Objective To compare three ultrasonic methods of transabdominal , transvaginal , and transperineal ultrasonogra-phy for the cervical length ( CL) in predicting the preterm birth .Methods The pregnancy women with threatened preterm labor in Hunan Provincial Hospital of Maternal and Child Health from January , 2012 to December, 2013 were chosen to measure the cervical length by sonography , and were randomly divided into three guoups ( 280 pregnancy women in each group ) , including Group Ⅰ( transabdominal ) , groupⅡ( transvaginal ) , and group Ⅲ ( transperineal ) .The cervical length and the pregnancy outcome were fol-lowed up.Results The acceptance rate of group Ⅱ(81.8%=229/280) was significantly lower than that of groupⅠ(100%=280/280)and group Ⅲ(99.3%=278/280)( P <0.05).The realization ratio of the cervix in group Ⅰ(85.0%=238/280) was signifi-cantly lower than that of group Ⅱ(98.7%=226/229) and group Ⅲ (98.2%=273/278) ( P <0.05).The preterm birth rate of 48.6%(18/37) in groupⅠ, 37.8%(28/74) in groupⅡ, and 37.1%(33/89) in groupⅢin the pregnancy women with CL <3 cm was significantly higher than the corresponding preterm birth rate of 17.9%(36/201) in groupⅠ, 13.2%(20/152)in groupⅡ, and 13.6% (25/184) in groupⅢin the pregnancy women with CL≥3 cm.The sensitivity of groupⅠ(33.3%=18/54) was significantly lower than that of group Ⅱ(58.3%=28/48) and group Ⅲ(56.9%=33/58).Conclusions The cervical length measured by ultra-sound is valuable in predicting preterm birth among the pregnancy women with threatened preterm birth .The transperineal ultrasonogra-phy is superior to transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonography in predicting preterm birth , and is worth being popularized .

Objective To evaluate the effects of different doses of propofol or isoflurane on the cochlear blood flow (CBF) in guinea pigs.Methods Fifty-four adult male guinea pigs,aged 3 months,weighing 400-500 g,were randomly divided into 6 groups (n =9 each).In P1,P2 and P3 groups,propofol was infused for 115 min at 10,20 and 40 mg· kg-1 · h-1,respectively,after a loading dose of 5 mg/kg was injected over 5 min.In S1,S2 and S3 groups,isoflurane was inhaled for 120 min with end-tidal concentrations of 1％,2％ and 3 ％,respectively.Mean arterial pressure and CBF were recorded before administration (baseline,T1) and during the period of drug administration.Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) was measured at T1,at the end of administration (T2) and 1 h after administration (T3).Five animals in each group were sacrificed and organs of Corti were harvested for observation of morphology of out hair cells by scanning electron microscopy.Results Propofol decreased MAP and increased CBF and DPOAE amplitude in a dose-dependent manner.Isoflurane decreased MAP and CBF in a dose-dependent manner.1％ isoflurane increased DPOAE amplitude,however,2％ and 3％ isoflurane decreased it and caused damage to out hair cells.Conclusion Propofol induces an increase in CBF in guinea pigs,while high concentration of isoflurane induces a decrease in CBF.Isoflurane inhibits CBF autoregulation,which makes CBF more sensitive to perfusion pressure,thus causing damage to hearing function.This is the reason why high concentration of isoflurane induces a decrease in CBF.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the Radix Campylotropidis Hirtellae ( RCH ) . Methods 60%ethanol extract of the RCH was separated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS and Sephadex LH-20 to obtain aimed compounds.Structures of the compounds were investigated by modern spectroscopy.Results Nine compounds were separated from Campylotropis hirtella ( Franch.) Schindl, and the structure of the new compound 1 was determined by spectral analysis and named hedysarimcoumestanⅠ( 1 ) , while the others were identified as the known isotrifoliol(2), hedysarimcoumestan B(3), umbelliferone(4), orobol(5), quercetin(6),(+) catechin(7), kaempferol (8) and dihydrokaempferol(9) .Conclusion Compound 1 is a new compound and 3-5 are separated from C.hirtella for the first time.The screening results of inhibition of H5N1 virus activity show that compound 5 has some inhibitory activity at a level of 50.0 μg /ml.

Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture at point Fenglong(ST40) on the expressions of macrophage surface antigen CD11b and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in hyperlipidemia rats. Method Forty healthy SD rats were randomly allocated to normal control, high fat diet, high fat+common diet, high fat diet and treatment, and high fat+common diet and treatment groups. After 28 days of treatment with electroacupuncture at point Fenglong, blood lipid levels, namely, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) contents were measured in every group of rats. The expressions of peritoneal macrophage surface antigen CD11b and ICAM-1 were examined using flow cytometry (FCM) in every group of rats. Result Plasma TC and LDL-C increased significantly in the high fat diet group of rats compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). In the high fat+common diet group of rats, serum TC and LDL-C decreased significantly in comparison with the high fat diet group (P<0.01) but increased significantly in comparison with the normal control group (P<0.01). After treatment with electroacupuncture at point Fenglong, rat plasma TC and LDL-C decreased significantly (P<0.01) and TG and HDL-C did not change significantly (P>0.05). The expression rates of macrophage CD11b and ICAM-1 increased significantly in the high fat diet group of rats compared with the normal group (P<0.01). In the high fat+common diet group of rats, the expression rates of macrophage CD11b and ICAM-1 decreased significantly in comparison with the high fat diet group (P<0.05) but increased significantly in comparison with the normal group (P<0.01). The expression rates of CD11b and ICAM-1 decreased significantly in the high fat diet and treatment group compared with the high fat diet group (P<0.01) and decreased significantly in the high fat+common diet and treatment group compared with the high fat+common diet group (P<0.01) and the high fat diet and treatment group (P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that CD11b and ICAM-1 levels had a significantly positive correlation (r=0.947, P<0.01). Conclusion Electroacupuncture at point Fenglong can significantly down-regulate blood fat TC and LDL-C levels and the expressions of macrophage CD11b and ICAM-1 in hyperlipidemia rats. It has a certain therapeutic effect on hyperlipidemia.

Xanthine oxidase (XOD), catalyzing purine metabolism, is the key enzyme in uric acid (UA) biosynthesis, and becomes an important target for hyperuricemia treatment. The inhibition on XOD plays an important role in the treatment of hyperuricemia-related diseases, such as gout, as well as oxidative stress-induced tissue injury. Here, studies on the natural products with XOD inhibition are reviewed.

OBJECTIVETo explore action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Fenglong" (ST 40) for treatment of hyperlipidemia.

METHODSForty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group (group A), a model group (group B), a model diet-control group (group C), a model + EA group (group D) and model diet-control + EA group (group E), 8 cases in each one. The rats in group A were fed with normal diet continuously while those in the rest 4 groups were fed with high-fat diet to establish hyperlipidemia model. Afterwards, the rats in group C and group E were fed with normal diet, while EA at "Fenglong" (ST 40) was applied in group D and group E, 30 min per time, once a day. After 28 days of treatment, macrophage was collected in each group. Oil red O-staining was applied to detect the formation of foam cells, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISE) was adopted to measure the contents of total cholesterol (TC) in macrophage and analyze the rate of cholesterol efflux.

RESULTSThe counts of positive cells of oil red O-staining and the contents of TC in the group B, group C and group D were significantly increased compared with those in the group A (all P < 0.01). The counts of positive cells and contents of TC in the group C, group D and group E were significantly clecreased compared with those in the group B (all P < 0.01), and the decline in group D was more obvious than that in the group C (all P < 0.01). Compared with group C and group D, the counts of positive cells and contents of TC in the group E was obviously decreased (all P < 0.01), which was not statistically different from group A (P > 0.05). In the meantime, compared with group C, the rate of cholesterol efflux in group D and group E was significantly increased (both P < 0.01), and the rise in group E was more obvious than that in the group D.

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture at "Fenglong" (ST 40) could significantly prohibit the transformation of macrophage into foam cell and increase rate of cholesterol efflux in macrophage, which could prevent and reverse the formation of foam cell and play an essential role in treating hyperlipidemia and stopping it from developing into a further level.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Biological Transport ; Cells, Cultured ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Foam Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; metabolism ; therapy ; Macrophages ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

navirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the patients younger than 18 years old infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant, and to provide a basis for determining the chest CT changes and efficacy of COVID-19 caused by Omicron virus variant in patients younger than 18 years old. Methods　The clinical and imaging data of 30 cases of patients younger than 18 years old infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant, who admitted to the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from February 11 to March 26, 2022 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The clinical manifestations, imaging features and dynamic changes of lesions were summarized. Results A total of 41 intrapulmonary lesions in 30 patients with COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The main manifestations were patchy or nodular ground-glass opacities and/or consolidation, with focal subpleural distribution, lesions mainly occur in the right lung (70.73%, 29/41). There were 42 lesion morphologies, with 22 (52.38%) striped shadows and 16 (38.10%) nodular shadows, with small lamellar and patchy shadows predominating. There were 36 lesion density variations, with ground glass shadows being the most common, with a total of 24 ground glass shadows (66.66%) in each lobe of the lung, and also 6 consolidation lesions (16.67%) and 6 mixed ground glass opacity and consolidation lesions (16.67%). With the progression of the disease, lesions gradually enlarged, appeared on the 2nd day (312.93 mm3), peaked on the 9th day (1 837.18 mm3). The average absorption time of the lesions was (16±3) days, and there was no significant difference between the absorption time of patchy and nodular lesions (ground glass and/or consolidation) (t=0.853, P>0.05). The lesions showed focal ground-glass opacity in the early stage, 77.78% lesions were absorbed after treatment in the late stage. Inflammatory nodules were absorbed slowly (9-19 days), without residual fibrotic changes. Conclusions　The imaging manifestations of COVID-19 in patients younger than 18 years old infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant have certain characteristics, showed patchy or nodular ground glass opacities and/or consolidation, mainly distributed in the subpleural area, with small and few lesions and slow change, didn't remain fibrosis. Being familiar with its clinical and imaging manifestations can assist in early diagnosis, but confirming the diagnosis requires a combination of epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and radiological manifestations.

OBJECTIVETo explore a new method to correct secondary lip whistle deformities and nasal base depression after bilateral complete cleft lip (BCCL) repair with lip subdermal soft tissue flap.

METHODSBilateral subdermal soft tissue "C" flaps and "lambda" flap were designed to repair secondary deformities of nasal base and reconstruct vermilion tubercle in patients after BCCL repair.

RESULTSGood results were achieved in all the patients with primary healing. No flap necrosis happened. The result was satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSWith bilateral subdermal soft tissue "C" flaps and " lambda" flap, nasal base depression deformities and lip whistle deformities can be corrected. It is an ideal method for correction of deformities after BCCL repair.

Cleft Lip ; surgery ; Humans ; Lip ; surgery ; Nose ; Nose Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B is a potential target for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. We have previously identified the benzoyl sulfathiazole derivative II as a non-competitive PTP1B inhibitor with in vivo insulin sensitizing effects. Preliminary SAR study on this compound series has been carried out herein, and thirteen new compounds have been designed and synthesized. Among them, compound 10 exhibited potent inhibition against human recombinant PTP1B with the IC50 value of 3.97 micromol x L(-1), and is comparable to that of compound II.
Humans ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Sulfathiazoles ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Objective:To investigate the effects of oxymatrine(OM)on the apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells and its possible mechanisms.Methods:HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of OM.The proliferation inhibition was measured by MTT assay and the apoptosis of HepG2 cells were examined by Hochest staining method.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate.The expression of caspase-3,Bcl-2,Bcl-x_L and Bax proteins was assayed by Western blotting assay.Results:OM inhibited HepG2 cells growth in a time-and dose-dependent manner.After treatment with OM for 24 hours,some cells appeared typical apoptotic characteristics and the apoptosis rate was increased. Treatment with OM also increased caspase-3 activity and Bax expression in HepG2 cells,and decreased the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L.Conclusion:OM can induce HepG2 cell apoptosis,which may be related to the down-regulation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway,suppression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L activity,and activation of caspase-3.