Uterine artery embolisation for uterine fibroids: Our experience at a tertiary care service hospital

Background

Uterine artery embolisation (UAE) has evolved as a minimally invasive and effective alternative, treatment modality for women with symptomatic fibroids. We discuss our initial experience of UAE in the management of symptomatic fibroids.

Methods

Twenty five symptomatic patients of uterine fibroids were treated with UAE by selectively cannulating and injecting poly vinyl alcohol particles into the uterine arteries. Post treatment follow up was done at 2 and 6 months respectively.

Results

Pre-treatment, the sizes of fibroids were between 3.9 and 10.9 cm (mean 7.4) on ultrasonography. Of the total 25 patients, 49 uterine arteries were embolised with a technical success rate of 98%. Menorrhagia persisted in 7 patients, dysmenorrhea in 4 patients and pressure symptoms in 2 patients respectively in follow up study of six months which corresponds to a reduction in symptoms by 68% for menorrhagia, 71% for dysmenorhoea and 75% for those with pressure symptoms respectively. At 2 months follow-up post embolisation, the mean diameter of the fibroid was 4.03 cm (range 2–5.2 cm) and at 6 months 3.2 cm (range 1.3–4.1 cm), corresponding to size reduction of 45.5% and 57%, respectively. Follow up with ultrasonography at 2 and 6 months period showed successful fibroid reduction in 24 patients with corresponding reduction in the symptomatology. One patient remained symptomatic with increase in fibroid size and had to undergo hysterectomy.

Conclusion

Uterine artery embolisation can be considered as an alternative to hysterectomy in appropriately selected symptomatic patients of uterine fibroids.     

桑杏颗粒治疗小儿风热挟痰证型咳嗽的疗效研究

目的：比较中药复方桑杏颗粒与急支糖浆治疗小儿咳嗽（风热挟痰证）的疗效,探讨复方桑杏颗粒治疗小儿咳嗽的临床应用前景。方法选择某市医院就诊的符合条件的患儿60例,随机分为两组,治疗组（30例）口服桑杏颗粒剂,对照组（30例）口服急支糖浆口服液,两组均以7天为一疗程,观察比较两组的疗效。结果治疗组咳嗽、咯痰症状、肺部听诊体征及胸片改善上均优于对照组。桑杏颗粒治疗小儿咳嗽的效果优于对照组,与急支糖浆相比,其需要治疗人数（NNT）为5人。结论桑杏颗粒剂治疗小儿急性支气管炎疗效显著,临床上值得推广应用。     

不同戊型肝炎病毒IgG抗体检测试剂盒临床对比分析

目的比较磁微粒化学发光试剂与酶联免疫吸咐测定试剂检测戊型肝炎病毒Ig G抗体的结果差异。方法选取企业样本库2010年1月至2012年5月住院和门诊患者935例,分别用A厂家酶联免疫吸咐测定试剂和郑州安图生物磁微粒化学发光试剂测定戊型肝炎病毒Ig G抗体平行检测,不符样本用C厂家酶联免疫吸咐测定试剂复测。结果郑州安图生物磁微粒化学发光试剂和戊型肝炎病毒Ig G抗体A厂家酶联免疫吸咐测定试剂阳性一致百分比为95.5%,阴性一致百分比为97.7%,总符合率为97.2%,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论磁微粒化学发光戊型肝炎病毒Ig G抗体试剂与酶联免疫吸咐测定试剂临床性能相似,适于临床推广应用。     

Searching for the initiating site of the major capsid protein to generate virus-like particles for a novel laboratory mouse papillomavirus

Correctly folded virus-like particles (VLPs) of papillomavirus (PV) display conformationally dependent epitopes that are type specific, maintained on authentic virions, and induce neutralizing antibodies. Alignment of the L1 amino acid (aa) sequences of 84 PVs revealed that the lengths of their N-termini are diverse and that multiple, possible initiation methionine (met) codons exist. The L1 gene of MusPV (MmuPV1), that naturally infects immunodeficient laboratory mouse strain (NMRI-Foxn1^nu/Foxn1^nu), has four met codons at the 1st, 2nd, 28th, and 30th aas from its N-terminus. Of these, the 3rd and 4th mets, that are at the 28th and 30th aa position from the N-termius, respectively, are located at the position where most PVs have their first met. These two mets, located at the 9th and 11th from the YLPP conserved aas of most PVs, should be considered as consensus initiation codons of PV L1s. Three L1 proteins of MusPV, starting from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mets, were expressed using a baculovirus expression system and characterized for their ability to self-assemble into VLPs. While MusPV L1 proteins starting from the 2nd met expressed an L1 protein that did not fold into VLPs, the L1s starting from the 3rd and 4th mets generated correct VLPs in abundant quantities. We now conclude that the highest quantity and best quality VLPs are made from the consensus L1 met of MusPV.     

Alphavirus-Based Vaccines

Alphavirus vectors have demonstrated high levels of transient heterologous gene expression both in vitro and in vivo and, therefore, possess attractive features for vaccine development. The most commonly used delivery vectors are based on three single-stranded encapsulated alphaviruses, namely Semliki Forest virus, Sindbis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Alphavirus vectors have been applied as replication-deficient recombinant viral particles and, more recently, as replication-proficient particles. Moreover, in vitro transcribed RNA, as well as layered DNA vectors have been applied for immunization. A large number of highly immunogenic viral structural proteins expressed from alphavirus vectors have elicited strong neutralizing antibody responses in multispecies animal models. Furthermore, immunization studies have demonstrated robust protection against challenges with lethal doses of virus in rodents and primates. Similarly, vaccination with alphavirus vectors expressing tumor antigens resulted in prophylactic protection against challenges with tumor-inducing cancerous cells. As certain alphaviruses, such as Chikungunya virus, have been associated with epidemics in animals and humans, attention has also been paid to the development of vaccines against alphaviruses themselves. Recent progress in alphavirus vector development and vaccine technology has allowed conducting clinical trials in humans.     

Enhanced dissolution of valsartan-vanillin binary co-amorphous system loaded in mesoporous silica particles

The study was aimed to prepare a co-amorphous system of valsartan (VAL) with vanillin (VAN) for improving its solubility and dissolution followed by its confinement in mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) to stabilise the co-amorphous system and prevent its recrystallization. Amorphous VAL and VAN were obtained through quench-cooling and VAL/VAN binary co-amorphous system (VAL/VAN-CAS) was prepared through solvent evaporation technique. The particle size and morphology of VAL/VAN-CAS-MSPs were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and solid-state characterisation was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). The in vitro dissolution was investigated by dialysis bag diffusion method. SEM analysis revealed irregular shaped VAL/VAN-CAS-MSPs with a size range of 5–25?μm, while outcomes of DSC and XRPD confirmed the formation of VAL/VAN-CAS. The in vitro dissolution profiles demonstrated a significantly increased dissolution in first 60?minutes from VAL/VAN-CAS (～68%) and VAL/VAN-CAS-MSPs (～76%) compared to powder VAL (～25%).     

吸入粉雾剂工程颗粒技术研究

对于吸入粉雾剂来说,由于活性药物成分（API）较小的粒径和较高的表面能,导致微粉易于团聚,难以分散。微粒间的内聚力和微粒与乳糖间的粘附力导致粉雾剂产品较低的微细粒子比例（FPF）。通过工程颗粒可以改善API微粒的物化性质,进而显著提高DPI产品的递送效率。概述通过工程颗粒的制备API微粉的方法,包括反溶剂结晶、湿法粉碎/研磨、喷雾/冷冻干燥、超临界流体等方法,可以显著提高粉雾剂的雾化性能。     

手术导航系统辅助下放射粒子植入治疗眶尖周、颅底肿瘤的探索

目的:将手术导航系统与放射性粒子内照射治疗相结合,探索更高精度植入125I放射粒子的方法,从而更加安全有效地控制已累及颅底及眶尖周的口腔颌面部恶性肿瘤。方法:肿瘤侵及颅底、眶尖周的腺样囊性癌患者11例,术前进行MRI扫描。术中运用BrainLAB手术导航系统定位并引导手术进行。结果:术中避免了颅脑及眶内组织损伤。完成了放射粒子组织内均匀分布,定位准确,无一例出现颅脑损伤及视力影响,治疗有效率(response rate,RR)达100%,疗效确切。结论:手术导航系统辅助下进行颅底眶尖周放射粒子植入是精确、安全的,有条件的情况下可考虑采用。