This study was aimed to develop an HPLC method for the determination of hesperidin,magnolol,honoki-oland liquiritin in Soft Capsule Jia-Wei Huo-Xiang Zheng-Qi (JWHXZQ). AKromasil C18 column (250 mmí4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used with water-methanol as mobile phasegradient elution. The flow rate was 1.0 mL·min-1, and the de-tecting wavelength was at 287 nm. The results showed that the linearity ranges ofhesperidin,magnolol,honokioland liquiritinwere 4.47-178.70 μg·mL-1, 3.42-136.96 μg·mL-1, 3.49-139.48 μg·mL-1, 3.92-157.20 μg·mL-1, respec-tively (r>0.999). The average recoveries of them were 99.48%, 99.05%, 99.57% and 99.79%, respectively. It was concluded that the method was accurate, sensitive and specific for quality control of Soft Capsule JWHXZQ.

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Yishen Qingre Huashi Recipe (YQHR) in treating proteinuria of chronic glomerular disease patients with Pi-Shen deficiency complicated damp-heat syndrome (PSDCDHS).

METHODSTotally 121 stage 1 -2 primary chronic glomerular disease patients with PSDCDHS were randomly assigned to the treated group (85 cases) and the control group (36 cases) according to 2:1. All patients received conventional and symptomatic treatment. Patients in the treated group took YQHR additionally, while those in the control group took Losartan Potassium Tablet (50 mg each time, once per day) additionally. The therapeutic course for all was 6 months. Changes of 24 h urine protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine(SCr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were observed at different time points. And the difference in therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the control group after 6 months of treatment, 24 h urine protein obviously decreased in the treated group (P <0. 05). There was no statistical difference in SCr, BUN, or eGFR between the two groups after 6 months of treatment (P >0. 05). The total effective rate after 2, 4, and 6 months of treatment in the treated group was 77. 6% (66/85 cases), 82. 4% (70/85 cases), and 89. 4% (76/85 cases), respectively. They were 47. 2% (17/36 cases), 55. 6% (20/36 cases), and 61. 1% (22/36 cases) in the control group, respectively. Compared with before treatment in the treated group, the total effective effect after 6 months of treatment was higher than that after 2 months of treatment (χ2=4. 28, P <0. 01). Compared with the control group at the same time points, the total effective rate in the treated group after 2, 4, and 6 months of treatment was higher (χ2=10. 87, 9. 53, 13.16, P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONYQHR could significantly lower proteinuria in chronic glomerular disease patients with PSDCDHS, improve the clinical effect, thereby providing clinical evidence for treating chronic glomerular disease proteinuria from resolving dampness and clearing heat.

Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; complications ; therapy ; Kidney Glomerulus ; pathology ; Losartan ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Proteinuria ; etiology ; therapy ; Syndrome ; Tablets

BACKGROUNDPolypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are prominent prescribing issues in elderly patients. This study was to investigate the different prevalence of PIM use in elderly inpatients between 65-79 years of age and 80 years or older, who were discharged from Geriatric Department in West China Hospital.

METHODSA large-scale cohort of 1796 inpatients aged 65 years or over was recruited. Respectively, 618 patients were 65-79 years and 1178 patients were 80 years or older. Updated 2012 Beers Criteria by the American Geriatric Society was applied to assess the use of PIM among the investigated samples.

RESULTSA review of the prescribed medications identified 686 patients aged 80 years or older consumed at least one PIM giving a rate of 58.2%. Conversely, 268 (43.4%) patients aged 65-79 years consumed at least one PIM (χ2 = 40.18, P < 0.001). Patients aged 80 years or older had higher hospitalization expenses, length of stay, co-morbidities, medical prescription, and mortality than patients aged 65-79 years (all with P < 0.001). Patients aged 80 years or older were prescribed with more benzodiazepines, drugs with strong anticholinergic properties, megestrol, antipsychotics, theophylline, and aspirin. In multiple regression analysis, PIM use was significantly associated with female gender, age, number of diagnostic disease, and number of prescribed medication.

CONCLUSIONSThe finding from this study revealed that inpatients aged 80 years or older encountered more PIM use than those aged 65-79 years. Anticholinergic properties, megestrol, antipsychotics, theophylline, and aspirin are medications that often prescribed to inpatients aged 80 years or older. Doctors should carefully choose drugs for the elderly, especially the elderly aged 80 years or older.

Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Potentially Inappropriate Medication List ; statistics & numerical data

This study was aimed to explore the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on erythropoiesis and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Using flow cytometry, colony forming assay, blood cell counter, fluorescent real-time quantitation PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the changes in the bone marrow cells (BMCs) proliferation cycle, CFU-E and BFU-E counts, the peripheral blood erythroid related parameters, kidney EPO, BMC GM-CSF, spleen EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA expression, and serum EPO, GM-CSF, and IL-1 concentrations were all determined after NGF was injected intramuscularly into the thigh of mice, meanwhile the change of BFU-E and CFU-E counts and its relationship with EPO, IL-3 were investigated. The results indicated that the cell proportion in S+G2/M phase, the CFU-E and BFU-E counts of BMCs and the spleen EPOR mRNA expression in injection of NGF (7.5 microg/kg) for 7 days were significantly higher than that in injection of physiological saline for 13-19 days; red blood cell, hemoglobin, and reticulocyte counts increased as well. In vitro, NGF stimulated a dose-dependent increase of CFU-E colonies formation in the semisolid culture system with or without exogenous EPO; the colony counts in the system with NGF alone were significantly higher than that in the system with exogenous EPO alone. The BFU-E counts in the system with exogenous NGF and IL-3 were significantly higher than that in the system with exogenous EPO and IL-3. It is concluded that the NGF promotes the responsibility of hematopoietic cells to EPO and activates the same signal transduction pathway as EPO in hematopoietic cells, and then accelerates the BMCs into mitosis, the HSCs differentiating into erythroid cells, and CFU-E and BFU-E formation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Erythrocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Erythropoiesis ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Growth Factor ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the presentation of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) and describe the line of management in our setup. METHOD: Twenty-six cases of AFRS from October 2002 to June 2006 were retrospectively analyzed for the study in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University First Hospital. Laboratory findings (especially total serum IgE level and special serum IgE level) and computed tomography were noted preoperation. Surgical specimens were sent for mycology and histopathologic analysis. The management included endoscopic sinus debridement, adequate sinus aeration, pre- and post-operative use of steroids and saline irrigations with antifungal drugs. RESULT: Nasal obstruction and hyposmia were the commonest presentations. In 21 (80.8%) of 26 patients, AFRS was fund to be associated with allergic diseases. CT scan showed serpiginous or patchy increased attenuation within the completely opacified sinuses on reconstructed soft tissue window. Some of the involved sinuses had bone erosion and expansion. 84.6% (22/26) patients had elevated total IgE levels, 76.9% (20/26) had positive for sIgE levels to fungal allergen. Fungal smear were positive for all 26 patients. But only 14 surgical specimens were positive for fungal cultures. The most common causative agent was Aspergillus. The involved mucosa and allergic mucin with H & E staining contained clusters or sheets of degenerating eosinophils. Charcot-Leyden crystals was found in 8 surgical specimens. The follow-up after a year, the mucosa recovered epithelization in 19 patients. CONCLUSION The diagnosis of AFRS required to depend on history, CT scanning, histopathology, mycologic and immunologic monitoring. Comprehensive treatment with endoscopic sinus surgery, steroids and saline irrigations with antifungal drugs is effective method.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; diagnostic imaging ; microbiology ; surgery ; therapy ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycoses ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; therapy ; Paranasal Sinuses ; microbiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sinusitis ; diagnostic imaging ; microbiology ; surgery ; therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of hand-mixed methods on the compressive strength of the zinc phosphate dental cement.

METHODSThree skilled nurses used three kinds of common clinical hand-mixed methods (included the unidirectional rotation method, the alternate pro and con bidirectional rotation method and the pulling and pushing with folding method) to mix the zinc phosphate dental cement on the same condition (i.e. same indoor temperature and humidity, the same mixing ratio, mixing time, mixing frequency and the same mixing instruments and so on). The mixed zinc phosphate cement was packed into the plastic cylinders with 10 mm-high and 5 mm-bore. After the mixed zinc phosphate cement coagulated, compressive strength was tested separately.

RESULTSThe compressive strength of the zinc phosphate dental cement mixed with the alternate pro and con bidirectional rotation method was the best, and the value was (106.11+/- 4.82) MPa. The compressive strength of the zinc phosphate dental cement mixed with the pulling and pushing with folding method was lower, and the value was (77.57 +/- 6.26) MPa. The compressive strength of the zinc phosphate dental cement mixed with the unidirectional rotation method was the lowest, and the value was (54.41 +/- 5.08) MPa. The compressive strength of the zinc phosphate dental cement mixed with the unidirectional rotation method and the pulling and pushing with folding method could not achieve the clinical required compressive strength (about 100 MPa), while the compressive strength mixed with the alternate pro and con bidirectional rotation method was above 100 MPa.

CONCLUSIONThe alternate pro and con bidirectional rotation method to mix the zinc phosphate dental cement is recommended in clinic.

Compressive Strength ; Phosphates ; Zinc Compounds ; Zinc Phosphate Cement

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) on the functions of learning-memory and the central cholinergic system in rats.

METHODSForty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: low 1-BP group (200 mg/kg), middle 1-BP group (400 mg/kg), high 1-BP group (800 mg/kg) and control group, and the exposure time was 7 days. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was applied to evaluate the learning-memory function in rats. After the MWM test, the rats were sacrificed, the cerebral cortex and hippocampus were quickly dissected and homogenized in ice bath. The activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in supernatant of homogenate were detected.

RESULTSThe latency and swim path-length of rats in middle and high 1-BP groups prolonged significantly in place navigation test and the efficiency of searching strategy obviously decreased, as compared with control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In spatial probe test, the number of crossing platform in three 1-BP groups decreased significantly, as compared with control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The cortical AChE activity of rats in middle and high 1-BP groups was significantly higher than that of control and low 1-BP group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The AChE activity in rat hippocampus of high 1-BP group obviously increased, as compared with control group as compared with control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of cortical ChAT activity between three 1-BP groups and control group (P > 0.05). In the hippocampus, there was no difference of ChAT activity among the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION1-BP exposure could significantly influence the learning-memory function in rats due to the increase of AChE activity.

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated ; toxicity ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

This study was purposed to analyze the methylation status of death-associated protein kinase (dapk) gene promoter in Chinese patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its relationship with clinical features. The methylation-specific PCR (MSP) technique was used to detect dapk promoter methylation in bone marrow samples from 112 cases of AML. The results indicated that gene dapk promoter hypermethylation was detected in 82 cases (73.2%), but not in 13 control group. There was no correlation of dapk gene hypermethylation with sex, age, WBC counts, platelet counts, hematologic parameters, chromosomal abnormalities and different subtypes of AML patients. It is concluded that dapk gene hypermethylation may be a common molecular event in AML.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Methylation ; Death-Associated Protein Kinases ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical value of examination of cervical HPV infection in women in early pregnancy and postpartum.

METHODSUsing flow-through hybridization and gene chip techniques, we examined 3 806 cervical specimens of pregnant and postpartum women of different ages with different cervical diseases. The women were grouped into different age groups by every 5 years for HPV DNA genotyping of the specimens, with another 4080 women without pregnancy serving as the control.

RESULTSOf the total of 7886 specimens, high-risk HPV infection was detected a the rate of 12.5%. In pregnancy, postpartum and nonpregnancy, the infection rate was 14.3%,, 10.5%, and 11.7%, respectively. In the 4 age groups, the infection rate was 16.9%, 12.1%, 13.8%, and 22.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe high-risk HPV infection rate in pregnancy differs significantly from that in nonpregnancy and postpartum. The infection rate also differs with age during pregnancy and postpartum. Examination of HPV infection during pregnancy is safe and feasible.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; Papillomavirus Infections ; virology ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; virology ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine whether oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induces C6 cell injury, and whether 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)/cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) pathway is involved in OGD-induced injury.

METHODSAfter OGD treatment and recovery for various durations, the viability of C6 cells was determined, and the effects of 5-LOX inhibitors and CysLT receptor antagonists were investigated. Intracellular distribution of 5-LOX protein was detected by immunocytochemistry, and the mRNA expressions of CysLT1 and CysLT2 receptors were detected by RT-PCR. The effect of leukotriene D(4) (LTD(4)) on C6 cells was also investigated.

RESULTOGD for 4-8 h followed by recovery for 24-72 h significantly induced C6 cell injury. Neither 5-LOX inhibitors nor CysLT receptor antagonists inhibited OGD-induced injury. OGD did not induce 5-LOX translocation into the nuclear membrane. C6 cells highly expressed CysLT(2) receptor, but the expression of CysLT1receptor was much weaker; the expression was not affected by OGD. In addition, LTD(4) did not affect C6 cells significantly.

CONCLUSIONOGD can induce C6 cell injury, but 5-LOX/CysLT pathway might be not involved in OGD-induced injury.

Animals ; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Glioma ; pathology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured