Objective:To establish an LC-MS/MS method for the content determination of triptolide in Shenshe ointment.Methods:The chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent TC-C18 (250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm)column with the mobile phase consisting of methanol-0.1% formic acid solution (73∶27,v/v).The flow rate was 0.5 ml·min-1 and the column temperature was maintained at 35℃.An electrospray ionization (ESI) source was applied with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) combined with a positive mode.Metronidazole was used as the internal standard.The mass transitions were 361.4→43.2 for triptolide and 172.1→128.0 for metronidazole,respectively.Results:The linear range was 10-500 ng·ml-1 with good correlation coefficient (r=0.999 9).The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 9.5 ng·ml-1.The intra-and inter-day RSDs of peak areas were all less than 3% and the average recovery was 96.87%(RSD=2.79,n=6).Conclusion:The established LC-MS/MS method is simple,efficient,sensitive and accurate in the quality control of Shenshe ointment.

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of pharmacokinetics of 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin in a rat model of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced experimental hepatic injury after oral administration of Yinchenhao Decoction (, YCHD) using an ultra pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC) method.

METHODSRats were divided into a normal group and a model group, after modeled by 4% ANIT (75 mg/kg) for 48 h, they were orally administrated with YCHD extract at the dose of 0.324 g/kg, and then blood was collected from their orbital sinus after different intervals. Changes in liver function were monitored by the levels of liver enzymes [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] and bilirubins [total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL)], the concentration of 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin in plasma were measured by UPLC, and the pharmaceutical parameters were calculated with DAS2.1.1 software.

RESULTSThe concentration-time curve of both normal and modeled rats after oral administration of YCHD was obtained. Their time to maximum plasma concentration (t(max)) were both 0.25 h, the maximum concentration (C(max)) were 4.533 μg/mL and 6.885 μg/mL, and their area under concentration-time curve (AUC)(0→24h) were 16.272 and 32.981, respectively. There was a 51.88% and 100.46% increase in C(max) and AUC(0-t) (P<0.05), but there showed a 45.52% and 92.93% reduction in clearance of drug and volum of distribution (P<0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSHepatic injury could significantly influence the pharmacokinetics of 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin after oral administration of YCHD, the absorption and distribution process was accelerated in liver injured rats, but the metabolism and elimination process was slowed. And this may lead to a significant accumulation of 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin in the body.

1-Naphthylisothiocyanate ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Coumarins ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; Liver ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Models, Biological ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Validation Studies as Topic

OBJECTIVETo develop and investigate GLL-37, a substitution analogue of the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 with anti-enzymatic degradation activity and improved efficacy.

METHODSThe bactericidal activities of LL-37 and newly developed GLL-37 against 6 Gram-negative and -positive bacteria were determined by Broth microdilution assays. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of LL-37 and GLL-37 against E.coli ATCC 25922 in different NaCl concentration medium were also detected. Both peptides were co-incubated with elastase, and then analyzed by PAGE electrophoresis and bactericidal activity determination.

RESULTGLL-37 showed a stronger elastase resistance ability than LL-37, and was significantly more effective than LL-37 under high-salt condition.

CONCLUSIONThe antimicrobial peptide GLL-37 derived form LL-37 has the potential as a new therapeutic agent for bacterial infections.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Blood Bactericidal Activity ; drug effects ; Cathelicidins ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; drug effects ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; Pseudomonas Infections ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the crew and passengers' comfort on the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan passenger dedicated line and physical factors, such as air pressure, noise, wind speed.

METHODSComfort investigation of all the crew (n = 244) and passengers (n = 377) on the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan passenger dedicated line at speed of 250 km/h and 200 km/h and the detection of the air pressure, noise and wind speed were performed in 2011.

RESULTSSignificantly higher ratio of comfortable feeling, lower ratio of seriously discomfortable feeling were observed in crew and passengers at 200 km/h compared with those at 250 km/h (P < 0.05), as well as rapid disappearance of discomfortable feeling in crew (P < 0.05) and significantly higher ratio of lightly discomfortable feeling and lower ratios of tinnitus and eardrum discomfort induced by air pressure and noise in passengers at 200 km/h. No significant difference was observed in ear discomfort induced by air pressure and noise among crew, and the duration of disappearance of discomfortable feeling among passengers between 200 km/h and 250 km/h. The noise in carriages exceeded the related standard when the high-speed train passing through the tunnels.

CONCLUSIONThe individuals feel more comfortable at 200 km/h than 250 km/h in this line., which may be related with rapid variation of wind speed and noise when the train passes through the tunnels with high speed.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Noise, Occupational ; Noise, Transportation ; Occupational Health ; Railroads ; Sensation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Wind ; Workplace ; Young Adult

Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic dysfunction may influence the stability of normal pregnancy.The ten-eleven translocation (TET) family and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) were found to be linked with epigenetic reprogramming.The present study aimed to examine the expression of the TET family and 5-hmC in the villi of human embryos and compared their expression between normal pregnancy and early pregnancy loss (EPL).Embryonic villi were collected from normal pregnant women (control) experiencing medical abortion and from EPL patients at gestation ages of 6,7 and 8 weeks.The mRNAs of TET family were analysed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR),and TET proteins using Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis.The MethylFlashTM Kit was used to quantify the absolute amount of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hmC.Our results showed that the expression of the TETs and 5-hmC in the normal villus decreased with increasing gestational age.Immunohistochemistry revealed that the TET proteins were expressed in the cytoplasm of trophoblasts and their expression was the highest in the 6-week tissue samples,which was consistent with the qPCR and Western blot results.The expression of TET1,TET2,and TET3 was lower in the villi in EPL group than in normal pregnancy group (P＜0.05 for all).It was concluded that the TET family and 5-hmC are critical in epigenetic reprogramming of human embryo.The findings also suggest that a deficiency of TETs in the villus might be associated with human EPL.

Objective To assese the healing of stoma after magnetic anastomosis for the reconstruction of biliary-enteric continuity under severe inflammation.
Methods Acute bile duct injury was constructed as a bile peritonitis model in mongrel dogs (n=32). Magnetic anastomosis (group A, n=16) and traditional suture anastomosis (group B, n=16) were performed to reconstruct the biliary-enteric continuity in one stage. Half of the dogs in each group were euthanized on the 30th postoperative day, and the other half on the 90th postoperative day to harvest the stoma region. The healing conditions of the stoma after the 2 anastomotic approaches were observed with naked eyes, under light microscope and scanning electron microscope.
Results The stoma leakage rate (50%versus 0%on the 30th postoperative day, 37.5%versus 12.5%on the 90th postoperative day, both P<0.05) and stenosis degree (13.9%±0.3%versus 7.1%±0.3%on the 30th postoperative day, 17.2%±0.4%versus 9.4%±0.4%on the 90th postoperative day, both P<0.01) were significantly higher in group B than in group A. Compared with traditional manual anastomoses, the histological analysis under light and electron microscope showed a more continuous stoma with more regular epithelium proliferation and collagen arrangement, less inflammation in group A.
Conclusions Magnetic anastomosis stent ensures better healing of the stoma even under the circumstance of severe inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging derived quantitative metrics and serum soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) level in an embolic canine stroke model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A middle cerebral artery occlusion model was established in 24 beagle dogs. Experimental dogs were divided into low- and high-sCD40L group according to serum sCD40L level at 4.5 hours after establishing the model. IVIM imaging was scanned at 4.5 hours after model establishment using 10 b values ranging from 0 to 900 s/mm². Quantitative metrics diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) of ischemic lesions were calculated. Quantitative metrics of ischemic lesions were normalized by contralateral hemisphere using the following formula: normalized D = D(stroke) / D(contralateral). Differences in IVIM metrics between the low- and high-sCD40L groups were compared using t test. Pearson's correlation analyses were performed to determine the relationship between IVIM metrics and serum sCD40L level. RESULTS: The high-sCD40L group showed significantly lower f and normalized f values than the low-sCD40L group (f, p < 0.001; normalized f, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in D*, normalized D*, D, or normalized D value between the two groups (All p > 0.05). Both f and normalized f values were negatively correlated with serum sCD40L level (f, r = −0.789, p < 0.001; normalized f, r = −0.823, p < 0.001). However, serum sCD40L level had no significant correlation with D*, normalized D*, D, or normalized D (All p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The f value derived from IVIM imaging was negatively correlated with serum sCD40L level. f value might serve as a potential imaging biomarker to assess the formation of microvascular thrombosis in hyperacute period of ischemic stroke.
Animals ; CD40 Ligand* ; Diffusion ; Dogs ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Perfusion ; Stroke* ; Thrombosis

The effects of acute cooling/rewarming on cardiac K(+) currents and membrane potential were investigated. Membrane potential and current were assessed with whole-cell patch-clamp technique in current- and voltage-clamp modes. When the temperature of bath solution was decreased from 25 °C; to 4 °C, the transient outward current (I(to)) was completely abolished, the sustained outward K(+) current (I(ss)) at +60 mV and the inward rectifier K(+) current (I(K1)) at -120 mV were depressed by (48.5±14.1)% and (35.7±18.2)%, respectively, and the membrane potential became more positive. After the temperature of bath solution was raised from 4 °C; to 36 °C;, the membrane potential exhibited a transient hyperpolarization and then was maintained at a stable level. In some myocytes (36 out of 58), activation of the ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels after rewarming was observed. The rewarming-induced change in the membrane potential was inhibited by the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain (100 μmol/L), and the rewarming-elicited activation of K(ATP) channels was inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor H-89 (100 μmol/L). Moreover, decrease of the temperature from 25 °C; to 4 °C; did not induce any significant change in cell volume when the cell membrane potential was clamped at 0 mV. However, significant cell shrinkage with spots was observed soon after rewarming-induced activation of K(ATP) channels. These data demonstrate that acute cooling/rewarming has a profound influence on the membrane potential and K(+) currents of ventricular myocytes, and suggest that activation of K(ATP) channels may play a role in cardiac cooling/rewarming injury.
Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Isoquinolines ; pharmacology ; KATP Channels ; metabolism ; Membrane Potentials ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats ; Rewarming ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDThe protective effects of magnesium sulfate against ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats have been confirmed in our previous research. However, its exact mechanism is unclear. This study was to evaluate the role of PI3K/Akt signal pathway in the protective effect of magnesium sulfate against ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine in SD rats.

METHODSRat model of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was used. The SD rats were divided into four groups randomly: sham operation group, ischemia-reperfusion group, magnesium sulfate group and magnesium sulfate plus LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3K) group. The pathological changes of intestinal mucosa were examined; the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO) in plasma, the plasma contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and apoptosis rate of the intestinal mucosal cells were determined and compared. The expression of p-Akt was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSThere were more evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (higher Chiu's score, P < 0.05), enhanced DAO activity (P < 0.05), elevated contents of MDA (P < 0.05), higher apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), and lower level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the ischemia-reperfusion group compared with the sham operation group. There were less evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (lower Chiu's score, P < 0.05), lower DAO activity (P < 0.05), lower contents of MDA (P < 0.05), and lower apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), but higher level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the magnesium sulfate group compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group. There were more evident pathological changes of the intestinal mucosa (higher Chiu's score, P < 0.05), higher contents of MDA (P < 0.05), higher DAO activity (P < 0.05) and higher apoptosis rate (P < 0.05), and lower level of p-Akt (P < 0.05) in the magnesium sulfate plus LY294002 group compared with the magnesium sulfate group.

CONCLUSIONSActivation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway results in the reduction of cell apoptosis, which likely accounts for the protective effect of magnesium sulfate against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing) ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; Intestinal Mucosa ; cytology ; drug effects ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; Magnesium Sulfate ; therapeutic use ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDMinimally invasive surgery in skull base relying on searching for possible anatomic basis for endoscopic technology is controversial. The objective of this study was to observe the spatial relationships between main blood vessels and nerves in the cerebellopontine angle area and provide anatomic basis for lateral and posterior skull base minimally invasive surgery via endoscopic retrosigmoid keyhole approach.

METHODSThis study was conducted on thirty dried adult skulls to measure the spatial relationships among the surface bony marks of posterior cranial fossa, and to locate the most appropriate drilling area for retrosigmoid keyhole approach. In addition, we used 10 formaldehyde-fixed adult cadaver specimens for simulating endoscopic retrosigmoid approach to determine the visible scope.

RESULTSThe midpoint between the mastoid tip and the asterion was the best drilling point for retrosigmoid approach. A hole centered on this point with the 2.0 cm in diameter was suitable for exposing the related structures in the cerebellopontine angle. Retrosigmoid keyhole approach can decrease the pressure on the cerebellum and expose the related structures effectively which include facial nerve, vestibulocochlear nerve, trigeminal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve, accessory nerve, hypoglossal nerve, anterior inferior cerebellar artery, posterior inferior cerebellar artery and labyrinthine artery, etc.

CONCLUSIONSExact location on endoscope retrosigmoid approach can avoid dragging cerebellum during the minimally invasive surgery. The application of retrosigmoid keyhole approach will extend the application of endoscopic technology.

Adult ; Cerebellopontine Angle ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Endoscopes ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures