Textual Research on Illustrations of Medicinal Materials Named After Geographical Names of Jiangsu Province in Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica （Ben Cao Tu Jing）， compiled in 1061， is regarded as the crystallization of the second national survey of Chinese medicinal resources in the history of China after the Newly Revised Materia Medica （Xin Xiu Ben Cao）， which serves as a precious source for exploring the Chinese medicinal resources in the Song Dynasty. The Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica （Ben Cao Tu Jing） covers 50 illustrations for Chinese medicinal materials named after geographical names of Jiangsu Province， 39 of which have been verified in today's Jiangsu Province. To be specific， Chinese medicinal materials in 32 illustrations can be traced back to their species， those in four illustrations to genera， and those in three illustrations to family. The remaining 12 illustrations remain to be further verified. The origins of most Chinese medicinal materials in the illustrations can be traced， which is attributed to their exquisiteness and lifelikeness as well as the detailed descriptions of the characters of the original plants and animals. In the textual research of these illustrations， we have noticed that there are inconsistencies between pictures and texts， and different illustrations may be derived from the same origin. This is believed to be related to SU Song's principle of collation that "for all Chinese medicinal materials presented as examples， if their shapes and categories recorded are not consistent with those in the literature， they will be retained. If there is any connection with the literature， they will be annotated according to literature to make their origins clear". As revealed by the distribution of Chinese medical materials in Jiangsu Province reported in the Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica （Ben Cao Tu Jing）， the utilization and development of Jiangsu medicinal materials during the Northern Song Dynasty were mainly concentrated in the low-altitude valleys and coastal areas. It could be seen from the illustrations of Chinese medicinal materials named after geographical names of today's Jiangsu Province that the production areas with a large number of illustrations were relatively developed in politics， economy， and transportation at that time， which enabled the medicinal resources to be fully utilized.

Association of complement factor H gene polymorphisms with age-related macular egeneration susceptibility.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to confirm whether I62V and Y402H polymorphisms of complement factor H (CFH) were risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHOD: 109 AMD patients and 165 AMD-free controls were enrolled in the study. The I62V and Y402H polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length of polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the X2 test to assess the relationship of I62V and Y402H polymorphisms with AMD risk. Analysis of haplotype and stratification by age and smoking status was conducted as well. RESULTS: AA genotype and A allele of I62V polymorphism was significantly associated with increased risk for AMD (OR=3.75, 95% CI=1.70-8.30; OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.14-2.36). For Y402H polymorphism, CT genotype showed strong effects on the occurrence of AMD (OR=2.10, 95% CI=1.04-4.27). Moreover, C allele was also a risk factor for AMD (OR=1.95, 95% CI=1.02-3.72). The haplotypes analysis suggested that the risk for AT haplotype carriers was high, compared with GT haplotype (OR=3.91, 95% CI=2.58-5.94). In addition, we found that smoking status could affect the genotype distribution of Y402H polymorphism (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that CFH polymorphisms I62V and Y402H might be associated with the susceptibility to AMD in Chinese population.

[Treatment options for elderly breast cancer patients over 70 years old].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and therapeutics of elderly patients with breast carcinomas. METHODS: A total of 312 patients ( ≥ 70 years old) admitted into Breast Center of Beijing Hospital from September 1997 to September 2011 were included for this retrospective study. Their clinical characteristics, treatment options and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: They accounted for 14.6% (312/2137) of breast cancer patients treated during the same period. The predominant complaint was palpable mass (n = 250, 80.1%). 90.4% (n = 282) of them were complicated with other diseases. The major pathologic type was invasive ductal carcinoma of non-special type (n = 248, 79.5%). The positive rate of estrogen receptor (ER) and(or) progesterone receptor (PR) was 75.3% (n = 235), and 15.7% (n = 49) cases were Cerb-B2 (+ + +) . The 5, 10-year overall survival were 75.0% and 41.8% respectively. TNM stage, vascular thrombosis, operative regimen and adjuvant therapy were prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical operation and endocrine therapy are the first choice remedies for elderly patients. And the major prognostic factors are TNM stage, vascular thrombosis and treatment regimens.