Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of Tacrolimus(FK506)and Neoral CsA in conjunction with MMF(2.0g/d)and steroid in preventing renal allograft rejection.Methods 98 cases of renal transplant recipients were randomly divided into two groups:FK506 group(n=40),receiving tacrollimus,MMF and prednison(Pred);CsA group(n=58),receiving CsA,MMFand Pred.Results The mean follow-up time in both two groups Was 12.5 months.Acute transplanted renal rejection occurred in 2 cases in FK506 group and 9 cases in CsA group respectively.The one-year person/kidney survival rate was 100%/100%in FK506 group and 100%/94.8%in CsA group respectively.The dosage of Pred in FK506 group was lower than in CsA group.12 cases in FK506 group had stopped using Pred.Hypergly cermia occurred in 7 cases in FK-506 group.Polytricosis,gingival hyperplasia and liver function disorder dominantly occurred in CsA group.Infection Was found in 9 cases of FK506 group and 11 cases of CsA group respectively.Conclusion FK506 combined with MMF could decrease the occurrence of acute trans planted renal rejection and the dosage of Pred.The good adjustment of the dose of FK506 iS helpful for re ducing the side effects and preventing rejection.

Purpose:To avoid using steroid in long term and decrease its side effects. Methods:We analyzedthe data of 9 cases of patients whose immunosuppressive therapy were based on FK506 and MMF. Steroid hasbeen withdrawn in 6 to 8 months after kidney transplantation. Results:All patients have been followed-up. Theresults indicated that no patient exhibited any acute rejection episode, and the side effects of steroid were dimin-ished. Conclusions :We believe that withdrawal of steroid on basis of FK506 and MMF may be safe. and furtherinvestigations are necessary.

Objective To study the MR performances of finger joints with health subjects and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)patients,and to detect the imaging quality of a custom-made finger coil.Methods Finger coil,extremity coil,flexible surface coil and 3 inch surface coil were used to scan the self-made water phantom with similar T2 WI sequence,then the signal to noise ratio (SNR)on single image was measured for the comparison.The middle finger specimen (1 finger)was used for the research,5 healthy volunteers (8 fingers)and 18 RA patients (22 fingers)were also scanned.Results The SNR of finger coil was over 1.5 times higher than that of the 3 inch surface coil and 4 times higher than that of the extremity coil and flexible surface coil.For the 22 fingers with confirmed RA,synovitis was found in 1 7,joint effusion in 10,bone marrow edema in 5,bone erosion in 7 and tenosynovitis in 6.Conclusion The finger coil has higher SNR.

Objective To determine the changes of interleukin-12(IL-12) and IL-12 mRNA in gastric mucosa of children with helicobacer pylori (Hp) infection,and to study the effects of Hp infection on the expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA,and to evaluate its possible roles in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal inflammation in Hp related gastroduodenal diseases.Methods Biopsy specimens were taken from the antral mucosa on endoscopy in patients with or without Hp infection, which were diagnosed by urease test and Giemsa staining. The expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA in gastric mucosa were determined by ELISA and RT-PCR.Results Inflammation of gastric antral mucosa was more severe in Hp-positive mucosa .The expression levels of IL-12 and IL-12 mRNA in Hp-positive mucosa were (66.42?15.15) ng/g and (59.21?15.03)%,which were more than those in (Hp-negative )(22.22?8.79) ng/g and (17.94?7.39)%(P

AIMTo study upon to serum deprivation if delta-opioid receptor activation has direct effect on cultured impaired cardiomyocytes survival.

METHODSMyocardial cells of neonatal rats were cultured in vitro. The cell viability was determined with crystal violet staining uptake. The percentage of S + G2 + M in cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry. Apoptosis rates were determined by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of Caspase-3 were investigated by Western blotting.

RESULTSMyocardial cells of neonatal rats were cultured of serum-free in vitro, apoptotic index was significantly increased, the expression of Caspase-3 was significantly increased, free-serum induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes after 48 h. At concentrations of 10 nmol x L(-1) - 10 micromol x L(-1), a delta opoid receptor agonist [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]-enkephalin DADLE promoted the myocardial cells survival, in a concentration-dependent manner. The optimal response was achieved at 0.1 micromol x L(-1), which increase survival index of cardiac myocyte, percentage of S + G2 + M in cell cycle, decrease apoptotic index of cardiac myocyte, and the expression activate caspase-3. Delta-opioid receptor antagonist naltrindole at 10 micromol x L(-1) inhibited the promoting effects of DADLE, which decrease survival index of cardiac myocyte, and percentage of S + G2 + M in cell cycle, increase apoptotic index of cardiac myocyte and the expression of Caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONThe protective of delta-opioid receptor activation can promote survival in cultured impaired myocardial cells.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid, delta ; agonists

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of free and pedicled thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flaps for repairing skin and soft tissue defects in limbs, neck, axillary and shoulder.

METHODSFrom October 2009 to Auguest 2011, 16 TDAP flaps were used to repair skin and tissue defects. Among them, five ipsilateral pedicled flaps were used to repair wounds in neck, axillary and shoulder. 11 free TDAP flaps were used to repair the wounds with bone or tendon exposure. In 12 cases, the flaps were pedicled with thoracodorsal artery and vein-lateral branches-perforators, in 4 cases, pedicled with thoracodorsal artery and vein-serratus anterior muscular branches-perforators. The deep fascia, the latissimus dorsi and thoracodorsal nerve were not included in all flaps. The flaps size ranged from 10 cm x 5 cm to 26 cm x 10 cm.

RESULTSAll 16 flaps survived completely with primary healing both at donor site and recipent area. After a follow-up of 3 to 24 months, all flaps gained good texture and appearance. Only linear scar was left at donor area. The shoulder could move freely.

CONCLUSIONSTDAP flap has good texture, long vascular pedicle,and reliable blood supply, leaving less morbidity at donor site. The latissimus dorsi and thoracodorsal nerve are also preserved. The pedicled TDAP flap is an ideal flap for repairing the ipsilateral skin and soft tissue defects of the neck, shoulder, axillary. The free TDAP flap is suited for repairing skin and soft tissue defects of the extremities.

Arteries ; Axilla ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Perforator Flap ; transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Thoracic Wall ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo construct a novel gene delivery vector using polyethylenimine (PEI) as backbone modified with the peptide CP9 containing Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic acid (RGD) sequence and to verify its physicochemical characters and the gene delivery function.

METHODSThe chemical linker [N-Succinimidyl-3- (2-pyridyldithio) ] propionate (SPDP) was employed to bind CP9 onto PEI to form a novel gene delivery vector CP9-PEI. The (1)H-NMR and FT-IR were used to verify the linkage of CP9. The plasmid DNA condensing ability of CP9-PEI,the shape and the particle size of the polyplexes formed with CP9-PEI-plasmid DNA were demonstrated by gel retardation assay, electron microscope observation and particle size assay,respectively. The enhanced transfection efficiency and the integrin targeting capacity were detected by the transfection experiments in HepG2 cells and free RGD peptide inhibition test.

RESULTCP9 was linked onto PEI successfully. The new synthesized vector CP9-PEI could efficiently condense plasmid DNA at N/P ratio of 4 and when N/P ratio was equal to 10, the shape of polyplexes formed with CP9-PEI-plasmid DNA was round or round-alike with particle size of about 200 nm. The transfection efficiency of CP9-PEI was nearly 2 times of PEI in HepG2 cells and the free RGD peptide had the inhibition effect on the efficiency of CP9-PEI.

CONCLUSIONThe modification of CP9 on PEI can improve the transfection efficiency of PEI and has the integrin targeting ability.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Oligopeptides ; genetics ; Particle Size ; Plasmids ; chemistry ; genetics ; ultrastructure ; Polyethyleneimine ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Succinimides ; chemistry ; Transfection ; methods

Angelicae Sinensis Radix-Chuanxiong Rhizoma has the effects of nourishing and tonifying blood, activating blood and dissipating blood stasis, regulating menstruation and analgetic, which is commonly used Chinese medicine pair (CMP) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic. It might be an independent formula, and is also usually used in many gynecological formulae and modern TCM prescriptions. This paper mainly analyzed and summarized the compatibility theory, bio-active constituents, compatibility effects and action mechanism, and clinical applications of the CMP, which can provide a basis for the depth research and development of the CMP.
Animals ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Aim: To study theapoptotic rate (AR) and the androgen and estrogen milieu in the proximal and distal ductal sys tems of prostate, in order to help exploring the effects of these factors on prostatic growth and the pathogenesis of be nign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Methods: The proximal and distal ends of the ductal system were incised from 20 normal prostate as well as the hypertrophic prostate tissue from 20 patients with BPH. The AR was determined by the DNA end-labeling method and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estrodiol (E2), by radioimmunoassay. Results:There was no significant difference in DHT and E2 density between the proximal and distal ends of the ductal systems in normal prostate. E2 appeared to be higher in BPH than in normal prostatic tissues, but the difference was statistically in significant. In normal prostatic tissue, the AR was significantly higher in the distal than in the proximal ends of the ductal system ( P ＜ 0.05), while the AR of the proximal ends was significantly higher ( P ＜ 0.01) than that in the BPH tissue. No significant correlation was noted between the DHT and E2 density and the AR both in the normal prostate and BPH tissues. Conclusion: The paper is the first time describing a difference in AR in different regions of the ductal system of normal prostate, while the hormonal milieu is similar, indicating a functional inhomogeneity of these regions. A low AR in the proximal duct, where BPH originates, and an even lower AR in the BPH tissue, sug gesting the participation of apoptosis in the BPH pathogenesis.

Whooping cough,caused by Bordetella pertussis(Bp)infection,is an acute respiratory infectious disease in children transmitted through the air.Macrolide antibiotics have long been the first-line treatment for whooping cough.However,in recent years,macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis(MRBp)has been rarely reported outside China.The high prevalence of MRBp in China adds to the global challenge of whooping cough resurgence.The research firstly reports the emergence of clinical MRBp strains in China and has conducted extensive research in this field.This paper focuses on discussing the progress and challenges in the diagnosis,treatment and prevention of MRBp based on historical and recent studies.