OBJECTIVE:To establish a HPLC method for the determination of levodopa in levodopa inclusion complex.METHODS:The separation was performed on C18,and the mobile phase consisted of methanol-0.01mol?L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer solution(25∶75,pH 3.0)with a flow rate of 1.0mL?min-1.The column temperature was 30℃,the detection wavelength was 280 nm and the sample size was 20?L.RESULTS:A good linear relationship was obtained for levodopa within the range of 5～80?g?mL-1(r=0.999 8),and its average recovery was 100.1%(RSD=0.19%,n=15).CONCLUSION:This method is simple,rapid,accurate,and it can be used for the content determination of levodopa in levodopa inclusion complex.

Objective: To investigate the effect and significance of GSK-3β inhibitor(LiCl)and RANK-RANKL on the renal tissue of diabetic nephropathy(DN) rats. Methods: SD rats were divided into normal control group (NC), DN model group (DN) and GSK-3β inhibitor intervention group (LiCl). Twenty-four hour urine protein of rats were determined by Coomassie brilliant blue. Kidney tissue sections were stained by HE. The expression of GSK-3β, RANK and RANKL protein were determined by immunohistochemistry staining. The mRNA of GSK-3β, RANK, RANKL was detected by RT-qPCR. Results: Compared with NC group[(14.72±3.37)g], the level of 24-hour urinary protein[(154.17±20.65)g] increased significantly in DN group; compared with DN Group, the level of 24-hour urinary protein [(107.22±31.15)g]decreased in LiCl group(P<0.05). Compared with NC group(2.10±0.60, 1.10±0.20, 1.21±0.20; 19.52±3.20, 1.80±1.10, 1.81±0.50), the pathological changes of renal tissues of DN group aggravated, the mRNA and expression of protein of GSK-3β, RANK and RANKL increased(9.10±2.15, 8.95±2.40, 9.90±2.60; 32.70±7.20, 19.20±4.32, 20.92±5.90); compared with DN group, the pathological changes of renal tissues of LiCl group alleviated, mRNA and the expression of protein of factors above declined(2.70±0.80, 2.32±0.65, 3.58±1.10; 22.35±3.25, 4.20±2.42, 5.90±2.36; P<0.05). Conclusion RANK and RANKL play an important role in the development of DN, LiCl influence Wnt and NF-κB signal pathway down-regulating RANK and RANKL to suspend development of diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVETo observe postoperative glucose tolerance, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) , and glucogan-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in normal glucose level dogs after undergoing gastric bypass procedures, and to explore the mechanism of gastric bypass procedures to treat type 2 diabetes.

METHODSThe 6 dogs with normal glucose tolerance had undergone gastric bypass procedures, and measure preoperative and postoperative oral and intravenous glucose tolerance (at time points 1, 2, and 4 weeks) through changes in blood glucose, insulin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and measure preoperative and postoperative week 4 pancreatic tissue morphology.

RESULTSSecond weeks after operation, the fasting blood sugar was (3.58 ± 0.33) mmol/L, and significantly lower than preoperative (t = 3.571, P < 0.05). The GLP-1 level before oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 30 minutes after OGTT were (0.90 ± 0.21) and (0.91 ± 0.19) pmol/L respectively, and significantly higher than preoperative (t value were -3.660 and -2.971, P < 0.05). GLP-1 levels began to decrease in the second week after surgery. After 4 weeks, the index recovered to the preoperative level. Four weeks after surgery when compared with preoperative, islet morphology, islet number (6.8 ± 0.8 and 7.1 ± 0.8 respectively) and islet cells (16.7 ± 2.5 and 16.3 ± 3.1 respectively) did not change significantly (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGastric bypass procedures could be briefly affect normal glucose tolerance in dogs' blood glucose, insulin and diabetes-related gastrointestinal hormones.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dogs ; Gastric Bypass ; Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide ; Glucagon ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 ; blood ; Glucose ; Insulin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic significance of Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index 2 (FLIPI2) in FL patients treated with rituximab maintenance.

METHODSA tatol of 140 newly diagnosed FL patients who received Rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy in our department were retrospectively analyzed from December 2002 to December 2014. Among 140 patients with FL 122 patients achieved response, from them 56 patients received R maintenance (RM) every 2 months for median 8 times (RM group) while the rest 66 patients did not receive further anti-lymphoma treatment (non-RM group).

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in age, sex, pathologic grading, staging, FLIPI or FLIPI2 between RM and non-RM groups. The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of RM and non-RM groups were 89.7% and 77.6% (P=0.043) while the 2-year overall survival were 100% and 98.6% (P=0.131). FLIPI2 is a significant prognostic model either in the total cohort, RM or non-RM groups (P<0.001 all). In subgroup analysis, RM was able to decrease disease progression in low and intermediate-risk group of FLIPI2, while the 2-year PFS of RM and non-RM groups in high-risk group were similar (55.6% vs 46.9%)(P=0.920).

CONCLUSIONFLIPI2 presents robust prognostic significance either in RM or OBS patients, the patients in FLIPI2 low and intermediate-risk group may benefite from RM, but the role of RM in high-risk patients should be further to investigate.

The gut microbiome shows changes under a plateau environment, while the disbalance of intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, the relationship between the two remains unexplored. In this work, we followed up a healthy cohort for up to a year before and after living in a plateau environment and performed 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing analysis of their fecal samples. Through evaluating the participants' clinical symptoms, combined with an IBS questionnaire, we screened the IBS sub-population in our cohort. The sequencing results showed that a high-altitude environment could lead to changes in the diversity and composition of gut flora. In addition, we found that the longer the time volunteers spent in the plateau environment, the more similar their gut microbiota composition and abundance became compared to those before entering the plateau, and IBS symptoms were significantly alleviated. Therefore, we speculated that the plateau may be a special environment that induces IBS. The taxonomic units g_Alistipes, g_Oscillospira, and s_Ruminococcus_torques, which had been proved to play important roles in IBS pathogenesis, were also abundant in the IBS cohort at high altitudes. Overall, the disbalance of gut microbiota induced by the plateau environment contributed to the high frequency of IBS and the psychosocial abnormalities associated with IBS. Our results prompt further research to elucidate the relevant mechanism.

Well water could be a stable source of drinking water. Recently, the use of well water as drinking water has been encouraged in developing countries. However, many kinds of disorders caused by toxic elements in well drinking water have been reported. It is our urgent task to resolve the global issue of element-originating diseases. In this review article, our multidisciplinary approaches focusing on oncogenic toxicities and disturbances of sensory organs (skin and ear) induced by arsenic and barium are introduced. First, our environmental monitoring in developing countries in Asia showed elevated concentrations of arsenic and barium in well drinking water. Then our experimental studies in mice and our epidemiological studies in humans showed arsenic-mediated increased risks of hyperpigmented skin and hearing loss with partial elucidation of their mechanisms. Our experimental studies using cultured cells with focus on the expression and activity levels of intracellular signal transduction molecules such as c-SRC, c-RET, and oncogenic RET showed risks for malignant transformation and/or progression arose from arsenic and barium. Finally, our original hydrotalcite-like compound was proposed as a novel remediation system to effectively remove arsenic and barium from well drinking water. Hopefully, comprehensive studies consisting of (1) environmental monitoring, (2) health risk assessments, and (3) remediation will be expanded in the field of environmental health to prevent various disorders caused by environmental factors including toxic elements in drinking water.
Animals ; Arsenic ; toxicity ; Barium ; toxicity ; Drinking Water ; analysis ; Environmental Exposure ; Environmental Health ; Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Mice ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; toxicity ; Water Wells