Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ankle Injuries ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sprains and Strains ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Fengshi No. 1 (FS1) in treating patients with active stage of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSPatients with RA were randomly divided into two groups, the 40 patients in the treated group were treated with combined therapy of methotrexate (MTX), sulfasalazine (SSZ) and FS1, and the 20 in the control groups were treated with MTX and SSZ alone.

RESULTSIn the treated group, the total effective rate was 97.5%, the clinical controlled and markedly effective rate 95.0% and the occurrence rate of side-toxic reaction 10.0%, as compared with those in the control group, 60.0%, 20.0% and 45.0% respectively, the difference was significant (chi 2 = 11.91, 32.23 and 7.67 respectively, all P < 0.01). The effect in the treated group was superior to that in the control group in abating joint swelling and pain, improving function of joint, reducing immune indices and ameliorating iconographic features (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFS1 not only has the effects of anti-inflammation, analgesis, regulating immune reaction, but also could retard the occurring of bone destruction, reduce the toxic-side effects of MTX and SSZ.

Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Sulfasalazine ; therapeutic use

Objective： The current study was designed to evaluate the treatment results of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by conformal radiotherapy. Methods： From September 1997 to February 2000, a total of 41 cases of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated by conformal radiotherapy. Among them, 27 cases were treated by late-course hypofraction conformal radiotherapy with the dose of 20- 24 Gy at 80％ isodose, 4- 7 Gy per time, following routine radiotherapy of 39 Gy/30f/3weeks. Fourteen cases received total-course conformal radiotherapy with the dose of 59.8 Gy/46f/4.6weeks at 90％ isodose. Results： The reference isodose curves conform to the target in three dimensions in conformal radiotherapy. The acute radiation mucositis, cranial nerve paralysis and trismus incidence were similar in two groups, however, in the hypofractionation group 22％ developed necrosis of nasopharyngeal mucosa, 3.7％ developed reduced optic nerve lesion, whereas none of the hyperfractionation group had these complications. The tumor response rate were both 93％ for two groups. Conclusion： Hyperfraction conformal radiotherapy is effective in the treatment of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma and has relatively lower incidence of radiation complication.

Adult ; Air Pollutants ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Military Medicine ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Noise, Occupational ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical significance of nitric oxide (NO) and 8-isoprostane (8-isoPG) changes in exhaled breath condensate ( EBC) of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients after treated by Qingfei Decoction (QD).

METHODSTotally 48 ARDS patients receiving mechanical ventilation were equally assigned to the QD treatment group and the control group by random digit table. EBC specimens were collected by modified Ecoscreen breath condensate collector (German JAEGER Company) on the first day and the fifth day after confirmed diagnosis of ARDS. Concentrations of NO and 8-isoPG in EBC were measured by ELISA. The oxygenation index and APACHE II scores were recorded at the same time.

RESULTS(1) The fatality rate in the QD treatment group was lower than that in the control group (8.3% vs 37.5%, P < 0.05). (2) After treatment NO and 8-isoPG concentrations in EBC were lower in the QD treatment group (34.49 ± 5.67 µmol/L, 30.09 ± 7.89 ng/L) than in the control group (39.78 ± 9.27 µmol/L, 35.65 ± 8.90 ng/L; P < 0.05). (3) After treatment improved oxygenation index value was higher in the QD treatment group than in the control group (120.88 ± 35.16 vs 101.50 ± 37.70, P < 0.05). After treatment APACHEII scores was lower in the QD treatment group than in the control group (6.21 ± 3.51 vs 10. 26 ± 4.33, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of ARDS patients by QD was favorable in controlling inflammation, alleviating lung injury, and improving clinical efficacy.

Breath Tests ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; drug therapy

BackgroundHuman retinal gliocytes play an important role in proliferative diseases,which are the basis of in vitro studies.Researchers have cultured human retinal gliocytes in the past.In our study,we found that the cells we cultured presented a unique shape different from those by other researchers.ObjectiveThis study was to design to produce a new culture and purification method for retinal gliocyte in vitro.Methods Retinal tissue was isolated from human eyeballs and digested using the two-step digestion method (2％ pancreatin and 0.133％collagenase Ⅵ) to harvest the retinal glio cytes.The cells were collected and cultured in endothelial cell-targeted nutrient culture containing 10％ fetal calf serum and supplemented with β-endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF) and sodium heparin,and the culture dishes were coated with fibronectin(FN) to promote the attachment of retinal gliocyte.During the culturing process,the gliocytes were identified by the observation of morphological characteristic and regular histological examination.The identification of the cells also was performed by immunochemistry targeting glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP),Vimentin,neuron specific enolase ( NSE ),S-100,CD34,and Ⅷ factor.Results Retinal gliocytes were isolated successfully from the human retina by the two-step digestion method.Primary cultured cells attached after 72 hours and achieved confluency between day 9 and 10 that were aligned petaliform in shape.Regular histological examination after H&E staining showed blue cell nuclei and light red cytoplasm.The target cells presented with strong responses for GFAP and Vimentin and no response for NSE,S-100,CD34 and Ⅷ factor.ConclusionsLarge amount of purified human retinal gliocytes can be obtained by two-step digestion and cultured in endothelial cells-targeted culture medium supplemented with β-ECGF and sodium heparin in plates coated with FN.The cultured cells expressed markers for retinal gliocytes.However,specific features of these cells remain to be further elucidated.

Objective To explore the effect of galangin on the inhibition of proliferation and invasion in human lung cancer A549 cell lines and its mechanism thereof. Methods MTS assay was employed to detect the ability of cell proliferation with different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 100μmol/L) of galangin after A549 cells were cultured in 96 well-plate. Transwell assay was employed to detect the ability of cell invasion. Western blot assay was employed to detect the protein expression levels of Survivin, p27, CD44, ICAM, MMP-2/9 and the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT. Results The cell proliferation rate of A549 cell line was suppressed with increased concentration of galangin treatment, and IC50 was 44.7μmol/L. The concentrations of 10μmol/L and 20μmol/L were used for the following study. The ability of cell invasion was decreased with 0, 10 and 20μmol/L concentrations of galangin treatment (P<0.05). The protein expression of p27 was increased and the expressions of other proteins were decreased with 0, 10 and 20μmol/L galangin treatmenmt (P<0.05). Conclusion Galangin can significantly inhibit the cell proliferation and invasion of human lung cancer A549 cell line, and which is a potential anti-lung cancer drug. The mechanisms may be related with the regulated related gene expression and the inhibited phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT.

Objective To evaluate the ultrasound (US) features of the encapsulated papillary thyroid carcinoma (EPTC). Methods From January 2005 to October 2009, ultrasonographic retrospective analysis was done on 33 cases of EPTC in Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital. Based on ultrasonographic features including shape, size, border, echogenicity, hypoechoic halo and microcalcification, 33 cases of EPTC were classified into two groups: 21 cases in irregular shape group and 12 cases in spherical or oval shape group. Results EPTC in the irregular shape group showed some ultrasonographic features including jagged border, irregular tumor shape and marked hypoechogenicity, while the ultrasonographic features of EPTC in the spherical or oval shape group included smooth border, regular shape, isoechogenicity and hypoechoic halo. Hypoechoic halo and isoechogenicity were found more frequently in EPTC of spherical or oval shape group than those in EPTC of irregular shape group. The size of EPTC in the spherical or oval group was commonly larger than that of EPTC in the irregular shape group. Conclusions The findings indicate that EPTC have some ultrasonographic features similar to benign follicular thyroid tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a bi-cistronic co-expression plasmid for mouse interleukin-12 and to observe its expression in vitro or in vivo.METHODS: The full-length cDNA encoding p35 and p40 was cloned into eukaryotic cells expression vector pcDNA 3.1 respectively. Subsequently,the p35 expression unit was inserted into pcDNA 3.1/p40 to produce the bi-cistronic co-expression plasmid in which the p35 and p40 genes were controlled by their own CMV.The plasmid was expressed in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The mIL-12 in the supernatant was detected by ELISA after the pCmIL-12 was transfected into COS-7 cells. The activity of NK cells could be augmented by the supernatant in vitro and also by by intradermal delivery of pCmIL-12 in vivo. CONCLUSION: The plasmid constructed by us can express biologically active mIL-12 in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVETo study whether combined detection of the methylation status of vimentin, sFRP1, and HPP1 gene can increase the positive methylation rate in colorectal cancer.

METHODSTissue samples were collected from 90 patients with colorectal cancer, 60 patients with adenomatous polyp, and 20 healthy controls. DNA was extracted and the methylation status of vimentin, sFRP1, and HPP1 gene was detected by Methylation-specific PCR (MSP). The relationship between clinicopathologic features of colorectal cancer and gene methylation was analyzed.

RESULTSThe methylation rates of vimentin, sFRP1, and HPP1 were 66.7%, 68.9%, and 72.2% in colorectal cancer, 53.3%, 55.0%, and 50.0% in colorectal adenomas, and 0, 0, and 5.0% in healthy controls, respectively. The methylation of each of the three genes in colorectal cancer tissues was higher than colorectal adenomas and healthy controls(P<0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity by combining three methylation markers was 93.3% in colorectal cancer, 76.7% in colorectal adenomas, which was higher than the sensitivity using single gene testing(P<0.05). No significant associations existed between the methylation status of the three genes and clinical characteristics including sex, age, tumor location, lymph node metastases, distant metastasis, and TNM stage(P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDNA methylation levels of vimentin, sFRP1 and HPP1 are significantly higher in colorectal cancer tissue. Combined detection significantly improves the positive rate of methylation, and may be used as early diagnosis method for colorectal cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Vimentin ; genetics