OBJECTIVE: To develop a sensitive and specific reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method to determine propofol in follicular fluid. METHODS: Thymol was added into follicular fluid samples as the internal standard, and the samples were then precipitated with methanol. After centrifugation at 20000 r·min-1 for 15 min, 20 μL of supernatant was directly injected into an Agilent Extend-C18 column (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase was composed of methanol-water (77:23). Analysis was run at a flow rate of 1.0 mL ·min-1. Fluorescence detection was applied with excitation and emission wavelengths of 276 and 310 nm, respectively. RESULTS: The calibration curves had good linearity in the range of 0.108-5.4 mg·L-1. The linear regression equation was A=0.2074ρ-0.0012(r=0.9993). The limits of detection and quantity proved to be 54 and 108 μg·L-1, respectively. The method recoveries for low, intermediate and high concentrations were 117.9%, 101.7% and 99.4%, respectively. The RSDs of inter-day assay were 4.10%, 1.28% and 0.20%(n=5), and intra-day assay were 4.34%, 2.33% and 0.61%(n=5), respectively. CONCLUSION: The method is accurate and convenient. It can be used to determine propofol for studying its clinical pharmacokinetics.

Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mycoses ; pathology ; Penicillium ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between Chinese medical constitutions and chemotherapy-induced leucopenia (CIL) of primary breast cancer patients.

METHODSTotally 306 breast cancer patients undergoing adjunctive chemotherapy for the 1st time, and effective 291 breast cancer patients were recruited in this study.Nine Basic Constitutional Scale was used before first chemotherapy. Chinese medical constitutions were classified and quantitatively scored. The highest grading for any item of adverse reactions in each case during the whole chemotherapy course was recorded after chemotherapy. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS16.0.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in CIL between different chemotherapy regimens and various Chinese medical constitutions of breast cancer patients (P > 0.05). Yang deficiency constitution is one risk factor for CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the more severe the CIL.

CONCLUSIONSYang deficiency constitution was correlated with the degree of CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the greater the risk of III-IV grade CIL in breast cancer patients.

Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Yang Deficiency

AIMTo prepare the micelles of stearic acid-grafted chitosan oligosaccharide and investigate the drug release from micelles.

METHODSMediated by a 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC), stearic acid (SA) was covalently attached to chitosan oligosaccharide (CSO), and the graft polymer (CSO-SA) was obtained. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of the CSO-SA was determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity of pyrene as a fluorescent probe. The effect of various pH dispersed media and concentration of tripolyphosphate sodium (TPP) on the micellar size distribution and zeta-potential measured by light scattering and electrophoretic mobility, was investigated. In buffers of different pH, the release profiles of methotrexate (MTX) from micelles were evaluated.

RESULTSThe CAC value of CSO-SA in deionized water was 0.05 g x L(-1). The mean diameter of CSO-SA micelles was 26.7 nm and the zeta potential was (55.9 +/- 0.1) mV. With the increase of TPP concentration, the size and MTX encapsulation of CSO-SA micelles increased, while the zeta-potential decreased. With the decrease of pH value of dispersed media, the size and zeta-potential of CSO-SA micelles increased, and the MTX encapsulation in CSO-SA micelles decreased. While the enhancement of drug release from the micelles was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe graft polymer of CSO-SA provides polymeric micelles, which possessed a low CAC value in aqueous media. The drug release in vitro from CSO-SA micelles was affected by the pH of delivery media.

Chitosan ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Micelles ; Oligosaccharides ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Polymers ; Polyphosphates ; Solubility ; Stearic Acids ; administration & dosage ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the scavenging action of tenuigenin (TEN) on intracerebral amyloid β protein (Aβ) aggregation and the abnormal phosphorylated tau protein and its mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats' brain.

METHODSAβ1-40 was injected into the right CA1 region hippocampus to establish the AD model. Successfully modeled rats were divided into the model group, the low, middle, high TEN group. Rats were administered with TEN (18.5, 37.0, 74.0 mg/kg) by gastrogavage. Besides, a sham-operation group was set up. Expression levels of Aβ1-40 and Tau p-Ser262 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Expression levels of ubiquitin (Ub) and Ub-protein ligase E3 were measured by Western blotting.The content of 26S proteasome was detected by ELISA.

RESULTSImmunohistochemical results showed that the number of Aβ and Tau p-Ser262 positively reacted neurons significantly increased in model group, when compared with the sham-operation group (P < 0.01). Results of Western blot showed expression levels of ubiquitinated protein were up-regulated and those of Ub-protein ligase E3 were down-regulated in the model group (P < 0.01). ELISA results showed that the content of 26S proteasome significantly decreased in AD rats' brain (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, expression levels of Aβ1-40, Tau p-Ser262, and Ub significantly decreased; expression levels of Ub-protein ligase E3 apparently increased; the content of 26S proteasome significantly increased in each TEN treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Best effect was shown in 37.0 mg/kg and 74.0 mg/kg TEN groups.

CONCLUSIONSUb proteasome pathway (UPP) participated in the occurrence of AD. TEN could obviously reduce intracere- bral Aβ1-40 accumulation and abnormal tau phosphorylation.

Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; metabolism ; Rats ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; metabolism ; Ubiquitins

Improving medical students' calculation ability in statistics has become the focus and difficulty of medical statistics course teaching, and its application relies heavily on statistical calculation software. In order to explore a new teaching approach which combined the advantages of traditional method and web-based calculation, we intended to build a web computing platform applying the Browser/Server (B/S) mode based on the campus network, and to revise the current syllabus of medical statistics, as well as to create a virtual web-lab containing a typical case library. Practice has proved that the new mode effec-tively improved the practice capability of students and changed the traditional teacher-centered teaching approach.

Objective To study the value of breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS)in Chinese breast cancer screening. Methods A total number of 3483 women participated in breast cancer screening with mammography in Hexi district in Tianjin from August to December 2009, which was organized by ministry of public health. BI-RADS assessment categories and recommendations were compared with histological findings. The precision, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Results Among 3483 screening mammography cases, 267 were almost entirely fat breast, 1245 were scauered fibroglandular, 1890 were dense and 81 extremely dense.There were 1011 patients(29.0%) with category 1, 1741 (50.0%) with category 2, 383 (11.0%) with category 3, 59 patients(1. 7%) with category 4 and 16 (0. 5%) with category 5 according to BI-RADS assessment categories. Totally, 71 women with 77 lesions were confirmed by histological examinations. There were 29 malignant and 48 benign lesions. The diagnostic precision, sensitivity, specificity of BI-RADS were 63. 6% (49/77) , 93. 1% (27/29) and 45.8% (22/48) . The general PPV of BI-RADS was 50. 9%(27/53). The PPV of categories 0, 4, 5 were 25.0% (1/4), 36. 4% (12/33) and 87. 5% (14/16). The NPV of categories 2 and3 were90.9% (10/11), 100.0% (12/12). Conclusions B1-RADS is of much value in assessing the breast malignancy. It is applicable in Chinese breast cancer screening.

OBJECTIVETo study the occurrence and radiograph features of the acetabular retroversion in hip dysplasia, and to evaluate the effects on the retroversion by the traditional maneuvers in the periacetabular osteotomy.

METHODSBernese periacetabular osteotomy was performed to 45 continuous dysplastic hips (43 patients) from December 2001 to November 2003. There were 37 female (39 hips) and 6 male (6 hips), average age was 28.9 (range, 15-45). The diagnosis of acetabular retroversion was based on the "cross-over" and "posterior wall" signs on the standard radiographs of the patients pre- or postoperatively.

RESULTSAmong total 45 hips, the "cross-over" sign was positive in 8 hips, whereas including the "posterior wall" sign positive in 5 hips. The occurrence of retroversion was 17.8%. And the cross-over points were located within the superior 1/3 of the acetabulums in all cases. After the osteotomy, all the cross-over points moved to the inferior 1/3 of the acetabulums, and the "posterior wall" sign was seen in all 8 cases.

CONCLUSIONSApproximately one sixth of the patients with acetabular dysplasia have retroversion in which the superior 1/3 of the acetabulum faces posterolaterally. The retroversion can be identified with the standard AP pelvic radiographs. With the traditional maneuvers in periacetabular osteotomy, the retroversion will be aggravated in these patients.

Acetabulum ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Dislocation, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Osteotomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Radiography

12E7 Antigen ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; pathology ; Carcinosarcoma ; pathology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cystectomy ; methods ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Ureter ; surgery ; Ureteral Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the situation of equity in health service delivery in the experimental region of new rural cooperative medical scheme (NRCMS).

METHODSA household questionnaire survey was conducted to 2112 residents in the experimental county of NRCMS in Yuexi county with a stratified-cluster sampling on the situation of health service delivery, from July 1-15,2005. Data was analyzed with Epi Info 6.04 and SPSS 11.0 software and indices as rate, ratio, Gini coefficient, concentration index (CI) and chi-square test etc.

RESULTSThere was no significante difference of the treatment-seeking rate during two weeks among five groups economic condition residents (chi2 = 5.52, P > 0.05) and the rates were 48.14 per thousand, 82.90 per thousand, 65.88 per thousand, 48.72 per thousand and 50.66 per thousand respectively with CI = -0.026. Similarly, the hospitalization rates were 59.08 per thousand, 67.36 per thousand, 51.76 per thousand, 58.97 per thousand and 52.86 per thousand respectively in the last year and the CI = - 0.017. But there was a significante difference of rates on chronic disease among the five groups of residents with different economic conditions in the last six months (chi2 = 18.42, P < 0.01) and the rates were 295.40 per thousand, 243.52 per thousand, 230.59 per thousand, 225.64 per thousand and 176.21 per thousand and the CI = -0.055. When income reduced, the prevalence had been increasing among residents. Meanwhile, the collection funds showed unfair in residents with various income and the compensating fund of new rural cooperative medical scheme had not reduced the gap between rich and poor.

CONCLUSIONThere was an unequity of medicine expenditure and compensating fund in residents with various income in the experimental region. The low income residents had a high health service need and the government should improve NRCMS greatly to change the situation.

China ; Data Collection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Expenditures ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Healthcare Disparities ; Humans ; Income ; Rural Health Services ; economics ; utilization