piebaldism ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of estrogen receptor (ER) gene polymorphism and primary trigeminal neuralgia.

METHODSBy polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), ER gene polymorphism was analyzed in 20 trigeminal neuralgia (TR) patients and 20 control individuals, and the distribution of ER genotype was compared in TR group and control group.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in frequencies of allele and genotype in XbaI or PvuII polymorphism or XbaI with PvuII polymorphisms together between TR group and control group (P > 0.05). The genotypic distribution of Xx or PpXx in TR group was higher than control group, and it was contary to xx, ppxx or Ppxx in TR group and control group.

CONCLUSIONXbaI or PvuII polymorphism may be related to TR. Women with PpXx genotype may be a dangerous factor to primary trigeminal neuralgia.

Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Trigeminal Neuralgia