AIM: To investigate the effect of Se-containing spirulina phycocyanin (Se-SPC) on liver injury of mice induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4). METHODS: The mouse model was conducted by intragastric feeding with 2% CCl 4 oil for three times, meanwhile Se-SPC, spirulina phycocyanin (SPC) and Na 2SeO 3 were injected (ip) to various groups for 7 days. Then selenium (Se), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondiaoldehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in blood and liver were measured. RESULTS: The level of Se, GPx and SOD activities were obviously higher ( P

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of reinforcing Shen method (RSM) and activating blood method (ABM) in treating osteoarthritis (OA) at the molecular level.

METHODSThe physical and chemical characteristics of components from respective recipes of RSM and ABM, and network features of component-target interaction network were analyzed by computer simulation methods including chemical space, molecular docking, and biological network, etc.

RESULTSThe chemical components of RSM and ABM were scarcely scattered with larger overlapping. Among established networks, the distribution of network features was partially similar in RSM and ABM. The average target number correlated with each component was 1.86 in RSM and 2.11 in ABM respectively. Each average target number was respectively correlated with 4.46 compounds and 3.93 compounds, reflecting multi-component and multi-target actions.

CONCLUSIONComputer simulation could intuitively trace out similarities and differences of two different methods and their interaction with targets, which revealed that the compatibility of RSM and ABM could have broader protein targets and potential synergism at the molecular level.

Computer Simulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; methods

Adolescent ; Child ; Craniofacial Abnormalities ; surgery ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; Female ; Hearing ; Humans ; Male ; Prostheses and Implants ; Young Adult

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Astragalus Plant ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure

Objective To investigate the association of the polymorphism of rs3750344 and rs1435252 of G-protein family GABABR2 gene with hypertension in population of Xinjiang Uygur. Methods 785 Uygur subjects were surveyed with the cardiovascular phenotypes.Tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of rs3750344 and rs1435252 of GABABR2 gene were typed with Taqman. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype were analysed with Haploview software. Results The frequency of rs1435252 was significantly different (P<0.05) between hypertension group (GG 43.0%, GA 43.6%, AA 13.5%) and normal control group (GG 44.8%, GA 47.6%, AA 7.6%). The subjects with GA/AA genotype significantly increased risk of hypertension (OR=1.38, 95%CI: 1.08~1.76). The associations remained significant after control for age and gender (P<0.05). The frequency of rs3750344 was not significantly different (P=0.204), as TT 71.4%, TC 25.2%, CC 3.5% in the hypertension group, and TT 68.5%, TC 29.6%, CC 1.9% in the normal control group. Conclusion The rs1435252 polymorphism A allele of GABABR2 gene is a risk factor for hypertension in the Uyghur population.

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of tacalcitol combined with monochromatic excimer light (MEL) 308 nm vs MEL 308 nm monotherapy in treating vitiligo.Methods Thirty-eight pa- tients with vitiligo were enrolled in the single-blind clinical trial,using plabebo-treated lesions in the same patient as controls.Contralateral or nearby lesions were randomly selected to be treated by either tacalcitol or placebo.All lesions were treated weekly with MEL 308 nm,for a total of 12 sessions.Patients were ex- amined at monthly intervals.The mean number of sessions and the cumulative dosage for initial and excel- lent repigrnentation were calculated.Results Thirty-five patients were evaluated.The mean?SEM cumu- lative dose and number of MEL exposures for initial repigmentation,respectively,were 4.27?3.59 J/cm~2 and 4.89?3.16 on tacalcitol-treated site,5.36?4.12 J/cm~2 and 5.69?3.29 on placebo-treated site,re- spectively (both P＜0.05).For excellent repigrnentation,the cumulative dose and number of exposures were 7.72?5.64 J/cm~2 and 7.79?4.70 respectively on tacalcitol-treated site,and 8.18?4.87 J/cm~2 and 8.4?3.92 respectively on placebo-treated site (both P＞0.05).Treatment with tacalcitol resulted in a sig- nificantly higher percentage (71.4% vs 54.3%) of repigmentation than that with placebo.Conclusions Our results show that MEL 308 nm is safe and effective for the treatment of vitiligo.Additionally,concur- rent topical tacalcitol potentiates the efficacy of MEL 308 nm in the treatment of vitiligo;this combination achieves more rapid pigmentation with a lower total MEL dosage.

Objective To explore the relationship of estradiol(E_2),monoamine neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),dopamine(DA)and postpartum depression.Methods Totally 342 women within 42 days after childbirth were assessed with Edinburgh postnatal depression scale(EPDS),Beck depression inventory(BDI),and general health questionnaire(GHQ).Above or equal to 13 of overall score of EPDS was the diagnosis standard of postpartum depression,and the women tested were divided into depression group and normal group accordingly,using the reagent box of radio immunoassay to test estradiol and 5-HT and DA level in the serum.Results(1)Incidence:the incidence of postpartum depression was 16.7%(57/342).The highest incidence occurred in patients above 35(22.2%);the incidence among women under 23 years old was lowest(12.5%),with a significant difference between them(P0.05). Conclusions Evaluation scales such as EPDS,BDI,and GHQ should be used to screen for postpartum depression.The measurement of estradiol and monoamine neurotransmitter(5-HT,DA)level can be used as biological objective indicators for prevention and treatment of postpartum depression.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates from a hospital in Chongqing during one year according to CHINET project.Methods Disc diffusion test (K-B method) was employed to study the antimicrobial resistance. WHONET5 was used for data analysis.Results In one year period from 2004 to 2005,690 non-duplicate isolates were collect- ed.Enterobacter isolates showed the lowest resistance rate to imipenem and meropenem.About 37.5% of E.coli and 31.4% of K.pneumoniae isolates produced ESBLs,respectively.All ESBLs-producing strains were susceptible to imipenem and mer- openem.About 37.2%,39.4% and 48.9% of P.aeruginosa isolates were resistant to imipenem,meropenem and ceftazidime, respectively.Pandrug-resistant (PDR) P.aeruginosa was isolated from our hospital.All strains of A.baumannii were sus- ceptible to imipenem and meropenem.About 37.7% of A.baumannii were resistant to cefoperazone-sulbactam.Twenty-nine strains showed the same resistant pattern among non-susceptible strains of A.baumannii,mainly derived from 2 clones by PFGE analysis.Conclusions The surveillance results suggest that prevalent strain resistant to cefoperazone-sulbactam may pres- ent in some ICUs.Resistance rate to cefoperazone-sulbactam increased significantly.

Objective To compare the pathogenicity between Ureaplasma urealyticum serotype 1 (Up1)and 8 (Uu8) in the genital tract of BALB/c mice.Methods A total of 48 BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups:blank control group receiving no treatment,estradiol group pretreated with intramuscular injection of estradiol followed by intravaginal inoculation with sterial liquid culture media,Up1 and Uu8 groups pretreated with intramuscular injection of estradiol followed by intravaginal inoculation with suspensions of Up1 and Uu8 respectively.Three mice were randomly selected from each group to be sacrificed after the collection of vaginal lavage fluid on day 3,7,14 and 21 after the inoculation.Vaginal and uterine tissue specimens were obtained from these sacrificed mice and underwent hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.Vaginal lavage fluid samples were subjected to culture of Uu and measurement of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).Results No evidences were observed for Uu growth in either the blank control group or estradiol group at any of the time points after the inoculation,with the average level of TNF-α in vaginal lavage fluid being (4.17 ± 0.85) pg/ml at these time points in both groups.Uu grew in all the vaginal lavage fluid samples from the Up1 and Uu8 groups at the four time points,with the color change unit (CCU) value decreasing with time.The level of TNF-α in vaginal lavage fluid peaked on day 14 after the inoculation in the Up 1 ((14.93 ± 1.11) pg/ml) and Uu8 ((27.04 ± 24.26) pg/ml) groups.Both Up1 and Uu8 infection caused acute and chronic inflammatory responses in the mice,which were mainly located in the uterus,and Up1 might cause intrauterine adhesion.Conclusions At the same inoculation concentration,no significant difference is found in the pathogenicity between Up1 and Uu8,both of which appear to mainly cause cervicitis.Upl might be partially responsible for intrauterine adhesion in mice.

AIMTo study the morphology, particle size distribution and biological reliability of the norcantharindin (NCTD)-loaded microemulsion and pharmacokinetics of the W/O norcantharidin-loaded microemulsion in mice.

METHODSThe concentration of NCTD in plasma and tissues were determined by GC method. The data obtained were processed using 3P87 program.

RESULTSThe mean particle diameter of microemulsion was (44 +/- 9) nm. The concentration-time curve of NCTD-loaded microemulsion and NCTD injection was fitted to a two-compartment model. At the same dosage, the pharmacokinetic study for NCTD-loaded microemulsion showed the NCTD microemulsion had relatively longer circulating time in mice. Area under the curve of concentration versus time (AUC), mean residence time (MRT) and half life (T1/2) for microemulsion and injection were (29.7 +/- 0.9) mg x h x L(-1), (9.25 +/- 0.09) mg x h x L(-1), (110 +/- 11) h, (86.7 +/- 0.8) h, (103 +/- 12) h, (42 +/- 4) h, respectively. Targeting index of NCTD microemulsion in liver and kidney in mice were 0.43 and 0.12 after iv NCTD-loaded microemulsion. The effects of biological reliability was not significantly different between NCTD microemulsion and NCTD injection in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThe liver targeting absorptive capability of NCTD-loaded microemulsion was enhanced and the release time was extended compared with NCTD injection. While the microemulsion vehicles could decrease the kidney distribution of NCTD.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Area Under Curve ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Emulsions ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Liver ; cytology ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Particle Size ; Tissue Distribution