Adult ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; drug therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Propranolol ; therapeutic use ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Objective To explore the therapeutic mechanism of narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB)in psoriasis. Methods Forty-two patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 20 healthy controls were enrolled into this study. All the patients received 20 sessions of NB-UVB radiation. Psoriasis area severity index (PASI)was used to evaluate the severity of psoriasis. Blood samples were collected from all the patients before and 15 cured patients after the treatment as well as from 20 healthy controls, and skin samples from 10 patients before and after the treatment as well as from 10 healthy controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)was performed to determine the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-22, and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR to measure the mRNA expressions of IL-17 and IL-22 in skin specimens. Statistical analysis was carried out by using the two-sample t-test, paired t-test and Pearson correlation analysis. Results After 20 sessions of NB-UVB radiation, 15 out of the 42 patients were cured with a significant decrease in PASI. Compared with the healthy controls, the 15 cured patients showed a significant elevation in the levels of IL-17and IL-22 proteins(IL-17: 34.26 ± 10.05 ng/L vs. 16.34 ± 4.73 ng/L, t = 7.016, P < 0.01; IL-22: 13.72 ± 4.45 ng/L vs. 5.03 ± 1.84 ng/L, t = 8.282, P < 0.01)and mRNAs (IL-17: 13.43 ± 2.12 vs. 5.26 ± 0.87, t = 6.312, P < 0.01; IL-22:16.53 ± 2.65 vs. 7.72 ± 2.13, t = 6.823, P < 0.01)before the treatment. The PASI score was positively correlated with the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 proteins in sera (r = 0.76, 0.70, respectively, both P < 0.05)and their mRNAs in skin lesions (r = 0.65, 0.68, respectively, both P < 0.05)in these patients. The serum levels and mRNA expressions of IL-17 and IL-22 all significantly reduced in the cured patients after the treatment compared with those before the treatment(all P < 0.05). Conclusion NB-UVB may treat psoriasis by downregulating the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 in peripheral blood and skin lesions in patients with psoriasis.

Objective To study the relationship between the cerebral artery stenosis and the carotid artery elasticity in the ischemia stroke patients by echo-tracking technique.Methods Ninety-two ischemia stroke patients were divided into both the mild cerebral arteries stenosis and moderate-severe cerebral arteries stenosis groups.CT angiography was performed to evaluate the stenosis of cerebral artery.The changes of the carotid diameter during cardiac cycles were obtained by echo-tracking technique and the quantitative parameters of pressure-strain elastic modulus (Ep),stiffness (β) and arterial compliance (AC) were calculated automatically. Results①There were significant differences (P＜0.05) between the ischemia stroke patient group and the normal adults group in β，Ep and AC.② There were significant differences (P＜0.05) between the mild cerebral arteries stenosis groups and the moderate-severe cerebral arteries stenosis groups in β and Ep.AC was lower in patients with the mild cerebral arteries stenosis groups than that in the moderate-severe cerebral arteries stenosis groups.Conclusions The carotid artery elasticity in ischemia stroke patients were significantly different from normal adults.In the ischemia stroke patients,the stiffer the carotid artery was,the higher the likelihood of moderate-severe cerebral stenosis was.

BackgroundResearches demonstrated that the levels of soluble CD44 (sCD44)molecule in aqueous is significantly higher in primary open-angle glaucomous(POAG) eye than normal eye,but how the sCD44 would affect the expression of apoptosis protein in trabecular meshwork cells is below understanding.Objective The present study was to investigate the effect of sCD44 on the expression of regulatory proteins bcl-2 associated death factor bad in trabecular meshwork cells in the patients with POAG.MethodsHuman scleral tissue with trabecular meshwork were obtained from POAG patients during the surgery.The trabecular meshwork cells were primarily cultured by explant culture method and identified by immunochemistry.The third generation of cells were incubated with free-serum DMEM/F12 medium added differnt dosages of sCD44 (0,1,5,10,25,50 mg/L) for 48 hours.The expression of bad protein in cultured cells was detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) as the absorbance values at 490 nm(A,90 value),and the bad protein level in cultured cells was assayed by ELISA.ResultsThe cultured cells showed the positive response for laminin ( LM ),neuron specific enolase ( NSE ),fibronectin ( FN ) monoclonal antibodies.The CCK-8 assay showed that the A490 values of the trabecular meshwork cells in 0,1,5,10,25,50 μg/L of sCD44 groups were 0.2460±0.0019,0.1874±0.0015,0.1570±0.0016,0.1302±0.0019,0.1084±0.0018,0.0940±0.0020 respectively with a statistically significant difference among the 6 groups( F =14.922,P =0.000 ),and the A490 values in various dosages of sCD44 groups were significantly lower than the 0 μg/L sCD44 group (P=0.013,0.008,0.011,0.005,0.004).The ELISA assay showed that bad protein levels in 0,1,5,10,25,50 μg/L of sCD44 groups were ( 114.8461 ± 2.9560 ),( 137.8270 ± 2.4259 ),( 161.4194 ± 3.7381 ),( 170.9453 ± 3.2006 ),( 221.2252 ±4.3738 ),( 324.6167±4.4220) ng/L,showing a total difference among them ( F =16.610,P =0.000 ),and the bad protein levels in various dosages of sCD44 groups were significantly lower than the 0 μg/L sCD44 group( P =0.017,0.013,0.008,0.007,0.006).ConclusionssCD44 can contribute to the apoptosis of the trabecular meshwork cells in patients with POAG in certain dose range by regulating the apoptosis regulatory proteins bcl-2 associated death factor bad.

One strain of Pseudoalteromonas sp. E18 was isolated from the sea mud of Ningbo, Zhejiang. It can produce indigo pigment. The morphological, cultural and biochemical characteristics of the bacterium were studied. The indigo pigment was also extracted. The results showed that the maximum absorption peak of the pigment was at 579nm. The pigment was stable to UV, Na_2SO_3,It was also stable at pH 3～9. The pigment was unstable to the sunlight and high concentration H_2O_2. Temperature of 60℃～80℃ could increase the hue while temperature higher than 90℃ could reduce the hue.

A review of studies on the influence of impurities on protein crystallization is given.The possible sources of impurities and its effect on the protein crystallization are presented.The effects of impurities on protein crystallization,including nucleation,macroscopic morphologies,microscopic surface morphologies,growth rates,kinetics,quality,and repartitioning of impurities are reviewed.

Objective: To explore the influence factors of the degenerate oligonucleotide primered PCR(DOP-PCR). Methods: Genome DNA template from the mouse single oocyte or liver tissue were used to perform DOP-PCR. DOP-PCR was carried out with templates of different origin, different gradient dilution, with or without low melting point gel purified to wipe off the small fragment that might interfere with the following analysis, and then PCR of gene FTCD and CBS were carried out to evaluate the influence of these factors on the amplification efficiency and specificity. Results: Compared with genome DNA template from mouse liver, the template from single oocyte had the same efficiency and specificity but a minor yield and different gradient dilution of DNA template had no effect on the efficiency and specificity. Furthermore, there was a higher specificity in the low melting point gel-purified DOP-PCR product than in untreated ones. Conclusion: We have got a satisfactory result and increased specificity from DOP-PCR product purified with the low melting point gel. Single oocyte of mice could be used for further investigation of special genes detection by DOP-PCR and of an optimization in the yield of the products.

Objective To explore the effect on walking ability of the orthotic insole produced by the International College of Biomechanics (ICB) when it is combined with an ankle foot orthosis (AFO).Methods A total of 40 stroke survivors with hemiplegia were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,each of 20.In addition to conventional medical treatment and rehabilitation,the control group received AFOs and walking rehabilitation training.The observation group accepted walking training with an ICB orthotic insole combined with an AFO.The experiment lasted 4 weeks.Timed up and go test (TUGT) times,10 m maximum walking speed (10 m MWS) and Berg balance scale (BBS) ratings were recorded before and after the treatment.Results Before the treatment there was no significant difference between the group averages in terms of any of the measures.After the treatment,significant improvement was observed in all of the measurements,with the improvements in the observation group significantly better than those in the control group,on average.Conclusion An ICB orthotic insole combined with an AFO results in better improvements in the walking ability of hemiplegic subjects than an AFO alone.

Objective To establish a gene diagnosis assay for spinal muscular atrophy(SMA) in children. Method Analysis of the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene in 19 SMA patients and in 21 normal controls were performed by using polymerase chain reaction - fragment length polymorphism (PCR - RFLP) method. Result Deletion of exon 7and 8 in SMNt gene were found in all 19 SMA patients, while no such changes were found in normal controls. Conclusion The SMNt gene exon 7 and 8 examine can be applied to SMA gene diagnosis, and the PCR- RFLP method have higher sensitivity and particularity to the SMA diagnosis.

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) is the ciliary artery-circulatory disorders for the supply of optic nerve head area before the sieve plate prozone and sieve plate district, result in the insufficient blood supply of the optic nerve head and ischemia hypoxia, edema. Clinical manifestations of the type with non-artery inflammatory neuropathy and artery inflammatory neuropathy, which would both eventually lead to the irreversible damage to the optic nerve. In the early phase of AION, the main method is giving a glucocorticoids intravenous drip and a periglomerular injection (or retrobulbar injection) in time, but using the glucocorticoids for a long time or in quantity can cause a series of complications. Therefore, the combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment of AION has become more and more significant in clinic.