Phytantriol (PT), ethanol (ET) and water were used to prepare in situ cubic liquid crystal (ISV2). The pseudo-ternary phase diagram of PT-ET-water was constructed and isotropic solution formulations were chosen for further optimization. The physicochemical properties of isotropic solution formulations were evaluated to optimize the composition of ISV2. In situ hexagonal liquid crystals (ISH2) were prepared based on the composition of ISV2 with the addition of vitamin E acetate (VitEA) and the amount of VitEA was optimized by in vitro release behavior. The phase structures of liquid crystalline gels formed by ISV2 and ISH2 in excess water were confirmed by crossed polarized light microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering, respectively. Rheological properties of ISV2 and ISH2 were studied by a DHR-2 rheometer. In vitro drug release studies were conducted by using a dialysis membrane diffusion method. Pharmacokinetics was investigated by determination of sinomenine hydrochloride (SMH) concentration in synovial membrane after intra-articular injection of SMH-loaded ISH2 in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats. The optimal ISV2 (PT/ET/water, 64 : 16 : 20, w/w/w) loaded with 6 mg x g(-1) of SMH showed a suitable pH, injectable and formed a cubic liquid crystalline gel in situ with minimum water absorption in the shortest time. The optimal ISV2 was able to sustain the drug release for 144 h. The optimal ISH2 system was prepared by addition of 5% VitEA into PT in the optimal ISV2 system. This ISH2 (PT/VitEA/ET/water, 60.8 : 3.2 : 16 : 20, w/w/w/w) was an injectable isotropic solution with suitable pH. The new ISH2 was able to sustain the drug release for more than 240 h. Local pharmacokinetics study indicated that the retention time and AUC(0-∞) of ISH2 group were increased significantly compared with that of SMH solution group and the AUC(0-∞) of ISH2 group was 6.01 times higher than that of SMH solution group. The developed ISH2 was suitable for intra-articular injection that may apply to patients in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Diffusion ; Ethanol ; Fatty Alcohols ; Gels ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Liquid Crystals ; Morphinans ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rheology ; Water ; alpha-Tocopherol

Pestalotiopsis photiniae is one of the predominant pathogens of strawberry root rot disease. Based on preliminary research, it was proved that crude toxins were main pathogenic substances of the pathogen. For further investigation and utilization of toxins produced by this fungus, conditions of producing toxins were analyzed with the leaf disk method in this experiment. The result showed that pH values, cultural time, vibration, and tested temperatures obviously affected the production of toxins, except for light treatment. The most suitable culture conditions for the toxin production were pH 6.2, 25?C, darkness and stillness, for 5 d～7 d. Besides, it was discovered that crude toxins could significantly inhibit seed germination and elongation growth of roots or shoots for maize, rye and mung bean.

Objective To explore the differences of TCM constitutions and lifestyles among the subjects with positive tumor marker screening and those with normal tumor marker screening. Methods Totally 245 subjects with positive tumor marker screening from September 2014 to December 2017 in Weihai area were selected as the observation group and 300 subjects with normal tumor marker screening were selected as the control group. Field questionnaire was used to investigate TCM constitutions and lifestyles. Results In the observation group, the ratio of constitution of yin-yang harmony was significantly lower than the control group, with statistical significance (χ2=207.483, P＜0.001). The ratios of constitution of phlegm-dampness, constitution of blood stasis, constitution of qi deficiency and constitution of qi stagnation were significantly higher than the control group, with statistical significance (P＜0.05). There was statistical significance between the 2 groups in irregular rest, heavy drinking, regular smoking, lack of exercise, irregular diet and partial eclipse (P＜0.05). CEA, a positive indicator of tumor markers in the observation group, was commonly found in constitution of phlegm-dampness (40.43％) and constitution of qi deficiency (22.70％); CA199 was commonly found in constitution of qi stagnation (38.71％) and constitution of qi deficiency (24.19％); AFP was commonly found in constitution of blood stasis (38.46％) and constitution of qi deficiency (23.08％); CA125 was commonly found in constitution of blood stasis (33.33％) and constitution of qi stagnation (19.05％); CYFRA21-1 was commonly found in constitution of phlegm-dampness (54.55％) and constitution of qi deficiency (22.73％); PSA was commonly found in constitution of phlegm-dampness (61.52％) and constitution of damp-heat (23.08％). Conclusion Effectively controling the distribution of TCM constitutions of subjects with positive tumor marker screening in Weihai area and understanding the influence of lifestyles on tumor markers can provide guidance for clinical improvement of patients' biased constitutions and reduction of positive indicators of tumor markers.

AIM: To study caspase-9 expression on rat retina in the process of chronic elevation of IOP and the changes with the application of amino guanidine (AG), thus to investigate potential protective function of AG to rat retina with chronic elevation of IOP.METHODS: Immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to observe retinal morphology and expression of caspase-9 at different time points of rat with chronic IOP elevation, both affected or not affected by the application of AG.RESULTS: Compared with control group, as time passed retina of experimental group gradually had detectable morphological changes. On 21st day of chronic IOP elevation, retinas became thinner and the quantity of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) decreased; caspase-9 expression increased, consistent with the morphological changes. The group using AG presented relatively smaller morphology changes and less expression of caspase-9.CONCLUSION: Apoptosis-related gene caspase-9 played a part in the process of chronic IOP elevation; AG protects retina by down-regulating expression of caspase-9.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of extract from Chinese chive seed in warming kidney and enhancing yang.

METHODThe influence of extract from Chinese chive seed on the erection of penis of was investigated in adult male rats with experimental insufficiency of the kidney-yang produced by both removal of double spermaries and high dose of hydrocortisone.

RESULTThe extract of Chinese chive seed enhanced the responsiveness of the penis of emasculate rats to outside stimulus, promoted the resistance of the emasculated rats to cold and tiredness and increased autonomous activity.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of Chinese chive seed has the effect of warming kidney and enhancing yang.

Animals ; Chive ; chemistry ; Cold Temperature ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fatigue ; prevention & control ; Hydrocortisone ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Orchiectomy ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Yang Deficiency ; chemically induced ; physiopathology

This study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on type 2 diabetic mice model and to provide mechanistic insights into its therapeutic effect. Type 2 diabetic animal model was established with high calorie fat diet and low dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Mice were then randomized into 5 groups: model control, FGF21 0.25 and 0.05 μmol x kg(-1) x d(-1) groups, insulin treatment group. Ten age-matched normal KM mouse administered with saline were used as normal controls. Serum glucose, insulin, lipid products and the change of serum and liver tissue inflammation factor levels between five groups of mouse were determined. The results showed that blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides, and inflammatory factor average FGF-21 of type 2 diabetes model group and normal control group were significantly higher (P < 0.01), while compared with insulin group, no difference was significant. Average blood glucose, insulin, blood lipid and inflammatory factor of FGF-21 treatment group compared with type 2 diabetes group was significantly lower (P < 0.01) and insulin group has no difference with the model control group. The results of OGTT and HOMA-IR showed that insulin resistance state was significantly relieved in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this study demonstrates that FGF-21 significantly remits type 2 diabetic mice model's insulin resistance state and participates in the regulation of inflammatory factor levels and type 2 diabetes metabolic disorders.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diet, High-Fat ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; blood ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Mice ; Streptozocin ; Triglycerides ; blood

The systematic treatment based on gemcitabine plus cisplatin is recommended as the current standard chemotherapy for unresectable or metastatic biliary tract cancers.However,the exact benefits from the recognized regime are still dismal.We thus elicit this study in an attempt to analyze whether targeted therapy coupled with various chemotherapy could produce improvement of survival benefits.The clinical trials were searched electronically from databases till July 2016 published in English and Chinese.Nine hundred and sixty-four patients from 7 trials were identified in our analysis.The overall analysis achieved a significantly higher overall response rate (ORR) among the patients treated with targeted drugs plus chemotherapy than chemotherapy alone (OR=1.87;95％ CI:1.37-2.57;P=0.000),but failed in the overall progression-free survival (PFS) [mean difference (MD)=0.63;95％ CI:-0.45-1.72;P=0.26] and overall survival (OS) (MD=-0.67;95％ CI:-2.54-1.20;P=0.49).In the sub analysis,better ORR was obtained with the addition of EGFR (OR=1.75;95％ CI:1.20-2.56;P=0.004) and VEGFR (OR=2.5;95％ CI:1.28-4.87;P=0.007) targeted therapy.Furthermore,the sub analysis of EGFR target showed an significant improvement on PFS (MD=l.36;95％ CI:0.29-2.43;P=0.01).No significant differences were observed in the incidences ofneutropenia (OR=1.37;95％ CI:0.89-2.12),thrombocytopenia (OR=l.40;95％ CI:0.83-2.39),anemia (OR=l.21;95％ CI:0.62-2.38),peripheral neuropathy (OR=1.52;95％ CI:0.81-2.88),increased AST/ALT (OR=l.40;95％ CI:0.82-2.39) as well as fatigue (OR=1.65;95％ CI:0.96-2.84) in either of the treatment groups.In conclusion,better ORR associated with chemotherapy combined with targeted therapy (both targeting EGFR and VEGF) is found in the present mcta-analysis without the cost of increased unacceptable toxicities,but regretfully not for the OS.The sub-analysis of targeting EGFR instead of VEGF obtains a superior PFS.Otherwise,there is no statistically significant difference in the overall PFS between the combination regime and chemotherapy alone.Given the paucity of favorable data,we need further studies to characterize optimal targeted agents to confirm the potential value to biliary tract cancer.

Objective To find the causes of poor treatment compliance and demands for the health education to guide the health education by nursing staff and improve the treatment compliance of chronic hepatitis B patients.Methods A self-designed "causes of poor treatment compliance and demands for health education of chronic hepatitis B patients questionnaire" was applied to survey 76 chronic hepatitis B patients.Results Poor treatment compliance was found in middle-aged chronic hepatitis B patients. The relapse rate was 72.4％.36.8％ of the patients showed no knowledge of chronic hepatitis B.39.5％ of patients had limited knowledge and misunderstanding.42.1％ of the patients never received health education for hepatitis B and 19.7％ of the patients received incorrect education.The major cause of poor treatment compliance was majority of the patients did not aware of the goal of the treatments and the indication of drug withdrawal.46.1％ of the patients believed their poor treatment compliance resulted from the financial factor.Patients hoped to receive health education from medical staff ( 82.9％ ) and to obtain knowledge of the medicine for hepatitis B ( 75.0％ ) and wished media support for against discrimination (63.2％).Conclusions Nursing staff should educate chronic hepatitis B patients accordingly to improve the poor treatment compliance.

OBJECTIVETo explore the distribution characteristics of the types of M protein gene (emm) in group A streptococcus (GAS) isolated from children in Beijing in the year 2011.

METHODSDuring May to July in 2011, a total of 3315 patients who were diagnosed scarlet fever or pharyngeal infection by doctors in pediatric outpatient and emergency units of 36 hospitals, were selected as subjects. Their throat swab samples were collected and isolated the strains of GAS. Gene emm was then amplified and sequenced by PCR method, and the differences in types of gene emm between different populations and diseases were compared.

RESULTSA total of 633 strains of GAS were isolated from the 3315 throat swab samples, 610 strains out of which were gene emm positive and were recruited in the study. Out of the 610 recruited strains, 448 (73.4%) were isolated from scarlet fever patients, the other 162 (26.6%) were isolated from pharyngeal infection patients; 397 (65.1%) were from urban, the other 213 (34.9%) were from suburb; 240 (39.4%) were from patients aging between 1 - 5 years old, the other 369(60.6%) were from patients aging 6 - 18 years old. A total of 8 types of gene emm (scarlet fever: 6 types, pharyngeal infection: 4 types) and 21 subtypes of gene emn (scarlet fever: 16 subtypes, pharyngeal infection: 10 subtypes) were identified. Three new subtypes were found in the study, naming emm1.63, emm12.62 and st5144.20. Among them, emm1.63 was found both in scarlet fever and pharyngeal infection patients, while emm12.62 and st5144. 20 were only found in pharyngeal infection patients. Among all the types of gene-emm, emm12 accounted for the highest percentage as 80.5% (491/610) and then followed by emm1 (18.0% (110/610)). Among all the subtypes, the dominant subtype was emm12.00, accounting for 69.0% (421/610), following by emm1.00 (16.9% (103/610)) and emm12.19 (6.1% (37/610)). All the above types and subtypes of gene emm were the most prevalent strains in scarlet fever patients and pharyngeal infection patients. Significant differences in the distribution of prevalent strains were observed among various aging patients and regions. The constituent ratios of emm1, emm1.00 and emm12.19 were higher in patients from suburb (emm1: 22.1% (47/213), emm1.00: 19.2% (40/213), emm12.19: 8.0% (17/213)) than those in urban areas (emm1: 15.9% (63/397), emm1.00: 15.6% (62/397), emm12.19: 5.0% (20/397)). The difference showed statistical significance (P < 0.05). The constituent ratio of emm1.00 was higher among patients aging 6-18 years old (19.2% (71/369)) than those aging 1 - 5 years old (13.3% (32/240)). The difference also showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 8.45, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAmong the types of gene emm in GAS isolated from children in Beijing in year 2011, the most prevalent two were emm12 and emm1, and the most prevalent emm subtypes were emm12.00, emm1.00 and emm12.19. A significant difference in their distribution between various aging patients and isolated places can be obviously found.

Adolescent ; Antigens, Bacterial ; classification ; genetics ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; classification ; genetics ; Carrier Proteins ; classification ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Genes, Bacterial ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) combined with transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of mediastinal and pulmonary hilar lesions as well as in the lymph node staging (N staging) of lung cancer.

METHODS129 patients with mediastinal and pulmonary hilar lesions underwent either TBNA or EUS-FNA with cytological needle aspiration. The samples obtained from TBNA or EUS-FNA were examined by both cytologiy and histopathology.

RESULTSOf the 129 patients, 59 underwent TBNA and 70 EUS-FNA. The diagnostic rate were 84.7% (50/59) by TBNA and 94.3% (66/70) by EUS-FNA, resepectively. The diagnosis of 116 (89.9%) patients were confirmed by either TBNA or EUS-FNA. The pathological and cytological diagnostic rates were 92.2% (107/116) and 88.0% (102/116), resepectively. The diagnostic rate was elevated by 8.4% (9/107) through pathological examination. The histological classification rates by cytological and pathological examination were 73.8% (76/116) and 89.3% (92/103), respectively. The diagnostic rate of histological classification was elevated by 35.5% (27/76) through pathological examination.

CONCLUSIONThe combination of TBNA and EUS-FNA can improve the diagnostic rate for wider mediastinal and pulmlonary hilar lesions. Pathological examination of the samples obtained from the TBNA and EUS-FNA can elevate not only the rate of diagnosis but also the rate of histological classification.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; methods ; Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Endosonography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; secondary ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Young Adult