Synthesis of Coral-Like Tantalum Oxide Films via Anodization in Mixed Organic-Inorganic Electrolytes

We report a simple method to fabricate nano-porous tantalum oxide films via anodization with Ta foils as the anode at room temperature. A mixture of ethylene glycol, phosphoric acid, NH₄F and H₂O was used as the electrolyte where the nano-porous tantalum oxide could be synthesized by anodizing a tantalum foil for 1 h at 20 V in a two–electrode configuration. The as-prepared porous film exhibited a continuous, uniform and coral-like morphology. The diameters of pores ranged from 30 nm to 50 nm. The pores interlaced each other and the depth was about 150 nm. After calcination, the as-synthesized amorphous tantalum oxide could be crystallized to the orthorhombic crystal system. As observed in photocatalytic experiments, the coral-like tantalum oxide exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of phenol than that with a compact surface morphology, and the elimination rate of phenol increased by 66.7%.     

Optimal Caliper Width for Propensity Score Matching of Three Treatment Groups: A Monte Carlo Study

Propensity score matching is a method to reduce bias in non-randomized and observational studies. Propensity score matching is mainly applied to two treatment groups rather than multiple treatment groups, because some key issues affecting its application to multiple treatment groups remain unsolved, such as the matching distance, the assessment of balance in baseline variables, and the choice of optimal caliper width. The primary objective of this study was to compare propensity score matching methods using different calipers and to choose the optimal caliper width for use with three treatment groups. The authors used caliper widths from 0.1 to 0.8 of the pooled standard deviation of the logit of the propensity score, in increments of 0.1. The balance in baseline variables was assessed by standardized difference. The matching ratio, relative bias, and mean squared error (MSE) of the estimate between groups in different propensity score-matched samples were also reported. The results of Monte Carlo simulations indicate that matching using a caliper width of 0.2 of the pooled standard deviation of the logit of the propensity score affords superior performance in the estimation of treatment effects. This study provides practical solutions for the application of propensity score matching of three treatment groups.     

LC-MS characterization and purity assessment of a prototype bispecific antibody

Bispecific IgG asymmetric (heterodimeric) antibodies offer enhanced therapeutic efficacy, but present unique challenges for drug development. These challenges are related to the proper assembly of heavy and light chains. Impurities such as symmetric (homodimeric) antibodies can arise with improper assembly. A new method to assess heterodimer purity of such bispecific antibody products is needed because traditional separation-based purity assays are unable to separate or quantify homodimer impurities. This paper presents a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method for evaluating heterodimeric purity of a prototype asymmetric antibody containing two different heavy chains and two identical light chains. The heterodimer and independently expressed homodimeric standards were characterized by two complementary LC-MS techniques: Intact protein mass measurement of deglycosylated antibody and peptide map analyses. Intact protein mass analysis was used to check molecular integrity and composition. LC-MS^E peptide mapping of Lys-C digests was used to verify protein sequences and characterize post-translational modifications, including C-terminal truncation species. Guided by the characterization results, a heterodimer purity assay was demonstrated by intact protein mass analysis of pure deglycosylated heterodimer spiked with each deglycosylated homodimeric standard. The assay was capable of detecting low levels (2%) of spiked homodimers in conjunction with co-eluting half antibodies and multiple mass species present in the homodimer standards and providing relative purity differences between samples. Detection of minor homodimer and half-antibody C-terminal truncation species at levels as low as 0.6% demonstrates the sensitivity of the method. This method is suitable for purity assessment of heterodimer samples during process and purification development of bispecific antibodies, e.g., clone selection.     

HIV-1整合酶链转移反应抑制剂的荧光筛选方法

整合酶被认为是抗HIV-1药物研究的理想靶点之一。为了建立便捷高效的整合酶链转移反应抑制剂筛选方法,首先将HIV-1整合酶原核表达载体pNL-IN转化入大肠杆菌感受态细胞BL21(DE3)进行原核表达,并用镍琼脂糖凝胶进行亲和纯化,获得了纯度和活性均较高的整合酶重组蛋白;然后设计了生物素标记的供体DNA和FITC标记的靶DNA,用链霉亲和素磁珠捕获反应体系中的DNA产物;最后用荧光分析仪检测DNA产物的荧光信号,并计算待测样品的抑制率。用已知整合酶抑制剂S-1360和MK-0518对筛选方法进行了验证,测定结果与已有实验数据相当,表明本筛选方法能够有效应用于HIV-1整合酶链转移反应抑制剂的筛选。与现有的整合酶链转移反应抑制剂筛选方法相比,本筛选方法步骤更为简化、耗时更短、成本更低。     

快速成型技术在颌骨缺损修复中应用的临床研究

目的：研究以CAD／CAM快速成型模型预成钛支架行颌骨缺损功能和外形重建的临床疗效。方法：选择四川大学华西口腔医院收治的5例颌骨良性肿瘤患者,术前螺旋CT及快速成型技术预成实体模型,并通过反求工程技术将健侧颌骨外形复制,制备钛修复体行患侧缺损修复,观察术后效果。结果：术后3个月、6个月复查患者对自身颌骨功能及外形较满意,均未出现因修复体导致的严重不良反应,张口度都接近恢复至正常,张口运动未出现明显异常,咬合关系良好。结论：运用快速成型技术设计并利用反求工程技术制造的个性化修复体进行颌骨缺损修复的方法能较好地恢复患者颌面部的功能和外形,副反应小,可以达到比较满意的修复效果。     

类风湿关节炎药物治疗的规范化及临床实践探析

目的：在前人研究基础上进一步调查和研究类风湿关节炎（RA）患者药物治疗的规范化状况。方法：对湘潭市中心医院2012年3月至12月门诊就诊的120例风湿关节炎患者进行问卷调查。内容包括患者个人资料、就诊及确诊时间、科室,随诊时间间隔以及改善病情抗风湿药（DMARDs）的应用情况。结果：类风湿关节炎药物治疗不规范,甲氨蝶呤是患者应用最多的DMARDs,占60％,其次为来氟米特（30％）、柳氮磺吡啶（5％）及羟氯喹（5％）。结论：51％以上的RA病人DMARDs治疗不规范,尤其是在县级基层医院。类风湿性疾病的规范治疗需要从早期诊断治疗,优化联合用药,个性化治疗,定期跟踪疗效等方面来规范。     

巴中地区上消化道出血反复发作相关性因素分析

目的：了解巴中地区上消化道出血反复发作的原因,为治疗提供临床循证医学证据。方法：通过对2011年4月~2012年11月巴中地区1134例上消化道出血中132例反复发作的患者进行调查统计,分析这上消化道出血反复发作的132例患者的年龄、生理特征、生活饮食习惯、精神状态、生活压力等多种相关因素。结果：发现饮食不当、精神紧张、腹腔感染、腹腔内压增高、输液输血过速、过量等是造成病情反复发作的主要诱因。结论：通过消除疾病的诱发因素,认真做好健康教育指导,积极治疗原发病是预防反复发作的有效措施。     

门诊高血压患者健康教育加个体化治疗的效果观察

摘要目的：探讨门诊高血压患者健康教育加个体化治疗的效果。方法：选取在本院门诊收治原发性高血压的患者258例,随机均分为观察组和对照组,每组129例。观察组使用健康教育和个体化治疗,而对照组使用常规治疗。记录并比较两组治疗前后对高血压病掌握情况,血压下降率,服药依从性,治疗后达标、并发症情况。结果：治疗前,观察组对高血压病掌握情况与对照组差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;治疗后,观察组对高血压诊断（91．5％）、高血压病因（98．4％）、高血压症状（100．0％）、高血压并发症（92．2％）掌握情况明显比对照组要好,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;观察组服药依从性明显好于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;观察组的血压下降率为81．4％,明显高于对照组49．6％,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;观察组的达标率高达74．4％,明显高于对照组的34．9％,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;观察组未达标率和并发症发生率分别为25．6％和9-3％,明显低于对照组的65．1％和20．9％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论：对不同高血压患者采用健康教育加个体化的治疗方法,对提高高血压的控制率和降低相应并发症的发生率有非常好的临床效果,值得临床进一步推广和应用。     

虎耳草不同光温条件下光合特性及有效成分含量的相关性分析

对盆栽的虎耳草进行不同光照和温度处理,测定其叶片光合特性及重要有效成分,分析虎耳草有效成分与光合速率的相关性。结果表明：虎耳草光合速率在透光率50%的条件下最高,透光率100%下最低;100%光照下的岩白菜素和没食子酸的含量最高。光合速率在20℃/16℃（12 h昼/12 h夜）适温下最高,此时岩白菜素和没食子酸的含量也最高。相关性分析表明,温度处理条件下的岩白菜素和没食子酸含量与光合速率、气孔张开面积等呈正相关,其中没食子酸含量与光合速率及蒸腾速率的正相关达极显著;不同光照条件下,没食子酸含量与光合有效辐射呈显著正相关。