Objective To explore the effect of pigtail and silicone catheters on thoracic close drainage. Methods Sixty-one patients undergoing closed thoracic drainage hospitalized in our department from June 2013 to November 2016 were divided into the control group (n=31) and observation group (n=30). The control group was treated with closed pleural drainage using silicone catheter and the observation group using pigtail catheter. The two groups were compared in respect of drainage effect nursed the same. Results The extubation time, wound healing time of the observation group were all significantly shorter than those of the control group ( P<0.05). The pain score, complication rate and hospitalization cost were all significantly lower as well ( P < 0.05). Conclusions The pigtail catheter is more effective in the treatment of pneumothorax. It can alleviate pains, reduce the complication rate and surgical scar, and improve patient's satisfaction.

Objective To evaluate efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).Methods We searched relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) from Pubmed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,Chinese Journal Full-text Database,Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and traced the related reference to obtain the information that had not been found by using key words of steroids,glucocorticoids,cortisol,corticosteroids,community acquired pneumonia and CAP.The quality of RCT included was evaluated.Meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.0 provided by the Cochrance Collaboration.Results Seven RCTs involving 944 patients were included in the meta-analysis.Mean length of hospital stay in glucocorticoids treatment group was significant shorter than that in conventional treatment group (WMD =-1.70,95％ CI:-2.01-1.39,Z =10.81,P ＜0.01).No significant differences were found regarding mortality (RR =0.77,95％ CI 0.46-1.27,Z =1.03,P =0.30),mean length of ICU stay (WMD =1.17,95％ CI:-1.68-4.02,Z =0.81,P =0.42),the risk of double infection (RR =1.32,95％ CI 0.66-2.63,Z=0.79,P=0.43),the incidence of hyperglycemia (RR=1.84,95％ CI0.76-4.41,,Z=1.36,P=0.17),the incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (RR =1.98,95％ CI O.37-10.59,Z =0.80,P =0.42) between conventional treatment group and glucocorticoids treatment group.Conclusions Glucocorticoids treatment used in patients with community-acquired pneumonia may shorten the course of illness and possess better safety,but could not reduce the mortality.

This study was aimed to optimize extraction techniques of Compound Rhubarb Enema. Based on the for-mula principle of Compound Rhubarb Enema, effects of the amount of water, soaking time, extraction time and fre-quency on each index were studied. The content of Aloe-emodin, Rhein, Emodin, Chrysophanol, Physcion, Citric acid, and water soluble substance were taken into consideration. The best extraction condition was optimized by using the orthogonal test coupled with the multi-index comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that the best condi-tion was soaking for 10 min, extraction time for 60 min, extraction for 3 times; and 6 times of water was added. It was concluded that this preparation techniques were feasible and reliable for the manufacturing process of Compound Rhubarb Enema.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Glutamic Acid ; pharmacology ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Thrombin ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics

AIM: To explore the ex vivo expansion characteristics of the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). METHODS: CD34+ cells were selected from umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC) by MiniMACS system, expanded at the same conditions as that for total MNC, coincubation of CD34+ and CD34- from the same donation for EPCs. In addition, we tested the effect of vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and passage on cell differentiation, expansion kinetics and apoptosis. EPCs were determined and quantified by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Coculture of CD34+ and CD34-,total MNC led to a significant increase in the expansion of CD34+ cells compared with CD34 enrichment (P0.05). These differentiated EPCs were stained positive for CD34+, von Willebrand factor (vWF), KDR, CD31 and incorporate acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). CD34+ and AC133+cells accounted for 68.2%?6.3% (n=6) and 57.2%?9.8% (n=6) of attaching (AT) cells at day 7 of culture, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Coculture of CD34+ and CD34- or culture of MNC enhances ex vivo expansion of EPCs. Early passage decreases apoptosis rate, VEGF has no significant effect on ex vivo expansion of EPCs.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have showed thatTougu XiaotongCapsule (TGXTC) exertsbetter effects on osteoarthritis, byregulatingRho/Rock signaling pathway, inhibitingsignal transduction of chondrocyte mitochondrial apoptosis pathway,varyingthe rate and pattern of subchondral bone remodeling and improving the arrangement of subchondral bone colagen fibers and calcium-phosphate crystalization. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of the serum containing TGXTC and itsdisassembled recipeson chondrocytedegenerationof ratsviaWnt/β-cateninsignal pathway, and to explore the maintherapeutic method forosteoarthritis in theTGXTC. METHODS:FortySprague-Dawley rats were randomlyassigned to receivethe treatment ofTGXTC,Bushen Rougan(BSRG),Huoxue Qufeng(HXQF) and normal saline, respectively, according tothe dose conversion methods ofanimaltoanimal and animaltohuman. Thenvarious drug-containing serums wereprepared for thefolowingcelular experiment.After culture and passage, chondrocytesfromSprague-Dawley ratsat passage 3 were divided into five groups: blank control, model, TGXTC, BSRG, HXQF groups. Cels in the latter four groups wereculturedin appropriate drug-containing serums(normal salineserumfor the model group) for 72 hours, folowing intervention with interleukin-1β for 24 hours.Cels in the blank control group were cultured innormal saline serum.Afterwards, cels in al the five groups were colected for detecting expression ofWnt 4, β-cateninandmatrix metaloproteinase 13at mRNA and proteinlevels using real-time PCR and western blot assay, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with theblank control group, the expressionof Wnt 4,β-catenin, matrix metaloproteinase 13 wassignificantly increasedin the model group. Compared with the model group, the expression of Wnt 4, β-catenin, matrix metaloproteinase 13 in the TGXTC, BSRG and HXQF groups were decreasedsignificantly, sequenced as TGXTC group

AIM: To observe the effect of Baoxin capsules on hemodynamics of ischemic myocardium of dogs. METHODS: Fed Baoxin capsule for continuous three days, left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery of the dogs were ligated to observe the change of cardiac output, blood pressure and ?dp/dt max in different time of myocardial ischemia. RESULTS: Baoxin capsules increased the blood flow obviously, and increased left ventricular function simultaneously, the difference with ischemic group is significant (P

Ginsenosides,which belongs to triterpenoid saponins of plant terpenoids,are the main active components of the valuable medicinal herbs ginseng and American ginseng.Recent studies show that ginsenosides have a variety of beneficial effects,including anti-inflamatory,antioxidant,and anticancer effects.Ginsenosides are synthesized by complicated modification of triterpenoid skeleton after cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene through triterpene saponin synthesis pathway in which they share common early steps with phytosterols synthesis.It outlines recent advances for the biosynthesis of ginsenosides,the cloning and characterization of genes encoding key enzymes in the pathway and the basal framework of ginsenosides biosynthesis pathway.The prospects of secondary metabolism engineering in the biosynthesis of plant natural products and its application in ginsenosides biosynthesis are also discussed.

The characteristics for the ex vivo expansion of the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were explored. CD34+ cells were selected from umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC) by MiniMACS system, expanded under the same conditions as those for total MNC, coincubation of CD34+ and CD34- from the same donor for EPCs. In addition, the effects of vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and passage on cell differentiation, expansion kinetics and apoptosis were examined. EPCs were determined and quantified by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. The results showed that both coculture of CD34+ and CD34- and total MNC led to a significant increase in the expansion of CD34+ cells as compared with CD34 enrichment (P < 0.05). There was a tendency toward decreased apoptosis in cultures when early passage was performed immediately after cord like structures appeared. VEGF had no significant effect on apoptosis (P > 0.05). These differentiated EPCs were positive for CD34+, von Willebrand factor (vWF), KDR, CD31 staining and phagocytized acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). CD34+ cells accounted for (68.2 +/- 6.3)% of attaching (AT) cells at day 7 of culture. It was suggested the most efficient method to ex vivo expansion of EPCs was coculture of CD34+ and CD34- or total MNC. Early passage makes cell apoptosis rate decrease. VEGF had no significant effect on ex vivo expansion of EPCs.

Objective To screen an optimum method for in vitro culture of Helicobacter pylori-spe-cific CD4+T cells and apply it to immunodominant Th epitopes screening .Methods PBMCs were isolated from subjects positive for Helicobacter pylori infection and were stimulated with HpaA recombinant protein . Various induction conditions including serum containing mediums , concentrations of antigen and time were screened to obtain an optimum method for in vitro culture of Helicobacter pylori-specific CD4+T cells.The cells were harvested and stimulated using HpaA synthesized overlapping peptide pool .The percentage of an-tigen-specific CD4+T cells was evaluated by intercellular cytokine staining of interferon-γand the results were compared under different conditions .The possible immunodominant Th epitopes were screened by using synthetic overlapping peptides .Results Antigen-specific CD4+T cells were well cultured in RPMI 1640 culture medium containing human AB serum in comparison with those cultured in fetal bovine serum based medium.The highest percentage of antigen-specific CD4+T cells was achieved when stimulated with HpaA recombinant protein at the concentration of 0.2 μmol/L.CD4+T cells in response to the stimulation of 0.2μmol/L of HpaA recombinant protein was observed on the ninth day after culture and its peak was reached on the fifteenth day .A possible immunodominant Th epitope ( HpaA220-237 ) was screened in subjects with He-licobacter pylori-infection by using synthetic overlapping peptides .Conclusion Helicobacter pylori-specific CD4+T cells were successfully cultured in vitro by using RPMI 1640 culture medium containing human AB serum and stimulated with 0.2 μmol/L of HpaA recombinant protein for fifteen consecutive days .This cul-ture method could be applied to immunodominant Th epitopes screening and provide evidences for further in -vestigation on the development of Helicobacter pylori epitope-based vaccine .