AIM: To develop a new identification of crude drug Herba Ephedrae. METHODS: Using the method of X-ray diffraction fourier fingerprint patterns for the analysis and calculation of 12 habitats of Herba Ephedrae. RESULTS: The standard X-ray diffraction fourier fingerprint pattern of Herba Ephedrae was obtained with 26 peaks. CONCLUSION: The identification and quality control of Herba Ephedrae can be accomplished with X-ray diffraction fourier fingerprint patterns analysis.

Objective To study the clinical features and pathology of renal damage in patients with MPA. Method The clinical pathological changes of 23 MPA patients were analyzed and the patients with positive ANCA were compared with those with negative ANCA. Results Most MPA patients were senile and male with the symptoms of lung damage, pleuritis, arthritis and myalgia as well as extrarenal symptoms such as fever, weight-loss, and anorexia. 65.2% of the patients were ANCA (+). Symptoms of renal function damage were hematuria and proteinuria, which could be found in all the patients. Different degree of renal damage could be detected. Glomerular cresent formation, which were mostly fibrous, could be found in all of the 23 patients. Half of the patients have tuft necrosis and interstitial vessel vasculitis. Conclusion MPA patients often have extrarenal symptoms besides renal function damage. Patients with positive ANCA differs from patients with negative ANCA in both clinical manifestation and kidney pathology.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT/SABR) has become an important option in the treatment of early non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is the main side effect of early NSCLC patients after SBRT/SABR. Patient factors, tumor factors and treatment factors are all associated with the occurrence of RP in early NSCLC patients after SBRT/SABR. In recent years, relevant studies have further clarified the relationship between these factors and RP. In addition, the prediction factors related to RP occurrence are further discussed. In this paper, relevant research progresses in recent years were reviewed.

Objective To compare volumetric size, conformity index (CI), degree of inclusion (DI) of internal gross target volumes (IGTV) delineated on 4D-CT-MIP and PET-CT images for primary thoracic esophageal cancer. Methods Fifteen patients with thoracic esophageal cancer sequentially underwent enhanced 3D-CT, 4D-CT and PET-CT simulation scans. IGTVMIP was obtained by contouring on 4D-CT maximum intensity projection ( MIP). The PET contours were determined with nine different threshold methods (SUV≥2?0, 2?5, 3?0, 3?5), the percentages of the SUVmax(≥20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%) and manual contours. The differences in size, conformity index (CI), degree of inclusion ( DI) of different volumes were compared. Results The volume ratios ( VRs) of IGTVPET2. 5 to IGTVMIP , IGTVPET20% to IGTVMIP, IGTVPETMAN to IGTVMIP were 0?86, 0?88, 1?06, respectively, which approached closest to 1. The CIs of IGTVPET2?0,IGTVPET2.5,IGTVPET20%,IGTVPETMAN and IGTVMIP which were 0?55, 0?56, 0?56, 0?54,0?55, respectively, were significantly larger than other CIs of IGTVPET and IGTVMIP (Z= -3?408-2?215,P <0?05). There were no statistical significance in the DIs of IGTVMIP and IGTVPET2.5,IGTVMIP and IGTVPET20%, IGTVMIP and IGTVPETMAN(0?77,0?82,0?71,0?67, 0?68,0?82,P>0?05). Conclusions The targets delineated based on SUV threshold setting of≥2?5, 20% of the SUVmax and manual contours on PET images correspond better with the target delineated on maximum intensity projection of 4D-CT images than other SUV thresholding methods.

Objective To develop a HPLC method for determination of baicalin .Methods The separation was carried out on a Waters XBridge C18 column(4 .6 mm × 250 mm ,5μm) ,the mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and 0 .8% for-mic acid (25∶75) ,the detection wavelength was set at 276 nm ,the flow rate was 1 .0 ml/min ,the column temperature was 30 ℃ and the injection volume was 10 μl .Results The linearity was obtained over 1 .25-40 μg/ml(r=0 .999 9) for baicalin . The RSD of precision were less than 2% .The average recovery was between 95% and 100% .Conclusion This HPLC method was simple ,accuracy and suitable for the quality control of Biyanling capsule .

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of occult pneumonia in advanced elderly patients.Methods A total of 170 advanced elderly patients with community-acquired pulmonary infection in geriatric department of Xijing hospital from January 2014 to October 2017 were enrolled.Patients were divided into two groups:the observation group (with occult pneumonia,n=80)and the control group(without occult pneumonia,n =90).Clinical data of patients were collected,and clinical characteristics and related risk factors of occult pneumonia in elderly patients were analyzed.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the positive rate of sputum culture and the distribution of pathogenic bacteria between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Gram-negative bacteria predominated in pathogenic bacteria.The hospitalization time was longer in the observation group than in the control group[(17.3 ± 3.0) d vs.(10.3 ± 3.9) d,P ＜ 0.05].The mortality rate was higher in the observation group than in the control group(10.0 ％ vs.3.3 ％,P ＜ 0.05).The age was older in the observation group than in the control group[(87.0± 1.7) years vs.(82.0± 2.4) years,P ＜ 0.05].The incidences of diabetes,Alzheimer's disease,hypothyroidism and long-term bed rest were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR =6.93),dementia (OR =4.32),hypothyroidism(OR =4.89) were independent risk factors for occult pneumonia (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The pathogenic bacteria in advanced elderly patients with occult pneumonia are mainly gram-negative bacteria.The positive rate of CT scan confirmed-occult pneumonia is much higher than that by chest X-ray.The advanced elderly patients with occult pneumonia have longer hospitalization time and higher mortality rates.Old age,senile dementia and hypothyroidism are independent risk factors for occult pneumonia in advanced elderly patients.

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of combined detection of serum angiopoietin 2 (Ang-2) and Clara cell protein 16 (CC16) in the early diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: Two hundred critical patients, treated at the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Bao'an District People's Hospital, Shenzhen during March 2015 and September 2016,were included in the study. According to the Berlin standard, patients were divided into two groups (n=100 each group): the ARDS group and non-ARDS group.The serum levels of Ang-2 and CC16 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on the first and second day of admission for each patient, in addition to completing APACHEⅡ score, medical history, vital signs collection and other biochemical indicators detection. Finally, paired-samples t test was used to analyze the data. The multiple ROC curve was used to calculate the area under the curve of the reference index of the serum levels of Ang-2 and CC16 on the first and second day. Results: On the first and second day, the serum levels of Ang-2 and CC16 were significantly higher in ARDS patients than those in non-ARDS patients, and there was a correlation between the serum levels of Ang-2 and CC16 in ARDS patients. The ROC curve showed that the combined detection of Ang-2 and CC16 on the first day achieved a highest sensitivity of 75.9% and detection of CC16 on the first day achieved a highest specificity of 70.2%. Conclusion Single-detection of serum levels of Ang-2 and CC16 could be used for early diagnosis of ARDS, and the combined detection of both has a higher sensitivity than single detection.