OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of ethyl acetate extract of Huanglian Jiedu decoction (EAHD) on hyphae development of Candida albicans.

METHODInverted microscope, fluorescence microscope, SEM were applied to inspect the Morphological change of C. albicans treated by EAHD at different concentrations. Solid agar plate was utilized to evaluate the colony morphology. Quantitative Real-ime PCR(qRT-PCR) was adopted to observe the expression of hyphae-specific genes such as HWP1, ALS3, UME6, CSH1, SUN41, CaPDE2.

RESULTEAHD with concentration of 312 and 1 250 mg . L-1 could inhibit formation of hyphae and colony morphology. The expression of HWP1, ALS3, UME6, CSH1 were downregulated 4. 13, 3. 64, 2. 46, 2. 75 folds ,while the expression of SUN41 were upregulated 7. 26 folds, CaPDE2 keep unchanged.

CONCLUSIONEAHD could inhibit formation of hyphae and colony morphologies of C. albicans through downregulating HWP1, ALS3, UME6 and CSH1.

Acetates ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Candida albicans ; cytology ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; drug effects ; Hyphae ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess under CT guidance.Methods A retrospective analysis was made for percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess with CT guidance in 13 patients including 4 at the tail of pancreas, 3 nearby the head of pancreas,3 in perirenal space,2 in posterior renal space and 1 case was by the side of psoas muscle.The maximum diameters of retroperitoneal abscess were between 3.5cm and 8cm.Results Out of 13 patients,8 with one time drainage,3 with twice drainages and 2 with thrice drainages.The mean duration of drainage was 16 days with no recurrence or residual lesions during clinical follow up.Conclusion CT guided percutaneous drainage of solitary retroperitoneal abscess is effective and minimally invasive.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:828-830)

Objective:To validate the clinical value of CT-guided curve-needle percutaneous ethanol injection (CNPEI) for celiac plexus block analgesia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with end-stage cancer, including 13 complicated with extensive retroperitoneal lymph node enlargement and fusion, were enrolled in this study. All patients complained of refractory upper abdominal pain and had received narcotic analgesics and radiotherapy, but the analgesic effect was not good. CT-guided CNPEI was therefore prescribed. Results: The effective rates of CT-guided CNPEI were 100%, 100%, 96.9%, 90.6%, 87.5%, and 84.4% immediately,and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks after treatment, respectively. All enlarged lymph nodes had obvious necrosis and became shrunk. Conclusion: Combined application of bilateral anterior and posterior diaphragmatic crura block and trans-lymph node block can produce good analgesic effects, and curve-needle puncture make the above technique simpler.

Objective:To validate the therapeutic value of CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the treatment of metastatic adrenal tumors. Methods: Thirty-one foci (diameter ranging from 1.5 cm to 7.2 cm) in 25 patients with metastatic adrenal tumors were treated with CT-guided PEI for more than twice. Plain and enhanced CT scans were performed 1-2 months after PEI to observe the size and necrosis of the tumors. Results: Post-PEI enhanced CT scan showed that 18 of the 20 foci with diameters less than 3 cm completely necrotized; 11 foci with diameters between 3 cm and 7.2 cm necrotized partially, and 2 foci completely necrotized after another 2-3 courses of PEI treatment. Conclusion: CT-guided PEI is a simple and minimally invasive means for treatment of metastatic adrenal tumors, and the therapeutic effect is satisfactory.

The paper is focused on the clinical applications of Tanreqing injection after listing, detecting and analyzing the related blood indicators of patients with allergic reactions based on prospective, multi-center, large sample, registration-type clinical safety monitoring nested case-control study (NCCS) to explore the possible mechanisms of allergic reaction of Tanreqing injection, 3 006 patients cases used with Tanreqing injection were monitored, including 3 cases of adverse reactions and 2 cases of allergic reactions. Each patient of allergic reactions, according to the ratio of 1:4 matches four cases of not adverse reactions as a control group of patients, while 5 healthy and 5 cases of volunteers into the healthy group. We examined the correlation detection of cases of allergic reactions among groups such as T-IgE, IgA, IgG, C3, C4, IFN-g, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10. Allergic reactions of Tanreqing injection may be mediated by IgE as type I based on existing research data. This results and conclusions will promote the justifiability and safety of clinical applications.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

In recent years, with the constant increase in the population with hypoimmunity, bacterial and fungal infections have been increasing. Due to the drug resistance, clinically optional anti-bacterial and antifungal medicines become increasingly limited. Scutellaria baicalensis, a species of perennial herbaceous plant of scutellaria genus of lamiaceae family, and its effective components have multiple pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-microbial. Especially, its remarkable antibacterial and antifungal activities are of great significance to treat the increasing number of cases with drug-fast bacterial and antifungal infections. In this paper, the authors summarized the advance in studies on antibacterial and antifungal effects and mechanisms in recent years on the basis of the domestic and foreign studies on S. baicalensis and its effective ingredients.
Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Humans ; Mycoses ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Scutellaria ; chemistry ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of butyl alcohol extract of baitouweng decoction (BAEB) on the fungal cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), filamentation and biofilm formation of Candida tropicalis.

METHODGradual dilution method was used to determine the MIC. XTT assay was applied to determine the SMIC80. Time-Kill assay was employed to draw the Time-Kill curve. The water-hydrocarbon two-phase assay was used to measure the cell surface hydrophobicity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to observe the morphological changes of the biofilm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was applied to determine the thickness of the biofilm. The quantification real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect expression changes of releated genes (UME6, ALST3 and NRG1). result: The MICs of BAEB against C. tropicalis strains are determined as 64-128 mg x L(-1). The SMIC80 s of BAEB against the biofilm of Candida tropicalis strains are determined as 256-512 mg x L(-1). Time-Kill curve results indicate that BAEB has a promise fungicidal effect at 256 and 512 mg x L(-1). SEM results shows that 512 mg x L(-1) BAEB can inhibit the formation of C. tropicalis biofilm on Silicone catheter, and the morphology of biofilm is also affected by BAEB. The thickness of C. tropicalis biofilm is reduced by BAEB according to CLSM results. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results indicate that expression of UME6 and ALST3 are significantly down-regulated by BAEB 256,512 mg x L(-1), and NRG1 is not affected by BAEB.

CONCLUSIONBAEB inhibits effectively the CSH, filamentation and biofilm formation of VVC strains of C. tropicalis.

Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; Candida tropicalis ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Candidiasis ; microbiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; drug effects ; Humans ; Virulence Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of SOX9 expression and clinicopathologic factors and prognosis of gastric cancer.

METHODSA retrospective cohort study including 112 gastric cancer patients admitted to the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from 2004 to 2006 was performed. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to evaluate the expression of SOX9 in the 112 specimens of gastric cancer tissues and 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor.

RESULTSLow expression of SOX9 was seen in 5(7.1%) tissues out of 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor. A total of 94(83.9%) patients had varying expression of SOX9, of whom 51(45.4%) had overexpression. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the expression of SOX9 was significantly associated with Lauren classification (P<0.05), tumor invasion(P<0.01), lymph node metastasis(P<0.05), distant metastasis(P<0.05) and tumor stage(P<0.05), however there was no significant association between SOX9 expression and sex, age, histological type, histology differentiation or tumor size. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 5-year survival rate of patients with SOX9 over-expression was significantly lower than that of patients with low expression(29.4% vs. 49.2%, P=0.031). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that histology differentiation(P=0.046), tumor invasion(P=0.001), and distant metastasis(P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer, however the over-expression of SOX9 was not significant(P=0.948).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression SOX9 is associated with the growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer, as well as the prognosis. However, SOX9 expression is not an independent factor for the prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; SOX9 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Along with the increase in fungal infections, Candida albicans prevention and control become the focus of anti-fungal infection at present. This study aims to discuss the effect monomer andrographolide (AG) on C. albicans biofilm dispersion. In the experiment, micro-well plates and medical catheter pieces were used to establish the C. albicans biofilm model. It was discovered by XTT assay and flat band method that 1 000, 500, 250 mg x L(-1) AG could impact the activity of C. albicans biofilm dispersion cells. The morphological structures of residual biofilms on catheter pieces were observed with scanning electron microscopy, which showed that 1 000, 500, 250 mg x L(-1) AG could induce C. albicans biofilm dispersion in a dose-dependent manner, and the dispersed cells were dominated by the yeast phase. According to the real-time fluorescence quantification PCR (qRT-PCR) test, AG could up-regulate HSP90 expression and down-regulate UME6 and PES1 expressions. This study demonstrates that AG could induce C. albicans biofilm dispersion to some extent.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; Candida albicans ; genetics ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; drug effects ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors

AIMTo investigate the sweat regulation mechanism of human body.

METHODSArm muscular work was performed on bicycle ergometer by eight healthy male subjects on 20 W and 40 W work loads lasting 10 min or 20 min in 16 degrees C and 21 degrees C ambient temperature. Sweat, metabolic rate and corresponding skin and core temperature changes were measured during different periods.

RESULTSSweat varied directly with ambient temperature and there were the corresponding changes in mean skin temperature, rectal temperature and metabolic rate. And when the work load was elevated, the skin temperature at chest and metabolic rate increased as sweat increased. There were no differences in the physiological indices between 20 W 20 min and 20 W 10 min, but mean skin temperature and sweat rate during 40 W 20 min work were higher than 40 W 10 min while metabolic rate did not change. The time when chest temperature arrived at the threshold was in correspondence with obvious sweat onset. Both local skin temperature at chest and metabolic rate were significantly correlated with sweat, but the latter was stronger. The regression equation relating metabolic rate and sweat rate was compound function.

CONCLUSIONSkin temperature was important for sweat onset, and the sweat predicted model based on the metabolic rate or ambient temperature was more suitable and practical.

Adult ; Body Temperature Regulation ; physiology ; Energy Metabolism ; Environment ; Humans ; Male ; Sweating ; physiology ; Temperature