BACKGROUND:Salmon calcitonin or elcatonin has been reported to al eviate acute and severe back pain caused by osteoportic fracture. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of the combined use of elcatonin and risedronate in the treatment of chronic back pain and the improvement of quality of life in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. METHODS:Forty-five postmenopausal women with osteoporosis accompanied by chronic back pain persisting for more than 3 months, after excluding women with fresh vertebral fractures within the last 6 months, were randomly assigned to a risedronate group (administration of risedronate alone, n=22) and a combined drug group (combined administration of risedronate and elcatonin, n=23). Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Roland-Morris questionnaire. Bone mineral density was determined by dual-energy X-ray. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36) at 6 months after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 20 and 19 cases in the risedronate and combined drug groups, respectively included in the final analysis. Significant improvements were found in the combined drug group for VAS and mental health status section scores in the SF-36 at final fol ow-up compared with baseline and 3-month fol ow-up, while no change was found in the risedronate group. Bone mineral density was increased significantly in both groups, while no significant difference was found between groups. These findings suggest that the use of elcatonin in addition to risedronate for more than 3 months may reduce chronic back pain in osteoporosis patients.

Objective Adopt the method of brachial plexus block by a noodle biopsy and pressing the root of interscalene,to discuss the effective of this method on the operation of shower and upper limb.Methods Summarize 182 cases of patients who got the upper limb operation,compared the patients adopting a noodle biopsy and pressing the root of interscalene to block,to the cases which un-pressing the interscalene.Evaluate the anesthesia on sense and movement and record the complicating disease.Results It got a satisfied result from a noodle biopsy and pressing the root of interscalene to block.In this case,all of the sense and movement including shower has disappeared,and has absolutely effect on analgesia.All of the patients avoid to be used herbal supplements and however to complicating symptom.Good rate 97％,compared to 73％ cases of un-pressing.Pressing the interscalene to block is better than un-pressing,on feet nerve,axillary nerves,the median nerve and C4 nerve.Conclusion A noodle biopsy and pressing the root of interscalene to block is a effective and simple method,it needn't special equipment and has a absolutely and extensively block result on the shower and upper limb operation.

Alanine Transaminase/metabolism ; Liver/drug effects ; Plant Extracts/*pharmacology

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral infectivity factor (Vif), one of the accessory proteins, which is a small basic phosphoprotein, is essential for viral replication and pathogenesis. The best well-characterized function of Vif is its ability to neutralize the host cell antiviral factor, apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide like 3G (APOBEC3G), which makes the viral particles more infective. In addition, Vif can regulate the reverse transcription and the advanced stage of replication of the virus particle, as well as induce the termination of cell cycle at G2 stage and so on. The designed drug aimed directly at Vif can efficiently block the maturation and infectivity of HIV-1. In this review, the structure, function and especially the related inhibitors of Vif are reviewed.

We produced α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) from L-glutamic acid, using enzymatic transformation approach with L-glutamate oxidase (LGOX). First, wild strain Streptomyces sp. FMME066 was mutated with NTG, a genetically stable mutant Streptomyces sp. FMME067 was obtained. Under the optimal nutrition conditions with fructose 10 g/L, peptone 7.5 g/L, KH2PO4 1 g/L and CaCl2 0.05 g/L, the maximum LGOX activity reached 0.14 U/mL. The LGOX was stable to pH and temperature, and Mn2+ had a stimulating effect. Finally, after 24 h enzymatic conversion under the optimal conditions, the maximum titer of α-KG reached 38.1 g/L from 47 g/L L-glutamic acid. Enzymatic transformation by LGOX is a potential approach for α-KG production.
Amino Acid Oxidoreductases ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Ketoglutaric Acids ; metabolism ; Streptomyces ; genetics ; metabolism

Oleic acid is a common pharmaceutical excipient that has been widely used in various dosage forms. Gas chromatography (GC) has often been used as the quantitation method for fatty acids normally requiring a derivatization step. The aim of this study was to develop a simple, robust, and derivatization-free GC method that is suitable for routine analysis of all the major components in oleic acid USP-NF (United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary) material. A gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) method was developed for direct quantitative analysis of oleic acid and related fatty acids in oleic acid USP-NF material. Fifteen fatty acids were separated using a DB-FFAP (nitroterephthalic acid modified polyethylene glycol) capillary GC column (30 m × 0.32 mm i.d.) with a total run time of 20 min. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. The method can be routinely used for the purpose of oleic acid USP-NF material analysis.

Objective To compare the analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine and propofol on patients with coronary heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery.Methods 86 patients in our hospital from Sep 2009 to Sep 2011 aged 55-76 years weighing 42-60 kg,who were scheduled for epidural anesthesia in routine,were randomly assigned to 2 groups:dexmedtomidine (Dex) group and propofol group (n=43,each).Visual analogue scale/score (VAS) analgesia score and ramsay sedation score were used to observe the analgesic effect after surgery.Serum concentration of cortisol,insulin and glucose were observed and compared between Dex and propofol group before and 4,24,48h after surgery.Patient satisfaction was surveyed.Results The analgesic effect evaluated by VAS and Ramsay scores was better in Dex group than in propofol group at different time after surgery (t=5.368,2.262,7.147,5.881,7.861,4.810,all P＜0.05).Serum concentrations of cortisol,insulin and glucose were lower in Dex group than in propofol group before and 4,24,48 h after surgery (t=3.076,2.042,4.090,all P＜0.05).The satisfaction rate was 93.0％ (40/43) in Dex group.Conclusions Dexmedetomidine has a better analgesic effect than propofol,and it is safe and feasible for patients with coronary heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Objective To study the clinical features and treatment of the patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) with cerebral infarction.Methods Retrospective analysis was done in 14 TA patients with cerebral infarction from 1998 to 2003.Results The patients with TA complicated with cerebral infarction accounted for 10.6%(14/132) of all the hospitalized patients with TA.The time from cerebral infarction to the symptom onset of TA was 1 month to 15 years.In all the cases,there were more than 3 branches stenosis or occlusion of aortic arch and hemiparalysis.Basal ganglion was the most frequently involved infarction area.Corticosteroid and cytotoxic drugs were effective therapy.Conclusion The cases of TA with cerebral infarction have extensive arterial lesions.We must pay attention to it to avoid misdiagnosis.The key point of treatment is to control the primary disease.

Objective To evaluate the curative effects and complications of synthetic dural substitute (Neuro-Patch) in the surgical treatment of Chiari type I malformation (CMI) complicated with syringomyelia (SM). Methods .Forty patients suffered from CMI with SM were given foramen magnum decompression and duraplasty between June 2002 and June 2004. The duraplasty was performed using either synthetic dural substitute (Neuro-Patch Group, n=20) or autologous fascia lata (Autologous Group, n= 20). Results .Symptoms were improved in 17 patients in both of groups (85.0%) at 6 months postoperatively, and no deterioration of symptoms was seen. Postoperative pyrexia occurred in 12 patients in the Neuro-Patch Group (60.0%) and 9 patients in the Autologous Group (45.0%), without significant differences (?2=0.902,P=0.342). No statistically significant differences were observed between the Neuro-Patch Group and the Autologous Group in the operating time (3.6?0.7 h vs. 3.4?0.4 h; t=1.109,P=0.274), the time to the onset of postoperative pyrexia (7.3?3.4 d vs. 9.4?2.5 d;t=-1.560,P=0.135), the length of duration of postoperative pyrexia (range, 1~19 d vs. 1~8 d, median, 4.5 d vs. 2 d;z=-1.643,P=0.100), the drainage time (1.3?0.5 d vs. 1.2?0.4 d; t=0.230, P=0.820), the drainage volume (range, 15~300 ml vs. 20~250 ml, median, 80 ml vs. 37.5 ml; z=-1.359,P=0.174), the duration of antibiotic administration (15.8?4.8 d vs. 13.7?1.5 d;t=1.260,P=0.223), and the assessment outcomes of curative effects. The length of duration of hormone requirement was longer in the Neuro-Patch Group (12.8?4.1 d) than in the Autologous Group (7.8?3.1 d) (t=3.055, P=0.007). On MRI examinations at 6 postoperative months, no posterior cranial fossa effusion was detected in both of groups. Follow-up checkups for 9 months ~ 2 years in the 40 patients showed delayed infectious granuloma on the wound in 1 patient in the Autologous Group, which was cured by debridement. Conclusions .The Neuro-Patch is a reliable dural substitute for repairing of dural defects in the treatment of CMI associated with syringomyelia.