BACKGROUND: Estradiol produces great adverse effects in treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of small dose of estradiol combined with estradiol on bone tissue of ovariectomized rats.METHODS: A total of 120 healthy female rats were randomly and evenly divided into five groups: sham-operated (only resectionof a small block of para-ovarian fat pad), ovariectomized (without drugs), puerarin, estradiol, and puerarin + estradiol. One weeklater, rats from the puerarin, estradiol and puerarin + estradiol groups were subcutaneously injected with puerarin (50 mg/kg, oncea day), estradiol (200 μg/kg, twice a week), estradiol puerarin (25 mg/kg, once a day) + (100 μg/kg, twice a week), respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the ovariectomized group, rat bone tissue was sparse, bone calcium and phosphorus levelsas well as bone mineral density were significantly lower compared with sham-operated group (P < 0.01). After estradiol and/orpuerain treatment, rat bone tissue morphology was obviously improved, and bone calcium and phosphorus levels and bonemineral density were significantly increased. The above-mentioned indices were similar after small dose of puerarin combinedwith estradiol treatment and high dose of puerarin combined with estradiol treatment. These findings suggest that small dose ofestradiol combined with estradiol treatment yields satisfactory curative effects in treatment of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.

Objective To observe the curative effect of puerarin on Alzheimer's disease (AD) in ovariectomized versus non-ovariectomized rat.Methods 100 6-month-old female SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:the control group,non ovariectomized AD group,ovariectomized AD group,non-ovariectomized AD treatment group and ovariectomized AD treatment group (n =20each).Rat model of AD was made by treating with combined D-galactose and sodium nitrite for 60days.Treatment group rats were treated with puerarin for 8 weeks.At the end of the experiment,rats learning and memory abilities were tested by water maze,the serum estradiol,progesterone,follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were measured,and the activities of cholinesterase (TchE) and superoxide dismutase (SOD),malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in brain homogenate were determined.Results Compared with the control group,TchE activity and MDA content were increased,and SOD activity was reduced (all P＜0.01),and learning and memory abilities were significantly decreased in the ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized AD groups.Compared with the model groups,the activity of TchE and MDA concentration were reduced,and SOD activity was increased (all P＜0.01),and learning and memory abilities were significantly improved in the two treatment groups.As compared with non ovariectomized AD treatment group,the increase in SOD and TchE activities and decrease in MAD concentration were much more in ovariectomized AD treatment group (P＜0.05),and the improvement in learning and memory abilities was more significant.Conclusions Puerarin has a therapeutic effect on rat model of AD,even better on the ovariectomized rat model of AD.

Paracetamol was used as a model drug in this study to investigate the synergetic effects of lipid coating and beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) inclusion for masking the bitter taste of poorly soluble drugs. To control the concentration as low as possible of the free drug which produced a bitter taste, a kinetic model was established to calculate the drug distribution theoretically among the free drug in medium, lipid coated particles and molecular inclusion on the basis of the preparation and characterization of the lipid microspheres, so as to select the proper amount of beta-CD. Finally, the synergetic drug delivery systems were prepared and characterized by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), molecular simulation and the electronic tongue. As a result, the drug release rate constant (k) of the lipid microspheres coated with octadecanol was determined as 0.001 270 s(-1). Then, the synergetic drug delivery systems were prepared with the ratio of 6.74 : 1 (w/w) for beta-CD and paracetamol. The chemical shift values for the fingerprint peaks of paracetamol all increased and hydrogen bonds were formed between the oxygen on the phenolic hydroxyl group, the nitrogen on the imino in paracetamol and the hydrogens on the hydroxyl groups in beta-CD. The results tested by the electronic tongue indicated that the paracetamol, lipid microspheres, beta-CD inclusion and their mixture showed different taste characteristics, with the bitterness order of the synergetic drug delivery systems approximately lipid microspheres < beta-CD inclusion < paracetamol, which confirmed the synergetic taste masking effects of lipid coating and beta-CD molecular inclusion. In summary, the synergetic taste masking was jointly achieved through the retard of the drug release by the lipid coating and the inclusion of the free paracetamol by beta-CD through hydrogen bonds.
Acetaminophen ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Administration, Oral ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Electrical Equipment and Supplies ; Electrochemical Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Hydrogen Bonding ; Kinetics ; Lipids ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Solubility ; Taste ; drug effects ; beta-Cyclodextrins ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE: To investigate concentration changes of amylase in rabbits vitreous humor of acute pancreatitis associated with postmortem different interval. METHODS: To induce animal model of acute pancreatitis with sodium taurocholate, observed concentration changes of amylase after different postmortem interval, then compared with normal. RESULTS: The concentration of amylase in vitreous humor of rabbit 24h after death were related to postmortem interval significantly; The concluded formulae of the relationship between postmortem interval and amylase concentration is y=8.7420+0.7699x-0.0083x2 (R2=92.62792, F=14.89734, P=0.001). CONCLUSION Concentration changes of amylase in vitreous humor of acute pancreatitis associated with postmortem interval may provide a new sensitive and objective method for the forensic early injury time estimation.
Amylases/analysis* ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Male ; Pancreatitis/enzymology* ; Postmortem Changes ; Rabbits ; Spectrophotometry/methods* ; Taurocholic Acid ; Time Factors ; Vitreous Body/chemistry*

Objective To observe the effects of culture medium of a mn iotic cells on NO and NOS in retinal tissues of rabbits in vitro in order to pro vide a protective method for antioxidation in retina transplantation. M ethods Thirty adult healthy rabbits (30 right eyes) were divided into 3 groups. Group Ⅰ: fresh retinal tissue; group Ⅱ: routine culture medium; group Ⅲ: culture medium of amniotic cells. The retinal tissues in group Ⅱ and Ⅲ we re cultured in the corresponding culture medium for 1 week. The content of NO an d NOS in retinal tissues in the 3 groups were determined. Results Compared with group I, the content of NO and NOS of group Ⅱ increased obvio usly (t=3.821, 3.854; P0.05) . Conclusion Culture medium of amniotic cells may remove free r adicals and enhance the ability of antioxidation.

Objective To anderstand the metagenesis of Oncomelania snails in the mountainous regions so as to control the spread of snails and the epidemics of schistosomiasis.Methods Observation spot was established at a typical snail habitat close to Puge county,Sichuan province from February 2008 to July 2009.Random sampling was applied to determine the place of each frame during the observation.All the snails in each frame were collected and numbers counted in the laboratory,with the number of mating pairs in each frame also observed.Snails being collected were measured for the body indices and the dissection was carried out to identify gender composition.survival status and the number of live snails in each frame counted.Line graphs of the body indices.mating pairs in each observed months,bar graphs of the snail density,proportions of gender together with the maturity of the snails in each month were drawn.Results The number of live snail existed the whole year and its density fluctuated.All the three kinds of body indices showed the same time trend and a dynamic circulation.The young snail existed all year around and arose constantly in proportion from May,becoming the dominant snailin October to replace the adult snails.The young and adult snails also showed a dynamic alternative.The gender composition showed no significant difference during each month.The number of the mating pairs was more on April.May and June annually,when were the snail's main multiplying stage.Conclusion In mountain area.the young snails existed through all the year while adult snails appeared to be dominantin each month except for October.Oncomelania snail showed a circular process of metagenesis which started in May and finished in October.The snail population presented a dynamic equilibrium.It was concluded that ecological studies on Oncomelania snail were extremely relevant,either to optimally apply the existing control measures or to develop alternative measures for snail control,ecologically or biologically.

OBJECTIVETo follow the fate of murine epidermal stem cells (ESCs) seeded in a syngeneic dermal equivalent implanted in vivo.

METHODSEmbryonic stem (ES) cells were induced in vitro to differentiate into ESCs. After stained with a fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342, these ESCs were seeded into a fibroblast-collagen-gelatin sponge complex, functioning as a dermal equivalent model, and implanted subcutaneously into 129/J mice, which were syngeneic to these stem cells. The fate of these cells was observed with HE staining, immunocytochemical staining or Van Gieson's staining.

RESULTSThese ESCs were clearly visible in the implant by fluorescent microscopy 3 weeks or longer after implantation. These cells remained viable, differentiated into hair follicle-like structure, glandular structure, and gave rise to additional structures displaying features resembling native dermis. A number of markers were expressed in the differentiated structures, including CD29 (integrin beta1 subunit) and cytokeratin 18 (CK18). No apparent rejection or severe side effects were observed at least during the 10 weeks following implantation.

CONCLUSIONNow that ESCs could survive in vivo in this dermal equivalent model, and differentiate into hair follicle-like structures as well as glandular structures, it is feasible to use these cells as seed cells in the study to fabricate dermal equivalent having the potential to develop dermal appendages.

Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Dermis ; cytology ; transplantation ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Skin Transplantation ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering

Adult ; Biopsy ; Fatty Liver ; etiology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications

BACKGROUNDRetroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is an uncommon disease that is characterized by development of fibrosclerotic tissues involving retroperitoneal structures. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of 30 patients with RPF in a single center in Beijing in a 10-year period.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed clinical data on demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, radiological findings, modalities of treatments, outcomes and prognosis of 30 patients with RPF. Patients were treated in Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital between January 2003 and December 2013.

RESULTSThe mean age of patients with RPF was 56.7 ± 14.4 years. Twenty-three patients were men and seven patients were women. Acute phase reactants were elevated in most patients. Rheumatic factor was positive in 4/25 (16.0%) patients, and antinuclear antibody was positive in 6/22 (27.3%) patients. Elevation of IgG4 was observed in 9/22 (40.9%) patients. The most common type was I + III (n = 13), followed by I + II + III (n = 12). Five patients undertook an 18 F-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography examination and increased uptake was detected in four patients. Eight patients received combination therapy with glucocorticoids and tamoxifen. Surgical intervention treatments included intraureteral double-J stent implantation (n = 26), percutaneous nephrostomy (n = 2), open ureterolysis and intraperitonealization of the ureters (n = 5) and laparoscopic ureterolysis and intraperitonealization of the ureters (n = 5). Three patients underwent hemodialysis because of renal failure.

CONCLUSIONSClinical characteristics of RPF patients in our study are similar to those previously reported. Steroids and immunosuppressive therapy combined with ureterolysis could be a viable choice of treatment for RPF. More prospective, multi-center studies with a longer follow-up are warranted.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tamoxifen ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To analysis the spatial autocorrelation on the small-scale distribution of the genetic variation in the population of Oncomelania hupensis in Puge county, Sichuan province, using simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker. Methods 5 pairs of SSR primer were used to amplify the genomic DNA of Oncomelania hupensis, and the alleles with frequency ranging from 15% to 85% were used to calculate Moran' s I spatial autocorrelation coefficients in 14 distance band based on equal numbers of paired samples. Results A total of 274 alleles were scored by 5 pairs of SSR primer, the average polymorphic information content of the 274 alleles were 0.965 which indicated a high level of genetic diversity. 39 alleles showed different patterns of positive spatial autocorrelation of genetic variation, which was non-random spatial structure. When the distance band increased, the spatial auto-correlativity decreased based on the average Moran' s I value at 14 distance band. The alleles which showed a negative spatial autocorrelation were not found in any distance band. Conclusion The spatial distribution of the genetic variation of SSR showed positive spatial autocorrelation in the population of Oncomelania hupensis, and the spatial auto-correlativity decreased with the increase of distance band.