OBJECTIVETo explore combination rules of Chinese herbal prescriptions from effective cases for treatment of unstable angina (UA).

METHODSPrescription data from 156 UA patients effectively treated at Cardiovascular Diseases Centre of Xiyuan Hospital were analyzed using complex network method.

RESULTSAccording to multi-scale analysis of backbone network and pointwise mutual information analysis, core prescriptions from the 156 UA patients were presented as follows: Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Radix Paeoniae rubra, Radix Codonopsis, Rhizoma Pinelliae, poria, and Angelica sinensis. Meanwhile, core couplet medicines for these patients covered Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii and Radix paeoniaerubra, Angelica sinensis and Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Radix Codonopsis and Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii and Rhizoma Pinelliae, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae and poriacocos, Bulbus Alli Macrostemi and Rhizoma Pinelliae. Among different primary symptoms, there was slightly difference in core prescriptions.

CONCLUSIONThe core prescriptions for the treatment of UA include blood-activating drug, phlem-resolving drugs. As an exploration of combination rules of Chinese herbal prescriptions in treating UA based on complex network, it can be used as a reference for further researches.

Angelica sinensis ; Angina, Unstable ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pinellia ; Plant Roots ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Prescriptions ; standards

Aged ; Humans ; Laryngectomy ; instrumentation ; Larynx, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the spatial distribution and clustering areas of Budd-Chiari syndrome in Heze City,Shandong Province,and to provide epidemiological information for further exploring the etiology and related risk factors of the disease.Methods Detailed residential addresses of 342 cases of patients (residents of Heze City) with diaphragm type Budd-Chiari syndrome diagnosed between 1995 and 2004 in Heze Municipal Hospital,Heze Shan County Central Hospital,Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College,Shandong Provincial Hospital and Beijing Xuanwu Hospital were collected.Geographic information system (GIS) was used as a platform for data management and display.The nearest neighbor index,Ripley's K(d) function,Ripley's L(d) function and the nearest neighbor clustering method were applied to detect the spatial characters of Budd-Chiari syndrome in Heze City,Shandong Province.Crimestat 3.0 was used for spatial analysis.Results The nearest neighbor distance analysis showed that the nearest neighbor index was 0.6767 (Z =-11.4387,P ＜ 0.01).That was an aggregation at the first-order spatial scale.Within the study area,the first clustering radius of Budd-Chiari syndrome was 6.66 km,and the first clustering strength was 5.40; the average radius of the strongest clustering area was 126.61 km,and the clustering strength was 12.52,while the biggest clustering radius was larger than 222 km.After corrected by population,the gathering strength was slightly higher than that before the correction.Ten first-order hot spots were formed,and 95％ confidence interval aggregation number was 7,which meant the results were statistically significant(P ＜ 0.05),main clustering areas are in Mudan District,Shan County and Juancheng.One secondorder hot spot was gathered based on the first-order hot spot.Conclusions Spatial distribution of Budd-Chiari syndrome in Heze City,Shandong Province has showed spatial aggregation and heterogeneity.This study has a great epidemiological significance for further exploring the cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome.

The continuous cultivation of Rehmannia glutinosa causes the accumulation of phenolic acids in soil. It is supposed to be the reason of the so called "continuously cropping obstacle". In this study, phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, eugenol, vanillin and ferulic acid) were degraded by the extracta of all the tested spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and the maximal degradation rate was 75.3%, contributed by extraction of SMS of Pleurotus eryngii. Pot experiment indicated that hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillin in soil were also degraded effectively by SMS of P. eryngii. The employment of SMS enhanced ecophysiology index to near the normal levels, such as crown width, leaves number, leaf length, leaf width and height. At the same time, the fresh and dry weight and total catalpol concentration of tuberous root weight of R. glutinosa was increased to 2.70, 3.66, 2.25 times by employment of SMS, respectively. The increase of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes numbers in rhizosphere soil were observed after the employment of SMS by microbial counts. The employment of SMS also enhanced the enzyme activity in soils, such as sucrase, cellulase, phosphalase, urease and catelase. These results indicated that the employment of SMS alleviated the continuously cropping obstacle of R. glutinosa in some extent.
Agaricales ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Agriculture ; methods ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Soil ; chemistry ; Soil Microbiology

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of MRI in brachial plexus injury.Methods Total 98 patients with brachial plexus injury were examined by MRI before operation.Fifty-four of 98 patients MR imaging were obtained by 0.5 Tesla scanner and other 44 patients were obtained by 1.5 Tesla scanner.The scanning sequences include: SE T_1WI,T_2WI,FFE T_2WI and T_2WI SPIR. Exploration of the supraclavicular plexus was carried out and the MR imaging were compared with the operative finding in 63 patients.Thirty-five patients who had not surgery were followed-up.Results MR imaging found pre-ganglionic injuries in 45 patients and post-ganglionic injuries in 56 patients.Pre-and post-ganglionic injuries simultaneously in 16 patients among them.MR imaging can not find injury sings in 13 patients.The positive rate was 86.73%.MR imaging finding of pre-ganglionic injuries include:(1) Spinal cord edema and hemorrhage,2 patients (4.44% ).(2)Displacement of spinal cord,17 patients (37.78%).(3)Traumatic meningoceles,37 patients (82.22%).(4)Absence of roots in spinal canal, 25 patients(55.56% ).(5)Scarring in the spinal cnanl,24 patients (53.33%).(6)Denervation of erector spine,13 patients (28.89%).MR imaging finding of post-ganglionic injuries include:(1)Trunk thickening with hypointensities in T_2WI,23 patients (41.07%).(2)Nerve trunk complete loss of continuity with disappeared of nerve structure,16 patients (28.57%).(3)Continuity of nerve trunk was well with disappearance of nerve structure,14 patients(25.00%).(4)Traumatic neurofibroma,3 patients (5.36%).Conclusion MR imaging can reveal Pre-and post-ganglionic injuries of brachial plexus simultaneously.MR imaging is able to determine the location (pre-or post-ganglionic)and extent of brachial plexus injury,provided important information for treatment method selection.

Objective To discuss the key points of endovascular therapy for complex subclavian artery occlusive diseases. Methods During the period from January 2012 to December 2013, a total of 92 patients with complex subclavian artery occlusive disease were admitted to Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The features of the lesions, the success rate of endovascular therapy, the use of combined approaches, the relief of symptoms after treatment, etc. were evaluated. Results The complex subclavian artery occlusive diseases could be divided into three types. Type Ⅰ: long segment of the left subclavian artery was occluded; type Ⅱ: ostial stenosis or occlusion of the right subclavian artery; and type Ⅲ: subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion was associated with the ostial disorder of the vertebral artery, or the opening of vertebral artery was affected by the subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion. The technical success rate was 82.6%. Combination use of femoral artery and brachial artery approach was employed in 27.2% of patients, which had improved the technical success rate. After the treatment the symptom improvement rate was 81.6%. Conclusion Upper limb artery approach can improve the re-canalization rate of left subclavian artery with long segment occlusion, and can ensure the accurate positioning of stent at the site of right subclavian artery opening. During the procedure of endovascular intervention for subclavian artery occlusion disease, attention should be paid to the protection of the vertebral artery.

OBJECTIVETo explore the functional brain localization with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after acupuncturing the Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming (ST).

METHODSThe study was performed in 30 healthy volunteers who underwent acupuncture at Yuan-Source acupoint (Chongyang, ST42) and He-Sea acupoint (Zusanli, ST36) (ST group). Ten of these were also underwent acupuncture at the non-acupoints as the control group. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI was performed.

RESULTSIn the ST group, signal increasing areas were demonstrated in bilateral superior temporal gyri (Broadmann 22), bilateral supramarginal gyri (Broadmann 40), bilateral cerebellar hemispheres, bilateral cingulate gyri and isthmus of cingulate gyri (Broadmann 32, 30), bilateral superior parietal lobules (Broadmann 7); signal decreasing areas were shown in bilateral orbital gyri (Broadmann 11), bilateral temporal pole (Broadmann 38), right inferior frontal gyrus (Broadmann 47) and right medial occipitotemporal gyrus (Broadmann 36). In the control group, signal increases areas were demonstrated in superior temporal gyri, precentral gyri, cingulate gyri, thalamus, insula and cerebellum. The size, signal intensity and number of increasing areas in control group are less than in ST group.

CONCLUSIONCombined acupuncture of Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of ST can activate and decrease the multiple brain regions of "splanchnic brain" and thus reach a new functional balance to relieve pain.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; physiology ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meridians ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the accuracy of computer-assisted pedicle screw installation and its clinical benefit as compared with conventional pedicle screw installation techniques.

METHODSTotal 176 thoracic pedicle screws placed in 42 thoracic fracture patients were involved in the study randomly, 20 patients under conventional fluoroscopic control (84 screws) and 22 patients had screw insertion under three dimensional (3D) computer-assisted navigation (92 screws). The 2 groups were compared for accuracy of screw placement, time for screw insertion by postoperative thin-cut CT scans and statistical analysis by X(2) test. The cortical perforations were then graded by 2-mm increments: Grade I (good, no cortical perforation), Grade II (screw outside the pedicle less than 2 mm), Grade III (screw outside the pedicle larger than 2 mm).

RESULTSIn computer assisted group, 88 (95.65%) were Grade I (good), 4 (4.35%) were Grade II (less than 2mm), no Grade III (larger than 2 mm) violations. In conventional group, there were 14 cortical violations (16.67%), 70 (83.33%) were Grade I (good), 11 (13.1%) were Grade II (less than 2 mm), and 3 (3.57%) were Grade III (larger than 2 mm) violations (P less than 0.001). The number (19.57%) of upper thoracic pedicle screws ( T(1)-T(4) ) inserted under 3D computer-assisted navigation was significantly higher than that (3.57%) by conventional fluoroscopic control (P less than 0.001). Average screw insertion time in conventional group was (4.56+/-1.03) min and (2.54+/-0.63) min in computer assisted group (P less than 0.001). In the conventional group, one patient had pleura injury and one had a minor dura violation.

CONCLUSIONSThis study provides further evidence that 3D computer-assisted navigation placement of pedicle screws can increase accuracy, reduce surgical time, and be performed safely and effectively at all levels of the thoracic spine, particularly upper thoracic spine.

Bone Screws ; Fluoroscopy ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Radiography, Interventional ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term efficacy of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) and Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH) in the treatment of III and IV degree internal hemorrhoids.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomly divided into two groups and received PPH (n=42) and MMH (n=58) respectively. After two years, the efficacy, complications and function of defecation were compared.

RESULTSTwo years after operation, the morbidities of hydrorrhea (2.38% vs 20.69%, P=0.007), dermal neoplasm formation (9.52% vs 25.86%, P=0.040) and narrowing in the caliber of the stools (2.38% vs 18.97%, P=0.027) were significantly lower in PPH group than those in MMH group (P<0.05). The morbidities of overall complication (9.52% vs 25.86%, P=0.040) and overall abnormal function of defecation (9.52% vs 29.31%, P=0.017) were lower in PPH group than those in MMH group (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences of the morbidity of relapse (14.29% vs 10.34%, P=0.549), patient satisfactory degree (92.86% vs 87.93%, P=0.636) and overall symptom recurrence rate (19.05% vs 25.86%, P=0.424) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSLong-term efficacies of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids and Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy in the treatment of III and IV degree internal hemorrhoids are similar. PPH has better safety, less complications and less effect on abnormal function of defecation compared with MMH.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemorrhoids ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; surgery ; Prolapse ; Sutures ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

This study is to investigate the binding capability of lidamycin apoprotein (LDP), an enediyne-associated apoprotein of the chromoprotein antitumor antibiotic family, to human breast cancer and normal tissues, the correlation of LDP binding capability to human breast cancer tissues and the expression of tumor therapeutic targets such as VEGF and HER2. In this study, the binding capability of LDP to human breast cancer tissues was detected with tissue microarray. The correlation study of LDP binding capability to human breast tumor tissues and relevant therapeutic targets was performed on breast cancer tissue microarrays. Immunocytochemical examination was used to detect the binding capability of LDP to human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. As a result, tissue microarray showed that LDP staining of 73.2% (30/41) of breast cancer tissues was positive, whereas that of 48.3% (15/31) of the adjacent normal breast specimens was positive. The difference between the tumor and normal samples was significant (Chi2 = 4.63, P < 0.05). LDP immunoreactivity in breast cancer correlated significantly with the overexpression of VEGF and HER2 (P < 0.001 and < 0.01, r = 0.389 and 0.287, respectively). Determined with confocal immunofluorescent analysis, LDP showed the binding capability to mammary carcinoma MCF-7 cells. It is demonstrated that LDP can bind to human breast cancer tissues and there is significant difference between the breast cancer tissues and the corresponding normal tissues. Notably, the binding reactivity shows positive correlation with the expression of VEGF and HER2 in breast carcinoma tissues. The results imply that LDP may have a potential use as targeting drug carrier in the research and development of new anticancer therapeutics. This study may provide reference for drug combination of LDM and other therapeutic agents.
Aminoglycosides ; metabolism ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; metabolism ; Apoproteins ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Enediynes ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Protein Binding ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Tissue Array Analysis ; methods ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism