This experiment aimed to explore and research the process of preparing baicalein and wogonin through liquid fermentation with Bacillus natto. Active enzymes of produced by B. natto was used for the biological transformation of baclin and wogonoside, in order to increase the content of the haicalein and wogonin in the scutellaria. With the content of the baicalein and wogonin as evaluating indexes, the effects of carbon source, nitrogen source, the types and suitable concentration of inorganic salt, medium pH, granularities of medical materials, liquid volume in flask, shaking speed, liquid-to-solid ratio, fermentation time on the fermentation process were studied. The optimal process conditions for liquid fermentation of scutellaria were 1.0% of peptone, 0.05% of NaCl, pH at 6, the granularities of medical materials of the scutellaria screened through 40-mesh sifter, 33% of liquid, shaker incubator speed at 200 r x min(-1), liquid-to-solid ratio of 5:1, temperature at 37 degrees C, fermentation for 6 days, baclin's conversion rate at 97.6% and wogonoside's conversion rate at 97% in the scutellaria. According to the verification test, the process was stable and feasible, and could provide data reference for the industrial production.
Bacillus subtilis ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Fermentation ; Flavanones ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; metabolism ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Soy Foods ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo develop a specific quality of life (QOL) instrument for Chinese patients living with HIV/AIDS and to assess its reliability and validity.

METHODSA primary questionnaire was developed with reference to existing instrument and information through discussion with experts, front-line professionals and patients living with HIV/AIDS. This questionnaire was applied in 443 patients living with HIV/AIDS. Some items were removed through the results of responsive rate, factor analysis, correlation matrix,internal consistency and so on. Reliability and validity were assessed after items reduction.

RESULTSThe developed instrument contained 44 items, including 10 scales and other 3 items used for the evaluation of curative effect and side effect of anti-virus drug. No substantial ceiling/floor effects existed. All scales' internal consistency coefficients were > or = 0.70 and the whole instrument was 0.90. The two week retest reliability coefficient of the whole instrument was 0.80, and there were 6 scales below 0.70 of this coefficient. Multitrait/multiitem assessment indicated scaling success rates were all 100% for all items. Spearman correlation coefficient of total score of this instrument with SF-36 was 0.69.

CONCLUSIONIt was the first time that the developed QOL-CPLWHA instrument introducing the scale of hostility regarding mentality trend as well as expressed its acceptable reliability and validity so could be used for the evaluation of Chinese patients living with HIV/AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; psychology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the quality of life (QOL) and hostile mentality trend (HMT) of 299 patients living with HIV/AIDS (Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) in three provinces in China, and to understand the major concerns of the these patients.

METHODSThe SF-36 (short form -36) was used for assessing the QOL among 299 HIV-infected patients in Sichuan, Hubei and Guizhou provinces. Reliability and validity of SF-36 were evaluated. Consulting with experts and professionals, seven additional items were developed to evaluate the HMT. Mean scores of the 8 scales were compared between the patients and general rural residents in Sichuan province.

RESULTSFor SF-36, internal consistent coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of the 8 scales were between 0.75 to 0.90, test-retest reliability coefficient ranged from 0.54 to 0.80. The item-subscale correlation coefficients ranged from 0.46 to 0.97. Mean scores of the 8 scales of the patients ranged from 28.50 to 77.87, and 70.27 to 91.87 for the general rural residents. The variations of the scales were tested by means of Mann-Whitney test with u value ranged from -17.43 to -23.87. The QOL of the patients living with HIV/AIDS were significantly inferior to those of general population (all P < 0.01). The mean scores of the seven items to evaluate HMT ranged from 46.21 to 82.89. The major concerns of the patients living with HIV/AIDS included financial insecurity and family responsibilities, followed by death threat and no cure of HIV/AIDS.

CONCLUSIONThe SF-36 is a reliable instrument for assessing QOL of patients living with HIV/AIDS. The QOL of the patients living with HIV/AIDS in China is poor.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; psychology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Educational Status ; Female ; HIV Infections ; psychology ; Hostility ; Humans ; Male ; Marital Status ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDSix provinces in China accounted for 70% - 80% of all reported HIV/AIDS cases in the country in 2009 and five provinces accounted for 78% of all reported mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV cases. Because Guangxi belonged to both groups, the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Plus program was established there to understand better low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PD) birth outcomes and their associated risk factors better.

METHODSPregnancy outcomes were examined among HIV-infected pregnant women who enrolled in the PMTCT Plus program from June 2006 to February 2009 in Guangxi, China. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors associated with LBW (< 2500 g) and PD (gestational age < 37 weeks).

RESULTSThe prevalence of LBW and PD among 194 HIV-positive mothers was 19.6% (38/194) and 9.8% (19/194), respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CD4 cell count < 100 cell/µl (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 5.52; 95%CI 1.11 - 25.55) and CD4 cell count 100 - 199 cells/µl (AOR 3.40; 95%CI 1.03 - 11.25, compared to CD4 cell count ≥ 350 cells/µl), gestational age < 37 weeks (AOR 4.38; 95%CI 1.29 - 14.82, compared to ≥ 37 weeks), maternal weight < 45 kg (AOR 5.64; 95%CI 1.09 - 29.07) and maternal weight 45 - 54 kg (AOR 3.55; 95%CI 1.31 - 9.60, compared to ≥ 55 kg) at enrollment, and HIV RNA ≥ 100 000 copies/ml at enrollment (AOR 4.22; 95%CI 1.24 - 14.32) and 20 000 - 99 999 (AOR 2.77; 95%CI 1.01 - 7.77, compared to < 20 000 copies/ml) were associated with a higher risk of LBW. For PD, only maternal injection drug use as the route of HIV transmission (AOR 5.30; 95%CI 1.33 - 21.14, compared to those infected with HIV through sexual transmission) was significantly associated with a higher risk of PD.

CONCLUSIONSLower CD4 cell count and higher HIV RNA viral load at enrollment were associated with LBW. Optimal antenatal care, including earlier antenatal screening and HIV diagnosis, is critical to earlier PMTCT prophylaxis and/or HIV treatment to prevent transmission of HIV to the infant and also to prevent LBW pregnancy outcomes.

Adolescent ; Adult ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gestational Age ; HIV Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; physiology ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; epidemiology ; Premature Birth ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk Factors ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

The fusion protein (F) gene of Newcastle disease virus was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the recombinant plasmid pVAX1-F, and subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector pmcDNA3. 1+. The F gene was identified by sequencing. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into attenuated Salmonella typhimurium SL7207, and the recombinant was designated as SL7207 (pmcDNA3. 1-F). In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the plasmid stability of pmcDNA3. 1-F was apparently higher than that of pcDNA3. 1-F in SL7207. In order to compare the immune response induced by these two re combinant bacteria, BALB/c mice were immunized orally with them at the dosage of 2 x 10(9) CFU respectively. Both SL7207(pcDNA3. 1-F) and SL7207(pmcDNA3. 1-F) initiated F-specific serum and mucosal antibodies in immunized mice. Furthermore, 4-day-old SPF chickens were immunized with SL7207(pcDNA3. 1-F) and SL7207(pmcDNA3. 1-F) at the dosage of 5 x 10(9) CFU and boosted two weeks later with the same dosage. Humoral and intestinal mucosal immune responses were observed and their levels were significantly higher than that of negative and positive controls. The result of protective efficacy showed that the chickens immunized with SL7207(pmcDNA3. 1-F) had the protective rate of 70.0%, higher than that of the SL7207 (pcDNA3. 1-F) with 50.0%. In summary, the DNA vaccine delivered by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium has good immunogenicity. A novel mucosal DNA vaccine has been developed and could be useful for controlling the infection and epidemic of Newcastle disease in the poultry.
Animals ; Chickens ; Female ; Immunization ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Newcastle disease virus ; immunology ; Plasmids ; Salmonella typhimurium ; genetics ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology ; Viral Vaccines ; immunology

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholecystitis ; complications ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; etiology ; physiopathology

Objective To establish a human-head phantom with realistic skull anatomy and resistivity distribution in order to provide an accurate experimental platform for brain electrical impedance tomography(EIT).Methods Firstly a skull model with 3-layer structure was constructed with double-nozzle 3D printer,and every layer had its specific resistivity verified on the accuracy. Then brain parenchyma with its resistivity was modelled using 3D printer and cerebrospinal fluid and scalp were mimicked using NaCl solution;after the whole phantom was assembled,imaging test using EIT was performed.Results The skull model was similar to the realistic one in terms of anatomy and resistivity distribution;the EIT experiment on the new phantom showed similar results to simulation.Conclusion The proposed phantom has realistic skull anatomy,resistivity distribution and multi-layer anatomical structure, which reflects the features of skull resistivity and thus is suitable for experiments on brain EIT.

The development history, education, legislation, charge and institutes of acupuncture and moxibustion in Singapore are introduced in this article. Acupuncture and moxibustion has been developed in Singapore since 1840. Nowadays there are three universities that set up standard Chinese medicine courses and two acupuncture-moxibustion associations. Legislation of acupuncture and moxibustion is published in 2000. The acupuncture and moxibustion is applied for approximately 50 kinds of diseases. The acupuncture and moxibustion is at one's own expense in public or private institutions, but cheap or completely free in charity.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; manpower ; trends ; Acupuncture Therapy ; economics ; history ; trends ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; economics ; history ; trends ; Singapore

Objective To analyze the causes of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of abdominal organ le -sions through reviewing preoperative transabdominal ultrasound reports .Methods Data of the patients who re-ceived abdominal operation for abdominal organ lesions ( including liver , gallbladder , biliary tract , pancreas , spleen, kidney, adrenal gland, and appendix) in Peking Union Medical College Hospital within the period from March 1 to August 31 in 2013 were exported from pathological workstation .The preoperative ultrasound reports of these patients were reviewed .The missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis cases were recorded , and causes of the mis-takes were analyzed .Results Altogether 58 cases of missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis were identified from 1081 ultrasound reports (5.37%, 58/1081), including 6 liver lesions (5.77%, 6/104, all misdiagnosed), 6 gall-bladder and biliary tract lesions ( 1.30%, 6/462 , 5 missed and 1 misdiagnosed ) , 14 pancreatic lesions (19.72%, 14/71, all missed), 20 kidney and adrenal lesions (6.47%, 20/309, 11 missed and 9 misdiag-nosed), and 12 appendical lesions (16.00%, 12/75, 11 missed and 1 misdiagnosed).The average maximum diameter of the missed nodular lesions was significantly smaller than that of the misdiagnosed lesions ( P =0.001 ) .Conclusions Missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of ultrasound are attributable to various causes , inclu-ding the nature , location , and size of abdominal organ lesions and the limitation of transabdominal ultrasound technology .The clinical ultrasound examination should be carried out very carefully and thoroughly .Ultrasound radiologists should have a thorough understanding of characteristics of different organ lesions and the limitation of ultrasound technique , in order to avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis in clinical practice .

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of three-vessel and tracheal (3VT) view in fetal aortic arch anomalies .Methods Ultrasound findings of 17 fetuses with aortic arch anomalies diagnosed in Pe-king Union Medical College Hospital between May 2010 and May 2014 were reviewed and compared with the find-ings of postnatal ultrasonography and pathological examinations to analyze the ultrasound features of aortic arch anomalies of different types , focusing on the importance of 3VT view.Results In all 17 cases the 3VT view was abnormal .3 cases were aortic coarctation , mainly manifested as reduced diameter of the aortic arch;7 cases were interrupted aortic arch , in which there was discontinuity between the thinning aortic arch and the descending aor -ta;5 cases were right aortic arch ( RAA) with aberrant left subclavian artery , with a‘U’ -shaped vascular loop around the trachea;and 2 cases were RAA with mirror-image branching , with the aortic arch situated to the right of the trachea and not forming a V-or U-shaped confluence with the ductus .Conclusions The 3VT view is a very sensitive view to effectively diagnose fetal aortic arch anomalies .Meticulous ultrasound examination focusing on this view during second trimester may disclose the presence of such anomalies and help provide the appropriate genetic counselling .