Operative treatment of intertrochanteric hip fractures: an overview of modern advances and techniques

Hip fractures have been one of the most studied injury pattern in adults. The number of hip fractures is increasing exponentially; furthermore, the cost of treatment places great economic strain on society. There have been recent developments in hip-fracture treatment, particularly involving the intertrochanteric region, with emphasis on deformity prevention to try to optimize patient functional outcomes. In this article, we outline some of these developments with an emphasis on changes in implant design.     

W／O／W型甘草酸单铵盐口服复乳的处方设计及其理化特性研究

采用均匀设计，以乳剂的稳定性参数为考察指标，考察了初乳乳化剂、复乳乳化剂、乳化时间等因素对复乳稳定性的影响；筛选出Ｗ／Ｏ／Ｗ型甘草酸单铵盐口服复乳的优化处方和工艺，并对复乳的主要理化特性和物理稳定性进行了考察。     

33 factorial design-based optimization of the formulation of nitrofurantoin microcapsules

A microcapsule form of nitrofurantoin was prepared by a simple coacervation method with carboxymethylcellulose and aluminium sulfate. 3³ factorial design was performed for three independent variables, namely, the particle size of the drug, the size of the microcapsules and the pH of the dissolution medium. The dissolution tests with the formulated microcapsules were carried out according to the United States Pharmacopeia XXII rotating basket method at pH 1.2, 5 and 7.5, which represent the pH of gastrointestinal fluids. Release data were examined kinetically and the ideal kinetic models were estimated and t _63.2 values obtained from RRSBW distribution were used in the factorial design experiment. The influence of the independent variables on the dissolution of nitrofurantoin microcapsules could be expressed as the pH of the dissolution medium > particle size of the microcapsule > particle size of nitrofurantoin. The other aim of this study was to evaluate microcapsule formulation in terms of the United States Pharmacopeia criteria with a minimum of experiments. Our findings suggest that dosage forms which comply with the pharmacopoeia criteria for dissolution can be prepared and selected by factorial design.     

Efficacy of subcutaneous sumatriptan in the acute treatment of early-morning migraine: a placebo-controlled trial

Abstract. Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of self-administered subcutaneous sumatriptan in the acute treatment of early-morning migraine attacks. Design. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Setting. Thirteen neurology centres in France. Subjects. Patients of either sex, 18–65 years old, with two to six attacks of migraine (according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria, with or without aura) per month, of which at least two had to be early-morning migraine attacks. One-hundred-and-one patients were included, 96 being evaluable for the first attack and 81 for the cross-over design. Interventions. Two migraine attacks (grade 2/3) were treated with sumatriptan (6 mg) or placebo, with an optional second injection 1–24 h later. Main outcome measures. The primary end-point was headache relief: reduction in headache severity from grade 2/3 (moderate/severe) to grade 1/0 (mild/none) 2 h after treatment. Results. Sumatriptan was superior to placebo for headache relief (32 [78%] vs. 11 [28%] at the first attack; 29 [73%] vs. 8 [20%] at the second; P < 0.001). Because of a significant carry-over effect for some of the secondary end-points, a parallel-group analysis of the first attack was performed, which confirmed a significantly higher efficacy of sumatriptan for all end-points: pain-free rate (22 [46%] vs. 7 [15%]; P = 0.001) and use of a second injection (26 [53%] vs. 38 [81%]; P = 0.004). Sumatriptan was preferred by 74% of patients vs. 17% for placebo, and 9% expressed no preference (P < 0.0001). After complete relief, headache reappeared in 8/23 (35%) patients with sumatriptan and 3/7 (43%) with placebo. Adverse events were significantly more frequent with sumatriptan but they were minor and transient. Conclusion. Subcutaneous sumatriptan auto-injection is an effective and well-tolerated acute treatment of early-morning migraine attacks allowing earlier return to normal activity.     

一类“近乎双线性”系统及其稳定化反馈控制

本文定义了一类“近乎双线性”系统。可用以近似一类奇异摄动双线性系统,而且可以描述某些实际工业对象。并发现其控制器的设计较方便。文中还给出了一种简单的反馈控制器的设计方法。又对一类多输入双线性系统,提出一种设计反馈控制器的改进方案,根据Lyapunov定理得到一非线性反馈控制律。以上设计方法分别对某合成氨反应器作了应用研究,仿真结果表明了方法的有效性。     

金茵利胆胶囊的体外抗炎活性评价及其谱效关系研究

目的 评价金茵利胆胶囊的体外抗炎活性,并研究其抗炎谱效关系。方法 建立LPS诱导的RAW264.7细胞炎症模型,通过检测细胞上清中NO、TNF-α和IL-6等指标的含量来评价金茵利胆胶囊的抗炎活性。在此基础上,采用均匀设计法制备金茵利胆胶囊组成饮片的不同配伍样本,采用高效液相法建立均匀设计样品的指纹图谱,对均匀设计样品进行抗炎活性测定;以细胞上清液中NO、TNF-α和IL-6的抑制率为药效指标,与共有峰峰面积经灰色关联分析构建抗炎谱效关系。结果 金茵利胆胶囊提取物（0.25~1.00 mg/mL）能显著降低LPS诱导的RAW264.7细胞分泌NO、TNF-α和IL-6。经对照品比对指认出其中7个色谱峰,分别为新绿原酸（9号峰）、绿原酸（13号峰）、隐绿原酸（14号峰）、1, 3-二咖啡酰奎宁酸（16号峰）、对羟基苯乙酮（17 号峰）、柚皮苷（21 号峰）、新橙皮苷（23 号峰）。抗炎谱效关系结果表明,共有峰均具有一定的抗炎贡献度,其中共有峰峰21（柚皮苷）、峰23（新橙皮苷）与3个细胞炎症指标的关联度均大于0.74。结论：金茵利胆胶囊发挥抗炎作用是多种成分共同作用的结果,为金茵利胆胶囊抗炎药效物质基础及其质量控制提升提供参考。     

The effect of design of residential homes in creating dependency among confused elderly residents: A study of elderly demented residents and their ability to find their way around homes for the elderly

A study of 13 homes for elderly people examining the effect of the environment on demented residents looked into the complexity of the design from the residents' point of view. Two principal tools were used in this investigation: ‘route diagrams’, which describe a resident's use of the home, and a measure devised to indicate each resident's ability to find her way around the home. These are described and the relationship between them explored. From this the following tentative conclusions are drawn:

• (i) The variables that influence a resident's ability to find her way around differ between group and communally designed homes.
• (ii) It would appear that group homes provide a more favourable design, especially in the case of physically frail demented elderly people.
• (iii) In group homes, the level of lighting is an important aid to a demented person in finding her way around.
• (iv) In communal homes, residents seem most able to find their way around homes that have been adapted from older premises.
• (v) In both types of home, ‘meaningful decision points’ can be seen as aids to a resident finding her way around.

     

Transdermal Dual-Controlled Delivery of Contraceptive Drugs: Formulation Development,in Vitro and in Vivo Evaluations,and Clinical Performance

Several transdermal contraceptive device (TCD) formulations were developed to provide a dual-controlled transdermal delivery of levonorgestrel (LN), a potent progestin, and 17-estradiol (E₂), a natural estrogen. Using a sensitive HPLC method, the in vitro release and skin permeation profiles of LN and E₂ from various TCD formulations were simultaneously characterized in the hydrodynamically well-calibrated Valia–Chien skin permeation cells and both were found to follow zero-order kinetics. The rates of drug release and skin permeation were observed to vary significantly depending upon some formulation parameters. Six-month stability studies were performed on seven formulations at room and elevated temperatures (37 and 45°C), and two (Formulations 4 and 5) were found to be acceptable, based on drug recovery, release rate, and skin permeation rate data. Judging from the 6-month accelerated stability studies, it is projected these two formulations will have shelf-life of at least 2 years. As a result of development of an efficient manufacturing process, Formulation 4 was selected for further evaluation. One-week primary skin irritation evaluation in 6 rabbits indicated that Formulation 4 is nonirritating, and it was thus selected for Phase I clinical bioavailability/dose proportionality studies in 12 healthy female volunteers of child-bearing age. Results of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses demonstrated that it is capable of achieving and maintaining a steady-state serum level of LN throughout the 3-week treatment period by weekly applications of one or two TCD patches (10 or 20 cm²). A dose proportionality was obtained in the serum drug levels, daily dose delivered, and contraception efficacy. An excellent correlation was obtained for the rates of transdermal delivery determined by the in vitro studies using human cadaver skin, the in vivo studies in rabbits, and the clinical studies in living subjects.     

Signal-dependent wavelets for electromyogram classification

In the study, an efficient method to perform supervised classification of surface electromyogram (EMG) signals is proposed. The method is based on the choice of a relevant representation space and its optimisation with respect to a training set. As EMG signals are the summation of compact-support waveforms (the motor unit action potentials), a natural tool for their representation is the discrete dyadic wavelet transform. The feature space was thus built from the marginals of a discrete wavelet decomposition. The mother wavelet was designed to minimise the probability of classification error estimated on the learning set (supervised classification). As a representative example, the method was applied to simulate surface EMG signals generated by motor units with different degrees of short-term synchronisation. The proposed approach was able to distinguish surface EMG signals with degrees of synchronisation that differed by 10%, with a misclassification rate of 8%. The performance of a spectral-based classification (error rate approximately 33%) and of the classification with Daubechies wavelet (21%) was significantly poorer than with the proposed wavelet optimisation. The method can be used for a number of different application fields of surface EMG classification, as the feature space is adapted to the characteristics of the signal that discriminate between classes. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Enhancing a primary care environment: a case study of effects on patients and staff in a single general practice

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the effect on patients and staff of the physical environment in primary care facilities. AIM: To explore changes in patient and staff satisfaction, patient anxiety, and patient-doctor communication when a GP surgery moves from old premises to enhanced purpose-built accommodation. DESIGN OF STUDY: Questionnaire surveys, interviews, and focus groups pre- and post move. SETTING: An urban general practice in Bristol. METHOD: Patient questionnaires assessed anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; STAI), satisfaction with the environment, and communication during the consultation. Staff questionnaires assessed satisfaction with the environment and job satisfaction. Qualitative methods explored patient and staff views in more depth. RESULTS: A total of 1118 pre-move and 954 post-move patient questionnaires showed significant increases in satisfaction scores for reception/waiting areas (mean 6.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]=5.97 to 6.95) and consulting rooms (mean 3.80, 95% CI=3.44 to 4.15) in the new premises. Patients' satisfaction with patient-doctor communication also increased (mean 0.88, 95% CI=0.30 to 1.46) and anxiety scores were significantly reduced before and after the consultation in the new premises compared with the old (STAI mean difference before consultation 0.72, 95% CI=0.37 to 1.08; mean after consultation 0.37, 95% CI=0.03 to 0.72). Patients highlighted the increased space and light, more modern appearance, greater comfort, and novel works of art in the new surgery. Staff workplace satisfaction increased significantly after moving and remained higher than in the old building. CONCLUSION: This large-scale study examining the effects of a UK primary care environment on patients and staff shows that an enhanced environment is associated with improvements in patients' perception of patient-doctor communication, reduction in anxiety, and increases in patient and staff satisfaction.