Advances in Peucedani Radix and its adulterants and substitutes in Chinese materia medica identification / 中草药

Peucedanum praeruptorum is a traditional Chinese medicine, which has been recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Phytochemical studies have shown that the active ingredients of P. praeruptorum can treat anemopyretic cold and cough with abundance of phlegm. Furthermore, the herb is well-known for the treatment of respiratory diseases as well as pulmonary hypertension, and shows great medical values involved in cardiovascular diseases, especially. This paper shows several research achievements involved in plant resources and its adulterants and substitutes identification based on pertinent literatures. DNA barcoding technology shows strong discriminability for medicinal plant and medicinal materials identification of Peucedani Radix. In this paper, recent research advances for identificating Peucedani Radix adulterants and substitutes were elaborated based on modern molecular biotechnology and traditional identification method, merits and drawbacks and practicability of each method are summarized at the same time. The main purpose is to provide new research ideas and solutions for rapid, reliable, and accurate identification of Peucedani Radix.

Screening potential DNA barcode regions of genus Papaver / 中国中药杂志

DNA barcoding is an effective technique in species identification. To determine the candidate sequences which can be used as DNA barcode to identify in Papaver genus, five potential sequences (ITS, matK, psbA-trnH, rbcL, trnL-trnF) were screened. 69 sequences were downloaded from Genbank, including 21 ITS sequences, 10 matK sequences, 8 psbA-trnH sequences, 14 rbcL sequences and 16 trnL-trnF sequences. Mega 6.0 was used to analysis the comparison of sequences. By the methods of calculating the distances in intraspecific and interspecific divergences, evaluating DNA barcoding gap and constructing NJ and UPMGA phylogenetic trees. The sequence trnL-trnF performed best. In conclusion, trnL-trnF can be considered as a novel DNA barcode in Papaver genus, other four sequences can be as combination barcode for identification.

Clinical analysis of level V occult metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the occult level V lymph node (LN) metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with clinical factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 203 PTC patients with clinical positive neck lymph nodes in level II, III and IV based on preoperative ultrasonography, who underwent therapeutic lateral neck dissection (level II-V) between January 2001 and June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 60 male and 143 female patients in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 42 years (ranging from 16 to 76 years). The 203 patients had undergone ipsilateral thyroidectomy and simultaneously neck dissections (II-VI). All patients had no suspicion of clinical positive neck nodes in level V. Univariate and Multivariate analysis were performed using the Pearson chi-square test and a binary logistic regression test, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rate of metastatic at levels II, III and IV was 47.3%(96/203), 79.8%(162/203), 81.3% (165/203), respectively. The rate of occult metastatic at level V were observed in 14.3%(29/203). In univariate analysis, LN metastasis in level V was statistically significantly more frequent in patients with positive level IV LNs (χ(2) = 5.651, P = 0.017) and positive LNs throughout the lateral neck (level III+IV) (χ(2) = 10.936, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that positive LN involvement in all lateral neck (level III+IV) is an independent predictive factor of level V LN metastasis (P = 0.046, OR = 4.550).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In PTC patients without suspicious LNs in neck level IV by preoperative ultrasound, prophylactic level V LN dissection may be omitted.</p>

Tracheoesophageal shunt for vocal rehabilitation after laryngectomy / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To discuss the clinical value of functional tracheoesophageal shunt for vocal rehabilitation after laryngectomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty seven cases of tracheoesophageal shunt for vocal rehabilitation after laryngectomy in Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from 1981 to 2006 were analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 127 cases, 105 cases got successful phonation and the total success rate of vocal rehabilitation was 82.7%, all successful cases were followed up from 2 to 27 years had good phonation quality and no aspiration. Analyzing the reasons of failure in phonation of the 22 cases, 9 cases were because of improper operation (7 cases for narrow fistula and 2 cases for broad fistula), 13 cases were because of postoperative infection (10 cases for narrow fistula and 3 cases for broad fistula). The key to successful phonation was the size of fistula, the main causes of the failure in phonation were related to uncorrected operative procedure and postoperative infection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This method for vocal rehabilitation after laryngectomy has high success rate of vocal rehabilitation and low complications, it is relatively simple and worth popularizing in clinical treatment.</p>

Clinical and pathological analysis of malignant carotid body tumor / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the clinical, pathological and prognosis character of malignant carotid body tumor and explore its methods of diagnosis and treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of clinic, pathology, treatment and follow-up of nine patients with malignant carotid body tumor in Tianjin Cancer Hospital from February 1982 to June 2006 were analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four Male and five female cases were included, their average history was 6.5 years. Shamblin classification: one case was type II, eight cases were type III. All the patients were underwent ultrasonic inspection, four digital subtraction arteriography (DSA) and three magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Seven cases were diagnosed as carotid body tumor. Five cases underwent Matas test training course. All the patients were performed wide excision of tumor and surrounding tissue. Three carotids were occludes, one of them reconstructed with vascular prosthesis, two were resected. There were no perioperative hemiplegias or deaths. Before operation, one case had atrophy of left side of tongue and fixed left vocal card; two cases had Horner syndrome. After operation, eight cases had 13 cranial nerve deficits, they were: two cerchnus, four glossal deviation, three Horner syndrome and one drop of oral corner, one choking cough. Pathologic diagnosis included nine malignant carotid body tumors, two with capsule, seven without capsule, one cervical and one lung metastasis. Two of them underwent radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 6 years (range: 6 months-14 years). Six patients survived. Two cases died, one died of cervical recurrence, the other of lung cancer. One case was lost.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Malignant carotid body tumor is rare in clinic, and often invade the carotid and cranial nerve, the diagnosis of malignant tumor should base on occurring extensive invasion of adjacent organs and metastasis; Wide surgical excision should be selected early, radiotherapy is effective, the effect of chemotherapy is uncertainty.</p>