叶表面角质层对草珊瑚生药鉴定的意义

本文用扫描电镜对草珊瑚Sarcandra glabra(Thunb.)Nakai叶表角质层进行了研究,发现不同产地和同株不同发育程度草珊瑚叶表角质层雕纹型式均有一些差异。     

Protocol for Physiotherapy OR Tvt Randomised Efficacy Trial (PORTRET): a multicentre randomised controlled trial to assess the cost-effectiveness of the tension free vaginal tape versus pelvic floor muscle training in women with symptomatic moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence

Background  

Stress urinary incontinence is a common condition affecting approximately 20% of adult women causing substantial individual (quality of life) and economic (119 million Euro/year spent on incontinence pads in the Netherlands) burden. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is regarded as first line treatment, but only 15-25% of women will be completely cured. Approximately 65% will report that their condition improved, but long term adherence to treatment is problematic. In addition, at longer term (2-15 years) follow-up 30-50% of patients will end up having surgery. From 1996 a minimal invasive surgical procedure, the Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT) has rapidly become the gold standard in surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. With TVT 65-95% of women are cured. However, approximately 3-6% of women will develop symptoms of an overactive bladder, resulting in reduced quality of life. Because of its efficacy the TVT appears to be preferable over PFMT but both treatments and their costs have not been compared head-to-head in a randomised clinical trial.     

Monitoring the retention of a protein antigen in complete Freund's adjuvant, alum, and pluronic F-127 gel formulations by X-ray fluorescence.

Adjuvants function by protecting antigens from rapid degradation or dispersal. The effectiveness of experimental adjuvants can be assessed by measuring antibody titers to the antigen of interest or, less frequently, by evaluating the retention and distribution of antigen at the application site. In this study, we used X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to monitor the release of an iodinated protein (I-bovine serum albumin) from several adjuvant formulations after its subcutaneous injection in rats. The interaction of the tagged antigen with an external Am-241 source leads to the emission of iodine X-rays from the application site; the number of these X-rays is proportional to the concentration of the protein remaining at the injection site. The disappearance of the iodine X-rays, and hence the antigen, from the injection site followed first-order kinetics for all adjuvant formulations tested; mean half-life values were as follows: in 50% Freund's adjuvant, 17.1 +/- 1.1 h; in 4-hour-old 25% Alum, 11.78 +/- 0.08 h; in 4-h-old 50% Alum, 13.2 +/- 2 h; in 3-day-old 50% Alum, 15.8 +/- 1.5 h; and in 240 mg/mL Pluronic F-127, 7.9 +/- 0.7 h. We conclude that XRF is an easy, reliable, noninvasive method to monitor the retention of antigens in these adjuvant solutions.     

Phase I targeted combination trial of sorafenib and erlotinib in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: Sorafenib and erlotinib are potent, orally administered receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. Given their inhibitory target profile and efficacy as single agents, the combination of these drugs is of considerable interest in solid malignancies. This study aimed to determine the recommended phase II dose of this targeted combination, their toxicity profile, pharmacokinetic interaction, and preliminary clinical activities. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Sorafenib was administered alone for a 1-week run-in period, and then both drugs were given together continuously, with every 28 days considered as a cycle. Three dose levels were assessed. RESULTS: Seventeen patients with advanced solid tumors received 75 cycles of treatment. The most frequent adverse events of all grades were constitutional and gastrointestinal in nature followed by electrolytes and dermatologic toxicities. Fatigue was the most common adverse event (17 patients; 100%) followed by diarrhea (15 patients; 88%), hypophosphatemia (13 patients; 76%), and acneiform rash (12 patients; 71%). These adverse events were predominantly mild to moderate. The recommended phase II dose of this combination was determined as 400 mg twice daily sorafenib and 150 mg daily erlotinib. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed no significant effect of erlotinib on the pharmacokinetic profile of sorafenib. Among 15 evaluable patients, 3 (20%) achieved a confirmed partial response and 9 (60%) had stable disease as best response. CONCLUSIONS: Sorafenib and erlotinib are well tolerated and seem to have no pharmacokinetic interactions when administered in combination at their full single-agent recommended doses. This well tolerated combination resulted in promising activity that needs further validation in phase II studies.     

Assessment of condoms as probe covers for transvaginal sonography

PURPOSE: This prospective study assessed the incidence of transvaginal probe contamination and breakage of condoms used to cover those probes during transvaginal sonography. METHODS: Over a 9-month period, 214 women underwent transvaginal sonography with probes that had been coated with gel and then covered with a latex condom. Condom defects were detected after the scans by inspection, by adding hydrogen peroxide, and by filling the condoms with 500 ml of water. After the condoms were removed, the probe was either wiped with a dry tissue (during the first 18 weeks of the study) or wiped first with a dry tissue and then with a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe. Probe head contamination was assessed by periodic swab sampling and culturing for bacteria and herpes simplex virus. Samples of the sonographic gel also were tested for bacterial contamination at approximately weekly intervals. RESULTS: A total of 217 condoms were used, 3 of which broke and were discarded while being applied to the probe. Two of the 214 condoms used (0.9%) were found upon visual inspection to have perforations. None of the other 212 condoms leaked upon being filled with water; none of the 204 condoms tested with hydrogen peroxide showed bubbles. Only 1 of the 46 probe swab samples was positive for bacteria (Acinetobacter species); none of the 26 probe swab samples cultured for viruses or the 25 gel samples cultured for bacteria were positive. CONCLUSIONS: Condoms used to cover transvaginal probes showed a low rate of perforation. Disinfection of the probe with isopropyl alcohol wipes further reduced the risk of contamination.     

The importance of parents' concerns about their child's development

Parents are often concerned about their child's development, but it is unknown whether concerns indicate actual developmental problems. Pilot studies within 96 families showed that parents' concerns about their children's development took the form of value judgments, could be classified into commonly accepted developmental domains, and related to performance on screening tests. In our study, 100 families seeking pediatric care were asked to list any concerns about their child's development while their children received developmental screening. Eighty percent of the children who failed screening had parents with concerns about articulation, language, fine-motor skills, or global development. Ninety-four percent of the children who passed screening had parents with no concerns or concerns in other developmental areas. The types of concerns parents raised did not vary significantly with level of education, experience in child rearing, or other demographic variables. These results suggest that parental concerns may be a helpful adjunct to standardized developmental screening.