Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death. Safflower attracts great attention owing to its anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury effect. Ninety-three patients with CAD were included and randomized into safflower treatment group, PCI group and control group. Low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed to measure end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion score index (WMSI) to determine the recovery of hibernating myocardium and cardiac function in all patients before treatment and after 3-month follow-up. The study was to investigate the effects of safflower on hibernating myocardial revascularization and cardiac function. It was found that LVEF was significantly improved, while the ESV and WMSI were significantly reduced after 2-week treatment in safflower and PCI treatment groups. No significant differences were found between safflower and PCI treatment groups in ESV, EDV, WMSI and LVEF after treatment Safflower injection effectively improved hibernating myocardial function.
Aged ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Myocardial Stunning ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Recovery of Function

Chemical constituents in ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of ethanol extracts from Acorus tatarinowii were separated by column chromatography. Bufo skeletal muscle fatigue model was established to study the anti-fatigue activity of separated compounds. Five compounds were separated and identified by spectroscopic analysis as acoramone(1),cycloartenone(2),2,4,5-trimethoxyl-2'-butoxy-1,2-phenyl propandiol(3),5-hydroxymethyl furfural(4), and 5-butoxymethyl furfural(5). Compound 3 was a new compound, and compounds 2 and 5 were separated from this plant for the first time. Compound 4 exhibited a notable anti-fatigue activity.
Acorus ; chemistry ; Animals ; Bufonidae ; Fatigue ; drug therapy ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study on effect of concentration of catalpol and 5-hydroxy methyl-2-furaldehyde (5-HMF) from Rehmanniae Radix at various processing.

METHODThe Rehmanniae Radix was dried and prepared from the steaming process with 10% ethanol, 50% ethanol at 90 degrees C and 100 degrees C each other. And the changes of catalpol and 5-HMF was determinated. The extraction of 5-HMF and catalpol was sonicated in 30% methanol for 2 h. The analysis of 5-HMF and catalpol was conducted by HPLC with reversed-phase C-18 column and detected under UV 284 nm, 204 nm. Elution was carried out at 1.0 mL min(-1) with 3% acetonitrile.

RESULTFrom this analysis, we found out that the content of catalpol was decreased with the number of processing times, and content of 5-HMF was increased with the number of processing times at various processing. The temperature and concentration of ethanol can effect on content of catalpol and 5-HMF at processing. The Cooked Rehmanniae Radix processed at 100 degrees C, 10% ethanol is best. And the content of 5-HMF processed for more than 7 times was accorded with standard of Korea phamcopoetia.

CONCLUSIONAnalyze the effect of concentration of catalpol and 5-HMF from Rehmanniae Radix at various processing, and provide the foundation for further study.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Ethanol ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Iridoid Glucosides ; Iridoids ; analysis ; Plant Tubers ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a common complication in obstetrics, affecting about 5% of women of childbearing age. An increase in the number of abortions results in escalation in the risk of miscarriage. Although concentrated research has identified numerous causes for RPL, about 50% of them remain unexplained. Pregnancy is a complex process, comprising fertilization, implantation, organ and tissue differentiation, and fetal growth, which is effectively controlled by a number of both maternal and fetal factors. An example is the immune response, in which T cells and natural killer cells participate, and inflammation mediated by tumor necrosis factor or colony-stimulating factor, which hinders embryo implantation. Furthermore, vitamin D affects glucose metabolism and inhibits embryonic development, whereas microRNA has a negative effect on the gene expression of embryo implantation and development. This review examines the causes of RPL from multiple perspectives, and focuses on the numerous factors that may result in RPL.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fetal Development ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; Obstetrics ; Pregnancy ; Proteomics ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamin D

Objective To compare and analyze the epidemiological features of adult patients with distal femoral fracture between the east and west areas in China from 2010 to 2011.Methods The data of adult patients with distal femoral fracture treated from January 2010 through December 2011 in 63 hospitals were collected through the PACS system and case reports checking system.The data from 35 hospitals in the east area were classified as group A and those from 28 hospitals in the west area as group B.The analytic items included gender,age and AO classification.Results A total of 2,523 adult distal femoral fractures were collected,involving i,544 males and 979 females,with a male to female ratio of 1.58:1.The adult femoral fractures predominated in an age range from 41 to 50 years (18.94％) and their high-risk type was 33-A (50.18％).In group A of 1,650 cases,there were 1,027 males and 623 females,with a male to female ratio of 1.65:1 and a median age of 48 years;in group B of 873 cases,there were 517 males and 356 females,with a male to female ratio of 1.45:1 and a median age of 45 years.There were no significant differences in the age distribution and gender proportion between groups A and B (P ＞ 0.05).The age distribution showed that the peak ranges were from 31 to 60 years in both groups.The proportion of type 33-A was the most and that of type 33-B the least in both groups.The proportion of type 33-A in group B (53.49％) was significantly higher than in group A (48.42％) while that of type 33-B in group B (16.84％) was significantly lower than in group A (21.39％) (P ＜ O.05).Conclusions Adult distal femoral fractures were common in middle-aged males and their high-risk type was 33-A.Their peak age was from 31 to 60 years in both east and west areas in China.They were more common in men.The predominant fracture type was 33-A in both areas.The east area witnessed a significant higher proportion of type 33-B and a significant lower proportion of type 33-A than the west area.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A virus ; immunology ; Influenza B virus ; immunology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Ischemic-reperfusion injury of skeletal muscles takes place in the phase of reperfusion and induces cellular damages through activating various transcription factors and genes, which initiate signal transduction. The purpose of this study was to observe changes of expression of NF-kappa B and AP-1, which are known as a redox sensitive transcription factors in ischemic-reperfused rat skeletal muscles, and PKC theta which activate NF-kappa B and AP-1. Sprague-Dawley male rats of nine, thirty, and sixty-five weeks old were divided into control and ischemia groups. Ischemia was performed by occlusion of left common iliac artery for 4 hours using rodent vascular clamps. The animals were sacrificed at hours 0, 1, 3 and 6 after onset of reperfusion and tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were removed. The distributions of PKC theta, NF-kappa B, and AP-1 immunoreactivity (IMR) were examined using immunohistochemical methods. The results as follows; In control groups, PKC theta IMR was decreased with age and was higher in tibialis anterior than that in soleus muscles. In ischemia groups, PKC theta IMR was increased with age and was higher in soleus than that in tibialis anterior muscles. In control groups, NF-kappa B IMR was decreased with age. In ischemia groups, NF-kappa B IMR was increased with age and was higher in soleus than that in tibialis anterior muscles. In control groups, AP-1 IMR was decreased with age. In ischemia groups, AP-1 IMR was increased with age and was higher in tibialis anterior than that in soleus muscles. Increase or decrease of PKC theta IMR was associated with the increase or decrease of NF-kappa B and AP-1 IMR in ischemic-reperfused rat skeletal muscles, respectively. These results suggested that the increased expression of PKC theta may induce the upregulations of NF-kappa B and AP-1 in ischemic-reperfusion injury of rat skeletal muscle. It is also suggested that the ischemic injury may be increased with age, and tibialis anterior muscle is more susceptabile to ischemic-reperfusion injury than soleus muscle.
Animals ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles* ; NF-kappa B* ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Rodentia ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factor AP-1* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVETo analyze the radiogenic distribution in the sacrum in whole-body bone scanning.

METHODSA total of 212 patients receiving whole-body bone scanning without any explicit bone metastases were divided into different age and gender groups. The radioactive distribution in the sacrum in whole-body bone scanning was analyzed statistically.

RESULTSOf these cases, 31.1% presented with thin radioactive distribution in the sacrum and 11.3% exhibited increased radioactive distribution. Normal radioactive distribution in the sacrum was found in 57.6% of the cases. In both male and female elderly patients (>70 years), the rate of normal radioactive distribution in the sacrum was obviously reduced with increased rate of thin radioactive distribution. The female elderly patients showed higher rate of increased radioactive distribution in the sacrum than male elderly patients.

CONCLUSIONThe radioactive distribution in the sacrum is similar between female and male patients. Elderly male patients over 70 years have generally thin radioactive distribution in the sacrum due to the presence of osteoporosis, which is also associated with latent fracture of the sacrum to result in increased radioactive distribution in the sacrum in whole-body bone scanning.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sacrum ; diagnostic imaging ; Spinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate ; pharmacokinetics ; Whole Body Imaging ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features and to identify homeobox D13 (HOXD13) gene mutation of the affected individuals in a Chinese synpolydactyly (SPD) kindred.

METHODSClinical data and peripheral blood samples of SPD family members were obtained through field investigation. For every member of this pedigreeìthe fragment containing mutational hot spots of HOXD13 was amplified by PCR for mutation screening. To examine whether there is any other mutation within coding sequence of HOXD13, exon 1 and exon 2 of HOXD13 were also amplified by PCR. All the amplified fragments were electrophoresed on 2% agarose gels and then the mutant fragments were electrophoresed on 5% polyacrylamide gels to be separated. Purified PCR products of normal and selected mutant alleles were directly sequenced.

RESULTSComparing the HOXD13 coding sequence of the affected individuals with HOXD13 sequence in the GenBank and with that of the unaffected, an inserted segment coding 8 alanine residues within HOXD13 was found segregating with the disorder. This mutation is also termed polyalanine expansion. The 8-alanine expansion can be interpreted as a reduplication of normal alanines 5-12.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that synpolydactyly in this kindred may be caused by polyalanine expansion in HOXD13.

Base Sequence ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Syndactyly ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo analyze the etiology, clinical and laboratory characteristics of hepatic failure in 105 children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 105 children with hepatic failure treated in our hospital from January 1986 to June 2003 were retrospectively analyzed by EXCELL 2000 and t test.

RESULTS(1)Of the 105 children with hepatic failure, 9 were cases with fulminant hepatic failure, 38 with subacute hepatic failure and 58 with chronic hepatic failure. (2)Morbidity was the highest in 7-12 years old children (43/105, 41.0%) followed by infants (30/105, 28.6%). (3)CMV infection could be confirmed in 9 infants (30.0%), etiological diagnosis was not possible in 13 infants (43.3%). Etiological diagnosis could be confirmed in children over 1 year of age, which included hepatitis B (n=22, 29.3%), Wilson's disease (n=15, 20.0%), hepatitis A (n=10,13.3%). Etiology in 21 cases (28.0%) could not be confirmed. (4)Seventy-one cases (67.6%) had ascites, 34 of them (47.9%) had spontaneous peritonitis. Thirty-five cases were complicated with other infections. The commonest complication was pulmonary infection and sepsis was the next. Fifty-one cases (48.6%) had hydroelectrolyte imbalance. Forty-eight cases (46.2%) had hepatic encephalopathy, which may be subclinical in children under three years of age. (5)The incidence of hypoglycemia was 77.2%(71/92).

CONCLUSIONThe etiology of liver failure was related to age. CMV infection was the commonest in infants. HBV, HAV infection was the commonest in children over 1 year of age and Wilson?s disease was the next. It is necessary to prevent and manage the associated complications as early as possible such as spontaneous peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, hydroelectrolyte imbalance and hypoglycemia etc.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; complications ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Hepatitis A ; complications ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; complications ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; complications ; Infant ; Liver Failure ; etiology ; Liver Failure, Acute ; etiology ; Male ; Peritonitis ; complications