BACKGROUND: Chinese medicine is rich in recognition and treatment for rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and has achieved attractable progression in researches of recent several years,characterized by variable therapeutic methods, definite therapeutic effects and few toxic side effects. Therefore, it is important scientifically and socially to further search for the effective drugs and methods for the treatment of RA in the field of Chinese medicine. There are few reports on whether Chinese herbs inhibit or block the destruction of cartilage and bone and promote their metabolism and repair for damage or not by variable approaches,targets and links in RA occurrence.OBJECTIVE: To probe into the mechanism of Chinese herbal tongbiling on cartilage destruction.DESIGN: Complete random design and control experimental study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Golden Chamber teaching and research room of guangzhou university of traditional Chinese medicine.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Comprehensive Experimental Room of First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2002 to December 2003,in which,35female Wistar rats were employed,clean grade,weighted(110±20) g,provided by Animal Experimental Room of First Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, with qualified animal No. 2002A041.After 3 days adaptive breeding,Wistar rats were randomized into normal group,model group and total alkaloidal of tongbiling group(TBL group). TBL was extracted in Phytochemistry Room of Tropical Disease Institute of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.METHODS: The animal model was prepared on rats with collagen-induced arthritis. After treated with gastric infusion in groups,the pathological sections were done on phalangeal joint of rat and chondropathy was observed after routine HE staining. The chondrocytes were cultured. The chondrocytes were stimulated with rrIL-1β in vitro and resulted in matrix decomposition of chondrycyte to prepare pharmaceutical model,TBL of various concentrations added and dexamethasone(DXM) was applied in the control. After 48 hours culture,the upper clear solution if cell was collected and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content was measured with alcian blue method,and nitric oxygen (NO) content was assayed with method of aqua fortis reduction.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:①Primary results: Effect of TBL on phalangeal chondropathy in rats with collagen-induced arthritis and on matrix decomposition of chondrocyte induced by rrIL-1β.②Secondary results: Effect of TBL on induction of NO synthesis from chondrocytes by rrIL-1β.RESULTS:①It was indicated in evaluation on HE pathological section of phalangeal joint: The severity of cartilage destruction in TBL group was less than that in model group(P<0.05).②TBL of various concentrations and DXM inhibited remarkably the decomposition of choncrocyte proteoglycan (P<0.01) and NO synthesis (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: TBL inhibits phalangeal cartilage destruction of rats with collagen-induced arthritis. It is indicated in the results of experiment in vitro that TBL is against the decomposition of choncrocyte proteoglycan,which is probably achieved by inhibiting NO synthesis.

Objective To analyze the changes of serum amyloid A (SAA) ,C reactive protein (CRP) ,procalcitonin(PCT) and trypsin activated peptide(TAP) in the patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) ,and to evaluate the above 4 indexes combined detection in the diagnosis and treatment of AP .Methods The levels of SAA ,CRP ,PCT and TAP were detected in 21 cases of severe AP (SAP) and 49 cases of mild AP(MAP) .The detection results were compared with those in the healthy control group (n=50) .Re‐sults The levels of SAA ,CRP ,PCT and TAP had statistical differences between the patients with acute stage of SAP and MAP groups with the healthy control group(P<0 .01);the levels of SAA ,CRP ,PCT and TAP in the SPA group were significantly high‐er than those in the MAP group with statistical difference(P<0 .01) .The diagnostic efficiency of 4‐index combined detection was higher than that of single index detection .Conclusion The combined detection of SAA ,CRP ,PCT and TAP is conducive to early diagnosis and disease condition judgement of AP ,and has an important significance to the diagnosis and treatment of SAP .

Systemic inflammatory response has a major role in the development and progression of cancer,and increased systemic inflammatory response usually correlates with poorer survival.Recently the evaluation index of systemic inflammatory response including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio,C-reactive protein,glasgow prognostic score,platelet-lymphocyte ratio.Several previous studies show that these indexes are the independent prognostic factors for esophageal cancer.Research on the systemic inflammatory markers may also be valuable for the clinical treatment and prognosis of esophageal cancer.

objective: To study the development of available space of lower posterior arch. Methods: The sample consisted of 188 randomly selected subjects aged from 11 to 18 years, 76 males and 112 females. The distance from the distal surface of mandibular first molar to the anterior border of the ramus was measured on orthopantomography. All the data were analyzed statistically. Results: 1) The distance(mm) in female and in male was 14.45?3.54 and 13.29?4.17 respectively( P

OBJECTIVE:To study the pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and bupivacaine in children undergoing epidural anesthesia so as to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this anesthetic method.METHODS:A total of 30 children who were expected to undergo surgery for undescended testis,hernia or high ligature for hydrocele were assigned to receive 2% lidocaine(5 mg?kg-1) plus 0.75% bupivacaine(1.875 mg?kg-1)(single epidural dose) by epidural anesthesia.Plasma concentrations of lidocaine and bupivacaine were determined by HPLC.Pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated and fitted by using DAS ver 2.0 pharmacokinetic program.RESULTS:The plasma concentration-time curves of lidocaine and bupivacaine were in line with a two-compartment model.The main pharmacokinetic parameters of lidocaine vs.bupivacaine were as follows:tmax 27.0 vs.33.0 min;t1/2? 43.97 min vs.73.52 min;Cmax 2.411 mg?L-1 vs.1.475 mg?L-1;AUC0～∞ 144.714 mg?min?L-1 vs.168.541 mg?min?L-1.CONCLUSION:The dosages of the local anesthetics injected into the epidural cavity of children are proven to be safe and effective.

Objective:After construction and identification of HBsAg gene recombinant backbone adenoviral vector,it is to prouduct HBsAg gene recombinant adenoviruses by packing PAd-Easy-1-HBs in 293 cells.Methods:The gene of interest was amplified from plasmid pEcob-6 PCR, the gene of interest which contained HBsAg gene was cloned into on adenoviral shuttle vector pAd-track-cmv. The pAd-track-cmv-HBs was linearized by digesting with restriction endonuclease Pme-1, and subsequently cotransformed into E.coli BJ-5183 cells with an adenoviral backbone vector pAd-Easy-1, Homologous recombinants were performed in bacterial cells. Finally, the linearized backbone adenoviral vector was transfected into adenoviruses packing cells lines,e.g. 293 cell by lipofectamine transfection. Transfections and viral productions can be minotored by green fluorescent protein(GFP). The expression of HBsAg in supermatant was investigated by ELISA. It was a certain HBsAg vaccine to amplify recombinant adenoviruses by repeating the infevtion cell to collect the viral supermatant.Results:GFP expression was visible by fluorescence microscopy after transfection. Adenoviral titer was monitored by GFP expression. GFP expression was visible after repeating the infection cell using the viral supernatant in more than 90 percent of the cells.The HBsAg also expressed in supermatant.Conclusion:HBsAg gene recombinant adenoviral backbone vector has been constructed successfully. HBsAg gene recombinant adenoviruses have been producted by packing in 293 cells. The study provides the possibility of further researches on the development of new anti-HBV vaccines.

Objective To detecte the pathogenetic mechanism of cortical deficit in persons with strabismic amblyopia by blood oxygenation level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI). Methods The data of BOLD-fMRI of occipital visual cortex in 11 persons with strabismic amblyopia and 8 healthy ones were collected by 1.5T MRI system. The results of binocular pixel exponent in strabismic amblyopia group was compared with that in the normal group and the result of and average activation of cortical neuron in strabismic amblyopia group was analyzed. Results The binocular pixel exponent was lower in the strabismic amblyopia group (14.13%?4.55%) than that in the normal group(47.82%?5.34%) ( P

Objective To investigate the relationship between expression of CDK1,TFF2 and HPV16/18 infection in uterine cervical carcinomas.Methods Formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded samples including 50 cases of squamous cell carcinomas,20 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia CINⅡ-Ⅲand 20 cases of CINI and 20 cases of normal cervical tissues were studied.Using Polymer DetectionSystem For Immuno-Histological Staining(PV-9000)as immunohisto-chemical detecting method.the expression of TFF2 and CDK1 in these samples were examined.The infections of HPV type 16,18 DNA were determined by PCR.Results There were significant differences for CDK1 between carcinomas,CIN and normal cervices,respectively(all P＜0.05).Expression of CDKl were correlated with tumor grades(P＜0.05).The positive expression of TFF2 in carcinomas was significantly lower than that in normal cervical tissue and CIN.There was significant differences amongthem(P＜0.05).Expression of TFF2 were correlatedwith age(P＜0.05).Thepositive rate of HPV16/18 was significant difference between cervical carcinomas,CIN and normal tissues(P＜0.05),and it was not associated with age,tumor grades,clinical stages and lymph node metastasis(all P＞0.05).The expression of CDK1 was not associated with TFF2 and HPV16/18(all P＞0.05).The expression of HPV16/18 was associated with TFF2(rs=-0.500,P＜0.05).Conclusions The results suggest that in tissues of CIN and cervical carcinomas in TFF2 and CDK1 expression changes and HPVl6/18 infection interact with each other,which can effect the progression of CIN and carcinogenesis of cervical carcinomas.

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of pulse-activating injection on acute poisoning by pa-raquat(PQ). Methods 50 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups: blank group, negative control group, positive control group, low-dose pulse-activating injection group (LDG), and high-dose pulse-activating injection group(HDG) (n = 10 for each group). Blank group were injected with normal suline,30 ml/kg,and other groups were established as acute paraquat poisoning models. Macroscopic and histopathological ex-aminations were performed and biological indexes were measured for the lung specimens. The indexes included lung wet weight/dry weight,the rats of neutrophils and protein content in the pulmonary alveolar lavage fluid. In the mean time, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) both in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage flui(BALF) were detected. Results Compared with that in negative control group,lung congestion and lung edema of LDG group were mitigated; and the MDA level decreased from (5.04± 0.50) nmol/ml,(1. 19±0.18) nmol/ml to (4.04±0.21) nmol/ml,(0.79±0.04) nmol/ml both in plasma and BALF;the SOD activities were increased from (123.30±20. 39) U/ml, (26.43±2.22) U/ml to (277.09± 11.66) U/ml,(37.10± 2.49) U/ml as well; the GSH-Px activities were increased from (1796.63 ±81. 12) U/ml, (598.24 ± 62.50) U/ml to (2151.54 ± 148.32) U/ml, ( 1788.44 ± 175.11 ) U/ml as well ( P < 0. 01 ). Conclusions Administration of pulse-activating injection could improve the lipid peroxidation damage caused by a-cute poisoning of PQ.

Astragali Radix (AR), known as Huangqi in China, is one of the most popular herbal medicines learnt worldwide to reinforce Qi (the vital energy). AR is traditionally prepared from the dried roots of Astragalus membranaceus or A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. It has been reported to have cardiotonic, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, immunostimulant, anti-aging, anti-oxidative, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The bioactive compounds were found to be flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides, amino acids, and some trace elements. The present paper reviews the studies on AR including history, phytochemistry studies, pharmacological functions, and clinical application in recent years.