Objective To evaluate the significance of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and joint ultrasonography in assessing the activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing MMP-3 level and the ultrasonic 7 joints (US7) score in RA patients.Methods Serum MMP-3 level and US7 score were measured in 133 RA patients by immune turbidity and Doppler ultrasound.Synchronous 53 healthy subjects were recruited as controls.Clinical data were collected.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),serum level of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody,health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) and disease activity score 28 (DAS28) were measured.The level of disease activity is interpreted as remission(DAS28 ＜2.6),low(DAS 28≥2.6-＜3.2),moderate(DAS 28≥3.2-＜5.1),high(DAS28≥5.1).The discriminating validity of MMP-3 and US7 score in disease was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with DAS28 as the reference standard.Results Compared with that in healthy controls [35.20(25.90,48.90) μg/L] and remission patients[33.40(22.60,678.40) μg/L],the MMP-3 level in moderate [105.1 (61.70,172.70) μg/L] and high [363.1 (161.50,475.90) μg/L]groups increased dramatically.US7 score in patients with high disease activity was significantly higher than that in other groups.The level of MMP-3 was significantly correlated with DAS28,HAQ,US7 score,yet did not have correlation with anti-CCP antibody.Serum level of MMP-3 was positively correlated with US7 score (r =0.566,P ＜ 0.001).In evaluating the disease activity,US7 score combined with MMP-3 (AUC 0.863 2) was not superior to MMP-3 alone (AUC 0.854 3),but significantly better than single US7 score (AUC 0.7643,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions MMP-3 is an effective and simple index in evaluating RA disease activity.The combination of MMP-3 and US7 score does not further improve the efficacy to evaluate disease activity than MMP-3 alone in patients with RA.

Objective To observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of L-carnitine on the metabolic disorder and cardiac remodeling in alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Methods Experimental animals were divided into three groups: alcohol-fed group(A), an alcohol/L-carnitine fed group(B) and a control group(C). Free fatty acid(FFA) and earnitine were detected in the blood serum at different time. mRNA and protein expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα and PPARγ), retinoic acid receptor retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRα), earnitine palmitoyl transferase isoform and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) were observed with RT-PCR and Western blotting methods. Results (1) When group A and B were compared with group C, FFA was increased and carnitine was decreased;mRNA and protein expressions of PPARα, RXRα, CPT-Ⅰ and MCAD were decreased with the development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), being more significantly in group A than group B (P < 0.05). (2) mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ had no statistical significance between these three groups at the end of 2 and 4 months(P>0.05), but after 6 months, they were increased in group B and decreased in group A (A vs. C,P<0.01;B vs. C,P<0.05). Conclusion Metabolic disorder and cardiac remodeling occur in the development process of ACM; they are partly prevented by L-carnitine through downregulating mRNA and protein expressions of PPARct, RXRα, CPT-Ⅰ, MCAD and PPARγ.

Objective To investigate the correlation of ankle-brachial index( ABI)., color doppler ultrasound spectrum and toe-brachial index (TBI) of lower extremity artery in diabetic patients. Methods ABI, TBI and color doppler ultrasound spectrum measurement were carried out on 109 lower extremity artery of 55 diabetic patients. Croups were assigned according to ABI and TBI values and the correlation of ABI and color doppler ultrasound spectrum as well as ABI and TBI. Results The changes of ABI and of color doppler ultrasound spectrum in Group A1(0.9

Objective To explore influences of improved intramuscular injection on quality of benzathine benzylpenicillin medication.Methods The cluster random sampling was adopted to select 178 patients who needed injection of 240U benzathine benzylpenicillin.A self-control study design was used,and benzathine benzylpenicillin was injected in both sides with each of 1 200 000 units.The left side was injected via routine method,while the right side was injected by an improved intramuscular injection.One-time success rate,degree and duration of pain during and after injection were recorded.Results The differences of one-time success rate,pain during injection,pain after injection,duration of pain after injection and incidence of induration after injection between two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.01).Conclusion The improved intramuscular injection can improve one-time success rate of benzathine benzylpenicillin,reduce pain during injection and local pain after injection,shorten duration of pain and decrease incidence of induration after injection.

Objective To establish fingerprint and mutual mode of aqueous extracts of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.from different regions by high performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC). Methods The column of SinoChrom ODS￣BP (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used.The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile￣0.1% phosphoric acid with gradient elution.The flow rate was 1.0 mL.min-1 , the detective wavelength was 230 nm, and the column temperature was 25 ℃ . Results The fingerprint consisted of 14 common peaks.The overall similarity for ten batches of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.from different regions was 0.592-0.986.The standard fingerprint of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.was established by HPLC. Conclusion This fingerprint method is simple and repeatable, and it provides a scientific basis for the quality control of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.

Amygdala ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Conditioning (Psychology) ; Morphine ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Receptors, Opioid, kappa ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the immunoregulatory effect of thalidomide on the peripheral blood T-iymphocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus patients in vitro. Methods T-lymphoeytes were treated by thalidomide with different concentrations, then the proliferation of these T-lymphocytes proliferation was deteted by MTT while apoptosis and lymphocyte activation marker were analyzed by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α was measured by real-time RT-PCR, One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results In vitro, thalidomide inhibited the expression of CD3~+CD28~+ [500 μg/ml group vs the control group, (48±9)% vs (57±9)% P<0.05]. The pro-portion of apoptotic T-lymphoeytes in the 500 μg/ml group was (36±8)%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group [(23±5)%,P<0.05 ]. The values of A_(570nm) T-lymphocytes were significantly lower in the 100 μg/ml group, 300 μg/ml groupand 500 μg/ml group compared with those of the control group ( 100 μg/ml group vs 300 μg/ml group vs 500μg/ml group vs the control group, 0.39±0.05 vs 0.34±0.04 vs 0.30±0.03 vs 0.51±0.07, P<0.05), while thalidomide promoted the expression of CD8~+CD152~+ [ 100 μg/ml group vs 500 μg/ml group vs the control group, (5.0±0.6)% vs (7.8±0.7)% vs (4.2±0.6)%, P<0.05 ]. 500 μg/ml thalidomide inhibited the mRNA expression of IL-6, 2.5～500 μg/ml thalidomide inhibited IL-10, TNF-α mRNA expression of T-lymphocytes.Conclusion Thalidomide can inhibit the proliferative activities and CD28 expression of T-lymphocytes,reduce mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, stimulate CD28 expression and apoptosis of T-lymphocytes. These effects may play an important role in it's immune-suppressive effects on systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective To explore the relationship between glycosylated hemoglobin and pulse wave velocity in non-diabetic elderly people.Methods Totally 163 subjects were included after exclusion of liver or kidney disfunction,diabetes mellitus or malignant tumor.They were divided into two groups:group A (HbA1c＜5.7％) (n＝54) and group B (HbA1c 5.7％-6.4％)(n＝109).The age,pulse wave velocity,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,blood chemistry and hypertension were compared between the two groups.Multi factor analyse was conducted to analyze the relative factors for pulse wave velocity.Results Systolic blood pressure was higher in group B than in group A (P ＜ 0.05).Multi-linear stepwise regression analyses suggested that age,hypertension,glycosylated hemoglobin were positively related to pulse wave velocity in non-diabetic elderly people (β values were 20.382,144.061,93.195,all P＜0.10).Conclusions Glycosylated hemoglobin is related to arterial stiffness in non-diabetic elderly people,it can be used as a predictive and control target of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in old people.

Aimed at feasibility of microbiological control of Chironomidae larvae in sourcewater, Shenzhen, China, the functional characters of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Iaraelensis to Chironomus kiiensis tokunaga were studied for the first time. In this study, bioassays were carried out with third-instar larvae, results showed that the LC 50 s(24h) were 24.2 and 32.6 mg/L for Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Iaraelensis IPS82 and 187 respectively. Tests in fermentation of IPS82 show good correlations between toxicity, cell density, dissolved oxygen and spore-forming phase. The tests on environmental factors influencing toxicity to Chironomus kiiensis tokunaga showed that sunlight is the most important factor, shortening the half life of Bti from 21 days in dark to 10 days; temperature variations(15～30℃) caused no impact on toxicity, but 35℃ increases 16% of larvae mortality. The toxicity of IPS82 is relatively insensitive to change pH deviated from 7 to 11, due to drop of larvae mortality from 66.7 to 40%, at pH of 3, to 16%; its toxicity is stable in low larva density (

Background A main cause of visual impairment in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is vitreous hemorrhage and retinal detachment due to contraction of fibrovascular membrane.To explore the pathogenic mechanism of fibrovascular membrane is a new target for the prevention and management of PDR.Objective This study was to determine the change in expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) and pigment epithelium derived factor(PEDF) in the proliferative membranes of patients with PDR after intravitreal injection of avastin,an anti-VEGF agent.Methods This study was approved by the Medical Ethic Committee of Tianjin Medical College,and written informed consent was obtained from each patient before enrollment.A prospective randomized-controlled study was designed.Twenty-six eyes of 24 patients with PDR scheduled for surgery were enrolled from January to June,2008 in Tianjin Medical College Eye Hospital.The patients were randomized into the simple vitrectomy group and avastin injection combined with vitrectomy group,with matched gender,age and disease duration.1.25 mg (0.05 ml) of avastin was intravitreally injected prior to surgery,and vitrectomy was performed 10 days after injection in the avastin injection combined with vitrectomy group,and only vitrectomy was given in the simple vitrectomy group.Preretinal membrane was collected during the surgery.Expression of VEGF,CTGF and PEDF in the preretinal membranes was assayed by immunochemistry.Results VEGF,CTGF and PEDF were expressed in the cytoplasm.The rate of VEGF expression in the preretinal membranes was 30.77％ in the avastin injection combined with vitrectomy group,showing a significant reduction in comparison with the simple vitrectomy group(100.00％)(U =4.000,P＜0.01).The rate of expression CTGF was remarkable elevated in the avastin injection combined with vitrectomy group compared with the simple vitrectomy group (92.31％ vs.62.54％)(U=7.500,P=0.048).However,no significant difference was found in the expression rate of PEDF between the two groups(100.00％ vs.92.31％) (U =65.500,P =0.299).Conclusions The results suggest that intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs resulted in the decrease of VEGF expression and increased CTGF expression in proliferative membranes from patients with PDR.