Synthesis of N-fatty acyl-N-trimethyl chitosan and its solubilization on osthole / 中草药

Objective: To synthesize two kinds of amphipathic chitosan (CS) derivatives, self-assembling to polymeric micelles as novel drug delivery system. Methods: N-Trimethyl chitosan (TMC) was synthesized by the reaction between CS and CH3I, and long-chain fatty acid was combined to amino group of TMC so as to synthesize the derivative of N-fatty acyl-N-TMC (FA-TMC). The polymer structure was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR spectra, and element analysis. Then the hydrophobicity drug of osthole (OST) was used as model drug to evaluate the solubilizing ability on those polymeric micelles. Results: Two kinds of six novel CS derivatives were synthesized, the results indicated that the different degrees of quaternisation (DQ) and degrees of substitution (DS) were important parameters to the micelles properties of FA-TMC. To the OST loaded micelles prepared by ultrasonic method, the best candidate materials of the N-palmitoyl-N-TMC (PA-TMC) was the polyer with DQ of 62.00% and DS of 13.37%, while the N-caprinoyl-N-TMC (CA-TMC) was the polyer with DQ of 43.06% and DS of 22.00%. The entrapment efficiency of PA-TMC and CA-TMC were 76.67% and 79.11%, and the drug-loading rates of PA-TMC and CA-TMC were 19.01% and 19.08%, respectively. The solubility of OST increased up to two orders of magnitude in the OST-loaded micelles. Conclusion: FA-TMC is a potential solubilization carrier, self-assembling to polymeric micelles in water, with obvious solubilization on OST, and lays the foundation for the further research and application of OST preparation.

Treatment of benign ureteral stricture by double J stents using high-pressure balloon angioplasty / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Balloon dilatation angioplasty is a minimally invasive surgery for treating benign ureteral stricture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of placing double J (D-J) stents using high-pressure balloon angioplasty in treating benign ureteral stricture.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 42 patients (48 cases) with benign ureteral stricture (42 had benign ureteral stricture) were investigated by inserting dual D-J stents using high-pressure balloon angioplasty. The control group contained 50 patients (57 cases) employing the conventional balloon angioplasty with a single D-J stent inserted for comparison.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall effective rate of the treated and control groups was 87.8% (36/41) and 62.7% (32/51), respectively (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This new approach produces a better curative effect than the conventional balloon angioplasty with a single D-J stent insertion in treating benign ureteral stricture.</p>

Effect of quercetin exposure during the prepubertal period on ovarian development and reproductive endocrinology of mice / 药学学报

This study is to explore the effects of quercetin (QUE) on the 3 week-old mice ovarian development and relative hormone levels. The 3 week-old mice were exposed to QUE (45, 25, and 5 mg x kg(-1) x hd(-1)) by gavage for 50 days. The estrous cycle during 50 days and the changes of hormone level such as FSH, LH, etc were monitored. Moreover, the ovaries were removed after sacrifice. The organ index was measured, and the ratios of different stages of follicles were analyzed by HE staining. Furthermore, the proportion of PCNA positive cells during all stages was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that QUE could increase body weight of mice and reduce the anogenital distance (AGD) to some extent, and was able to disrupt mice's estrous cycle, but it could not extend or reduce the cycle regularity. It increased ovarian organ index with a dose-dependent manner. The proportion of the primordial follicle and secondary follicles rose obviously, and that of mature follicles', atretic follicles' and corpus luteums' reduced, while primordial follicle had no change. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that QUE could effectively increase the percentage of proliferating cells in all kinds of follicles. Serum hormone assay showed that there were significant changes of FSH and LH levels. In summary, QUE showed an estrogen-like effect on mice's ovarian development. The weight of ovary, the proportion of all kinds of follicles, the development of ovarian cells and the level of plasma hormone in mice were altered obviously by oral administration of QUE.

The effect of oral alpha-lipoic acid in overweight/obese individuals on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and supine blood pressure:a randomized,crossover,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of oral alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplement on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV),supine systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in overweight/obese individuals.An 8-week double-blind,randomized,placebo-controlled and cross-over trial with a 4-week washout between cross-over periods.Methods Sixty-three males and 40 females aged 22-57 years old who met the inclusion criteria as (1) Han ethnicity;(2) 20-60 years old;(3) BMI≥25 kg/m2 and having at least one of the following risk factors:borderline hypertension (130 mm Hg≤SBP＜140 mm Hg and/or 85 mm Hg≤supine DBP＜90 mm Hg),dyslipidemia(fasting total cholesterol≥5.2 mmol/L or HDL-C＜1.04 mmol/L),or impaired fasting glucose (6.1 mmol/L≤fasting glucose＜7.0 mmol/L);(4)Not on any antioxidant gender.Group 1 received 8 weeks ALA (1200 mg/day) followed by 4-week washout period and followed by another 8 weeks placebo;while Group 2 received 8 weeks placebo (1200 mg/day)followed by 4-week washout period,and followed by ALA treatment for 8 weeks.BaPWV and supine blood pressure were measured at the beginning of 1st phase and 2nd phase and at the endpoint of the whole trial.Mixed effect linear regression model was performed to compare the change of baPWV and supine blood pressure between ALA group and placebo group.Results BaPWV decreased -33.03 cm/s ± 130.70 cm/s for ALA group and increased 5.66 cm/s ± 139.89 cm/s for placebo group,supine systolic blood pressure decreased -4.09 mm Hg±9.18 mm Hg for ALA group and -2.32 mm Hg±8.16 mm Hg for placebo group.Supine diastolic blood pressure decreased -1.29 mm Hg ± 6.55 mm Hg for ALA group and -0.48 mm Hg±6.63 mm Hg for placebo group.These three mix-effect models did not show significant effect of ALA treatment after adjustment on baseline values,sex,age,treatment sequence or period.Conclusion The current trial did not provide evidence that oral intake of ALA for 8 weeks had significant effects on lowering baPWV,supine systolic blood pressure or supine diastolic blood pressure.

Application of digital subtraction angiography and type B ultrasonography in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients with high voltage electrical injury / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the difference between digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and type B ultrasonography in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients inflicted with high voltage electrical injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nineteen patients with high voltage electrical injury of upper limbs were enrolled in the study as burn group, and another 12 healthy volunteers as controls. The endovascular membrane, vascular wall thickness, intra-vascular blood flow and endovascular thrombosis formation of ulnar and radial arteries at wound site and in regions 5, 10 and 15 cm proximal to the wounds were examined by DSA and type B ultrasonography and compared with imagings of healthy volunteers as control. The injury degree of the ulnar and radial arteries was examined during operation for evaluation to corroborate with DSA and ultrasonography findings. Necrotic and/or thrombotic vessels were excised and sent for pathomorphological examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By DSA images abnormal signs as thrombosis, vascular lumen stenosis and blood flow deceleration were found in 14 ulnar and 11 radial arteries, and the signs were more pronounced in ulnar arteries. By type B ultrasonography, abnormal signs as roughing of tunica intima, swelling or exfoliation, thickening of vascular wall, lumen stenosis, decreased blood flow, even necrosis of vascular wall and thrombosis were identified in 19 ulnar and 16 radial arteries in burn group (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01). The blood flow in ulnar artery 5 cm to the approximal part of the wound edge was obvious lower than that of the control (31.60 +/- 13.90 ml/min vs 47.70 +/- 9.60 ml/min, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Type B ultrasonography and DSA could be helpful in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients inflicted with high voltage electrical injury.</p>

The application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of deep electric injury / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of deep electric injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HP-IPHX high resolution color and pulse doppler ultrasonography was employed in the study. The hemodynamic indices were determined in the burn wound area and tissues 5 - 15 cm proximal to the wound in 12 patients with deep electric injury. At the same time, injuries to subcutaneous and muscular tissue and blood vessels (fifty-six blood vessels detected) were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>1. It was found by two-dimentional ultrasonography that the injury degree in different tissue after deep electric injury was different, i.e. blood vessels were most liable to injury followed by muscles and subcutaneous tissue. In the burn wound area, endothelium was not visualized in 7 blood vessels and endothelial swelling was identified in 12 blood vessels. Furthermore, vascular occlusion was found in 4 blood vessels and thrombosis found in 5 vessels. 2. It was also demonstrated by color ultrasonography that change in course of blood vessel and tortuesity were observed in 12 blood vessels, stenosis of lumen in 21 vessels and widened intravascular space in 11 vessels, All these findings were confirmed in the subsequent operations. 3. It was revealed by pulse Doppler that the top blood flow speed increased during vascular contraction period in narrowed blood vessels with decreased blood flow per minute.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Being an non-invasive examination, ultrasonography could directly demonstrate the morphological changes in subcutaneous tissue, muscle and blood vessels after a deep electric injury, which might help determine the injury degree and the hemodynamic changes in the injured site.</p>

The application of ultrasonography to estimate blood vessel injury of upper limbs sustaining electric burns / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore a new method in estimating extent and degree of arterial injury in upper limbs sustaining high tension electric burns.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen patients (twenty-four upper limbs) with high tension electricity injury were admitted from December 1998 to September 2002, The damaged limbs consisted of four parts: wrist wound part, 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm parts around wrist wound, where the radial and ulnar arteries were detected using B ultrasound and color WP Doppler examination. The changes of endangium, vessel diameter, thickness of the vessel wall and volume of blood flow were recorded respectively. The parameters of normal radial and ulnar arteries were also determined as normal control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>B ultrasound and color WP Doppler examination showed that the endangium in radial and ulnar arteries become coarse, edema or exfoliation. The vessel wall was thicker than that of the normal control and the thickness was heterogeneity. The vessel wall could be necrosis in severe patient and the vessel cavity was stricture or beaded. Thrombosis or occlusion could occur at the site of severe injury area in vessel. The decrease in volume of blood flow was observed. The condition of the radial and ulnar arteries become well apart from 10 - 15 cm of wrist wound.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The ultrasonography can be used to detect the changes in endangium, diameter, thickness of the vessel wall, blood flow volume in injury blood vessel caused by electric burn injury. It is helpful in judging the degree and extent of injury vessel and could be a safe, non-invasive diagnostic method and is worth popularizing.</p>