Flavonoids from Chinese Viscum coloratum: antiarrhythmic efficacy and ionic mechanisms.

Viscum coloratum flavonoids (VCF) have been demonstrated to produce a variety of biological actions. An accumulating line of evidence supported the view that VCF may exert protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The aim of the study was to assess the antiarrhythmic activity as well as the electrophysiological properties of VCF.

Shape-persistent macrocyclic aromatic tetrasulfonamides: Molecules with nanosized cavities and their nanotubular assemblies in solid state.

Alkoxy side-chain-flanked diarylsulfonamide serves as a reliable structural motif for constructing macrocyclic aromatic tetrasulfonamides. This 90 degrees structural motif is persistent both in solution and in the solid state, which allows the one-step formation of tetrasulfonamide macrocycles. These macrocycles adopt a cone-shaped conformation in solution and in the solid state.

Synthesis of crescent aromatic oligoamides.

[structures: see text] This article describes the synthetic procedures for the preparation of crescent (and helical) aromatic oligoamides developed in recent years in our laboratory. The large-scale preparation of a variety of monomers derived from various tetrasubstituted benzenes is presented. Three different strategies for constructing various oligomers consisting of meta- and meta/para-linked benzene residues are discussed.

Early subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to an accidental stage laser injury.

Purpose: To report a case of early subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to an accidental stage laser injury.

Methods: A 22-year-old female technician complained of visual loss and an immovable shadow in her right central vision after being irradiated accidentally by a laser light beam with a wavelength of 532 nm while aligning a stage laser light. She underwent a full ophthalmologic examination 5 days later; including visual acuity, color fundus photography and fluorescein angiography.

[Clinical analysis of operation combined chemotherapy for stage IIIa non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To study the therapeutic result of operation combined chemotherapy for stage IIIa non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: From January 2000 to December 2003, the data of 83 cases with stage IIIa non-small cell lung cancer undergoing operation combined chemotherapy and 33 cases with stage IIIa non-small cell lung cancer undergoing non-operative therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The median survival time and the 1-, 2-, 3- year survival rates of the two groups were compared by the Kaplan-Meier method.

Cyclic aromatic oligoamides as highly selective receptors for the guanidinium ion.

A class of six-residue, shape-persistent aromatic oligoamide macrocycles bind the guanidinium ion with very high selectivity.

[Blood transfusion during orthotopic liver transplantation].

Objective: To summarize the experience of blood transfusion during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Methods: The clinic data and blood transfusion of 28 patients during OLT were analyzed.

Results: The total blood volume of transfusion was 9 517 +/- 7 680 ml averagely for the 28 patients in general during OLT, including that of an infant (920 ml), massive blood transfusion in 2 cases (28740 ml and 38580 ml respectively).

Macrocyclic aromatic tetrasulfonamides with a stable cone conformation.

Aromatic tetrasulfonamide macrocycles carrying alkoxy side chains adopt a stable cone conformation in both the solid state and solution.

[Expression of HCGbeta-CTP polymeride by the methylotropic yeast, pichia pastoris and structure prediction of the expressed products].

To investigate the expression of CTP encoding gene in the methylotropic yeast, pichia pastoris and the possibility of CTP acting as an antifertility vaccine or anti-cancer vaccine, we strung two, three or four CTP cDNA to construct CTP polymeric cDNA in order to enhance the immunogenicity of the CTP. Then, the recombinant genes were subcloned into a pichia pastoris expression vector pPIC9K to construct pPIC9K-(hCGbeta-CTP37)n(n = 2,3,4). After identified by restriction endonuclease digestion and DNA sequencing, the recombinant vectors were linearized and transferred into GS115 by electroporation.

The local cone and rod system function in early age-related macular degeneration.

To compare cone and rod system function in patients with early age- related macular degeneration (ARMD) and control group using multifocal electroretinogram (MERG) and perimetry, to investigate whether there is rod system dysfunction in the central retina in ARMD. Cone-mediated MERG, photopic sensitivity, rod-mediated MERG, and scotopic sensitivity in 16 eyes of control subjects and 24 eyes of early dry-form ARMD were measured with VERIS Science 4.0 and Octopus 101 perimetry.

Helical aromatic oligoamides: reliable, readily predictable folding from the combination of rigidified structural motifs.

Factors responsible for the folding of aromatic oligoamides with backbones rigidified by local three-center H-bonds were investigated. The stability of the three-center H-bonds was quantified by the half-lives of amide proton-deuterium exchange reactions, which show that the three-center H-bonds were largely intact at room temperature in the oligomer examined. This result is consistent with our current and previous 2D NMR studies.

Public perceptions of private health care in socialist China.

We present the findings of a United Nations Development Programme-World Health Organization study commissioned by China's Ministry of Health on use of public and private ambulatory care services in three Chinese provinces. We found much unmet medical need (16 percent), attributed mainly to the perceived high cost of care. Seventy-one percent had no health insurance (90 percent in rural and 51 percent in urban areas).

[The state of diopter and visual acuity in central serous chorioretinopathy].

Purpose: To investigate the state of diopter and best corrected visual acuity in active central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: Twenty-three unilateral active CSC patients (23 eyes) were observed with Integrated Optometry Apparatus. The period of follow-up was from 3 - 12 months (mean, 7.

Bilateral central retinal vein occlusions combined with artery occlusions in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Purpose: This is the first report of a bilateral nonischemic central retinal vein occlusions combined with artery occlusions in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 22-year-old Chinese (male) with a positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection developed bilateral nonischemic central retinal vein occlusions combined with artery occlusions and severe vision loss.

The abnormal choroidal vessels in aged patients.

Background: To show the abnormal choroidal vessels in aged patients with indocyanine-green angiography (ICGA).

Methods: ICGA was performed in 350 patients with TOPCON TRC-50IA fundus camera. The images were recorded and retrospectively reviewed.

Indocyanine green angiographic and multifocal electroretinographic features in the diffuse and regional form of Bietti's crystalline retinopathy.

Purpose: To observe different features of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and multifocal electroretinography (ERG) in the diffuse and regional type of Bietti's crystalline retinopathy (BCR).

Methods: ICGA and the multifocal ERG were performed in two cases of the diffuse and regional type of BCR respectively. These data were compared with fluorescein angiography (FA), standard Ganzfeld ERG, and visual field testing.

[Angiographic changes in optic disc and its surrounding choroid after contusion of optic nerve].

Purpose: To study the angiographic changes in the optic disc and its surrounding choroidoretina after optic nerve contusion with fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).

Methods: Thirty patients (30 eyes) with various degree of optic nerve damage caused by ocular contusion were examined with FFA and ICGA. (The choroidal rupture were excluded in this study).

Highly efficient, one-step macrocyclizations assisted by the folding and preorganization of precursor oligomers.

Highly efficient, one-step macrocyclizations leading to the formation of macrocyclic hexa(aramides) in high yields (69-82%) are described. The one-step macrocyclizations were facilitated by the preorganization or folding of the backbones of uncyclized precursors in the course of macrocyclization. The preorganization of backbones was achieved by the presence of localized three-centered hydrogen bonds that were adopted in the design of a class of closely related, backbone-rigidified foldamers.

Down-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 by hepatitis C virus infection in vivo and by the in vitro expression of hepatitis C core protein.

Antioxidant enzymes, including heme oxygenase (HO)-1, are an important line of defense against oxidant-mediated liver injury. Because hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection appears to increase the production of oxidants, we evaluated levels of antioxidant enzymes and HO-1 in liver-biopsy samples from HCV-infected patients by immunoblot and semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In HCV-infected liver samples, levels of immunoreactive HO-1 and HO-1 mRNA were >4-fold lower than levels in control samples, but levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase were unaffected.

China's evolving health care market: how doctors feel and what they think.

This paper reports on a questionnaire survey and 12 focus groups conducted among doctors in three provinces of China, namely Guangdong, Shanxi, and Sichuan. The survey (N = 720) and focus group participants were drawn from both rural and urban areas, as well as public and private sectors, in equal numbers The aim was to gauge how Chinese doctors feel about themselves and what they think of the Chinese health care system. We found low satisfaction levels with own income (8%), job (27%), skill (30%), and other important aspects of their professional life.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in elderly Chinese patients.

Purpose: To investigate the frequency and clinical features of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in a consecutive series of elderly Chinese patients.

Methods: A restrospective analysis of 166 consecutive patients 50 years or older with diagnosis of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was conducted. Color fundus photographs were taken and fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography were performed in all patients.

Fundus analysis and visual prognosis of macular hemorrhage in pathological myopia without choroidal neovasculopathy.

Purpose: To analysis and evaluate the fundus characteristics and visual prognosis of macular hemorrhage in pathological myopia without choroidal neovasculopathy.

Methods: Thirty-seven patients (38 eyes) of pathological myopia with macular hemorrhage and without choroidal neovascularization (CNV) underwent color photograph and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) examinations. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) was also performed on 11 patients (11 eyes).