OBJECTIVETo seek for a good therapy for childhood hyperkinetic syndrome (CHS).

METHODSTwo hundred and ten patients of CHS were randomly divided into three groups, the Yizhi mixture (YZM) group, the Ritalin group and the combined treated group, 70 in each group. They were treated with YZM alone, Ritalin alone and combined YZM and Ritalin respectively for 12 weeks. The effect was assessed by Conners' questionnaire for hyperkinetic scoring, Achenbach's questionnaire for behavior estimation, clinical general image questionnaire and Tess's questionnaire before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the YZM group, Ritalin group and combined treated group was 75.7%, 74.2% and 82.8% respectively, and the markedly effective rate in the three groups was 44.3%, 45.7% and 80.0% respectively. By chi 2 test, comparison among the three groups showed that the difference of the total effective rate was insignificant, while that of the markedly effective rate was significant (chi 2 = 23.31, P < 0.01). Further analysis conducted by partitioning method to make comparison between each two groups showed that the markedly effective rate was significantly higher in the combined treated group than that in the YZM group (chi 2 = 18.98, P < 0.01) and in the Ritalin group (chi 2 = 17.62, P < 0.01). The low hyperkinetic score, behavior score, achievement of Chinese and mathematics in the CHS patients were improved after treatment, the improvements were significantly higher in the combined treated group than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05, by q-test). Moreover, the soft nerve signs and abnormal encephalogram were significantly improved in the combined treated and the YZM groups, and the side-effect occurred in the two groups was less than that in the Ritalin group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of combined treatment of YZM and Ritalin was better than that of YZM or Ritalin alone.

Adolescent ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; drug therapy ; Central Nervous System Stimulants ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylphenidate ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo evalute the efficacy of high-resolution CT(HRCT) in differential diagnosis and treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media and cholesteatoma otitis media by soft-tissue shadows.

METHODSHRCT scanning was performed in 120 cases, 153 ears, with chronic otitis suppurative media and cholesteatoma otitis media, of which original data were processed with multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and maximum intensity projection (MIP), the characteristics of the soft-tissue shadows' growth, window width or window leveling and bony destruction were respectively observed, as well as compared with the surgery findings.

RESULTSIn 120 patients (153 ears), 109 ears were diagnosed as cholesteatoma otitis media, and 44 ears were diagnosed as chronic suppurative otitis media, among which 33 ears had granulation tissue and 11 ears had secretion. One hundred and seven ears were postoperatively diagnosed as cholesteatoma otitis media, among which 25 ears had granulation tissue. Among 46 ears of chronic suppurative otitis media, 35 ears had granulation tissue, and only 11 ears had secretion. A 98.6% diagnostic accuracy can be reached with HRCT in diagnosing cholesteatoma otitis media and chronic suppurative otitis media. The Youden's index was 0.98, 0.98 and 1.00 respectively with HRCT in diagnosing cholesteatoma, granulation tissue and secretion.

CONCLUSIONSCombination of the three different imaging methods, axial images, coronal MPR images and MIP images, can improve the efficacy of the HRCT diagnosis and definite chronic otitis media, which can be routinely used for surgery plan.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; diagnostic imaging ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of genes (CYP17, CYP19 and SULT1A1) involved in estrogen metabolism and susceptibility to breast cancer in Chinese women.

METHODSA case-control study was performed. PCR-base restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and short tandem repeat polymorphism (STRP) assays were used to detect the polymorphism distribution of CYP17, CYP19 and SULT1A1 in 213 breast cancer cases and 430 matched controls. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the OR, multivariate adjusted OR and 95% CI of each and all three genes and estrogen exposure factors on the risk of breast cancer. Relationship between polymorphisms and clinic-pathological features was also assessed.

RESULTSThe frequency of A2 allele of CYP17 was 49.8% in cases and 49.1% in controls (P > 0.05). The frequency His allele of SULT1A1 in cases (13.6%) was significant higher than that of controls (9.5%) (P = 0.03). There was also significant difference in the frequencies of (TTTA)10 allele CYP19 which was 12.4% in cases and 8.2% in controls (P = 0.02). Multigenic model indicated that there was an increased risk of breast cancer with more numbers of high-risk genotypes in a dose-response effect (trend P = 0.05). Data from multivariate analysis showed that the allele of SULT1A1 His and CYP19 (TTTA)10 was positively associated with the risk of breast cancer. Other well-established risk factors as higher estrogen exposure including total years of menstrual, early menarche etc, and women with a higher BMI and WHR were all served as independent risks.

CONCLUSIONThis study indicated that the polymorphisms of estrogen-metabolizing genes were related to breast cancer.

Aromatase ; genetics ; Arylsulfotransferase ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Erlong Zuoci Pill (, ELZCP) and its disassembled: prescriptions on gentamicin (GM)-induced ototoxicity model in vitro.

METHODSAfter the spiral organ of cochleae: of newborn mice (postnatal days: 2-3) cultured for 24 h, GM alone or combined with water extracting-alcohol precipitating solution of ELZCP or with its disassembled prescriptions was added. Hair cells were observed under a fluorescence microscope after TRITC-phalloidin staining, and the cochlear hair cell loss rate was calculated by counting the whole cochlear hair cells and analyzed by whole cochlear hair cells analyzing software.

RESULTSGM induced cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) and inner hair cells (IHCs) injuries in a dose-dependent manner, and they were significantly different as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). ELZCP at the concentration of 0.003-3 mg/mL could decrease the hair cells loss induced by the 0.3 mmol/L GM (P<0.05, P<0.01), the effects was in a dose-dependent manner, and the concentration of 0.3 mg/mL showed the optimal protective effect. For the ELZCP disassembled prescriptions, Liuwei-Dihuang could decrease OHC loss rate than that in the 0.3 mmol/L GM model group (P<0.05), but the OHC loss rate was still higher than that in the ELZCP group (P<0.01), which indicated that the protective effect of hair cells by Liuwei-Dihuang was not better than that of ELZCP. Poria decreased OHC loss rate from 72.1 % +/-3.7 % to 58.8 %+/- 8.2 % (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSELZCP could play a role in antagonizing the injury of cochlear hair cells induced by GM ototoxicity,: and its disassembled prescriptions, Liuwei-Dihuang was the main component to protect the cochlear hair cells from GM-induced ototoxicity, and Magnetitum combined with Radix Bupleurui could strengthen the action of the whole prescription; Poria could reduce GM-induced OHC loss.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gentamicins ; toxicity ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner ; drug effects ; pathology ; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer ; drug effects ; pathology ; Mice ; Organ of Corti ; drug effects ; pathology ; Prescriptions ; Tablets

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of female breast cancer and its potential alteration in Wuhan area.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted on 213 cases with histopathological diagnosis and 430 matched controls, using conditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS28 factors such as educational level, history of benign breast disease, age at menarche, age at menopausal, meat and well-done meat intake, soy bean food, fruit, lactation time, body mass index (BMI), juvenile chest X-ray, psychological factor, were associated with breast cancer risk in one-way variance model. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis in total significant factors and subgroups showed that the risk factors of breast cancer would include high level education, psychological trauma, history of benign breast disease later age at menopause, more years of menstrual and more years of menstrual before giving first birth, high BMI, well-done meat intake and smoked food. Factors as later menarche, lactate longer, soybean food, fruit, drink tea habit were protective factors for breast cancer. Further breakdown of data showed some difference between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Risks in premenopausal women were associated with history of benign breast disease, age of menarche, soybean food intake, whereas risks in postmenopausal women were related to age of menopausal, BMI, waist-hip ratio and fruit intake. Both psychological traumatic and duration of lactation were common pre-and postmenopausal risk and protective factors.

CONCLUSIONSDietary habit and endogenous estrogen exposure related factors played important roles on women breast cancer in Wuhan area.

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; etiology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Estradiol Congeners ; metabolism ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVESTo study the effects of trichostatin A (TSA) on protein-protein interaction between HBx and histone deacetylase protein 1 (HDAC1).

METHODSBoth HBx and HDAC1 expressing vectors were constructed by the method of routine molecular cloning. The expression of HBx and HDAC1 were observed by Western blot assay. The protein-protein interaction was tested between HBx and HDAC1 by GST pull-down in vitro as well as co-immunoprecipitation in vivo.

RESULTSBoth HBx and HDAC1 expressing vectors were successfully constructed. Protein-protein interaction between HBx and HDAC1 existed both in vitro and in vivo. TSA, an inhibitor of HDAC1, had no effect on the interaction between HBx and HDAC1.

CONCLUSIONSHBx interacts with HDAC1 in vivo and in vitro in a non- TSA dependent way.

Histone Deacetylase 1 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydroxamic Acids ; metabolism ; Immunoprecipitation ; Plasmids ; Protein Interaction Mapping ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the genetic association of apolipoprotein (apo) E and apoCI gene polymorphisms with coronary heart disease (CHD) in China.

METHODSapoE genotypes were identified by multiplex amplification refractory mutation system (multi-ARMS) and the apoCI promoter polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 186 cases with CHD (age: 65.0 +/- 10.5 years) and 350 controls (age: 63.6 +/- 8.3 years). The haplotype frequencies were estimated.

RESULTSThe frequencies of apoE E4/3 genotype (26.9%) and epsilon4 (14.5%) in CHD group were significantly higher than that in the control group (12.6%, 7.0%), P <0.05. The significant difference was also found for the apoCI locus and the CHD group showed higher rate of both for the H2 allele and genotypes, carrying this allele. Estimation of the haplotype frequencies indicated that the association between the apoE-CI haplotype and CHD was significantly strong. The apoE-epsilon4/apoCI-H2 was estimated to be responsible for 9.86% of CHD.

CONCLUSIONWhen the subjects carrying both epsilon4 and H2 alleles, they would have higher risk of suffering from CHD than controls.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Apolipoproteins C ; genetics ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUNDEndogenous estrogen plays a very important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer. The enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of estrogen have been proposed to contribute to this effect. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of genes responsible for estrogen biosynthesis (CYP17, cytochrome P450c17a and CYP19, aromatase cytochrome P450) and estrogen sulfation of inactivation (SULT1A1, sulfotransferase1A1) and the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women.

METHODSThis study involved 213 breast cancer patients and 430 matched controls. PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and short tandem repeat polymorphism (STRP) assays were used to detect the mononucleotide transition of CYP17 and SULT1A1 and tandem repeat polymorphism of CYP19. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine OR and 95% CI of each and all three high-risk genotypes, of all three genotypes combined, and of estrogen exposure factors. The relationship between each high-risk genotype and clinicalpathological characteristics were also assessed.

RESULTSThe frequency of A2 allele of CYP17 was 49.8% in cases and 49.1% in controls (P = 0.82). The frequency of His allele of SULT1A1 was significantly higher in cases (13.6%) than in controls (9.5%) (P < 0.05). There was also significant difference of the (TTTA) 10 allele of CYP19 which was 12.4% in cases and 8.2% in controls (P < 0.05). When the CYP17 A2 allele, CYP19 (TTTA) 10 and SULT1A1 His allele were considered as the "putative high-risk" genotype, there was an increased risk of breast cancer with the number of high-risk genotypes in a dose-response effect (trend, P = 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the SULT1A1 genotype remained the most significant determinant for breast cancer, with OR = 2.37 (95% CI 1.23-4.74), followed by CYP19, with OR = 1.75 (95% CI 1.27-3.56). The (TTTA) 10 allele of CYP19 was associated with tumor size, and the His allele of SULT1A1 associated with status of lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSThis study supports the hypothesis that breast cancer can be initiated by estrogen exposure and that estrogen metabolizing genes are involved in this mechanism. This multigenic model is useful for identifying individuals who are at higher risks of breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aromatase ; genetics ; Arylsulfotransferase ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Estrogens ; metabolism ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors ; Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features of HBx protein distributed in liver cells and its expression in E. coli.

METHODSThe expression vectors encoding the full length HBx and its mutants were constructed by the routine molecular cloning method. HBx protein expression was detected using Western blotting. The distribution feature of HBx protein in liver cells was examined using the fluorescence confocal microscopy. A series of purified HBx fusion proteins were obtained by glutathione-sepharose 4B affinity chromatography.

RESULTSThe expression vectors were successfully constructed for the full length HBx and its mutants. HBx was found distributed uniformly in the nuclei but granularly in the cytoplasm of the liver cells. Under optimal conditions, the mutant GST-HBx (72-120aa) was easily degraded.

CONCLUSIONThis study may provide a basis for further study on the biological function of HBx at the protein level.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Glutathione Transferase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Mutation ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Trans-Activators ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicine Sanqi Oral Liquid, composed of Astragalus membranaceus and Panpax notoginseng, in alleviating renal injury by observing its effect on the expressions of CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD68(+) cells in 5/6 nephrectomized rats with chronic renal failure.

METHODSA total of 102 SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: three treatment groups were administrated with high, medium and low dosage of Sanqi Oral Liquid respectively by gavage; a normal group, a 5/6 nephrectomized model group, and a group treated with coated aldehyde oxygenstarch were used as controls. Following oral administration of Sanqi Oral Liquid for 12 weeks, the general condition and renal pathological changes were observed, and the renal function, platelet count (PLT) and the expressions of CD4(+), CD8(+) and CD68(+) cells were determined for each group.

RESULTSThere were proliferation of mesangial matrix, renaltubularnecrosis and obvious tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the model group, and they were much milder in the treatment groups. Compared with the model group, the amounts of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr) and PLT in the treatment groups decreased (P<0.05 for all); and in the group administrated of medium dosage of Sanqi Oral Liquid, the expression of CD4(+) cells was up-regulated and those of CD8(+) and CD68(+) cells were down-regulated (P<0.05 for all), leading to an increased ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+)(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSanqi Oral Liquid has a significant effect on regulating lymphocyte subsets, reducing the infiltration of macrophages in renal tissues and alleviating tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and this may be one of mechanisms of Sanqi Oral Liquid in delaying the progression of chronic kidney diseases.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiology ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solutions