OBJECTIVE:To establish the quality standard for Maikang mixture. METHODS:TLC was used for the qualitative identification of Paeonia lactiflora,Angelica sinensis,Ligusticum chuanxiong,Astragalus membranaceus,Schisandra chinensis and Ophiopogon japonicus. HPLC was used for the content determination of schisandrin:the column was Kromasil C18 with mobile phase of methanol-water (60∶40,V/V) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min,detection wavelength was 254 nm,column temperature was 40 ℃,and the infection volume was 20 μl. RESULTS:P. lactiflora,A. sinensis,L. chuanxiong,A. membranaceus,S. chinensis and O. japonicus showed clear spots and well separated. The linear range of schisandrin was 1-50 μg/ml (r=0.999 9);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 2%;recovery was 97.01%-98.58%(RSD=0.56%,n=6). CONCLU-SIONS:The established standard can be used for the quality control of Maikang mixture.

Objective To investigate the calculi composition of patients with urinary calculi in Henan area and the clinical significance of preventing calculi recurrence with individualized method.Methods From August 2009 to July 2010,1050 patients in our hospital underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy were set as the experimental group,all stone specimens were detected with the BRUKER TENSOR27 infrared spectroscopy for analysis of stone composition,and nurse on duty gave instructions according to the stone composition to prevent recurrence.From July 2008 to July 2009 1010 patients in our hospital underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy,ureteroscope and percutaneous nephrolithotomy were set as the control group,patients in the control group were not given calculi component analysis and these patients received general prevention guidance.The calculi recurrence was compared between two groups.Results Among 1050 cases in the experimental group,urinary calculi with single component accounted for 46.29％,of which calcium oxalate stones accounted for 44.95％.Calculi with mixed components accounted for 53.71％,mainly were calcium oxalate and carbonate apatite mixture components (30.48％).57 cases (5.43％) occurred urinary stone recurrence in the experimental group,while 177 cases(17.52％) in the control group.The difference had statistical significance.Conclusions Urinary calculi analysis has important clinical significance for understanding the causes and treatment of calculi as well as prevention of recurrence of calculi.

In order to establish a method for the determination of the sterols of the oil in the freeze-dried acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and to evaluate its antioxidant activities, a saponification/extraction procedure and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method were developed and validated for the analysis of phytosterols in PEE (Petroleum ether extract). Separation was achieved on a Purosper STAR LP C18 column with a binary, gradient solvent system of acetonitrile and isopropanol. Evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) was used to quantify β-sitosterol and the total sterols. Peak identification was verified by retention times and spikes with external standards. Standard curves were constructed (r = 0.999 2) to allow for sample quantification. Recovery of the saponification and extraction was demonstrated via analysis of spiked samples. The highest content of total sterols is β-sitosterol. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using the total oxyradical scavenging capacity assay (TOSC assay). The result showed that the PEE exhibited significant antioxidant properties, sample concentration and the antioxidant capacity had a certain relevance.
Antioxidants ; analysis ; Arecaceae ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Phytosterols ; analysis ; Sitosterols ; analysis

Background Peripheral refraction of retina brings about influence on myopia development,and different corrective methods will play different roles on the peripheral refraction.Objective This study was to measure the peripheral refraction with progressive addition lenses (PALs) and single-vision spectacle lenses (SVLs) corrected in adolescent myopic eyes and to investigate the difference between them.Methods This was a selfcontrolled cross-sectional study.Forty corrected myopic eyes with PALs were recruited for the study.Twenty-three male and seventeen female subjects aged 10-15 years (mean 12.54 years±1.45 years) enrolled in this study.The refractive errors of the subjects ranged form-1.50 D to-6.00 D (mean-3.74 D±1.09 D) and the astigmatism was less than-1.50 D with the corrected visual acuity at least 20/25.1％ Tropicamide eye drops was topically administered for the cycloplegia and then Grand Seiko WAM-5500 Auto-refractor was used to measure the peripheral refraction.The measured points were determined follows as:fovea (0°),peripheral temporal (T30°,T20°,T10°) and nasal (N30°,N20°,N10°) visual fields from the right eyes.The mean of the six measuring points for each position was calculated.Peripheral refraction was measured from each subject under the wearing of PALs or SVLs (randomly in succession),and the statistic analyse perimeters included M value,relative peripheral refractive error (RPRE),J45,J180.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject before examination.Results The corrected visual acuity was 4.98 ± 0.65 and 4.97 ± 0.53 under the PALs and SVLs conditions respectively,showing in significant difference between them (t =0.222,P =0.639).Hypermetropic shift in peripheral M value and RPRE value were found with the increase of visual angle field,in contrast,the peripheral J180 showed a myopic shift,and significant difference was found among the six peripheral points with all of the above three perimeters (P＜0.05).Negative J45 values in the temporal visual filed and positive J45 values in the nasal filed showed less shift.Some peripheral angles of the peripheral refractions in M value,RPRE value,J180,J45 showed significantly difference from the fovea refraction(P＜0.05).Compared with SVLs correction,PALs induced relatively myopic shifts in M value and RPRE value in all of the peripheral angle fields,showing significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusions PALs causes relatively myopic shift at the peripheral retina in adolescent myopic eyes in comparison with SVLs,and the important parameters are M value and RPRE value.The effect of PALs on controlling the onset and progression of myopia may be interpreted by peripheral refraction.

OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture combined with auricular point tapping and pressing on the obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

METHODSThirty-nine cases of obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome were treated with electroacupuncture combined with auricular point tapping and pressing, body points as Tianshu (ST 25), Fenglong (ST 40), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Siman (KI 14) etc. were selected, and ear points as Kou (mouth), Wei (stomach) and Pi (spleen) etc. were selected. After 3 courses, the therapeutic effect, the body mass index (BMI), the waist circumference (WC) and the changes of the serum insulin (Ins) and testosterone (T) were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTSOf the 39 cases, 10 cases were cured, 25 cases were effective, 4 cases were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 89.7%; there were significant differences in BMI, WC, Ins and T of the patients compared with that before treatment (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture combined with auricular point tapping and pressing has a good clinical effect on obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, the treatment mechanism may realized by regulating the serum insulin and the testosterone of the patients.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Ear Auricle ; pathology ; Electroacupuncture ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; complications ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; complications ; therapy ; Testosterone ; blood ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective:To study the effects of deoxyadenosine(dAdo) on methotrexate (MTX) induced suppression of inflammatory bone destruction.Methods:The culture system of whole bone marrow cells (WBMCs) was utilized to evaluate osteoclastogenesis.TRAP staining and μCT analysis were utilized to evaluate osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction in adjuvant arthritis rats.Results:In the bone marrow culture system,MTX-induced suppression of osteoclastogenesis was abrogated by the addition of dAdo.dAdo canceled MTX-induced suppression of osteoclastogenesis in the rats with arthritis,and significantly abolished the therapeutic effects of MTX on inflammatory bone destruction in the rats.Conclusion:The accumulation of dAdo may be one cause of the losing effectiveness of MTX in bone destruction.

Objective To evaluate whether 18F-fluorothymidine(FLT) can be used to monitor early response to irradiation in colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods SW480 cells were cultured and irradiated with 0, 10, and 20 Gy.Twenty-four hours later, morphological changes, apoptosis, necrosis, proliferation,and cell cycle phases were observed.Uptake of 18F-FLT was measured in these tumors in vitro from 24 h to 72 h after irradiation.The one-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the data.Results Apoptotic and necrotic cells were detected 24 h after radiotherapy.SW480 cells proliferation was significantly delayed after irradiation in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte-trazolium bromide (MTI) assay.Cell cycle analysis showed that SW480 cells had a decreased fraction of cells in S phase( from 33.23% to 9.24%,then to 5.43% ) and an arrested fraction in G0-G1.After SW480 cells were cultured for60 min, the uptake of 18F-FLT was (5.21 ± 1.60) %; and 24 h after irradiation of 10 Gy, the uptake decreased significantly to (4.27±0.48)% (F=8.253, P=0.009).And 72 h after irradiation, the uptake further decreased significantly to (3.39 ± 0.59) % ( F = 36.715, P＜0.001 ).In tumor tissue, the uptake of 18F-FLT reduced significantly 72 h after radiotherapy (10 Gy:F = 12.388, P = 0.007; 20 Gy:F = 16.744, P = 0.004) and the attenuation degree increased with the radiation dose.Conclusion The uptake of 18F-FLT in SW480 cells or in CRC could reflect the changes of SW480 cells in proliferation, cell cycle re-distribution, cell apoptosis and necrosis.The results suggest that 18F-FLT may be used for monitoring early response to irradiation of CRC.

Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid nodules and uric acid levels and to find their gender differences.Methods A total of 68 056 subjects in a regional medical physical examination center of Shanxi Province from January 2013 to June 2015 were enrolled in this study.All the participants′ general information and parameters were recorded.Thyroid nodules were detected by color Doppler ultrasonography.Results The total prevalence of thyroid nodule was 35.5%, 30.7% in males and 40.0% in females.The prevalence of single nodule was 50.1%, and multiple 49.9%.Compared with no nodule group, thyroid nodule group tended to be older, with higher BMI, and with a worse metabolic status(all P<0.01).The uric acid levels were lower[(352.37±78.14 vs 357.70±77.51) μmol/L, P<0.01] in thyroid nodule group in male and higher[(260.22±61.91 vs 253.91±59.18) μmol/L, P<0.01] in female.Conclusion Thyroid nodules may be associated with metabolism and inflammation.In males, hyperuricemia group had lower, while in females, hyperuricemia ones were with a higher prevalence of thyroid nodules.

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 18F-fluorothymidine(FLT) PET in monitoring the metastatic potential of human colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods Human CRC cell lines SW480 and SW620 were cultured and implanted into nude mice to create CRC models. Tumor growth,metastatic status and survival were assessed in CRC bearing mice. Uptake of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT in SW480 and SW620 cells was detected In vitro at 0,30,60,90,120 min after incubation. PET images of both tracers were acquired for SW480 and SW620 tumor-bearing mice using the small animal PET at 60 min after tracer injection. Region of interest (ROI) was drawn using Image J software on reconstructed PET images. Immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis of the tumor tissue were performed. The correlation between tracer uptake and tumor marker expression was evaluated using linear regression. Results Compared with SW620 tumor-bearing mice,SW480 induced tumor grew much faster ( t = - 3.332,P = 0.004),the tumor-bearing mice had more serious dyscrasia ( t = 2.240,P = 0.038 ),shorter survival and higher metastatic rate. In vitro study,the uptake of both 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT in SW620 cells was lower than that in SW480 cells. 18F-FLT uptake was higher than 18F-FDG uptake in both SW480 and SW620 cells. After incubation for 60 min,the uptake of 18F-FDG in SW480 and SW620 cells was ( 1.76 ± 0.87 )% and ( 1.14 ± 0.38 )%,respectively ( t = - 2.507,P = 0.021 ); while the uptake of 18F-FLT in SW480 and SW620 cells was (5.21 ± 1.60)% and (2.90 ± 1.82)%,respectively (t =3.497,P =0.002). In micro-PET study,the 18F-FDG radioactivity ratio of tumor to non-tumor (T/NT) in SW480 and SW620 tumors was 2.69 ± 0.98 and 3.09 ± 1.26 respectively (t =0.657,P =0.524); while T/NT of 18F-FLT in SW480 and SW620 tumors was 3.65 ±0.51 and 2.22 ±0.42 (t =6.491,P ＜0.001 ),respectively. In immunocytochemistry and western blot assay,heat shock protein(HSP) 27,Integrin β3,vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 ( VEGFR2 ) and Ki67 were all over expressed in two kinds of tumor cells with different intensities. HSP27 and Integrin β3 expression was higher in SW480 cells than that in SW620 cells. While VEGFR and Ki67 expression was lower in SW480 cells than that in SW620 cells. The uptake of 18F-FLT closely correlated with the expression of HSP27 ( r =0.924,P =0.004) and Integrin β3 (r=0.813,P =0.025). 18F-FDG uptake inversely correlated with the survival of tumor-bearing mice (r =0.500,P=0.017). Conclusions The uptake of 18F-FDGand 18F-FLT may reflect different biological characteritics of CRC. High 18F-FLT uptake in CRC on PET scan may predict high metastatic tendency.

OBJECTIVETo fabricate a new composite scaffold material as an implant for sustained delivery of rifampicin and evaluate its performance of sustained drug release and biocompatibility.

METHODSThe composite scaffold material was prepared by loading poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres that encapsulated rifampicin in a biphasic calcium composite material with a negative surface charge. The in vitro drug release characteristics of the microspheres and the composite scaffold material were evaluated; the in vivo drug release profile of the composite scaffold material implanted in a rat muscle pouch was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography. The biochemical parameters of the serum and liver histopathologies of the rats receiving the transplantation were observed to assess the biocompatibility of the composite scaffold material.

RESULTSThe encapsulation efficiency and drug loading efficiency of microspheres were (56.05±5.33)% and (29.80±2.88)%, respectively. The cumulative drug release rate of the microspheres in vitro was (94.19±5.4)% at 28 days, as compared with the rate of (82.23±6.28)% of composite scaffold material. The drug-loaded composite scaffold material showed a good performance of in vivo drug release in rats, and the local drug concentration still reached 16.18±0.35 µg/g at 28 days after implantation. Implantation of the composite scaffold material resulted in transient and reversible liver injury, which was fully reparred at 28 days after the implantation.

CONCLUSIONThe composite scaffold material possesses a good sustained drug release capacity and a good biocompatibility, and can serve as an alternative approach to conventional antituberculous chemotherapy.

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Liberation ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rifampin ; administration & dosage