OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in roots of Caragana sinica.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by silica gel column chromatography, and their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods.

RESULTSeven compounds were identified as (+) - stenophyllol B (1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), odoratin (3), resveratrol (4), cararosinol A (5), leachinol C (6), carasinaurone (7) respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 was a new compound which was the enantiomer of stenophyllol B. Compounds 2-6 were obtained from the plant for the first time.

Caragana ; chemistry ; Chromatography, Gel ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Parabens ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; analysis ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the high-risk behaviors related to acquared immune deficiency syndrome/sexually transmitted disease (AIDS/STDs) infection among fishermen in Lv-si harbor,Jiangsu province.Methods A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the research participants' demographic characteristics,high-risk behaviors that related to AIDS/STDs.Logistic regression was performed to measure the associations between potential risk factors and reported potential high-risk sexual behavior.Results 817 fishermen participated in the study and casual or commercial sex activities appeared to be the main high-risk behavior for AIDS/STDs infection in the target population.The rates of casual and commercial sex reported were 18.1％ and 28.9％ among fishermen.Risk factors associated with AIDS/STDs related high-risk behaviors among fishermen were high mobility (OR=1.516,P=0.038),higher lifetime sex frequency (OR=1.422,P=0.002)and unmarried status ( OR =7.527,P=0.014).Protective factors against high-risk behaviors were low intake of alcohol (OR=0.803,P=0.053),negative STD history (OR=0.268,P=0.001 ),age of initial sexual intercourse at or older than 22 years (OR =0.440,P=0.000) of age,as well as negative attitude toward multiple sexual parmers (OR=0.662,P=0.023 ) and legitimation for commercial sex (OR=0.612,P=0.007).Conclusion There were risk behaviors of AIDS/STDs in those infected fishmen.Casual and commercial sex were common high-risk behaviors.

OBJECTIVETo determine whether cryohepatectomy is potentially beneficial in reducing the recurrence and prolonging survival for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe study included 84 patients who underwent cryohepatectomy, cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C) followed by the resection of the frozen tumor by conventional technique, for HCC and were closely follow-up after surgery. Recurrence and survival rates were calculated by the life-table method.

RESULTSThe postoperative course of cryohepatectomy in all of the 84 patients was uneventful, there being no operative mortality or severe complications. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after cryohepatectomy were 98.7%, 83.9% and 64.0%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rates after cryohepatectomy were 15.1%, 30.1% and 39.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSCryohepatectomy for HCC is a safe procedure and may be potentially beneficial in reducing recurrence and prolonging survival. More time is needed to further define whether this procedure will improve long-term survival as compared with conventional resection.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; surgery ; Cryosurgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of portal vein microscopic and macroscopic tumor thrombi on post-operation patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThree thousand three hundred and forty eight HCC patients were retrospectively reviewed, which were divided into no portal vein tumor thrombi (PVTT), microscopic PVTT and macroscopic PVTT groups according to the pathology, effects of portal vein microscopic and macroscopic tumor thrombi on post-operation patients's survival were studied by univariate analysis and overall survival was evaluated in each group.

RESULTSHazard ratio (HR) of portal vein microscopic tumor thrombi and macroscopic tumor thrombi was 1.421 and 3.136 respectively; The overall 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rate was 85.97%, 62.78%, 49.88% and 35.42% respectively, and mean time for survival was 59.7 months in group without PVTT, while 74.42%, 51.66%, 39.25% and 27.28% respectively and mean time for survival 39.1 months in group with microscopic PVTT, 52.59%, 25.97%, 20.42% and 11.33% respectively and mean time for survival 13.5 months in group with macroscopic PVTT.

CONCLUSIONSPVTT was an important prognostic factor for survival in post-operation patients with HCC while macroscopic PVTT was more danger than microscopic PVTT. The period of microscopic PVTT was the landmark affecting post-operation survival.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo clarify three-grade criteria of curative resection for primary liver cancer (PLC) and evaluate their clinical significance.

METHODSCriteria of curative resection of PLC were summed up to three grades. Grade I: complete removal of all gross tumors with no residual tumor at the excision margin. Grade II: on the basis of Grade I, there was no extrahepatic metastasis, no hilar lymph node metastasis, no tumor thrombus in the main trunks and their primary tributaries of the portal vein, common hepatic duct, hepatic vein and vena cava inferior, and the tumor was not more than two in number. Grade III: in addition to the above criteria, AFP dropped to normal level (in patients with elevated AFP before surgery) within 2 months after operation, and no residual tumor upon diagnostic imaging. A total of 354 cases with PLC who had their liver resected was reviewed. Patients in each grade were divided into two portions depending on whether the treatment was curative or palliative.

RESULTSThe survival of patients receiving curative treatment was better than those receiving palliative treatment (P < 0.01). This was true for patients whose treatment belonged to anyone of the three-grade criteria. The survival was improved along with the promotion of curative criteria used. The 5-year survival rate of Grade I, II and III patients undergone curative resection was 43.2%, 51.2% and 64.4%, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION1. The three-grade criteria may be used for judging the radicality of tumor resection for PLC. 2. The more stringent the criteria used, the better the survival would be. 3. Adopting high-grade criteria to select cases, to guide operation and postoperative follow-up would improve the results of liver resection for PLC.

Female ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUNDAcute kidney injury (AKI) has been recognized as a major healthcare problem affecting millions of patients worldwide. However, epidemiologic data concerning AKI in China are still lacking. The objectives of this study were to characterize AKI defined by RIFLE criteria, assess the association with hospital mortality, and evaluate the impact of AKI in the context of other risk factors.

METHODSThis prospective multicenter observational study enrolled 3,063 consecutive patients from 1 July 2009 to 31 August 2009 in 22 ICUs across mainland China. We excluded patients who were admitted for less than 24 hours (n = 1623), younger than 18 years (n = 127), receiving chronic hemodialysis (n = 29), receiving renal transplantation (n = 1) and unknown reasons (n = 28). There were 1255 patients in the final analysis. AKI was diagnosed and classified according to RIFLE criteria.

RESULTSThere were 396 patients (31.6%) who had AKI, with RIFLE maximum class R, I, and F in 126 (10.0%), 91 (7.3%), and 179 (14.3%) patients, respectively. Renal function deteriorated in 206 patients (16.4%). In comparison with non AKI patients, patients in the risk class on ICU admission were more likely to progress to the injury class (odds ratio (OR) 3.564, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.706 - 7.443, P = 0.001], while patients in the risk class (OR 5.215, 95% CI 2.798-9.719, P < 0.001) and injury class (OR 13.316, 95% CI 7.507-23.622, P < 0.001) had a significantly higher probability of deteriorating into failure class. The adjusted hazard ratios for 90-day mortality were 1.884 for the risk group, 3.401 for the injury group, and 5.306 for the failure group.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of AKI was high among critically ill patients in Chinese ICUs. In comparison with non-AKI patients, patients with RIFLE class R or class I on ICU admission were more susceptibility to progression to class I or class F. The RIFLE criteria were robust and correlated well with clinical deterioration and mortality.

Acute Kidney Injury ; epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of postoperative adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with residual tumor.

METHODSThe patients were classified into intervention group (with adjuvant TACE) and control group (without adjuvant TACE) who were further stratified to those with high risk (patients with single tumor > 5 cm in diameter, or with multiple tumors, invasion to blood vessels), and low risk factors. Univariate analysis and Cox model were used to analyse prognostic factors.

RESULTSIn low risk patients with residual tumor, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-year survival rate was 97.2%, 78.0%, 66.5% and 66.5% in the intervention group, and 91.2%, 81.4%, 70.3% and 54.4% in the control group, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in survival (log-rank P = 0.7667). Comparing with the control group, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-year survival rate was 89.5%, 73.4%, 59.2% and 53.8% in the intervention group, and 70.5%, 61.9%, 46.8% and 46.8% in the control group, respectively. Postoperative adjuvant TACE significantly prolonged the survival in high risk patients with residual tumor (P = 0.0029). Cox model revealed that the benefit of adjuvant TACE was significantly increased by the high risk factors in HCC patients with residual tumor.

CONCLUSIONThe beneficial effect of postoperative TACE was only observed in high risk patients with residual tumor but not in the low risk patients with residual tumor.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo analyze the composition and control status of chronic diseases among rural residents in a Beijing suburb district.

METHODSRural residents aged 35 years or older were investigated by stratified random sampling in Pinggu District, Beijing. Each participant received questionnaire-based survey,physical examination,and laboratory tests including routine blood test,urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR), liver and renal function,serum lipid, fasting blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin.

RESULTSA total of 10 385 residents completed all items. Cerebrovascular disease was leading cause of hospitalization (accounting for 14.4%) and its incidence in the population was 9.6%. The incidences of hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes mellitus,and gout/hyperuricemia,which were the main compositions related with metabolic diseases,were up to 64.4%,42.5%,24.4%, and 9.0%, respectively. The disease onset was significantly related with the age. The incidence of hypertension was gradually elevated with the increasing of age,while the peak age was 55-64 years for diabetes and 35-44 years for gout/hyperuricemia. The awareness rate of hypertension,diabetes,and chronic kidney disease was 60.2%, 55.1%,and 6.0%,respectively. The control rate of chronic disease was 19.2% and 28.8% in hypertensive and diabetic patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSCerebrovascular diseases and metabolic-associated diseases are the main chronic diseases affecting rural residents in Pinggu district, Beijing. The awareness rate and control rate of chronic diseases needs to be further enhanced by strengthening health education and improving the community medical service.

Adult ; Beijing ; Chronic Disease ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyperuricemia ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background:Clinical outcomes of undifferentiated arthritis (UA) are diverse,and only 40 ％ of patients with UA develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after 3 years.Discovering predictive markers at disease onset for further intervention is critical.Therefore,our objective was to analyze the clinical outcomes of UA and ascertain the predictors for RA development.Methods:We performed a prospective,multi-center study from January 2013 to October 2016 among Chinese patients diagnosed with UA in 22 tertiary-care hospitals.Clinical and serological parameters were obtained at recruitment.Follow-up was undertaken in all patients every 12 weeks for 2 years.Predictive factors of disease progression were identified using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression.Results:A total of 234 patients were recruited in this study,and 17 (7.3％) patients failed to follow up during the study.Among the 217 patients who completed the study,83 (38.2％) patients went into remission.UA patients who developed RA had a higher rheumatoid factor (RF)-positivity (42.9％ vs.16.8％,x2=8.228,P=0.008),anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodypositivity (66.7％ vs.10.7％,x2 =43.897,P ＜ 0.001),and double-positivity rate of RF and anti-CCP antibody (38.1％ vs.4.1％,x2 =32.131,P ＜ 0.001) than those who did not.Anti-CCP antibody but not RF was an independent predictor for RA development (hazard ratio 18.017,95％ confidence interval:5.803-55.938;P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion:As an independent predictor of RA,anti-CCP antibody should be tested at disease onset in all patients with UA.

Tianma(the tuber of Gastrodia eleta) is a widely used and pricy Chinese herb. Its counterfeits are often found in herbal markets, which are the plant materials with similar macroscopic characteristics of Tianma. Moreover, the prices of Winter Tianma(cultivated Tianma) and Spring Tianma(mostly wild Tianma) have significant difference. However, it is difficult to identify the true or false, good or bad quality of Tianma samples. Thus, a total of 48 Tianma samples with different characteristics(including Winter Tianma, Spring Tianma, slice, powder, etc.) and 9 plant species 10 samples of Tianma counterfeits were collected and analyzed by HPLC-DAD-MS techniques. After optimizing the procedure of sample preparation, chromatographic and mass-spectral conditions, the HPLC chromatograms of all those samples were collected and compared. The similarities and Fisher discriminant analysis were further conducted between the HPLC chromatograms of Tianma and counterfeit, Winter Tianma and Spring Tianma. The results showed the HPLC chromatograms of 48 Tianma samples were similar at the correlation coefficient more than 0.848(n=48). Their mean chromatogram was simulated and used as Tianma HPLC fingerprint. There were 11 common peaks on the HPLC chromatograms of Tianma, in which 6 main peaks were chosen as characteristic peaks and identified as gastrodin, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, parishin A, parishin B, parishin C, parishin E, respectively by comparison of the retention time, UV and MS data with those of standard chemical compounds. All the six chemical compounds are bioactive in Tianma. However, the HPLC chromatograms of the 10 counterfeit samples were significantly different from Tianma fingerprint. The correlation coefficients between HPLC fingerprints of Tianma with the HPLC chromatograms of counterfeits were less than 0.042 and the characteristic peaks were not observed on the HPLC chromatograms of these counterfeit samples. It indicated the true or false Tianma can be identified by either the similarity or characteristic peaks on HPLC fingerprint. Comparing the Winter Tianma with Spring Tianma showed that the HPLC chromatograms of 15 winter Tianma samples and 11 spring Tianma samples were similar at the mean correlation coefficient of 0.908. But the intensity of the characteristic peaks were different between the two groups of Tianma samples, i.e. the intensity of gastrodin, paishin A and C in winter Tianma was lower than those in spring Tianma. The Winter Tianma and Spring Tianma could be discriminated by either the Fisher unstandardized discrimination function or Linear discriminant function, based on the peak areas of 11 common peaks on HPLC chromatograms as variate.