OBJECTIVE:To investigate the safety of Polyisobutylene (PIB) Gutong plaster by transdermal administration. METHODS:66 rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group,a group with intact skin and a group with damaged skin. The latter two groups were respectively re-divided into PIB group,the groups of low,medium and high-dose PIB Gutong plaster and Gutong plaster group. An acute toxicity test was conducted on the rabbits,which 14 d of continuous observation was made 24 h af-ter transdermal administration. Another 60 rabbits were divided into several groups as above except for a normal group. A single pri-mary skin irritation test was conducted on them,where skin irritation reactions were recorded 6 h after a single administration based on intra-individual left/right self comparison method. 70 guinea pigs were randomized into a negative control group (vase-line),a PIB group,a positive control group(2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene),a Gutong plaster group and the groups of low,medium and high-dose PIB Gutong plaster,which were dosed for sensitization,followed by a skin sensitization test. RESULTS:No obvi-ous toxicity symptoms could be seen after administration of PIB Gutong plaster. The rabbits’intact or damaged skin had no irrita-tion response to PIB and low and medium-dose PIB Gutong plaster. PIB Gutong plaster caused no irritation response in the rabbits’ intact skin,but slight irritation in damaged skin 1 h after administration. The allergic reaction incidence of the positive control group of guinea pigs was 100% while that of any other groups was 0. CONCLUSIONS:The PIB Gutong plaster is safe for trans-dermal administration.

OBJECTIVE:To study the analgesic effect and mechanism of Gutongtie paste on model rats with formaldehyde-in-duced pain. METHODS:60 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group,Gutongtie paste low-dose,medi-um-dose,high-dose groups(0.594,1.188. 2.376 g/paste,containing crude drug 0.48,0.96,1.92 g)and prednisone acetate group (ig,0.0054 g/kg,external bonding matrix). Model rats with pain was induced by formaldehyde method and immediately adminis-trated after modeling. Electronic tenderness instrument was adopted to determine the pain threshold of rats'ankle joint after adminis-tration of 1,2,3,4,6 h. After 6 h,blood sample 0.3 mL was taken from abdominal aorta then rats were sacrificed. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to determine the β-endorphin (β-EP),prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) contents;spectrophotometry was used to determine nitric oxide(NO)content in rats'serum and inflammatory tissue;and radioimmunoassay was adopted to detect the substance P content in rats'serum,inflammatory tissue and brain tissue. RESULTS:Compared with be-fore modeling,pain thresholds in model group at each period were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with blank group,PGE2,NO of rats,substance P content in inflammatory tissue and brain tissue in model group were significantly in-creased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with model group,pain thresholds in Gutongtie paste groups at corresponding time points were increased,PGE2 and substance P contents in inflammatory tissue and brain tissue were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01);β-EP and NO contents in serum in Gutongtie paste medium-dose,high-dose groups(P<0.05 or P<0.01),NO contents in serum in Gutongtie paste high-dose group were decreased(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Gutongtie paste has a certain analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect,and the mechanism may be related to reducing PGE2, NO, substance P contents, increasing β-EP content.

Cerebral Palsy ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; diagnosis ; genetics

Complete healing of the intestinal mucosa is the most ideal goal in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The intestinal mucosa healing not only significantly alters the course of the disease and relieves clinical symptoms, but also markedly reduces the occurrence of complications and prevents recurrence of IBD. As chronic inflammation associated with peptic ulcer damage is the main pathological feature of IBD, clinical treatment is mainly based on anti-inflammatory therapy, but such therapy cannot promote the healing of the intestinal mucosa of patients. Therefore, how to achieve long-term remission of IBD is still an urgent challenge. In the process of intestinal mucosal repair, the polarization of macrophages maintains the homeostasis of the intestinal microenvironment, which is a representative process that promotes mucosal inflammatory-repair. It is a key part of initiating tissue regeneration that should not be underestimated. In this paper, we reviewed the literature of the past decade, focusing on the promotion of intestinal mucosal healing in IBD. The discussion will highlight the importance and feasibility of regulating macrophages to promote intestinal mucosal repair. Following this thought, we discuss the shortcomings of current clinical treatments and summarize the relevant drugs which have potential to promote intestinal mucosal repair. The aim is to provide effective potential drugs and therapeutic targets for the treatment of IBD.

There is a high prevalence of thalassemia in the South of China. To explore the genotype of alpha-thalassemia as well as the distribution of alpha globin gene mutation in the South of China, 356 patients with heterozygote alpha(+) thalassemia, heterozygote alpha(0) or homozygote alpha(+) thalassemia and 78 patients with HbH were analyzed. The gene diagnosis methods including Gap-PCR, nested-PCR, PCR-RE, PCR-SSCP, 4P-ASPCR and DNA sequence analysis were used. The results showed that among 356 patients, 295 patients with --SEA/alphaalpha (82.87%), 1 patient with alphaalpha/alpha-alpha(3.7) (0.28%), 3 patients with alphaalpha/alpha-alpha(4.2) (0.84%), 3 patients with alphaalpha/alpha(CS)alpha (0.84%), 1 patient with alphaalpha/alphaalpha(QS) (0.28%) and 2 patients with alphaalpha/alpha(Westmead) alpha (0.56%) were found. The homozygote with -alpha(4.2) or -alpha(3.7) was not found. In 78 patients with HbH, 29 patients with --SEA/alphaalpha(-3.7) (37.2%), 20 patients with --SEA/alphaalpha(-4.2) (25.6%), 19 patients with --SEA/alphaalpha(CS) (24.3%), 2 patients with --SEA/alphaalpha(QS) (2.6%) were detected, and other remaiming 8 patients were needed to be defined. Among the non-defined 8 patients, the synonymous mutation with C-->G transversion (GCC-GCG) at codon 65 in the exon 2 of alpha 2-globin gene was detected in 2 unrelated HbH patients came from Guangxi province. Whether it correlated with the phenotype of HbH disease or it is only a single nucleotide polymorphism site (SNPs), should be confirmed in the future. In addition, a set of gene diagnosis methods based on PCR to screen deletion and non-deletion genotypes of alpha-thalassemia in Chinese was improved. A new method, 4P-ASPCR, to detect Hb CS and Hb QS was also developed. The method was verified to be more accurate, time-saving and economic. In conclusion, the genotypes of alpha-thalassemia in Chinese are very complicated, the genotypes of alpha-thalassemia in Chinese need to be further studied, the results of this research probably have practical significance for the gene diagnosis or antenatal diagnosis of alpha-thalassemia in the South of China.
Base Sequence ; China ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Globins ; genetics ; Hemoglobin H ; genetics ; Hemoglobins ; genetics ; Hemoglobins, Abnormal ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; alpha-Thalassemia ; genetics ; pathology

ObjectiveTo determine the stability of androgen indexes by analyzing the relationship of androgen indexes with the results of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) questionnaire investigations, and offer some reference for the application of the diagnostic criteria for LOH released by The Chinese Society of Andrology in 2009.

METHODSThis study included 1 003 males aged 40 years or older who had accomplished the questionnaires of Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM), Aging Males' Symptoms Scale (AMS), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5). We evaluated the correlation of androgen indexes with the results of the questionnaire investigation, repeated the examination of androgen indexes for the subjects with total testosterone (TT) ≤11.5 nmol/L after an average of 1.5 years, and analyzed the factors inducing changes of androgen indexes.

RESULTSFree testosterone index (FTI) ≤ 0.42 (OR, 1.369) and calculated free testosterone (cFT) ≤ 0.3 nmol/L (OR, 1.302) were considered as the risk factors of LOH in AMS, and so were testosterone secretion index (TSI) ≤ 2.8 nmol/IU (OR, 1.679) and cFT ≤ 0.3 nmol/L (OR, 1.371) in IIEF-5. Paired t-test on the results of the examination performed twice showed significant differences in the levels of TT, TSI, cFT, and FT (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDecreased testosterone may cause the diversity of LOH symptoms and hence the fluctuation of androgens. Therefore, the diagnosis of LOH depends on androgen indexes, varied symptoms in the questionnaires, and relief of the symptoms after testosterone therapy.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of nano-TiO(2) intratracheal instillation on the progression of dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice.

METHODSThe nano-TiO(2) was ultrasound with phosphate-buffered saline solutions (PBS) into its suspension for exposure. A total of 46 specific pathogen free (SPF) level of 11-week-old male apolipoprotein E-knockout mice were randomly divided into groups by their body weights: non-treatment group (8 mice), PBS control group (9 mice), high dose group (1.0 mg/ml, 10 mice), medium dose group (0.5 mg/ml, 10 mice), and low dose group (0.1 mg/ml, 9 mice). Except the non-treatment group, mice from other groups were intratracheally instilled with 0.05 ml each time, twice a week. After exposure of 6 weeks, viscera index, blood TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and organic lipid ratio were assessed as biomarkers. Artery and aortic root issues were assessed by histopathology.

RESULTSAfter 5 weeks exposure, mice body weights in high dose group ((29.7 ± 1.9) g) started to drop, compared to PBS control ((31.3 ± 1.9) g, t = -1.58, P < 0.05) and low dose group ((31.4 ± 1.4) g, t = -1.17, P < 0.05); after 6 weeks, high dose group ((28.8 ± 1.5) g) was lower than PBS control ((30.4 ± 1.9) g, t = -1.60, P < 0.05), non-treatment group ((30.2 ± 1.3) g, t = -1.43, P < 0.05) and low dose group ((30.6 ± 1.0) g, t = -1.83, P < 0.05). TC levels of non-treatment, PBS control, high dose group, medium dose group and low dose group were (2.92 ± 1.18), (3.12 ± 0.73), (4.19 ± 1.86), (3.46 ± 0.72) and (2.57 ± 0.64) mmol/L, respectively; TG levels were (0.39 ± 0.13), (0.39 ± 0.08), (0.60 ± 0.21), (0.55 ± 0.19) and (0.41 ± 0.11) mmol/L, respectively; HDL-C levels were (1.67 ± 0.45), (1.54 ± 0.67), (0.93 ± 0.50), (1.02 ± 0.48) and (1.31 ± 0.64) mmol/L; TG levels of high dose group were higher than that of non-treatment group (t = 1.27, P = 0.03) and low dose group (t = 1.62, P = 0.01); TG levels of medium dose group was higher than PBS control (t = 0.16, P = 0.04), and TC levels of high dose group were higher than PBS control (t = 0.22, P = 0.01), non-treatment group (t = 0.22, P = 0.04) and low dose group (t = 0.20, P = 0.03), and HDL-C levels of high dose group were lower than PBS control (t = -0.61, P = 0.04) and non-treatment group (t = -0.74, P = 0.04); organic lipid ratio of each group were (2.27 ± 0.51)%, (2.06 ± 0.53)%, (2.90 ± 0.50)%, (2.60 ± 0.23)%, (2.24 ± 0.45)%; high dose group were higher than PBS control (t = 0.85, P = 0.00), non-treatment group (t = 0.64, P = 0.03) and low dose group (t = 0.67, P = 0.01); medium dose group was higher than PBS control (t = 0.54, P = 0.02). The plaque lipid content and calcium content which showed the progression of atherosclerosis and plaque rupture were elevated in medium and high dose groups.

CONCLUSIONIntratracheal instillation of nano-TiO(2) can induce dyslipidemia and accelerate the development of atherosclerosis and plaque rupture in ApoE-/-mice.

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; chemically induced ; Dyslipidemias ; blood ; chemically induced ; Instillation, Drug ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Nanoparticles ; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms ; Titanium ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

【Objective】 To investigate the role of CFTR in visceral preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation.【Method】Primary preadipocytes were separated from visceral adipose tissue of the 4-week-old and 8-week-old CFTR-KO mice and age-matched littermates. Quantitative real time -PCR assay were used to measure the expression of proliferative and differentiation key transcriptional factors in visceral preadipocytes. An in vitro dexamethasone-methylisobutylxanthine- insulin（DMI）induced 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation model was used. Western blot assay was used to measure the change of CFTR and key differentiation transcriptional factors. After knockdown or overexpression of CFTR，western blot， quantitative real time-PCR，MTT assay and Oil red O staining were used to measure the effects of CFTR on 3T3-L1 cells proliferation and differentiation. A mouse model of obesity with high-fat diet was used. Quantitative real time -PCR assay were used to measure the mRNA levels of proliferative and differentiation key transcriptional factors and CFTR in visceral preadipocytes.【Results】CFTR- KO mice displayed a decline in preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation，including Pref-1，CyclinD1，PPAR γ，and C/EBP α（P<0.05）. In vitro，DMI caused significant increases in CFTR expression in the early phase of differentiation （P<0.05）. DMI- stimulated preadipocyte transcriptional factors reflecting proliferative differentiation（C/EBPβ，C/EBP δ，CREB，and KLF4）and adipogenic differentiation（SREBP-1，PPAR γ，and C/EBP α） were markedly inhibited by knockdown，and reversed by overexpression of CFTR. CFTR is expressed in mouse visceral preadipocytes and increased with the enhanced preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation as evidenced by detecting key transcriptional factors including PPAR γ，C/EBP α，C/EBP β，C/EBP δ，SREBP-1 and FABP4 in mice fed with high- fat-diet for 2，4 weeks（P<0.05）.【Conclusions】These results demonstrate that CFTR may play a role in the preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation.

OBJECTIVETo explore the anatomic features of mesoesophagus in combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy with three-fields lymphadenectomy.

METHODSClinical data of 67 patients undergoing thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy with three-fields lymphadenectomy from July 2011 to September 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients underwent three-fields lymphadenectomy. Proper surgical planes were selected according to anatomy of mesoesophagus. Thoracoscopic surgical space was bounded on azygotic vein and divided into upper and low esophageal triangle. Pancreas was the key anatomical mark for laparoscopic gastric dissection, and peripancreatic space was the natural laparoscopic surgical plane. Prevertebral fascia was bottom surface of neck dissection and carotid sheath was the boundary of two sides.

RESULTSThe median operative time was 251.6 min (range, 220 to 320 min). The median operative blood loss was 105.6 ml (range, 40 to 320 ml). The median number of lymph nodes dissected was 29.1 (range, 13 to 46, totally 1949). There was no perioperative death. Sixty-six patients were followed up with a mean follow-up time of 8.2 months (range, 2 to 14 months). Postoperative complications included reflux esophagitis in 10 and anastomotic stenosis in 3 cases.

CONCLUSIONIt is safe and more radical for minimally invasive esophagectomy that overall concept of minimally invasive anatomy of mesoesophagus is applied to identify the anatomic plane and landmark during operation.

Aged ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; Esophagus ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

The iron and inflammation homeostasis are closely coupled, forming an integrated functional unit under physiological conditions. "Iron transport balance" has become the key mechanism to maintain iron homeostasis through bidirectional regulation of iron uptake and release and dynamic management of transmembrane concentration. It is also the physiological basis for the inflammatory balance between promotion and resolution. Under pathological conditions, represented by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), disturbed iron transportation was highly involved in almost every step of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the iron transporting rebalancing provides the mechanistic basis and effective approach for the normalization of inflammatory microenvironment. Macrophage is the key regulator of inflammation homeostasis and determinant for iron transport balance. Unfortunately, the current clinical transformation based on iron transport balance theory has still been insufficient. Sometimes, this strategy even showed high complexity and contradiction, severely restricting its clinical application. By summarizing the theoretical research progress of iron transport balance, especially its relevance to macrophage phenotypic polarization, this review aims to explore the therapeutic value in inflammation intervention by targeting iron transporting balance. This review will provide the necessary knowledge and hints for the research and development of candidate drugs in treating inflammatory diseases.