Objectives To study the expression patterns of steroid receptor coactivators (SRC) and steroid-induced stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in endometriosis,and to explore the roles of SRC in the steroid-induced SDF-1 expression endometriosis.Methods From May 2010 to October 2012,16 endometriosis cases at stages Ⅲ or Ⅳ according to the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification undergoing surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University were enrolled in this study.Their ectopic endometrium were from ovarian endometriomata which were identified pathologically with 9 cases at proliferative phase and 7 cases at secretory phase.The normal endometrium were acquired from the healthy women with normal menstrual cycle (n =10,proliferative phase =5,secretory phase =5).The mnRNA levels of SRC and SDF-1α during the menstrual cycle were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Ectopic endometrium stromal cells were purified and cultured in medium containing 17β-estradiol (10-8mol/L) or 17β-estradiol (10-8 mol/L) + progesterone (10-6 mol/L).At 24,48,72 and 96 hours,the supernatants were collected to measure SDF-1α expression by ELISA.Ectopic endometrium stromal cells were transfected respectively with siRNA of SRC-1 and SRC-2 using lipofectamine.Two days after transfection,17β-estradiol (10-8 moL/L) or 17β-estradiol (10-8 mol/L) + progesterone (10-6 mol/L) were added into the media.On the third day after the steroid hormones treatment,the media were collected to quantify SDF-1α expression with ELISA.Results (1) Cyclical changes: the SRC-1,SRC-2 and SDF-1 α showed marked cyclic differences in normal endometrium (P ＜ 0.05).In proliferative phase and secretory phase,the SRC-1,SRC-2 and SDF-1 α were 5.6 ± 1.2,3.8 ± 1.1,2.7 ± 0.5 and 2.6 ± 1.0,2.1 ± 1.0,1.6-± 0.5,respectively.There was no periodic variation in the expression of SRC-1,SRC-2 and SDF-1α in ectopic endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle.(2) Steroid-induced SDF-1α expression in ectopic endometrium stromal cells: the 17β-estradiol-induced SDF-1α expression was (1 803 ± 196),(2 272 ± 261) and (2 162 ± 258) ng/L at 48,72 and 96 hours.At the same time points,the SDF-1α expression induced by 17β-estradiol and progesterone was (1 307 ± 150),(1 518 ± 301) and (1 550 ± 144) ng/L,respectively.There was significant difference between two groups (P ＜0.05).(3) The effects of SRC silencing on steroid hormones-induced SDF-1 α expression in ectopic endometrium stromal cells: the expression of 17β-estradiol-induced SDF-1α at 72 hours was significantly decreased from (2 313 ± 357) ng/L to (1 155 ± 244) ng/L after the silencing of SRC-1 (P ＜ 0.05).After the silencing of SRC-2,the 17β-estradiol-induced SDF-1 α at 72 hours was (1 958 ±324) ng/L.There was no significant difference compared with the before the silencing (P ＞ 0.05).The expression of SDF-1 α at 72 hours induced by 17β-estradiol + progesterone was (1 534 ± 449) ng/L and (2 051 ± 380) ng/L respectively before and after the silencing of SRC-2 and showed the significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion During the expression of SDF-1 α regulated by steroids in ectopic endometrium cells,SRC-1 is the major coactivator of 17β-estradiol and SRC-2 is the major coactivator of progesterone.

Type 2 diabetes is a hypermetabolic disease characterized with disorders of glucose/lipid metabolism, absolute or relative lack of insulin, and can induce skeletal muscle atrophy. Hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and abnormal release of inflammatory factors can lead to abnormal signal transduction in skeletal muscle, thus make protein synthesis and degradation imbalance and eventually causing muscle atrophy. Under normal conditions, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)/insulin can activate phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT). AKT not only increases protein synthesis through mammalian target protein of rapamycin (mTOR), but also phosphorylates forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factor and then inhibits the transcription of several ubiquitin ligases (such as MAFbx/atrogin-1 and MuRF1), or autophagy related genes. The weakened IGF-1/PI3K/AKT pathway in type 2 diabetes is an important factor leading to skeletal muscle atrophy. Studies have shown that the commonly used anti-type 2 diabetic drugs have different effects in regulating the synthesis and degradation of skeletal muscle protein. Studies reported that drugs with effect of anti-diabetic muscle atrophy include thiazolidinediones, glucagon-like peptide analogs, glucose-sodium cotransporter 2 inhibitors, etc.; drugs that are still in controversial or even promote skeletal muscle atrophy include metformin, and some sulfonylurea or non-sulfonylurea insulin secretagogues. This article overviewed and analyzed the currently commonly used drugs for type 2 diabetes and summarized the related mechanisms, with the aim to provide references for the rational applications of drugs for type 2 diabetes.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect and safety of intravenous sodium valproate in treatment of pediatric patients with status epilepticus (SE).MethodsTwenty-five children suffering from convulsive SE were treated with intravenous sodium valproate after failure of the conventional treatment, in a dose of tolerability 15 mg/kg and 1～2 mg/kg daily.ResultsIn 25 cases, there were 23 cases (92%) with ≥50% seizure reduction and 11 cases (44%) with complete cessation. Except for winking in 7 cases (28%), no other adverse effects had been found.ConclusionIntravenous sodium valproate is effective and safe on pediatric patients with SE who are resistant to conventional drugs.

Objective To explore the relationship between free fatty acid(FFA)composition and other glucose and lipid metabolic parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome(MS)in community. Methods Serum FFA profile was measured with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in 158 patients with varied metabolic syndrome components(MSC),including 61 with MS and 97 at high-risk for MS,and 43 control subjects,with diagnostic criteria by the International Diabetes Federation(IDF).Results Patients with MS had higher parameters of polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA)and n6PUFA,as compared to the patients at high risk and normal subjects(P0.05). Among the high-risk group,those with diabetes had increased linoleic acid,n6PUFA and total fatty acid (TFA),and decreased saturated fatty acid(SFA)/TFA,as compared to those without diabetes(P

OBJECTIVETo establish the HPLC fingerprint of Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii.

METHODThe chromatographic separation was performed on a Kromasil C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-ammonium acetate buffer (2. 5 per thousand acetic acid-ammonia pH 10.5) (60:40). The UV detection wavelength was set at 240 nm and the flow rate was set at 1.0 mL x min(-1).

RESULTThe RSD of precision and repeatability was less than 2%. Under the selected chromatographic conditions, good HPLC fingerprints of Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii were obtained.

CONCLUSIONThe method was simple, accurate and repeatable. It can be used for the quality control of Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii.

Aconitine ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Plant Tubers ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of 99Tcm labeled survivin mRNA antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) as an imaging agent in the specific diagnosis for carcinoma.MethodsSurvivin mRNA antisense PNA was labeled directly with 99Tcm by the ligand-exchange method.Twenty nude mice with lung carcinoma A549 xenografts were randomly divided into 4 groups.Three groups were used for biodistribution study and one group was used for imaging study.Other twenty mice infected by staphylococcus aureus underwent the same procedure.The biodistribution and imaging of 99Tcm-survivin mRNA antisense PNA was studied at 1,2 and 4 h respectively after the intravenous injection in nude mice bearing lung carcinoma A549 xenografts or inflammation models.SPSS 13.0 was used in the study and all data were analyzed by t test.ResultsBiodistribution results showed that the highest radioactivity was found in the liver,and then in the kidney.Four hours after the administration of the imaging agent,the radioactivity ratios of target-tonon target (T/NT,tumor or inflamumatory lesions to the contralateral regions) in tumor model group were significantly higher than those in inflammation model group ( 3.69 ± 1.13 vs 2.03 ± 0.47,t =3.01,P =0.02 ).Tumors were clearly visible in the tumor model groups at 0.5 h and still clearly seen at 4 h after the injection of antisense PNA.On the contrary,inflammatory lesions could not be seen clearly.Conclusion 99Tcm labeled survivin mRNA antisense PNA can be used to distinguish tumor from inflammation and it may provide a new feasible method for specific tumor diagnosis.

AIM: Accommodation is one of the most important functions of human eye, while its mechanism is still under discussion. This paper aimed to study accommodation mechanism with numerical simulation.METHODS: A simulation model was constructed to study the mechanism of accommodation based on the experimental data derived from published resources. The displacement and pressure are applied on the model to study the deformation of lens during accommodating.RESULTS: The simulation showed that, as the eye was accommodating, the thickness of the lens increased linearly,and the lens diameter decreased linearly. The optical power of the lens increased as the accommodation increased. This result was accord with the public facts in accommodation.Furthermore, the pressure was found to have a great influence on the shape of the lens and the optical power. The lens became thinner and flatter as the pressure increased and the pressure caused a remarkable increase of lens' optical power.CONCLUSION: The outcome of this paper is consistent with the Helmholtz's hypothesis on accommodation to some extent. The analytical model presented in this paper can be used in the theoretical study of the accommodation mechanism of the human lens.

Objective To evaluate the change of treatment gap of epilepsy after intervention in rural areas of China.Method Six months after being stopped from the intervention project in 2004,using the same method as the first survey at the baseline,a door-to-door epidemiological survey was conducted again in 5 rural areas where the intervention measures had been carried out for about 3 years.Results Three hundred and twenty cases of epilepsy were diagnosed in the total sample population,yielding a prevalence rate of 0.62% and the prevalence of active epilepsy 0.44%.The prevalence and the active prevalence of epilepsy in the survey in 2000 were 0.70% and 0.46% respectively.Of the people with epilepsy,39.1% were treated regularly which increased about 14% than that in the baseline survey (24.8%).The treatment gap for active epilepsy was 49.8%,which decreased by 12.8% than that in the first survey (62.6%). Conclusion The treatment gap of epilepsy in the demonstration areas has decreased remarkably,proving that the intervention measures used in the study are effective and feasible in rural areas of China.

OBJECTIVETo observe the position and quantity of nestin expression in SD rat eyes in different stages of postnatal development.

METHODSImmunocytochemical method was used to identify nestin expression in the eyes of SD rats of 1 to 30 days old.

RESULTSNestin expression was detected in the retina and extraocular muscles of SD rats. The expression varied with the time of postnatal development, distributing in the entire retina layers in earlier stages and confined in the nerve fiber layer in later stages. The quantities of nestin expression in the extraocular muscles decreased gradually with growth.

CONCLUSIONNestin expression in the retinas and extraocular muscles of SD rats decreases during the postnatal development.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Eye ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Nestin ; Oculomotor Muscles ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retina ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Time Factors

Curcumin has a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical properties such as antitumor, antioxidant, antiamyloid, and anti-inflammatory activity. However, poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin are major challenge in its development as a useful drug. To overcome many of these problems, curcumin-loaded long-circulating liposomes (Cur-LCL) were prepared by the ethanol injection method. Morphology of Cur-LCL was observed by transmission electron microscope, mean particle size and Zeta potential were detected by laser particle size analyzer, entrapment efficiency and drug loading were evaluated by ultracentrifugation. The drug release behavior in vitro and pharmacokinetic behavior in rats of Cur-LCL were investigated with curcumin (Cur) and curcumin liposomes (Cur-Lips) as control. The results showed that the mean diameter of Cur-LCL was 110 nm, the Zeta potential was -5.8 mV. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading of Cur-LCL was 80.25%, 2.06%, respectively. The release behavior in vitro studied by dialysis in PBS buffer showed significant sustained release profile that 48.95% Cur were released from Cur-LCL in 7 h, 88.92% in 24 h. The pharmacokinetic parameters showed that compared with Cur and Cur-Lips, the t(1/2beta) of Cur-LCL was extended to 13 and 1.8-fold, respectively. Besides, the AUC values was significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the clearance was evidently decreased (P < 0.01). These results from in vitro and in vivo indicated that Cur-LCL were able to realize controlled drug release and increase circulation time.
Animals ; Curcumin ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Male ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solubility