Objective: To optimize the formulation parameters of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) of Silymarin by Box-Behnken experimental design. Methods: A three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken experimental design was employed using emulsion evaporation-low temperature solidification technique to prepare SLN with Silymarin as model drug. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the factors affecting entrapment efficiency (EE), drug loading (DL), and particle size. Binomial mathematical model-optimized formulation was established with EE, DL, and particle size as response values. Results: The optimal formulation was as follows: the amount of glycerol monostearate was 5.05%, the concentration of Poloxamer 188 was 7.25%, and the amount of drug was 15%. Conclusion: The Box-Behnken experimental design could be used to optimize the SLN of silymarin.

Objective To compare the effect of midazolam pretreatment on propofol sedation using closed-loop target-controlled infusion (TCI) between two age groups - the adult and the aged. Methods Forty-eight ASA Ⅰ-Ⅱ patients of both sexes weighing 45-81 kg undergoing elective lower abdominal or lower extremity operation under epidural anesthesia were divided into two age groups : (A) the adult group (18-39 yrs) and (B) the aged group (66-79 yrs). The two groups were further divided randomly into 2 subgroups : midazolam subgroup ( n=12) received midazolam 0.04 mg?kg-1 10 min before propofol TCI and placebo subgroup ( n = 12) received normal saline instead of midazolam 10 min before propofol TCI. The patients were unpremedicated. An intravenous line was established before operation, which was connected to a TCI system comprising a Graseby 3500 infusion pump and a closed-loop TCI automatic control system. BP, HR, SpO2 and BIS were continuously monitored during operation. During epidural anesthesia the patients were sedated with propofol administered by TCI. The initial target blood concentration of propofol was set at 1.5?g?ml-1 . The level of sedation was assessed by OAA/S scale (5 = alert,0 = no response to prodding). The target blood propofol concentration was then increased or decreased in 0.5?g?ml-1 increment to maintain OAA/S score at 3. The BIS value at this level of sedation (OAA/S=3) was used as feedback in controlling TCI of propofol. The induction dose and the total dose of propofol, induction time and emergence time (OAA/S=5) were recorded. Results Midazolam premeditation significantly reduced the induction dose and total dose of propofol, shorten the induction time and prolonged the emergence time compared with placebo in both groups, especially in the aged group (P

Objective To survey the biliary flora in patients with obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic head cancer,also the multiple factors which affect the positive findings of bile culture in these patients.Methods The information of 65 patients with obstruetive jaundice due to pancreatic head eancer,who admitted to surgery in Huashan Hospital from Oetober 2007 to October 2008 were reviewed retrospectively.The factors which may potentially affect the detection of bile pathogen in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were studied with univarite analysis and muhivariate analysis,including age,history of biliary surgery,yellow stained time,serum alanihe aminotransferase level,serum bilirubin level,CA19-9 level,tumor size,site of obstruction,with or without clinical manifestations of biliary infection,and APACHE Ⅱ score.Results Twenty-five positive cultures happened in 65 bile samples (38.5％),including 21 strains of Gram-negative baeilli (72.4％),6 strains of Gram-positive bacteria (20.7％),and 2 strains of fungi (6.9％).Univariate analysis showed that the relevant factors which may affect the rate of positive bile culture in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site,biliary tract infection symptoms and APACHE Ⅱ score.Multivariate analysis showed that age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site and APACHE Ⅱ seore were independent risk factors.Conctusion Age,history of biliary surgery,biliary obstruction site and APACHE Ⅱ score were independent risk factors which led to positive findings of bile cultures in patients with obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic head cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) might be able to prevent senescence of endothelial stem cell (ESC) and also study its effects on the telomerase activity. METHODS Total mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation, and then the cells were plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. After cultured for 4 d, attached cells were divided into control and SDF-1α 1, 10, 50 and 100 μg·L~(-1) groups. ESC became senescent as determined by acidic β-galactosidase staining. The proliferation of ESC was assessed by MTT assay and colony-forming capacity. Telomerase activity was measured by telomerase-PCR ELISA and the phosphorylation of Akt was determined by using Western blotting. RESULTS Ex vivo prolonged cultivation of ESC led to rapid onset of ESC senescence. Compared with control group, SDF-1α concentration-dependently inhibited the onset of ESC senescence, maximum at 100 μg·L~(-1) (40.8±7.1 vs 17.5±3.0; P<0.01). Moreover, SDF-1α 100 μg·L~(-1) increased ESC proliferation (0.22±0.02 vs 0.39±0.04; P<0.01) and ESC colony-forming activity (7.8±2.2 vs 22.4±3.4). Compared with control group, SDF-1α 100 μg·L~(-1) also increased telomerase activity (0.34±0.05 vs 0.57±0.09; P<0.01). In addition, SDF-1α treatment of ESC stimulated a concentration- and time-dependent Akt phosphorylation. CONCLUSION SDF-1α-induced prevention of ESC senescence leads to the potentiation of proliferative activity, and clonal expansion, which may be related to the activation of telomerase and Akt phosphorylation.

The basic mechanical properties of a Radial Shock Wave Therapy Equipment (RSWTE) were experimentally studied in this paper. The output energy of the RSWTE working on the operation frequency of 10 Hz was measured by dynamic pressure transducer under the conditions of different operation pressure. The results showed that both operation pressure and operation frequency have effects on the output energy of the equipment. The output energy increases with the increase of operation pressure, and the magnitude of increased energy decreases with higher operation of frequency. With the increase of operation frequency, the output energy rises up in condition of lower operation pressure and drops off in condition of higher operation pressure. The accurate medical treatment should be selected with the optimized energy and condition according to the treatment requirement to different illness in clinical medical applications.
Equipment Design ; High-Energy Shock Waves ; Physical Therapy Modalities ; instrumentation ; Pressure

Objective： The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin,α -catenin,β -catenin,and γ -catenin in gastric carcinoma and dysplasia and to determine the relationship with tumorigenesis and biological behavior of gastric cancer. Methods： The expression of E-cadherin, α -catenin, β -catenin, and γ -catenin in 43 patients with gastric carcinoma and gastric biopsy specimens from 22 patients with dysplasia and 10 healthy controls were determined using immunohistochemistry. Results： Membranous staining was observed in control biopsy specimens for all components of the complex. Abnormal expressive rates of E-cadherin,α -catenin,β -catenin in gastric carcinomas (53.5％ ,55.8％ ,51.2％ ,respectively) were significantly higher than that in gastric mucosal dysplasials （ 22.7％ ,22.7％ , 18.2％ , respectively P<0.05） ,and the rates in advanced gastric carcinomas were also significantly higher than that in early gastric carcinoma（ P< 0.01, P< 0.05, P< 0.01,respectively） . Tumors with a decrease in E cadherin occurred significantly more frequently in undifferentiated gastric carcinoma (P< 0.05). There were higher abnormal expressive rates of E-cadherin and β  catenin in the patients with tumor infiltrating out of serosa and with lymph nodes metastasis （ P<0.01 or P< 0.05） . Up to 50.0％ of gastric dysplasials and 76.7％ of tumors stained abnormally for one or more components of the cadherin catenin complex (P< 0.05), and the lymph nodes metastasis rates for one or more components of the E cadherin complex was significantly higher than that for no one components of the E cadherin complex (P< 0.01). Conclusion： The decreased expression of E cadherin and part of the catenins correlate with tumor stage, poor differentiation, infiltrative tumor growth, and lymph nodes metastasis, which suggests that E cadherin complex play a critical role in the course of chang from gastric mucosal dysplasials to gastric carcinoma. Thus, study of all the components of E cadherin catenin complex may be more valuable than single component of the complex for the detection of patients with gastric carcinoma.

The measure analysis and QA system for gamma knife dose field and its pivotal techniques are described in this paper. By using our own measuring tools and analysis software, we have made a testing analysis about the HuaYuan Gamma Knife dose field with a satisfactory result.
Equipment Design ; Radiosurgery ; instrumentation ; methods ; Radiotherapy Dosage

Objective: To discuss the application principle in tuina manipulation for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH) in Chinese literatures published in recent 30 years. Methods: The three major Chinese databases, Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were searched to collect the studies of tuina manipulations in treatment of LIDH published in recent 30 years. Clustering analysis was applied to analyze the top 20 tuina manipulations for LIDH. Results: The top 20 most frequently used manipulations for LIDH were Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, oblique Ban-pulling, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, Bashen-pulling and extending, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, post-extension Ban-pulling, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, fist-back Ji-tapping, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. The involved manipulations can be divided into two categories by the treated body areas. One category is applied to the soft tissues, including Gun-rolling, Rou-kneading, Dian-digital pressing, An-pressing, Tanbo-plucking, horizontal Tui-pushing, Na-grasping, Anrou-pressing and kneading, Ca-scrubbing, Pai-patting, Mo-rubbing, Zhen-vibrating, Nie-pinching, and fist-back Ji-tapping methods. The other category is applied to bones and joints, including oblique Ban-pulling, Bashen-pulling and extending, Dou-shaking, Yao-rocking, post-extension Ban-pulling, and dorsal Shen-extending methods. Conclusion: Based on the treated body area, the tuina manipulations applied to treat LIDH are predominated by the ones performed on soft tissues, assisted by those on bones and joints. From the way of force exertion, the involved manipulations are majorly the swinging methods, followed by squeezing and pressing ones. The manipulations applied to bones and joints are predominated by the Ban-pulling ones, followed by the Bashen-pulling and extending ones.

OBJECTIVETo establish systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) -like murine model by immunizing BALB/C mice with Sm mimotope.

METHODSSm mimotope was identified by screening a 12-mer random peptide library with monoclonal anti-Smith antibody. Sm mimotope was initially defined with sandwich ELISA, DNA sequencing, and deduced amino acid sequence; and BALB/C mice were subcutaneously injected with mixture phages clones. Sera Sm antibody, anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody, and antinuclear antibody (ANA) of mice were detected using direct immunofluorescence; kidney histological changes were examined by HE staining.

RESULTSFive randomly selected peptides were sequenced and the amino acid sequences IR, SQ, and PP were detected in a higher frequency. High-titer IgG autoantibodies of dsDNA, Sm, and ANA in the sera of experiment group were detected by ELISA 28 days after having been immunized by Sm mimotope. Proteinuria was detected 33 days later; immune complex and nephritis were observed in kidney specimens.

CONCLUSIONSLE-like murine model can be successfully induced by Sm phage mimotope.

Animals ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; blood ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Mimicry ; Oligopeptides ; immunology ; Peptide Library

Double aortic arch with an atretic left arch distal to the origin of left subclavian artery was diagnosed with multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in two children with dysphagia. This rare type of complete vascular ring is clinically important because it may be confused with right aortic arch in mirror imaging. Anatomic details of this rare type of complete vascular ring demonstrated on MDCT facilitated appropriate surgical treatment.
Adolescent ; Aorta, Thoracic/*abnormalities/radiography/surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Deglutition Disorders/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/*methods ; Subclavian Artery/*abnormalities/radiography/surgery ; Vascular Malformations/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Vascular Surgical Procedures