Adult ; Embolism, Amniotic Fluid ; blood ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Pregnancy ; Uterus ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To investigate the changes of plasma adrenodullin(ADM) and C-type natriuretic peptide(CNP) level in children with chronic heart failure(CHF) and its clinical implications.Methods Forty-two children with CHF were collected.The patients suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy,congenital heart defects,and other heart diseases.According to a modified scoring system described by Ross and Reithman,16 patients were classified as class Ⅱ,14 as class Ⅲ,and 12 as class Ⅳ.Plasma levels of ADM and CNP were measured by radioimmunoassay assay in these patients and 11 healthy children.Echocardiography was performed to measure left ventricular function and the ratio of E/A.Results Plasma ADM and CNP levels of CHF patients were significantly elevated as compared with those of the control subjects [(218.27?106.53) ng/L vs(74.39?53.99) ng/L,P=0;(190.27?108.38) ng/L vs(92.59?(59.46) ng/L),P0.05).ADM levels were elevated with the advancing severity of CHF determined by a modified scoring system described by Ross.However,the plasma CNP levels in the normal state wasn′t significantly different from those observed in class Ⅱ.Likewise,the plasma CNP level in the class Ⅲ was not significantly different from that observed in class Ⅱ.Conclusions ADM and CNP might play a compensatory and defensive roles in the pathophysiology of the pediatric CHF.ADM may be a biochemical marker for evaluation the severity of the chronic heart failure in children,but also a new prognostic indicator of this syndrome.

In this paper,a slight halophilic alkaliphile swain,Alkalibacterium sp.F26,which produced high level of intracellular CAT observed in previous research,was selected as a model microbial to explain the responses of this bacterium to oxidative stress.The results indicated that Alkalibacterium sp.F26 had obvious responses to higher concentration (＞1 mmol/L) of H2O2 than that to lower H2O2 (＜1 mmol/L) challenge from the aspects of defensive enzyme synthesis and cofactors level variation.As for catalase production,the activity increased up to 106.54 U/rag protein which was 1.76 fold of the control when cells were challenged by 3 mmol/L H2O2,but its activity only was 1.13 fold when H2P2 was 100 μmol/L.As far as energy state was concerned,ATP production and NAD+ generation were significantly inhibited from 20.55 μmol/L to 17.80 μmol/L and 69.89 μmol/L to 31.77 μmol/L,respectively,leading to the drop of energy charge from 0.77 to 0.68 and the increase of the portion of NADH/NAD+ from 0.08 to 0.41 in the former case.However,these effects were less distinct under lower concentration of H2O2.Except of the condition of 100 μmol/L H2O2,under which the activation of defensive mechanism resulted in an increase of ATE the level of ATP dropped from 22.69 μmol/L of the control to 22.38 μmol/L and 13.70 μmol/L when challenged by 50 μmol/L and 500 μmol/L H2O2.Besides,the concentration of NADH fluctuated and the NAD+ gradually reduced when H2O2 below 1 mmol/L.

Objective To compare the effecacy and safety of lower dose peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin versus standard interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C in China.Methods 192 patients with chronic hepatitis C were assigned peginterferon alfa-2b 0.5?g/kg each week plus ribavirin 750～1050 mg/d or standard interferon alfa-2b 3 MIU TIW plus ribavirin 750～1050 mg/d for 48-week treatment and 24-week fellow-up.Results The sustained virological response (SVR)rate in lowe-dose peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin group was 53.8%,and the SVR rate in standard interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin was 58.1%.The SVR was similar between the two treat- ment group(P=0.966 for both comparisons).The adverse event rate was higher in peginterferon al- fa-2b plus ribavirin group than in standard interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin group(P=0.033 for both comparisons),but there was no new or unique adverse event in related to pegylation of interferon alfa-2b. Conclusion The effecacy and safety was similar between lower-dose peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin and standard interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the early diagnose and treatment approaches of Refractory Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia (RMPP).

METHODSMedical documents of 68 cases of RMPP were reviewed. Lab and radiology evident such as CBC, CRP, MP-IgM, X-ray, etc. were collected.

RESULTS100% RMPP patients suffered from high fever. Positive sign of lung became clear with the development of the disease. Complications as impairment of liver function, cardiac function and rush developed in few patients. 2-4 rounds treatment of macrolides and Methyllprednisolone were necessary for RMPP while antibiotic may be considered when there were evidence of bacteria infection. Immunoglobulin was recommended to the patients when macrolides and steroid seemed ineffective. Bronchofibroscope played an active role regarding the diagnosis and treatment of RMPP.

CONCLUSIONEarly diagnosis is crucial in RMPP. Combination of multitreatment approaches is the key to cure RMPP.

Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Macrolides ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Prednisolone ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristic of colonic transmission in functional constipation (FC) and the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Sini Powder (SP) on it.

METHODSThe colonic transmission time (CTT) of 36 patients with FC (the FC group) and 22 healthy subjects (control group) was measured through colonic transmission test, and CTT of entire colon and that of various subsections was calculated with Hinton method and Arhan method respectively. After then, the FC group was treated with SP for 7 days, and CTT was detected again after treatment.

RESULTSBefore treatment, body mass index (BMI) was higher, CTT of entire colon, left half colonic section, and sigmoid-rectal section were longer in the FC group than those in the control group (P < 0.05), no statistical difference in CTT of right half colon was found between the two groups (P > 0.05). After FC patients being treated with SP, their CTT of whole colon, left half colonic section and sigmoid-rectal section were significantly shortened (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFC patients were characterized by increased BMI and CTT prolonged and unevenly distributed in subsections, especially in the left half colon, sigmoid and rectum; SP could shorten the CTT in FC patients.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Colon ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Colon, Sigmoid ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Transit ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

In order to guarantee that digital electrocardiographs with an adequate accuracy and reliabity are available for measurements in clinical practice, it is very important to determine the metrological characteristics, methods and to develop the equipments for verification. This paper elaborates the basic functions, specification, schematic drawing and key techniques of calibration equipments as well as test items for digital electrocardiographs.
Electrocardiography ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation

The incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines is related to the clinical medication safety, so has attracted wide attentions from the public. With the deepening of studies on the incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines represented by 18 incompatible herbs, the incompatibility of theory traditional Chinese medicines has raised to new heights. From the origin of incompatibility theory of traditional Chinese medicines, relationship of herbs, harms of incompatible herbs and principle of prevention to toxic effects of specific incompatible medicines, the innovation and development of the traditional Chinese medicine incompatibility theory was explored. Structurally, the incompatibility of traditional Chinese medicines refers to the opposition of two herbs based on seven emotions and clinical experience. The combination of incompatible herbs may lead to human harms, especially latent harm and inefficacy of intervention medicines. The avoidance of the combination of incompatible herbs and the consideration of both symptoms and drug efficacy are the basic method to prevent adverse reactions. The recent studies have revealed five characteristics of incompatible herbs. Toxicity potentiation, toxication, efficacy reduction and inefficacy are the four manifestations of the incompatible relations. The material changes can reflect the effects of toxicity potentiation and toxication of opposite herbs. The accumulation of toxicity and metabolic changes are the basis for latent harms. The antagonistic effect of main efficacies and the coexistence of positive and negative effects are the distinctive part of the incompatibility. The connotation of incompatible herbs plays an important role in the innovation of the traditional Chinese medicine incompatibility theory.
Drug Incompatibility ; Drug Therapy ; history ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; history ; pharmacology ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Seven meroterpenoids and five small-molecular precursors were isolated from Penicillium sp., an endophytic fungus from Dysosma versipellis. The structures of new compounds, 11beta-acetoxyisoaustinone (1) and isoberkedienolactone (2) were elucidated based on analysis of the spectral data, and the absolute configuration of 2 was established by TDDFT ECD calculation with satisfactory match to its experimental ECD data. Meroterpenoids originated tetraketide and pentaketide precursors, resepectively, were found to be simultaneously produced in specific fungus of Penicillium species. These compounds showed weak cytotoxicity in vitro against HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, NCI-H1650, and A2780 cell lines with IC 50 > 10 micromol x L(-1).
Berberidaceae ; microbiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lactones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Penicillium ; chemistry

Objective　To explore the relationship between hemolymph phenol oxidase and the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus. Methods　An Anopheles dirus-Plasmodium yoelii system was used Anopheles dirus were divided into 3 groups, that is, non-blood-fedding (N), normal-blood-fedding (B) and infected-blood-fedding (I). The activities of MPO and o-DPO in hemolymph from 3 groups were determined with native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and density scanning at 5, 7, 11 and 15 d after blood feeding. Results　Both MPO and o-DPO activity were significantly higher in group I than group N and B (P<0.05). But with the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts, both MPO and o-DPO activity in group I were decreased in comparison with group N, especially on the 15 th day after infected-blood feeding. MPO and o-DPO activity in group B were significantly stronger than those of group N. Conclusion　Blood feeding and infection of Plasmodium yoelii both can activate the cascade. The heamolymph phenol oxidase may play an important role in the melanization of Plasmodium yoelii oocysts in Anopheles dirus.