Mutagenicity Tests ; methods ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions of Aidi Injection (AI) combined with percutaneous cool-tip radiofrequency ablation (CRFA) in treatment of primary liver cancer and to explore its effect on immune function.

METHODSEighty-nine patients with primary liver cancer at middle-late stage were assigned to the control group with CRFA alone and the treatment group treated with CRFA and intravenous dripping of AI 50 mL once every day for succesive 20 days.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and albumin (ALB) levels showed no marked change, and CD4 subgroup of T lymphocyte and CD4/CD8 ratio elevated in the treatment group (P<0.01), while the ALT level elevated (P<0.05), ALB level decreased (P < 0.01), CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio showed no change in the control group. The relapse rate was 20.0% (3/15) in patients with tumor more than 3 cm in diameter of the treatment group, which was obvious lower than that in the control group (55.0%, 11/20, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAI treatment could relieve the impairment of CRFA on hepatic function, improve immune function and reduce relapse rate in patients with primary liver cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To describe the CT and MRI features of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) caused by herbal medicine Gynura segetum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT and MRI features of 16 consecutive Gynura segetum induced HSOS cases (12 men, 4 women) were analyzed. Eight patients had CT; three patients had MRI, and the remaining five patients had both CT and MRI examinations. Based on their clinical presentations and outcomes, the patients were classified into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. The severity of the disease was also evaluated radiologically based on the abnormal hepatic patchy enhancement in post-contrast CT or MRI images. RESULTS: Ascites, patchy liver enhancement, and main right hepatic vein narrowing or occlusion were present in all 16 cases. Hepatomegaly and gallbladder wall thickening were present in 14 cases (87.5%, 14/16). Periportal high intensity on T2-weighted images was present in 6 cases (75%, 6/8). Normal liver parenchymal enhancement surrounding the main hepatic vein forming a clover-like sign was observed in 4 cases (25%, 4/16). The extent of patchy liver enhancement was statistically associated with clinical severity classification (kappa = 0.565). CONCLUSION: Ascites, patchy liver enhancement, and the main hepatic veins narrowing were the most frequent signs of herbal medicine induced HSOS. The grade of abnormal patchy liver enhancement was associated with the clinical severity.
Adult ; Aged ; Ascites/diagnosis ; Asteraceae/chemistry ; Cholecystography ; Female ; Gallbladder/pathology ; Hepatic Veins/pathology/radiography ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease/chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Hepatomegaly/diagnosis ; Humans ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy/*adverse effects ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids/adverse effects ; Severity of Illness Index ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the constituents of Elsholtzia blanda.

METHODThe chemical components were isolated by polyamide and silica gel column chromatography. Their structures were identified with extensive spectral (EI-MS, ESI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT, 1H-1H-COSY, HMBC, HMQC) and chemical methods.

RESULTFive compounds were isolated and identified as luteolin (I), luteolin-5-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (II), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (III), 5-hydroxy-7, 8 -dimethoxyflavone (IV) and 5-hydroxy-6, 7-dimethoxyflavone (V).

CONCLUSIONCompounds III, IV, V were isolated from E. blanda for the first time and I was firstly separated from the genus Elsholtzia.

Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Luteolin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

This study is to elucidate the metabolic pathway of 1,2-[bis (1,2-benzisoselenazolone-3 (2H)-ketone)]-ethane (BBSKE) in rats. Rats were administrated with a single dose of BBSKE 200 mg x kg(-1). The metabolites in rat urine, feces, bile and plasma were identified by LC-MSn analysis. The characterization of fragment ions from LC-MSn chromatography and mass spectrometry was applied to the investigation of structures of metabolites. Three phase I metabolites were detected in rat urine and feces. Two of them were also found in plasma and one existed in bile. These products were derived from oxidized, methylated and S-methylated BBSKE, separately. One phase II glucuronide of BBSKE was also found in bile. Therefore, it is possible that BBSKE was metabolized by oxidization, methylation and glucuronidation.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Bile ; metabolism ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Feces ; chemistry ; Male ; Organoselenium Compounds ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo construct a rheumatoid arthritis-specific full-length fully human mammalian display antibody libraries.

METHODSPeripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The repertoires of kappa light chain (LCκ) and heavy chain variable region (VH) of the antibodies were amplified by RT-PCR. The amplified LCκ and VH genes were inserted into the vector pDGB-HC-TM separately, and the ligated libraries were transformed into competent E.coli TOPO-10 strain to construct the rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody heavy and light chain libraries. 293T cells were co-transfected with the libraries and the full-length fully human antibody expressed on the surface of 293T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe libraries of rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibody LCκ and heavy chain (IgG1) were constructed. The expression of full-length fully human antibody on the surface of 293T cells was confirmed by flow cytometry. With the rates of correct LCκ and heavy chain sequence insertion reaching 80% and 60%, respectively, as shown by DNA sequence analysis of the randomly selected clones, the libraries showed an expressible combinatory diversity of 6.13×10(10).

CONCLUSIONThe constructed libraries provide a useful platform for screening rheumatoid arthritis-specific antibodies.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies ; genetics ; immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; immunology ; Cell Surface Display Techniques ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Peptide Library ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cyto-genotoxicity of cigarette smoke condensates (CSCs) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes with different assays in vitro.

METHODSHuman lymphocytes were exposed to particle matter of cigarette smoke combined with or without S9 mixtures at doses of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 microg/ml for 3 h. The cytotoxicity induced by CSCs was detected by CCK-8 assay. The DNA damage, DNA repair (repair time: 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 min, respectively) and the somatic cell mutations induced by 75 microg/ml CSCs were measured by comet assay, hprt gene and TCR gene mutation tests, respectively.

RESULTSCCK-8 assay indicated that the cell viability decreased with CSCs doses. At the doses of 100, 125 microg/ml, the cell viability of CSCs +S9 group was significantly higher than that of CSCs -S9 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comet assay, DNA damage significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner, as compared with controls (P < 0.01). Moreover, there was significant difference between -S9 group and +S9 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The Mf-TCR at each dose group was significantly higher than that of controls (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The Mf-hprt at high-dose groups were significantly higher than that of controls (P < 0.01), and significant difference of Mf-TCR and Mf-hprt at high doses of CSCs between -S9 group and +S9 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The DNA damage induced by CSCs +S9 or CSCs -S9 could be repaired, but DNA repair speed was different between -S9 group and +S9 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCSCs may induce cyto-genotoxicity in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro, but S9 mix could reduce the toxicity of CSCs and impact DNA repair speed.

Cells, Cultured ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; DNA Repair ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Mutation ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlations between increased spinal cord signal intensity on magnetic resonance images (MRI) and the clinical prognosis of compressive cervical myelopathy.

METHODSSixty-six patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy underwent surgeries through the anterior approach. In all the patients, the diagnoses were established on the basis of both neurological examination and MRI findings that showed spinal cord compression. The patients were divided into two groups according to preoperative MRI, namely isointense MRI T1/T2 signal group and iso/hyperintense MRI T1/T2 group. The JOA scores of the patients were evaluated before and at 6 and 12 months after the operation.

RESULTSThe patients were followed up for 12 to 38 months after the operation (mean 21 months), and no statistically significant difference were found in the pre- and postoperative JOA scores between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe peoperative hyperintense signals on T2 weighted MRI does not correlate to the prognosis of patients with compressive cervical myelopathy, who may also have favorable clinical outcomes after the operation.

Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Spinal Cord Compression ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Spinal Osteophytosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo establish immortalized B lymphoblast cell lines (B-LCLs) from healthy anti-HBs antibody (anti-HBs)-positive volunteers and screen for human anti-HBs and the antibody-secreting cells.

METHODSThe peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from 3 healthy volunteers positive for anti-HBs with hepatitis B vaccine boost vaccination were infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and incubated in the presence of CpG DNA motifs and cyclosporin A (CyA). The anti-HBs in the culture supernatant of the immortalized B-cells was quantified by Architect anti-HBs assay with chemiluminescent microparticle technique. Immunocytochemistry was performed to identify the differentiation of the cell clones expressing anti-HBs.

RESULTSImmortalized B-cell culture was successfully established from the cell clones secreting anti-HBs with EBV infection and CpG DNA stimulation. The titer of anti-HBs in the culture supernatant was at its peak at 3 weeks of cell culture and then decreased gradually. At 3 months of cell culture, the cells still retained the capacity of anti-HBs production as verified by the results of immunocytochemistry for CD20 and CD138.

CONCLUSIONImmortalized B-cell culture secreting anti-HBs from volunteers receiving boost hepatitis B vaccination has been successfully established by modified EBV immortalization technique.

B-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization, Secondary ; Vaccination

Objective: To discuss the effect of Peiyuan Tongnao capsules on neurological impairment of patients with ischemic stroke at convalescence, and discuss the mechanism of action in microcirculation improvement, anti-inflammation and neuroprotection. Method: One hundred and thirty one patients were randomly divided into control group (66 cases) and observation group (65 cases) by random number table. Patients in control group were given aspirin enteric-coated tablets, 0.1 g/day, simvastatin tablets, 10 mg/days, and treated by percutaneous nerve electrical stimulator for 30 times, 30 min/time, 1 time/day, 5 times/week. In addition of the therapy in control group, patients in observation group were also given Peiyuan Tongnao capsules, 3 grains/time, 3 times/days. A course of treatment was 12 weeks. Before treatment, and at the 4^th, 8^th and 12^th weeks, neurological deficits in the national institutes of health (NIHSS), activity of daily life scale (ADL), berg balance scale (BBA), fugl-meyer scale (FMA) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes were scored. And levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), homocysteine (Hcy) and serum cystatin C (Cys-C) and hemorheological indicators whole blood viscosity, high shear rate, low shear rate, reduced viscosity, plasma viscosity, platelet aggregation rate, fibrinogen (FIB) and blood sedimentation rate (ESR)were detected. Result: At the 8^th and 12^th week after treatment, score of NIHSS in observation group was lower than that in control group (P<0.01), and NIHSS in observation group declined more than that in control group (P<0.01). Scores of ADL, BBA and FMA and levels of BDNF were higher than those in control group (P<0.01), while scores of TCM syndromes and levels of NSE, IL-6, TNF-α, Hcy, Cys-C and hemorheological indices were all lower than those in control group (P<0.01). And by rank sum test, the clinical effect in observation group was superior to that in control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Peiyuan Tongnao capsules can promote the recovery of neurological impairment at recovery period of ischemic stroke, regulate inflammatory factors, improve blood rheology, protect neural function, and improve the effect of routine western medicine rehabilitation therapy.