The shape and structure of granules are controlled by the granulation process, which is one of the main factors to determine the nature of the solid dosage forms. In this article, three kinds of granules of a traditional Chinese medicine for improving appetite and promoting digestion, namely, Jianwei Granules, were prepared using granulation technologies as pendular granulation, high speed stirring granulation, and fluidized bed granulation and the powder properties of them were investigated. Meanwhile, synchrotron radiation X-ray computed micro tomography (SR-µCT) was applied to quantitatively determine the irregular internal structures of the granules. The three-dimensional (3D) structure models were obtained by 3D reconstruction, which were more accurately to characterize the three-dimensional structures of the particles through the quantitative data. The models were also used to quantitatively compare the structural differences of granules prepared by different granulation processes with the same formula, so as to characterize how the production process plays a role in the pharmaceutical behaviors of the granules. To focus on the irregularity of the particle structure, the box counting method was used to calculate the fractal dimensions of the granules. The results showed that the fractal dimension is more sensitive to reflect the minor differences in the structure features than the conventional parameters, and capable to specifically distinct granules in structure. It is proved that the fractal dimension could quantitatively characterize the structural information of irregular granules. It is the first time suggested by our research that the fractal dimension difference (Df,c) between two fractal dimension parameters, namely, the volume matrix fractal dimension and the surface matrix fractal dimension, is a new index to characterize granules with irregular structures and evaluate the effects of production processes on the structures of granules as a new indicator for the granulating process control and optimization.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fractals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Powders ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ; Synchrotrons ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of soyasaponins on acute liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.

METHODThe mice were randomly divided into five groups: the normal control, the model group, the silymarin (positive control) group, and soyasaponins high and low-dose groups. They were administered with drugs once every day for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, GalN and LPS were injected intraperitoneally to all of the groups except for the normal group to establish the acute liver injury model. The pathological changes were detected with hematoxylin & eosin (HE) staining, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was detected by ELISA method, and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and the activation of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 were detected by the colorimetric method.

RESULTSoyasaponins could reduce the activities of serum ALT and AST, the acute hepatic injury induced by GalN/LPS, serum TNF-alpha level, hepatic NO and MDA contents, and the Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 activations of liver tissues, and increase the hepatic CAT, GPx, GST and GSH levels.

CONCLUSIONSoyasaponins shows the protective effect on acute liver injury induced by GalN and LPS in mice, which may be related to its antioxidative ability and anti-liver apoptosis.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Galactosamine ; toxicity ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Soybeans ; chemistry

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Ectodermal Dysplasia 1, Anhidrotic* ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate and analyze the nutritional status of infants, preschool and primary school students, pregnant and lactating women in Wenchuan earthquake disaster area after 3 months.

METHODSIn August 2008, the nutritional and health status information of special population were collected and evaluated using the questionnaires, anthropometric and hemoglobin concentration measurements from four settlements of villages and towns in Mao and Mianzhu Country of Sichuan and Kang Country and Wudu District in Gansu provinces. A total of 236 infants aged below 36 months, 48 preschool children, 368 primary students, 32 pregnant women and 72 lactating women were investigated. Principal investigator indexes included the low body weight, growth retardation, anemia prevalence, two-week prevalence of diarrhea and respiratory disease, food intake and nutrition-related diseases, the percentage of patients morbidity of 36 months infants, preschool and primary school students; the prevalence of anemia, the prevalence of nutrition-related diseases of pregnant and lactating women.

RESULTSThe stunting prevalence was 14.6% (34/236) and the anemia prevalence was up to 40.1% (61/236) among infants younger than 36 months. Besides, the percentages of infants and young children suffered from the respiratory-infected disease and diarrhea within recent two weeks were 40.4% (95/236) and 30.2% (71/236) respectively. The percentage of low body weight of preschool children was 14.6% (7/48) and the growth retardation and anemia prevalence was 14.6% (7/48) and 39.6% (19/48), respectively. Among primary students, 6.3% (23/368) showed growth retardation and 12.2% (45/368) were anemia. The prevalence of anemia status of pregnant women and lactating mothers were 53.9% (17/32) and 24.4% (18/72) respectively. The main food composition of 45.8% (33/72) lactating women were grain and vegetables, 29 (40.3%), 32 (44.4%), 28 (38.9%) and 53 (73.6%) lactating women did not have animal originated (including meat, aquatic, livestock and poultry products) food, eggs, beans and their products, milk and dairy products, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSpecial population lived in disaster area have suffered different degree of malnutrition. The main dietary pattern was vegetable food. The consumption of meat, eggs, milk and milk products was relatively insufficient.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lactation ; Male ; Nutrition Disorders ; epidemiology ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnancy ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate a protein microarray method for combined measurement of serum ferritin (SF) and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR).

METHODSMicroarrayer was used to print both anti-SF antibodies I and anti-sTfR antibodies I on each protein microarray. Anti-SF antibodies II and anti-sTfR antibodies II were used as detection antibodies and goat antibodies coupled to Cy3 were used as antibodies III. The detection conditions of the quantitative analysis method for simultaneous measurement of SF and sTfR with protein microarray were optimized and evaluated. The protein microarray was compared with commercially available traditional tests with 26 serum samples.

RESULTSBy comparison experiment, mouse monoclonal antibodies were chosen as the probes and contact printing was chosen as the printing method. The concentrations of SF and sTfR probes were 0.5 mg/mL and 0.5 mg/mL respectively, while those of SF and sTfR detection antibodies were 5 μg/mL and 0.36 μg/mL respectively. Intra- and inter-assay variability was between 3.26% and 18.38% for all tests. The regression coefficients comparing protein microarray with traditional test assays were better than 0.81 for SF and sTfR.

CONCLUSIONThe present study has established a protein microarray method for combined measurement of SF and sTfR.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; analysis ; Ferritins ; blood ; Mice ; Protein Array Analysis ; methods ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Transferrin ; blood

This paper is to explore the reasonable applications of automatic exposure control in computed radiography, and to improve the quality of CR images. It is very important to select a suitable KV value in automatic exposure control in computed radiography. At the same time, a suitable ionization chamber, correct density compensation and necesary post-processing should be selected.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Automation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Head ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Infant ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality Control ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; standards

OBJECTIVETo study the apoptosis inducing effects of bufalin on various human osteosarcoma cells and the concerning molecular mechanisms.

METHODMTT assay was used to detect the growth inhibition rates of osteosarcoma cells U-20S, U-20S/MTX300, SaOS-2, IOR/OS9 treated with bufalin in different concentrations and times. The apoptosis of cells was observed flow cytometry 48 h following bufalin treatment. The proteomic techniques were used to separate and compare the treated and control groups 48 h after bufalin-incubation. Then, the proteomic results were validated by western blot.

RESULTBufalin inhibited the growth of human osteosarcoma cells U20S, U20S/MTX300 (methotrexate resistant cells), SAOS2, IOR/OS9 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The 72 h IC50 were (37.43 +/- 4.1), (32.24 +/- 5.3) nmol x L(-1) in U20S,U20S/MTX300 cells,respectivly. Flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis cells were increased following bufalin treatment. The protein expression profile showed 24 differentiated expression proteins. Among these proteins, the level of an anti-apoptotic protein, heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) decreased significantly and the result was then validated by western blot. Ectopic expression of Hsp27 could reduce the bufalin-induced apoptosis remarkably in U20S and U20S/MTX300 cells.

CONCLUSIONBufalin could inhibit the cell growth and induce apoptosis on human osteosarcoma cells. The effect of bufalin may be related to the joint intervention with multiple protein targets. Among them, downregulation of Hsp27 plays a critical role in the bufalin-induced apoptosis in human osteosarcoma cells.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bufanolides ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Osteosarcoma ; pathology ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between fetal chromosomal abnormalities and the characteristic features of prenatal ultrasound findings.

METHODSA total of 510 cases were underwent chromosome examination by amniotic fluid or cord blood analysis to identify fetal chromosomal abnormalities. The correlation between the abnormalities and the characteristics of the prenatal ultrasound findings was analyzed.

RESULTSFifty-three cases of abnormal karyotypes were detected with a positivity rate of 10.2%. Of these cases, 32 cases had chromosome number abnormalities, including 15 with 21-trisomy, 11 with 18-trisomy, 2 with 13-trisomy, 2 with 45, XO monomer and 2 with 92, XXXX tetraploid. Chromosome structural abnormalities were found in 21 cases, including 4 with translocation, 3 with insertion, 6 with inversion, 4 with deletion and 4 with derivation. Prenatal ultrasound showed obvious structural abnormalities in 22 cases (41.5%), structural malformation with ultrasonographic soft markers in 18 cases (34.0%), and separate ultrasonographic soft markers in 8 cases (15.1%).

CONCLUSIONPrenatal ultrasound fetal abnormalities and chromosome abnormalities are closely related. Prenatal ultrasound of fetal chromosomal abnormalities usually presents with a variety of significant structural abnormalities. A greater number of malformations is associated with a greater risk of chromosomal abnormalities and increased occurrence of ultrasonographic soft markers.

Adult ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Trisomy ; diagnosis ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; methods

The purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of a natural swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed (SMS) as the propellant of osmotic pump tablets. The sugar components, static swelling, water uptake and viscosity of SMS were determined and compared with that of polythylene oxide (WSR-N10 and WSR-303). Both ribavirin and glipizide were used as water-soluble and water-insoluble model drugs. Then, the monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide were prepared using SMS as the osmotically active substance and propellant. SMS was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose and galactose and exhibited relatively high swelling ability. The area of the disintegrated matrix tablet was 20.1 times as that at initial after swelling for 600 s. SMS swelled rapidly and was fully swelled (0.5%) in aqueous solution with relative low viscosity (3.66 +/- 0.03) mPa x s at 25 degrees C. The monolayer osmotic pump tablets of ribavirin and the bilayer osmotic pump tablets of glipizide using SMS as propellant exhibited typical drug release features of osmotic pumps. In conclusion, the swelling matrix derived from boat-fruited sterculia seed, with low viscosity and high swelling, is a potential propellant in the application of osmotic pump tablets.
Arabinose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Galactose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glipizide ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Osmosis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhamnose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Sterculiaceae ; chemistry ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Viscosity ; Water ; Xylose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

The release behavior of single pellet was investigated by LC/MS/MS method with tamsulosin hydrochloride (TSH) as the model drug of the research and then the pellets were divided into four groups according to the drug loading. Comparison of dissolution profiles of each group and capsule were performed using f1 and f2 factor methods to study the difference and similarity. The release profiles of single pellet, each group and capsule were analyzed using principle component analysis (PCA). The particle system was built through Matlab to get the target release profile. The result of this research demonstrated the release behavior of single pellet correlated well with the drug loading. While the dissolution profile of capsule as a reference, the similarity factor of dissolution profiles of the lower drug loading groups were 62.2, 67.1, 53.9, respectively and, 43.3 for highest drug loading group. The particle systems with different pellet distribution and same release profiles were built through release behavior of single pellet. It is of significance to investigate the release behavior of single pellets for studying the release regularity of multiple-unit drug delivery system.
Capsules ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Liberation ; Principal Component Analysis ; Sulfonamides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical