OBJECTIVEThe aim of the present study was to prepare uniform-sized silybin loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres in study of silybin with stainless steel membrane.

METHODSilybin PLGA microspheres were prepared by stainless steel membrane emulsification. The preparation conditions were optimized by single-factor test and orthogonal experiment, and evaluating the mean diameters, the particle size distribution, drug loading, entrapment efficiency and morphology of microsphere.

RESULTPrepared microspheres were round and surface was smooth. The mean diameter was (4.961 +/- 0.56) microm. The span was (1.75 +/- 0.18). The entrapment efficiency was (54.997 +/- 4.05)% and the average drug loading was (23.6 +/- 1.70)%.

CONCLUSIONThe stainless steel membrane emulsification can be used to prepare the silybin PLGA microspheres. The mean diameters of the silybin PLGA microspheres can be controlled in certain level. Stainless steel membrane emulsification has great potentiality exploitation and utilization.

Drug Compounding ; methods ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Silymarin ; chemistry ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry

The clinical thinking modes of "integrative disease and Syndrome" and "integrative macroscopical Syndrome-differentiation and microscopical Syndrome-differentiation" formed in the past half century were merely the primary train of thought and methodology of integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine. In order to develop them to a higher level, stress should be put on the unity and holism of disordered organism and unity of function, structure and metabolism. It has long been ignored that a parallel and correlated relationship exists between the TCM Syndrome and pathological process of Western medicine, which is a common, set-formed and regular pathophysiological changes with certain development phase, presented in various diseases. Both have common features as that the same pathological process can be seen in different diseases and several pathological progresses can present in one disease, the same Syndrome also can be seen in different diseases and several Syndromes can present in a disease. Moreover, they have the compatible connotation and denotation. The author deduced that pathophysiological basis of main Syndrome is indeed the basic pathological process. Essence of Syndrome is the related pathological processes including abnormal changes in function, metabolism and morphological structure.
Biomedical Research ; methods ; Clinical Medicine ; methods ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Pathology, Clinical ; methods

Objective To investigate the levels of trace elements such as fluorine(F), and aluminium (Al)etc. of osteomalacia malformation children and to make etiological diagnosis in reference with clinical manifestations.Methods Urine and occipitalia hairs of 14 diseased children(patient group) from endemic fluorosis area and 13 healthy children(control group) from non-endemic area were included in the study on November, 2008, and contents of 10 elements of fluorine(F), aluminum(Al), chromium(Cr), manganese(Mn), ferrum(Fe), cuprum(Cu), zinc(Zn), arsenic (As), selenium(Se), strontium(Sr), and barium(Ba) were tested. The data were analyzed with medical soft package PEMS 3.1. Results Urinary contents of F, Al, Mn, Cu, Sr, and Se(1.18 mg/L, 112.6 μg/L,6.62,29.86 mg/L, 177.5,4.23 ng/L) in patient group were significantly different from those in control group (0.48,47.1,2.04,16.61 mg/L, 55.17,15.52 ng/L, t = 4.592,2.486,4.850,2.210 2.078,2.912, all P＜ 0.05); Hair contents of Al, Mn, As, Sr, Ba, Fe, and Se in patient group(59.27,5.26,0.96,1.50,1.29,297.13,0.45 mg/kg)were significantly different from those of control group( 18.69,0.72,1.09,0.62,0.68,69.02,1.323 mg/kg, t = 4.583,6.318,3.309,2.704,5.606,6.294, all P ＜ 0.05); in patient group, the correlation coefficients of urinary Fe to Al,Zn, As, and Se were all bigger tan 0.662(all P＜ 0.05), those of urinary Se to Mn, Ba, Cu, Zn, Sr, and As were all bigger than 0.694(all P＜ 0.05), those among urinary Mn, Sr, As, and Ba were bigger than 0.550(all P＜0.05), those of hair Al to Mn, Cr, Fe, and Cu were bigger than 0.732(all P＜ 0.05), those of hair Ba to Mn,Cr, Fe, and Sr, and of hair Mn to Cr and Fe, and those between Cr and As, between Cu and Sr were all bigger than 0.686 (all P ＜ 0.05). In control group, the correlation coefficients of urinary Cu to Zn, Se, and Ba, those of Zn to Se and Ba, and those of Cr to Mn and Ba were all bigger than 0.516(all P ＜ 0.05), those of hair Al to Mn,Fe, Cu, As, and Se, and those of hair Se to Fe, Cu, and As, those of hair Fe to Mn, Cu, and As, those of hair Cu to Zn and As, and that between Zn and As were bigger than 0.739(all P ＜ 0.05). The correlation coefficient of urinary F to Se in patient group(0.762) was significantly different from that in control group( - 0.469, u = 2.079,P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions The burden of F and Al of osteomalacia malformation children in endemic fluorosis area of Shuicheng county is too high. The contents of multi-elements in urine and hairs and their correlation are coincident with high levels of Al and F and they cause network increase of multi-element content changes and their correlation. According to bone X-ray features combining with the living environment, the diagnosis of endemic Al-F fluorosis can be made. The biological significance of reducing urinary and hair Se levels and the correlations of F and Al need to be further studied.

The Arabidopsis thaliana tonoplast Na+ /H+ antiporter gene, AtNHX1, was transferred into buckwheat by Agrobacterium-mediated method. Transgenic buckwheat plants were regenerated and selected on MS basal medium supplemented with 2.0mg/L 6-BA, 1.0mg/L KT, 0.lmg/L IAA, 50mg/L kanamycin and 500mg/L carbenicillin. 426 seedlings from 36 resistant calli originated from 864 explants (transformed about at 4.17 percentage) exhibited resistance to kanamycin. The transformants were confirmed by PCR, Southern blotting, RT-PCR and Northern blotting analysis. After stress treatment for 6 weeks with 200mmol/L NaCl, transgenic plants survived, while wild-type plants did not. After 3 days of stress treatment through different concentrations of NaCl, transgenic plants accumulated higher concentration of Na+ and proline than the control plants. However, the K+ concentration of transgenic plants declined in comparison with the control plants. Moreover, the rutin content of the roots, stems and leaves of transgenic buckwheat increased than those of the control plants. These results showed that it could be possible to improve the salt-tolerance of crops with genetic technology.
Adaptation, Physiological ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Blotting, Northern ; Blotting, Southern ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Fagopyrum ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plant Stems ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Potassium ; metabolism ; Proline ; metabolism ; Regeneration ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rutin ; metabolism ; Sodium ; metabolism ; Sodium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers ; genetics ; physiology ; Transformation, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore surface roughness of bone cement and surround tissue on histological characteristic of induced membranes.

METHODSBone cements with smooth and rough surface were implanted in radius bone defect, intramuscular and subcutaneous sites of rabbits, and formed induced membranes. Membranes were obtained and stained (HE) 6 weeks later. Images of membrane tissue were obtained and analyzed with an automated image analysis system. Five histological parameters of membranes were measured with thickness,area,cell density,ECM density and microvessel density. Double factor variance analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the two factors on histological characteristics of induced membranes.

RESULTSMembranes can be induced by each kind of bone cement and at all the three tissue sites. In histological parameters of thickness,area and micro vessel,there were significant differences among the membranes induced at different tissue sites (P = 0.000, P = 0.000, P = 0.000); whereas, there were no significant differences in histological parameters of cell density and ECM density (P = 0.734, P = 0.638). In all five histological parameters of membranes, there were no significant differences between the membranes induced by bone cements with different surface roughness (P = 0.506, P = 0.185, P = 0.883, P = 0.093, P = 0.918).

CONCLUSIONSurround tissue rather than surface roughness of bone cements can affect the histological characteristics of induced membranes. The fibrocystic number, vascularity, mechanical tension and micro motion of the surround tissue may be closely correlated with the histological characteristics of induced membranes.

Animals ; Bone Cements ; Female ; Membranes ; cytology ; Rabbits ; Radius ; cytology ; Surface Properties ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo study the incidence of injuries among residents living in the communities in Zhejiang.

METHODSA household questionnaire survey was conducted to 16 899 residents in four communities.

RESULTSThe incidence of injuries was 16.11% in total, higher in urban area than in rural area and higher in men than in women. The leading causes of injuries were falls (4.80%), knife-cutting or by sharp articles (3.86%), traffic accident (2.07%), collision (1.99%), scalds (1.13%) and animal bites (1.06%). Peak incidence of age group was different in different injuries, such as traffic accident was high in 45 - 60 age group and falls was high in 5 and 60 age group. Direct economic loss for each case with injury would cost 324.21 RMB yuan.

CONCLUSIONInjury was common and frequently occurred among residents at the community level which seriously on danger their health and families.

Accidental Falls ; statistics & numerical data ; Accidents, Traffic ; statistics & numerical data ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Bites and Stings ; epidemiology ; Burns ; epidemiology ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Community Health Services ; Dogs ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; mortality

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibition effect of celastrol on neovascularization.

METHODSThe effect of celastrol on the in vitro proliferation of endothelial cell of vessel (ECV) was examined by MTT assay. The effect of celastrol on endothelial cell migration, tube formation on Matrigel and Chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis was also examined. Matrigel plug assay was used to evaluate the effect of celastrol on angiogenesis in vivo.

RESULTSThe proliferation of ECV was inhibited significantly by celastrol with IC(50) being 1.33 microg/ml. Celastrol inhibited endothelial cell migration and tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. Celastrol also inhibited angiogenesis both in Matrigel plug of mouse model and in chick chorioallantoic membranes.

CONCLUSIONCelastrol, which can inhibit angiogenesis, could be developed as an antiangiogenic drug.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between ultrasonic bone mineral density (BMD) of calcaneus and age, height, and body weight, and to establish the normal reference value for stiffness index (SI) of healthy subjects in Guangxi autonomous region and provide scientific foundation for the diagnosis and prevention of osteoporosis.

METHODSSI of calcaneus in 1 816 healthy adults aged 11-90 years (775 men, 1 041 women) were measured with quantitative ultrasound. According to their ages, all the men and women were divided into 13 groups by 5-year age group.

RESULTSSI reached peak values in 21-25 year group in men (range: 111.45 +/- 21.19) and in 16-20 year group in women (range: 101.26 +/- 17.51). Then the SI value began to decline with aging. The SI featured by a typical dual-peak curve in women and the decrease rate of SI was faster in women than in men over 61 years. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed significantly negative correlation between SI and age (P < 0.001), positive correlation between SI and body weight (P < 0.05 for men; P < 0.01 for women), and positive correlation between SI and height in women (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSI correlates with age, height, and weight. The acquired SI value may provide a reference for the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Density ; Calcaneus ; diagnostic imaging ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of the cryoprotectant containing glucose and that containing sucrose on the motility of post-thaw human sperm.

METHODSThe cryoprotectant containing glucose and that containing sucrose were applied to 50 semen samples and the motility of the post-thaw human sperm was compared before and after cryopreservation and between the study groups.

RESULTSThe forward motility and total motility of the sperm were (58.4 +/- 5.7)% and (63.4 +/- 6.1)% before cryopreservation, (43.8 +/- 7.6)% and (48.4 +/- 7.6)% after thawing with the cryoprotectant containing glucose, and(42.6 +/- 8.9)% and (48.0 +/- 8.5)% after thawing with the cryoprotectant containing sucrose. Decreased sperm motility was observed after cryopreservation, with statistic significance (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the forward and total motility of the post-thaw sperm between the two cryoprotectants.

CONCLUSIONCryopreservation inflicts obvious damage on sperm. Sucrose is a feasible sperm cryoprotectant.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Cryoprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Semen Preservation ; methods ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sucrose ; pharmacology