Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; parasitology ; Myiasis ; Nasal Cavity ; parasitology

In order to solve the adhesion and the softening problems of traditional Chinese medicine extract during spray drying, a new method of adding dehumidified air into spray drying process was proposed, and the storage stability conditions of extract powder could be predicted. Kouyanqing extract was taken as model drug to investigate on the wet air (RH = 70%) and dry air conditions of spray drying. Under the dry air condition, the influence of the spray drying result with different air compression ratio and the spray-dried powder properties (extract powder recovery rate, adhesion percentage, water content, angle of repose, compression ratio, particle size and distribution) with 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 °C inlet temperature were studied. The hygroscopic investigation and Tg value with different moisture content of ideal powder were determined. The water activity-equilibrium moisture content (aw-EMC) and the equilibrium moisture content-Tg (EMC-Tg) relationships were fitted by GAB equation and Gordon-Taylor model respectively, and the state diagram of kouyanqing powder was obtained to guide the rational storage conditions. The study found that in the condition of dry air, the extract powder water content decreased with the increase of air compression ratio and the spray drying effect with air compression ratio of 100% was the best performance; in the condition of wet air, the extract powder with high water content and low yield, and the value were 4.26% and 16.73 °C, while, in the dry air condition the values were 2.43% and 24.86 °C with the same other instru- ment parameters. From the analysis of kouyanqing powder state diagram, in order to keep the stability, the critical water content of 3.42% and the critical water content of 0.188. As the water decreased Tg value of extract powder is the major problem of causing adhesion and softening during spray drying, it is meaningful to aid dehumidified air during the process.
Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Humidity ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Powders ; Temperature

Objective To investigate the effect of chymase on the proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and the role of transforming growth factor-?1 (TGF-?_1).Methods Cultured CFs of neonatal SD rats were isolated by trypsinization.Cell number and DNA synthesis were evaluated by MTT assay (A_(490) value) and [~3H]-deoxythy- midine [~3H]-TdR incorporation.The mRNA expression of TGF-?_1 in CFs was determined by RT-PCR.Results Chymase increased CFs numbers and [~3H]-TdR incorporation in a dose-dependent manner.The A_(490) value of CFs stimulated by 15,30 and 60 ng/mL chymase was 0.263?0.033,0.348?0.031 and 0.387?0.026,respectively, which were all significantly higher than that of control (0.201?0.019,P

Simvastatin is a hypolipidemic drug that inhibits hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase to control elevated cholesterol,or hypercholesterolemia.Previous studies have shown that simvastatin may attenuate inflammation in ischemia-reperfusion injury and sepsis.Herein,we hypothesized that simvastatin may prevent rats from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock.In our study,rats were divided into a saline group,an LPS group and an LPS plus simvastatin group.Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with simvastatin (1 mg/kg) for 30 min before the addition of LPS (8 mg/kg),with variations in left ventricular pressure recorded throughout.Ninety min after LPS injection,whole blood was collected from the inferior vena cava,and neutrophils were separated from the whole blood using separating medium.The neutrophils were then lysed for Western blotting to detect the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1).In addition,mesentery microcirculations of inlet diameter,outlet diameter and blood flow rate were measured in all three groups.The results indicated that simvastatin significantly promoted heart systolic function and increased the level ofuPA while simultaneously inhibited the expression of PAI-1 as compared with LPS group.Moreover,simvastatin reversed the LPS-induced inhibition of mesentery microcirculation.Taken together,it was suggested that simvastatin can effectively protect the rats from LPS-induced septic shock.

Objective To evaluate the roles of magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS) in the diagnosis of meningiomas. Methods 98 patients with meningiomas underwent conventional pre-contrast MR and contrast MR. Among them, 28 cases had two dimensional single voxel or multi voxel 1 H-MRS simultaneously both in the lesion's region and the contralateral side. Results On precontrast MR images of 98 cases, T1 WI showed 58.1% (61/105) isointensities, 31.4% (33/105) faintly low intensities and 10. 5% (11/105) mixed intensities; T2WI showed 40. 0% (42/105) isointensities, 41.0%(43/105) hyperintensities, 10.5% (11/105) faintly low intensities and 8.5% (9/105) mixed intensities. After administration of Gd-DTPA, the solid part of the tumors exhibited various enhancement in all the 98 cases.28 cases of MRS exhibited specific different spectral peaks, including increased of choline-containing compounds(Cho), absent or decreased of acetylaspartate(NAA), and the unchanged of creatine(Cr). The value of NAA, Cr, Cho, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho in the tumor center of meningioma were 0. 09 ± 0.06,0.31 ± 0. 22, 0.46 ± 0. 16, 0.33 ± 0. 42, 1.50 ± 0. 68, 0. 15 ± 0.08, compared with the contralateral normal region, Cr has no significant difference (P ＞ 0. 05), NAA, Cho, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho had significantly differences(P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Conventional pre-contrast MR and contrast MR is the most important dignostic means for meningiomas, 1H-MRS combined with MRI can improve the diagnostic accuracy of meningiomas.

Carbon-nitrogen lyases (E.C.4.3) are a group of enzymes that release ammonia, amidine or amino group etc, and also show ability to form double bond or ring structure. Specifically, enzymes forming amino group are called amine-lyases (E.C.4.3.3), which are critical in the industrial production of many medicine intermediates. In this review is a summary of four major amine-lyases in terms of their source, enzymatic characteristics and their applications in preparation of pharmaceutical intermediates.

Objective To study the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic granuloma of bone(EGB).Methods Twelve cases(8 male and 4 female)of EGB and their medical record,imaging examinations,follow-up data were reviewed,and the lesion sites,symptom and clinical features were analyzed with reference to relative literature.Results Nine unifocal cases were found in the cervical spine(3 cases),the thoracic spine(1 case),the lumber spine(1 case),the femur(1 case),the metacarpal bones(1 case),and the ilium(2 cases).Three multifocal cases were found in the thoracic and lumber spine(1 case),in the femur,the multiple ribs,the skull,the scapula(1 case)and in the skull,the femur,the ilium(1 case).The most common presenting symptom was pain at the lesion site and restricted motion was obviously in the cervical lesion.The case of the thoracic lesions was found neurologic deficit.Osteolytic destruction was found in the radiologic examination in EGB and the periosteal reaction was found in the long bone lesions,and vertebra plana was considered as typical cha-racteristics in the spine lesion.The lesions not in the spine were diagnosed by biopsy,exclusive methods and close following-up were performed in the spine lesions.Two unifocal were healed spontaneously and three were performed with curettage with one bone grafting.Multifocal and the lesions in the spine underwent chemotherapy.All cases were followed up and no recurrence was found.Conclusions EGB is commonly solitary and not seldom in the spine.Topical pain may be chief complaint.Osteolytic image was found in the radiologic examination.Biopsy and exclusive methods combining closely follow-up were used for diagnosis.EGB is self-limited observation,so curettage or chemotherapy can be used in treatment,and prognosis is good.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Capsules ; Chronic Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of one-site versus two-site phacotrabeculectomy in the treatment of patients with coexisting cataract and glaucoma. METHODS: A comprehensive literature meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology to identify controlled clinical trials comparing one-site with two-site phacotrabeculectomy. The studies meeting the predefined criteria were reviewed systematically by meta-analysis. Efficacy estimates were measured by standardised mean difference (SMD) for the percentage intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction from baseline to end point, odds ratio (OR) for the percentage having a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.5 or better after surgery and relative risk (RR) for complete success rates. Tolerability estimates were measured by RR for adverse events. All of outcomes were reported with 95% confidence interval (CI). Data were synthesised by Stata 10.1 for Windows. RESULTS: Two-site phacotrabeculectomy was associated with numerically greater, and significant efficacy than one-site in lowering IOP(SMD,-0.19;95% CI, -0.33 to -0.04; P=0.01). Numerically greater, but nonsignificant proportions of two-site patients than one-site patients had a BCVA of 0.5 or better (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.30 to 1.39; P=0.26).Numerically greater, but nonsignificant proportions of two-site patients than one-site patients achieved the target IOP without anti-glaucoma medication at the end point (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.04; P=0.22). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in adverse events between two surgical procedures.CONCLUSION: The efficacy of two-site phacotrabeculectomy appears to be superior to one-site phacotrabeculectomy. One-site and two-site phacotrabeculectomy are similarly tolerable in postoperative adverse events.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of penetrating resin and fluoride on early enamel caries. Methods Sixty intact bovine incisors were immersed in demineralized solution for 24 hours to make bovine incisor enamel caries.The specimens were divided into four groups(n=15 for each group)according to the treatment methods:control group (CON)-immersion in artificial saliva, DF group-immersion in 0.05% fluoride solution daily, WF group-2% fluoride gel weekly and IC group-resin infiltration.After processing for four and eighe weeks,the microhardness of the surface of each group was measured.After the treatment for four weeks,the depth of penetration and the microhardness of the samples were measured. After 8-week treatment, all samples were reintroduced into the demineralized solution for 24 hours and the microhardness of the samples was measured again.Results Results of microhardness assessment showed that there were no significant differences in baseline values(after white spots)between four groups(P>0.05).After treatment for four weeks the microhardness value reached the peak in IC group. After treatment for eight weeks the microhardness values reached the peak in DF group and WF group.The values of microhardness were significantly higher at different time points in IC group than those of other groups(P<0.05).After 4-week treatment,the percentages of penetration depth were significantly higher in DF,WF and IC groups than those of control group(P<0.01).The penetration depth was significantly higher in IC group than that of DF group and WF group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the penetration depth between DF group and WF group(P>0.05).Conclusion For the early enamel caries penetration resin,the penetration percentage is significantly higher than the fluoride treatment.