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.

Aged ; Brain Abscess ; etiology ; Brain Neoplasms ; complications ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; complications ; secondary ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Unknown Primary ; Parietal Lobe

AIM: To estimate the pooled prevalence of myopia among primary school students in mainland China during 1980- 2013. Myopia had become a growing public health issue, with high prevalence rates in mainland China, particularly among children. However, we still had no population-based nationwide studies of the prevalence of myopia among primary school students in recent years. METHODS: Wanfang, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and PubMed databases were searched independently until Dec. 31, 2013 to identify relevant articles. Data from the eligible articles were extracted by two reviewers. All of the data analyses were conducted using Meta-Analyst software (version 3. 13, USA).
RESULTS: Thirty - seven eligible studies published between 1980 and 2013 were selected with a total of 245248 individuals. The pooled prevalence of myopia among the included individuals was 26. 5% (95% CI: 21. 8% -31. 7%). The prevalence of myopia increased with age (from 8. 4%at 6-8y to 57. 4% at 12-14y).
CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of myopia among primary school students in mainland China was much higher than that of western countries or regions. The prevalence of myopia increased with age among primary school students. This study should be valuable for myopia prevention and treatment in mainland China.

In order to mutate a carbofuran degrading strain CFDS-1,transposon of pSC123 was introduced into the genomic DNA of strain CFDS-1 by conjugation with E.coli DH5? (pSC123) as donor and strain CFDS-1 as recipient,6 mutants which lost carbofuran degrading ability were obtained with a kanamycin resistant gene in the middle of transposon and the disappearance of a red compound during the degrading of carbofuran as preliminary selecting marks,they were designated as CFDS-M1～CFDS-M6. UV scanning and GS assay results also proved their mutations. PCR was carried out respectively with primers designed according to the sequence of transposon and genomic DNA of 6 mutants as templates,restriction analysis of PCR products showed that the mutation of carbofuran degrading genes of these mutants was caused by transposon insertion.

Objective To propose a new blood purification modality-hemodialysis with plasma- based dialysate (HD-PBD) plus high volume hemofiltration (HVHF) for patients with liver failure, and to evaluate the effect of this treatment on plasma cytokines.Methods Twelve patients with liver failure were included in this study.All patients received HD-PBD therapy in the first 6 hours,and then were treated with HVHF for 24 hours with the same filter (AV600).The levels of TNF-?,IL-1?, IL-6 and IL-8 in plasma before and after HD-PBD plus HVHF for 6 and 24 hours were examined respectively by ELISA,and changes of clinical parameters were observed at the same time point. Serum bilirubin,total bile acids (TBA),serum ammonia,blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) were detected before and after treatment.Arterial blood gas analysis and the concentration of electrolytes were monitored before and after treatment.Results (1)HD-PBD for 6 hours was more effective than HVHF for 24 hours in removal of serum bilirubin and TBA(P＜0.05). (2)Serum ammonia,BUN,Ser,arterial blood HCO_3~-,PCO_2,PO_2 and electrolytes did not show significant difference before and after HD-PBD (P＞0.05),but these parameters significantly changed before and after HVHF (P＜0.05).(3)The average level of serum bilirubin was sharply decreased after HVHF for 24 h following HD-PBD(P＜0.05).(4)After HD-PBD plus HVHF,there was a marked reduction of the plasma levels of TNF-?,IL-6 and IL-8.Conclusions HD-PBD plus HVHF,a newly proposed modality for patients with liver failure,can effectively decrease serum bilirubin,TBA,BUN,Scr,ammonia and cytokines,and adjust water-electrolyte as well as acid- alkali balance.It is a low-cost,safe,simple and convenient therapy.

Pseudomonas sp. M18 is one of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria capable of producing two kinds of anti-fungal agents: phenazine-1-carboxilic acid (PCA) and pyoluteorin (Plt). The pqsR gene, which encodes a LysR family member PqsR, was amplified from chromosomal genome of strain M18. Using the homologous recombination technique, a chromosomal pqsR inactivated mutant strain M18PRG was constructed in Pseudomonas sp. M18. To study the effect of pqsR gene on Plt biosynthesis, the dynamic curves of Plt production by strains M18 and M18PRG was measured in KMB media. As a result, Plt production of the pqsR mutant was three to four folds higher than that of its parent strain M18. The Plt production was restored to the wild-type level when strain M18PRG was complemented with pqsR gene in trans. The regulation of pqsR gene on Plt production was further confirmed by the pltA′-′lacZ translational fusion analysis. These results indicate that pqsR gene negatively controls the Plt biosynthesis. Additionally, by analyzing the growth curves of wild type strain M18 and pqsR mutant, wecan readily find that PqsR has a negative influence on cell growth. It was also shown that the production of red pigments in strain M18 required the expression of pqsR gene. In conclusion, the data presented in this study clearly demonstrate that PqsR acts as a global regulator involved in many physiological activities in Pseudomonas sp. M18.

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effects of vitamin E on the testicular injury by cyclophosphamide in mice, and the correlative mechanism.

METHODSFifty sexually mature male mice were randomly divided into five groups: the cyclophosphamide group (the CP group), the low-dose vitamin E group (the low-dose group), the middle-dose vitamin E group (the middle-dose group), the high-dose vitamin E group (the high-dose group), the matched control group (the control group). The first four groups were given cyclophosphamide by gavage at a dose of 5 mg/(kg x d). The low-dose group, the middle-dose group and the high-dose group were given vitamin E by subcutaneous injection at doses of 30 mg/(kg x d), 50 mg/(kg x d) , 70 mg/(kg x d) after 4 h of cyclophosphamide treatment. The control group was gavaged with equivalent normal saline. The treatment period for all groups was 28 days. The level of plasma FSH, LH, T and the activity of testicular SOD, GSHPx, CAT and the level of testicular MDA were detected. The histological structure and the ultrastructure of the testis were examined by light microscope and electron microscope.

RESULTSAs compared with the CP group, the plasma FSH, LH, T level and the SOD, GSHPx, CAT activity in the middle-dose group and the high-dose group were higher (P< 0.05, P< 0.01), MDA level significantly lower(P<0.01). The histological structure and the ultrastructure of the testis were in the normal range.

CONCLUSIONVitamin E has protective effects on the testicular injury by cyclophosphamide in mice. The possible mechanism of vitamin E may be its scavenging free radical and antioxidant effects, as well as it may have some stimulatory effects on gonadotrophin releasing of pituitary anterior lobe.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Cyclophosphamide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Random Allocation ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; Vitamin E ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) protein in normal squamous epithelium, squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and to elucidate the role of cox-2 in esophageal carcinogenesis.

METHODSBiopsy specimens of atypical esophageal dysplasia (n = 47) and surgical resection of squamous cell carcinoma (n = 86) were compared with normal esophageal specimens (n = 42) and the expression of cox-2 in those specimens was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and western blotting.

RESULTSA significant elevated cox-2 expression was shown in atypical esophageal squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma, as compared to that in normal esophageal squamous epithelium, with immunohistochemical stain scores of 2.67 +/- 1.77, 2.19 +/- 1.79 and 0.71 +/- 0.46, respectively. Results of western blotting analysis confirmed those obtained by immunohistochemistry. Cox-2 expression significantly correlated with proliferation activity assessed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen index in dysplastic and carcinomous lesions, respectively, and no such correlation could be found in normal esophageal mucosa. Elevated cox-2 expression was not associated with clinical-pathological features of esophageal squamous carcinoma, including age, gender, tumor size, histological grade, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage.

CONCLUSIONElevated expression of cox-2 in atypical squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, which correlated with cell proliferation activity, indicated that cox-2 may be involved in the early stage of squamous carcinogenesis of the esophagus, and may be a target of prevention and treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Isoenzymes ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; enzymology ; pathology ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; biosynthesis

Adult ; Brain Stem Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Tremor ; etiology

To introduce the advance on the species, ecological environment, distribution areas, the number of the species and efficacy of geographic distribution new records of medicinal plants in Guizhou. This article provides a basis for the collection and conservation as well as reasonable development of the genetic resources of medicinal plants.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Geography ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development