Room temperature operation of germanium-silicon single-photon avalanche diode.

The ability to detect single photons has led to the advancement of numerous research fields1-11. Although various types of single-photon detector have been developed12, because of two main factors-that is, (1) the need for operating at cryogenic temperature13,14 and (2) the incompatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes15,16-so far, to our knowledge, only Si-based single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)17,18 has gained mainstream success and has been used in consumer electronics. With the growing demand to shift the operation wavelength from near-infrared to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) for better safety and performance19-21, an alternative solution is required because Si has negligible optical absorption for wavelengths beyond 1 µm. Here we report a CMOS-compatible, high-performing germanium-silicon SPAD operated at room temperature, featuring a noise-equivalent power improvement over the previous Ge-based SPADs22-28 by 2-3.5 orders of magnitude. Key parameters such as dark count rate, single-photon detection probability at 1,310 nm, timing jitter, after-pulsing characteristic time and after-pulsing probability are, respectively, measured as 19 kHz µm-2, 12%, 188 ps, ~90 ns and <1%, with a low breakdown voltage of 10.26 V and a small excess bias of 0.75 V. Three-dimensional point-cloud images are captured with direct time-of-flight technique as proof of concept. This work paves the way towards using single-photon-sensitive SWIR sensors, imagers and photonic integrated circuits in everyday life.

Effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol () on Patients with Angina Pectoris: A Non-inferiority Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect and safety of Kuanxiong Aerosol (, KA) on patients with angina pectoris.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Block randomization was performed to randomly allocate 750 patients into KA (376 cases) and control groups (374 cases). During an angina attack, the KA group received 3 consecutive sublingual sprays of KA (0.6 mL per spray). The control group received 1 sublingual nitroglycerin tablet (NT, 0.5 mg/tablet). Log-rank tests and Kaplan-Meier estimations were used to estimate the angina remission rates at 6 time-points after treatment (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and >5 min). Logistic regression analysis was performed to observe the factors inflfluencing the rate of effective angina remission, and the remission rates and incidences of adverse reactions were compared for different Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classes of angina.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 5-min remission rates in the KA and control groups were not signifificantly different (94.41% vs. 90.64%, P>0.05). The angina CCS class signifificantly inflfluenced the rate of remission (95% confidence interval = 0.483-0.740, P<0.01). In the CCS subgroup analysis, the 3-and 5-min remission rates for KA and NT were similar in the CCSII and III subgroups (P>0.05), while they were signifificantly better for KA in the CCSI and II subgroups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, the incidence of adverse reactions was signifificantly lower in the KA group than in the control group for the CCSII and III subgroups (9.29% vs. 26.22%, 10.13% vs. 20.88%, P<0.05 or P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>KA is not inferior to NT in the remission of angina. Furthermore, in CCSII and III patients, KA is superior to NT, with a lower incidence of adverse reactions. (Registration No. ChiCTRIPR-15007204).</p>

Research progress on Acorus tatarinowii and its active ingredients in treatment of Alzheimer's disease / 中草药

Currently, Chinese materia medica is a research hotspot on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The extracts from Acorus tatarinowii have a variety of pharmacological effects on the central nervous system, among which the volatile oil and β-asarone are the main active ingredients in A. tatarinowii reported on the effect on improving the learning and memory and prevention of AD. This review focuses on the main active ingredients in A. tatarinowii and progresses in their different therapeutic effects and proposed pharmacological mechanisms for AD on the basis of referring to the relevant literatures at home and abroad.

Construction and practice on rational medication model of Chinese patent medicine for orthopedics based on ″symdrome-dosage-toxicity differentiation″ theory / 中国中药杂志

Chinese patent medicines for orthopedics are among the hotspot and difficulty in the rational medication of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), because they mostly contain toxic medicinal herbs and oriented to special patients. According to the hospital pharmacy practices and the therapeutic theories of TCM, this paper focused on a novel model of rational drug use of Chinese patent medicine for orthopedics based on the principles of ″syndrome-dosage-toxicity differentiation″. We also proposed relevant specifications for guiding their clinical use. Firstly, we proposed a list of the primary clinical application characteristics for rational drug use of orthopedic TCMs, including the syndromes of patient, the dosage of medicine and the toxic ingredients in medicine. Secondly, a database was established for recording the package inserts of all of the 81 orthopedic patent medicines in our hospital, and 2 000 retrospective recipes were analyzed for looking for the high-frequency medicines and common irrational factors. Then clinical case reports involving the adverse reactions and side effects of related drugs were searched from CNKI, VIP and WanFang databases. Then the key information for rational application of each medicine was extracted from these resources and some survey questionnaires. Finally, we established a guide named instructions for clinical use of orthopedic Chinese patient medicines (ICUOCPM) after the discusstion with experts. According to the effect after the practice in hospital for 2 months, the proposed principles of ″syndrome-dosage-toxicity differentiation″ in this paper were believed to be the core elements and the most important clinical monitoring points in TCM for orthopedic patents. It would provide innovative ideas, theoretical guarantee and data support for the development of TCM clinical pharmacy.

Effect of Kuanxiong aerosol on coronary heart disease angina patients: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the anginal attack-relieving efficacy and safety of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KA) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 780 patients confirmatively diagnosed as CHD angina from November 2011 to December 2012 in 13 medical centers in the mainland area were assigned to 2 groups by blocked randomization, the treatment group (376 cases) and the control group (374 cases). When the angina attacked, patients in the treatment group received sublingual spray three times, 0.6 mL each time, while those in the control group sublingually dissolved Nitroglycerin Tablet (NT), 0.5 mg each tablet. The effective rate of angina relief, efficacy of electrocardiogram (ECG), and the incidence of adverse reactions were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 3 min and 5 min remission rates of angina attack were 53.72% (202/376) and 94.41% (355/376) in the treatment group, and 47.86% (179/374) and 90.64% (339/374) in the control group. The 95% confidence interval (CI) of the difference between the 2 groups of 3 min and 5 min remission rates of angina attacks were [(-1.84%, 12.32%) and (-1.33%, 6.85%) respectively, P > 0.05]. The total improvement rates of ST-T changes in the treatment group and the control group after treatment were 74.07% and 73.13% respectively (P > 0.05). The adverse reaction rate was 9.31 (35/376 cases) in the treatment group and 22.46% (84/374 cases) in the control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KA was not inferior to NT in relieving anginal attacks and improving ischemic ECG changes, and had obviously less adverse reaction.</p>

Research progress on mechanism of action of Radix Astragalus in the treatment of heart failure / 中国结合医学杂志

This paper reviewed the retrieved literature published in the last 10 years, regarding the mechanism of Radix Astragalus in treating heart failure, in aspects of myocardial contraction improvement, cardiac muscle cell protection, neuro-endocrinal system regulation, relative cytokine regulation, and left ventricular remodeling inhibition, etc.

Clinical effect of Astragalus granule of different dosages on quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the dose-effect relationship of Astragalus granule (AG) on improving the quality of life (QOL) of the patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety CHF patients of Fei ()-qi-deficiency and/or Xin ()-Shen () yang-deficiency syndromes were equally randomized divided with a random number table into three groups; they received the high (7.5 g), moderate (4.5 g), and low dosage (2.25 g) of AG orally taken twice a day, respectively, and 4 mg of perindopril tablet once a day for 30 successive days. The heart function grade, patients' left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and walking distance in 6 min (6mWD) were measured before and after treatment, and the patients' QOL was scored by the Minnesota Questionnaire for QOL evaluation in the patients with CHF at the same time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The heart function grades of all the three groups after treatment were improved compared with those before treatment, but the improvements in high-dose group and moderate dose group were better than that in the low dose group (P<0.05). LVEFs were increased significantly in all the three groups, but the improvements in the high-dose group (59.42%±7.50%) and moderate dose group (61.98%±6.82%) were better than that in the low dose group (51.45%±6.80%, P<0.01); the 6mWDs in the all groups were also significantly increased (P<0.01), up to 419.80±36.23 m, 387.15±34.13 m, and 317.69±39.97 m, respectively; and Minnesota scores in them were lowered to 29.59±4.69 scores, 35.74±5.89 scores, and 42.78±6.06 scores, respectively; comparisons in aspects on 6mWD and Minnesota score showed that the effectiveness with high dose is the most effective, moderate dose as the second, and low dose as the lowest (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AG was sufficient to display an optimal effect on improving heart contraction at the moderate dose. In aspects of improving the QOL of CHF patients, the effectiveness of AG showed a dose-dependent trend. It should be applied discriminatively depending on the actual condition of patients and the aim of treatment in clinic.</p>

Progress in the research of Radix Astragali in treating chronic heart failure: effective ingredients, dose-effect relationship and adverse reaction / 中国结合医学杂志

Radix Astragali, a Chinese herbal medicine possessing important cardiovascular pharmacologic effects, is widely applied for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) in clinical practice. This paper summarizes briefly the researches in the last 10 years on its chemical compositions, effective ingredients for improving cardiac function, dose-effect relationship in treating CHF, and adverse reactions that occurred in clinical practice.

Effects of astragalus on cardiac function and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha level in patients with chronic heart failure / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of Astragalus on cardiac function and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) level in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five patients of Xin-qi deficiency or Xin-yang deficiency types were assigned to the Chinese medicine (CM) group and the Western medicine (WM) group by a randomizing digital table. Standard treatment for correcting heart failure, including digoxin, diuretics, etc. was administered to both groups, but to the CM group oral medication of Astragalus granule was given additionally at the dosage of 2.25 g twice a day, the treatment for both was continued for two weeks. NYHA cardiac functional grading, serum TNF-alpha level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and walk distance in 6 min (WD) were measured before and after treatment, and a correlation analysis was carried out.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After therapy, the level of TNF-alpha in the two groups decreased (P < 0.05) and it was lower in the CM group [(54.77 +/- 9.34) microg/L] than in the WM group [(62.10 +/- 9.94) microg/L] (P < 0.05); LVEF in the two groups increased (P < 0.05) and it was higher in the CM group [(64.45 +/- 12.47)%] than that in the WM group [(56.03 +/- 13.33)%] (P < 0.05); both groups' WD increased (P < 0.05) and it was longer in the CM group [(446.97 +/- 68.82) m] than in the WM group [(345.40 +/- 63.62) m] (P < 0.05); the improvement of cardiac functional grading in the CM group was outstriper than the WM group (P < 0.05). The improvement in cardiac function was negatively correlated with TNF-alpha level.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Astragalus can alleviate the calcium overload-induced myocardial damage and improve both systolic and diastolic functions of heart in patients with CHF.</p>

Effect of liandou qingmai recipe on atherogenic indices of plasma and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with coronary heart disease / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the intervention effects of Liandou Qingmai Recipe (LQR) on atherogenic indices of plasma (AIP) and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight CHD patients were randomly assigned to two groups, 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 in the control group, all were treated by the regular CHD treatment, but to patients in the treatment group, LQR was given additionally. AIP value was calculated before and after treatment through measuring plasma levels of triglyceride (TG), high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C). Besides, the levels of hs-CRP and peripheral blood leucocyte (PBL) were observed as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant difference existed between groups in all the detected parameters before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, hs-CRP and PBL lowered significantly in the control group, but the changes of AIP and TG were insignificant (P > 0.05); while in the treatment group, all the parameters lowered significantly, with the levels of AIP, TG, hs-CRP and PBL significantly lower than those in the control group respectively (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LQR can decrease levels of AlP and hs-CRP in CHD patients, amplify the diameters of LDL-C granule, and further lower hs-CRP and PLB levels, showing anti-atherosclerosis and anti-inflammation effects.</p>

Progress of study on improvement of vascular endothelial function by Chinese herbal medicine in hypertensive patients / 中国中西医结合杂志

Hypertension is one of the common cardiovascular diseases, and the role of endothelial dysfunction in pathogenesis and development of hypertension was paid more and more attention to increasingly. The laboratory and clinical studies on the improvement of vascular endothelial function by Chinese herbal medicine in hypertensive patients were reviewed in this paper.

Effect of panax quinquefolius saponin on insulin sensitivity in patients of coronary heart disease with blood glucose abnormality / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of panax quinquefolius saponin(PQS) on blood glucose, blood lipid and insulin sensitivity in patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) with blood glucose abnormality (BGA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-four patients of CHD with BGA, namely CHD patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), were randomly assigned to the PQS group (43 cases) and the control group (41 cases), all were treated with routine Western medicine, but to patients in the PQS group PQS was given orally for 4 successive weeks in addition. Levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected both before and after treatment, and insulin sensitive index (ISI) as well as the insulin resistance index and function of beta cells of homostasis model (Homa-IR and Homa-beta) were calculated accordingly.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, FPG decreased predominantly in both groups (P < 0.01), and the decrement in the PQS group showed a greater trend (25.80 +/- 12.72) % vs (20.89 +/- 12.17) %, but with no statistical significance; no obvious change in levels of FINS, ISI and Homa-IR was found in two groups (P > 0.05). Homa-beta value, which showed insignificantly difference before treatment, increased markedly in the PQS group after treatment from 3.48 +/- 0.76 to 4.19 +/- 0.79 (P < 0.01), which was higher obviously than the unchanged value of Homa-beta in the control group (3.82 +/- 0.77, P < 0.05). There was also decreasing of TC and LDL-C levels after treatment in the PQS group (P < 0.05), and the TC level in the PQS group (1.17 +/- 0.54) mmol/L was significantly lower than that in the control group [(1.42 +/- 0.49) mmol/L, P < 0.05) after treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with using it alone, routine Western medicine treatment, by combining with PQS showed superiority in lowering FPG, could significantly decrease the levels of TC and LDL-C, and might improve the beta-cell function in patients of CHD with BGA. It showed no effect on insulin sensitivity of patients, in spite of in combining or not with PQS.</p>