Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Inhalation ; Male ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Poisoning ; diagnosis

AlM:To investigate the protective effect of astaxanthin (AST) on human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells against oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).METHODS:Human RPE cells were subcultured, cell activity was detected by MTT, rate of apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and cell ultrastructure changes were observed under transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: MTT results showed that cell activity elevated to ( 53. 66%± 3. 25% and 70. 43%± 2. 38% after 10-8 mol/L and 10-4 mol/L AST treated. The difference had statistically significant (P<0. 05) compared with oxidative injury group (38. 76%± 3. 74%). Flow cytometry results showed that the apoptosis rate of RPE cells decreased to 30. 23%± 1. 91% and 12. 58%± 2. 12% in AST pretreated group, the difference was significant (P<0. 05) compared with oxidative injury group ( 42. 50%± 1. 94%); Electron microscopy showed that the morphology of cells gradually improved accompanied with the concentration of AST elevated.CONCLUSlON:AST may inhibit hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis of RPE cells, it can provide reliable evidence for pursue effective medicine to prevent and treat retina injury.

'Bronze teeth' reflect the mechanical properties of natural teeth to a certain extent. Their mechanical properties resemble those of a tough metal, and the gradient of these properties lies in the direction from outside to inside. These attributes confer human teeth with effective mastication ability. Understanding the various mechanical properties of human teeth and dental materials is the basis for the development of restorative materials. In this study, the elastic properties, dynamic mechanical properties (visco-elasticity) and fracture mechanical properties of enamel and dentin were reviewed to provide a more thorough understanding of the mechanical properties of human teeth.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Dental Enamel ; physiopathology ; Dentin ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Mastication ; Tooth ; physiopathology

Photodynamic therapy ( PDT ) is a new technique to diagnose and treat diseases with photodynamic effect produced by photosensitizer and light, and is now a main method of treating exudative age - related macular degeneration ( AMD ) . ln recent years, with the development of science and technology, combinations of PDT have become a research hot spot. ln this paper, we reviewed the research status of treatments on exudative AMD with PDT combined anti-VEGF drugs.

OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate a mouse model of bronchial asthma with Yin deficiency syndrome.

METHODSThe mouse model of bronchial asthma with Yin deficiency syndrome was established by the treatment with injecting ovalbumin (OVA) two times to sensitize, inhaling OVA 14 times to stimulate, and using thyroxin through lavage during late stimulation. This model was evaluated through body weight, asthmatic behaviors, respiratory function, autonomous activity, lung pathology, and pulmonary fluid clearance.

RESULTSOVA combined with thyroxin was an appropriate method to induce the mouse model with increased food and water intake, autonomous activity, asthmatic behaviors score, and respiratory rate, decreased body weight, tidal volume, and wet/dry ratio of lung, and changed with pathology of lung tissue. The changes of the above mentioned parameters indicated that the model was the bronchial asthma with Yin deficiency syndrome.

CONCLUSIONThe OVA combined with thyroxin is a good pattern to establish a mouse model of bronchial asthma with Yin deficiency syndrome successfully, which can highly simulate the clinical symptoms of this disease.

Animals ; Asthma ; physiopathology ; Bronchi ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Ovalbumin ; Thyroxine ; Yin Deficiency

Objective To compare the coherence of serum creatinine,creatinine clearance(Ccr), Cystatin C,and estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)in each stage of chronic kidney disease(CKD) patients.Methods Creatinine in serum and urine were determined by Jaffe method;serum Cystatin C was measured by particle enhanced turbidimetric method,while eGFR was calculated using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease(MDRD)equation which was mainly based on the serum creatinine concentration.According to the American national kidney foundation-Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative(NKF-K/DOQI)guideline,all cases were grouped by eGFR into 5 stages.Results In these 228 cases,as eGFR decreased gradually,the average levels of creatinine and Cystatin C increased,while Ccr decreased.The level of each items showed a statistic difference among each stage(P0.05);in eGFR 60-89 ml/min group,the average level of creatinine was 83.3 ?mol/L,the abnormal rate was only 6.8%,it was not a sensitive marker to detect the slightly damaged GFR,the levels of Ccr and Cystatin C showed a marginal decrease and increase,with an abnormal rates of 70% and 86%,there was a statistic difference among the three abnormal rates(P

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect of acupuncture treatment and western medicine Carbamazepine for thalamic pain.

METHODSCrossover trial design was used, 11 cases diagnosed as thalamic pain were randomly divided into two groups according to the mini-unbalance-index method, group I (with 6 cases received acupuncture first and then western medicine) and group II (with 5 cases received western medicine first and then acupuncture). When the effects were evaluated, the two groups were named as acupuncture group and western medicine group, 11 cases in each group. The method of clearing away the heart fire, regulating the spirit, activating blood and relieving pain was adopted in acupuncture treatment, Ximen (PC 4), Yinxi (HT 6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Zhaohai (KI 6) were selected; the western medicine group was treated with oral administration of Carbamazepine, and one course as well as the eluting period were both 10 days. The effects were evaluated with visual analogue scale (VAS) and evaluation scale of Anderson Cancer Center pain in US (MD Pain Evaluation value) respectively.

RESULTSThe VAS and MD value in two groups were obviously decreased after treatment (both P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between two groups; the markedly effective rate of pain relieving in acupuncture group was 63.6% (7/11), which was higher than that of 36.4% (4/11) in western medicine group, but there was no significant difference between two groups.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture treatment of regulating spirit, activating blood and relieving pain has a better therapeutic effect for thalamic pain, and can reach to the same therapeutic effect with western medicine Carbamazepine.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Circulation ; Carbamazepine ; therapeutic use ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Pain Management ; Pain Measurement ; Spirituality ; Thalamus ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of decreased expression of high mobility group Box-1 on the proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

METHODSThree specific siRNAs of HMGB1 were designed and synthesized, and were transiently transfected into HepG2 cells by Lipofectamine 2000. The HMGB1 expression in HepG2 cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting respectively. The proliferation activity in vitro was assessed by MTT assay. In situ apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

RESULTSAll of these specific HMGB1-siRNAs (1, 2, 3) efficiently and specifically inhibited the expression of the HMGB1 gene, and the levels of HMGB1 mRNA were 1.147+/-0.024, 1.014+/-0.042, 0.435+/-0.055, respectively, in HMGB1-siRNAs transfection group, which were significantly lower than that in Lipofectamine 2000 alone group (1.411+/-0.065, P < 0.01). Correspondingly, all of these specific HMGB1-siRNAs (1, 2, 3) could efficiently and specifically inhibit the expression of the HMGB1 protein, and the levels of HMGB1 protein were 0.369+/-0.035, 0.340+/-0.028, 0.097+/-0.020, respectively, in HMGB1-siRNAs transfection group, which were significantly lower than that in Lipofectamine 2000 alone group (0.553+/-0.051, P < 0.01). Of the 3 specific HMGB1-siRNAs, HMGB1-siRNA-3 (siRNAH3) had the highest inhibition rate (80%). The proliferation of HepG2 cells was markedly inhibited by siRNAH3 transfection. Compared to mock-transfection, siRNAH3 transfection dramatically suppressed the proliferation of HepG2 cells (P < 0.01). Moreover, siRNAH3 can induce apoptosis (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONsiRNA targeting HMGB1 mRNA can specifically reduce HMGB1 gene and protein expression. siRNAH3 can effectively suppress the proliferation and induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; HMGB1 Protein ; genetics ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; RNA, Small Interfering

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the long-term efficacy of revaccination in non-responder children to primary hepatitis B (HB) vaccination and to compare the efficacy of low-dose intradermal inoculation to that of routine-dose intramuscular inoculation.

METHODS40 healthy non-responder children to primary HB vaccination identified by screening were given a three-dose revaccination randomly by intramuscular (n = 17, 10 microg per dose) or intradermal route (n = 23, 2 microg per dose) since September, 1999, and their blood specimens were collected regularly for testing for HB virus markers up to five years. Another 80 responder children to primary HB vaccination were also followed-up as controls without revaccination. By the end of five-year follow-up, HBsAg-specific lymphocyte response was investigated in vitro, and a booster dose (5 microg) was given to those with negative conversion of anti-HBs and their anamnestic responses were evaluated 12-14 days later.

RESULTSSerum anti-HBs did not reach 10 IU/L only in one of 40 non-responder children, who received intradermal revaccination. In the fifth year after revaccination, 50% of the non-responder children who received intramuscular revaccination still maintained anti-HBs of > or = 10 IU/L, though the rate was significantly lower than 85% in controls. Following the booster dose, a robust anamnestic response was developed in all of 8 intramuscular revaccinees and 11 controls but 16 of 18 intradermal revaccinees, who lost anti-HBs of > or = 10 IU/L over time, and geometric mean titers of anti-HBs climbed to 208, 105, and 549 IU/L, respectively. Secretions of HBsAg-specific interleukin-2 and -5 could be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples of more than 70% of non-responder children. Person-year infection rates of HB virus were 8.9% (8/89.9 person-years) for intradermal revaccinees, significantly higher than 3.6% (12/337.2 person-years) in controls, and 4.3% (3/70.2 person-years) for intramuscular revaccinees, approximating to that of controls, based on positive conversion of anti-HBc.

CONCLUSIONSThree-dose intramuscular revaccination did play an important immune protection for non-responder children to primary HB vaccination, but its efficacy could not reach the level of primary vaccination in responders. Low-dose intradermal inoculation was not as effective as route-dose intramuscular inoculation with the same doses in revaccination for non-responder children to primary HB vaccination.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Immunization, Secondary ; Male ; Students ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

HIV and AIDS remain as the crucial global health concern, therefore, research and development of novel anti-HIV-1 chemical therapeutics is still of paramount significance, which may be illuminated by cases of successful marketed drugs. Herein, we document the discovery and biological profile of new anti-HIV-1 drugs approved by FDA between 2005 and 2008 and some drug candidates are also discussed.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Anti-HIV Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; HIV Fusion Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; HIV Integrase Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; HIV Protease Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use