To observe the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in rats with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) induced by bleomycin, and to explore the mechanisms of Shenlong Decoction in preventing and treating PF.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Nazi method of midnight-midday ebb flow plus warm needling moxibustion in treating transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods Sixty patients with transient ischemic attack were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The control group received routine medication and the treatment group, Nazi method of midnight-midday ebb flow plus warm needling moxibustion in addition. The main clinical symptoms were observed by TCD monitoring of microembolic signals in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results After treatment, the positive rate of microembolus monitoring was 3.3%in the treatment group and 20.0%in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the traditional Chinese medical syndrome score in the two groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the traditional Chinese medical syndrome score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 96.7% in the treatment group and 80.0% in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). At six months after treatment, the rate of disappearance of TIA, the rate of recurrence of TIA and the rate of occurrence of cerebral infarction were 90.0%, 6.7%and 3.3%, respectively, in the treatment group and 60.0%, 20.0%and 20.0%, respectively, in the control group;there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusions Nazi method of midnight-midday ebb flow plus warm needling moxibustion can decrease the positive rate of microemboli and shorten transient ischemic attack to prevent cerebral infarction in patients with transient ischemic attack.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of thunder-fire moxibustion at Dazhui (GV14) and Shenshu (BL23) in treating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to ischemic cerebral stroke. Method Sixty patients with MCI due to ischemic cerebral stroke were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases each. The control group was intervened by joint treatment plus cognitive training, while the treatment group was by thunder-fire moxibustion in addition to that given to the control group. The two groups were evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), the major symptoms were observed, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups. The two groups were both treated for 8 weeks. Result The total effective rate was 80.0%in the treatment group, versus 70.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion The selected acupoints can improve the cognition and activities of daily living (ADL) in MCI patients;thunder-fire moxibustion at Dazhui and Shenshu plus cognitive training can produce a better clinical efficacy than dry cognitive training. Therefore, we can combine thunder-fire moxibustion with modern rehabilitation to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in preventing and treating MCI.

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in renal tissues of early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD),and to elucidate its potential role in renal lesion.Methods Eighty-two patients of early stage CKD (stage 1 and 2) diagnosed as glomerulonephritis (GN) with different pathologic types by renal biopsy in our department between 2009 and 2012 were enrolled in the study.Renal tissues of eight patients with mismatched HLA haplotype or the normal part of renal cancer were chosen as controls.Scr,BUN,serum calcium,phosphorus,PTH and 25(OH)VitD3 were measured.Creatinine clearance (Ccr) was calculated by Cockcroft-Gault (CG)formula.99mTc-DTPA clearance rate was used to detect GFR.Patients were divided into mild,moderate and severe groups according to the renal interstitial extent of inflammatory cells infiltration.Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression and distribution of PTH in renal tissues.Image-Pro Plus software was used to calculate A value of PTH in renal tissues and compare the extent of PTH expression.Results The levels of calcium,phosphorus,25(OH)VitD3 and PTH in peripheral blood from GN patients of CKD stage Ⅰ and 2 were normal.PTH had no correlation with the above indexes.PTH expression could be seen in renal tissues of all the GN patients with different pathologic types,and it mainly located in renal tubular,only a few in glomeruli and interstitium.The expression of PTH in renal tissues of GN increased compared with the controls (P ＜ 0.01).Furthermore,PTH expression elevated with the increase of inflammatory cells infiltration in interstitium.However the expression of PTH was not significantly different among different pathologic types of GN.Conclusions In the early stage CKD,PTH expression in patients of GN increases,which occurs earlier as compared to PTH elevation in peripheral blood and the imbalance of minerals and bone metabolism.The intensity of PTH expression is associated with the local inflammation.

Objective To investigate the expression of Notch 1 receptor in renal tissues of patients with hepatitis B virus associated-glomerulonephritis (HBV-GN) and its role in the pathogenesis of HBV-GN.Methods A total of 48 patients with HBV-GN confirmed by renal biopsy during 2008-2010 were enrolled in the study.Distribution of Notch1 receptor in renal tissue of HBV-GN was detected by immunohistochemistry and the association between the distribution of Notch1 receptor and HBsAg was examined by double-label immunofluorescence assays.Correlations of Notch1 receptor expression with renal pathology and clinical parameters of HBV-GN were analyzed.Results Notch1 receptor distributed mainly in renal tubular epithelial cells and interstitial area as brownish red granules,and a few expression in glomerulus was also found.The positive score of Notch1 receptor expression in HBV-GN patients was significantly higher as compared to primary glomerulonephritis patients with serum HBsAg positive or negative and normal renal tissue controls.Notch1 receptor expression was more obvious in membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and mesangial proliferative nephritis (MsPGN) patients,but there was no significant difference among the different pathology groups.Distribution of Notch1 receptor was consistent with the distribution of HBsAg and its intensity was positively correlated with renal interstitial fibrosis (r=0.473,P=0.001),tubular atrophy (r=0.690,P=0.000),inflammatory cell infiltration (r=0.616,P=0.000).Negative correlation was found between renal function and the intensity of Notch1 receptor (r=-0.393,P=0.006).Conclusions Notch1 receptor expression increases in the renal tissues of HBV-GN patients and distributes mainly in renal tubular epithelial cells and interstitium,which is consistent with the distribution of HBsAg.Its intensity is closely correlated with renal interstitial lesions and renal function.Abnormal expression of Notchl receptor in renal tissue of HBV-GN may be involved in the progress of HBV-GN.

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression and distribution of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in renal tissue of HBV associated nephropathy (HBV-GN) and its role in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of HBV-GN.MethodsRenal tissues were sampled from 48 HBV-GN patients confirmed by renal biopsy and 154 non-HBV-GN patients.The distribution of TLR4 in renal tissue and the relationship between the distribution of TLR4 and HBsAg were detected by immunohistochemistry.Integrating case record,correlations between the expression of TLR4 with clinical parameters including pathology,glomeruli,kidney tubules lesions,renal interstitial inflammatory infiltration and blood serum HBV were analyzed.ResultsTLR4 mainly distributed in the renal tubular epithelial cells and interstitial areas as brownish red and granular,which was in consistent with HBsAg distribution.The TLR4 positive rate and score in HBV-GN group were higher than those in non-HBV-GN group (P ＜ 0.05 ).TLR4 positive score was slightly higher in mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis group and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis group,which had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).Kidney tubules lesions were strongly associated with TLR4 expression (r =0.748,P ＜ 0.001 ) which increased with aggravation of renal interstitial fibrosis ( r =0.569,P ＜0.001 ),tubular atrophy ( r =0.577,P ＜ 0.001 ) and inflammatory cell infiltration ( r =0.684,P ＜0.001 ).No obvious correlation with glomeruli lesions was observed ( r =0.293,P =0.053 ).Negative correlation could be seen between TLR4 and the renal function ( R2 =0.784),systolic blood pressure ( R2 =0.869),high sensitivity C-reactive protein (R2 =0.979) and urinary protein (R2 =0.615 ) by regression analysis.Other clinical parameters had no statistical significances.ConclusionsThe expression of TLR4 is abnormal in the renal tissue of HBV-GN patients,mainly in renal tubular epithelial cells and interstitial,which is consistent with the distribution of HBsAg.Its intensity is closely related with renal interstitial lesions,renal function changes and inflammatory cell infiltration.A speculation,that HBV can promote abnormal expression of TLR4 in renal tissues of HBV-GN which may be involved in the lesion progress of HBV-GN,is made upon our study.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the repairing methods of bulky tissue defect of forearm with flaps.

METHODSTwenty-one burned patients with wounds in the forearm were enrolled in this study. The injury causes were high-voltage electricity, hot press or crush injury. After local debridement, the forearm defects were repaired with pedicled complex flaps, latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous island flaps or large thoraco-abdominal flaps immediately.

RESULTSAll the flaps survived very well with satisfactory results except for 1 patient in whom local ischemic necrosis and sub-flap infection at the distal end of the flap occurred.

CONCLUSIONEarly debridement followed by skin flaps with pedicles or musculocutaneous flaps transfer could be simple, safe and reliable treatment strategies in the management of bulky tissue defects of the forearm due to burn, electric injury, or other devastating injuries.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Forearm Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pectoralis Muscles ; transplantation ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Time Factors ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between serum IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-10 levels and the aetiology of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. METHOD: Serum IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-32 levels of 15 JORRP children were detected by use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with those of healthy control group. RESULT: Serum IL-4 levels were significantly higher in the JORRP children (P<0.01): (524.65 +/- 147.77)pg/ml in the JORRP children and (213.27 +/- 87.48) pg/ml in the healthy control group. Serum IFN-gamma levels were significantly lower in the JORRP children (P<0.01): (2.87 +/- 0.84) pg/ml in the JORRP children and (10.63 +/- 5.09) pg/ml in the healthy control group. Serum IL-32 levels were significantly lower in the JORRP children (P< 0.01): (2.47 +/- 1.60) pg/ml in the JORRP children and (9.08 +/- 2.66) pg/ml in the healthy control group. CONCLUSION 1) While the concentration of Th2 like cytokine IL-4 in children with JORRP was higher than that in control group, the concentration of Th1 like cytokine IFN-gamma in children with JORRP was lower than that in controls, indicating that the polarization of Th1 /Th2 T cell in children with JORRP; 2) The polarization of Th1/Th2 T cell may cause the reduction of the serum IL-32 as a proinflammatory role in host immunity system that could not eradicate HPVs because of lacking enough inflammatory stimulation.
Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Interleukins ; blood ; Male ; Papillomavirus Infections ; blood ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; blood

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) 25/150/100 mg once daily and dasabuvir (DSV) 250 mg twice daily combined with ribavirin in adult patients of Mainland China with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis. Methods: An open-label, multicenter, phase 3 clinical trial study was conducted in mainland China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Adult patients with compensated cirrhosis (Metavir score =F4) who were newly diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir combined with ribavirin for 12 weeks were included. Assessed SVR rate of patients obtained at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in patients who received at least one time study drugs. Results: A total of 63 patients from mainland China were enrolled, 62 of whom (98.4%) had a baseline Child-Pugh score of 5 points. The overall rate of SVR12 and SVR24 in patients was 100% (95% CI: 94.3% to 100.0%). Most of the adverse events that occurred were mild. The incidence of common (≥10%) adverse events and laboratory abnormalities included elevated total bilirubin (36.5%), weakness (19.0%), elevated unconjugated bilirubin (19.0%) and conjugated bilirubin (17.5%), and anemia (14.3%). Three cases (4.8%) of patients experienced Grade ≥ 3 adverse events that were considered by the investigators to be unrelated to the study drug. None patients had adverse events leading to premature drug withdrawal. Conclusion Mainland Chinese patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis who were treated with OBV/PTV/r plus DSV combined with RBV for 12 weeks achieved 100 % SVR at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Tolerability and safety were good, and majority of adverse events were mild.