Huaier (Trametes robiniophila) has been widely used as an adjuvant drug for cancer treatment in China. The anti-cancer effect of Huaier extract has been confirmed in liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, and so on. The main mechanisms by which Huaier exerts an anti-neoplastic effect include inhibition of the growth and proliferation of cancer cells, induction of apoptosis of cancer cells, suppression of angiogenesis, inhibition of the invasion and migration of cancer cells, regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes expression, improving immunity, and reversal of drug resistance in cancer cells. In order to provide references for further study and clinical application on anti-tumor effect of Huaier, the latest research progress on anti-tumor effect of Huaier in recent years is summarized in this paper.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Trametes

Objective To analyze the platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase ( PAF-AH) activity of a gene product encoded by LA2144 gene of Leptospira interrogans ( L. interrogans) , to investigate the ex-pression and secretion of LA2144 protein in various cell cultures and to further understand its function in in-ducing internal hemorrhage in an animal model. Methods The DNA sample containing LA2144 gene was extracted from L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai strain Lai and used as the template for gene cloning by PCR. The LA2144 gene without the signal sequence coding region was amplified by PCR and inserted into a prokaryotic expression construct for the protein expression. The expressed recombinant protein, rLep-PAF-AH, was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Spectrophotometry was used to measure the hydrolytic activity, hydrolytic efficiency, Km and Kcat values of the rLep-PAF-AH protein in hydrolyzing PAF substrate. Real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR ( qRT-PCR) and Western blot assay were performed to measure the expression of LA2144 gene at mRNA and protein levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), human monocytes (THP-1) and murine macrophages (J774A. 1) with L. interrogans strain Lai infection, respectively. Each syrian hamster was intravenously injected with 100 μg of LPS-free rLep-PAF-AH for two times. Hemorrhage in the lungs, livers and kidneys were observed in three days after the injection. Results The constructed prokaryotic expression system for LA2144 gene of L. inter-rogans strain Lai could highly express the rLep-PAF-AH upon the induction of IPTG. The purified rLep-PAF-AH showed high purity with a single protein band in gel as indicated by SDS-PAGE. The efficiency of 5 μg of rLep-PAF-AH in hydrolyzing PAF substrate was 26. 6 U/L with a Km value of 82. 79 μmol/L and a Kcat value of 0. 24 S-1 . The expression of Lep-PAF-AH at mRNA level in HUVEC, THP-1 and J774A. 1 cells were significantly elevated after co-culture with L. interrogans strain Lai for 1 or 2 hours (P<0. 05). A large amount of Lep-PAF-AH were detected in the supernatants from co-cultures of L. interrogans strain Lai with the three cell lines, but not from the culture of the spirochete in EMJH medium. The signs of hemor-rhage were observed in the lung of hamsters injected with rLep-PAF-AH, but not in tissue samples from liver and kidney. Conclusion The LA2144 gene product was characterized by a stronger PAF-AH activity. The expression of LA2144 gene at mRNA and protein levels in various cell lines were enhanced during L. interro-gans infection. Moreover, the rLep-PAF-AH could induce the pulmonary hemorrhage in hamsters. This stud-y indicated that the protein encoded by LA2144 gene was an important virulence factor causing hemorrhage in hosts during L. interrogans infection.

OBJECTIVETo explore the situation of equity in health service delivery in the experimental region of new rural cooperative medical scheme (NRCMS).

METHODSA household questionnaire survey was conducted to 2112 residents in the experimental county of NRCMS in Yuexi county with a stratified-cluster sampling on the situation of health service delivery, from July 1-15,2005. Data was analyzed with Epi Info 6.04 and SPSS 11.0 software and indices as rate, ratio, Gini coefficient, concentration index (CI) and chi-square test etc.

RESULTSThere was no significante difference of the treatment-seeking rate during two weeks among five groups economic condition residents (chi2 = 5.52, P > 0.05) and the rates were 48.14 per thousand, 82.90 per thousand, 65.88 per thousand, 48.72 per thousand and 50.66 per thousand respectively with CI = -0.026. Similarly, the hospitalization rates were 59.08 per thousand, 67.36 per thousand, 51.76 per thousand, 58.97 per thousand and 52.86 per thousand respectively in the last year and the CI = - 0.017. But there was a significante difference of rates on chronic disease among the five groups of residents with different economic conditions in the last six months (chi2 = 18.42, P < 0.01) and the rates were 295.40 per thousand, 243.52 per thousand, 230.59 per thousand, 225.64 per thousand and 176.21 per thousand and the CI = -0.055. When income reduced, the prevalence had been increasing among residents. Meanwhile, the collection funds showed unfair in residents with various income and the compensating fund of new rural cooperative medical scheme had not reduced the gap between rich and poor.

CONCLUSIONThere was an unequity of medicine expenditure and compensating fund in residents with various income in the experimental region. The low income residents had a high health service need and the government should improve NRCMS greatly to change the situation.

China ; Data Collection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Expenditures ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Healthcare Disparities ; Humans ; Income ; Rural Health Services ; economics ; utilization

The growing status of Anoectochilus roxburghii seedling was observed and the survival rate of seedlings, height, stem diameter and plant fresh weight under the conditions of different transplanting substrate compositions, planting density, shading rate were measured. The results showed that the effects of different transplanting substrates, planting densities, shading rates and nutrient solutions on the growing status of A. roxburghii plantlets varied greatly. A. roxburghii plantlets demonstrated a high survival rate and better growing status under the Following conditions: the ratio of peat and river sand as 2: 1, the planting density as 3 cm x 3 cm, the shading rate as 70%, and the nutrient solution as 1/4MS. The findings of the study provide a solid technical solution for the artificial cultivation of A. roxburghii plantlets.
Breeding ; methods ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Orchidaceae ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Survival Analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the quality of life and related social support among people living with HIV/AIDS with related factors.

METHODS331 people living with HIV/AIDS and 148 of their family members were selected using a typical sampling method. Questionnaires on general conditions, tables on history of infection, generic quality of life inventory-74 (GQOLI-74) and social support scale (SSS) were used.

RESULTSData from one-way analysis suggested that people living with HIV/AIDS and their family members with the different sexs, different villages and different cultural backgrounds had differences in GQOLI-74 scores (P < 0.05) while people living with HIV/AIDS with the different villages had differences in SSS scores (P < 0.05). Results from Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that being elderly and negative life events were negatively associated with social support (P < 0.05), while factors as more advanced educational background, harmonious neighborhood relationship and having bother pouring nature were the predictive factors (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMany factors might affect dimensions of quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS and their family members in rural areas of northern Anhui. Community care and social support of HIV/AIDS should still be greatly enhanced in the countryside of China. A community care mode based on family and neighborhood was expected to be developed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; complications ; ethnology ; psychology ; China ; Cultural Characteristics ; Family Relations ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Social Support

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and major complications of haploidentical nonmyeloablative allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (NST) for refractory or relapsed leukemia.

METHODSThe results of 30 patients, including 14 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 11 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 5 case of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (accelerated and blastic phase) with refractory or relapsed leukemia (RF/RL) who underwent haploidentical NST from August 2000 to April 2009 were analyzed. The conditioning regimen consisted of fludarabine (flu), antithymocyte globulin (ATG), cyclophosphamide (CTX), total body irradiation (TBI) and cytarabine (Ara-C) or myleran (Bu). Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prevention programmes consisted of Cyclosporine (CsA), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), CD25 monoclonal antibody combined with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

RESULTSTwenty six cases of patients were full donor engraftment and 4 cases mixed chimerism into full donor chimerism. The average duration of neutrophil >0.5×10⁸/L after NST was 11 (9-16) days, and platelet >20×10⁸/L 17 (12-60) days. Upon follow-up of 16 to 120 months, 12-month transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 46.7%, acute Ⅱ-Ⅳgraft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) incidence was 40.0%. The probability of 3-year disease relapse, EFS and overall survival (OS) rates were 16.7%, 46.2% and 50.0% respectively.

CONCLUSIONHaploidentical NST could improve OS and EFS of refractory or relapsed leukemia and reducce TRM to some extent.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Humans ; Leukemia ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of acupuncture in treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODSAdult Wistar rats were used to make SCI model by Allen's method. The SCI rats were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints of the Governor Vessel for 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks or 4 weeks. Normal group and spinal cord injury group were used as controls. The number and morphology of astrocytes in each group were investigated by electron microscope, immunohistochemistry and in situs hybridization methods. The expression of glial fibroblast acid protein (GFAP) mRNA in the injured spinal cord was detected by reverse transcription polymerase (RP-PCR).

RESULTSThe mitochondria and ribosomes of astrocytes in the EA group increased. The number of astrocytes increased after SCI, in gray matter being more than that in the white matter, in the caudal being more than that in the rostral. The expression of GFAP mRNA in the EA group was significantly lower than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture can inhibit the reactive proliferation of the astrocytes after spinal cord injury and prevent formation of the glial scar.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; therapy

Objective To study the role of fibulin-5 in urothelial carcinoma of bladder. Methods Fibulin-5 expression was detected in bladder cancer tissues (13 cases of G_1 and G_2, 7 cases of G_3) and normal bladder mucosa samples by Western blotting assay. Fibulin-5 cDNA was amplified by PCR and cloned into pMD-19T simple vector. The pMD-19T-Fibulin-5 vector was digested by restriction endonucleases XhoI and EcoRI to generate a XhoI-Fibulin5-EcoRI fragment that was then ligated into the identical sites in p-EGFP-Nl plasmid to synthesize p-EGFP-Fibulin-5 plasmid. The p-EGFP-Fibulin-5 plasmid was finally transfected into bladder cancer cell line 5637. The migration and invasion of untransfected, vector-transfected and fibulin-5-transfected bladder cancer cells were measured by Boyden chamber assay. Results Compared to 1. 16 ±0. 28 in the normal control, the expression of fibulin-5 protein in low grade and high grade tumors were 0. 57±0. 32 and 0. 44±0. 42(P<0. 01, respectively). However, the difference between low grade and high grade tumors was not statistically significant (P>0. 05). The successfully transfected bladder cancer cells demonstrated green fluorescent light. The migrated cell number of fibulin-5-transfected cells was 127. 6 ± 3. 1 compared with 139. 3±7. 7 for vector-transfected cells and 136. 9±5. 7 for untransfected cells (P>0. 05, respectively). In contrast, the invaded cell number of fibulin-5-transfected cells was 8. 0±3. 1 compared with 31. 5±4. 8 for vector-transfected cells and 31. 7±4. 7 for untransfected cells (P<0. 01, respectively). Conclusion Fibulin-5 is down-regulated in urothelial carcinoma of bladder and acts as a tumor suppressor gene by inhibiting the invasion of bladder cancer cells.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of mRNA transcriptional and protein expressions of protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) on the development of arsenic liver injury caused by coal-burning.

METHODSPopulation study:133 arsenic exposures were selected as arsenic exposure groups including the ward non-patient group (25 cases) , no obvious hepatopathy group (38 cases) , mild (43 cases) and moderate to severe hepatopathy group (27 cases) from the area with endemic arsenism in Guizhou province. Another 34 healthy residents were selected as the control group in non-arsenic pollution village. The urine and peripheral blood were collected from the subjects. The arsenic contents in urine and mRNA expressions of PKCδ in peripheral blood were detected. Animal experiment study:thirty wistar rats were randomly by random number table divided into control group, drinking water arsenic poisoning group and coal-burning arsenic poisoning group (i.e., low, medium and high arsenic contaminated grain group) by random number table method, including 6 rats in each group. The control group was fed normally for 3 months, drinking water arsenic poisoning group and coal-burning arsenic poisoning groups were fed respectively with 10 mg/kg As2O3 solution and different concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) of arsenic-containing feed which was persisted 3 months. The arsenic contents in urine, mRNA expression levels of PKCδ in peripheral blood and liver tissue and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase Cδ(pPKCδ) in liver tissue were detected.

RESULTSThe median(quartile) of arsenic contents in urine were 25.58 (18.62-40.73), 56.66 (38.93-76.77), 64.90 (39.55- 98.37) and 75.47 (41.30-109.70) µg/g Cr respectively for the non-patient group, no obvious hepatopathy group, mild and moderate to severe hepatopathy group. The levels were higher than that in the control group (23.34 (17.84-37.45) µg/g Cr) (P < 0.05), except for the ward non-patient group. The arsenic contents in rat urine were 2223.61 (472.98-3976.73), 701.16 (194.01-1300.27), 1060.94 (246.33-2585.47) and 3101.11 (1919.97-5407.07) µg/g Cr, respectively for the drinking water arsenic poisoning group, the low, medium and high dosage arsenic grain contamination groups, all higher than that in the control group (94.32 (22.65-195.25) µg/g Cr) (P < 0.05) . The protein expressions of pPKCδ in liver tissue were 324.83 ± 25.06, 278.50 ± 30.57, 308.83 ± 34.67 and 326.33 ± 35.09, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (240.17 ± 28.07) (P < 0.05) . The protein expression levels of pPKCδ in liver cell membrane were 0.49 ± 0.06,0.33 ± 0.05,0.37 ± 0.06 and 0.50 ± 0.08, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (0.28 ± 0.04) (P < 0.05) . The protein expression levels of pPKCδ in liver cell cytoplasm were 0.38 ± 0.06,0.31 ± 0.05, 0.35 ± 0.05 and 0.36 ± 0.05, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (0.24 ± 0.05) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe arsenic may regulate protein expressions of pPKCδ and induce its membrane translocation, and cause the development of arsenic liver injury caused by coal-burning.

Animals ; Arsenic ; urine ; Arsenic Poisoning ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Coal ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; enzymology ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; enzymology ; etiology ; Male ; Protein Kinase C-delta ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Ilizarov technique in treatment of Gustilo type Ⅲ B and C of large tibia bone defect combined with soft tissue defect. Methods Thirty cases with large tibia bone defect combined with soft tissue defect in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were selected including 25 cases with type Ⅲ B and 5 cases with type Ⅲ C,who were all open tibia fractures and treated with Ilizarov technique. Results All patients were followed up for 10 to 18 months with an average of 15 months. The bone defects were reconstructed, the difference between the length of the affected limb and the healthy side was less than 2 cm. The fracture was healed and the wound was closed. One case was with paralysis of common peroneal nerve and recoveried after 3 months. Twenty-two cases recovered without extra surgery, five cases restored with skin graft and three cases covered the wound by rotating skin flap. Conclusion Ilizarov technique is one of effective ways to treat Gustilo Ⅲ type B and type C of large defect combined with soft tissue defect.