OBJECTIVETo constitute HPLC fingerprint of the methanol extract from Swertia mussotii grown in Sichuan Province.

METHODRP-HPLC, methanol and water including 0.02% acid as mobile phase, gradient elution, flow rate 1.0 mL x min(-1), the detection wavelength was 260 nm, temperature was 30 degrees C.

RESULTThe RSD values of peak area and retention time of common peaks in precision, repeatability and stability were lower than 5.0%, respectively, similarity was over 0.805 in S. mussotii collected from 10 different habitats.

CONCLUSIONAll results above exhibit that this method is simple, practicable, and reliable as a standard method in controlling the quality of S. mussotii.

China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Swertia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo establish a quantitative method of simultaneously determination of swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, mangiferin, swertianolin, isoorientin, 1,8-drihydroxy-3-methoxy-xthanone in Swertia from Qinghai province and Sichuan province by HPLC.

METHODThe samples were separated on the column of Kromasil C18 (4. 6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) which eluted with methanol and water (content 0.02% phosphoric acid). The ratio of methanol increased from 20% to 80% during 20-50 min, and from 80% to 100% during 50-60 min, with detected wavelength 254 nm, flow rate at 1 mL x min(-1), column temperature 35 degrees C.

RESULTSix compounds were base-isolated, the linear ranges of swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, mangiferin, 4-swertianolin, 5-isoorientin, 1,8-drihydroxy-3-methoxy-xthanone were excellent.

CONCLUSIONThe method was rapid and precise, and can be use for controlling medicinal materials quality.

China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Iridoid Glucosides ; Iridoids ; analysis ; Luteolin ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyrans ; analysis ; Pyrones ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Swertia ; chemistry ; Xanthones ; analysis

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have been limited to the use of cross sectional data to identify the relationships between nicotine dependence and smoking. Therefore, it is difficult to determine a causal direction between the two variables. The purposes of this study were to 1) test whether nicotine dependence or average smoking was a more influential factor in smoking cessation; and 2) propose effective ways to quit smoking as determined by the causal relations identified. METHODS: This study used a panel dataset from the central computerized management systems of community-based smoking cessation programs in Korea. Data were stored from July 16, 2005 to July 15, 2008. 711,862 smokers were registered and re-registered for the programs during the period. 860 of those who were retained in the programs for three years were finally included in the dataset. To measure nicotine dependence, this study used a revised Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. To examine the relationship between nicotine dependence and average smoking, an autoregressive cross-lagged model was explored in the study. RESULTS: The results indicate that 1) nicotine dependence and average smoking were stable over time; 2) the impact of nicotine dependence on average smoking was significant and vice versa; and 3) the impact of average smoking on nicotine dependence is greater than the impact of nicotine dependence on average smoking. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the existing data obtained from previous research. Collectively, reducing the amount of smoking in order to decrease nicotine dependence is important for evidence-based policy making for smoking cessation.
Community Health Centers ; Health Policy ; Korea ; Nicotine ; Policy Making ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Use Disorder

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have been limited to the use of cross sectional data to identify the relationships between nicotine dependence and smoking. Therefore, it is difficult to determine a causal direction between the two variables. The purposes of this study were to 1) test whether nicotine dependence or average smoking was a more influential factor in smoking cessation; and 2) propose effective ways to quit smoking as determined by the causal relations identified. METHODS: This study used a panel dataset from the central computerized management systems of community-based smoking cessation programs in Korea. Data were stored from July 16, 2005 to July 15, 2008. 711,862 smokers were registered and re-registered for the programs during the period. 860 of those who were retained in the programs for three years were finally included in the dataset. To measure nicotine dependence, this study used a revised Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. To examine the relationship between nicotine dependence and average smoking, an autoregressive cross-lagged model was explored in the study. RESULTS: The results indicate that 1) nicotine dependence and average smoking were stable over time; 2) the impact of nicotine dependence on average smoking was significant and vice versa; and 3) the impact of average smoking on nicotine dependence is greater than the impact of nicotine dependence on average smoking. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the existing data obtained from previous research. Collectively, reducing the amount of smoking in order to decrease nicotine dependence is important for evidence-based policy making for smoking cessation.
Community Health Centers ; Health Policy ; Korea ; Nicotine ; Policy Making ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Use Disorder

Global Health ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H2N2 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; history ; mortality ; virology

Objective:To evaluate the value of preoperative quantitative quadriceps muscle ultrasound measures in predicting postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.Methods:This was a prospective study. A total of 277 elderly patients of both sexes, aged 65-88 yr, with American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification ≤ Ⅳ and body mass index of≤30 kg/m 2, undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery with general anesthesia at the Northern Jiangsu People′s Hospital from March to December 2023, were included in the study. The quadriceps femoris thickness and echo intensity were measured using ultrasound before induction of anesthesia. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method score at 1-7 days after operation. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the occurrence of POD: POD group and non-POD group. Factors with statistically significant differences between groups were included in the logistic regression analysis to identify the independent risk factors for POD, and then a visual risk Nomogram prediction model for POD risk factors was developed based on this analysis in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. The receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) were used to evaluate the predictive value of each independent risk factor and Nomogram prediction model for POD. The Youden Index was used to determine the critical value for predicting POD, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results:The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that age, preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination scores, quadriceps femoris thickness and echo intensity of quadriceps femoris were independent risk factors for POD in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery ( P<0.05). The AUC of preoperative quadriceps femoris thickness was 0.695 (95% CI 0.614-0.746), the critical value 2.465 cm, the sensitivity 73.7% and the specificity 78.2%. The AUC of preoperative quadriceps femoris echo intensity was 0.717 (95% CI 0.662-0.773), the critical value 59.985, the sensitivity 81.9% and the specificity 48.5%. Conclusions:Preoperative ultrasound measurement of quadriceps femoris thickness and echo intensity is an independent risk factor for POD and has some predictive value for POD in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Albizia julibrissin Durazz. (AJ; family Minosaceae) is widely distributed worldwide, and its stem bark has been used as a traditional herbal medicine. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a clinical syndrome that results in sudden loss of renal function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AJ against cisplatin-induced AKI using a human kidney proximal tubule epithelial cell line (HK-2) and cisplatin-treated mice. In vitro, cisplatin treatment increased apoptosis in HK-2 cells. However, AJ treatment decreased apoptosis of cisplatin-treated HK-2 cells. In vivo, cisplatin treatment accelerated renal injury by increasing the levels of renal injury markers, such as blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, kidney injury molecule 1, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, which were reversed by AJ treatment. Histopathologically, AJ treatment resulted in decreased renal damage with less tubular necrosis and brush border desquamation compared with the AKI group. Additionally, cisplatin treatment upregulated mitochondrial fission, a pathological characteristic of AKI, which was downregulated by AJ treatment. Along with increased mitochondrial fission, AJ treatment also reduced cisplatin-induced apoptosis.These results suggest that AJ may be a potential therapeutic agent for cisplatin-induced AKI.

In this study, we investigated the efficacy of Celtis choseniana Nakai (C. choseniana) as complementary herbal medicine to ameliorate androgenic alopecia (AGA). The effects of C. choseniana on AGA were evaluated using testosterone propionate-induced AGA mouse model and dihydrotestosterone-treated human hair follicle dermal papilla cells. In vivo, C. choseniana treatment deactivated androgen signaling by reducing the concentration of serum dihydrotestosterone level and expressions of 5α-reductase 2 and androgen receptor. Next, C. choseniana treatment increased the hair regrowth rate. Histological studies demonstrated that C. choseniana induced the anagen phase in testosterone propionate-induced AGA mouse model. Cellular proliferation was promoted by C. choseniana treatment via increasing the expression of proliferation factors, such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin D1. Furthermore, C. choseniana treatment increased the expression of proteins related to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, dickkopf-1, a Wnt inhibitor, was downregulated with C. choseniana treatment. Likewise, C. choseniana treatment promoted cellular proliferation in vitro. This study demonstrated the inhibitory effect of C. choseniana on androgen-induced AGA. Moreover, C. choseniana induced activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, resulting in prolonged anagen and cellular proliferation. Therefore, we suggest that C. choseniana can be used as a therapeutic agent to alleviate AGA.

BACKGROUND: Among various measures to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in surgical patients, intermittent pneumatic compression of the legs is known to be effective without increasing the risk of bleeding. In this study, the coagulation/ fibrinolysis profile in patients undergoing gastrectomy with SCD Response Compression System, which detects individual venous refill time, was compared to that with elastic stocking using thromboelastography (TEG). METHODS: Fifty-eight ASA class I-II patients undergoing gastrectomy were randomized into two groups. Patients in ES group (n = 29) were treated with elastic stocking and patients in SCD group (n = 29) were treated with SCD Response Compression System. TEG analysis and traditional coagulation tests were performed on arrival in the operating room, after surgery in the postanesthetic care unit and on the morning of postoperative day 1. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in laboratory data between the two groups. Laboratory data at all time points were within normal limit in all patients. There was no significant difference in TEG data between the two groups. No evidence of a postoperative clinical coagulopathy (DVT or pulmonary embolism) was observed on routine history and physical examinations in any patient during hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of SCD Response Compression System in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery on coagulation/fibrinolysis system was similar to that of elastic stocking during perioperative period.
Fibrinolysis* ; Gastrectomy* ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Leg ; Operating Rooms ; Perioperative Period ; Physical Examination ; Stockings, Compression* ; Thrombelastography* ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: It is important to assess cardiac preload for management of patients undergoing off pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). Recently, several studies have documented the good correlation between right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and stroke volume index (SVI), compared with cardiac filling pressures. However, none of these studies have evaluated relationship between predictors of preload and SVI measured with volumetric pulmonary artery catheter during OPCAB. The correlation of continuous RVEDVI and SVI measured with volumetric pulmonary artery catheter during OPCAB was evaluated in this study. METHODS: Fifty three patients undergoing OPCAB were included. Hemodynamic parameters were measured 10 min after induction (T1), 10 min after Y-graft formation started (T2) and 10 min after sternum closure (T3). The correlation of parameters were assessed by simple linear regression. RESULTS: Central venous pressure (CVP) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) did not correlate with SVI during OPCAB. On the other hand, a statistically significant result was found between RVEDVI and SVI at T2 (r(2)=0.133, P=0.007) and T3 (r(2)=0.380, P < 0.000). But RVEDVI and SVI were weakly correlated. And at T1, RVEDVI and SVI did not correlate. CONCLUSIONS: RVEDVI is a more reliable predictor of preload compared to CVP and PAOP during OPCAB. But in post-induction period (T2), RVEDVI did not correlate with SVI.
Catheters* ; Central Venous Pressure ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump* ; Hand ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Sternum ; Stroke Volume* ; Stroke*