To prepare Zhitong micro-emulsion in this study, with the empirical formula of Zhitong preparation as the model medicine, the essential oil in the formula as the oil phase, and the water decoction as the water phase. The types of surfactant and co-surfactant were investigated. The changes in micro-emulsion conductivity and construction, the water percentage in the micro-emulsion system, the changing curve of conductivity and the fine pseudo-ternary phase diagram of micro-emulsion were drawn to determine the surfactant-co-surfactant mass ratio (K(m)). Subsequently, the D-mixture design was used to optimize Zhitong Micro-emulsion formula, with particle size and surface tension of micro-emulsion as the indexes. Finally, efforts were made to determine part of physical parameters of Zhitong micro-emulsion and preliminarily detect its stability. The results showed that the micro-emulsion was optimal with the EL-35-tween 20 ratio of 4:1 in surfactant, whereas the absolute ethyl alcohol was recommended as the co-surfactant. The ratio between surfactant and co-surfactant (K(m)) was 1.5. The finalized micro-emulsion formula contains 12% surfactant, 8% co-surfactant, 70% 1 g x mL(-1) water decoction and 8% oil. The results of the preliminary stability experiment showed a better stability of Zhitong micro-emulsion.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Temperature

BACKGROUNDThe form deprivation (FD) reduces spatial contrasts and induces myopia. Nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are involved in visual signal transmission. This study investigated changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and cGMP concentration in ocular tissues in acute and chronic form deprivation myopia.

METHODSGuinea pigs had one eye covered by translucent glass for 7, 14 or 21 days. Untreated litter mates were used as controls. NOS activity and cGMP concentrations in the retinal, choroidal and scleral tissues of FD eyes and control eyes were analyzed by radioimmunoassay after various durations of FD. The expression of NOS subtypes was identified by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMyopia was successfully induced in FD eyes after 14 days. Compared with control groups, the retinal NOS activity and cGMP concentrations in the FD eyes significantly increased after 14 and 21 days while the retinal NOS activity in the FD eyes was transiently suppressed by 7 days of FD. The NOS activity and cGMP concentrations of choroid and sclera in the FD eyes were higher than in the control groups at 21 days. The three isoenzymes of nitric oxide synthase were detected in the ocular tissues of guinea pigs.

CONCLUSIONSThe NOS activity and cGMP concentrations were upregulated after chronic FD and the retinal NOS activity was transiently suppressed at acute FD. The function of elevated NOS activity may be mediated by cGMP.

Animals ; Cyclic GMP ; analysis ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunohistochemistry ; Myopia ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Refractive Errors ; Retina ; metabolism

AIMTo study the protein changes of spermatozoa associated with sperm motility during sperm cryopreservation and its mechanism.

METHODSIn 18 healthy men, the seminal sperm motility and HSP90 levels were studied before and after cryopreservation using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and computerized image analysis.

RESULTSThe sperm motility declined significantly after cryopreservation (P<0.01). The average grey level and the integrated grey level of sperm HSP90 before cooling were 34.1+/-3.2 and 243.0+/-21.6, respectively, while those after thawing were 23.2+/-2.5 and 105.7+/-28.5, respectively. Both parameters were decreased significantly (P<0.01). No HSP90 was found in the seminal plasma before and after cryopreservation.

CONCLUSIONHSP90 in human spermatozoa was decreased substantially after cryopreservation. This may result from protein degradation, rather than leakage into the seminal plasma.

Blotting, Western ; Cryopreservation ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo develop pathogenic surveillance on measles and to effectively isolate measles virus. To know the genetic characterizations and molecular epidemiology of wildtype measles viruses from 2005 to 2007 in Guangdong Province, and provide the scientific basis for measles control and eradication.

METHODSVero/Slam cell line were used, measles viruses were isolated from throat swabs or urine specimens collected from uspected measles patients in outbreaks and sporadic patients. A 450 nucleotides fragment of the C-terminal of the nucleoprotein (N) gene was amplified and by RT-PCR and subjected to sequence and phylogenetic analysis using Bio-Edit software.

RESULTS82 wild-type measels virus were obtained from 377 throat swabs and urine specimens from 2005 to 2007 in Guangdong Province measles lab. The measles isolation rate was 23.58% in 2005, 17.11% in 2006, 39.13% in 2007. The succeed rate of virus isolation is related to the quality of specimens collected and the days after rash occurrence.

CONCLUSIONSWe have grasped the technicalability of measles virus isolation and confirm action, and got higher isolation ratio. The wild-type measles virus isolated from Guangdong Province is of H1 genotype from 2005 to 2007, which is the same as the dominant genotype circulation.

China ; epidemiology ; Genotype ; Humans ; Measles ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Measles virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plasma ; virology ; Population Surveillance ; methods ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urine ; virology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of 5 muscarinic receptor subtypes in the scleral tissue of immature guinea pigs.

METHODSThe scleral tissue was collected from six 2-week-old pigmented guinea pigs to determine mRNA expressions of the muscarinic receptors with RT-PCR. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the protein expressions of the 5 muscarinic receptor subtypes.

RESULTSThe mRNAs of the 5 muscarinic receptor subtypes were all detected in the scleral tissue, and the mRNA expression was the highest for M1 subtype. Green fluorescence of M1 to M5 subtypes surrounding the fibroblast nuclei were found in the scleral matrix using laser confocal microscopy.

CONCLUSIONFive muscarinic receptor subtypes are present in the scleral tissues of immature guinea pigs, indicating the involvement of the muscarinic receptors in eye growth regulation.

Animals ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Myopia ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sclera ; cytology ; metabolism

[Objective]To evaluate the practicality of non-mydriatic digital fundus camera in the remote screen of diabetic retinopathy for community residents.[Methods]Ninety-two patients(184 eyes)with type 2 diabetes mellitus have been taken 1-field and 5-field non-mydriatic fundus photography and examination in mydriatic fundus by pre-placed-mirror ophthalmoscopy by a ophthalmologist,the results were sent to the hospital with a computer programs. A specialist evaluates the consistency of detectable rate of diabetic retinophathy(DR)among the 3 methods.The time of tak-ing 1-field and 5-field non-mydriatic fundus photography is compared.[Results]All the three methods show good consis-tency in detectable rate of DR compare with each other,the κ value is 0.89 for 1-field non-mydriatic fundus photography and examination in mydriatic fundus by preplaced-mirror ophthalmoscopy,0.95 for 1-field and 5-field non-mydriatic fundus photography and 0.95 for 5-field non-mydriatic fundus photography and examination in mydriatic fundus by pre-placed-mirror ophthalmoscopy,respectively. The 1-field non-mydriatic fundus photography spent less time compares with 5-field non-mydriatic fundus photography(55.4±5.8 vs 405.9±68.5 s,P<0.01).[Conclusion]The remote screen for diabetic retinopathy in community based on non-mydriatic digital fundus camera is worth promoting,we suggest 1-field non-mydriatic fundus photography as a screen method.

Gouty arthritis is a type of metabolic rheumatic disease caused by autoimmune abnormalities. Currently, the use of Western medicine in the clinical treatment of gouty arthritis has been associated with a high risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring therapeutic drugs from traditional Chinese medicine as a potential alternative. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, gouty arthritis has been classified as damp-heat arthralgia syndrome. Shirebi granules has been found to have good clinical efficacy in treating gouty arthritis. However, its underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. To address this problem, the study first established the interaction network of candidate targets for Shirebi granules, which is used to treat damp-heat syndrome of gouty arthritis. Then, the key candidate targets of Shirebi granules for treating gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome were screened by calculating the topological features of the network nodes. Then, the functional mining of the key candidate targets revealed that the candidate targets of Shirebi granules may intervene in the biological process of inflammatory response and lipid metabolism through the crosstalk of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. To verify the effectiveness of Shirebi granules in treating gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome, a rat model was established. The results demonstrated that the granules significantly improved the severity of arthritis in rats with this condition, reduced joint inflammation, gait score, swelling index, increased mechanical pain threshold (P < 0.05), and reduced the content of serum inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in gouty arthritis rats with damp-heat syndrome (P < 0.01) gouty. It was also found that Shirebi granules effectively alleviated the symptoms of dampness heat syndrome such as local joint fever and dry mouth by reducing the temperature of the joints in acute gouty arthritis with damp-heat syndrome (AD) rats, increasing the threshold of heat pain, increasing water intake (P < 0.01), and inhibiting abnormal changes in the content of fatty acid oxidation related enzymes (P < 0.01). Western blot analysis showed that Shirebi granules increased the protein expression levels of Wnt and β-catenin (P < 0.01) while decreasing the protein expression of p65, p-p65 and PPARγ (P < 0.01) in rats with gouty arthritis and damp-heat syndrome. The results showed that Shirebi granules may reverse the "inflammation-immune" imbalance and lipid metabolism disorder by regulating the crosstalk of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and play a role in alleviating the severity of the disease. This study provides a methodological reference for elucidating the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine formulas. It also presents research ideas for the appropriate clinical use of Chinese patent medicines and the development of new clinical drugs for gouty arthritis therapy. The animal welfare and experiment procedures of this study were performed in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (grant No. ERCCACMS11-2302-08).

OBJECTIVETo get a more comprehensive understanding of the clinical characteristics of pediatric victims in earthquake and to summarize the experience of medical rescue.

METHODSThe clinical information was collected from the pediatric victims who were admitted to West China Hospital, Sichuan University following the Lushan earthquake in 2013 and Wenchuan earthquake in 2008. The clinical data were compared between the pediatric victims in the two earthquakes.

RESULTSThirty-four children under 14 years of age, who were injured in the Lushan earthquake, were admitted to the West China Hospital before April 30, 2013. Compared with the data in the Wenchuan earthquake, the mean age of the pediatric victims in the Lushan earthquake was significantly lower (P<0.01), and the mean time from earthquake to hospitalization was significantly shorter (P<0.01). In the Lushan earthquake, 67.6% of the injured children had variable limb fractures; traumatic brain injury was found in 29.4% of hospitalized children, versus 9.5% in the Wenchuan earthquake (P<0.05). Among the 34 children, no amputation and death occurred, and all the 13 severe cases started to recover.

CONCLUSIONSThere were higher proportions of severely injured children and children with traumatic brain injury in the Lushan earthquake than in the Wenchuan earthquake. But these cases recovered well, which was possibly due to timely on-site rescue and transfer and multi-sector, multi-institution, and multidisciplinary cooperation.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Earthquakes ; Emergency Medical Services ; Humans ; Rescue Work ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the quality of life (QOL) outcome of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and its influencing factors.

METHODSprospective trial was conducted to survey the QOL status of 120 CRS patients undergoing ESS, in contrast that of 200 healthy individuals passing health examination, at the baseline and at 12-months after operation by Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20). QOL changes and its influencing factors were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS(1) By the assessment of SF-36, the scores of 6 domains were less than that of healthy individuals preoperatively (P < 0.01). After 6 months, the scores of these domains resumed normal level and the proportion of scores also restored normally (P > 0.05). (2) By the assessment of SNOT-20, the total scores of 20 items and 5 most important items of patients were more than that of healthy objects (P < 0.01). After 9 and 12 months, the former and latter returned to normal, respectively (P > 0.05). In 12 months setting, the proportion of scores also restored normally (P > 0.05). (3) According to the survey of SNOT-20, we concluded the following equation: convalescent time (months) = 39--(normal scores/preoperative scores) x 50, by which the time of coming back to normal QOL status can be computed. (4) By analysis of Logistic Regression, residence in city or country, course of disease, extension of diseased sinus, and coexistence of nasal polyposis or not were correlated to the preoperative QOL scores; working environments, surgical extension, and preoperative scores of QOL were correlated to the score difference between pre and post operation.

CONCLUSIONSCRS patients undergoing ESS could obtain entirely normal QOL status at 12 months postoperatively, so we suggest that the essential follow-up period should last at least one year. The risk factors influencing patients QOL status preoperatively includes residence in country, longer course of disease, more extension of diseased sinus, and coexistence of nasal polyposis. The risk factors hindering the improvement of QOL status postoperatively includes exposure to indoor working environments, insufficient surgical extension, and lower preoperative QOL scores.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Polyps ; surgery ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Sinusitis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study on the effects of sub-chronic exposures to high-frequency electromagnetic field (HF-EMF) on the estrous cycle, ovarian pathological changes and related hormones and preliminarily investigate the female genital toxicities of HF-EMF in rats.

METHODS60 Wistar female adult rats were randomly divided into five groups based on body weight and radiated with different levels of 30 MHz electromagnetic field (0, 25, 100, 400 and 1600 V/m) for eight hours daily. Weekly the rats were continuously exposed five days. From the 48th day the four stage of estrus cycle were observed with smear method of the vaginal cell. Fifty-six days later the serum levels of sexual hormones were detected with the radioimmunoassay on estrus stage. The constituent ratio of the distinct follicle number on ovaries were observed with the HE staining and the ultrastructure was observed with the transmission electron microscope. Meanwhile, the ovarian humid weight and organ coefficient were observed.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in ovarian humid weight and organ coefficient between the exposure and the control groups. The time of proestrus in the 100 V/m group, the 400 V/m group and the 1600 V/m group was decreased significantly [(15.00 +/- 5.06), (11.40 +/- 2.05) and (10.56 +/- 0.96) h in the exposure group compared with (18.70 +/- 2.96) h in the control group, P < 0.01], and the time of Anestrum in the 400 V/m group and the 1600 V/m group were increased significantly [(101.20 +/- 17.81) and (115.33 +/- 19.28) h in the exposure group compared with (69.80 +/- 11.42) h in the control group, P < 0.01)]. Serum LH in the 400 V/m and 1600 V/m group was increased significantly [(11.02 +/- 1.11) and (14.70 +/- 1.94) mU/ml in the exposure groups compared with (8.70 +/- 0.53) mU/ml in the control group, P < 0.01], and serum E2 was decreased significantly [(57.16 +/- 31.56) and (50.57 +/- 25.16) pg/ml in the exposure groups compared with (95.04 +/- 32.62) pg/ml in the control group, P < 0.01]. The composition ratio of the corpus luteum/albicans number in the 400 V/m group and the 1600 V/m group was increased significantly (19.75% and 19.04% in the exposure groups compared with 14.01% in the control group, P < 0.05). The composition ratio of the atretic follicle number was increased significantly in the 100 V/m, the 400 V/m and the 1600 V/m group (8.45%, 9.95% and 11.70% in the exposure groups compared with 7.72% in the control group, P < 0.01). The composition ratio of the mature follicle and the pri/sec follicle was decreased significantly in the 400 V/m and the 1600 V/m group (1.50% and 1.55% in the exposure groups compared with 3.36% in the control group. 22.24% and 21.09% in the exposure groups compared with 26.60% in the control group, P < 0.01). Along with the increase of radiation dose, the ultrastructure of cell on the ovaries appeared more abnormal.

CONCLUSIONSThe toxicities of female gonads are closely associated with exposures to HF-EMF. The nonage damage of female gonadal toxicities might emerge on the ovaries.

Animals ; Electromagnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Estrous Cycle ; radiation effects ; Female ; Ovary ; pathology ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar