Objective 4-Hydroxyisoleucine (4-HIL) is the active component isolated from the seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum. It exerts broad pharmacological effects such as anti-hyperglycemia,blood lipid lowing,improvement of insulin resistance,etc. As the Chinese traditional medicine,it can be used clinically in treating many diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia,metabolic syndrome,fatty liver and other diseases. Here the current research status and application prospect on 4-Hydroxyisoleucine were summarized.

Objective To explore neural plasticity around an injured region of the spinal cord and the effects of step training on functional recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 24) were induced with spinal cord contusion at T10 and divided into a step training group and a control group ( 12 rats in each). Training started from the 7th day post-injury and lasted for (20 ± 10)min per day, 5 days per week, for 9 weeks. Treadmill speeds were 3 m/min at the beginning, and adjusted daily according to each rat's tolerance up to 11 m/min or more. The functional recovery was measured weekly with the open-field locomotor rating scale of Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB score). The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament protein (NF) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the spinal cord around the injured region were detected. Results After 70 days of step training, the average BBB score of the step training group reached ( 12.86 ± 0.94 ), significantly higher than that of the control group ( 10.71 ± 0.95 ). The expression of NF and GAP-43 around the injured region increased significantly more in the step training group than among the controls. Conclusions Step training can promote functional recovery and neural plasticity in rats after incomplete SCI.

Objective:To improve the quality standard for Kangshiming mixtures. Methods:The identification of Angelicae Sinen-sis Radix, Astragali Radix and Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex was carried out by TLC. The contents of puerarin and paeoniflorin in the preparations were determined by HPLC. Results:The spots displayed in TLC were clear without interference from the negative control. The linear range for puerarin was 1. 64-49. 20μg·ml-1(r=0. 999 9) and 4. 22-63. 30μg·ml-1(r=0. 999 6) for paeoniflorin. The average recovery was 99. 63%(RSD=2. 14%,n=9) and 99. 05%(RSD=2. 70%,n=9) for puerarin and paeoniflorin, respectively. Conclusion:The method is accurate, reliable and specific, and can be used in the quality control of Kangshiming mixtures.

Background and purpose: The prognosis of completely resected stage ⅢA(N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a significant concern. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates range from 10% to 30%. This study aimed to analyze the patterns of first failure in completely resected stage ⅢA(N2) NSCLC and to assess the actuarial risk of developing metastasis at different sites and to guild standard clinical practice. Methods: Patients withⅢA(N2) NSCLC who had undergone radical surgery in our hospital from Jan. 2005 to Jul. 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The progression-free survival (PFS), the OS, patterns of first failure, the actuarial risk were analyzed. The cumulative incidence of first failure was determined using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: Among 357 patients who met the eligibility criteria with completely resected stage ⅢA(N2) NSCLC, 5-year OS was 36.9%. There were 284 (77.6%) patients experiencing disease failure: 61 with local failure, 197 with local and distant failures, and 26 patients with local recurrence as the first failure. Brain, bone and lung were the main sites of distant failure as the first failure, while brain was the most common site. There were 67 patients developing brain metastases (BM) as the first site of failure. The median time of local failure as the first site of failure was 13.6 months, and the time to develop distant recurrence was 15.1 months. 92.5% BM developed in 3 years after the complete resection. Conclusion: As the first failure, the rate of distant failure was much higher than that of local failure in completely resected stage ⅢA(N2) NSCLC. Brain was the most common site of distant failure as the first failure. These results can be helpful in guiding standard clinical practice and evaluating the outcome of comprehensive treatment.

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy on primary osteoporosis treated with spreading moxibustion for warming yang and activating blood circulation so as to provide the effective clinical therapeutic methods for osteoporosis.

METHODSSixty cases of primary osteoporosis were randomized into a spreading moxibustion group (30 cases) and a calcium tablet group (30 cases). In the calcium tablet group, caltrate was prescribed for oral administration, 600 mg per day. In the spreading moxibustion group, on the basis of the treatment as the calcium tablet group, the spreading moxibustion was applied at Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) for warming yang and activating blood circulation. The duration of treatment was 12 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, TCM clinical symptom score and bone mineral density (BMD) were observed and compared before and after treatment in the patients between the two groups.

RESULTSVAS scores were reduced apparently after treatment in the two groups (both P < 0.01) and the results in the spreading moxibustion group were obviously superior to that in the calcium tablet group (2.36 +/- 0.43 vs 4.52 +/- 0.35, P < 0.01). BMD were all increased in the two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the results in the spreading moxibustion group were superior to those in the calcium tablet group (both P < 0.05). The total clinical effective rate was 86.67% (26/30) in the spreading moxibustion group, apparently better than 63.33% (19/30) in the calcium tablet group (P < 0.05). TCM clinical symptom scores after treatment were all reduced apparently in the two groups (both P < 0.01), and the result in the spreading moxibustion group was obviously superior to that in the calcium tablet group (4.72 +/- 1.90 vs 6.82 +/- 2.30, P < 0.01). The total effective rate of TCM symptoms was 93.33% (28/30) in the spreading moxibustion group, apparently better than 70.00% (21/30) in the calcium tablet group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of spreading moxibustion for warming yang and activating blood circulation and the oral administration of caltrate apparently relieves pain and TCM clinical symptoms, improves BMD in the patients of osteoporosis and achieves definite clinical efficacy in the patients of osteoporosis.

Aged ; Blood Circulation ; Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Osteoporosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Yang Deficiency ; physiopathology ; therapy

Objective To observe the changes of islet cell apoptosis and oxidation-antioxidation before the transplantation, and to explore the pathways of islet protection. Methods Fifteen human pancreases were perfused with the Hanks solution containing collagenase, then digested and isolated. During the procedure, islet cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL, SOD and MDA in the pancreas were measured by colorimetric method, and the morphologic changes were observed by H-E staining and dithizone staining. Results In the procedure of human islet isolation, especially in the stage of digestion, the apoptosis of human islet cells occurred. In the stages of perfusion and digestion, the MDA contents reached the high levels (6. 18 ± 2. 38 and 9. 21 ± 2. 75 umol/mg protein respectively),and the structures of the islets and tissues around the islets were damaged. Conclusion In the stages of perfusion and digestion, apoptosis of islet cells can be caused by oxidation. It suggests that antioxidation is a pathway for protection of islets before transplantation.

Objective To investigate the method and characteristics of transsphenoidal resection of pituitary adenoma accompanied by conchal or pre-sellar sphenoid sinus. Methods The clinical data of 32 cases of pituitary adenoma accompanied by conchal or pre-sellar sphenoid sinus treated by transsphenoidal surgery between June 2004 and June 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative CT multiplanar reconstruction, CT virtual endoscopy and MRI were performed to study the detail anatomic informations of sphenoid sinus and adenoma, and to guide the intraoperative seller floor exploration and tumor resection. Five patients with conchal sphenoid sinus and 27 with presellar sphenoid sinus were confirmed by preoperative image data. Results The seller floor exploration and tumor resection could be accomplished successfully with microdrill, microscope or endoscope, and the average operating time was about 86 minutes. Postoperative MRI within 3 d indicated that total resection, subtotal resection and resection of bulk were achieved in 25, 6 and 1 patient, respectively, and no serious complications occurred. Conclusion Pituitary adenoma accompanied by conchal and presellar sphenoid sinus can be surgically treated by transsphenoidal approach with the detailed preoperative CT and MR imaging and intraoperative use of microdrill, microscope or endoscope.

Orobanche caerulescens is an important medicinal resource in Orobanchaceae. The present study aims to establish methods for determination of acteoside, crenatoside, and total phenylethanoid glycosides in O. caerulescens, and determine the content in 15 samples to evaluate the resource utilization of this medicinal plant. The content of acteoside and crenatoside were quantitatively determined by HPLC, while total phenylpropanoid glycosides was estimated by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. According to the results, the content of acteoside was the highest in O. caerulescens, followed by crenatoside. The contents of acteoside, crenatoside, and total phenylethanoid glycosides were between 1.15% - 15.60%, 0.83% - 4.47%, and 6.78% - 27.43%, respectively, which had significant differences. The acquisition time has great influence on the content of main components of O. caerulescens. The content of phenylethanoid glycosides is higher in the samples which were collected at the flowering stage. The two determination methods were proved to be simple, accurate and reliable, and can be used to evaluate the quality and resource utilization of O. caerulescens.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Glycosides ; analysis ; Orobanche ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the influence of different cannulation technique in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopanereatography (ERCP) on success rate, risk of post-ERCP complication and operation time of the procedure. Methods The data of 120 patients who underwent ERCP from June 2000 to June 2008 because of biliary duct disorders were retrospectively studied. Conventional carmulation technique was applied in 60 patients and guide-wire eannulation was used in other 60. The success rate, total time of ERCP operation and the incidence of post-ERCP complications including acute pancreatitis and biliary system infec-tion within 7 days were assessed. Results Compared with conventional carmulation technique, selective can-nulation with a standard ERCP catheter under the assistance of guide-wire proved a higher success rate and a shorter operation time (P<0.05). Incidences of postoperative pancreatitis and infection with conventional cannulation were 10.0% (6/60) and 23.3% (14/60), respectively, while with guide-wire assisted cannu-lation were 3.3% (2/60) and 10.0% (6/60), respectively. No complication of bleeding was observed in either group. Conclusion Guide-wire assisted cannulation in ERCP can shorten operation time, improve success rate and reduce post-ERCP complications. Further evaluations are warranted.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and treatments of pituitary abscess.Method The clinical data of 6 patients with pituitary abscess were examed along with a review of the literature.Results Of 6 patients,headache was presented in 5 patients,hypopituitarism in 4 patients,visual disturbance and/or bitemporal hemianopsia in 4 patients and fever in 1 patient.MRI and CT images showed a cystic sellar lesion with ring enhancement in 5 patients.Preoperative diagnosis of pituitary abscess was made in 2 patients,pituitary adenomas in 3 patients and craniopharyngiomas in 1 patient.All cases were treated surgically by transsphenoidal approach in 5 patients and transscranial in 1 patient.Followed with postoperative antibiotics therapy for 3 weeks,the symptoms were improved postoperatively in all cases.Followed up 8 months to 10 years,1 patient who underwent craniotomy recurred and wag cured by via transsphenoidal surgery.Conclusions The pituitary abscess is easily misdiagnosed.The cystic pituitary lesion should be considered the possibility of pituitary abscess.Transsphenoidal surgery and proper perioperative antibiotics therapy are the keys to the treatment of pituitary abscess.