OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of Yiqi Huaju Recipe (YHR) combined with routine therapy on the blood pressure, the blood pressure variability and other cardiovascular risk factors in hypertension patients complicated with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

METHODSTotally 43 hypertension patients complicated with MetS were recruited in this study and randomly assigned to the treatment group (22 cases, treated with basic routine treatment +YHR) and the control group (21 cases, treated with basic routine treatment + placebo). The treatment course was 12 weeks. Detected were parameters such as 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 h postprandial plasma glucose (2 h PPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), serum lipid, etc.

RESULTSThe anthropometric parameters and plasma glucose levels (except HbAlc) were obviously lowered after treatment than before treatment in the treatment group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Besides, better effects were obtained in the WC, WHR, 2 h PPG, FPI and HOMA-IR (P < 0.05). The average blood pressure amplitude, the blood pressure variability, and blood pressure load at any time point were more obviously improved in the two groups after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Besides, partial indices were better in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSYHR combined with routine therapy exhibited better effect on reducing the blood pressure amplitude, the blood pressure variability, and the blood pressure load in hypertension patients complicated with MetS. It could also effectively decrease the risk of other vascular disease.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; complications ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate efficacies of three commonly used oral drugs including Berbamine Hydrochloride Tablet (B), Qijiao Shengbai Capsule (Q), and Leucogen Tablet (L) (by single drug, two drugs or three drugs) combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for treat ment of chemotherapy related leukocytopenia in mice.

METHODSTotally 156 Kunming male mice were divided into the normal control group (A, n=24), the model group (B, n=24), the G-CSF group (C, n =24), the G-CSF+Q group (D, n=12), G-CSF+ B (E, n=12), the G-CSF+L group (F, n=12), the G-CSF + Q + B group (G, n=12), the G-CSF + Q + L group (H, n=12), the G-CSF + L + B group (I, n=12), and the G-CSF + L + Q + B (J, n=12). Mouse models of chemotherapy related leukocytopenia were established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX). A G-CSF group was set up as a positive control. Mice were treated by a single oral drug, a single oral drug combined with G-CSF, and two or three drugs combined with G-CSF respectively, and the death rate calculated. Hemocytes [such as white blood cells (WBC) and its classification, red blood cells (RBC), platelet (PLT), hemoglobin (Hb)] were calculated by hematology analyzer. Mice were anatomized and important organs weighed. Organ indices were calculated.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the mortality rate among all groups (P > 0.05). Compared with Group B, WBC was elevated in all other groups (P < 0.01). WBC and PLT were elevated most in Group J, Hb and RBC were also increased at the same time (P < 0.05, P < 0. 01). Compared with Group B, RBC increased in Group E, F, G, I, and J (P < 0.01); Hb obviously increased in Group C, E, F, H, I, and J (P<0.01). Compared with Group B and D, the promotion of erythroid hematopoiesis by G-CSF could be elevated in any group contained drug B and L (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The spleen index of model mice could be significantly improved in Group C, D, and G (P < 0.01). The thymus index of model mice could be significantly improved in Group H (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe best scheme to treat mice with chemotherapy related leukopenia or decreased three blood series was to administrate three commonly oral drugs combined with G-CSF. Authors speculated that G-CSF and Q might have a certain effect on CTX induced immune inhibition.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Cyclophosphamide ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocyte Count ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism ; Hematopoiesis ; Hemoglobins ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Pharmaceutical Preparations

Objective To compare the efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/CT, 99Tcm-MDP bone scintigraphy (BS), and combination of the two techniques (PET/CT + BS) for detecting bone metastasis by ROC curve analysis. Methods All 296 patients with various cancers, who underwent both 99Tcm-MDP BS and 18F-FDG PET/CT within two months, were retrospectively analyzed. These images were interpreted according to 5-point scale (0: definitely negative, 1: probably negative, 2: equivocal, 3: probably positive, 4:definitely positive for bone metastasis), and the scale of PET/CT + BS was the sum of PET/CT and BS. In light of the confirmed diagnosis derived from pathology or follow-up, ROC curve analysis was performed.The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was compared by z-test. Results Of 296 cases, 61 (20.6%) were confirmed as bone metastases and 235 (79.4%) were negative. The AUC were 0. 919 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) :0. 867 - 0. 971) for BS, 0. 949 (95% CI: 0. 906 - 0. 991) for PET/CT, and 0. 994 (95% CI: 0.988-0.999) for PET/CT + BS, rctrospectively. The AUC of PET/CT + BS was statistically significantly larger than that of BS (z=2. 866, P=0.004) or PET/CT (z =2.027, P=0.043), while the AUC of PET/CT was larger than that of BS, but no statistically significance (z = 0. 881, P = 0. 378) was showed. The optimal sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value(NPV) were 90. 2% (55/61), 85. 1% (200/235), 86. 1% (255/296), 61. 1% (55/90), 97. 1%(200/206) for BS, 88.5% (54/61), 97.0% (228/235), 95.3% (282/296), 88.5% (54/61), 97.0% for PET/CT, and 98.4% (60/61), 95.7% (225/235), 96.3% (285/296), 85.7% (60/70) for PET/CT + BS,respectively. The specificity (χ2 = 19.862, P<0. 001), accuracy (χ2 = 23. 361, P<0.001) and PPV (χ2 =11. 791, P =0.001) of PET/CT + BS were significantly higher than those of BS, the sensitivity of PET/CT +BS was significantly higher than that of PET/CT (χ2 =4.167, P=0.031). Compared with BS, PET/CT had a higher specificity (χ2 = 19.600, P<0. 001), accuracy (χ2 = 13. 755, P <0. 001), PPV (χ2 = 13. 608, P <0. 001), but their sensitivity showed no statistically significant difference (χ2 = 0, P = 1. 000). Conclusions The efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting malignant bone metastasis was superior to that of 99Tcm-MDP BS alone. The detection ability can be obviously improved by combination of the two techniques.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of curcumine on the migration and invasion of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSRat hepatic stellate cells were cultured and activated with ConA. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression and activity was determined by Western blot and gelatin zymography. Migration and invasion of HSC was assessed by wound healing assay and modified Boyden chamber assay.

RESULTSCurcumine reduced the level and activity of MMP-2 expression in activated HSC in a dose-dependent manner. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the expression of MMP-2 was reduced by 21.8%+/-5.1%, 65.5%+/-9.2% or 87.9%+/-11.5% (P < 0.05), and the activity of MMP-2 was also significantly reduced by curcumine. Migration and invasion of activated HSC was also inhibited by curcumine in a dose-dependent way. When treated with 25, 50 or 100 micromol/L curcumine, the migration of activated HSC was reduced by 27.5%+/-5.8%, 54.4%+/-7.6% or 67.1%+/-9.3% (P < 0.05), and the invasion of activated HSC was also significantly reduced by curcumine.

CONCLUSIONCurcumine inhibits migration and invasion of activated HSC by reducing MMP-2 expression and activity.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Concanavalin A ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; prevention & control ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

The study was aimed to detect the expressions of costimulatory molecules on CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells so as to accumulate informations for investigation of mechanism of myelodysplastic syndrome. 11 healthy blood donors as control and 38 patients with MDS de novo were studied. 38 MDS patients were divided into RA/RARS group and RAEB/RAEB-t group according to FAB classification. The expressions of CD28, CD154, CTLA-4, PD-1, CD25 on CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells in peripheral blood were detected by FCM. The results indicated that as compared with normal controls, the expression of CD28 in MDS patients decreased, and CD154 increased. The percentages of CTLA-4, PD-1 and CD25 in MDS were obviously higher than that in normal controls; the differences of CTLA-4, PD-1 and the ratio of CTLA-4/CD28 between RAEB/RAEB-t and RA/RARS were more significant with progressing of MDS. In conclusion, the expressions of costimulatory molecule in MDS patients were abnormal, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDS.
Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; CD28 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD40 Ligand ; metabolism ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical results of hook plate internal fixation for the treatment of distal traumatic injuries of clavicle,and to analysis the mechanism of the complications.

METHODSFrom 2001.9 to 2008.2, 36 patients with fresh distal clavicle fractures of Neer type II and 14 patients with dislocation of Acromioclavicular joint of Tossy type III were treated with hook plate internal fixations. Among the patients, 36 patients were male and 14 patients were female, ranging in age from 19 to 77 years, with an average of 43 years. After the operation, the range of motion of shoulder joint was measured and the complications were studied. The Karlsson and Constant-Murley criteria were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up with a mean duration of 12 months (7 to 18 months). All the patients could move shoulder joint actively 1 week after operation, and recover to the normal ROM at the 6th week after operation. According to Karlsson criteria, 44 patients got an excellent result, 6 good. According to Constant-Murley criteria, the average score of wound shoulder was (73.8 +/- 8.3) before operation, and (59.6 +/- 6.7) after operation, and the postoperative score was higher than preoperative score. No incision infections were found and 5 patients with complications were cured. No re-dislocation of acromioclavicular joint occurred.

CONCLUSIONIt is advocated that hook plate for the treatment of distal clavicular fractures of Neer type II and acromioclavicular dislocation of Tossy type III could provide sufficient stability to allow early functional rehabilitation, and to decrease the rate of complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Clavicle ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo design an artificial trachea which can totally heal with the native trachea.

METHODSUsing memory-alloy mesh as the skeleton to construct an artificial trachea by two-stage operation. After 2-year animal experiment we successfully performed the operation in a patient with recurrent carcinoid of the trachea, radically resected the tumor and primarily reconstructed the trachea.

RESULTSThe inner side of this "sandwich" artificial tracheal prosthesis was coated with skin and outside the memory-alloy mesh was muscle and vessel pedicle with good blood supply. The upper and lower anastomosis completely healed with recipient's trachea with a full recovery of trachea. Six-month follow-up showed that the patients resumed their normal life.

CONCLUSIONThe artificial trachea completely healed with the native trachea and became a part of the human trachea. The inner side of artificial trachea is coated with intact native skin tissue with ample blood supply, totally alive without rejection. Therefore, the pedicled artificial tracheal prosthesis is an real artificial trachea.

Alloys ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Prostheses and Implants ; Trachea ; surgery ; Tracheal Neoplasms ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between serum resistin level, cardiovascular risk factors and severity of coronary disease in acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODSAfter evaluated by clinical history, electrocardiography, exercise tolerance tests, laboratory tests, and coronary angiography, 220 consecutive patients with suspected chest pain were divided into normal control group, stable angina pectoris (SAP) group, and ACS group, respectively. Baseline clinical characteristics, including height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, white blood cell count, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, were compared among three groups. ELISA was used to detect serum resistin levels. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis was used to assess association between resistin and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to define the relationship between serum resistin level and SAP or ACS.

RESULTSSerum resistin level in ACS group (1.18+/-0.48 microg/L) was significantly higher than that in normal control and SAP groups (0.49+/-0.40 and 0.66+/-0.40 microg/L; P<0.01). Only in ACS group, increased serum resistin level was significantly correlated with hsCRP (r=0.262, P=0.004) and white blood cell count (r=0.347, P=0.001). Furthermore, serum resistin levels showed a stepwise increase with the number increase of > 50% stenosed coronary vessels. Multinomial logistic regression test demonstrated that serum resistin was a strong risk factor for ACS (OR=29.132, 95 % CI: 10.939-77.581, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggested the potential role of resistin in atherosclerosis and especially its involvement in ACS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Aged ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Resistin ; blood ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of berberine hydrochloride on the expressions of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in periodontal tissues in rat periodontitis model.

METHODSBased on the successful rat periodontitis model, the experimental rats were randomized into different groups followed by oral treatment with berberine hydrochloride for 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks and then the rats were sacrificed and analyzed. Pathological assay and HE staining were used to detect the general conditions and pathological changes of rat periodontal tissues. And immunohistochemical staining was conducted to determine the expressions of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in rats periodontitis model periodontal tissues.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in the periodontitis tissues were significantly higher than that in the control group. Treatment with berberine hydrochloride decreased the levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in periodontitis tissues (P<0.05). Moreover, the general conditions and pathological changes in the control group and groups treated with berberine hydrochloride were much better than that in periodontitis groups.

CONCLUSIONBerberine hydrochloride inhibited the expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in periodontal tissues in rats periodontitis model and promoted the regeneration of the periodontal tissues. This study suggested that berberine hydrochloride may have potential clinical application.

Animals ; Berberine ; Interleukin-1beta ; Male ; Periodontitis ; Rats ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVETo investigate the personality traits and intensity dependence of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) in chronic primary insomnia.

METHODSThirty-seven patients with chronic primary insomnia (insomnia group) and 44 healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in the study. The AEPs were examined in insomnia and control groups; the personality traits were studied by Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scales (SSS) and Zuckerman-Kuhlman's Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ); and the mood states by Plutchik-van Praag's Depression Inventory (PVP).

RESULTThe scores of neuroticism-anxiety and depression in insomnia group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01); and the scores of impulsivity and aggression-hostility were also higher than those in control group (P<0.05); N1-P2 amplitude of AEP increased with stimulus intensity, which were significantly different in 70, 80, 90,100 dB (P<0.01). There were significant correlations between activity and N1 latency at 80 dB, activity and P2 latency at 100 dB (r=0.270, r=0.276, P<0.05); and between total scores of sensation seeking scale and N1-P2 amplitude (r=0.3746, r=0.35329, P<0.01) at 70 and 90 dB stimulus intensity in insomnia group. There were significant correlations among experience seeking and N1-P2 amplitude, experience seeking and slope rate (P<0.01) at 70, 80, 90, 100 dB stimulus intensity in insomnia group (r=0.539, r=0.3439, r=0.439, r=0.3278). There were significant correlations between sensation seeking of boredom susceptibility and slope rate (r=-0.282998, P<0.05) in insomnia group. There were significant correlations between thrill and adventure seeking and N1-P2 amplitude(r=0.2789, P<0.05) at 90 dB stimulus intensity in insomnia group; there were significant correlations between PVP and N1-P2 amplitude (r=-0.3434, r=-0.3158, P<0.05) at 70 dB and N1 latency at 80 dB in insomnia group.

CONCLUSIONChronic primary insomnia sufferers have higher levels of neuroticism-anxiety, depression, aggression-hostility and impulsivity, and some are correlated with stimulus intensity dependence in AEP.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; complications ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Personality ; physiology ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; complications ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult