Laparoscopic resection of a duplicated gall bladder: A case report and literature review.

A duplicated gall bladder is a rare congenital biliary anomaly, with an incidence rate estimated between 1 in 4000-1 in 5000. It may present with no apparent symptoms or can manifest as biliary colic or symptoms related to pancreatitis. The Harlaftis classification system is widely used for categorising duplicated gall bladders: type I is the split primordial gallbladder, which includes the septated, V-shaped and Y-shaped varieties; type II is the accessory gall bladder type, encompassing the H-shaped or tubular and trabecular types and type III is the triplicated gall bladder type.

Efficacy and safety of Qingda granule versus valsartan capsule in Chinese grade 1 hypertensive patients with low-moderate risk: A randomized, double-blind, double dummy, non-inferiority, multi-center trial.

Background: The efficacy and safety of Qingda granule (QDG) in managing blood pressure (BP) among grade 1 hypertensive patients with low-moderate risk remain uncertain.

Methods: In the randomized, double-blind, double dummy, non-inferiority and multicenter trial, 552 patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-moderate risk were assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to receive either QDG or valsartan for 4 weeks, followed up by a subsequent 4 weeks.

Results: Post-treatment, clinic systolic/diastolic BPs (SBP/DBP) were reduced by a mean change of 9.

Effects of Qingda granule on patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk: study protocol for a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Background: Numerous pre-clinical studies showed that Qingda granule (QDG) was effective in treating hypertension. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of QDG in reducing blood pressure among patients with grade 1 hypertension at low-medium risk.

Methods: The study is designed as a randomized, multi-center, double-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial.

Pharmacodynamic Mechanism of Kuanxiong Aerosol for Vasodilation and Improvement of Myocardial Ischemia.

Objective: To explore the effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KXA) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury in rat models.

Methods: Totally 24 rats were radomly divided into control, ISO, KXA low-dose and high-dose groups according to the randomized block design method, and were administered by intragastric administration for 10 consecutive days, and on the 9th and 10th days, rats were injected with ISO for 2 consecutive days to construct an acute myocardial ischemia model to evaluate the improvement of myocardial ischemia by KXA. In addition, the diastolic effect of KXA on rat thoracic aorta and its regulation of ion channels were tested by in vitro vascular tension test.

Therapeutic Effects of Different Animal Bile Powders on Lipid Metabolism Disorders and Their Composition Analysis.

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effect of different animal bile powders on lipid metabolism disorders induced by high-fat diet in rats, and analyze the bioactive components of each animal bile powder.

Methods: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=10): normal diet control group, high-fat diet model group, high-fat diet groups orally treated with bear, pig, cow and chicken bile powders, respectively. Serum biochemical markers from the abdominal aorta in each group were analyzed.

Prevention of systemic inflammation and neuroprotective effects of Qingda granules against angiotensin II-mediated hypertension.

Qingxuan Jiangya Decoction (QXJYD), prescribed by academician Ke-ji Chen, has long been used as a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula in blood pressure control and has achieved good clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients. Qingda granules (QDGs), which is a formula simplified from QXJYD, might serve as a novel anti-hypertensive pharmaceutical. However, the functional mechanism of QDGs remains unclear.

Qingxuan Jiangya Decoction () Prevents Blood Pressure Elevation and Ameliorates Vascular Structural Remodeling via Modulating TGF-β 1/Smad Pathway in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Objective: To elevate the effects of Qingxuan Jiangya Decoction (, QXJYD) on hypertension and vascular structural remodeling (VSR) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: SHRs (n=8) were given intra-gastric administration with 60 mg/kg of QXJYD or saline, daily for 8 weeks, while rats in SHR-control (n=8) and WKY (n=8) groups were received equal volumes of saline solution. Systolic blood pressures (SBP), diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and mean blood pressures (MBP) were measured once a week.

Bear Bile Powder Inhibits Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Suppressing STAT3 Signaling Pathway in Mice.

Objective: To evaluate the inhibitory effect of bear bile powder (BBP) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth in vivo and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: A HCC xenograft mouse model was developed by producing with huh7 cells. After 5 days following xenograft implantation, ten HCC xenograft mice were given intra-gastric administration with 10 mg/(kg•d) dose of BBP or saline for 3 weeks.

Alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula (AFNP) ameliorate aortic remodeling via RhoA/ROCK pathway.

The protective role of alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula (AFNP) on the aorta during hypertension is not yet fully understood. We hypothesize that AFNP exerts protective effects against Ang II-induced hypertension by mediating RhoA/ROCK pathway and phenotypic switching during hypertension. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of AFNP on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization and aorta remodeling, as well as the involvement of RhoA/Rho-associated coiled kinase (ROCK) pathway in protecting against hypertension.

Pien Tze Huang () Overcomes Doxorubicin Resistance and Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in MCF-7/ADR Cells.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Pien Tze Huang (, PZH) on breast cancer chemoresistance and related epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the cell viability. Adriamycin (ADR) staining observed by fluorescence microscope was performed to detect the accumulation of ADR.

Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill () Protects against NaSO-Induced Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Injury in H9c2 Cells.

Objectives: To investigate the protective effects of Shexiang Tongxin Dropping Pill (, STP) on NaSO-induced hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in cardiomyoblast H9c2 cells.

Methods: The cell viability and levels of mRNA and protein expression in H9c2 cells were determined following NaSO-induced hypoxia using Hoechst staining, annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.

Results: STP pretreatment significantly increased the viability and inhibited aberrant morphological changes in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells induced by NaSO treatment (P<0.

Scutellaria barbata D. Don inhibits colorectal cancer growth via suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective: To investigate the effect of the ethanol extract of Scutellaria barbata D. Don (EESB) on colorectal cancer (CRC) growth and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: In vivo experiment, CRC xenograft mouse model was constructed with injection of HT-29 cells.

Zika Virus Infection: Current Concerns and Perspectives.

The Zika virus outbreaks highlight the growing importance need for a reliable, specific and rapid diagnostic device to detect Zika virus, as it is often recognized as a mild disease without being identified. Many Zika virus infection cases have been misdiagnosed or underreported because of the non-specific clinical presentation. The aim of this review was to provide a critical and comprehensive overview of the published peer-reviewed evidence related to clinical presentations, various diagnostic methods and modes of transmission of Zika virus infection, as well as potential therapeutic targets to combat microcephaly.

[A system review of randomized controlled trials on treating chronic stable angina by rhodiola].

Objective: To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of Rhodiola in treating chronic stable angina pectoris.

Methods: Our group searched the Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, Chinese biomedical literature database (CBM), VIP database (VIP), Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CNKI) for the literature published in English and Chinese till April 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included on the therapeutic effect of Rhodiola or Rhodiola plus conventional Western medicine in comparison with the conventional Western medicine treatment on stable angina.

Aloe vera for prevention and treatment of infusion phlebitis.

Background: Up to 80% of hospitalised patients receive intravenous therapy at some point during their admission. About 20% to 70% of patients receiving intravenous therapy develop phlebitis. Infusion phlebitis has become one of the most common complications in patients with intravenous therapy.

Xiongshao for restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with coronary heart disease.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement is a standard treatment for coronary heart disease (CHD). In-stent restenosis after PCI remains an important clinical problem. Xiongshao capsule has been reported to be beneficial in preventing restenosis after PCI in CHD patients.

Systematic Review of Chinese Herbal Medicines for Preventing in-Stent Coronary Restenosis after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement is a standard treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). In-stent restenosis after PCI remains a challenging clinical problem. In China, Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are widely used for preventing restenosis.

Elevated plasma platelet activating factor, platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase levels and risk of coronary heart disease or blood stasis syndrome of coronary heart disease in Chinese: a case control study: a case-control study.

The purpose of the study was to explore the association between plasma platelet activating factor (PAF) and platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) levels and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) or blood stasis syndrome (BSS) of CHD. Questionnaire, routine clinical assays and plasma levels of PAF, PAF-AH and inflammatory factors hs-CRP and IL-6 were investigated or measured for 120 controls and 150 CHD patients (66 non-BSS and 84 BSS). Plasma PAF levels were higher in CHD patients [49.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 gene V279F polymorphisms and coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LP-PLA2) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease (CHD). The polymorphism of LP-PLA2 gene caused LP-PLA2 enzyme activity depressing or lost. But there is not a definite conclusion for the association of between the LP-PLA2 gene polymorphism and CHD risk.