Objective: To control the quality of ipecac and its preparations, and to investigate the simultaneous quantitative determination of cephaeline and emetine. Methods: After ultrasonic extraction with acidic methanol solution or direct diluting preparations, cephaeline hydrochloride and emetine hydrochloride in ipecac and its preparations were separated within 20 min using a mixture of acetonitrile-methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (9:3:88) as the mobile phase on a C18 column by HPLC. UV detector was set at 205 nm. The flow rate was set at 1.0 mL/min. Results: The methodological study showed that a good linear correlation existed in the range of 0.014 560.2184 μg (r = 0.999 97) for cephaeline hydrochloride and 0.0321-0.321 μg (r = 0.999 97) for emetine hydrochloride, respectively. The average recovery of cephaeline hydrochloride and emetine hydrochloride was 96.93% and 99.47%, and the RSD values (n = 9) were 1.31% and 2.02%, respectively. Conclusion: The assay is sensitive, accurate, specific, and applicable to comprehensive evaluation on the quality of ipecac and its preparations. © 2013 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the optimal reconstruction technique after total gastrectomy.

METHODSA total of 159 patients with gastric cancer undergoing total gastrectomy in Tianjin Cancer Hospital between January 2005 and December 2007 were divided into 4 groups according to the reconstruction technique: group A(functional jejunal interposition with a pouch, n=46), group B(modified Braun type II(, n=38), group C (P pouch with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy, n=25), group D(Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy, n=50). Quality of life(QOL), nutritional status 1 year after surgery, and perioperative complications were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in perioperative complications(P>0.05). One year after operation, QOL(Visick index) was better in group A than that in group B, C and D(P<0.05), and group D was inferior to group A, B and C(P<0.05). The increase in food intake, weight gain, hemoglobin and total protein were better in group A than those in group B, C and D(P<0.05) and group D was inferior to group A, B and C(P<0.05). The prognostic nutrition index ratio of the four groups were 1.21±0.15, 1.14±0.97, 1.15±0.16, and 1.10±0.16, respectively. Group A was better than that in group B, C and D (P<0.05) and group D was inferior to group A, B and C(P<0.05). The incidences of dumping syndrome, reflux esophagitis, Roux-en-Y stasis syndrome in group A were 4.3%(2/46), 2.2%(1/46) and 2.2%(1/46), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in other groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFunctional jejunal interposition with a pouch is associated with improved nutritional condition and quality of life, and less perioperative complications. It is a reasonable reconstruction method after total gastrectomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; methods ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Esophagus ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Jejunum ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo provide more molecular evidences for species relationship between Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.) from China and Japanese Chuanxiong (Senkyu in Japanese) (Cnidium officinale Makino).

METHODSTo sequence such two genes as internal transcribed spacer (ITS) from nuclear rDNA and maturase for lysine (matK) in tRNA(lys) (UUU) intron from chloroplast DNA of both Ligusticum chuanxiong and Cnidium officinale using PCR direct sequencing and to analyze the sequence variation of two genes between these two species.

RESULTSThe matK gene sequence of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Cnidium officinale is 1268 bp in length, coding 422 amino acids of maturase protein. ITS gene sequence 699 bp, consisting of 54 bp of 18S rRNA-3', 215 bp of ITS1, 162 bp of 5.8S rRNA, 222 bp of ITS2, 46 bp of 26S rRNA-5'. Multiple sequence alignment shows that the sequence of two genes between dried crude drug and fresh voucher material of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Cnidium officinale, there is 1 variable site (T-->C) in matK (upstream at 595 nt) and ITS (ITS1 at 54 nt) between Ligusticum chuanxiong and Cnidium officinale.

CONCLUSIONBased on homology analysis of two genes plastid matK and nuclear ITS, the origin of Chuanxiong from China and Japan ought to be identical, the scientific name Cnidium officinale of Japanese Chuanxiong should be changed to Ligusticum chuanxiong.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; China ; Cnidium ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; analysis ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Endoribonucleases ; genetics ; Japan ; Ligusticum ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleotidyltransferases ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis ; Sequence Homology ; Terminology as Topic

Animals ; Chemokine CCL2 ; analysis ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; administration & dosage ; Indoles ; administration & dosage ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tetrazoles ; administration & dosage ; Transcription Factor RelA ; Valine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Valsartan

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value of CT/HRCT for the coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) with large opacities.

METHODSSixty-two patients with CWP were examined with both chest radiograph and CT/HRCT scan. Comparison was done.

RESULTSLarge opacities were found in 19 patients in the chest radiograph of 62 patients with CWP. The detection rate was 30.6%. Thirty large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Forty-three patients with large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 69.4%. One hundred and twenty-three large opacities were found using CT/HRCT. Ninety-three more large opacities were found by CT/HRCT than by chest radiograph. The total detection rate of large opacities by CT was 4.1 times than by chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 18.58, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT found all patients with large opacities detected in the chest radiograph. Seventeen patients with Stage III large opacities (>or= 1.0 cm x 2.0 cm) were found by the chest radiograph. The detection rate was 27.4% (17/62). Twenty-seven large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Thirty-four patients with Stage III large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 54.8%. The found Stage III large opacities added up to 67. The found Stage III large opacities by CT/HRCT were 40 more than using chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 9.63, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT was reliable to show the morphology, the inside structure, the tiny lesion and the special location of the large opacities of CWP. It could provide more important information for differential diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONCT/HRCT is significantly better than the chest radiograph in the diagnosis of complicated CWP. It can find the large opacities that the chest radiograph can not. It has a great diagnostic and practical value as an assistant examination method. CT/HRCT could be considered as the reference and evidence for staging progression in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anthracosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and pathologic influencing factors of early recurrence in patents with gastric cancer after radical gastrectomy.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 141 patients with recurrence after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer from January 2001 to December 2004 were analyzed retrospectively. Risk factors correlated with tumor early recurrence and survival difference between early recurrence group (< 1 year, 82 cases) and control group (1 year after, 59 cases) were assessed.

RESULTSThe 1- and 3-year survival rates of in early recurrence group and control group were 36.6%, 2.4% and 100%, 45.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). The median survival time after recurrence in the two groups was 3, 5 months, respectively (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that the age, tumor Borrmann type, tumor site, invasive depth, lymph node metastasis, pTNM stage, metastatic lymph node ratio, surgical procedure and intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion chemotherapy (IHPC) were significant factors associated with early recurrence after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer (P < 0.05). Lymph node metastasis, metastatic lymph node ratio and IHPC were independent factors associate with early recurrence after curative gastrectomy on multivariate analysis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe patients with early recurrence after the radical gastrectomy have a poorer survival compared with cases recur later. Lymph node metastasis, metastatic lymph node ratio and IHPC are independent factors associate with early recurrence after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Logistic Models ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; etiology ; pathology ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo analyse CT and high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) diagnostic value and morphologic manifestation in coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural pathological changes.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-one cases of coal miner patients with pneumoconiosis (0(+) type: 14 cases, type I: 46 cases, type II: 58 cases, type III: 13 cases) and 20 normal people as control group were first examined by routine CT scan at 4 fixed slices, followed by HRCT examination at the region of interest (ROI). Meanwhile, all of them had high-kV chest radiography.

RESULTSAccording to the national standard of the People's Republic of China in the diagnosis of coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural plaque, 68 cases of pleural disease making up 51.91% (68/131) were found (type I accounted for 17.65%, type II 63.24%, type III 19.12%). The morphologic manifestation of pleural pathology by HRCT could be classified into four types: (1) nodular type: 73.38%, (2) flat type: 18.71%, (3) irregular type: 7.91%, (4) mixed type. The pleural pathological changes were found in thoracic wall pleura (65.02%), surface of mediastinum (22.16%), and pericardium (12.80%), but not found in the top of lung and costo-phrenic angles. The thickness of pleura was often about 5 approximately 10 mm (88.17%).

CONCLUSIONPleural pathological changes were not seldom seen in coal miner's pneumoconiosis. HRCT is a reliable examination method aiding routine CT to show pleural pathological changes, thus it has a great diagnostic and practical value. It is necessary to make a further comparison study between pathology and imagology.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleura ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Pleural Diseases ; diagnosis ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo compare the correlation of prognosis with UICC or JGCA lymph node staging criteria for gastric cancer and evaluate the value of application of those two TNM staging systems in prognosis prediction.

METHODSFrom January 1996 to December 2005, 395 gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 or D2 plus radical gastrectomy with > or = 15 lymph nodes removed were enrolled into this study. The data were analyzed by both UICC and JGCA lymph node staging criteria, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method was applied to analyze the survival rates, and Log-rank test was performed to assess the statistical significance among groups.

RESULTSCompared with the survival curve based on JGCA lymph node staging criteria, UICC lymph node staging system showed a much more significant difference among N subgroups, and similar result was also found in the patients with T3 disease. The N subgroups stratified by UICC criteria were re-staged with JGCA, while the N subgroups by JGCA criteria with UICC. Though the difference among subgroups were not statistically significant in either group, it was greater based on UICC criteria than that based on JGCA. No significant difference was found in the 5-year survival rates of stage I , II, III and IV based on either UICC or JGCA TNM staging criteria.

CONCLUSIONOur results show that UICC staging system is more predictive and relevant to prognosis than JGCA staging system for gastric cancer, and D2 or D2 plus radical gastrectomy with at least or more than 15 lymph nodes removed is required when UICC-TNM gastric cancer staging criteria is applied.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; International Agencies ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo compare post-operative long-term complications and quality of life of two digestive reconstruction procedures after total gastrectomy.

METHODSA total of 109 gastric cancer patients in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from March 2012 to February 2013 were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into functional jejunal interposition (FJI) group (52 cases) and Roux-en-Y (R-Y) group (57 cases). The post-operative complications, nutritional status, and the quality of life were compared between two groups.

RESULTSOne, 3 and 6 months after operation, the incidence of R-S syndrome in FJI group was lower as compared to R-Y group[13% (6/45) vs. 37% (18/49), 3% (1/30) vs. 42% (14/33), 5% (1/21) vs. 48% (11/23), all P<0.01], while 3 months after operation, the incidence of reflux and heartburn in FJI group was higher[53% (16/30) vs. 21% (7/33), P<0.01; 37% (11/30) vs. 12% (4/33), P<0.05]. There were no significant differences in quality of life questionnaire QLQ-C30 between R-Y and FJI groups. QLQ-STO22 stomach module revealed in FJI group, the eating score was better, but reflux score was worse as compared to R-Y group 3 months after operation (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSFunctional jejunal interposition keeps intestinal continuity preserving and food duodenal passing, which is a reasonable digestive reconstruction procedure.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the early cardiac injury caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before the development of cardiovascular symptoms of OSA. METHODS: Ninety-two patients without any known cardiovascular disorders who underwent polysomnography (PSG) were enrolled in the study. Subjects were divided into mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups by their apnea hypopnea index (AHI), and 25 healthy individuals were identified as controls. After PSG examination, fasting blood samples for the evaluation of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (h-FABP) were collected in the morning, and left ventricular(LV) functions were assessed by using echocardiographic methods. Thirty moderate and severe OSA patients were treated with continuous positive airway pressure respectively (CPAP). RESULTS: The levels of h-FABP and NT-proBNP were obviously higher in all OSA groups than those in the control group (<0.01), and were positively correlated with AHI (<0.01). The Em/Am values of all OSA groups and E/A values of the moderate and severe OSA groups were significantly reduced (<0.01). The difference in Em/Am values among the groups was statistically significant (<0.01). Compared with those before treatment, h-FABP and NT-BNP levels in serum of OSA patients after CPAP treatment were significantly reduced (<0.01), and Em/Am and E/A values were significantly increased (<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and early myocardial microtrauma are major manifestations of early heart damage in patients with OSA. CPAP therapy could significantly improve early cardiac damage in OSA patients.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Heart Injuries ; Humans ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left