Objective To evaluate the effects of curcumin on the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-related kinase (p-ERK) and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (p-CREB) in the spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) in rats.Methods Type 2 diabetes mellitus was induced by high-fat and high-sucrose diet and intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) 35mg/kg,and confirmed by fasting blood glucose level≥ 16.7 mmol/L in male Sprague-Dawley rats.Type 2 DNP was confirmed by the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdraw latency (TWL) measured on day 14 after STZ administration ＜ 80％ of the baseline value,and the rats with type 2 DNP were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =27 each):type 2 DNP group (group DNP),curcumin group (group Cur) and solvent control group (group SC).Curcumin and corn oil 100 mg/kg (25 mg/ml) were injected intraperitoneally once a day for 14consecutive days starting from 14 days after administration of streptozocin in Cur and SC groups,respectively.Another 27 normal rats were served as control group (group C) and were fed with common forage.MWT and TWL were measured at 3,7 and 14 days after curcumin injection (T1 3),and the lumbar segment 4-6 of the spinal cord and DRGs were removed at the same time for determination of the expression of p-ERK and p-CREB (by Western blot).Results Compared with group C,MWT was significantly decreased,TWL was shortened,and the expression of p-ERK and p-CREB in spinal dorsal horn and DRGs was up-regulated at T1-3 in DNP and SC groups,and at T1 in Cur group (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group DNP,MWT was significantly increased,TWL was prolonged,and the expression of p-ERK and p-CREB in spinal dorsal horn and DRGs was down-regulated at T2,3 in Cur group (P ＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the MWT,TWL and expression of p-ERK and p-CREB between DNP and SC groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Curcumin can attenuate type 2 diabetic DNP by inhibiting up-regulation of the expression of p-ERK and p-CREB in the spinal dorsal horn and DRG in rats.

To establish an EDTA complexation extraction pretreatment combining with GFAAS method for the determination of residual aluminium ion in Huoxiang zhengqi pellets without digestive treatment, systematical investigation was made on sample preparation, and EDTA was used for the complexation extraction of residual aluminium ion in samples. The pH, concentration and volume of extraction solution, the temperature and time of microwave extraction, and graphite furnace temperature program were investigated. The results were compared with the microwave digestion. It was showed that, 0.1 g of sample weight was added in 20 mL 0.05 mol x L(-1) EDTA solution (pH 3.5), followed by heating at 150 degrees C for 10 min in the microwave extraction device. The determination of GFAAS was performed at optimized detection wavelength (257.4 nm) as well as graphite furnace temperature program, the detection limits and quantification limits were 2.37 μg x L(-1) and 7.89 μg x L(-1), respectively. The precision (RSD) was less than 2.3%. The average recovery was 96.9% -101%. The present method is easy, rapid and accurate for the determination of residual aluminium ion in Huoxiang zhengqi pellets.
Aluminum ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Edetic Acid ; chemistry ; Graphite ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods ; Temperature

The present study aimed to explore the effects of Eerdun-Wurile on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) expressions in the prefrontal cortex of MCAO / R injury rats.Sixty SD male rats of SPF grade were selected to establish the model of MCAO / R with Zea-Longa thread occlusion,and divided into five groups at random:the sham operation group,the model group,the nimodipine group and the Eerdun-Wurile group.After modeling,rats were anesthetized for preparing the brains.The pathomorphological changes of the brains were evaluated by immunohistochemical techniques,such as HE staining and SP.The protein and mRNA expressions of BDNF and NGF in the prefrontal cortex of rats were detected by ELISA and RT-PCR,respectively.As a result,compared with the model group,it was found that the number of necrotic cells in the prefrontal cortex were significantly reduced in the Eerdun-Wurile group (P ＜ 0.05),while the mRNA and protein expressions of BDNF and NGF were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05).In conclusion,the BDNF and NGF expressions in the prefrontal cortex were up-regulated for stimulating the activation of astrocytes and protecting the neurons with the treatment of Eerdun-Wurile in MCAO / R injured rats,which may be the mechanism of the treatment of Eerdun-Wurile for white vein disease.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics,treatment and prognosis of single-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in children.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in single-system LCH patients registered between January 2006 and December 2012 in Beijing Children＇s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University.The patients were divided into 2 groups:the bone involvement group and the other organ involvement group.The patients were assessed at 5 weeks,11 weeks,25 weeks,3 months,6 months,1 year and 3 years.The data were analyzed by using SPSS 17.0 software.Results A total of 112 patients (66 boys and 4,6 girls) with a median age of 5 years at diagnosis of LCH were analyzed.The most frequently affected organ was the bones(91 cases,81.3％),followed by skin(15 cases,13.4％).Few patients (27.6％) had acentral nervous system risk lesion,who were younger than those with other bone lesion(2.5 years vs 6.6 years).Patients with bone lesions were diagnosed at a significantly older age than other patients(5.6 years vs 1.5 years) (P ＜ 0.01).All patients received chemotherapy that included Prednisone and Vinblastine for 25 weeks.Twenty-five patients (22.3 ％) showed reactivation.Of these,4 patients exhibited reactivation in the pituitary.Three-year overall survival rate was expected to reach 100％,and no-event survival was expected at (73.22 ± 4.47) ％.Age of less than 2 years old was the factor of reactivation (P =0.033);sex,organ involvement and member of bone involved were not related with reactivation (P =0.679,0.142,0.639).Conclusions The bones were the frequent involvement organ in single-system LCH patients.These patients have a good prognosis.The rate of reactivation of single system-LCH can be decreased by chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognostic factors for Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in children.Methods A retrospective review of patients diagnosed as LCH was carried out between January 2007 and December 2012 in Beijing Children's Hospital,Capital Medical University.Target patients were divided into multi-organ high-risk groups (Group Ⅰ),multi-organ low-risk groups (Group Ⅱ),single-organ groups (GroupⅢ),and the corresponding intensity of chemotherapy was given.SPSS 17.0 statistical software was used to analyze the findings.The correlations among the affected organ,the early treatment response and the prognosis were analyzed.Results A total of 217 patients were analyzed including 127 boys and 90 girls with ratio of 1.4 ∶ 1.0 and a median age of 36 months (ranged from 2 months to 14 years) on the diagnosis of LCH,and there were 132 cases (60.8％) in group Ⅰ,33 cases (15.3％) in group Ⅱ and 52 cases (23.9％) in group Ⅲ.The median age on diagnosis was 20 months in group Ⅰ,42 months in group Ⅱ and 72 months in group Ⅲ.The most frequently affected organ was the bone (176 cases,81.2％).Among 217 patients,55 cases (25.3％) had recurrence and 12 cases died.The rate of 3-year overall survival was expected to be 90.78％.The rate of 3-year event free survival was expected to be 76.5％.Myelosuppression,liver function damage and infection were the most common side effects due to chemotherapy with the percentages of 48.4％ (105 cases),24.0％ (52 cases) and 12.4％ (27 cases).Risk organs involvement and no-response to initial therapy (after 6 weeks) indicated a worse prognosis (x2 =10.60,12.84,P =0.017,0.001).Conclusions Incidence of LCH in boys is slightly higher than girls in children.Peak age at onset of LCH in children is 1-3 years old.Bone is the most frequent involved organ.Involvement of risk organs and no-response to initial therapy are key factors in determining worse prognosis.A rescue therapy should be introduced earlier in these patients.

BACKGROUNDDicycloplatin is a relatively safe third generation platinum-complex anti-cancer drug. The present study focused on the effects of dicycloplatin on in vitro proliferation and apoptosis of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) and human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC).

METHODSProliferation of HASMC and HAEC, DNA content, and cellular levels of proliferation- and apoptosis-related proteins were assessed using the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assay, flow cytometry and Western blotting assays, respectively.

RESULTSDicycloplatin at 10 ng/ml significantly inhibited HASMC proliferation, however, 10 µg/ml were required to significantly inhibit HAEC proliferation. Cell cycle analysis showed that dicycloplatin was a non-specific inhibitor of the cell cycle. Although dicycloplatin significantly decreased proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in HASMC at all concentrations tested, it did not significantly affect PCNA expression in HAEC; Bax and p53 protein expression was upregulated in dicycloplatin groups.

CONCLUSIONSDicycloplatin at nanogram concentrations significantly inhibits HASMC proliferation, although the effect is relatively weaker than that of sirolimus. In contrast, the effect of dicycloplatin on inhibition of HAEC proliferation is much less pronounced than that on HASMC. The latter characteristics point to the potential for use of dicycloplatin in drug-eluting stents.

Aorta ; cytology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Flow Cytometry ; Glutamates ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology

BackgroundSweep pattern visual evoked potential(SPVEP) acuity,as an objective detective technique of visual function,can be used to measure visual acuity in children and uncooperative adults.Recent studies have shown that the amplitude-logarithm of the visual angle (A-LogVA) function regression method was more accurate than the amplitude-spatial frequency (A-SP)function regression method in evaluating SPVEP acuity.Objective This study was to explore the clinical use of SPVEP acuity in visual developing children and compare the evaluating the SPVEP acuity of children between A-SP function regression method and A-LogVA function regression method.Methods Twenty-six eyes of 26 asthenopic children with age range of 3-12 years and 31 age-matched normal children were enrolled in this study.SPVEP acuity was recorded with GT-2000 NV ( GUOTE MEDICAL APPARATUS LTD,China) using sinusoidally modulated horizontal gratings of 10 different spatial frequencies from 0.99 to 12.89 cpd as stimulus.The responses were averaged and displayed through discrete Fourier transformations (DFT) on the monitor display.SPVEP acuity was estimated by using both the SPVEP A-SP function regression method and the SPVEP A-LogVA function regression method.The LogMAR chart was used to acquire LogMAR visual acuity.ResultsIn the normal group,the correlation coefficient between LogMAR visual acuity and acuity calculated by the A-SP function regression method was 0.600 (P＜0.01).The correlation coefficient between LogMAR visual acuity and acuity calculated by the A-LogVA function regression method was 0.733 ( P＜0.01 ).The ANOVA of the LogMAR acuity and the SPVEP acuity calculated from the A-SP function regression method and A-LogVA function regression method were 113.173 (P＜0.01 ),which indicated that there were significant difference among all of subjects.The differences of the mean values of LogMAR visual acuity and the SPVEP acuity calculated from the A-SP function regression method and A-LogVA function regression method were respectively 0.40±0.02,0.26 ±0.02 and 0.14 ± 0.02.In the amblyopia group,the correlation coefficient between LogMAR visual acuity and acuity calculated by the A-SP function regression method was 0.134 (P =0.515 ).The correlation coefficient between LogMAR visual acuity and acuity calculated by the A-LogVA function regression method was 0.456 ( P＜0.05 ).The ANOVA of the LogMAR acuity and the SPVEP acuity calculated from the A-SP function regression method and A-LogVA function regression method were 3.433 (P＜0.05),indicating that there were significant difference among all of subjects.The differences of the mean values of LogMAR visual acuity and the SPVEP acuity calculated from the A-SP function regression method and A-LogVA function regression method were 0.07±0.05,0.12±0.05 and 0.05 ±0.01 respectively.Conclusions SPVEP can evaluate the visual acuity in children,although SPVEP acuity may overestimate or underestimate acuity in comparison with different LogMAR visual acuities.The amplitude-LogVA function regression method is more accurate in extrapolating SPVEP acuity.

OBJECTIVETo identify the original plant of "Daibaijie", commonly used Dai herb.

METHODThe literature review, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, chemistry were used to analysis.

RESULTDaibaijie's historical scientific name, Dregea sinensis Hemsl., was mistakenly given "Daibaijie" and D. sinensis have significant differences from the distribution, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology and chemical composition. "Daibaijie" matches with the characteristics of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in English.

CONCLUSIONDaibaijie's original plant is M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon. The description and illustration of M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in China are wrong. The illustration of M. tenacissima in Flora of China in English is wrong too.

China ; ethnology ; Herbal Medicine ; Marsdenia ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Components, Aerial ; anatomy & histology ; classification

OBJECTIVETo sought to engineer and characterize a biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) containing rapamycin which use poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) as the carrier matrix and to assess its in vivo release characteristics by local drug delivery system intravascularly.

METHODSRapamycin-loaded PLGA NPs were prepared by an emulsification/solvent evaporation technique, and NPs size distribution was assessed by submicro laser defractometer. The particle morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. In vitro release from the NPs was performed in TE buffer at 37 degrees C under rotation utilizing double-chamber diffusion cells on a shake stander. In vivo NPs intravascular local delivery were performed by DISPATCH catheter in New Zealand rabbit abdominal aorta and Chinese experimental mini-pigs coronary artery models.

RESULTSBiodegradable rapamycin loaded PLGA NPs were constructed successfully by emulsification solvent-evaporation technique. The diameter of rapamycin-PLGA NPs was around 246.8 nm with very narrow size distribution, and rapamycin-NPs showed good spherical shape with smooth uniform surface. Rapamycin loaded in NPs were around was 19.42%. Encapsulation efficiency of drug was over 77.53%. The in vitro release of rapamycin from NPs showed that 75% of the drug was sustained released over 2 weeks and controlled release in a linear pattern. After a single 10 minutes infusion of rapamycin-PLGA NPs suspension (5 mg/ml) under 20.27 kPa through DISPATCH catherter in vivo, the mean rapamycin levels at 7 day and 14 day were (2.438 +/- 0.439) and (0.529 +/- 0.144) microg/mg of the dry-weight of the artery segments (2 cm) which local delivery were administrated.

CONCLUSIONSPLGA NPs controlled drug delivery system for intraarterial local anti-proliferative drug delivery can potentially improve local drug concentration and prolong drug residence time in animal model in vivo. It should be appropriate for further study of its therapy efficiency in human.

Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; drug effects ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of rapamycin (RPM)-loaded poly (lactic-co- glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) on the proliferation, distribution of cell cycle, and expression of p27 protein in human umbilical arterial vascular smooth muscle cell (HUASMC) in vitro.

METHODSThe primarily culture model of HUASMC was successfully established by explant-attached method in vitro. The cells were administrated with different doses of RPM, and RPM-PLGA NPs were observed as treat groups compared with PLGA NPs and M231-SMGs medium cultured group. The effect of RPM-PLGA NPs on proliferation of HUASMC was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetry method. The influences of RPM-PLGA NPs on the cell cycle and cellular growth kinetics of HUASMCs were tested by flow cytometry. The effect of RPM-PLGA NPs on the expression of p27 protein of HUASMCs was assessed through an immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the proliferation of HUASMCs was inhibited by 50 microg/L and higher concentration of RPM-PLGA NPs in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The numbers of cells entering cell cycle of S/G2/M phases were significantly lower in RPM-PLGA NPs and RPM treated groups. Histologically, the expression of p27 were up-regulated in 500 microg/L RPM-PLGA NPs and 100 microg/L RPM treated group (all P < 0.01 ) when compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONSRPM-PLGA NPs has a similar effects as RPM in inhibiting the growth of in vitro cultured HUASMC. It can remarkably suppress the expression of in vitro cultured HUASMC p27 protein, arrest its cell cycle at G1/S phase, and inhibit its proliferation.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; metabolism ; Drug Carriers ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nanoparticles ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Arteries ; cytology