Objective To evaluate the value of creatine kinase MB(CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I(cTnI)to earlier diagnosis on myocardial injury in newborn infants with asphyxial.Methods Dynamic variation of serum CK-MB and cTnI levels were measured at birth 1,5 and 10 days,respectively,in 40 asphyxia newborn infants and 20 control neonates.Results Serum CK-MB and cTnI levels of asphyxia neonates were significantly higher than those in control group(P0.05).Conclusion The determination of CK-MB and cTnI levels can help the prediction of myocardial injury after asphyxia.

Cancer is a group of various diseases, all of which involve unregulated cell growth. Many currently used chemotherapeutic drugs are derived from botanicals. Thus, searching botanical sources for novel oncology medications, including identifying the lead compounds and their derivatives for chemoprevention, is an essential step in advancing cancer therapeutics. This article mainly focuses on the data from our previous American ginseng anti-colon cancer studies. In addition to the potential role of American ginseng on cancer, the herb as an adjuvant for cancer treatment is presented, including describing the attenuation of adverse events induced by chemotherapeutic agents and increasing of quality of cancer patient life. Since heat-treated American ginseng and ginsenoside gut microbiome metabolites showed significant increases in cancer chemopreventive effects, active constituents of the steamed herb and their gut metabolites should be clearly identified, and the structure-activity relationship should be further explored. Data obtained from herbal medicine studies and clinical trials will help develop useful anticancer agents.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Panax ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective:To investigate the correlation between certain unhealthy lifestyles and the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),thus to provide the lifestyle guidelines for GERD patients.Methods:Retrospective study were conducted for 402 GERD and 276 non-GERD out-patients in Department of Gastroenterology,Third Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from August,2014 to August,2015 based on questionnaire survey,then the correlation of unhealthy lifestyles with GERD were analyzed.Results:The top 10 common symptoms for GERD were as follows:reflux,acid regurgitation,postprandial fullness,heartburn,swallow obstruction or pain,epigastric burning sensation,paraesthesia pharynges,poststernal pain,chronic laryngopharyngitis,and chronic cough.The top 8 unhealthy habits closely related to GERD were as follows:fast-eating,over-eating,spicy preferred diet,sweets preferred diet,anxious,soup preferred diet,high-fat diet,and hot eating.Single-factor analysis showed that GERD was markedly correlated to gender (male),age (≥ 60 years),BMI,smoking,alcohol fast-eating,over-eating,hot-eating,spicy preferred diet,high-fat diet,acid preferred diet,sweets preferred diet,hard food preference,strong tea preference,coffee preference,immediately on bed after meal,difficult defecation,dyscoimesis,anxious,and too tight belt,respectively (P＜0.05).Logistic multiple regression analysis indicated that the largest risk factor for GERD was the fast-eating (OR=3.214,95％ CI 2.171 to 4.759,P＜0.001) followed by the overeating (OR=2.936,95％ CI 1.981 to 4.350,P＜0.001),elderly population (OR=2.047,95％ CI 1.291 to 3.244,P=0.002),too tight belt (OR=2.003,95％ CI 1.013 to 3.961,P=0.046),and hot-eating (OR=1.570,95％ CI 1.044 to 2.362,P=0.030).Conclusion:The elderly people are at high risk for GERD,and unhealthy habits like fast-eating,over-eating,too tight belt,and hot-eating is closely related to GERD.The lifestyles such as chewing food thoroughly,splitting the meals up,warm and cool diet,keeping patients out of the too tight belt are necessary for GERD patients.

Objective　To establish animal model for hypertrophic scar and study the characters of its morphology and collagen metabolism. Methods　A total of 64 round wounds (diameter of 6 mm each) with total skin loss were made on the ventral side of rabbit ear using a trephine. Morphology and collagen metabolism of scar wounds were studied at 14,21,35,70 and 98 days after operation, respectively. Results　There were 76% elevated scars developed (45/59 wounds) on the ventral side of rabbit ear at 21 days and 46% elevated scars disappeared (11/24) at 98 days after operation. There were numerous fibroblast proliferation and whorl-arranged collagen fibers at 21 and 35 days. The number of fibroblast decreased, but irregular-arranged fibers still presented in the elevated scars at 70 and 98 days after operation. Hydroxyproline content in elevated scars at 21 days was higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05), and at 35 days was 3 times as that in normal skin and at 98 days was also markedly higher than that in normal skin (P<0.05). Conclusion　Excessive deposition of collagen is a characteristic of hypertrophic scar in rabbits. The conversion of normal scarring to hypertrophic scarring in rabbits occurs at 14～21 days after operation. Both development and regression of hypertrophic scar in rabbit are quicker than that in human.

The study was to research the clinical characteristics of Shenmai injection treating tumor based on hospital information system, including the characteristics of the age, the sex, the dosage, the course of the treatment and the combination drugs. The data of tumor patients injected with Shenmai injection was analyzed. The information was collected from the hospital information system (HIS) in twenty hospitals of grade III-A. The method of frequencies and association rules was used in this reaearch. The patients over 45 years old were up to 3 338, about 79.36% of the whole. The ratio of male and female was 1.73: 1. The hospitalization day between 15 and 28 was most. The complications of the hypertension and coronary heart disease happened most. The support was 5.939% and 5.099% respectively. Fifty-five patients had the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome of Qi-Yin deficiency, about 14.78% of the whole. There were 8 491 patients treated with the single dose of 81 to 100 mL, about 48.70% of the whole. The main combination drugs were dexamethasone, tropisetron and maxolon. The confidence was 44.63%, 31.22% and 20.53% respectively. The information from HIS showed that tumor patients used Shenmai injection were most quinquagenarian with smooth condition. The dose of the Shenmai injection sometimes was higher than that of the drug use instructions in clinical. Shenmai injection was most often combined with glucocorticoid, antemetic and nutritional support medicine when treating tumor in clinical.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hospital Information Systems ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDCellular cardiomyoplasty by transplantation of various cell types has been investigated as potential treatments for the improvement of cardiac function after myocardial injury. A major barrier for the clinical application of cell transplantation is obtaining sufficiently large quantities of suitable cells. Allogeneic cellular cardiomyoplasty may provide an alternative source of abundant, transplantable, myogenic cells by in vitro manipulation of cardiac fibroblasts using chemicals including 5-azacytidine. This study evaluated cardiomyogenic differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts, their survival in myocardial scar tissue, and the effect of the implanted cells on heart function.

METHODSPrimary cardiac fibroblasts from neonatal rats were treated with 5-azacytidine (10 µmol/L) or control. Treatment of 5-azacytidine caused myogenic differentiation of cultured cardiac fibroblasts, as defined by elongation and fusion into multinucleated myotubes with sarcomeric structures as identified by electron microscopy, and positive immunostaining for cardiac specific proteins, troponin I and β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) and the gap junction protein connexin 43. The myogenic cells (1.0 × 10⁶) were transplanted into the infarcted myocardium 2 weeks after coronary artery occlusion.

RESULTSBy 1 month after transplantation, the converted fibroblasts gave rise to a cluster of cardiac-like muscle cells that in the hearts occupied a large part of the scar with positive immunostaining for the myogenic proteins troponin I and β-MHC. Engrafted cells also expressed the gap junction protein connexin 43 in a disorganized manner. There was no positive staining in the control hearts treated with injections of culture medium. Heart function was evaluated at 6 weeks after myocardial injury with echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements. Improvement in cardiac function was seen in the hearts transplanted with the 5-azacytidine-treated cardiac fibroblasts which was absent in the hearts treated with control.

CONCLUSIONThe 5-azacytidine has a unique capacity to induce myogenesis in cardiac fibroblasts in vitro and transplantation of cardiac-like muscle cells into ventricular scar tissue improves myocardial function.

Animals ; Azacitidine ; therapeutic use ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; transplantation ; ultrastructure ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Rats

AIM:To investigate the effect of recombinant lentiviral vector for RNA interference (RNAi) on the expression of fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) gene in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and tumor formation in nude mice.METHODS:RNAi lentiviral vector was used in the experiment.Human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells were divided into 3 groups:the HepG2 cells in experimental group were transfected with the recombinant lentivirirus vector LV-shRNA-FABP5, the cells in negative control group were transfected with a control lentiviral vector LV-shRNA-NC, and the cells in normal control group were without any treatment.The nude mice were randomly divided into 3 groups.The growth of the transplanted tumor cells in the nude mice was observed.The tumor growth curve, volume and weight were de-termined 4 weeks after the cell inoculation.The expression of FABP5 was detected by real-time PCR, Western blot and im-munohistochemical staining.RESULTS:Transfection of the lentiviral vector FABP5-shRNA obviously reduced FABP5 ex-pression in the HepG2 cells.Tumor formation was all positive in the 3 groups of the nude mice inoculated with the tumor cells.Compared with normal control group and negative control group, the tumor growth slowed significantly in experimental group with smaller volume and weight.FABP5 expression in the transplanted tumor tissues was significantly down-regulated at mRNA and protein levels in experimental group as compared with normal control group and negative control group. CONCLUSION:RNAi-induced down-regulation of FABP5 effectively inhibits the growth of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that FABP5 gene may be an effective target for gene therapy in treating liver cancer.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effectiveness and safety of external applying Compound Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. (TwHF) in relieving joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

METHODSIn this double-blinded, randomized multicenter trial, a total of 174 moderately active RA patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the treatment group (treated with Compound TwHF, 87 cases) and the placebo control group (87 cases). Compound TwHF or placebo was externally applied in painful joints, 20 g each time, once per day for 8 weeks. Self-reported joint pain relief was taken as a primary effective indicator. Visual analogue scale for pain (VAS), disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28), VAS for general health (GH) were evaluated before treatment, at week 4 and after treatment. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and hypersensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) were tested before and after treatment. Menstrual changes in females were observed during treatment. Skin irritation occurred during the recording process was assessed using skin irritation strength. Intention to treat (ITT) was statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe joint pain relief rate in the treatment group was 90.8% (79/87 cases), higher than that in the placebo control group (69.0%, 60/87 cases; P = 0.001). VAS pain score, DAS28, VAS for GH score were significantly improved in the two groups at week 4 of treatment and after treatment, as compared with before treatment (P < 0.01). ESR and hs-CRP levels significantly decreased in the treatment group after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No difference was found in post-treatment VAS pain score, DAS28, VAS for GH score, ESR, or hs-CRP between the two groups (P > 0.05). Eight adverse events occurred in the treatment group (5 skin allergy, 1 intolerance of medical odor, and 2 mild liver injury), while 3 adverse events occurred in the placebo control group (2 skin allergy, 1 mild liver injury). There was no statistical difference in adverse event between the two groups (P > 0.05). No menstrual change occurred in the treatment group.

CONCLUSIONExternal applying Compound TwHF was an effective and safe way to relieve-joint pain of RA patients, which could be taken as an adjuvant therapy.

Arthralgia ; drug therapy ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Tripterygium

Objective To detect the internal arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) in 73 maintenance hemedialysis patients, as to explore the recirculation, blood flow and cardiac output of the internal AVF and provide basis for the hemodialysis project. Methods Internal AVF of 73 maintenance hemodialysis patients was detected 30 minutes after the initiation and 30 minutes before the end of the hemodialysis. Patients with low blood flow ( AF < 600 ml/min) were followed up. Results Fistula function was successfully monitored in 73patients, in which 1 case ( 1. 4% ) was found to have recirculation rate > 50%. 15 patients (20. 5% ) had AF <600 ml/min and 18 patients (24.7%) had AF > 1 600 ml/min. During 12 months follow up with the 15 patients (AF <600 ml/min), 6 cases (40%) had occlusion, 7 cases (46.7%) maintained unobstructed and 2 cases underwent kidney transplant. There was statistical significance in terms of internal fistula flow, cardiac output, cardiac index and center blood volume between 30 minutes after the initiation and 30 minutes before the end of the hemodialysis. Conclusions AVF detection plays an important role in the monitor of AVF function in hemodialysis patients. The possibility of AVF occlusion increases in patients with lower blood flow. The recirculation rate is low when AVF obtains enough blood flow and the internal fistula interval is not a major factor.

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of dynamic change in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] level with the disease severity and related laboratory markers in infants/toddlers with severe pneumonia. METHODS: A total of 132 infants/toddlers with severe pneumonia who were hospitalized between March 2017 and March 2018 were enrolled as the severe pneumonia group. According to the disease severity on admission and after one week of treatment, they were further divided into non-critical group (41 children on admission and 78 after one week of treatment), critical group (59 children on admission and 35 after one week of treatment), and extremely critical group (32 children on admission and 19 after one week of treatment). A total of 142 infants/toddlers who underwent physical examination during the same period of time were enrolled as the healthy control group. The serum levels of 25(OH)D, procalcitonin (PCT), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured on admission and after one week of treatment for the severe pneumonia group, and the serum level of 25(OH)D was measured on admission for the healthy control group. According to the 25(OH)D level after one week of treatment, the children with severe pneumonia were divided into increased vitamin D (VD) group with 81 children and reduced VD group with 51 children, and a comparative analysis and a correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS: The severe pneumonia group had a significantly lower mean 25(OH)D level than the healthy control group (P<0.05), and all the three subgroups of different severities had significantly lower 25(OH)D level than the healthy control group (P<0.05). On admission and after one week of treatment, the non-critical group had a significantly higher 25(OH)D level than the critical and extremely critical groups (P<0.01), and the critical group had a significantly higher 25(OH)D level than the extremely critical group (P<0.05). The extremely critical and critical groups had significantly higher serum levels of PCT and NT-proBNP than the non-critical group on admission and after one week of treatment (P<0.05). After one week of treatment, compared with the reduced VD group, the increased VD group had a significantly less serious condition. At discharge, the increased VD group had a significantly better outcome compared with the reduced VD group (P<0.01). In the children with severe pneumonia, the change value of serum 25(OH)D level after treatment was negatively correlated with the change values of PCT and NT-proBNP (r=-0.597 and -0.404 respectively; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The change in VD level is correlated with the severity of severe pneumonia in infants/toddlers and can be used as an index for disease monitoring. VD supplementation may help with disease recovery.
Calcifediol ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Pneumonia ; Procalcitonin ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency