International Cooperation ; International Educational Exchange ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Adult ; Antimony ; adverse effects ; Dust ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

Quercetin and its glycosides are important flavonols in traditional herbal drugs and plant-derived food, and they have diverse hiological activities such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities. Numerous studies have demonstrated that quercetin and its glycosides were effective in the prevention and treatment of non-infectious chronic disease such as diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. They can regulate glucose and lipid metaholism through different mechanisms. They can decrease blood glucose via protecting pancreatic/p cells or/and improving insulin sensitivity. Also, they have lipid-lowering effects, which may be the result of regulation of lipid catabolism or/and anabolism. Their distributions, as well as the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects are reviewed in this paper. In addition, further bioactivities as well as their dose-activity relationship, structure-activity relationship, bioavailability, and future clinical application of quercetin and its glycosides are discussed and proposed.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) offer a non-selective and receptor-independent mode to promote cellular uptake. Although the non-specificity of CPP-mediated internalization allows this approach applicable to a wide range of tumor types potentially, their universality is a significant obstacle to their clinical utility for targeted delivery of cancer therapeutics and imaging agents. Accordingly, many reports have focused on selective switching of systemically delivered inert CPPs into their active form in lesions (tumor). In this review, our attention is mainly confined to such an enzyme-sensitive domain incorporated delivery system with activatable CPPs (ACPPs), which have displayed the exciting strength in balancing the CPPs' pros and cons, and potential in the treatment and diagnosis of some diseases.
Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Enzymes ; chemistry ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effect of Taohong Siwu Decoction (TSD) in regulating functions of endothelial cells and treating arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO).

METHODSThe ASO model was prepared by using high-fat diet plus intimal injury. They were randomly divided into the model group (n = 10), the normal control group (n = 9), the low dose TSD group (group A, n = 12), the middle dose TSD group (group B, n = 10), and the high dose TSD group (group C, n = 9). Eight weeks after modeling, the limb blood perfusion was observed using laser Doppler flowmetry. The arterial morphology was observed using light microscope and transmission electron microscope. The number of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) was determined using Percoll density gradient centrifugation method. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1, ET-1, and NO were detected using double antibody sandwich assay of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe ASO rat model was successfully established. Blood lipids levels significantly increased, the blood perfusion of left hind limbs significantly decreased, the number of CECs in the peripheral blood significantly increased, the arterial lumen was irregularly narrowed, the ultra-structure of vessel walls was damaged, serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1, and ET-1 significantly increased, and the serum level of NO significantly decreased in the model group, showing statistical difference when compared with the normal control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, significant improvement in the aforesaid indices was shown in group B and C (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe injury and abnormal functions of endothelial cells is an important pathological process of ASO. As an effective recipe for treating ASO, TSD could protect vascular endothelial cells and improve the secretion function of vascular endothelial cells.

Animals ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans ; blood ; drug therapy ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Interleukin-1 ; blood ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

AIM:To investigate the clinical effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs combined with laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema (DME).METHODS: Totally 94 patients (141 eyes) with DME from June to December 2015 in our hospital were selected and randomly divided into combined group of 47 cases (68 eyes, ranibizumab combined with laser therapy) and the control group of 47 cases (73 eyes, laser treatment).The levels of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), macular central retinal thickness (CRT), total macular volume (TMV) and macular edema level were compared between the two groups at different time after treatment.RESULTS: The mean values of BCVA in the combined group were higher than those in the control group at 2, 6 and 12wk, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).At 2, 6 and 12wk after treatment, the CRT and TMV values of the combined group were lower than those of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).After treated for 12wk, patients with macular edema of combined group was 80.9% in mild level, 17.7% in moderate level, 1.5% in severe level, those of the control group was 60.0%, 31.5%, 5.5%, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The effect of anti-VEGF drugs combined with laser therapy for DME patients is better than that of single laser therapy alone.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence factors of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after instrumented lumbar fusion.

METHODSThirty-three patients who had undergone an instrumented lumbar fusion from March 1998 to May 2002 were reviewed. The incidence, age, position, radiographic characteristics and clinical manifestations of ASD were studied. Then the relations between "floating fusion" and ASD were compared, the range of fusion and ASD and investigated the incidences of different adjacent segments.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up period for the patients was 4 years and 7 months (24 - 82 months). Adjacent segment degeneration mainly occurred in patients older than 60. Ten patients (10%) were found to have radiographic characteristics of ASD. Nine of the ten patients had ASD at cranial segments. Using "floating fusion" or not did not show difference in the risk of ASD. There was a trend of more ASDs after long-segment fusion than short-segment fusion. As an adjacent segment, L(2)/L(3) had a high risk of ASD, while L(5)/S(1) had a much lower risk.

CONCLUSIONSThe cranial segment has a higher degeneration risk than the caudal segment. If L(2)/L(3) has degenerative appearance and has chance to be the adjacent segment, we'd better fuse it. If there is no evidence of obvious degeneration, L(5)/S(1) should not be fused. During instrumented lumbar fusion, long-segment fusion should be avoided if possible.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Diseases ; etiology ; Spinal Fusion ; adverse effects ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients admitted in an intensive care unit (ICU) for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

METHODSThe clinical data of 143 patients admitted in the ICU at our center between January, 2014 and June, 2015 were reviewed. The patients with VAP and those without VAP were analyzed for risk factors of VAP in the setting of an ICU for pulmonary TB and compared for the duration of ventilation and hospital stay.

RESULTSThe patients with pulmonary TB showed a significantly higher incidence of VAP in the ICU than those without TB. Univariate analysis suggested that the occurrence of VAP was significantly correlated with the duration of mechanical ventilation, invasive examination, pulmonary tuberculosis, lung structure changes, use of multiple antibiotics, diabetes, tracheal incision, indwelling gastric tube, APACHE II score, and coma (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pulmonary TB, duration of mechanical ventilation, APACHE II score, invasive operation, and use of multiple antibiotics were independent risk factors for VAP (P<0.05). The patients who developed VAP had a prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients admitted in tuberculosis ICU are exposed to a high risk of VAP with a high mortality rate as the result of multiple interacting risk factors. Pulmonary TB, prolonged mechanical ventilation, an APACHE II score >15, invasive operation, and use of multiple antibiotics are all independent risk factors for VAP in tuberculosis ICU.

APACHE ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; complications ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; complications

OBJECTIVE: To understand the forensic practice of DNA profiling from minimal amount of DNA. METHODS: Serial dilutions of DNA were amplified with the PowerPlex 16 System Kit, then the genotyping of short tandem repeat(STR) was performed by ABI 377 DNA automated Sequencer. RESULTS: When the mount of DNA template was less than 250 pg, allelic drop-out apparently occurred at several loci. Other disturbed peaks, such as artefact bands and imbalanced heterozygote, also presented. CONCLUSION The anomalous results may result in incorrect genotyping. Careful and comprehensive considerations are needed to interpret the STR profile of minute DNA.
Alleles ; DNA/genetics* ; Forensic Medicine ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Minisatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tandem Repeat Sequences/genetics*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the virological response of managing chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with peg-interferon alpha-2b (PEG-IFN alpha-2b) and ribavirin.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the virological response of 40 patients with different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after anti-HCV management. Patients were given different dosages of PEG-IFN alpha-2b and ribavirin based on their weights. The duration of treatment was 48 weeks for patients infected by HCV genotype 1, and was 24 weeks for the others. HCV RNA was tested before treatment, 12 weeks post management, end of treatment, and 24 weeks after treatment stopped.

RESULTSData from 40 patients were collected. Among them, 24 cases experienced HCV genotype 1 infection, and 16 cases were infected with other genotypes. Between these two groups, the early virological responses were 75.0% (18/24) and 87.5% (14/16), the end-of-treatment virological responses were 80.0% (16/20) and 85.7% (12/14), and the sustained virological responses were 56.2% (9/16) and 78.5% (11/14), respectively.

CONCLUSIONBody weight-based customized PEG-IFN alpha-2b in combination with ribavirin can effectively treat patients with different genotypes of CHC.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Recombinant Proteins ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome