Halomonas sp.BYS-1 was a moderately halophilic bacteria strain isolated from activated sludge,It could grow on MM with NaCl concentration from 0.1～2.6 mol/L and phenyl acetic acid as sole carbon souce. When BYS-1 grew in the media with different concentrations of NaCl, there was no obvious change in its intracellular Na+ contents , it accumulated K+, glutamic acid and betaine as osmoprotectants. Its intracellular contents of K+,glutamic acid and betaine increased by 1.9,2.4 and 13.6 times, respectively, when the concentration of NaCl increased from 0.1 mol/L to 2mol/L.

Current treatments for cancer and the central nervous system diseases are limited,partly due to the difficulties posed by the insolubility,poor distribution of drugs among cells and lack of selectivity of drugs,the inability of drugs to cross cellular barriers and blood brain barrier (BBB).Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess many distinct properties including good electronic properiies,remarkably penetrating capability on the cell membrane,high drug-loading and pH-dependent therapeutic unloading capacities,thermal properties,large surface area and easy modification with molecules,which render them as a suitable candidate to deliver drugs to cancer and brain.CNTs as a drug delivery could achieve a high efficacy,enhance specificity and diminish side effects.Whereas CNTs have been primarily employed in cancer treatment,a few studies have focused on the treatment and diagnosis of the central nervous system diseases using CNTs.Here,we review the current progress of in vitro and in vivo researches of CNTs-based drug delivery to cancer involving CNTs-based tumor-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS),photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT).Meanwhile,we also review the current progress of in vitro and in vivo researches of CNTs-based drug delivery to brain.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of gene expression of mouse uroplakin II (UPII) promoter on human bladder cell cancer cell line.

METHODSThe mRNA expression of different cell lines was quantified by RT-PCR. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and luciferase (Luc) were used as reporter genes. The plasmids carrying UPII or GFP were constructed and transfected into human cell lines of bladder transitional cell cancer (BIU-87), kindey cancer (GRC-1), vascular endothelium (EC), lung cancer cell line (A549) and skin fibroblast cell line (Hs27). GFP activity of cells was detected by confocual microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). Luciferase value was measured by luminometer (microplate) and luciferase to beta-galactosidase ratios (L/G values) were used for evaluating transfection efficiency.

RESULTSRT-PCR showed high expression level of UPII mRNA in bladder cancer cell line BIU-87, whereas low level or no expression in nonbladder cancer cell lines. The activity of GFP in bladder cancer (BIU-87) cell was higher than that in the other cell lines (5 - 10/HP versus 0 - 2/HP), with 4.34% positive cells in BIU-87 detected by FCM, but no positive cell was found in the other cell lines. L/G values indicated that the luciferase expression in human bladder cancer cells transfected with mouse UPII promoter was 1.8 - 8.2-fold as high as that in the nonbladder cell lines.

CONCLUSIONMouse UPII promoter gene can be expressed in a tissue-specific fashion in human urinary bladder cancer. It is capable of initiating transcription of reporter genes in human bladder cancer cell line.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Flow Cytometry ; Genetic Therapy ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; Humans ; Luminescent Proteins ; genetics ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mice ; Organ Specificity ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; genetics ; therapy ; Uroplakin II

In order to study the constituents and pharmacology of Tripterygium plants (Tripterygium willfordii Hook.f), a variety of chromatography methods were used. Four compounds were isolated from Tripterygium plant and their structures were elucidated by UV, IR, MS, HR-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 2D-NMR techniques. The isolated compounds were named as triptonide (1), neo-triptetraolide (2), 2alpha-hydroxytriptonide (3), and 15-hydroxytriptonide (4), separately. Compounds 3, 4 belong to new diterpenoids, which can inhibit the growth of K562 cells (leukemia cells) and HL60 cells (acute myeloid leukemia cells).
Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

AIMThe index F and relative index Fr of chromatographic fingerprints were firstly proposed to indicate how bountiful was the information in traditional Chinese medicines chromatographic fingerprints, how better was the separation effect, how high was the peak signal and how equal were the peak areas.

METHODSThe index F and relative index Fr of chromatographic fingerprints were firstly applied to evaluate the chromatographic fingerprints results of traditional Chinese medicines determined by the reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method and high performance capillary electrophoresis.

RESULTSThe Shegan Kangbingdu injection and all its traditional Chinese medicines ingredients had been evaluated by F and Fr, so did for the HPLC fingerprints of Radix salviae miltiorrhizae reported in literature. As the same time, the F and Fr of the capillary electrophoresis fingerprints of Folium isatidis, Rhizoma belamcandae and compound liquorice tablets were successfully determined. As far as F was concerned, there was no evident difference between HPLC and capillary electrophoresis (CE), but the Fr values came from CE was usually a thousand times more than that from HPLC.

CONCLUSIONThe F and Fr can be applied to evaluate objectively, simply and thoroughly the chromatographic fingerprints.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; methods ; Injections ; Iridaceae ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

To explore the differences between the qualitative similarity and the quantitative similarity of chromatographic fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicines, the quantitative similarity calculated by vector shadow C%, apparent quantitative similarity R%, quantitative similarity P%, etc. were firstly proposed to disclose the quantitative information characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines fingerprints. The HPLC fingerprints of both the standard Fructus gardeniae and the ten batches of Fructus gardeniae produced in different places were evaluated by the new parameters to obtain good results. The contrasted fingerprint contained 35 peaks while geniposide was selected as the reference peak. The HPLC fingerprint had good precision and reproducibility with the RSD of the relative retention time less than 1.5% and the RSD of the relative peak area within 5%. The qualitative similarity and quantitative similarity between each crude drug and the contrasted fingerprint were quantitatively calculated, the values of C%, P%, etc., were applied in the quality control practice, which had less errors. What is more, this method could be used for the overall quality control of Fructus gardeniae and especially suits for qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the chromatographic fingerprints both in chemical constituent distribution and in contents. The quantitative parameters such as C% and P% can be used to objectively, authentically and thoroughly display the content information characteristics. When they combined with the qualitative similarity, it will be the good method to evaluate the chromatographic fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicines.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

AIMTo exploit the characteristic digital criterion for the potential information characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine chromatographic fingerprints, the 37 parameters such as F and I were firstly proposed to disclose the potential information characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine fingerprints.

METHODSThe HPLC fingerprints of the Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) , Ginkgo leaf extract and diphyridamole injection (GLEDI), Ixeris sonchifolia Hance (ISH) and Ixeris sonchifolia Hance injection (ISHI) were compared each other.

RESULTSAs far as the peak signal intensity, the uniform of peak signal, resolution and the fingerprint information were concerned. The GBE fingerprint was better than the GLEDI's, and the ISH fingerprint was also better than the ISHI's, then GBE fingerprint was close to the ISHI' s.

CONCLUSIONThe 37 parameters such as F and I can be used to objectively, authentically and thoroughly display the potential information characteristics of the traditional Chinese medicine chromatographic fingerprints.

Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

With the excellent merits of wide analytical range, high sensitivity, small sample size, fast analysis speed, good repeatability, simple operation, low mobile phase consumption, as well as its capability of simultaneous isolation and identification, etc, mass spectrometry techniques have become widely used in the area of environmental science, energy chemical industry, biological medicine, and so on. This article reviews the application of mass spectrometry technology in biological sample analysis in the latest three years with the focus on the new applications in pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence, toxicokinetics, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic, population pharmacokinetics, identification and fragmentation pathways of drugs and their metabolites and metabonomics to provide references for further study of biological sample analysis.
Animals ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Metabolomics ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; chemistry ; Pharmacokinetics ; Pharmacology ; Therapeutic Equivalency

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the long-term effect and clinical value of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) with transparent cap for dysplasia and early-stage cancer of the esophagus and gastric cardia.

METHODSFrom September 1996 to June 2007, 154 lesions in the esophagus or gastric cardia of 147 patients were treated using EMR with transparent cap. Among the lesions, there were 69 early-stage squamous-cell carcinomas in 64 patients and 47 squamous cell precancerous lesions of the esophagus in 45 patients, with an average lesion size of (14.8 +/- 6.1) mm (range, 3-40 mm), furthermore, there were 23 early-stage adenocarcinomas in 23 patients and 15 precancerous lesions in the gastric cardia in 15 patients, with an average lesion size of (8.2 +/- 4.3) mm (rang, 5-25 mm). All lesions were finally confirmed histopathologically.

RESULTSOf the 154 lesions, 139 (90.3%) were resected completely through EMR procedure. A close relationship between the complete resection rate and the lesion size was observed. The bigger the lesion size, the lower the complete resection rate. Endoscopic follow-up was carried out in 7 patients for more than 10 years, in 43 for 5 - 10 years, in 31 for 3 - 5 years and in 66 for less than 3 years. Of 11 dead patients during following-up, 10 died of other diseases, only 1 of recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 96.2% for early-stage esophageal cancer, and 100% for early cancer of the gastric cardia. Perioperative complications included oozing bleeding in 5 patients (3.4%) and stricture in 1 (0.7%), no perforation occurred in this series.

CONCLUSIONEndoscopic mucosal resection is suitable to treat precancerous lesions or early-stage esophageal cancers without invasion into submucosa. Compared with conventional resection through open thoracotomy, similar long-term survival and curative effect can be achieved by this EMR treatment, preserving a good quality of life.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Cardia ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Precancerous Conditions ; pathology ; surgery ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate two commercial anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) IgM kits used for differential diagnosis of acute enteric viral hepatitis.

METHODSThe kit for IgM capture assay, was produced with a recombinant HEV structural protein protecting primates against experimental infection by different HEV genotypes, while the other kit for indirect ELISA was produced with recombinant structural proteins from different HEV genotypes. The serum specimens were taken from 241 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis A and 74 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis E.

RESULTSThe sensitivity and specificity of the IgM capture assay kit were 97% and 100%, respectively, and the corresponding values for the other kit were 70% and 78%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe IgM capture assay kit has higher sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing acute enteric viral hepatitis E.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Hepatitis E ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; immunology ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity