OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chinese herbs for stasis removing and collaterals dredging (CHSRCD) upon angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis in the renal cortex of diabetic nephropathy rats.

METHODSTotally 89 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (C group, n=22), the high-glucose high-fat control group (H group, n=10), and the streptozotocin (STZ)-injecting group (n=57). The diabetes rat model (n=50) was induced by feeding high-glucose high-fat diet in combination with intraperitoneal injection of STZ, which were further divided into the model group (M group, n=24), the irbesartan group (I group, n=13), and the CHSRCD (Z group, n=13). Rats in I and Z groups were intragastrically fed with suspension of irbesartan and CHSRCD, once daily for 16 weeks. Equal volume of drinking water was administrated to rats in the rest groups. Blood glucose and 24 h urine protein quantitation were tested at four time points. And the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas at various time points was detected by Real-time PCR, immunohistochemical assay, and Western blot. Quantitative analyses of ACE2 and Mas protein expression were performed at the end of week 16.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, blood glucose increased in the H and M groups (P < 0.01). It was higher in the H group (P < 0. 01). 24 h urine protein quantitation at different time points increased in the M group, and it was higher than that in the H group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, 24 h urine protein quantitation decreased at the end of week 8 in the I group, and at the end of week 8 and 16 in the Z group (P < 0.05). It was lower in the Z group than in the I group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.05). Compared with the C and H groups, the expression of ACE2 mRNA in the renal cortex was lower in the M group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.01). Compared with the M group, it was higher in the Z group (P < 0. 01). There was no statistical difference in the expressions of Mas mRNA at the end of week 16 between the C group and the M group (P > 0.05). It was lower in the M group than in the H group (P < 0.05). It was higher in the Z group than in the M group (P < 0.05), and higher than in the I group (P < 0.05). The expression of ACE2 and Mas protein in the M group decreased as time went by. The expression quantitation of ACE2 and Mas protein at the end of week 16 was lower in the M group than in the C group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, ACE2 expression of the Z group and Mas of the I and Z groups increased more significantly (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONCHSRCD could play a role in renal protection for diabetic nephropathy rats by up-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of ACE2 and Mas, promoting the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis, and lowering urinary protein.

Angiotensin I ; metabolism ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney Cortex ; metabolism ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore treatment methods for patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) failing in immunosuppressive therapy (IST).

METHODSTotally 62 SAA patients failing in IST were treated by integrative medicine (IM). The treatment course was divided into three stages: the critical emergency stage, the improvement stage, and the recovery stage. In the critical emergency stage, patients were treated with Lingyang Yigui Decoction (LYD, consisting of 1.2 g antelope horn, 6 g coptis chinensis, 12 g stir-baked Fructus Gardeniae, 30 g rehmannia rhizoma, 50 g lalang grass rhizome, 9 g amur corktree bark, 12 g Cortex Moutan, 9 g ass-hide gelatin, 30 g red date, 6 g prepared licorice root, etc.) and Erzhi Busui Decoction (EBD, consisting of 120 g glossy privet fruit, 100 g eclipta prostrata, 24 g prepared Gold Theragran, 12 g fructus lycii, 90 g rehmannia rhizoma, 60 g astragalus, 9 g Angelica sinensis, 9 g ass-hide gelatin, 30 g honeysuckle flower, 12 g lotus plumule, and so on) alternatively, one dose daily, decocted twice, taken in two portions. Meanwhile, 50 mg Testosterone Propionate was intramuscularly injected every other day to the improvement stage. Those with fever were treated with LYD by adding 60 g gypsum, 60 g common anemarrhena, 30 g dandelion, 30 g bittersweet herb, 30 g blackend swallowwort root and rhizome, 15 g hemsley rockvine root tuber, and so on. In the improvement stage patients were treated with Jixueteng Compound (Jixueteng Zhengyang Decoction was administered to those of Shen-yang deficiency syndrome: consisting of 100 g spatholobus suberectus, 60 g astragalus, 3 g red ginseng, 12 g psoralea corylifolia, 18 g dodder seed, 12 g angelica, 18 g Herba Epimedii, 6 g common fenugreek seed, 24 g Gold Theragran, 30 g glossy privet fruit, 30 g eclipta prostrata, 6 g dried human placenta, and so on). Meanwhile, 50 mg Testosterone Propionate was intramuscularly injected every other day. Jixueteng Yijing Decoction was administered to those of Shen-yin deficiency syndrome: consisting of 100 g glossy privet fruit, 100 g eclipta prostrata, 90 g rehmannia rhizoma, 30 g spatholobus suberectus, 12 g dodder seed, 6 g psoralea corylifolia, 30 g prepared Gold Theragran, 9 g ass-hide gelatin, 9 g fructus lycii, 24 g Salvia miltiorrhiza, 30 g astragalus, 6 g angelica, and so on), one dose daily, decocted twice, taken in two portions. The treatment lasted to the recovery stage. The medication was gradually reduced to the follow-ups of drug discontinuance. Results After 6 -57 months of treatment, 12 patients (accounting for 19.4%) were basically cured, 14 (22.6%) relieved, 8 (12. 9%) markedly improved, 28 (45.2%) ineffectively, with the total effective rate of 54. 8%. Totally 23 patients had the body temperature ranging 37.6-38.5 degrees C at the first visit to our hospital. They took 2 h- 6 days to have pyretolysis ( <37.5 degrees C) after treatment. Twenty patients with body temperature higher than 38.5 degrees C took 4 h - 5 days to have pyretolysis after treatment. Totally 26 patients suffering from IST induced abnormalities of liver and renal functions (ALT, AST, BUN, and Cr) at the first visit were treated by IM for 2 months. They were restored to the normal levels in 25 cases.

CONCLUSIONSThe treatment of SAA failing in IST had its specificity. The staging targeted treatment is in line with its pathophysiology. The key points for its treatment might be lie in the improvement and protection of hematopoietic microenvironment of bone marrows. The antisepsis and anti-inflammation of Chinese herbs hindered its aggravating tendency.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; drug therapy ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Integrative Medicine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of the treatment for long-term disease-free survival (DFS) of post-remission patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSTwenty-nine AML patients with completely remission (CR) and 17 with partial remission (PR) were treated with Chinese medicine, Longchan Cigu Decoction 1 dose per day and Lingxiong Piaoling Powder 7 doses per month, and combined with DA or HA regimen of chemotherapy one course per year. Patients peripheral blood picture, bone marrow smear, biopsy and human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) cells were examined before and after treatment, and their disease-free survival (DFS) was followed up.

RESULTSAfter treated with above mentioned treatment for 2 months, percentage of patients with normal peripheral blood count increased, including patients with WBC > or = 4.0 x 10(9)/L raised from 46% to 70%, with Hb > or = 120 g/L from 17% to 46% and with PLT > or = 100 x 10(9)/L from 63% to 85%; nucleated cell volume in bone marrow increased from 35.83 +/- 28.42% to 60.46 +/- 17.73% (P < 0.01); HLA-DR cell was also increased significantly from 10.55 +/- 4.95% to 14.84 +/- 4.94%, (P < 0.01); while the residual leukemia cells were not increased in one year, from 5.90 +/- 5.09% before and 5.82 +/- 2.42% after treatment (P > 0.05). The maximal DFS in patients was 123 months. The 3-year survival rate was 64.15 +/- 1.96% and 5-year survival rate was 51.19 +/- 16.25%.

CONCLUSIONThe integrative Chinese and western medicine treating program used in this study is beneficial for the long-term treatment of AML patients after complete remission.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mercaptopurine ; administration & dosage ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate

Objective To examine the clinical manifestations and pulmonary radiological features in patients with triphosgene poisoning.Methods Clinical manifestations,laboratory tests and CT scans were analyzed retrospectively in 17 patients with triphosgene poisoning.We focused on the severity,development and repair of pulmonary impairment.Results Plain film and CT scans in five mild cases demonstrated bilateral scattered pulmonary patchy shadows.Of 12 cases with moderate to severe diseases,three showed bilateral multiple pulmonary patchy shadows and nodules with confluence of part of the lesions on plain film and CT scans;bilateral lungs were involved in nine cases with imaging findings of bilateral disseminated pulmonary round or ovary nodules with different size,ill-defined and partly-confluent patchy shadows and thickening of both interlobular septum and the wall of bronchus.Of clinical interests,imaging findings were closely correlated with clinical course and laboratory results.Conclusion Radiological examinations with plain films and CT scans could reveal the severity,evolvement of pulmonary edema in patients with triphosgene poisoning,and these are of clinical benefit in the early management and prognostic evaluation of patients with triphosgene poisoning.

Objective To learn the awareness and influencing factors of mental health knowledge in Yinzhou District. Methods The multi-stage cluster sampling was used to investigate 1239 residents by using the questionnaire of the residents' mental health awareness. Results The total awareness rate was 61.3％, and the awareness rate that was relatively low was mainly concentrated on "World Suicide Prevention Day" (29.9％),"mental illness was a problem in mind" (32.1％),"mental illness was due to the stimulation" (44.0％) . Multiple linear regression analysis found that the residents who were older (β=0.039, P<0.05), lived in city (β=2.073, P<0.05), worked as administrators, technicians, and waiters compared with self-employed, retired and unemployed (β: -2.350 - -1.591, P <0.05) scored higher. Conclusion The residents' awareness of mental health knowledge is low. The urban residents, self-employed, workers, farmers, are the key populations to be educated with mental health system.

To investigate whether masticatory fatigue affects the fracture resistance and pattern of lower premolars restored with quartz-fiber post-core and full crown, 44 single rooted lower premolars recently extracted from orthodontic patients were divided into two groups of 22 each. The crowns of all teeth were removed and endodontically treated and then restored with quartz-fiber post-core and full crown. Twenty-two teeth in one group were selected randomly and circularly loaded at 45° to the long axis of the teeth of 127.4 N at a 6 Hz frequency, and the other group was not delivered to cyclic loading and considered as control. Subsequently, all teeth in two groups were continually loaded to fail at 45° to the long axis of the teeth at a crosshead speed of 1 mm⋅min(-1). The mean destructive force values were (733.88±254.99) and (869.14±280.26) N for the experimental and the control group, respectively, and no statistically significant differences were found between two groups (P>0.05). Bevel fracture and horizontal fracture in the neck of root were the major fracture mode of the specimens. Under the circumstances of this study, it seems that cyclic loading does not affect the fracture strength and pattern of the quartz-fiber post-core-crown complex.
Acid Etching, Dental ; methods ; Adult ; Bicuspid ; Bite Force ; Chromium Alloys ; chemistry ; Crowns ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Dental Restoration Failure ; Dental Stress Analysis ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Materials Testing ; Methacrylates ; chemistry ; Phosphoric Acids ; chemistry ; Post and Core Technique ; instrumentation ; Quartz ; chemistry ; Resin Cements ; chemistry ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tooth Fractures ; physiopathology ; Tooth Root ; injuries ; Tooth, Nonvital ; rehabilitation

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the incidence and risk factors for severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants.

METHODSBetween May, 2008 and May, 2011, a total of 957 preterm infants at 4-6 weeks of chronological age or 32 weeks of postmenstrual age underwent retinal evaluation by RetCamII in our center, and the data of infants with ROP in any stage were analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the 957 preterm infants, we found 86 (8.99%) infants to have ROP in different stages, including 60 (6.27%) with mild ROP and 26 (2.72%) with severe ROP. The birth weight and gestational age of the infants with severe ROP averaged 1 420.40∓328.64 g and 29.88∓1.67 weeks, as compared to 1 593.28∓339.30 g and 31.78∓2.53 weeks in those with mild ROP, respectively, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.005). The significant variables for severe ROP included gestational age (P=0.001), birth weight (P=0.035), 1 min Apgar score (P=0.001), 5 min Apgar score (P=0.005), number of blood transfusions (P=0.032), and the presence of apnea (P=0.04) and retinal hemorrhage (P=0.000). Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage were the independent risk factors for severe ROP (OR=0.353, 95%CI 0.163-0.763, P=0.008; OR=26.133, 95%CI 3.042-224.501, P=0.035).

CONCLUSIONSevere ROP tends to have a decreasing incidence and occurs more often in more mature preterm infants. The affected infants have the characteristics of the first epidemics. Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage are independent predictive factors for severe ROP.

Birth Weight ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; complications ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective To establish the three-dimensional finite element model of human lower cervical spine C3-7 motion segments after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) surgery with titanium mesh and bone graft,and to analyze the stability of cervical spine and stress distribution of internal fixation devices after ACCF surgery.Methods The finite element model of cervical spine C3-7 segments after ACCF of C5 segment with titanium mesh,bone graft,plate and screw fixation was established,and C3-7 segment intact model of cervical vertebra was also constructed.The torque moment of 0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0 N · m was applied to the ACCF surgery model.The ROM,maximum stress in facet joint and stress distributions on internal fixation devices under flexion,extension,lateral bending and axial rotation movement were analyzed.Results ROM of reconstructed C5 segment increased with the torque moment increasing after ACCF surgery.In the case of 1.0 N · m tomue moment and 50 N preload,the ROM of reconstructed C5,C3-4,C6-7 and C3-7 segment was reduced by 81％,62％,58％ and 80％ compared with the intact model.The maximum stress in facet joint of reconstructed C5 segment reduced and the stress in adjacent segments significantly increased.The stress of titanium mesh was mainly distributed on the compression side of movement,and high stress was located in the roots of screws.Conclusions ACCF surgery can promote the stability of cewical spine,decrease the stress in facet joint of operation segment,and has better treatment effect on easing compression from spinal cord caused by cervical spondylotic myelopathy.The research results will provide some theoretical basis for clinical application of ACCF surgery.

Gut functions, such as gastrointestinal motility, gastric secretion and pancreatic secretion, were reduced with age. Glucose tolerance is impaired, and the release of insulin and beta-cell's sensitivity on glucose are reduced with age. However, a lot of controversial data have been reported as insulin concentrations after glucose ingestion are either higher or no different in elderly and young subjects. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate whether aging could affect pancreatic exocrine secretion and its action mechanisms. An isolated perfused rat pancreatic model was used to exclude the effects of external nerves or hormones. Pancreatic secretion was increased by CCK under 5.6 mM glucose background in the isolated perfused pancreas of young (3 months), 12 months and 18 months aged rats. There was no significant difference between young and aged rats. In 3 months old rats, CCK-stimulated pancreatic secretion was potentiated under 18 mM glucose background. However, the potentiation effects of endogenous insulin and CCK were not observed in 12 and 18 months old rats. Exogenous insulin also potentiated CCK-stimulated pancreatic secretion in 3 months old rats. Similarly, exogenous insulin failed to potentiate CCK-stimulated pancreatic secretion as that of 3 months old rats. Wet weight of pancreas and amylase content in pancreatic tissue were not changed with age. These results indicate that pancreatic exocrine secretion is reduced with age and endogenous insulin secretion and/or action is involved in this phenomenon.
Aged ; Aging ; Amylases ; Animals ; Cholecystokinin ; Eating ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin ; Pancreas ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo determine whether oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induces C6 cell injury, and whether 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)/cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) pathway is involved in OGD-induced injury.

METHODSAfter OGD treatment and recovery for various durations, the viability of C6 cells was determined, and the effects of 5-LOX inhibitors and CysLT receptor antagonists were investigated. Intracellular distribution of 5-LOX protein was detected by immunocytochemistry, and the mRNA expressions of CysLT1 and CysLT2 receptors were detected by RT-PCR. The effect of leukotriene D(4) (LTD(4)) on C6 cells was also investigated.

RESULTOGD for 4-8 h followed by recovery for 24-72 h significantly induced C6 cell injury. Neither 5-LOX inhibitors nor CysLT receptor antagonists inhibited OGD-induced injury. OGD did not induce 5-LOX translocation into the nuclear membrane. C6 cells highly expressed CysLT(2) receptor, but the expression of CysLT1receptor was much weaker; the expression was not affected by OGD. In addition, LTD(4) did not affect C6 cells significantly.

CONCLUSIONOGD can induce C6 cell injury, but 5-LOX/CysLT pathway might be not involved in OGD-induced injury.

Animals ; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Glioma ; pathology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured