Objective To explore the multiple risk factors for family lifestyle of children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Shaanxi Province, China. children and their parents. The univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the influence of risk factors related to parents' lifestyle on CHDs. Results Several possible risk factors were found for CHDs, including fever (OR=4.465, P=0.017), pesticides contact (OR=2.234, P=0.083), passive smoking during pregnancy (OR=20.529, P=0.007) and father's smoking (OR=3.342, P=0.005); fever (OR=2.428, P=0.012) and passive smoking during pregnancy (OR=1.201, P=0.037) were also correlated with ventricular sepal defect (VSD). Conclusion Fever, pesticides contact and passive smoking are associated with CHDs during pregnancy. We should focus our attention on health care during pregnancy to avoid the above-mentioned risk factors and call on parents to hold on to a good healthy lifestyle.

Objective To explore the prescribing patterns of outpatients receiving antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in rural Western China and to identify the correlation in terms of doctors and patients characteristics. Methods Totally 7678 prescriptions for URTIs were collected from 680 primary health village clinics of 40 counties across 10 provinces of Western China. Two outcome variables were used in the analysis: the occurrence of prescribing at least one antibiotic drug for an URTI and the occurrence of prescribing two or more antibiotics for an URTI. GEE logistic regression models were used to examine the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of the above two outcome variables. Results The percentage of prescribing at least one antibiotic for URTIs was 48.6% while the percentage of prescribing antibiotic combination (two or more antibiotics) was 4.6%. The two measurements of antibiotic utilization differed remarkably among the 10 provinces. Patients diagnosed with tonsillitis and faucitis had higher odds (OR=8.86 for tonsillitis and OR=4.64 for faucitis) of antibiotic prescription than patients with other diagnosis of URTIs. Patients with tonsillitis and faucitis also had higher odds (OR=3.82 for tonsillitis and OR=2.71 for faucitis) of multiple antibiotic prescription than those with other diagnosis of URTIs. The number of drugs per prescription and injection in prescriptions were also significant predictors of antibiotic and multiple antibiotic utilization for URTIs. Conclusion It is concluded that the percentage of antibiotic prescription for URTIs is higher in rural Western China than in most of other countries with available data and that prescriptions of antibiotics for URTIs are associated with residence regions of patients, URTI diagnosis and background information on drug prescription.

Objective To select the strains which can produce tanshinone ⅡA like its host plant Salvia miltiorrhiza bung. Methods A total of 50 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy, living and symptomless tissues of Salvia miltiorrhiza bung, among which 29 strains were obtained from the root, 14 from the stem, 3 from the leaf, 3 from the flower and 1 from the seed. Their antimicrobial activities against nine different bacteria, including both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, were measured by Oxford plate agar diffusion bioassay. Results Our data showed that all but four strains had significant antibacterial activities on at least one indicator bacterium to some extent, and five strains (DR1, DR4, DR16, DR18 and DF2) manifested quite prominent antibacterial activities against certain pathogenic bacteria. In some degree, it might indicate that this endophytic fungus isolated from the tissues of Salvia miltiorrhiza bung has a potential value as a natural antibacterial medicine as well. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were carried out to test selected strains, both inside and outside of the cell to see if any strain can produce tanshinone ⅡA. The result showed that extracts from three strains, labeled as DR12 (outside cell), DR21 (inside cell) and DF3 (inside cell), had a component with the same Rf value in TLC assay as that of authentic tanshinone ⅡA. The extract from DR12 (outside cell) and DR21 (inside cell) had a peak at retention time identical to that of authentic tanshinone ⅡA in HPLC. Conclusion The fungi appear to produce the bioactive compound tanshinone ⅡA, and they could be used to produce tanshinone ⅡA by fermentation. It provides a new way to synthesize this natural medicine.

Stilbene glycoside (TSG) has been shown to have many beneficial properties. It is therefore essential to understand the absorption and metabolism of TSG in detail. We determined the recovery of TSG and its metabolites (TSG sulfate/glucuronides) in rat gastric contents, gastric mucosa, portal vein plasma, celiac arterial plasma, bile, and urine after administration of 15mg of TSG in 0.5mL physiological saline or incubation for 20min in situ in the stomach of rats. Within 20min, (64.0±9.8)% of the administered TSG disappeared from the stomach; later, TSG was recovered in both free and conjugated forms in plasma and bile, but not in urine. On the other hand, only free TSG was detected in the gastric contents and mucosa; it was also detected in the portal vein plasma as (48.1±3.5)% of the total TSG (all forms of TSG). However, the proportion of free TSG in the celiac arterial plasma and bile decreased to 4%-10%. In addition, the proportion of free TSG to total TSG in the liver microsome incubation mixture after TSG was incubated in liver microsome at 37℃ for 30min was very low [(10.6 ± 2.6)%]. These results indicate that TSG could be quickly absorbed from the rat stomach, conjugated in liver and excreted in bile. Such novel information would be helpful for the use of TSG as a beneficial natural product which may improve its proposed efficacy in preventing chronic diseases.

Objective To explore the efficiency of endoscopic septoplasty with submucous resection for the treatment of 220 patients with deviated nasal septum and report our experience in this field. Methods From May 2006 to May 2010, 220 patients with deviated nasal septum were treated by endoscopic septoplasty with submucous resection to decompress the stress points, resect the deviated parts and implant the reshaped bone of nasal septum, while retaining the normal structure of nasal septum with minimally invasive technique. Results Satisfactory effects were achieved in all the 220 patients, showing centered septal structure and disappeared symptoms such as nasal obstruction, headache and nasal hemorrhage, but no complications including perforation of nasal septum, depressed nasal bridge and septal chalasia and flaring. Conclusion Rhino-endoscopic septoplasty with submucous resection can substantially retain the original structure of nasal septum and thus is proven to be a desirable operation with multiple advantages including minimal invasiveness, quicker healing and fewer complications.

Objective To study the inhibitory action of docetaxel (DOC) on the proliferation of HeLa and SiHa cells. Methods Cell morphological changes were observed with inverted phase contrast microscope. MTT was adopted to test and calculate the cell inhibition ratio. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle. Results DOC had an obvious concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of both HeLa and SiHa cells. The inhibition ratio of DOC on SiHa was significantly higher than that on HeLa (P<0.05). DOC blocked HeLa at G2/M phase. Under the effect of DOC, the cell cycle of SiHa was not changed much. Conclusion DOC has an obvious inhibitory action on both HeLa and SiHa cells, which shows a promising prospect of DOC in clinical treatment of cervical cancer.

Objective To quantitatively analyze the fetal lung echo and right lung volume in the third trimester by real-time three-dimensional ultrasound (3-D US) and evaluate the feasibility of fetal lung maturity. Methods A total of 732 women with normal singleton pregnancies between 28 and 42 weeks of gestation underwent ultrasound examination. The 3-D US equipment with a 3.5-5MHz transabdominal transducer was used for the fetal biometric measurement. The echogenicity ratio between fetal lung and liver was compared. The fetal lung volume was calculated by the rotational multiplanar technique for volume measurement (VOCAL). Results The right fetal lung volume increased with the increase of gestational age with a linear positive correlation (r=0.884, P<0.01). After 34 weeks, the echogenicity ratio of fetal lung to liver was more than 1.1. Conclusion The echogenicity of lung/liver and fetal lung volume could be used as normal fetal predictable indicators for fetal lung maturity.

Objective To analyze the relationship of the expression level of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2, c-erbB-2) of breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ultrasonographic characteristics. Methods Totally 104 patients with IDCs confirmed pathologically were involved in this study. ER, PR and c-erbB-2 expression in the IDC specimens was determined by immunohistochemical staining technique. The correlation between the ultrasonographic features and the positive expression of ER, PR or c-erbB-2 was analyzed. Results The positive expression rate of ER and PR in the group with tumor spiculation sign and posterior acoustic attenuation was higher than that in the group without. The positive expression rate of ER differed significantly (P<0.05) while that of PR did not (P>0.05). The over-expression rate of c-erbB-2 in the group of microcalcification, sufficient blood flow and axillary lymph node metastasis was higher than that in the group of non-microcalcification, deficient blood flow or without axillary lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expression of ER, PR and c-erbB-2 was not related to the size of tumor (P>0.05). Conclusion The expression of ER and c-erbB-2 is closely related to the ultrasonographic characteristics of IDC, which may, to some extent, reflect the expression level of ER and c-erbB-2.

Objective To investigate the dynamic expression of the 20S proteasome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of type 2 diabetic patients without vascular complications. Methods PBMCs were prepared from 30 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 nondiabetic controls. The general indexes including weight, height and blood pressure were recorded. Fasting plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured. The protein level of the 20S proteasome was measured by Western blotting. The mRNA expression levels of the 20S proteasome β1, β2 and β5 subunits were detected by real-time PCR. Results Compared with that in the nondiabetic controls, the protein level of the 20S proteasome was significantly increased in the diabetic patients and was positively associated with glycosylated hemoglobin. Conclusion Type 2 diabetic patients without vascular complications have an increased 20S proteasome expression, the significance of which needs to be explored by further study.

The chemical constituents from Aconitum richardsonianum var.pseudosessiliflorum were investigated.The roots of this plant were extracted three times with 90％ EtOH at the room temperature.The ethanol extracts were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure to yield residue,which was suspended in water and successively partitioned with chloroform.The chloroform extraction was isolated and purified by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Six compounds were isolated and elucidated as delelatine (1), isodelpheline (2),3-acetylaconitine (3),isoatisine (4),nordhagenine A (5) and yunaconitine (6).Compounds 1 - 5 were obtained from Aconitum Brunneum for the first time.Compound (1) showed significant cytotoxic activities (IC50 =4.36 tμM) against the human tumor cell line P388.