Objective To express recombinant chicken interleukin 2 (IL-2) in Pichia yeast eukaryotic cell expression system for a massive preparation of chicken IL-2. Methods Spleen lymphocytes taken from Xiaoshan chicken were activated by ConA in vitro. Chicken IL-2 gene was amplified and cloned into pPIC9. The pPIC9-IL-2 was transformed into Pichia yeast by electroporation. The recombinants were induced by methanol for the expression of recombinant protein. Results The protein was examined with SDS-PAGE and Western bloting. A specific molecular weight band at about 30 ku appeared. Conclusion The recombinant protein of chicken IL-2 has been expressed in Pichia yeast.

Objective To investigate the clinical features,the radiological characteristics,and the pathological changes of cerebral sparganosis.Methods We retrospectively collectted and summarized the clinical data of 42 patients with cerebral sparganosis from the Iinstitute of Anti-parasitic Diseases of Jiangxi Province and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University during January 2000 to January 2014.The follow-up period of the 42 patients ranged from 4 to 96 months.Results Forty-two cases (30 males and 12 females) with cerebral sparganosis were enrolled in the study.Among the 42 patients,34 cases suffered from seizures,16 cases experienced headaches,and 14 cases had limb weakness.The brain CT scan showed the small and punctuate calcifications scattering around the lesions in 18 cases.The features of enhanced MRI included aggregating ring-like enhancement in 38 cases,tunnel lesions in 14 cases,and lesion migration in 13 cases.Twenty-four of the 42 patients were performed surgery.The brain tissues revealed multiple inflammatory tunnels,in which live or degenerated larvae were identified in 20 cases,but only eosinophilia tunnels were observed in the other 4 cases.The serum and cerebro-spiral fluid specimens from 18 patients without surgery were positive to spirometra mansoni antigen.Their cerebral lesions disappeared and got a favorable prognosis after administration of praziquantel in long term follow-ups.Conclusions There is a high incidence of cerebral sparganosis in Poyang lake basin.The clinical features of cerebral sparganosis mainly include seizure,headache and hemiparesis.The enhanced lesions show knot or tunnel signs on multi-planar MRI which are associated with the multiple inflammatory tunnels of larvae migration.A longterm administration of high dose opraziquantel can also get a good treatment prognosis without the classical surgical therapy for cerebral sparganosis.

Objective To compare the spine intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and the conventional radiation therapy on the beagle spinal cord neurons,in order to prove the biological safety of IMRT of the spinal cord.Methods Twelve selected purebred beagles were randomly divided into 2 groups.A beagle clinical model of tumor was mimiced in the ninth and tenth thoracic vertebrae.Then the beagles were irradiated by 2 different models of intensity modulated radiotherapy and conventional radiation therapy,with the total irradiation doses of 50 and 70 Gy.The samples of spinal cord were taken out from the same position of the nine and tenth thoracic vertebrae at the third month after radiation.All the samples were observed by the electron microscope,and the Fas and HSP70 expression in spinal cord neurons were evaluated by immunohistochemistry method.Terminal deoxynucleatidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick and labeling (TUNEL) technique was used to examine the apoptotic cells in the spinal cord.Results The neurons in the spinal cord of IMRT group were mainly reversible injury,and those in the conventional radiation therapy were mainly apoptosis.Compared with the conventional radiation therapy group [50 Gy group,(7.3±1.1)% ;70 Gy group,(11.3 ±.4)%],the apoptosis rate of the spinal cord neurons of the intensity modulated radiotherapy group[50 Gy group,(1.2 ±0.7)%;70 Gy group(2.5 ±0.8)%] was much lower[(50 Gy group,t＝0.022,P＜0.05;70 Gy group,t＝0.017,P＜0.05)].The expression levels of Fas in the IMPT group(50 Gy group,4.6 ±0.8;70 Gy group,7.4 ±1.1)were also much lowerthan those in the other group(50 Gy group,15.1 4-6.4;70 Gy group,19.3 ±7.6.50 Gy group,t＝0.231,P＜0.05;70 Gy group,t:0.457,P＜0.05),while the expression levels of HSP70 in the IMPT group(50 Gy group,9.1 ±0.8;70 Gy group,7.3±1.4)were much higher than those in the conventional radiation therapy group(50 Gy group,2.1 ±0.9;70 Gy group,1.7±0.3;50 Gy group,t＝0.153,P＜0.05;70 Gy group,t＝0.223,P＜0.05).The expression of Fas/HSP70 was positively correlated with the apoptosis rate of the spinal cord neurons(r＝0.996,t＝1.14.P＜0.05).Conclusions The late radiotherapy response of the spinal cord neurons was obviously observed on the third month.Comparison of the morphology and apoptosis rate of the spinal cord neurons after radiotherapy,the expression of Fas and HSP70 indicated that the biological safety in the 1MRT might be much better than that the conventional radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical outcomes between two suturing methods using non absorbable materials through drilling the bone and suturing anchors for the treatment of complete rupture of the deltoid ligament.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to January 2013, 58 hospitalized patients with ankle fracture combined with complete rupture of the deltoid ligament were treated with suturing using non absorbable materials through drilling the bone or suturing anchors. There were 29 patients who received suturing treatments using non absorbable materials through drilling the bone (Group A), including 18 males and 11 females, with an average age of (39.76 +/- 11.81) years old. According to the Lauge-Hansen classification, 12 patients had supination external rotation (SER) injuries with IV degree, 5 patients had pronation external rotation (PER) injuries with III degree, 10 patients had PER injuries with IV degrss, and 2 patients had pronation abduction injuries with III degree. There were 29 patients who received treatments with suturing using anchors (Group B), including 14 males and 15 females, with an average age of (41.79 +/- 13.28) years old. According to the Lauge-Hansen classification,9 patients had SER injuries with IV degree, 6 patients had PER injuries with III degree,13 patients had PER injuries with IV degree, and 1 patient had pronation abduction injuries with III degree. All the patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation, as well as reconstruction of deltoid ligaments to restore the stability of the medial ankle structures. The clinical examination, imaging evaluation, American society for ankle surgery (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the clinical results after operation, and the results of the two groups were compared and analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe follow-up duration of the 58 patients ranged from 23 to 40 months,with an average of 27.3 months. All the patients had fracture union, and the mean healing time was 12.3 weeks (ranged, 10 to 17 weeks). There were no incision complications and ankle instability. There were no significant differences between two groups in AOFAS (P=0.666) and the VAS (P=0.905).

CONCLUSIONTreatments of complete rupture of the deltiod ligaments with the two suturing methods get similar good clinical effects, but the suturing using non absorbable materials through drilling the bone has several advantages such as reducing the financial burden of patients, saving social medical resources and avoiding the shortcoming in difficult removal of anchor suture.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ankle Fractures ; surgery ; Ankle Injuries ; surgery ; Ankle Joint ; surgery ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical effect and safety of floating needle therapy and duloxetine in treating patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD).

METHODSTotally 108 PSPD patients were randomly assigned to the floating needle treatment group, the duloxetine treatment group, and the placebo treatment group, 36 in each group. Patients in the floating needle treatment group received floating needle therapy and placebo. Those in the duloxetine treatment group received duloxetine and simulated floating needle therapy. Those in the placebo treatment group received the placebo and simulated floating needle therapy. All treatment lasted for six weeks. Efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated using Simple McGill pain scale (SF-MPQ) and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) before treatment and immediately after treatment, as well as at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, 17 items), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed before treatment and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Patients in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group with the total reducing score rate of SF-MPQ in Pain Rating index (PRI) ≥ 50% after 6 weeks' treatment were involved in the follow-up study.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the same group before treatment, SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total scores all decreased in all the three groups at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides , each item of SF-MPQ significantly decreased immediately after treatment in the floating needle treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the placebo treatment group, SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA total score in the floating needle treatment group significantly decreased after 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total score in the duloxetine treatment group also significantly decreased after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) There were 3 patients (8.3%) who had adverse reactions in the floating needle treatment group, 17 (50.0%) in the duloxetine treatment group, and 7 (21.2%) in the placebo treatment group. Compared with the placebo treatment group, the incidence of adverse reaction increased in the duloxetine treatment group (χ² = 6.04, P < 0.05). Besides, it was higher in the duloxetine treatment group than in the floating needle treatment group (χ² = 14.9, P < 0.05). (3) There were 19 patients in the floating needle treatment group and 17 patients in the duloxetine treatment group involved in the follow-up study. Compared with 6 weeks after treatment, no significant difference was observed at 3 and 6 months after treatment in the score of SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were 5 patients (29.4%) who had adverse reactions in the duloxetine treatment group, and no adverse reactions were observed in the floating needle treatment group. The adverse reaction rate was significantly different between the two groups (χ² = 4.26, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFloating needle therapy and duloxetine were effective in treatment of patients with PSPD. However, floating needle therapy could relieve pain more rapidly than duloxetine, with obviously less adverse reactions.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Anxiety Disorders ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain ; Pain Management ; methods ; Pain Measurement ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Somatoform Disorders ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

To explore the prevention effect of the joint combination of Yindanxinnaotong soft capsule (YDXNT) and exercise (swimming) on atherosclerotic rats. The method of 3 x 3 factorial design, including two factors (YDXNT and swimming) and three levels (0, 1, 2 g x kg(-1) YDXNT; 0, 0.5, 1 h swimming), was mainly adopted. The atherosclerotic rat model was established by ligating their left common carotid arteries and feeding high-fat diet. After 8 weeks, blood samples were collected from their thoracic aorta to determine blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen (FIB), nitric oxide (NO), 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) endothelin (ET) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2). The tissues of left common carotid arteries of the rats were collected to detect the positive expression of SM22alpha and determine the semi-quantitation through the immunohistochemical staining. The result showed that the combination of YDXNT and swimming can significantly decrease the plasma viscosity (F = 3.241, P = 0.017), the high and low shear blood viscosity (F = 6.444, P = 0.001; F = 3.002, P = 0.024) and FIB (F = 4.046, P = 0.005). The increased NO and 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) and the decreased ET and TXB2 indicated a significant interaction (P < 0.05). The swimming showed an obvious main effect in the expression of up-regulated protein SM22alpha (F = 8.088, P = 0.001). The study suggested that the combined administration of YDXNT and swimming could improve the hemorheological parameters of atherosclerotic rats, protect the vascular endothelium, inhibit the vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis and positively prevent the atherosclerosis.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Blood Viscosity ; drug effects ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Swimming

Objective To compare the diagnostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and 64 multi-slice spiral CT (64-MSCT) for coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Fifty-two patients with suspected or known CAD were included in the study. Each patient underwent both stress and rest MPI,MSCT as well as conventional coronary angiography (CAG) within 1 month. The stress and rest MPI were scored by a 5-grade criteria (0 ～ 4) based on 17 coronary artery segments. The difference between summed stress and rest scores ＞ 1 was defined as myocardial ischemia. Stenosis in one main vessel or one main branch of the main vessel ≥50% was defined as myocardial ischemia by MSCT. CAG was used as the reference for comparison. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13. 0 software. Kappa value was used to test the accordance of MPI and MSCT results. X2 test was used to evaluate the difference between MPI and MSCT results. Results The patient-based sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of MPI and MSCT for the diagnosis of CAD were 86.7% (26/30), 77.3% ( 17/22),83.9% (26/31), 81.0% ( 17/21), 82.7% (43/52) and 83.3% ( 25/30), 86.4% ( 19/22), 89.3%( 25/28), 79.2% ( 19/24), 84.6% (44/52), respectively. The vessel-based sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of MPI and MSCT were 74.5% (38/51), 81.0% (85/105 ), 65.5% (38/58), 86.7% ( 85/98), 78.8% ( 123/156 ) and 90.2% (46/51 ), 88.6% ( 93/105 ),79.3 % (46/58), 94.9% (93/98), 89.1% ( 139/156), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between MPI and MSCT for either patient or lesion-based diagnosis (X2 =0.44, 0.21, both P ＞0.05 ). 96.0% (24/25) patients with both abnormal MPI and MSCT positive were valified by CAG while 83.3% (15/18) patients with both MPI and MSCT negative were excluded by CAG. Conclusions Both MPI and MSCT are reliable diagnostic modalities for CAD. They also provide complementary diagnostic value to each other.

Different processed products of Coptidis Rhizoma have its unique odor, which is an important assessment index for pro- cessed products identification of Coptidis Rhizoma. Objectify odor as an entry point in this study, an electronic nose technology was used, and a suitable method for Coptidis Rhizoma measurement was built firstly. Then different processed products of Coptidis Rhizoma were detected by the method built. Finally, different processed products were identified by combining with chemometrics based on the objective odor information obtained. Electronic nose detection indicated that a significant difference in odor between different processed products was performed. Coptidis Rhizoma processed or not can be distinguished based on statistical quality control (SQC) and soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA). Principle component analysis (PCA) model showed that Coptidis Rhizoma and its various processed products discriminated obviously. In addition, in order to identify the processed products of Coptidis Rhizoma, a correct recognition rate of 100% was acquired by discriminant factor analysis (DFA) , and the initial identification rate and cross-validation recognition rate of linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is 100%, 94.4% respectively. In conclusion, differentiationin odor of different processed Coptidis Rhizoma was performed by the electronic nose technology used, and different products Coptidis Rhizoma were dis- criminated by combining with chemometrics. This research can be a reference for objective identification in odor of traditional Chinese medicine, and is good for the inheritance and development of traditional experience in odor identification.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Electronic Nose ; Odorants ; analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry

AIMTo investigate protective effects of polydatin(PD) during lung ischemia/reperfusion in rabbits and its potential mechanisms.

METHODSRabbit lung model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury was constituted in vivo. Thirty rabbits were divided into groups randomly: Control (C), I/R, PD group, respectively. Endotoxin (ET) in plasma was analyzed by End-point Chromogenic Assay, the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaBp65 mRNA, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA were measured by RT-PCR, the morphological changes of lung tissue were observed with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in ET concentration of plasma between groups (all of P > 0.05). The expression of TLR-4 mRNA, NF-kappaBp65 mRNA and ICAM-1mRNA in I/R group were significantly increased as compared to C group and PD group, while those expressions in PD group were evidently higher than those in C group (all of P < 0.01). Light microscope showed that the lung pathological injuries in PD group were obviously alleviated as compared to I/R group.

CONCLUSIONPD might have a protective effect on lung ischemia/reperfusion injury by down-regulating TLR4 and NF-kappaB expression, then inhibiting the release of mediators of inflammation as ICAM-1.

Animals ; Female ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ischemia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor RelA ; genetics ; metabolism

AIMTo observe protective effects of safflower injection (SI) on lung ischemia/reperfusion injury (LIRI) and investigate its potential mechanism.

METHODSRabbit lung model of ischemia/reperfusion injury was constituted in vivo. The rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operation group (S group), ischemia/reperfusion group (I/R group) and ischemia/reperfusion plus safflower injection group (SI group). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activities in serum were measured. The lung tissue sampled at the end of the experiment was assayed for wet/dry weight ratio (W/D), injured alveoli rate (IAR) and ultrastructural changes were observed under electron microscope. The expression of COX-1 and COX-2 were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The expressions of COX-1mRNA and COX-2mRNA were observed by in situ hybridization (ISH).

RESULTSIn I/R group, XO and MDA increased and SOD decreased in serum, while the same changes happened in SI group but less severely(P<0.01). The value of W/D and IAR was much higher in I/R group than S group, but decreased in SI group. Electron microscope showed obvious ultrastructural injury brought by LIRI in I/R group, which was greatly attenuated in SI group. The IHC and ISH demonstrated that COX-2 and COX-2mRNA in pulmonary tissue of I/R group were significantly higher than those of SI group (P < 0.01). The difference of COX-1 and COX-1mRNA in pulmonary tissue among the three groups was not significant.

CONCLUSIONThe ischemia/reperfusion lung injury insults induced the regulation of COX-2 in lung. Safflower injection may attenuate lung ischemia/reperfusion injury through inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 expression.

Animals ; Carthamus tinctorius ; Cyclooxygenase 1 ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Rabbits ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Xanthine Oxidase ; blood