A double-blind comparative study of Chinese herbal medicine Jinlianqingre Effervescent Tablets in combination with conventional therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Chinese herbal medicine Jinlianqingre Effervescent Tablets (JET) are the recommended control measure for uncomplicated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) by the Ministry of Health of China. However, high-quality evidence to support this recommendation is limited. A total of 288 patients ranging in age from 1 to 13 years were randomly assigned to JET in combination with conventional therapy (mainly including the reduction of temperature by applying physical cooling paste or warm bathing), or conventional therapy with placebo group for 7 days. The objective was to test the hypothesis that JET combination therapy is more effective than conventional therapy for uncomplicated HFMD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was designed. Our study showed that, compared with conventional therapy, the median time to fever resolution was significantly shorter in the JET combination therapy (8 vs. 80 h; p < 0.0001); the risk of fever resolution increased in the JET combination therapy [hazard ratio, 19.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 12.8 to 30.7]; the median healing time of rash or oral ulcer was significantly shorter in the JET combination therapy (14 vs. 74 h; p < 0.0001); and the median symptom score for skin or oral mucosa lesions improved more rapidly in the JET combination therapy during the follow-up period. The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days in the JET combination therapy and 7 days in the conventional therapy (p < 0.0001). No significant adverse events and complications were found in both groups. The addition of JET to conventional therapy reduced fever clearance time, healing time of skin or oral mucosa lesions, and duration of hospital stay in children with uncomplicated HFMD.

Preparation of silver nanoparticles with antimicrobial activities and the researches of their biocompatibilities.

Silver nanoparticles were prepared by chemical reduction method using chitosan as stabilizer and ascorbic acid as reducing agent in this work. The silver/chitosan nanocomposites were characterized in terms of their particle sizes and morphology by using UV spectrophotometer, nano-grainsize analyzer, and transmission electron microscopy. Antibacterial activities of these nanocomposites were carried out for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The silver nanoparticles exhibited significantly inhibition capacity towards these bacteria. Detailed studies on the biocompatibility of the silver/chitosan nanocomposites were investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and cell adhesion test. The results indicated that these silver/chitosan nanocomposites were benefit for the proliferation and adhesion of L-929 cells, and the biocompatibilities between the nanocomposites and the cells would become better with the culturing days. We anticipated that these silver/chitosan nanocomposites could be a promising candidate as coating material in biomedical engineering and food packing fields wherein antibacterial properties and biocompatibilities are crucial.

In vitro study on the influence of strontium-doped calcium polyphosphate on the angiogenesis-related behaviors of HUVECs.

Angiogenesis is of great importance in bone tissue engineering, and has gained large attention in the past decade. Strontium-doped calcium polyphosphate (SCPP) is a novel biodegradable material which has been proved to be able to promote in vivo angiogenesis during bone regeneration. An in vitro culture system was developed in the present work to examine its influence on angiogenesis-related behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), including cell adhesion, spreading, proliferation and migration. The effects of microtopography, chemical property and the ingredients in the degradation fluid (DF) on cell behaviors were discussed. The results showed that cells attached and spread better on SCPP scaffold than on calcium polyphosphate (CPP), which might partially result from the less rough surface of SCPP scaffold and the less hydrogel formed on the surface. In addition, cell proliferation was significantly improved when treated with SCPP DF compared with the treatment with CPP DF. Statistical analysis indicated that Sr(2+) in SCPP DF might be the main reason for the improved cell proliferation. Moreover, cell migration, another important step during angiogenesis, was evidently stimulated by SCPP DF. The improved in vivo angiogenesis by SCPP might be assigned to its better surface properties and strontium in the DF. This work also provides a new method for in vitro evaluation of biodegradable materials' potential effects on angiogenesis.

[Study on the release mechanism of fenoprofen calcium from hydrophillic sustained-release matrix].

AIM: To study the release mechanism of fenoprofen calcium (FC) from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) matrices. METHODS: The release of FC and the erosion properties of hydrophillic matrices containing HPMC was examined at different paddle speed. The release mechanism of FC was further confirmed by evaluating the n value in Peppas equation. RESULTS: The results indicate that the release of FC and the erosion of matrices exhibit zero order kinetic equation, and it exhibits line relationship between them. CONCLUSION: In the first 40 min, FC mainly released by diffusion and erosion from HPMC matrix, while it was controlled by the rate of tablet erosion after 50 min.

Direct synthesis of heparin-like poly(ether sulfone) polymer and its blood compatibility.

In this study, heparin-like poly(ethersulfone) (HLPES) was synthesized by a combination of polycondensation and post-carboxylation methods, and was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectrum and gel permeation chromatography. Owing to the similar backbone structure, the synthesized HLPES could be directly blended with pristine PES at any ratios to prepare PES/HLPES membranes. After the introduction of HLPES, the microscopic structure of the modified PES membranes was changed, while the hydrophilicity was significantly enhanced. Bovine serum albumin and bovine serum fibrinogen adsorption, activated partial thromboplastin time, thromb time and platelet adhesion for the modified PES membranes were investigated. The results indicated that the blood compatibility of the PES/HLPES membranes was significantly improved compared with that of pristine PES membrane. For the PES/HLPES membranes, obvious decreases in platelet activation on PF-4 level, in complement activation on C3a and C5a levels, and in leukocytes activation on CD11b levels were observed compared with those for the pristine PES membrane. The improved blood compatibility of the PES/HLPES membrane might due to the existence of the hydrophilic groups (-SO3Na, -COONa). Furthermore, the modified PES membranes showed good cytocompatibility. Hepatocytes cultured on the PES/HLPES membranes presented improved growth in terms of SEM observation, MTT assay and confocal laser scanning microscope observation compared with those on the pristine PES membrane. These results indicate that the PES/HLPES membranes present great potential in blood-contact fields such as hemodialysis and bio-artificial liver supports.

An evaluation of a polyethersulfone hollow fiber plasma separator by animal experiment.

Membrane plasma separators are being used routinely for therapy in various diseases. In this study, a newly developed plasma separator made of polyethersulfone (PES) hollow fibers was evaluated for its plasma filtration efficiency and blood compatibility by animal experiment. Hemolysis did not occur under the usual conditions of plasma separation. The sieving coefficients of total protein and albumin were over 95%, and the total cholesterol was over 90% throughout the perfusions. Decreases in white blood cells, platelets, fibrinogen, and coagulation factors were observed during the early stage of plasma separation, but appear to be within acceptable ranges for clinical use.