Cerebral Hemorrhage ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control

Objective To study clinical features of liver damage in primary Sj(o)gren syndrome (pSS) and its related factors.Methods One hundred and forty-nine patients of confirmed pSS hospitalized at Peking University People's Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.Results Seventeen of 149 patients of pSS (11.4%) showed liver damage,10 diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis and seven as primary biliary liver cirrhosis.Increased serum levels of IgG,IgM and γ-globulin accounted for 88.2% and 50.8%,35.3% and 5.3%,and 94.1% and 47.7% of those complicated with and without liver damage,respectively,with statistically significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Positive serum anti-mitochondria antibody subtype M2 (AMA-M2) was 35.3% in pSS patients with liver damage,significantly higher than that in those without liver damage (1.5%) (P ＜ 0.05).Independent risk factors significantly associated with liver damage included age (OR = 1.013,95% CI 0.971-1.058),course of illness (OR = 1.089,95% CI 1.032-1.150),serum level of γ-globulin (OR = 4.021,95% CI 1.246-12.982),positive AMA-M2 (OR = 11.82,95% CI 0.005-0.157),and positive anti-SSA (OR = 101.333,95% CI 12.653-811.560).Conclusions Liver damage occurred rather high in pSS patients and increased serum levels of IgG,IgM,γ-globulin and anti-SSA can be used to predict their complication with liver damage.Age,course of illness,serum level of γ-globulin,positive AMA-M2 and positive anti-SSA are all significantly associated with liver damage in pSS patients.

In this study, the COI barcode was used to identify the Scolopendra medicinal materials and its adulterants in order to provide a new method for the identification of Scolopendra. Genomic DNA was extracted from the experimental samples. The COI sequences were amplified and sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence alignment and NJ tree construction was carried out by MEGA6.0 software. The results showed that the COI sequences can be obtained from all experimental samples. The average inter-specific K2P distance of Scolopendra was 0.222 and the minimum inter-specific distance was 0.190. All the Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans medicinal samples clustered into a clade in the NJ tree and can be distinguished from its adulterants. In a conclusion, COI can be used to correctly identify Scolopendra medicinal materials, and it will be a potential DNA barcode for identifying other animal medicinal materials.
Animals ; Arthropod Proteins ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Scorpions ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics

AIM:To explore the application of 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops in children, and to compare the different effectiveness of cycloplegia between 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride and atropine in Chinese children.METHODS:A total of 236 eyes of 118 children aged 3~12 years old were enrolled in this study including 80 eyes of 40 children with myopia, 156 eyes of 78 children with hyperopia and 146 eyes of 73 children combined with astigmatism. 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops were used once per 5min for 3 times and refractive diopter was obtained 1h after the last drop of cyclopentolate. Three days after that, 10g/L atropine was then used 1 time per night for 1wk and optometry was performed again. The children were divided into 3 groups ( myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism group ) according to the refractive status, in which astigmatism was independent of the degree of separation of cylinder statistics. The results of retinoscope refraction were then compared between 10g/L cyclopentolate and 10g/L atropine.
RESULTS:The refractive diopter was -2. 25±1. 31D after 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops and -2. 23±1. 32D after 10g/L atropine in myopic group. The refractive diopter was 1. 35±1. 19D and 1. 38±2. 00D in astigmastic group. No significant difference was found in myopic group and astigmastic group (P= 0. 109, P= 0. 374). While in the hyperopic group, the refractive diopter was 3. 76±2. 4D after 10g/L cyclopentolate eye drops, which was lower than that after 10g/L atropine 4. 39±2. 6D (P=0. 000).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that 10g/L cyclopentolate chloride eye drops can be used in myopia and astigmatism children, and 10g/L atropine should be used in hyperopia children.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the MRI diagnosis of bone contusion on the knee, and improve the diagnosis skill.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 47 cases of knee bone bruise with the performance of MRI in our hospital from 2008.5 to 2009.12, including 30 males and 17 females,aged from 12 to 69 years, with a mean of 34.5 years old. Forty-seven patients suffered from post-traumatic localized pain, tenderness and(or) soft tissue swelling and dysfunction. The time interval between the accident and the MRI examination ranged from 6 h to 30 days, averaged 7 days. The patients with only bone contusion were treated with conservative and symptomatic treatment.

RESULTSA total of 47 cases showed 82 lesions, including 39 distal femur, 35 proximal tibias (including the tibial plateau),5 patellas, 3 fibula top. MRI showed irregular patchy or map-like T1WI low signal, isointensity or slightly high signal intensity T2WI, STIR fat suppression all showed obviously high signal, in which 20 patients with torn meniscus, collateral ligament injuries in 14 cases, anterior cruciate ligament injuries in 8 cases. The X-ray and CT examination of all the patients revealed no signs of fracture. The clinical symptoms and signs of all the patients significantly reduced or disappeared after treatment. Among 29 patients who were followed up from 1 to 12 months, 21 patients had abnormal MRI signal disappearing and 8 patients had abnormal signal weakened.

CONCLUSIONMRI can reveal pathological changes of bone contusion on the knee, and accurately determine ligaments around the joint and soft tissues injuries. Conventional MRI examination and fat-suppression sequence is the most valuable method of bone contusion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Contusions ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Precisely locating tumors always proves to be difficult. To find a molecule that can specifically bind to tumor cells is the key. Recently, chlorotoxin (CTX) has been proved to be able to bind to many kinds of tumor cells. The CTX receptor on the cell surface has been demonstrated to be matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Many researchers have combined CTX with other molecules, including 131I, Cy5.5, iron oxide nanoparticles coated by polyethylene glycol (NP-PEG), and so on, and thus synthesized various types of probes that can be detected by gamma-camera, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With these methods, the binding degree of CTX could be assessed. These studies demonstrated that CTX has a highly specific binding ability, high stability, and security. CTX could also inhibit or kill the tumor cells. A nonviral nanovector has been developed for gene therapy. As a result, it gradually develops into a new method of diagnosis and targeted therapy of tumors. This article reviews the current progress on CTX including the origin, chemical construction, the mechanism of binding with tumor cells, and the application to tumor imaging diagnosis and therapy.
Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; therapy ; Carbocyanines ; metabolism ; Chloride Channels ; drug effects ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Ferric Compounds ; metabolism ; Genetic Therapy ; Glioma ; diagnosis ; genetics ; therapy ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Scorpion Venoms ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the constituents of the root of Gypsophila oldhamiana Miq.

METHODSSilica gel column chromatographic technique was used for the isolation and purification of compounds. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidences.

RESULTSFive compounds were obtained and identified as the beta-D-glucoside of alpha-spinasterol (I), tetracosyl caffeate (II), sucrose (III), beta-sitosterol (IV) and daucosterol (V).

CONCLUSIONCompound II is a new compound. Compound I was isolated from this plant for the first time.

Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Caryophyllaceae ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stigmasterol ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sucrose ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe and analyze the antitumor effect of endostar combined with docetaxel under different administration sequences.

METHODSNude mice with xenograft tumor (A549 cell line) were randomized into 3 groups, 8 mice/group: (1) Concurrent administration group (each mouse: endostar 400 µg/d, d1-d35, docetaxel 10 mg/kg, every 3 days, d1-d19); (2) Endo-first group (each mouse: endostar 400 µg/d, d1-d35, docetaxel 10 mg/kg, every 3 days, d16-d34); (3) Model group (positive control, tumor-bearing mice without treatment, each mouse: physiological saline, 100 µl/d, d1-d35, water for injection, 200 µl/d, d1-d35, every 3 days), and blank control group (negative control, normal mice without treatment, 8 mice), the administration method was the same to the model group. The volume of tumor and the weight of mouse were measured during treatment. Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) were detected by flowcytometry, and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2, MMP-9), the tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP-1, TIMP-2), the extracellular MMP inducer (EMMPRIN), CD34, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were determined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe tumor growth of concurrent administration group (39.94 mm(3)) was lower than that of the endo-first group [(99.57 ± 74.48) mm(3)] during treatment, both of them were smaller than that of the model group [(217.67 ± 95.44) mm(3), P < 0.05]. The amount of CECs in the endo-first group [(77.25 ± 24.02) cells/10(4) cells] was more than that of the concurrent administration group [(25.86 ± 11.77) cells/10(4) cells], the model group [(14.71 ± 11.07) cells/10(4) cells], and the blank control group [(12.90 ± 11.20) cells/10(4) cells, P < 0.01]. The expression of MMPs in the treatment groups was obviously downregulated. The expressions of TIMP-1 in the endo-first group and TIMP-2 in the concurrent administration group were upregulated (P < 0.05). The expression of EMMPRIN was significantly down-regulated in the concurrent administration group (P < 0.05). The MVD and α-SMA expressions of the treatment groups were less than that of the model group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn comparison with the endo-first group, the anti-tumor effect and survival quality of the concurrent administration group are better. Both of the administration groups may have "vascular normalization effect" by down-regulating MMPs expression through different points, and inhibit the cancer-induced stromal reaction, restraining the cancer progress to a certain extent. The changes of CECs should be a dynamic process with an initial rise in the early-stage suggesting the decrease of vascular bed and subsequent decline ascribed to apoptosis of CECs and the tumor-regression after combined therapy. Investigation of its dynamic changes may be helpful to know the change of tumor burden and vascular bed and predict the antitumor effect.

Actins ; metabolism ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; pharmacology ; Basigin ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Endostatins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Microvessels ; drug effects ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism ; Tumor Burden ; drug effects

AIMTo investigate the activity of RRR-alpha-tocopheryloxybutyric acid (TOB), an ether analog of RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate (VES), in prostate cancer cells.

METHODSVES and TOB were used to treat prostate cancer LNCaP, PC3, and 22Rv1 cells and primary-cultured prostate fibroblasts. The proliferation rates were determined by MTT assay, the cell viabilities were determined by trypan blue exclusion assay, and the cell deaths were evaluated by using Cell Death Detection ELISA kit. The protein expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe MTT growth assay demonstrated that TOB could effectively suppress the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, but not normal prostate fibroblasts. Mechanism dissections revealed that TOB reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells similar to VES. In addition, both TOB and VES suppressed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at the transcriptional level leading to reduced PSA protein expression. Furthermore, vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression increased after the addition of TOB.

CONCLUSIONOur data suggests that the VES derivative, TOB, is effective in inhibiting prostate cancer cell proliferation, suggesting that TOB could be used for both chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic purposes in the future.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Male ; Prostate ; cytology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Vitamin E ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology