Objective To outline the research fronts of ten major sub-specialties in internal medicine.Methods Based on their impact factor scores and the proportion of the journals of 10 subspecialties (endocrinology & metabolism,cardiac & cardiovascular systems,hematology,infectious diseases,nephrology,gastroenterology & hepatology,respiratory system,rheumatology,critical care medicine,clinical neurology) in Journal Citation Report (JCR),and careful consulation of expert clinicians,we identified 50 journals.Their bibliographic records (including references) published in 2011 were downloaded,and the frequency of the references (citations) in each sub-specialty was counted and the highly cited records were extracted.We performed a clustering analysis according to the co-cited times among any pairs of the highly cited records.To tag each cluster of highly cited records,we browsed the titles and abstracts of all highly cited records in the same cluster,and concluded the main topics of each cluster.Finally,we extracted the current published papers devoted to particular cluster by some clustering analysis indicators.The clusters of highly cited records were considered as the intelligence base,and the main topics in current papers which citing these highly cited papers were considered as research fronts.Results Totally 50 journals on 10 sub-specialties in internal medicine were identified.A total of 202 highly cited papers,38 clusters (knowledge bases),and 152 corresponding current citing papers presenting the research fronts were selected.Conclusions We confirm and present research fronts in 10 major sub-specialties of internal medicine.This study provides a synchronic structure of contemporary research activities in internal medicine sub-specialties.

Objective To observe the effect of human immunoglobulin on elderly head and facial post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) and peripheral blood TNF-α.Methods One hundred and twenty-two inpatients with PHN aged ≥65 years old were selected and divided into the observation group (52 cases) and control group (70 cases) by the systematic sampling method.The control group was given the early conventional combined therapy,while on this basis the observation group was intravenously dripped by human immunoglobulin.The incidence rate of PHN and pain visual analog scale(VAS) score at 1,2,3 months after recovery discharge from hospital were recorded in the two groups.Other 20 healthy elderly people were selected as the healthy control group.The TNF-α level was determined in the two patients groups before and after treatment and in the healthy control group.Results The PHN occurrence rate at 1,2,3 months after discharge in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05);the VAS score after treatment and at 1,2,3 months after discharge in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05);serum TNF-α level after treatment in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P＜0.01),moreover which was close to the level in the healthy control group(P＞0.5).Conclusion Human immunoglobulin can reduce the PHN occurrence in the old people with head and facial herpes zoster and reduce the peripheral blood TNF-α level.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chuanhuang No.1 Recipe (CHR) on renal function and micro-inflammation in phase 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

METHODSTotally 60 phase 3 CKD patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (treated by CHR) and the control group (treated by Losartan Potassium), 30 in each group. All patients received basic treatment. Patients in the treatment group took CHR decoction, 400 mL each time, one dose per day, while those in the control group took Losartan Potassium, 50-100 mg per day. All medication lasted for 24 weeks. Changes of serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum uric acid (UA), 24 h urinary protein excretion (24 h U-pro), urinary microalbumin (U-Alb), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and serum IL-6 were detected and compared before and after treatment. Efficacy was also compared.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, SCr and BUN significantly decreased in the treatment group (P<0.05, P<0.01); eGFR in- creased (P<0.05). Only UA obviously decreased in the control group (P<0.05), but with no obvious change in SCr, BUN, or eGFR. Compared with before treatment, 24 h U-pro decreased after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but with less decreased level when compared with the control group. U- Alb was also significantly decreased in the control group (P<0.01). There was statistical difference in 24 h U-pro and U-Alb between the two groups after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, hs-CRP obviously decreased after treatment in the two groups, but serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 obviously decreased only in the treatment group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was obviously higher in the treatment group than in the control group (70.00% vs. 43.33%, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCHR could efficiently improve the renal function of phase 3 CKD patients and alleviate the micro-inflammation.

Adult ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Urea

Arsenic from environmental contamination is a risk factor for kidney disease, and the clinical use of arsenic also triggers a new concern that the potential kidney damage caused by exposure to clinical doses of arsenic trivalent. So far, the undergoing mechanisms contributing to arsenic nephrotoxicity mostly remain unclear, and universally accepted methods for preventing this complication are limited too. Ancient Chinese medical scientists recognized the toxicity of arsenic long ago, and there were some records of Chinese herbs against arsenic poisoning in ancient books of Chinese medicine. In the past decade, several herbal formulations, as well as some potentially active compounds extracted from Chinese herbs, have been employed to prevent arsenic nephrotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro and showed better therapeutic effects. The present paper thus summarizes and discusses these Chinese medicine methods in preventing such a public health problem. In addition, we call for large, well-designed, randomized, and controlled clinical trials to be performed to further assess the efficacy and safety of these potential methods of Chinese medicine against arsenic nephrotoxicity.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the 2-dimensional electrophoresis(2-DE) profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and health adults. METHODS: The total proteins from PBMC in patients with HCC and healthy adult were separated by immobilized pH gradient-based 2-DE. The differential expression proteins were analyzed by PDQuest analysis software. RESULTS: The well-resolved, reproducible 2-DE patterns of PBMC in patients with HCC and healthy adults were obtained. For HCC, the average spots of 2-DE maps were 1 206 +/- 48, and the average matching rate was 90.8%. For normal adults, the average spots were 1 123 +/- 37, and the average matching rate was 92.6%. CONCLUSION The well-resolved, reproducible 2-DE patterns of PBMC in patients with HCC and healthy adults are established. These proteomic analysis methods are useful to screen the potential biomarkers in the early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis monitor in patients with malignant tumor.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proteomics ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the anti-platelet effect of aspirin plus clopidogrel on off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) grafting and the possible side effects of such therapy.

METHODSSixty patients who underwent standard OPCAB were randomized immediately after surgery in two groups: the aspirin alone group of 30 patients who received aspirin (100 mg) daily; and the combination group of 30 patients who received clopidogrel (75 mg) plus aspirin (100 mg) daily. Platelet aggregation in response to arachidonic acid (PLAA) and adenosine diphosphate (PLADP) were measured at baseline (before surgery) and 1-6, 8, and 10 days after the medication. Postoperative bleeding and other perioperative parameters were compared between these two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the two groups in perioperative findings including average number of distal anastomosis, operative time, postoperative bleeding, ventilation time, and intensive care unit stay (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients with the PLAA above 20% value was significantly lower in the combination group than those in the aspirin alone group (32.1% vs 62.1%, P<0.05). PLAA of two groups one and two days after taking aspirin or plus clopidogrel were (24.2±31.9)% vs. (49.6±32.6)% and (13.8±27.2)% vs. (37.6±37.4)%, respectively (P<0.05). No obvious postoperative complication was noted in both groups. Multivariate analysis showed that clopidogrel administration was independently correlated with aspirin resistance (P=0.044, OR = 0.09;95% CI=0.07-0.48).

CONCLUSIONEarly combined use of aspirin plus clopidogrel after OPCAB can remarkably reduce OPCAB-related aspirin resistance and enjoy similar safety.

Aged ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Coronary Disease ; diet therapy ; surgery ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Postoperative Period ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from the tuber of the planted Cremastra appendiculata.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-HPLC, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTEight compounds were isolated, and identified as cirrhopetalanthrin (I), 7-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenanthrene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (II), 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methoxyphenyl-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (III), tyrosol 8-O-beta-D-gluco-pyranoside (IV), vanilloloside (V), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (VI), sucrose (VII), adenosine (VIII).

CONCLUSIONThese compounds are isolated from this plant for the first time. All compounds were evaluated against human colon cancer (HCT-8), human hepatoma (Bel7402), human stomach cancer(BGC-823), human lung adenocarcinoma (A549), human breast cancer (MCF-7), and human ovarian cancer (A2780) cell lines, and cirrhopetalanthrin (I) showed non-selective moderate cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 8.4-13.3 micromol x L(-1), and other compounds were inactive.

Adenosine ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sucrose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo develop an simple and sensitive method for detecting anti-coronavirus IgG antibodies in bat sera based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

METHODSA commercial ELISA kit for detecting SARS-CoV antibody was modified for detecting coronavirus antibodies in bat serum samples. The second antibody in the kit was replaced with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated protein-A (HRP-SPA) based on the characteristics of binding between Staphylococcus aureus protein A (SPA) and mammal IgG Fc fragment. The sera of 55 fulvous fruit bats (Rousettus dasymallus) were tested using the SPA-ELISA.

RESULTSThe test results of the positive and negative controls in the kit and the serum samples from convalescent ;patient were consistent with expectation. Coronavirus antibody was detected in 2 out of the 55 bat serum samples. Serum neutralization test confirmed the validity of the SPA-ELISA method.

CONCLUSIONThis SPA-ELISA method is applicable for detecting coronavirus antibody in bat sera.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Chiroptera ; virology ; Coronavirus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the corm of the planted Cremastra appendiculata.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by column chromatography with silica gel and Sephadex LH-20, and their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR techniques.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated, and identified as isohircinol (I), flavanthrinin (II), p-hydroxyphenylethyl alcohol (III), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyl alcohol (IV), daucosterol (V), beta-sitosterol (VI).

CONCLUSIONThese compounds were not previously isolated from this plant, and isohircinol (I) was obtained from natural source for the first time.

Orchidaceae ; chemistry ; Phenylethyl Alcohol ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification