Reference materials containing mixed degradation products of amoxicillin and ampicillin were developed after optimization of preparation processes. The target impurities were obtained by controlled stress testing, and each major component was identified with HPLC-MS and compared with single traceable reference standard each. The developed reference materials were applied to system suitability test for verifying HPLC system performed in accordance with set forth in China Pharmacopeia and identification of major impurities in samples based on retention and spectra information, which have advantages over the methods put forth in foreign pharmacopoeias. The development and application of the reference materials offer an effective way for rapid identification of impurities in chromatograms, and provide references for analyzing source of impurities and evaluation of drug quality.
Amoxicillin ; chemistry ; Ampicillin ; chemistry ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Contamination ; Mass Spectrometry ; Reference Standards

To assess the left ventricular regional relaxation abnormalities in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI), Doppler echocardiography and QTVI were performed in HCM (n=10) and healthy subjects (n=11) at apical long-axis, two-chamber and four-chamber views. Regional early diastolic velocity (rVe) and regional atrial contraction (rVa) were measured at each segment of ventricular middle, basal and annular levels. Mean rVe and mean rVa at three levels as well as mean rVe/rVa ratio were calculated. Our results showed that transmitral inflow peak velocities during early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A) were also measured and E/A ratio was calculated. The rVe of all left ventricular segments in HCM were lower than those in healthy subjects (P<0.05), but compared with healthy subjects majority of rVa in HCM were not different except inferior wall and anterior wall. E between HCM and healthy subjects was different (P=0.036), while mean rVe between them was significantly different (P<0.0001). Mean rVa and mean rVe/rVa of three levels were lower in HCM than in healthy subjects (P<0.05), but there were no differences in A and E/A between them (P=0.22, P=0.101). Left ventricular regional myocardial relaxation is reduced in HCM. Transmitral inflow E and A are influenced by preload, relaxation of myocardium and atrial contraction, etc., while rVe and rVa reflect myocardial relaxation function independently. QTVI is more sensitive and more accurate than conventional Doppler imaging for characterizingregional diastolic properties in HCM.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/*physiopathology ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/*ultrasonography ; Diastole ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color/methods ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/*physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/ultrasonography ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective To study the changes of behavior and depression-like classic indicators after hippocampal microinjection of K252a,and to establish a new animal model of depression.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into five groups,namely the control group,sham group,chronic stress depression model group,hippocampal of K252a microinjection group,and hippocampal microinjection K252a plus chronic stress group.Open field experiments,sucrose consumption test,and Morris water maze behavioral assay were used to assess the behavioral changes in the rats.ELISA was used to detect the plasma monoamine neurotransmitter,radioimmunoassay was used to determine the plasma CRH,ACTH,CORT contents,and western-blotting was performed to observe the protein expression of BDNF,CREB,ERK1/2,and BCL-2 in the hippocampus.Results Compared with the control group,the amount of activity,sugar consumption,learning and memory abilities were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),also the serum monoamine neurotransmitters were decreased (P<0.01),HPA axis function was improved (P<0.01),and the expression of BDNF,CREB,ERK1/2,BCL-2 decreased in the CUMS group(P<0.05 or P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in the DMSO group.Compared with the DMSO group,the activity,consumption of sucrose,learning and memory ability were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while the HPA axis function was increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01),the serum monoamine neurotransmitters decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the BDNF,CREB,ERK1/2,BCL-2 expressions in the hypocampus were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01) in the K252a group and K252a + CUMS group.Compared with the CUMS group,the K252a group and K252a + CUMS group did not show significant changes in these parameters.Compared with the K252a group,these indicators were not significantly changed in the K252a + CUMS group.Conclusions The results of behavior,hematology,and molecular biology analysis show that this model has a great similarity to the classical model of CUMS in surface validity,construct validity,and functional validity.It may provide an alternative investigative technology platform for basic research and antidepressant drug screening.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors of lymph node-negative advanced gastric cancer patients in order to guide adjunctive therapy and surveillance tragedy.

METHODSA total of 236 advanced gastric cancer patients with no less than 12 retrieved lymph nodes and without lymph node metastasis from Fujian Provincial Hospital between 1998 and 2008 were collected retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis were performed.

RESULTSTwo hundred and twenty-four patients(94.9%) were followed up and 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 75.2% and 66.4% respectively. Univariate prognostic analysis showed that depth of infiltration, Lauren histotype and retrieved lymph nodes were associated with 5-year overall survival(all P<0.05). Multivariate prognostic analysis testified that depth of infiltration was independent prognostic predictor(P<0.05). Recurrent rates of T2 and T3 patients were 5.8%(8/138) and 14.0%(12/86),5-year overall survival rates were 82.5% and 59.0%, 5-year disease-free survival rates were 70.4% and 52.2% respectively. These differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONST2N0 gastric cancer patients have a better prognosis than T3N0 patients. Depth of infiltration should be considered to stratify lymph node-negative gastric cancer patients for an adjunctive treatment and follow-up scheduling.

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To determine whether endogenous endothelin(ET) plays a role in the echocardiographic evaluation of the flow-dependent epicardial coronary vasodilation induced by reactive hyperemia(RH) after blockade of nitric oxide(NO) formation. Methods In six anesthetized open-chest dogs, changes in internal diameter of the left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD) induced by RH were investigated via echocardiography before intracoronary infusion of GN-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME), after blockade of NO formation by L-NAME, and after L-NAME plus intracoronary infusion of BQ-123, an ETA receptor blocker.Results Before intracoronary infusion of L-NAME, the diameter of LAD increased significantly from((2.24)?(0.21))mm to ((2.51)?(0.23))mm (P

OBJECTIVETo analyze clinical features of patients with Gerstmann syndrome (GS).

METHODSWe retrospectively analysed the clinical manifestations of 7 patients (6 men and 1 woman) with GS secondary to cerebral vascular diseases and reviewed the literatures.

RESULTSThe age ranged from 51 to 70 years with a mean of 70 years. They all had sudden onset and the tetrad of GS-finger agnosia, left-right disorientation, agraphia and acalculia, 3 patients accompanied by incomplete aphasia, 3 by anomic aphasia, 2 by alexia and 1 by constructional apraxia. Cranial computed tomographic scan showed low-density focus of the left parietal lobe in 6 cases and high-density focus of the left parietal lobe in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONGS has the high value in localization and the lesion is mainly localized to angular gyrus of the dominant hemisphere.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; Female ; Gerstmann Syndrome ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Adenomatoid Tumor ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To investigate the value of the Wells score and D-dimer assay in assisting pulmonary perfusion imaging (PPI) for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Methods One hundred twenty-one patients with suspected APE were studied from January, 2006 to December, 2008. All patients underwent the Wells score, the quantitative D-dimer assay, chest X-ray photography, and PPI. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of PPI with the assistance of Wells score and D-dimer assay were calculated. Results Fifty (41.3%) patients were diagnosed with APE. PPI combined with chest X-ray photography (Q/X scan) showed positive results in 49 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Q/X scan were 86.0% (43/50), 91.5% (65/71), 87.8% (43/49) and 90.3% (65/72), respectively. With assistance of Wells score >4 and D-dimer≥0. 5 mg/L, Q/X scan had a positive predictive value of 100.0% (29/29), for patients with Wells score ≤4 and D-dimer<0.5 mg/L, the negative predictive value for Q/X scan was 100.0% (41/41). Conclusion Combined with Wells score and D-dimer assay, PPI can make accurate diagnosis of APE.

Objective　To explore the effect of hypoxia on the apoptosis of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells（HUVECs） and the role of vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF） in inhibition of apoptosis． Methods　①Culture and identification of HUVECs．②Establishment of hypoxic model（0，12，24，48 h）in HUVECs．③Incubation of HUVECs with VEGF(0 ng, 100 ng) under hypoxic condition for 24 h. ④Detection of apoptosis of HUVECs with TUNEL method． Results　The percentages of apoptosis were different under different hypoxic conditions． The longer hypoxic time was，the higher apoptosis percentage was．VEGF reduced the apoptosis of HUVECs induced by hepoxia． Conclusion　Over-apoptosis EVCs in one of the important factors for the impairment of endothelial function. HEGF inhibits the apoptosis of HVCs and having a pretive function on them.

italic>Ardisia crispa (Thunb.) A. DC. is a traditional Miao medicinal herb with significant therapeutic effects in the treatment of sore throat, tonsillitis, edema of nephritis and bruising and rheumatism, etc. Ardisia crispa var. amplifolia and Ardisia crispa var. dielsii are varieties of A. crispa. A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii are controversial in terms of species evolutionary relationships and taxonomic identification. In this study, we sequenced the whole genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii chloroplasts using Illumina platform, assembled, annotated and characterized them, compared the structural features and degree of variation among chloroplast genomes using bioinformatics methods, and also downloaded constructing phylogenetic trees to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of chloroplasts in Primulaceae and Myrsinaceae using whole genome sequence information. The results showed that the complete chloroplast genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were 156 749 bp and 156 748 bp in length, with 132 genes annotated, including 87 protein-coding genes; the codon preference of A/U was greater than that of G/C; The differences in the coding regions of rps15 and rpoB genes in the comparative genome analysis can be used as loci for molecular identification of the two species; the differences in the coding regions of ycf1, ycf2, rpoC1, ycf3, petD and rpl16 genes in the chloroplast genome compared with those of the same genus can be used as loci for identification of the genus. In the phylogenetic results, A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were clustered together with 100% support, indicating that they are closely related. In this research, we analyzed the chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic relationships of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii, providing an important theoretical basis for their molecular identification, genetic variation, breeding and phylogenetic analysis.