Objective To explore the application of ultrasound- guide modified Seldinger technique for upper arm PICC insertion in infant patients. Methods Use the ultrasound-guide modified Seldinger technique to inserted PICC for 27 infant patients. Results All 27 cases were inserted successfully, success rate of the one puncture reached 92.6%. Conclusions By adequate preparation for infants, effective immobilization and good cooperation of operators, and combined with techniques which prevent PICC misplacement, overcome the shortcoming of bad vessel and non-compliance of infant patients, develop the advantage of ultrasound, could improve the rate of successful catheterization of upper arm PICC insertion in infant patients, and protect the vessels.

Aim To investigate the antioxidant capacity of crocetin and crocin in an in vivo system.Methods Column chromatography was applied to the seperation of crocetin and crocin-1 from gardenia.Crocetin(6.25,12.5 and 25.0 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) and crocin (18.7,37.5 and 75.0 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) were orally administered to kunming mice.Then,superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),total antioxidant capacity(TAOC)and malondialdehyde(MDA)in mice were determined for the comparison of antioxidant activity of crocetin and crocin-1.Results Oral administration of crocetin and crocin for six weeks could enhance SOD of liver and kidney,GSH-Px of liver and TAOC of heart and kidney.In addition,it could decrease MDA of serum in mice.Conclusions The comparison of results suggests the evidence supporting the comparable antioxidant activity of crocetin and crocin.The results of the research also indicate that liver and kidney are two organs targeted for protection concerning endogenous antioxidant among various tissues.

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunophenotype of T-lineage acute lymphoid leukemia (T-ALL) and to find valuable immunologic markers in T-ALL diagnosis and therapy. Four-color multiparametric flow cytometry(FCM) with CD45/SSC gating was used for immunophenotyping of 95 patients with newly diagnosed T-ALL. The results demonstrated that T-ALL occurred more frequently in males younger than 30 years of age and was usually accompanied by a high WBC count and tumor mass at diagnosis. Univariate analysis showed an influence on achievement of CR1 for age (< 30 years) but not for WBC count and tumor mass. According to WHO (2008) classification of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, 87 patients with confirmed subtype included 27 cases of Pro-T-ALL (31.0%), 31 cases of Pre-T-ALL (35.6%), 23 cases of cortical-T-ALL (26.4%), 6 cases of medullary-T-ALL (6.9%). CD34 expression in Pro-T-ALL was significantly higher than that of Pre-T-ALL (p = 0.001). After the first chemotherapy, the complete remission rate in Pro-T-ALL was statistically lower than that of Pre-T-ALL. Besides, the complete remission rate of immature T-ALL (including Pro-T-ALL and Pre-T-ALL) was also significantly lower than that in mature T-ALL (including cortical-T-ALL and medullary-T-ALL). Myeloid antigen (CD13, CD33) expression was associated with T-ALL subtype and treatment effect. While 66.7% of CD13(+) patients belonged to Pre-T-ALL, most (60.0%) of CD33(+) patients were classified into Pro-T-ALL; CD13 expression had no effect on CR1 rate whereas CD33(+) patients had worse treatment effect compared with CD33(-) groups (p = 0.001). Notably, the expression of CD117 reached up to 26.7% and the positive cases were primarily distributed in pro-T-TAll and pre-T-ALL. It is found that CD117 expression in CD34(-) group was homogeneous and CD117 expression level was less than 10% in 73.2% patients, but CD117 expression level in CD34(+) group was not homogenous, in which group the CD117 expression levels < 10%, 10% - 20% and > 20% were 44.2%, 17.3% and 38.5% respectively. As compared with CD34(-) group, the proportion of patients with CD117 expression levels < 10%, > 20% in CD34(+) group was higher, and there was significant difference between these 2 group. It is concluded that immunophenotype has great value in T-ALL diagnosis, classification as well as treatment. Flow cytometry provides access to find valuable immunologic markers for T-ALL biological research.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; CD13 Antigens ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; classification ; immunology ; therapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3 ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of intraperitoneal transplantation of microencapsulated HepG2 cells in rats with hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD).

METHODSHLD was induced by copper-overloaded diet with forage containing 1 g/kg copper sulfate and water with 0.185% copper sulfate for 12 weeks in rats. One hundred and twenty three-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly intraperitoneal injected with normal saline (NS), microencapsulated HepG2 cells or non-microencapsulated HepG2 cells 9 weeks after copper-overloaded diet. Blood or liver samples were obtained at five time points: 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation (n=8). The other 8 rats receiving normal diet were used as the control group. Serum levels of ALT, AST, albumin and Cu and liver Cu contents were measured.

RESULTSSerum ALT, AST and Cu levels and liver Cu contents in the NS-treated HLD, microencapsulated HepG2 cells and non-microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation groups increased significantly at all time points, in contrast, serum albumin levels decreased significantly in the NS-treated HLD and non-microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation groups compared with those in the control group at all time points (P<0.05), but serum albumin levels in the microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation restored to the level of the control group 28 days after transplantation. Serum ALT, AST and Cu levels and liver Cu contents in the microencapsulated HepG2 cells and non-microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation groups were significantly lower, in contrast, albumin levels were higher than those in the NS-treated HLD group on almost time points (P<0.05). Serum levels of ALT, AST and Cu and liver Cu contents in the microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation group decreased 7 or 14 days after transplantation, while serum albumin levels increased significantly 14 days after transplantation compared with those in the non-microencapsulated HepG2 cells transplantation group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntraperitoneal transplantation of microencapsulated HepG2 cells can relieve hepatic damage, reduce serum and liver Cu levels, and improve copper metabolism, therefore it is promising for the treatment of HLD.

Animals ; Copper ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Liver ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo measure lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene level in foods commonly consumed in Beijing, and compare the content difference between raw and cooked food.

METHODSForty-six commonly consumed foods of 8 classes were collected in Haidian district of Beijing from September to October in 2009. A high performance liquid chromatography method was used to determine the content of lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene in both raw and cooked samples.

RESULTSLutein was abundant in cucurbitaceous and solanaceous, allium and nuts, especially in Chinese chive (18 226.9 µg/100 g) and pumpkin (13 265.2 µg/100 g). Major sources of zeaxanthin included round pumpkin, green garlic shoot, corn and eggs, whose level of zeaxanthin were 444.6, 283.5, 279.7, 118.6 - 377.9 µg/100 g, respectively. Zeaxanthin level of those cooked foods changed to 483.9, 239.3, 279.1, 149.5 - 594.7 µg/100 g, respectively. The zeaxanthin level of cooked Chinese chive reached 1081.2 µg/100 g, while we did not detect any zeaxanthin in raw Chinese chive. β-carotene was present in a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Carrot (17 234.3 µg/100 g) was a good source of β-carotene, while its level in cooked carrot was 17 013.5 µg/100 g.

CONCLUSIONConsuming the proper kinds of foods and changing the method of food processing were beneficial to increase the intake of lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene.

China ; Cooking ; Food ; Food Analysis ; Lutein ; analysis ; Xanthophylls ; analysis ; Zeaxanthins ; beta Carotene ; analysis

Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lung ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Objective To analyze the effects of serum uric acid and lipid levels on intestinal microflora environment in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to provide reference for the treatment of elderly patients with CHD combined with T2DM. Methods In the experimental group, 160 elderly patients with CHD complicated with T2DM who were treated in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2021 were selected, all of whom were over 60 years old. According to the level of uric acid (UA), they were divided into high uric acid group (n=62) and normal uric acid group (n=98). According to the total cholesterol (TC) level, the patients were divided into high cholesterol group (n=74) and normal blood lipid group (n=86). Sixty elderly normal patients treated at the same time were selected as the control group. The levels of uric acid, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were determined and analyzed by biochemical analyzer. The distribution of intestinal flora (bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori, streptococcus) in stool samples of all patients was determined. Spearman linear correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between serum uric acid, lipid levels and intestinal microflora distribution in elderly patients with coronary heart disease. Results The serum LEVELS of UA, LDL-C and TC in experimental group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in high cholesterol group were significantly lower than those in normal blood lipid group, escherichia coli in high cholesterol group was significantly higher than that in normal blood lipid group (P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance in helicobacter pylori and Streptococcus between the two groups (P>0.05). Bifidobacteria and lactobacillus in high uric acid group were significantly lower than those in normal uric acid group (P<0.05), escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori and Streptococcus in high uric acid group were significantly higher than those in normal uric acid group (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that UA was negatively correlated with bifidobacteria and lactobacillus, and the correlation coefficient was (r₁=-0.512 , r₂=-0.439 , P<0.05). UA was positively correlated with Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori and Streptococcus, with correlation coefficients (r₁=0.491,r₂=0.396, r₃=0.218,P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that TC was negatively correlated with bifidobacteria and lactobacillus, and the correlation coefficient was (r₁=-0.492,r₂=-0.427, P<0.05). TC was positively correlated with EScherichia coli (r=0.417, P<0.05). Ldl-c was negatively correlated with bifidobacterium and lactobacillus, and the correlation coefficient was (r₁=-0.457,r₂=-0.404, P<0.05). Ldl-c was positively correlated with EScherichia coli(r=0.404, P<0.05). Conclusions: Elderly CHD patients with T2DM had abnormal intestinal flora distribution, and the abundance of intestinal flora was correlated with blood lipid and uric acid levels in CHD patients with T2DM.

Near-infrared spectroscopy(NIRS) combined with band screening method and modeling algorithm can be used to achieve the rapid and non-destructive detection of the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) production process. This paper focused on the ginkgo leaf macroporous resin purification process, which is the key technology of Yinshen Tongluo Capsules, in order to achieve the rapid determination of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin in effluent. The abnormal spectrum was eliminated by Mahalanobis distance algorithm, and the data set was divided by the sample set partitioning method based on joint X-Y distances(SPXY). The key information bands were selected by synergy interval partial least squares(siPLS); based on that, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling(CARS), successive projections algorithm(SPA) and Monte Carlo uninformative variable(MC-UVE) were used to select wavelengths to obtain less but more critical variable data. With selected key variables as input, the quantitative analysis model was established by genetic algorithm joint extreme learning machine(GA-ELM) algorithm. The performance of the model was compared with that of partial least squares regression(PLSR). The results showed that the combination with siPLS-CARS-GA-ELM could achieve the optimal model performance with the minimum number of variables. The calibration set correlation coefficient R_c and the validation set correlation coefficient R_p of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin were all above 0.98. The root mean square error of calibration(RMSEC), the root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP) and the relative standard errors of prediction(RSEP) were 0.030 0, 0.029 2 and 8.88%, 0.041 4, 0.034 8 and 8.46%, 0.029 3, 0.027 1 and 10.10%, respectively. Compared with the PLSR me-thod, the performance of the GA-ELM model was greatly improved, which proved that NIRS combined with GA-ELM method has a great potential for rapid determination of effective components of TCM.
Algorithms ; Ginkgo biloba ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Plant Leaves ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by alternating periods of inflammation and remission. Although UC incidence is lower in Taiwan than in Western countries, its impact remains considerable, demanding updated guidelines for addressing local healthcare challenges and patient needs. The revised guidelines employ international standards and recent research, emphasizing practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system. Since the inception of the guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease has acknowledged the need for ongoing revisions to incorporate emerging therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. This updated guideline aims to align UC management with local contexts, ensuring comprehensive and context-specific recommendations, thereby raising the standard of care for UC patients in Taiwan. By adapting and optimizing international protocols for local relevance, these efforts seek to enhance health outcomes for patients with UC.

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, fluctuating inflammatory condition that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Although the incidence of CD in Taiwan is lower than that in Western countries, the severity of CD presentation appears to be similar between Asia and the West. This observation indicates the urgency for devising revised guidelines tailored to the unique reimbursement system, and patient requirements in Taiwan. The core objectives of these updated guidelines include the updated treatment choices and the integration of the treat-to-target strategy into CD management, promoting the achievement of deep remission to mitigate complications and enhance the overall quality of life. Given the diversity in disease prevalence, severity, insurance policies, and access to medical treatments in Taiwan, a customized approach is imperative for formulating these guidelines. Such tailored strategies ensure that international standards are not only adapted but also optimized to local contexts. Since the inception of its initial guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TSIBD) has acknowledged the importance of continuous revisions for incorporating new therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. The latest update leverages international standards and recent research findings focused on practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system.