An approach was proposed to evaluate preparation technology by means of fingerprint-peak matching technology of high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector （HPLC-DAD）. Similarity and hierarchical clustering analysis （HCA） were applied to identify the 15 batches of Xiaochaihu granules from different manufacturers and our laboratory, and peak pattern matching between the composite formulae and Radix Bupleuri Chinensis, which was one of the main ingredients of Xiaochaihu granules, was utilized to evaluate the preparation technology of Xiaochaihu granules via the indexes of the relative deviation of retention time （RT） and UV spectrum feature similarity of their corresponding peaks. Eleven matching peaks were found between Xiaochaihu granules and Radix Bupleuri Chinensis. However, the saikosaponin A and saikosaponin D, which are the important active components in Radix Bupleuri Chinensis, were not found in Xiaochaihu granules from any manufacturers. The peak areas of 11 characteristic peaks of Xiaochaihu granules samples formed a matrix of 11 × 15. The result of HCA showed that Xiaochaihu granules samples were divided into four kinds of category. Xiaochaihu granules samples from the same manufacturer were basically clustered of the same category. The results suggested that the saikosaponin A and saikosaponin D are prone to structural transformation under the condition of decoction and in the presence of the organic acidic components. These active components, existing in raw herb, might transform to a series of non-active secondary saikosaponin due to unfavourable preparation technology. So the conventional decoction-based preparation technology of Xiaochaihu granules might greatly affect its quality and therapeutic effectiveness. This study demonstrates that fingerprint-peak matching technology can not only be used for quality control of this composite formulae, but also provide some guidance for preparation technology of Xiaochaihu granules.

OBJECTIVE:To study the extraction process of ginsenoside.METHODS:The optimal extraction process was selected with the orthogonal design.The content of ginsenoside in ginseng was determined by UV-Spectrophotometry.RESUL_TS:The amount and concentration of alcohol and extraction time showed significant influence on extract obtained.CONCLUSI_ON:The optimal extraction process is as follows:adding 75% alcohol into crude ginseng(6∶1 in weight) and extracting 6 times for 45 min each extraction.

Objective To determine the relationship between time management disposition and subjective well-being among the head nurses.Methods Totally 388 cases in third-grade class-A hospitals in Chengdu were investigated with Time Management Disposition Scale and Subjective Well-being Scale.Results The higher the scores in time management disposition,the higher the scores of the head nurses in subjective well-being.There was a significant positive correlation between time management disposition and subjective well-being.Among which,time efficacy feeling and time monitoring view had significant predictable effect toward subjective well-being.Conclusions Time management disposition had significant influences on subjective well-being.It indicates that we can improve subjective well-being and promote mental health of the head nurses to a certain extent through strengthening time management training to improve time management disposition level.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of Wenxin granule on the related indexes of senile patients with primary hy-pertension and acute left cardiac failure. METHODS:160 senile patients with primary hypertension and acute left cardiac failure were randomly divided into control group(80 cases)and observation group(80 cases). Control group received 12.5 mg captopril, orally,twice to 3 times a day (if patients had taken plenty of diuretic drugs,in low sodium and/or low blood volume,patients with normal or low blood pressure,the initial dose was 6.25 mg,3 times a day). Observation group additionally given 9 g of Wenxin granule,3 times a day. The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks. SBP,DBP,PP,SDANN,SDNN-Index,RMS-SD,PNN50,improvement of cardiac functions before and after treatment,and incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups were ob-served. RESULTS:After treatment,the SBP,DBP and PP in 2 groups were significantly lower than before,and observation group was lower than control group,SDNN,SDANN,SDNN-Index、RMSSD and PNN 50 were significantly higher than before,and ob-servation group was higher than control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). And there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Based on conventional treatment,wenxin granule can significantly reduce the bloop pressure of senile patients with primary hypertension and acute left cardiac failure,improve cardiac functions and inhibit autonomic disorders,with good safety.

Objective The study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of azithromycin in lung function of patients with IPF.Methods Randomized controlled trials were searched in CNKI,data-base of Wanfang and WeiPu,where azithromycin was used to patients with IPF.We extracted all data on lung functions,standardized mean difference (SMD)with 95% confidence intervals (CI )were pooled with Stata 11.0.Results Seven unique trials with 516 participants were identified.Be compared to pred-nisone,the patients with IPF received azithromycin experienced no improvement in FVC% [SMD = -2.00,95% CI =(-2.05,-1.95)],but it was found that azithromycin was superior to prednisone in in-crease the percentage of carbon monoxide diffusing [SMD =1.16,95% CI =(-2.83,5.16)]and de-cline the percentage of residual volume[SMD =3.00,95% CI =(1.04,4.96)].Azithromycin combined with prednisone were statistically superior to prednisone alone in improvement of FEV1 %[SMD =7.80, 95% CI =(5.92,9.67)],FVC%[SMD =7.23,95% CI =(4.89,7.56)]and lung carbon monoxide diffusion function[ml/(min·kpa))][SMD =40.62,95% CI =(38.96,42.28)].Conclusions Our study suggests that azithromycin significantly improvement pulmonary diffusion function in patients with IPF. Azithromycin combined with prednisone were more effective in improvement of FEV1 %,FVC% and lung diffusion function.

Objective To explore the relationship between Wuyishan cliff tea and esophageal cancer,and make integrated measures to prevent and control esophageal cancer.Methods A case-control study was conducted with a ratio of 1 to 1 and a health survey was conducted on objects which included 92 cases with histologically confirmed diagnoses of squamous-cell carcinoma of the esophagus and 92 controls matched by age,sex and resident.The analysis method of conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of cliff tea on the development of esophageal cancer. Results The frequency of cliff tea drinking was 73.91% in cases with esophageal cancer compared with 84.78% in controls. As compared with subjects without tea drinking,subjects with cliff tea drinking significantly decreased the risk for developing esophageal cancer (P<0.05),and its OR were 0.60.The risk of esophageal cancer significantly reduced with increasing frequency of cliff tea drinking per week. Furthermore, we also found that the risk of esophageal cancer significantly reduced with the duration of cliff tea drinking and the early of beginning to drink cliff tea.Conclusion Wuyishan cliff tea drinking may protect against the risk of esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the curative effect of combined transplantation of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of same sibling in children with β-thalassemia major.METHODS: Eight thalassemia major patients undergoing combined transplantation of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of same sibling aged from 4.0 to 7.5 years, 5 boys and 3 girls, were recruited at the Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital,Southem Medical University from January 2005 to March 2009. The patients were classified into three classes according to Pesarothalassamia classification, class Ⅰ to class Ⅱ 7 cases and class Ⅲ 1 case. Donors ranged 1-4 years received 10 μg/kg per day of subcutaneous granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for 5 consecutive days. Bone marrow was harvested on the fifth day. Bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of the same sibling then were transfused into the patient.RESULTS: Recovery of hematopoiesis was gained in all patients 4 weeks following transplantation. Seven patients suffered from infection of different degree. Four patients developed mild venous occlusive disease. Two patients developed grade Ⅰ acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and one developed grade Ⅰ chronic GVHD. Seven patients were alive and one died of pulmonary infection and heart failure 32 days following transplantation.CONCLUSION: Combined transplantation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor primed bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of same sibling in children with β-thalassemia major is safe and effective with promising results. However, complications should be paid high attention following transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid factor (RF) is a kind of autoantibody which is routinely used as a factor in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to evaluate disease activity and severity.But in clinical practice, it occurs frequently that RF values do not decrease according to clinical improvement in RA patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between rheumatoid factor (RF) and activity or disease severity of RA.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized cross-sectional study was performed in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University during September 2006 and September 2007.PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-six patients,65 females and 11 males,mean age of (44±13) years,with RA diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA were included in this study. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with active RA were randomly recruited and assessed for functional status,radiographic change,joint pain,morning stiffness, tender joint count (TJC), tender joint score (TJS), swollen joint count (SJC), swollen joint score (SJS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP),RF,and hemoglobin. The method of Pearson correlation or Spearman rank correlation was performed for assessing the association between RF and these indices separately, normally distributed data for Pearson correlation, nonnormally distributed data for Spearman rank correlation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation of RF with above mentioned factors. RESULTS: None of the correlation coefficients between RF and indices including age,disease duration, functional status,radiographic change,joint pain, morning stiffness, TJC,TJS,SJC,SJS,HAQ,ESR,CRP,hemoglobin were significant (P＞0.05). CONCLUSION: No associations between RF and activity or severity of RA are studied.

BACKGROUND: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 is closely connected to the occurrence of some rheumatic diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis and can be used as an important factor for evaluating the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. Immunomagnetic separation and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (IMS-ELISA) has been applied to the detection of HLA-B27.OBJECTIVE: To explore the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of IMSELISA for detecting HLA-B27 and its value in the auxiliary diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.DESIGN: A clinical trial in comparison with the gold standard.SETTING: Departments of Rheumatology and Clinical Laboratory, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-six patients suffering from low back pain and/or arthritis who were treated for the first time in Department of Rheumatology from December 2002 to April 2003. Inclusion criteria: ① Presence of manifestations of low back pain and/or arthritis; ② Thorough documentation of clinical and other examinations; ③ Informed consent to HLA-B27 examination; ④ Treatment for the first time in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yet-sen University. Those with other serious diseases or with incomplete record of clinical and/or accessory examinations were excluded. The 86 patients included 56 male and 30 female patients aged from 12 to 65 years.METHODS: Blood sample was detected for HLA-B27 by both IMS-ELISA and microlymphocytotoxicity test, and the latter was selected as the gold standard. The coincidence rate of the results detected by the two methods as well as the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of IMS-ELISA were calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① The coincidence rate of the results of the two methods. ② The sensitivity and specificity of IMS-ELISA for detecting HLA-B27.RESULTS: None of the patients was lost. For the 33 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, the positivity rate of IMS-ELISA (90.9％) was higher than that of microlymphocytotoxicity test (87.9％), but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05). The total coincidence rate of the two methods was 93.0％ in all the 86 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of IMS-ELISA were 90.0％, 95.7％,94.7％ and 91.7％ respectively.CONCLUSION: Both IMS-ELISA and microlymphocytotoxicity test are capable of reliable examination of HLA-B27 with high sensitivity and specificity.