The Ontario Uterine Fibroid Embolization Trial. Part 2. Uterine fibroid reduction and symptom relief after uterine artery embolization for fibroids

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fibroid uterine volume reduction, symptom relief, and patient satisfaction with uterine artery embolization (UAE) for symptomatic fibroids. DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, single-arm clinical treatment trial. SETTING: Eight Ontario university and community hospitals.Five hundred thirty-eight patients undergoing bilateral UAE. INTERVENTION(S): Bilateral UAE performed with polyvinyl alcohol particles sized 355-500 microm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Three-month follow-up evaluations including fibroid uterine volume reductions, patient reported symptom improvement (7-point scale), symptom life-impact (10-point scale) reduction, and treatment satisfaction (6-point scale). RESULT(S): Median uterine and dominant fibroid volume reductions were 35% and 42%, respectively. Significant improvements were reported for menorrhagia (83%), dysmenorrhea (77%), and urinary frequency/urgency (86%). Mean menstrual duration was significantly reduced after UAE (7.6 to 5.4 days). Improvements in menorrhagia were unrelated to pre-UAE uterine size or post-UAE uterine volume reduction. Amenorrhea occurring after the procedure was highly age dependent, ranging from 3% (1%-7%) in women under age 40 to 41% (26%-58%) in women age 50 or older. Median fibroid life-impact scores were significantly reduced after UAE (8.0 to 3.0). The majority (91%) expressed satisfaction with UAE treatment. CONCLUSION(S): UAE reduced fibroid uterine volume and provided significant relief of menorrhagia that was unrelated to initial fibroid uterine size or volume reduction. Patient satisfaction with short-term UAE treatment outcomes was high.     

The effects of polyvinyl chloride and polyolefin blood bags on red blood cells stored in a new additive solution.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Red blood cells (RBCs) must be stored in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags plasticized with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate or a similar plasticizer to achieve their full storage life with conventional storage solutions. Improved storage solutions might remove this requirement and allow blood storage in other plastics. Experimental Additive Solution-61 (EAS-61), which maintains RBCs for 9 weeks with reduced haemolysis and satisfactory 51Cr 24-h recovery, is an appropriate candidate improved RBC storage solution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four units of packed RBCs were pooled in groups of four units, each pool was realiquoted into four units and stored, six pooled units per arm, in one of the following: 100 ml of EAS-61 in PVC; 200 ml of EAS-61 in PVC; 100 ml of EAS-61 in polyolefin (PO); and 200 ml of EAS-61 in PO. Haemolysis, RBC morphology indices, RBC ATP concentrations, and other measures of RBC metabolism and function were measured weekly. RESULTS: RBC haemolysis exceeded 1% by 7 weeks in PO bags containing 100 ml or 200 ml of EAS-61. In PVC bags, haemolysis was less than 1% at 11 weeks. RBC ATP concentrations were 1 mol/g of haemoglobin (Hb) higher at 2 weeks in the PVC-stored units. CONCLUSIONS: RBCs stored in PVC had markedly less haemolysis and higher RBC ATP concentrations than those stored in PO. Haemolysis would limit RBC storage in PO bags to a duration of 6 weeks, even with EAS-61.     

In Vivo performance of ophthalmic preparations of betamethasone and phenylephrine hydrochloride in the rabbit eye: Effect of polyvinyl alcohol

The effect of different concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol 14000 and 72000 (PVA 14 and 72) on the activity of betamethasone and phenylephrine hydrochloride in the rabbit eye was investigated. The polymer of higher molecular weight exerts a more pronounced effect at relatively lower viscosities. Effects on the intraocular pressure are more responsive to changes in viscosity than those on pupillary response.     

聚氯乙烯增塑糊流变行为研究——Ⅲ、稀释剂和分散剂的影响

以石油溶剂为稀释剂,4-甲基-2-戊酮(Ⅰ)和2-乙氧基乙醇(Ⅱ)为分散剂,研究了不同PVC树脂增塑糊的粘度特征。结果表明,由于PVC是极性聚合物,分散剂的分散效果主要决定于它的极性,Ⅰ的分散效果优于Ⅱ。若PVC含有聚氧乙烯基型表面活性剂,其糊用PVC树脂颗粒能较好地分散。     

玻璃钢-聚氯乙烯复合管的研制

对玻璃钢(FRP)复合增强聚氯乙烯进行了研究,结果发现,不同的PVC表面处理技术及粘合剂品种,不仅对粘合性能,而且在工艺方法上差异极大。选用C-3化学处理剂及M型、EJ型粘合剂,FRP-PVC的粘合强度达10MPa,且化学处理、粘合、玻璃钢成型及固化一步完成。FRP-PVC复合界面,经水煮试验、冷热交替及声发射测试,表明粘合状态良好。φ100mm的PVC管,FRP增强层厚为2mm,复合管的承压达18MPa以上。     

稳定剂对84消毒液有效氯含量的影响

目的观察稳定剂对临床使用中84消毒液有效氯的稳定效果,寻找有效的稳定剂。方法采用碘量法,对临床使用中84消毒液有效含氯量稳定性进行分析。结果碘酸钾对84消毒液的有效氯含量可起到稳定作用,在含有效氯1000 mg/L的84消毒液内加入碘酸钾15 mg/L,在室温下储存96 h仍可保持有效氯含量不下降。在含有效氯1000 mg/L的84消毒液内加入30 mg/L聚合氯化铝亦可以起到稳定作用,能保持在96 h有效氯不下降。在含有效氯1000 mg/L的84消毒液内加入聚乙烯基吡咯烷酮与碘酸钾复合物,对有效含氯量明显增强并且能保持稳定;将十六脂与聚乙烯基吡咯烷酮、碘酸钾经复配后加入到使用中84消毒液内,其稳定性明显增强。结论临床使用中的84消毒液可以通过加入合适的稳定剂,以增强有效氯的稳定性;碘酸钾、聚合氯化铝等可增强84消毒液稳定性。     

超选子宫肌瘤供血动脉栓塞的临床疗效与分析

目的探讨子宫动脉栓塞剂治疗子宫肌瘤临床疗效。方法采用Seldinger技术经皮股动脉穿刺子宫动脉造影,对子宫肌瘤患者82例超选择双侧子宫动脉注入聚乙烯醇（PVA）进行栓塞治疗,术后均随访12—24个月,观察临床症状及瘤体大小变化情况。结果78例月经量增多、经期延长等临床症状全部缓解或恢复正常,80例肌瘤体积明显缩小,有效率为97.5%。结论超选肿瘤供血动脉治疗子宫肌瘤是一种微创、安全、有效的方法,值得推广。     

Prenatal developmental toxicity studies on di-n-heptyl and di-n-octyl phthalates in Sprague-Dawley rats

This study evaluates the developmental toxicity of two dialkyl phthalate esters, di-n-heptyl phthalate (DHPP) and di-n-octyl (DnOP) phthalate, which have straight-alkyl side chains of seven and eight carbons, respectively. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered 0, 0.25, 0.50, or 1g/kg/day of DHPP or DnOP, by gavage, on gestation days 6-20. DHPP and DnOP had no adverse effect on maternal feed consumption and body weight gain, or on the incidence of post-implantation loss and fetal body weight. There was no increase in the incidence of fetal malformations or external and visceral variations, whatever treatment. A significant increase in rudimentary lumbar ribs was observed at all doses of DHPP and DnOP. The anogenital distance of the male fetuses was significantly decreased at the highest dose of DHPP. This parameter was not affected by DnOP. Thus, the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) for developmental toxicity was 0.25 g/kg/day for DHPP and DnOP.     

Pores Created by Laser Surface Modification of Poly(vinylalcohol)-Collagen with Glycosaminoglycan Scaffold for Cell Culture in Tissue Engineering

A PVA-GAG-COL composite scaffold is fabricated by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA),glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen (COL).Laser surface modification technology is used to make holes on the surface of the sc...     

Preparation and properties of a pH sensitive carrier based on three kinds of polymer blend to control the release of 5-amino salicylic acid

Abstract

Context: High concentration of 5-amino salicylic acid (5-ASA) in the distal ileum and colon is necessary for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The control of small molecules, drugs, released from a polymeric matrix remains a great challenge.

Objective: To study the preparation and properties of a pH-sensitive carrier for targeting delivery of 5-ASA.

Materials and methods: The carrier was prepared by ternary blends method based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), sodium alginate (SA) and polylactic acid. It was characterized by infrared spectrometry and scanning electronic microscopy. The adsorption and release of 5-ASA in different pH media were investigated.

Results: We found out the best ratio of the materials for synthetic carrier. The vector exhibited good performance by the controlled release of the target drug experiment. The adsorption capacity of the carrier for 5-ASA was 70.34% in phosphate buffer saline at pH 1.00, and the release rate was 100.49% in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.80.

Discussion and conclusion: PVA is vector backbone of the carrier, and SA plays key role in its pH performance. It is a promising material to effectively deliver 5-ASA to the specific sites of IBD.