Cell-penetrating chimeric apoptotic peptide AVPI-LMWP/DNA co-delivery system for cancer therapy / 药学学报

To develop a cell-penetrating chimeric apoptotic peptide AVPI-LMWP/DNA co-delivery system for cancer therapy, we prepared the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL self-assembled complexes containing a therapeutic combination of peptide drug AVPI and DNA drug TRAIL. The chimeric apoptotic peptide AVPI-LMWP was synthesized using the standard solid-phase synthesis. The cationic AVPI-LMWP could condense pTRAIL by electrostatic interaction. The physical-chemical properties of the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes were characterized. The cellular uptake efficiency and the inhibitory activity of the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes on tumor cell were also performed. The results showed that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes were successfully prepared by co-incubation. With the increase of mass ratio (AVPI-LMWP/DNA), the particle size was decreased and the zeta potential had few change. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed that AVPI-LMWP could fully bind and condense pTRAIL at a mass ratio above 15:1. Cellular uptake efficiency was improved along with the increased ratio of W(AVPI-LMWP)/WpTRAIL. The in vitro cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL (W:W = 20:1) complexes was significantly more effective than the pTRAIL, AVPI-LMWP alone or LMWP/pTRAIL complexes on inhibition of HeLa cell growth. Our studies indicated that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL co-delivery system could deliver plasmid into HeLa cell and induce tumor cell apoptosis efficiently, which showed its potential in cancer therapy using combination of apoptoic peptide and gene drugs.

Clinical characteristics of whooping cough in neonates and antimicrobial resistance of the pathogenic bacteria / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical characteristics of whooping cough in neonates and the antimicrobial resistance of the bacterial isolates.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical information of 7 neonates with whooping cough confirmed by bacterial culture was collected. The antimirobial resistance of the isolates was tested using E-test and disk diffusion methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The children′s mothers or other family members had cough for more than 10 days in 6 neonates, in which four neonates contacted with 3 or more family members with cough. All the neonates had rhinobyon and slight cough at the beginning of the disease. Five cases presented typical spasmodic cough after 4-7 days of the onset. Five cases displayed cyanosis, four cases occurred apnea, three cases suffered breath holding, and only two cases had fever. Nares flaring and three depression signs were found in the physical examination. No bacteriostatic ring around the erythromycin disks were found for five bacterial isolates. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and clindamycin were all >256 mg/L against the five isolates.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Whooping cough should be considered for neonates with respiratory symptoms and a history of close contact with respiratory infection patients. Macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis is common in children with whooping cough.</p>

Effect of parathyroid hormone related protein on proliferation of human osteoblast-like cell under tension force / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) on proliferation of human osteoblasts (MG-63) under the circumstance of tension force in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>An apparatus was designed and fabricated by which force was loaded onto the cultured cells in vitro. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for measuring the expression of PTHrP mRNA and c-fos mRNA. The effect of tension force and different PTHrP dose(0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 nmol/L) on the proliferation of human osteoblasts were examined using flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Various forces of the mechanical stretching exerted different influences on the intensities of the mRNA' expression. The strain of 12% induced the most remarkable mRNA' expression. The mitogenesis happened in the group with tension force (12%) combined with PTHrP was more active than that in the group with PTHrP or tension' force only. Tension force combined with PTHrP induced significantly more c-fos mRNA than that of tension force only.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mechanical stretching can inevitably influence the expression of PTHrP mRNA. The most active mitogenesis happened in the group with tension force combined with PTHrP. The effect may be related with the signaling pathways of c-fos.</p>

Diagnostic Value of Urine Cystatin C for Renal Function Impairment in Neonates with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of urine Cystatin C(Cys C) for renal function impairment in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods The urine Cys C concentration was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) in 47 cases of HIE newborns(25 cases were mild HIE and 22 cases were moderate-severe HIE) within 3 days after their birth.Twenty-three cases without perinatal asphyxia or other factors which could result in renal function impairment were selected as control group.Urine Cys C with urine retinal-bindingprotein(RBP),?2-microglobulin(?2-MG) and fractional sodium excretion(FENa%) were analyzed by kolmogorov-smirno in each group.Results Compared with control group,the concentration of urine Cys C,RBP and the levels of FENa% in HIE newborns were significantly elevated.The levels of urine Cys C in moderate-severe HIE newborns were significantly higher than those in mild HIE newborns(Pa

Study on serum proteome of rat endotoxemia treated by figwort root / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the serum proteome of rat endotoxemia treated by figwort root (FR).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The differences of serum proteome among rats treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), FR, LPS + FR and saline respectively were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) assay.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The volumes of sixteen serum proteins (xPr) in LPS induced-endotoxemia group were greatly changed compared with those of the control group. Among them, the volumes of xPr 16, 19 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly increased. When treated with FR, the volumes of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23 were significantly decreased, and the volumes of xPr 8, 9, 11, 12, 23, 14 were back to normal level. Two factors statistic analysis showed that FR had interaction with LPS for xPr 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and FR might be the functional antagonist of LPS. We also observed that the volumes of xPr 10, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22 were found to change significantly only in FR treated group but not in LPS treated group or control group. Interestingly, the volume of xPr 13, 20, 21, 22 were increased and the volume of xPr 10, 15 were decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The molecular basis of therapeutic effect of FR on endotoxemia might be through the regulation of xPr 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23. We can use proteomic techniques to study the molecular mechanisms of diseases treated by functional Chinese herbs and the combination of different herbs is necessary for the treatment of endotoxemia, as FR can not regulated all the changed proteins induced by LPS.</p>

A pilot study of repair of periodontal bone defects with carbonated phosphate bone cement modified with synthesized peptides in dogs / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the possibility of repairing periodontal defects with carbonated calcium phosphate bone cement (CCPBC) modified with synthesized peptides.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Periodontal bone defects in 4 dogs were surgically created and then restored directly with hydroxyapatite (HA), Perioglass, CCPBC and CCPBC modified with peptides. The results were compared at different levels.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Bone replacement materials were lost in HA and Perioglass groups. In the HA group defects were restored with connective tissue. Perioglass group had only a little new bone around materials by alveolar bone. CCPBC could firmly stay in bone defects to maintain the space of bone defects even without membrane use. CCPBC modified with peptides was superior to HA, Perioglass, and CCPBC, surrounded by a great deal of new bone.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Under limitation of this study, CCPBC modified with peptides has some osteoinuctive activity and may have good prospect for the clinical application in periodontal defect repair.</p>

Clinical Analysis of Serratia Infections in 4 Newborn Infants / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristic and prognosis of Serratia infections in newborn infants and increase awareness of Serratia infections.Methods The clinical manifestations,diagnosis,complications,treatment and prognosis of Serratia infections were analyzed in 4 hospitalized newborn infants in neonatology center from Jul.2008 to Feb.2009.Results Among the 4 cases,blood culture revealed Serratia marcescens in 3 cases(1 case was preterm infant),cerebral spinal fluid culture revealed Serratia liquefacien in the fourth case.The main clinical manifestations were fever,convulsion and poor response,WBC and CRP were much higher,while obvious thrombocytopenia was only found in the preterm infant.Two cases of septicemia infection alone recovered after the treatment of the third-generation cephalosporin for at least 2 weeks,while the other 2 cases of septicemia infection combined with purulent meningitis,included 1 case of preterm infant and 1 case of Serratia liquefacien infection,developed meningoencephalitis and brain abscess confirmed by serial imaging,both of which had poor neurological sequelaes.Conclusions As a opportunistic pathogen,Serratia can cause severe infection in newborns.The patients complicated with meningitis should be followed up and pay more attention to the high incidence of neurological sequelaes.