Objective To optimize the RP-HPLC procedure for the determination of aristolochic acid. Method Different extraction solvents and methods have been screened to get the most efficient way for sample preparation. The influence of different mobile systems on quantitation were compared to choose an approprate mobile system for determination. Besides,the minimum limits of different detecting waves were measured to give the method to detect trace amount of aristolochic acid. Result Refluxing with 70% methanol was better than other ways in sample preparation. Both methanol-1% acetic acid (70∶30) solution and 0.3% ammonium carbonate solution (pH=7.5)-acetonitrile (75∶25) with wavelength of 250 nm and 319 nm can be used for quantitation while 0.3% ammonium carbonate solution (pH=7.5)-acetonitrile (75∶25) with wavelength of 224 nm for trace detection. The minimum detectable amount was 0.02 ng. Conclusion The method established can be applied to determinate aristolochic acid and detect trace amout exactly.

Objective A rapid method was constructed for detection of 3 kinds of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors (sidenafil,vardalafil,tadalafil) in invigorative health food by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS method).Methods The characteristic ions of the PDE5 inhibitors could be used for preliminary identification and semiquantitative analysis with internal standard method using PSI-MS method.Results The 24 kinds of commercially available health-care products includes capsule,tablet,pill,powder,wine,syrup and liquid were tested.Results from PSI-MS were consistent with the HPLC-UV date.The calibration curves of PSI-MS has a good linearity in a given range.The linear coefficients of analytes were higher than 0.99.The LODs of 3 kinds of PDE5 inhibitors were lower than 1.0 mg/L.The RSDs of this method ranged from 20％ to 24％.Conclusion The PSI-MS method was rapid,accurate and targeted,which is compliant for quickly screening the PDE5 inhibitors in large complex matrix samples.

ObjectiveTo prospectively investigate the feasibility of contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography(CE-MRA)for visualization of the spinal vasculature.MethodsTen volunteers and fifteen patients with thoracic or lumbar disk herniation underwent contrast-enhanced MR angiography of the thoracoabdominal aorta and posterior branches.Examination Was performed with three-dimensional CE-MRA technique and 0.3 mmol/kg of gadolinium contrast agent Was administrated.ResultsIn all examinations,the Adamkiewicz artery,the anterior spinal artery(ASA),and their connections witll the aorta were identified.The Adamkiewicz artery originated between T8 and L3 in all examinations and derived from the left side of the aorta in 80% of all examinations.ASA was able to be observed from T6 to L3.The diameter of Adamkiewicz artery Was 0.6-1.2 mm and ASA was 0.6-1.0 mm.Conclusion CE-MRA Can be used to lOCalize Adamkiewicz artery and provide accurate information for clinical approach.

Objective To determine whether the incidence of pseudolesions of the liver caused by falciform ligament was correlated with liver function.Methods MRI of 150 consecutive cases were evaluated for the presence of pseudolesions caused by ligament compression.All cases were divided into two groups according to the Child-Pugh classification of liver function: Group I-normal liver function and Grade A(98 cases);Group II-Grades B and C(52 cases).Results The incidence of pseudolesions was 31.63% in groups I and no artifacts in Group II.The incidence of pseudolesions was significantly higher in Group I compared with those in Group II.Conclusion The artifacts in the liver caused by falciform compression on MR contrast-enhanced scan images may be seen more frequently in the patients with well liver function than in those with impaired function.

SUMMARY Mercury intoxication is a rare cause of severe hypertension. A case of mercury intoxication presented with severe hypertension and erythromelalgia was reported. A 10-year-and-5-month-old girl presented with recurrent rash and painful hands for 2 months, with seizure attack and episodic loss of consciousness for one hand half months. The girl was found to have red painful hands, a blood pressure 170/120 mm Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa), tachycardia and hypokalemia (2.83-3.25 mmol/L, reference value 3.5-5.5 mmol/L). An extensive investigation ensued. Elevated renin-angiotensin and aldosterone were demonstrated in plasma. Cranial MRI T2 weighed images showed widespread white matter signal abnormalities, which particularly involved parietal, occipital and frontal lobes. With hypertension controlled, white matter signal abnormalities weakened. Other symptoms included insomnia, nausea and paroxysmal abdominal pain. The girl was found to have a raised concentration of mercury in urine (0.171 mg/L, reference value

Objective This study was designed to assess whether Bushen Tongluo Fang(BSTLF),a Chinese materia medica formula,can ameliorate the hypercoagulable state in rats with membranous glomerulonephritis(MGN)induced by cationized bovine serum albumin(C-BSA)in order to gain an insight into the mechanisms responsible for its therapeutic effect.Methods Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly separated into six groups:the normal control group,the MGN model group,the prednisone-plus-aspirin treatment group,and the low-,moderate-,and high-dose groups of BSTLF.The model of MGN was induced by sc(preimmunization)and iv injections of C-BSA in the latter five groups.After the development of MGN model,the decoctions of BSTLF and the prednisone-plus-aspirin solution were ig administered to the treatment groups respectively twice daily for four weeks.The rats in the model group received their drinking water as vehicle controls.Urinary albumin excretion for 24 h was measured using a rat albumin ELISA kit.The platelet aggregation was analyzed by turbidimetry.The plasma level of fibri-nogen(Fib)was determined by the von Clauss assay.Radioimmunoassay was used to examine thromboxane B2(TXB2)and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1?(6-keto-PGF1?)of the renal cortex.Results Urinary albumin excretion for 24 h,maximal platelet aggregation,plasma Fib level,and TXB2 production of renal cortex in the MGN model group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group,respectively.Compared with the MGN model group,these four measurements were decreased significantly in BSTLF-treated groups.The 6-keto-PGF1? production of renal cortex in the MGN model group was subnormal but no statistically significant differences were observed between the model group and BSTLF groups.Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the administration of BSTLF could attenuate platelet aggregability,lower plasma level of Fib and reduce thromboxane A2 production by renal cortex in the rats with MGN,so that their hypercoagulable state is corrected at least partly and glomerular microthroimbosis is prevented in several ways.These effects may contribute considerably to the mechanisms of BSTLF efficacy for chronic nephritis.

Aim To explore the protective effect of ac-tive components of Xiaoxuming decoction ( XXMD ) on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats dur-ing early recovery period .Methods The ischemia and reperfusion of middle cerebral artery model rats were established by nylon wire with 2 hours ischemic time on healthy male SD rats .The models of MCAO were eval-uated by Zea-Longa′s standard score .The model rats were randomly divided into sham operation group , the ischemia/reperfusion model group , the active compo-nents group of Xiaoxuming decoction and the positive group (extract of ginkgo biloba leaves EGb 761).Rats were orally administrated with different drugs 24 h after operation for up to 14 days, once a day.The effect of active components of Xiaoxuming decoction on behavior changes of MCAO rats in different recovery period was evaluated by a series of behavioral assessent methods such as modified neurological severity scores and cor-ner test.The infarct volume was observed by TTC stai-ning.Moreover, the contents of MDA and the activities of GSH-Px, SOD and NOS in the penumbra and core tissues of rat brain were detected by spectrophotometric method.Results Compared with the I/R model group, the active components group of XXMD could significantly alleviate the neurological deficit scores with prolonged administration . The motion function tended to be normal , stayed longer on the balance beam, sensory function gradually restored sensitivity , reduced the radio of turning to the right .Among them , compared with model group , the active components of XXMD could effectively improve the neurological dys-function after five days of administration ( P<0.05, P<0.01).Meanwhile, the active components of Xiaox-uming decoction could significantly reduce the infarct volume percentage in the cerebral tissue on post opera-tion day 5 and 14(P<0.01).In addition, the active components of XXMD could reduce the content of MDA and the activity of NOS , increase the activity of SOD and GSH-Px.Conclusion The active components of XXMD can generate neuroprotective effect in early stage of recovery and may play a major role in regula-ting the level of oxidative stress in rat brain .

Objective To evaluate the predictive performance of diaphragm thickening fraction ( DTF) assessed by ultrasound in the feasibility of weaning from mechanical ventilation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) . Methods Forty-three patients with COPD were enrolled for prospective study.All patients were ventilated mechanically for more than 48 hours and were expected to be weaned when they met clinical criteria in the intensive care unit from February 2015 to August 2015.Patients received a spontaneous breathing trial under pressure support for 1 h.At the end of spontaneous breathing trial, the right hemi-diaphragm was visualized in the zone of apposition using a 6-13 MHz linear ultrasound probe. Diaphragm thickness was recorded at end-inspiration (DTei) and end-expiration (DTee), and the DTF was calculated as percentage from the following formula:(DTei -DTee) /DTee.Also the rapid shallow breathing index ( RSBI ) was calculated.Patients meeting weaning criteria were extubated.Weaning successfully was defined as spontaneous breathing for >48 h without any form of ventilation support.Results Twenty-five patients were weaned successfully and failure of weaning was found in 18 patients.A significant differences in DTF ( 39.66 ±13.22 )%vs.( 23.84 ±8.85 )%, P <0.05 and RSBI ( 62.74 ±26.05 ) vs.( 98.89 ± 35.44) , P <0.05 were observed between patients with successful weaning and patients with failure.The sensitivity and specificity of DTF≥30 % for successful weaning were 84% and 83.88 %, respectively.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.872 ( 95 % CI: 0.759-0.985 ) for DTF.By comparison, when RSBI was ≤105, there was a sensitivity of 92 %, and a specificity of 38.89 % for determining successful weaning.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.804 ( 95 %CI: 0.669-0.940) for RSBI. Conclusions This study shows that in a cohort of COPD patients, the assessment of DTF using diaphragm ultrasound may be useful to predict success weaning or failure during spontaneous breathing trial.

Objective To develop a duplex fluorescence RT-PCR assay for detection of scavenger receptor class B, typeⅠ(SRBⅠ) knockout mice. Methods Primers and probes were designed according to knockout region of SRBⅠgene and related substituted sequence. DNA samples were extracted from tails of mice and performed amplification using real-time PCR. SRBⅠgenotypes of mice were analyzed according to amplification curves of FAM and CY5 channels. Finally, the sensitivity of the method was detected and the accuracy was verified by the direct sequencing. Results The homozygous SRBⅠwild genotype showed an amplification curve only in FAM channel. When the homozygous SRBⅠknockout genotype was present, the typical S amplification curve appeared only in the CY5 channel. Heterozygous genotype showed two typical S amplification curves in both FAM and CY5 channels, respectively. The results showed that the sensitivity reached 4×101 copies/μL, and there was complete concordance between this method and direct DNA sequencing. Conclusion The new method is simple, rapid and accurate, which is suitable for genotyping SRBⅠknockout mice.