Hematologic Neoplasms ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation ; RNA ; genetics ; RNA Splicing ; Spliceosomes ; genetics

Gentianae Urnulae Herba, dried whole herb of Gentiana urnula,is a commonly used Tibetan medicine. However, only the character identification is used as quality control standard officially at present. As a part of project for the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition), the quality standard of this species was established in this study. The tests of water content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash and ethanol-soluble extractives of the crude drugs were carried out following the methods recorded in appendix of Chinese Pharmacopeia (2010 edition, volume 1). The TLC identification method was established by using gentiournoside A as reference substance, and a mixture of ethyl acetate-methanol-water-formic acid(7:1. 5:1: 0. 2) as the developing solvent system on silica gel G TLC plate. The content of gentiournoside A was assayed by HPLC on an Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm,5 μm) column, using acetonitrile-water (0.1% phosphoric acid) (26:74) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). The column temperature is at 30 degrees C and the detection wavelength is at 240 nm. As a result, gentiournoside A and the other constituents were separated and presented the same fluorescence light comparing with the reference substance on TLC detected under the UV light(366 nm). The methodology validation for the assay of gentiournoside A showed that it was in a good linear correlation in the range of 0.009 95-0.398 g x L(-1) with the regression equation of Y = 1 467.1X +41.407(r = 0.999 9), and the average recovery was 98. 3% (RSD 2.2%). The mass fractions of gentiournoside A, water content, ethanol-soluble extractives of 15 batches samples were varied in the ranges of 0.175% -1.83%, 8.60% - 9.93% and 29.2% - 35.2%, respectively. Total ash and acid-insoluble ash were 10.2% - 17.2% and 5.26% - 10.8% detected from 10 batches samples. The recommended standards of quantitative indexes are that the mass fractions of gentiournoside A and extractives are not less than 0.80% and 26.0%, respectively; the water, total ash and acid-insoluble ash are not more than 12.0%, 15.0% and 8.0%, respectively.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tablet (JXT) in improving heartfunction of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and speckle trackingimaging (STI) technology.

METHODSRecruited were 60 inpatients with confirmed CHD by coronary angiography at First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2013to November 2014. They were assigned to the treatment group (group A) and the control group (groupB) according to random digit table, 30 cases in each group. Patients in group A took JXT, 0.45 g/tablet,4 tablets each time, 3 times per day, while those in group B took Simvastatin Tablet, 20 mg/tablet, 1 tablet each time, once per evening. The therapeutic course for all was 8 weeks. The long axis view of theheart of 18 segments STI Peak strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa parameters were performed in all patients before and after treatment.

RESULTSBefore treatment segments of STI strain LS and TDI longitudinal peak systolic peak Sa were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Each segment of STI peak longitudinal strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa in the two groups were higher after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment each segment of STI parameters of LS and eachTDI segment parameters of Sa were significantly lower in group B than in group A (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJXT could improve heart function of CHD patients to different degrees, and its curative effect was betterthan that of routine Western medicine (Simvastatin Tablets) treatment.

Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart ; drug effects ; Humans ; Simvastatin ; therapeutic use ; Tablets

BACKGROUNDEarly detection with screening mammography can potentially reduce breast cancer mortality rates. To achieve an efficient screening, a peer review system provides a compensatory double-check reviewing, will hopefully to prevent the omission of detectable lesions and reduce unnecessary recall.

METHODSIn 2009, 4643 initial mammographic screenings reported by 74 screening radiologists had negative results with a recall rate of less than 5%. In the same year, 2538 initial positives screened by 18 screening radiologists had a recall rate higher than 15%. Those 7181 randomized screenings were evenly distributed for reassessment by 39 reviewing radiologists. The disagreement of assessments between the reviewers and screening radiologists was recorded. The differential rate was defined as the number of the disagreements divided by the number of audited films reviewed by a screening radiologist. The equality of the differential rates for each screening radiologists with negative and positive assessments was compared by a Chi-square test. The performance of the 39 auditors was measured by the Kendall's tau statistic. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTSThe mean differential rate for screening radiologists of negative assessments was 6.7% (P = 0.588), while 35.0% for positive assessments were significant (P < 0.001). The result indicated that most of the initial negative assessments reported by the screening radiologists were generally accepted by the reviewers but not the positive assessments. With respect to the 39 reviewers, there was no significant evidence for the association of the difference rates between negative and positive assessments. Nine reviewers were found to have their differential rate for negative and positive assessments larger than the average of the population. Eleven reviewers were found to have their differential rates smaller than the average for both. Thirteen reviewers had their differential rates smaller than the average for negative assessments but larger than the average for positive assessments. The opposite condition was found for six reviewers. The Kendall's tau statistic was 0.038 (P = 0.735).

CONCLUSIONSReviewers usually agreed with the opinion of the initial screening doctors who reported negative findings. Therefore, a 5% recall rate as the lower range of reviewing negatives may be still too high. The recall rate of more than 15% was significantly related to improper interpretation, especially when the differential rate is 25% or higher, a warning to the underperforming screening radiologist is recommended. An ideal reviewer should interpret films independently. Reviewers with tendencies to be followers or contrarians should not be enrolled in the reviewing system.

Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Mammography ; Peer Review ; Reproducibility of Results ; Taiwan

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies ; complications ; Hip Dislocation ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Hip Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Tilianin was separated and authenticated from the seeds of Dracocephalum moldavia, a Uygur medicine, by chromatographic technique and spectroscopic method. The purity of tilianin is more than 98% determined by HPLC area normalization method. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) method was used to separate tilianin from D. moldavia by mixture of chloroform-methanol (5: 1) as a developing solvent on high performance silicagel precoated plate (SGF254) and using aluminium trichloride as a chromogenic agent for qualitative identification of D. moldavia. To establish a HPLC method for quantitative analysis of D. moldavia, tilianin was used as a Quantitative marker and separated on a C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) column with acetonitrile-01% formic acid (25: 75) as the mobile phase and detected at 330 nm. The calibration curve of tilianin displayed ideal linearity over the range of 0.617 2-123.44 μg x mL(-1) with a regression equation of Y = 33.773X - 0.824 8 (r = 1). The average recovery of tilianin was 101.0% with RSD of 3.7%. The RSD values of intra-day and inter-day precision were less than 2%. The content of tilianin in 4 batches of the authenticated semen of D. Moldavia was between 0.016 and 0.187 mg x g(-1). The qualitative and quantitative method established is suitable for the quality evaluation and assessment of semen of D. Moldavia.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Quality Control

BACKGROUNDBone age development is one of the significant indicators depicting the growth status of children. However, bone age assessment is an heuristic and tedious work for pediatricians. We developed a computerized bone age estimation system based on the analysis of geometric features of carpal bones.

METHODSThe geometric features of carpals were extracted and analyzed to judge the bone age of children by computerized shape and area description. Four classifiers, linear, nearest neighbor, back-propagation neural network, and radial basis function neural network, were adopted to categorize bone age. Principal component and discriminate analyses were employed to improve assorting accuracy.

RESULTSThe hand X-ray films of 465 boys and 444 girls served as our database. The features were extracted from carpal bone images, including shape, area, and sequence. The proposed normalization area ratio method was effective in bone age classification by simulation. Besides, features statistics showed similar results between the standard of the Greulich and Pyle atlas and our database.

CONCLUSIONSThe bone area has a higher discriminating power to judge bone age. The ossification sequence of trapezium and trapezoid bones between Taiwanese and the atlas of the GP method is quite different. These results also indicate that carpal bone assessment with classification of neural networks can be correct and practical.

Age Determination by Skeleton ; Carpal Bones ; anatomy & histology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Neural Networks (Computer)

OBJECTIVETo introduce a method to reconstruct hemifacial atrophy (Romberg's disease).

METHODSThrough a temporal incision, the compound grafts of pedicled superficial temporal fascial flap and free dermis-fat were inserted into the cheek to correct soft tissue depression on the face. The dermis-fat was harvested from gluteal crease site.

RESULTS6 cases were treated with this technique. 3 to 10 months' follow-up showed satisfactory results and few resorption of the compound grafts.

CONCLUSIONSThe mentioned technique is simple and reliable in reconstructing bulk defects of the face.

Adipose Tissue ; transplantation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Child ; Dermis ; transplantation ; Facial Hemiatrophy ; epidemiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish the qualitative and quantitative methods of Herba Siegesbeckiae.

METHODA TLC method was used for qualitative identification and a HPLC analysis was applied for quantitative determination of Herba Siegesbeckiae with kirenol as the reference substances.

RESULTChloroform-methanol-formic acid (25:5:1) as a mobile phase of TLC, the spot of kirenol can be easily detected; Methanol extracts of Herba Siegebeckiae were separated on a Polaris C18 column with acetonitrile-water (25:75) as mobile phase and kirenol was separated well. The average content of kirenol in Herba Siegebeckiae was 0.14%. A good linear relationship between the peak areas and injected amounts of kirenol in the range of 0.19-14.9 microg and the average recovery was 100.0% (RSD = 2.4%).

CONCLUSIONThe method can be used for qualitative identification and quantitation determination of Herba Siegesbeckiae.

Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Pharmacognosy ; standards ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of surgical treatment on spine metastatic tumor.

METHODS31 cases of spine metastatic tumor with severe pain or/and neurological deficit were selected and treated with various operative methods.

RESULTSExcept for 4 cases, all the patients survived from 3 months to 7 years (average 17.6 months). The patients had no complication during treatment. The symptoms and neurological functions recovered with various extent after operation.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical treatment should cautiously be adopted. When the spine metastatic tumor with severe pain and neurological deficit has no response to the conservative methods, the surgical treatment with decompression and internal fixation should be performed to improve the life quality for the patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery