OBJECTIVE: To observe the synergetic effect of Xuebijing injection and Cefoperazone Sodium/Sulbactam Sodium for the treatment of patients with sepsis.METHODS: Patients with sepsis were randomly assigned to receive Cefoperazone Sodium/Sulbactam Sodium 3 g bid alone by iv drip(Control Group,75 cases) or in combination with Xuebijing injection(100 mL bid,79 cases) for 7 days.RESULTS: The total efficective rate after 7-day treatment had significant difference between two groups(86.67% in control group versus 94.94% in treatment group,(P

Objective To investigate the impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 on histological changes and activation of STAT3 in BLM?induced pulmonary fibrosis mice. Methods 30 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group ,BLM group and BLM+VD group. Mice in BLM group and BLM+VD group received intratracheal injection of BLM(3 U/kg). Control group were intratracheally injected equal volume of sterile saline. From the first day after the surgery,mice in BLM+VD group received intraperitoneal injection of VD (5μg/kg·d). After 21 days, H&E and Masson′s trichrome staining were carried out. Aschroft score were used to evaluate histological changes in lungs. IL?6,IL?4 and INF?γin BALF were assessed by Elisa. p?STAT3,α?SMA and Collagen I were detected by western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry. Results Fibrosis score and level of α?SMA,Collagen I in BLM group were significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.05). However ,treatment with VD effectively at?tenuated fibrosis (P<0.05). IL?6 and IL?4 increased while INF?γwas decreased in BALF of BLM group (P<0.05). VD could ameliorate these changes. Upregulation and neuclear translocation of p?STAT3 were observed in BLM group,while VD intervention could inhibit phosphorylation of STAT3. Conclusions VD attenuate BLM?induced pulmonary fibrosis and regulate inflammatory cytokines probably by blocking STAT3 activation.

Objective To explore the optimal cut-off points of body mass index(BMI),percentage of body fat(PBF) and body fat mass index(BFMI) for identification of cardiovascular risk factors clustering among elderly males. MethodsThe data of physical examinations from 1 052 Shanghai elderly males in 2007 were collected.The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors clustering and different strata of BMI,PBF and BFMI was analyzed.Receiver Operator Characteristic(ROC) curve analysis was employed to determine the optimal cut-points for identification of cardiovascular risk factors clustering,and area under curve(AUC) was worked out.The population attributable risk proportion(PARP) of risk factors clustering was calculated. Results Odds ratios of risk factors clustering tended to increase with BMI,PBF and BFMI.BMI≥24 kg/m2,PBF≥21% and BFMI≥5 kg/m2 were the cut-off points that had approximate sensitivity and specificity,and/or had the shortest distance in ROC curve.AUC of all the three indexes was larger than 0.5.Analysis of PARP indicated that BMI under 24 kg/m2,PBF under 21% and BFMI under 5 kg/m2 could prevent 27.1%,37.44% and 36.63% risk factors clustering,respectively. Conclusion BMI≥24 kg/m2,PBF≥21% and BFMI≥5 kg/m2 can well reflect the cardiovascular risk factors clustering among elderly males.

This study is to establish the characteristic HPLC chromatogram of phenols in Ephedrae Herba, from which to pick out the marker peaks, followed by the analysis of the regularity of their distribution and content in the herbaceous stems of Ephedra sinica, E. intermedia and E. equisetina. The HPLC-DAD method for the characteristic chromatogram as well as quantitative analysis was established. The separation was carried out on a YMC-Pack ODS-A column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 µm), eluted with the mobile phases as 0.01% formic acid aqueous solution (A) and acetonitrile (B) in a linear gradient (0-10 min, 17% B; 10-25 min, 17%-19% B; 25- 33 min, 19%-48% B; 33-35 min, 48%-51% B; 35-44 min, 51% B). The flow rate was kept at 1.0 mL · min⁻¹. The column tem- perature was 40 °C, and the detection wavelength was set at 350 nm (0-16 min) and 330 nm (16-44 min). Forty-six batches of collected samples from three official origins of Ephedrae Herba were detected, whose liquid chromatograms proven to be helpful to the differentiation of different origins. With principal component analysis and the analysis of distribution of peak area, twelve key peaks from the chromatogram were discussed in details on their contributions to the characteristics and differences of three official origins of the herb: peak area of peak 10, 11, 12 were found out to be significantly higher in E. equisetina than in other two origins, whose sum (higher than 146 mAU in E. equisetina) was useful for the discrimination between E. equisetina and the other two origins; peak area of 1 and 4 were respectively higher in E. sinica and E. intermedia than in other official origins, indicating their important effect on the differen- tiation of corresponding origins; peak 8 and 9 were picked out as two characteristic common peaks in three official origins of the herb, whose peak area showed little difference among different origins; further, peak area of other key peaks in the chromatogram also showed some difference among three origins, which make contributions to the differentiation of origins as well. Then, four phenols as 2"-O-α- L-rhamnosyl-isovitexin (1), vitexin (2), pollenitin B (5) and herbacetin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (6) were quantitative analyzed with the above-mentioned method, with good linear relationship and accuracy (recoveries in a range of 97.8%-102.5%). The content of the four phenols were firstly reported in Ephedrae Herba from official origins, which were respectively trace-1.55 (1), trace-0.160 (2), trace-0.284 (5) and trace-0.620 (6) mg · g⁻¹ in all of the tested samples. In addition, the content of these phenols showed differences in three official origins, especially 1, whose content in E. sinica [(0.670 ± 0.88) mg ± g⁻¹] were significantly higher than in other two origins (lower than 0.16 mg ± g⁻¹ besides sample Ei-060630-2-2), and 6, whose average content in E. equisetina [(0.260 ± 0.039 2) mg · g⁻¹] were twice as high as in E. sinica [(0.120 ± 0.270) mg · g⁻¹] and E. intermedia [(0.136 ± 0.485) mg g⁻¹], indicating the important effects of the two constituents on the differentiation among three official origins of the herb. The method established for the characteristic HPLC chromatogram and quantitative analysis of phenols was simple and accurate, and the marker constituents selected may provide new guides for the discrimination of official origins as well as the improvement of quality criteria of EphedraeHerba.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ephedra ; chemistry ; Phenols ; analysis

Objective To study the infection prevention effect of a new type of bulb syringe during posterior lumbar surgery, which can execute pulse irrigation continuously. Methods Totally 30 patients undergoing multi-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery from June to December 2016 were divided into an experiment group and a control group. The experiment group applied the bulb syringe, and the control group used tipping irrigation. The two groups were compared on intraoperative irrigation time, the development trend of C-reactive protein (CRP) 1, 3 and 5 days after surgery, incidence of postoperative pyrexia, wound healing and suture-removal time. Results The experimental group had the intraoperative irrigation time being (2.13±0.15)min, which was significantly shorter than that [(5.59±1.24)min] in the control group. In the experimental group, the CRP measurement values 1, 3 and 5 days after surgery were 46, 19 and 5 mg/L respectively and showed adeclining trend;in the control group, the CRP measurement values 1, 3 and 5 days after surgery were 49, 52 and 61 mg/L respectively and showed an increasing trend. There were 3 cases of incision exudation in the control group while none in the experimental group. The experimental group had the suture-removal time being 11.57 d, which was statistically less than that (14.29 d) in the control group. The body temperature 3 and 5 days after surgery was (37.1±2.26) and (37.0±0.12)℃respectively in the experimental group while (38.2 ±3.34) and (37.5 ±0.25)℃in the control group, and there were obvious differences between the two groups (P<0.05). There were no infected incision occurred in the two groups. Conclusion The bulb syringe gains advantages over the traditional irrigation in easy operation, short time and incidence of infected incision, and thus is worthy promoting clinically.

AIM:To observe the alterations in cognition of growing rats exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and to explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (3-week-old～4-week-old and 80 g to 100 g),which had been trained to complete the 8-arm (4-arm baited) radial maze,were randomly divided into 4 groups:2-weeek-CIH group (2IH),4-week-CIH group (4IH),-week -control group (2C) and 4-weeek-control group (4C). The intermittent hypoxia model was induced by putting the animals in an intermittent hypoxia cabin. When intermittent hypoxia was terminated,spatial memory of these growing rats was tested by 8-arm (4-arm baited) radial maze task,then,one rat in each group was randomly selected for ultrastructural observation. The hippocampus and prefrontal cortexes of the rats were collected for analyzing the mRNA and protein expression of CREB by RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively. RESULTS:(1) In the 8-arm (4-arm baited) radial maze task,the results indicated that the rats in the 4 groups displayed significant difference in their performance assessed by three measuremens:the reference memory error,the working memory error and total memory error (P 0. 05,respectively). CONCLUSION:Exposure to experimentally-induced IH in growing rats is associated with time related spatial memory impairment. Chronic intermittent hypoxia leads to the disorders of neuron ultra-structure in memory related brain regions. It also inhabits the CREB transduction,expression and CREB phosphorylation,decreases the synthesis of the memory related protein. These factors maybe contribute to learningmemory impairment of growing rats exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia.

Objective： The current study was designed to assess the value of radiography on surgical margins of osteosarcoma. Methods： Tumor extension showed on X-ray plane film, CT and MRI was measured in 29 patients, and these data were analyzed statistically associated with pathological examination. Result： The width of tumor on X-ray plane film, CT and MRI was 42.7± 17.7 mm,70.1± 22.7 mm,73.3± 27.7 mm, respectively, and the length was 71.6± 24.5 mm,84.4± 30.3 mm, 123.6± 36.5 mm, respectively. As the result of histologic examination, the width of the tumor was 72.9± 26.1 mm, and the length was 119.8± 34.8 mm. The aggressive extension on MRI was similar to that on histologic exmination, and were more accurate than that on X-ray film and CT. Conclusion： It was reliable that the surgical margins were estimated on MRI.

Mitochondria regulate numerous crucial cell processes, including energy production, apoptotic cell death, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Here, we applied an efficient mitochondria-based centrifugal ultrafiltration/liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method,also known as screening method for mitochondria-targeted bioactive constituents (SM-MBC). This method allowed searching natural mitochondria-targeting compounds from traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs), including Puerariae Radix (PR) and Chuanxiong Radix (CR). A total of 23 active compounds were successfully discovered from the two TCMs extracts. Among these 23 hit compounds, 17 were identified by LC/MS, 12 of which were novel mitochondria-targeting compounds. Among these, 6 active compounds were analyzed in vitro for pharmacological tests and found able to affect mitochondrial functions. We also investigated the effects of the hit compounds on HepG2 cell proliferation and on loss of cardiomyocyte viability induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. The results obtained are useful for in-depth understanding of mechanisms underlying TCMs therapeutic effects at mitochondria level and for developing novel potential drugs using TCMs as lead compounds. Finally, we showed that SM-MBC was an efficient protocol for the rapid screening of mitochondria-targeting constituents from complex samples such as PR and CR extracts.

OBJECTIVETo explore the multi-differentiated capability of human periodontal ligament cell population (hPDLP), and provide a theoretical basis for the periodontal regeneration by tissue engineering technique.

METHODShPDLP was cultured from periodontium of human tooth by the outgrowth method. STRO-1 and CD 146 expression were investigated by flow cytometry. hPDLP was induced to odontogenic/osteogenic-like and adipogenic-like cell. The multilineage differentiation capacities of hPDLP were evaluated by alizarin red stain, oil red O stain, anti-CD146 and STRO-1 immunocytochemistry, and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis.

RESULTShPDLP was isolated from human periodontium and most of the cells retained their fibroblastic spindle shape. hPDLP can be induced into osteoblast-like cells and adipocyte-like cells, and calcium deposition and lipid droplets were detected perspectively. And the eighth generation of hPDLP had weaker potential into adipocyte-like cells than the first passage, however, there was no difference to the aspect of calcification ability between the two passages.

CONCLUSIONhPDLP cultured in vitro can differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts, and the first to third passage cells may have the predominance of differentiation potential.

Adipocytes ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Odontogenesis ; Osteoblasts ; Periodontal Ligament ; Regeneration ; Tissue Engineering

Many species of the genus Asarum plants are used as Chinese traditional or folk medicines, in Chinese which are known as "Xixin" (Asari Radix et Rhizoma) , "Bei-Xixin" , "Hua-Xixin" and "Nan-Xixin" , etc. In order to get a clear picture of resources distribution and varieties on Chinese markets of the crude drug Xixin and provide scientific basis for their resource conservation and sustainable use, during recent years we conducted field investigations and market researches many times. The results showed that the resources of both official Xixins and non-official Xixins were decreased because of the ecological environment damage and over-digging, especially species whose population size was small. Bei-Xixin derived from A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum was the most species on the Chinese markets except for a few areas of China. Hua-Xixin derived from A. sieboldii and non-official Xixins were mainly used in their producing areas. Cultivation of Hua-Xixin should be greatly developed, and wild resources of non-official species must be preserved strictly.
China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Data Collection ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; standards ; supply & distribution ; Quality Control