OBJECTIVE To explore the efficacy of Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huanglian Wendan Decoction on adult chronic insomnia and its effect on hypnotic withdrawal.METHODS 187 patients with chronic insomnia were included for anal-ysis,including 102 in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)group and 85 in the western medicine group.The TCM group was trea-ted with Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huanglian Wendan Decoction,while the western medicine group was treated with benzodiazepine under the consideration of doctor.The intervention period was 1 month,with assessments using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)conducted before and after the intervention.Follow-up evaluations were performed at 3 months and 6 months re-spectively after the intervention.RESULTS There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline.After the inter-vention,the PSQI scores of patients in both groups were significantly improved(P<0.01).Among them,the TCM group was better than the western medicine group in the improvement of sleep quality and sleeping pills,total PSQI score reduction(P<0.01).The re-sults of linear regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors,the regression coefficients of the TCM group in two different models were1.821 and 1.922 respectively,and the former was statistically significant(P<0.05).By screening patients who took hypnotics at baseline in the TCM group and comparing them with those in the western medicine group,the influencing factors of hypnotic withdrawal were analyzed.During the 3-month follow-up,25 out of 39 patients in the TCM group and 17 out of 80 patients in the western medicine group had hypnotic withdrawal(χ2= 19.25,P<0.001);during the 6-month follow-up,23 of the 39 patients in the TCM group and 18 of the 79 patients in the western medicine group had hypnotic withdrawal(χ2= 13.53,P<0.001),the with-drawal rate of patients in the TCM group was significantly higher than that in the western medicine group.Further regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors,the results showed that the western medicine group had a significantly higher rate of not withdrawal than the TCM group at 3 months(OR=5.50,95%CI:2.30～13.72)and 6 months(OR=6.43,95%CI:2.54～17.77),and the results were statistically different(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Sour Jujube Seed Decoction combined with Huangli-an Wendan Decoction is effective in treating adult chronic insomnia and assisting in hypnotic withdrawal.

OBJECTIVETo identify the mutation of ENG and ALK1 genes in a hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia pedigree.

METHODS14 exons of ENG gene and 9 exons of ALK1 gene in 11 menbers of this pedigree 4 generation were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the PCR products were screened by direct sequencing.

RESULTSA nonsense mutation c.447G > A was found in exon 4 of ENG gen of the pedigreee, resulting in change of Trp 149 into Stop, while no gene mutation was found in ALK1 gene.

CONCLUSIONThe hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia in this pedigree is caused by the nonsense mutation c.447G > A in ENG gene.

Codon, Nonsense ; Exons ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic

Objective To perform taxonomic studies on a novel macrolactin-producing gram-positive bacterial strain MS1721 isolated from the mud at a depth of 30 m in the East China Sea. Methods Taxonomic studies were conducted based on the phenotypic and BIOLOG analysis, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and blast analysis, and fatty acid components analysis. The antibacterial activity of macrolactin S was determined by evaluation models established in our lab. Results MS1721 strain displayed high similarity with genus Bacillus in similarity values between 97%～99%, in which the nearest neighbor was Bacillus amyloliquefaciens with the similarity value of 99.6%. The predominant fatty acid component was 15:1 iso H/13:0 3OH. Conclusions MS1721 strain belongs to the genus Bacillus, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MS1721 was proposed as the name for this strain on the basis of the taxonomic data. The second metabolite-macrolactin s produced by this strain exhibited obvious antibacterial activity.

Objective To perform taxonomic studies on a novel macrolactin-producing gram-positive bacterial strain MS1721 isolated from the mud at a depth of 30 m in the East China Sea. Methods Taxonomic studies were conducted based on the phenotypic and BIOLOG analysis, 16S rDNA gene sequencing and blast analysis, and fatty acid components analysis. The antibacterial activity of macrolactin S was determined by evaluation models established in our lab. Results MS1721 strain displayed high similarity with genus Bacillus in similarity values between 97%～99%, in which the nearest neighbor was Bacillus amyloliquefaciens with the similarity value of 99.6%. The predominant fatty acid component was 15:1 iso H/13:0 3OH. Conclusions MS1721 strain belongs to the genus Bacillus, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MS1721 was proposed as the name for this strain on the basis of the taxonomic data. The second metabolite-macrolactin s produced by this strain exhibited obvious antibacterial activity.

OBJECTIVETo report the outcome of anterior radical decompression for the treatment of severe ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) with an average occupying ratio exceeding 50% in the cervical spine.

METHODSFrom July 2002 to February 2006, 26 patients with cervical OPLL occupying ratio of the spinal cord exceeding 50% underwent anterior decompression and fusion. There were 18 males and 8 females. The average age was 59 years (ranged from 43 to 73 years) and the mean occupying ratio was (65 +/- 20)%; Before operation, the JOA score was 8.7 +/- 2.8, and the sagittal diameter of spinal cord was (25 +/- 7)%. The ossified ligament was classified into two groups, the base-open group and the base-closed group. The occupying ratio was measured on 3-D CT scans, and the sagittal diameter of the deformed spinal cord was measured at the narrowest level on sagittal T2-weighted MRI. All patients received anterior decompression with the ossified ligament removed completely. Among them, 10 cases underwent one level corpectomy combined with one level diskectomy, 3 cases underwent 2 level corpectomy, and the other 13 patients underwent one level corpectomy. The decompressed segments were reconstructed either with a iliac crest strut or a titanium cage, and an anterior locking plate was implanted to prevent graft extrusion in every patient. All patients were monitored with ECP during decompression.

RESULTSThe occupying ratio decreased to (10 +/- 5)%, the sagittal diameter of spinal cord increased to (75 +/- 15)%, and the average diameter of spinal cord at the narrowest site increased 3 times after operation. The JOA score was 14.2 +/- 2.5, with an average improvement ratio of (61 +/- 24)%. Three patients accompanied with diabetes presented with temporarily neurological deterioration. There were two cases complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leaks but cured within 2 weeks after surgery. One case accompanied with diabetes underwent a second emergency reexploration for hematoma in the spinal canal which caused a dyspnea.

CONCLUSIONSAnterior radical decompression is an optimal method for the management of severe OPLL in the cervical spine. Higher rate of neuro-function recovery can be anticipated.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVESTo assess the clinic efficacy of treating chronic prostatitis by Neisseria gonorrhoeae with azithromycin aspartic-acid injection.

METHODSNineteen cases were treated with monotherapy and once-daily intravenous dosing of azithromycin injection. The effects and side-effects after treatment were observed.

RESULTSTwelve of nineteen cases were cured.

CONCLUSIONSA short term therapy with azithromycin injection for chronic prostatitis caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae is very effective and easy to used and thus eliminate any problem of compliance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Azithromycin ; therapeutic use ; Gonorrhea ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Treatment Outcome