OBJECTIVE: To establish an LC-MS method to determine the concentrations of metformin, pioglitazone and the active metabolites of pioglitazone(ketopioglitazone M-III and hydroxylpioglitazone M-IV) in plasma after administration of compound metformin and pioglitazone tablets. METHODS: Pioglitazone and the internal standard carbamazepine were extracted from plasma with acetonitrile. The concentrations of pioglitazone and its active metabolites were analyzed on Ultimate C18 column(2.1 mm×150 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-5 mmol·L-1 ammonium acetate(55:45) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min-1. The column temperature was 35°C. Metformin and the internal standard memantine were extracted from plasma with acetonitrile and analyzed on Ultimate XB-CN column(2.1 mm×150 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid(containing 10 mmol·L-1 ammonium acetate)(73:27) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min-1. RESULTS: The liner ranges were 5.08-1016.0 μg·L-1, 2.45-490.0 μg·L-1, and 4.20-840.0 μg·L-1 for metformin, pioglitazone, ketopioglitazone(M-III)and hydroxylpioglitazone(M-IV)respectively. The limits of quantitation were 6.0, 5.08, 2.45, and 4.2 μg·L-1, respectively. The extraction recoveries were more that 89.67%, while the intra- and inter-day precisions(RSD) were less that 15%. CONCLUSION: This assay is accurate, reliable and suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of metformin, pioglitazone and its active metabolites in human plasma.

Disuse-related osteopenia is mainly due to decrease of bone formation which relates closely to the changes of osteoblast function and differentiation. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells which are multipotent cells present in bone marrow can differentiate into osteoblast. The factors which regulate the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were introduced. This will increase the understanding and aid in the prevention and treatments of bone loss to create a healthier life for astronauts and patients after disuse.

Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; Iron ; metabolism ; Metabolic Diseases

Objective To propose new policies and strategies that will optimize the transformation of medical research achievements at hospital level.Methods In this paper,we systematically analyzed the characteristics and influencing factors of the transformation of medical research achievements based on the status quo in our hospital.Results In our hospital as an example,major problems in the transformation of medical research achievements identified as low investment,low conversion rate,complex procedures,multi-links existed and more multi disciplinary cooperation needed.Conclusions The hospital can take some measurements to optimize the transformation of medical research achievements,such as more stream lined management of scientific research project,establishing and improve the platform for scientific research transfer,increasing the funding,strengthening cooperation among different disciplinaries,building a professional team to promote the transfer and so on.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects and mechanism of ginsenoside Rg3 on vasculogenic mimicry of human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line. Methods The MCF-7 cells at logarithmic growth phase were obtained, and were cultured with different concentrations (0, 20, 50, 100, 150 and 300 mg/L) of ginsenoside Rg3. Cells cultured without Rg3 were served as controls. The IC50 were determined by CCK8 assay and anti-angiogenic effects were performed for testing the potential of tube-like structure (TLSs) formation. The expression levels of VEGF-A, MMP 9 and HIF-1αwere detected by Western blotting and real-time PCR. The secreted contents of VEGF-A and MMP9 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The ginsenoside Rg3 suppressed the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, in which IC50 was (115.34±8.50) mg/L. The formation numbers of TLSs in MCF-7 cells were significantly inhibited by Rg3 in concentration dependent manner in 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 150 mg/L for (19.0 ± 1.0), (15.0 ± 1.5), and (10.0±1.7) vs. controls (22.0±1.8, F=150.805, P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF-A, MMP9 and HIF-1αprotein were inhibited by 50 mg/L,100 mg/L and 150 mg/L Rg3 vs. controls (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the contents of VEGF-A in MCF-7 cell supernatant was down-regulated by 50 mg/L,100 mg/L and 150 mg/L Rg3 vs. controls (P<0.05). The contents of MMP-9 in MCF-7 cell supernatant was down-regulated by 100 mg/L and 150 mg/L Rg3 vs. controls (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in MMP-9 expression between 50 mg/L group and control group. Conclusion The ginsenoside Rg3 is able to inhibit the vasculogenic mimicry of MCF-7 cells, which may be related with the down-
regulation of VEGF-A, MMP9 and HIF-1α.

Objective To explore the value of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for children with duplex kidney.Methods Between June 2006 and February 2009,we performed laparoscopic partial nephrectomy on totally 21 children with duplex kidney.Three or four trocars were used for the operation.Through transabdominal approach the peri-renal tissues were freed and the vessels supplying the duplicated kidney were ligated.Afterwards,we resected the duplicated kidney,as well as the ureter,and a subperitoneal drainage tube was indwelt.Results The operation was completed in all of the 21 cases without conversion to open surgery.The mean operation time for laparoscopy was 190 min(range,130 to 210 min).The intraoperative blood loss ranged from 5 to 10 ml.No patient received blood transfusion.Liquid diet was given in 8 to 10 hours after the operation.In this series,the postoperative hospital stay ranged from 5 to 7 days with a mean of 6.2 days.Follow-up was available for 3 to 28 months in the cases(mean,20.2 months).During the period,the clinical symptoms disappeared and B ultrasonography showed no abnormalities.Conclusions Providing larger operation space and better exposed surgical field,laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for children with duplex kidney is feasible and safe with quicker recovery.

Ginseng is a typical adaptogen which has resistance to various stresses. This effect is related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. As the main active ingredients, saponin has the similar structure to steroids. The regulation characteristics of ginseng saponin on the HPA axis are narrated from the aspects of total saponin and saponin monomers in this paper after the introduction of adaptation definition and HPA axis regulation mechanisms. Pharmacological effects of ginseng saponin and the regulation effect of HPA axis are summarized finally.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; secretion ; Animals ; Corticosterone ; secretion ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; secretion ; Panax ; chemistry ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; drug effects ; secretion

Herbal medicine and Chinese materia medica (CMM), Kampo, traditional medicine in Australia, and other traditional medicines have been an important part of the world medicine, and the patent protection strategies of herbal medicine and Kampo at the international level have been already quite mature. However, China have less experience in patent protection strategies of CMM, and apparently fall behind the herbal medicine patent protection strategies of European countries, especially Germany. In this paper, based on the perspective of research and development, the patent application and protection strategies of Tebonin® from Germany are analyzed in depth. Considering patent conservation status of CMM, some workable references for the domestic pharmaceutical enterprises of CMM in the field of research and development of new drugs are provided.

Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Rheumatic Diseases ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fluoroacetates ; poisoning ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Infant ; Male