OBJECTIVE:To determine the contents of citric acid in fentanyl citrate raw materials and its injection by ion chro-matography. METHODS:The determination was performed on Thermo Dionex IonPacTM AS11-HC column with mobile phase con-sisted of potassium hydroxide (gradient elution) at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 35 ℃,and sample size was 20 μL. The detector was suppressed conductivity detector. RESULTS:The linear range of citric acid were 0.1157-74.05 μg/mL(r=0.9995). The limit of quantitation was 0.1150 μg/mL,and the limit of detection was 0.0400 μg/mL;RSDs of preci-sion,stability and reproducibility tests were all lower than 2.0%;the average recoveries were 99.6%-101.5%(RSD=0.68%,n=9). CONCLUSIONS:The method is environmentally-friendly and simple with good accuracy and precision,and suitable for the contents determination of citric acid in fentanyl citrate raw materials and injection.

Objective To examine the expression of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) receptor subtypes in human left and right atrial tissue in atrial fibrillation underlying rheumatic heart disease. Methods Atrial tissue samples were obtained from 39 patients with rheumatic heart disease, 25 with atrial fibrillation(AF) and 14 with sinus rhythm(SR) during open heart surgery. AT1 and AT2 mRNA levels were measured with semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques. AT1 and AT2 protein levels were measured with immunohistochemical techniques. Results Compared with that of the SR group, left atrial inner diameter was significantly increased in the patients of the AF group. The AT1 mRNA and protein levels in the LA significantly increased in patients with AF compared with those in patients with SR (P < 0. 05), whereas AT2 mRNA and protein were not significantly altered. Investigations of Ang Ⅱ receptor subtypes' mRNA and protein levels in the RA did not exhibit any significant changes either in AT1 or AT2 in patients with AF and SR. Conclusions AF is associated with an up-regulation of AT1 in LA, but does not appear to influence the AT2 expression. This may indicate a possible pathophysiologie role for renin-angiotensin system in the development of AF. The series of effects mediated by ATI activation may be one of the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of atrial remodeling.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has a wide range of biological functions in epigenetic, cell cycle, cell differentiation and other life activities, and that affect the development and differentiation of immune cells and the maintenance of homeostasis in the immune system. CD4⁺ T cell subsets are heterogeneous cells with different functions, including promoting the proliferation and differentiation of T cells, B cells and other immune cells, and coordinating related functions between immune cells. Autoimmune disease (AID) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by an autoantigen immune reaction. lncRNA and CD4⁺ T cell subsets are involved in the occurrence and progression of the disease. This article reviews the relationship between lncRNA and the differentiation of AID CD4⁺ T cell subsets.

Objective To investigate the applicability of clinical grade and a non-contact measurement method in evaluation of underneath eye wrinkles and to compare two methods.Methods A lot of 46 healthy Chinese women were recruited for this study.Underneath eye wrinkles severity was evaluated using clinical grade and a non-contact measurement method.The correlations were calculated for clinical grade and non-contact measurement parameters and age.The non-contact measurement parameters were classified by factor analysis.The correlations between age,clinical grade and factors were analyzed.Results The correlation coefficient between clinical grade in comparison to subject's age was 0.818.The parameters getting from non contact measurement were obviously correlated with age and clinical grade except SEr and SEsc;the correlation coefficients between parameters and age were-0.601 to 0.605;the correlation cofficients between parameters and clinical grade were-0.630 to 0.570.The non-contact measurement parameters could be classified into two factors;one represented wrinkle depth and roughness;the other represented wrinkle width and counts.These two factors were also obviously correlated with age and clinical grade.Conclusions Clinical grade and non contact measurement methods are both applicable in evaluation of underneath eye wrinkles.The parameters getting from two methods are obviously correlated with each other.

Objective To explore the relationship between cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) by investigating their electrophysiological characteristics and the incidence of CSR root injury and root injury complicating with CTS.Methods One hundred and twenty-four cases of CSR diagnosed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2013 to February 2014 by electromyography (EMG) were recruited.According to the results of EMG,patients were divided into root injury and root injury complicating with CTS groups.The distal motor latency (DML),motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV),sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV),sensory nerve action potential (SNAP),compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and spontaneous potential (SP) were compared between the two groups.Results There were 81 (65.3％) cases with root injury,11 cases with double sides injury and 29 cases with normal EMG among these 124 patients.The CMAP,DML,MCV,SCV and SNAP were normal in 76 cases,CMAP lowered 5％-12％ in 3 cases,DML extended 3％ and 9％ in 2 cases.There were 14 cases (11.3％) with concomitant CTS (female 10 cases and male 4 cases,double sides CTS 10 cases).Among the 14 cases with concomitant CTS,there were 9 cases with simply sensory nerve conduction abnormality,SCV slowing down 26％-47％,SNAP reducing 58％-86％ or normal,while other 5 cases with motor conduction abnormality as well as sensory nerve conduction abnormality,CMAP reducing 21％-78％,DML extending 27％-39％ in 3 cases,MCV slowing down 32％ and 40％ in 2 cases.Five cases had spontaneous electricity position movement in the abductor pollicis brevis.The incidence of root injury complicating with CTS in C6 (27.4％,9/33),C7 (26.9％,7/26) and C8 (5/7) showed statistically significant difference (x2 =5.96,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions There is a high incidence of root injury and CTS in CSR patients,indicating a possible double crush between CSR and CTS.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with acupuncture at Sheng's Four Points of Throat.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and medication (group 1, 30 cases) and a medication group (group 2, 30 cases). In group 1 Four Points of Throat were punctured and routine medication was applied; in group 2, only routine medication was applied. The scores of symptom-sign and status of voice were observed and analyzed before and after treatment in two groups.

RESULTSAt 4th day after the surgery, the improvement of the symptom-sign scores in group 1 was more significant than that in group 2 (P < 0.05); and the voice analysis status in group 1 was superior to that in group 2 (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in group 1, which was superior to that of 60.0% (18/30) in group 2 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effect on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with the combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and routine medication is favorable, superior to that with routine medication therapy.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; Pharynx ; physiopathology ; Vocal Cords ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Qingpeng paste (QP) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats.

METHODCIA was established in female Wistar rats with injection of type II bovine collagen at the base of the tail of animals. CIA rats were treated daily with external administration of different doses of QP or voltaren beginning on the day after the onset of arthritis (day 1) until day 20. Paw swelling rate and the serum levels of IL-1 beta were determined. Moreover, the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-alpha and histopathological changes in the arthritic joints were also observed.

RESULTQP markedly suppressed the paw swelling rate of arthritic rat, reduced the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-alpha in synovial membrane. Histopathological changes in the arthritic joints were also significantly ameliorated in the QP-treated versus vehicle-treated rats. However, the elevated serum levels of IL-1 beta in arthritic rats were not influenced by QP.

CONCLUSIONThe present findings demonstrate the protective property of QP on collagen-induced arthritis, mechanisms underlying it may be related to reduce the expression of IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha in synovial membrane.

Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen Type II ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Interleukin-1alpha ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Synovial Membrane ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

The paper is aimed to establish a methods for identication of pearl powder and conch powder from different origins. Hermetic aluminum pan was used to encapsulate samples. The optimal testing conditions were: heating rate 10 degrees C x min(-1), sample weight 3 mg and nitrogen gas flow rate 40 mL x min(-1). The enthalpy values of pearl powder and conch powder was obvious different. Identication of pearl powder and conch powder by DSC is a practical method for its accuracy, convenience and practificality.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; methods ; China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Pinctada ; chemistry ; classification ; Powders ; chemistry

We designed a weighted cross-correlation coefficient considering the "anchor" of the T cell epitopes, and used an evolutionary algorithm to search for an optimal weight vector. A SVM model with this new peptide similarity kernel was evaluated on a T-cell data set. The results demonstrated a good performance of this method.
Algorithms ; Artificial Intelligence ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; Models, Statistical ; Peptides

OBJECTIVETo delineate the characteristics of the clinical manifestation, pathology of skeletal muscle and gene mutations of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episode (MELAS) in children.

METHODThe clinical manifestation, laboratorial data, brain images, muscle pathology and mitochondrial gene mutations were analyzed in 24 patients with MELAS who were diagnosed in Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital. Their prognosis was evaluated by following up.

RESULTSymptoms of central nervous system such as stroke-like episodes, vomiting, convulsion and headache were present in all the 24 cases. Nine cases had the symptoms of myopathy. Twenty cases had developmental delay. Short stature, being thin and hairy was very common in these cases. Serum lactate level increased in all the cases, pyruvate increased in 17 cases. Elevated CSF lactate was found in 2 cases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 24 cases, out of them 23 were abnormal. The lesions mainly involved cerebral lobes. Occipital lobe was the most common site of lesions. Computed tomography (CT) was performed on 13 cases, low density lesions were present in 10 cases, basal ganglia calcifications in 5 cases. Muscle biopsy was performed on 8 cases, ragged-red fibers (RRF) were found in 4/8 cases, and abnormal accumulation of mitochondria were found in 3/8 cases. The mtDNA gene mutational analysis showed A3243G mutation in these patients. The mutation rates varied from 11.6% to 75.0%. The same mutation were found in 4/5 mothers who had the genetic tests, and the mutation rates of the mothers varied from 15.0% to 23.6%. The clinical information of 11 cases was available through recent following up. Three cases died, the others had some degrees of mental retardation.

CONCLUSIONChildren with MELAS had various clinical manifestations. Central nervous system and skeletal muscle were usually involved. Short stature and hypertrichosis were common signs. The prognosis of this disease was disappointing. mtDNA A3243G was the most common mutation in MELAS. Fully understanding the characteristics of its clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, brain image, muscle pathology and molecular features can be helpful to the early diagnosis and treatment.

Acidosis, Lactic ; blood ; Adolescent ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; MELAS Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Point Mutation ; Pyruvic Acid ; blood ; Stroke ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; pathology ; Syndrome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed