Objective: To observe the clinical effects of kanglaite capsules combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Sixty-five cases were divided into 2 groups at random. In treatment group, 32 patients received kanglaite capsules after TACE and 33 patients in control group were treated with TACE singly. The objective response rate (RR), serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP), peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets (T-1s), quality of life (QOL), time to progression (TIP), and adverse reaction were observed. Results: The objective response rate and serum alpha fetoprotein levels had no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Treatment group was superior to control group in the quality of life (QOL), the time to progression (TIP), peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio), and frequency of adverse reactions in liver. The difference was significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Kanglaite capsules combined with TACE was an effective method for primary HCC patients who have lost the surgical chance.

This study investigated the protective effect of ATP on skeletal muscle satellite cells damaged by H2O2 in neonatal rats and the possible mechanism. The skeletal muscle satellite cells were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, model group (cells treated with 0.1 mmol/L H2O2 for 50 s), protection group (cells treated with 16, 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, or 0.25 mmol/L ATP for 24 h, and then with 0.1 mmol/L H2O2 for 50 s), proliferation group (cells treated with 16, 8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, or 0.25 mmol/L ATP for 24 h). MTT assay, FITC+PI+DAPI fluorescent staining, Giemsa staining and immunofluorescence were performed to examine cell viability and apoptosis, and apoptosis-related proteins. The results showed that the survival rate of skeletal muscle satellite cells was decreased and the apoptosis rate was increased after H2O2 treatment (P<0.01). Different doses of ATP had different effects on skeletal muscle satellite cells damaged by H2O2: the survival rate of muscle satellite cells treated with ATP at 4, 2, or 1 mmol/L was increased. The protective effect was most profound on cells treated with 2 mmol/L ATP. Immunofluorescence showed that ATP could increase the number of Bcl-2-positive cells (P<0.01) and decrease the number of the Bax-positive cells (P<0.01). It was concluded that ATP could protect skeletal muscle satellite cells against H2O2 damage in neonatal rats, which may be attributed to the up-regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of Bax, resulting in the suppression of apoptosis.

Animals ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Dogs ; Female ; Isoflurane ; pharmacology ; Lung ; blood supply ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control

Adult ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; complications ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Inappropriate ADH Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo review recent developments in therapeutic DNA vaccines against tuberculosis.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were obtained mainly from the studies of therapeutic DNA vaccines against tuberculosis reported from 2000 to 2006.

STUDY SELECTIONRelevant articles about studies of therapeutic DNA vaccines against tuberculosis were selected.

DATA EXTRACTIONData were mainly extracted from the 32 articles listed in the reference section of this review.

RESULTSSome DNA vaccines which previously showed to induce protective immunity against infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a prophylactic manner are also surprisingly effective when used therapeutically, including persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis which are refractory to immune system and antibacterial chemotherapy alone. When used in combination with antibacterial drugs, therapeutic DNA vaccines could effectively eliminate residual bacteria in infected animals and shorten the therapy course of conventional chemotherapy. Detailed studies demonstrated that therapeutic effects of DNA vaccines may at least partly be due to the restoration of the Th(1)/Th(2) balance. Some problems have also emerged along with these exciting results.

CONCLUSIONSTherapeutic DNA vaccine is a promising strategy against tuberculosis, however developing an ideal DNA vaccine for therapy of tuberculosis will require further development.

Humans ; Tuberculosis ; therapy ; Tuberculosis Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Vaccines, DNA ; therapeutic use

Objective To investigate the antitumor therapeutic effect of combined therapy of magnetic induction heating by nano-magnetic particles, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene(HSV-tk suicide gene) and internal radiation in mice bearing MCF-7 breast carcinoma. Methods The transfection reagents, plasmids heat shock protein-HSV-tk (pHSP-HSV-tk), ferroso-ferric oxide nano-magnetic fluid flow and 188Re-ganciclovir-bovine serum albumin-nanopaticles (GCV-BSA-NP) were prepared. The heating experiments in vivo were carried out using ferroso-ferric oxide nano-magnetic fluid flow. Sixty mice tumor models bearing MCF-7 breast carcinoma were established and randomly divided into six groups. Group A was the control group, B was gene transfection therapy group, C was hyperthermia group, D was gene transfection therapy combined with radionuclide brachytherapy group, E was gene therapy combined with hyperthermia group, and F was gene therapy, hyperthermia combined with radionuclide brachytherapy group. The tumor growth, tumor mass and histopathological changes were evaluated. The expression of HSV-tk in the groups of B, D, E and F was detected by RT-PCR. Poisson distribution and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical analysis by SPSS 10.0 software. Results In the animal heating experiments, the temperature of tumor increased up to 39.6 ℃, 43.2 ℃, and 48.1 ℃ quickly with different injected doses (2, 4 and 6 mg respectively) of nano-magnetic particles and maintained for 40 min. The temperature of tumor tissue reduced to 36.8 ℃, 37.5 ℃ and 37.8 ℃ in 10 min when alternating magnetic field (AMF) stopped. The tumor mass in Groups C ((452.50 ±30.29) mg), D ((240.98 ±35.32)mg), E((231.87 ±27.41) mg) and F ((141.55 ±23.78) mg) were much lower than that in Group A ((719.12±22.65) mg) (F=800.07, P＜0. 01), with the most significant treatment effect in Group F.The tumor mass in Group B((684.05 ±24.02) mg) was higher than that in Group D (t =32. 805, P ＜0. 05). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of HSV-tk in Groups B and D (0.33 ±0. 13 and 0. 46 ±0.12) was significantly different from that in Groups E and F (0.66 ±0.13 and 0.74 ±0. 11)(F = 21. 573, P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Combined use of hyperthermia, gene therapy and radionuclide brachytherapy could effectively depress the growth of MCF-7 breast carcinoma, thus possessing treatment potential for this tumor.

Seven meroterpenoids and five small-molecular precursors were isolated from Penicillium sp., an endophytic fungus from Dysosma versipellis. The structures of new compounds, 11beta-acetoxyisoaustinone (1) and isoberkedienolactone (2) were elucidated based on analysis of the spectral data, and the absolute configuration of 2 was established by TDDFT ECD calculation with satisfactory match to its experimental ECD data. Meroterpenoids originated tetraketide and pentaketide precursors, resepectively, were found to be simultaneously produced in specific fungus of Penicillium species. These compounds showed weak cytotoxicity in vitro against HCT-116, HepG2, BGC-823, NCI-H1650, and A2780 cell lines with IC 50 > 10 micromol x L(-1).
Berberidaceae ; microbiology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lactones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Penicillium ; chemistry

To investigate the secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi Pericinia sp. F-31. Column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC were used to separate and purify the compounds. Two compounds were isolated from the fermentation broth of Periconia sp. Their structures were identified as 5-(1-hydroxyhexyl) -6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (1) and 2-(3-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl) -propanoic acid (2). Compound 1 was a new lactone compound, compound 2 was new natural product, and the NMR data of compound 2 was reported for the first time.
Annona ; microbiology ; Ascomycota ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Lactones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotype on the interferon (IFN) treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with chronic hepatitis C were divided into two groups: patients in group 1 (n=53) were treated with Pegasys, 180 ug injected subcutaneously once a week for 24 weeks, and those in group 2 (n=45) were injected with Roferon-A 3 MU three times a week for 24 weeks and then patients in both groups were followed up for another 24 weeks. The virological response at the end of follow up was the primary endpoint for evaluating the effects of IFN treatment. The HCV RNA levels of the chronic hepatitis C patients were determined with COBAS AMPLICOR MONITOR Test, version 2.0, and the HCV serotypes were examined by the means of ELISA using Murex HCV Serotyping 1-6 Assay.

RESULTSOf the 98 cases, HCV in 44 cases was serotype 1, in 23 was serotype 2, in 10 was serotype 3, in 1 was serotype 4, 1 was serotype 5 and in 2 was serotype 6; HCV serotypes in the remaining 17 patients could not determined. In Pegasys treatment group, the biochemical and virological response was not significantly different at the end of treatment between the patients with serotype 1 and non serotype 1 or serotype undetermined patients, but the sustained virological response rate of HCV serotype undetermined group (66.7 percent) was significantly higher than that of serotype 1 patients (27.3 percent) (p=0.035). In Roferon-A treatment group, the virological response rate at 24 weeks and sustained viral response rate at the end of follow-up was not significantly different between serotype 1 and non serotype 1 patients or serotype undetermined patients.

CONCLUSIONAfter the six months treatment course, the HCV serotype had some effects on the treatment response to Pegasys treatment for chronic hepatitic C.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferons ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the best choice of operation opportunity and operation plan for limb fractures combined with severe craniocerebral trauma in children.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to July 2012,36 patients with limb fractures and severe craniocerebral trauma were received,including 24 males and 12 females aged from 1 to 13 years old (mean, 6.1 +/- 3.0). The time from injury to hospital was (18.0 +/- 15.0) h. Glasgow coma score were less than 8 with an average of 6.4 +/- 1.3. AIS-ISS score were 25.9 +/- 8.1. Thirteen patients were open fracture, 23 were closed fracture. Patients were divided into immediate operation group (21 patients) received fracture fixation with 24 h, the average time was (15.0 +/- 7.4) h, and delayed operation group (15 patients) received fracture fixation after 24 h, the average time was (165.4 +/- 114.6) h. All patients were treated by open reduction, and 33 cases by internal fixation, 3 cases were external fixation. Operative time, blood loss, fracture healing time and brain trauma,physical trauma, postoperative rehabilitation situation were observed and evaluated.

RESULTSAll patients were healed at stage I ,and no dead, aggravating of coma, disorders of breathing and circulation occurred during operation. Operative time,blood loss,healing time in immediate operation group was (44.5 +/- 25.3) min, (47.1 +/- 36.5) ml, (2.7 +/- 0.5) months, respectively; while in delayed operation group was (87.0 +/- 40.0) min, (112.7 +/- 67.5) ml, (3.8 +/- 1.2) months,respectively; and there were obvious differences between two groups. There was no siginificant meaning in Glasgow coma score and Fugl-Meyer motor function between immediate operation group (4.7 +/- 0.6, 97.9 +/- 2.7) and delayed operation group (4.7 +/- 0.5, 97.7 +/- 3.9) (t = 0.23, P > 0.05; t = 0.11, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe condition of limb fractures combined with severe craniocerebral trauma in children is seriously, comfortable surgical opportunity should according to particular case, and immediate operation can performed on the condition of stabled vital signs.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; surgery ; Extremities ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Open ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male