To compare the effects of laparoscopic total or subtotal hysterectomy and myomectomy on ovarian reserve by measuring the serum level of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH).A total of 96 patients with uterine fibroids underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH group,n =32),laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy (LSH group,n =31) and laparoscopic myomectomy (LM group,n =33).Changes in ovarian reserve were examined by measuring the level of AMH pre-operation and at 1 and 4 months post-operation.No significant differences existed in AMH in LM group[(1.42 ±0.65),(1.31 ±0.53) & (1.33 ±0.61) μg/L,P ＞ 0.05].The levels of AMH in both groups were significantly lower than those at pre-operation [(1.17 ± 0.11),(1.01 ±0.10),(0.48±0.54) & (1.18±0.93),(0.45 ±0.39),(0.14±0.0) μg/L,P＜0.001].The mean percentage decrease in AMH was lower in TLH group than that in LSH group at 4-month follow-up [(-37.4 ± 37.6) ％ vs.(-27.0 ± 23.0) ％,P =0.017].The results showed that LM had no effect on ovarian reserve.Both LSH and TLH had adverse effects on ovarian reserve and TLH was more marked.

Ascites ; complications ; etiology ; Heart Failure ; complications ; etiology ; Hemochromatosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo verify the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions by studying the targeted distribution of major components in stewed rhubarb in the rat model with acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODNormal SD rats (control group, n = 5) and the AP model induced with intraperitoneal cerulein (model group, n = 5) were taken as the experimental objects. Rats of the two groups were orally administered with stewed rhubarb granules (20 g x kg(-1)). Their heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and pancreas were collected two hours after the administration. Such constituents as emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, rhein and aloe-emodin and their concentrations in each tissue homogenate were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-mass-mass.

RESULTAloe-emodin and physcion in stewed rhubarb whose concentrations in liver and kidney of normal rats were higher than that in pancreatic tissues, while the distribution spectrums and concentrations of the remaining components in pancreatic tissues had no significant difference with that of other organs. The concentrations of emodin, aloe-emodin, rhein and chrysophanol in stewed rhubarb in pancreatic tissues of the AP model group were higher than that in other tissues and organs, while their concentrations in pancreatic, renal and splenic tissues were notably higher than that in the normal group.

CONCLUSIONIn the conditions of AP, effective components in stewed rhubarb show a targeted distribution feature in pancreas, which provides experimental basis for the pharmacological hypothesis of prescriptions.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Organ Specificity ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rheum ; chemistry

A study on the microbial transformation of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) was conducted by a fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 systematically. After incubation with the cell cultures of C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 at 25 degrees C for 7 days on a rotary shaker operating at 135 r x min(-1), GA was converted into one major product and five minor products. The products were extracted and purified by solvent extraction, macroporous adsorbent resin, silica gel column chromatography, and semi-preparative RP-HPLC chromatography. Their structures were identified as 3-oxo-15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(1), 3-oxo-15β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (2), 7β,15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (3), 3-oxo-7β, 15α-dihydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (4), 7β-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(5) and 15α-hydroxy-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid(6) by the analyses of MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic data respectively. Among them, 2 was a new compound. These results suggest that C. blakesleeana CGMCC 3.970 has the capability of selective ketonization and hydroxylation for GA. [Key words] glycyrrhetinic acid; Cunninghamella blakesleeana CGMCC 3. 970; microbial transformation
Biotransformation ; Cunninghamella ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The contamination of extrinsic harmful contaminants including mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticides, etc, brings serious risks to traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), further to human health. Due to their unique photoluminescence, chemiluminescence, electrochemical and electrochemiluminescence properties, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) nanoparticles are widely used to immobilize bioprobes and biosensors, etc. In this review, the luminescence characteristics and specific ligands of QDs probles which are used to determine contaminants were summed up. Then, the applications of QDs-coated novel probes in the determination of mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticides were discussed in detail. In addition, the contamination levels and characteristics of extrinsic harmful residues in TCMs were investigated. Further, the maximum levels of those contaminants in TCMs were compared with those set by various countries. Finally, the future development trends and problems of QDs-coated probes in the determination of those extrinsic residues in TCMs were prospected.
Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Nanotechnology ; instrumentation ; methods ; Quantum Dots ; Safety ; Time Factors

Objective To assess the value of procalcitonin(PCT)measurement to differentiate infection from non-infection in critically ill patients requiring long-term immunosuppressive therapy.Methods A prospective study was conducted in patients with underlying diseases requiring corticosteroids or chemotherapy in ICU from January 2008 to December 2009.Patients were divided into the infection group and the non-infection group and their PCT levels were compared.Results A total of 103 patients (65 women)were enrolled in this prospective study[aged(47.9 ± 21.9)years old]with 84 in the infection group and 19 in the non-infection group.The baseline level of PCT was significantly higher in infection than in non-infection patients[2.58(0.08-44.65)pg/L vs 0.62(0.15-6.00)pg/L,P =0.002].Different levels of PCT were manifested in different pathogen groups with 3.41(0.45-44.65)pg/L in bacteria infection,0.99(0.28-6.67)pg/L in fungus infection,0.11(0.08-0.20)pg/L in virus infection group(P =0.018).The AUCROC of PCT was 0.867 for diagnostic bacterial infection.By multivariate analysis,the factors associated with the level of PCT were bacteria infection(OR 5.1,P =0.031)and septic shock(OR 7.5,P =0.027),while the factors not associated with the level of PCT were age,renal function,infection site and prognosis(P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The level of PCT is increased in the critically ill patients requiring immunosuppressive therapy with infection and it can be used for diagnosis for bacterial infection.

BACKGROUND: Enteral immunonutrition (EIN) refers to addition of some specific nutrients in enteral nutrition (EN), which can help to increase the immune function, and reduce the inflammatory reaction and septic complications. This study aimed to determine whether EIN can improve the immune function in multiple trauma patients. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with multiple trauma who had been admitted to the general ICU of Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, from March 2007 to May 2008, were randomly divided into two groups: an enteral immunonutrition group (EIN group, n=16) and an enteral nutrition group (EN group, n=16). EIN suspension (RuiNeng produced by Sino-Swed Co., Ltd) and ordinary nutrition liquid (RuiSu produced by Sino-Swed Co., Ltd) were given to patients of the EIN group and EN group respectively for at least for 14 days. Peripheral blood lymphocyte count (TLC), immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA), and T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4 / CD8) were detected on the 1st day after grouping, and the 7th day and 14th day after nutritional support. RESULTS: TLC, IgG, IgM, IgA, CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly higher in the EIN group on the 7th and 14th day than that on the 1st day (P<0.05), and continually increased with a prolonged time of EIN. The parameters of immune function in the EN group on the 7th day didn't change significantly compared with those on the 1st day after grouping; on the 14 th day, TLC, IgG, IgM, IgA, CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly higher than those on the 1st day after grouping (P<0.05), but were significantly lower than those in the EIN group on the 14th day (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with the general formula EN, EIN is more helpful for the recovery of humoral and cellular immune function in the early post-multitraumatic phase.

Objective:To screen radiosensitive lipid metabolites in rat small intestine and analyze their metabolic pathways, in order to provide scientific basis for radiation enteropathy biomarkers.Methods:The total body irradiation of 60Co γ rays was performed to rats with different doses of 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 Gy. The changes of lipids in small intestine were studied by targeted lipidomics method based on liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Results:Fifteen lipids in small intestine were screened as radiosensitive metabolites at 3 d after irradiation, including 4 up-regulated lipids and 11 down-regulated lipids( t=-6.395, 5.998, 5.836, -5.503, -5.449, -5.422, 4.841, 4.802, 4.621, 4.457, 4.426, 4.373, 4.110, 3.945, 3.902, P< 0.05 and FDR < 0.05). The metabolic pathways of sphingolipid, glycerophosphoplipid were significantly enriched. Four phosphatidyl serines (PS)increased while 1 phosphatidic acid(PA), 2 sphingomyelins(SM) and 4 fatty acids(FA)decreased in a good dose-response manner( R2> 0.80, P< 0.05), which were more potential radiation enteropathy biomarkers. Conclusions:Lipid metabolites in rat small intestine were significantly changed after the rat was total body irradiated with 60Co γ-rays.Eleven lipids with good dose-response relationship were more potential to be radiation enteropathy biomarkers.

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric ( HPLC-MS / MS) method coupled with an immunoaffinity clean-up column was successfully developed for determination of aflatoxins (AFB1 , AFB2 , AFG1 , AFG2 , AFM1 and AFM2 ) and zeranols ( α-zeranol, β-zeranol, α-zearalenol,β-zearalenol, zearalanone and zearalenone ). The sample was extracted with methanol-acetonitrile (20∶ 80, V/ V) after enzymatic digestion by β-glucuronidase / sulfatase, and the extraction solution was passed through glassy fiber filter paper and then diluted with phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The reconstituted solution was cleaned up with IAC-AZ immunoaffinity column, and then analyzed by HPLC-MS / MS in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The results indicated that the linear detection range was 0. 03-6. 0 μg / L for AFB2 and AFG2 , and 0. 05-20 μg / L for the rest compounds. The correlation coefficients were above 0. 999. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) were 0. 01-0. 03 μg / kg and 0. 04-0. 09 μg / kg, respectively. The recoveries of the aflatoxins and zeranols were in the range of 73. 6% -98. 4% at the spiked levels of 0. 5, 1 and 5 μg / kg, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were in the range of 1. 9% -11. 2% . The method was proved to be simple and accurate, and suitable for the rapid determination of aflatoxins and zeranols in animal-originated foods.

Objective To study the N terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)in serum of hypertension patients. Methods 152 patients with hypertension were included in this study.According to the different degree and development of hypertension,152 patients were divided into three different grade group of hypertension:first grade of hypertension group (30 patients),second grade of hypertension group (36 patients)and third grade of hypertension group (86 patients).And the 86 patients were divided into hypertension group (40 patients)and hypertension with diabetes group (46 patients)re-spectively,comparaed with the level of NT-proBNP in serum of different hypertension grade groups.Results The levels of the NT-proBNP in serum were 68±44,122±31 and 834±309 pg/ml of first grade of hypertension group,second grade of hypertension group and third grade of hypertension group,respectively.The level of the NT-proBNP was gradually increased with grade of hypertension (t=2.455,3.561,P<0.01).The level of the NT-proBNP (1 178±864 pg/ml)of hypertension with diabetes group was significantly higher than hypertension group (599±411 pg/ml)(t=3.785,P<0.01).Conclusion The level of NT-proBNP can obj ectively reflect the grade of the disease in patients with hypertension.it is a certain signifi-cance guiding for monitoring the clinical treatment of the disease.