Catheterization ; instrumentation ; methods ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Sinusitis ; therapy

The feasibility of simultaneously loading both liposoluble and water-soluble components of Salvia miltiorrhiza in emulsion was discussed, in order to provide new ideas in comprehensive application of effective components in S. miltiorrhiza in terms of technology of pharmaceutics. With tanshinone II (A) and salvianolic acid B as raw materials, soybean phospholipid and poloxamer 188 as emulsifiers, and glycerin as isoosmotic regulator, the central composite design-response surface method was employed to optimize the prescription. The coarse emulsion was prepared with the high-speed shearing method and then homogenized in the high pressure homogenizer. The biphasic drug-loading intravenous emulsion was prepared to investigate its pharmaceutical properties and stability. The prepared emulsion is orange-yellow, with the average diameter of 241 nm and Zeta potential of -35.3 mV. Specifically, the drug loading capacity of tanshinone II (A) and salvianolic acid B were 0.5 g x L(-1) and 1 g x L(-1), respectively, with a good stability among long-term retention samples. According to the results, the prepared emulsion could load liposoluble tanshinone II (A) and water-soluble salvianolic acid B simultaneously, which lays a pharmaceutical foundation for giving full play to the efficacy of S. miltiorrhiza.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Malignant cancer is the leading cause of death in man, exceeding cerebrovascular disease and heart disease. More than half of the total mortality due to malignant cancer is from lung, liver, intestinal and gastric cancer. Chemotherapy is one of the effective treatments for cancer. However, the great majority of Western anticancer medicines have considerable side effects. Herbal medicines offer many more advantages than synthesized compounds because they are made from purely natural compounds and have less adverse effects. However, the single administration methods used as standard in herbal medicine, and deficient drug targeting, severely limit their anticancer activity. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be used as drug carriers. They have been modified to form Chinese anticancer medicine-SWNT compounds which can specifically target tumors, thereby significantly increasing the therapeutic effectiveness of these medicines. Water-soluble SWNTs have high stability. As a drug carrier, SWNTs functional modification of the anticancer medicine may improve the targeting and killing of tumor cells. SWNTs have been attached to the Chinese antitumor medicines paclitaxel and plumbagin and have achieved excellent therapeutic effects. Furthermore, choosing the best administration methods such as internal iliac arterial infusion, intravesical infusion and embedment of a hypodermic chemotherapeutic pump, may also improve the anticancer effects of Chinese medicine.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cell Death ; drug effects ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Nanotubes, Carbon ; chemistry ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction on astrocytes after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

METHODCerebral ischemia model in gerbils was produced by ligating bilateral common carotid artery. The dynamic expressin of GFAP were determined by immunochemistry after cerebyal ischemia for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 24 hours and 48 hours.

RESULTGFAP positive reactions reached a peak after cerebral ischemia for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction decreased the expression. GFAP positive reactions decreased after cerebral ischemia for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 48 hours, Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction increased the expression.

CONCLUSIONThe regulation of Bu Yang Huan Wu Decoction on astrocytes after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion may be related to repairing process after cerebral ischemia.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; drug effects ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology

In order to prove the feasibility of preparation of the drug-incorporated stent by immersing stent wires in the monoclonal antibody (mAb) solution, fluorescence stain and image analysis were used to evaluate the L-PLA-coated stent. Absorption was measured using a radioisotope technique after preparing the mAb-incorporated stent, and the absorption curve was determined from the absorption data. In an in vitro perfusion circuit, the antibody was eluted from the stent matrices, and the related influence factors were evaluated based on the release data.
Absorption ; Alloys ; chemistry ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; chemistry ; immunology ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; chemistry ; immunology ; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex ; immunology ; Polymers ; analysis ; chemistry ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of pre-pregnancy body weight, gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention among women in Beijing.

METHODSUsing a cohort design, 600 pregnant women who went to district obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Beijing to establish preconception health care card from 5(th) February to 15(th) March 2009 were recruited. A total of 112 subjects (109 with valid data), 20% of that in baseline, were followed up at 6 months after delivery.70 subjects (66 with valid data) were followed up at one year after delivery. Weight, weight changes and postpartum weight retention were measured for low weight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2)), normal weight (18.5 kg/m(2) ≤ BMI ≤ 24.0 kg/m(2)) and overweight or obesity (BMI > 24.0 kg/m(2)) group.

RESULTSThe pre-pregnancy weight and antenatal weight were (54.8 ± 8.0) and (70.8 ± 9.3) kg respectively. Gestational weight gain was (16.0 ± 7.0) kg. The postpartum weight of 6 and 12 months were (60.5 ± 9.4) and (57.6 ± 8.6) kg respectively. Comparing to pre-pregnancy, postpartum weight retention in 6 months and 12 months were (5.7 ± 4.5) and (2.7 ± 4.5) kg, weight retention rates were (10.6 ± 8.6)% and (5.2 ± 9.3)%. Antenatal weight among low pre-pregnancy weight group, normal weight and overweight and obese women were (62.6 ± 5.7), (69.9 ± 6.6) and (84.2 ± 9.9) kg, and weight at postpartum 12 months among 3 groups were (49.3 ± 3.2), (56.5 ± 6.9) and (70.5 ± 6.0) kg respectively (F = 25.3, P < 0.01); At postpartum 12 months, low pre-pregnancy weight group ((5.6 ± 5.9) kg), overweight and obese women group ((4.7 ± 1.9) kg) postpartum weight retention was significantly higher than that of the normal weight group ((1.8 ± 4.3) kg) (F = 3.82, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe pre-pregnancy body weight is a key risk factor in weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Overweight ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Risk Factors ; Weight Gain ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONSarcosinaemia is a rare metabolic disorder which has not been reported in Asia.

CLINICAL PICTUREThe urine samples of 2 patients were screened as a routine metabolic screening offered for patients with mental retardation in our hospital. We used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) which is capable of detecting abnormal pattern in amino acids and organic acids. Plasma sarcosine level was further quantified by GC-MS. The same methods were used in the investigations of asymptomatic family members. Urine examination by GC-MS revealed excessive amount of sarcosine in urine (normally undetectable) and their plasma sarcosine levels were raised. The 2 differential diagnoses of presence of sarcosine in urine--glutaric aciduria type II and folate deficiency--were ruled out by the absence of abnormal organic acids in the initial urine screen and by normal serum folate level respectively. Screening of the 2 families identified excessive sarcosine in urine in 2 siblings, one from each family. However, these 2 siblings of indexed patients thus identified have no neurological or developmental problem.

CONCLUSIONOur finding was consistent with the notion that sarcosinaemia is a benign condition picked up coincidentally during screening for mental retardation.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; complications ; diagnosis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; Family Health ; Female ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; India ; ethnology ; Intellectual Disability ; complications ; Sarcosine ; blood ; urine ; Sarcosine Dehydrogenase ; deficiency

Objective To explore the cause,urgent management,further treatment,outcome and prevention of internal carotid artery (ICA) injury during transnasal endoscopic surgery.Methods Five ICA injury happened during transnasal endoscopic surgery of sphenoidal sinus and (or) sellar region,involving 1 case of traumatic optic neuropathy,1 case of sphenoidal cyst,1 case of fungal sphenoid sinusitis,1 case of sellar adenoid cystic carcinoma and 1 case of pituitary tumor.These five cases were from three different hospitals in 1990 -2009,and the clinical data were collected and retrospectively reviewed.Results Injury of ICA was related with improper anatomic localization and operative procedures.The locations of injury were in cavenous segement in 3 cases,lacerum segment in 1 case,and clinic segment in 1 case,respectively.The types of injury included 3 cases of bleeding of laceration,1 case of carotid cavernous fistula and 1 case of pseudoaneurysme.Salvage sphenoid sinus packing with vaseline strip and subsequent intravascular stent graft implantation (2 cases) and endovascular embolization (2 cases) effectively controlled bleeding.Four cases were successfully treated without craniocerebral or ocular complications,only 1 case died of massive blood loss.Among 4 survival cases,1 patient abandoned further therapy,the other 3 patients were curcd of primary disease by reoperation or subsequent treatment.Conclusion Preoperatively,reading carefully the imaging data,intraoperatively,identifying anatomical positions accurately,performing proper operation,and stopping bleeding decidedly, postoperatively, seeking interdisciplinary cooperation to repair vascular damages,all these procedures can effectively reduce the surgical risk of ICA injury.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrest (CA) is a common and serious event in emergency medicine. Despite recent improvements in resuscitation techniques, the survival rate of patients with CA is unchanged. The present study was undertaken to observe the effect of mild hypothermia (MH) on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the effect of neurological function and related mechanisms. METHODS: Sixty-five healthy male Sprague Dawley (SD) adult rats were randomly (random number) divided into 2 groups: blank control group (n=5) and CPR group (n=60). CA was induced by asphyxia. The surviving rats were randomly (random number) divided into two groups: normothermia CPR group (NT) and hypothermia CPR group (HT). Normothermia of 37 °C was maintained in the NT group after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), hypothermal intervention of 32 °C was carried out in the HT group for 4 hours immediately after ROSC. Both the NT and HT groups were then randomly divided into 2 subgroups 12 hours and 24 hours after ROSC (NT-12, NT-24, HT-12, HT-24 subgroups). During observation, the neurological deficit scores (NDSs) was recorded, then the bilateral hippocampi were obtained from rats' head, and monoplast suspension of fresh hippocampus tissue was made immediately to determine the level of intracellular ROS by flow cytometry. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe the ultramicro changes of cellular nucleus and mitochondria. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the expression of caspase-3 mRNA, and western-blotting (WB) was used to determine the level of LC3 in frozen hippocampus tissue. Measured data were analyzed with paired sample t test and One-Way ANOVA. RESULTS: Of 60 rats with CA, 44 (73%) were successfully resuscitated and 33 (55%) survived until the end of the experiment. The NDSs of rats in the NT and HT groups were more significantly reduced than those in the BC group (F=8.107, P<0.05), whereas the NDSs of rats in the HT-12 and HT-24 subgroups were significantly increased in comparison with those NDSs of rats in the NT-12 and NT-24 subgroups, respectively (t=9.692, P<0.001; t=14.374, P<0.001). The ROS in hippocampus nerve cells in the NT and HT groups significantly increased compared to the BC group (F=16.824, P<0.05), whereas the ROS in the HT-12 and HT-24 subgroups significantly reduced compared with that ROS in the NT-12 and NT-24 subgroups, respectively (t=9.836, P<0.001;t=7.499, P<0.001). The expression of caspase-3 mRNA in hippocampus nerve cells in the NT and HT groups were significantly increased compared to the BC group (F=24.527, P<0.05), whereas the expression of caspase-3 mRNA in rats of the HT-12 and HT-24 subgroups was significantly reduced compared to the NT-12 and NT-24 subgroups, respectively (t=6.935, P<0.001; t=4.317, P<0.001). The expression of LC3B-II/I in hippocampus nerve cells of rats in the NT and HT groups significantly increased compared to the BC group (F=6.584, P<0.05), whereas the expression of LC3B-II/I in rats of the HT-12 and HT-24 subgroups significantly reduced compared to the NT-12 and NT-24 subgroups, respectively (t=10.836, P<0.001; t=2.653, P=0.02). Ultrastructure damage of nucleus and mitochondria in the NT group was more evident than in the BC group, and eumorphism of nucleus and mitochondria were maintained in rats of the HT group compared with the NT group. CONCLUSION: Mild hypothermia lessened the injury of nerve cells and improved the neurological function of rats that survived from cardiac arrest by reducing the ROS production of nerve cells and inhibiting the expression of caspase-3 mRNA and LC3, leading to cellular apoptosis and massive autophagy in rats that survived from cardiac arrest after CPR.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of young children's mothers on infant feeding and to evaluate the effects of nutritional education in the rural areas.

METHODSA cluster sampling method was used to select the local health station. Five hundred and fifteen mothers, who had infants with age of 4 - 6 months, were recruited for the questionnaire survey on the nutritional knowledge in rural areas of Tianjin municipality. The mothers were randomly divided into intervention group I (160), intervention group II (180) and control group (175). The mothers in the intervention group I were educated with feeding guideline on infants and young children and had had Group lectures and advisory from experts about maternal and child nutrition for teaching them how to feed their children; while, the mothers in the intervention group II were trained with feeding guideline on infants and young children by themselves; and the mothers in the control group received routine guidance at the local health station. The follow-up evaluation on nutritional knowledge of the mothers in each group was carried out after 3 and 6 months intervention, respectively.

RESULTSThe educational background had significant effect on KAP scores: KAP scores of the mothers with primary education or less (8.3 +/- 2.2) were significantly lower than that of the mothers educated with high school (9.4 +/- 1.6) and university (9.6 +/- 1.8) (LSD t = 3.70, P < 0.001). After being educated with feeding guideline on infants and young children, the knowledge of infant's mothers was greatly improved and KAP scores of the mothers after intervention were higher than that of the baseline (F = 183.556, P = 0.006); the percentage of correct answer on nutrition knowledge in the intervention groups was significantly higher than that of the control group. At six months of intervention, the KAP scores of intervention group I (12.0) and intervention group II (11.6) were higher than that of the control group (10.5) (LSD t = 5.96, P < 0.001; LSD t = 4.25, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONProviding nutritional and health education to the infant's mothers should be helpful for improving infant's feeding pattern and ensuring the adequate growth and development of infants.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Mother-Child Relations ; Mothers ; education ; Rural Population