Stroke is one of the major diseases that threaten human health, early diagnosis and treatment are very important for stroke. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is measured noninvasively to diagnosis stroke, and it is a independent predictor for stroke because its thickening can timely predict the incidence and development of stroke. As an important predictor of cardiovascular disease, more and more attention is played on CIMT. In this review, we will make a summary on the important role of CIMT in stroke and the mechanisms of carotid intima-media thickening in stroke as well as the potential use of traditional Chinese medicine in treating carotid intima-media thickening.
Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Stroke ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

Objective To establish the animal model of photochemical damage and investigate the protective effects and mechanism of taurine on the retina photochemical damage in rats. Methods Fifty rats were randomly divided into normal control group, light damage group and 4% taurine supplementation group. After 15 day cyclic light and 24-hour dark adaptation, the last two groups were exposed to (3000?200) lx transmitted by six cold white lights. After 24-hour exposure, the rats were stayed in darkness. The retinal morphology was detected through light and electron microscope and the retinal function was detected by Scot-ERG. The concentration of MDA and the activity level of SOD/GSH-px were measured. Results In light damage group, the a and b amplitude (Aa/Ab) were significantly decreased, but in taurine group, except the decreased Aa, others were of no significant changes. The retina inner and outer segments were swollen and in disorder after exposure, the outer nuclear layer got thinner than that of control. The mitochondria in light damage group was swollen, but in taurine group changes were less significant. After exposure, the concentration of MDA in retina was markedly increased in light damage group and the activity level of SOD/GSH-px were decreased, but in taurine group MDA slightly increased and SOD/GSH-px was up-regulated but of no significance. Conclusion Dietary supplementation with 4% taurine partially protected photoreceptor from degeneration, which might correlate with the antioxidation and inhibition of free radical character of taurine.

Objective: To observe the effects of taurine (Tau) on photoreceptor apoptosis and investigate the mechanism. Method: Seventy rats were randomly divided into control group (Cont) and 4% taurine supplementation group (Tau). The subjects were exposed to the cool white light (3000?200 lx)for 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 or 24 h . The apoptotic index (AI) of photoreceptor was evaluated by TUNEL method. Meanwhile, levels of p65 in nuclear and caspase-1 were determined by Western-blot analysis and I?Ba mRNA was detected by RT-PCR . Results: After 9 h exposure, scattered TUNEL positive photoreceptors were found in Tau group, and each AI was lower than the corresponding control (P

Integrative Medicine ; education ; Internal Medicine ; education

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of entecavir treatment on hepatitis B patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure. Methods Eighty-four hepatitis B patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure were treated with entecavir 0.5 mg daily and Other routine drugs. Another 99 hepatitis B patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure were treated with only routine drugs as control. The survival, liver functions, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level, prothrombin time (PT) were observed. The survival rates of patients with early, middle or late stage of liver failure were analyzed. The comparison of rates were done using chi-square test. The numeration data were compared by t test. The survival rates were compared using Kaplan-Meier method. Results Among patients with early stage of acute-on-chronic liver failure, the survival rate in treatment group was 63.3% (31/49), which was significantly higher than that in control group (39.7%, 23/58) (χ2=5.923, P=0.015). Among patients with middle stage of acute-on-chronic liver failure, the surviral rate in treatment group was 63.0% (17/27), which was significantly higher than that in control group (35.1%, 13/37) (χ2=4.854, P=0.028). Among patients with late stage of acute-on-chronic liver failure, four out of eight cases survived in treatment group, while one out of four cases survived in control group. In patients with serum total hilirubin (TBil) level > 342 μmol/L, the survival rate was 56.0% in treatment group, which was significantly higher than that in control group (26.8%) (χ2=9.351,P=0.002). At week 4 of the treatment, the HBV DNA reduction in treatment group was 3. 95 lg copy/mL, which was higher than that in control group (1.78 lg copy/mL) (t=5.847, P=0.001). Conclusions Entecavir treatment could improve the survival rate of hepatitis B patients with early or middle stage of acute-on-chronic liver failure. And the further study with larger population is needed in patients with late stage of liver failure. In addition, entecavir therapy could also improve the survival rate of patients with TBil >342 μmol/L.

0.05).The incidence of skin allergy was significantly different between two groups(29.69% vs.60.94%,P

Objective To study the prognostic factors of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).Methods A total of 144 GIST patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January 1996 and December 2011 were analyzed restrospectively.Kaplan-Meier,log-rank test and Cox regression model were used.Results The overall 5-year survival was 59.6％.Log-rank univariate survival analysis showed that the primary location,tumor size,metastasis,operational method,type of tumor cells,invasion of the surrounding organs and tissues,invasion of the smooth muscle,cellularity of the tumor,mitotic counts of the tumor cells,Ki-67 labeling index,P53 expression and targeting therapy were significant prognostic factors (P ＜ 0.05).Cox regression model showed that tumor size,metastasis,operational method,surrounding organs and tissues invasion,cellularity of the tumor,mitotic counts of the tumor cells,P53 and targeting therapy were essential to improve the survival.Conclusions The study suggests that early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment consisting of operation and targeting therapy can significantly improve the survival of GIST.

Objective To investigate the level of serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its correlation with serum precollagen Ⅲ peptide (PⅢP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis. Methods Forty-four CHB patients (hepatitis B group), 44 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis (cirrhosis group) and 30 healthy controls (control group) were enrolled in this study. The venous blood was collected and MIF level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlations between MIF and PⅢP, TIMP-1 were analyzed in observed groups. Comparison between groups was done using t test. The correlations between MIF level and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), plasma thromboplastin antecedent (PTA), PⅢP and TIMP-1 were analyzed by rectilinear correlation. Results The levels of serum MIF, PⅢP and TIMP-1 in CHB group and cirrhosis group were all significantly higher than those in control group (t=12.87,5.28, 10.98,t=11.22,14.84,11.17;all P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between CHB group and cirrhosis group (t= -1.05,1.52,--2.07;all P>0.05). There was no correlation between MIF level and ALT, AST, TBil and PTA. MIF level in CHB patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive and high viral load were both higher than that in patients with HBeAg negative and low viral load. MIF level was both positively correlated with PⅢP level in CHB group and cirrhosis group (r=0. 603, P<0.05 and r=0. 415, P<0. 05, respectively). MIF level was also positively correlated with TIMP-1 level in CHB group (r=0. 458, P<0.05), while not correlated in cirrhosis group (r=0. 210, P>0.05). Levels of PⅢP and T1MP-1 were both correlated in CHB group and cirrhosis group (r=0. 849, P< 0.05 and r=0. 424, P<0.05, respectively). Conclusions The levels of serum MIF are significantly increased both in patients with CHB and cirrhosis. The early production of MIF might be related with viral replication, but not with liver function. MIF participates in formations of hepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, which could reflect the degree of liver cirrhosis.

Objective To understand the clinical features of hepatitis B virus(HBV)/hepatitis C virus(HCV)coinfected patients with different virological profiles.Methods The clinical data of 186 patients with HBV/HCV coinfection from May 1999 to May 2010 in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University were analyzed retrospectively.The demographic data,epidemiological data,laboratory results and pathological index were analyzed.The statistical analysis was done using t test and chi square test.Results A total of 186 patients were divided into 4 groups:66(35.5%)in HBV DNA(-)/HCV RNA(-)group,8(4.3%)in HBV DNA(+)/HCV RNA(+)group,68(36.6%)in HBV DNA(+)/HCV RNA(-)group and 44(23.7%)in HBV DNA(-)/HCV RNA(+) group.The gender composition,complication incidence,transmission among drug users,alanine aminotransferase(ALT)level,total bilirubin(TBil)level,prothrombin activity(PTA)and hapatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)negative rate were all significantly different among four groups(F or x2=11.578,8.451,11.738,2.669,5.102,4.254 and 18.413,respectively;all P<0.05).In groups of HCV RNA(-)and HCV RNA(+),the proportions of patients infected through drug abuse were 49.3%and 23.1%,respectively(x2=9.987,P:0.002)and blood transfusion transmission were 29.9%and 46.2%,respectively(x2=4.412,P=0.036).When HBV DNA was negative,the median ALT levels in HCV RNA(-)and HCV RNA(+)patients were 177 U/L and 62 U/L,respectively(t=2.200,P<0.05),median TBil levels were 133 μmol/L and 20μmol/L,respectively (t=3.608,P<0.05)and PTA were 70.6%±27.7%and 83.3%±27.8%,respectively(t=-1.982,P<0.05).The HBeAg negative rate was not affected by HCV RNA levels(t=0.707,P>0.05).The HBeAg negative rate in HBV DNA(-)patients was 85.5%,which was higher than that in HBV DNA(+)patients(59.2%)(x2=16.393,P<0.05).Conclusions HBV DNA(+/-)/HCV RNA(-)profile were major components in HBV/HCV confection.HBV DNA level is related to disease progression and prognosis,but not relate to disease severity.Liver function damage and disease severity are aggravated with HCV RNA level decreases.HBV DNA level is related to HBeAg negative rate,while HCV RNA level is not related to HBeAg seroconversion rate.

AIM: To facilitate the suicide gene delivery into neoplasm, a chimeric gene of HSV-tk and green fluorescent protein (gfp) was constructed. METHODS: Molecular cloning technique was used to construct this kind of eukaryotic vector. The internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), which could coordinate expression of two genes in a single vector, was optioned. By using liposome-mediated transfection, eukaryotic expression vector tgCMV/hytk-IRES-gfp was transfected into human bladder carcinoma cells EJ. RESULTS: A bicistronic eukaryotic vector carrying gfp and hygromycin phosphotransferase-thymidine kinase fusion (hytk) gene was constructed. The results of PCR and microscopy detection show that the hytk-IRES-gfp gene was successfully transferred into EJ cells. There were no differences in the growth pattern or the morphology between EJ and EJ/hytk-GFP cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated dose- and time-dependent cell killing by transduction of the hytk-IRES-gfp gene followed by GCV treatment. The IC50 (the concentration required to elicit 50% growth inhibition) was 2.16 mg/L in treatment with GCV for 72 hours. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that this new kind of eukaryotic vector could serves as a new tool and method for neoplasm gene therapy.