OBJECTIVETo study the influence of different drying methods on the quality of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus and thus provide useful reference for its proper drying methods.

METHODSchisandrae Chinensis Fructus was processed by eight drying methods including vacuum freeze drying, natural drying in the shade, drying in the sun, oven drying and vacuum drying under different temperature. The contents of the functional ingredients includes chisandrin, gomisin D, gomisin J, schisandrol B, angeloylgomisin H, angeloylgomisin Q, gomisin G, schisantherin A, deoxyschisandrin, schisandrin B, schisandrin C, 5-HMF, total aids and total sugars. The main components change after drying were analyzed by HPLC, ultraviolet spectrophotometry and potentiometric titration. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out by SPSS software to evaluate the quality of different processed products from Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus.

RESULTAll these results are in accordance with the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopoeia published in 2010, the contents of schisandrin and total eleven lignans were the highest using vacuum drying, and 5-HMF were the lower, oven drying made little difference but with lower schisandrin and higher 5-HMF as the heat increased.

CONCLUSIONDifferent drying methods have significant influence on the quality of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus. Oven drying under 5°C should be adopted to substitute drying in the sun according to the China Pharmacopoeia published in 2010 for Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus by comprehensive analysis of the cost, content and practicality.

Desiccation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between the Th1/Th2 balance in the peripheral blood and Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PDS) in chronic gastritis (CG).

METHODSFifty-one patients with CG of PDS were recruited, including 22 cases with predominant damp (PDS-D), 9 case with predominant heat (PDS-H), and 20 case with simultaneous onset of damp and Heat (PDS-DH). Besides, 10 healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group. H. pylori (HP) infection was detected by fast urea enzyme, and the expressions of Th1 type cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-12 (IL-12), and Th2 type cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum were detected by luminex technology.

RESULTSThe HP infection rate was 41.18% (21/51) in the PDS patients, obviously higher than that in the healthy control group (10.00%,1/10), showing statistical difference (P<0.05). The HP infection rate was 45.45% (10/22) in PDS-D, 22.22% (2/9) in PDS-H, and 45.00% (9/20) in PDS-DH. The HP infection rate in PDS-D and PDS-DH was significantly higher than that of the healthy control group, showing statistical difference (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the expressions of peripheral blood IFN-gamma, IL-12, IL-4, and IL-10 between the PDS patient group and the healthy control group (P>0.05). But the expressions of IFN-gamma and IL-12 showed an increasing trend in the PDS patient group, while the expression of IL-4 showed a decreasing trend. The expressions of IFN-gamma, IL-12, IL-4, and the ratios of IFN-gamma/IL-4 and IL-12/IL-4 were also higher in PDS-DH group than in the PDS-D group and the PDS-H group, but with no statistical significance (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe occurrence of Pi-Wei damp-heat CG was possibly correlated with the imbalance of Th1/Th2. Damp and heat pathogen might be important pathogenic factors leading to Th1 type cytokine immunoreaction.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Gastritis ; diagnosis ; immunology ; pathology ; Helicobacter Infections ; diagnosis ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th1-Th2 Balance ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

Objective The efficacy and safety of rectal instillation with formula for clearing heat, eliminating phlegm and relaxing bowel on treating encephalopathy complicated with pulmonary infection were evaluated by randomized controlled clinical trials. Methods Eighty eligible cases of encephalopathy complicated with pulmonary infection were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. Control group was given conventional treatment and treatment group was given rectal instillation treatment with formula for clearing heat , eliminating phlegm and relaxing bowel. The changes of index were observed before and after treatment in two groups including temperature,antifebrile time,white blood cell count,neutrophils ratio,C-reactive protein,procalcitonin, pneumonia severity index,and the efficacy score of TCM syndrome. Results Rectal instillation with formula for clearing heat and eliminating phlegm to relax bowel can be better improved encephalopathy complicated with pulmonary infection with syndrome of phlegm-heat obstructing in which the patients have yellow sputum, constipation,yellow urinary and other symptoms. It can reduce TCM syndrome score and level of serum calcitonin, relieve inflammation,enhanc antibacterial effect,and improve the clinical curative effect. Conclusions The curative effects of rectal instillation with formula for clearing heat and eliminating phlegm to relax bowel on treating encephalopathy complicated with pulmonary is definite which has no adverse reaction and safety use. It is worthy of further popularizing in clinic.

ObjectiveTo evaluate totally laparoscopic Meckel's diverticulectomy in comparison with laparoscopic-assisted or open diverticulectomy.MethodsThe clinical data of 58 cases of Meckel's diverticulum admitted between January 2006 and January 2011 were analyzed.Cases were divided into three groups according to different period of time. As a result,totally laparoscopic surgery was performed in 13 cases,laparoscopic-assisted resection in 25 cases and open diverticulectomy in 20 cases. Totally laparoscopic group was compared with the other two groups in operation time,flatus defecation time,the incidence of postoperative complications and postoperative hospital stay.ResultsThe mean length of incision was ( 1.6 ± 0.4 ) cm,the mean operation time was ( 41 ± 5 ) min,flatus defecation time was (21.2 ±3.7) h,and the postoperative hospital stay was (6.3 ± 1.2) d in totally laparoscopic group.While that was (2.5 ± 1.2 ) m,( 38 ± 2 ) cm,( 23.6 ± 4.2 ) h,( 6.5 ± 2.3 ) d,respectively in laparoscopicassisted group,and the mean length of incision was (5.0 ± 2.2 ) cm,the mean operation time was (51 ± 6 )min,flatus defecation time was (32.3 ± 6.7) h,the postoperative hospital stay was (8.4 ± 3.8) d in open surgery group.Compared with conventional laparotomy,laparoscopic techniques enjoy advantages of minimal invasion,shorter operative time,fewer complications,shorter recovery period and earlier gastrointestinal recovery(P ＜ 0.05). There were nosignificant differences in operative time, recovery period and complications between totally laparoscopic group and laparoscopic-assisted group.ConclusionsTotally laparoscopic Meckel's diverticulectomy is safe,effective and miniinvasive in experienced hands.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary ; pathology ; Dactinomycin ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ependymoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Ovariectomy ; Teratoma ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use

Objective To explore the significance of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B)activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)during acute Kawasaki disease(KD).Methods Peripheral blood was collected from children with acute KD(n=30)and healthy age-matched children(n=20).PBMC were cultured in vitro and divided into 3 groups:naturally cultured blank control group,protein kinase C(PKC)activator stimulated phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA)group and PMA plus NF-?B inhibitor treated PMA plus pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC)group.Percentages of NF-?B activation were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results Under natural culturing,the percentage of cells with activated NF-?B was significantly higher in acute KD blank control group than that in healthy blank control group.The percentage of cells with activated NF-?B was significantly higher in acute KD PMA group than that in acute KD blank group and that in normal control PMA group,respectively(Pa0.05).Conclusions NF-?B activation in PBMC during acute KD is markedly increased,which suggests that NF-?B activation plays an important role in the formation of vasulitis and CAL in this disease.NF-?B activation in PBMCs in children with KD is regulated by the PKC signaling pathway and PDTC obviously inhibits the activation of NF-?B.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2009,24(1):35-37

Objective To study the telomerase expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) in children with acute Kawasaki disease(KD) and its clinical significance.Methods The PBMCs of 64 children with acute KD [25 cases of them with coronary artery lesions(CAL),while the rest without] from 2 months to 6 years old admitted into Jiangxi Children's Hospital from Mar.2005 to Dec.2008 and those of 52 sex-age-matched healthy children (healthy control group) from 5 months to 7 years old were all assayed by Roche telomerase polymerase chain reaction enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(PCR ELISA).WBC,ESR and CRP were also detected.SPSS 11.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results The telomerase expression frequency of PBMCs in children with KD was 32.8%(21/64 cases),while that in healthy control group was only 15.4%(8/52 cases),the difference between the 2 groups was significant (?2= 4.65,P0.05).There were no significant difference of WBC,ESR and CRP between the telomerase of PBMCs positive group and negative group.Conclusions The higher frequency of telomerase expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes might be related to the development and progression of KD.

Objective　To explore the generative mechanism of bacterial wave growth in view of the open living system of microorganism. Methods　With the single strain of bacterium as the subject, the nonlinear method of the dynamic systems and the analyzing method of the numerical simulation were used to study the effect of the changing environment on the bacterial growth. Results　A mathematical model of the relationship between the bacterial wave growth and environment was established. Conclusion　This model is verified to be scientific and its numerical simulation results are obtained, providing a helpful quantitative analysis for the research on the laws of bacterial wave growth.

OBJECTIVETo study the physiologic indexes, yield and the contents of alkaloids of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don under different temperature.

METHODThe growth temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 degrees C) of F. cirrhosa were controlled by using artificial climate, the growth was observed, the contents of chlorophyll a and b, soluble sugar, MAD, proline of the leaves of F. cirrhosa were tested, and the yield and the alkaloids content of the bulbs were analyzed.

RESULTThe growth period of F. cirrhosa under 15, 20 degrees C were appropriately extended. The difference of the content of leaves chlorophyll b under four temperatures and the contents of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a under 15, 20, 30 degrees C were not significant. The contents of soluble sugar, MAD and proline of leaves and the growth ratio, dry weight and content of alkaloids of bulb increased with the temperature decrease.

CONCLUSIONHigher temperature is not suitable for the growth of F. cirrhosa. Under the relatively lower temperature, the growth period of F. cirrhosa extended, the bulb can grow properly, and the content of alkaloid increased. F. cirrhosa can improve its cold tolerance by increasing the content of proline and soluble sugar, and it also can maintain the normal content of chlorophyll under the lower temperature.

Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Fritillaria ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Temperature