Limb-shaking transient ischemic attack (TIA), a rare manifestation, is commonly caused by severe stenosis or occlusion of an extracranial internal carotid artery. Such patients are usually treated with surgical revascularization or anti-platelet therapy. We present a 56-year-old woman with 6 months’ episodic attacks starting with mouth skewed to the right and a sensation of ‘weakness’ involving predominantly her left arm, and at times, also involved the left leg. This was immediately followed by rhythmic jerky movements of the left arm and at times, also involved the left leg. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed severe stenosis of M1 segment of the right middle cerebral artery. The patient’s symptoms were signifi cantly improved by treatment with anti-platelet drugs and nimodipine.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Kidney Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Renal Dialysis ; Uremia ; physiopathology ; therapy

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ObjectiveTo observe production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced by granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF)via ERK nerve growth factor (NF)-κB singling pathway in human fibroblasts during wound healing and explore relating mechanism.MethodsHuman fibroblasts from the injured skin were used for this study and treated with GMCSF.RT-PCR was used for analyzing the protein and mRNA levels of VEGF and Western blotting was employed to determine the phosphorylation of ERK. The fibroblasts were pre-treated with ERK specific inhibitor PD98059 and further treated with GMCSF, then the fibroblasts and the supernatant were collected for detection of protein level of VEGF by means of Western blot. ERK signal pathway was inhibited to detect the activation of NF-κB by means of immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, the nuclear and cytoplasmic extraction kit was used to separate the cytoplasm and nucleus and Western blot employed for observation of the NF-κB activation. ResultsThe mRNA level and protein level of VEGF were increased significantly with treatment with higher concentration of GMCSF in a dose-dependent manner. VEGF mRNA level was increased two hours after administration with GMCSF and reached peak at 4-6 hours. GMCSF could remarkably activate the ERK phosphorylation. Compared with GMCSF, the ERK specific inhibitor PD98059inhibited significantly the effect of GMCSF in inducing VEGF expression (P ＜ 0.05). Western blot and immunofluorescence staining analyses showed that the activation of NF-ΚB was inhibited with reduced production of VEGF after GMCSF treatment.Conclusion GMCSF up-regulates production of VEGF through activating NF-κB via ERK signal pathway in the human fibroblasts.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and intubation in very low birth weight preterm infants. Methods One hundred and twenty-three very low birth weight preterm infants with respiratory distress within 60 minutes after birth were randomly assigned to nCPAP (n=63) or intubation group (n=60).Outcomes at 7,28 days and 36 corrected gestational weeks were assessed with x2 or t-test. ResultsThere were no significant difference in fatality rate and incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia between nCPAP group and intubation group [7.9％ (5/63) vs 6.6％(4/60),4.8％(3/63) vs 3.3％(2/60),x2 =0.07and 0.16,P＞0.05].In nCPAP group,the use of pulmonary sulfactant was 27.0％ (17/63),lower than that (83.3 ％,50/60) in intubation group (x2 =39.34,OR=0.3,90 ％ CI:0.2-0.6,P＜0.05) ;The nCPAP group had fewer ventilation support in 28 days [17.5％ (11/63) vs 25.0％ (15/60),OR=0.7,90％ CI:0.4-1.4] and 36 weeks [6.3％ (4/63) vs 8.3％ (5/60),OR=0.8,90％ CI:0.2-2.4] than those in intubation group but without statistical difference (x2=1.05 and 0.01,P＞0.05,respectively).The incidence of air leak in nCPAP group were lower than intubation group [11.1％ (7/63) vs 33.3％ (20/60),x2 =8.86,OR=0.3,90％00 CI:0.2-0.7,P＜0.05].There was no significant difference for other complications between two groups. ConclusionsIn very low birth weight preterm infants,early nCPAP dose not significantly reduce the fatality rate and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia as compared with intubation ventilation,but shorten the time of ventilation and lower the incidence of air leak.

Objective To explore the ability for constructing tissue engineering bone in vivo in complex scaffolds with PHB‐HHx as the scaffolds material and human umbilical cord mensenchymal stem cells (hUCMCs) as the seed cells .Methods hUCM‐SCs were inoculated into PHBHHx scaffolds to induce osteogenesis culture in vivo for two weeks ,the the induced group was the experimental group and those without instilling hUCMCs served as the control group ,the nude mouse subcutaneous implantation was performed .Then taking material at 1 ,3 ,5 months after implantation in vivo was performed for conducting HE ,collagenⅠim‐munohistochemical ,alkaline phosphatase staining and RT‐PCR .Results hUCMSCs showed good cellular adsorbability .The size and form in the experimental group basically maintained the original status ,and the osteogenesis specific indicators were positive ;but the control group did not keek the original status ,its volume was gradually shrunk until complete degradation ,and the osteogen‐esis specific indicators were negative .Conclusion The PHBHHx scaffolds combined with hUCMSCs has the capability of in vivo heterotopic constructing tissue engineering bone in nude mouse by in vitro osteogenic induction .

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Corydalis composite (CDC) combined with methotrexate (MTX) in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSSeventy-six RA patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 37 in the treated group received the combined therapy, and the 39 received MTX treatment alone, all were treated for 12 weeks. Efficacy of treatment was evaluated adopting the standard of American College of Rheumatology (ACR), taking ACR20 as the chief criterion; ACR50, ACR70 as well as the clinical indexes and items in Health Account Questionnaire (HAQ) as the auxiliary criteria, including joint swelling index, joint tenderness index, holding power, morning stiffness time, resting pain, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein. And the adverse reaction was recorded at the same time.

RESULTSAfter being treated for 4, 8 and 12 weeks, the ACR20 response rate reached 35.14%, 59.46% and 70.27% respectively in patients of the treated group, while that in the control group was 17.95%, 35.90% and 46.15% respectively, significant difference between groups was shown in the outcome of week 8 and 12 (P < 0.05). ACR50 and ACR70 improving rate at all the time points of observation were increased in the treated group, with the ACR50 improving rate at week 12 higher than that in the control group (43.24% vs. 20.51%, P < 0.05). As compared with the control group, the improvements in all the auxiliary criteria were more significant in the treated group (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reaction was less in the treated group than in the control group (32.43% vs. 56.41%, P < 0.05), particularly in term of the damage on liver (0 vs. 10.26%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCDC combined with MTX is more effective than MTX alone in treating active RA with less adverse reaction.

Adult ; Antirheumatic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Biological Products ; therapeutic use ; Corydalis ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; diet therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of Skp2 in different prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and tissues, and explore its influence on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway and development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODSThe expression levels of Skp2 and AR in different PCa cell lines were detected by Western blot. After knockdown of Skp2 in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells transfected with shRNA, the expressions of AR and P27 were determined and the activity of ARR3-Luc measured by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay following treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The expressions of AR and Skp2 in human naïve PCa or CRPC specimens were detected by immunohistochemical staining followed by analysis of their differences and correlation.

RESULTSThe Skp2 protein expression level was significantly higher in the C4-2 or 22RV1 cells than in the LNCaP cells. DHT treatment increased the expression of Skp2 in the C4-2 cells, but knock-down of Skp2 significantly up-regulated the expression of the well-known downstream protein P27 and down-regulated that of AR. Consistently, DHT treatment increased the activity of ARR3-Luc, while knockdown of Skp2 remarkably decreased it in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher expressions of Skp2 and AR were observed in the CRPC than in the naïve specimens (P < 0.05), with a positive correlation between the two proteins (r = 0.658 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSkp2 can enhance the expression and transcription activity of the AR protein in CRPC cells or tissues and is promising to be a critical molecular therapeutic target.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dihydrotestosterone ; pharmacology ; Disease Progression ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

ObjectiveTo investigate the relation of the human cytomegalovirus pp67-mRNA with　the active infection in renal transplant recipients and the role in the direction for antiviral therapy.Methods　Total 128 samples were collected from peripheral blood treated with EDTA of 32 recipients at the 3rd week　or the 7th week after transplantation.IFA was used to detect CMV pp65 antigen,and NASBA was used to　detect pp67 mRNA assay.Compared with CMV-Ag,the recipients were followed up to observe the change of　pp67 in the cases of the active infection and the CMV disease.ResultsCompared with the proportion between two groups,44 samples out of 128 samples showed CMV-Ag pp65 positive,while pp67-mRNA were　positive in 21 samples.8 patients had been found positive CMV-Ag pp65 and pp67-mRNA; 12 recipients　were clinically diagnosed with HCMV disease.In the early stage of the HCMV infection,the sensitivity and　specificity of the CMV-Ag pp65 ( 91.7％,50.0％ ) was higher than that of pp67-mRNA ( 66.7％,95.0％ ).During the periods of symptoms appeared and the late stage of clinical treatment,the specificity　of pp67-mRNA was higher than that of CMV-Ag pp65,while the sensitivity sit on the contrary.And in the　antiviral therapy course,the indicator of antiviral therapy pp67 turned negative more quickly than the CMVAg,the therapy course could be reduced.ConclusionsBoth of CMV-Ag pp65 and of pp67-mRNA have　clinical significance.Testing for CMV-Ag pp65 is suitable for detecting HCMV active infection at the early　stage,which was important for in time anti-virus treatment in the clinical settings.The test for pp67-mRNA　is a quick method to accquire the accurate results; therefore,it can be used as the reference criteria for the　clinical anti-virus treatment.