OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of gabapentin on the treatment of pruritus of scar resulting from deep partial-thickness burn.

METHODSA total of fifty-eight patients suffering from pruritus of scar after deep partial-thickness burn were hospitalized from January 2013 to January 2014. Patients were divided into placebo group (n =18, treated with oral vitamin C in the dose of 100 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) , cetirizine group (n = 20, treated with oral cetirizine in the dose of 10 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) , and gabapentin group (n = 20, treated with oral gabapentin in the dose of 300 mg for 4 weeks, twice per day) . Before treatment and on post treatment day (PTD) 3 and 28, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess the itching degree, and the mean scores were recorded. The remission rates of pruritus on PTD 3 and 28 were calculated. The adverse effects were observed during treatment. Data were processed with analysis of variance, q test, and chi-square test.

RESULTSCompared with that before treatment, the itching degree of patients with light, moderate, and severe itching in placebo group was not relieved after treatment; the itching degree of patients with moderate or severe itching in cetirizine group was alleviated after treatment, but not in patients with light itching; itching degree of all patients in gabapentin group was significantly relieved after treatment. There were no obvious differences in VAS scores among the 3 groups before treatment (F = 2.78, P > 0.05). On PTD 3 and 28, the VAS scores of patients in both gabapentin group [(2.3 ± 0.8) and (0.6 ± 0.3) points] and cetirizine group [(4.2 ± 1.7) and (2.8 ± 1.2) points] were lower than those in placebo group [(5.7 ± 2.0) and (5.7 ± 1.9) points, with q values from 6.70 to 7.75, P values below 0.05]. The VAS scores of patients in gabapentin group on PTD 3 and 28 were lower than those in cetirizine group (with q values respectively 6.30 and 6.90, P values below 0.05). The remission rates of pruritus of patients in gabapentin group on PTD 3 and 28 were respectively (66 ± 20)% and (91 ± 17)%, and they were higher than those in cetirizine group [(33 ± 8)% and (56 ± 14)%, with q values respectively 4.70 and 3.82, P values below 0.05]. The remission rate of pruritus of patients in placebo group on PTD 3 and 28 was 0, which was lower than that of the other 2 groups each (with q values from 3.94 to 6.76, P values below 0.05). During the course of treatment, 5 patients in gabapentin group suffered from adverse effects including mild-to-moderate drowsiness and dizziness, but they disappeared one week later. No adverse effects were observed in patients of the other two groups.

CONCLUSIONSFor patients with deep partial-thickness burn, gabapentin can effectively alleviate scar itching after wound healing with safety.

Amines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Ascorbic Acid ; administration & dosage ; Burns ; complications ; Cetirizine ; administration & dosage ; Cicatrix ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pruritus ; drug therapy ; Skin Transplantation ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Analog Scale ; Wound Healing ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

Data Mining ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Stomach Diseases ; therapy

The structures of DICOM image and BMP image are introduced through the analyses of them and DICOM standard.The method of translating DICOM image into BMP one is also presented.

Objective To explore the role of LiCl in microbial suppurative keratitis .Methods Western-blot assay was used to detect the efficacy of LiCl .Inflammatory cytokine levels were examined using Real-time PCR .Cell apoptosis was detected by using TUNEL and flow cytometry assays .Results LiCl promoted corneal resistance to PA infection .Real-time PCR data showed that LiCl enhanced IL-10 expression ,but suppressed TNF-expression .TUNEL and flow cytometry data showed that LiCl promoted the apoptosis of infiltrating cells .Conclusion LiCl promoted host resistance against microbial suppurative keratitis ,via regulating in-flammatory cytokine expression and cell apoptosis .

Obstructive nephropathy ultimately leads to end-stage renal failure. Renovascular lesions are involved in various nephropathies, and most renal diseases have an ischemic component that underlies the resulting renal fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether morphological changes occur in the renal vasculature in hydronephrosis and the possible mechanisms involved. A model of complete unilateral ureteral obstruction (CUUO) was used. Experimental animals were divided into five groups: a normal control group (N) and groups of animals at 1st week (O1), 2nd week (O2), 4th week (O4) and 8th week (O8) after CUUO. Blood pressure was measured, renal arterial trees and glomeruli were assessed quantitatively, and renovascular three-dimensional reconstruction was performed on all groups. Glomerular ultrastructural changes were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in the obstructed groups (O1, O2, O4 and O8). Three-dimensional reconstruction showed sparse arterial trees in the O8 group, and a tortuous and sometimes ruptured glomerular basement membrane was found in the O4 and O8 groups. Furthermore, epithelial media thickness and media/lumen ratio were increased, lumen diameters were decreased, and the cross-sectional area of the media was unaltered in the segmental renal artery, interlobar artery and afferent arterioles, respectively. In conclusion, renal arterial trees and glomeruli were dramatically altered following CUUO and the changes may be partially ascribed to vascular remodeling. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of renovascular morphological alterations will enable the development of potential therapeutic approaches for hydronephrosis.

Objective To identify the use of body mass index (BMI) to predict the areas under curve (AUC) of hypertension,and to find the optimal cutoff of predicting the incidences of hypertension in Chinese adults. Method Using the data from Nationwide Nutrition and Health Survey to find the new cases of four-years hypertension,and to calculate the four-year cumulative incidence (CI) of hypertension,and operate the receiver operating characteristic (ROC),analyze the AUC and calculate the sensitivity and specificity of optimal cutoff. Results Four-year CI of hypertension were 17.2% (20.3% for men and 14.2% for women),the AUC were 0.62 and 0.61 for men and women,respectively. Conclusion The optimal cut off was applicable in monitoring the incidences of hypertension,and more verification should be carried out in the future when applying this cut off.

The aimed of this study was to prepare stabilized thiomers to overcome the poor stability character of traditional thiomers. Poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine (PAA-Cys) was synthesized by conjugating cysteine with poly(acrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine-6-mercaptonicotinic acid (PAA-Cys-6MNA, stabilized thiomers) was synthesized by grafting a protecting group 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (6MNA) with PAA-Cys. The free thiol of PAA-Cys was determined by Ellmann's reagent method and the ratio of 6MNA coupled was determined by glutathione reduction method. The study of permeation enhancement and stabilized function was conducted by using Franz diffusion cell method, with fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FD4) used as model drug. The influence of polymers on tight junctions of Caco-2 cell monolayer was detected with laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope. The results indicated that both PAA-Cys and PAA-Cys-6MNA could promote the permeation of FD4 across excised rat intestine, and the permeation function of PAA-Cys-6MNA was not influence by the pH of the storage environment and the oxidation of air after the protecting group 6MNA was grafted. The distribution of tight junction protein of Caco-2 cell monolayer F-actin was influenced after incubation with PAA-Cys and PAA-Cys-6MNA. In conclusion, stabilized thiomers (PAA-Cys-6MNA) maintained the permeation function compared with the traditional thiomers (PAA-Cys) and its stability was improved. The mechanism of the permeation enhancement function of the polymers might be related to their influence on tight junction relating proteins of cells.
Acrylic Resins ; chemistry ; Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Caco-2 Cells ; Cysteine ; chemistry ; Dextrans ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; analogs & derivatives ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; Nicotinic Acids ; chemistry ; Rats ; Sulfhydryl Compounds ; chemistry

The transcellular process of coumarin 6 (C6) loaded poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate)-co-poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) micelles on Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells was investigated. C6 loaded PEG-PCL micelles were prepared using the thin-film hydration method. The size of the micelles was characterized by dynamic light scattering analysis using a Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZS. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined by pyrene fluorescence probe method. And the transcellular process of the micelles on MDCK epithelial cells was investigated by using transmission electron microscope, laser confocal scanning microscope and Förster resonance energy transfer technology. It turned out that the size of PEG-PCL micelles was about 30 nm and CMC was 1.01 microg x mL(-1). PEG-PCL micelles were endocytosed in intact form and they could deliver hydrophobic drugs across the basolateral membrane of the epithelial cells. However, PEG-PCL is hardly being transported in micelle formation itself. The transportation of C6 by PEG-PCL micelles was through the transcellular pathway, yet not the paracellular pathway.

Objective To establish a mouse model of kidney-yin and kidney?yang deficiency after oral administra?tion of hydrocortisone, and to explore the related evaluation factors. Methods The model was established by oral adminis?tration of hydrocortisone to induce kidney?yin and kidney?yang deficiency in mice. The survival and body weight of the mice were observed. The serum content of adrenal cortical hormone ( ACTH) , cortisol ( Cor. ) in the hypothalamic?pituitary?ad?renal (HPA) axis, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyrox (T4) in the hypothalamic?pi?tuitary?thyroid (HPT) axis, follicle?stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) in the hypothalamic?pituitary?gonadal ( HPG) axis were determined by radioimmunoassay. Results The body weight of kidney?yin and kidney?yang mice were decreased, the serum ACTH, Cor, TSH, T3, T4 contents were decreased, the serum FSH, E2, T contents were increased in the kidney?yang deficiency model mce ( P<0. 01 ) , and those parameters in the kidney?yin deficiency model mice were changed in opposite direction. Conclusions It is found that the hormone levels of ACTH, Cor, TSH, T3, T4, FSH, E2 and T in kidney deficiency mice are changed, and cortisol can be used as an important index to evaluate the model of kidney deficiency induced by glucocorticoid.

A comparable study were carried out by determination of trace elements on five marine-derived shell traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (Ostreae Concha, Haliotidis Concha, Margaritifera Concha, Meretricis Concha, and Arcae Concha), which were recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 version). Seven trace elements in 51 batches of this type of shell TCM were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), combined with principal component analysis (PCA) methods. The content of element Se, which exhibited significant differences among different drugs, could be used as a key element to distinguish this type of drugs. Meanwhile, the contents of elements Co, Cu, Mo, and Ba in Haliotidis Concha, Co and As in Margaritifera Concha, Mo and As in Meretricis Concha, Mo, As, and Ba in Arcae Concha, and Zn in Meretricis Concha were relatively stable. In the PCA plot, Arcae Concha and Meretricis Concha could be efficiently distinguished from Ostreae Concha together with Haliotidis Concha, and Margaritifera Concha. The results also showed a correlation with their medicinal function. In conclusion, trace elements in marine-derived shell TCM could not be neglected for their quality control.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Aquatic Organisms ; chemistry ; Bivalvia ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Trace Elements ; analysis