Objective To investigate the effect of curcumin on the apoptosis in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion neurons in a rat model of diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) . Methods One hundred and eight male SD rats weighing 200-230 g were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n = 27 each): control group (group C), DNP group, solvent control group (group SC) and curcumin group (group Cur) . Diabetes was induced with intraperitoneal streptozocin 70 mg/kg. Successful induction of diabetes was defined as blood glucose ＞ 16.7 mmol/L. Curcumin and com oil 100 mg/kg (23 mg/ml) were given intraperitoneally once a day for 14 consecutive days starting from 14 days after administration of streptozocin in Cur and SC groups respectively. Mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal paw withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured 2 d before and 14 d after streptozocin injection and 3, 7 and 14 d after curcumin injection. The pain threshold measured at 14 d after administration of streptozocin decreased by more than 15% of the baseline in all the rats. The expression of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion was determined at 3, 7 and 14 d after curcumin injection by immuno-histochemistry and Western blot, and the neuronal apoptosis rate was determined by TUNEL. Results Compared with group C, MWT and Bcl-2 expression were significantly decreased, TWL was significantly shortened, the neurona lapoptosis rate and caspase-3 expression were significantly increased in DNP, SC and Cur groups ( P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group DNP, MWT and Bcl-2 expression were significantly increased, TWL was significantly prolonged, the neuronal apoptosis rate and caspase-3 expression were significantly decreased in Cur group ( P ＜0.05) . There was no significant difference in the parameters mentioned above between DNP and SC groups ( P ＞0.05). Conclusion Curcumin can attenuate DNP by inhibiting the apoptosis in spinal dorsal hom and dorsal root ganglion neurons in rats, and the inhibition of caspase-3 expression and increase in Bcl-2 expression are involved in the mechanism.

Objective To study the identification rate of sentinel lymph node (SLN) in patients with breast cancer (BC) and the accuracy in predicting axillary lymph node(ALN) metastasis using methylene blue (MB) and patent blue violet (PBV) injection. Methods From October, 1999 to April, 2001, 94 patients with BC were selected for this study. Of them, 32 patients were injected with 1% MB and 62 patients with 1% PBV to identify SLN. All 94 patients underwent the axillary lymph node dissection. Results In MB group and PBV group , the SLN identification rate were 65.6% (21/32), 88.7% (55/62); the accuracy rate to predict axillary lymph node status were 90.5% (19/21), 98.2% (54/55) respectively. Conclusion Compared with MB ,PVB is the more ideal vital blue dye in identification of SNB.

Objective To investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in adult rats with spinal cord injury. Methods 72 adult SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: damage control group, electrical stimulation group and normal group. The spinal cord incomplete injury model on T9 was made with Allen's method. The electrical stimulation group received electrical stimulation for 7 d. They were assessed with the Basso, Beattie & Bresnahan locomotor rating scale (BBB scale), and the expression of NGF were tested with immunohistochemistry and Western blot l d, 3 d, 5 d, 7 d after injury. Results The BBB score improved after spinal cord injury, and electrical stimulation group improved more than control group since the 5th day after injury (P<0.05). The expression of NGF increased in electrical stimulation and injury control group after injury (P<0.05). Conclusion Electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury induces expression of NGF that creates a favorable microenvironment for nerve regeneration.

Objective To explore the relationship of four kinds of lifestyle factors,namely,prenatal passive smoking,hair dyeing or perming,exposure to noise,living in a house renovated in the past one year,with congenital heart disease.Methods A hospital-based case-control study was conducted.Totally 270 mothers in the case group and 1633 mothers in the control group were interviewed through a face-to-face questionnaire survey.A generalized linear model was employed to investigate the association between congenital heart disease and prenatal lifestyle factors.Results Both in Model 1 and Model 2,prenatal hair dyeing or perming had no association with congenital heart disease.On the other hand,prenatal passive smoking,exposure to noise and living in a house renovated in the past one year all increased the risk of congenital heart disease.After adjustment for all confounders,the OR values were 1.771 (95％ CI:1.079-2.909),2.079 (95％ CI:1.310-3.298),and 2.494 (95％ CI:1.511-4.116),respectively.Conclusion Prenatal passive smoking,exposure to noise and living in a house renovated in the past one year are the risk factors for congenital heart disease.It is very important to avoid such factors during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy.

OBJECTIVETo understand the prevalence of anemia in children living in poor rural villages in western China and to find out related factors affecting hemoglobin level of children so as to search for proper intervention.

METHODS3747 children under 3 years old and their families were studied using stratified random sampling in 40 counties in western China. Databases were set up, and data logically checked by Epi 6.0 software. All the data were input with duplication method and analyzed by SPSS 10.0 software.

RESULTSThe prevalence of anemia of children under 3-year-old was 32.7% in 40 counties with significant difference among provinces with the highest in Guizhou province (43.5%). The lowest was in Ningxia and Qinghai provinces, which was 20%. The prevalence of anemia of children was relatively high in 6 and 18 months of age after birth, but declining when children grew older. Many factors were associated with children's anemia, viz. feeding pattern, age, diarrhea, family income, nationality, mother with anemia and drinking clean water etc.

CONCLUSIONInterventions as popularizing knowledge of appropriate feeding, drinking clean water and decreasing the prevalence of common diseases including diarrhea would decrease the prevalence of anemia of local children.

Age Factors ; Anemia ; epidemiology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

The object of this study is to investigate the pharmacokinetic interaction of pioglitazone hydrochloride and atorvastatin calcium in healthy adult Beagle dogs following single and multiple oral dose administration. A randomized, cross-over study was conducted with nine healthy adult Beagle dogs assigned to three groups. Each group was arranged to take atorvastatin calcium (A), pioglitazone hydrochloride (B), atorvastatin calcium and pioglitazone hydrochloride (C) orally in the first period, to take B, C, A in the second period, and to take C, A, B in the third period for 6 days respectively. The blood samples were collected at the first and the sixth day after the administration, plasma drug concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS, a one-week wash-out period was needed between each period. The pharmacokinetic parameters of drug combination group and the drug alone group were calculated by statistical moment method, calculation of C(max) and AUC(0-t) was done by using 90% confidence interval method of the bioequivalence and bioavailability degree module DAS 3.2.1 software statistics. Compared with the separate administration, the main pharmacokinetic parameters (C(max) and AUC(0-t)) of joint use of pioglitazone hydrochloride and atorvastatin calcium within 90% confidence intervals for bioequivalence statistics were unqualified, the mean t(max) with standard deviation used paired Wilcoxon test resulted P > 0.05. There was no significant difference within t1/2, CL(int), MRT, V/F. Pioglitazone hydrochloride and atorvastatin calcium had pharmacokinetic interaction in healthy adult Beagle dogs.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Biological Availability ; Cross-Over Studies ; Dogs ; Drug Interactions ; Female ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Thiazolidinediones ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics

To investigate the pharmacokinetics of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) in rats and the tissue distribution of CPT-11 in mice after injection of irinotecan hydrochloride nanoparticles (CPT-11 NPs) via tail veins, separately, a LC-MS/MS method was established to determine the concentration of CPT-11 in whole blood of rats and in different tissues of mice. The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of CPT-11 were compared after the intravenous injection of CPT-11 NPs and CPT-11 solution. Compared with CPT-11 solution, the elimination half-life of CPT-11 was prolonged from 2.28 h to 3.95 h after the intravenous injection of CPT-11 NPs, and its AUC was 1.47 times than that of CPT-11 solution. After the injection of CPT-11 NPs in mice, the concentrations of CPT-11 loaded in CPT-11 NPs were significantly higher in the whole blood, colon and lungs than those in CPT-11 solution, but lower in the spleen, liver, kidney and heart, but the least in brain. CPT-11 NPs could improve CPT-11 's AUC, and help CPT-11 to reach long circulation activity.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Camptothecin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Mice ; Nanoparticles ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of apigenin on semen parameters in male mice.

METHODSTotally 100 healthy male mice of Kunming strain were randomly divided into 5 groups according to the body weight: negative control, solvent control, low-dose apigenin, median-dose apigenin and high-dose apigenin, the latter three groups given intragastric apigenin at a fixed time every day for 7 and 14 days. At 35 days after the first medication, all the mice were killed and detected for the sperm motion parameters by computer aided sperm analysis (CASA).

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in sperm motion parameters, density and motility between the negative control and the three apigenin groups after 7-day medication. At 14 days, the high-dose apigenin group showed remarkable decreases in average path velocity (VAP), straight line velocity (VSL), straightness (STR), wobbliness (WOB), the percentage of grade b sperm and sperm motility, and a significant increase in beat cross frequency (BCF) as compared with the negative control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONApigenin affects sperm motility in male mice to a certain extent.

Animals ; Apigenin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Semen ; drug effects ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

Objective To explore the association between exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy and congenital heart disease so as to provide evidence for primary prevention of congenital heart disease.Methods Epidemiologic studies on ambient air pollution and congenital heart diseases were reviewed.Summary risk estimates were calculated at high versus low exposure levels and risk per-unit-increase in continuous pollutant concentration.Meta-analysis was conducted with Stata 12.0 software.Results A total of 20 articles in English were qualified for inclusion.Results from Meta-analysis showed that CO exposures were related to the increase on the risk of tetralogy of fallot (high versus low exposure level OR=1.22,95％CI:1.03-1.44),while the exposures to NO2 were related to the increase on risk of coarctation of aorta (per 10 mm3/m3 OR=1.01,95％CI:1.01-1.20).Exposures to O3 were related to the increase on risk of atrial septal defect (per 10 mm3/m3 OR=1.14,95％CI:1.03-1.26),and PM10 exposures were related to the increase on risk of atrial septal defect (per 10 μg/m3 OR=1.10,95％CI:1.03-1.19).In addition,there were inverse associations between CO and atrial septal defect and between PM10 and ventricular septal defect.Conclusion Exposures to CO,NO2,O3,PM10 during pregnancy seemed to be associated with congenital heart diseases.

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of genetic polymorphism of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostacyclin synthase with myocardial infarction (MI)in Uigur population in Xinjiang. Methods 178 patients with MI and 175 healthy control subjects were detected on the genetic polymorphism of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostacyclin synthase by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism. Other serum 6-keto-PGF1α concentration and biochemical indicators were detected in all the subjects. Results (1)The genotype distributions of the control group and MI group were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies of CC, CA and AA genotype of prostacyclin synthase were 75.84%, 17.42% and 6.74% in MI group while they were 64.57%, 28.29% and 9.14% in controls respectively. There was significant difference in frequencies of CC genotype and C allele as well as CA and AA genotypes between controls and MI cases. (2)The frequencies of -765GG,-765GC and -765CC genotype of cyclooxygenase-2 were 78.65%, 19.66% and 1.69% in MI group while they were 55.43%, 34.86% and 9.71% in controls respectively. There was significant difference in frequencies of three genotypes and alleles between the two groups (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01 ). (3) In combined genotype analysis, the genotype of PGIS CC + COX-2 -765GG was significantly higher in patients with MI than in control subjects (P＜0.05). The odds ratio estimated through combined analysis of the PGIS CC and COX-2 -765GG genotypes(OR=3.87) markedly increased when compared with that estimated separately from the PGIS CC ( OR=1.72 ) or COX-2 -765GG ( OR = 2.94 ) genotype. (4)There was a significant difference in serum 6-keto-PGF1α level between MI group and control group (P＜0.05 ), but there were no differences found in every genotype of PGIS and COX-2 gene (P＞0.05 ). In the cases with both COX-2 -765GG and PGIS CC genotypes, the serum 6-keto-PGF1α levels was lower than that of others (P＜0.05). Conclusion The CC genotype and C allele of prostacyclin synthase, -765GG genotype and G allele of COX-2 might serve as risk factors of MI of Uigur population in Xinjiang.Populations with both COX-2 -765GG and PGIS CC genotypes were more at risk with MI than others which might be resulted from the decreased serum 6-keto-PGF1α concentration. The -765CC genotype and C allele of COX-2 gene might have protective functions on MI among Uigur population in Xinjiang.