Objective To establish a TLC method for the identification of herbal medicines in Fuke Zhixue Granules.Methods Fructus Gardeniae,Radix Scutellariae,Flos Sophorae,Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Cortex Moutan were identified by TLC.Results Under the selected condition,clear and distinguishable spots were detectable and the separating result was satisfactory.Conclusion The methods are proved to be simple and specialized with a good reproductivity and can be used as one of the quality control for the preparation.

Objective:To optimize the macroporous resin separation process for total flavonoids in papaya. Methods:The content of total flavonoids in papaya was selected as the index, and the resin model, sample solution concentration, ratio of diameter and height, the flow rate of adsorption, type and volume of eluent, type and volume of impurity removing solvent, elution velocity and the other parameters were investigated. Results:The optimal purification process was as follows: the macroporous resin type was D-140, the sample solution concentration was 0. 1 g·ml-1 , the sample volume was 2BV, the ratio of diameter and height was 1∶9, washing the impurities with 3BV water, eluting with 3BV 10% ethanol first followed by 3BV 50% ethanol with 2BV·h-1 , and collecting 50%ethanol elution. The total flavonoids content was 52%. Conclusion:The optimized process can separate and purify the total flavonoids in papaya effectively.

Objective To investigate the age-related pattern of normal skull bone marrow with 3. 0 T MR T1WI. Methods Cranial MR T1WI images which were defined to be normal were retrospectively reviewed in 360 cases. Patients with known diffuse bone marrow disease, focal lesions, history of radiation treatment or steroid therapy were excluded, while patients whose cranial MRI and follow-up visits were all normal were included in this study. All the subjects were divided into 7 groups according to the age: < 1, 1--2,3--5, 6--14, 15--29, 30--49, >50 years group. Mid- and para- sagittal T1WI images were used to be analyzed and the type of cranial bone marrow was classified according to the thickness of diploe and the pattern of the signal characteristics. Statistical analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between the age and the type. Results The normal skull bone marrow could be divided into four types as follows: (1) Type- Ⅰ : 115 cases, 47 of which appeared type- Ⅰ a and the mean thickness was ( 1.24±0. 31 ) mm; 68 of which appeared type- Ⅰ b and the mean thickness was ( 1.76 ± 0. 37 ) mm. Type- Ⅱ : 57 cases and the mean thickness was (2.78 ±0.69) mm. Type-Ⅲ: 148 cases, 18 of which appeared type-Ⅲ a and the mean thickness was (2. 33±0. 65) mm; 88 of which appeared type-Ⅲ b and the mean thickness was (4. 01 ± 0. 86) mm; 42 of which appeared type-Ⅲ c and the mean thickness was (4. 31±0. 73) mm. Type-Ⅳ: 40 cases, 25 of which appeared type-Ⅳ a and the mean thickness was (5. 17 ± 1.02) mm; 15 of which appeared type-Ⅳ b and the mean thickness was (5.85±1.45) mm. (2) <1 year group: 40 cases, 20 of which appeared type- Ⅰ a, 20 type- Ⅰ b and the mean thickness of this group was ( 1.47 ± 0. 42 ) mm. 1-- 2 years group: 40 cases, 16 of which appeared type- Ⅰ a, 18 type- Ⅰ b, 6 type- Ⅱ and the mean thickness of this group was ( 1.68±0. 52) mm. 3--5 years group: 40 cases, 8 of which appeared type- Ⅰ a, 18 type-Ⅰb, 14 type-Ⅱ and the mean thickness of this group was (1.84±0.73) mm. 6--14 years group: 60 cases, 3 of which appeared type- Ⅰ a, 12 type- Ⅰ b, 27 type-Ⅱ , 12 type-Ⅲb, 6 type-Ⅲc, and the mean thickness of this group was (2.92±1. 00) mm. 15--29 years group: 60 cases, 7 of which appeared type-Ⅱ , 5 type-ma, 27 type-Ⅲb, 15 type-Ⅲc, 6 type-Ⅳa and the mean thickness of this group was (3.95 ± 0.97) mm. 30---49 years group: 60 cases, 3 of which appeared type-Ⅱ , 7 type-Ⅲa, 29 type-Ⅲb, 15 type-Ⅲc, 3 type-Ⅳa and 3 type-Ⅳb and the mean thickness of this group was (4. 30 ± 1.35) mm. ≥50 years group: 60 cases, 6 of which appeared type-Ⅲ a, 20 type-Ⅲb, 6 type-Ⅲc, 16 type-Ⅳa and 12 type-Ⅳb and the mean thickness of this group was (4.51 ± 1.40) mm. (3) There is a linear relationship between ages and types that is revealed by chi-square test (x2 = 266. 36, P < 0. 01 ). Conclusion There is characteristic in the distribution of normal skull bone marrow with age growing. And skull bone marrow transforms gradually from type- Ⅰ to Ⅳ with aging.

Objective To study the changes of apparent diffusion coefficient（ADC）values and the feature of the cranial bone in the pituitary adenomas patients with different levels of prolactin（PRL）.Methods A total of 37 patients with pituitary adenoma and 20 healthy volunteers（serum prolactin 7.5～21.7 ng/ml,as control group G1）underwent routine MR and axial EPI-DWI scan（b=0,500 s/mm2）.The patients were divided into group G2（PRL 26.72 ng/ml,n =7）,group G3（PRL 26.72~200 ng/ml,n =17）,and group G4（PRL200 ng/ml,n =13）.The signal intensity of the interested regions（ROIs）was measured on DWI maps containing frontal,parietal,occipital bone marrow.The averaged ADC values were calculated among the 4 groups and compared with case groups and control group.The correlation between prolactin levels in patients with pituitary adenomas and ADC values of their skull bone marrow was explored.Results All patients had a hyperintensity of skull bone marrow signal on DWI maps.The ADC values of frontal,parietal and occipital bone marrow were as follows：G1（1.11±0.21,1.18±0.18,1.16±0.15×10-3 mm2/s）,G2（0.95±0.20,0.86±0.12,1.09±0.11×10-3 mm2/s）,G3（0.99±0.16,0.83± 0.21,0.98±0.25×10-3 mm2/s）,G4（0.81±0.20,0.69±0.16,0.83±0.28×10-3 mm2/s）.The ADC values of G3 and G4 were lower than those of G1（P 0.05）.There was no significant difference（P 0.05）between G2 and G1.Conclusion The ADC values of skull bone marrow were negatively correlated with serum prolactin levels in patients with pituitary adenomas.DWI examination might be beneficial for the identification of pituitary adenomas.

BACKGROUNDLittle is known about the value of (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) in in vivo assessment of exhaustive exercise-induced injury in skeletal muscle. We aimed to evaluate the value of a (31)P-MRS study using the quadriceps femoris after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats, and the correlation between (31)P-MRS and histological changes.

METHODSSixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive exercise groups. (31)P-MRS of the quadriceps femoris of the right lower limb was performed immediately after swimming exercise to detect Pi, PCr, and β-ATP. The Pi/PCr, Pi/β-ATP, PCr/β-ATP, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were calculated and pH measured. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of (31)P-MRS in identifying and distinguishing the three groups. HE staining, electron microscopy and desmin immunostaining after imaging of the muscle were used as a reference standard. The correlation between (31)P-MRS and the mean absorbance (A value) of desmin staining were analyzed with the Pearson correlation test.

RESULTSPi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) showed statistically significant intergroup differences (P < 0.05). AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.905, 0.848, 0.930, and 0.930 for the control and half-exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 90%/85%, 95%/55%, 95%/80%, and 90%/85%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.995, 0.980, 1.000, and 1.000 for the control and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 95%/90%, 100%/90%, 100%/95%, and 100%/95%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.735, 0.865, 0.903, and 0.903 for the half-exhaustive and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 80%/60%, 90%/75%, 95%/65%, and 95%/70%, respectively. In the half-exhaustive group, some muscle fibers exhibited edema in HE staining, and the unclear Z-discs and the mitochondria with vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. Compared with the half-exhaustive group, muscle fiber edema was increased in the exhaustive group, and the Z-discs were broken and the mitochondria exhibited marked vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. There were significant difference in A values of desmin staining in the right vastus lateralis among the control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive groups with 0.58 ± 0.06, 0.30 ± 0.04, and 0.21 ± 0.02, respectively (P < 0.05). Histological examination also showed injury-induced changes in the vastus lateralis among the different intensities groups. Statistically a moderate correlation between (31)P-MRS and desmin was observed, the correlation coefficients of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were -0.706, 0.709, -0.726, and 0.791, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS(31)P-MRS can effectively reflect the changes in energy metabolism in the skeletal muscle after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats. Based on the significant correlation between (31)P-MRS parameters and histological changes, the changes of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) can indirectly reflect the degree of exercise-induced injury.

Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; physiology ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley