AIMTo investigate the paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactic acid) amphiphilic diblock copolymer (PMT).

METHODSPMT was prepared by solid dispersion technique. The average size and size distribution were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The morphology was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 1HNMR. The influences of the copolymer molecular weight and the paclitaxel-fed amount on PMT were studied. Therapeutic effect of PMT was studied on Kunming mice liver cancer H22.

RESULTSPMT showed nanometer size and spherical morphology with core and shell. The sizes of PMT increased with increasing the molecular weight of the hydrophobic segment in PEDLLA or increasing the drug-loaded amount. The tumour inhibiting effect of PMT was similar with that of Taxol.

CONCLUSIONIt will provide an experiment basis for the development of new kind of intravenous administration of paclitaxel.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Lactic Acid ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Microspheres ; Nanotechnology ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Particle Size ; Polyethylene Glycols

OBJECTIVEBoth (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging and serum tumor marker measurements can be used in the post-therapy surveillance of recurrent endometrial carcinoma, but the relationship between those two methods has not been demonstrated yet. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficiency of (18)F-FDG imaging and serum tumor marker measurements in the diagnosis of recurrent endometrial carcinoma, as well as to analyze the correlation between those two methods.

METHODSThirty-five patients with histopathologically confirmed endometrial carcinoma and suspected to have recurrent disease during post-therapy surveillance were included in this study. (18)F-FDG images from the thorax to the pelvis were obtained in all patients by using GE-Millennium VG Hawkeye system, and the abnormal FDG uptake was judged as tumor recurrence. Serum CA-125 and CP-2 were also measured for each patient by enzyme-linked immunoassay, and a cutoff value of 35 U/ml was taken as the criteria for predicting tumor recurrence. Based on the final clinical diagnosis, the efficiency of tumor markers (CA-125, CP-2) and (18)F-FDG imaging in the diagnosis of recurrent tumor was evaluated.

RESULTSAccording to the histopathological diagnosis or follow-up examinations, tumor recurrence was confirmed in 13 of the 35 patients. Elevated serum level of CA-125 was found in 7 patients, serum CP-2 was increased in 9, and (18)F-FDG imaging was positive in 15. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 53.8%, 100% and 82.9% for the serum CA-125; 38.5%, 81.0% and 65.7% for the serum CP-2, and 100%, 90.9% and 94.3% for the (18)F-FDG imaging, respectively. The diagnostic coincidence rate between the (18)F-FDG imaging and serum CA-125 was 77.1% (Kappa = 0.50, P = 0.001), but no significant correlation was found between the (18)F-FDG imaging and serum CP-2. In the patients with true positive (18)F-FDG imaging, a positive correlation between the tumor volume and the serum CA-125 value was found (r = 0.89, P < 0.001), but no correlation was found between the tumor uptake and the serum CA-125 values.

CONCLUSIONFor the post-therapy surveillance of patients with endometrial carcinoma, serum CA-125 is a high specific tumor marker for diagnosing recurrent disease and better than CP-2, but (18)F-FDG imaging is better than CA-125, and there is a positive correlation between tumor volume and serum CA-125 value.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; CA-125 Antigen ; blood ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; blood ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transcription Factors ; blood

BACKGROUNDCandida albicans is the most frequently seen opportunistic human fungal pathogen. Terbinafine is an allylamine antifungal agent that has been proven to have high clinical efficacy in the therapy of fungal infections, the mechanism of action of terbinafine involves the specific inhibition of fungal squalene epoxidase, resulting in ergosterol deficiency and accumulation of intracellular squalene. We used cDNA microarray analysis technology to monitor global expression profile changes of Candida albicans genes in response to terbinafine treatment, and we anticipated a panoramic view of the responses of Candida albicans cells to the representatives of allylamine antifungal agents at the molecular level in an effort to identify drug class-specific and mechanism-independent changes in gene expression.

METHODSCandida albicans strain ATCC 90028 was exposed to either medium alone or terbinafine at a concentration equivalent to the 1/2 minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs, 4 mg/L) for 90 minutes. RNA was isolated and gene expression profiles were compared to identify the changes in the gene expression profile using a cDNA microarray analysis. Differential expression of 10 select genes detected by cDNA microarray analysis was confirmed by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSA total of 222 genes were found to be responsive to terbinafine, including 121 up-regulated genes and 101 down-regulated genes. These included genes encoding membrane transport proteins belonging to the members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) or major facilitator superfamily (MFS; CDR1, AGP2, GAP6, PHO84, HOL3, FCY23, VCX1), genes involved in stress response and detoxification (CDR1, AGP2, HOL3), and gene involved in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway (ERG12). The results of semi-quantitative RT-PCR were consistent with that of the cDNA microarray analysis.

CONCLUSIONSThe up-regulation of the gene encoding the multidrug resistance efflux pump CDR1 may contribute to the terbinafine resistance in Candida albicans. However, the precise roles of other affected genes remain unclear, further studies of these genes and their respective products that play roles in the context of antifungal resistance are warranted.

Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; genetics ; Ergosterol ; biosynthesis ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genome, Fungal ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Naphthalenes ; pharmacology ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

The epieardial adipose tissue in 210 subjects with or without metabolic syndrome (MS) was measured by echocardiography.The thickness of epicardial adipose tissue in male with MS group was significantly greater than that in men without MS [(9.10?3.59) mm vs (6.82?3.00) mm,P

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of bone scintigraphy in the preoperative diagnosis of sacral tumor. Methods Preoperative 99Tcm-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) whole body bone scintigraphy was performed in total of 103 patients with sacral tumor for whole body survey and radionuclide uptake in the sacral tumor. Of these 103 patients,39 had SPECT. According to the osteoblastic reaction in bone SPECT studies,patterns of tumor with a "hot" lesion was defined as type Ⅰ,a "cold" lesion accompanied with partial uptake was defined as type Ⅱ,a purely "cold" lesion was defined as type Ⅲ,and a "cold" lesion with marginal uptake which produced "doughnut sign" was defined as type Ⅳ. Imaging interpretation was correlated with the final pathologic diagnosis. Results Of the 103 patients,18 ( 17.5% ) had polyostotic involvement. About 46.6% (48/103 ) in planar and 84.6% ( 33/39 ) in SPECT showed decreased uptake at sacrum. Of the bone metastatic patients (n =21 ) ,12 (51.7%) had sole metastasis to sacrum. Tumor with type Ⅰ (6/6) or type Ⅱ (16/19) uptake was likely to be a malignancy,whereas type Ⅲ uptake tended to occur in the benign disease in those patients without polyostotic involvement( 5/7 ),and type Ⅳ was all appeared in giant cell tumors( n = 5 ). Conclusions Preoperative bone scintigraphy is useful in examination of polyostotic involvement for the patients with sacral tumor,but it is limited for diagnosing isolated sacral metastatic disease. Tumor uptake on bone scintigraphy can be helpful in differential diagnosis of sacral tumor.

Objective To understand mental experience of first diagnosed young tuberculosis patients and provide basis for clinical nursing. Methods To make depth interviews with 12 first diagnosed tuberculosis patients through phenomenological method, to extract the theme by analyzing the data. Results First diagnosed tuberculosis patient got deny, anxiety and fear in their heart and a series of emotional changes, increased demand for access to information, greater economic pressure in the process of chemotherapy, increased demand of social support. Conclusions we should concern mental status of first diagnosed young tuberculosis patient, to provide timely medical care, information, emotion help, economic and social support to alleviate the stress response and improve treatment effect.

The case is a 54-year-old man with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mid-ventricular obstruction, apical aneurysm, and recurrence sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). A coronary angiogram revealed myocardial bridging located in the middle of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and the left ventriculogram showed an hour-glass appearance of the left ventricular cavity. There was a significant pressure gradient of 60 mmHg across the mid-ventricular obliteration at rest. A successful myectomy of the inappropriate hypertrophy myocardium and excision of the apical aneurysm were performed. Pathologic analysis demonstrated fibrosis in the apical aneurysm and thickened and narrowed vessels in the adjacent area. During the follow-up of eighteen months, the patient remained clinically stable and free from arrhythmic recurrence.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Heart Aneurysm ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of serum leptin (LEP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children with congenital heart disease(CHD) and their roles in CHD.

METHODSForty-eight children with acyanotic CHD (ACHD group), 20 age-matched children with cyanotic CHD (CCHD group) and 20 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. The ACHD group was subdivided into two groups with (n=20) or without concurrent heart failure (n=28). Serum LEP, VEGF, total protein and albumin levels and body mass index (BMI) were measured.

RESULTSSerum total protein and albumin levels were not apparently different in all CHD children from healthy controls, but there was a significant difference in the BMI between them (p<0.01). Serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in all CHD children were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (p<0.01). Compared with the ACHD group without heart failure, the serum LEP and VEGF levels and the ratio of LEP/BMI in the CCHD and the ACHD with heart failure groups increased significantly (p<0.01). In the ACHD group, serum LEP level was positively correlated with BMI (p<0.01). In the CCHD group, there were positive correlations between serum LEP level and serum VEGF level (p<0.01) and between hemoglobin concentration and serum VEGF level (p<0.01). Arterial oxygen saturation was negatively correlated with serum VEGF (p<0.01) and LEP levels (p<0.01) in the CCHD group.

CONCLUSIONSBoth VEGF and LEP play roles in the pathophisiological process of CHD. VEGF and LEP are associated with the development of heart failure in children with ACHD.

Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Infant ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Oxygen ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the process of separating and purifying flavonoids from Smilax glabra.

METHODWith the yield of flavonoids as index, the optimum process of separating and purifying flavonoids from S. glabra Roxb was screened by static and dynamic adsorption tests.

RESULTThe static saturated adsorption capacity of D101 macroporous resin to flavonoids of S. glabra was 45.6 mg x g(-1) (dry resin). The optimum conditions of dynamic adsorption and elution were as that the pH, the concentration, the adsorption velocity of the extracting solution, and the adsorption capacity were 6.00 +/- 0.20, 4.2 mg x mL(-1), 2 mL x min(-1) and 15 mL, respectively. The adsorbed resin column was washed by 100 mL 60% ethanol with pH value of 8.00 +/- 0.20 at the eluting velocity of 3 mL x min(-1) after washed by 100 mL distilled water.

CONCLUSIONThe flavonoids of S. glabra was able to be easily separated and purified by D101 macroporous resin under the optimum conditions above, and the recovery rate was higher than 90%. The content of obtained flavonoids reached 62.6%, which was 2 times of the content before purification.

Adsorption ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Resins, Synthetic ; chemistry ; Smilax ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and safety of polyethylene glycol 4000 on adult patients with functional constipation due to posttraumatic confinement to bed.

METHODSA total of 201 posttraumatic bedridden patients were studied in this prospective, open-labeled, single-group study. Polyethylene glycol 4000 was administered orally for 14 days and the dosage was adjusted according to the Bristol stool types. Demographic characteristics, disease status, treatment period and factors affecting clinical outcome, especially the concomitant medications, were recorded.

RESULTSAfter administration of polyethylene glycol 4000, 194 cases (96.52%) showed remission of constipation, including 153 (76.12%) persistent remission. The average defecation frequency increased significantly after treatment and the percentage of patients with stools of normal types (Bristol types 3-5) increased as well. Genders, ages and concomitant medications showed no significant influence on the persistent remission rate. After consecutive treatment for two weeks, patients with slight movement showed a significantly higher remission rate than those without movement (95% vs 80%). At the end of treatment, most accompanying symptoms were relieved obviously. Patients with a medical history of constipation or ever taking laxatives showed a lower remission rate. Sixty cases (29.85%) developed diarrhea during the observational period, among whom 6 (10%) withdrew from the clinical observation voluntarily at the first onset of diarrhea. Two cases suffered from abdominal pain.

CONCLUSIONSPolyethylene glycol 4000 has efficacy on functional constipation in posttraumatic bedridden patients. Furthermore, patients with milder symptoms, more movement in bed, and longer duration of treatment but without accompanying symptoms can achieve a higher remission rate.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bed Rest ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Wounds and Injuries ; complications