OBJECTIVETo establish a new method for evaluating quality stability of Shudihuang decoction pieces with near-infrared spectrum.

METHODClustering analysis was used to distinguish different Shudihuang samples. And comparisons between NIR and HPLC fringerprint.

RESULTResults of clustering reflected the similar degree among these samples. Compared with HPLC fingerprint, NIR analytical process fast and convenient with exact results.

CONCLUSIONNIR is a feasible and effective approach to examine the quality stability of Shudihuang decoction pieces with unique virtues.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cluster Analysis ; Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards

Objective To understand the prevalence and disease distribution of migrants within the water source area of the Middle Route Project of South-to-North Water Diversion Project and analyze the influencing factors. Methods By multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method, 307 immigrants and 676 immigrants were selected from Danjiangkou reservoir area, Shiyan city, Hubei Province. Results The prevalence of chronic diseases among in-migration was 51.8%. The prevalence rates of the top five chronic diseases were waist and leg pain, hypertension, gastritis, heart disease and diabetes. The prevalence of chronic diseases among out-migration was 65.1%. The prevalence rates of the top five chronic diseases were waist and leg pain, hypertension, gastritis, heart disease and bronchitis. The rate of chronic disease, the rate of two weeks and the rate of two weeks' visit were higher than that of emigration(all P<0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that the factors influencing the chronic diseases of immigrants were 60 years old (OR=59.928，P<0.001), unsatisfied family income (OR=0.377, P=0.002) and poor economic status (OR=0.517, P=0.028). The factors influencing the chronic diseases of immigrants were 60 years old (OR=26.190, P<0.001), smoking (OR=1.856,P=0.004), unsatisfactory family income (OR=0.598,P=0.029) and poor economic status (OR=0.460,P<0.001). Conclusions The prevalence of migrants within a high level is at a high level. Actually raising the income of immigrants is conducive to improving the health condition of immigrants.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Carbon Dioxide ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fas Ligand Protein ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the behaviors of the children suffered from the secondary deformity after the repair of the cleft lip.

METHODSWith the application of the PCPI, eighty patients with the secondary deformity after the repair of the cleft lip were selected in this study and 134 normal children was used for the control.

RESULTSIn the age between 6 and 11 years, there were no significant difference of the behaviors between the children suffered from secondary deformity of cleft lip and the normal children,but in the age from 12 to 16, the children with the deformity showed more behavior problems with the social withdraw and the poor social relationships, compared with the normal children.

CONCLUSIONThe children with the secondary deformity after cleft lip repair in adolescence could have the tendency to suffer from the behavior problems, especially showing the social withdraw and the poor social relationships.

Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; psychology ; Behavior ; physiology ; Child ; Child Behavior ; psychology ; Child, Preschool ; Cleft Lip ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lip ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; psychology ; Social Behavior Disorders ; etiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of how curcumin improves pulmonary vascular remodeling associated with chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

METHODSThe model of chromic hypoxia hypercapniapulmoary remodeling was made. Twenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6): group I (normoxia control group), group II (hypxia and hypercapnia model group), group II (disodium cromoglycate control group), group IV (curcumin treated group). The last 3 group rats were put in a hypoxia cabin where the concentrate of O2 was 8% - 11% and the concentrate of CO2 was 3% - 5%, for 8 h a day and lasting 4 w in total. Group III rats were intraperitoneally injected with disodium cromoglycate (20 mg/kg) and group IV rats were administrated with curcumin by gavage (150 mg/kg). The morphological changes of pulmonary vessel walls and the ultrastructure of mast cells were observed by the optics microscope and the transmission electron microscope. Mast cells and its degranulation state were measured by toluidine blue staining and immunohistochemistry. Data were expressed as means ± SD (standard deviation) and analyzed with SPSS17.0 software.

RESULTS(1) By optics microscopy observation, the value of WA/TA was significantly higher in II group than other groups (P < 0.05). (2) Electron microscope showed that the endothelial cells of pulmonary arterioles in III and IV group were near to I group and the proliferation of pulmonary arterial media smooth cell layer and collagen fibers in adventitia was much lighter than those in II group. The membrane of mast cells was more intact in I, III, IV group than II group. (3) The number of mast cells, the degranulation rate of master cells and the number of positive tryptase stained cells in II group were significantly more than those in other groups. (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin may inhibit the remodeling of pulmonary vessel induced by chronic hypoxia hypercapnia by mast cell regulation.

Animals ; Cell Degranulation ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Hypercapnia ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Remodeling ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicating cardiogenic shock underwent various treatments.

METHODSFrom January, 2002 to May, 2007, 47 AMI patients with cardiogenic shock were treated in our department by optimal medication (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, etc.), intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), mechanical ventilation when indicated, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Outcome and factors related to mortality for these patients were analyzed in this retrospective study.

RESULTSBesides optimal medication and IABP in all patients, 31 patients underwent PCI (66.0%), 6 patients received emergency CABG (12.8%). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 36.2% (17/47), 6 patients (14.9%) died before coronary revascularization and 11 patients (21.3%) died after revascularization. Nine patients died of pump failure and 8 patients died of renal and (or) respiratory failure. Regression analysis showed that acute renal failure (r = 0.734, P = 0.000), acute respiratory failure (r = 0.606, P = 0.000) and diabetes (r = 0.372, P = 0.012) were positively related to in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONDespite improvements in treatment options for AMI patients complicating cardiogenic shock, in-hospital mortality remained high, especially for patients complicating further with acute renal failure and acute respiratory failure.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; mortality ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; etiology ; mortality ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo establish one easier and higher efficient method of evaluating the quality of dried Rehmanwa glutinosa processed by different processing techniques in different producing areas.

METHODStudies on the correlations between 2D-IR and HPLC in dried R. glutinosa processed by different processing techniques.

RESULTThere are good correlations between their datas.

CONCLUSIONIt is properly to evaluate the quality of dried R. glutinosa processed by different processing techniques and different producing areas.

China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Ecosystem ; Hot Temperature ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Rehmannia ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; methods ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the association of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with overweight or obesity in children.

METHODSA total of 2889 healthy children and 702 overweight or obese children aged from 7 to 18 years who had received a physical examination were enrolled. Height, body weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured, and the biochemical indicators including blood glucose, blood lipids, ALT, and insulin were detected. The insulin resistance index were calculated.

RESULTSThe ALT level was significantly higher in boys than in girls. Along with the increase of BMI, the ALT level increased in the normal, overweight, and obese groups in both boys and girls. ALT was correlated with BMI, waist circumference, triglyceride, and insulin resistance index. Among the overweight or obese children, the boys with the increased ALT level had higher BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and insulin resistance index than the boys with normal ALT level (P<0.05); the girls with the increased ALT level had higher waist circumference, blood pressure and insulin resistance index and lower high density lipoprotein than the girls with normal ALT level (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSALT is correlated with overweight and obesity and metabolic disorders caused by overweight and obesity such as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.

Adolescent ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Obesity ; enzymology ; Overweight ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of infrasound therapy on the proliferation, apoptosis and ultrastructure of human B lymphoma Raji cells.

METHODSHuman B lymphoma Raji cells were exposed to infrasound treatment for 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min and cultured subsequently for 24 or 48 h. MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, and electron microscopy were performed to examine the proliferative status, cell apoptosis and ultrastructural changes of the exposed cells, respectively.

RESULTSMTT assay revealed no significant changes in the proliferation of the cells exposed to infrasound treatment (P>0.05), nor did flow cytometry analysis identified significant variation in the cell apoptosis (P>0.05). Scanning electron microscopy, however, identified shortened or reduced cell processes and microvilli on the surface of the cells with infrasound exposure and a subsequent 24-hour culture, and the cell membrane surface became smooth. Under transmission electron microscope, the cells with infrasound treatment presented with significantly reduced microvilli, and the cell nuclei appeared homogeneous, with cytoplasmic budding and losses after a 48-hour culture.

CONCLUSIONInfrasound less than 90 dB does not obviously affect the proliferation and apoptosis of Raji cells, but may directly cause cell ultrastructural changes such as reduction of the cell processes.

Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; pathology ; physiopathology ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Sound

OBJECTIVETo study the copy numbers and mRNA expression levels of the Programmed Death-1 gene in chronic hepatitis B patients and to analyze the differences of the copy numbers and mRNA expression levels of the gene in patients with different clinical outcomes.

METHODSReal time PCR was adopted to detect the PD-1 gene copy numbers and their mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 27 samples from healthy donors in Control group, 31 samples from chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers (ASC, n=31), 19 samples from chronic severe hepatitis B patients (CSH, n=19) and 29 samples from Primary hepatitis B Virus-related hepatocarcinoma (PHC, n=29). The differences and relationship of copy numbers and their mRNA expression levels among those groups were compared and analyzed by adopting Chi-square test and Rank sum test.

RESULTSPD-1 gene copy number deviated from 0 copy to 3 copies among all the 106 samples. In control group, ASC group, CSH group and PHC group, the percentages of cases of haploid (single) were 37.0%, 35.5%, 26.3% and 6.9%, respectively, the percentages of cases of diploid (double) were 55.5%, 58.0%, 63.2% and 82.8%, respectively, and the percentages of cases of triploid (triple) were 3.7%, 6.5%, 10.5% and 10.3%, respectively. The percentage of cases of polyploid (diploid and triploid) in control group, ASC group, CSH group and PHC group were 59.3%, 64.5%, 73.7% and 93.1%, respectively. The different distribution of PD-1 gene copy number of polyploid was significant in total samples (x2=9.583, P<0.05). Compared with Control Group and ASC group, the percentage of cases of polyploid in PHC group was lower with the x2 equals to 8.985 and 7.215 respectively and both with P less than 0.05. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. The mean PD-1 gene copy numbers for these four groups were 1.59+/-0.63, 1.70+/-0.52, 1.84+/-0.60 and 2.00+/-0.37 while the median were 0.002 54, 0.002 72, 0.002 55 and 0.001 33 respectively. Except the control group, there was a uptrend in the other three groups while PD-1 gene mRNA expression presented a downtrend. The mean of PD-1 gene copy numbers of 2 and their mRNA expression levels were 19.59, 32.57 and 33.22 for PHC, CSH and ASC groups among which PHC group had the lowest value, there was significant differences found in the comparison with F=5.395 and P<0.05.

CONCLUSIONPD-1 gene copy numbers and their mRNA expression levels were different in chronic HBV infected patients with different transformation. It is valuable to follow up the patients with more than 1 copy number of PD-1 gene in long term.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gene Dosage ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; genetics ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Young Adult