Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenicals ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Oxides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Quercetin ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To determine the level and clinical significance of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) in patients of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) with intestinal dysfunction. Methods The serum and urine in 42 cases of SAP with intestinal dysfunction were collected at day 1, 3 and 7 after admission, respectively. The numbers of bowel sounds were recorded. 20 health subjects were selected as the control. Results The numbers of bowel sounds in health subjects were 5.6 ± 2.3/min. The numbers of bowel sounds in SAP patients at day 1,3 and 7 were 2.3 ± 0.7/min, 1.7 ± 0.2/min and 3.1 ± 1.1/min, respectively;which were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). The level of 5-HT in the control group was(86.7 ± 9.5)ng/ml, while the levels of 5-HT in the SAP patients at day 1, 3 and 7 were (112.0 ± 17.8) ng/ml, (130.5 ± 19.7) ng/ml, (107.9 ± 16.3) ng/ml. The level of urine iFABP in the control group was (90.5 ± 19.8) pg/ml, while the levels of urine iFABP in the SAP patients were (1250.2 ± 425.3) pg/ml, (1586.9 ± 523.4) pg/ml, (1154.6 ± 394.0) pg/ml. The levels of 5-HT and urine iFABP in the SAP patients all were significantly higher than those in the control group (P <0.01). The levels of 5-HT and urine iFABP in the SAP patients at day 3 were significantly higher than those in the day 1 and day 7, while there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions Determination of serum 5-HT and urine iFABP in patients with early SAP could effectively evaluate the intestinal function, and it may have potential clinical significance.

Objective To investigate the effect of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction on enteric functional disturbance in rats with acute experimental pancreatitis and its potential mechanism. Methods Seventy-two SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, acute pancreatitis (AP) group and Da-Cheng-Qi decoction treated group with 24 each. The AP model was induced by retrograde injection of sodium taurocholate (0.1 ml/100 g) into bitiopancreatic duet. Before modeling, the rats in treatment group received Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (2 g/100 g), and the rats in other two groups received 0.9% NaCl solution. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 6 and 12 hours with 8 each, and the blood samples were taken for detecting the level of amylase and the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The colonic tissues 10 cm apart from trans-ligament incluing jejunum, terminal ileum and sigmoid colon were collected for examining the expressions of 5-HT_3 and 5-HT_4mRNA and proteins by RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively. Results ① The levels of serum amylase and 5-HT in AP group and treatment group were significantly higher than those in sham operation group (P<0. 01), but they were lower in treatment group than in AP group at each time points (P<0. 05). The level of 5-HT was increased in the initial stage and then decreased gradually both in AP group and treatment group. ③ The expressions of 5-HT_3 and 5-HT_4 mRNA and proteins were significantly decreased in the jejunum, terminal ileum and sigmoid colon in AP group compared with sham operation group (P<0. 01). Whereas the expressions of 5-HT_3 mRNA and protein,but not 5-HT_4, were increased in the treatment group in comparison with AP group (P<0.05). Conclusions The level of 5-HT is significantly increased in acute pancreatitis, but its receptors (5-HT_3 and 5-HT_4) are decreased, which may induce enteric functional disturbance. The Da-Cheng-Qi decoction may improve enteric dynamic failure by increasing the expression of 5-HT_4 and may be a choice for treatment of acute pancreatitis with enteric dynamic failure

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction on gut dysfunction in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods Forty-eight SAP patients complicated with gut dysfunction were randomly divided into two groups according to the number of admission, which were treatment group and control group. The therapy in t reatment group was Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction infusion through gastric tube (one paste/day, b. i. d), however the therapy of control group was normal saline infusion through gastric tube (the amount was the same as the former, b. i. d), and other management in the two groups was similar. The first passage of gas by anus and defecation after treatment was observed. Serum amylase, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 were examined before and one week after treatment;complications and mortality were compared between the two groups. Results The first passage of gas by anus and defecation in the treatment group was ( 12.3 ± 5.7 ) h and ( 24.8 ± 11.2 ) h, respectively, and shorter than ( 22. 1 ± 9.7 ) h and 46.2 ± 17.4) h of control group ( P <0.01) ;the numerical values of serum amylase, CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 one week after treatment were ( 120.3 ± 35.8 ) U/L, ( 10.8 ±2.0) ng/ml, (36.3 ± 5.8) U/L and (4.8 ± 1.0) U/L, which were significantly decreased when compared with the values before treatment, and these values were significantly lower than (267.2 ± 78.9 )U/L, ( 19.5 ± 2.7 ) ng/ml, (80.1 ± 9.0) U/L, ( 10.5 ± 1.2 ) U/L of the control group ( P < 0.05 ). The total complications and mortality of treatment group was 12.5% and 4.4%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (37.5% and 25%, P <0.05). Conclusions Treatment with Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction in SAPpatients complicated with gut dysfunction was effective to reverse gut dysfunction and reduce total complications and mortality.

Aged ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Epithelioid Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangiosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Vimentin ; metabolism

In this study, modification technology by surface coating was used to improve the flowability of powder of Chinese herbs extracts. Seven kinds of powder of Chinese herbs extracts were coated with 1% silica nanoparticles using an under-driven Comil. The powder characteristics tester was used to evaluate the flowability of uncoated and coated powders. Surface morphology and particle size distribution of powders were compared by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscope. The powder hygroscopicity was also investigated. The results showed that, after modification, angle of repose, angle of spatula, compressibility and adhesiveness extremely decreased, and flowability index substantially increased, the powder flowability was significantly improved, especially Gegen and Dahuang extracts powders. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the distribution of silica nanoparticles on the host drug particle surfaces. There were no remarkable changes in the particle size distribution and hygroscopicity of all powders after coating. Therefore, Comilling for surface coating modification technology was an effective method to improve the flowability of Chinese herbs extracts and suggested a possible way forward to enhance the quality of Chinese drugs pharmaceutics in their study and manufacture.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Powders ; chemistry ; Surface Properties

0.05). The relative bioavailability of tested capsules to reference tablets was (99.3?13.1)% Conclusion Both formulations are of bioequivalence.

BACKGROUNDRepair of anterior mitral leaflet (AML) prolapse is still a technical challenge for cardiac surgeons. It is an important issue to find a way to repair the AML prolapse with a reliable and reproducible technique.

METHODSBetween January 2002 and June 2009, the operation of chordal transfer based on the "edge-to-edge" technique was performed in 21 patients with serious mitral valve regurgitation because of prolapse of the anterior leaflet. After the operation, echocardiography was performed in each patient before discharge and at the time of follow-up.

RESULTSAll patients survived the operation. One patient required mitral valve replacement because of anterior leaflet perforation 3 days after the operation. The other patients were free from reoperation. At the time of follow-up, all these patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I. In all these patients, pre-discharge and follow-up echocardiography showed neither stenosis nor significant regurgitation of the mitral valve: the cross-sectional area of the mitral valve was 3.3 - 4.8 cm(2) (mean (3.78 ± 0.52) cm(2)), the mean regurgitation area was (0.45 ± 0.22) cm(2). At the same time, both dimension of left atrium and left ventricle reduced significantly (left atrium diameter: pre-operation (48.26 ± 11.12) mm, post-operation (37.57 ± 9.56) mm, P < 0.05; the end-diastolic diameter of the left ventricle: pre-operation (61.43 ± 8.24) mm, post-operation (42.35 ± 10.79) mm, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION"Edge-to-edge" chordal transfer technique is a simple, reliable, and reproducible technique that can provide good results for repair of anterior leaflet prolapse of mitral valve.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chordae Tendineae ; surgery ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve ; surgery ; Mitral Valve Prolapse ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Suture Techniques

OBJECTIVETo compare the contents of resveratrol and polydatin in some materials of Polygonum cuspidatum from various sources, so to screen and obtain the suitable cultures for the following metabolism regulation study.

METHODRP-HPLC method was applied to simultaneously assay resveratrol and polydatin in different samples.

RESULTBy the modified methods of extraction and determination, large amount of materials were screened. The results indicated that the contents of resveratrol and polydatin in root and rhizome were evidently higher than those in the leave and stems. The content of polydatin in the seedlings cultured indoor for three months was 1.27% and showed a 1.25-time increse than that in the wild plants, while the content of resveratrol (0.401%) approached that in the wild plants. Both of resveratrol and polydatin could be examined from different tissue cultures of P. cuspidatum, such as the sterile seedlings, callus, suspended cells and hairy roots, and the levels of them were closely related to the growth speed, physiological status and developmental phase. Hairy roots had the highest potentiality in several tested cultures and the increase rate of dry weight was 8.29 when cultured in vitro for 30 days, and showed a 8.4-fold and a 192.8-fold increase compared with those of natural roots and suspended cells, respectively. The content of polydatin in the hairy roots was up to 0.037% and that of resveratrol was 0.007%.

CONCLUSIONThe established analysis method is rapid, simple and accurate, especially adapted to the simultaneous determination of resveratrol and polydatin in massive biological samples. Hairy-root cultures have the superiority among the tested materials of P. cuspidatum and are suitable for the large-scale biomass and consistent production of efficient constituents.

Biomass ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fallopia japonica ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Stilbenes ; analysis ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effect of development theory based acupuncture on early cerebral palsy (CP) infants with parafunctional sitting position.

METHODSTotally 120 early CP infants were randomly assigned to two groups equally, the treatment group and the control group. All received acupuncture combined with training rehabilitation. Patients in the treatment group adopted acupuncture based on infants development theory, while those in the control group were treated by head acupuncture. Sitting functional points in Gross motor function measure (GMFM) 88 were observed in different groups and infant patients of various types before and after treatment. Root mean square (RMS) signals of sitting correlated muscles (latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, rectus abdominis) were recorded by surface electromyography (sEMG). The effective rate was evaluated by Nimodipine method.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, sitting functional points were significantly improved in the two groups (P<0.01). After treatment, it was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01). The advance amplitude was higher in CP infants of the spastic type and the hypotonic type than other types (P<0.01). Along with sitting process, latissimus dorsi RMS signals were gradually tapered, erector spinae RMS signals were gradually enhanced, and rectus abdominis RMS signals were slightly weakened. Compared with the control group, latissimus dorsi RMS signals obviously decreased, and erector spinae RMS signals obviously increased in the treatment group after treatment (all P<0.01). The total effective rate was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (89.29% vs. 77.78%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONInfants development theory based acupuncture could effectively elevate dorsi-extensor muscles force, improve sitting position of 8 months to 1 year old CP infants with parafunctional sitting position.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Cerebral Palsy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Medicine ; Posture ; Research ; Spine