OBJECTIVE:To review the current situation and the trend of development of drugs for chronic hepatic diseases,so as to provide the information for rational use of these drugs METHODS:By using the methods of sequences of total sales volumn and DDDs,the main drugs for chronic hepatic diseases used in 8 hospitals of Xinxiang during the period 2001～2003 were analysed RESULTS & CONCLUSION:The total sales volumn and DDDs of the liver-protective drugs always occupied the front row of drugs for chronic hepatic diseases,and the use of compound glycyrrihizin(Stronger Neo-Minophagen C) is rapidly increasing

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the current research progress of three-dimensional (3D) printing technique for spinal implants manufacture. METHODS: The recent original literature concerning technology, materials, process, clinical applications, and development direction of 3D printing technique in spinal implants was reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: At present, 3D printing technologies used to manufacture spinal implants include selective laser sintering, selective laser melting, and electron beam melting. Titanium and its alloys are mainly used. 3D printing spinal implants manufactured by the above materials and technology have been successfully used in clinical. But the problems regarding safety, related complications, cost-benefit analysis, efficacy compared with traditional spinal implants, and the lack of relevant policies and regulations remain to be solved. CONCLUSIONS: 3D printing technique is able to provide individual and customized spinal implants for patients, which is helpful for the clinicians to perform operations much more accurately and safely. With the rapid development of 3D printing technology and new materials, more and more 3D printing spinal implants will be developed and used clinically.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is an important immunogenetic system. It plays a key role in immunoresponsiveness and hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplantation. The development of modern medicine and tissue typing promotes the combination of molecular biology techniques with HLA typing, and improves the accuracy and practicability of HLA typing. In this review, recent advances were concisely introduced in research of HLA typing on the application of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP), single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP), sequence specific primer (SSP), flow cytometry, gene chip, sequencing based typing, virtual DNA analysis and so on.
DNA ; analysis ; genetics ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; HLA Antigens ; genetics ; Histocompatibility Testing ; methods ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational

OBJECTIVETo study the radioprotective effect of catechines against radiation injury in mice.

METHODSCatechines were administered in mice intragastrically at the daily dose of 200 mg/kg for 10 consecutive days before whole body irradiation with 6 Gy X-rays. The body weight changes, survival time, 30-day survival rate, and counts of peripheral white blood cells were recorded.

RESULTSThe mice with catechine pre-treatment before X-ray exposure suffered less body weight loss than those without the treatment before exposure. Catechines markedly increased the survival time of the irradiated mice, and raised the 30-d survival rate of the irradiated mice to 53.33% as compared with the rate of 13.33% in the radiated mice without catechine pre-treatment. Catechines significantly promoted recovery of peripheral white blood cells.

CONCLUSIONCatechines have definite radioprotective effect against radiation injury in mice.

Animals ; Catechin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Leukocyte Count ; Mice ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; blood ; mortality ; prevention & control ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors ; Whole-Body Irradiation ; adverse effects

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe syndrome of liver diseases commonly seen in clinical practice and can lead to severe disorders and decompensation of liver synthesis, metabolism, detoxification, and biotransformation, as well as multiple organ failure and an extremely high short-term mortality rate. Infection can induce or aggravate the condition of ACLF and is an independent influencing factor for patient prognosis. This article describes the mechanism and characteristics of ACLF with infection, summarizes the common types and clinical features of infection, reviews the recommended anti-infective regimens, and emphasizes the importance of early prophylactic treatment. ACLF patients with infection tend to have critical conditions, and early diagnosis and empirical anti-infective treatment is the key to successful treatment.

From the historic and realistic viewpoints, the authors discussed the theory of TCM syndrome differentiation, pointing out that the modern TCM system of syndrome differentiation dependent treatment should consist of three components, the integral syndrome differentiation, local syndrome differentiation and microcosmic syndrome differentiation, they are independent comparatively and supplementary with each other.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; trends ; Phytotherapy ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of oxaliplatin combined with low-molecular-weight citrus pectin (LCP) on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human colon carcinoma cell line HT29 in vitro.

METHODSEffects of oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cells proliferation were determined by MTT. Coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) was calculated. Influence of oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cell apoptosis was determined by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Protein expression change of procaspase-3, 8, 9, PARP was examined by Western blotting.

RESULTSBoth oxaliplatin alone and oxaliplatin combined with LCP could suppress HT29 cell proliferation in both dose- and time-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of oxaliplatin combined with LCP on HT29 cell proliferation was more significant (P<0.01) with a CDI less than 1. FACS analysis showed that oxaliplatin alone and combination therapy could increase the apoptosis proportion of HT29 cells. After the drug treatment for 6, 24, and 48 hours, the apoptosis rate of oxaliplatin alone group was (9.76±0.47)%, (20.45±0.74)%, (28.70±3.29)%, and apoptotic rate of the combination group was (20.63±0.69)%, (34.35±1.02)%, (49.47±3.04)%, respectively, which was significantly higher as compared to oxaliplatin alone (P<0.01). Both oxaliplatin alone and combination therapy down-regulated expressions of procaspase-3, 9, and PARP protein. Procaspase-3, 9, PARP protein expression in combination group decreased more significantly, while procaspase-8 expression was not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONLCP can enhance the ability of oxaliplatin to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, which may be associated with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colonic Neoplasms ; pathology ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Pectins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study on the Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome distribution of ulcerative colitis (UC) and the distribution of CM syndrome types at different staging periods.

METHODSFrom March 2007 to April 2010, 110 UC out- or inpatients at the Department of Digestive Diseases of Guangzhou Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited. The patients' symptoms were calculated. The systematic clustering was used. The symptom was taken as the variable in the clustering. The syndrome types were confirmed according to the clustering results. The syndrome typing was performed and its results were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 64 main symptoms in UC patients, including diarrhea, mushy stool, watery stool, abdominal pain, and bloody stool. Seventy cases belonged to the active period and 40 to the remission period. The UC syndrome types were sequenced from high to low as the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome, Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome, Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome, Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome, blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome, yin and blood deficiency syndrome. There was statistical difference in the case number among different syndrome types (P < 0.05). In the active period, dominated were the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome (28 cases, 25.5%), Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome (14 cases, 12.7%), and blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome (10 cases, 9.0%). In the remission period, dominated were Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome (18 cases, 16.4%) and Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (10 cases, 9.0%), showing statistical difference (P<0.05). The typical symptoms of patients of the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome were sequenced from high to low as yellow tongue fur (31 cases, 28.1%), tenesmus (26 cases, 23.6%), mucopurulent bloody stool (25 cases, 227%), diarrhea (24 cases, 21.8%), anal burning (24 cases, 21.8%), watery stool (21 cases, 19.0%), abdominal pain (19 cases, 17.2%), red tongue (19 cases, 17.2%), and greasy tongue fur (19 cases, 17.2%). The typical symptoms of patients of Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as tastelessness (25 cases, 22.7%), fine pulse (25 cases, 22.7%), pink tongue (22 cases, 20.0%), eructation (21 cases, 19.1%), hypodynamia (21 cases, 19.1%), loss of appetite (20 cases, 18.2%), and white tongue fur (20 cases, 18.2%). The typical symptoms of patients of Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as abdominal pain (17 cases, 15. 5%), preference for warmth (17 cases, 15. 5%), diarrhea (16 cases, 14.5%), aggravation while encountering cold (15 cases, 13.6%), white tongue fur (15 cases, 13.6%), pale white tongue (14 cases, 12.7%). The typical symptoms of patients of Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as emotions inducing (18 cases, 16.4%), eructation (16 cases, 14.5%), white tongue coating (16 cases, 14.5%), dry stool before loose stool (15 cases, 13.6%), frequent break wind (15 cases, 13.6%), and frequent sigh (15 cases, 13.6%). The typical symptoms of patients of blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome were sequenced from high to low as abdominal pain (12 cases, 10.9%), sting (12 cases, 10.9%), soreness of the waist (12 cases, 10.9%), dark red tongue with petechiae (12 cases, 10.9%), thick fur (12 cases, 10.9%). There was statistical difference in the symptom ratio among each syndrome types (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in other symptoms except yin and blood deficiency syndrome (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome, Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome, and blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome were dominated in the UC active period. Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome and Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome were dominated in the remission period.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cluster Analysis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; classification ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Yang Deficiency ; Yin Deficiency ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of electroacupuncture on exercise-induced immunosuppression in rats and its mechanism.

METHODSSports immunosuppressive model was established successfully by the rats were conducted high intensity swimming training 150 min/day, 6 days/wk for 8 weeks in this study. Forty-three SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (group A, n = 10), a high intensity swimming training group (group B, n = 17), and a high intensity plus electroacupuncture group (group C, n = 16). Group A did not receive any intervention. Group B was conducted 150 min/day, 6 days/wk swimming training for 8 weeks. Group C was treated with electroacupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) after every exercise-time from the second week, once each day for 7 weeks. The changes of the rats' weight, gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN), interleukin-2 (IL-2), solubility IL-2 receptor (SIL-2R) and nature killer cell (NKC) were detected.

RESULTS(1) Compared with group A, gamma-IFN and IL-2 in group B were significantly decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and NKC in group C was significantly increased (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, gamma-IFN and NKC in group C were both significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) Compared with group A, the weight of the rats in group B and group C were significantly decreased (both P < 0.01), but SIL-2R in group B was significantly increased (P < 0.05). The weight of the rats in group C was significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05) and SIL-2R in group C was significantly lower than that in group B (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLasting gravis exercise stress does decrease the immune function in rats and is even inhibited significantly, but electroacupuncture can up-regulate the exercise-induced immunosuppression.

Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; physiology ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; physiology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; blood ; physiology ; Stress, Physiological ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of squamous cell carcinoma on oral bacteria.

METHODSThis study investigated the microbial contents of the plaque on the surfaces of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Samples were obtained from the central surface of lesions, contiguous healthy mucosa and saliva of 42 patients with oral squamous carcinoma before and after operation.

RESULTSThe median of bacterial colony forming units per milliliter (CFUs/ml) of saliva before operation was 8.10 x 10(8) CFUs/ml. The median of CFUs per square centimeter of the tumor surface was 5.21 x 10(5) CFUs/cm2 which was significantly higher than that of the healthy (the control) mucosa (1.77 x 10(4) CFUs/cm2, P = 0.0001). The CFUs per square centimeter of mucosa surface at the operative zone was 4.34 x 10(5) CFUs/cm2 which was also significantly higher than that of the healthy (control) mucosa(7.24 x 10(4) CFUs/cm2, P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONOral carcinoma can break the balance of oral microflora, which may be one of the reasons leading to the high susceptivity of these compromised patients to systemic infection.

Adult ; Aged ; Bacteria, Aerobic ; isolation & purification ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; isolation & purification ; Bacterial Infections ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; microbiology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; microbiology ; Saliva ; microbiology ; Streptococcal Infections ; prevention & control ; Streptococcus ; isolation & purification