Adult ; Antidepressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Depression ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Female ; Gastric Emptying ; drug effects ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Powders

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex chronic progressive disease attacked by biological and mechanical factors and a result from the anabolic and catabolic imbalance in chondrocyte, subchondral bone and extracellular matrix(ECM). Etiology and pathological of OA are not yet entirely clear. The degradation and destruction of collagen II caused by matrix metalloproteinase -13 (MMP-13) is considered the core factor in the occurrence and development of OA. The research of MMP-13 inhibitor provide ideas and methods for the treatment of OA. In this article,the role and determination of MMP-13 in OA and the development prospect of MMP-13 inhibitor in the treatment of OA research progress were reviewed.
Animals ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 ; analysis ; physiology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Shenfu Injection (SI) on immune function in patients during perioperative cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

METHODSNinety patients scheduled for CPB were randomly divided into 3 groups, the group A treated with SI before CPB, the group B treated with SI after CPB and the group C (the control group), 30 cases in each group. Counts of leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte and T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+) and serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4 were investigated at different time-points, i.e. one day before CPB, immediately after anesthesia and finishing CPB, and the 1st, 3rd and 8th post-operational days.

RESULTSIn all the three groups, counts of leukocyte and neutrophil rose immediately after CPB and the high level maintained on the 1st and 3rd post operational days, it somewhat lowered on the 8th day but still higher than that before operation, showing insignificant difference among the 3 groups. As for the other indexes, they declined obviously and immediately after CPB and began to restore on the 8th day to a certain extent, and the restoration were better in the group A and B, as the changes were milder.

CONCLUSIONSI could improve the immune function and reduce the risk of post operational infection in patients during perioperative CPB.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; immunology ; surgery ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; drug effects

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic role of multi-slice CT(MSCT)angiography for tumors of intra-abdominal testes.Methods MSCT angiography of 5 cases with seminoma of intra-abdominal testes proved by surgery and pathology was analyzed.All patients were male,and the age ranged from 33 to 59 years with the mean of 43.6 years.Results(1)The arterial-supply of tumors completely came from the testicular artery of the same side.The arteries went into tumors from the posterior side.(2)The tumors had comparatively large volume with complete or incomplete amicula.The tumor density of 3 cases was inhomogeneous.The degree of entity augmentation of 5 patients was about 14—25 HU.Conclusion MSCT angiography can reveal the tumor vessel and is essential for the diagnosis of tumors of intra-abdominal testes.

Objective To examine the clinical manifestations and pulmonary radiological features in patients with triphosgene poisoning.Methods Clinical manifestations,laboratory tests and CT scans were analyzed retrospectively in 17 patients with triphosgene poisoning.We focused on the severity,development and repair of pulmonary impairment.Results Plain film and CT scans in five mild cases demonstrated bilateral scattered pulmonary patchy shadows.Of 12 cases with moderate to severe diseases,three showed bilateral multiple pulmonary patchy shadows and nodules with confluence of part of the lesions on plain film and CT scans;bilateral lungs were involved in nine cases with imaging findings of bilateral disseminated pulmonary round or ovary nodules with different size,ill-defined and partly-confluent patchy shadows and thickening of both interlobular septum and the wall of bronchus.Of clinical interests,imaging findings were closely correlated with clinical course and laboratory results.Conclusion Radiological examinations with plain films and CT scans could reveal the severity,evolvement of pulmonary edema in patients with triphosgene poisoning,and these are of clinical benefit in the early management and prognostic evaluation of patients with triphosgene poisoning.

Oxidative stress can induce significant cell death by apoptosis. We explore whether prior exposure to H2O2 (H2O2 preconditioning) protects PC12 cells against the apoptotic consequences of subsequent oxidative damages and what role the ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels play in the preconditioning protection. PC12 cells were preconditioned with 90 min exposure to H2O2 at 10 micromol/L, followed by 24-h recovery and subsequent exposures to different concentrations (20, 30, 50 and 100 micromol/L) of H2O2 for 24 h respectively. We used PI staining flow cytometry (FCM) to observe the apoptosis of PC12 cells. It was shown that 24-h exposures to H2O2 at 20, 30, 50 and 100 micromol/L respectively induced substantial cell apoptosis, which was greatly prevented in the preconditioning cells, indicating that H2O2 preconditioning protected PC12 cells against apoptosis induced by H2O2. Administration of pinacidil (10 micromol/L), an K(ATP) channel activator, significantly attenuated the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by H2O2 at 30 and 50 micromol/L for 24 h respectively. Glybenclamide (10 micromol/L), a K(ATP) channel inhibitor, significantly suppressed or abolished the protective effects caused by the pinacidil but not by H2O2 preconditioning. However, when both H2O2 preconditioning and pinacidil were co-applied, their protection against the apoptosis of PC12 cells was much stronger than that of the individual one of them. These results suggest that H2O2 preconditioning protects PC12 cells against apoptosis and that the activation of K(ATP) channels is not involved in, but synergetically enhances adaptive protection of H2O2 preconditioning.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Oxidants ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; PC12 Cells ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo determine if there are excessive risks of malignant tumors or not among workers exposed to asbestos by applying a meta-analysis technique.

METHODSAll data meeting the criteria of cohort studies on cancer mortality of digestive system among workers exposed to asbestos would be incorporated into the meta-analysis. The pooled standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for main cancer sites of digestive system were calculated by using two approaches of un-weighted ratio and random effects model. The heterogeneity and its sources of the results were examined with a Q-statistic and Z-score test.

RESULTS69 asbestos-exposed cohorts were summarized. The significantly elevated meta-SMR for all deaths (1.16), all cancers (1.42), cancer of digestive system (1.15) and cancer of stomach (1.20) among workers exposed to chrysotile alone or mixed asbestos were observed (P < 0.01). The stomach cancer SMR was significantly increased in the asbestos cement workers, the screening mine workers and the insulators, (1.27, 1.21 and 2.13 respectively) (P < 0.05). meta-SMR for cancers at other sites of digestive system including esophagus, colon, rectum and liver were not significant.

CONCLUSIONThere are likely excessive risks of cancer of stomach among workers exposed to asbestos. However, there is likely no convincing indication of an etiological association between asbestos exposure and cancers at other sites of digestive system.

Asbestos ; adverse effects ; Carcinogens, Environmental ; adverse effects ; Cohort Studies ; Digestive System Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; mortality ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

Sarcopenia is an age-related syndrome of extensive, aggressive muscle mass loss and function reducing, which seriously affects the quality of life and social participation of the elderly. Dysphagia can increase the prevalence of sarcopenia, in another hand, sarcopenia can also implicate swallow related muscles, to increase the risk of malnutrition and aspiration. In recent years, the concept of sarcopenic dysphagia has been widely recognized in many researches. Sarcopenia is mainly screened with CT, MRI, ultrasound, and other auxiliary examination, as well as consensus guidelines. Interventions for it mainly include functional training, nutrition management and drug therapy. Early identification and intervention are important for the outcome and quality of life of patients.

AIMTo study the dissolution rate of solid pharmaceutical preparation on-line, a multiple channel fiber-optic chemical sensor based on fluorescence multiple quenching (FOCSMQ) without filtering and sampling was made.

METHODSUsing the multiple channel FOCSMQ linked with computer, the dissolution rates of ofloxacin tablets, metronidazole tablets and nitrofurantoin tablets were monitored continuously on-line. The instrument can give the sample data, display the real time curve and calculate the T1/2 and td automatically. A computer was used to select the best function from five common fitting models to fit the dissolution curve.

RESULTSThe average recoveries of the FOCSMQ method were 97.4%-104.4%, 97.4%-103.8% and 96.6%-102.1%. The RSDs (n = 6) of within-day and between-day were less than 5%. The parameters of the dissolution and all results of measurement using the instrument have no significant difference compared with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP) (2000) method and the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) (23) method (P > 0.05). It does not need sampling and dilution, and never contaminate sample. It can shorten time of the experiment.

CONCLUSIONThe method is simple, rapid and reliable.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; instrumentation ; Fiber Optic Technology ; methods ; Metronidazole ; chemistry ; Nitrofurantoin ; chemistry ; Ofloxacin ; chemistry ; Optical Fibers ; Solubility ; Tablets ; chemistry ; Transducers

OBJECTIVETo realize human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) and hepatitis C virus(HCV) super-infected with hepatitis G virus(HGV or GBV/C) and to probe into the mechanism of these virus infection in the body.

METHODSHIV and HCV load were tested by the quantitated RT-PCR in the HIV or HCV infected plasma samples respectively and the HGV RNA was detected in all of the samples. Then some of the HGV positive were sequenced.

RESULTS123 of 317 HIV patients were positive for HGV, the positive rate was 38.8%. Among the 91 HCV patients, 19 were positive for HGV. The positive rate is 20.9% which was less than that of HIV patients. HIV load of the patients super-infected with HGV was less than that of those without HGV[(1.8+/-0.6)x10 copies/ml compared with (1.9+/-1.1)x10(2)copies/ml]; while HGV and HCV super-infection did not influence the HCV RNA load significantly [(1.5+/-0.6)x10(4) copies/ml compared with (5.4+/-1.8)x10(4)copies/ml]. The HGV sequences from HIV or HCV patients were compared and showed no difference markedly.

CONCLUSIONThe rate of the HIV and HGV super-infection is higher than that of HCV. HGV may inhibit HIV reproduction in the body while superinfection.

GB virus C ; HIV ; physiology ; HIV Infections ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; physiology ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; virology ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Virus Replication