Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for arterial and venous obstructive vascular di-seases. Raised plasma homocysteine concentrations are caused by genetic and non-genetic factors. The pathogenic mechanism is not clear. It may be associated with endothelium dysfunction, abnormal lipid metabolism, hypertrophy of intima media, increased platelet aggregation and several clotting factors interfered, etc. The metabolism and pathogenic mechanism of homocysteine are reviewed in this article, which provides theoretical foundation for the treatement of hyperhomocysteinemia.

To establish a new method for simultaneously determining the content of five gingerol compounds in different processing degrees of ginger charcoal and PCA principal component analysis was conducted for analysis. Samples were analyzed on Ultimate TM XB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) , with acetonitrile (A) -0.1% phosphoric acid solution (B) as mobile phase for gradient elution. Detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. The flow rate was 0.6 mL x min(-1) and the column temperature was 30 degrees C. The five compounds were separated well and showed good linearity (r ≥ 0.999 7) within the concentration ranges tested. The average value for recoveries was between 98.86% - 101.5% (RSD 1.4% - 2.9%). The contents of five compounds showed difference among different processing degrees of ginger charcoal. Zingiberone had the highest content in the standard carbon, and the content of gingerol was decreased as the deepening of processing degree. Different processing degrees of ginger charcoal were classified into three groups with PCA, and provided scientific basis for establishing the quality standards of ginger charcoal.
Catechols ; chemistry ; Charcoal ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Fatty Alcohols ; chemistry ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; methods

Objective To evaluate the value of intraduetal ultrasonography (IDUS) in diagnosing biliary and pancreatic disorders. Methods The findings by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and IDUS from 19 patients with suspected biliary and pancreatic disorders from July 2006 to August 2007 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of the 19 patients, 17 had obstructive jaundice (including 6 eases of cholangiocarcinoma, 2 pancreatic adenocareinoma, 2 gallbladder carcinoma, 2 chole-docholithiasis with bile duct stricture, 2 autoimmune pancreatitis, 1 papillary adenocarcinoma, 1 papillary adenoma, and 1 sclerosing cholangitis) and 2 intraduetal papillary mueinous tumor (IPMT). The diagnosis was confirmed by surgery and pathological findings in 11 patients. The diagnostic accuracy of ERCP and IDUS was 73. 7% (14/19) and 84. 2% (16/19), respectively, and that of ERCP combined with IDUS was 89. 5% (17/19). The sensitivity and specificity of ERCP to differentiate benign bile duct strictures from ma-lignant ones were 100. 0% (11/11) and 83.3% (5/6), respectively; and those of IDUS were 100. 0%(11/11) and 100. 0% (6/6), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ERCP in diagnosing cholan-gioeareinoma were 83.3% (5/6) and 60% (3/5), respectively; and those of IDUS were 100. 0% (6/6) and 40. 0% (2/5), respectively. Conclusion Combination of ERCP with IDUS can improve the diagnostic accuracy of pancreaticobiliary disorders. Additionally, IDUS shows higher sensitivity and specificity in differ-entiation between benign and malignant bile duct strictures, but it is still difficult to identify the etiologic factors of malignant bile duet strictures by IDUS.

Objective To investigate the relationships among cerebellar mutism (CM), relapsed medulloblastoma (MB) and the primary tumor location.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted in 114 children over 3 years old with MB from November 2011 to April 2015.ResultsThe median onset age was 84.7 months (36.4 to 184.7 months) in 114 children with MB (77 boys and 37 girls), of whom there were 48 cases of recurrence. There were twenty two cases of CM and the overall incidence of CM was 19.3% (22/114). The incidence of CM was 19.7% (13/66) in non-recurrent cases and 18.8% (9/48) in recur-rent cases, and there was no signiifcant difference between two groups (P=0.899). The incidence of CM was 17.6% (9/51) in cas-es with primary tumor in the fourth ventricle, 7.1% (1/14) in cases with primary tumor in the cerebellar vermis, 21.4% (3/14) in cases with primary tumor in both fourth ventricle and cerebellar vermis, 45.5% (5/11) in cases with primary tumor in fourth ven-tricle and other parts of the brain, and 50.0% (4/8) in cases with primary tumor in cerebellar vermis and other parts of the brain. No CM incidence was observed in cases with primary tumor in central nerve system except for the fourth ventricle and cerebellar vermis. The incidence of CM between the cases with fourth ventricle/cerebellar vermis involvement and those without fourth ventricle/ cerebellar vermis involvement had signiifcant difference (P=0.039). ConclusionsThere is no relationship between CM and relapsed MB. Children with MB whose primary tumor is located in the fourth ventricle and/or the cerebellar vermis is susceptible to CM.

Objective To explore the influence of homocysteine(Hcy)on liver cystathionine-?-synthase(CBS)and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)system in apoE-/- mice,and determine the effects of atorvastatin and/or folate/vitamin B12 on liver CBS and MTHFR system.Methods Eighty male 6-week-old apoE-/- mice were randomly divided into two groups:65 mice were fed with a chow diet containing 2%(wt/vol)L-methionine(homomethionine group)and 15 mice were fed with normal saline(control group).Two months later,the 60 mice survived in homomethionine group were subdivided into four groups:group Ⅰ(untreated),Ⅱ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin),Ⅲ(3 mg/kg atorvastatin+2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12)and Ⅳ(2 mg/kg folate+30 ?g/kg vitamin B12).After one month,Western blotting was performed to detect the liver CBS and MTHFR system protein expression in each group.Results The relative expression of liver CBS and MTHFR was significantly lower in group Ⅰ than in control group(P

Apoptosis of neutrophils controls the duration and the intensity of an inflammatory response and therefore the extent of neutrophil- mediated tissue damage, disturbance of neutrophil apoptosis has been associated with many diseases, underlying mechanism is not elucidated. C5a is a complement fragment that has multifunctional properties, which induces neutrophil chemoattraction, an oxidative burst, enhancement of phagocytosis, release of granule enzymes, and suppress neutrophil apoptosis. Several studies have reported calpain is involved in both neutrophil functions and apoptosis and it might play a more specific role in the regulation of neutrophil apoptosis. Diffenrent isoform of calpains is activted by diffenrent stimuli through different transduction pathway. It was reported previously that calpain is required for neutrophil migration and chemotaxis induced by C5a. In addition, autophagy is a ubiquitous physiological process that occurs in all eukaryotic cells and is considered to be a survival mechanism. Atg5 promotes autophagy and is indispensable to autophagosome formation. Upon calpain activation, Atg5 is cleaved and the resulting 24 ku Atg5 mediates apoptosis while losting the property of autophagy. Therefore, Atg5 represents a molecular switch between autophagy and apoptosis. The interaction among the C5a, calpain and Atg5 was introduced and new direction for further research was provided.

Overweight and obesity are main risk factors for chronic metabolic diseases, and are strongly associated with the increased risk of premature death. Low carbohydrate diet (LCD) has been proven to effectively control body weight and fat mass in overweight and obese patients by short-term (≤6 months) dietary intervention studies. The mechanisms include regulation of energy metabolism, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, alteration in expression of lipid metabolic-related genes and modulation of intestinal flora. However, the conclusions are inconsistent on whether LCD can cause durable weight loss and reduce the risk of overweight and obesity. This review summarizes the current research progress on the mechanisms, epidemiological studies, intervention studies and potential risks of LCD in controlling overweight and obesity, providing a reference for the future research and clinical application.

OBJECTIVE：To establish a simple and rapid method which was used to prepare the test preparation of ointment insoluble in water.METHOD:Ointment bases first was firstly disolved with isopropyl myristate and then the test preparation was prepared with polysorbate 80 as emulsifier.RESULTS:The emulsion obtained as described above was homogeneous and the result was correspondent to the CP method.CONCLUSION:This method was simple,rapid,reliable and practical.

Background:The symptomatic bradyarrhythmia is Class Ⅰ indication for pacing therapy which is not a radical cure.The present study aimed to assess the feasibility and to present the initial results of the restricted ablation of the parasympathetic innervation surrounding sinus and atrioventricular (AV) nodes for treating patients with bradyarrhythmia.Methods:A total of 13 patients with cardiogenic syncope were included from May 2008 to June 2015.Under the guidance of fluoroscopy and/or three-dimensional geometry by 64-slice spiral computed tomography,atrial activation sequence in sinus rhythm was mapped.Chamber geometry was reconstructed manually or automatically using the Niobe Ⅱ magnetic navigation system integrated with the CARTO-remote magnetic technology (RMT) system.Cardioneuroablation was targeted at the high-amplitude fractionated electrograms surrounding the regions of His bundle and the site with the earliest activation in sinus rhythm.Areas surrounding the sinus node,AV node,and the phrenic nerve were avoided.Results:Thirteen patients completed the studies.Ablation was successfully performed in 12 patients and failed in one.The high-frequency potential was recorded in atrial electrograms surrounding the sinus or AV nodes in all the patients and disappeared in 15 s after radiofrequency applications.The vagal reaction was observed before the improvement of the sinus and AV node function.No complications occurred during the procedures.Patients were followed up for a mean of 13.0 ± 5.9 months.During the follow up ten patients remained free of symptoms,and two patients had a permanent cardiac pacemaker implanted due to spontaneous recurrence of syncope.The heart rate of post-ablation was higher than pre-ablation (69.0 ± 11.0 vs.49.0 ± 10.0 beats/min,t =4.56,P =0.008).The sinus node recovery time,Wenckebach block point,and atrium-His bundle interval were significantly shorter after ablation (1386.0±165.0 vs.921.0 ±64.0ms,t=7.45,P=0.002;590.0±96.0 vs.464.0± 39.0ms,t=2.38,P=0.023;106.0±5.0 vs.90.0 ± 12.0 ms,t =9.80,P =0.013 before and after ablation procedure,respectively).Conclusions:Ablation of sinoatrial and AV nodal peripheral fibrillar myocardium electrical activity might provide a new treatment to ameliorate paroxysmal sinus node dysfunction,high degree AV block,and vagal-mediated syncope.