OBJECTIVETo explore the potential effect of Guizhi plus Gegen Decoction (GGD) in improving learning and memory of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced neuroinflammatory mice and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSTotally 63 male ICR mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the normal control (n = 13), the model group (n = 13), the low dose GGD group (n = 10), the high dose GGD group (n = 14), and the positive control group (n = 13). Mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (0.33 mg/kg) to induce Alzheimer's disease (AD) model. Mice in the high and the low dose GGD groups were administered with 12 g/kg or 6 g/kg by gastrogavage for 4 successive weeks. Mice in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with minocycline (50 mg/kg) for 3 days. By the end of treatment LPS were injected 4 h before behavior test each day, and then behavior test was conducted in mice of each group. Effect of GGD on learning and memory of AD mice was observed by using open field test, novel object recognition task, and Morris water maze.

RESULTSOpen field test showed there was no statistical difference in the movement time and the movement distance among all groups (P > 0.05), suggesting that LPS and GGD had no effect on locomotor activities of mice. In novel object recognition test, AD mice spent significantly shorter time to explore novel object after they were induced by LPS (P < 0.05), while for AD mice in the low and high dose GGD groups, their capacities for exploration and memory were significantly improved (P < 0. 05, P < 0.01). Results of Morris water maze showed that AD mice exhibited increased escape latency (P < 0.05) and spent much less time in swimming across the original platform (both P < 0.05). However, AD mice in the low and high dose GGD groups had obvious shortened latency and increased time percentage for swimming (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONGGD possessed certain improvement in learning and memory disorder of LPS induced AD mice.

Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Lipopolysaccharides ; adverse effects ; Male ; Memory Disorders ; prevention & control ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neuritis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Phytotherapy

Objective To investigate the feasibility of discriminating different solutions and solutions with different concentrations using gemstone spectral imaging (GSI).Methods Glucose solutions (GSs)with different concentrations (5%,10%,15%,20% g/mL)and 0.9% normal saline(NS)were scanned at a CT scanner with GSI model.Spectral analysis software was used to generate spectral curves of different solutions,representing as CT values on monochromatic images(40~140keV).The same procedure was repeated 3 days later.Reliability analysis with intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC)was used to evaluate the agreement between the twice CT scans.Nonlinear regression analysis was used to generate the regression equation of spectral curves of each solution.One-way ANO-VA was performed to compare the slopes,asymptotes and intercepts of each solution.Results Reliability analysis showed excellent agreements between the twice CT scans for each solution (ICC>0.9).The regression equation was expressed as:f(keV-40)=α-(α-β)×e [-(keV-40)×ρ],where f(keV-40)represented CT values on each monochromatic images,αrepresented asymptotes,βrepre-sented intercepts,ρrepresented slopes of each solution.Statistical differences were found among the slopes of NS and those of GSs with different concentrations (P <0.05),while no statistical differences were found among the slopes of different GSs (P >0.05). The result was highly suggestive that different ingredient solutions demonstrated different shapes of spectral curves.The asymptotes and intercepts of GSs with different concentrations were statistically different (P <0.05).The heights of the spectral curves of GSs elevated with the increase of the concentration.Conclusion Spectral curve with GSI model can be used to discriminate between NS and GSs,or even GSs with different concentrations.It provided a promising potential for in vivo body fluid analyses.

BACKGROUND:Cytotoxicity of graphene oxide to normal cel s is relatively low, but whether graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin has some effects on malignant cel s is rarely reported. OBJECTIVE:To explore the cytotoxicity of graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin on multiple myeloma cel s. METHODS:Multiple myeloma cel line RPMI8226 in logarithmic phase was selected, cultured and divided into four groups, including graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin, doxorubicin and graphene oxide groups as wel as control group with no intervention. After 24 hours of culture, the cel activity was detected by cel counting kit-8 method, and the cel cycle and apoptosis were detected using flow cytometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Plump-shaped cel s with translucent and clear cytoplasm were found in the control group;cel s with relatively translucent cytoplasm, and even a few shrunken cel s appeared in the graphene oxide group;cel ular morphology was in a heterogeneity, apoptotic bodies appeared in the doxorubicin group;the cel s was significantly reduced in size, presenting more obvious shrinkage and apoptotic bodies in the group of graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin. The cel survival rate in the graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin, doxorubicin and graphene oxide groups was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and this indicator was significantly lower in the group of graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin than the graphene oxide group (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate in the group of graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin and doxorubicin group was significantly higher than those in the graphene oxide and control groups (P<0.05), respectively. Additional y, there were no significant differences in the cel cycle among groups. These results show that graphene oxide loaded with doxorubicin has a stronger cytotoxicity, and can induce apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cel s.

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are able to synthesize intra-cellular electron-dense magnetite,which makes possible that the bio-nano-magnetic particles could be obtained by cultivating Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. In order to isolate the strain which has the capacity to produce more magnetic particles, the solid-plate magnetophoresis method was firstly created. After isolation using the method, the rate of the cells which contain intra-cellular magnetic particles was increased from 30% to more than 90%, in addition, after isolation each cell possessed 2~5 magnetic particles which disperse in cells. The isolated cells are able to orient and migrate to the magnet in artificial magnetic field but could not orient swimming only under the geomagnetic field. Magnetosomes produced by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were range from 40nm to 90 nm according to the results of TEM. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicated that extracted magnetic particles consisted of oxygen and iron. The results show that some Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cells have weak magnetotaxis and they could be able to be separated by solid-plate magnetophoresis method from others. With the development of this new isolation method, it is possible to do deeper research to generate a comprehensive description of the mechanism that how Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans synthesize the magnetic particles.

Objective:To prepare and optimize the formula of metoclopramide orally disintegrating tablets, and investigate the in vitro drug dissolution behavior. Methods:The formula was optimized by full-factorial experiment design, the ratio of mannotil to micro-crystalline cellulose ( X1 ) and the amount of disintegrating agent ( X2 ,%) were selected as the independent variables, and the friabili-ty ( Y1 ,%) , disintegration time ( Y2 , s) and metoclopramide dissolution ( Y3 ,%) were used as the dependent variables. The release rate of metoclopramide orally disintegrating tablets in different dissolution media was studied. Results:The optimum formula of meto-clopramide orally disintegrating tablets was as follows:the ratio of mannotil to microcrystalline cellulose was 2. 5∶ 1, and the amount of disintegrating agent was 6. 5%. The dissolution of metoclopramide orally disintegrating tablets in the different dissolution media was o-ver 80%. Conclusion:The formula design is reasonable, the preparation process is feasible and the quality can be controlled.

Objective To detect the levels of cytokine IL-2,IL-12,IFN-?and IL-4 secreted by peripheral CD8~+ T lymphocytes in patients with condyloma acuminatum (CA).Methods Flow cytometry was employed to study the expression of cytokines IL-2,-12,INF-?and IL-4 in CD8~+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of 60 patients with CA and 20 healthy controls.Results The percentage of CD8~+ T lym- phocytes producing IL-2,IL-12 and IFN-?were significantly lower in CA patients than that in healthy con- trols (P

Objective To study the clinical and electrophysiological features of myasthenia gravis (MG)accompanied by myogenic lesion.Methods The data of the patients who were diagnosed MG accompanied by myogenic lesion from 1998 to 2006 were collected in EMG Room, Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and were retrospectively analyzed.Results In this group of 53 patients, myogenic lesion was found more often in patients with early-onset MG than those with late-onset(69.81% vs 30.20%), and among the early-onset patients the frequency of female was significantly higher than male(26 vs 11,X~2=5.281, P

OBJECTIVETo characterize molecular and cytogenetic abnormalities in six 46, XX males, and to investigate the clinical manifestations and underlying mechanisms in such patients.

METHODSClinical data of six XX male patients were collected. Karyotyping, multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were utilized to detect and locate the sex determining region (SRY) gene.

RESULTSPCR and FISH showed that all patients were SRY-positive XX males. All patients have their SRY gene located at the tip of derivative X chromosomes, which have resulted from translocation between short arms of X and Y chromosomes. High resolution karyotyping at 550-750 band level has revealed that the translocation breakpoints were at Xp22.33 and Yp11.2 in three patients. In the remaining patients, the breakpoints were either at Xp22.32 and Yp11.31 or Xp22.31 and Yp11.2. The breakpoints at Xp22.32, Xp22.31 and Yp11.31 were rarely reported. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis indicated that the clinical manifestations were age-specific. Four adult patients have come to clinical attention due to infertility, with typical features including azoospermia and testis dysgenesis, whereas poorly developed secondary sexual characteristics and short stature were main complaints of adolescence patients, and short stature was the sole symptom in a child patient.

CONCLUSIONCombined karyotyping, PCR and FISH are important for the analysis of XX males. Particularly, high resolution karyotyping is valuable for the refinement of chromosome breakpoints and detailed analysis of genotype-phenotype correlation.

46, XX Disorders of Sex Development ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Genetic Association Studies ; methods ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; methods ; Male ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Translocation, Genetic ; Young Adult

To design and synthesize a series of novel scutellarein 4'-L-amino acid prodrugs with more potent anti-oxidative activity and improved physicochemical properties. Scutellarein was used as lead compound, according to successful experience of improving bioavailability of oral administration drugs by active transport mechanism, principle of hybridization was used to introducing L-amino acid structural fragments at 4'-position of scutellarein to design and synthesize target scutellarein 4'-L-amino acid prodrugs. The synthetic compounds were tested on their physicochemical properties and in vitro anti-oxidative activity against H202 induced oxidative damage in PC12 cells. Five compounds were found to have more potent anti-oxidative activity than positive control VE. Moreover the physicochemical properties of synthesized compounds were evaluated, and the results revealed that L-amino acid ether derivatives are more stable (t1/2 9-92 h) than their corresponding ester derivatives (t1/2 0.5 h). Water solubility of scutellarein 4'-L-amino acid ester and ether derivatives were 1 796-4 100 microg.mL-1 and 27.7-81.1 microg.mL-1 respectively, in comparison with scutellarin, the solubility of compounds 18, 19 and 22, 24-27 increased about 120-280 fold and 2-6 fold respectively. All these results suggested that L-amino acid prodrug strategy has significant potential in scutellarein prodrug design.

OBJECTIVETo reveal the possible role of combined therapy with Chinese drug and narrow broad ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) on keratinocytes apoptosis in skin lesion of psoriasis vulgaris (PV).

METHODSSkin samples were taken from 20 healthy subjects and 30 PV patients before and after they received the combined therapy for 8 weeks. SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of Bcl-2, Caspase-3 and survivin in the samples.

RESULTSAs compared with those in the normal skin, expression of Bcl-2 in PV skin was significantly lower (7.50 +/- 2.01 vs. 12.65 +/- 2.83), while expression of Caspase-3 (21.73 +/- 3.70 vs. 8.55 +/- 2.16), and survivin (23.90 +/- 2.82 vs. 7.06 +/- 1.96) were higher (all P < 0.01). After treatment, in skin of PV, Bcl-2 expression increased to 13.63 +/- 2.14, Caspase-3 and survivin decreased to 11.70 +/- 2.44 and 12.46 +/- 1.80, respectively (all P < 0.01), showing a normalizing trend. Moreover, patients' psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score decreased from 14.24 +/- 3.42 before treatment to 3.52 +/- 1.07 after treatment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe curing effect of the combined therapy with Chinese drug and NB-UVB in treating PV is possibly realized by way of regulating Bcl-2, Caspase-3 and survivin expressions to adjust keratinocyte apoptosis.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Psoriasis ; metabolism ; therapy ; Skin ; metabolism ; Ultraviolet Therapy ; Young Adult