The steroidal enzyme cytochrome P45017alpha catalyzes the conversion of progesterone and pregnenolone into androgens, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone, respectively, the direct precursors of estrogens and testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is the principal active androgen in the prostate, testosterone is also an active stimulant of the growth of prostatic cancer tissue. Inhibition of this enzyme as a mechanism for inhibiting androgen biosynthesis could be a worthwhile therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PCA. In this paper, four categories of steroidal inhibitors of cytochrome P45017alpha will be reviewed, a diverse range of steroidal inhibitors had been synthesized and shown to be potent inhibitors of P45017alpha.

ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy and safety of medicinal thread moxibustion plus Chinese medicinal washing in treating acute eczema.MethodEighty patients with acute eczema were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 in each group. The control group was externally treated with 3% boric acid solution, while the treatment group was by medicinal thread moxibustion at acupoints from Zhuang Medicine, including Changzi point, Kuihua point, and Jumei point, plus Quchi (LI11), Shousanli (LI10), and Xuehai (SP10), in association with Chinese medicinal washing. The clinical efficacies were then analyzed. ResultAfter 2 treatment courses, the total effective rate was 100.0% in the treatment group versus 77.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05), indicating that the total effective rate of the treatment group washigher than that of the control group; besides, there was no adverse events happened in the treatment group during the whole treatment. ConclusionMedicinal thread moxibustion plus Chinese medicinal washing is efficient and safe in treating eczema.

Objective: To explore the application value of real-time adenosine stress 3-dimensional echocardiography (3D-ASE) for diagnosing the patients with of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods: A total of 46 suspicious CAD patients were studied by 3D-ASE analysis. There were 26 male and 20 female patients from (38-73) years of age at the mean of (63.3 ± 7.2) years. Adenosine stress echocardiography was performed by infusing the agent at 140 ug/(kg?min) in 6 minutes. The changes of segmental ventricular wall motion, electrocardiogram (ECG), clinical symptoms, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. Positive 3D-ASE result was deifned by the time of left ventricular segment minimum contraction volume gradually extending. Coronary angiograph (CAG) was conducted at 2 weeks after 3D-ASE, positive CAG ifnding was conifrmed by at least one of three main branches with the stenosis≥50%.
Results: There were 29/46 patients with positive CAG findings, 26 with positive 3D-ASE presentations and 8 with positive adenosines tress ECG. CAG showed that 48 coronary branches were positive and 90 were negative;3D-ASE indicated that 40 coronary branches were positive and 98 were negative. For 3D-ASE diagnosed coronary lesions, the overall sensitivity was 89.6%(26/29), speciifcity 76.5%(13/17), accuracy 84.8%(39/46). There were 36 branch lesions conifrmed by both CAG and 3D-ASE. For 3D-ASE determined coronary lesions, the sensitivity was 75%(36/48), speciifcity 95.6%(86/90), accuracy 88.4%(122/138). For 3D-ASE found single, double and three vessels diseases, the sensitivities were 60%(9/15), 88.9%(8/9) and 100%(5/5) respectively. The e occurrence rate of 3D-ASE side effect was 52.2%, there were usually slight symptoms without severe adverse reaction.
Conclusion: 3D-ASE has the high sensitivity and speciifcity in CAD diagnosis, it is an non-invasive examination with slight side effect, and therefore, has an important application value in clinical practice.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of comprehensive muscle-region therapy based on Chuang Medicine in treating cervical spondylosis of neck type.Method A hundred patients with cervical spondylosis of neck type were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 50 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by the comprehensive muscle-region therapy based on Chuang medicine (muscle-region tuina, fire-needle acupuncture of Chuang medicine, and cupping), while the control group was by regular acupuncture treatment. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and symptoms and signs scores were observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The VAS scores respectively after 1 and 2 treatment courses were significantly different from that before intervention in the treatment group (P<0.05,P<0.01). The VAS score after 2 treatment courses was significantly different from that before intervention in the control group (P<0.05). After 2 treatment courses, the VAS score in the treatment group was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the symptoms and signs scores (pain intensity, pain-affected area, number of tender points, limited motion, and general score) were significantly different from that before intervention in the treatment group (P<0.01, P<0.05). In the control group, the pain intensity, limited motion and general score after treatment were significantly different from that before intervention (P<0.05,P<0.01). After treatment, the symptoms and signs scores in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05,P<0.01). The total effective rate was 100.0% in the treatment group versus 84.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Comprehensive muscle- region therapy in Chuang medicine is an effective approach in treating cervical spondylosis of neck type.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new approach for the research of effective components extracted from compounds of traditional Chinese medicine and their action mechanisms by high-throughput screening assay. METHODS: We observed the anti-oxidation activities of 240 sequential components (L1-L120 and A1-A120) extracted from Xiaoxuming Recipe, the effects of these components on SH-SY5Y cells with H(2)O(2)-induced and L-glutamic acid-induced damages and the levels of resting calcium ion in neurocytes of rats. RESULTS: Some components (L1-L40, A100-A120) extracted from Xiaoxuming Recipe had the corresponding effects listed above. The combination of these components was regarded as the groups of effective components of Xiaoxuming Recipe in treating sequelae resulting from brain ischemia. CONCLUSION: Xiaoxuming Recipe has protective effect on brain-ischemia-induced damages through the actions of multiple components with multiple targets.

Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Th17 Cells

BACKGROUND:Recently, the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cel s (hUCMSCs) and placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cel s (PDMSCs) on treatment of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) have been confirmed in some in vitro studies or animal models. But there are stil no reports comparing the therapeutic effects of these two cel types. OBJECTIVE:To compare the immunosuppressive function of hUCMSCs and PDMSCs in vitro or in a mouse aGVHD model. METHODS:(1) In vitro experiment. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cel s (PBMCs) were isolated and divided into four groups:PBMCs cultured alone, PBMCs stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), PHA stimulated-PBMCs cocultured with hUCMSCs, PHA stimulated-PBMCs cocultured with PDMSCs. After 5 days, PBMCs proliferation and interferon-γlevel in cel supernatant were measured. (2) In vivo experiment. Fifty-seven BABL/C(H-2d) mice exposed to 8.5 Gy irradiation were randomly divided into five groups:only saline injection group, syngeneic bone marrow transplantation group, al ogeneic bone marrow transplantation group, aGVHD group, hUCMSCs treatment group, PDMSCs treatment group. The clinical aGVHD score, histopathology of skin, liver, and smal intestine, and survival time were analyzed at days 11, 14, 21 after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) In vitro test:compared with the hUCMSCs, PDMSCs had stronger anti-inflammatory function. (2) In vivo test:The clinical scores on acute graft versus host disease were significantly lower in the hUCMSCs and PDMSCs treatment groups than that in the aGVHD group (P<0.05). The survival rates of mice were significantly increased in the hUCMSCs and PDMSCs treatment groups compared to the aGVHD group (P<0.05). Evident skin lesions were not found in al groups. Although smal intestine mucosal lesions were found in al groups, the damage level seemed similar. Notably, significant difference was found in the liver that multifocal necrosis and a large number of inflammatory cel s were seen in the aGVHD group, but less necrosis and inflammatory cel s in the hUCMSC and PDMSC treatment groups. In conclusion, hUCMSC and PDMSC are comparably effective in the treatment of aGVHD in mice.

Objective To examine the association between body mass index (BMI)and cardiovascular events in elderly hypertensive patients.Methods A total of 2267 elderly(age≥65) hypertensive patients undergoing long-term physical examination at Henan Province People's Hospital were included in this cohort study,and were divided into three groups:an underweight group(BMI≤ 18.4 kg/m2,n=125),a normal group(BMI=18.5-23.9 kg/m2,n=912),an overweight group(BMI=24.0 27.9 kg/m2,n=884),and an obesity group(BMI≥28.0 kg/ m2,n=346)for a six-year follow up period.The incidences of cardiovascular events were collected and analyzed for all groups.The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze all possible risk factors for all-cause deaths and cardiovascular events.Results There were 2 267 patients,including 1 260 male and 1 007 female patients,with a mean age of(75.7 ± 6.1)years.The Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that being underweight(BMI≤18.4 kg/m2)was a risk factor with a 1.8 times higher risk for all cause death and a 1.5 times higher risk for cardiovascular death than having a normal weight(RR=1.8,95 ％ CI:1.3-2.6;RR=1.5,95％ CI:1.3-1.7).Being overweight (BMI=24 27.9 kg/m2)was a protective factor with a 0.6 times lower risk for all-cause death and a 0.7 times lower risk for cardiovascular death,compared with the normal group (RR=0.6,95％ CI:0.5-0.8;RR=0.7,95％ CI:0.6-0.9).Obesity(BMI≥28.0kg/m2)was a protective factor for cardiovascular death with a lower relative risk of 0.9,compared with the normal group(RR=0.9,95％CI:0.9-1.0).Conclusions Paradoxically,being overweight is associated with a low mortality and a favorable cardiovascular prognosis,whereas being underweight carries a poor prognosis in elderly hypertensive patients.

Abstract Nowadays, sports APPs are gradually diversifying based on the rapid development of the Internet and artificial intelligence. Various sports apps are active in the public s field of vision. This article reviewed the research progress of college students used of sports APP on their training habits. The result found that proper use of sports APP could promote college students sports behavior and sports habits. The use of such apps could help college students improve their body shape physical function, but it was difficult to maintain the effect after the end of the athletic behavior. It is recommended that schools use APPs to form teacher and student sports communication communities and conduct different types of sports challenges. At the same time, the government enacts college and personal reward systems to encourage sport participation among students, thereby increasing the intention to continue using sports APPs. More longitudinal follow up researches are expected to evaluate effectiveness of different sports APPs on sport habit formulation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of HBsAg on the expression of interferon-α (IFN-α) in peripheral blood plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) induced by the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway activated by cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP). MethodPeripheral venous blood was collected from healthy adults and the patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who attended the outpatient service or were hospitalized in Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, from February to December 2016, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and extracted. After the STING agonist cGAMP was added to PBMCs, ELISA was used to measure the levels of IFN-α, interferon-β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in supernatant. PBMCs from healthy adults were pre-incubated with HBsAg and then stimulated by cGAMP, and supernatant was collected to measure IFN-α. The magnetic-activated cell sorting method was used to remove pDCs from PBMCs, and after culture with cGAMP, ELISA was used to measure the level of IFN-α in supernatant. PBMCs from healthy adults were stimulated by HBsAg and/or cGAMP, and then flow cytometry was used to measure the frequency of pDCs. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups. ResultsPBMCs from the patients with chronic HBV infection stimulated by cGAMP in vitro had a significantly lower level of IFN-α than healthy controls (469.72±18.95 vs 599.90±84.06, t=4.868, P=0.001). PBMCs from healthy adults co-cultured with HBsAg and stimulated by cGAMP had a significantly lower level of IFN-α than those in the non-HBsAg group (448.5±52.0 vs 571.0±30.8, t=4.500, P=0.011). Compared with PBMCs containing pDCs, PBMCs without pDCs stimulated by cGAMP had a significant reduction in the level of IFN-α (164.50±40.73 vs 339.50±35.33, t=6.482, P=0.001). Compared with PBMCs from healthy adults stimulated by cGAMP, PBMCs pre-incubated with HBsAg and then stimulated by cGAMP had a significant reduction in the frequency of pDCs (0.12%±0.04% vs 0.24%±0.04%, t=5.176, P=0.014). ConclusionHBsAg can inhibit the expression of IFN-α induced by the STING pathway in pDCs activated by cGAMP.