Objective: To improve the understanding of the clinical feature and early diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis(RP). Method: Eleven patients with RP were analyzed retrospectively and the reported literatures were reviewed. Result: Nine cases had initial involvement of auricular cartilage while two polyarthritis. The treatment of 2RP patients with respiralory tract involvement was invalid and 1 patient died. Nine cases were initially misdiagnosed, with a misdiagnosis rate of 81.82%. Conclusion: RP involves cartilage and connective tissue. The prognosis with respiralory tract involvement is poor. RP is a sort of paroxysmal and progressive inflammation involving cartilages all over the body with a variety of clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis of RP is based on full understanding of its clinical features.

Objective To investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism by which curcumin affects TNF-αand IL-8 production in Propionibactierium acnes-induced THP-1 cells. Methods THP-1 cell viability was determined by CCK8 assay. The productions of TNF-α and IL-8 were detected by ELISA assay. Total RNA and proteins were collected for real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results Curcumin didn′t significantly affect the cell viability at 12 h. It decreased Propionibactierium acnes-induced productions of TNF-αand IL-8 in THP-1 cells. Moreover, it decreased TLR2, NF-κB p65, and P-NF-κB p65 expressions in THP-1 cells. Conclusions Curcumin may reduce TNF-α and IL-8 expressions in Propionibactierium acnes-induced THP-1 cells by inhibiting TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Objective To invesgate the influence of aceclofenac to cartilage cell proliferation and substrate metabolism in osteoarthritis.Methods Select 65 cases of patients with osteoarthritis who were treated in Department of Rheumatism and Hematology of Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University from September 2011 to September 2013.Patients were divided into observation group(n=35)and control group(n=30).The observation group were treated with aceclofenac,while control group were treated with ibuprofen,Compare the efficacy of patients in two group.Compare human articular cartilage cells of 5-bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU)positive rate,the content of glycogen protein(PG)and collagen type Ⅱ in two groups. Results The effective rate of observation group and control group was 74.29%and 73.33% respectively.There was significant difference between the two groups. Compared with control group,the joints pain,joints tenderness,15 meters walking time,daily activity ability(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions of observation group(1 1.43%)was significantly lower than that of control group(P<0.05 ).The difference of BrdU positive rate in two groups had no statistical significance. Ⅱ type collagen content of observation group was significantly higher than that of control group (P <0.05 ).PG of observation group was significantly lower than that of control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The efficacy of aceclofenac is good and the incidence of adverse reactions is low in treatment of osteoarthritis.Aceclofenac can alleviate clinical symptoms of patients by increasing collagen type Ⅱ and decreasing PG.

A method was established for identifying the chemical components of a traditional Chinese medicinal formula Baihe Zhimu Tang and its single herbs by combining high performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HPLC-ESI-MS). The molecular ions of compounds in both negative and positive modes were observed for molecule mass information, and the potential structures were identified by attentive studying on the mass spectra of compounds and comparing with Reference data and some of standards. The results show that in MS detection, saponins in Baihe Zhimu Tang and its single herbs are easily to become positive ions in the electrospray ionization procedure, and they have strong responses, but the mass spectrometric signals of flavonoids and phenolic glucosides are week. 38 compounds in Baihe Zhimu Tang including 3 flavonoids, 4 phenolic glucosides and 31 saponins were identified through analyzing and comparing the total ion chromatograms(TIC) and mass spectra of Baihe Zhimu Tang and its single herbs. This method has the advantages of simple operation, rapid measurement and it is a powerful tool for identification of chemical components in Baihe Zhimu Tang.

AIM:To study the effects and mechanism of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors(PPARs)ligands,fenofibrate and pioglitazone,on ventricular remodeling in pressure overload rats.METHODS:A pressure overload model was established by the constriction of abdominal aorta in Wistar rats.The hemodynamics and ventricular remodeling parameters,plasma and myocardial renin activity,angiotensin Ⅱ and aldosteron,the mRNA expression of angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor(AT1)were investigated in the constriction of abdominal aorta group(CAA group,n=7)at 12-week after operation and treated experimental groups in which rats were treated with fenofibrate(F group,n=8),pioglitazone(P group,n=7),concomitant fenofibrate and pioglitazone(F+P group,n=6)for 12 weeks since 2 days after operation.The sham-operated rats served as controls(n=8).RESULTS:The ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight,mean arterial pressure,left ventricular systolic pressure,left ventricular end diastolic pressure,left ventricular systolic pressure and heart rate were significantly lower,the maximum left ventricular pressure rising and declining rates(?dp/dtmax)were significantly higher in all treated experimental groups than those in CAA group.Fenofibrate or pioglitazone had no effect on plasma and myocardial levels of renin,angiotensin Ⅱand aldosteron.The mRNA expression of AT1 was downregulated in treated groups except F group.CONCLUSION:PPAR ligands have no effect on plasma and myocardial levels of renin,angiotensin Ⅱand aldosteron,but fenofibrate and pioglitazone inhibit ventricular remodeling,decrease preload and afterload,increase ?dp/dtmax in pressure overload rats.The expression of mRNA of AT1 is downregulated in myocardium of pressure overload rats by the PPAR? signaling pathway.

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 in vitro inhibitory effects of regulatory T cells ( Treg ) from unpregnant mice and pregnancy-induced regulatory T cells ( piTreg) on the proliferation of na?ve T cells and their differences .Methods The numbers of piTreg cells from allogeneic pregnant mice ( C57/B6 fe-male×BALB/c male) on day 12.5 (E12.5d) of gestation and Treg cells from unpregnant C57/B6 mice were detected respectively by flow cytometry .The percentages of piTreg cells and Treg cells in CD 4+T cells of age-matched female mice and their intracellular expression of Foxp 3 were analyzed .The in vitro inhibitory effects of piTreg cells and Treg cells on the CFSE-labeled na?ve T cells ( effector cells ) were compared in a one-way mixed lymphocyte culture system using mitomycin C-inactivated CD4-T cells as stimulator cells . Results The level of piTreg cells in splenic mononuclear cells was significantly higher than that of Treg cells (P<0.001) from normal mice.Foxp3 was highly expressed in both piTreg cells and Treg cells , howev-er slightly increased in piTreg cells .Moreover , piTreg cells had a significant stronger in vitro inhibitory effect on na?ve T cells proliferation than that of Tregs cells (P<0.006), which was in a cell-dependent manner. Conclusion The present study suggests that the piTreg cells have a stronger inhibitory effect on na ?ve T cell proliferation as compared with Terg cells from unpregnant mice , The differential activity of CD 4+CD25+Treg might be mediated by the paternal antigens during pregnancy .

Objective To study the relationship between tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB)expression and anoikis-suppression and invasion in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer ceils. Methods The expression of TrkB mRNA in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells under two culture conditions :adhesive cells and ceil-spheroids were evaluated by RT-PCR and real-time PCR.The relationship between TrkB expression and anoikis-suppression of OVCAR3 ovarian cancer ceils was examined by RNA interference (RNAi) technic,anchorage independent culture and fluorescence-activated ceil sorting analysis.The difference in invasion and metastatic ability of OVCAR3 cells under two culture conditions and with or without TrkB silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) was investigated by matrigel invasion assay and in vivo studies.Results The expression of TrkB mRNA was highest in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer ceils,0.0240 ~ 0.0017,compared with the other three cell lines,0.0030±0.0006,0.0027±0.0009 and 0.0087±0.0003 respectively,andthe expression in OVCAR3 multicellular spheroids was significantly higher than that in ceils under monolayer adhesive culture,0.0437±0.0021 versus 0.0240±0.0017 (P＜0.01) . TrkB mediated anoikissuppression in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer ceils.OVCAR3 multiceilular spheroids had a higher invasion ability than OVCAR3 cells under monolayer adhesive culture,and the penetrating cells of the two groups were 71.8± 0.8 and 47.7±0.8 respectively (P＜0.01 ).The metastatic ability of OVCAR3 cells was attenuated when TrkB was silenced,and the volume of the tumors developed by OVCAR3 adhesive cells and OVCAR3 adhesive cells with TrkB silenced were (16.3±4.7) mm3 and(6.0±1.4) mm3 respectively (P＜0.01).Conclusion As an anoikis-suppressur,TrkB may increase the invasion and metastasis of OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells.

0.05).However,there was no significant difference in the AMPAR-mediated basal synaptic transmission on hippocampal CA1 between those at the later period(6 weeks) of epilepsy induced by pilocarpine and controls,while LTP was inhibited(P

Several methods for the qualitative screening of fungi to degrade lignin were introduced in this paper, with detailed protocols and discussing for each assay.