Body fat of 12 male adults were measured by water displacement me-thod(density method) at every morning for 5 successive days. The standard deviation of single observation was 0.29kg calculated by mean residual lung volume method. It was significantly lower than the value (0.5kg) calculated by the ordinary method (p

Communicable diseases are the major threats to the health and security of all the people living in Liberia, including UN peacekeepers from China. The most prevalent communicable diseases in Liberia include malaria, HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection, sexual transmitted disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, tuberculosis, cholera, pertussis, hepatitis, meningococcal disease, typhoid fever, Lassa fever and yellow fever. An insight into the profiles and epidemiology of the above epidemics in Liberia would greatly help peacekeepers with disease diagnosis and epidemic prevention. According to the profiles of epidemics in Liberia and the authors' experience in epidemic prevention in Liberia, the authors recommend that peacekeepers strengthen their epidemic prevention as follows. Firstly, a combined vector control strategy is suggested for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. Secondly, water safety should be highlighted by water disinfection and regular water quality testing. Thirdly, vaccines, diagnostic reagents and medications should be accordingly outfitted. Then, the awareness of epidemic prevention and individual hygiene should be improved by education and strict management. Finally, the daily life management for peacekeepers is also very important. The epidemic overviews and strategies for epidemic prevention described in this paper are also useful for all the other peacekeepers deployed in Africa.

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammation caused by a variety of factors, involving a variety of cells and cellular components, which is often accompanied by airway hyperresponsiveness and airway remodeling. At present, asthma has become a common chronic respiratory disease. There exists close relationship between the asthma and signaling pathways. MAPK, PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, TGF-β, Notch and Wnt pathways related to the asthma were extensively studied currently. Traditional Chinese medicine shows advantages in the treatment of chronic diseases such as asthma. In order to explain the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of asthma and develop new asthma drugs originated from traditional Chinese medicine, the role of traditional Chinese medicine in the intervention of related signaling pathways of asthma was reviewed. In addition, the relationship between signaling pathway and pathogenesis (airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsive, and airway remodeling) were also discussed.

Objective: To compare the toxicity of the flower buds and leaves from Tussilago farfara, and provide scientific basis for the utilization of the leaves of T. farfara. Methods: The 3 dpf (day post fertilization) healthy AB and transgene zebrafish were selected. The flowers, the leaves, the flowers coupled with Aster tataricus, and the leaves coupled with A. tataricus were prepared at the concentration of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/mL. The fluorescent area of the liver and ALT and AST levels were measured after 72 h of drug treatment. For the renal toxicity assay, the morphology of zebrafish and the nutrient solution protein were also determined. Results: Compared with the control group, there were no significant differences in liver biochemical indexes in the four drug treatment groups. However, the fluorescence area of liver decreased in the flowers and flowers coupled with A. tataricus group at the concentration of 1.5 mg/mL. No significant difference was observed in the four groups of the nephrotoxicity assay. Conclusion: The flower and the flower coupled with A. tataricus showed minor hepatotoxicity at higher doses, and the leaves showed no stronger toxicity than the flower buds in comparison with the flower buds. It can provide refercences for the resource utilization of the leaves of T. farfara.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Mitochondria ; pathology ; Podocytes ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines from an overall perspective.

METHODCarthamus tinctorius was taken the example. Its major components were depleted by preparing liquid chromatography. Afterwards, the samples with major components depleted were evaluated for their antioxidant effect, so as to compare and analyze the major efficacious materials of C. tinctorius with antioxidant activity and the contributions.

RESULTSeven major components were depleted from C. tinctorius samples, and six of them were identified with MS data and control comparison. After all of the samples including depleted materials are compared and evaluated for their antioxidant effect, the findings showed that hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3, 6-di-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide were the major efficacious materials.

CONCLUSIONThis study explored a novel and effective method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines. Through this method, we could explain the direct and indirect contributions of different components to the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines, and make the efficacious material expression of traditional Chinese medicines clearer.

Alkalies ; chemistry ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry

Objective To discuss the clinical efficiency of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) and precancerous lesions. Method Clinical data of 106 patients with EGC or precancerous lesions who received the treatment of ESD from June 2012 to June 2015 was collected. Then analyzing the treatment effect, complications, postoperative pathology and long-term efficacy of ESD. Results The overall en bloc resection rate was 100.0％, the mean operation time was (61.8 ± 17.3) min and the mean diameter of the lesions was (2.7 ± 1.3) cm. No endoscopic massive haemorrhage occurred; The incidence of perforation and postoperative delayed bleeding was 6.6％ and 5.7％ respectively, which were cured by endoscopic treatment and there was no surgical treatment. Postoperative pathological results showed high differentiated adenocarcinoma in 23 cases, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in 29 cases, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in 19 cases, signet ring cell carcinoma in 3 cases and high grade intraepithelial neoplasia in 32 cases. Among them, 7 cases with basal tumor invasion, and there were no margin positive cases. So the R0 resection rate was 93.4％ and the R1 removal rate was 6.6％. The 7 cases with R1 resection reached R0 resection after second endoscopic treatment. 5 cases recurred within 1 years after the operation, and the recurrence rate was 4.7％. Up to December 2016, 3 patients died, the median follow-up period was 34 months and the 3 year survival rate was 97.9％. Conclusion ESD is safe and feasible in the treatment of EGC and precancerous lesions with the advantages of less trauma, faster recovery, less complications and reliable curative effect. Its clinical efficiency is similar to surgery.

Objective To analyze factors influencing prognosis and to develop a prognosis predicting model for patients with chronic severe hepatitis. Methods Clinical data from 408 patients suffering from chronic severe hepatitis were divided into improved group and deteriorated group. The main clinical and laboratory variables were analyzed as predictive factors of prognosis with logistic regression analysis. Results It was shown that age, sex, Tbil, Dbil, [Cl-], [Na+], WBC, MCV, PT, NH3, PIA, and BUN were different between the two groups with statistical significance (P ＜ 0.05). The prognosis predicting model was P=1/(1+e-y), Y=- 4.636+0.022X1+0.034X2+0.096X3+0.047X4-0.042X5, (X1-age, X2-Tbil, X3-BUN, X4-MCV, X5-PTA) .Conclusion Age, Tbil, BUN, MCV and PTA are the independent risk factors related to prognosis of chronic severe hepatitis.

OBJECTIVETo study the epidemiology and strain variations of astrovirus infection among children under 5 years of age, hospitalized for acute diarrhea in China.

METHODSInpatients under 5 years of age with acute diarrhea in hospitals of seven provinces between 1998 and 2005 were enrolled in the study Stool specimens were collected and tested for astrovirus using the Dako Amplified IDEIA Astrovirus kits or reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Genetic identities of the strains were determined using RT-PCR with serotype-specific primers and confirmed by sequencing of the RT-PCR products.

RESULTSA total of 1668 diarrheal stool samples tested for both rotavirus and calicivirus negative were examined. The detection rate of astrovirus infection was 5.5% (91/1668) and the diarrhea cases caused by astrovirus infection could be found in any season of the year but mainly occurred in cold season from October to next January. Astrovirus detection-rates were: 7.4% among infants aged 9-11 months followed by 6.1% in 12-17 month-olds, and 6-8 months 5.6% & 0-2 months 5.6% before 8 months. Over 95% of astrovirus infections occurred in children before 2 years of age. Among 49 strains, typed, serotype 1(45/91) was most commonly seen while serotype 5 was in two cases and serotype 3 and 8 were detected in only one case respectively.

CONCLUSIONAstrovirus seemed an important etiologic agent in young children with acute diarrhea in China and Serotype 1 was the most prevalent one.

Acute Disease ; Astroviridae ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Astroviridae Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Diarrhea ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Inpatients ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seasons ; Serotyping

OBJECTIVEGaucher disease is the most common lysosomal storage disorder. A deficiency of beta-glucocerebrosidase causes accumulation of the glucocerebroside in macrophages throughout the body. This study summarizes the effects of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with Imiglucerase in children with Gaucher disease.

METHODSData from 72 patients (46 were male and 26 female, age ranged from 16 months to 22 years, median 8 years and 8 months) who were treated in the hospital between May 1999 and October 2005 were collected and analyzed, 57 of the patients had type 1 Gaucher disease, 2 patients with type 2, and 13 patients with type 3. Twenty-two patients had undergone total splenectomy. Imiglucerase was given at an initial dose 60 U/kg body weight by intravenous infusion every 2 weeks. The dose was reduced to 45 U/kg when they had achieved the specified therapeutic goals after 2 years. Clinical outcome data of Imiglucerase treatment were collected using routine Gaucher clinical measures, including growth, hematology, liver and spleen 3-dimensional measurements, and skeletal assessments every 3 - 6 months.

RESULTSThree patients were lost to follow-up, 4 patients died, and 65 patients continued to receive the therapy. Hemoglobin and platelet levels of the patients with intact spleen increased most rapidly from the first 12 months of ERT (P < 0.01). Hemoglobin level of the patients who had undergone splenectomy determined at 30 months of treatment was higher than that of baseline (P < 0.01), but platelet levels were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The volumes of the liver decreased after the 6 months of ERT, decreased in average by (39 +/- 17)% at 24 months (P < 0.01). The volumes of spleen decreased after the 12 months of ERT by (59 +/- 21)% at 24 months (P < 0.01). During the first 12 month, the height and weight of the patients who were 2 - 12 years old increased (8.6 +/- 4.3) cm and (2.6 +/- 1.7) kg, respectively, and those of the patients who were 12 - 18 years old increased (5.2 +/- 3.9) cm and (4.5 +/- 3.3) kg, separately. Bone pain reported by 16 patients relieved after 3 months of treatment. But radiological evidence of bone disease did not change. The signs and symptoms of CNS involvement in patients with type 2 and type 3 disease were not improved. No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSIONSERT with Imiglucerase could improve the quality of life of the patients with Gaucher disease by ameliorating the Gaucher disease-associated anemia, thrombocytopenia, organomegaly, growth retardation and bone pain.

Adolescent ; Anemia ; enzymology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme Replacement Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Gaucher Disease ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Glucosylceramidase ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; deficiency ; therapeutic use ; Growth Disorders ; enzymology ; Hepatomegaly ; enzymology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenomegaly ; enzymology ; Thrombocytopenia ; enzymology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult