OBJECTIVE:To explore the necessity of developing therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin in our hospital and its existing problems,and provide a reasonable basis for the clinical rational use of vancomycin. METHODS:The cross-sectional survey was designed to collect the clinical data of 92 patients with therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin and statistically ana-lyze 192 cases of plasma concentration monitoring data. RESULTS:The average plasma trough concentration was (15.96 ± 8.06) mg/L;with the increase of age,the plasma trough concentration was increasing,there was no significant difference in the plasma trough concentration among different age groups (P=0.000);there were only 13 cases (6.77%) that obtained the plasma trough concentration within 30 min before the fourth dose;after using wancomycin,clearance rates of Cr and the endogenous creatinine were slightly higher than before,but there was no significant difference(P=0.722);36 cases(39.13%)showed vancomycin sus-ceptible gram positive cocci;after using wancomycin,the body temperature,white blood cell count and neutrophil percentage were lower than before,the differences were statistically significant (P=0.006,P=0.000,P=0.000);48 cases (52.17%) in treatment received initial loading dose,and only 15 cases (16.30%) did not use in combination with other anti infective drugs. CONCLU-SIONS:The results showed there are still a lot of problems in the treatment of vancomycin in our hospital,for example,the stan-dard rate of the plasma trough concentration is about 50%;most of the time of blood sampling is not reasonable;the detection rate of the pathogen is low;only about half of the cases are given the loading dose,etc. Therefore clinical pharmacists’intervention for blood sampling is an important part to promote rational drug therapy monitoring. Meanwhile,data interpretation of the monitoring results of serum drug concentration of vancomycin is a basic method for clinical pharmacists in clinical monitoring to correct the un-reasonable operations,and also the necessary measures for preventing the drug renal toxicity,it is a very important significance for the medication safety and effectiveness especially in severe infection patients,the elderly,the children and the people with renal function insufficiency.

Objective To study the design and fabricating method, biomechanical effect and practicablity of the orthosis for patients suffering from large femoral bone defect and leg length discrepancy and study the effect of the orthosis on patients' equilibrium, walking function and gait. Methods By four stages we finally made ischial weight bearing orthosis with prosthetic feet, and then analysed its biomechanical effect and efficiency, evaluated balance and walking function of patients.Results The orthosis, according with principle of biomechanics, realized patients' wish of walking without crutch. The energy consumption and balanced capacity of patients wearing orthosis were much better while walking distance parameters came close to normal. Conclusion Ischial weight bearing orthosis with prosthetic feet can help patients reconstruct walking function, therefore can be recommended.

By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), an open reading frame of pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1) was isolated from Panax notoginseng and named as PnPR1. Molecular and bioinformatic analyses of PnPR1 revealed that an open reading frame of 501 bp was predicted to encode a 166-amino acid protein with a deduced molecular mass of 18.1 kD. Homology analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of PR1 protein of Panax notoginseng had a high similarity with other higher plants had the same conservative structure domain of cysteine-rich secretory protein (CAP). The recombinant expressed plasmid pET28a(+)-PnPR1 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The expression conditions were optimized by induction at different times, different temperatures, different IPTG concentrations and different giving times. The optimum expression condition was 0.4 mmol.L-1 IPTG at 28 degrees C for 20 h. The successful expression of PnPR1 provides some basis for protein purification and preparation of the monoclonal antibody.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Molecular Weight ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment

Objective To compare the effectiveness of nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (nHAC)and autologous mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) for the repair of femoral defect in a rabbit model with femoral defect under the monitoring of the synchrotron radiation hard X-ray. Methods The rabbit models of traumatic bone defect were established and completely randomized into three groups. The femoral defects filled with nothing were used as control group (Group A) , the femoral defects filled with nHAC as Group B and the femoral defects filled with nHAC + AMSCs as Group C. Phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron radiation hard X-ray was applied to detect the degradation and repair process of each group at postoperative weeks 4, 8 and 12, respectively. Results Phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron radiation hard X-ray could display the reparative process. Four weeks after operation, there was collapse in some defect areas in Group A, and the degradation of nHAC and new bone formation were observed in Groups B and C. Eight weeks after operation, fibrous tissues were observed in the defect area in Group A, while osteogenesis and nHAC degradation were more obvious in Groups B and C. Twelve weeks after operation, the defect areas were still unhealed and were substituted by fibrous tissues in Group A, tissue densities of defect areas in Group C were identical with periphery areas, and trabecular bones were formed in Group C. There were statistical differences in the osteogenesis between Group A and Groups B and C,with Group C the best. Conclusion Phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron X-ray can detect the reparative process at a micro-level and plays an important role in the development of tissue engineering.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcome of botulinum A toxin(BTX-A)injection into external sphincter combined with oral baclofen in treatment of detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia(DESD)after spinal cord injury(SCI). Methods:A total of 38 urodynamic examination-confirmed DESD patients,male 31 and female 7,with an average age of (36.5?17.8)years old,were included in this study.200 U of BTX-A toxin was dissolved in 8 ml of normal saline and the solution was injected at 8 different sites(1 ml per site)of the external sphincter via a 5F flexible cystoscopic needle.On the second day,9 patients(BTX-A+baclofen group)were randomly selected for baclofen oral administration,3/d for 3 months; the other 26 patients were taken as control.Urodynamic examination was repeated in all patients 4 weeks later;the voiding diary and urodynamic outcomes were compared before and after treatment.The adverse and toxic effects were observed in the patients who were followed up for 2-9 months.Results:One month after treatment the voiding and storing functions of bladder were improved to different degrees,with the mean maximum uroflow rate(Qmax),the mean urine volume,the mean maximal cystometric capacity and the bladder compliance increased significantly and the mean postvoid residual urine volume and the mean maximal voiding pressure decreased significantly(all P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the stability of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin in different buffer solution.

METHODTo determine concentration of curcumin by HPLC when added curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin into the buffer solution the equation of degradation was established.

RESULTThe sequence of stability are bisdemethoxycurcumin > or = demethoxycurcumin > or =curcumin at the same condition.

CONCLUSIONThe demethoxycurcumin can stabilize curcumin more strong than the others. The demethoxycurcumin is a nature stabilizing agent for curcumin.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Curcumin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Drug Stability ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration

OBJECTIVETo study the occupational exposure limit of dimethoxymethane (DMM) in workplace air.

METHODSLiterature research was conducted on DMM; information on its physicochemical properties, toxicology, and occupational epidemiology was collected. Upon analyzing these data, an occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air was proposed according to the guidelines and principles of developing occupational exposure limits for harmful factors in workplaces.

RESULTSA total of 165 air samples were collected from DMM manufacturers, 14 of which had a DMM concentration over 3000 mg/m(3), accounting for 8.48% of all samples. Compared with the control group, the exposed employees had a significantly increased incidence of discomfort symptoms when exposed to more than 6000 mg/m(3) DMN (P < 0.01).No significant differences in the constituent ratios of abnormal results in physical examinations were found between the exposure groups and control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWe recommend to set the permissible concentration-time weighed average to 3100 mg/m(3) as the occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air in China. This occupational exposure limit standard meets the relevant requirements of toxicology and occupational epidemiology, as well as fits well with our country's current economical and technological levels. This standard has high applicability in China's domestic settings.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; China ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Methyl Ethers ; analysis ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Threshold Limit Values ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo summarize the experiences of ligating left subclavian artery (LSA) in total arch replacement and stented elephant trunk implantation for Stanford type A aortic dissection patients with difficulty in exposing the LSA.

METHODSTotal arch replacement and stented elephant trunk implantation were performed on 79 consecutive patients from January 2008 to June 2010. Twenty-nine cases of the cohort undertook LSA ligation due to bad exposure. There were 21 males and 8 females patients, aged from 19 to 55 years with a mean of (44 ± 12) years. There were 12 acute dissections, 4 sub-acute dissections and 13 chronic dissections. Based on thoroughly evaluation of the Willis' circle and bilateral vertebral arteries through pre-operative imaging and intra-operative circulative parameters, if the collateral circulation was considered sufficient, LSA was ligated directly and only the innominate artery and carotid artery were reconstructed; if considered insufficient, an additional bypass from ascending aorta to left axillary artery was performed.

RESULTSAll the 29 operations were completed successfully. There was one patient died from pulmonary infection and the others recovered well.Blood pressure of left arms were lower than right postoperatively [(78 ± 17) mmHg vs. (126 ± 24) mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa, P < 0.01], but oxygen saturation, skin temperature and strength of the left hand were normal compared to the right. All the survived patients have been followed 1 - 27 months and none of them presented with any symptoms of left subclavian artery steal syndrome and ischemia of left arms.

CONCLUSIONSLigation of LSA under strict evaluation of collateral circulation could be safe in Type A dissection patients with bad exposure due to big ascending aortic aneurysm and will simplify the procedure significantly.

Adult ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Subclavian Artery ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

UNLABELLEDOBJECTIVE : To study the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of bear bile powder (BBP) in Shexiang Tongxin Dripping Pill (STDP) , and to provide scientific evidence for treating atherosclerosis (AS) by its therapeutic characteristics of cool resuscitation.

METHODSAS model was duplicated using ApoE-/- gene knocked mice fed with high-fat diet. Thirty ApoE-/- deficient male mice were divided into four groups according to body weight using random digit table, i.e., the model group (A, n =9), the STDP group (B, n=E7), the STDP without BBP group (C, n =7), and the BBP group (D, n =9). Besides, another 9 C57BL/6J male mice of the same age were recruited as a normal control group (E). All mice in Group B, C, and D were respectively administered with corresponding drugs (30, 30, and 0. 33 mg/kg) by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in Group A and E. All medication lasted for 8 successive weeks. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α), interferon y (IFNγ), and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) were measured by ELISA. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), activities of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined using biochemical assay. Contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the aortic root was detected by dihydroethidum (DHE) fluorescent probe. Expression levels of microRNAs (such as miR-20, miR-21, miR-126, and miR-155) were detected by real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe fluorescence intensity of the aorta was obviously enhanced in Group A. But it was obviously attenuated in Group B, C, and D, and the attenuation was the most in Group B. Compared with Group E, serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, oxLDL, and MDA all increased (P <0. 01), GSH contents and SOD activities decreased (P <0. 01), expression levels of miR-126, miR-21, and miR-155 in aorta increased (P <0. 01), and the expression level of miR-20 decreased in Group A (P<0. 01). Compared with Group A, serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, oxLDL, and MDA were all down-regulated (P <0. 01), GSH contents and SOD activities were up-regulated (P <0. 01), expression levels of miR-126, miR-21, and miR-155 in aorta were down-regulated in Group B, C, and D (P <0. 01). The expression level of miR20 was up-regulated in Group B and D (P <0. 01). Compared with Group B, serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ increased (P <0.01); GSH contents and SOD activities decreased, levels of MDA and oxLDL increased (P <0. 01) in Group C and D. Expression levels of miR-20 and miR-155 were down-regulated in Group C and D (P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONSSTDP played roles in significantly regulating inflammatory factors and oxidative stress factors. Its mechanism might be possibly associated with regulating expressions of miR-126, miR-21, miR-155, and miR-20 in aorta. BBP played significant roles in STDP.

Animals ; Aorta ; Apolipoproteins E ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; Bile ; Cytokines ; Diet, High-Fat ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oxidative Stress ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; drug therapy ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Ursidae

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of tumor metastasis-related gene TMSG-1 overexpression on the proliferation and invasion of a highly metastatic prostate cancer cell line in vitro.

METHODSThe eukaryotic expression plasmids containing full-length TMSG-1 cDNAs were stably transfected into the highly metastatic prostate cancer cell line PC-3M-1E8. Clones highly expressing TMSG-1 were identified by RT-PCR and Western Blot analysis after G418 screening. The cell proliferation was detected by cell growth curve, MTT assay and soft agar colony formation assay. The invasive potential of tumor cells in vitro was tested by Matrigel invasion assay.

RESULTSThree TMSG-1 overexpression clones were selected. Cell growth curve and MTT assay showed that TMSG-1 overexpression clones exhibited a strong inhibition of proliferation compared with that of the parental cells or those transfected with vector alone from the third day of culture (P <0.05). In vitro analysis also showed that the TMSG-1 transfected clones exhibited a decreased clonogenicity in soft agar compared with that of the parental cells or those transfected with vector only (P < 0.05). TMSG-1 expression significantly suppressed cell invasion in vitro of TMSG-1-transfected PC-3M-IE8 cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe TMSG-1 protein may serve as a tumor metastasis suppressor due to inhibiting cell proliferation and invasion of the highly metastatic prostate cancer cell line PC-3M-1E8.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sphingosine N-Acyltransferase ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism