Abstract: Background . Blunt spleen injury is generally taken as major trauma which is potentially lethal. However, the management strategy has progressively changed to noninvasive treatment over the decade. This study aimed to (1) find out the incidence and trend of strategy change; (2) investigate the effect of change on the mortality rate over the study period; and (3) evaluate the risk factors of mortality. Materials and Methods . We utilized nationwide population-based data to explore the incidence of BSI during a 12-year study period. The demographic characteristics, including gender, age, surgical intervention, blood transfusion, availability of CT scans, and numbers of coexisting injuries, were collected for analysis. Mortality, hospital length of stay, and cost were as outcome variables. Results . 578 splenic injuries were recorded with an estimated incidence of 48 per million per year. The average 12-year overall mortality rate during hospital stay was 5.28% (29/549). There is a trend of decreasing operative management in patients ( X 2 , P = 0.004 ). The risk factors for mortality in BSI from a multivariate logistic regression analysis were amount of transfusion (OR 1.033, P 〈 0.001 , CI 1.017–1.049), with or without CT obtained (OR 0.347, P = 0.026 , CI 0.158–0.889), and numbers of coexisting injuries (OR 1.346, P = 0.043 , CI 1.010–1.842). Conclusion . Although uncommon of BSI, management strategy is obviously changed to nonoperative treatment without increasing mortality and blood transfusion under the increase of CT utilization. Patients with more coexisting injuries and more blood transfusion had higher mortality.

Abstract: Platostoma palustre jelly is a traditional food. Platostoma palustre has been used as folk medicine and is effective against heat-shock, hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, the aim of in vivo study was to determine the effects of herbal tea (Platostoma palustre) on blood lipid regulation. The commercial herbal tea (Platostoma palustre) was kindly provided by Yueta Agricultural Biotechnology Inc. Adult male 18 Syrian hamsters (outbred stock) [5 weeks old; body weight (BW) between 90-100 g] with specific pathogen-free conditions were used in this study. In this experiment, all Syrian hamsters (n = 18) were divided respectively the normal control group (n = 6), the negative control group (n = 6), and the herbal tea group (n = 6). The high-fat feed (containing 0.2% cholesterol) was used to feed Syrian hamsters for 8 weeks to induce hyperlipidemia in the negative control group and the herbal tea group. In the herbal tea group, the herbal tea (10 mL/kg BW) was administrated to Syrian hamsters by gavage. Blood were collected before hyperlipidemia was induced (D0) and blood was collected after hyperlipidemia was induced (D28 and D56). The BW of Syrian hamsters were weighed weekly. The TG (triglyceride), TCHO (total cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) contents in blood were detected and analyzed at each experimental time point. In addition, at the end of the experiment, the liver tissue was dissected out for analysis of CHO (cholesterol) and TG contents. The results were shown that the average BW of the Syrian hamsters in the negative control group was significantly higher than that of the Syrian hamsters in the normal control group during hyperlipidemia induction (W5-W8). The BW of the herbal tea group was slightly higher than that of the normal control group after hyperlipidemia induction. However, there was no significant difference between the negative group and the herbal tea group each week of the experiment. The TG level of Syrian hamsters in the negative control group was significantly higher than that of Syrian hamsters in the normal control group at the 8th weeks-experiment. The TG level of Syrian hamsters in the herbal tea group was between the negative control group and the normal control group and there were no significant differences between two groups (the herbal tea group and the negative control group). The TCHO levels in blood of Syrian hamsters in the negative control group and the herbal tea group were both significantly higher than that of the normal control group at the 4th week- and 8th week-experiment. At the 4th and 8th weeks-experiment, the TCHO of the herbal tea group was slightly lower than that of the negative control group after hyperlipidemia induction. The TCHO levels in blood of Syrian hamsters in the herbal tea group and the negative control group had no significant difference. At the experiment (W4 and W8), the HDL cholesterol level in blood of Syrian hamsters in the negative control and the herbal tea group were significantly higher than that in the normal control group. The HDL cholesterol level in blood of the herbal tea group was slightly higher than that of the negative control group after hyperlipidemia induction (W4 and W8). At the experiment (W4 and W8), the HDL cholesterol level in blood of the negative control group and the herbal tea group were significantly higher than that of the normal control group. There was no significant difference between the herbal tea group and the negative control group. Addi tionally, the LDL cholesterol level in blood of the herbal tea group was significantly lower than that of the negative control group after hyperlipidemia induction (W4 and W8). At the experiment (W4 and W8), the ratio of HDL cholesterol level /LDL cholesterol level in blood of the negative control group were significantly lower than that of the normal control group. The ratio of HDL cholesterol level /LDL cholesterol level in blood of the herbal tea group was higher than that of the negative control group after hyperlipidemia induction (W4 and W8). However, there was no significant difference between the herbal tea group and the normal control group. At the end of experiment (W8), the TG and CHO levels in liver tissues of the negative control group and the herbal tea group were significantly higher than that of the normal control group. The TG and CHO contents in liver tissues of the herbal tea group was lower than that of the negative control group at the end of experiment (W8). However, there was no significant difference between the herbal tea group and the negative control group. Taken all in vivo results together, the hyperlipidemia was successfully induced in the experimental Syrian hamsters. After administrating with the herbal tea, the blood and liver lipid levels of the Syrian hamsters tended to improve. Therefore, based on the results of this experiment, it is speculated that drinking the herbal tea for 2 months has considerable potential for blood lipid regulation, which can be used as the basis for the development of related products of the herbal tea in the future.

Abstract: Platostoma palustre jelly is a traditional food. It has been used as folk medicine and is effective against heat-shock, hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, the aim of this study was want to analyze the components of commercially traditional herbal tea (P. palustre) in Taiwan. The commercial herbal tea (P. palustre) was kindly provided by Yueta Agricultural Biotechnology Inc. The detection methods of the components of commercially traditional herbal tea (P. palustre) were followed the analysis protocols in Taiwan Herbal Pharmacopeia (IV). The levels of chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin were detected via using high-performance liquid chromatography / photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA). The level of astragaloside was detected by using high-performance liquid chromatography / evaporative light scattering detectors (HPLC-ELSD). In this analysis, the levels of chlorogenic acid, astragaloside, and rutin were not detected. The levels of rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid were 46.96 μg/mL and 29.29 μg/mL, respectively. Taken all results together, the components of commercially traditional herbal tea (P. palustre) were detected via HPLC-PDA and HPLC-ELSD. The major components of commercially traditional herbal tea (P. palustre) were rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Based on the results of this assay, it is speculated that the herbal tea has the functional properties that are considerable potential for physiological function regulations.

Abstract: Platostoma palustre jelly is a traditional food. Platostoma palustre has been used as folk medicine and is effective against heat-shock, hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, the aim of in vivo study was to determine the effects of herbal tea (Platostoma palustre) on blood glucose regulation. The commercial herbal tea (Platostoma palustre) was kindly provided by Yueta Agricultural Biotechnology Inc. Adult male 18 Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice [8 weeks old; body weight (BW) between 31-33 g] with specific pathogen-free conditions were used for this study. All ICR mice were divided respectively the normal control group (n = 6), the negative control group (n = 6), and the herbal tea group (n = 6). The ICR mice (the negative control group and the herbal tea group) were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg BW) and nicotinamide (230 mg/kg BW) for inducing the symptoms of hyperglycemia. In the herbal tea group, the herbal tea (10 mL/kg BW) was administrated to ICR mice by gavage. To monitor the blood glucose levels in ICR mice, blood was obtained from the tail of ICR mice, and blood glucose levels were determined using the external glucometer. Blood glucose measurements were conducted once in ICR mice before the experiment and were detected once per month after the experiment. Additionally, the change of ICR mice’ BW, the blood glucose of ICR mice, and the observation of ICR mice’ behavior were monitored and detected during the experiment. The results of this experiment showed · Weight change: the weight gain of the negative control group and the herbal tea group were significantly lower than those of the normal control group and there was no significant difference between the negative control group and the herbal tea group. · Fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose: the fasting blood glucose of the negative control group was significantly higher than that of the normal control group, while the herbal tea group had a tendency to lower the fasting blood glucose, but there was no significant difference compared with the negative control group. The postprandial blood glucose level results showed that the negative control group was significantly higher than the normal control group. The postprandial blood glucose level of the herbal tea group was between the normal control group and the negative control group at the 4th week administration with the herbal tea. At the 8th week administration with the herbal tea, there was a significant difference compared with the negative control group. · Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): 4 to 12 weeks after hyperglycemia was induced, the blood glucose levels of the negative control group at each OGTT test point were significantly higher than those of the normal control group. The blood glucose level at the test point tended to decrease, but there was no significant difference from the negative control group. By calculating the area under the OGTT curve, it was found that the area under the curve of the negative control group was significantly higher than that of the normal control group, while the results of the herbal tea group at the 8th and 12th weeks were significantly lower than those of the negative control group. Taken all results together, the hyperglycemia was successfully induced in the experimental ICR mice. After administrating with the herbal tea, the fasting blood glucose level of the ICR mice tended to improve. In addition, a significant improvement was seen in the results of postprandial blood sugar and oral glucose tolerance test effectiveness. Therefore, based on the results of this experiment, it is speculated that drinking the herbal tea for 3 months has considerable potential for blood glucose regulation, which can be used as the basis for the development of related products of the herbal tea in the future.

Abstract: Tradition graphene anodes in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) suffer significant performance loss due to the restacking of graphene layers. In this work, we have demonstrated a facile synthesis of preparing a series of graphene-derived nanomaterials. Among other potential application, these nanomaterials achieved an excellent cyclic durability with much enhanced capacity as novel anode materials in LIBs. These exceptional metrics observed within the novel assemblies is primarily due to the robust structure along with the optimal d -spacing allowing for facilitated Li adsorption/desorption and diffusion. Furthermore, the significantly enhanced rate performance was achieved after optimizing the structure of the self-assemblies. Development of nanomaterials anode suggests that the optimal design of graphene materials with robust structures is very important for next generation LIBs with high-energy storage efficiencies.