To evaluate the properties of solidifying volatile oil with graphene oxide, clove oil and zedoary turmeric oil were solidified by graphene oxide. The amount of graphene oxide was optimized with the eugenol yield and curcumol yield as criteria. Curing powder was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of graphene oxide on dissolution in vitro and thermal stability of active components were studied. The optimum solidification ratio of graphene oxide to volatile oil was 1:1. Dissolution rate of active components had rare influence while their thermal stability improved after volatile oil was solidified. Solidifying herbal volatile oil with graphene oxide deserves further study.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Clove Oil ; chemistry ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Eugenol ; Graphite ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; Oxides ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Powders ; Sesquiterpenes

In order to evaluate the characteristic of porous starch (PS) as the solid dispersions carrier of the total Epimedium flavonoids (TEF), the PS was used. The dissolution of icariin was selected as an indicator to analyze the differences of dissolution between TEF and its solid dispersion. TEF was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Solid dispersion was irregular block and no powder characteristics of TEF and PS could be seen in SEM, DSC and XRD analysis suggested that TEF may be present in solid dispersion as amorphous substance. The dissolution rate of icariin has been improved significantly when the proportion of TEF and PS was 1:2. PS as a traditional solid dispersion carrier is worthy of further study.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Porosity ; Solubility ; Starch ; chemistry ; X-Ray Diffraction

During the process of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy, whether there being a corrosive effect in ac- upuncture needles was observed. Acupuncture needles were inserted into a rabbit's acupoint to perform a 12-hour electrical stimulation with three types of common EA waveform; additionally two needles were put in 0.9% sodium chloride solution with 12-hour direct current. Afterwards, environmental scanning electron microscope was applied to detect the surface physical characteristics of acupuncture needles. As a result, after a 12-hour continued electri- cal stimulation with three types of common EA waveform in the rabbit, there was no corrosive effect in acupunc- ture needles; but the direct current could cause severe corrosion in acupuncture needles. It is believed that there is no corrosion effect on acupuncture needles in current EA treatment, and some accidents reported in literature may be related to quality of EA device or improper manipulation during the treatment.
Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Corrosion ; Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; Male ; Needles ; adverse effects ; Rabbits

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Mutation Rate ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics

Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; virology ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; virology ; Cytological Techniques ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; virology ; Young Adult

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Myopathies, Nemaline ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVERotavirus is the single most common cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea in young children worldwide, but the pathogenesis and immunity against this disease are not completely understood. A prospective study was conducted to assess gene expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) in children with acute rotavirus diarrhea.

METHODSSeventy-five children with acute rotavirus diarrhea and 38 control children were enrolled in this study from Sep. 2004 to Jan. 2005. All the 75 patients had detailed records of clinical characteristics. Rotavirus antigen was detected by ELISA from stools. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated by Ficoll reagent and RNA was extracted by Trizol. The levels of mRNA for five TLRs in PBMC were examined by fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSPatients with acute rotavirus infection had elevated mean levels of TLR 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 mRNA expressions in PBMC within 3 days since onset of the disease, P less than 0.05. But only TLR 2, 3, 8 mRNA levels remained increased in patients within 7 or 14 days since onset (P less than 0.05). Mean levels of mRNA for TLR 4 in PBMC was higher in patients with more severe diarrhea including longer duration of diarrhea, more episodes of diarrhea per day and higher severity scores (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONManifold TLR may play roles in the start-up and regulation of immune responses in children with acute rotavirus diarrhea. These findings will be helpful to further recognize immune response in Chinese children with rotavirus diarrhea and, consequently, may provide directions and insights that could prove critical to the prevention or treatment of this important disease.

Acute Disease ; Antigens, Viral ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Diarrhea ; genetics ; virology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Feces ; virology ; Gene Expression ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rotavirus ; immunology ; physiology ; Rotavirus Infections ; genetics ; virology ; Toll-Like Receptors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo assess the features of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with benign pulmonary nodules.

METHODSFrom October 1998 to July 2004, 47 patients with benign pulmonary nodules were imaged with FDG-positron emission tomography (PET). Diagnoses were confirmed by surgery. FDG-PET data was analyzed by visual method and semi-quantitive method. When pulmonary nodules with abnormal FDG intake appeared in PET scans confirmed by visual method, their maximum and mean standard uptake value (SUVmax and SUVmean) and SUV of normal lung (SUVlung) were measured using semiquantitative method.

RESULTSTwenty-one cases showed nothing abnormal in PET scans, including 17 calcification and fibrosis, 2 hamartomas and 2 sclerosing hemangiomas. 26 pulmonary nodules were detected by FDG-PET (17 active tuberculous, 6 inflammatory pseudotumors, 3 cryptococcosis). FDG uptake of these 26 nodules was higher than that of normal lung (SUVmax, SUVmean and SUVlung were 3.04 +/- 1.65, 2.48 +/- 1.35 and 0.40 +/- 0.07, respectively, P < 0.001). Correlations were not found between FDG uptake and nodule size or SUV of normal lung or age or blood glucose level in these 26 patients (P > 0.05). SUV in 9 cases (9/26, 35%) were beyond 2.5.

CONCLUSIONSSome benign pulmonary nodules were FDG avid.

Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; pharmacokinetics ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary ; diagnostic imaging ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule ; diagnostic imaging ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnostic imaging