OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of the Chinese medicine Yiqigushen Capsule combined with levofloxacin on type III A prostatitis.

METHODSA total of 180 patients with type III A prostatitis were equally randomized into a treatment group, which received Yiqigushen Capsule combined with levofloxacin, and a control group, which was given Yiqigushen Capsule only, both for 4 weeks. NIH-CPSI scores and leukocyte counts in the expressed prostatic secretions of all the patients were analyzed before and after the treatment.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, NIH-CPSI scores and leukocyte counts in the expressed prostatic secretions of both the groups were significantly decreased compared with pre-treatment (P < 0.05 or 0.01), with statistic differences in NIH-CPSI scores but not in leukocyte counts (P < 0.05) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONYiqigushen Capsule combined with levofloxacin is highly effective for type III A prostatitis.

Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary ; therapeutic use ; Capsules ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Levofloxacin ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Ofloxacin ; therapeutic use ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the effects of various polysorbates(PS)on the stability of different types of monoclonal antibody(mAb)drugs.Methods Three types of monoclonal antibodies mAbA(IgG1 proantibody drug),mAbB(IgG1 mAb)and mAbC(IgG1 mAb with Fc N297A mutation)were used as model proteins,and different kinds or contents of PS were added into the mAb formulations respectively to investigate the influencing factors.The effects of PS on the stability of mAb drugs were evaluated comprehensively by detecting the changes of quality attributes,such as protein aggregates and insoluble particles.Results PS20 and PS80 showed no significant difference in inhibiting the formation of aggregates and charge variants in the three mAbs(P>0.05),while the addition of PS80 in mAbB and PS20 in mAbC significantly inhibited the increase of insoluble particles respectively(P<0.05);The content of PS20 showed a significant effect on the detection indexes of charge variants and insoluble particles in mAbC(P<0.05).Conclusion Different types of mAbs have different sensitivities to various kinds and contents of PS.Therefore,when designing the formulation of mAbs,it is necessary to select appropriate kinds and contents of PS to further improve the stability of mAb drugs.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms of intestine absorption of astragaloside IV in rat.

METHODThe K(a) and P(app) of astragaloside IV was investigated using single-pass intestinal perfusion technique in rats. HPLC was used to determine the concentration of astragaloside IV. The effect of absorption site, drug concentration and the inhibitors of P-glycoproteon on the absorption had been studied.

RESULTBy the testing of the statistics, the K(a) and the P(app) values of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colonic had significant differences (P < 0.05). The concentration from 20-80 mg x L(-1) had no distinctive effect on the K(a) and P(app) of small intestine. The inhibitors of P-glycoproteon had no distinctive effect on the absorption of small intestine.

CONCLUSIONAstragaloside IV is absorbed by typical passive diffusion mechanism.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Intestines ; metabolism ; Kinetics ; Male ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Triterpenes ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo study the cellular immune response to HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex in HBV transgenic mice.

METHODHSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex was reconstituted in vitro, then it was injected into HBV transgenic mice to observe the cellular immune response. At the same time, we investigated whether HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex could generate antigen specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in spleen cells.

RESULTSOur results demonstrated that HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex increased levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the spleens and peripheral blood of HBV transgenic mice, and the complex also activated dendritic and natural killer cells.

CONCLUSIONHSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex has an immunological antigenicity in raising the immunoresponse to chronic HBV infection in HBV transgenic mice. HSP70-HBcAg(18-27) complex might be considered as a candidate for further studies on its role as a therapeutic vaccine against chronic HBV infection in humans.

Animals ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Spleen ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

This study was aimed to investigate the killing activity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells after being incubated with autologous tumor cell lysate-pulsed dendritic cells (DC) and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and side effect of autologous tumor cell lysate-loaded DC in combination with CIK on relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were isolated from 9 patients with NHL, and cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) to produce DC. The DC were pulsed with autologous tumor cell lysate. T lymphocytes from PBMNC were cultured with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-2, CD3-moAb, and IL-1alpha to prepare CIK. After receiving the immunotherapy of DC and CIK, immunologic and clinical responses were evaluated. The results showed that the AgNOR, CD3(+)CD8(+) and CD3(+)CD56(+) ratio were markedly improved after the immunotherapy (p < 0.01); IFN-gamma and IL-12 levels in supernatant of DC-CIK group were higher than that in CIK group (p < 0.01); Tumor size were significantly decreased after the immunotherapy (p < 0.05). Except transient fever and chill, no remarkable adverse event happened during or after the treatment. It is concluded that the autologous tumor cell lysate-pulsed DC in combination with CIK show ability to specifically kill the lymphoma cells, obviously increases the IS value of Ag-NOR in peripheral lymphocytes, secretes cytokines higher than CIK cells alone. This combination displays the short-term satisfied efficacy on NHL through inducing specific antitumor immunity, and can be used as an effective adjuvant measure for the routine therapy of NHL.
Adult ; Aged ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; immunology ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; immunology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEYersinia enterocolitica is an extracellular pathogen and its related antigens interact with the host immune system. We investigated the difference in immunological characteristics between a highly pathogenic and poorly pathogenic strain of Y. enterocolitica.

METHODSWe used SDS-PAGE and western blotting to characterize lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Yersinia outer membrane proteins (Yops), membrane proteins, and whole-cell proteins from poorly pathogenic Y. enterocolitica bio-serotype 2/O:9, isolated from China, and highly pathogenic bio-serotype 1B/O:8, isolated from Japan.

RESULTSThese two strains of Y. enterocolitica had different LPS immune response patterns. Comparison of their Yops also showed differences that could have accounted for their differences in pathogenicity. The membrane and whole-cell proteins of both strains were similar; immunoblottting showed that the 35 kD and perhaps the 10 kD proteins were immunogens in both strains.

CONCLUSIONThe major antigens of the two strains eliciting the host immune response were the LPS and membrane proteins, as shown by comparing protein samples with reference and purified preparations.

Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; metabolism ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; physiology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Yersinia enterocolitica ; classification ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo prove the therapeutic effect of ginger-partitioned moxibustion on leukopenia induced by chemotherapy and effect on life quality of the patient with tumor after chemotherapy.

METHODSRandomized, controlled, multi-central cooperative method was used and the patients confirmed to the enrolled criteria were divided in-to two groups. The test group were treated with ginger-partitioned moxibustion at Dazhui (GV 14), Geshu (BL 17), Pishu (BL 20), etc.; and the control group with oral administration of Chinese patent medicine.

RESULTSOut of the 221 cases confirmed to program analysis, 113 cases were in the test group and 108 cases in the control group. After 10 days, the cured rate and the effective rate were 84.1% and 66.4% in the test group and 35.2% and 33.3% in the control group, respectively, with very significant differences between the two groups (both P < 0.01); fifteen days later, the therapeutic effects in the two groups were maintained. The two methods could improve clinical symptoms, with the test group being better than the control group. Any adverse response was not found in the two groups, and the injuries of functions of the heart, lung and kidney induced by chemotherapy had some improvement.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of ginger-partitioned moxibustion on luekopenia induced by chemotherapy is reliable and is better than oral administration of Chinese patent medicine, with a better duplication.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Ginger ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; methods

Objective To explore the characteristics of gene sequence of mtDNA-COⅠof Culex pipiens pallens from differ-ent geographical regions in Shandong Province and different resistant strains from the lab and five common mosquito species, and analyze the genetic diversity of these mosquitoes.Methods Adult mosquitoes were collected from Jinan,Jining,Qingdao cities and other places in Shandong Province.The sensitive,dichlorvos-resistant,pyrethroid-resistant and propoxur-resistant strains were reared in the lab.Five species of mosquito(Cx.pipiens pallens,Cx.tritaeniorhynchus,Anopheles sinensis,Aedes al-bopictus,and Armigeres subalbatus)were collected from Jining City and identified in the lab.mtDNA-COⅠwas specifically am-plified by PCR and sequenced.The gene sequences were compared and analyzed by the biological information systems,and the phylogenetic tree was constructed.Results The amplified mtDNA-COⅠfragments of Cx.pipiens pallens from eight different cit-ies and four different resistant strains were 528 bp in length,with 67.4% A+T contents and two mutation sites.The nucleotide se-quence homology among the different geographic strains was 99.95% and the gene sequences of the four resistant strains were the same,showing a high homogeny.The amplified mtDNA-COⅠfragments of the five species of mosquitoes were 528 bp with 408 conserved sites,120 variable sites,42 parsimony informative sites and 78 singleton sites. The A+T contents were between 65.7% and 68.0%.The nucleotide sequence homology among the different mosquito species was between 86.17% and 92.05%,and the molecular identification was consistent with the traditional morphological identification. The molecular phylogenetic study showed that the different species were clustered at their own branch at the species and genus levels,while genera Armiger-es was distantly related to the others.Conclusion mtDNA-COⅠcould not serve as the molecular marker to analyze the popula-tion genetic variation and phylogenesis of Cx.pipiens pallens from different geographical regions and different resistant strains, but it has species and genus specificities,which could be used for the identification of the mosquito species and genus.

Objective To investigate the seasonal fluctuations of mosquitoes in Taibai Lake area of Jining City,and evaluate the application effects of two mosquito trapping tools(Gongfu Xiaoshuai mosquito lamp and WJ-C mosquito sampler),so as to provide references for the effective surveillance,prevention and control of local mosquito vectors.Methods The overnight cap-ture of mosquitoes with a man-bait net trap,Gongfu Xiaoshuai mosquito lamp,and WJ-C mosquito sampler was performed to col-lect mosquitoes.The species of adult mosquitoes and seasonal fluctuations were investigated and analyzed.Results A total of 10 914 mosquitoes belonging to 13 species,5 genera were collected with the overnight capture of mosquitoes with the man-bait net trap,and Culex tritaeniorhynchus,Cx.pipiens palllen and Mansonia uniformis were the dominant species,accounting for 77.41％of the total.The proportion of Coquillettidia ochracea increased significantly.All the adult mosquitoes appeared in June,and reached the density peak in July and August.Both of the two surveillance tools showed relatively sensitive capture perfor-mance against mosquitoes.The trapping results of WJ-C mosquito sampler were basically the same as the man-bait trapping meth-od,however,the amount of Mansonia uniformis and Coquillettidia ochracea collected by Gongfu Xiaoshuai mosquito lamp was significantly lower than that of the man-bait trapping method.Conclusions The mosquito species are varied in Taibai Lake area of Jining City.Therefore,monitoring should be strengthened.In addition,the two mosquito trapping tools are sensitive,but they have both advantages and disadvantages,thus we should better pay attention to the consistency of monitoring methods in use.

AIM: To investigate the changes of protein expressions in human lens epithelial cells(SRA01/04)undergoing oxidative damage, hoping to provide new protein target for the pathogenesis of age-related cataract(ARC).METHODS: SRA01/04 cells were divided into experimental group and control group. In the experimental group, cells were irradiated with ultraviolet-B(UVB)for 10min to establish the model of oxidative damage, whereas cells in the control group were untreated. Protein expression profile from the two groups was sequenced by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation(iTRAQ). The filtering criteria that fold change >1.2 and p<0.05 was used to determine the differentially expressed proteins(DEPs). Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)database were utilized for functional enrichment analysis of the top 50 DEPs with either up-regulated or down-regulated significance. Furthermore, Pathway commons software was used to establish the protein-protein interaction(PPI)network.RESULTS: Overall, 552 DEPs were screened out. A total of 176 DEPs were up-regulated in the experimental group compared with the control group, including HMGB1 and USP1, while 376 DEPs were down-regulated, including POLR2A and POLR2B. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the top 50 DEPs with up-regulated or down-regulated significance were involved in various crucial biological processes and signaling pathways. PPI network revealed that oxidative damage repair(ODR)-related proteins might play a key role in UVB-induced oxidative damage.CONCLUSIONS: The expressions of multiple proteins, especially ODR-related proteins, can be altered in SRA01/04 cells via UVB irradiation. These findings may provide cellular-related insights into the pathogenesis of ARC and into proteins or pathways associated with therapeutic targets.