To observe the preventive effect of polydatin on diabetic myocardial hypertrophy in mice and discuss its and mechanism. The diabetic model was induced with low dose STZ (40 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x 5 d, ip) for five days in mice. The myocardial hypertrophy was determined by hypertrophy indexes (LVHI, left ventricular/right ventricle and septum), left ventricular/body weight (LV/BW), the histological examination and the mRNA expression of atrial natriuretic factor(ANF). The fast blood glucose(FBG), serum insulin and plasma hemoglobin A1c ( HbA1c) levels were detected, and then HOMA insulin resistance index ( HOMA. IR) was calculated. The mRNA and protein expressions were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. According to the results, the FBG of the model group exceeded 11.1 mmol x L(-1), with notable decrease in BW and significant increase in insulin, HbA1c and HOME. IR, suggesting the successful establishment and stability of the diabetic model. The increases in LVHI, LV/BW, cell surface and ANF mRNA indicated a myocardial hypertrophy in diabetic mice. Meanwhile, the model group showed decrease in mRNA and protein expressions of PPARβ and significant increase in NF-κB p65, COX-2 and iNOS expressions. After the preventation with PD (50, 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), diabetic mice showed increase in BW, reduction in the levels of FBG, insulin and HbA1 c, relief in insulin resistance and significant recovery in hypertrophy indexes, indicating PD has the protective effect in diabetic myocardial hypertrophy. Meanwhile, PD up-regulated the expression of PPARβ, inhibited the expressions of NF-κB p65, COX-2 and iNOS, demonstrating that PD's protective effect may be related to the activation of PPARβ and the inhibition of NF-κB, COX-2 and iNOS signaling pathways.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Glucosides ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Stilbenes ; administration & dosage

Objective To observe the clinical, mammographic and sonographic features of pure invasive lobular breast carcinoma (ILC), and to explore the value of combined imaging assessment of ILC. Methods Sonographic appearances of 55 patients of ILC were retrospectively reviewed in correlation with mammographic, pathologic and clinical findings, and the causes of false negative were analyzed. Results The main features found in clinical examination were mass (96.15%) and thickening in the size of breast (3.85%). The main mammographic features were spiculated or ill-defined mass (65.38%) and architectural distortion (23.08%). The most common sonographic patterns were mass (98.00%) and distortion (2.00%). The accuracy for detecting ILC of clinical examination, mammography and ultrasonography was 94.55%, 83.87% and 98.04%, respectively, while combining the three modalities, the detection rate increased to 100%. Conclusion Sonography has higher accuracy than mammography in detecting ILC. Combining clinical examination, mammography and ultrasonography can increase the pre-operative diagnostic accuracy of ILC.

Objective To evaluate the inter-observer variability of static breast sonogram final assessment among observers with different breast imaging experience, using the first edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System(BI-RADS) for ultrasound. Methods Thirty patients with 30 breast lesions were included who underwent beast lesions resection operation. A pathological diagnosis was available for all 30 lesions:16 (53%) malignant and 14 (47%) benign. Twelve radiologists independently reviewed two sonograms of each lesion, and assigned a final BI-RADS assessment category. Inter-observer variability was measured using kappa statistic. Positive predictive value(PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for final assessment were also calculated. Results As for the experienced observers,kappa values of categories 3,4 and 5 were 0.72,0.28 and 0.60,NPV of category 3 was 93% ,PPV of category 5 was 97% ,all of which decreased as the breast imaging experience reduced. PPVs of categories 4a,4b and 4c were 56 % ,88% and 69%, respectively. Conclusions Using BI-RADS final assessment, radiologists with sufficient breast imaging experience can provide accurate and consistent assessment for breast ultrasonography,but the agreement of diagnosis decreased as the breast imaging experience reduced. The clinical feasibility of 4a,4b and 4c subcategories is uncertain.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic values of ultrasound (US) and (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG PET)/computerized tomography (CT) in diagnosing suspected thyroid carcinoma and lymph node metastasis.

METHODSThe clinical data of 28 patients who had undergone total or subtotal thyroidectomy with or without neck dissection from December 2011 to December 2012 in PUMC Hospital and had undergone US and FDG PET/CT before surgery were retrospectively analyzed. In each patient, US and FDG PET/CT images were retrospectively reviewed to determine the presence of carcinoma with or without loco-regional metastasis by level-by-level analysis. The potential correlation between imaging results and histopathology were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 11 benign lesions,15 papillary carcinomas, one follicular carcinoma, and one medullary carcinoma. For thyroid carcinoma,the sensitivity and specificity were 88.2% and 63.6% for US and 76.5% and 54.5% for FDG PET/CT(P>0.05). For lymph node metastasis, the sensitivity was 68.0% for US and 60.0% for FDG PET/CT (P>0.05), and the specificity was 96.7% for US and FDG PET/CT.FDG PET/CT could provide more diagnostic information than US for patients with level 2 or 5 metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSCombination of US and FDG PET/CT is typically not needed for differentiating thyroid lesions.However, for patients with suspected lymph node metastasis of infrequently involved levels, the combination of US and FDG PET/CT may be a good choice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo develop a novel gene delivery vector TAT-PEI-beta-CyD.

METHODSbeta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD) was linked by low molecular weight (PEI 600) via 1, 1-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), and TAT peptide (RRRQRRKKRC) was coupled to PEI 600 by [N-succinimidy-3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate, SPDP]. The copolymer was characterized by (1)H-NMR and FT-IR. Physiochemical characteristics of TAT-PEI-beta-CyD/DNA complexes were tested by agarose gel electrophoresis and particle size measurements. Cell viability and transfection efficiency were evaluated in A293 and B16 cells using PEI 25 kDa as a control.

RESULTTAT peptide was successfully coupled to PEI-beta-CyD. The result of gel electrophoresis showed that the TAT-PEI-beta-CyD was able to condense DNA efficiently at N/P ratio of 4. The particle size of TAT-PEI-beta-CyD/DNA complexes was around 100 nm. The cytotoxicity of TAT-PEI-beta-CyD was lower than that of PEI 25 kDa. The transfection efficiency of TAT-PEI-beta-CyD was higher than that of PEI 25 kDa in A293 and B16 cells at N/P ratio of 30.

CONCLUSIONThe novel vector TAT-PEI-beta-CyD has been developed successfully with low cytotoxicity and high transfection efficiency.

Cell Line ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Peptide Fragments ; chemistry ; Polyethyleneimine ; chemistry ; beta-Cyclodextrins ; chemistry ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo determine the possible relationship between plasma potassium concentration and severity of acute trimethyltin chloride (TMT) poisoning and to assess the mechanism of TMT induced hypokalemia.

METHODSSD rats were treated with various dosages of TMT (i.p.). All the indices were measured and analysed for determining their possible relations with plasma K+.

RESULTSWith increase of dosage, the plasma K+ level dropped rapidly, and deaths appeared more quickly. The LD50 of TMT (i.p.) was 14.7 mg/kgbw. In the low dosage group (10 mg/kgbw), the plasma K+ level dropped slowly with the lowest dosage on day 6 (4.85 mmol/L). It rose again on day 11 (5.06 mmol/L), and recovered on day 28. The poisoning signs corresponded with decline of the span of K+ level. The plasma Na+ level dropped half an hour after TMT treatment, but recovered 24 h later. In the high dosage group (46.4 mg/kgbw), the levels of plasma K+ and Na+ fell rapidly within half an hour (P < 0.05), the intracellular potassium concentration of RBC did not decrease obviously (P > 0.05), the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase in RBC membrane were depressed remarkably (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively), the plasma aldosterone concentrations rose as high as tenfold (P < 0.01), the arterial blood pH fell from 7.434 to 7.258 (P < 0.01), pCO2 was raised from 29.62 to 45.33 mmHg (P < 0.01). In the 24 h urine test, when rats were treated with TMT (21.5 mg/kgbw, i.p.), urine volume, urinary potassium, sodium and chloride increased significantly in comparison with those in the controls (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTMT could induce hypokalemia in SD rats. The available evidence suggests that TMT can induce acute renal leakage of potassium. At the same time, a significant rise of plasma aldosterone may play an important role in promoting potassium leakage from kidney to result in severe hypokalemia with inhaling acid-base abnormalities produced, which aggravate the poisoning symptoms. In the end the rats would die of respiratory failure.

Animals ; Female ; Hypokalemia ; chemically induced ; veterinary ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; veterinary ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Severity of Illness Index ; Trimethyltin Compounds ; pharmacology ; poisoning

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulatory mechanism of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes of condyle in fetal mouse.

METHODSChondrocytes of condyle in fetal mouse were separated and cultured in vitro, the influence of PTHrP on proliferation and differentiation was observed.

RESULTSAfter two weeks' culture in 0.01 nmol/L, 0.1 nmol/L, 1 nmol/L, 10 nmol/L human PTHrP, there was significant difference in the number of cartilage nodule formed between experiment group and control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in 0.01 nmol/L group (P>0.05). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was significantly intensified in experiment group and control group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, it was found that this function of promotion was lessened after anti-PTHR antibody used.

CONCLUSIONIt can be seen that PTHrP, via its receptor, can promote proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes of condyle, which resemble its modulation mechanism in epiphyseal growth plate cartilage intramembrane in mandibule.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Chondrocytes ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Mice ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein

This study was aimed to reveal the species characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for antitussive ef-fect and provide references for developing new drugs. This research targeted Chinese patent medicines for antitussive effect which were included in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and the New National Chinese Patent Medicines as well as those characterized by keywords such as cough cure, cough alleviating, antitussive effect, cough, persistent cough. The analysis was made on the species characteristics, such as the number of Chinese patent medicines for antitussive effect, license number, ethnomedicine patent medicines, drugs for children use, protection of varieties of traditional Chinese medicine, the number of drugs, the generic names of drug, and drug forms. The results showed that 684 Chinese patent medicines for antitussive effect collected in this research had ac-counted for 8.60% of the total 7 260 of Chinese patent medicines. A total of 7 450 license numbers were approved, and 33% of the Chinese patent medicines shares one license number. One Chinese patent medicine owns 16.6 li-cense numbers on average. Ethnomedicine patent medicines had 3 Tibetan prescriptions such as the Shiwuwei Chenxiang pill and 4 Mongolian prescriptions, such as the Siwei Tumuxiang powder. Drugs for children accounted for 14%, including 9 forms. The type of the generic names of drug reached 16 and most of them originate from abbrevia-tions of the main drug in prescription. The number of drugs in prescription ranges from 8 to 16. Chinese patent medicines for antitussive effect involved 16 forms, of which the proportion of the use of solid preparation was higher than the liquid preparation. It was concluded that Chinese patent medicines for antitussive effect were characterized by such advantages such as a variety of species, various forms, the reasonable number of drugs, considerable medicine retail market share and drug for children use which can meet the clinical needs, and meanwhile some prob-lems, such as a lack of criteria for the generic names of drug, the homogenization of fierce competition, and inade-quacy of ethnomedicine patent medicines.

AIM:To investigate the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors(PPARs)-inflammation signaling pathways in diabetic hepatopathy.METHODS:Diabetic mouse model was established by feeding the mice with a high-energy diet for 4 weeks combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ;40 mg· kg-1· d-1for 5 d). The hepatopathy model was confirmed by histopathological observation and the indexes of liver function, such as alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and alkaline phosphatase(ALP),after another 4 weeks.Mo-reover,fasting blood glucose(FBG), and serum levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG)and insulin were measured,and the HOMA insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)was calculated.The mRNA and protein expression levels of PPARs and inflammation-related factors were measured by qPCR and Western blot, respectively.RESULTS: After treatment with STZ for 7 d,the FBG of mice exceeded 11.1 mmol/L,suggesting that the diabetic model was established. After 4 weeks,the structural deformation of the hepatocytes(including hepatocytes containing abundant fat vacuoles, and inflammatory cell infiltration),and the increases in the serum levels of insulin,HOMA-IR,TC,TG,ALT,AST and ALP were observed(P<0.01), indicating the occurrence and progression of hepatopathy in diabetic mice.Meanwhile, com-pared with the control group,the mRNA and protein expression of PPARα,PPARβand PPARγdecreased,but the expres-sion of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB),cyclooxygenase 2(COX-2)and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)significantly increased in the diabetic hepatopathy mice(P <0.01).CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of PPARα, PPARβand PPARγand activation of NF-κB-COX-2/iNOS signaling pathways may be involved in the diabetic hepatopathy in mice in-duced by long-term high-energy diet feeding combined with intraperitoneal injection of STZ.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography in distinguishing follicular carcinoma from adenoma.

METHODSThe ultrasound data of 37 patients with histopathologically confirmed follicular carcinomas who were treated in PUMC Hospital from January 2000 to November 2012 were retrospectively studied. In addition, 74 sex-and age-matched patients with histopathologically confirmed adenomas during the same period were enrolled as the control group. The pathologic results were regarded as the gold standard.

RESULTSIrregular shape (32.4% of follicular carcinoma vs 5.4% of adenoma), absence of thin halo (67.6% vs 36.5%), indistinct margin (21.6% vs 1.4%), hypoechoic appearance (64.9% vs 39.2%), punctuate calcification(40.5% vs 13.5%), absence of cystic change (78.4% vs 54.1%), and being complicated with other thyroid disease (56.8% vs 28.4%) were more frequently associated with follicular carcinoma than with benign adenoma (P<0.05). No significant difference in the echotexture and internal flow was observed between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAlthough follicular carcinoma and adenoma share many sonographic features, irregular shape, absence of thin halo, indistinct margin, hypoechoic appearance, punctuate calcification, absence of cystic change, and being complicated with other thyroid disease favor a follicular carcinoma diagnosis.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; diagnostic imaging ; Adenoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland ; diagnostic imaging ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult