Biodegradable and biocompatible functional polymers show high potential as novel drug carriers in disease diagnosis and therapy.Recently,protein drugs have brought about major breakthroughs in the treatment of various diseases including cancer,while the development of carrier technology is relatively delayed.This article reviews recent advances in biodegradable functional polymers as protein drug nanocarriers.Additionally,we have discussed the perspective of developing new generations of biocompatible and functional polymers.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of male osteoporosis is attracting more and more attention. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of etidronate disodium on different skeletal sites by using bone histomorphometry through establishing a castrated rat model of osteoporosis. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A completely randomized grouping controlled animal experiment was performed in the Animal Experimental Center and Department of Bone Biology Laboratory, Guangdong Medical College between October 2002 and September 2006. MATERIALS: Forty 3.5-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats, weighing (299+_22) g, were selected. Etidronate disodium was produced by Chengdu Chemical Pharmaceutical Factory with the batch number of 970101. Methyltestosterone was produced by Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Jacob with the batch number of 990701. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, sham operation group, castration group, castration with methyltestosterone group and castration with etidronate disodium group, eight rats in each group. Rats in the control group were sacrificed at the beginning of the study. Rats in the sham operation group underwent skin incision to expose the testis, but not removed. The remaining rats were treated to remove the testis by the method reported in the literature. Rats in the sham operation group and castration group were given normal saline, rats in the castration with methyltestosterone group were given methyltestosterone at 1.8mg/kg/d, rats in the castration with etidronate disodium group were given etidronate disodium at 36mg/kg/d. All of the rats were treated with intragastric administration at 5mL/kg for 90 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bone histomorphometric analysis of the proximal tibial metaphysis (PTM), tibial shaft (Tx) and the fifth lumbar vertebral body (LVB) were performed in undecalcified sections. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, trabecular area percentage (%Tb.Ar), trabecular number (Tb.N) or trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) of PTM and LVB in the castration group were decreased (P < 0.05 and 0.01 ), while trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), percent labeled perimeter (%L.Pm), bone formation rate (BFR/BV) and osteoclast number per mm (Oc.N) were increased (P < 0.05 and 0.01 ). Tb.Ar of PTM and LVB were increased both in the etidronate disodium group and in the methyltestosterone group compared to those of the castration group, while bone formation indices and bone resorption perimeter were decreased. There was no significant difference between the etidronate disodium and methyltestosterone groups, and no significant change was in Tx in all groups. CONCLUSION: Etidronate disodium can prevent the cancellous bone loss of PTM and LVB in castrated rats, but has no effects on the cortical bone of Tx.

The tumor hospital has its unique resources superiority.To collect and utilize the information from tumor patients,information from their diagnosis and treatment,and biological specimens,through clinical epidemiology methods and design,would facilitate the deep development in the management and research at tumor hospitals in the new circumstances.Nantong Tumor Hospital,a first rate 3A hospital,and also one of the earliest-run specialized tumor hospitals in prefecture-level cities,possesses own basis for clinical epidemiological research,medical follow-up,and application of biobanking.In this paper we report the specific work plan and work contents,including:to establish a hospital-based cancer registry system for serving clinical epidemiology; to set up a follow-up system for clinical cases with tumor,in order to assess the effect of factors on tumor treatment and to analyse their survival rates; to build a biobank of tumor cases with perfect epidemiological information and background,fitting in with the needs of the development of translational medicine.The bottleneck problems in the work are also discussed.

Objective To investigate the dynamic variation of flavonoids contents in the flowers of Citrus grandis at different flowering periods. Methods The content of total flavonoids in the flowers of Citrus grandis was determined by means of ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy ,and the contents of naringin and rhoifolin were determined by HPLC. Results The content of total flavonoids in the flowers during the flower withering period ,the young fruit period ,the blossom period,and the budding period was 306.90 mg.g-1,277.93 mg.g-1,215.55 mg.g-1 and 162.74 mg.g-1 respectively. The naringin content during the above four different periods was 246.31 mg.g-1,213.93 mg.g-1,175.94 mg.g-1 and 130.90 mg.g-1 respectively. The rhoifolin content during the four periods was unchanged. Conclusion The contents of total flavonoids and naringin in flowers of Citrus grandis during flower withering period are the highest.

Aim To select the ideal experimental rats model for research on prevention and treatment of Hyperlipidemia.Methods Five prescriptions on experimental hyperlipidemia-rats were selected and emulsion was made.At 10、20、30 d blood samples were taken from ocular orbit and content of CHO、 LDL、 HDL 、TG in the serum were measured.Results Four of the five prescriptions could lead to the disorder of lipid metabolism at different levels.Conclusion An ideal experimental rats model of hyperlipidemia can be made if bile salt and propylthiouracil are conbined to add to the fat emulsion of lard and cholesterol.

Objective To design and prepare an RNA interfering vector for effectively inhibiting the cellular expression of zinc finger protein A20 and observe the effect of A20 gene silence on cellular inflammatory response. Methods Specific RNA interfering oligonucleotide fragments (ASRF) were designed and synthesized artificially and the A20 RNA interfering vector pSUPER-EGFP-A20 siRNA constructed. Human monocyte cell line THP1 was used to infect the pSUPER-EGFP-A20 siRNA by means of genetic transfection technique; then, silence rate of cellular A20 was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the meantime, the activity of nuclear transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in culture supernatant were measured by ELISA. Results Of two specific inhibitory oligonueleotide fragments of A20, the fragment M59465-385R/F had a higher inhibition to A20 expression, with rate of A20 gene silence of 83.86%. Preliminary application showed that after A20 gene silence, the activity of NF-κB was increased by 78.13% and the level of TNF-α in cell culture supernatant was increased by 49.30%. Conclusions Vector of A20gene silence with a high efficiency is obtained successfully. Preliminary application indicates that the expression of A20 can down-regulate the degree of cellular inflammatory responses.

China ; Humans ; Occupational Health Services

Objective:To explore the effects of infant sleep patterns on maternal sleep quality.Methods:Three hundred and nineteen pairs of mothers and infants from two grade three class-a hospitals in Nantong City were enrolled. Infant sleep patterns were assessed by the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ). Maternal sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). The effect of infant sleep patterns on maternal sleep quality was analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed with multivariate analysis.Results:The maternal sleep quality scored 7.08±2.60. Single factor analysis pointed out that the sleep quality of women whose infants slept in bed near parents, woke up more than 3 times a night, was nocturnal wakefulness more than 60 minutes or nocturnal sleep duration less than 8 hours was significantly worse. After controlling for confounding variables, the way of baby falling asleep, numbers of night wakings, nocturnal sleep duration, maternal age, infant′s gender and primary caregiver were independent factors of maternal sleep quality.Conclusion:Infant sleep pattern is an important factor affecting maternal sleep quality. Nurses should provide information about the sleep patterns of infants to mothers and their family members to promote their babies′ sleep habits so as to improve the maternal sleep quality.

Objective To understand the carriage of NDM-1 and other carbapenemases in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacterbaumannii(CRAB)in Jiangxi area,and provide laboratory basis for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection (HAI). Methods Sixty-four strains of CRAB isolated from clinical specimens from 3 tertiary first-class hospitals in Jiangxi area from January 2015 to June 2016 were collected,susceptibility to com-monly used antimicrobial agents were detected with Kirby-Bauer method. Carbapenemases and metalloenzyme in CRAB were screened with modified Hodge test and EDTA-disk synergy test respectively,carbapenems gene was de-tected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR),NDM-1-producing Acinetobacterbaumannii (A. baumannii)were per-formed conjugation test.Results The resistance rates of CRAB to ampicillin/sulbactam,ciprofloxacin,gentamicin, and levofloxacin were up to 95.31% ,98.44% ,90.63% ,and 54.69% respectively. The positive rates of modified Hodge test and EDTA-disk synergy test were 76.56% and 96.88% respectively. PCR amplification result showed that 87.50% (n= 56)of CRAB carried OXA-23 and VIM-1 genes,18.75% (n= 12)carried SIM,3.13% (n= 2)car-ried OXA-24,and 26.56% (n= 17)carried NDM-1 . CRAB carrying NDM-1 gene were all from The First Affilia-ted Hospital of Nanchang University,64.70% (11/17)of which were pandrug-resistant strains. Conjugation test re-sult showed that NDM-1-producing strains could transfer NDM-1 gene to recipient strain Escherichiacoli J53,then acquired resistance to imipenem. Conclusion Antimicrobial resistance rates of clinically isolated CRAB in this area are high,OXA-23 and VIM-1 genes are the main carbapenemase genes,NDM-1 gene positive CRAB is detected, and there may be a clonal spread of NDM-1 gene in hospital,effective measures should be taken as soon as possible to prevent and control the spread of NDM-1 positive CRAB.

Objective To explore the expressions of Survivin and VEGF and relationship between them in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The expressions of Survivin protein and VEGF protein in 50 HCC.30 cirrhosis and 10 normal tissues were assessed by immunohistochemical method.The expressions of Survivin mRNA and VEGF mRNA in 50 HCC,30 cirrhosis and 10 normal tissues were assessed by in situ hybridization.Results The expressions of Survivin and VEGF in cancer tissues,cirrhosis tissues,normal tissues weresignificantly different. The expression of Survivin in HCC tissues was stronger than that in cirrhosis,but the expreesion of VEGF in cirrho- sis was stronger than that in HCC tissues.Conclusion The expression of survivin.is closely associated with the ex- pression of VEGF in HCC and they take positive correlation.The abnormal expressions of Survivin and VEGF are closely associated with the development of HCC.They may play important roles in the development of HCC.