Objective To establish an early diagnostic test for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) with good sensitivity and specificity. Methods Twenty-five patients with a clinical diagnosis of TBM and 49 controls, including 27 patients with other infectious diseases of central nervous system and 22 patients with noninfectious neurological diseases, were enrolled in our research. We simultaneously detected antimycobacterium bovis BCG IgG secreting cells in both cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood (PBL)by enzyme linked immunospot assay(ELISPOT),repeated insertion sequence IS6110 specific for mycobacterium tuberculosis in CSF by PCR and anti-BCG IgG titre in both CSF and PBL by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results The sensitivity of ELISPOT was 84.0%,much higher than that of PCR(75.0%)and ELISA(52.3%).The specificities of the three tests were 91.8%,93.7%and 91.8%respectively.The numbers of CSF cells secreting anti-BCG IgG tested by ELISPOT were even higher in the early phase of TBM, but declined along with the disease progressing(t=-3.183,P=0.008),which allowed an early diagnosis to be made. Conclusion ELISPOT technique is proved to be the most valuable test for the early diagnosis of TBM.

Objective To assess the effects of 670nm LED (light-emitting diode) to protect the photoreceptor from the light-induced damage in a rat model. Methods 32 SD rats were randomly assigned to one of eight groups: untreated control group, the LED-treated control group, three groups of light-induced damage,and three groups of light-induced damage treated with LED. Light-induced damage result from exposing to constant light for 3 hours of different illuminations of 900,1800 and 2700 lx, respectively. The LED treatment (50 mW) was delivered for 30 minutes at 3 hours before the light damage and 0,24 and 48 hours after the light damage. Retinal function and morphology were measured by electroretinogram (ERG) and histopathology assay. Results The illumination of 900 lx for 3 hours did not damage the rat retina. The illumination of 1800 lx for 3 hours resulted in thinner ONL and no OS and IS. The ratio of damaged area/total retinal area was 0.48±0.12, the damaged thickness of ONL/normal ONL (L5) was 0.39±0.07,and the amplitude of ERG b wave was (431±120) μV. With the LED treatment the ratio of damaged area decreased (M6=0.17±0.12, P5/6=0.002), and the ratio of the damaged thickness of ONL also decreased (L6=0.22±0.09, P5/6<0.01), and the amplitude of ERG b wave increased to (1011±83) μV(P5/6 <0.001). The illumination of 2700 lx for 3 hours caused severed damage to the rat retina and the LED could not protect them significantly. Conclusions 670 nm LED treatment has an evident protective effect on retinal cells against light-induced damage, which may be a simple and effective therapy to prevent or to delay age-related maeular degeneration.

To offer the reference and method for salt damage in the cultivation of Marsdenia tenacissima, the seeds of M. tenacissima collected from Maguan city ( Yunnan province) were taken as the test materials to study the effects of different priming materials on improving germination and growth under high-level salt stress condition. Four different treatments, which were GA3, KNO3-KH2PO4, PEG-6000, NaCl, combined with ANOVA were applied to test the performance of germination energy, germination percentage, germination index, MDA, SOD, and CAT. The results showed that the seed germination was obviously inhibited under salt stress and the soaked seeds with different priming materials could alleviate the damage of salt stress. Under these treatments, the activities of SOD, CAT the content of soluble protein significantly increased. While the content of MDA significantly decreased. The maximum index was obtained when treated with 1.20% KNO3-KH2PO4, the germination percentage increased from 52.67% to 87.33% and the activity of SOD increased from 138.01 to 219.44 respectively. Comparing with the treatment of 1.20% KNO3-KH2PO4, the germination percentage of treating with 300 mg x L(-1) GA3 increased from 52.67% to 80.67%, while the activity of SOD increased from 138.01 to 444.61.
Germination ; drug effects ; physiology ; Marsdenia ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Nitrates ; pharmacology ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Potassium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Seeds ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Sodium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Stress, Physiological ; Xanthones ; pharmacology

In this paper, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy fingerprint analysis of Marsdenia tenacissima samples was used to develop a reliable method of tracing the geographical origins. Forty-eight samples from four provinces of China were analyzed by FTIR. We analyzed and characterized the fingerprints in both the full spectrum peaks and characteristic peaks, then the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis were carried out. The results of fingerprint analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis can identify the geographic origins correctly, which verified and supplemented each other; the identification results and the actual location showed a high degree of consistency, namely the lower the space distance, the greater the similarity of different samples. These results revealed the obvious superiority and practical value in comparison to the more tedious and time-consuming wet chemistry method normally used. Using appropriate metrology methods can trace the geographical source correctly. The M. tenacissima materials from the region of Maguan should be considered as genuine medicinal materials taking into account the good quality.
China ; Cluster Analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; classification ; standards ; Geography ; Marsdenia ; chemistry ; classification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Principal Component Analysis ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; methods

Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Flavonoid compounds are main chemical constituents of Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum, which exert anti-inflammatory property. However, the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanisms of flavonoid compounds are incompletely understood. It has been reported that isoliquiritigenin, liquiritigenin, naringenin and butein possess anti-inflammatory property. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of flavonoid compounds based on the protein interaction network (PIN) analysis on molecular network level. 130 targets of the main medicinal ingredients of flavonoid compounds were gained though database retrieval. A protein interaction network of flavonoid compounds was constructed with 589 nodes and 216 interactions. By a graph theoretic clustering algorithm Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE), 26 modules were identified and analyzed by Gene ontology (GO) enrichment. Two modules were associated with anti-inflammatory actions. The most interesting finding of this study was that the anti-inflammatory effect of flavonoid compounds may be partly attributable to inhibite FOS, PTGS2 expression, inhibite of IL-1beta release, and block the MAPK pathway and toll-like receptor pathway.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Protein Binding ; drug effects ; Protein Interaction Maps ; drug effects ; Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect,safety,and advantage of flexible fixation with paperboard and pad versus short leg plaster in treating the fifth metatarsal base fracture,and establish the standard of diagnosis and treatment of the fifth metatarsal base fractures in flexible fixation with paperboard and pad.

METHODSFrom June 2010 to March 2013,59 patients with the fifth metatarsal base fracture were treated with paperboard and pad fixation or short leg plaster. Patients were enrolled and divided into paperboard and pad treatment group (paperboard group) and short leg plaster treatment group (plaster group) randomly according to the random number table. In paperboard group,there were 29 cases including 9 males and 20 females with an average age of (51.79±11.40) years old; the average course of injury was (11.59±6.58) hours. In plaster group, there were 30 cases including 9 males and 21 females with an average age of (52.13+17.34) years old ;the average course of injury was (11.03±7.06) hours. According to whether the fracture line across the articular surface, in paperboard group there were 14 cases of type A,15 of type B; in plaster group,16 of type A, 14 of type B. According to the degree of dislocation,in paperboard group there were 16 cases of degree I ,13 of degree II ; in plaster group,20 were degree I ,10 were degree II. Fracture was restored according to the type in manual. Patients in paperboard group were treated with paperboard and pad, and patients in plaster group were treated with short leg plaster. Fracture was fixed for 4 to 6 weeks according to fracture healing. On the 2nd, 4th,6th, 8th week and 3rd, 6th month after fixation, patients were followed up, and the foot function score was used to evaluate the function of injured foot. X-ray of injured foot was taken on the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th week were used to assess fracture healing.

RESULTSAll patients got complete follow-up. The X-ray result showed that all fracture reached at clinical healing on the 8th week after fixation without skin ulcer,nonunion and displacement of fracture. From the 4th to 8th week after fixation, paperboard group had a higher X-ray score than plaster group, but the difference between two groups had no statistically significance. Repeated analysis result showed that there was interact at different time point and between groups,the difference had statistically significance (P<0.01). The foot function score showed that at all time point, paperboard group had a higher score than plaster group, and on the 2nd, 4th, and 6th week, it had statistically significant difference(P<0.01) between two groups. On the 6th months after fixation,the excellent and good rate of paperboard group was 93.10%, higher than that of plaster group, which was 86.67%. But it had no statistically difference(P=0.483) between two groups.

CONCLUSIONUsing paperboard and pad fixation to treat the fifth metatarsal base fracture has the advantage of simplicity operating,reliable fixation, satisfactory effects, easily obtainable material.

Adult ; Aged ; Casts, Surgical ; Female ; Foot Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of Gallina nomogram in predicting seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) in prostate cancer.Methods From January 2009 to December 2011,89 patients with prostate carcinoma underwent open retropubic or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Complete data of preoperative serum prostate specific antigen (PSA),clinical stage,biopsy Gleason score,percentage of positive biopsy cores,pelvic MRI and pathological report of prostatectomy specimen were collected,and all the patients met the inclusion criteria of Gallina nomogram,2001 Partin tables and 2007 Partin tables.Postoperative pathological results were respectively compared with MRI and the incidence of SVI predicted by the three tools,and the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of MRI in predicting SVI were calculated.The receiver operating characteristics curves were performed to test the predictive accuracy of SVI of each tool.Results The incidences of organ-confined disease,capsule invasion,SVI and lymph node metastasis were 58.4％,16.9％,22.5％,and 2.2％,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of MRI in predicting SVI was 45.0％ (9/20),71.0％ (49/69) and 65.2％ (58/89),respectively.The area under the curve (AUC) for SVI disease prediction of 2001 Partin tables,2007 Partin tables and Gallina nomogram was 0.712,0.711 and 0.801,respectively.Conclusions The sensitivity of MRI in predicting SVI is poor,the specificity and accuracy are common.All the predictive tools have a reasonable value for SVI (AUC ＞ 0.7),and Gallina nomogram is superior to two versions of Partin tables in predicting SVI.

Objective To explore the dynamic expressions of interleukin-1 (IL-1)receptor associated kinase (IRAK)-M and IRAK-4 in rats with or without endotoxin tolerance (ETT)in acute liver failure (ALF).Methods Sixty-six male SD rats were divided into three groups:ALF group,ETT group and control group.The rats in ETT group received daily lipopolysaccharide (LPS)intraperitoneal injection for 5 days,while the rats in ALF group received daily injection with same volume of 0.75% NaCl solution.Both ETT group and ALF group received intraperitoneal injection with D-galactosamine (D-GalN)and LPS at 24 hours after the 5th injection of LPS or NaCl solution.At 2,6,12,24 and 48 h after D-GalN and LPS injection,the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)and interleukin-6 (IL-6)were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The liver pathologic changes were observed with HE staining by microscope.The mRNA expressions of IRAK-4,IRAK-M and NF-κB (p65)were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).The pairwise comparison between groups was done by lease significant difference (LSD)and Dunnet's t test.Results The liver pathologic changes in ETT group were much milder than those of ALF group.In ALF group,IRAK-4 mRNA/β-actin absorbance ratios at 2,6,12,24and 48 h after D-GalN and LPS challenge were 0.711 ±0.074,0.904±0.118,1.012 ±0.098,1.534±0.279 and 1.451±0.290,respectively,while the IRAK-M mRNA/β-actin absorbance ratios were 0.496±0.018,0.516±0.089,0.503±0.023,0.503±0.057 and 0.469±0.142,respectively.In ETT group,the IRAK-4 mRNA/β-actin absorbance ratios at 2,6,12,24 and 48 h after D-GalN and LPS challenge were 0.619±0.083,0.587±0.033,0.623±0.034,0.720±0.044 and 0.654±0.041,respectively,while the IRA'K-M mRNA/β-actin absorbance ratios were 0.929 ± 0.064,1.111±0.138,1.113±0.027,1.891±0.315 and 1.710±0.303,respectively.The IRAK-M mRNA expression level was significantly increased and IRAK-4 mRNA expression level was relatively decreased in ETT group compared to ALF group.The differences were all statistically significant at 2,6,12,24 and 48 h after D-GalN and LPS challenge (F= 17.305,54.921,121.031,67.607,55.279,respectively; F=19.506,43.777,110.823,302.681,202.822,respectively; F=172.003,59.519,987.055,68.463,96.601,respectively; all P＜0.05).Conclusion LPS pretreatment may induce ETT in rat model by downregulating the expression of IRAK-4 and upregulating the expression of IRAK-M.

In an attampt to establish the functional expression of STGC3 with doxycycline (Dox) induced Tet-onregulating system in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE2, an ideal experimental platform wasprovided for further studies of STGC3. pTet-on regulating plasmid was transfected into CNE2, and stableexpression of Tet-on was established in CNE2 through G418 select. Then the response plasmid of recombinantpTRE-STGC3 was steadily transfected into positive CNE2/Tet-on cells with hygromycin screen. Dox was used toinduce the expression of STGC3 and a cell clone sensitive to Dox was selected. The best-induced concentrationwas determined with different concentration of Dox induction. Growth curves, clone formation rate and cell cycledistribution were detected after STGC3 gene up-regulated expression with Dox induction. The growth capacity andclone formation potential of CNE2/Tet /pTRE-STGC3 was significantly suppressed, compared with the controls(P

Objective To explore the clinicopathological significance of the presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in the high-grade stage pT1 bladder cancer (BC) after first transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).Methods The retrospective study was performed with 27 patients of high-grade stage pT1 BC after first TURBT from January 2006 to December 2011,and another 54 patients were matched as negative control in terms of gender,age,pathological pattern,grading and staging.All the data were calculated by using SPSS17.0 software.Qualitative variables were compared by using chi-square test.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate total survival and cancer-specific survival and differences were assessed with the Log-rank statistic.Results Twenty-four patients (89％) experienced cancer recurrence in LVI group,while 19 cases (35％) experienced recurrence in control group.Progress developed in 56％ (15/27) and 24％ (13/54) in the 2 groups respectively.LVI was detected to be a prognostic factor for overall recurrence (x2 =20.845,P＜0.001) and progress (x2 =7.887,P =0.005) in patients with high-grade T1 stage BC.Furthermore,overall survival and recurrence-free survival according to the presence or absence of LVI was 54±6 months and 84±3 months,17±5 months and 67±5 months,respectively.LVI was proved to be associated with worse overall survival (x2=13.443,P＜0.001) and recurrence free survival (x2=33.094,P＜0.001).Conclusion In patients with high-grade T1 stage BC,LVI in first TURBT specimens predicts disease recurrence,progression and overall recurrence and recurrence free survival.