Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; therapy

AIM: To determine whether nuclear Ca 2+ is independently regulated from the cytosolic Ca 2+ and nuclear Ca 2+ oscillation induced by many modulating factors in cultured rat neonatal myocytes and its mechanism. METHODS: Rat neonatal cardiac myocytes were cultured, and fluo-4/AM was loaded as calcium probe. The changes of cytosolic and nuclear Ca 2+ were observed by confocal laser microscopy. RESULTS: Calcium fluorescent intensity oscillated slightly in myocardiocytes and the average intensity was much higher in the nucleus than that in the cytosole. Ca 2+ oscillation in nucleus and cytosole induced by norepinephrine, isoproperenol, ATP were completely blocked by Ca 2+ -ATPase antagonist thapsigargin (10 -6 mol/L),L-type Ca 2+ channel blocker verapermil (500 ?mol/L) and KCl (20 mmol/L). Ca 2+ -ATPase antagonist thapsigargin completely blocked the propagation of Ca 2+ waves and simutaneouly induced a temporary Ca 2+ increase followed by a magnificient drop and loss of response to norepinephrine. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that generation and maintenance of calcium oscillation both in cytosole and nucleus depended on extracellular Ca 2+ influx, membrane potential, Ca 2+ release and uptake of cytosolic and nuclear calcium stores. The difference between cytosolic calcium and nuclear calcium indicated that calcium regulating system relatively independent of cytosole may exist in nucleus.

A simple and efficient method for the determination of organotin compounds ( OTCs) in biota by GC-MS coupling with sodium tetraethylborate ( NaBEt4 ) derivatization was established. The results showed that recoveries for each OTCs spiked in blank freeze-dryed biological samples ( 0 . 1 g ) following extraction (15 mL 0. 035 mol/L methanolic HCl solution for 1 h ) and derivatization (2 mL contained internal standard n-hexane and 0. 5 mL of 2% (m/V) NaBEt4 solution for 30 min) were above 80%. The method is fast and easy to operate for the determination of OTCs in complex biological samples. The minimum limit of detection was about 0. 01 μg/L, and relative standard deviation values were within 10% for three parallel samples.

In order to solve the adhesion and the softening problems of traditional Chinese medicine extract during spray drying, a new method of adding dehumidified air into spray drying process was proposed, and the storage stability conditions of extract powder could be predicted. Kouyanqing extract was taken as model drug to investigate on the wet air (RH = 70%) and dry air conditions of spray drying. Under the dry air condition, the influence of the spray drying result with different air compression ratio and the spray-dried powder properties (extract powder recovery rate, adhesion percentage, water content, angle of repose, compression ratio, particle size and distribution) with 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 °C inlet temperature were studied. The hygroscopic investigation and Tg value with different moisture content of ideal powder were determined. The water activity-equilibrium moisture content (aw-EMC) and the equilibrium moisture content-Tg (EMC-Tg) relationships were fitted by GAB equation and Gordon-Taylor model respectively, and the state diagram of kouyanqing powder was obtained to guide the rational storage conditions. The study found that in the condition of dry air, the extract powder water content decreased with the increase of air compression ratio and the spray drying effect with air compression ratio of 100% was the best performance; in the condition of wet air, the extract powder with high water content and low yield, and the value were 4.26% and 16.73 °C, while, in the dry air condition the values were 2.43% and 24.86 °C with the same other instru- ment parameters. From the analysis of kouyanqing powder state diagram, in order to keep the stability, the critical water content of 3.42% and the critical water content of 0.188. As the water decreased Tg value of extract powder is the major problem of causing adhesion and softening during spray drying, it is meaningful to aid dehumidified air during the process.
Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humidity ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Powders ; Temperature

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), also named as a cancer of cardiovascular disease, is a rare disease and has complicated pathogenesis. Recently, there are more understandings of PAH pathogeneses. According to the pathogenesis and active pathways, the clinically used drugs are classified into several groups incluidng prostacyclin analogues and prostacyclin receptor agonists, endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitors, etc. To elevate the efficacy of the drugs, numerous drug delivery systems are developed. This review mainly summarized the pathological mechanism of PAH, drugs and drug delivery approaches in the treatment of PAH.

AlM: To explore the inhibiting effect of FTY720 on corneal neovascularization ( CNV) of rat.METHODS: MTT assay and cells scratch were adopted to observe hyperplasia of human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs ) and cell migration induced by sphingosine-1-phosphate(S1P) after using FTY720 of different concentration. The effect of FTY720 on CNV induced by S1P in a rat corneal micropocket model was detected. 30SD rats were randomly divided into group A, group B and group C with 10 rats per group. S1P and 0μg, 5μg, and 20μg FTY720 controlled-released particles were implanted into the corneal stroma. The growth of CNV and having pathological examination on 12d after the operation was observed. Findings was analyzed by one-way ANOVA.RESULTS: 10, 102 , 103 , and 104 nmol/L FTY720 and HUVECs co-incubate 72h could inhibit cell proliferation (P < 0. 01 ), 24h after the function of 10, 100nmol/L FTY720, it could inhibit S1P-induced cell migration and the ability of restricting cell proliferation and cell migration was enhanced with increasing concentration of FTY720. On 12d, after rat corneal micropocket controlled-release particles was implanted into groups A, B, C, the CNV area were respectively 10. 05±1. 19, 6. 59±0. 95, 2. 70± 0.68mm2(F=145. 155, P<0. 01), group A and group B was statistically different and this was the same case between group B and group C (P<0. 01).CONCLUSlON:FTY720 can inhibit S1P-induced corneal neovascularization.

AIM: To determine the influence of interleukin-1?(IL-1?) and ?(IL-1?) gene polymorphisms on rheumatoid arthritis(RA) disease severity and secretion of IL-1?. METHODS: The study included 136 RA patients and 102 healthy controls. PCR-RFLP was used to detect site mutation at IL-1 gene. Meanwhile the IL-1? was also measured in the supernatant of the cultured and stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC). RESULTS: No difference in the allele frequencies or genotypes of the IL-1? gene polymorphisms was found between the controls and RA patients.IL-1? allele 2 was overrepresented in patients with erosive RA but not in nonerosive patients. The patients with IL-1? allele 2 had a higher swollen joint index, higher tender joint index and erythrocyte sedimentation rate than those without IL-1? allele 2.The IL-1? in supernatant of stimulated PBMC from patients with IL-1? allele 2 had a higher level than that from those without allele 2. CONCLUSION: IL-1 gene polymorphisms may influence the occurrence of RA. Detection of IL-1? allele 2 have a potential prognostic value in RA.

Objective To compare the cost-effectiveness of intervention protocols with or without rehabilitation approaches for burn patients.To explore the pros and cons of the two treatment programs,especially in terms of efficacy.Methods Data on 164 burn patients hospitalized in four hospitals in Hunan Province were collected and compared in terms of the therapeutic interventions employed,the direct medical costs and the effects obtained at the end of the first two months of hospitalization.The patients were divided into an early rehabilitation therapy group and a control group,based on the interventions they received.Results The average total direct medical cost of the early rehabilitation group was significantly lower than that of the control group [((￥)59 380.80 ±196.87) versus ((￥)67 471.62 ±217.23)].The average Vancouver scar scale (VSS) results in the early rehabilitation group were significantly better than those of the controls,but their Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Barthel index scores were not.The average cost-effectiveness ratio (C/E) of the early rehabilitation group as judged by these scores was lower than that of the control group.Conclusion Early rehabilitation can improve the therapy of burns patients and reduce subsequent expenditures.It is a cost-effective approach to treating burns patients.

This paper was aimed to study effects of different preparation methods on the content of ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 in Yi-Xin-Shu (YXS) tablets by HPLC-ELSD.HPLC-ELSD was used as the detection method.The separation and content of ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 were used as indexes.The influences of three different preparation methods (i.e.,defatted alcohol extraction and butanol extraction,alcohol extraction and butanol extraction,alcohol extraction and butanol extraction ammonia solution washing) on the effect of YXS tablets were studied.Then,the same content determination method was used to compare the influence of alkali washing treatment to ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 among different batches of Panax ginseng.The results showed that a good separation of ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 component peak of YXS tablets was achieved by three kinds of separation methods.The separation degree was greater than 1.5.Ammonia solution washing had some effect on ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 content,which made the content of ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 be 1.5-1.8 times to those without alkali washing.No effect was shown on the content of ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 during ammonia solution washing.It was concluded that some other ginsenosides can be transferred into ginsenosides Rg1,Re and Rb1 in YXS tablets solution after ammonia solution washing.

Background Normal adult optic disc rim width follows inferior ≥ superior ≥ nasal ≥ temporal (ISNT) rule.Analysis of the optic disc structural parameters with Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT) can understand whether ISNT principle is suitable to other optic disc structure parameters.Objective This study was to investigate the characteristics of optic nerve head structure parameters in normal Chinese adults.Methods The parents of twins who participated Guangzhou Twin Eye Study were enrolled in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from 2006 June to 2011 August.All subjects received the routine eye examinations,including visual acuity,slit lamp microscope,direct ophthalmoscope examination,auto-refraction examination and HRT Ⅲ examination.All data from the right eyes were collected and analyzed.HRT values from different quadrants of optical nerve head were compared with one-way analysis of variance,and the multiple comparison between quadrants was carried out by Bonferroni test.The differences of optical nerve head parameters in different gender were analyzed using independent sample t test and Bland-Altman test.Results In this study,1672 eyes of 1672 subjects were included,with the 759 male and 913 female persons and average age of (41.8±5.3)years.No significant differences were seen in the disc area (DA)between the superior and inferior,as well as the nasal and temporal quadrants among the subjects (P＞0.05).In addition,there were not significantly different in the rim area (RA) between the superior and nasal disc as well as the rim volume (RV) among the inferior,superior and nasal disc (P＞O.05).However,significant differences were found in the cup area (CA),cup/disk area ratio (C/DAR),cup volume (CV),mean cupdepth (MCD),maximum cup depth (MxCD),height variation contour (HVC),cup shape measure (CSM),mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (mRNFLT) and retinal nerve fiber layer cross section area (RNFLcsa) among the different quadrants (P＜0.001).The local differences from only DA and RA complied with an ordination of the ISNT rule.The values of DA,CA,C/DAR,CV,MCD,MxCD from male individuals were higher,but those of the RV,HVC,mRNFLT RNFLcsa were lower in comparison with female individuals.Nevertheless,all the differences were ＜ 0.1 with a maximal mean difference in DA and CA (both 0.07 mm2).Conclusions The optical nerve head configurations measured by HRT have different distributing characteristics in four quadrants in normal adults.Most parameters show the higher values in the inferior and superior than those in nasal and temporal of disc,but DA and RA meet ISNT rule.The differences of most parameters between male and female subjects can be ignored.