Objective To assess the right ventricular (RV) performance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (2-DM) by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI),and to explore the clinical value of RV longitudinal strain and strain rate.Methods Thirty-seven patients with 2-DM only and thirtyone patients coexisting diabetes and hypertension (DM + HTN) were studied.Thirty-nine healthy age matched persons served as control subjects.In each patient a conventional two-dimensional echocardiography was performed and also an echocardiographic study with strain/strain rate imaging was studied.Analysis of RV longitudinal systolic strain were obtained in the apical four-chamber view of the RV for the assessment of the RV free wall(F-PLSS),interventricular septum (S-PLSS) and the global RV wall (G-PLSS).The entire RV longitudinal peak systolic strain rate (G-SRs),peak early-diastolic strain rate (G-SRe) and peak late-diastolic strain rate (G-SRa) were performed in the apical four-chamber view.Results Compared with controls,F-PLSS,S-PLSS,G-PLSS,G-SRs and G-SRe were decreased in 2-DM and DM + HTN (all P ＜0.01),with lower values in DM + HTN (P ＜0.05).In the patients coexisting diabetes and hypertension,G-SRa was significantly lower than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with 2-DM,this difference was not significant in controls and DM + HTN (P ＞0.05).Conclusions No matte the patients of 2-DM with or without hypertension,the early changes of RV dysfunction can be found by 2D-STI.Patients coexisting diabetes and hypertension may have worse RV dysfunction.

To ensure the stability of chemistry components and the convenience of operation, ultrasound method was chosen to study in this investigation. As the total common peaks area in chromatograms was set to be evaluation index, the influence on the technology caused by extraction time, ethanol concentration and liquid-to-solid ratio was studied by using single factor methodology, and the extraction technology of Paeoniae Radix Alba was optimized by using response surface methodology. The results showed that the extracting results were most affected by ethanol concentration; liquid-to-solid ratio came the second and extraction time thirdly. The optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were as follow: the ultrasonic extraction time was 20.06 min, the ethanol concentration in solvent was 72.04%, and the liquid-to-solid ratio was 53.38 mL · g(-1), the predicted value of total common peaks area was 2.1608 x 10(8). Under the extraction conditions after optimization, the total common peaks area was 2.1422 x 10(8), and the relative deviation between the measured and predicted value was 0.86%, so the optimized extraction technology for Paeoniae Radix Alba is suitable and feasible. Besides, for the purpose of extracting more sufficiently and completely, the optimized extraction technology had more advantages than the extraction method recorded in the monogragh of Paeoniae Radix Alba in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which will come true the assessment and utilization comprehensively.
Paeonia ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

After studying the discipline of chemical components distribution in peony root, it was found that the content distribution of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol was inhomogeneous in different parts of peony root, as same as in different roots belonging to a same plant. Therefore, in order to minimize the effects of different qualities of materials on experimental result, the content changing percentages of four chemical components was chosen as indicators to study processing method of Paeoniae Radix Alba. The processing technique of Paeoniae Radix Alba was put peony roots in the boiled water for at most ten minutes, and cut them into 2-3 mm slices after peeling the root bark, finally dry them in a oven under 55 degrees C, which was similar to the traditional processing method used in Bozhou. And the peeling, boiling and drying methods would affect the contents of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol on several levels.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEAn UPLC method was developed to evaluate the quality of Paeoniae Radix by simultaneously determining four components, paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol in Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces.

METHODThe UPLC chromatographic column was ACQUITY UPLC® HSS T3. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid water with gradient elution. The column temperature was 30 °C and detection wavelength was 230 nm with a flow rate of 0.4 mL · min(-1). A linear model was obtained through principal component analysis (PCA), and PCA scores were used to evaluate the quality of Radix Paeoniae Alba decoction pieces comprehensively.

RESULTPaeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol could be well separated from other components, and the results of specificity, precision, repeatability, linearity, recovery rate and stability reached the standards, respectively. The content of paeoniflorin in 9 batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces was below the standard given by Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). Using the comprehensive scoring method with principal component analysis, the results showed that the samples from Zhejiang province have better quality than those from Anhui and Shandong provinces.

CONCLUSIONThe method established in this study can effectively determine the content of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol, which could be used for quality control of Paeoniae Radix Alba.

This paper proposes a one-way micro valve with a simple structure and a simulation design for the engineering capsule. We have now got its design parameter selection method and its mechanic characteristic from experiments.
Capsules ; Computer Simulation ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Infusion Pumps, Implantable ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods

Adult ; Coloring Agents ; adverse effects ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lymphadenitis ; chemically induced ; Male ; Melanoma ; secondary ; Tattooing ; adverse effects

Adolescent ; Adult ; Astrocytoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Thalamic Diseases ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Thalamus ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Background Choroidal melanoma(CM)is a common form of primary ocular cancer in adults.It is reported that indomethacin has inhibitory effect on many tumor in vitro and in vivo,but whether it can inhibit the growth of CM has not been published. Objective This study was to investigate the anti-tumor activity of indomethacin on the growth of human CM OCM-1 cell xenografts in nude mice. Methods OCM-1 cells were subcutaneously implanted on 24 SPF female BALB/C.nu/nu nude mice to establish ectopic models of human CM.The nude mice with the tumor 5 mm were randomly divided into 4 groups:untreated group,normal saline solution(NS) group,indomethacin 1 ms/kg group,indomethacin 2 ms/kg group.The 1 mS/kg or 2 ms/kg indomethacin was intraperitoneally injected for 14 consecutive days in indomethacin 1 ms/kg group and indomethacin 2 me/kg group respectively.and 0.2 ml of 2%NS-DMSO was used at a same way in the NS group.No any agent was used as the untreated group.The volume and weight of implanted tumor as well as inhibitory rates of indomethaein on tumor were calculated.The expression of ki67 and survivin proteins were measured with immunohistochemistry,and the expression of survivin mRNA in CM was assessed by RT-PCR. ResuIts The tumor of indomethacin treatment group was reduced in volume and weight with a significant difference between treatment group and control group as well as indomethacin 1 ms/ks group and indomethacin 2 ms/kg group(P＜0.05).The inhibitory rate of indomethacin 1 ms/kg and 2 ms/kg for tumor was 22.86%,48.00%respectively.The prolifiration index (PI)of ki67 in these 4 groups were (76.73±3.34)%,(73.30±2.95)%,(55.97±2.24)%,(32.87±2.91)%respectively,and significant difference was found in PI between indomethacin 2 mg/kg group and untreated group or NS group(P＜0.05),but there was not significant difference between indomethacin 1 mg/kg and 2 ms/kg group(P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the indomethacin treatment groups showed the decreased expression of survivin protein and mRNA,and significant difference was found between indomethaein 2 ms/kg group and untreated group or NS group(P＜0.05),however,no significant difference was found between indomethacin 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg group(P＞0.05). Conclusion Indomethacin inhibits the growth of CM in nude mice through inhibiting the expression of survivin in the tumor and accelerating cell apoptosis and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation.

Background Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)is a cation channel isolated from the eyespot of Chlamydomonas algae and has been used to control neuron activity.The light stimulation is a more precise fashion whether space or time than that of electrical,magnetic and ultrasound stimulation. Objective This study was to construct a replication deficient recombinant adenovirus cxpression vector of ChR2 and to determine its function.Methods Human embryo kidney 293 (HEK293) cell line was cultured and passaged in DF12 medium containing 10％ fetal bovine serum(FBS).The ChR2 gene was cloned at the downstream of cytomegalovirus(CMV)promoter of the adenoviral shuttle plasmid pSB291 in sense direction,and the resultant recombinant plasmid pSB291-hChR2- GFP was transfected into HEK293 cell together with plasmid pBHG lox ( deltaE1,3 ) containing adenoviral genome,then small amounts replication deficient recombinant adenovirus expression vector of ChR2 (Ad-ChR2) was obtained.Through amplification gradient centrifugation and dialysis,pure Ad-ChR2 was obtained.Visual cortex cells derived from 4 1-day-old clean Long Evans rats were primary cultured with serum-free culture media and infected by AdChR2.When expressing green fluorescencc,those cells received the stimulated of blue light with 460 nm.Patch clamp technique was applied to record an action potential. Results After purification and concentration,the titer of AdhCHR2 reached 7.9×1010 PFU/ml.Twenty-four hours after transfect of Ad-ChR2,HEK293 cell membrane showed the green fluorescence for the recombinant plasmid with green fluorescence protein under the inversed fluorescence microscope.The HEK293 cells change their shape from flat to round 13 days after transfected.The primary cultured visual cortex cells exhibited the green fluorescence 3-5 days after infected by Ad-ChR2.The action potentials evoked by blue light stimulation were recorded with patch clamp on those cells expressing green fluorescence. Conclusions Ad-ChR2 expressing vector is constructed successfully in this study.It is verified that Ad-ChR2 expressing vector can infect visual cortex cells with visual function.This result is very important for visual plasticity study.

Objective To study the incidence of osteopenia in patients with initial systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Investigate the levels of the vitamin D (VitD) endocrine system in peripheral blood of SLE patients and its relation to bone mineral density (BMD). Analyse the relationship between the estrogen receptor (ER) and BMD and evaluate the role of ER in the pathogenesis osteopenia. Methods Serum levels of 25-OH VitD_3 and 1,25-(OH)_2 VitD_3 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The gene expression levels of VitD receptor (VDR) and ER were determined by real-time PCR. BMD measurements in the lumbar spine (L1-L4) and left proximal femur (femoral neck) were performed using dual X-ray absorptiometry before treatment. Results The initial SLE patients had significantly lower BMD values, and higher frequency of bone loss at both sites of measurement compared with normal controls (P < 0. 05). The levels of 25-OH VitD_3 and 1,25-(OH)_2 VitD3 were lower in the initial SLE patients than normal controls(P<0.01 both). There is no difference in the levels of 25-OH VitD_3 and 1,25-(OH)_2 VitD_3 between the osteopenia SLE group and the normal BMD SLE group (P > 0. 05, P > 0. 05). There are no correlations between the Vitd and BMD in initial SLE patients (P>0.05 both). The expressions of VDR gene were significantly increased in the initial SLE patients compared with the normal controls(P<0.01). There was no difference in VDR gene expression between osteopenia SLE group and normal BMD SLE group (P>0.05). The VDR gene expression does not correlate with the bone mass (P>0.05). The levels of ER-β gene expression are higher in the initial SLE group than the normal controls (P<0.01).Conclusions The incipient SLE patients may have lower BMD than expected. SLE patients present abnormal VitD endocrine system and higher ER-β mRNA expression than those in normal controls, but these weren't concerned with osteopenia.