Effects of Fu's subcutaneous needling at myofascial trigger points on pain and lumbar mobility in patients with lumbar disc herniation： a randomized controlled trial. / ç­‹è†œè§¦å‘ç‚¹æµ®é’ˆæ²»ç–—å¯¹è °æ¤Žé—´ç›˜çªå‡ºç—‡æ‚£è€ ç–¼ç—›åŠè °éƒ¨æ´»åŠ¨åº¦å½±å“çš„éšæœºå¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) on pain, lumbar mobility and the quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), so as to provide clinicians with new ideas and methods in treating LDH. METHODS: One hundred patients with LDH admitted to department of rehabilitation medicine of the affiliated hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2022 to January 2023 were collected as the subjects, and they were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 50 cases in each one. In the observation group, the spreading technique of Fu's subcutaneous needling was delivered at MTrP. In the control group, the routine acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL23), Weizhong (BL40) and MTrP. The treatment was given 3 times weekly, for 2 weeks in the two groups. The score of visual analogue scale (VAS) was evaluated before treatment, at the moment after the 1st treatment completion and after 2 weeks of treatment, separately, and the inclinometer was adopted to measure the range of motion (ROM) of the lumbar flexion, extension and lateral flexion. The numbers of MTrPs and their distribution were recorded before treatment and after the completion of a 2-week treatment in the two groups. Before treatment and in 4 weeks of follow-up, using SF-36 scale, the score of the quality of life was evaluated. The incidence of adverse effects was recorded. RESULTS: At the moment of the 1st treatment completion and after 2 weeks of treatment, VAS score and ROM of the lumbar region were significantly improved in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups and the improvement was superior in the observation group compared with the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After 2 weeks of treatment, the total number of MTrPs and the counts of MTrPs in each muscle zone were reduced when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). In the observation group, the total number of MTrPs and numbers of MTrPs in the zones of quadratus lumborum, musculi multifidus and musculi iliocostalis lumborum decreased significantly when compared with the control group (P<0.05), while the difference was not significant in the numbers in the zone of musculi glutaeus medius between the two groups. In 4 weeks of follow-up, the scores of SF-36 scale were improved in comparison with those before treatment in each group and the result in the observation was better (P<0.05). No any adverse events occurred during treatment in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fu's subcutaneous needling is effective for reducing the numbers of MTrPs and improving analgesia, ROM of the lumbar region, as well as the long-term quality of life in the patients with LDH.

Pd/MIL-100(Fe) as hydrogen activator for FeIII/FeII cycle: Fenton removal of sulfamethazine.

Masses of iron sludge generated from engineering practice of classic Fenton reaction constraints its further promotion. Accelerating the FeIII/FeII cycle may be conducive to reducing the initial ferrous slat dosage and the final iron sludge. Based on the reduction of Pd/MIL-100(Fe)-activated hydrogen, an improved Fenton system named MHACF-MIL-100(Fe) was developed at ambient temperature and pressure. 97.8% of sulfamethazine, the target pollutant in this work, could be degraded in 5 min under the conditions of 20 mM H2O2, 25 µM ferrous chloride, initial pH 3.0, 2 g·L-1 composite catalyst Pd/MIL-100(Fe) and hydrogen gas 60 mL·min-1. Combining density functional theory (DFT) calculation and intermediate detection, the degradation of this antibiotic was inferred to start from the cleavage of N-S bond. The catalytic of Pd/MIL-100(Fe), demonstrated by the removal efficiency of SMT and the catalyst morphology, remained intact after six reaction cycles. The present study provides an insight into the promotion of Fenton reaction.

Diagnostic accuracy of fused CBCT images in the evaluation of temporomandibular joint condylar bone resorption.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fused CBCT images for patients with condylar bone resorption of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two TMJs from twenty-one patients were included. Bone resorption of condyles evaluated by three experts was used as the reference standard. Three oral and maxillofacial radiology residents evaluated the resorption of condyles with a five-point scale for the four sets of images (two consecutive CBCT images without fusion, fused 2D cross-sectional images, fused 3D images, and combining fused 2D cross-sectional images and fused 3D images) randomly and independently. Each set of images was evaluated at least 1 week apart, and a second evaluation was performed 4 weeks later. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the intra- and inter-observer agreement. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were compared among the four image sets using the Z test. RESULTS: Twenty-four TMJs were determined as condylar bone resorption, and eighteen were determined as no obvious change. The average AUC values from the three observers for the three fused image sets (0.94, 0.93, 0.93) were significantly higher than the image set without fusion (p < 0.01). The intra- and inter-observer agreement on the three fused image sets (0.70-0.89, 0.91-0.92) was higher than the image set without fusion (0.37-0.63, 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Fused CBCT images of TMJ osteoarthrosis patients can intuitively display the condylar bone resorption and significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fused CBCT images can help clinicians intuitively observe bone changes of the condyle in TMJ osteoarthrosis patients.

Diagnostic efficacy of CBCT, MRI and CBCT-MRI fused images in determining anterior disc displacement and bone changes of temporomandibular joint.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CBCT-MRI fused image for anterior disc displacement and bone changes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which are the main imaging manifestations of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-one TMJs of 120 patients who were diagnosed with TMD were selected for the study. The anterior disc displacement, bone defect and bone hyperplasia evaluated by three experts were used as a reference standard. Three residents individually evaluated all the three sets of images, which were CBCT images, MRI images and CBCT-MRI fused images from individual CBCT and MRI images in a random order for the above-mentioned three imaging manifestations with a five-point scale. Each set of images was observed at least 1 week apart. A second evaluation was performed 4 weeks later. Intra- and interobserver agreements were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of the three image sets were compared with a Z test, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-five cases were determined as anterior disc displacement, 84 cases as bone defect and 40 cases as bone hyperplasia. The intra- and interobserver agreements in the CBCT-MRI fused image set (0.76-0.91) were good to excellent, and the diagnostic accuracy for bone changes was significantly higher than that of MRI image set (p＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CBCT-MRI fused images can display the disc and surrounding bone structures simultaneously and significantly improve the observers' reliability and diagnostic accuracy, especially for inexperienced residents.

Effects of HDAC4 on IL-1ß-induced matrix metalloproteinase expression regulated partially through the WNT3A/ß-catenin pathway.

BACKGROUND: Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) regulates chondrocyte hypertrophy and bone formation. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of HDAC4 on Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß)-induced chondrocyte extracellular matrix degradation and whether it is regulated through the WNT family member 3A (WNT3A)/ß-catenin signaling pathway. METHODS: Primary chondrocytes (CC) and human chondrosarcoma cells (SW1353 cells) were treated with IL-1ß and the level of HDAC4 was assayed using Western blotting. Then, HDAC4 expression in the SW1353 cells was silenced using small interfering RNA to detect the effect of HDAC4 knockdown on the levels of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) and MMP13 induced by IL-1ß. After transfection with HDAC4 plasmids, the overexpression efficiency was examined using Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the levels of MMP3 and MMP13 were assayed using Western blotting. After incubation with IL-1ß, the translocation of ß-catenin into the nucleus was observed using immunofluorescence staining in SW1353 cells to investigate the activation of the WNT3A/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Finally, treatment with WNT3A and transfection with glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3ß) plasmids were assessed for their effects on HDAC4 levels using Western blotting. RESULTS: IL-1ß downregulated HDAC4 levels in chondrocytes and SW1353 cells. Furthermore, HDAC4 knockdown increased the levels of MMP3 and MMP13, which contributed to the degradation of the extracellular matrix. Overexpression of HDAC4 inhibited IL-1ß-induced increases in MMP3 and MMP13. IL-1ß upregulated the levels of WNT3A, and WNT3A reduced HDAC4 levels in SW1353 cells. GSK-3ß rescued IL-1ß-induced downregulation of HDAC4 in SW1353 cells. CONCLUSION: HDAC4 exerted an inhibitory effect on IL-1ß-induced extracellular matrix degradation and was regulated partially by the WNT3A/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Diagnostic efficacy of CBCT, MRI, and CBCT-MRI fused images in distinguishing articular disc calcification from loose body of temporomandibular joint.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CBCT-MRI fused images for articular disc calcification of temporomandibular joint (TMJ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients (24 TMJs) whose image examinations showed dense bodies in the TMJ space were included in the study. The locations of dense bodies evaluated by the three experts were used as a reference standard. Three oral and maxillofacial radiology residents evaluated whether the dense bodies were disc calcification or not, with a five-point scale for four sets of images (CBCT alone, MRI alone, both CBCT and MRI observed at a time, and CBCT-MRI fused images) randomly and independently. Each set of images was observed at least 1 week apart. A second evaluation was performed after 4 weeks. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the intra- and inter-observer agreement. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were compared between the four image sets using Z test. RESULTS: Ten cases were determined as articular disc calcifications, and fourteen cases were recognized as loose bodies in the TMJ spaces. The average AUC index for the CBCT-MRI fused images was 0.95 and significantly higher than the other sets (p < 0.01). The intra- and inter-observer agreement in the CBCT-MRI fused images (0.90-0.91, 0.93) was excellent and higher than those in the other images. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT-MRI fused images can significantly improve the observers' reliability and accuracy in determining articular disc calcification of the TMJ. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The multimodality image fusion is feasible in detecting articular disc calcification of the TMJ which are hard to define by CBCT or MRI alone. It can be utilized especially for inexperienced residents to shorten the learning curve and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Cul4B promotes the progression of ovarian cancer by upregulating the expression of CDK2 and CyclinD1.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the female reproductive system with the highest mortality rate. Cul4B participates in the oncogenesis and progression of several malignant tumors. However, the role of Cul4B in ovarian cancer has not been studied. RESULTS: High expression of intratumor Cul4B was associated with poor patient survival. Cul4B expression was associated with FIGO stage and Cul4B was independent risk factor of ovarian cancer disease-free survival and overall survival. In vitro studies revealed that overexpression of Cul4B promoted tumor proliferation while knockdown of Cul4B significantly inhibited the proliferation capacity of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistically, Cul4B was found to promotes cell entering S phase from G0/G1 phase by regulating the expression of CDK2 and CyclinD1. Cul4B regulates the expression of CDK2 and CyclinD1 by repressing miR-372. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that high expression of Cul4B is associated with poor ovarian cancer prognosis and Cul4B may serve as a potential treating target for an adjuvant therapy.

Diagnosis of Bilateral Calcifications of Temporomandibular Joint Disc by Image Fusion.

The calcification of the articular disc is an uncommon lesion, usually discovered in hips, elbows, and shoulders, but rarely in temporomandibular joints (TMJ). The TMJ disc calcification may be related to pain and limitation of the mandibular mobility, however, most of the patients were asymptomatic. A 61-year-old female was referred to our hospital after a maxillofacial fist injury, bilateral TMJ disc calcifications were found accidentally by radiological examination. Here the significance of image fusion of cone-beam computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of this lesion was emphasized.

Mindfulness and hemodynamics in asians: a literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness interventions have been increasingly incorporated into clinical settings. Evidence supporting mindfulness practices are predominantly established in Western populations. Neurophysiological evidence has not been established to support the effectiveness of mindfulness practice in Asian populations. Greater understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying mindfulness would enable hemodynamics as measured by fNIRS to be used to monitor mindfulness practice as an adjunct to psychotherapy with Asian clients. METHOD: Research relating to fNIRS and hemodynamics for mindfulness in Asians was reviewed. The inclusion criteria for this review were recent publications in peer-reviewed journals from 2008 to 2018, with the search terms 'fNIRS', 'hemodynamics' and 'mindfulness', for studies in Asia. FINDINGS: Databases included Medline, PubMed, PSYCINFO, Google Scholar and SCOPUS. Initial searches yielded 86 results. Five duplicated articles were removed, and remaining abstracts were screened; and assessed for eligibility against the structured performa. Three full text papers which fit the inclusion criteria were included in the current review. CONCLUSION: This review highlighted the paucity of rigorous empirically validated research for hemodynamics as measured with fNIRS for mindfulness practice in Asia.

[Modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters under hypoxia environment].

Drug metabolism is significantly affected under hypoxia environment with changes of pharmacokinetics, expression and function of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters. Studies have shown that hypoxia increases the release of a series of inflammatory cytokines which can modulate drug metabolism. Besides, both hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and microRNA-mediated pathways play a role in regulating drug metabolism. This article reviewed the impact and single-factor modulating mechanisms of drug metabolism under hypoxia, and put forward the speculation and prospects of multi-factor modulating mechanisms.

Application of fused image in detecting abnormalities of temporomandibular joint.

OBJECTIVES:: To present a method for image fusion of cone beam CT (CBCT)/CT and MRI and to explore whether the image data sets fused in such a way could aid the detection of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) anatomical structures and lesions. METHODS:: There were five cases included in this study. One case was space occupying lesion giant cell tumour of tendon sheaths, one case was chronic inflammation in the condyle, one case was articular disc calcification of the bilateral TMJs, and the other two cases were TMJ disorders (anterior disc displacement without reduction). The digital imaging and communications in medicine format data of CT/CBCT and MRI of the cases were collected, and then imported to the Amira visual software where the registration process was conducted. Based on the different scan model, the registration process could be separated into automatic registration of CT/CBCT with quadrature slice MR images and the semi-automatic registration of CT/CBCT with oblique slice MR images by altering the registration parameters. Rigid transform model and the similarity metric of normalization mutual information was used for registration in the present study. RESULTS:: The relationship between the soft mass and hard tissue was shown clearly in the fused images when compared to sole observation of CBCT/CT or MR images. The fused images could define the tumour outline and the destructive bone clearly in the same image. The fused results helped the observers to ensure uncertain defects which could not be confirmed only by one image data set. CONCLUSIONS:: The CT/CBCT and MR images could be fused to aid detection of TMJ anatomical structures and related lesions.

Clinical Predictors of Recurrence and Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Involvement in the Serous Borderline Ovarian Tumor.

AIM: This study was aimed to evaluate the risk factors of recurrence and the value of nodal involvement in patients with serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT). METHODS: Two hundred twenty-five patients who underwent surgery and were diagnosed with SBOT were retrospectively studied. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the risk factors for recurrence. Patients' clinical pathologic characteristics were compared between the patients who presented lymph node involvement and those who did not. The significant values of lymph condition influencing 5-year disease-free survival were also evaluated by statistical analysis. RESULTS: Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that risk factors for recurrence were micropapillary (P = 0.021), fertility-preserving surgery (P = 0.014), and laparoscopic approach (P = 0.009). Of these 112 patients on whom lymphadenectomy was performed, 17 cases showed lymph node positive, whereas the remaining 95 patients did not. Significant differences in terms of lymph node numbers (P < 0.0001), invasive implant (P = 0.022), and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging (P < 0.0001) were observed between the 2 groups of lymphatic node involved or not. Kaplan-Meier curves of 5-year disease-free survival revealed that there were no significant differences either between groups of lymphatic node involved or not (P = 0.778) and groups of removed nodes whether more than 10 or not (P = 0.549). CONCLUSIONS: Micropapillary, fertility-preserving, and laparoscopic approach were factors significantly affecting the recurrence of SBOT by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Lymph node metastasis did not seem to be correlated to a worse prognosis of SBOT.

Morphological Characteristics of Osseous External Auditory Canal and Its Relationship With External Auditory Canal Cholesteatoma in Patients With Congenital Aural Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of stenotic external auditory canal (EAC) (e.g., shape, length, orientation, and curvature) and to compare them with those of the cholesteatoma and no cholesteatoma groups, which may help to explain cholesteatoma formation to a certain degree. METHODS: Computed tomography scans of two groups of patients (with and without EAC cholesteatoma) were analyzed. We determined the degree of microtia, the stenosis of EAC, radius and curvature of osseous EAC bending (abbreviated as OEB-r and OEB-c, respectively), and other anatomic parameters of EAC by using Mimics and Matlab. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the degree of microtia between the cholesteatoma and no cholesteatoma groups using the Marx grading system. Additionally, no significant difference was found in the stenosis of EAC between the two groups. The OEB-r was smaller in the cholesteatoma group (4.62 ±â€Š0.62 mm) than in the no cholesteatoma group (7.41 ±â€Š0.50 mm), and the OEB-c was found to be larger in the cholesteatoma group (1.55 ±â€Š0.05 × 10 mm) than in the no cholesteatoma group (1.10 ±â€Š0.10 × 10 mm). Moreover, the OEB-c (OR, 8.60; 95% CI, 2.67-27.75) was associated with EAC cholesteatoma formation. CONCLUSION: The curvature of osseous EAC in the cholesteatoma group was significantly larger than that in the no cholesteatoma group. It is suggested that the curvature of osseous EAC was a risk factor for EAC cholesteatoma formation.

Indentification of vincamine indole alkaloids producing endophytic fungi isolated from Nerium indicum, Apocynaceae.

Vincamine, a monoterpenoid indole alkaloid which had been marketed as nootropic drugs for the treatment of cerebral insufficiencies, is widely found in plants of the Apocynaceae family. Nerium indicum is a plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family. So, the purpose of this research was designed to investigate the vincamine alkaloids producing endophytic fungi from Nerium indicum, Apocynaceae. 11 strains of endophytic fungi, isolated from the stems and roots of the plant, were grouped into 5 genera on the basis of morphological characteristics. All fungal isolates were fermented and their extracts were preliminary screened by Dragendorff's reagent and thin layer chromatography (TLC). One isolated strain CH1, isolated from the stems of Nerium indicum, had the same Rf value (about 0.56) as authentic vincamine. The extracts of strain CH1 were further analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and the results showed that the strain CH1 could produce vincamine and vincamine analogues. The acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitory activity assays using Ellman's method revealed that the metabolites of strain CH1 had significant AchE inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 5.16µg/mL. The isolate CH1 was identified as Geomyces sp. based on morphological and molecular identification, and has been deposited in the China Center for Type Culture Collection (CCTCCM 2014676). This study first reported the natural compounds tabersonine and ethyl-vincamine from endophytic fungi CH1, Geomyces sp. In conclusion, the fungal endophytes from Nerium indicum can be used as alternative source for the production of vincamine and vincamine analogues.

Safflower polysaccharide induces NSCLC cell apoptosis by inhibition of the Akt pathway.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. Safflower polysaccharide (SPS) has been used for the improvement of immunomodulatory activities and treatment of cancers. However, studies on the effect of SPS on the progression of lung cancer have rarely been reported. To study the antitumor effect of SPS on human lung cancer and its potential mechanism, non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (NSCLC), A549 and YTMLC-90 were treated with SPS at various concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 2.56 mg/ml and BALB/c nude tumor-bearing mice were injected intraperitoneally with SPS at concentrations ranging from 15 to 135 mg/kg. Results showed that SPS suppressed the proliferation of A549 and YTMLC-90 cells and induced apoptosis by increasing mRNA levels of bax and caspase-3, and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. SPS induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase by decreasing the expression of cdc25B and cyclin B1. Moreover, SPS decreased the expression of Akt, p-Akt and PI3K. In mice, SPS injection enhanced immunomodulatory activities by increasing levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in tumor-bearing mice. Our findings suggest that SPS suppresses tumor growth by enhancing immunomodulatory activities and blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway. This study provides new insight into the anticancer mechanism of SPS.

DNA methylation profiling in different phases of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) is a complex disease with strong genetic and epigenetic components in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA methylation in mandibular head cartilage in different phases of experimentally-induced TMJOA in rats. DESIGN: DNA methylation was evaluated using microarrays in the mandibular head cartilage of early, intermediate and late stage experimentally-induced TMJOA, and of the normal age-matched control groups. Genes with differentially methylated CpG sites were analyzed to reveal the over-represented gene ontologies and pathways at different stages, and were compared with published expression profiles to assess their overlappings. The DNA methylation patterns of the target genes were validated by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation qPCR in additional independent cartilage samples and mRNA levels were analyzed by real-time PCR. RESULTS: We observed 9489 differentially methylated regions between the TMJOA and controls. A total of 440 consistently altered genes were revealed in all three stages; most (80%) were hypomethylated and many were associated with cell cycle regulation. We also detected different DNA methylation changes in early and late stage TMJOA (Rearly=0.68, Rlate=0.47), while the differences between age-matched healthy cartilage were subtle. Strong inverse changes between methylation status and mRNA levels were confirmed in Adamts5, Chad, Cldn11 and Tnf. CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveals dynamic DNA methylation patterns during the progression of TMJOA, with a different host of genes and pathways. The changes of cartilage DNA methylation patterns might contribute to understand the etiologic mechanisms of TMJOA epigenetically.

[Advance in studies on food allergy mechanism based on gut barrier].

Food allergies, as a type of adverse immune-mediated reactions to ingested food proteins, have become a serious public health issue that harms children and adults health, with increasing incidence year by year. However, without effective therapy for food allergies, doctors-have mostly advised to avoid allergens and provided symptomatic treatment. According to the findings of many studies, allergic diseases are correlated with intestinal barrier function injury, as evidenced by the significant increase in the intestinal permeability among patients with food allergies. In this paper, recent studies on correlations between food allergies and intestinal barrier functions, intestinal barrier function injury mechanisms of allergic foods and food allergy intervention strategies based on intestinal barrier functions were summarized to provide reference for laboratory researches and clinical treatment of food allergic diseases.

[Intervention effect and mechanism of compound Ginkgo biloba preparations on nonalcoholic fatty liver].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of compound Ginkgo biloba (CGB) preparations on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHOD: The C57BL/6 mouse NAFLD model was induced with high fat diets. Since the 2nd week after modeling, the mice were orally administered with 600 and 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) CGB for eight weeks. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL) and LPS in serum, as well as pathological changes and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hepatic tissues were observed. Changes in intestinal tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 in intestinal tissues were determined under microscopy. RESULT: Compared with the normal group, the model group showed obvious fatty degeneration in rat livers, with notable increase in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01), significant increases in ALT, AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, and remarkable declines in ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1 (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, CGB high and low dose groups showed obvious relieves in fatty degeneration in rat livers and injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, significant reductions in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and remarkable increases in ZO-1 and Occludin expressions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CGB can protect intestinal tight junction proteins, reduce intestinal leakage, relieve fatty degeneration and inflammations in livers and prevent NAFLD occurrence and development.

[Detection of plasma and urine furosemide based on online enrichment and restricted- access media coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method based on restricted access media-high performance liquid chromatography for direct online sample injection and detection of plasma and urine furosemide in rats. METHODS: The column of restricted access media was used as the pre-treatment column and a C18 column as the analytical column. The mobile phase of the pre- treatment column was water-methanol (95:5, V/V) with a volume percentage of formic acid of 0.1%. The mobile phase of the analytical column was methanol-water (65:35, V/V) for plasma and methanol-water (55:45, V/V) for urine samples, all containing a volume percentage of formic acid of 0.1% with a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The detection wavelength was 274 nm and the column temperature was maintained at 25 degrees celsius. RESULTS: The calibration curve showed an excellent linear relationship in rat plasma furosemide concentration range of 0.1-3.2 µg/ml (r=0.9995) and in urine concentration range of 0.5-32 µg/ml (r=0.9991). The average recoveries of furosemide at 3 spiked levels ranged from 101.82% to 113.36% for plasma and from 98.75% to 112.27% for urine samples. The detection showed good intra- and inter-day assay precisions and accuracies with the relative standard deviations all below 5%. The pharmacokinetic parameters AUC(0→24) was 6.265 g/(ml·h) with a t(1/2) of 2.447 h and a C(Max) of 1.414 g/ml. The mean cumulative excretory rate of furosemide in the urine of rats over 24 h was 32.50%-39.08%. CONCLUSION: Detection of furosemide in plasma and urine samples using restricted access media-high performance liquid chromatography is simple and efficient and allows direct online injection of the samples.

[Isolation and identification of nine iridoid glycosides from Lamiophlomis rotata by HPLC combining PDA and MS].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a rapid chromatographic method to separate the iridoid glycosides from Lamioplomis rotata, and to identify the target compounds with PDA and MS. METHODS: Methanol-water gradient elution was used to separate and analyze the target compounds. The fluid fractions were gathered according to the chromatogram and dried with the nitrogen airflow. The mass fractions of the target compounds were determined with RP-HPLC and the structures were identified with PDA and MS. RESULTS: The purity of some compounds exceeded 90% and these 9 compounds were identified as iridoid glycosides, which were Phlorigidoside C (1), Schismoside (2), Sesamoside (3), Shanzhiside methylester (4), 6-O-Acetyl shanzhiside methylester (5), Phloyoside II (6), Penstemoside (7), Loganin (8) and 8-O-Acetyl shanzhiside methylester (9). CONCLUSION: The method is simple and practicable with high efficiency. It can be used to qualitative and quantitative analysis of the 9 iridoid glycosides in Lamiphlomis rotata and its preparations.