Objective To investigate the prevalence,radiological features and the association between HRCT changes and different diseases or clinical features in interstitial lung disease(ILD)caused by diffuse connective tissue diseases(CTD).Methods Retrospective analysis was performed based on the medical records of 412 in-patients with the diagnosis of diffuse connective tissue diseases from June 2003 to June 2005 in our hospital.268 cases were SLE,83 cases were SS,40 cases were DM/PM,21 cases were SSe.All patients had chest X-ray and the suspected cases had HRCT exam.The distribution of ILD among different diffuse CTD.the appearance between X-ray and HRCT appearances were compared.The correlation among HRCT appearance,different diseases and clinical features was studied.Results①In the 412 cases of CTD,ILD de- tected by HRCT was 9.7%(40 case in total),3,9% by X-ray.Among the 40 cases,DM/PM had the highest rate of ILD(25%),23.8% in SS,9.6% in SS and 6.3% in SLE.②The consensus rate between HRCT and X-ray was 40%.The rate of mis-diagnosis of ILD was 60% by X-ray.③The changes of interstitial involvement de- tected by HRCT were:ground glass change(41.0%),consolidation(32.8%),reticular change(16.4%)and hon- eycomb change(9.8%).The concomitant presence of two of the above changes were very common.④More level respiratory symptoms such as cough,panting,chest distress and chest pain and high level of complement were observed in patients with ground glass and consolidation changes,while high CRP level was seen in patients with consolidation and honeycomb changes(P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of bepotastine besilate in the treatment of chronic urticaria.MethodsA randomized,double-blind,parallel-controlled clinical study was conducted in 5 centers.Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups to be treated with bepotastine besilate 20 mg or loratadine 10 mg once a day,respectively,for 4 weeks.Visits were scheduled before and after 1,2 and 4 weeks of treatment.Itching degree,number of wheals and diameter of the largest wheal were recorded for efficacy evaluation.ResultsTotally,240 patients were enrolled and 227 patients completed the study.The response rate was 74.6％ and 77.9％ respectively in bepotastine besilate- and loratadine-treated patients,respectively(P ＞0.05).No significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse reactions between bepotastine besilate- and loratadine-treated patients(12.8％ vs.17.9％,P ＞ 0.05).The main side effects were mild to moderate drowsiness,dry mouth,dizziness.ConclusionBepotastine besilate is effective and safe for the treatment of chronic urticaria,with an efficacy and safety profile similar to that of loratadine.

Animals ; Decompression ; Decompression Sickness ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Male ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention effect of Leihong Granule (LG) in in-stent restenosis (ISR) after endovascular therapy for lower extremity arterial occlusive diseases (LEAOD).

METHODSRecruited 80 LEAOD patients who successfully underwent endovascular therapy (balloon dilation and stent implantation) were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group and the LG group, 40 in each group. Patients in the control group received basic treatment, while those in the LG group additionally took LG for 3 months. Plasma levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of lower extremity artery were observed in the two groups between and after treatment. The rate of stent patency, ABI, intermittent claudication, rest pain, and the incidence of amputation the two groups were recorded and observed in the two groups.

RESULTSIn the control group, serum levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, and IMT were significantly higher one month after surgery than before surgery (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, or IMT between the two groups before surgery (P > 0.05). These indices were obviously lower in the LG group than in the control group after surgery (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the incidence rates of intermittent claudication and the rest pain at 6 months and 12 months after surgery significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The stent patency rate at 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and ABI were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the amputation rate between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLG might effectively improve ischemic symptoms of affected limbs possibly through lowering the ISR rate after endovascular therapy for LEAOD through preventing immunosuppressive actions.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; therapy ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the detection methods for cognitive dysfunction of the major depression in Elderly and analyze their clinical significance.Methods Using matched-pairs study,42 patients with seniie de- pressive disorders(experimental group)and 42 normal aged people(control group)were examined with auditory e- voked potential P300(event related potential,ERP-P300)and SECF,respectively.Results It was found that the scores with registration,span,recall,classification and total score of the subjects in the experimental group were sig- nificantly lower than those in the control group(P

BACKGROUND: Muscle derived cells in the skeletal muscle have the ability to differentiate into chondrocytes under the induction of bone morphogenic protein 4 and transforming growth factor β3. However, due to the complexity of the skeletal muscle (consisting of muscle fiber, fascia, blood vessel and nerves), the origin of cells has not been identified. OBJECTIVE: To observe the potential for chondrogenic differentiation of fascia-derived cells (FDCs) in order to clarify the chondrogenic ability of the cells derived from the skeletal muscle. METHODS: The fascia was isolated from the rat gluteus maximus, and was then cultured in chondrogenic medium containing bone morphogenic protein 4 and transforming growth factor β3. Samples were harvested on day 14. The chondrogenic differentiation of FDCs was identified by alcian blue, hematoxylin-eosin and safranin O stainings. Cell markers were investigated by immunostaining using the antibodies for desmin, CD34, vimentin, vWF and a-SMA. Immunostaining was used to assay the chondrogenic potential of FDCs cultured with L6 rat myoblasts at varying ratios (1:0, 4:1; 1:1, 1:4 and 0:1). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: FDCs harvested from the skeletal muscle displayed chondrogenic differentiation and formed cartilaginous tissue when cultured for 14 days in chondrogenic medium after alcian blue and safranin O stainings. Cells isolated from the fascia were negative for desmin, CD34, vWF and a-SMA, but over 90% of the cells were positive for vimentin. Mixed FDC and L6 myoblast pellets showed chondrogenic potential decreased with the increasing ratio of L6 myoblasts. From the analysis of cell surface marker of FDCs in the skeletal muscle, immunostaining, and the comparison with L6 rat myoblasts, it shows that FDCs are the seed cells with chondrogenic potential in the skeletal muscle.

Human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) is the most complicated human dominant polymorphic genetic system. Accurate HLA genotyping is clinically important for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, also important for research on many human diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence based typing (PCR-SBT) provides the highest resolution level and defines new alleles, so it is widely used for HLA typing. One great disadvantage of PCR-SBT method is the fact that it cannot resolve sequences of heterozygous samples in diploid genomes, leading to ambiguous typing results which make much trouble to the accurate definition of HLA genotype. This article reviewed the occurring reasons and solution method of ambiguous allele combinations in the HLA high resolution genotyping as well as the research prospect in this field.
Genotype ; HLA Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo explore the characters of lung injury induced by tin dusts and to provide the diagnosis evidence of tin pneumoconiosis.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: the group exposed to tin dusts from smelting workshop, the group exposed to tin dusts from tin refining workshop, the positive control group exposed to standard quartz dusts and the negative control group exposed to saline. The pathological changes of rat lungs were observed dynamically.

RESULTSIn rats exposed to tin dusts, on the 30th day after exposure to tin dusts, the scattered hoar tip size of the spots in surface and section of the lungs were observed, the scattered focal granulomatous inflammation around the small bronchi and dust particles in lung tissue were observed under microscope; on the 90th day after exposure to tin dusts, the granulomatous inflammation increase, the fibroblasts proliferation, collagen fibers formation and positive VG staining were found. There were significant differences, as compared with positive or negative controls (P < 0.05). These pathological changes were basically the characters of specific pathological changes in early tin pneumoconiosis.

CONCLUSIONNon-ferrous metal tin dusts can induce the specific lung injury (granuloma formation) in lung tissue of rats exposed to tin dusts, which fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of specific pathological changes in early tin pneumoconiosis.

Animals ; Dust ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tin ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the morphologic features of cricopharyngeal muscle (CPM) under suspension laryngeal endoscope.

METHODSThis prospective study was conducted on a series of 100 consecutive patients who undergone endoscopic microlaryngeal surgery with intubation general anesthesia. The suspension laryngoscope was introduced down to postcricoid area approaching esophageal inlet. By lifting the larynx with the laryngoscope, the mucosa-covered cricopharyngeal muscle was easily identified as the mound of tissue just at the posterior pharyngeal wall. The image of cricopharyngeal muscle under the laryngoscope was saved.

RESULTSIn 94 out of 100 patients, CPM could be visualized with laryngoscope. In the other 6 patients, both CPM and glottic could not be exposed because of cervical vertebra stiffness and obesity. According to the image of CPM under the laryngoscope, the shape of the CPM was divided into three types. It was named for flat type in which there was no mound of tissue visible at the posterior pharyngeal wall and esophageal cavity could be visible completely, semi-bar type in which there was a bar at the posterior pharyngeal wall and partial esophageal cavity could be visible and full-bar type in which the bar contact esophageal anterior wall and esophageal cavity could not be visible. There were 14(14.9%) patients as flat type, 59(62.8%) as semi-bar type and 21(22.3%) as full-bar type. No significant difference was found between adults group and the aged (≥ 65 years old) group (χ(2) = 1.224, P = 0.747) and reflux associated group and non-reflux associated group respectively (χ(2) = 5.252, P = 0.072).

CONCLUSIONSThe CPM could be well exposed in most of the patients with suspension laryngeal endoscope. It provides anatomy basis for endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; pathology ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngeal Diseases ; pathology ; Pharyngeal Muscles ; pathology ; surgery ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEAntigen-presenting cells such as monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs) stimulate T-cell proliferation and activation during adaptive immunity. This cellular interaction plays a role in the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Tanshinone II A (TSN) had been shown to decrease the growth of atherosclerotic lesions. We therefore investigated the ability of TSN to inhibit human monocyte-derived DCs and their T-cellstimulatory capacity.

METHODSDCs derived from human monocytes cultured with recombinant human interleukin (IL)-4 and recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were co-cultured with TSN and lipopolysaccharide for 48 h. Phosphate-buffered saline was used as a negative control. Activation markers and the capacity of DCs for endocytosis were measured by flow cytometry, and proinflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. DCs were co-cultured with lymphocytes to measure T-cell proliferation and IL-2 secretion by mixed lymphocyte reactions.

RESULTSTSN dose-dependently attenuated DC expression of costimulatory molecules (CD86), and decreased expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (human loukocyte antigen-DR) and adhesion molecules (CD54). Moreover, TSN reduced secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-12 and IL-1 by human DCs, and restored the capacity for endocytosis. Finally, TSN-preincubated DCs showed a reduced capacity to stimulate T-cell proliferation and cytokine secretion.

CONCLUSIONSTSN inhibits DC maturation and decreases the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, while impairing their capacity to stimulate T-cell proliferation and cytokine secretion. These effects may contribute to the influence of TSN on the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

Antigen-Presenting Cells ; drug effects ; Atherosclerosis ; immunology ; pathology ; B7-2 Antigen ; metabolism ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; secretion ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; secretion ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Endocytosis ; drug effects ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects