To modify uricase with PEG reagent in order to decrease uricase immunogenieity and increase its stability.Methods:The branched PEG of 40 kD was chosen to modify native uricase.The properties of the mod-ified uricase including the stabilities to protease,pH and temperature,in vivo half-life time,as well as the immu-nogenicity were evaluated.The pharmacokinetic profiles of the midofied uricase were studied in mice.Results:It is demonstrated that the conjugation of PEG to lysine residues of Candida utilis uricase resulted in higher tryp-sin resistance.reduced immune response.and prolonged in vivo half-life.PEG modified uricase retained 80% of the enzymatic activity of native uricase.In addition,it was found that half-life in serum of the intravenously injec-ted PEGylated uriease of up to 696 min was longer that that of native uficase of 45 min.Higher plasma drug con-centrations were also reached with dosing of the PEGylated uricase to mice.Furthermore,the binding affinity Was shown to be reduced for the PEG-uricase using ELISA assay.and it was one-eishth that of native uricase.Final-ly,it Was indicated that the PEG uficase induced a delayed immunoresponse in mice following repeated adminis-trations.Conclusion:These findings demonstrate that this chemically modified form of uricase may serve as a potentially effective drug to treat gout patients.

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy on primary osteoporosis treated with spreading moxibustion for warming yang and activating blood circulation so as to provide the effective clinical therapeutic methods for osteoporosis.

METHODSSixty cases of primary osteoporosis were randomized into a spreading moxibustion group (30 cases) and a calcium tablet group (30 cases). In the calcium tablet group, caltrate was prescribed for oral administration, 600 mg per day. In the spreading moxibustion group, on the basis of the treatment as the calcium tablet group, the spreading moxibustion was applied at Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) for warming yang and activating blood circulation. The duration of treatment was 12 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, TCM clinical symptom score and bone mineral density (BMD) were observed and compared before and after treatment in the patients between the two groups.

RESULTSVAS scores were reduced apparently after treatment in the two groups (both P < 0.01) and the results in the spreading moxibustion group were obviously superior to that in the calcium tablet group (2.36 +/- 0.43 vs 4.52 +/- 0.35, P < 0.01). BMD were all increased in the two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and the results in the spreading moxibustion group were superior to those in the calcium tablet group (both P < 0.05). The total clinical effective rate was 86.67% (26/30) in the spreading moxibustion group, apparently better than 63.33% (19/30) in the calcium tablet group (P < 0.05). TCM clinical symptom scores after treatment were all reduced apparently in the two groups (both P < 0.01), and the result in the spreading moxibustion group was obviously superior to that in the calcium tablet group (4.72 +/- 1.90 vs 6.82 +/- 2.30, P < 0.01). The total effective rate of TCM symptoms was 93.33% (28/30) in the spreading moxibustion group, apparently better than 70.00% (21/30) in the calcium tablet group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of spreading moxibustion for warming yang and activating blood circulation and the oral administration of caltrate apparently relieves pain and TCM clinical symptoms, improves BMD in the patients of osteoporosis and achieves definite clinical efficacy in the patients of osteoporosis.

Aged ; Blood Circulation ; Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Osteoporosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Yang Deficiency ; physiopathology ; therapy

Objective To investigate the effect of insulin and gliclazide therapy on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and insulin sensitivity in the liver of type 2 diabetic rats.Methods A high fat diet plus a low-dose of streptozotocin was implemented to create a type 2 diabetic rats which were randomly divided into diabetes mellitus (DM) group,insulin treatment (INS) group and gliclazide treatment (GT)group; and healthy rats were as normal control group.Diabetic rats in INS and GT groups were given neutral protamine hagedorn (NPH) insulin and gliclazide respectively for 3 weeks.Protein expression levels of immunoglobulin binding protein (Bip),spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-ls),phosphorylated c-Jun on serine 73 (p-c-Jun),phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 on serine 307 (p-IRS-1),and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) in liver homogenate were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the normal rats,Bip and XBP-Is in the DM group were up-regulated (0.28 ±0.07 vs 0.90 ±0.10 for Bip;0.41 ± 0.07 vs 0.95 ±0.07 for XBP-1 s; both P ＜ 0.01 ) ; p-c-Jun (0.59 ± 0.18 vs 1.94 ± 0.03 ),p-IRS-1( 1.73 ± 0.18 vs 5.32 ± 0.22) and G6Pase (0.11 ± 0.01 vs 0.45 ± 0.01 ) were increased ( all P values ＜0.01 ).In the INS group,all of aforementioned changes were reversed (0.90 ± 0.10 vs 0.25 ± 0.04 for Bip; 0.95 ±0.07 vs 0.47 ±0.01 for XBP-1s; 1.94 ± 0.03 vs 0.50 ±0.10 for p-c-Jun; 5.32 ± 0.22 vs 1.59 ±0.32 for p-IRS-1 ; 0.45 ±0.01 vs 0.15 ±0.02 for G6Pase,all P values ＜0.01 ).In the GT group,all of aforementioned changes were also attenuated ( 0.90 ± 0.10 vs 0.53 ± 00.02 for Bip ; 0.95 ± 0.07 vs 0.78±0.02 for XBP-1s; 1.94 ±0.03 vs 1.33 ±0.11 for p-c-Jun; 5.32 ±0.22 vs 3.13 ±0.02 for p-IRS-1; 0.45 ± 0.01 vs 0.25 ± 0.01 for G6Pase,all P values ＜ 0.05).Furthermore,all of aforementioned protein levels were down-regulated more obviously in the INS group comparing to the GT group ( all P values ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions Both insulin and gliclazide therapy could relieve ER stress and e-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and improved insulin sensitivity.The effect of insulin on Bip,XBP-1s,p-c-Jun,p-IRS-1 and G6Pase protein expressions is more obvious than that of glilcazide,which indicates besides lowering glucose,insulin might have protective effects of anti-inflammation,anti-oxidative stress or stimulation of lipid redistribution.

Objective To study the influence of cochlear implantation on residual hearing in children .Methods Behavioral audiometry were performed pre -implant and 3~21 months post -implant on thirty -four cochlear implant recipients with severe to profound hearing loss .According to follow -up time ,they were divided into 2 groups which were Group A(3~12 months ,21 cases) and Group B(≥13 months ,13 cases) .The thresholds at 250 Hz ,500 Hz ,1 000 Hz and 2 000 Hz were analyzed .Results There were 25 out of 34 patients (73 .53% ) had partial residual hearing after cochlear implantation .Comparing to the hearing loss pre -operation and post -operation , which were most obvious at 500 Hz ,followed by 250 Hz ,1 000 Hz ,2 000 Hz (P<0 .05) ,and there were significant different among different frequencies .There was significant difference at different frequencies at hearing loss thresh-olds only in Group A .But there was no significant difference in Group B .With the prolonged time after the cochlear implantation ,residual hearing at all frequencies showed a trend of recovery .Conclusion The residual hearing could be partial preserved after cochlear implant in pediatric patients with severe to profound hearing impaired ,the residu-al hearing at lower frequencies (250 Hz ,500 Hz) were less affected than those at higher frequencies .With the pro-longed time after the cochlear implantation ,the residual hearing showed a certain degree of recovery .

OBJECTIVETo find out the relativity among starch quantity, polysaccharides content and total alkaloid content of Dendrobium loddigesii.

METHODMicroscopy-counting process was applied to starch quantity statistics, sulfuric acid-anthrone colorimetry was used to assay polysaccharides content and bromocresol green colorimetry was used to assay alkaloid content. Pearson product moment correlation analysis, Kendall's rank correlation analysis and Spearman's concordance coefficient analysis were applied to study their relativity.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONExtremely significant positive correlation was found between starch quantity and polysaccharides content, and significant negative correlation between alkaloid content and starch quantity was discovered, as well was between alkaloid content and polysaccharides content.

Alkaloids ; analysis ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Starch ; analysis

Nomination, apparatus, manipulating techniques, indications and theoretical basis of 14 single moxibustion styles including Chuijiu (insufflating moxibustion), Dianjiubi Jiu (pecking moxibustion with a pen-like stool), Jiujia Xunjiu (moxibustion with frame), Tongmai Wenyang Jiu (moxibustion for removing meridian obstructions and warming up yang), QifuJiu (moxibustion on umbilicus and abdomen), Xiongyang Jiu (moxibustion on the chest for reinforcing yang qi), Toujing Jiu (moxibustion on head and neck), Anmo Jiu (moxibustion with massage), Zhiti Jiu (moxibustion on extremities), Guan Jiu (moxibustion with a tube), Zu Jiu (moxibustion on foot), Wenzhenjiu (warm needling), Huanong Jiu (festering moxibustion) and Gewu Jiu (indirect moxibustion) are expounded in this article. And 10 compound moxibustion with the combination of 2 or more than 2 above mentioned single moxibustion style under the instruction of combination of local and distal points, combination of upper and lower points as well as combination of frontal and back points are also stated. It suggests to classify moxibustion into categories of festering moxibustion and mild moxibustion, indirect moxibustion and direct moxibustion, and to classify moxibustion apparatus into the categories of treating tools and assisting tools.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; methods ; Schools

Objective To report the outcome of emergency repair traumatized limbs by vascularized free tissue transplantation.Methods From April 1988 to August 2004,86 patients,58 men and 28 women,had undergone emergency vascularized free tissue transplantation to have their injured limbs repaired in 54 cases and the missing thumbs reconstructed in 32.The patients aged from 5 to 55 (mean 27.9) years. The transplants included latissimus dorsi myocutaneons flap,anterolateral femoral skin flap,medial crural skin flaps,dorsal pedal flaps,medial plantar flap,composite tissue mass of the discarded limbs and big toe skin- nail flap.The operations were performed 1 to 5 days after injuries.Results Postoperative vascular crises occurred in 8 cases and were all followed by exploration with successes in 5 cases while failure in 3.The total survival rate of the transplants was 96.5% (83/86).In this series all the patients were followed up for 1 to 16 years with a mean of 7.5 years only to reveal satisfying functional recovery in all the repaired limbs and an ex- cellent and good rate of 87.5% in the reconstructed thumbs.Conclusion Emergency vascularized free tis- sue transplantation is an effective way to repair a traumatized limb and to reconstruct a traumatically missing thumb.

Background and purpose:It was reported that chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand stromal cell-derived factor 1(SDF-1)were involved in the proliferation,differentiation,and metastasis of tumor.This study was designed to observe the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma tissue and study the relationship between the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 and different clinicopathlogical characteristics,and further to explore the clinical significance.Methods:For the detection of the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4,43 primary hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma tissues,27 normal hypopharyngeal tissues,34 lymph node metastastatic lesions and 9 normal lymph node lesions were detected by immunohistochemical method using rabbit anti-human CXCR4 polyclonal antibody.Results:The positive expression rates of CXCR4 in 43 hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and normal tissues were 95.3% and 22.2%,respectively(P

Objective To evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of nucleic acid amplification (TB- RNA),bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear on the detection of Mycobacteria tuberculosis.Methods 291 clinical sample including 110 sputum,54 thoracic fluid,37 throat swab,31 bronchial fluid,13 cerebrospinal fluid,12 urine,8 lymph fluid and 20 others (pericardial effusion,feces, blood and abdominal fluid) and gynecological specimen (including 6 leucorrhoea and menstrual blood) were analyzed by these four methods.Results Among the 291 clinical samples,the positive rate of mycobacteria tuberculosis for TB-RNA,bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear were 37.1%,28.9%,27.5% and 10.3%.The sensitivity and specificity of the TB-RNA,bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear were 54.3% & 100%,41.7% & 88.9%,31.7% & 93.5% and 14.6% & 98.9%,respectively.Conclusions TB-RNA is an effective clinical diagnostic method for Mycobacteria tuberculosis.Although the sensitivity of smear is poorer than others,it is a universal testing method in clinical laboratory due to low cost.The positive rate of mycobacteria tuberculosis for 3D culture is lower than that of bacteriophage-based assay and TB-RNA.Although the time to result for 3D culture might last for few weeks,the isolates can be used for drug resistance screening and bacterial identification.