Objective To study material basis of Zhou's prescription, components of effective parts Ⅰ in Zhou's prescription was gualitative and quantitative analyzed. Methods The components of effective part Ⅰ was identified by test-tube reaction and qualitative TLC method, the content of saponins and flavones was quantitative analyzed. Results Total content of the saponins and flavone are 1.07% and 0.85% in Zhou's Prescription. The purity of saponins and flavones in effective parts Ⅰ are 37.4% and 29.7%. Conclusion The main components of effective part Ⅰ in Zhou's Prescription were flavones and saponins.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of varicocele patients, the influence of spermatic vein ligation on IELT, and the relationship of Visual Analogue Score (VAS) with IELT.

METHODSWe selected 112 males who had regular sexual life after spermatic vein ligation and conducted follow-up visits for 6 months. According to preoperative IELT, we divided the patients into an IELT < or = 2 min group and an IELT > 2 min group, and compared their IELT, VAS and Chinese Index of Sexual Function for Premature Ejaculation-5 (CIPE-5) scores before and 6 months after operation.

RESULTSFollow-up was accomplished in 81 of the patients, 18 in the IELT < or = 2 min group and 63 in the IELT >2 min group. Compared with the baseline, IELT was significantly prolonged postoperatively in both the IELT < or = 2 min group ([1.26 +/- 0.37] vs [4.53 +/- 1.69] min, P < 0.01) and the IELT >2 min group ([5.14 +/- 2.03] vs [7.69 +/- 4.51] min, P < 0.05); the postoperative CIPE-5 scores were remarkably improved in the former (11.27 +/- 3.52 vs 15.64 +/- 2.37, P < 0.05) but insignificantly in the latter group (20.42 +/- 4.65 vs 21.83 +/- 5.49, P > 0.05); the postoperative grades of the CIPE-5 scores showed significant differences in both groups (chi2 = 6.353, P = 0.042 and chi2 = 3.910, P = 0.048); the postoperative VAS was markedly increased (3.18 +/- 0.92 vs 1.56 +/- 0.83 and 3.24 +/- 0.95 vs 1.74 +/- 0.79, P < 0.05), with significant differences in the grades of VAS in both groups (chi2 = 4.433, P = 0.035 and chi2 = 10.088, P = 0.001). The variation of VAS was negatively correlated with that of IELT in both groups (r = -0.572, P < 0.01 and r = -0.465, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONVaricocele may be one of the causes of premature ejaculation, and some of the varicocele patients with IELT < or = 2 min may benefit from spermatic vein ligation. Improved VAS is negatively correlated with prolonged IELT. The relationship between varicocele and premature ejaculation deserves further studies.

Adult ; Ejaculation ; physiology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligation ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the relationship between some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)loci of interferon regulatory factor 6(IRF6)gene,transforming growth faetor-?(TGFA)gene and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate(NSCL/P)in nuclear families consisting of fathers, mothers and affected offspring with NSCL/P from southeast China.Methods Some SNloci of IRF6 and TGFA were detected by applying microarray technology in nuclear families,and then haplotype relative risk (HRR)and transmission disequilibrium test(TDT)were performed.Results There were no significant difference in genotypes and alleles distribution between patients and their parents.The SNP locus——V274I of IRF6 was associated with NSCL/P(HRR:?~2=4.5816,P

Objective To elucidate the effects of different modes of partial parenteral nutrition (PPN)on immunological function of T-lymphocyte in non small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients during chemotherapy.Methods Ninety-three patients with non-small cell lung cancer were randomly divided into three groups:the control group(30 patients),the low dose of PPN(32 patients) and the high dose of NNP(31 patients).Exactly the same chemotherapy was applied to each of three groups.During chemotherapy,three groups were supplied the same diet,the control group received conventional treatment;the low dose group and the high dose group received additional parenteral nutritional support besides diet.The low dose group was given 250 ml 9-AA daily and the high dose group was given 500 ml 9-AA daily.The T lymphocyte subsets CD3~+,CD3~++CD4~+ ,CD3~++CD8~+ and cells were detected respectively before and after chemotherapy.Results In all of the three groups,the percentage of NK cells,CD3~+ and CD3~++CD4~+ cells were decreased significantly before and after chemotherapy(all P＜0.05),In the control and low dose groups,NK cells changed more significantly after chemotherapy(P＜0.01).The percentages of CD3~+,CD3~++CD4~+,CD3~++ CD4~+/CD3~++CD8~+ of the low dose group and high dose group were higher than those of the control group before and after chemotherapy(all P＜0.05),the percentage of CD3~++CD8~+,CD3~++CD4~+/ CD3~++CD8~+ of the low dose group and hight dose group did not change notably(all P＞0.05). Conclusions The chemotherapy on patients with NSCLC will possibly cause malnutrition and immunosuppression.The benefits of giving 9-AA to NSCLC patients who were applying PPN and undergoing chemotherapy may include antagonizing immunological function aggravation,improving nutrition status and improving immunological functions of the T lymphocytes during chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Erlong Zuoci Pill (, ELZCP) and its disassembled: prescriptions on gentamicin (GM)-induced ototoxicity model in vitro.

METHODSAfter the spiral organ of cochleae: of newborn mice (postnatal days: 2-3) cultured for 24 h, GM alone or combined with water extracting-alcohol precipitating solution of ELZCP or with its disassembled prescriptions was added. Hair cells were observed under a fluorescence microscope after TRITC-phalloidin staining, and the cochlear hair cell loss rate was calculated by counting the whole cochlear hair cells and analyzed by whole cochlear hair cells analyzing software.

RESULTSGM induced cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) and inner hair cells (IHCs) injuries in a dose-dependent manner, and they were significantly different as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). ELZCP at the concentration of 0.003-3 mg/mL could decrease the hair cells loss induced by the 0.3 mmol/L GM (P<0.05, P<0.01), the effects was in a dose-dependent manner, and the concentration of 0.3 mg/mL showed the optimal protective effect. For the ELZCP disassembled prescriptions, Liuwei-Dihuang could decrease OHC loss rate than that in the 0.3 mmol/L GM model group (P<0.05), but the OHC loss rate was still higher than that in the ELZCP group (P<0.01), which indicated that the protective effect of hair cells by Liuwei-Dihuang was not better than that of ELZCP. Poria decreased OHC loss rate from 72.1 % +/-3.7 % to 58.8 %+/- 8.2 % (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSELZCP could play a role in antagonizing the injury of cochlear hair cells induced by GM ototoxicity,: and its disassembled prescriptions, Liuwei-Dihuang was the main component to protect the cochlear hair cells from GM-induced ototoxicity, and Magnetitum combined with Radix Bupleurui could strengthen the action of the whole prescription; Poria could reduce GM-induced OHC loss.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gentamicins ; toxicity ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner ; drug effects ; pathology ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer ; drug effects ; pathology ; Mice ; Organ of Corti ; drug effects ; pathology ; Prescriptions ; Tablets

BACKGROUNDNowadays, there is a remarkable rise in resectability rate of periampullary adenocarcinoma and the mortality and morbidity of the pancreaticoduodenectomy procedure have been reduced remarkably, while the 5 year survival rates of patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas are still below 25%. We conducted this retrospective study to evaluate the clinical outcome of radical pancreaticoduodenectomy with extended retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy as a surgical therapy for adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas.

METHODSTwenty cases with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas were treated by standard pancreaticoduodenectomy (removing only the peripancreatic lymph nodes en bloc with the tumour) from 1994 to 1997, and 46 cases with the same disease underwent extended retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy associated with standard pancreaticoduodenectomy from 1998 to 2002. The patients for whom there were insufficient follow-up data, or who had received postoperative adjuvant therapy, were excluded from the analysis. Clinical and pathological parameters of both groups were reviewed. The postoperative morbidity, mortality and survival data were compared statistically.

RESULTSDemographic and histopathological characteristics were similar in the two groups of patients. Performance of the extended lymphadenectomy lengthened the procedure. The mean total number of lymph nodes resected was significantly higher in the radical group (P < 0.05). Of the 46 cases in the radical group, 26% (12/46) had metastatic adenocarcinoma in the resected retroperitoneal lymph nodes. There was one perioperative death in the standard group, and two in the radical group. Postoperative diarrhoea and lymphatic leakage were only observed in the radical group. Transfusion requirements and postoperative morbidity rates did not differ between the two groups. The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 63%, 32% and 21% respectively in the standard group, and 66%, 38% and 21% in the radical group. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups. When subgroups of node positive patients were analysed, the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 42%, 17% and 8% respectively in the standard group, and 65%, 32% and 16% in the radical group. Better survival was observed in the first 2 years after operation in the radical group, but no survival differences were seen after 2 years post operation.

CONCLUSIONSThe addition of an extended lymphadenectomy to a pancreaticoduodenectomy did not significantly increase morbidity rates, but was associated with an early survival advantage.

Adenocarcinoma ; mortality ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEHepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and/or hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance are considered as good prognostic indicators of treatment outcome in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. While a sustained virological response (SVR) can be achieved by a finite 48-week course of pegylated-interferon alfa-2a (Peg-IFNalpha-2a), it has been suggested that longer-term treatment can improve the rate of SVR. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of prolonged and routine Peg-IFNa-2a therapy in patients with HBeAg-positive CHB.

METHODSEighty-six consecutive patients diagnosed with HBeAg-positive CHB at our hospital between September 2006 and October 2009 were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to receive Peg-IFNa-2a (180 mug once weekly) for either 48 weeks (routine therapy group, n = 53) or 72 weeks (prolonged therapy group, n = 33). Serum samples were collected from each patient every three months until the end of the 24-week follow-up, and standard viral and biochemical tests were carried out. Relapse was defined as HBV DNA concentrations more than 105 copies/mL or an HBeAg-positive test at the end of the 24-week follow-up. Chi-squared test and the t-test were used to determine the significance of intergroup differences. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the correlation of outcome parameters to treatment duration, expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTSThe two treatment groups were similar at baseline (pre-treatment) in demographic data, sex ratio, age, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, HBV DNA load, and semi-quantitative level of HBeAg (s/co) (all, P more than 0.05). At the end of the 24-week follow-up, there were significant differences between the 48-week treatment group and the 72-week treatment group in patients with HBV DNA negativity (62.3% vs. 97.0%, x2 = 13.273, P = 0.000), HBeAg seroconversion (39.6% vs. 57.6%, x2 = 6.765, P = 0.009), HBsAg clearance (15.1% vs. 36.4%, x2 = 5.155, P = 0.023), and relapse (58.5% vs. 33.3%, x2 = 6.713, P = 0.010). Logistic regression analysis indicated that therapy duration was correlated to HBeAg clearance (OR = 3.702, 95% CI: 1.225 to 11.188) and male sex (OR = 3.005, 95% CI: 1.038 to 8.696) but not to HBeAg level at baseline (OR = 0.999, 95% CI: 0.998 to 1.000) or age (OR = 0.902, 95% CI: 0.839 to 0.970).

CONCLUSIONIn this single-center cohort study, superior therapeutic benefit was achieved by extending the Peg-IFNa-2a therapy out to 72 weeks for patients with HBeAg-positive CHB. The prolonged duration therapy produced a higher HBsAg loss ratio, HBeAg seroconversion ratio, HBV DNA negativity ratio, and a lower relapse ratio. Furthermore, HBeAg clearance was positively correlated with duration and male sex.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Animals ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mesentery ; blood supply ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; Splanchnic Circulation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of amino acid parenteral nutritional (PN) support on serum tryptophan and melatonin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving chemotherapy.

METHODSSeventy-two patients with inoperable NSCLC were divided into three groups randomly: control group, 250 ml/d amino acids PN therapy group and 500 ml/d amino acids PN therapy group. The same NP (cisplatin + vinorelbine) chemotherapy was carried out in all the three groups. During three sessions of chemotherapy,amino acids PN therapy was given to the amino acids PN therapy groups. Serum tryptophan and melatonin concentration changes were assessed before and after chemotherapy.

RESULTSAfter chemotherapy the concentration of MT and Try were much lower than that before chemotherapy in the three group patients (P < 0.05). But the concentration of MT and Try in the PN group patients was higher than that in control group patients. The concentration of MT and Try in the 500 ml/d amino acid parenteral nutritional support group patients were significantly higher than that in the 250 ml/d group patients, the difference was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAmino acid parenteral nutritional support is beneficial to improve the lower concentration of serum MT and Try in NSCLC patients receiving chemotherapy, and a more significant effect can be achieved by the 500 ml/d amino acid parenteral nutritional support treatment.

Aged ; Amino Acids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; blood ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Melatonin ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Treatment Outcome ; Tryptophan ; blood ; Vinblastine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives

AIMTo investigate the effect of pretreatment with taurine on liver injury changes and the change of tumor necrosis factor alpha and NFkappaB expression following rats limbs ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODSThe model of limbs ischemia/reperfusion injury on rats was adopted in the experiment. Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups (n = 10): Control group, T group, I/R group and TR group. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and MDA in the plasma, MDA, MPO, calcium in liver tissues were measured by colorimetric method. The content of TNF-alpha in plasma and liver tissues was determined by radioimmunoassay. The morphologic changes were observed with HE staining. The expressions of NF-kappaBp65 in liver tissues were tested by immuno-histochemistry method.

RESULTSIt was found that against the control group, the test values of ALT, AST, et al. and expressions of TNF-alpha, NF-kappaB increased in I/R group and TR group, but values of those in TR group were lower than in I/R group.

CONCLUSIONTaurine can decrease the levels of TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB. It can mitigate the liver injury after limb ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Animals ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Liver ; blood supply ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Taurine ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism