Physicochemical aspects of drug release. XV. Investigation of diffusional transport in dissolution of suspended, sparingly soluble drugs

The dissolution rates of sparingly soluble, fine particulate, suspended drugs have been studied using a Coulter Counter Model TAII. For two sieve fractions of oxazepam the dissolution rates were monitored in media with varying viscosities brought about by the addition of glycerol, while for griseofulvin the change in the medium's viscosity was induced by changing the temperature. By calculating the dissolution rate, and compensating for differences in particle surface area and media solubility, it was shown that the dissolution rate was diffusion controlled. After additional normalization for the diffusion coefficient, it was suggested that the so-called apparent diffusional distance decreased substantially with particle size. The effect of particle size was more limited above approx. 15 μm.     

丙氨瑞林治疗子宫内膜癌病人的性激素及有丝分裂指数的变化

目的：观察丙氨瑞林对子宫内膜癌的治疗作用。方法：对诊刮确诊的１７例子宫内膜癌病人，予丙氨瑞林７００μｇ，ｉｍ，ｑｄ×７ｄ，用药前后作性激素测定及组织学检查。结果：绝经妇女用药后血中ＦＳＨ和ＬＨ下降（Ｐ＜０．０１和＜０．０５），雌二醇、孕酮及睾丸酮变化不明显。其中１３例内膜样腺癌用药后有丝分裂指数明显下降（Ｐ＜０．０１），有丝分裂指数变化与癌周内膜之反应有关。呈增生反应癌周内膜癌组织有丝分裂指数下降值明显高于呈萎缩状态癌周内膜。结论：丙氨瑞林治疗子宫内膜癌后能降低ＦＳＨ和ＬＨ水平，对子宫内膜癌尤其是雌激素依赖性内膜癌有一定疗效。     

Determination of left ventricular wall thickness and muscle mass by intravenous digital subtractionangiocardiography: validation of the method

Left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and muscle mass are importantmeasures of LV hypertrophy. In 24 patients LV end-diastolicwall thickness and muscle mass were determined (two observers)by digital subtraction angiocardiography (DSA) and conventionalLV angiocardiography (LVA). Wall thickness was determined overthe anterolateral wall of the left ventricle according to thetechnique of Rackley (method 1) or by planimetry (method 2).Seventeen patients were studied at rest and seven during dynamicexercise. Wall thickness correlated well between LVA and DSA;the best correlations were obtained by a combined subtractionmode using either method 1 or 2 (method 1, r0–80; method2,r0. 75). The standard error of estimate of the mean (SEE) wasslightly lower for method 2 ( 10%) than for method 1 ( 13%).DSA significantly overestimated wall thickness by 5–7%with method 1 and underestimated by 12–14% with method2. Muscle mass correlated well between LVA and DSA; the SEEwas 15% for method 1 and 12% for method 2. Overestimation ofmuscle mass by DSA was 7–11% with method 1 and underestimationwas 13–15% with method 2.It is concluded that LV wallthickness can be determined accurately by DSA with an SEE rangingbetween 10 and 13%. Determination of LV muscle mass is slightlyless accurate and the SEE is slightly larger ranging between13 to 17%. With method 1, wall thickness and muscle mass wereover estimated and with method 2 underestimated.     

老年ICU-AW患者超声测得四肢骨骼肌厚度与MRC评分相关性及对预后的预测ROC曲线分析

目的 探讨老年重症加强护理病房(intensive care unit, ICU)获得性肌无力(ICU-acquiredweakness, ICU-AW)患者超声测得四肢骨骼肌厚度与英国医学研究委员会(medical research council, MRC)量表评分相关性,并绘制受试者工作特征(receiver operating characteristic, ROC)曲线评价其对预后的预测价值。方法 选取我院老年ICU-AW患者60例作为研究组,另选取同期老年ICU接受机械通气无ICU-AW患者60例作为对照组,比较2组超声测得四肢骨骼肌厚度、MRC评分,分析四肢骨骼肌厚度与MRC评分的相关性,比较不同预后患者临床资料、四肢骨骼肌厚度、MRC评分,分析四肢骨骼肌厚度、MRC评分与老年ICU-AW患者预后的关系及预测预后的价值。结果 研究组肱二头肌、桡侧腕屈肌、股四头肌、胫前屈肌厚度及MRC评分低于对照组(P<0.05);老年ICU-AW患者肱二头肌、桡侧腕屈肌、股四头肌、胫前屈肌厚度与MRC评分呈正相关(P<0.05);病死患者28 d时机械通气天数高于生存患者,肱...     

中医综合疗法对假性近视患者黄斑处脉络膜厚度及微血流密度的影响

[目的] 研究中医综合疗法对青少年假性近视患者黄斑处脉络膜厚度及微血流密度的影响,为中医疗法在青少年假性近视的治疗方面提供依据。[方法] 使用SPSS 21.0软件产生随机数字,将51例（102只眼）假性近视青少年患者随机分成对照组和治疗组。对照组患者27例（54只眼）,单纯使用复方托吡卡胺滴眼液点眼治疗;治疗组患者24例（48只眼）,在对照组治疗的基础上配合中药雾化、中药眼贴和耳穴埋籽等中医综合治疗。两组患者疗程均为8周,治疗前后检测两组患者裸眼远视力、电脑验光屈光度数、黄斑中心凹下脉络膜厚度及黄斑区浅层血流密度,并评价两组患者疗效。[结果] 1）治疗组1例因中药雾化过敏导致脱落,最终纳入23例（46只眼）。2）治疗8周后,治疗组总有效率为92.3%,对照组总有效率为75.0%,治疗组疗效优于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。3）治疗后,治疗组患者平均视力较治疗前提高,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;对照组患者平均视力较治疗前无明显改善,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。组间比较方面,治疗组治疗后平均视力较对照组有一定提高,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。4）经治疗,治疗组患者平均假性近视度数较治疗前下降,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;对照组患者平均假性近视度数较治疗前略有下降,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。组间比较方面,治疗组治疗后平均假性近视度数较对照组有一定下降,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。5）治疗组患者黄斑中心凹下脉络膜厚度较治疗前增厚,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;对照组黄斑中心凹下脉络膜厚度较治疗前无明显改变,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;组间比较方面,治疗组治疗后黄斑中心凹下脉络膜厚度较对照组增厚,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。6）治疗后,治疗组黄斑区浅层血流密度较治疗前增加,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;对照组黄斑区浅层血流密度较治疗前增加,但差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;组间比较方面,治疗组治疗后黄斑区浅层血流密度较对照组明显增加,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。[结论] 采用中医综合疗法对青少年假性近视治疗效果较好,并且可以增加黄斑中心凹下脉络膜厚度及黄斑区浅层血流密度,短期观察无不良反应,值得临床推广运用。     

Relative motion of lung and chest wall promotes uniform pleural space thickness

The pleural space is modeled in two dimensions as a thin layer of fluid separating a deformable membrane and a rigid surface containing a bump. We computed the steady-state membrane configuration and fluid pressure distribution during relative sliding of the two surfaces. For physiologically relevant values of membrane tension, shear flow-induced pressures near the bump and far-field pressure gradients are similar to those measured in vivo within the pleural space (e.g. Lai-Fook et al.) [J. Appl. Physiol.: Respirat. Environ. Exercise Physiol. 56 (1984) 1633-1639]. Deformation of the membrane over the bump suggests that the pressure field generated by the sliding motion promotes an even layer of fluid in the pleural space, preventing asperities from touching. Results also suggest a possible mechanism for pleural fluid redistribution during breathing, whereby irreversible fluid motion is associated with the deformability of the membrane.     

Diet salinity and vasopressin as reproduction modulators in the desert-dwelling golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus)

The time for reproduction in mammals largely depends on the availability of water and food in their habitat. Therefore, in regions where rains are limited to definite seasons of the year, mammals presumably will restrict their breeding correspondingly. But while mammals living in predictable ecosystems would benefit by timing their season to an ultimate predictable cue, such as photoperiod, in unpredictable ecosystems (e.g., deserts) they will need to use a more proximate signal. We suggest a mechanism by which water shortage (low water content in plants) could act as a proximate cue for ending the reproductive season. The golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus), a diurnal rodent living in extreme deserts, may face an increased dietary salt content as the summer progresses and the vegetation becomes dry. Under laboratory conditions, increased diet salinity lead to reproductive hiatus in females, notable in imperforated vagina, and a significant decrease in the ovaries, uteri, and body masses. In females treated with vasopressin (VP), a hormone expressed during water stress, the uteri and body masses have decreased significantly, and the ovaries exhibited an increased number of atretic follicles. VP has also led to a significant decrease in relative medullary thickness (RMT) of the kidney. It is thus suggested that VP could act as a modulator linking the reproductive system with water economy in desert rodents, possibly through its act on the energetic pathways.     

Apoptosis in endometrial glandular and stromal cells in women with and without endometriosis

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of endometriosis is unknown. Ectopic dissemination of the endometrial cells gives origin to endometriotic lesions, but occurs in women with and without endometriosis. It has been suggested that increased ectopic cell survival facilitates their implantation. The objectives of this study were to evaluate endometrial apoptosis in women with endometriosis according to: (i) cyclic changes, (ii) glandular and stromal contribution, and (iii) stage of the disease. METHODS: The subjects were women undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy and endometrial biopsies for suspected endometriosis. Spontaneous apoptosis was evaluated using TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) assay. Apoptotic cells per 10 mm(2) (apoptotic index) in an area of 10-50 mm(2) in 5 microm endometrial tissue sections were counted and location of these cells was recorded. RESULTS: The apoptotic index in glandular epithelium was lower in endometriosis than controls (26.0 +/- 5.5 versus 51.2 +/- 9.7, P = 0.03) but not in the stroma (36.3 +/- 6.4 versus 48.4 +/- 11.3, NS). In controls, apoptosis was highest during the late secretory/menstrual and early proliferative phases and cyclic variability was apparent. In endometriosis, this cyclic variability was lost. There was a trend toward decreased apoptosis with increasing stage of the disease, but the differences lacked statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous apoptosis is decreased in the endometrial glands in women with endometriosis, especially during late secretory/menstrual and early proliferative phases of the cycle. This may indicate increased viability of endometrial cells shed during menses, facilitating their ectopic survival and implantation.     

EEG asymmetries may be affected by cranial and Brain parenchymal asymmetries

Summary The plagiocephaly index, an index that reflects an underlying anatomic asymmetry of the brain, was assessed in ten schizophrenic patients and its values were correlated with the lateral distribution of quantitatively evaluated EEG. The correlations between the index and alpha power at F7 were significant, positive for frontal asymmetry (frontal bulging) and negative for occipital flattening. We then studied ten normal subjects in an attempt to illuminate the contribution of several cephalic and cranial variables to the imbalance of alpha-afterdischarges (AD) of VEP recorded at O1–O2. The asymmetry index of AD was computed and correlated with asymmetries of CT-derived measures of occipital bone thickness, occipital lobe width, mastoid area, and sulcal asymmetry (the asymmetry of intraparietal sulcus location from the longitudinal fissure). With the exception of the sulcal variable all measures significantly covaried with alpha AD. These findings caution that it may be important to determine cranial and brain parenchymal asymmetries where brain laterality is pertinent to studies of EEG.