OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of protecting liver of brevifolin and 8,9-single-epoxy brevifolin of Phyllanthus simplex.

METHODRats were administered with CCl4 (ip) or alcohol (ig) to establish acute or chronic liver injured model, respectively. ALT, AST and TBIL in serum were measured using colorimetric analysis to evaluate liver function. MDA content or SOD activity in serum and liver tissue was measured by thiobarbituric acid chromatometry and xanthine oxidase methods, respectively. The hemorheological parameters were observed.

RESULTBrevifolin and 8,9-single-epoxy brevifolin reduced the increase of ALT induced by CCl4, but they did not influence the increase of AST. And it could inhibit the pathologic increase of serum TBIL induced by alcohol. They could ameliorate the MDA increase or SOD decrease in serum and liver tissue in rats with liver injury, and decrease abnormal changed hemorheological parameters.

CONCLUSIONBrevifolin and 8,9-single-epoxy brevifolin show protective effective against acute and chronic liver injuries, and the mechanism is relevant to antagonizing the lipid peroxidation of free radical and improving the blood circulation.

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hemorheology ; drug effects ; Hepatitis, Alcoholic ; physiopathology ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Male ; Phyllanthus ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Taxoids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

Based on chest images' features, this paper presents a retrieval method with domination color of partition, gray level co-occurrence matrix and gradient image shape invariant moments, as well as the fusion of them and the technique of relevance feedback. In Windows Vista environment with Visual C + +, a chest image retrieval prototype is implemented and the experiments have proved that this method has a better retrieval effect.
Algorithms ; Database Management Systems ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Image Enhancement ; Information Storage and Retrieval

Content-based medical image retrieval has become a hot research topic due to the rapid increase of image database. In this paper, we present a method of medical images retrieval, based on texture analysis with Haar wavelet transform. Meanwhile, its effectiveness is compared with the method of retrieval based on co-occurrence matrix. A prototype system is implemented and the experiments show that the method has a much better effect.
Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Database Management Systems ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; methods ; Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiology Information Systems

OBJECTIVETo develop a method for determining plasma and renal tissue concentrations of cisplatin (DDP) after subcutaneous DDP implantation in mice.

METHODSDDP was extracted from the plasma and tissue of mice receiving subcutaneous DDP implantation and reacted with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC). The product Pt (DDTC)(2) extracted by diethyl ether was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with the mobile phase of water and methanol at the ratio of 25:75 and the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The derivatives of DDP and nickel chloride were detected at the wavelength of 254 nm.

RESULTSThe linear range of DDP was 0.1-10 microg/ml (r=0.9998 for plasma and 0.9993 for kidney). The intra-day and inter-day RSD was below 10%, and the minimum concentration detectable was 50 ng.

CONCLUSIONThe method is accurate and effective for determining plasma and tissue DDP levels after subcutaneous DDP administration and can be used in pharmacokinetic study of DDP.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice

OBJECTIVETo prepare a lymph node-targeted ultrasound/fluorescence bi-functional imaging contrast agents, and observe its effectiveness both on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and vivo near infrared fluorescence (NIR) imaging through animal experiments.

METHODSThe chimeric lymph node-targeted ligand (phosphatidylserine) and near-infrared fluorescent substance were assembled to form bi-functional contrast microbubbles. The morphology and size distribution were detected by optical microscope and Malvern potential tests. Five normal New Zealand white rabbits were subcutaneously injected with the prepared contrast agent in bilateral footpads, and the imaging effectiveness of lymph nodes and lymphatic vessel were observed by CEUS and NIR technique. Then blue dye was subcutaneously injected at the same site, and the rabbits were sacrificed for lymph nodes pathological examination.

RESULTSLipid ultrasound microbubbles,with a mean size of 3-5 Μm in diameter, appeared to be uniform in distribution and regular in configuration. The images of inflow lymphatic vessel and relevant lymph node were quickly showed up after the subcutaneous injection by CEUS, which was identical to the result detected by NIR. Biopsy confirmed that all the blue-stained lymph nodes could be displayed by NIR.

CONCLUSIONSThe self-made bi-functional contrast agent has a good imaging ability in CEUS and NIR imaging. It may be a better agent as lymph node tracer.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; chemistry ; Fluoresceins ; chemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on hemogram in rats with gastric ulcer.

METHODSPhysicochemical properties of TiO₂ nanoparticles were characterized. Twenty-four clear class SD male rats, aging 8 week-old, were randomly divided into 4 groups, 6 rats for each group. 20% acetic acid were injected into the rats' stomach on the border of gastric body and pyloric antrum, and hereby established the gastric ulcer model. The rats in 4 groups were exposed to TiO₂ nanoparticles through intragastric administration at 0, 10, 50 and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively for 30 days. Afterwards, the rats were conducted blood routine test and blood coagulation test for analysis.

RESULTSTiO₂ nanoparticles were anatase crystals, closely spherical shape, whose average grain diameter was (75 ± 15) nm. The levels of white blood cell (WBC) count ((8.48 ± 3.28)×10⁹/L), lymphocyte (LYM) ((6.85 ± 2.53)×10⁹/L), monocyte (MOD) ((0.27 ± 0.12)×10⁹/L), granulocyte (GRN) ((1.37 ± 0.86)×10⁹/L), red blood cell (RBC) ((8.20 ± 0.49)×10⁹/L) and hematocrit (HCT) ((45.3 ± 1.4)%) in the 200 mg/kg dose group were significantly higher than those in the control group ((2.63 ± 0.34)×10⁹/L, (2.25 ± 0.26)×10⁹/L, (0.05 ± 0.06)×10⁹/L, (0.33 ± 0.26)× 10⁹/L, (4.87 ± 2.37)×10⁹/L and (27.2 ± 13.3)%, respectively; t values were -3.449, -3.825, -3.554, -3.097, -2.972 and -2.936 respectively, P values all < 0.05). The levels of WBC ((6.88 ± 3.06)×10⁹/L), MOD ((0.20 ± 0.07)×10⁹/L), RBC ((7.79 ± 0.48)×10⁹/L) and HCT ((42.7 ± 2.8)%) in 50 mg/kg dose group were also statistically higher than those in the control group (t values were -2.507, -2.367, -2.605 and -2.511 respectively, all P values < 0.05). There was no statistically difference found in other blood routine index and coagulation index between the three experimental groups and control group.

CONCLUSIONThe long term intake of TiO₂ nanoparticles caused a statistically increase in the amount of WBC and RBC in rats with gastric ulcer; however, there was no obvious changes found in blood platelet and coagulation index.

Animals ; Hematologic Tests ; Male ; Metal Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach Ulcer ; blood ; Titanium ; adverse effects

Epidemiologic, clinical and imaging data were collected from 14 children with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted in Beijing Ditan Hospital from January 27, 2020 to February 12, 2020. There were 6 boys and 8 girls with a median age of 3.5 years (6 months-9.4 years). Four patients had a history of travel to Wuhan City or Hubei Province and 2 patients had contacted with people from Wuhan; 13 patients were familial cluster of infection. The incubation period was 4 to 16 days. The clinical manifestations were fever in 8 cases, cough in 5 cases, diarrhea in 1 case; and 2 cases were asymptomatic. Four patients had abnormal peripheral blood routine, including 1 had lymphocytosis, 3 had lymphocytopenia; 3 patients had a slightly elevated CRP, and 3 patients had hepatic dysfunction. Thirteen patients underwent chest CT; and 1 case showed bilateral lung glass exudation, 1 case showed multiple patchy high density shadows of bilateral lung. One patient underwent chest X-ray examination, which was showed no abnormal findings. The pediatric patients with COVID-19 in this series generally have a traceable epidemiological history. The clinical manifestations are fever, cough and diarrhea. Peripheral white blood cell counts were most normal. Chest CT reveals less severe changes than those in adults, most child patients show no manifestation of pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the hemostatic effect of spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and blood-containing formula on simvastatin-induced zebrafish hemorrhage model, and to compare with the effect of clearing heat and cooling blood formula.

METHODSZebrafishes from breed A B line were treated with 0.5 µmol/L simvastatin for 24 hours to establish zebrafishes hemorrhage model. Under strict blinded experimental conditions, the above mentioned zebrafishes were then treated with experimental drug of different concentrations at the maximum non-lethal dose. The intervention effect of spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and blood-containing formula was comprehensively assessed by examining the main observational parameters, such as bleeding reduction rate and hemostasis rate while referring to additional parameters, such as blood flow, improvement rate of blood flow, velocity of movement, improvement rate of motion, which are characteristics of spleen qi deficiency.

RESULTSWhen the hemostatic effect of experimental drug B1 at the concentrations of 500 and 1 000 µg/ml, zebrafish bleeding rates were 30% and 15%, the hemostatic rate was 60% and 80%, respectively; when the experimental drug B2 at concentration of 500 and 1 000 µg/ml, Zebrafish bleeding rates were 45% and 40%, the hemostatic rate was 40% and 47%, respectively, showing that experimental drug B1 was superior to B2 in terms of decreasing bleeding rate and improving hemostatic effect in zebrafish. In the equal concentration, the experimental drug B1 was superior to B2 in terms of increasing and improving the blood flow of hemorrhagic zebrafish. Promotion and improvement of motion: in equal concentration, experimental drug B1 was superior to B2 in terms of promoting the motion velocity and increasing the improving rate of motion in zebrafish.

CONCLUSIONThe spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and blood-containing formula displays a good hemostatic effect on simvastatin-induced hemorrhage of zebrafish. It also boosts the blood flow and motion velocity in hemorrhagic zebrafish, therefore, providing an experimental basis for the treatment of syndrome of spleen failing to control blood by spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and blood-containing formula.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the antibacterial activity of Ciprofloxacin, Amikacin in combination with beta-lactams against Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in vitro, to optimize treatment regime for antibiotics on the basis of pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) and drug sensitivity tests. Methods With checkerboard titration method, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of a combination of antibiotics in different concentrations for 33 clinically isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were determined by broth dilution. Fractional inhibitory concentrations (FIC) were calculated for judging synergic effect of antibiotics.

RESULTSThe combination of Amikacin and Ceftazidime showed synergic effects (accounting for 57.6%). The combinations of Ciprofloxacin with Ceftazidime, Cefepime, Imipenem/Cilastatin, Meropenem showed synergic or additive effect. In the study with PK/PD, C(max)/MIC was the principal parameters for evaluation of aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, while T > MIC was the principal parameter to be used to evaluate beta-lactams antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONWhen antibiotics are used in combination, MICs can be reduced significantly and antibacterial activities are enhanced remarkably. The combination of antibiotics results mainly in synergic or additive effect, and no inhibitory effect is observed. PK/PD analysis plays an important role in planning optimal combination regime to raise clinical efficacy.

Amikacin ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Burn Units ; Ciprofloxacin ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; beta-Lactams ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology

Objective: To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of "one-puncture one-needle" transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy in the prevention of postoperative infections. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about "one-puncture one-needle" (the observation group) and "one-person one-needle" (the control group) TRUS-guided prostate biopsy performed in the Second People's Hospital of Guangdong Province from January 2005 to December 2015, and compared the incidence rates of puncture-related infection between the two strategies. By "one-puncture one-needle", one needle was used for one biopsy puncture, while by "one-person one-needle", one needle was used for all biopsy punctures in one patient and the needle was sterilized with iodophor after each puncture. RESULTS: Totally, 120 patients received 6+1-core or 12+1-core "one-person one-needle" and 466 underwent 12+1-core "one-puncture one-needle" TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups of patients in age, the prostate volume, the serum PSA level, or the detection rate of prostate cancer (P >0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed remarkably lower incidence rates of puncture-related urinary tract infection (7.5% vs 0.9%, P <0.05), fever (5.0% vs 1.1%, P <0.05), bacteriuria (2.5% vs 0.2%, P <0.05), and total infections (16.7% vs 2.6%, P<0.05) postoperatively. Two cases of bacteremia or sepsis were found in each of the groups, with no significant difference between the two. CONCLUSIONS "One-puncture one-needle" TRUS-guided prostate biopsy can effectively prevent puncture-related infections.
Bacteremia ; etiology ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Case-Control Studies ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sterilization ; methods ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Urinary Tract Infections ; prevention & control