Objective To investigate the value of serum?-human chorionic gonadotropin(?-HCG) and progesterone monitoring in medicinal conservative treatment for ectopic pregnancy. Methods Sixty patients with ectopic pregnancy treated with methotrexate were divideded into group A(n=39,?-HCG0.05).The time of serum progesterone level declining to normal level was significantly shorter than that of ?-HCG in both group A and group B(P

OBJECTIVETo observe interventional effects of anti-viral therapy and Compound Qin-gre Granule (CQG) on host cellular immune functions of acute virus infection patients.

METHODSThirty acute virus infection patients were recruited to detect peripheral lymphocyte subsets. They were randomly assigned to two groups, the Western medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine) and the integrative medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine plus CQG). T-cell subsets were re-examined 7 days later. Changes between before and after treatment were observed. Effect on host cellular immune functions and efficacy were compared between the Western medicine treatment and the integrative medicine treatment.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the percentage of peripheral T cells increased, and the percentage of B/NK cells decreased in acute virus infection patients (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, in T cell subsets, the percentage of CD8+ T cells and CD8+ CD38+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28 + T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). After one-week treatment, percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28+ T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the percentage of CD8+ CD38+ T cells decreased (P < 0.01). More significantly, these changes were greater in the integrative medicine treatment group than in the Western medicine treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDisarranged cellular immune functions existed in acute virus infection patients. CQG could significantly improve viral infection induced immunologic derangement and immunologic injury.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy

Objective To explore the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in diffuse thyroid disease.Methods The elastic modulus were detected by SWE in 41cases of diffuse thyroid disease [including 16 cases of Graves' disease (GD),16 cases of Hashimoto' s thyroiditis (HT) and 9 cases of subacute thyroiditis(SAT)] and 30 cases of healthy volunteers.The elastic modulus,including Emean,Emin and Emax,were measured and compared.Results Compared with the normal group[Emean(15.7-± 2.5)kPa,Emin(11.6 ± 2.4)kPa and Emax (20.2 ± 3.0)kPa],the Emean[(20.4 ± 4.7)kPa],Emin[(14.4-± 3.8)kPa] and Emax [(27.8 ± 7.3)kPa] of GD,the Emean [(18.4-± 5.0)kPa] and Emax [(25.2 ± 5.8)kPa] of HT,and the Emean[(11.0 ± 2.9)kPa] and Emin [(6.0 ± 2.7)kPa] of the SAT were different significantly(P =0.001,0.007,0.001 ; P =0.045,0.001 ; P =0.000,0.000).There were significant differences between the SAT and the other two groups,namely GD and HT (P ＜0.05).Such differences,however,were not found between GD and HT (P ＞0.05).Conclusions SWE can be used to measure the elastic modulus of the thyroid tissue quantitatively and objectively,serving as a useful technique to predict the diffuse thyroid disease.

Objective To demonstrate the carbonic anhydrase Ⅲ (CAⅢ) for 25 000 protein decreased in skeletal muscle of myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods The protein molecular properties responsible to antibodies against 25 000 protein and CAⅢ were analyzed by a combination method of two-dimensional electrophoresis and immuno-Western blot. Competitive binding reactions of the antibodies to the purified 25 000 protein and muscular homogenate were observed by using immuno-Dot blot and immuno-Western blot, respectively. The expression of CAⅢ from normal and MG muscles was detected by immuno-Western blot. Results Combination analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis and immuno-Western blot showed that the protein of immunological responsible to antibodies against 25 000 protein and CAⅢ had an identical molecular mass and isoelectric point. Competitive binding reactions proved that 25 000 protein and CAⅢ were the same substance, either by immuno-Dot blot or by immuno-Western blot. In addition, a much similar result was obtained when the levels of 25 000 protein from normal and MG muscles were detected by antibodies against 25 000 protein and (CAⅢ) by immuno-Western blot. Conclusion 25 000 protein decreased in the MG skeletal muscle was proved to be just a known protein CAⅢ, which made a basis for further exploring the relationship of CAⅢ deficiency and MG pathogenesis.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of the shear-wave elasticity (SWE) imaging technology on the quantitative diagnosis of chronic nephrosis stage.Methods Sixty patients with nephrosis (nephrosis group) were evaluated with SWE and the renal function test.The Young's modulus value and the renal function were measured,and the results were compared with those of twenty healthy subjects (control group).Results Twenty cases of healthy control group were definited as R0.Sixty patients of nephrosis group were divided into four groups according to renal function:R1-R4.The Young's modulus of the nephrosis group was significantly higher than the control group (P ＜0.01).There were also statistically significant differences among each stage of the nephrosis group (except R1 and R2 of nephrosis group)(P ＜ 0.01).According the ROC curve,the cut-off value of the Young's modulus was 5.53 kPa when maximum area under the curve equal to 0.886,the sensitivity and specificity were 81.70％ and 80.40％.The Young's modulus value and renal function were positively correlated with the stage of nephrosis.The areas under the ROC curves for the Young's modulus,urea nitrogen and csytatin C were 0.965,0.950,0.965 for ≥R3,0.978,0.912,0.961 for =R4,respectively.Conclusions SWE imaging technology provided a new quantitative index for the stage of nephrosis through quantizing the elasticity of the tissue.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of growth factors on c-fos and c-jun gene expressions in hepatic stellate cells.

METHODSHepatic stellate cell (HSC) T6 was cultured in media containing different concentrations of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) (8 ng/ml, 40 ng/ml or 200 ng/ml) and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta (0.2 ng/ml, 1 ng/ml or 5 ng/ml) and the cells were collected at different incubation periods (8, 24, 48 or 72 h). Total RNA of the HSC was isolated and c-fos and c-jun gene expression levels were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSC-fos gene expression levels of the HSC cultured in low (8 ng/ml), medium (40 ng/ml) and high (200 ng/ml) concentrations of PDGF were all much higher than those of the control group after exposure to PDGF at 8, 24, 48 or 72 h. The c-fos gene expression levels of the HSC increased as the dosage of PDGF increased and there were significant differences of c-fos gene expression among the three PDGF groups. C-jun gene expression levels of the HSC in low (0.2 ng/ml), medium (1.0 ng/ml) and high (5.0 ng/ml) concentrations of TGF beta groups were much higher than those of the control group after exposure to TGF beta at 8, 24, 48 or 72 h. The c-jun gene expression levels of the HSC increased as the dosage of TGF beta increased and there were significant differences of c-jun gene expression among the three TGF beta groups.

CONCLUSIONPDGF and TGF beta can strongly up-regulate c-fos and c-jun gene expressions in hepatic stellate T6 cells.

Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the lipid constituents from Echinacea purpurea.

METHODThe compounds were isolated by chromatography method and the structures were identified on the basis of spectral analyses.

RESULTFive compounds were isolated and identified as, 1 beta, 6 alpha-dihydroxy-4(14)-eudesmene(1), (2E, 4E, 8Z, 10E)-N-isobutyl-2,4,8,10-dodecatetraenamide(2), (2E, 4E, 8Z, 10Z)-N-isobutyl-2,4,8,10-dodecatetraenamide(3), cerotic acid(4), hyxacosyl alcohol(5).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1,4 and 5 were obtained from the plant for the first time.

Echinacea ; chemistry ; Fatty Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Alcohols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathogenic factors of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections.

METHODSTotally 36 serum samples were obtained from early pregnant woman and examined with ELISA for anti-HCMV antibody IgG and IgM. After artificial abortion,chorionic villus and decidua were also examined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HCMV-DNA. When the results of PCR were positive, pathological changes of these chorionic villus and decidua were analyzed.

RESULTSThe results showed that only 10 samples were PCR positive while IgG and/or IgM antibody to HCMV was positive. After infection with HCMV, different changes occurred in chorionic villus and decidual trophoblastic cells placental villus were hyperplasic and decidua cells degenerated and necrotized followed by lymphocytes infiltration.

CONCLUSIONThese pathological changes may be one of pathogenic factors of HCMV.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Chorionic Villi ; pathology ; virology ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; pathology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Decidua ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; pathology ; virology

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Echinacea ; chemistry ; classification ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polyunsaturated Alkamides

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) in treating severe a cute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

METHODSSixty SARS patients were diagnosed and observed according to the universal standard, and divided into the ICWM group (n = 31, treated with ICWM) and the control group (n = 29, treated by conventional western medicine alone).

RESULTSICWM showed better effect than that of western medicine alone in improving clinical symptoms, promoting the absorption of inflammation in lung, increased oxygen saturation (P < 0.01) and decreased the dosage of corticoid used (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effect of ICWM is better than that of simple western medicine in treating SARS.

Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Single-Blind Method