Hepatic fibrosis is the hallmark of most chronic liver diseases. Its essense is excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components(ECM) in liver, which occurs due to an imbalance between the production and degradation of matrix. Collagen is the most important part of ECM. Therefore,one important antifibrotic pathway is to effectively inhibit the synthesis of collagen or increase its degradation. The review describes the current progress in collagen metabolism and antifibrotic therapy related to hepatic fibrosis.

Air ; analysis ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Ketones ; analysis ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo observe the difference in the therapeutic effects on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) among auricular electroacupuncture therapy plus isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste (combined therapy), electroacupuncture (EA) and TDP irradiation.

METHODSEighty-nine cases were randomized into three groups. In the combined therapy group (30 cases), the auricular electroacupuncture therapy was adopted together with the isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste. The auricular points were xi (AH4), pizhixia (AT4), shenmen (TF4), etc. The Lingxian herbal paste was applied at Yanglingquan (GB 34), Dubi (ST 35), Zusanli (ST 36), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Heding (EX-LE 2) and Ashi points. In EA group (29 cases), EA was applied at the acupoints that were same as those in the isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste. In TDP group (30 cases), TDP irradiation was given at the affected knee. The treatment was given once every day, 10 treatments made one session and there was 1 week at the interval among sessions. Totally, 3 sessions of treatment were required. KOA clinical symptom and physical sign score and the single item pain symptom score of Lequesne index were observed before treatment and 1 week after treatment in the patients of each group separately. The efficacies were compared among the three groups.

RESULTSOne week after treatment, the total score of symptoms and physical signs of the patients in each group was reduced significantly as compared with that before treatment (all P < 0.05). The improvements in the symptoms and physical signs in the combined therapy group were better than those in the other two groups (1.50 +/- 1.57 vs 2.52 +/- 1.82, 2.63 +/- 1.97, both P < 0.05). The improvement in pain in the combined therapy group was also better than that in the other two groups (2.37 +/- 0.81 vs 2.83 +/- 0.92, P < 0.05; 2.37 +/- 0.81 vs 3.03 +/- 0.77, P < 0.01). The curative rate in the combined therapy group was 40.0% (12/30), which was higher than 17.2% (5/29) in EA group and 20.0% (6/30) in TDP group separately (both P < 0.01). The overall efficacy in the combined therapy group was superior to the other two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe auricular electroacupuncture therapy plus isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste is advantageous at the total score of the symptoms and physical signs and the overall efficacy in the patients of KOA as compared with EA at the local acupoints and local TDP irradiation.

Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Orthopedic Fixation Devices

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenic Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective To observe whether recent sexual intercourse might cause microscopic hematuria, and investigate the cause of hematuria. Methods Eighty healthy volunteers (40 men and 40 women) consented to have intercourse with their married couples and provide samples of urine for testing before intercourse and the first day morning, noon, evening and the second day morning after intercourse. After appropriate instruction, volunteers tested their own urine for the presence of blood using standard dipsticks. Any volunteer with hematuria after intercourse was offered a comprehensive hematuria assessment and followed-up for two years. Results None of the volunteers had positive hematuria before sexual intercourse. 9 of the 40 women, but no men, had positive hematuria at the first day morning after intercourse, and 3 of the nine patients with hematuria still had positive hematuria at the noon of the first day. Five women of 9 patients with hematuria accepted two years follow-up and no abnormal was identified. Conclusion It suggested that recent sexual intercourse was a cause of asymptomatic microscopic hematuria in women, and a history of recent sexual intercourse should be considered when assessing the clinical significance of microscopic hematuria in women.

0.05). It suggested that the 3 D quantitative measurement is a useful technique for the diagnosis of diseases in the base of the middle cranial fossa region,so that it is useful for surgical planning.

Air Pollution ; analysis ; Barium ; analysis ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods ; Workplace

Adrenergic beta-Agonists ; therapeutic use ; Aged ; Albuterol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Bronchi ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Bronchodilator Agents ; therapeutic use ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Salmeterol Xinafoate ; Treatment Outcome