Thermo- and pH-responsive, Lipid-coated, Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-based Dual Drug Delivery System To Improve the Antitumor Effect of Hydrophobic Drugs.

Evodiamine (EVO) and Berberine (BBR), from Euodiae Fructus and Coptidis rhizoma, have been used as an herbal medicine pair in traditional Chinese medicine to exert synergistic antitumor effects against various types of tumor cells. However, their clinical use is limited by their poor solubility and adverse toxic side effects. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) possess excellent properties such as a readily functionalized surface, prominent biocompatibility, and huge specific surface area for loading with hydrophobic and hydrophilic drug.

Efficiency of neural respiratory drive for the assessment of bronchodilator responsiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an exploratory study.

Background: Conventional lung function parameters, such as forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and inspiratory capacity (IC) are often used to assess the therapeutic outcomes of bronchodilators, but they lack sensitivity. A novel indicator, namely efficiency of neural respiratory drive (NRD), may objectively evaluate the physiological changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We investigated whether this indicator could be used to more accurately assess the responsiveness to inhaled bronchodilators.

[Effects of inhaled short-acting bronchodilators on diaphragm function and neural respiratory drive during maximal isocapnic ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To investigate the effects of inhaled short-acting bronchodilators on diaphragm function and neural respiratory drive in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during maximal isocapnic ventilation (MIV).

Methods: Forty-seven patient with moderate to severe COPD were randomized into 4 groups: placebo group (n=12), salbutamol group (n=13), ipratropium group (n=10), and combined group (salbutamol and ipratropium, n=12). Each subject received an initial MIV for 3 min at baseline and inhaled placebo (400 µg), salbutamol (400 µg), ipratropium (80 µg), or both salbutamol and ipratropium, followed 30 min later by another 3 min of MIV.

Nonlinear absorbance amplification using a diffuse reflectance cell: total organic carbon monitoring at 214 nm.

We present an absorption spectrometric method using a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) cell as a diffuse reflector. The system was used for monitoring ultrapure water. All compounds absorb to some degree at low UV wavelengths, and the absorption at 214 nm from a zinc lamp source was monitored using a charge-coupled device (CCD) spectrometer.

Cavity-enhanced absorption measurements across broad absorbance and reflectivity ranges.

Cavity-enhanced spectrometry constitutes an important and highly sensitive technique for absorbance measurements. The current practice generally involves very high reflectivity mirrors and hence intense light sources (typically lasers) to have enough light transmitted. Available theory describes the situation only for high-finesse cavities (high-reflectance mirrors) and generally for systems with very low absorbances.

Novel phosphorescent hydrogels based on an Ir(III) metal complex.

Novel phosphorescent hydrogels have been explored by immobilizing an Ir(III) metal complex into the matrices of hydrogels. FTIR spectra demonstrate that the Ir(III) -PNaAMPS hydrogel is achieved by irreversible incorporation of positively charged [Ir(ppy)(2)(dmbpy)]Cl (ppy = 2-phenylpyrine, dmbpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) into negatively charged poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid sodium) (PNaAMPS) hydrogel via electrostatic interaction. The photoluminescent spectra indicate that the Ir(III)-PNaAMPS hydrogel exhibits stable phosphorescence.

[Phrenic nerve conduction of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome patients].

Objective: To investigate the significance of phrenic nerve conduction time (PNCT) and diaphragm compound muscle action potential (CMAP) detection in the assessment of severity and response to treatment in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients.

Methods: Sixteen healthy volunteers (control group), 8 primary snorers (snorer group), 14 mild-moderate OSAHS patients (mild-moderate group) and 18 severe OSAHS patients (severe group) were recruited for the study from January to July in 2005. Multi-pair esophageal electrodes were used to measure PNCT and CMAP of diaphragm in response to unilateral magnetic stimulation.

[Physiologic response to proportional assist ventilation in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To investigate the effect of different assist levels during proportional assist ventilation (PAV) on patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Nine patients with acute exacerbation of COPD received different levels of assist ventilation during PAV. The change of inspiratory muscle effort and breathing pattern of the patients were observed.