OBJECTIVE: To discuss the main influence factors of sound pressure level parameters in patients with simple snoring (SS) and obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrom (OSAHS). METHOD: Eighty-four cases with snoring disease underwent polysomnography and simultaneously snoring sound pressure level recording. The correlations between AHI, age, BMI, abdomen circumference, neck circumference, the lowest oxygen saturation total apnea time and sound pressure level parameters: equivalent continuous sound level(LAeq)and maximum sound pressure level(L10) were analyzed. RESULT: LAeq was significantly correlated to AHI (P= 0. 000) and BMI (P= 0. 007), and the odd ratios of AHI and BMI were 5. 74,2. 09 respectively, but it was unrelated to age, abdomen circumference, neck circumference, the lowest oxygen saturation and total apnea time. A significantly association also existed between L10 and AHI(P=0. 000), BMI(P=0. 032), and the odd ratios were 4. 11 and 2. 33 respectively. Other factors had nothing to do with L10. CONCLUSION The main factors which affect the snoring sound pressure level parameters LAeq and L10 are AHI and BMI.
Humans ; Polysomnography ; Pressure ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; physiopathology ; Snoring ; physiopathology ; Sound

Objective To establish a molecular identification method for three cultivars of Amomum villosum Lour.(AVL),thus to provide scientific evidence for the identification,selection and breeding of AVL.Methods The fragments of 26S rDNA D1-D3 region and matK gene of three cultivars of AVL and Amomum longiligulare T.L.Wu were amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and with corresponding primers,and then their sequences were analyzed,and phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the sequences.Results We obtained 739 bp in 26S rDNA D1-D3 sequence.Differences in 4 basic sites of 739 bp were shown between AVL and Amomum longiligulare T.L.Wu.The two cultivars of AVL,Changguo and Yuanguo,had the same sequence,but there was a difference in one basic site of Changguo and Yuanguo from Chunxuan.The phylogenetic tree based on 26S rDNA D1-D3 sequence revealed the difference between Chunxuan and the other two cultivars of AVL.We also obtained 824 bp in matK gene sequence.The three cultivars of AVL showed the consistent sequence,but there was a difference in one basic site of three cultivars of AVL from Amomum longiligulare T.L.Wu.Conclusion We can identify the three cultivars of AVL through the sequence differences at the molecular level,and Chunxuan has a closer genetic relationship with Amomum longiligulare T.L.Wu.

Objective An investigation of new cultivars of Amomum villosum Lour.(AVL) with high yield and good quality was carried out,thus to supply evidences for the identification of AVL cultivars in accordance with the morphological features of their flowers and fruits.Methods An investigation of AVL species from the genuine producing areas of Yangchun city of Guangdong province was performed.The morphological features of flowers and fruits of two cultivars(Changguo and Yuanguo) as well as one breeding type(Chunxuan type) were examined.Results Specific and significant features were screened out in different cultivars of AVL.Conclusion There exit specific features in flowers and fruits of different cultivars of AVL from Yangchun.

Objective Serum miRNA has been regarded as a potential biomarker for diagnosis, therapeutic evaluation and prognostic prediction in cancer patients. This study aims to explore the clinical significance of the expression level of metastasis- related microRNA (miR- 18b) in the serum in AFP- negative (≤ 20 ng/ml) hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients receiving radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods A total of 131 HCC patients with negative serum AFP, who were encountered during the period from January 2007 to January 2011 at authors’ hospital, were enrolled in this study. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the lesions was carried out in all patients. Serum samples were collected before RFA. Forty - three healthy individuals were selected for control. The expression level of serum miR - 18b was deternmined by using quantitative real- time PCR method in all the patients and the healthy individuals. The correlations of the expression level of serum miR - 18b with clinico - pathological factors, postoperative recurrence, overall cirrhosis (P = 0.035), tumor diameter (P < 0.01) and tumor differentiation (P = 0.020). During the follow-up period, 79 patients (60.3%) developed recurrent tumors, and the expression level of serum miR- 18b in them was dramatically higher than that in the patients showing no recurrence (3.26 ± 1.28 vs. 2.42 ± 0.86, P <0.01). The incidence of recurrence after RFA, especially distant intrahepatic metastasis, in patients with higher expression level of serum miR- 18b was strikingly higher than that in patients with lower expression level of serum miR- 18b (72.3% vs. 48.5%, P = 0.005). Kaplan- Meier survival analysis indicated that both overall survival rate and recurrence- free survival rate of patients with higher expression level of serum miR-18b were significantly lower than those of patients with lower expression level of serum miR- 18b. Conclusion The expression level of serum miR - 18b is significantly elevated in AFP - negative HCC patients. The expression level of serum miR- 18b might be used as an ideal biomarker for monitoring tumor recurrence as well as for predicting prognosis after RFA.

A novel and sensitive HPLC-UV method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of twelve major compounds in Longdan Xiegan Pill.The chemical profile of the twelve compounds,including geniposidic acid (1),geniposide(2),gentiopicroside(3),liquiritin(4),crocin(5),baicalin(6),wogonoside(7),baicalein(8),glycyrrhizic acid (9),wogonin (10),oroxylin A ( 11 ) and aristolochic acid A (12),was acquired using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector coupled with an electrospray tandem mass spectrometer (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS).The analysis was performed on a Dikma Platisil ODS C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm,5 μm ) with a gradient solvent system of acetonitrile-0.1％ aqueous formic acid.The validation was carried out and the linearities ( r ＞ 0.9996),repeatability (RSD＜1.8％),intra- and inter-day precision (RSD＜1.3％),and recoveries (ranging from 96.6％ to 103.4％ ) were acceptable.The limits of detection (LOD) of these compounds ranged from 0.29 to 4.17 ng.Aristolochic acid A,which is the toxic ingredient,was not detected in all the batches of Longdan Xiegan Pill.Furthermore,hierarchical cluster analysis was used to evaluate the variation of the herbal prescription.The proposed method is simple,effective and suitable for the quality control of this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Biological chemistry of Chinese herbal germplasm resources (BCCHGR) is a new cross-discipline formed from rapid development of modern science and technology and its application in the area of Chinese herbal resources. BCCHGR was defined as probing and understanding biological processes like heredity, gene transcription, expression and metabolism of Chinese herbal germplasm, at the interface of biochemistry, molecular biology and chemistry, elu-cidating the nature of Chinese herbal germplasm using as TCM medicine as well as the forming mechanism thereof. In this paper, the scientific background, definition, significance and contents of BCCHGR were discussed to depict a preliminary picture of BCCHGR and arouse popular consideration and discussions.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) represents a significant global public health challenge. Despite the availability of several approved drugs for hepatitis B treatment, the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) renders HBV eradication elusive, thereby leading to disease relapse after drug withdrawal. This paper reviews the regulatory mechanisms of cccDNA formation, transcription and replication, and summarizes the research progress of related small molecule regulators from the perspective of medicinal chemistry.

Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious threat to human life and health. The approved anti-HBV drugs including interferons and nucleos(t)ide analogues have serious adverse effect, rebound phenomena after drug withdrawal, and drug resistance. And the cccDNA cannot be completely eliminated by both of them, which is the reason why a complete cure for hepatitis B cannot be achieved. Therefore, developing anti-HBV drugs directly targeting protein or nucleic acid of HBV remains a current public health priority. Based on the analysis of representative literature from the last decade, this article reviews recent developments in small molecule inhibitors directly targeting HBV from a medicinal chemistry perspective.

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer patients with metastatic nodules of perigastric soft tissue. MethodsIn this study,1025 cases of gastric cancer received radical resection.According to the metastasis of perigastric soft tissue,patients were divided into metastatic group ( group MP,n =334 ),non-metastatic group ( group NMP,n =691 ).The clinicopathological features and prognosis were compared between the two groups. ResultsIn group MP,the ratio of upper,middle,lower,total gastric cancer was 25.8％,22.0％,51.4％,0.9％ and the ratio in group NMP was 33.2％,21.3％,41.3％,4.2％ respectively,showing significant higher ratio of upper and total gastric cancer in MP group(P =0.000). In group MP 47.3％ cases with tumor size ≥5 cm,significantly higher than that in NMP group(27％ ) (P =0.000).Lymph node metastatic ratio between 21％ -40％ and 41％ -100％ was found in 24.4％ and 37.3％ in MP group respectively,significantly higher than that of 12.9％,10.8％ in NMP group(P =0.000).20.1％ cases had distal metastasis in group MP,significantly higher than that of 4.1％ in group NMP(P=0.000).In group MP and NMP group,the ratio of Borrmann infiltration typing was 82.1％ vs.64.6％,the ratio of positive CEA was 21.2％ vs.11.4％,the ratio of lower or undifferentiation typing was 78.7％ vs.64.2％,all with significant difference (P =0.000 ). COX regression analysis showed the infiltration depth,organic invasion,lymph node metastatic ratio,M staging,Borrmann typing,metastatic nodules was the independent prognostic factors.Prognosis was significantly poorer in the cases with perigastric soft tissues than without ( P =0.000 ).Stratified analysis showed that irrespective of tumor size,infiltration depth,lymph node metastatic ratio,CEA value,Borrmann typing,differentiation degree,the mean survival time was significantly shorter in MP group than that in group NMP(P ＜ 0.005).In cases without distal metastasis,the prognosis was significant poorer in group MP than that in group NMP ( P =0.000 ),however,there was no significant difference between two groups in cases without distal metastasis ( P =0.076).ConclusionsPerigastric soft tissue metastasis was common in gastric cancer,more frequently seen in tumor ≥5 cm,or with organic invasion,lymph nodemetastaticration ≥ 21％, distalmetastasis, Borrmanninfiltrationtyping, loweror undifferentiation typing,positive CEA. Perigastric soft tissues metastasis was the independent prognotic factor for gastric cancer.

Objective To establish a DNA extraction method for DNA barcoding analysis of Chinese medicinal materials.Methods Seven different DNA extraction methods were used to extract DNA from 6 medicinal recalcitrant plants which are rich in secondary metabolites.Results CTAB method 3 was fast,simple,universal and effective,by which a high DNA concentration and qualified ratio were obtained as compared with the other methods.The DNA extracted by this method could provide good results for DNA barcoding analysis.The main improved steps of this methods were as follows:①adoption of 3 %CTAB rather than 2 %CTAB in the exaction;②adding 1 %polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) and 0.2 %?-mercaptoethnoal in extraction solution to remove secondary metabolites and to prevent DNA degradation;③centrifuge at 10000 r/min for 15 min to remove protein and impurity.Conclusion CTAB method 3 is a proper method of DNA extraction for DNA barcoding analysis of Chinese medicinal materials.