Objective This study is aimed to assess the accuracy of clinical measurement of remission and investigate the association between clinical remission and the ultrasound imaging assessment of synovitis and infla'mation and to explore the value of ultrasound imaging in the evaluation of disease activity in the tight control of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods RA patients with a disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28-ESR) ≤2.6 for at least 3 months were stratified-using a standard and more stringent DAS28 and simplified disease activity index (SDAI) remission thresholds and the corresponding clinical and ultrasound imaging measures of synovitis were recorded.In addition,a retrospective analysis of disease activity in patients was carried out.Mann-Whitney U test,x2 test and multi-factor analysis of variance of repeated measurements were used for statistical analysis.Results A total of 48 cases were recruited.Thirty-seven cases (77％) met the ACR remission criteria,29 cases (60％) fulfilled the SDAI remission criteria,and 32 (67％) cases reached 2010 ACR/EULAR Boolean-based definition of remission criteria.There was no significant differences on imaging disease activity between SDAI remission patients and those who were not in remission (GS score,P=0.38; PD score,P=0.32).Seventy-nine percent patients in SDAI remission had GS and/or PD activity,but the difference was not statistically different when compared with patients who did not reach SDAI remission (P=0.29).Sustainable remission obtained in patients who also had achieved image remission could have longer remission time (P＜0.01) Conclusion Using more stringent clinical remission criteria could help in reducing residual inflammatory activity of,but ultrasound PD activities may not be significantly reduced.Integrated clinical indicators such as physical examination and imaging tools such as ultrasound can provide more accurate assessment of disease activity and could be used to guide treatment to achieve trueremission.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of water knife needle release combined with bone peptide injection in the management of heel pain.

METHODSThirty-five patients with unilateral heel pain were treated with water knife needle release and bone peptide injection under local anesthesia. The deep tissue with the tenderness was released in the operation, and the result was evaluated 1 week after the surgery to decide whether to conduct another surgery. No more than 3 treatment sessions were administered. The efficacy was evaluated according to nimodipine method by the principles of Chinese clinical drug guidance, and the complications of the surgery were observed.

RESULTSSix months after the surgery, 28 cases had excellent results, 3 had good outcomes, 2 showed improvement, and 2 failed to respond favorably, with a rate of good and excellent result of 94.2%. No adverse side effect was recorded in the follow up of the patients.

CONCLUSIONWater needle knife release combined with bone peptide injection can produce a good result in the treatment of heel pain.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Foot Diseases ; therapy ; Heel ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles

Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Male ; Mucous Membrane

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulation of Cha Gan Beng Ga on the activity of biomarker PGC-1α in vivo and in vitro, and lay the foundation for studying the efficacy result of Cha Gan Beng Ga on xenograft tumor model and extracting active constituents.

METHOD(1) The coarse powder of Cha Gan Beng Ga was extracted with 70% ethanol solution through heating and refluxing, and finally was used to freeze dry powder. (2) 50 mg x kg(-1) of freeze-dried power was orally administrated to KM and C57BL/6J mice once daily, lasting for 5 consecutive days; different concentrations of extracted materials was given to non-small cell lung cells A549. (3) The expression level of PGC-1α mRNA was quantitatively determined in lung tissue of mice and non-small cell lung cells A549.

RESULTThe expression levels of PGC-1α in lung tissue of different mice strains had an increasing tendency. Furthermore, the expression levels of PGC-1α in non-small cell lung cells A549 also had an increasing tendency, showing dose and time-dependent relationships.

CONCLUSIONMongolian Medicine Cha Gan Beng Ga could induce the over-expression of PGC-1α mRNA in lung tissue of mice and in non-small cell lung cells A549. The present results will lay foundation for studying the efficacy result of antitumor and active constitutes in future.

Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Medicine, Mongolian Traditional ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

One new dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-N-methyl Glu-L-N-methyl Glu) (1), together with one new natural dicyclopeptide cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-methyl Glu ester) (2), and two known dicyclopeptides cyclo-(L-methyl Glu ester-L-Glu) (3), and cyclo-(L-Glu-L-Glu) (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Dianthus chinensis L. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods.
Dianthus ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

To observe the effects of Danshen-containing serum on SuFu and DYRK2 expression in the HSCs stimulated by leptin. SD rats (n = 60) were used to make danshen-containing serum by gastric perfusion for ten days with Danshen water decoction, normal saline and colchicine. The HSCs that were cultured in vitro would be stimulated for 24 hours by leptin (100 μg x L(-1)) except blank control group, after being intervened, the drug serum in each group would be cultured at 37 degrees C in 5% incubator. The cells would be collected after 24 hours, then the effects of danshen-containing serum on the proliferation of HSCs were detected by MTT, the expression of SuFu mRNA and DYRK2 mRNA were detected by RT-PCR, the expression of SuFu and DYRK2 proteins were tested by Western blot. Compared with blank control group, the expression of DYRK2 mRNA and DYRK2 proteins were enhanced obviously after stimulated the HSCs of rats by leptin (P < 0.01), but the expression of SuFu mRNA and SuFu proteins were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, after cyclopamine group (Hh pathway inhibitor), Danshen-containing serum and colchicine were interfered, the expression of DYRK2 mRNA and DYRK2 proteins were decreased clearly (P < 0.01), but the expression of SuFu mRNA and SuFu proteins were increased significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Compared with model group, adding purmorphamine (Hh pathway agonist) to model group and making it activate could increase the expression of DYRK2 mRNA and DYRK2 proteins, but the expression of SuFu mRNA and SuFu proteins were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, using the Danshen-containing serum to interfere the purmorphamine group could make the expression of DYRK2 mRNA and DYRK2 proteins decrease and the expression of SuFu mRNA and SuFu proteins increase significantly (P < 0.01). Danshen-containing serum would inhibition the activation and increment of HSCs by interfering the expression of SuFu and DYRK2 which were induced by leptin.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Purpose To investigate the expression of EZH2 and p53 protein in breast cancer and to analyze their relationship with the clinical pathologic characteristics and prognosis. Methods The expression of EZH2 and p53 protein were detected by immunohisto-chemical method in 50 cases of breast adenosis tissues, 92 cases of breast invasive lobular carcinoma ( ILC) and 200 cases of breast in-vasive ductal carcinoma ( IDC) , and their correlation was also analyzed. Results There was no statistical significance of EZH2 be-tween ILC and IDC (P>0. 016 7), while its expression in breast adenosis tissues was lower than that in ILC and IDC (P<0. 016 7). In breast cancer the expression of EZH2 protein were not correlated with patient age, menopausal status, histological types, and pTNM stage. In contrast, its expression correlated with the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, molecular subtype, survival status and p53 (P<0. 05). There was no statistical significance of p53 between ILC and breast adenosis tissues (P>0. 016 7), while its expression in IDC was higher than that in ILC and breast adenosis tissues (P<0. 016 7). Its expression had no related to patient age, menopausal status, tumor size, lymph node metastasis in breast cancer, but related to histological types, pTNM stage, molecular subtype and sur-vival status (P<0. 05). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the expression of EZH2 and p53 had correlated with disease-free and overall survival rates of breast cancer (P<0. 05). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that the expression of EZH2 and p53 were independent affecting factors to breast cancer patients. Conclusion The expression of EZH2 and p53 protein increase in the breast adenosis, ILC and IDC gradually, and they have positive correlation. The expression levels of EZH2 and p53 protein have im-portant value to evaluate the prognosis of breast cancer patients.

Purpose To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and the survival outcomes of invasive lobular carcinoma. Methods A retrospective analysis of 98 patients with invasive lobular carcinoma and 530 invasive carcinoma of no special type was performed in order to observe the histological features and the clinical outcomes of invasive lobular carcinoma. Results Median follow-up was 68. 5 months for invasive lobular carcinoma and 67 months for invasive carcinoma of no special type. Invasive lobular carcinoma presented with a larger tumor size, more histopathological grade 2 tumors, increased rate of hormonal receptor positivity, human epider-mal growth factor 2 (HER-2) negativity, and had a lower proliferative index as compared to invasive carcinoma of no special type, more frequently presented with the luminal A subtype (P<0. 001). The classical invasive lobular carcinoma presented with a smaller tumor size, to have a lower histological grade and proliferative index compared to the non-classic type, and more frequently presented with the luminal A subtype, whereas the non-classic invasive lobular carcinoma patients more frequently presented with the luminal B, HER-2 overexpression, or triple negative subtype (P=0. 035). A statistically significant difference in the outcome was observed at un-ivariate analysis for patients with non-classic for disease-free survival (P=0. 043) and for overall survival (P=0. 048), as compared with patients with classical invasive lobular carcinoma. The disease-free survival difference between the invasive lobular carcinoma and the invasive carcinoma of no special type was not significant (P=0. 537), and the overall survival rates were not statistically different between the two groups (P=0. 397). A statistically significant difference of overall survival was observed at multivariate analysis for patients with HER-2 positive and triple negative subtypes versus patients with luminal A invasive lobular carcinoma (P=0. 015, P=0. 016) . Conclusions The outcome of invasive lobular carcinoma is significantly correlated with histological and immunohistochemi-cally defined molecular subtypes. New tailored strategies should be explored in these subgroups of patients with poor outcome.

Objective To investigate the effect of propofol on nNOS expression after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats and the possible mechanism of protective effect of propofol on brain. Method Seventy-eight male Wistar rats, weighting 250 ~ 300 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups:(1)Sham operation group (S group, n=6) was performed with scham operation; (2) Ischemia-reperfusion group (group I-R, n=36) was subjected to 2-hour right middle cerebral artery occlusion and then reperfusion was followed, saline (1 mg/kg) was injected into the right lateral cerebral ventricle using microsyringe before reperfusion;(3) Propefol group (group P, n=36) was injected with propofol (1mg/kg) into the right lateral cerebral ventricle using microsyringe right after ischemia. Group I-R and group P were divided into 3 subgroups according to the reperfusion time: 1 h, 3 h and 6 h. The neurological function of all rats were tested before reperfusion. The cerebral infarction area of the whole brain was calculated with TIC staining (n=6). The pathological change of brain was observed from HE staining (n=6) and the nNOS protein expression was obtained by immuno- histochemical method (n=6). Results Compared with I-R group, the neurological function was better in group P(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of GSK-3beta, CDK-5 and PP2A and the regulation of them by Abeta(25-35) and ginsenoside Rb1 after neural stem cells (NSCs) are transformed into neurons.

METHODSTo culture NSCs from the dentate gyrus of newborn rats(24 h) hippocampus in vitro. NSCs of the third passage were induced towards neurons; the expressions of GSK-3beta(pTyr279,216), PP2A and the regulation of them by Abeta(25-35) and ginsenoside Rb1 were tested by the immunofluorescence cytochemical staining after NSCs had been induced for one week; The expressions of GSK-3beta, CDK-5, PP2A and the regulation of them by Abeta(25-35) and ginsenoside Rb1 were detected with RT-PCR.

RESULTSImmunofluorescence cytochemisty showed that neural cells from NSCs which had been differentiated after one week could express GSK-3j (pTyr279,216)and PP2A. Abeta(25-35) could enhance the expression of GSK-3beta(pTyr279,216), meanwhile it also restrained the expression of PP2A. Moreover ginsenoside Rb1 could reverse the affect of Abeta(25-35). RT-PCR found that neural stem cells which had been differentiated after one week could express GSK-3beta, CDK-5, PP2A . The expression of GSK-3beta and CDK-5 rose up and the expression of PP2A weakened when they were treated by Abeta(25-35). However, the effect of Abeta(25-35) was restrained when they were pretreated by ginsenoside Rb1.

CONCLUSIONThese observations indicated that NSCs which were cultured and induced in vitro can express GSK-3beta, CDK-5 and PP2A; moreover Abeta(25-35) and ginsenoside Rb1 can regulate the expressions of GSK-3beta, CDK-5 and PP2A. It hints that cells which differentiated from neural stem cells in vitro have protein phosphorylation regulation system of normal cells.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; toxicity ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 ; metabolism ; Female ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Male ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Peptide Fragments ; toxicity ; Protein Phosphatase 2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley