Objective To study the process of foam fractionation of polyphyllin in semi-batch mode. Methods Taking enrichment ratio, recovery rate of polyphyllin, and purity ratio as the performance criteria and using single examining method to examine the operational parameters, i.e. operation mode, air flow rate, initial feed concentration, solution pH value, initial feed height and temperature on separation performance. The optimal conditions of the process were obtained finally. Results The separation performance is good when gas flow rate is 400 mL/min, initial feed concentration (polyphyllins content) is 0.3 mg/mL, pH value is 7, feed height is 30 cm, and feed temperature is 40 ℃. The enrichment ratio is 25.7, recovery ratio is 42.1%, and the foam liquids purity of total polyphyllin is 41.4%, which is 4.5 times higher than that in feed purity. Conclusion Foam fractionation technique could be applied to separate polyphyllin.

Accidents, Occupational ; statistics & numerical data ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Hand Injuries ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the forecasting capability of serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide ( NT-proBNP) level for Left ventricular ( LV) remodeling of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) through observation of the relationship between serum NT-proBNP on the 3rd day and LV remodeling following onset of AMI. Methods Electrochemilumin-escence was adopted to determine the serum NT-proBNP level on the 3rd day after AMI attack for 106 cases of patients with anterior, anteroseptal and anterolateral AMI, with echocardiography performed to detect LV end-diastolic diameter (LVDd) and leftventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) respectively on the 3rd day and 3 months after the attack. Results The serum NT-proBNP level of AMI patients on the 3rd day averaged 1039. 28 (241. 50-1 184. 25) ng/L For AMI patients on the 3rd day and 3 months after, LVDd rose to (53?7) mm (P 0.05) from (53?8) %. NT-proBNP concentration on the 3rd day after AMI onset was positively correlated with△LVDd significantly, r =0. 403 (P 5mm during the 3 months and LVEF at the 3rd month≤40 % , AUC was 0. 893. Conclusion The test results showed serum NT-proBNP level for AMI patients on the 3rd day may be used as one of forecasting indexes of LV remodeling for AMI of advanced stage.

With the active encouragement of the Chinese government, all domestic clinical research institutes pay more attention to the human research protect program (HRPP) during the process of clinical trials, and actively follow the regulations of medical ethical practice. We could make fully preparation for the accreditation by the correlated international organizations only by further analyzing the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP) from a whole and in each accreditation field at different levels, thus having a clear understanding the difference in acknowledging the difference between China's hospitals and America's hospitals.
Accreditation ; China ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Public Policy ; United States

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the serum concentration of IL-6,S100β,NT-3 and the cognitive functions in first-episode schizophrenia characterized by positive or negative symptoms.Methods44 first-episode schizophrenic patients characterized by positive symptoms (positive group),36 first-episode schizophrenic patients characterized by negative symptoms (negative group) and 50 healthy controls (controls) were collected.The serum levels of IL-6,S100β and NT-3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The systematic evaluation tool-MCCB was applied to assess cognitive function in patients and controls.ResultsNT-3 serum levels in positive or negative groups were lower than those in controls and the differences were significant((118.39±37.50) ng/L,(112.55±32.29) ng/L vs (141.18±29.67) ng/L) (P<0.01).IL-6 and S100β serum levels in positive or negative groups were higher than those in controls and the differences were statistically significant((5.74±1.00)ng/L,(5.07±1.17)ng/L vs (4.23±0.91)ng/L),((132.98±46.71)ng/L,(124.99±43.14)ng/L vs (103.63±31.57)ng/L)(P<0.01).IL-6 serum levels in the positive group ((5.07±1.17)ng/L) were lower than those in the negative group ((5.74±0.99)ng/L) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).In MCCB test,the TMT scores in patients characterize by positive symptoms or patients characterize by negative symptoms were higher than those in healthy control group (P<0.01).BACS SC,HVLT-R WMS-Ⅲ,SS,NAB,BVMT-R,CF in patients characterize by positive symptoms or by negative symptoms were lower than those in healthy control group(P<0.01).There were no statistical difference in the MCCB scores between the patients with positive symptoms and negative symptoms.In positive group,there was a positive correlation between the IL-6 serum concentration and the general symptom scores in PANSS (P<0.05).In positive group,NT-3 serum concentration was positively correlated with the general symptom scores or total scores of PANSS (P<0.05).BVMT-R scores in MCCB were also positively correlated with IL-6 or NT-3 serum concentration in positive group (P<0.05).ConclusionThe impairment of part of cognitive functions for schizophrenic patients may be related to the serum protein factors.There may be different in pathophysiology between the first-episode schizophrenic patients characterized by positive symptoms and those characterized by negative symptoms.

Animals ; Bone and Bones ; chemistry ; Female ; Ovariectomy ; adverse effects ; Ovary ; surgery ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Transforming Growth Factors ; analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEIn the past decade, no remarkable improvement has been made in the 5-year survival of cervical cancer patients. This study was to explore the influence of lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI) on the prognosis of patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSA total of 111 eligible patients with FIGO stage IB and IIA cervical squamous cell carcinoma underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1995 and December 2002. The histopathological slides of the 111 patients were reviewed by a senior gynecological pathologist. LVSI, invasion depth, tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis were evaluated.

RESULTSLVSI was present in 62 patients. The univariate analysis showed that the risk factors of overall survival (OS) included positive LVSI (P = 0.019) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.002), while the risk factors of progression-free survival (PFS) included LVSI (P = 0.029), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.002), SccAg value (P = 0.018), invasion depth (P = 0.022) and positive surgical margin (P = 0.002). The multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis was the independent prognostic factor of OS (P = 0.015), while lymph node metastasis and positive surgical margin were the independent factors of PFS (P = 0.006, P = 0.006). LVSI was correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONWhether LVSI is an independent prognostic factor of early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma cannot be determined currently while LVSI is a risk factor of metastasis and relapse.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; methods ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphatic Vessels ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pelvis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of integrative medicine (IM) rehabilitation protocolon motor function, activity of daily living, and quality of life (QOL) in hemiplegia patients after stroke.

METHODSTotally 120 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia were allocated to four groups using sealed envalope drawing, i.e., the rehabilitation group, the Chinese medical treatment group, the acupuncture group, and the comprehensive rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each group. Based on routine rehabilitative training, patients in the Chinese medical treatment group, the acupuncture group, and the compre-hensive rehabilitation group received standardized treatment based on syndrome typing, Shi's Consciousness-Restoring Resuscitation acupuncture, Chinese herbs + acupuncture comprehensive rehabilitatino protocol, respectively. The treatmet cycle consisted of 4 weeks with 24-week follow-ups. Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale(SS-QQL), and safety assessment were taken as main effect indices before treatment, at week 4 of treatment, at week 12 and 24 of follow-ups, respectively.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in FMA score, MBI score, SS-QOL score among the four groups before treatment (P > 0.05). These scores were significantly improved in the four groups at week 4 of treatment, week 12 and 24 of follow-ups, respectively (P < 0.05). Besides, FMA score and SS-QOL score were significantly improved in the comprehensive rehabilitation group at each corresponding time point, as compared with other treatment groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe comprehensive protocol could significantly improve motor function, activity of daily living in hemiplegia patients after stroke, and further improve their QOL. Its effect was better than other single treatment.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Hemiplegia ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Motor Skills ; Quality of Life ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of root canal preparation treated by endodontists of different levels in different difficulty associated with the root canal anatomy factors.

METHODSTotally 422 teeth with 901 root canals were randomly selected from the Conservative Dentistry Department, West China Stomatology Hospital, and these teeth were respectively treated by junior specialist postgraduates, senior specialist postgraduates and endodontic specialists. Grading criteria of root canal risk factor and root canal therapy difficulty assessment were found based on 6 items: Tooth type, working length, root curvature, calcification, number of canals, and the previous endodontic treatment. The effects of root canal preparation with different difficulty in different groups were analyzed with RxC Chi-square test.

RESULTSSuccess rates of root canal preparation in junior group and senior group during three difficulty groups were statistically different (P < 0.05), and the root canal therapy difficulty group I > group II > group III. The operator factors in root canal therapy difficulty group I and group II were not significantly different P > 0.05). But in root canal therapy difficulty group III, the endodontic specialist group have highest success rate in root canal preparation.

CONCLUSIONThe cases of root canal treatment should be treated by endodontist of corresponding level according to the difficulty. In difficult cases, endodontic specialist can provide better root canal preparation result.

China ; Humans ; Root Canal Preparation ; Root Canal Therapy ; Tooth Root

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the results of manipulative reduction and percutaneous pin fixation for the treatment of severely displaced proximal humeru fracturess in children.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to December 2010, 43 patients with severely displaced proximal humeru fractures were treated with manipulative reduction and percutaneous pin fixation. There were 28 boys and 15 girls,ranging in age from 3 to 17 years,with an average of 11.1 years. Preoperative diagnoses were confirmed by the X-ray films as Neer-Horwitz type III or IV fractures. All the patients were close fractures without nerve or vascular injuries. Under C-arm X-ray machine, anatomical reduction was achieved by manipulative reduction according to the bone fracture type. The fractures were fixed by percutaneous pinning. Postoperative X-ray confirmed anatomical reduction. Follow-up index were recorded: intra-operative and postoperative complications, postoperative radiographic examination, upper extremity length and range of shoulder motion. Neer score system was used to evaluate shoulder function.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 3 to 37 months with an average of 20.4 months. The mean Neer score of the injured side was (95.0 +/- 4.3) (ranged, 85 to 100). Thirty-eight patients got an excellent result, 5 good. The X-ray showed all the fractures healed without shortening deformity or epiphyseal arrest at early stage. All the patients could participate in the normal physical activities and had a normal range of motion and excellent strength of the shoulder joint.

CONCLUSIONThe method of manipulative reduction and percutaneous pin fixation is relatively reliable treatment for severely displaced proximal humerus fractures in children.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Treatment Outcome