Current trends in chiral analysis of pharmaceutical drugs are focused on faster separations and higher separation efficiencies. Core-shell or superficially porous particles (SPP) based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) provide reduced analysis times while maintaining high column efficiencies and sensitivity. In this study, mobile phase conditions suitable for chiral analyses with electrospray ionization LC-MS were systematically investigated using vancomycin as a representative CSP. The performance of a 2.7 μm SPP based vancomycin CSP (SPP-V) 10 cm × 0.21 cm column was compared to that of a corresponding 5 μm fully porous particles based analogue column. The results demonstrated that the SPP-V column provides higher efficiencies, 2–5 time greater sensitivity and shorter analysis time for a set of 22 basic pharma-ceutical drugs. The SPP-V was successfully applied for the analysis of the degradation products of racemic citalopram whose enantiomers could be selectively identified by MS.

OBJECTIVEThe same person's pulmonary venous blood volume, left atrial volume and stroke volume were measured by lung CT scans and cardiac CT angiography (CTA). Then their relationships were analyzed in order to investigate the mechanism of breathing control.

METHODSAs we described before, full pulmonary vascular (-0.6mm) volume was accurately calculated by three-dimensional imaging technology from lung CT scan; left atrial volume and stroke volume of left ventricle were calculated from the CTA data. Then the relationships among them were analyzed for estimation of the lung-artery time.

RESULTSThe total volume of lung and pulmonary vascular blood was 3486 ± 783 (2156-4418) ml, and the pulmonary vascular blood volume was 141 ± 20 (105-163) ml. The estimated pulmonary venous volume was 71 ± 10 (52-81) ml. Left atrial volume at the end diastolic was 97 ± 39 (53-165) ml, Stroke volume of left ventricle was 86 ± 16 (60-106) ml. Pulmonary venous volume and the left atrial volume were double of stroke volume(1.7-2.4).

CONCLUSIONThe estimated lung-artery time was three heart beat.

OBJECTIVEBecause the traditional loop of breathing control and regulation effect on blood circulation, there was rare study of pulmonary vein capacity. We need a noninvasive and accurate pulmonary vascular capacity measurement and analysis method.

METHODSTwelve normal volunteers were performed a total lung CT scan, image data analysis processing by computer software, the whole lungs from the apex to the base of lung with 40-50 layers by hand-cut, the connection between adjacent layers automatically by a computer simulation, the full pulmonary vascular (≥ 0.6 mm) were treated by high-accuracy three-dimensional imaging technology after removing the interference, and then calculate the whole lung and pulmonary vascular.

RESULTSThe whole lung of the 12 normal volunteers from the apex to the base of lung CT scan image layers was 530 ± 98 (range, 431-841). The total capacity of lung and pulmonary vascular blood was 3705 ± 857 (range, 2398-5383) ml, and the total volume of the pulmonary vascular blood was 125 ± 32 (range, 94-201) ml. The pulmonary vein vascular blood volume was 63 ± 16 (range, 47-100) ml.

CONCLUSIONThe method of measuring the three-dimensional imaging of pulmonary vascular capacity by analyzing lung CT scan data is available and accurate.

Objective　To study the apoptotic effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on the nigral dopaminergic neurons of mice and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridium ion (MPP+) on pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, as well as the antagonism of Eldepryl against MPTP's apoptotic effect. Methods　Three groups of C57BL mice were treated with MPTP, Eldepryl plus MPTP and normal saline, respectively, for 7 days before performing TUNEL (terminal deoxyneucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-x nick end labeling) and FACS (fluorescence activated cell sorting) analyses of neuronal apoptosis in the substantia nigra. The same tests were employed in cell culture to examine apoptosis in PC12 cells treated with MPP+, MPTP or PBS. Results　Intraperitoneal administration of MPTP 30*!mg/kg could induce nigral apoptosis, and oral use of Eldepryl prior to MPTP treatment could completely prevent the nigral apoptosis caused by MPTP. MPP+, an intermediate metabolite of MPTP, could lead to the apoptosis of PC12 cells, whereas MPTP itself had no such effect on PC12 cells. Conclusions　The experiment indicated that the neurotoxin, MPTP, might cause the death of nigral neurons through a mechanism of apoptosis and this effect might be mediated by its bioactive intermediate metabolite MPP+. Eldepryl could protect the neurotoxicity from MPTP.

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of pulsed infrared solid-state Holmium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Ho:YAG) laser in neurosurgery, acute responses of brain tissue to Ho:YAG irradiation and to investigate the healing processes in rats and rabbits. Methods Animals were divided into groups according to different survival time and laser irradiation mode. Craniotomy was made and laser energy was delivered to the brain surface by two irradiation modes: 1) contact mode with the fiber in contact with the brain surface; and 2) non-contact mode with the fiber tip 5 mm above the brain surface. Gross observations were made and histological changes were studied. Results Acute responses were studied on rats' brain. The contact mode produced a crater lined with less than 1 mm thick thermally coagulated layer of brain tissue. The non-contact mode effectively vaporized the brain tissue even with water irrigation. Good homeostatic effect was achieved. The shock waves generated by the pulsed delivery of laser energy, however, impacted on the brain resulting in debris spreading and brain vibration. The healing processes were studied on rabbits' brain one day to six weeks after irradiation. The lesions produced by the contact mode were narrow and sharply defined. With the non-contact mode, the thickness of the coagulated layer at the bottom of the crater varied between 0.8 and 1.1 mm.Conclusions Ho:YAG laser should be a clinically useful tool in neurosurgery because of its good ablation effect, shallow penetration and convenient optic fiber transmission system. Meanwhile, a continuously waved Ho:YAG laser is desired to reduce the shock wave impact.

Bovine theileriosis is a tick-borne disease that is hampering the development of the domestic cattle industry in northern China. This study involved a molecular survey of bovine Theileria species in 137 blood samples from cattle in the Jilin province of China. The DNA samples were screened by species-specific 18S rRNA PCR. Results revealed that 19.7% (27/137), 17.5% (24/137) and 10.9% (15/137) were found to be infected with Theileria sinensis, Theileria orientalis, respectively. Mixed infection was found in 8.8% (12/137). The overall detection rates of Baishan, Yanji, Jilin and Liaoyuan districts was 60.0%, 17.5%, 5.3% and 0%, respectively. There is little information on the detection and distribution of bovine Theileria species in northern China. Therefore, this study provides important data for understanding the epidemiology of Theileria species and designing appropriate approaches for the diagnosis and control of bovine theileriosis in northern China.

DNA ; DNA Packaging

Objective: To study the prevalence and characteristics of overweight and obesity among Chinese children aged 0-5 years, in 2010-2013. Methods: Data was from the'China Nutrition and Health Surveillance-0-5-Years-Old Children and Lactating Women'project in 2013. Stratified multistage cluster sampling method was used to select 55 districts/counties from 30 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with the sample size of children as 32 862. Definition of overweight and obesity were according to both the WHO 2006 growth standard in children less than 5-year-old and the WHO 2007 growth reference in children of 5-years-old. Results: were calculated by complex weight based on national census from the National Bureau of Statistics in 2010. Results The overall prevalence of overweight was 8.4% among the 0-5-year-old in 2013, with 9.4% in boys and 7.2% in girls. Both of the rates from urban and rural areas were the same, as 8.4%. The prevalence rates of overweight in the 0-, 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, 48- and 60-71 months age groups appeared as 13.0%, 11.1%, 8.3%, 6.0%, 4.8%, 3.9% and 15.9%, respectively. The rates of overweight in low, medium and high income families were 8.0%, 8.8% and 8.9%, respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 3.1% among the 0-5-year-old, with 3.6% in boys and 2.5% in girls. There was no significant difference seen in urban (3.3%) and rural areas (2.9%). The prevalence rates for obesity in the 0-, 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, 48- and 60-71 months age groups were 5.8%, 3.8%, 2.5%, 1.6%, 1.2%, 1.3% and 7.8%, respectively. The rates of obesity in low, medium and high income families were 2.8%, 3.3% and 3.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence rates of both overweight and obesity were increasing among the 0-5-year-olds in China, suggesting that it is necessary to timely conduct the surveillance and intervention programs on overweight and obesity in this target population.
Adolescent ; Asian People/statistics & numerical data* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Income ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactation ; Male ; Nutritional Status ; Obesity/ethnology* ; Overweight/ethnology* ; Prevalence

Objective: To analyze the relationship between medication taken during pregnancy and congenital heart disease of the newborns. Methods: A large cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and November 2013. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the childbearing aged women, selected through multistage stratified random sampling in Shaanxi from 2010 to 2013. All of the childbearing aged women under study were in pregnancy and with definite pregnancy outcomes. Multivariable Poisson regression was conducted for data analyses. Results: A total of 28 680 cases were included in this study. The proportion of medication taken at any time during pregnancy was 16.0%, and the prevalence of congenital heart disease among the newborns was 67.9/10 000. After adjustment for factors as general demographic characteristic, history of heart disease and drug allergy and the situation of disease during pregnancy of these women, results from the multivariable Poisson regression showed that, factors as taking drugs (RR=1.95, 95%CI: 1.42- 2.68), cold medicine (RR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.07-2.64), antibiotics (RR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.25-2.90), salicylates (RR=5.01, 95%CI: 1.84-13.64) and antifungal drugs (RR=10.22, 95%CI: 3.25-32.19) during pregnancy were all related to congenital heart disease, and with the history of taking cold medicine (RR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.01-3.61), antibiotics (RR=2.18, 95%CI: 1.17-4.06), salicylates (RR=6.07, 95%CI: 1.45-25.41), antifungal drugs (RR=21.01, 95%CI: 4.17-105.87) and other drugs (RR=2.31, 95%CI: 1.19-4.47) during early pregnancy. These factors were with higher risks for congenital heart disease. Conclusion: Women of childbearing age who took cold medicine, antibiotics, salicylic acid drugs, antifungal drugs and other drugs during early pregnancy would increase the risks related to congenital heart diseases.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drug Therapy ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Female ; Heart Diseases/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To analyze associations of MRI-lesions and clinical features with disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Shanghai, China. Methods: We studied patients with MS, identified from a survey in Shanghai, whose sites of lesions in the CNS was based on the MRI examinations. Associations between MRI-lesions, various clinical variables and the severity of disability were analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: There were 210 patients in this study. The disability of the patients with lesions confined to the spinal cord was significantly more severe than those with lesions in the brain (p < 0.008). Current age (OR: 1.041, 95% CI: 1.007~1.077), MS duration (OR: 1.082, 95% CI: 1.011~1.159) and MRI-lesions in the spinal cord (OR: 2.441, 95% CI: 1.039~5.737) were significantly associated with severity of disability on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: MRI-lesions in the spinal cord, older age, a longer MS duration were significantly associated with a more severe disability in this MS study in Shanghai China.