Brain ; Choristoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant ; Neurofilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Orbit ; pathology ; surgery ; Orbital Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Abstract: Objective　To investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of pulmonary infection caused by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum. Methods　The clinical data of a patient with pulmonary infection caused by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum were reported, and the clinical characteristics, laboratory characteristics and drug sensitivity of pulmonary infection caused by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum were summarized in combination with the relevant literature at home and abroad from January 2010 to December 2022. Results　A 67-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital on June 30, 2020 because of "repeated chest tightness and shortness of breath for 3 years, aggravated cough, expectoration and fever". The sputum, alveolar lavage fluid and blood of the patient were collected for culture, and the detected pathogenic bacteria were identified. There are pathogenic bacteria growing in sputum and alveolar lavage fluid, which are identified as Nocardia otitidiscaviarum by Autof ms mass spectrometer. According to the results of pathogenic bacteria and the patient's condition, meropenem combined with compound sulfamethoxazole tablets were given anti-infection treatment, and the patient's condition improved and discharged. Conclusion　The clinical manifestations and imaging features of nocardiosis are lack of specificity, and are prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Etiology is the key to disease diagnosis, and clinical examination and culture should be conducted in time.

Drugs are exogenous compounds for human bodies, and will be metabolized by many enzymes after administration. CYP450 enzyme, as a major metabolic enzyme, is an important phase I drug metabolizing enzyme. In human bodies, about 75% of drug metabolism is conducted by CYP450 enzymes, and CYP450 enzymes is the key factor for drug interactions between traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) -TCM, TCM-medicine and other drug combination. In order to make clear the interaction between metabolic enzymes and TCM metabolism, we generally chose the enzymatic activity as an evaluation index. That is to say, the enhancement or reduction of CYP450 enzyme activity was used to infer the inducing or inhibitory effect of active ingredients and extracts of traditional Chinese medicine on enzymes. At present, the common method for measuring metabolic enzyme activity is Cocktail probe drugs, and it is the key to select the suitable probe substrates. This is of great significance for study drug's absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) process in organisms. The study focuses on the interaction between TCMs, active ingredients, herbal extracts, cocktail probe substrates as well as CYP450 enzymes, in order to guide future studies.
Animals ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; Enzyme Activators ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Humans

Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques and image analysis were employed to investigate the regulation of cardiac AT1A and AT2 subtype receptors in rats during cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI). Positive immunostaining for AT1A and AT2 receptors was observed in myocytes and vessels with AT1A being more than AT2. Three days after MI, disappearance of myocardial cross striation and fibroblast hyperplasia were found with electron microscopy. AT1A receptor protein expression in myocardial noninfarcted portion notably increased compared with that in sham-operated control rats (P<0.001). No apparent changes were observed in AT2 receptor (P>0.05). Two weeks after MI, myocyte cross striation and collagen deposition were found. Meanwhile, AT1A receptor staining decreased compared with that of three days after MI (P<0.01), but there was still more than that of the control (P<0.05). AT2 receptor was significantly increased compared with that of the sham-operated control rats (P<0.001). These results suggust that both AT1A and AT2 receptor protein expression was upregulated in noninfarcted myocardium after MI, and the regulation of AT1A and AT2 receptors after MI may be involved in post-infarction cardiac remodeling.

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy and toxicity of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) versus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-Fu/LV) plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX4) regimens as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 118 patients with stage III colorectal cancer were studied retrospectively. The patients were assigned to receive either FOLFOX4 regimen (n = 76) or XELOX regimen (n = 42). 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and adverse events as end points were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe number of patients that failed to finish 8 cycles was higher in FOLFOX4 group (28 vs. 8, P = 0.044). There was no significant difference for 3-year DFS and all grades adverse events between the two groups. However, the FOLFOX4 group showed more grade 3/4 neutropenia (31.6% vs. 14.3%, P = 0.039) and central venous catheter-associated complication (11.8% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.205), while XELOX showed more grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (19.0% vs. 6.6%, P = 0.038) and hand-foot syndrome (11.9% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONThe results of this analysis indicate that XELOX and FOLFOX4 regimens have very similar efficacy as an adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer, but XELOX may be safer than FOLFOX4.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Deoxycytidine ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot Dermatoses ; chemically induced ; Hand Dermatoses ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Retrospective Studies ; Syndrome ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced

BACKGROUNDAdjacent segment degeneration could seriously affect the long-term prognosis of lumbar fusion. Dynamic fixation such as the interspinous fixation, which is characterized by retaining the motion function of the spinal segment, has obtained satisfactory short-term effects in the clinical setting. But there are few reports about the biomechanical experiments on whether dynamic fixation could prevent adjacent segment degeneration.

METHODSThe surgical segments of all 23 patients were L4/5. Thirteen patients with disc herniation of L4/5 underwent Wallis implantation surgery, and 10 patients with spinal stenosis of L4/5 underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). L3-S1 segmental stiffness and displacement were measured by a spine stiffness gauge (SSG) device during surgery when the vertebral plate was exposed or during spinal decompression or internal fixation. Five fresh, frozen cadavers were used in the self control experiment, which was carried out in four steps: exposure of the vertebral plate, decompression of the spinal canal, implantation of a Wallis fixing device, and PLIF of L4/5 after removing the Wallis fixing device. Then, L3-S1 segment stiffness was measured by an SSG device.

RESULTSThe experiments showed that the average stiffness of the L4/5 segment was (37.1 ± 8.9) N/mm after exposure of the vertebral plate, while after spinal decompression, the average stiffness fell to (26.2 ± 7.1) N/mm, decreasing by 25.8% (P < 0.05). For the adjacent segments L3/4 and L5/S1, their stiffness showed no significant difference between the L4/5 segment decompression and the exposure of the vertebral plate (P > 0.05). After Wallis implantation of L4/5, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 was (45.8 ± 10.7) N/mm, which was 20.5% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05); after L4/5 PLIF surgery, the stiffness of L3/4 was (35.3 ± 10.7) N/mm and was decreased by 12.4% more than that after the exposure of the vertebral plate (P < 0.05). The stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment L3/4 after fixation in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group (P < 0.05). Cadaver experiments showed that the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment in the Wallis group was significantly higher than that of the PLIF group after L4/5 segment fixation (P < 0.05); the stiffness of the L5/S1 segment showed no significant difference between PLIF surgery and Wallis implantation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter interspinous (Wallis) fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment increased. After PLIF with pedicle screw fixation, the stiffness of the cephalic adjacent segment decreased. An interspinous fixation system (Wallis) has a protective effect for cephalic adjacent segments for the immediate post-operative state.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods

This study is to establish an HPLC-DAD-ELSD method for simultaneous determination of 5 flavones and saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae including neo-mangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin B II, timosaponin B III and timosaponin A III. Samples were analyzed on a Merck Purospher STAR column(4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile( A) and 0. 1% formic acid (B) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1). The column temperature was set at 40 °C. The DAD detector wavelength was set at 254 nm. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the nebulizing gas flow rate was 2.0 L · min(-1) and temperature of drift tube was 105 °C. The volume was 10 μL. The five compounds were well separated with good linear correlations. The mean recoveries were between 102.0%-104.0%. This method was quick and reliable which provides a foundation for quality control of R. Anemarrhenae.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; analysis

To compare the differences of the active ingredient contents and the sulfur dioxide residue in Astragali Radix before and after sulfur fumigation and provide a basis for establishing an alternative processing method. Astragali Radix, harvested at the same time in Longxi Gansu, were processed with different methods. high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the contents of the active ingredients in Astragali Radix and the revised method of the pharmacopoeia of China in 2011 was applied to determine the sulfur dioxide residue. The results show that the three-fold sulfur-fumigation group has the highest level of astragaloside IV and the dried sulfur-fumigation group with 10% water has the lowest level; the content of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside is the highest in naturally dried group and the lowest in the group of sulfur fumigating for 3 times; the sulfur dioxide residue of all sulfur-fumigation groups exceeds certain limit significantly and the group of sulfur fumigating for 3 times reaches the highest level.
Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Fumigation ; adverse effects ; Sulfur Dioxide ; analysis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

The contents of adenosine, gastrodin, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, parishin and sulfur dioxide residue were compared in differently-processed Gastrodiae Rhizoma to provide the basis for a reasonable processing method of Gastrodiae Rhizoma. The analysis was performed on a Merck Purospher STAR column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (containing 0.1% formic acid) under gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The eluates were detected at 270 nm, and the column temperature was 35°C. The content of adenosin, gastrodin, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde and parishin in processing of boiling or sulfur-fumigated were lower than that of in processing of steaming. Furthermore, the sulfur dioxide residue of sulphur-fumigated groups exceed 400 mg x kg(-1). This stable and reliable method will contribute to the quality control of different processed Gastrodiae Rhizoma.
Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Gastrodia ; chemistry ; Sulfur Dioxide ; analysis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Sulfur fumigation (SF) is a universal phenomenon in primary processing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in modern times. In the process, fumigation, sulfur or both of them act on the TCMs. Some active components of TCMs change quantitatively or qualitatively during the processing. At the same time, the sulfur dioxide and heavy metal would remain and cause a serious influence on quality and future development of TCM. This article reviews the chemical compositions change after SF to study the change law and their influence on quality. This article provide references for SF in TCMs' processing for a better and safer quality.
Drug Contamination ; Fumigation ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Quality Control ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods