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

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

0.05)between the two groups.Conclu- sion The long-term outcomes of e-CHB is not markedly different compared with that of e+CHB.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and the least-squares estimation (IDEAL) method with a fat-saturated T2-weighted (T2W) fast recovery fast spin-echo (FRFSE) imaging of the spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Images acquired at 3.0 Tesla (T) in 35 patients with different spine lesions using fat-saturated T2W FRFSE imaging were compared with T2W IDEAL FRFSE images. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-efficiencies measurements were made in the vertebral bodies and spinal cord in the mid-sagittal plane or nearest to the mid-sagittal plane. Images were scored with the consensus of two experienced radiologists on a four-point grading scale for fat suppression and overall image quality. Statistical analysis of SNR-efficiency, fat suppression and image quality scores was performed with a paired Student's t test and Wilcoxon's signed rank test. RESULTS: Signal-to-noise ratio-efficiency for both vertebral body and spinal cord was higher with T2W IDEAL FRFSE imaging (p < 0.05) than with T2W FRFSE imaging. T2W IDEAL FRFSE demonstrated superior fat suppression (p < 0.01) and image quality (p < 0.01) compared to fat-saturated T2W FRFSE. CONCLUSION: As compared with fat-saturated T2W FRFSE, IDEAL can provide a higher image quality, higher SNR-efficiency, and consistent, robust and uniform fat suppression. T2W IDEAL FRFSE is a promising technique for MR imaging of the spine at 3.0T.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Spinal Diseases/*diagnosis/pathology ; Statistics, Nonparametric

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVETo explore treatments of severe post-kidney-transplant lung infection by integrative Chinese and Western medicine (ICWM), in order to elevate the curing rate as well as to lower the death rate.

METHODSBased on conventional ways of Western medical treatments of 18 cases of severe post-kidney-transplant lung infection, such as putting the patients in single individual ward, antibiotics to prevent infection, respiratory machines, blood filtration, nutritional support, steroids, and maintaining electrolytes balance, we applied integrated Chinese medicinal treatments, like altering conventional prescription "pneumonia III", and conducted clinical observation of effectiveness, and indexes including white blood cell (WBC), neutrophilic granulocyte, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood creatinine (Cr), etc.

RESULTSOf the 18 cases studied, 7 were already cured, 8 proved the treatment effective, 3 died. All clinical indexes had statistically significant changes compared with those of before treatment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONICWM can increase curing rate and lower death rate.

Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lung Diseases ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Opportunistic Infections ; drug therapy ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the stress magnitude and distribution of remaining dentin in posterior residual root restored with post-core crown by three-dimension finite element methods. The variables were number, length and material of post.

METHODSThe models of residual root of maxillary first molar restored with post-core crown were created by CT scanning, Mimics software and Abaqus software. Different number, length and material of posts were used in the modeling. The post was cemented with zinc-phosphate cement. A load of 240 N was applied to the occlusal surface in vertical direction and tensile, shear, and Von mises stresses were calculated.

RESULTSThe maximum stresses on remaining dentin changed irregularly as the number and length of post. The maximum stresses on remaining dentin decreased slightly as elastic modulus of the material of post increase.

CONCLUSIONThe number, length, material of post have influence on magnitude and distribution of stress.

Crowns ; Dentin ; Elastic Modulus ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Molar ; Post and Core Technique ; Tooth Root ; Tooth, Nonvital

Objective To explore the relationship between immune and pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the investigation of neurofilaments phosphorylation and ultrastructure features in spinal cord ventral horn motor neuron injury mediated by immune.Methods Using transmission electron microscope,we studied the uhrastructure features of abnormal accumulations of neurofilaments (NF) in motoneuron of the spinal cord ventral horn,and immunohistochemically investigated neurofilaments phosphorylation.Results Electron microscope found that there was abnormal accumulation of interwoven NFs in motor neuronal perikarya and proximal axons.Immunohistochemical study revealed that the SMI-32 immunoreactive positive neurons (12.00?1.05),compared with control (18.00?1.83),were reduced (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate their long-term outcome and the efficacy and economic significance of antiviral drugs by investigating the long-term health-related quality of life (HQL) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

METHODSThe HQL of 101 CHB patients with biopsy-proven 6 to 18 years ago and 105 persons of general population as control was studied with revised SF-36 questionnaire.

RESULTSThe HQL in CHB patients was lower than that in general population in physical functioning, role physical, general health, mental health, and specific symptoms (mu > or = 2.10, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe long-term HQL in chronic hepatitis B patients is poor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cost of Illness ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; economics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo isolate antifungal compound from Paeonia suffruticosa, and to find the antifungal mechanisms by observing the ultrastructural modifications of yeasts in growth phase produced by 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG).

METHODSPeony (Paeonia suffruticosa) root bark (PRB) was separated by solvent extraction and purified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using analytical and preparative reversed phase C18 column on the basis of bio-assay method. In order to investigate the antifungal mechanism of PGG, Yeasts were submitted to different concentrations [3 × minimum inhibition concentration (MIC), 0.3 × MIC] for 1 h under constant stirring at 30 °C, and transmission electron microscopy was performed.

RESULTSBased on the antifungal activity of PRB on Candida glabrata CBS138, the antifungal compound were isolated in ethyl acetate layer of PRB and identified as PGG by mass spectrometry, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, with molecular weight of 940 and molecular formular as C41H32O26. Transmission electron microscopy showed that PGG degraded the cell wall envelope.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that PGG may be responsible for the antifungal activity of PRB by disrupting the structure of cell wall directly.

Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Candida ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Hydrolyzable Tannins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Mass Spectrometry ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy