Novel assays for quality evaluation of XueBiJing:Quality variability of a Chinese herbal injection for sepsis management

XueBiJing is an intravenous five-herb injection used to treat sepsis in China.The study aimed to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)-or liquid chromatography-ultraviolet(LC-UV)-based assay for quality evaluation of XueBiJing.Assay development involved identifying marker constituents to make the assay therapeutically relevant and building a reliable one-point calibrator for monitoring the various analytes in parallel.Nine marker constituents from the five herbs were selected based on XueBiJing's chemical composition,pharmacokinetics,and pharmacodynamics.A selectivity test(for“similarity of response”)was developed to identify and minimize interference by nontarget constituents.Then,an intercept test was developed to fulfill“linearity through zero”for each analyte(absolute ratio of intercept to C response,<2%).Using the newly developed assays,we analyzed samples from 33 batches of XueBiJing,manufactured over three years,and found small batch-to-batch variability in contents of the marker constituents(4.1%-14.8%),except for senkyunolide I(26.5%).

Pedicle complex tissue flap transfer for reconstruction of duplicated thumbs with unequal size

BACKGROUND Thumb polydactyly is one of the most common congenital hand deformities,and the Bilhaut-Cloquet procedure or a modified one is often used.However,controversy remains over the rare instances in which both thumbs are not of similar length or far apart in distance.AIM To evaluate the clinical outcomes of pedicle complex tissue flap transfer in the treatment of duplicated thumbs with unequal size.METHODS From January 2014 to December 2020,15 patients underwent duplicated thumb reconstruction by pedicle complex tissue flap transfer at our hand surgery center.The technique was used when it was necessary to combine different tissues from both severed and preserved thumbs that were not of similar length or far apart in distance.Subjective parents’evaluations and functional outcomes(ALURRA and TATA criteria)were obtained.The alignment deviation,instability,range of motion(percent of opposite thumb)of the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints,and the aesthetic aspects,including circumference,length,nail size,and nail deformity,were used to assess the clinical outcomes.RESULTS The average age of patients at the time of surgery was 13 mo,and the mean final follow-up occurred at 42 mo.An appropriate volume with a stable joint and good appearance was obtained in 14 reconstructed thumbs.An unstable interphalangeal joint occurred in one thumb.The flexion-extension arc at the metacarpophalangeal joint was good,while that at the interphalangeal joint was poor.Most of the parents were satisfied with the cosmetic and functional results of the reconstructed thumbs.The mean ALURRA score was 21.8(range:20-24),and the Tada score was 6.9(range:5-8).Compared with the non-operated side,the length of the operated thumb was approximately 95%,the girth was 89%,and the nail width was 82.9%.The mean ranges of motion were 62.1%of that of the unaffected thumb in the interphalangeal joint and 78.3%in the metacarpophalangeal joint.CONCLUSION Harvesting a pedicle flap from a severed thumb is a safe and reliable procedure.Defects of the preserved thumb,such as the skin,nail,and bone,can be effectively restored using the complex tissue flap.

Double Exchange Model in Triangular Lattice Studied by Truncated Polynomial Expansion Method

The low temperature properties of double exchange model in triangular lattice are investigated via truncated polynomial expansion method(TPEM),which reduces the computational complexity and enables parallel computation.We found that for the half-filling case a stable 120◦spin configuration phase occurs owing to the frustration of triangular lattice and is further stabilized by antiferromagnetic(AF)superexchange interaction,while a transition between a stable ferromagnetic(FM)phase and a unique flux phase with small finite-size effect is induced by AF superexchange interaction for the quarter-filling case.