Advance on chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Stellera plants have been conducted. The chemical constituents include terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, lignans, volatile oils, and other compounds. Pharmacological studies showed that diterpenoids and biflavones showed strong activities, such as antitumor, anti-HIV, and immune regulations. This review hopes to provide a scientific basis for further research and explorations of the medicinal values of the genus.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Structure ; Thymelaeaceae ; chemistry ; classification

Effects of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) on the growth of Lactobacillus were investigated by pure culture of three swine originated Lactobacillus strains or co-culture with swine pathogenic E. coli. The pure culture results revealed that OD values and lactic acid concentration of three Lactobacillus strains in the MOS supplemented cultures were higher than those of the control group without MOS supplementation, a lower pH was observed for MOS supplement compared with that of the control group. The co-culture results showed that MOS were utilized by both Lactobacillus strains and swine pathogenic E. coli strain. But Lac-tobacillus grew faster than the latter. A significant increase in lactic acid concentration (P

The peeled stem of Syringa pinnatifolia is a Mongolia folk medicine, mainly distributed in Helan mountain, inner Mongolia and Ningxia provinces of China. It has been used for the treatment of cardiopalmus, angina pectoris, and cardiopulmonary diseases for a long history. Contemporary research revealed the presence of major lignans, sesquitepenes, and essential oils, and showed myocardial ischemia related diseases. This review summarizes the plant origins, taxonomic disputes, phytochemical and pharmacological research progress, hopefully to provide reference for full medicinal utilization, clarification of biological effective substance, and drug development.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Mongolian Traditional ; Molecular Structure ; Syringa ; chemistry

Objective To study the levothyroxine doses and related factors in the treatment of pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH).Methods Fifty-six pregnant women with SCH (diagnosed before 12 weeks of gestation) were recruited and divided into 2 groups according to the baseline TSH levels,SCH group 1 (2.5 mIU/L ≤ TSH ≤ 5.0 mIU/L,n =24) and SCH group 2 (TSH＞5.0 mIU/L,n =32).Thyroid autoantibodies [thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody(TGAb)] were detected.All the subjects were treated with levothyroxine and the doses were adjusted according to the TSH level.The therapeutic target was to keep the TSH levels under control,0.3 to 2.5 mIU/L for the first trimester and 0.3 to 3.0 mIU/L for the second and third trimesters.Results There was a positive correlation between the levothyroxine doses and baseline TSH levels (r =0.533,P＜0.01) in pregnant women with SCH.A significant difference in the levothyroxine doses between SCH group 1 and SCH group 2 was found [(0.583 ± 0.341) vs (0.961 ± 0.405) μg/kg,t =-3.695,P＜ 0.01].The levothyroxine doses in SCH group 2 were 64.84％ higher than those in group 1.There was a significant difference in the levothyroxine doses between thyroid autoantibody negative and positive subjects [(0.680 ± 0.370) vs (0.918 ±0.440) μg/kg,t =-2.197,P =0.032].The levothyroxine doses in thyroid autoantibody positive subjects were 35 ％ higher than those in the negative subjects.In addition,there was a significant difference in the levothyroxine doses between subjects with negative and positive thyroid autoantibody [(0.421 ± 0.192) vs (0.720 ± 0.385)μg/kg,t =-2.331,P =0.029] in SCH group 1.While in SCH group 2,the difference did not reach statistical significance.Conclusion The baseline TSH levels and status of thyroid autoantibodies may affect the levothyroxine dosage in pregnant women with SCH.

AIM: To establish the experimental acute pulmonary embolism(APE) model and observe the left and right ventricular pressure-volume relationship in different overload situations. METHODS: The present study consisted of seven anesthetized mongrel dogs that were divided into the control group, moderate APE group and severe APE group according to the various phase and different pressure load during the experiment. APE model was induced by suture piece injection through right cardiac catheterization. The hemodynamic indexes were measured by the simultaneous cardiac catheterization and echocardiography.RESULTS: (1) In the group with moderate APE, the pressure-volume relationship of right ventricle tended to right-upward shift, the area of chart increased, the shape of chart transformed form triangle to rectangle. The mild parallel leftward shift, the area of chart decreased mildly and no change of chart shape was observed in the pressure-volume relationship of left ventricle. (2) In the group with severe APE, the chart of right ventricular pressure-volume relationship tended to right-upward shift continuously, the area of chart decreased. The chart of the left ventricle tended to left-downward shift and no change of chart shape was observed in the pressure-volume relationship of left ventricle, the area of chart decreased. The erose shape of charts was also found.CONCLUSION: The chart of ventricular pressure-volume relationships is a practical and reliable method to evaluate left and right ventricular hemodynamic in APE.

Objective To investigation the pathological characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to provide reference criteria for delineating the target area in radiotherapy.Methods Fifty-two patients from the Fourth Hospital of HeBei Medical University underwent resection whom all had been proved to have esophageal squamous cell carcinoma before operation.Chest CT was scanned and transmitted to the 3- dimensional conformal planning system for radiotherapy by VRX-16 scanner.The lesion of esophageal carcinoma was delineated in the 3-dimensional rebuild CT image and the lesion volume was computed by digital rebuild program.Every surgically resected specimen was made into pathologic giant section.The actual size of the specimen was obtained by calculating the size under the microscope with the shrinkage ratio.Multicentric carcinomatous lesion,severe dysplasia and direct intramural infiltration were observed in the giant section with a microscope and the order of such pathological characteristics were analysed statistically.Results 1.The tumor length by different method of preparation of operated specimens differed obviously.The longest was shown by CT. 2.Multicentric carcinomatous lesion was found in 15(29%)cases out of 52 patients.Proximal to the tumor,the mean distance between the multicentric carcinomatous lesion and the main lesion plus the length of the multicentric carcinomatous lesion was 3.02?1.45cm.Distal to the tumor,it was 2.60?2.44 cm.Severe dysplasia was found in 28 patients.Proximally,the mean distance between the severe dysplasia and the main lesion plus the length of the severe dysplasia was 2.45?1.30 cm.Distal to the tumor,it was 3.24?2.19 cm.Direct intramural infiltration was found in 41 patients,of which the mean length being 2.80?1.52 cm proximally and 2.02?1.51 cm distally. 3.Tumor thrombus was found in 6 patients and lymphoduct infiltration in 36 patients.Direct intramural infiltration was found at higher incidence in specimens complicated with lymphoduct infiltration(86%)and those complicated with tumor thrombus(91%).There were no apparent factors affecting severe dysplasia.The proximal distance to direct intra- mural infiltration was much longer than distally.Conclusions Multicentric carcinomatous lesion,severe dysplasia and direct intramural infiltration may be observed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Multicentric carcinomatous lesion and direct intramural infiltration are obviously correlated with lymphoduct infiltration.To cover 95% of the microscopic extension,a margin of 5.0 cm is needed proximal to the base of gross tumor volume,and 7.5 cm distal to it.To cover 90% of the microscopic extension,a margin of 4.5 cm is needed proximally,and 5.0 cm distally.

Subclinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy is associated with some adverse outcomes during maternal pregnancy.The present study investigated thyroid function parameters measured by electroehemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassays in subclinical hypothyroid women treated with levothyroxine (L-T4) during pregnancy.The results showed that in evaluating thyroid function with ECL immunoassays during replacement with L-T4,determination of serum TT4 appears to have a closer correlation with TSH and may better reflect the effìcacy of treatment.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and clinical effectiveness of interventional ventricular septal defect(VSD) occlusion using asymmetric occluders in patients whose VSD are adjacent to aortic valves.Methods One hundred and fifty-two patients from our hospital whose VSD were occluded with asymmetric occluders were examined by echocardiography.Dimensions,shapes and shunts of VSD,structures around defects were observed and aortic valve prolapse(AVP) degrees were accessed before the interventions.The patients were followed up periodically after the procedures.The longest follow-up was 6 years.Results Sizes of VSD measured from left ventricular side were larger than those measured from right ventricular side.Twenty-seven cases with VSD had mild AVP.Right sides of defects had adhesions with variable morphological patterns in 85% patients with perimembranous VSD.After occlusion,there were 7 cases showed residual shunt,2 cases with the third degree atrio-ventricular blockages,3 cases appeared aortic-valve regurgitations (AR) and 1 case with slightly increased AR.Conclusions Immediate and medium-term effects of interventional occlusion with asymmetric occluders were satisfactory in the patients with VSD and mild AVP whose aortic valve margin were insufficient to symmetric occluders.Surgical operation should be preferred to patients with VSD and moderate to severe AVP and to very young children.Pre-closure echocardiographic evaluation is critical to the success of interventional closure with asymmetric occluder and the long-term out coming.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of multi-locus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolated in children. Methods The isolates were collected and were first determined by PNB/TCH medium. 7-point PCR sites including 16SrRNA, Rv0577, IS1561, Rv1510, Rv1970, Rv3877/8 and Rv3120, and 4-point PCR sites including ropB, RD1, RD8 (present), RD8 (deleted) were used to amplify them by PCR. Results Total of 204 isolates were collected, in which 199 were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 3 were Mycobacterium bovis, and 2 were non-tuberculous mycobacteria by the PNB/TCH method. 4-point PCR analysis showed that 196 were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 2 were Mycobacterium bovis, 3 were BCG species and 3 were non-tuberculous mycobacteria. 7-point PCR analysis showed that 191 were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 2 were Mycobacterium bovis, 3 were BCG species, 4 were African Mycobacterium type I, 1 was Mycobacterium caprae, 1 was Mycobacterium microti and 2 were non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Conclusion Compared with the conventional method, the PCR identification in 4-point PCR method and 7-point PCR method could rapidly identify the BCG among the complex group in children tuberculosis. 7-point PCR method was able to identify all the subspecies of Mycobacterium, except Africa Mycobacterium. 4-point PCR method would be more rapid and easier in the identification of BCG strains.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effect of integrated traditional and western medicine in the treatment of post stroke depressive disorder (PSDD). MethodsThe data of 52 patients of PSDD evaluated on self rating depression scale(SDS) before and after treatment were analyzed statistically. ResultsThe curing rate of PSDD is about 78.85%.There was an apparent decrease in the level of SDS before and after treatment(P<0.001). ConclusionsThe treatment of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine can produce a good effect on PSDD.