OBJECTIVETO establish a RP-HPLC method for the determination of calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside in Radix Astragali, and to analyse the calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside content of ten samples of Radix Astragali, collected from different regions.

METHODA Polaris C18(250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microns) column was used and a mixture of methanol-water (30:70) was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL.min-1. The column temperature was 25 degrees C and the UV detection wavelength was 254 nm.

RESULTThe calibration curve was in good linearity over the range of 0.0106-2.12 micrograms with the regression equation Y = 3035. 97 X - 14.85(r = 0.9999). The average recovery was 95.8% (n = 5, RSD = 1.3%).

CONCLUSIONThe method is simple, quick, sensitive and reproducible. In all of the samples, the calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside contents differ markedly.

Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; classification ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Ecosystem ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Isoflavones ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo carry out epidemiological study on an outbreak caused by E. coli O157:H7 infection in Jiangsu province in 1999.

METHODSEpidemiological, microbiological and moleculebiological methods were used to find out the source, route of transmission and risk factors.

RESULTS95 severe O157:H7 infected patients with acute renal failure in 9 counties and districts of 2 municipalities were reported in Jiangsu province, 1999 while 83 of the patients died with a death rate of 87.37%. Most patients were seen in mid or late June. The ratio of male to female was 1 to 1.44 and 88.42% of the patients were over 50 years old. 38 patients occurred in 2000 with 34 deaths. Major factors contributing to the outbreak would include without drinking tap water, eating leftover food, poor sanitary status in kitchen, not washing hands before meal and after bowl movement. 2 strain of O157:H7 was isolated from severe patients and 3 from diarrhea cases. Carrier rate among animals was up to 9.62% and 99.41% of the strains carried toxic gene. Strains isolated from feces of patients and animals belonged to the same colonies.

CONCLUSIONThis outbreak was severe which caused by O157:H7 and was first seen in China, which was closely related to the high carrier rate of O157:H7 in animals and to the positive rate of high toxic gene of the strains. There were various routes of transmission and the main factors of infection would include poor personal health habits and poor sanitation of the household.

Acute Kidney Injury ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; immunology ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Diarrhea ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Escherichia coli Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; Escherichia coli O157 ; isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; immunology ; Female ; Hemolysin Proteins ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Objective: To introduce the construction idea and function for establishing China Cardiovascular Surgery Registry (CCSR)database and to provide a reference for domestic congener databases. Methods: Using peer database as reference, taking current status of cardiovascular surgery registry and hardware in our country with the necessity of international communication, we worked on a variables selection, metadata instruction, logic rules, case report form develpment and finally established a web-based, multi-functional database that enabled cross-database and international merging of data, forming a national intelligent data-exchanging platform for cardiovascular surgery. Results:CCSR database has over 300 variables of multiple topics including basic information, risk factors, medical procedures and endpoint events. Taking clinical and association data exchange standards as reference, it may conduct cross-discipline data connection, record important peri-operative information in relevant patients and meanwhile, it has the functions of automatic logic check, data report, statistical study, data export and importing the electronic medical records. Conclusion:CCSR database is a national platform accord with current status of Chinese cardiovascular surgery and characteristics, meanwhile it gives consideration to international communication and data exchange; which may play a important role in improving medical care and clinical investigation.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in elderly patients to improve their prognoses.Methods Such clinical data as clinical manifestations,angioarchitecture features,location and therapy of 28 elderly patients (≥60 years old) with AVMs,admitted to our hospital from January 2000 to December 2011,were retrospectively analyzed.Results The elderly patients had 5.4％ (28/511) morbidity of AVMs,with mean age of (62.25±3.46) years; the male patients were slightly more than the female patients.The clinical presentations included hemorrhage in 20 patients,seizure in 4,headache in 2,facial tic in 1 and tinnitus in 1.Supratentorial and infratentorial lesions were noted in 22 and 6,respectively.The maximum diameter of AVMs was smaller than 3 centimeters in 11 patients,ranged from 3 to 6 centimeters in 16,and larger than 6 centimeters in 1.Twenty-one AVMs were located in the functional areas and 7 in non-functional areas.Deep vein drainage was noted in 15,two-way drainage in 1 and superficial drainage in 11.Spetzeler-Martin grading showed grade Ⅰ in 1,grade Ⅱ in 7,grade Ⅲ in 13,grade Ⅳ in 6 and grade V in 1.After operation,endovascular embolization,27 patients had significantly improved symptoms; one patient had no effect on any treatments.Conclusion The elderly patients with cAVMs have low morbidity with hemorrhage as its most common symptom; and the lesions mostly locate in the supratentorial region; active intervention therapy (resection,endovascular embolization and radiotherapy)can obviously improve the prognosis and quality of lives.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meningioma ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDMeningioma is one of the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system, but there are not many detailed studies on the sex, age, subtypes and locations of large series. This study was a retrospective analysis of the characteristics of meningioma cases consecutively operated on at a single institution in China from 2001 to 2010.

METHODSThis study investigated the demographic background of 7084 meningioma cases, and the subtypes and locations of the tumors. Sex and age distributions were analyzed, and the pathological subtypes were classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The location of the meningiomas was also categorized.

RESULTSThe female:male ratio of the 7084 cases was 2.34:1. The mean age was 51.4 years (range, 11 months-86 years). The mean age of cases of WHO grade I meningioma was significantly older than that of grade II or III meningiomas (P < 0.001, Fisher's Least Significant Digit test). There was a significantly higher female:male ratio in WHO grade I meningiomas than in grade II or grade III meningiomas (2.57, 1.03 and 0.76, respectively; P < 0.001, χ(2) test). Meningothelial (n = 2061) and fibrous meningiomas (n = 3556) were the most common subtypes, comprising 79.3% of all meningiomas. All meningioma cases were classified into 23 locations in this study, with the cerebral convexity the most common site (38.33%, n = 2722). Cases with uncommon locations such as extra-cranial and sylvian fissure meningiomas were also present in this series.

CONCLUSIONSFemale predominance was found for benign meningiomas, while malignant subtypes showed male predominance. The mean age of patients with WHO grade I meningiomas was older than that of patients with higher-grade tumors. Meningothelial and fibrous meningiomas were the most common subtypes. The cerebral convexity was the most common meningioma location.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Meningioma ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult