Epidemiologic Methods ; Models, Statistical

Herpetin (HPT) is an active monomer constituent isolated from lignanoid in seeds of Herpetospermum caudigerum. HPT shows inhibitory effects in hepatic injury and HBV-DNA and the replication. In the study, we successfully prepare herpetin liposomes by film dispersion method for the first time. The prescription process was optimized, with the entrapment efficiency as the index. According to the optimized prescription, the mass ratio of HPT: phospholipids: cholesterol was 2.44:78.05: 19.51, the hydration and de-molding process was performed with 0.5% F68 solution at 50 degrees C, and the water-bath ultrasonic time was 20 min. The HPT liposomes prepared by this method showed an average entrapment efficiency of (94.50 +/- 2.15)% and a particle size of (119.2 +/- 10.7) nm, which was consistent with the trial expectations and will lay a solid foundation for the hepatic targeting delivery system in future.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Cholesterol ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Liposomes ; chemistry ; Phospholipids ; chemistry ; Ultrasonics

Objective To analyze negative lymph nodes of 34 non-small cell lung cancer(NCLC) patients with total correction by means of fluorescent quantitation PCR and immunohistcchemistry,and to form molecular bi- ology staging.Methods Clinical data and tissue samples of 193 lymph nodes were collected from 34 patients under- going resection for non-small cell lung cancer.Using fluorescent quantitation reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry method,lymph nodes were examined for CEA gene mRNA,P53 and CK to form molecular biology staging.All the patients were followed-up for an average of forty months.Results The CEAmRNA was identified in 21.7% (42/193) lymph nodes negative patients from 17 patients(17/34,50%); TMN staging was up-regulated in 8 patients;positive lymph nodes were increased in 9 patients.P53 and AE1/AE3 were identified 9.8%(19/193) from 11 patients,18.6 % (36/193)from 15 patients,separately;TMN staging was up-regulated in 2 patients of P53 examination and 5 patients of AE1/AE3 analysis;positive lymph nodes were in- creased in in 7 patients of P53 examination and 11 patients of AE1/AE3 analysis.There was obvious statistical sig- nificance in them,but the molecular biology staging based on the three markers was not an independent factor on re- currence and metasis of lung cancer.Conclusion CEAmRNA.P53 and AE1/AE3 analysis could find lung cancer micrometasis more sensitively to form molecular biology staging which was relative to the prognosis,but not an inde- pendent prognostic indicator.It might be good to the therapy strategy after operation.

Objective To explore the morphological characteristics of optic tracts in healthy Chinese Han adults on the high-resolution MRI and fill the database of Chinese standard brain with morphological data of optic tracts.Methods Cerebral MRI scans with T1 WI 3D MPRAGE sequence of 1000 healthy Chinese volunteers from 15 hospitals were divided into five stages, ranging in age from 18 to 70.With the technique of multi-baseline, structure and morphology of optic tracts were displayed optimally on the images with multiplanar reconstruction.Data were measured as following: transverse distance of the cisternal optic tract (TD1) and peri-crural optic tract (TD2), length from the cisternal optic tract to the peri-crural optic tract (L) ,angle between optic tract(AOT) and height of optic tract from its first segment to plane of anterior commissure (H) including H1, H2, H3, H4 and HS.The measurements of optic tracts between sexualities and among age groups were compared by anasis of covariance; those among five age groups were compared pairwisedly by least significant difference analysis (LSD); and the differences of measurements between left and right optic tracts were analyzed using paired t test.Results (1) Comparisons of optic tract structures between male and female: the mean optic tract length of male [(11.69±1.45),(11.56±1.44) mm] was significant longer than that of female [(10.58±1.29),(10.40±1.34) mm] (F=22.236, 29.703, P=0.000); the mean H1 of male [(2.56±0.28),(2.60±0.29) mm] and female [(2.57±0.31 ), (2.63±0.32) mm] were significantly different ( F =11.130,7.805, P = 0.000, 0.005).No significant differences of the other measurements were found between male and female ( P > 0.05 ).(2) Comparisons among age groups: among 5 age groups, TD1 of both sides [left TD1 :(4.64±0.51 ), (4.64±0.57), (4.55±0.58), (4.39±0.53), (4.36±0.58)mm;right TD1 :(4.84±0.53) ,(4.80±0.60), (4.77±0.65), (4.60±0.59), (4.57±0.59) mm] and the right TD2[(3.33±0.45),(3.34±0.41),(3.33±0.36),(3.23±0.38),(3.23±0.39) mm] had statistical differences ( F = 3.458, 2.735, 4.711, P = 0.008,0.028, 0.001 ).The LSD analysis found that the 50 years old group was the watershed with significant differences ( P < 0.05 ).The results also showed that the L of both sides had statistical differences among 5 age groups ( F = 14.510,14.532, P = 0.000).The LSD analysis found that the 60 years old group was the watershed with significant differences (P <0.05).Left TD2 and the H1-H5 of both sides had no significant differences among age groups ( P >0.05).(3) Comparisons of the measurements between left and right optic tracts: TD1 of bilateral optic tracts were (4.52±0.57)and(4.72±0.60) mm respectively; H1 of bilateral optic tracts were (2.56±0.30)and (2.61±0.30) mm respectively; H2 of bilateral optic tracts were (2.66±0.30)and (2.70±0.30) mm respectively; and L of bilateral optic tracts were ( 11.14±1.47 ) and ( 10.98±1.50 )mm respectively.There were significant differences in these measurements between left and right optic tracts( t =12.460, - 6.013,5.595,4.784, P = 0.000 ), while there were no significant differences in TD2, H3, H4 and H5( P > 0.05 ).Conclusions With high-resolution MR1 and 3D reconstruction, optic tract can be displayed clearly and measured accurately.There are definite differences in anterior segments of optic tracts between sexualities, sides and among ages in normal Chinese Han adults, while the posterior segments of optic tracts keep stable.Normal reference values of optic tracts in Chinese Han adults are provided to clinical practices and scientific researches, which are valuable for building of Chinese standard brain.

Objective To explore the normal range of the fourth ventricle volume of Chinese adults of the Han nationality and provide morphological data for the construction of database for Chinese Standard Brain.Methods This is a clinical multi-center study.One thousand Chinese healthy volunteers (age range= 18 to 70) recruited from 15 hospitals were divided into 5 groups, i.e., Group A (age range = 18 to 30),B (age range =31 to 40), C (age range =41 to 50), D (age range =51 to 60), and E (age range =61 to 70).Each group contained 100 males and 100 females.All of the volunteers were scanned by MR using T1 weighted three-dimensional magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence.After three dimension data reconstruction, the volumes of the fourth ventricle were measured at sagittal view by automatic trace of Midobl.2 combined with manual outlining.The difference of volumes of the fourth ventricle between male and female were analyzed by independent sample t test, and among age groups by ANOVA.Pearson's correlation coeffcient was used to characterize the relationship between volumes of the fourth ventricle and age.Results The fourth ventricle volumes of Group A-E were (2.1±0.9), (2.1±0.8), (2.2±0.8), (2.1±1.0) and (2.4±0.8) ml respectively for male; those for female were(2.0±0.7), (1.9±0.6), (18±0.6), (1.9±0.7) and (2.0±0.6) ml respectively.The fourth ventricle volumes of males were significantly larger than those of females ( t = 5.573, P =0.000 ) ; there were no significant differences among the female groups ( F = 1.788, P = 0.130 ) ; there were significant differences among the male groups ( F = 2.639, P = 0.033 ) and multiple comparison found that the 60 years old was the watershed with significant difference ( P < 0.05 ).Correlation between the change of males' volumes and the ages was not strong (r = 0.119, P = 0.008 ), and the females' volumes did not correlated with their ages ( r = 0.041,P = 0.360 ).Conclusion There are gender differences in the fourth ventricle volumes of normal Chinese adults, and changes of the fourth ventricle volume with aging are different between males and females.

Objective To investigate the effects of female sex hormones in cow's milk on metabolism of blood lipid in young male rats.Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 21 days old were assigned randomly to 4 groups,each containing 12 rats,and fed with quantitative milk from postpartum cow,milk from pregnant cow,commercial whole milk and artificial milk,respectively.Serum total cholesterol (TC),triacylglyeriol(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and urinary creatinine (Cr) were determined with automatic biochemical analyzer.Serum progesterone(P4)and urinary free estriol(UFE3) were determined with immunochemiluminometric assays after all rats were killed at 53 days old.SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results Total estradiol and P4 were 1 189.66 pmol/L,833.98 pmol/L,588.17 pmol/L,286.48 pmol/L and 9.76 nmol/L,10.18 nmol/L,2.83 nmol/L,0.92 nmol/L in milk from pregnant cow,commercial whole milk,milk from postpartum cow and artificial milk groups,respectively.Serum TC were respectively(1.78?0.29) mmol/L,(1.94?0.20) mmol/L,(2.10?0.28) mmol/L and (2.11?0.22) mmol/L in pregnant milk,commercial whole milk,postpartum milk and artificial milk groups,and TC in pregnant milk group was lower than that in postpartum milk group or artificial milk group(P0.05).Conclusion Milk from pregnant cow may reduce serum TC in young male SD rats,which may be related to the conjoined effect of estradiol and P4.

Objective To assess the liver histopathological characteristics of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with alanine aminotransferase(ALT)lower than 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) through liver biopsy, and try to provide subjective evidence for clinical anti-viral treatment.Methods From October 2005 to August 2010, patients accepted liver biopsy in department of infectious disease, Sichuan provincial people's hospital were enrolled. The criteria for liver biopsy was as follow, (1) HBsAg-positive for more than 6 months, (2) HBeAg-positive patients with HBV DNA ≥103 copies/ml or HBeAg-negative patients with HBV DNA≥ 104copies/ml, (3) ALT was lower than 2 times ULN for more than 6 months,and without any hepatic protectants, (4) never accepted any antiviral treatment before, including IFN or nucleoside analogues, (5) willing to accept liver biopsy. Before liver biopsy, routine blood test, prothrombin time, liver function test, hepatitis B antigen and antibody test, HBV DNA quantification were examined. The biopsy position was located under routine ultrasound, liver biopsy were performed to assess the grading of inflammation and necrosis and the degree of fibrosis. The correlation between all the factors and liver inflammation and fibrosis were analyzed. Results Totally 383 cases (240 males and 143 females) met the diagnostic criteria, aged from 16 to 59 years old and the mean age was 28.0 years old. Cases of liver inflammation in G0, G1, G2, G3andG4 grade was 2 cases (0.5％), 165 cases (43.1％), 191 cases (49.9％), 25 cases (6.5 ％ ) and 0 cases (0 ％ ) respectively, cases≥G2 grade accounted 56.4 ％ of total. Meanwhile,stage of fibrosis in S0, S1, S2, S3 and S4 was 103 cases (26.9％), 265 cases (69. 2％), 13 cases (3.4％), 2 cases (0.5％) and 0 cases (0％) respectively, percentage of liver fibrosis in S2stage and over was only 3.9％. The occurrence of serious liver inflammation was associated with age, ALT levels, HBV DNA levels and HBeAg status (P＜0.05). There was no obvious association between HBV DNA level and liver fibrosis (P＞0.05). Conclusions There were obvious liver inflammation and different degree of liver fibrosis in CHB patients with alanine aminotransferase(ALT)lower than 2 times ULN. The degree of liver injury assessed by liver biopsys is recommended as an evaluation for the necessary of anti-viral therapy.

Objective To express the plasminogen activator(Pla) of Yersinia pestis and one of its gene fragments,and to detect their immunological reactivity.Methods The pla gene and its specific gene fragment pla-c were amplified by PCR using the EV76 strain as a template.PCR products were then ligated with the plasmid pET32a (+).The recombinant plasmids pET32a (+)-pla and pET32a (+)-pla-c were subsequently trausformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3).The expressed products were purified by HIS affinity chromatography,and their immunological reactivity was detected by Western blotting.Results The recombinant Pla(52.8 × 103) was expressed as inclusion bodies,and the recombinant Pla-c protein (24.0 × 103) was expressed in the soluble form.These two recombinant proteins reacted with anti-Yersinia pestis EV76 rabbit sera.Conclusions The recombinant Pla and its specific fragments have displayed immunological reactivity,and can be served as an alternative diagnosis method for Yersinia pestis.

Objective To compare the acceptance of 2 different teaching modes－physicians and therapists teaching together and separately in continuing education students of rehabilitation medicine. Methods A questionnaire was filled by the students who attended the lectures of both Rehabilitation of Elbow Injury and Rehabilitation of Wrist Injury in the 9th National Orthopedic Class. The former lecture was taught by the rehabilitation physician and physical therapist together (together mode), and the latter lecture was taught by the rehabilitation physician and physical therapist separately (separate mode). The questionnaire included the choices and text questions. Results There were 45 copies of effective questionnaire all together. The satisfaction of both lectures were above 90%. As to teaching modes, 77.8% students liked together mode better, and 22.2% students preferd the separate mode. 93.9% students would or maybe use together mode in their future work, and 88.9% in separate mode. Conclusion The mode of physician and therapist giving lectures together is well accepted by students.

BACKGROUNDThere are controversies about the use of artificial colloids. This research was aimed to determine the effect of various artificial colloids on blood coagulation in the shock stage of severe burn injury.

METHODSTotally, 18 female Ba-Ma mini-pigs were subjected to a 40% total body surface third-degree flame burn under anesthesia. Resuscitation therapy was applied 2 hours after the injury, using the burn shock fluid resuscitation formula commonly accepted in the surgical treatment of burns. The Ba-Ma mini-pigs were randomly assigned to three groups (six pigs in each group): succinylated gelatin group (the artificial colloid used was succinylated gelatin Injection), hydroxyethyl starch group (the artificial colloid used was hydroxyethyl starch (130/0.4)), and allogeneic plasma group (the colloid used was allogeneic plasma). Blood samples were collected from the animals prior to the burn injury and again at intervals of 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours post-injury. The platelet count (PLT), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and fibrinogen (Fib) were measured, followed by a statistical analysis of all results.

RESULTSThe PLT of succinylated gelatin group and hydroxyethyl starch group at intervals of 24 and 48 hours were (124.3 ± 52.7), (78.8 ± 16.4) × 10(9)/L and (159.0 ± 62.8), (87.3 ± 32.0)× 10(9)/L respectively. But in the allogeneic plasma group at intervals of 8, 24, and 48 hours were (234.3 ± 52.6), (136.0 ± 47.4), (75.8 ± 31.0) × 10(9)/L. The decrease were all statistically significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) when compared to pre-burn ((383.3 ± 77.9), (382.7 ± 65.7), (381.0 ± 49.4)× 10(9)/L). The PLT among the three groups, at all the time points, had no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Compared to pre-burn ((10.8 ± 0.9), (11.4 ± 0.8), (10.6 ± 0.7) seconds), the PT of succinylated gelatin group and hydroxyethyl starch group at 24 hours were (14.5 ± 1.5) and (16.2 ± 1.3) seconds, whereas in the allogeneic plasma group at 8 and 24 hours the PT were (13.0 ± 0.9) and (14.5 ± 1.5) seconds, i.e., an increase in the statistical significance (P > 0.01). Statistical significance was observed at 8 and 48 hours between the succinylated gelatin group and hydroxyethyl starch group, and at 48 hours between the hydroxyethyl starch and allogeneic plasma group (P < 0.05). The INR at 24 hours were (1.26 ± 0.13) in the succinylated gelatin group, (1.40 ± 0.11) in the hydroxyethyl starch group, and (1.13 ± 0.07) and (1.26 ± 0.13) at 8 and 24 hours in the allogeneic plasma group. When compared with pre-burn ((0.94 ± 0.08), (0.99 ± 0.07), and (0.92 ± 0.06) seconds), the other groups have increased significantly (P > 0.01). The comparison at 8 and 48 hours between the succinylated gelatin group and the hydroxyethyl starch group, at 48 hours between hydroxyethyl starch group and allogeneic plasma group showed statistical difference (P < 0.01). The APTT of succinylated gelatin group and hydroxyethyl starch group at 24 hours were (13.1 ± 1.1) and (14.6 ± 2.9) seconds. The APTT of the allogeneic plasma group at 4, 8 and 24 hours were (10.9 ± 1.4), (11.8 ± 1.1), and (13.7 ± 1.5) seconds. Compared to pre-burn ((11.5 ± 4.2), (11.2 ± 3.3), (10.1 ± 1.4) seconds), they were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the APTT between the three groups, at all the time points. The Fib of the succinylated gelatin group at 24 and 48 hours were (4.3 ± 0.3) and (4.7 ± 0.2) g/L, (4.1 ± 0.3), and (5.0 ± 0.1) g/L in allogeneic plasma group, and at 8, 24, and 48 hours the Fib for the hydroxyethyl starch group was (2.9 ± 0.4), (4.0 ± 0.5), and (4.6 ± 0.6) g/L. Compared to pre-burn ((2.4 ± 0.2), (2.5 ± 0.3), (2.6 ± 0.5) g/L), they were all statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in APTT between the three groups, at all time points.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of the indices in blood coagulation during the shock phase of a severe burn injury correlate with the stress response to the burn, rather than to the application of HES (130/0.4) and succinylated gelatin.

Animals ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Colloids ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Shock ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Swine