OBJECTIVE: To explain the current situation of the study on Chinese herb nephropathy (CHN), clarify the concept of CHN and investigate the pathogenesis, also suggest the measures for the prevention and treatment of CHN.DATA SOURCES: Articles about kidney impairment induced by Chinese herbal medicine containing aristolochic acid (AA) published in English between January 1994 and April 2006 were searched in Pubmed database by using the keywords of "kidney impairment induced by Chinese herbal medicine containing aristolochic acid (AA), nephropathy induced by aristolochic acid (AA), Chinese herb nephropathy (CHN)". Other articles were collected by the specific name of journals and title of papers by retrieving VIP database.STUDY SELECTION: The original articles were checked primarily, those about kidney impairment induced by Chinese herbal medicine containing AA were selected, those obviously irrelevant ones were excluded, and the full-texts of the involved articles were searched manually.DATA EXTRACTION: Totally 86 articles were collected, 20 of them were involved, and the other 66 repetitive studies or reviews were excluded:DATA SYNTHESIS: At present, kidney impairment induced by Chinese herbal medicine has not attracted enough attentions in Chinese, and effective monitoring system should be established. The diagnosis and pathogenesis of nephropathy induced by AA are still unclear, and the prevention is the main treatment. Therefore, we should realize its harmfulness, and reinforce its basic and clinical researches.CONCLUSION: The main damage in kidney caused by AA focuses on the renal tubulointerstitial matrix. Renal glomerulus is rarely involved in the toxic process. Clinical manifestations also reflect the impairment of renal tubules and interstitium such as interstitial fibrosis. A more effective diagnosis monitoring and screening system should be set up in order to mesh the patients at the early stage. A more stringent method for classification of the species in fourstamen stephania root family will be established to avoid confusion and error. More valid therapeutic channels should investigate for its remedy.

Numerical simulation is one of the most significant methods to predict the temperature distribution in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy. In this study, the adopted numerical simulation was used based on a transcranial ultrasound therapy model taking a human skull as a reference. The approximation of the Westervelt formula and the Pennes bio-heat conduction equation were applied to the simulation of the transcranial temperature distribution. According to the temperature distribution and the Time Reversal theory, the position of the treatable focal region was corrected and the hot spot existing in the skull was eliminated. Furthermore, the influence of the exposure time, input power and the distance between transducer and skull on the temperature distribution was analyzed. The results showed that the position of the focal region could be corrected and the hot spot was eliminated using the Time Reversal theory without affecting the focus. The focal region above 60 degrees C could be formed at the superficial tis sue located from the skull of 20 mm using the hot spot elimination method and the volume of the focal region increases with the exposure time and the input power in a nonlinear form. When the same volume of the focal region was obtained, the more power was inputted, the less the exposure time was needed. Moreover, the volume of the focal region was influenced by the distance between the transducer and the skull.
Computer Simulation ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Skull

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Shenshuning Recipe (SSNR) on gene expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in renal tissues in rats with glomerulosclerosis. METHODS: Glomerulosclerosis was induced in 42 rats by unilateral nephrectomy and intravenous injection of doxorubicin. Then these 42 rats were randomly divided into three groups: untreated group, SSNR-treated group and benazepril-treated group. Another eight rats were included into sham-operation group. The rats in the SSNR-treated group and the benazepril-treated group were fed SSNR or benazepril respectively for 8 weeks. The levels of 24 h urine protein (Upr), serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of rats in each group were examined. The renal morphological changes were observed under microscope, and the diameter of glomerular capillary, mesangial matrix and glomerulosclerosis index were analyzed by image analysis software. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used to detect the gene expression of HGF in the renal tissues. RESULTS: The levels of 24 h Upr, serum Cr and BUN in the untreated group were remarkably increased than those in the sham-operation group (P<0.01). The pathological morphological changes in the untreated group showed that the glomerulosclerosis was diffused around the renal tissue and the capillaries were shrunk. The expression level of mesangial matrix was up-regulated and the glomerulosclerosis index was 3.32+/-0.35. The expression level of HGF mRNA in the untreated group was obviously lower than that in the sham-operation group (P<0.05). The levels of 24 h Upr, serum Cr and BUN in the SSNR-treated group and the benazepril-treated group were remarkably decreased as compared with those in the untreated group, while the expression levels of HGF mRNA were both obviously higher than that in the untreated group (P<0.01). The pathological morphological changes in the SSNR-treated group and the benazepril-treated group were both alleviated. There was no significant difference in therapeutic effect between the SSNR-treated group and the benazepril-treated group. CONCLUSION: Shenshuning Recipe can up-regulate the expression of HGF mRNA, decrease the mesangial matrix, and improve the renal function, so that it may retard the development of glomerulosclerosis.

Abstract A rapid gas chromatographic ( GC ) method was established for the determination of short-chain fatty acids ( SCFAs ) in human feces. Feces samples were directly extracted by 1% HCl-75% ethanol solution, and then centrifuged at high speed for GC analysis. The chromatographic separation was performed on a DB-FFAP capillary column ( 30 m í 0 . 25 mm í 0 . 25 μm ) with a temperature program ( initial temperature at 50℃ held for 1 min, ramped to 190℃ at 10℃/min ) . The injection port temperature was 250℃ with split ratio at 50:1 . The carrier gas was high purity nitrogen with a constant linear velocity at 1. 0 mL/min. A flame ionization detector was employed to quantify SCFAs. The proposed method had been certified by systematic method validation, and used to determine feces samples. Subsequently, the health volunteer and colorectal cancer patient groups could be distinguished successfully by multivariate statistical analysis. Compared with health volunteers, the acetic acid and butyric acid of feces from colorectal cancer patients were reduced obviously, indicating that SCFAs particularly butyric acid could be considered as candidate markers for colorectal cancer diagnosis. In summary, this study provides a rapid method for the determination of SCFAs in feces form health volunteers and colorectal cancer patients. The method had a prospect for screening and diagnosing colorectal cancer rapidly.

Aim To establish a LC-MS/MS method for the determination of pirfenidone(BT)and its major metabolite 5-carboxy-pirfenidone(SBT)in human plasma.Methods Human plasma samples containing BT and SBT,as well as their corresponding deuterium-labeled internal standards pirfenidone-d5(dBT)and 5-carboxy-pirfenidone-d5(dSBT),were precipitated using methanol.Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Agilent ZORBAX SB C18(3.0 mm×100 mm,3.5 μm)column with the mobile phase of water(0.5％formic acid)and acetonitrile(50/50).The detection of analytes was performed on a tandem mass system equipped with an electrospray ionization source in positive ion mode using multiple-reaction monitoring.The MS/MS ion transitions monitored were m/z 185.958→77.1 for BT,m/z 215.944→77.0 for SBT,m/z 190.965→81.1 for dBT and m/z 220.948→99.1 for dSBT.Results There was no remarkable interference in blank solvent,plasma,and there was no mutual interference between analytes or internal standards.The proposed method showed good linearity over the concentration range of 0.020 59～25.14 mg·L-1 for BT and 0.016 73～20.42 mg·L-1 for SBT.The intra-batch and inter-batch precision and accuracy were proved to be acceptable.Human samples kept stable after 4 h at room temperature,the three freeze-thaw cycles and 10,29 and 52 days at-70 ℃,and the processed samples remained stable after 24 h in the autosampler.The average extraction recovery and matrix effect were precise,reproducible and acceptable.Conclusion Our current LC-MS/MS method is proved to be sensitive,accurate and convenient,and could be suitable for the clinical pharmacokinetic studies of BT-related preparations.

Objective:To detect the immune response in mice inoculated by DNA vaccine expressing chimeric gene gag gp120 of HIV 1.Methods:After BALB/C mice were immunized by the eukaryotic expression plasmid pVAXGE,the numbers of T lymphocyte subgroups of spleen,the killing rate of specific CTL from the immunized mice and the titers of serum antibodies during the different time were observed.Results:The lymphocytes of the immunized group by recombinant plasmid pVAXGE proliferated,the specific CTL killing rate of spleen was higher significantly than those of the control group( P

Objective To evaluate the role of via-anal ileus tube drainage in the therapy of acute low colorectal obstruction caused by cancer in elderly patients.Methods Totally 31 elderly patients with acute obstruction caused by colorectal cancer were treated by this modality.With the help of colonscopy and radiograph,the ileus tube was inserted into the proximal bowel of the obstructive side via anus.Then we irrigated and drain through the tube.At the same time we observed the patients' symptoms,abdominal girth,plain abdominal radiograph.After the relief of the acute obstruction,operations were processed.Results After 7-14 days treatment,the acute obstruction was relieved and emergency operation was avoided.The cure rate of 1-staged resection was 93.5％ (29/31),the rate of 1-staged anastomosis was 68.9％ (20/29),the rate of complication was 19.4％ (6/31),no anastomotic leakage and no perioperative death occurred.Conclusions The via-anal tube drainage in the treatment of the elderly patients with acute obstruction is safe,effective,and the trauma is small.It would be the first choice to relieve the acute obstruction in future.

Clinically, kidney?yang deficiency is one of the main TCM syndromes in patients with major depressive disorder. Warming yang and reinforcing kidney as a therapeutic measure for the treatment of depressive disorder has a?chieved good clinical curative effect. However, there are some problems on the study of kidney?yang deficiency depression. One of the reasons is that the establishment methods of depression animal model with kidney?yang deficiency are not uni?fied. In order to provide reference and further improve the replication method of depression animal models with kidney?yang deficiency, we systematically collected and analyzed the experiment results published in the past 15 years about the depres?sion animal model with kidney?yang deficiency induced by glucocorticoid hormone drugs and find out their similarities and differences.

Objective To summarize clinical experience in application of nail-bed lengthening operation for fingertip injuries.Methods From September 2003 to May 2007,36 patients (25 men and 11 women) aged 16 -45 years (26 in average) with nail defect by fingertip injuries underwent reconstruction operation using nail-bed lengthening at Orthopaedics and Traumatology Hospital of Taizhou,with the thumb involved in 15 cases,the index finger in 10 cases,the middle finger in eight eases and the ring finger in three case.A skin rectangle with thickness of 2 - 3 mm and width as that of the nail was resected at the skin edge 5 -6 mm distant from the epenychium,without damage to underlying subcutaneous vascular network, and U-shape skin flap was delicately slid proximally with its ends sutured.Results All surgical operations for nail lengthening were uneventful and clinically satisfactory,and the appearance of the thumb or other fingers was good during follow-up for six months to three years (19 months in average).Conclusions Nail lengthening for fingertip injuries with nail defect is a simple and effective surgical operation which could improve the appearance of the thumb and other fingers.

The article presents a method improvement of the medial plantar pedicled flap transplantation to cover the defect of the foot heel.Since 2002,6 patients with soft tissue defects on the foot heel underwent reconstruction with the medial plantar pedicled flap transplantation of excluding the plantar fascia and 3 patients used conventional flap of the medial plantar pedicled flap transplantation.They ranged in age from 18 to 52 years(mean,32 years).All the flaps had survived completely without major complication with satisfactory clinical results.Follow-up period ranged from 1.5 to 6 years(mean,3.8years)postoperatively.There was no remarkable donor site morbidity.Patients with flap of excluding the plantar fascia had good appearance in recipient site.Injury to donor site was reduced.Skin of the instep area can be raised as an island fasciocutaneous flap based on medial plantar vessels,with the branch of medial plantar nerve supplying the instep skin to provide the sensation.The flap is thin and suitable for repairment of soft tissue defect on the foot heel.