Bowel preparation protocol for hospitalized patients ages 50 years or older: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer progressively increase with age and become particularly prominent after the age of 50 years. Therefore, the population that is ≥ 50 years in age requires long-term and regular colonoscopies. Uncomfortable bowel preparation is the main reason preventing patients from undergoing regular colonoscopies.

Herbal compound 861 prevents hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad/SnoN pathway in bile duct-ligated rats.

Background: This study was to evaluate the effects of herbal compound 861 (Cpd861) on ski-related novel protein N (SnoN) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) /Smad signaling in rats with bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced hepatic fibrosis, and to explore the mechanisms of Cpd861 on hepatic fibrosis.

Methods: Thirty Wistar male rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation, BDL, and Cpd861. To induce hepatic fibrosis, BDL and Cpd861 group rats underwent bile duct ligation.

Establishment of a Predictive Diagnostic Model for Acute Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection in Elderly Patients with Community-acquired Pneumonia.

We established a diagnostic model to predict acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumonia) infection in elderly Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients. We divided 456 patients into acute and non-acute M.

Research on Molecular Spectra of Interactions Between Salvianolic Acid A and Salvianolic Acid B with Insulin, and Effect of Glucose on the Binding.

The interactions of Salvianolic acis A (SAA) and Salvianolic acid B (SAB) with insulin were studied by using fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in simulating physiological condition (pH 7.40). The fluorescence quenching of insulin by SAA and SAB were static quenching process.

Fibronectin expression is critical for liver fibrogenesis in vivo and in vitro.

Increased fibronectin (FN) expression has an important role during liver fibrosis. The present study examined FN expression in rats subjected to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‑induced liver fibrosis. In addition, the potential mechanisms underlying fibrogenesis were investigated by exposing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β), which is a known inducer of myofibroblastic transformation of HSCs.

Comparative studies on interactions of baicalein, baicalin and scutellarin with lysozyme.

The interactions of baicalein, baicalin and scutellarin with lysozyme (LYSO) were studied by fluorescence and UV spectroscopy. The results showed that all the three flavones can quench the fluorescence of LYSO via static quenching with the distance between the donor and acceptor less than 7 nm. The hydroxyl at B-ring gave flavones an advantage to binding with LYSO.

[Quantitative analysis of steroidal saponins in Chinese material medica Rhizoma Paridis by HPLC-ELSD].

Objective: The several species of the genus Paris called as Rhizoma Paridis were famous traditional Chinese medica. To develop the quantitative analysis method of the steroidal saponins in some species of the genus Paris and commercially available Rhizoma Paridis samples by HPLC-ELSD.

Method: The contents of 11 steroidal saponins in Rhizoma Paridis samples were dectected with a Kromasil C18(4.

[Separation and identification of active constituents of Paris vietnamensis].

Aim: To study the anti-tumor bioactive steroid saponins of Paris vietnamensis (Takht.).

Methods: The constituents were isolated and purified by chromatography and their structures were identified by spectral analysis and physicochemical properties.