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Objective To investigate inhibitory effects of matrine (Ma) combined with vincristine (VCR), cytosine arabinoside (Ara-c), harringtonine (HRT), adriamycin (ADM), and daunorubicin (DNR) on proliferation of K562 cells. Methods MTT colorimetric assay was used to detect the inhibition rate of Ma combined with antineoplastic on K562 cells. Results The proliferation of K562 cells was inhibited by Ma at the concentration of 160 ?g/ml to 400 ?g/ml. The inhibitory rates of Ma combined respectively with VCR, Ara-c, HRT, ADM, and DNR were significantly higher than those of VCR, Ara-c, or HRT alone (P0.05). Conclusion Ma can inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-proliferation effect of VCR, Ara-c, and HRT on K562 cells could be enhanced by Ma.

Objective To explore the characteristics of event-based prospective memory (EBPM) and time-based prospective memory (TBPM) impairments in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods EBPM and TBPM were examined in 87 PD patients and 85 healthy controls. And both of them were divided into two groups: aged group (≥60 years old) and non-aged group (＜60 years old). Results (1) The scores of EBPM were significantly lower in aged PD patients and non-aged PD patients than in age-matched control groups [(2. 5±0. 4) vs. (5.8± 1.3),(3.9±2.4) vs. (6.3±1.5), both P＜0. 01]. There were no significant differences in the scores of EBPM between aged PD patients or non-aged PD patients and their age-matched control groups [(3.6±0.5) vs. (3.8±0.8), (4.8±0.9) vs. (4.9±0.9), both P＞0.05]. (2)The Hoehn-Yahr grade in PD patients was significantly correlated with scores of EBPM, but not with scores of TBPM.Conclusions The patients with PD have an impairment in EBPM, but not in TBPM. The impairment of EBPM may be related to the disease severity of PD.

Objective To observe the effects of levodopa on verbal and spatial working memory in elderly patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).Methods The modified Smith working memory software were applied to study the verbal and spatial working memory in 32 PD patients before and 8 weeks after treatment with levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride tablets.The results of PD patients were compared with those in 32 normal controls matched for age,sex and education.Results The correct rates of phonological verbal and coordinate visuospatial working memory were significantly lower in the PD patients without treatment than in the normal controls (both P＜0.01).The correct rates of semantic verbal and categorical visuospatial working memory had no significant differences between the PD patients without treatment and the normal controls (both P＞0.05).The correct rates of phonological verbal working memory and coordinate visuospatial working memory were significantly higher in the PD patients after administration of levodopa and benserazide tablets than in PD patients without treatment [(88.6±6.5)％ vs.(82.1 ± 6.6)％,(84.2±8.8)％ vs.(75.2±8.9)％,respectively,both P＜0.01],but there were no significant differences in the correct rates of semantic verbal working memory and categorical visuospatial working memory between the above two groups (both P＞0.05).The correct rates of phonological verbal,semantic verbal,coordinate visuospatial and categorical visuospatial working memory were negatively correlated with the course of disease,and had no correlations with age and the degree of education.Conclusions Levodopa can improve the functions of phonological verbal working memory and the coordinate visuospatial working memory,but has no effect on the semantic verbal working memory and the categorical visuospatial working memory.It is postulated that dopamine replacement therapy may have double dissociable effects on the different working memories.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of matrine on inflammation by regulating Th1/Th2 bal-ance in asthmatic rats and the underlying mechanism related to SOCS3.Methods Ovalbumin-sensitized rats were established as asthma model, Animals randomly divided into four groups, as follows: control ( without any treatment) , model group, treatment group A ( low-dose matrine treated asthma rats ) and treatment group B ( high-dose matrine treated asthma rats) .The eosinophil counting, goblet cells percentage, inflammatory cell in-filtration in rat lung were analyzed and scored by morphological examination .IL-4 and IFN-γlevel in BALF were determined by ELISA and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was further calculated.Furthermore, the expression of SOCS3 in mRNA and protein level were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.Results Eosinophil count and percentage, goblet cell percentage and inflammatory cell infiltration score were significantly lower than that in treatment group A and B as compare to model group ( P<0.05 ) .The group A exhibited a lower IFN-γlevel and a higher IL-4 level ( P<0.05 ) .IFN-γlevel in treatment group A and B were higher while IL-4 level were lower as compare to model group.Meanwhile, SOCS3 mRNA level in rat lung tissue was elevated in model group.Ma-trine treatment decreased SOCS3 expression in group A and B .Similar trend was found in SOCS3 protein level. Conclusions Matrine may exhibit antiinflammatory effect by inhibiting SOCS3 expression and correcting Th1/Th2 balance in asthmatic rats.

Objective To characterize emotional memory impairment in untreated patients with Parkinson' s disease (PD) in the early stages of the disease. Methods Emotional memory tasks using standardized sets of emotional pictures including positive, neutral and negative valence were tested in 33 untreated patients with PD in the early stages and 31 healthy controls matched with age, sex, and education.Results Compared with the healthy adults (13.4 ± 1.4), PD patients had significant loss of negative valence picture memorizing ( 8. 9 ± 1.0; t = - 14. 87, P ＜ 0. 01 ).There was no significant difference between PD patients and normal controls in positive ( 11.8 ± 1.0 vs 12. 4 ± 2. 2 , t = - 0. 95 ) and neutral (7.9 ± 1.4 vs 8.2 ± 1.3, t = - 0. 89) valence picture memorizing ( both P ＞ 0. 05 ). ConclusionThe emotional memory for negative valence pictures is impaired but the emotional memory for positive and neutral is relatively spared in early PD patients without treatment.

Objective To observe the influences on prognoses and airway acid and base levels while using anti-inflammatory and anti-reflux therapies combined with "Hezhong Fuzheng massage" for treatment of infants with gastric volvulus (GV) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER)-induced pneumonia in order to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment of such infant disease. Methods Sixty infants 1-6 months old admitted to the Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Wuhan Children's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2015 were diagnosed as pneumonia combined with GV and GER by the chest radiograph and radiography of upper gastrointestinal tract (UGT) with iodine, and according to difference in diagnostic methods, they were divided into an observation 1 group (30 cases) and an observation 2 group (30 cases). In observation 1 group, 24-hour pH value in upper digestive tract especially the distal esophagus was dynamically monitored, while in observation 2 group, 24-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) combined with pH monitoring of esophagus was carried out. Furthermore, two control groups were set up, each 30 cases; after radiography of the UGT with iodine, the control 1 group was diagnosed as GV and GER without pneumonia and control 2 group was diagnosed as only simple GV. Treatment of infant pneumonia was carried out in accordance with the guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia in children; the treatment of GV and GER included postural, dietary, prokinetic and Hezhong Fuzheng massage [acupoint selection and massage was undertaken in 5 steps: push from the palmar crease to Banmen (rectilinear pushing manipulation) 300 times, push abdominal Yin and Yang (finger-pushing massage) 200 times, palpate the abdomen (clockwise) 100 times, poking of Tianshu 100 times, poke alternately bilateral Zusanli 100 times. Once-daily massage, (15±2) minutes each time, for consecutive 7 days]. The results of pH monitoring of the distal esophagus in observation 1 group was recorded; All GER data concerning pH monitoring of observation 2 group and the results of esophagus multi-channel intra-luminal impedance combined with pH monitoring in control group were compared. After 7 days of continuous treatment, the clinical efficacy of pneumonia and GV, hospitalization time, prognosis and the changes of sputum pH before and after treatment in the two observation groups were compared. Results In two observation groups, the main type of 60 cases with GV was organoaxial volvulus, accounting for 91.67% (55 cases), and more than 60% patients exhibited sputum pH <7.0. The distal esophagus 24-hour pH dynamic monitoring in observation 1 group showed that there were 26 cases with acid reflux (86.67%), 4 cases with GER negative (13.33%), the proportion of pH < 4 in GER negative patients was significantly lower than that in moderate acid reflux patients [3.35% (0.77% - 8.08%) vs. 26.23% (15.19% - 42.87%), P < 0.05], the number of long reflux (> 5 minutes) in GER negative patients was significantly reduced than that in mild acid reflux patients [times: 2 (0-5) vs. 7 (2-15), P < 0.05], the longest time of reflux in GER negative patients was significantly shorter than that in either mild or moderate acid reflux patients [minutes: 5.9 (2.5-10.0) vs. 19.2 (5.9-51.0), 41.6 (16.9-121.0), both P < 0.05]. The 24-hour MII-pH monitoring of esophagus in observation 2 group showed that there were 30 cases with pathological reflux, mainly mild acid reflux accounting for 90%, in which the percentage of proximal reflux events was 46.07% in the total reflux events. The numbers of acid reflux and proximal reflux in the observation 2 group were significantly higher than those in the control 1 and 2 groups [1 305 (37.72%) vs. 795 (25.69%) and 136 (18.89%), 1 594 (46.07%) vs. 687 (22.20%) and 154 (21.39%), both P < 0.05]; there were no significant differences in total effective rate (100% vs. 100%, P > 0.05) and hospitalization time (days: 7.58±1.09 vs. 7.67±1.12, P > 0.05) between the two observation groups. Conclusions For the diagnosis of infant pneumonia combined with GV and GER, the first selection of chest radiograph and radiography of the UGT with iodine can identify the severity of pneumonia, whether it is complicated with GV and its classification, and whether GER exists at the same time. The estimation of 24-hour pH dynamic monitoring of the acid reflux in the upper digestive tract especially the distal esophagus is consistent with that of the 24-hour MII-PH monitoring of esophagus. Moreover, 24-hour MII-PH monitoring of esophagus can also identify non-acid reflux, resulting in the GER diagnosis more accurate. Since the proximal reflux ratio of infants with GV combined with GER and pneumonia is relatively high and easy to cause cough and aspiration. attention should be paid on early diagnosis and timely intervention to such patients. The sputum acidity test can reflect the airway acid-base level and its manipulation is simple, so by that the real time disease situation can be estimated, and aspiration of sputum also can help the treatment. The therapeutic schedule formulated by our group can elevate the therapeutic effect, improve the airway acid-base environment and benefit prognosis.