17 Cheqiancao produced in China were identified by UV spectrophotometry. The differences of their UV spectra were listed.

Objective To investigate the changes in cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) in term infants with critical illness and to evaluate their functional status.Methods One hundred and fifty term infants who were transferred to the hospital within 72 hours after birth were involved (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks).These term infants were evaluated by neonatal critical illness scores (NCIS) at the time of admission, and they were divided into a mild group and a severe group according to the NCIS scores.Serum cortisol and ACTH concentrations were measured at the time of admission on day 7 and day 14 after birth.Results (1) Within 72 hours after birth, the basic serum cortisol concentration of severe illness infants [(283.5 ± 196.0) μg/L] was significantly higher than that of the infants with mild illness[(175.0 ± 186.5) μg/L], and there was a significant difference (t =-3.830, P =0.000).The basic serum cortisol concentration of the term infants with severe illness was higher than that of the term infants with mild illness,but there was no significant difference[7 d:(94.1 ±41.3) μg/L vs (62.5 ±37.9) μg/L,14 d:(68.6 ±47.7)μg/L vs (50.9 ± 38.4) μg/L, all P ＞ 0.05].(2) Among the infants with critical illness, the basic serum cortisol concentration within 72 hours after birth was significantly higher than those of day 7 and day 14 after birth (t--5.994, 2.848;P =0.000,0.036).(3) Among the mild infants, the basic serum cortisol concentration within 72 hours after birth was significantly higher than those of day 7 and day 14 after birth (t =4.691,3.076;P =0.000,0.037).(4) The basic serum ACTH concentrations had no significant difference between the severe group and the mild group[≤72 h: (101.55±61.52) ng/Lvs (85.54±59.83) ng/L,7 d:(54.91±22.75) ng/Lvs (71.07±20.51) ng/L,14 d: (44.67 ± 28.30) ng/L vs (44.92 ± 24.68) ng/L, all P ＞ 0.05].(5) The serum cortisol and ACTH concentration within 72 hours after birth of the dead infants[(351.9 ± 179.7) μg/L, (215.5 ± 165.9) ng/L] were significantly higher than those of the survivors [(201.4 ± 161.4) μg/L, (83.5 ± 54.0) ng/L], and there were significant differences(t =-2.547,-3.833;P =0.012,0.000).(6) The basic serum cortisol concentration within 72 hours after birth had a negative correlation with NCIS(r =-0.293, P =0.043), pH (r =-0.336, P =0.000) and base excess (BE) (r =-0.261 ,P =0.002);but it had a positive correlation with ACTH concentration within 72 hours after birth (r =0.443 ,P =0.000).The serum basic ACTH within 72 hours after birth had a negative correlation with BE (r =-0.181 ,P =0.031) ,and had positive correlation with the basic serum cortisol concentration within 72 hours and day 7 (r =0.443,0.268;P =0.000,0.048).Conclusions The term infants have the ability to response to external stimuli by regulating cortisol secretion.The basic serum cortisol concentration of term infants is related to the critical illness.The worse the condition is,the higher the base serum cortisol concentration is.

Objective To assess the value of CMV viral load test in the diagnosis and prognostic judgment of infantile cytomegalovirus infection with whole blood and urine specimens. Methods 50 infants with active CMV infection were selected, which pp65 antigen was positive in serological detection and either CMV-IgM positive or the titer of CMV-IgG ≥40. The viral load in whole blood and urine specimens was detected before and after a course of preemptive ganciclovir treatment and the pp65 antigen was determined after treatment. Results 98% patients were manifested as cytomegalovirus viral load quantitative measurement in whole blood positive before the treatment, while 14% after. The positive ratio of pp65 assay after therapy was 6%. And there was no significant difference between the results of the two kinds of detection methods measurement in urine before and after treatment was 98% and 90%, respectively. The results of urinary viral load quantitative detection did not coincide with clinical characteristics of CMV infection (P＜0.05,Sp＝0.11,PVP＝0.55, (Youden's index)＝0.09). Conclusions Good coincidence could be found between CMV-DNA quantitative measurement in whole blood and pp65 antigenemia assay. And the former could be used as a diagnostic index of CMV positive infection. While single urinary viral load quantitative detection had no significance for the distinction between active and latent CMV infection and dynamic monitoring of CMV treatment.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the occurrence of paclitaxel(PTX)-induced muscle soreness and therapeutic efficacy and safety of diclofenac sodium. METHODS:Among 84 patients with malignant tumor receiving PTX chemotherapy,56 patients suf-fered from PTX-induced muscle soreness,among which 22 female patients suffered from medium and severe muscle soreness and then were randomly divided into group A and B,with 11 cases in each group. Group A was given Diclofenac sodium sustained-re-lease tablet 75 mg orally,once a day;group B was given Paracetamol and tramadol hydrochloride tablets one tablet orally,once a day,and then given Promethazine hydrochloride injection 100 mg subcutaneously,2-3 times a day when muscle soreness could not be born. Treatment course of both groups lasted for 5 d. The distribution of muscle soreness were observed. The onset time and dura-tion of muscle soreness were also observed as well as pain relief and the occurrence of ADR in group A and B. RESULTS:Among 84 cases,the incidence of muscle soreness was 66.67%,among which mild pain accounted for 23.81%,moderate pain accounted for 13.10%,and severe pain accounted for 29.76%. Among 56 patients with muscle soreness,earliest muscle soreness occurred on the day of medication,and most of muscle soreness occurred on 1-3 days after medication,mainly manifesting as sore,activity limitation when severe,associated with fatigue. The pain relief rate of group A and B were 100%,but the incidence of adverse re-actions in group A was significantly lower than group B,with statistical significances(P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:Diclofenac sodi-um is similar to paracetamol and tramadol hydrochloride in the treatment of PTX-induced muscle soreness,but it is better than paracetamol and tramadol hydrochloride in safety.

Objective To investigate the effect of illness severity on preterm infant's hypothalamusputituary-adrenal (HPA) axis, we measured the serum concentration of cortisol,aldosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Methods Ninety preterm infants who were transferred to our hospital within 72 hours after birth were involved. These preterm infants were divided into two groups:gestational age (GA) ≥34 weeks' preterm infants and GA <34 weeks' preterm infants. We evaluated these preterm infants at the time of admission,day 7 and day 14 after birth with neonatal critical illness score (NCIS). Then they were divided into mild group and severe group by the lowest score. We measured their serum cortisol,aldosterone and ACTH at the time of admission,day 7 and day l4 after birth. Results (1) The serum cortisol concentration of preterm infants with severe illness was higher than that of preterm infants with mild illness. Among the GA ≥34 weeks' preterm infants,the serum cortisol concentration of preterm infants with severe illness was significandy higher than that of preterm infants with mild illness within 72 hours after birth (t = -2.263,P =0. 029). Among the GA <34 weeks' preterm infants,the serum cortisol concentration of preterm infants with severe illness was significantly higher than that of preterm infants with mild illness on day 14 after birth (t =-2. 913 ,P =0. 006). (2) Among the preterm infants with severe illness,the serum cortisol concentration of the GA≥34 weeks' was significantly higher than that of the GA < 34 weeks' within 72 hours after birth (t =-2. 641 ,P =0. 010) ;the serum cortisol concentration of the GA <34 weeks' was significantly higher than that of the GA≥34 weeks' on the day 14 after birth(t = -2. 189,P =0. 036) . (3) The serum cortisol concentration was significantly decreased in the GA≥34 weeks'preterm infants (F = 4. 679, P =0. 012). (4) The serum cortisol concentration of aldosterone and ACTH was not significantly different between preterm infants with severe illness and those with mild illness. Conclusion The preterm infant already has the ability to respond to stimuli by regulating cortisol secretion. The serum cortisol concentration increases as disease severity worsens.Serum aldosterone and ACTH concentration are not correlated with the severity of the disease.

In this study the poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) hydrogel elastomer was prepared by freezing-thawing method. The influences of percentage of poly (vinyl alcohol) in hydrogel, pH of solution and swelling temperature upon the swelling characteristic of PVA-hydrogel prosthetic nucleus material were studied. Its micropores were observed using SEM, and the swelling dynamics was further discussed. The experimental results showed that the poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel was a kind of network with a lot of micropores, the pore size was related with the PVA content. The maximum swelling ratio decreases when the percentage of PVA in hydrogel, the pH of solution and the swelling temperature were enhanced. The swelling process was described by the equation of swelling dynamics equation. The swelling rate was greatly influenced by the PVA content, the pH of solution and the dimension of hydrogel sample.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Hydrogels ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Implants, Experimental ; Intervertebral Disc ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; chemistry ; Prostheses and Implants ; standards

For the purpose of developing of disc nucleus replacement (semicrystalline PVA hydrogel elastomers) and explorating the possibility of clinical application, in this study,the aqueous PVA solution froze at -20 degrees C for 6-12 h, and then thawed at room temperature for 1-2 h. The same process was repeated 1-3 times. After the specimen was dehydrated in vacuum, a kind of artificial disc nucleus materials (semicrystalline PVA hydrogel elastomers ) was formed. DSC and mechanical tests were conducted to investigate the influence of aqueous PVA solution concentration, of dehydrating in vacuum, and of gamma-ray irradiating upon the degree of crystallity and mechanical properties of PVA hydrogel elastomers.
Biocompatible Materials ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cartilage, Articular ; Chemical Phenomena ; Chemistry, Physical ; Crystallization ; Elastomers ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; surgery ; Materials Testing ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthesis Design ; Tensile Strength

Objective:To compare anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) , sex hormone and inhibitor B (Inhibin B, INH-B) levels in children with different karyotypes, ages, and gender disorders of sex developmemt (DSD).Methods:A total of 101 patients with suspected gonadal dysplasia in children who underwent serological examination at the Children′s Hospital of Hunan Province from January 2019 to June 2019 were finally diagnosed by pathological biopsy. With reference to previous studies of the same type, the 101 patients included in this study were divided into 4 levels (<1 year old, 1-2 years old, 2-4 years old, >4 years old), and the social gender was divided into two levels: male and female. At the same time, 89 cases of normal gonadal development children without endocrine abnormality were selected as control. Serum levels of AMH, INH-B, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) were measured by chemiluminescence method.Results:Among the 101 cases, 62 were male and 39 were female; aged 23 days to 12 years, with a median age of 3.3 years; karyotype: 52 cases were 46, XX; 21 cases were 46, XY; 12 cases were 45, X; 7 cases were 46X, del (Xq); 5 cases were 46X, i (Xq); 2 cases were 45X, inv9; 2 cases were 45X / 46XX. There were 65 cases of partial gonadal dysplasia, 25 cases of disappearing testicular syndrome, and 11 cases of mixed gonadal dysplasia. One patient had a family history of infertility. Among the causes of children′s consultation, the most common were abnormal appearance of the external genitalia (54 cases, 53.47%), followed by small penile development and / or scrotal emptiness (25 cases, 24.75%). Other reasons included primary amenorrhea, double lateral groin mass, hypertension, clitoral hypertrophy, and labia minora adhesions. The levels of serum AMH, INH-B, and T in the gonadal dysplasia group were significantly higher than those in the normal gonadal development group, while the levels of LH, FSH, E2, and PRL were significantly lower than those in the normal gonadal development group ( P<0.05). The INH-B level of children with gonadal dysplasia in different age groups was statistically significant ( P<0.05), in which the INH-B level was the highest in <1-year-old children with gonadal dysplasia, and the lowest in 2-4-year-old children with gonadal dysplasia; the LH, FSH, E2, PRL, T levels of 46, XX and other karyotypes were statistically significant ( P<0.05); Compared with other age groups, the levels of LH, FSH, E2, and PRL were relatively higher in >4 year-old children with gonadal dysplasia, while the level of T was relatively lower; There were significant differences in E2, PRL and T levels in children with gonadal dysplasia in different age groups of 46, XY karyotype ( P<0.05). Compared with other age groups, E2, PRL and T levels of children with gonadal dysplasia >4 year-old old were relatively higher and T levels were relatively lower. The levels of AMH, LH, FSH, E2 and PRL in boys with glandular dysplasia were lower than those in girls ( P<0.05), while the levels of INH-B and T were higher in boys than those in girls ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The levels of anti-mullerian hormones, inhibin B, and sex hormones in children with gonadal dysplasia are different from the normal population, and may be related to the age, chromosome karyotype, and gender distribution of the child, but there are some confounding factors (such as etiology, treatment Scheme), so more samples are needed to verify it.

Objective:To determine the change in the expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) in lung tissues of rats with pulmonary hypertension (PH).Methods:Sixteen SPF-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8 weeks, weighing 200-220 g, were divided into 2 groups ( n=8 each) by the random number table method: control group (group C1) and PH group (group PH1). The model of PH was prepared by subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline. On day 28 after developing the model, the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured, and the Fulton index was calculated, and the percentage of media wall thickness of the small and medium pulmonary arteries and percentage of muscularized vessels were also calculated. The expression of TRAF6, transcription-3 (STAT3), phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) and Cyclin D1 in lung tissues was detected by Western blot, and p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio was calculated. The interaction between TRAF6 and STAT3 was determined by immunoprecipitation assay. Primarily cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of normal rats (group C2) and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of rats with PH (group PH2) were inoculated in 6-well plates ( n=3 each). The expression of TRAF6 mRNA was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of TRAF6, STAT3, p-STAT3 and Cyclin D1 was detected by Western blot. Results:Compared with group C1, the mPAP, Fulton index, percentage of media wall thickness of the small and medium pulmonary arteries and percentage of muscularized vessels were significantly increased, the expression of TRAF6 and Cyclin D1 in lung tissues was up-regulated, the p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio was increased ( P<0.05 or 0.01), and the results of immunoprecipitation showed that TRAF6 interacted with STAT3 in group PH1. Compared with group C2, the expression of TRAF6 protein and mRNA and Cyclin D1 was significantly up-regulated, and the p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio was increased in group PH2 ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusions:The expression of TRAF6 in the lung tissue is up-regulated in rats with PH, which may be related to pulmonary vascular remodeling by promoting the activation of STAT3.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of quantitative evaluation of fallopian tubes patency by the rising slope of pressure curve produced by bolus injection using a liquid diagnostic apparatus in the four-dimen-sional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography. Methods A total of 205 patients with infertility were collected for four-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography. In the examination,the contrast medium concentration,the liquid volume of the liquid diagnostic apparatus and the speed of the liquid were stationary calculated. The rising slope of the curve was calculated according to the real-time pressure curve produced by the contrast agent injection process. According to the hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography examination's results ,patients were divided into one side patency group,one side partial obstruction group and one side obstruction group. The correlation between the slope and the patency of the fallopian tube was analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results Binary logistic regression showed that the slope and fallopian tube patency had good correlation(all P < 0.05)between one side patency group and one side obstruction group,and also between one side partial obstruction group and one side obstruction group;but had no correlation between one side patency group and one side partial obstruction group(regression coefficient P>0.05,regression constant P=0.000). Conclusion The slope of pressure curve produced by four-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography can be used to assess the patency of fallopian tubes quantitatively. It is a new auxiliary index for evaluating the patency of fallopian tubes.