Child ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome

Cochlear Implantation ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Meningitis ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications

Qigui Tongfeng tablet (QLTFT) is a traditional Chinese medicine with good effect for treating gout. Here, network pharmacology method and molecular similarity analysis were utilized to study the effective substance basis and molecular mechanism of the QLTFT on the gout. The similarity to the medicinal compounds is reflected in the Tanimoto coefficient that gives the structural similarity of two compounds. Operationally, similar modifiers were described as pairs of concepts with a similarity score of 0. 500. The results of the molecular similarity analysis suggested that the flavonoids in QLTFT could be new leads for gout. Furthermore, complex biological systems may be represented and analyzed as computable networks. Two important properties of a network were degree and betweenness. Nodes with high degree or high betweenness may play important roles in the overall composition of a network. And the results of network analysis showed that dongbeinine, verticinone-N-oxide, verticine N-oxide, peimine, peiminine, isobaimonidine, dongbeirine, peimisine and simi-arenol which with high degree acted on xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase, matrix metalloproteinase-9, an arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, tyrosine-protein kinase and etc. Inhibition of these targets can prevent the formation of uric acid, reduce inflammation by uric acid and regulate the body's immune response. Thus, these compounds may be the main effective substance basis. The research results not only reveals its molecular mechanism, but also provide a theoretical basis for the quality control of drugs and clinical application.
Gout ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmacology ; methods ; Tablets ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical roles of Jiawei Shentong Zhuyu Decoction (JSZD) in preventing the occurrence of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and to observe its effect on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

METHODSTotally 100 patients prepared for surgical operation due to lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random number table, 50 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group additionally took JSZD, one dose per day, taken in two portions, once in the morning and once in the evening. Those in the control group took Celecoxib Capsule (200 mg each time, once per day) and Mecobalamin Tablet (0.5 mg each time, 3 times per day). They only took Mecobalamin Tablet from the 11th day. All patients were treated for 30 days. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was performed before treatment, at week 1, after treatment, at 6 months of followed-ups, and at 12 months of followed-ups. And the levels of TNF-alpha in the peripheral blood were observed before treatment and at one month after treatment.

RESULTSTotally 93 patients completed the followed-up study. The JOA scores were improved after treatment, at 6 and 12 months of followed-ups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The JOA score at 6 months of followed-ups was superior in the treatment group to that of the control group (P < 0.05). Five patients (accounting for 10.6%) suffered from FBSS in the treatment group, while 9 (accounting for 19.6%) suffered from FBSS in the control group. The treatment group was superior to the control group (P < 0.05). The TNFalpha level was improved after treatment in the two groups. Of them, the improvement of TNF-alpha in the treatment group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe application of JSZD was effective for preventing the occurrence of FBSS, and improved the serum TNF-alpha level.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

Adult ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Deafness ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Language Disorders ; complications ; Male

In 2012, the preparation process and quality standard for Guizhi Fuling capsule were improved. To compare the effects and differences of capsules before (2011) and after(2012-2014) the improvement, evaluation models for intrinsic dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation and hysteromyoma were applied in rats. Models were induced by oxytocin, liqiud bacteria mixture and estrogen loading, respectively. The capsules (12 batchs/year, 48 bathcs in all), sampled randomly in 2011-2014, the effects were assessed using the three models. In anti-dysmenorrhea models, remarked reduction of writhing frequency, ET-1 and PGF2α content in uterus could be detected, as well as extension of writhing latency. In pelvic inflammation rats, depression of TNF-α and raise of IL-2 were induced by earh batch of capsules. In hysteromyoma model, uterine weight and smooth muscle proliferation, including E2 and P level in plasma, were lowered obviously by all batchs of capsules. Secondly, Guizhi Fuling capsules produced in 2012-2014 revealed better effectiveness than the ones manufactured in 2011. Moreover, pharmacodynamics indexes of the samples made in 2011 differed significantly between groups, which could not be observed in the ones ot 2012-2014. After tne preparation process and quality standard improvement, the effectiveness and homogeneity of Guizhi Fuling capsules were enhanced.
Animals ; Capsules ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; standards ; Depression ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dinoprost ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; standards ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Quality Improvement ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDPremature ventricular contraction (PVC) is one of the most common kinds of arrhythmias for which the treatment falls into dilemma. Previous clinical application showed that the traditional Chinese Medicine Shensongyangxin (SSYX) capsule is efficacious for the treatment of PVCs. This randomized clinical trial aimed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of SSYX capsule on treating PVC.

METHODSThe subjects who had frequent PVCs with or without organic heart disease and normal cardiac function were enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint was the change of PVC numbers after eight-week medication with SSYX capsule. The secondary endpoints included change of clinical symptoms related to PVCs and the safety evaluation of SSYX capsule. Totally 188 PVC patients were randomly enrolled in the non-organic heart disease PVCs trial and orally took either SSYX capsules or analogues (three times per day, 4 capsules one time). A total of 671 PVCs patients were randomly enrolled in the organic heart disease PVCs trial, and orally took either SSYX capsules (three times per day, 4 capsules one time) or mexiletine tablet (three times per day, 150 mg one time). The PVCs were monitored and calculated with 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram. Routine blood, liver and kidney function were tested before and after medication with SSYX capsule.

RESULTSSSYX capsules significantly decreased the PVCs numbers and alleviated the related symptoms in patients with or without organic heart disease. In non-organic heart disease group, SSYX capsules and the placebos decreased the PVCs from 12,561.34 ± 9,777.93 to 4,806.87 ± 6,507.17, and 12,605.69 ± 8,736.34 to 10,364.94 ± 9,903.41, respectively. The total effective rate was 74.2% and 28.9% in SSYX and placebo groups (P < 0.001). In organic heart disease group, SSYX capsule and mexiletine decreased the PVCs from 8,641.01 ± 8,923.57 to 3,853.68 ± 7,096.42, 8,621.61 ± 8,367.74 to 5,648.29 ± 8,667.38, respectively. The total effective rate was 65.8% and 50.7% in SSYX and mexiletine groups (P < 0.001). In addition, SSYX capsule significantly alleviated PVCs-related symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, insomnia, fatigue, and night sweats. No adverse cardiac events were observed except some slight gastrointestinal side effects during the study.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with placebo or mexiletine, SSYX capsules have significant therapeutic efficacy in reducing PVCs numbers and alleviate PVCs-related symptoms.

Capsules ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; drug therapy

In this study, the active components and potential molecular .mechanism of Guizhi Fuling formula in treatment on dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, and hysteromyoma were investigated using network pharmacological methods. Sterols and pentacyclic triterpenes, with high moleculal network degree, revealed promising effects on anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-tumor, and immune-regulation, according to D-T network analysis. On the other hand, the targets with high degree were involved in inflammatory, coagulation, angiopoiesis, smooth muscle contraction, and cell reproduction, which showed the novel function in anti-dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, and hysteromyoma. Furthermore, the formula was indicated to play a key role in smooth muscle proliferation, inhibition of new vessels, circulation improvement, reduction of hormone secretion, alleviation of smooth muscle, block of arachidonic acid metabolism, and inflammation in uterus. Thus, the main mechanism of Guizhi Fuling formula was summarized. In conclusion, Guizhi Fuling formula was proven to alleviated dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, and hysteromyoma by acting on multiple targets through several bioactive compounds, regulating 21 biological pathways.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; drug effects ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDChinese tones are considered important in Chinese discrimination. However, the relevant reports on auditory central mechanisms concerning Chinese tones are limited. In this study, mismatch negativity (MMN), one of the event related potentials (ERP), was used to investigate pre-attentive processing of Chinese tones, and the differences between the function of oddball MMN and that of control MMN are discussed.

METHODSTen subjects (six men and four women) with normal hearing participated in the study. A sequence was presented to these subjects through a loudspeaker, the sequence included four blocks, a control block and three oddball blocks. The control block was made up of five components (one pure tone and four Chinese tones) with equiprobability. The oddball blocks were made up of two components, one was a standard stimulus (tone 1) and the other was a deviant stimulus (tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4). Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded when the sequence was presented and MMNs were obtained from the analysis of the EEG data.

RESULTSTwo kinds of MMNs were obtained, oddball MMN and control MMN. Oddball MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by standard stimulation (tone 1) from that elicited by deviant stimulation (tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4) in the oddball block; control MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by the tone in control block, which was the same tone as the deviant stimulation in the oddball block, from the ERP elicited by deviant stimulation (tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4) in the oddball block. There were two negative waves in oddball MMN, one appeared around 150 ms (oddball MMN 1), the other around 300 ms (oddball MMN 2). Only one negative wave appeared around 300 ms in control MMN, which was corresponding to the oddball MMN 2. We performed the statistical analyses in each paradigm for latencies and amplitudes for oddball MMN 2 in discriminating the three Chinese tones and reported no significant differences. But the latencies and amplitudes for control MMN in discriminating the three tones all were significantly different.

CONCLUSIONSThere are evident waveforms for oddball and control MMN obtained in normal hearing persons, indicating that the change of Chinese tones could be detected in the pre-attentive stage. Because control MMN can eliminate reflects for physical characteristics of sound, it is the genuine memory-based pre-attentive processing. Since control MMN can reflect the differences of Chinese tones processing better than oddball MMN, it is more sensitive in evaluating pre-attentive processing in Chinese tones discrimination.

Acoustic Stimulation ; methods ; Adolescent ; Auditory Perception ; physiology ; China ; Electroencephalography ; Evoked Potentials ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; physiology ; Female ; Hearing ; physiology ; Humans ; Language ; Male ; Phonetics ; Pitch Perception ; physiology ; Reaction Time ; physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo report the electrophysiological findings and the ablation strategies in patients with atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) or atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after left atrial circumferential ablation (LACA) in the treatment of AF.

METHODS91 patients with AF had LACA procedure from April 2004 to May 2006, 19 of which accepted the second ablation procedure due to ATAs or AF recurrence. In all the 19 patients [17 male, 2 female, age 25 - 65 (53 +/- 12) years], 11 presented with paroxysmal AF before the first ablation procedure, 2 with persistent AF and 6 with permanent AF. Pulmonary vein potentials (PVP) were investigated in both sides in all the patients.

RESULTSDelayed PVP was identified inside the left circular line in 5 patients, in the right in 1 and both in 2 during sinus rhythm. "Gap" conduction was found and successfully closed guided by circular mapping catheter. In 3 cases, irregular left atrial tachycardia was caused by fibrillation rhythm inside the left ring via decremental "gap" conduction. Reisolation was done successfully again guided by 3-D mapping and made the left atrium in sinus rhythm but the fibrillation rhythm was still inside the left ring. Pulmonary vein tachycardia with 1:1 conduction to the left atrium presented in one case and reisolation stopped the tachycardia. No PVP was discovered in both sides in 4 patients but other tachycardias could be induced, including two right atrial scar related tachycardias, two supraventricular tachycardias mediated by concealed accessory pathway, one cavo-tricuspid isthmus dependent atrial flutter and one focal atrial tachycardia near the coronary sinus ostium. All the tachycardias in these 4 patients were successfully ablated with the help of routine and 3-D mapping techniques. In the rest 3, which were in AF rhythm, LACA was successfully done again. After a mean follow-up of 4 - 26 (11.5 +/- 8.5) months, 16 patients were symptom free without anti-arrhythmic drug therapy; 1 of them had frequent palpitation attack with Holter recording of atrial premature contractions; 2 of them with permanent AF became paroxysmal in one, and still in AF in the other.

CONCLUSIONSReconduction between the left atrium and the pulmonary veins is the dominant factor for post-LACA ATAs and AF recurrence. Other forms of atrial tachycardias or supraventricular tachycardias may coexist with AF or sometimes trigger AF. LACA can not sufficiently modify AF substrate in some permanent AF patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Cardiac Electrophysiology ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; Tachycardia ; physiopathology ; therapy