OBJECTIVE:To observe the curative effects of compound glycyrrhizin injection in treatment of primary sjogren syndrome(PSS).METHODS:68 patients with PSS were randomized into the treatment group and control group,and treated for 4wk with hydroxypiperaquine,bromhexine and carmellose.The treatment group also received compound glycyrrhizin injection in addition to the three agents for the control group.RESULTS:After treatment for 4wk,both groups saw some declines in IgG,IgM,IgA,ESR and RF,and improvement in indicators such as schemer test and saliva flow rate,with the treatment group showing more significant improvement than the control group(P

OBJECTIVE: To study the curative effect of Sodium Ferulate( SF) on rheumatoid arthritis( RA) and its effects on the levels of serum vascular endothelial growth factor( VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor- ? ( TNF- ? ) . METHODS: A total of 43 patients with RA were randomly divided into trial group and the control group: conventional treatment was adopted in both groups, but the trial group was treated additionally with SF injection for 4 consecutive weeks. Serum levels of VEGF and TNF- ? before and after treatment were determined by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA) . RESULTS: The total effective rate in the trial group the control group were 91. 30% vs. 75. 00% ( P

The optimal model for the near-infrared spectroscopic analysis of serum glucose was established by partial least squares(PLS) and Savitzky-Golay(SG) smoothing method. Based on the prediction effect of the optimal single wave number model, a new dividing method for calibration set and prediction set was given. The calibration and prediction models were established by PLS method adopting the combination bands of 10000-5300 cm~(-1) and 4920-4160 cm~(-1) with Savitizky-Golay(SG) smoothing. By extending the number of smoothing points to 5, 7, ..., 87(odd) and polynomial degree to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, fourteen smooth coefficient tables including 582 smooth modes were calculated. All PLS models corresponding to all smooth modes and all PLS factors(1-40) were constructed. The optimal model was selected by the prediction effect. And the derivation order was 1, the polynomial degree was 3 or 4, the number of smoothing points was 53, the optimal factor was 7 and the optimal RMSEP reach 0.376 mmol/L. The dividing method for calibration set and prediction set, the extending of SG smoothing modes, large-scale optimization combining SG smoothing modes and PLS factors can be effectively applied for the model optimization of near-infrared spectroscopic analysis.

Objective To observe the protective effect of Qiangxin oral liquid on experimental left ventricular hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol and ultrastructure in rats.MethodsMyocardial hypertrophy model of rats were established by injection of isoproterenol (5 mg/kg/d) for 7 days. Thirty rats were divided into the control group, model group and treatment group (treated with Qiangxin oral liquid from second day after myocardial hypertrophy model made and continued for 12 weeks). Cardiac structure and function were detected in all groups by ultrasonography on 2nd, 6th and 12th week after model made respectively. After 12 weeks, the left ventricular weight/body weight index (LVW/BW) of all animals was tested and myocardial ultrastructure was examined.ResultsCompared with the model group, the interventricular septal end systolic thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular diameter, and left ventricular mass index of the treatment group decreased significantly ( P<0.05～0.01), while the damage of myocardial ultrastructrue lightened.ConclusionQiangxin oral liquid can improve the experimental myocardial hypertrophy of rats induced by isoproterenol.

In this study, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy adult were acquired and inducted by vascular endothelial growth factor, et cetera. The differentiated endothelial cells were observed and identified as EPCs by the double positive staining of fluorescent labeled acetylated-LDL and lectin, seeded on the polyurethane small-diameter artificial vessels, treated by shear stress of 15 dyn/cm2, and observed by scanning electronic microscopy. As a result, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells differentiated into EPCs. They were positively stained by labeled acetylated-LDL and lectin. Under observation of scanning electronic microscope, the unseeded polyurethane small-diameter artificial vessel being suited for the growth and spreading of the cells; the cell lineage on surface of artificial vessels of stationary group being arrayed in chaos, and that of shear stress group being arrayed in direction. Therefore, the peripheral cells can differentiate into EPCs, and EPCs can be used as novel source cells for the accelerated endothelialization of small diameter artificial vessel. Shear stress contributes to the mechanic moulding of cell lineage on the surface of artificial vessel.
Bioartificial Organs ; Biocompatible Materials ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; Polyurethanes ; chemistry ; Prosthesis Design ; Shear Strength ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Stress, Mechanical

This study was designed to investigate the changes of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) and nitric oxide (NO) secreted by endothelialized polyurethane small diameter artificial blood vessel. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy adult were separated and induced into endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which were identified by the methods of discrepancy microphage and fluorescent immunology labeling. After the induced cells being seeded on the polyurethane small-diameter artificial vessels, the endothelialized polyurethane small diameter artificial blood vessels were divided into four different experimental groups, including stationary group, low-flow shear stress group (5 dynes/cm2), medium-flow shearstress group (15 dynes/cm2), and high-flow shear stress group (25 dynes/cm2). Then, the levels of 6-ketoprostaglandin F1alpha (6-keto-PGF1alpha) and NO of different time were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and nitrate reductase methods. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells differentiated into EPCs. They presented typical "spindie-shaped" appearance, and they were positively labeled by fluorescent acetylated-LDL, lectin, FLK-1 and vWF. Shear stress enhanced the production of NO and 6-keto-PGF1alpha by EPCs in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, shear stress increases the secretion of NO and PGI2 by EPC, which suggests that shear stress can improve the antithrombogenic potentials of endothelialized polyurethane small diameter artificial blood vessel.
Bioartificial Organs ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Epoprostenol ; metabolism ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; metabolism ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Polyurethanes ; chemistry ; Stress, Mechanical

Objective To describe the distribution of medication costs of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and to analyze the factors that may affect the costs. Methods Data were obtained from a 12-month retrospective investigation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) across China. Department of Rheuma-tology of 18 hospitals were randomly selected. The data about their social conditions, clinical conditions, medications associated with RA such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), non -steroidal anti -inflammtory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, biologic agents were collected, and the costs of drugs were calculated. A non-parameter test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Six hundred and forty six patients were enrolled into the study, 435 completed data were chosen for analysis. The results demonstrated that the average costs per patient for medications in the past year was 8018 . The total medication costs were further subdivided into the following parts: DMARDs, (represented 20% of the total costs), biologic drugs (49%), NSAIDs (4%), herbal drugs (22%), steroids (1%). Data analysis showed that patients with higher education and higher incomes, with medical insurance,better health function status and outpatients paid more on DMARDs. Extra-articular manifestations increased the odds of the high-cost group (OR: 2.180, 95%CI: 1.335～3.558, P=0.002), while poor health function status increased the probability of paying high costs (OR: 1.373, 95%CI: 1.012～1.863, P=0.041). Conclusion High medication costs in RA do exist in RA patients. The costs of medication is associated with health function status and the presence of extra-articular manifestations.

ObjectiveTo examine the clinical features of fractures and related risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in China.MethodsSix hundred and eighty-one RA patients were randomly selected from department of rheumatology of 18 hospitals of China.Data were obtained from the questionnaire,including age,sex,disease duration,the involvement of joints,treatment regimen,features of fractures etc.The possible risk factors of fracture in patients with RA were analyzed with a multi-variate Logistic regression analysis.Results① In 681 RA patients of the survey,48 patients had 54 fractures,and the incidence of fractures was about 8％.② Fractures occurred at various sites.Foot/ankle,femur,spine and wrist were the mostfrequent sites.③ The Logistic regression analysis showed that several factors increased the risk of fracture in RA patients,including long disease duration (OR:1.245,95％CI:0.987-1.570,P=0.065),male gender(OR:0.433,95％CI:0.199-0.942,P=0.035),more deformed joints(OR:1.042,95％CI:1.006-1.079,P=0.023),family history of RA (OR:2.201,95％CI:0.984-4.923,P=0.055),and high scores of SF-36(OR:1.017,95％CI:1.002-1.033,P=0.028).④ According to the degree of correlation from strong to weak,the risk factors of fracture were disease duration,SF-36,sex,number of deformed joints and family history of rheumatoid arthritis.ConclusionThe incidence of fracture is high in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Several factors could increase the risk of fractures in RA patients,including long disease duration,male gender,more deformed joints,and family history of RA.In order to prevent the occurrence of fractures,cautions should be taken to prevent the development of fractures and treat the disease aggressively to suppress the disease activity of RA.