Lecithin vesicles for topical delivery of diclofenac.

Skin penetration of topically applied diclofenac is important for the treatment of rheumatic diseases and actinic keratoses. We have studied the permeation of diclofenac across human cadaver epidermis in-vitro from four lecithin vesicle formulations and a few marketed semi-solid preparations. The lecithin vesicle formulations were prepared by dissolving the lipid contents (lecithin and sodium cholate) in a 1:1 mixture of methanol-chloroform, evaporating the solvents under vacuum, and hydrating the lipid layer with the drug solution in water or 10% ethanol. The vesicles were sonicated for 5 min to reduce the vesicle size and their size and Zeta potential were characterized. The cumulative amount and maximum flux of diclofenac was 69.7+/-40.3 micrograms and 4.77+/-3.16 micrograms/hcm(2) from lecithin vesicles containing sodium cholate and 10% ethanol, and is the highest of all formulations studied. The cumulative amount and mean maximum flux obtained from other formulations were in the range of 2.46+/-1.98-29.9+/-10.1 micrograms and 0.53+/-0.46-3.61+/-0.86 micrograms/hcm(2). Based on the results, lecithin vesicles of diclofenac appear to be advantageous for the topical delivery of diclofenac.     

糖尿病患者超声乳化白内障吸除手术的临床观察

目的:探讨糖尿病患者进行超声乳化白内障吸除联合人工晶状体植入手术的临床效果。方法:50例(61只眼)糖尿病患者(设为A组)和同期163例(174只眼)血糖正常患者(设为B组)接受超声乳化白内障吸除联合人工晶状体植入手术。糖尿病患者手术前通过饮食疗法、口服药物或肌注胰岛素治疗,使空腹血糖降到 10mmol/L以下。术后随访 1～28个月(平均 8.6个月),复查视力、裂隙灯及眼底检查。结果:术后矫正视力≥0.5者,A组为77.1%;B组为80.5%。两组经统计学处理差异无显著性(P>0.05)。两组术中出现后囊破裂及术后发生角膜水肿和前房渗出等并发症的差异无显著性(P>0.05 )。结论:糖尿病患者进行超声乳化白内障吸除手术前只要有效控制血糖,其手术效果与对照组患者相同。但术后血糖的控制仍然十分重要。眼科学报2003;19:98-100。     

Working‐correlation‐structure identification in generalized estimating equations

Selecting an appropriate working correlation structure is pertinent to clustered data analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) because an inappropriate choice will lead to inefficient parameter estimation. We investigate the well‐known criterion of QIC for selecting a working correlation structure, and have found that performance of the QIC is deteriorated by a term that is theoretically independent of the correlation structures but has to be estimated with an error. This leads us to propose a correlation information criterion (CIC) that substantially improves the QIC performance. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the CIC has remarkable improvement in selecting the correct correlation structures. We also illustrate our findings using a data set from the Madras Longitudinal Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biochemical analysis of human milk treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate, an alkyl sulfate microbicide that inactivates human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Reduction of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through human milk is needed. Alkyl sulfates such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) are microbicidal against HIV-1 at low concentrations, have little to no toxicity, and are inexpensive. The authors have reported that treatment of HIV-1-infected human milk with < or = 1% (10 mg/mL) SDS for 10 minutes inactivates cell-free and cell-associated virus. The SDS can be removed with a commercially available resin after treatment without recovery of viral infectivity. In this article, the authors report results of selective biochemical analyses (ie, protein, immunoglobulins, lipids, cells, and electrolytes) of human milk subjected to SDS treatment and removal. The SDS treatment or removal had no significant effects on the milk components studied. Therefore, the use of alkyl sulfate microbicides to treat milk from HIV-1-positive women may be a simple, practical, and nutritionally sound way to prevent or reduce transmission of HIV-1 while still feeding with mother's own milk.