Astragalus adsurgens seed is one of the most common adulterants of Astragali Complanati Semen in the market, whose morphological characteristics are very similar with A. complanatus seeds (Astragali Complanati Semen). Many identification methods have been reported, such as morphological identification, fluorescence method, ultraviolet spectrophotometry, TLC, HPLC, protein electrophoresis and so on, but there's no much about microscopic identification. In the present study, the morphological characteristics and microscopic characteristics of these two seeds were investigated, which could provide scientific evidence for the identification and classification of Astragali Complanati Semen. Our results showed that these two seeds were slightly different in the color and the appearance, but significantly different in the microstructure of the seed coat and the hilum, and the distribution of fat droplets in the cotyledon cells. So these microscopic characteristics can be applied for the identification of Astragali Complanati Semen.
Astragalus Plant ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Color ; Discriminant Analysis ; Microscopy ; methods ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry

Akebia trifoliate has been reported to have many pharmacological activities and the roots, petioles and seeds are used to different symptoms. However, the structure and anatomy of its seeds was almost not reported until now. In the present study, we investigated the morphological characters of the fruit and seed, and the anatomical characters of the testa, micropyle, embryo and endosperm, which could provide evidences for the study on classification, identification and application of A. trifoliate. Our results showed that the testa of A. trifoliate consisted of an epidermic cell layer, the sclerenchyma cells layer, the parenchyma cells layer and an innermost pigment layer. At the micropylar region, the outermost epidermal cells were specialized the white caruncle-like structure and the testa included a lot of lignified tissues. Endosperm comprises two layer cells. Outermost yellowish-brown layer cells contains lots of fat droplets, and innermost white layer cells contains lots of aleurone grains and crystalloids.
Germination ; Magnoliopsida ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Seeds ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo assess the clearance role and safety of Chinese herbal enema therapy (CHET) in clearing enterogenic uremic toxins in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients, thus providing evidence for further optimizing the comprehensive treatment.

METHODSUsing nonrandomized concurrent control trial, 96 CRF inpatients of Department of Nephropathy, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from March 2010 to December 2010 were assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to their willingness. All patients were treated with basic treatment referring to clinical plans in the non-dialysis phase, while those in the treatment group were additionally treated with CHET, once daily, 2 weeks as one therapeutic course. The symptoms, serum enterogenic uremic toxin levels [including indoxyl sulfate (IS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA)], and serum creatinine (SCr) were observed in the two groups between and after treatment. The adverse reactions were also monitored during the treatment period. The clinical efficacy and safety were also assessed.

RESULTSTotally 84 patients completed this clinical observation, 48 in the treatment group and 36 in the control group. The levels of SCr, BUN, and IS were obviously lower in the treatment group after treatment, showing statistical difference when compared with before treatment (P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in each index in the control group between before and after treatment (P>0.05). The post-treatment the IS level was lower in the treatment group than in the control group with statistical difference (P<0.05). Symptoms like fatigue, soreness of waist and knees, constipation and edema were partially relieved in both groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The ratios of anorexia and nausea in patients of the treatment group was lowered after treatment (P<0.05). Besides, patients in the treatment group could defecate for more than once daily during the enema treatment period, dominated as rotten and soft feces. No severe adverse event occurred during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONCHET combined basic treatment could lower the serum levels of enterogenic uremic toxins (IS and BUN) of CRF patients in a short period.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Urea ; blood ; Uric Acid ; blood

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect ofHuayu-Niaoshidecoction on renal injury in the patients with kidney stones after extra corporeal lithotripsy (ESWL). MethodsAccording to the inclusion criteria, 120 patients diagnosed with kidney stones were randomly divided into 2 groups with the random number table method, 60 patients in each group. Both groups were treated with double pulse extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Based on the ESWL, the control group was added with levofloxacin mesylate tablets for 3 days with the start of the day of the gravel; and the treatment group was treated withHuayu-Niaoshi decoction for 14 days based on the treatment of control group. The levels of serum endothelial endothelin 1 (ET-1), malondialdehyde (MDA), urinary N-acetyl-β-Dglucosaminidase (NAG) N-acetyl-beta-d Glucosaminidase and urine beta 2 microspheres protein (beta eukaryotic 2-mg) were detected at time of gravel, 2 hours after gravel and 2 weeks after gravel. ResultsAfter 2 weeks treatment, the levels of urinary NAG (7.33 ± 4.39 U/L vs. 9.93 ± 5.10 U/L;Z=2.587,P=0.002), serum MDA (4.63 ± 0.90 nmol/mlvs. 7.29 ± 2.16 nmol/ml;Z=5.520, P=0.001), serum ET-1 (35.06 ± 10.51 pg/mlvs. 46.90 ± 18.74 pg/ml;Z=3.315,P=0.001) and urineβ2-MG (0.14 ± 0.19) mg/Lvs. 0.19 ± 0.19 mg/L;Z=1.759,P=0.079) in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Conclusions TheHuayu-Niaoshidecoction can improve renal injury in the patients with
kidney stones after extra corporeal lithotripsy.

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of hepatitis B virus infected patients who is negative for HbsAg.

METHODSDNA sequences of 46 patients were analyzed. In these patients, HBsAg was negative but HBV DNA was positive and six new HBsAg variants were identified. Four of the six variants were combined point mutants and two were insertion variants. These S genes were subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector EBO-plpp, and the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmids were transfected into COS7 cells. Cell lines expressing mutant type HBsAg were obtained. The supernatants were detected by ELISA and RIA.

RESULTSOnly the two-amino acid-insertion variants could be detected and the others failed to react with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against HbsAg.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that the point mutations and insertions may result in a conformational change of the S gene, which affect HBsAg antigenicity, suggesting a possible relationship between the variants and the negative conversion of HBsAg of the patients.

Animals ; Antigenic Variation ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDMiddle mediastinal masses comprise a wide variety of tumors but may also reflect lymphadenopathy, and thus remain an interesting diagnostic challenge. We performed positron emission tomography (PET) of mediastinal masses in order to evaluate the ability of PET to predict the malignancy of these tumors. We compared histologic findings, videomediastinoscopy, computed tomography (CT), and PET-CT in patients with mediastinal disease.

METHODSThirty-two patients were evaluated with CT, PET-CT and videomediastionoscopy, and all studies were performed within four weeks in each patient. (11)C-choline as a PET tracer was used to visualize masses. PET data were evaluated using the standardized uptake value (SUV) and were compared with pathologic data.

RESULTSThere were 13 men and 19 women aged from 21 to 74 (mean 45.2) years. Among the patients with mediastinal diseases, sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 12 patients, tuberculosis in 5 patients, lymphoma in 5 patients, and noncaseating granulomata without classical "sarcoid" finding in 3 patients. N2 or N3 nodal metastasis was revealed in 6 of 7 patients who had non-small cell lung cancer or suspected lung cancer, and one was negative (the pathological diagnosis was reactive hyperplasia). The accuracies for correctly diagnosing mediastinal masses for CT, PET-CT and videomediastinoscopy were 38% (12/32), 63% (20/32), and 91% (29/32) respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of videomediastinoscopy was superior to that of PET-CT (chi(2) = 11.130, P < 0.001). The SUVs were similar among these diseases. On the other hand, if the diagnostic classification was benign vs malignancy, the accuracies for CT, PET-CT and videomediastinoscopy were 53% (17/32), 75% (24/32), 100% (32/32) respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of videomediastinoscopy was superior to that of PET-CT (chi(2) = 22.042, P < 0.001). The SUV of malignant lesions (6.9, 3.2 - 9.8; n = 11) appeared to be higher than that of benign lesions (4.9, 2.9 - 8.3; n = 21), however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.054).

CONCLUSIONSTo diagnose lesions located in the middle mediastinum, videomediastinoscopy possesses the highest diagnostic accuracy, and therefore remains the gold standard. PET-CT is valuable for differential diagnosis of benign vs malignant lesions, CT alone or PET alone (SUV) may provide misdiagnosis in a substantial proportion of patients with mediastinal masses.

Adult ; Aged ; Carbon Radioisotopes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Diseases ; diagnosis ; Mediastinoscopy ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Video Recording

Oxidative stress is implicated in male infertility and significantly higher reactive oxygen species are detected in 25% of infertile males. Although different agents of various alternative medicines, including traditional Chinese medicine, have been tried with varying success, evidence remains limited on whether and how much herbs or supplements might help increase the anti-oxidant ability of the sperm. This study examined the anti-oxidative effects of icariin, a flavonoid isolated from Herba Epimedii, on the human sperm. We prepared the FeSO4/H2O2-damaged human sperms, which were co-cultured with icariin in vitro, and then observed the changes of the sperm by employing Raman micro-spectroscopy. The results showed that Raman mapping with a 514 nm excitation laser allowed clear differentiation of the nucleus, neck, and, in particular, the mitochondria-rich middle piece of a human sperm cell. The effect of icariin on different organelles of the sperm was quantified by localized spectral Raman signatures obtained within milli-seconds, and icariin could keep the "Raman fingerprint" of the human sperm the same as the control groups, suggesting that icariin could protect the human sperm from being damaged by FeSO4/H2O2. Icariin may serve as a tonifying and replenishing agent of herbal origin for enhancing reproductive functions.

OBJECTIVETo report the treatment of a case of severe Crouzon's syndrome using monobloc distraction osteogenesis and cranial vault remodeling.

METHODSThrough intra-and extra-cranial approach, monobloc osteotomy was performed and external distractor was placed. Distraction began on the 7th postoperative day at a rate of 1 mm a day, two times a day. The distractor removed after consolidation for 4 months.

RESULTSThe distraction distance attained 20 mm. The exophthalmos and cross bite were corrected completely. The severe obstructive apnea improved markedly.

CONCLUSIONSMonbloc distraction osteogenesis and cranial vault remodeling are effective and safe procedure for Crouzon's syndrome.

Child ; Craniofacial Dysostosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; methods ; Osteotomy ; Skull ; surgery

BACKGROUNDDistal pancreatectomy traditionally included splenectomy; the spleen, however, is an important organ in the immunologic defense of the host and is worthy of preservation. The aim of this research was to study the feasibility, safety and clinical effects of spleen and splenic vessel-preserving distal pancreatectomy.

METHODSA retrospective review was performed for 26 patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy for benign or low grade malignant disease with splenectomy (n = 13) or splenic preservation (n = 13) at the First Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Guangdong General Hospital in Southern China from May 2002 to April 2009.

RESULTSAll 26 pancreatectomies with splenectomy or splenic preservation were performed successfully. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in mean operative time ((172 ± 47) minutes vs. (157 ± 52) minutes, P > 0.05), intraoperative estimated blood loss ((183 ± 68) ml vs. (160 ± 51) ml, P > 0.05), incidence of noninfectious and infection complication and mean length of postoperative hospital stay ((10.1 ± 2.2) days vs. (12.1 ± 4.6) days, P > 0.05). The platelet counts examined one week after operation were significantly higher in the distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy group than the other group ((37.3 ± 12.8) × 10(9)/L vs. (54.7 ± 13.2) × 10(9)/L, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSpleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy appears to be a feasible and safe procedure. In selected cases of benign or low-grade malignant disease, spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy is recommended.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; mortality ; Perioperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Spleen ; blood supply