Objective To fully understand the medicinal plants of Fritillaria L. , the physicochemical properties of starch in two species of Fritillaria L. , F. thunbergii and F. ussurensis. were investigated by means of various analytical methods. Methods The properties of starch in the two different species of Fritillaria L. were compared by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and themogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results The crystal type of starch in the two species of Fritillaria L.was the characteristic B-type which was in consistent with that of potato starch. The degrees of crystallinity of F. thunbergii starch and F. ussurensis starch were about 29.9% and 20.1%, respectively. However,the degree of crystallinity of the potato starch was 44.9%. From the crystallinity degree of the starch in two species of Fritillaria L. , it could be concluded that the content of amylose in F. ussurensis starch was higher than that in F. thunbergii starch. The granule size of the starch in two species of Fritillaria L.ranged from 5 to 40 μm, which were all smaller than that of the potato. The starch granule in two species of Fritillaria L. was in cycloidal or elliptic-shape. It could be concluded that the thermal stability of the starch in two species of Fritillaria L. was different due to the different structures of different starch in various plants by TGA. Conclusion The physicochemical properties of starch in two different species of Fritillaria L. differ a lot due to their geographical origin.

Objective To investigate the mammographic,galactographic,pneumographic features and their pathological basis.Methods Mammography(n=26),galactography(n=13),pneumography(n=5)and specimen radiography(n=12) in 26 cases pathologically proved,and mammographic-pathologic correlation were analyzed.Results The breast hamartomas in 26 cases were all benign,they were circumscribed and surrounded by a true capsule.The mammographic appearances could be divided into three types acording to different amount of fibroglandular and adipose tissue in tumors:prominantly fatty,prominantly fibrous(fibroglandular)and mixed fibrofatty.Conclusion A clearly containing areas of fat and fibroglandular density and a characteristic"slice of sausage"appearance can be showed on mammograms.Galactography and pneumography is of a great help to differential diagnosis of breast hamartomas.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of Lappula echinata and determine the antibacterial activity.Methods A new quinolone alkaloid was isolated from the BuOH extract of L.echinata by silica gel column chromatography and gel column chromatography.Its structure was identified by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2D-NMR, HR-MS, UV, and IR spectral data analysis.Its antibacterial activity was determined by KB method.Results A new quinoloe alkaloid named 8-methoxy-4-quinolone-2-caboxylic acid was isolated from L.echinata and was found to have antibacterial activity on Pseudomonas pyocyanea ATCC 27853, EPEC O111, pneumobacillus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.Conclusion This is a new compound with antibacterial activity.

BACKGROUND: Conventional hemodialysis mainly for cleaning uremic micro molecule substance, such as urea nitrogen or creatinine; however, few hemodialyses can clean uremic middle molecule substances (MMS). With prolonged dialysis duration, MMS accumulates in vivo and induces a series of complications. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficiency of adsorptive dialysis (hemoperfusion unites hemodialysis) and conventional hemodialysis in cleaning uremic MMS. METHODS: Totally 60 maintenance hemodialysis patients were averagely divided into the adsorptive dialysis group and conventional hemodialysis group. First of all, hemoperfusion apparatus and dialyser were connected in series to take the adsorptive dialysis in the adsorptive dialysis group (hemoperfusion apparatus were equipped before dialyser). 120 minutes later, the hemoperfusion apparatus was toke off and continues to hemodialysis for 120 minutes. Duration of conventional hemodialysis was 240 minutes. Changes in clinical symptoms and levels of liver function, kidney function, serum electrolytes, hemocytes and uremic MMS were observed prior to and after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Adsorptive dialysis could remove the MMS notably. Compared with the conventional hemodialysis group, a single 120 minutes treatment could decrease MMS significantly (P < 0.05). The platelet levels were obviously decreased in the adsorptive dialysis group after treatment (P < 0.05), which were significantly different from the conventional hemodialysis group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in liver function, kidney function or serum electrolytes concentration. But related symptoms, such as the skin itch, sleep disorders and myalgia, were relieved more or less.

Objective To investigate the effect of U50488H on the ultrastructure and organ function in septic shock rats. Methods Forty SD male rats were randomly(random number) divided into 5 groups: sham group, septic shock group, U50488H+septic shock group, nor-BNI+U50488H+septic shock group, and nor-BNI+septic shock group, with 8 rats in each group. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was performed to induce septic shock in the septic shock group. Rats in the U50488H+septic shock group were treated with U50488H injection by intravenous at the shock point, and other procedures were the same as the septic shock group. Rats in the nor-BNI+U50488H+septic shock group were treated with nor-BNI injection by intravenous 3.5 h after abdomen closed, and other procedures were the same as the U50488H+septic shock group. Except for U50488H injection, rats in the nor-BNI+septic shock group received procedures the same as the nor-BNI+U50488H+septic shock group. Albumin, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N terminal pro B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in serum were measured at abdomen-closed, 3, 6, and 12 h after CLP. The changes of histology and ultramicro structure under electron microscope of lung, heart, liver and kidney of rats were observed at 12 h after CLP. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19.0. Comparison among groups was carried out using ANOVA, and Student's t-test was used for multiple comparisons as post-hoc. Results At 6 and 12 h of CLP, serum albumin of the septic shock group were significantly lower than those of the sham group (P<0.01), while those in the cTnI and NT-pro BNP groups were higher at 3, 6, and 12 h of CLP (P<0.01). Compared with the septic shock group, serum albumin of the U50488H+septic shock group increased significantly (P<0.01), whereas the serum levels of cTnI and NT-pro BNP decreased remarkably at 3, 6 and 12 h of CLP (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). Compared with the sham group, the alveolar wall was severely damaged, the alveolar septum and blood vessel wall were thickened obviously; the myocardial fiber was swollen, necrotic, and the infiltration of central granulocyte was increased significantly; hepatocyte showed edema, vacuolar-like steatosis, fatty degeneration, spotty and focal necrosis; and slight edema and vacuolar degeneration were found in the glomerulus endothelial in the septic shock group. Compared with the septic shock group, the ultrastructural damage of the lung, heart, liver and kidney of the U50488H+ septic shock group was significantly improved. All the above effects of U50488H could be blocked by nor-BNI (a selective κ-opioid receptor antagonist) (P<0.01). Conclusions U50488H can promote the recovery of serum albumin, and protect organ function in septic shock rats.

Objective To explore the incidence of dysphagia and its potential risk factors.Methods From January 2014 to December 2015,a total of 187 patients who underwent single-level anterior cervical spine surgery were recruited in this retrospective analysis study.Specific perioperative data including age,gender,smoking,alcohol use,BMI,estimated blood loss,surgical segment,length of incision,and length of hospital stay were recorded respectively.The Bazaz grading system and the swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) score were used to assess the presence and severity of dysphagia.According to the Bazaz grading system,the patients were divided into dysphagia group and non-dysphagia group 1 week after operation.One-factor x2 test and one-sample t test were used to univariate analyze the two groups of related factors,and select the potential variables for multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors leading to dysphagia.Results The number of dysphagia patient was 99 (52.94％) at 1 week after surgery,and 16 (8.56％) at 1 year.The preoperative mean SWAL-QOL score was 65.62±4.41 points,which decreased to 58.72±7.54 points after surgery and rose up to 64.66±5.26 points at the 12-month follow-up.The SWAL-QOL score at 1 week after surgery was correlated with the operative time (r=-0.474;P ＜ 0.001).Multivariate analysis indicated that preoperative tracheal exercise (OR=0.302,95％CI:0.131,0.748),operation time ＜ 60 min (OR=0.407,95％CI:0.190,0.878),and arthroplasty (OR=0.211,95％CI:0.102,0.425) were the independent factors to reduce the incidence of postoperative dysphagia.Conclusion The incidence and severity of dysphagia symptoms after single-level anterior cervical spine surgery gradually decreased with the extension of follow-up time.Preoperative tracheal exercise,shortened operative time and manual artificial disc replacement may be helpful to reduce the postoperative occurrence of dysphagia.

OBJECTIVETo assess the reproducibility of 3.0 T high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR MRI) for evaluation of atherosclerotic stenosis in the middle cerebral artery (MCA).

METHODSFrom February, 2011 to December, 2013, 66 consecutive patients with MCA-M1 atherosclerotic stenosis (50%-99%) confirmed by digital subtractive angiography (DSA) received examinations with 3.0 T HR MRI for measurement of the vessel area (VA) and lumen area (LA) at the maximum narrow site (VA(narrow) and LA(narrow)) and the reference site (VA(reference) and LA(reference)) as well as the plaque distribution (ventral, dorsal, superior, and inferior). Two independent readers reviewed all the images and one reader reevaluated these images 4 weeks later. The inter- and intra-observer reproducibility was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTSThe measurements of VA(narrow), VA(reference), and LA(reference) using HR MRI showed excellent inter- (ICC=0.801, 0.843, and 0.808, respectively) and intra-observer reproducibility (ICC=0.811, 0.916, and 0.958, respectively), but the measurement of LA(narrow) had only moderate inter- and intra-observer reproducibility (ICC=0.584 and 0.625, respectively). For plaque distribution analysis (ventral, dorsal, superior, and inferior plaques), HR MRI also showed excellent inter- (ICC=0.856, 0.836, 0.791, and 0.905, respectively) and intra-observer reproducibility (ICC=0.876, 0.827, 0.825, and 0.950, respectively).

CONCLUSIONHR MRI shows good inter- and intra-observer reproducibility in identifying MCA-M1 atherosclerotic plaque distribution and vessel and lumen measurements, but its reliability for lumen area measurement at the maximum narrowing site needs to be improved.

This study aimed to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of the Wuhan lockdown measure on controlling the spread of coronavirus diesase 2019 (COVID-19). : Firstly，estimate the daily new infection rate in Wuhan before January 23，2020 when the city went into lockdown by consulting the data of Wuhan population mobility and the number of cases imported from Wuhan in 217 cities of Mainland China. Then estimate what the daily new infection rate would have been in Wuhan from January 24 to January 30th if the lockdown measure had been delayed for 7 days，assuming that the daily new infection in Wuhan after January 23 increased in a high，moderate and low trend respectively (using exponential, linear and logarithm growth models). Based on that，calculate the number of infection cases imported from Wuhan during this period. Finally，predict the possible impact of 7-day delayed lockdown in Wuhan on the epidemic situation in China using the susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model. : The daily new infection rate in Wuhan was estimated to be 0.021%，0.026%，0.029%，0.033% and 0.070% respectively from January 19 to January 23. And there were at least 20 066 infection cases in Wuhan by January 23，2020. If Wuhan lockdown measure had been delayed for 7 days，the daily new infection rate on January 30 would have been 0.335% in the exponential growth model，0.129% in the linear growth model，and 0.070% in the logarithm growth model. Correspondingly，there would have been 32 075，24 819 and 20 334 infection cases travelling from Wuhan to other areas of Mainland China，and the number of cumulative confirmed cases as of March 19 in Mainland China would have been 3.3-3.9 times of the officially reported number. Conclusions: Timely taking city-level lockdown measure in Wuhan in the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak is essential in containing the spread of the disease in China.
COVID-19 ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Communicable Disease Control ; Humans ; SARS-CoV-2