In order to further improve the curative effect of the herb-participated moxibustion on umbilicus, we collected a wide range of literature on herb-participated moxibustion on umbilicus and then systematically arranged them to analyze and summarize the technology and operating methods of herb-participated moxibustion on umbilicus. We also briefly discussed issues on application of medicine, locust tree skin and ginger, the method of kneading dough for medical uses, and the appropriate size of moxa cone and its using frequency in order to form clear concepts and standardized operations to provide theories and operational basis for the clinical application of modern herb-participated moxibustion on umbilicus.
China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Moxibustion ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Umbilicus ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore clinical efficacy of Yiguanjian Decoction (YD) combined Adefovir Dipivoxil Tablet (ADT) in treating HBeAg negative chronic viral hepatitis B (CVHB) active compensated liver cirrhosis (LC) patients.

METHODSTotally 68 HBeAg negative CVHB active compensated LC patients initially treated were assigned to the treatment group and the control group using random digit table, 34 in each group. Patients in the control group took ADT alone, 10 mg each time, once per day. Those in the treatment group additionally took YD, one dose per day. The therapeutic course for all was 48 weeks. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil) were detected once in every two weeks. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA and four items of serum liver fibrosis [procollagen type I (PCN), hyaluronidase (HA), procollagen III peptide (PCIII), laminin (LN)] were detected once per every 4 weeks. Abdominal ultrasound B was performed before and after treatment. The inner diameter of the portal vein and the size of spleen were recorded. The fibrosis degree of liver was evaluated using Fibroscan. Efficacy of Chinese medicine (CM) was evaluated between the two groups before and after treatment using CM syndrome integrals. Efficacy of Western medicine (WM) was also evaluated between the two groups using Child-Pugh grading. Results Compared with before treatment in the same group, ALT and AST levels restored to normal levels, HBV-DNA turned negative (HBV-DNA < or = 1 x 10(2)) in the two groups after 48-week treatment. Besides, levels of TBil, ALB, PCIV, HA, PCIII, and LN obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Results of ultrasound B showed the inner diameter of the portal vein and the size of spleen decreased. Fibroscan results showed that the elasticity value of the liver obviously decreased (P < 0.05). Besides, post-treatment levels of PCIV, HA, PCEJ, and LN, and the elasticity value of the liver decreased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in post-treatment levels of ALT, AST, TBil, ALB, inner diameter of the portal vein, or the size of spleen between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, scores of Chinese medical syndrome and Child-Pugh scores decreased in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides, scores of Chinese medical syndrome decreased more obviously in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The effective rate was 8824% (30/34) in the treatment group, higher than that of the control group [67.65% (23/34)] with statistical difference (P <0.05). Conclusion Combined treatment of YD and ADT could significantly improve symptoms of CM and fibrosis degree of liver of HBeAg negative CVHB active compensated LC patients.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bilirubin ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; virology ; Organophosphonates ; therapeutic use ; Tablets

OJECTIVE: To explore the changes of serum IgE and tryptase caused by anaphylactic shock rats and discuss the relation to PMI and preservative environment of corpse and specimen. METHODS: Rats were used for establishing anaphylactic shock models and randomly divided into room temperature group, refrigeration group, frozen group, manual hemolysis group, specimen preservation group. And the control group was also established. The blood samples were collected after rats were sacrificed. The degree of hemolysis was graded according to the color of the upper layer of the serum. The mass concentration of IgE and tryptase in each group was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in anaphylactic shock dead rats were higher than that of the control group. Room temperature and frozen made obviously differences on the levels of serum IgE and tryptase with various PMI. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase in refrigeration group showed relatively stable. The levels of serum tryptase and IgE were elevated with differently increasing hemolysis. The levels of serum IgE and tryptase showed no obvious changes during the specimen kept under different temperature conditions for 25 days. CONCLUSION Serum IgE and tryptase obviously increased in anaphylactic shock rats. However, the levels were influenced by PMI and environmental temperature, especially under the conditions of room temperature and frozen.
Anaphylaxis/blood* ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Rats ; Temperature ; Tryptases/blood*

Objective To study the influence of human leucocyte antigen(HLA) and major his-tocompatibility complex class Ⅰ chain-related gene A (MICA) specific antibodies on renal allograft function and graft rejective reaction by monitoring their changes from preoperative to postoperative pe-riods. Methods Twenty-seven patients with renal aliografts were tested with the specificity of anti-HLA antibodies (anti-HLA class Ⅰ and anti-HLA class Ⅱ) and anti-MICA antibodies and their posi-tive value changes by flow PRATM beads. The HLA genotype was integrated to distinguish donor specific antibody(DSA) and non-donor specific antibody(NDSA). Their serum creatinine levels and clinical data were analyzed simultaneously. Results Of the 27 patients, 22 cases accepted renal transplantation from dead bodies and 5 eases accepted from live donors. Except 1 failed patient, the other 26 patients had good functional renal allografts. Twenty-four survival patients were followed up on month 1, 3, 6 and 12 after transplantation. Seven out of 27 patients had pre-exist antibody before transplantation. Among them, 2 patients had anti-HLA antibody; 3 patients had anti-MICA antibody; 2 patients had both anti-HLA and anti-MICA antibody. Three patients with no anti-HLA and anti-MICA antibodies before transplantation created antibodies after transplantation from 3 to 6 months. One patient created NDSA after transplantation and appeared chronic rejection. There were 3 patients who had anti-MICA antibodies before transplantation. The expression levels of antibodies had changed from high to low, but the specific anti-MICA antibody had not changed during the follow-up on month 1, 3, 6 and 12 after transplantation. The patient with pre-transplantation low level of anti-HLA class Ⅱ antibody appeared acute rejection with fever and his CMV was positive as well. The patient's SCr levels changed from 171 μmol/L to 236 μmol/L after I to 3 months post-transplantation. Twenty-four patients were divided into positive and negative groups according to the specific antibody. There was significant difference of SCr levels between the 2 groups 1 month and 1 year after transplantation(P= 0.03, 0.05). Conclusions It is important to detect the specificity and positive value of anti-HLA antibodies and anti-MICA antibody regularly during the post transplantation follow-up. This will make an effective therapy for decreasing the occurrenee and development of acute or chronic rejection and hy-pofunction on renal allograft.

Fatal anaphylactic shock is common in forensic practice. However, it is difficult to diagnose for lacking specific pathological and morphologic changes in forensic autopsy. The application of some biochemical indicators is of great significance. This paper reviews the biological characteristics of some biochemical indicators and detection methods. The forensic application, problems and prospects of these indicators are also introduced in details. The stable biochemical indicators, IgE, tryptase and chymase, show great potential and advantages in the identification of fatal anaphylactic shock in forensic medicine.
Anaphylaxis/metabolism* ; Autopsy ; Biomarkers ; Chymases ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Tryptases

Objeetive To investigate the detection of hemodynamiCS parameters of conjunctival microvessels by functional slit lamp biomicroscopy (FSLB) in normal adult and its clinical application values.Methods Randomly selected 16 postgraduate students aged 21 to 25 years from the Nanchang University and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,including 8 males and 8 females.The density,length and diameter of conjunctival microvessel and the flow velocity of arteriolar and venular blood were measured by FSLB and software program (BenoitTM,TruSoft Inc,St.Petersburg,FL,USA),as well as the indicators' characteristics of the subjects' were analyzed.Results As for subjects' right eyes,the microvascular density,length,diameter,and the arteriolar and venular blood flow velocity were no significant difference between the upper,and lower sides,as well as between nasal and temporal sides (all P ＞ 0.05);meanwhile the microvascular density,length and diameter of the upper and lower sides were both lower than those of the nasal and temporal sides,and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05),while the arteriolar and venular blood flow velocity of the upper and lower sides were both significantly higher than those of the nasal and temporal sides,and the differences were statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).In addition,the changes in hemodynamics parameters of conjunctival microvessels of the left eyes and total eyes in subjects were consistent with the right eyes.Conclusion FSLB can clearly obtain hemodynamics parameters of conjunctival microvessels in healthy grown-ups,and has a promising clinical value.

BACKGROUNDEndovascular therapy is a treatment option for localized occlusion of the subclavian artery. In this report the long-term experience with 59 patients is presented.

METHODSBetween June 1998 and September 2008, we used endovascular therapy to treat 61 subclavian arterial obstructive lesions in 59 patients (46 males and 13 females, 34 - 82 years of age with a mean age (61.9 + or - 11.0) years). Twenty patients (34%) had clinical symptoms due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency, 26 (44%) had disabling arm ischemia, and 13 (22%) had both symptoms. We performed all procedures under local anesthesia. The approaches were from the femoral artery (n = 47), brachial artery (n = 1, involving bilateral subclavian disease) or both (n = 11). Sixty stents were implanted. All patients were followed-up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-procedure, and annually thereafter.

RESULTSWe achieved technical success in 58 (95.1%) arteries, all of which were stented. There were three technical failures; two were due to the inability to cross over an occlusion, necessitating the switch to an axillo-axillary bypass, and the third was due to shock after digital subtraction angiography and prior to stenting. Arterial stenosis pre- and post-stenting was (83.6 + or - 10.8)% and (2.5 + or - 12.5)% (P < 0.01). Clinical success was achieved in 55 of the 59 patients (93.4%). Of the four clinical failures, three were technical and the remaining patient had a stent thrombosis. Systolic blood pressure difference between the two brachial arteries was (44.7 + or - 18.5) vs. (2.2 + or - 3.9) mmHg (P < 0.01). Primary patency was 98% at 12 months, 93% at 24 months, and 82% at 5 years. Five patients were lost to follow-up by 12 months post-stenting. Significant recurrent obstruction developed in five patients with resumption of clinical symptoms. The overall survival rate was 98.2% at 12 months, 89.5% at 24 months, and 84.5% at 5 years.

CONCLUSIONSEndovascular therapy for proximal subclavian arterial obstructive lesions is effective and successful. This minimally invasive treatment may be the first choice of treatment for proximal subclavical arterial obstructive lesions.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; pathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Subclavian Artery ; pathology ; Subclavian Steal Syndrome ; pathology ; therapy ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo discuss the optimal immunization dose by observing the immunoprotective effects of different doses of recombinant Schistosoma japonicum (Chinese strain) signaling protein 14-3-3 (rSj14-3-3).

METHODSSj14-3-3 gene was amplified by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET28a, then transformed into E.coli to express by inducing. Purified rSj14-3-3 was prepared through SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), electroelution, dialysis, then BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups and immunized in rSj14-3-3 protein followed by challenging infection (the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd groups were immunized in 50 microg, 100 microg and 300 microg antigen, respectively. The 4th, 5th groups were immunized in Freund's adjuvant and normal saline controls). After 6 weeks of challenging infection, the mice were killed and the worm and egg reduction rates were calculated. And the mice sera in different time were taken to examine the specific anti-Sj14-3-3 IgG.

RESULTSrSj14-3-3 protein was expressed successfully. After immunizing and challenging, worm reduction was found to be 28.20% in the 1st group, 43.10% in the 2nd group, 40.00% in the 3rd group, respectively. Number of eggs in liver tissue was reduced by 41.80%, 57.50%, 55.70%, respectively. Compared the results of the tested groups to the controls, the differences were of significance by t-test (worm reduction rate: t = 6.8 in the 1st group, t = 8.7 in the 2nd group, t = 7.3 in the 3rd group, P < 0.01 in all tested groups. Egg reduction rate at the group's number above: t = 11.23, t = 11.54, t = 7.99, P < 0.01 in all tested groups). As compared the results between the tested groups by chi(2), the differences were of significance between the 1st and the 2nd groups (worm reduction rate: chi(2) = 8.96, P < 0.05; egg reduction rate: chi(2) = 15.69, P < 0.05), between the 1st and the 3rd groups, the differences were also of significance (worm reduction rate: chi(2) = 6.52, P < 0.05; egg reduction rate: chi(2) = 12.52, P < 0.05). The difference was not of significance between the 2nd and the 3rd groups (worm reduction rate: chi(2) = 1.20, P > 0.05; egg reduction rate: chi(2) = 0.93, P > 0.05). In all tested groups, total anti-Sj14-3-3 specific IgG rose markedly. IgG(1) and IgG(2a) subtypes were high, but IgG(2b) and IgG(3) were near the background in four subtypes tested.

CONCLUSIONImmunoprotection of rSj14-3-3 should have some relations with immunization dose, and the protection obtained from immunizing mice by using 100 microg antigen was the best.

14-3-3 Proteins ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth ; immunology ; Antibody Formation ; Antigens, Helminth ; blood ; Female ; Helminth Proteins ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins ; Schistosoma japonicum ; genetics ; immunology ; Signal Transduction ; Vaccination

OBJECTIVETo explore cell death and apoptosis in rat hippocampal neurons at different time points after ischemia, hypoxia and reperfusion injury and to elucidate time window characteristics in ischemia neuronal injury.

METHODSHippocampal neurons were obtained from rat embryo and were cultured in vitro. The ischemia and reperfusion of cultured rat hippocampal neurons were simulated by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and recovery. OGD at different time points (0.25 h to 3.0 h) and then the same recovery (24 h) were prepared. Annexin V-PI staining and flow cytometry examined neuron death and apoptosis at different time after injury.

RESULTSAfter OGD and recovery, both necrosis and apoptosis were observed. At different times after OGD, there were statistically significant differences in neuron necrosis rate (P < 0.05), but not in apoptosis rate (P > 0.05). At recovery, survival rate of hippocampal neurons further decreased while apoptosis rate increased. Furthermore, apoptosis rates of different time differed greatly (P < 0.05). Apoptosis rate gradually increased with significant difference among those of different time points (P < 0.05). However, 2 h after ischemia, apoptosis rate decreased markedly.

CONCLUSIONSApoptosis is an important pathway of delayed neuron death. The therapeutic time window should be within 2 h after cerebral ischemia and hypoxia.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; Cell Death ; physiology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fetus ; cytology ; Flow Cytometry ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Neurons ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Animal ; Probability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of levels and clinic significance of serum soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble FasL (sFasL) in coal workers' pneumonoconiosis.

METHODSSerum levels of sFas and sFasL were determined in 52 patients with silicosis, 57 coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, 46 healthy underground coal workers' (the underground control group) and 40 healthy volunteers working on the ground (the ground control group) with a sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSCompared to the underground control and the ground control group, the serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis were significantly higher (P < 0.01). Serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the underground control group were significantly higher than those in the ground control group (P < 0.01); Serum sFas levels in coal workers' pneumonoconiosis was significantly higher than those in the patients with silicosis (P < 0.01). Although the serum sFasL levels was also increased, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). In the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis patients, the serum sFas levels in Phase I patients combined with emphysema and simple Phase II + III patients were significantly higher than those in simple Phase I patients (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the serum sFasL levels among various groups with different parameters of pneumonoconiosis. In the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, serum levels of sFas and sFasL were not significantly altered among different duration of exposure to dusts. There was no correlation between serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the patients with silicosis while there was a slightly positive correlation between sFas and sFasL levels in the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis (r = 0.479, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, the serum levels of sFas and sFasL are abnormal and associated with the development of the pneumonoconiosis. The changes of serum sFas levels may indicate the development and progression of the pneumonoconiosis. The detection of the serum sFas level may be used in the differential diagnosis for the silicosis and the coal worker's pneumonoconiosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Coal Mining ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fas Ligand Protein ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; blood ; Silicosis ; blood ; fas Receptor ; blood