干法造粒工艺在微生态活菌片剂生产中的应用研究

目的为降低生产成本,保证产品质量,研究干法造粒工艺在微生态活菌片剂生产中的应用。方法测定三批干法造粒和粉末直接压片技术获得的片剂的理化指标和贮藏期间活菌数。结果干法造粒工艺生产的片剂其片重、硬度、崩解时限和干燥失重均符合生产质量要求,且提高了产品的贮藏稳定性。结论干法造粒工艺更适用于微生态活菌片剂生产。     

Elastohydrodynamics of the Eyelid Wiper

This paper presents an elastohydrodynamic model of the human eyelid wiper. Standard lubrication theory is applied to the fluid layer between the eyelid wiper and ocular surface. The role of the lubrication film is to reduce the shear stresses by preventing solid to solid contact between the eyelid wiper and ocular surface. For the lubrication film to be effective, it is required that the orientation of the eyelid wiper changes between the opening and closing phases of a blink. In order to model this, the hydrodynamic model is coupled with an elastic mattress model for the soft tissue of the eyelid wiper and ocular surface. This leads to a one-dimensional non-linear partial differential equation governing the fluid pressure in the lubrication film. In order to solve the differential equation, a loading condition or constraint equation must be specified. The resulting system is then solved numerically. The model allows predictions of the tear film flux from under the upper eyelid, as well as normal and shear stresses acting on the ocular surface. These factors are important in relation to dry eye syndrome, deformation of the cornea and contact lens design. It is found that the pressure and shear stress under the eyelid act across a length of approximately 0.1 mm which is consistent with clinical observations. It order to achieve a flow of tears from under the upper eyelid during a blink, the model requires that the normal force the eyelid applies to the ocular surface during the closing phase of the blink is significantly higher than during the opening phase of the blink. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The soil C pool in different agroecosystems derived from the dry tropical forest of Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Inventories of soil C pools are still lacking from tropical sites. Our objective was to assess total C and N concentrations in the different mineral soil fractions down to 50 cm depth in relation to selected physical and chemical properties of 5 ecosystems at La Flor Sustainable Center in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The ecosystems studied were a derived savanna with scattered trees, a gallery forest, an abandoned Mango indigofera L. plantation, a Citrus sp. plantation, and a Saccharum officinarum L. (sugarcane) plantation. Significant differences were found for the main fixed factor ecosystem for all variables analyzed (ANOVA). The TSC concentration was significantly higher in the sugarcane plantation compared to the rest of land use systems. The TSC concentration decreased significantly with increase in depth in all ecosystems and ranged from 20.3–38.3 to 4.3–20.9 g kg⁻¹ in the 0–10 and 40–50 cm depth, respectively. In all cases, the clay + silt fraction (<50 μm) contained the highest C concentration. N concentration (0–10 cm depth) at La Flor ranged from 0.32 to 0.19%, and decreased in the order sugarcane > Curatella savanna > Mango and Citrus plantations > gallery forest. A principal component analysis (PCA) performed with all variables studied showed that the ordination of land uses (ecosystems) in the factorial plane defined by the first two axes was significant (Monte Carlo permutation test, P < 0.0001). The highest TSC pool down to 50 cm depth was obtained in the sugarcane plantation (160 Mg C ha⁻¹) while less C was found in the rest of ecosystems, i.e. from 66 (gallery forest) to 80 Mg C ha⁻¹ (Curatella savanna). The TSC concentration obtained in the sugarcane plot is likely the result of the incorporation of surface residues into the soil that would have otherwise been lost through burning, which is the current practice in the region. Further studies on C stabilization in the clay fraction are thus needed to test the hypothesis of soil C enrichment due to residue management. Finally, trade-offs are to be considered for both preservation of the fragile dTf and the productivity of derived land uses that increases soil C at the same time.     

Biochemical changes during seed development in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus taeda</Emphasis> L.

Amino acids, polyamines, 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), buffer-soluble protein and starch contents and dry matter accumulation were analyzed in megagametophytes containing developing embryos during seed development in Pinus taeda. The highest total amino acids and polyamine contents occurred at the cotyledonary stage, followed by a significant decrease in the mature seed. Free polyamines exhibited higher levels than conjugated ones, with putrescine being the predominant type until the cotyledonary stage, and spermidine at the mature seed stage. IAA content increased continually from the globular stage reaching the maximum at the cotyledonary stage, followed by a decrease in the mature seed. The highest ABA level occurred at the globular stage, followed by a continuous reduction until stabilization at the pre-cotyledonary stage. Buffer-soluble protein and starch contents, and dry matter increased progressively during development, reaching their maximum values at the mature stage.     

An automated PCR platform with homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence detection and dry chemistry assay kits

We have developed a novel instrument platform, GenomEra, for small-scale analysis of nucleic acids. The platform combines a rapid thermal cycler, an integrated time-resolved fluorescence measurement unit, and user-friendly software for the analysis of results. Disposable low-cost plastic reaction vessels are designed specifically for the instrument and contain all of the assay-specific reagents in dry form. The appropriate assay protocol is specified on barcodes printed under the vessels and is automatically initiated by the software. Detection is based on the use of sequence-specific probes labeled with intrinsically fluorescent europium or terbium chelates and complementary quencher probes, which enable sensitive, homogeneous closed-tube assays without the risk of carryover contamination. The detection limit of the instrument (background + 3 SD) is approximately 20 pmol/L for both chelates with a dynamic range of nearly four orders of magnitude. The functionality of the platform is demonstrated with a dual-label homogeneous polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Salmonella using a Magda CA Salmonella assay kit. An internal amplification control is included in each reaction to eliminate false negative results caused by PCR inhibition. Qualitative assay results are automatically interpreted by the software and are available 45 min after sample addition.     

Location and interseasonal variation in flowering, propagule setting and propagule size in mangroves species of the family Rhizophoraceae

Three species of mangroves, Rhizophora stylosa, Rhizophora mangle (synonym R. samoensis) and Bruguiera gymnorhiza in the family Rhizophoraceae were studied to understand the flowering pattern, propagule development and the propagule size at maturity prior to dispersal from the mother plant. The study was conducted in the Wet and the Dry zones over two seasons in Viti Levu, the Main Island of Fiji. The flower number, number of propagules and propagule size at maturity were significantly different among three species and within species in the Dry and the Wet zones. Only 1–2% of total flowers in each species became mature propagules. This percentage was significantly lower in the Dry zone for all three species. Rhizophora stylosa produced the biggest size of propagules followed by Rhizophora mangle and Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Relatively longer and heavier propagules were recorded in the Wet zone and shorter and lighter in the Dry zone. Inter-seasonal differences were not significant for these characters. This could be mainly due to almost similar amount of rainfall, relative humidity and temperature regimes over two seasons within each zone.     

姜黄素预处理对沙漠干热环境中暑大鼠心肌细胞凋亡和Caspase-3活性的影响

目的:研究姜黄素预处理对沙漠干热环境不同阶段中暑大鼠心肌损伤、细胞凋亡及半胱天冬氨酸蛋白酶-3(Caspase-3)活性的影响。方法:选择雄性健康SD大鼠80只,将其随机分为2组(n=40):盐水对照组以及姜黄素预处理组。每组再分为4个亚组(n=10):干热0 min组(即常温组),干热50 min组(轻度中暑组),干热100 min组(中度中暑组),干热150 min组(重度中暑组)。盐水组大鼠给予0.9%生理盐水灌胃,姜黄素组大鼠给予剂量为100 mg/kg姜黄素灌胃,各组大鼠均连续灌胃7天。0 min组置于常温环境中,其余组放置在西北特殊环境人工实验舱内,设置干热环境:温度(41±0.5)℃,湿度(10±1)%,并在相应时间点麻醉大鼠,取血液以及心脏组织。检测血液心肌酶谱磷酸肌酸激酶(CK)、磷酸肌酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)及乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)水平,用TUNEL法检测心肌细胞凋亡率,Caspase-3比色试剂盒检测Caspase-3活性。结果:随着干热环境时间的延长,大鼠血清CK、CK-MB、LDH水平、心肌细胞凋亡率及心肌组织Caspase-3活性均逐渐升高,而姜黄素预处理组在干热环境放置50 min、100 min和150 min时的血清CK、CK-MB、LDH水平、心肌细胞凋亡率及心肌组织Caspase-3活性均明显低于对照组(P0.01)。结论:姜黄素预处理可通过减少心肌细胞凋亡、增加Caspase-3活性,保护沙漠干热环境中暑大鼠心肌损伤。     

Salicylic acid changes morpho-physiological attributes of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) under salinity stress

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) (TP) is a valuable medicinal plant from Asteraceae family with various pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) on the physiological and morphological responses of TP under salinity stress. Salinity was induced by NaCl and CaCl₂ (2:1) at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 mM levels. SA was applied as foliar application at 0, 200 and 300 ppm concentrations. Plant height, leaf and shoot number, fresh and dry weight and essential oil, starch, sugar, protein, proline, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbic peroxidase (APX) contents were as measured morpho-physiological traits. The results showed that SA significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved the measured traits and caused higher tolerance in TP plants under salinity stress. The essential oil content increased with increasing the salinity level up to 90 mM, which was more significant when combined with SA application. All of the measured traits except proline content, antioxidant enzymes, essential oil and sugar decreased at high salinity levels.     

A reference guide to drugs and dry mouth – 2nd edition

Xerostomia (dry mouth) is an uncomfortable and potentially harmful oral symptom which is usually caused by a decrease in the secretion rate of saliva (salivary gland hypofunction, or SGH). It is more prevalent in the elderly population, primarily due to their increased use of drugs and their susceptibility to disease. Many drugs and drug classes have been linked to xerostomia; the xerogenic effect increases when many drugs are taken concurrently. This Reference Guide to Drugs and Dry Mouth is designed to allow the reader to rapidly identify those pharmacologic agents which have the capacity to induce xerostomia and SGH. Xerogenic drugs can be found in 42 drug categories and 56 sub-categories. A guide to the management of drug-induced SGH and xerostomia is also provided.