Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases ; metabolism ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; classification ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; PAX8 Transcription Factor ; Paired Box Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; classification ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism

Anticoagulants ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rodenticides ; poisoning

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; physiopathology ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Pneumoconiosis ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in liver transplant recipients.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted of 3 patients who developed AIHA following orthotopic liver transplantation. The results of hemolysis tests and examinations of hemoglobin, white blood cells, platelets, total bilirubin, and alanine aminotransferase before and after treatments were reviewed.

RESULTSThese 3 patients developed AIHA following the transplantation possibly in association with the use of immunosuppressive agents, and the condition was effectively controlled after corresponding treatments.

CONCLUSIONAIHA is a uncommon complication after liver transplantation and can be cured after a definitive diagnosis with corresponding treatments.

Aged ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

As a part of the project for the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition), the quality standard of Sophora flavescens root extract was investigated and established. According to the methods described in the Appendix of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), the water and ash inspections were carried out. The marker components trifolirhizin, sophoraflavanone G, oxymatrine and oxysophocarpine in the samples were identified by qualitative TLC. The determination of oxymatrine, matrine, oxysophocarpine and sophocarpine was conducted by HPLC and the total flavonoids were measured by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, using sophoraflavanone G as reference substance. The results indicated the spots on the plate were clear with good resolution and the contents of oxymatrine, matrine, oxysophocarpine and sophocarpine in the 13 batches of the samples were 3.87% - 11.1%, 0.970% - 4.33%, 1.30% - 2.59% and 0.260% - 1.14%, respectively. The total flavoids in the 13 batches of the samples were 3.88% - 7.93%. In the study, the validated methods were reproducible and the established quality standard was feasible, which could be used for the quality control of S. flavescens root extract and related preparations.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Sophora ; chemistry

A wide range of pharmacological and clinical studies have been made on compound Ejiao Jiang in enriching blood, enhancing white blood cell, adjuvant chemotherapy, et al. By reference to relevant documents, this study summarizes current researches on compound Ejiao Jiang in terms of pharmacological and clinical application, providing literature basis for further studies on compound Ejiao Jiang.
Animals ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of curcumin (CUR) on cycteinyl aspirate specific protease-12 (Caspase-12) and pneumocyte apoptosis in pulmonary ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury mice.

METHODSThe in vivo unilateral in situ pulmonary I/R injury mouse model was established in C57BL/6J mice. Sixty experimental mice were randomly divided into six groups by random digit table, i. e., the sham-operation group (Sham), the I/R group, the I/R + dimethyl sulfoxide group (I/R + DMSO), the I/R + low dose CUR pre-treated group (I/R + CUR-100), the I/R + middle dose CUR pre-treated group (I/R + CUR-150), the I/R + high dose CUR pre-treated group (I/R + CUR-200), 10 in each group. Mice were euthanized and their left lungs were excised. Wet lung weight to dry lung weight (W/D) and the total lung water content (TLW) were tested. The morphological changes of the lung tissue were observed and index of quantitative evaluation for alveolar damage (IQA) detected under light microscope. The ultra-microstructure of the lung tissue was observed under electron microscope. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Caspase-12 and glucose regulated protein (GRP78) were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. Apoptosis index (AI) of the lung tissue was determined by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) method.

RESULTSCompared with the Sham group, expression levels of Caspase-12, GRP78 mRNA and protein all significantly increased in the I/R group (P < 0.05); W/D, TLW, IQA, and AI were all notably higher (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the morphological and ultrastructural injury of the lung tissue were notably observed in I/R group. Compared with the I/R + DMSO group, expression levels of GRP78 mRNA and protein were increasingly higher in the I/R + CUR-100 group, the I/R + CUR-150 group, and the I/R +CUR-200 group (P < 0.05), expression levels of Caspase-12 mRNA and protein were lower (P < 0.05); W/D, TLW, IQA, and AI also decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the morphological and ultrastructural injury of the lung tissue were gradually alleviated in the I/R + CUR groups.

CONCLUSIONCUR had better effect on the lung protection against I/R injury, which might be related to inhibition for pneumocyte apoptosis associated with Caspase-12 in excessive unfolded protein response (UPR).

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of ropivacaine injection at the acupoints Hegu and Sanyinjiao for labor analgesia and its effects on cortisol level in parturients.

METHODSA total of 120 ASA class I-II nulliparous women undergoing spontaneous term labor (37 to 41 weeks of gestation) with a live, singleton fetus in the occiput anterior position and requiring labor analgesia with acupuncture were enrolled in this study. These women were randomized into study group and control group and received injections of 1 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine and normal saline, respectively, at each of the acupoints of bilateral Sanyinjiao and Hegu in the first stage of labor. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and at 30, 60 and 120 min after analgesia, the time of labor, delivery outcome and cortisol levels were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe VAS was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P<0.05). At 120 min after injections of ropivacaine or saline, serum cortisol level was significantly higher in the control group than in the study group (P<0.05). The rates of cesarean section and instrumental delivery and the time of labor were all similar between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONRopivacaine injection at Hegu and Sanyinjiao is effective for labor analgesia and does not prolong the process of labor or increase the rates of cesarean section or instrumental delivery.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence and risk factors of prehypertension among adults in mainland China and identify the high-risk population.

METHODSSix databases including Chinese Biological Medical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database (WF), PubMed and Web of Knowledge were searched for publications documenting the incidence and risk factors of prehypertension among general population in Chinese adults. Eligible studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria for meta-analysis using Stata software and RevMan software.

RESULTSTwenty-one published studies were finally included. The results showed that the incidence of prehypertension was 37% in Chinese adults. The pooled SMD (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 0.37 (0.29-0.46) for body mass index, 0.20 (0.12-0.27) for fasting blood glucose (FPG), 0.17 (0.15-0.19) for total cholesterol (TC), 0.22 (0.17-0.27) for triglyceride (TG), 0.13 (0.10-0.15) for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and -0.07 (-0.16-0.02) for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). For smoking, drinking and family history of hypertension, the pooled OR (95% CI) were 1.44 (1.40-1.47), 1.60 (1.44-1.79), and 1.19 (1.04-1.35), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of prehypertension among adults in mainland China is relatively high, especially in males. BMI, FBG, TC, TG, LDL-C, smoking, drinking and family history of hypertension are positively related to prehypertension, and early intervention is recommended to reverse these modifiable risk factors.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Prehypertension ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Triglycerides