Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of thymosin alpha 1 on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Methods 60 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were divided into two groups at random.The two groups were given conventional treatment,and the treatment group was received thymosin alpha 11.6 mg hypodermic injection,1 every other day for 4 weeks,since then 2 times/week for 5 months.All patients were followed for 6 months,clinic every 2 weeks,1 follow-up,evaluation of clinical condition.In two groups,before treatment and 6 months after treatment the blood samples were collected for the measurement of the blood CD3,CD,and CD8 levels.Results In the treatment group,the number and days of patients with acute exacerbation were significantly lower in comparison with those of the control group(all P＜0.01).After treatment with thymosin alpha 1,blood CD4 and CD4/CD8 levels were significantly increased(all P＜0.01).Conclusion Thymosin alpha 1 had a good protection effect for the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by incresing body cellular immune activity.

Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (PCG)is the common malignant tumor in the biliary system.Because there is no specific clinical manifestation, patients diagnosed with PCG are mostlyin intermediate or advanced stages.Therefore, they lose the chance of radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma and have a poor prognosis.Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not effective palliative measures.Immunotherapy has become an alternative strategy besides operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.Treatment with DCs vaccines, as a new method of immunotherapy, has become more and more important.Here we review treatment with DCs vaccines in primary carcinoma of gallbladder.

Objective To establish a laboratorial test method of soaking the sample of hygienic protection beaded paint contacted with drinking water. Methods The samples of hygienic protection beaded paint were chosen to conduct the soak experiment, incontinuous soak of 4 times for 96 hours(exchange the soaking aqua every 24 hours), continuous soak of 4 times for 96 hours were conducted respectively, and then compared these experimental results with that which was obtained with the standard soak method(30 d,6 times) stipulated by The Examination Norm of Life Drinking Water (2001). Results The results of standard soak method(30 d,6 times)showed that chroma, smell, visible objects, volatility hydroxybenzene, arsenic, chromium, cademium, aluminium, lead, carbon tetrachloride, formaldehyde and etc. were all under the determination limit. Along with the increment of days of soak, the mean values of changed quantity of turbid degree, deliquescent total solid, pH value, mercury,and chlorpicrin concentration all showed a downtrend. When the incontinuous and the continuous soak of 4 times for 96 hours were finished, the results showed that chroma, smell, visible objects, volatility hydroxybenzene, arsenic, chromium, cademium, aluminium, lead, carbon tetrachloride, formaldehyde, and etc. were all under the detection limit. Along with the increment of days of soak,the mean values of changed quantity of turbid degree, deliquescent total solid, pH value, mercury, and chlorpicrin concentration all presented an decreasing trend, oxygen consuming content, pH value presented a fluctuant trend. The 4 times and 96 hours incontinuous soak procedure dissolved slightly more objects than the 4 times and 96 hours continuous soak procedure did. Conclusion The method of 4 times and 96 hours incontinuous soak should be recommended as the standard laboratorial method for soaking the hygienic protection beaded paint which will be contacted with drinking water.

We evaluated the effect of Tu-Chung (Eucommia ulmoides OLIV.) extract on anabolic action in castrated exercise and non-exercise rats in which the effects of male sex hormone from the testis were excluded. Castration was performed on 32 male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks. The rats were then divided into 4 groups: a non-exercise group treated with Tu-Chung extract (non Ex. Tu-chung G, n = 8), on exercise group treated with the extract (Ex. Tu-Chung G, n = 8), a non-exercise control group not treated with the extract (non Ex. Cont. G, n8), = and an untreated exercise control group (Ex. Cont. G, n=8) .
The Tu-Chung extract was administered orally at a dose of 1g/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks. Distilled water was given by a similar method to the control groups. As the exercise load, the rats exercised on an animal treadmill at a starting speed of 20 m/min with an increase of 10 m/min every week for 30 min without rest daily for 4 weeks.
The following results were obtained:
1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight ) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G or the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001 each) .
2. The relative weight of the kidneys (kidney weight/100 g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and was slightly higher in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G.
3. The relative weight of the musculus levator ani (muscle weight/100g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
4. The 17-KS level in a 24h urine sample after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G or the Ex. Tu-Chung G (p<0.001 each) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
5. The total urinary nitrogen level after 4 weeks was significantly lower in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) or the exercise group treated with the extract (p<0.05) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.05) .
These results suggest that administration of Tu-Chung extract significantly increases the relative weight of the adrenal gland, enhances androgen secretion from the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex, and promotes protein anabolic action in castrated rats. In addition, this extract appears to increase the adaptation ability of the adrenal cortex to the stress caused by exercise.

We evaluated the effect of Tu-Chung (Eucommia ulmoides OLIV.) extract on anabolic action in castrated exercise and non-exercise rats in which the effects of male sex hormone from the testis were excluded. Castration was performed on 32 male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks. The rats were then divided into 4 groups: a non-exercise group treated with Tu-Chung extract (non Ex. Tu-chung G, n = 8), on exercise group treated with the extract (Ex. Tu-Chung G, n = 8), a non-exercise control group not treated with the extract (non Ex. Cont. G, n8), = and an untreated exercise control group (Ex. Cont. G, n=8) .
The Tu-Chung extract was administered orally at a dose of 1g/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks. Distilled water was given by a similar method to the control groups. As the exercise load, the rats exercised on an animal treadmill at a starting speed of 20 m/min with an increase of 10 m/min every week for 30 min without rest daily for 4 weeks.
The following results were obtained:
1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight ) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G or the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001 each) .
2. The relative weight of the kidneys (kidney weight/100 g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and was slightly higher in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G.
3. The relative weight of the musculus levator ani (muscle weight/100g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
4. The 17-KS level in a 24h urine sample after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G or the Ex. Tu-Chung G (p<0.001 each) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
5. The total urinary nitrogen level after 4 weeks was significantly lower in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) or the exercise group treated with the extract (p<0.05) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.05) .
These results suggest that administration of Tu-Chung extract significantly increases the relative weight of the adrenal gland, enhances androgen secretion from the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex, and promotes protein anabolic action in castrated rats. In addition, this extract appears to increase the adaptation ability of the adrenal cortex to the stress caused by exercise.

This study examined the secretion capacity of the gonadal and adrenal cortex systems and the morphology of the adrenal cortex in male rats treated with Tu-chung (Eucommia ulmoides O_LIV) extract, the main component of Tu-chung extract, geniposide, or both agents during exercise load testing.
Twenty-four 4-week-old male Wistar rats were used. The rats were divided into four groups : those treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide (n=7), those treated with Tu-chung extract (n=6), those treated with geniposide (n=7) and a control group treated with distilled water. The dose of each agent was 0.1 ml/100g body weight. The agents were administered orally for 25 days. For the exercise load test, a treadmill for small animals was used, with a tilting angle set at 0. Exercise load testing was performed for 30 min (2-min warm up and 28-min running) daily for 25 days. The running speed was 20 m/min for the first 5 days, and then increased by 5 m/min every 5 days.
The following results were obtained.
1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight) in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide was significantly higher than that in the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01) . The relative weight of the adrenal gland in the group treated with Tu-chung extract was significantly higher than that in the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01, p<0.001) . Furthermore, the relative gland weight in the group treated with geniposide was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05) .
2. In the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide, the group treated with Tu-chung extract and the group treated with geniposide, the relative gland weight of the testis (testis weight/100g body weight) was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.001) . However, there were no significant differences among the three groups.
3. The 24-h urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroid (17-KS) in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide was significantly higher than that in the group treated with Tu-chung extract, the group treated with geniposide or the control group (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.001) . In the group treated with geniposide, the 24-h urinary excretion of 17-KS was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05) .
4. In the three groups treated with Tu-chung extract and/or geniposide, serum testosterone levels were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.001, p0.05, p<0.05) .
5. Concerning the morphology of the adrenal cortex, the thickness of the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex was most markedly increased in the group treated with Tu-chung extract and geniposide, followed in order by the group treated with Tu-chung extract, the group treated with geniposide and the control group.
Administration of Tu-chung extract and the main component of Tu-chung extract, geniposide, during exercise load testing significantly increased the weights of the adrenal gland and testis, and promoted testosterone secretion in the adrenal cortex reticular layer and testis.
These findings suggest that geniposide plays an important role in the pharmacological action of Tu-chung.

Objective To investigate the expressions of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and transcription factor forkhead box P3(FOXP3)in gallbladder adenocarcinoma; and to evaluate the relationship between the expressions of IDO and FOXP3 protein,and clinicopathology and lymph node metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma.Methods The expressions of IDO and FOXP3 in 51 cases of primary gallbladder cancer,90 cases of chronic cholecystitis,and 20 cases of normal gallbladder tissues were studied by immunohistochemical staining. Results The positive expression rates of IDO and FOXP3 in gallbladder carcinoma were 72.5％ (37/51) and 60.8％ (31/51),in normal gallbladder mucosa were 5％ (1/20) and 20.0％ (4/20),in cholecystitis and gallstone were 11.1％ (10/90) and 32.2％ (29/90),respectively.There were significant differences among the three groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＜0.01).The positive expression rates of IDO and FOXP3 were 7.1％ and 14.3％ for simple hyperplasia,17.7％ and 35.3％ for atypical hyperplasia,40％ and 35％ for gallbladder carcinoma (stages Ⅰ-Ⅲ),and 77.4％ and 64.5％ for gallbladder carcinoma (stages Ⅳ-Ⅴ ).There were significant differences among the four groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＜0.01).There were significant differences among the Nevin stage groups,lymph node metastasis group and gallbladder stone in IDO and FOXP3 expressions.However,there were no significant differences among the sex groups and the age groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＞0.05).In gallbladder carcinoma,the expression of IDO had a positive correlation with FOXP3 expression in lymphocyte (γ=0.406,P=0.003).Conclusion In gallbladder cancer,a high-expression of IDO and an expression of FOXP3 in lymphocyte are closely related with immune tolerance of gallbladder carcinoma.The results provide a reference for clinical use of immunotherapy in gallbladder cancer.

Objective To analyze the reasons of the emergency patients forgoing the invasive rescue therapy and to put forward the corresponding strategy.Methods According to whether the patients accepted the invasive rescue therapy or not,2 673 patients in resuscitation room of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were divided into rescue group (group R) and do not rescue group (group DNR).There were 2 147 cases in group R and 526 case in group DNR.The rescue consent form or do not rescue consent form was required to sign by patient self,patient' s family member or relatives.The patient' s basic information,underlying disease,payment of medical expenses,personnel who signed the consent form,treatment and prognosis in both groups were investigated.Results There was no significant gender deference in both groups (x2 =1.86,P =0.173).The mean age of patients in group DNR was much higher than that in group R (69.5 ±-12.5 vs.58.6 ± 19.2 years,F =28.92,P =0.000).The proportion of patients outside Beijing in group DNR was higher than that of group R (51.90％ vs.44.01％,x2 =10.59,P =0.001).The ratios of chronic heart failure,chronic respiratory failure,chronic hepatic encephalopathy,chronic renal failure,malignant tumor in group DNR were significantly higher than that of group R (8.17％ vs.3.03％,8.17％ vs.2.61％,3.80％ vs.1.16％,5.32％ vs.1.44％,11.98％ vs.2.28％,all P=0.000).The proportion of patients without insurance in group DNR was higher than that of group R (52.09％ vs.41.08％,x2 =20.87,P =0.000).Except the ratio of patients self signing the consent form in group DNR was higher than that of group R (3.04％ vs.0.42％,x2 =64.40,P =0.000),there were no significant deference in other people who signed the consent form such as patient's offspring,spouse,parents,siblings and others.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed older age,non Beijing patients,chronic underlying diseases,without insurance and patients self signing the consent form were the major risk factors on refusing the invasive rescue therapy.The mortality rate of group DNR was much higher than that of group R (19.39％ vs.7.68％,x2=64.40,P=0.000).Conclusions Most of patients who refused to accept invasive rescue therapy were elderly people or in condition of end stage of chronic disease.The doctors and nurses in emergency department should continue to take care of these patients and make use of noninvasive methods to treat them or relieve their pain.

Objective To investigate the mechanism on JAK/STAT1 signal pathway in SAHA down-regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in gallbladder carcinoma cells.MethodsWe treated gallbladder carcinoma SGC-996 cells with IFN-γ and SAHA.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of IDO,signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) phosphorylation and interferon regulatory factor genes-1 (IRF-1).Confocal microscopy analysis was used to detect STAT1 translocation.Transient transfections and reporter genes assay was used in detecting the activation of γ-activated sites (GAS) and interferon stimulated response elements (ISRE).ResultsIDO expressed in SGC-996 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners when stimulated with IFN-γ.SAHA down-regulated the expression of IDO induced by IFN-γ in a dose-dependent manner.SAHA blocked the expression of IRF-1 induced by IFN-γ.SAHA inhibited the IFN-γ-induced STAT1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation.SAHA down-regulated IFN-γ-induced activation of GAS and ISRE.ConclusionsSAHA may down-regulate IDO expression through inhibiting the activation of members in JAK/STAT1 signal pathway.This may provide a new immunotherapeutic strategy to break tumor immune tolerance in gallbladder carcinoma.

China ; Congresses as Topic ; Fatty Liver ; Humans