Cardiovascular Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy

Objective To establish a ten-zone divisional method of the knee joint and investigate its clinical application to arthroscopic total synovectomy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods A total of 22 fresh frozen specimens of adult knee joints were prepared for anatomical study on the sagittal septum of the knee to establish ten-zone divisional method of the knee joint. A retrospective study was carried out on 37 patients with early-stage RA (40 knees) undergone arthroscopic total synovectomy. Among the cases,15 knees were operated according to ten-zone divisional method; and the other 25 were treated with the routine method. The patients were followed up for 10-72 months to evaluate their Lysholm score,Lequesne Index,and Larsen stage classification. Results There was a sagittal septum in the knees,connecting anteriorly to the fat pad,alar fold,or mucous ligament. The middle part of the sagittal septum lied between the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments,and its posterior part formed the posterior septum of the knee. Considering the anatomy of the sagittal septum,the synovium of the knee could be divided into 10 zones. All of the patients underwent total synovectomy by ten-zone divisional method achieved excellent or good outcomes (100%,15/15),none of them recurred during follow-up. Among the 25 knees that received total synovectomy by routine arthroscopic method,17 achieved excellent or good outcomes (68%,17/25),and 8 had recurrence (Fisher's exact test,P=0.016). Conclusions Arthroscopic total synovectomy was one of the effective treatments for early-stage RA. The ten-zone divisional method for total synovectomy according to the structure of the knee sagittal septum could improve the clinical results of total synovectomy for rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported that more and more methods were used to prevent and cure tendon adhesion following tendon rupture by repairing tendinous sheath. Especially, amnion membrane is commonly used to effective prevent and cure adhesion and promote healing of biomembrane; however, the effect on tendon adhesion needs to be further studied. OBJECTIVE: To verify the efficacy of amnion membrane preserved in Honghua injection on preventing and curing tendon adhesion following transplanting into foot flexor tendon. METHODS: Bilateral foot flexor tendons of 32 healthy mature chickens were cut off. By anastomosis, amnion membrane preserved in Honghua injection was transplanted into left foot flexor tendon, considering as experimental group. Right foot flexor tendons were randomly divided into two groups: blank control group, anastomosis was performed alone; positive control group, amnion membrane not preserved in any injections was transplanted. At 4 weeks after fixation by plaster cast, sliding function of tendon was detected using biomechanics, and local samples were obtained for histopathological observation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the experimental group, broken end of left tendon was well healed; fiber tissues were formed surrounding tendon; tissue adhesion was not observed surrounding tendon. Proliferative quantity and adhesion of fiber tissues, as well as content of hydroxyproline in the experimental group were significantly less than in the blank control and positive control groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); total inflexion angle of articulationes digitorum pedis and slipping distance of flexor digitorum profundus tendon in the experimental group were significantly greater than in the blank control and positive control groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The results indicated that amnion membrane preserved in Honghua injection might prevent tendon adhesion and effectively promote tendon healing.

Objective To evaluate the effect of HIV infection and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on mitochondrial function and mass in peripheral monocytes.Methods There were 14 ART-naive HIV-infected patients,14 NRTI treated HIV-infected patients and 12 healthy controls from Beijing Ditan Hospital.The mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass in monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry.Mitochondrial disturbances related to HIV infection and HAART in monocytes were analyzed.Results In ART-naive patients and NRTI-exposed patients,the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential in monocytes (77.74 ± 14.77,73.94 ± 12.87) were significantly lower than these in healthy controls (89.43 ±4.06) (P =0.032 8,P =0.002 6).The amount of mitochondrial mass in NRTI-exposed patients (3 329.0 ± 836.7) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (2 075.0 ± 932.2) and that in ART-naive patients (2 592.0 ± 781.5) (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The abnormal of mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass in monocytes from HIV-infected patients were related to HIV infection and the introduction of HAART.

SUMMARY A 36-year-old woman had an 8-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and was being treated with 10 mg/d of prednisone.She presented with a 6-month history of intermittent fever and multiple painful multi skin erythematous macules in her button, hips and extremities that had slowly en-larged to 8 cm ×4 cm in diameter.The lesions started as painful erythematous macules, which eventually ulcerated and scared.Laboratory tests showed leukopenia, protenuria, positive anti-double strand DNA and hypocomplementemia.Cultures of the bottom ulcer were E.Coli, fugus and Tuberculous mycobacteria were both negative.Biopsy was performed and revealed necrosis of epidermis, thrombus and cellulose de-generation in epidermis with neutrophils karyorrhexis and vasculitis.Her SLE was active, so she was pre-scribed antibiotics for 2 weeks and prednisone was added to 60 mg/d for a month.However her skin ul-cers did not relieve.When prednisone was added to 120 mg/d with combination therapy of cyclophospha-mide and hydroxychloroquine, her skin ulcer cicatrized gradually.

Objective To evaluate accuracy and consistency of the coagulation convention that involves PT, INR, FIB, APTT on two coagulation analysators(ACL-9000 and ACL-200, Beckman-Coulter Corporation, US). Methods The repeatability test was used to assess the precision, the accuracy and consistency of the coagulation convention on two coagulation analysators were evaluated by comparison and analysis. Results The repeatability of related test results based on ACL-9000 coagulation analysator was better that CV value less than 5%, but the repeatability of abnormal specimens FIB based on ACL-200 was poor that CV value of 6.6%. Through comparing ACL-9000 analyzer, the test results of ACL- 200 coagulation analysator has good correlation with it, correlation coefficient ?﹥0.975. Conclusion In the condition of the excellent precision and stability, we can also find system errors existed in the analyzer on time by verificating. Through being adjusted and calibrated, the examination department can deliver the results of accuracy consistency.

Objective To investigate the expression level of miRNA-146a (miR-146a) in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells aging and age-related macular degeneration (AMD),and discuss its regulation mechanism of AMD by repressing VEGF-A.Methods The expressions of miR-146 and VEGF-A were examined by qRT-PCR in RPE cells in mice aged 2 months,8 months,12 months,18 months or 24 months,and in RPE cells from 75 years old AMD patients.The protein level of VEGF-A was also detected by Western Blotting.Finally,the effects of overexpression of miR-146a in APRE-19 cell line on expression of VEGF-A was checked.Results MiR-146 was up-regulated to 8 times or 24 times at 18 months or 24 months aged mice,and the expression of VEGFA was down-regulated in aging RPE from 1.5 times to 0.8 times.However,the expression of miR-146 decreased to 14.5 times and VEGF-A increased in RPE cells of AMD.In cultured cells,overexpression of miR-146a inhibited the expression of VEGF-A.Conclusion Up-regulation of miR-146a in aging RPE cells and its down-regulation in AMD suggest a potential of miR-146a as molecular marker.MiR-146a overexpression inhibits the expression of VEGF-A,supporting a potential clinical treatment of miR-146 in AMD.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with cisplatin for patients with carcinoma of cervix.Methods One hundred patients with carcinoma of cervix were randomly divided into 2 equal groups to undergo IMRT only (IMRT group)and IMRT combined group (IMRT with cisplatin chemotherapy group),with 50 cases in each.Both groups were treated with external intensity modulated radiotherapy,with the total dose of 50 Gy,2 Gy/fraetion,25 fractions in total,and 5 times/week.Two weeks later,internal radiotherapy followed,with the total dose of 42-48 Gy,1 time/week with 6-8 times and 6-7 Gy/fraction.When the internal radiotherapy began,the external radiotherapy stopped immediately.The combination group was treated concurrently with cisplatin given by intravenous drip once a week,at the dose of 30-40 mg/m2 body surface area for 4-5 weeks,and with total cisplatin dosage of 50-65 mg.Follow-up was conducted for 18 months(3-60 months).The 1-,3-,and 5-year survival rates,local control rate,distant metastasis rate,and disease-free survival rate,blood test,rectum,and bladder were observed.Results The 1-year survival rate,local control rate,distant metastasis rate,and disease-free survival rate did not differ significantly between these 2 groups,however,the 3-and 5-year survival rates,local control rates,distant metastasis rates and disease-free survival rates of the combination group were all significantly better than those of the IMRT group (x2 =3.843,4.336,4.336,4.960,P ＜ 0.05 ; x2 =3.934,4.454,4.000,4.244,P ＜0.05).The incidence rates of radiation proctitis and leukopenia of the combination group were significantly higher than those of the IMRT only group (x2 =4.110,4.320,P ＜ 0.05),whereas the incidence rates of cystitis,anemia,and thrombocytopenia were not significantly different between these 2 groups.No serious grade 3-4 proctitis and cystitis were observed in these 2 groups.Conclusions The IMRT combined with cisplatin chemotherapy shows higher 3-year and 5-year long-term efficacy in the patients with carcinoma of cervix than IMRT only group.

Aim To study the phytoestrogenic effect and its mechanism of isopsoralen in estrogen receptor (ER) positive T47D and ER negative MDA-MB231 breast cancer cell line.Methods The proliferation rate and cell cycle distribution of T47D and MDA-MB231 cells influenced by isopsoralen were analyzed by MTT and flow cytometry assay respectively.PS2 mRNA level in T47D cells was quantified by Real-time RT-PCR assay.PS2 expression was measured by flow cytometry.Estrogen receptor antagonist ICI180,782 was employed as a tool.Results The proliferation rates and indexes of T47D cells treated with 1?10-6 mol?L-1 and 1?10-7 mol?L-1 isopsoralen were increased.These effects could be blocked by ICI182,780.Meanwhile,isopsoralen didn't show stimulative effects on proliferation rate of MDA-MB231 cells.Real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry results showed that isopsoralen at 1?10-6 mol?L-1 and 1?10-7 mol?L-1 could induce elevation of pS2 mRNA and protein expression level in T47D cells.These effects could be partly blocked by ICI182,780.Conclusion Isopsoralen has phytoestrogenic effect and its effect is attained mainly via ER pathway.

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of calcium in milk, hair and urine was developed using metal complezing dye orthocresolphth-alein complexone(OCPC).The organic matter in the tested sample was destroyed by digestion. An aliquot of the digested solution was mixed with color developing reagent, alkaline OCPC, cantaining 8-quinolinol to suppress interference such as magnesium, and the absorbance was measured at 570 nm.The coefficients of variation were 0.87, 3.6 and 1.2% for milk, hair and urine samples; and the analytical recoveries of calcium from milk, hair and urine averaged 100.4, 101.0 and 98.5% respectively. The calcium content of milk and hair determined by this method was closely correlated with that of the ICP-AES method (r =0.994, p