Comparison on Determination Results of Methane and Total Hydrocarbons by Glass Syringe Method and Air Bag Method

Samples at different setting time were determined by glass syringe method and air bag method, and their results were analyzed. The results showed that concentrations of methane and total hydrocarbons obviously declined with the prolonging of setting time by glass syringe method, and recovery rate of sample declined to 60% after 8 h. In air bag method, analysis results of methane and total hydrocarbons were stabler, and recovery rate of sample was 93% after 8 h.

A Modified Branched Graft Inversion Technique Employing a Syringe Inserter in Ascending Aortic Replacement for Type A Aortic Dissection

Purpose: To achieve good outcomes during aortic surgery with circulatory arrest, a secure and non-bleeding anastomosis must be achieved rapidly to ensure brain protection. We report our initial experiences with a modified Branched Graft Inverting (BGI) technique using an inserter under mild hypothermia. We aimed to reduce the surgical duration and to prevent unnecessary damage to the fragile aorta. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with type A acute aortic dissection (AAD) who underwent distal anastomosis via the modified BGI technique using an inserter between January 2012 and March 2013. Open distal anastomosis was performed under mild hypothermia with right hemisphere perfusion from the right axillary artery. Results: Eight patients were enrolled. There was no mortality. Circulatory arrest time was reproducibly 20.3 ± 1.9 min, which was sufficient to complete non-bleeding distal anastomoses. The average rectal temperature during circulatory arrest was 26.5℃ ± 1.9℃. All patients were extubated the day after the operation without any neurological deficit. Conclusion: The modified BGI technique employing an inserter and mild hypothermia offered easy, secure, and reproducible distal anastomosis for ascending aortic replacement for type A acute aortic dissection. Our outcomes were favorable and support further development of this technique.

Does carrier fluid reduce low flow drug infusion error from syringe size?

BACKGROUND Critically ill neonates and pediatric patients commonly require multiple low flow infusions.Volume limitations are imposed by small body habitus and comorbidities like cardiopulmonary disease,renal failure,or fluid overload.Vascular access is limited by diminutive veins.Maintenance fluids or parenteral nutrition in conjunction with actively titrated infusions such as insulin,fentanyl,prostaglandins,inotropes and vasopressors may necessitate simultaneous infusions using a single lumen to maintain vascular catheter patency.This requirement for multiple titratable infusions requires concentrated medications at low flows,rather than more dilute drugs at higher flows that in combination may volume overload small infants.AIM To determine whether carrier fluid reduces variability that variability of low flow drug infusions is proportional to syringe size in pediatric critical care.METHODS We assessed concentrations of orange“drug”in a 0.2 mL/h low flow clinical model with blue dyed carrier fluid at 5 mL/h,using 3-,10-,or 60-mL syringes.A graduated volumetric pipette was used to measure total flow.Mean time to target concentration was 30,21,and 46 min in 3-,10-,and 60-mL syringes,respectively(P=0.42).After achieving target concentration,more dilute drug was delivered by 60-mL(P<0.001)and 10-mL syringes(P=0.04)compared to 3-mL syringes.Drug overdoses were observed during the initial 45 min of infusion in 10-and 60-mL syringes.Total volumes infused after target concentration were less in the 60-mL condition compared to 3-mL(P<0.01)and 10-mL(P<0.001)syringes.RESULTS Linear mixed effects models demonstrated lesser delivered drug concentrations in the initial 30 min by 3-mL compared to 10-and 60-mL syringes(P=0.005 and P<0.001,respectively)but greater drug concentrations and total infused drug in the subsequent 30-60 and 60-90 min intervals with the 3-and 10-mL compared to 60-mL syringes.CONCLUSION With carrier fluid,larger syringes were associated with significantly less drug delivery,less total volume delivered,and other flow problems in our low flow drug model.Carrier fluid should not be used to compensate for inappropriately large syringes in critical low flow drug infusions.

Rubber plunger surface texturing for friction reduction in medical syringes

Friction is a genuine issue in the use of many medical devices involving rubbery materials such as plungers in medical syringes. This paper presents a new direction for the reduction of friction in medical syringes based on surface texturing of the rubber plunger. The specimens were prepared by casting poly(vinylsiloxane)(PVS) rubber into a pre-fabricated negative template obtained by 3D printing. Friction tests were performed on a home-made test-rig. It was clearly shown that friction resistance can be considerably manipulated when using textured plungers.

Pulsed lavage in joint arthroplasty: A systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Knee and hip osteoarthritis affects millions of people around the world and is expected to rise even more in frequency as the population ages.Joint arthroplasty is the surgical management of choice in these articulations.Heterotopic ossi-fication and radiolucent lines formation are two frequent problems faced in hip and knee replacements respectively.Some studies show that the usage of pulsed lavage may prevent their formation.AIM To compare pulsed lavage to standard lavage in joint arthroplasty.METHODS PubMed,Cochrane,and Google Scholar(page 1-20)were searched till December 2023.Only comparative studies were included.The clinical outcomes evaluated were the heterotopic ossification formation in hip replacements,radiolucent lines formation,and functional knee scores in knee replacements.RESULTS Four studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis.Pulsed lavage was shown to reduce the formation of radiolucent lines(P=0.001).However,no difference was seen in the remaining outcomes CONCLUSION Pulsed lavage reduced the formation of radiolucent lines in knee replacements.No difference was seen in the remaining outcomes.Furthermore,the clinical significance of these radiolucent lines is poorly understood.Better conducted randomized controlled studies and cost-effectivity studies are needed to reinforce these findings.

3D printed tacrolimus suppositories for the treatment of ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a global health problem,affecting millions of individuals worldwide.As an inflammatory condition localised in the large intestine,rectal delivery of immunosuppressive therapies such as tacrolimus is a promising strategy to maximise drug concentration at the site of action whilst minimising systemic side effects.Here,for the first time,self-supporting 3D-printed tacrolimus suppositories were prepared without the aid of moulds using a pharmaceutical semi-solid extrusion(SSE)3D printer.The suppositories were printed vertically in three different sizes using combinations of two lipid pharmaceutical excipients(Gelucire 44/14 or Gelucire 48/16)and coconut oil.Although both suppository formulations had the appropriate viscosity characteristics for printing,the Gel 44 formulation required less energy and force for extrusion compared to the Gel 48 system.The Gel 44 disintegrated more rapidly but released tacrolimus more slowly than the Gel 48 suppositories.Although the tacrolimus release profiles were significantly different,both suppository systems released more than 80% drug within 120 min.DSC and XRD analysis was inconclusive in determining the solid-state properties of the drug in the suppositories.In summary,this article reports on the fabrication of 3D printed selfsupporting suppositories to deliver personalised doses of a narrow therapeutic index drug,with potential benefits for patients with ulcerative colitis.

Access to insulin delivery devices and glycated haemoglobin in lower-income countries

BACKGROUNDYoung people with type 1 diabetes in low-and-middle income countries facemany challenges in accessing care, with various essential supplies needed forsurvival and long-term health.AIMTo study insulin delivery devices and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) testing.METHODSA survey was conducted in 2019 of leading diabetes centres in 41 countriessupported by the Life for a Child Program. The survey covered numerous aspectsconcerning availability and costs at all levels of the health system, local usagepatterns and attitudes, obstacles, and other aspects.RESULTSThirty-seven countries returned the survey (90.2% response rate). Key findingsincluded: Syringe use was most common (83.1%), followed by insulin pens(16.7%) and pumps (0.2%). 48.6% of public health systems did not providesyringes, even with a co-payment. Use of suboptimal syringe/needlecombinations was common. Needles were generally reused in almost all countries(94.3%, n = 35). Aside from donated supplies, there was variable access to HbA1ctesting within public health facilities, and, when available, patients often had tocover the cost. Provision was further compromised by numerous problemsincluding stock-outs, and challenges with understanding the test, equipmentmaintenance, and refrigeration.CONCLUSIONLarge gaps exist for adequate access to appropriate insulin delivery devices andHbA1c testing. Public health systems in low-and-middle income countries shouldincrease affordable provision. There are also needs for specific health professional training and diabetes education;elimination of customs duties and taxes;development of inexpensive, robust HbA1c testing methods that do not requirerefrigeration of testing supplies;differential pricing schemes;and other solutions.

Clinical Study on Facial Rejuvenation of Non-crosslinked Small Molecule Hyaluronic Acid Combined with Filorga NCTF®BOOST135 HA

Objective To observe the clinical application of non-crosslinked small molecule hyaluronic acid combined with Filorga NCTF®BOOST135HA in facial rejuvenation.Methods A total of 156 patients were selected from the outpatient department of our department from January 2017 to January 2018,including 36 males and 120 females.They were randomly divided into treatment group(82 cases)and control group(74 cases).The age of the treatment group was 25-50 years old,with an average age of 34 years old,while that of the control group was 26-48 years old,with an average age of 35 years old.group A was treated with non-crosslinked small molecule hyaluronic acid combined with Filorga NCTF®BOOST135 HA,while group B was treated with non-crosslinked small molecule hyaluronic acid alone.Through two methods,the facial skin state is analyzed and the therapeutic effect is evaluated.Results Follow-up for 3-6 months after treatment showed that 73 cases were satisfied and 9 cases were not satisfied in group A,with a satisfaction rate of 89.02%.In group B,52 cases were satisfied and 22 cases were dissatisfied,with a satisfaction rate of 70.27%.Conclusion Hyaluronic acid combined with Filorga NCTF®BOOST135 HA is better than hyaluronic acid alone in the treatment of facial rejuvenation,and patients obtain higher satisfaction.

Syringic acid improves oxidative stress and mitochondrial biogenesis in the liver of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Objective:To determine the effects of syringic acid on hepatic damage in diabetic rats.Methods:Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin.Diabetic rats were given syringic acid at doses of 25,50 and 100 mg/kg by oral gavage for 6 weeks.Syringic acid effects on the liver were evaluated by examination of plasma biochemical parameters,and pathological study.In addition,biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status of liver tissues were assessed.Real time-PCR was performed to investigate the m RNA expression levels of mitochondrial biogenesis indices in different groups.Results:Syringic acid significantly attenuated the increase in most of plasma biochemical parameters in diabetic rats.Moreover,syringic acid treatment increased the catalase activity while it reduced the superoxide dismutase activity and hepatic malondialdehyde level in diabetic rats.There was no difference between the glutathione content of the treated and untreated groups.These findings were supported by alleviation of histopathological damages in the syringic acid-treated groups compared to the untreated diabetic group.Syringic acid also significantly upregulated the hepatic m RNA expression of PGC-1α,NRF-1,and NRF-2 and increased the mtD NA/nD NA ratio in diabetic rats.Conclusions:Syringic acid can be considered as a suitable candidate against hepatic complications since it can reduce oxidative damages in diabetic cases.Furthermore,it has the potential of targeting hepatic mitochondria in diabetes.

Syringic acid induces cancer cell death in the presence of Cu(Ⅱ)ions via pro-oxidant activity

Objective:To investigate the effects of syringic acid on HEK 293 and HepG2 cells in the absence and presence of exogenous Cu(Ⅱ)and Fe(Ⅱ)ions.Methods:The antiproliferative effects of syringic acid on HEK 293 and HepG2 cells in the absence and presence of exogenous Cu(Ⅱ)and Fe(Ⅱ)ions were examined by MTT assay.Additionally,colony-forming,reactive oxidative species(ROS)generation,apoptosis induction,autophagy,mitochondrial membrane potential,and mitochondrial mass were investigated.Results:At 24 and 72 h,no significant differences were observed in the viability of HepG2 cells between the control and syringic acid+Fe(Ⅱ)groups.However,exposure of HepG2 cells to syringic acid+Cu(Ⅱ)for 72 h reduced the cell viability significantly.Furthermore,ROS formation,induction of apoptosis,and autophagic vacuoles were significantly increased in HepG2 cells without marked changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass.Moreover,syringic acid+Cu(Ⅱ)reduced the plating efficiency and surviving fraction significantly.Conclusions:The combination of syringic acid with Cu(Ⅱ)was toxic to cancer cells and showed pro-oxidant activity.In addition,this combination induced autophagy in cancer cells with less cytotoxic effects on normal cells,which is a potential candidate for the development of novel therapeutics towards cancer.

Anti-Endotoxic Effects of Syringic Acid of Radix Isatidis

The anti-endotoxic effect of syringic acid (SA) isolated from Radix Isatidis (Banlangen, BLG) was studied. SA was extracted and isolated from BLG and diluted into 1 % solution. The content of SA-pretreated endotoxin (ET) was quantitatively determined using Limulus test. The ability of fever induction of ET pretreated with SA was measured using endotoxin-induced fever test in rabbits. The LPS-induced death in mice pretreated with and without SA was compared. Results showed that after pretreatment with SA, 83. 16 % of ET was destroyed, the ET-induced fever in rabbits relieved markedly and the LPS-induced death rate in mice dropped from 68 % to 20 %. It was concluded that SA isolated from BLG had anti-endotoxic effects.

HPLC-UV Analysis and Antioxidant Potential of Phenolic Compounds from Endemic Shrub of Arid Environment Tamarix pauciovulata J, Gay

This research presents complete phenolic compounds and biological activity of Tamarix pauciovulata J. Gay, an endemic Saharan species. The antioxidant assays revealed that crude extract showed strong DPPH scavenging activity （IC50 = 49.357 μg/mL） but in reducing power and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, butanolic and ethyl acetate fractions have a potent ferrous ion-chelating ability in particularly the butanolic fraction （63.18% reduced power at 50 μg/mL） and a powerful scavenging activity on hydrogen peroxide in particularly ethyl acetate fraction （IC50 = 0.205 μg/mL）. The phenolic compounds of Tamarix pauciovulata leaves were analyzed by HPLC-UV. The major phenolic of leaf extracts are syringic acid （1.07 g/100g）, quercetin （34.1 mg/100g）, kaempferol （5.77 mg/100g）, isorhamnetin （5 mg/100g）. Others phenols were identified such as isoquercetin, catechin, epicatechin and its derivatives. Results indicated that the leaves extracts from Tamarix pauciovulata have great capacities to prevent diseases caused by the overproduction of radicals and can become important source of dietary compounds with health protective potential.

Carbon isotope fractionation during CH_4 transport in paddy fields

In this study,to further promote the application of the stable carbon isotope natural abundance(SCINA)method to the study of CH4in paddy fields in China,field experiments were carried out to investigate carbon isotope fractionation during CH4transport in both rice-and non-rice-growing seasons.More importantly,two new methods for the measurement of the CH4transport fractionation factor(εtransport)in paddy fields were introduced.The results indicated that the closed chamber+syringe method was much better for the determination ofεtransport during the non-rice-growing season.Presently,εtransport was calculated using theδ13C value of the CH4emitted from a rice field minus that of the CH4in the floodwater(–6.7‰to–3.0‰).In addition,there were three methods available for estimatingεtransport during the rice-growing season:deduction of theδ13C value of the CH4in the floodwater from that of the CH4emitted from the field(–16.6‰to–15.2‰);deduction of theδ13C value of the CH4in the soil pore water from that of the CH4emitted from the field(–13.2‰to–1.1‰);and deduction of theδ13C value of the CH4in the aerenchyma of plants from that of the CH4emitted from plants(–16.3‰to–10.9‰).Unfortunately,the first two methods showed relatively large uncertainties.Only the last one,the dividing+cutting method,was not only scientific and reliable but also provided accurate measurements.