Ultrasonic frogs show hyperacute phonotaxis to female courtship calls.

Sound communication plays a vital role in frog reproduction, in which vocal advertisement is generally the domain of males. Females are typically silent, but in a few anuran species they can produce a feeble reciprocal call or rapping sounds during courtship. Males of concave-eared torrent frogs (Odorrana tormota) have demonstrated ultrasonic communication capacity.

Fractionation of the rice bran layer and quantification of vitamin E, oryzanol, protein, and rice bran saccharide.

Value-added processing with respect to rice milling has traditionally treated the rice bran layer as a homogenous material that contains significant concentrations of high-value components of interest for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Investigators have shown that high-value components in the rice bran layer vary from differences in kernel-thickness, bran fraction, rice variety, and environmental conditions during the growing season. The objectives of this study were to quantify the amount of rice bran removed at pre-selected milling times and to correlate the amount of rice bran removed at each milling time with the concentration of vitamin E, gamma-oryzanol, rice bran saccharide, and protein obtained.

Factors affecting lycopene oxidation in oil-in-water emulsions.

Evidence that dietary lycopene decreases the risk for a number of health conditions has generated new opportunities for the addition of lycopene to functional foods. This work examined the potential of oil-in-water emulsions as a lycopene delivery system for foods. Oil-in-water emulsions containing lycopene were prepared using different kinds of surfactant (cationic, anionic, and nonionic) and oil types (corn oil, stripped corn oil, and hexadecane).

Diagnostic value of double balloon enteroscopy for small-intestinal disease: experience from China.

Background: Diseases of the small intestine include, among others, ulceration, chronic inflammation, Meckel's diverticula, vascular deformities, and cancer.

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) for small-intestinal disease in a Chinese patient cohort.

Design: DBE was performed via the mouth, anus, or both approaches to diagnose small-intestinal disease.

Does NT-proBNP remain a sensitive biomarker for chronic heart failure after administration of a beta-blocker?

Background: Beta-blockers exert complex effects on plasma N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level.

Hypothesis: We aimed to investigate whether NT-proBNP was still able to mirror the severity of chronic heart failure and predict the prognosis of the disease after administration of a beta-blocker.

Methods: Forty-four patients with chronic congestive heart failure were enrolled in the study to randomly receive carvedilol or bisoprolol in addition to background therapy.

[Development of an embedded mobile terminal for real-time remote monitoring of out-of-hospital cardiac patients].

A kind of real-time remote monitoring embedded terminal which is combined with mobile communication technology and GPS localization technology, has been developed. The results of preliminary experiments show that the terminal can transmit ECG signals and localization information in real time and continuously, supply a real-time monitoring of out-of-hospital cardiac patients and trace the patients.

[The diagnostic value of double balloon endoscopy in small intestine disease].

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) for small intestinal diseases.

Methods: 155 patients clinically suspicious of small intestinal diseases were studied. 110 of them were male and 45 female.

[Effect of flavonoids from Hippophae rhamniodes residues on blood lipoid metabolism and antioxidative activity in climacteric rats].

Objective: To study the effect of flavonoids from seed residues of Hippophae rhamnoides (FH) on the lipid metabolism and antioxidative activity in climacteric rats.

Method: Menopausal rats with aging were used in this experiment. The rats were fed with FH by gastrogavage for 13 weeks.

[Clinical studies on level of N-terminal portion of brain natriuretic in the treatment and prognosis of Chinese patients with chronic left heart failure].

Objective: To study the relationship of the level of N-terminal portion of brain natriuretic (NT-ProBNP) with the treatment and prognosis of patients with acute attack of chronic left heart failure.

Methods: Patients (age range 18-80 years) with decompensated heart failure treated in the emergency department in Fuwai Hospital were included in this study. Dynamic changes of plasma levels of NT-ProBNP, angiotensin (AO), renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II (AT II) and aldosterone (ALD) were detected by enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) before anti-cardiac failure treatment and 3-5, 5-7 days after the treatment.

[Pulmonary embolism misdiagnosis in China: a literature review (2001 to 2004)].

Objective: To evaluate the present status of pulmonary embolism (PE) misdiagnosis in China.

Methods: Documents on PE misdiagnosis published in Chinese-language journals between 2001 and 2004 were identified by searching the China Hospital Knowledge Database in China National Knowledge Infrastructure Web (CNKI-CHKD). Retrospective review items include: patient symptoms, medical examination tools, treatments and prognosis, causes of death, hospitals involved.

[Prognostic value of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide on admission in patients with chronic heart failure].

Objective: Heart failure is responsible for a huge burden in hospital care. Our goal was to evaluate the value of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) on predicting death or hospital readmission after hospital discharge in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: From March 2003 to April 2005, 135 consecutive patients (97 male and 38 female, mean age 60.

Auditory response characteristics of the piebald odorous frog and their implications.

The piebald odorous frog (Odorrana schmackeri), the large odorous frog (Odorrana livida) and the concave-eared torrent frog (Amolops tormotus) are sympatric species living near the same torrent streams in the vicinity of Mt. Huangshan, China. A recent study demonstrated that A.

Ultrasonic communication in frogs.

Among vertebrates, only microchiropteran bats, cetaceans and some rodents are known to produce and detect ultrasounds (frequencies greater than 20 kHz) for the purpose of communication and/or echolocation, suggesting that this capacity might be restricted to mammals. Amphibians, reptiles and most birds generally have limited hearing capacity, with the ability to detect and produce sounds below approximately 12 kHz. Here we report evidence of ultrasonic communication in an amphibian, the concave-eared torrent frog (Amolops tormotus) from Huangshan Hot Springs, China.

Ultrasound assisted extraction in quantifying lutein from chicken liver using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Four sample preparation methods, (1) solvent (SOL), (2) saponification and solvent (SP), (3) ultrasound assisted solvent (UA), and (4) saponification and ultrasound assisted solvent (SP-UA), were used for quantifying lutein in chicken liver samples by HPLC. The lutein concentrations obtained by using SOL, UA, SP, and SP-UA were significantly different with values from 10.4 microg/g (UA) to undetected (SOL).

[Beneficial neurohormonal profiles of beta-blockades in chronic left heart failure].

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of beta-blockers on neurohormonal factors in patients with chronic left heart failure (CHF).

Methods: 44 patients, 33 men and 11 women, with age of 60.1 +/- 10.

Role of the posterior vacuole in Spraguea lophii (Microsporidia) spore hatching.

Microsporidia constitute a large group of obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that inject themselves into host cells via the extrusion apparatus of the infective spore stage. Although the injection process is poorly understood, its energy source is thought to reside in the posterior vacuole that swells significantly during spore firing. Here we report the presence and localisation of the key peroxisomal enzymes catalase and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACOX) within the posterior vacuole of Spraguea lophii (Doflein, 1898) spores.

[Study on antioxidant activity of essential oils and its monomer from Pelargonium graveolens].

The antioxidant effects of essential oil and monomer as well as residue and waste water after distillation from buds, stems and leaves of Pelargonium graveolens were studied by the method of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free redical (DPPH*). It showed that each sample in the test had the antioxidant effect. The extraction of the leaf collected in noon had the strongest antioxidant effect, the residue and waste water had also strong antioxidant effect.

Effects of simvastain combined with omega-3 fatty acids on high sensitive C-reactive protein, lipidemia, and fibrinolysis in patients with mixed dyslipidemia.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of simvastatin combined with omega-3 fatty acids on high sensitive C-reactive protein (HsCRP), lipidemia, and fibrinolysis in coronary heart disease (CHD) and CHD risk equivalent patients with mixed dyslipidemia.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind placebo controlled and parallel group trial was conducted. Patients with CHD and CHD risk equivalents with mixed dyslipidemia were treated with 10 or 20 mg simvastatin for 6-12 weeks.

Lipid-lowering efficacy and safety of varying doses of Simvastatin in patients with early stage acute coronary syndromes: one-year follow-up study.

Objective: To investigate whether patients, who are at risk of major acute coronary events, are safe to undergo and benefit from early intervention after using simvastatin.

Methods: The study was a randomized, open, two-dosage-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and benefits of simvastatin administered to 197 patients (10 mg group, n = 98 and 20 mg group, n = 99), within 48 hours of hospitalization for a diagnosis of unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction (MI), with total cholesterol (TC) >/= 180 mg/dL or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >/= 100 mg/dL. Lipid levels were measured immediately, followed by the 3rd, 6th and 12th month after admission and all adverse events were recorded during follow-up.

Relationships among apolipoprotein A1 gene polymorphisms, lipid levels and coronary atherosclerosis disease.

Objective: To investigate the relationship among -75 bp/+83 bp polymorphism in apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1) gene, lipids levels and the occurrence of coronary atherosclerosis disease (CAD).

Methods: We determined distributions of two MspI polymorphisms of the apo A1 gene at -75 bp and +83 bp, and blood lipids levels among 137 Chinese patients (92 with CAD and 45 in the control group) in relation to circulating lipids and coronary angiography.

Results: The demographic information for 137 subjects showed that subjects with CAD tended to have more unfavorable lipoprotein variables.

[Establishment and growth regulation of rat hepatocyte colony in vitro].

Objective: To investigate the conditions essential for culturing hepatocytes colony in vitro, and to study the growth regulation mechanisms of hepatocyte colony.

Methods: Rat hepatocytes were isolated by two-step in situ preperfusion and collagenase circulatory perfusion. The effects of hepatopoietin (HPN), nicotinamide (NA) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on DNA synthesis, mitotic activity, morphology (under inverted microscope) and utrastructure (under TEM) of the hepatocytes were investigated in chemically defined culture medium.

Stabilities of daidzin, glycitin, genistin, and generation of derivatives during heating.

The soy isoflavones daidzin, glycitin, and genistin were purified from defatted soy flour using preparative-scale reverse-phase HPLC. The stabilities of the three isoflavones at different heating temperatures were investigated. Daidzin, glycitin, and genistin were lost at a rate of 26, 27, and 27% of their original concentration, respectively, after 3 min at 185 degrees C.