Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in combination with disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with moderate to severe activity and inadequate response to DMARDs. Methods Thirty-two RA patients with inadequate response to DMARDs were treated with tocilizumab along with stable dose of DMARDs for 12 weeks, adverse reactions were recorded, clinical laboratory and physiological indices were recorded 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. The routine blood, liver and kidney function tests, morning stiffness, rest pain, tender joint count, swollen joint count, overall evaluation of the patient and physician to disease and health assessment questionnaire, blood sedimentation, C-reactive protein (CRP), Disease activity score 28 (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI) score, clinical disease activity index (CDAI). Repetitive measure analysis of variance wase used for statistical analysis. Results The clinical laboratory indices and DAS28, SDAI, CDAI scores observed in all of the patients were significantly improved (P<0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, disease activity was further improved with statistical significance (P<0.05). The levels of IL-6 were downregulated obvious compared with before [(26±14) pg/ml vs (76±39) pg/ml, t=-6.925, P<0.01], and no obvious adverse reactions were observed. Conclusion Tocilizumab can quickly improve the symptoms and the control disease activity of refractory active RA within a few weeks.

Objective To evaluate therapeutic effects of simvastatin on serum expressions of cytokines and synovial tissue aspartic protease-3 (Caspase-3) in collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in rats, and the mechanism thereof. Methods The rat model of CIA was established by injecting bovine Ⅱ collagen. Sixteen model rats were randomly divided into two groups:CIA model group (sterile water 5 mL·kg-1·d-1 by gavage) and simvastatin group (2.0 mg·kg-1·d-1 by gavage). Seven normal rats were included in control group (sterile water 5 mL·kg-1·d-1 by gavage). The arthritis index (AI) and hind paw vol-umes were recorded once a week. The serum levels of cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-αand interleukin (IL)-6 were measured by ELISA 42 days after the initial immunization. The expression of Caspase-3 in ankle synovial tissue was detect-ed by immunohistochemical method, and pathological results of HE staining in rat ankle were compared between three groups. Results Values of AI were decreased on the 24-d of the initial immunization in simvastatin group and CIA model group, which was significantly decreased on the 35-d of the initial immunization in simvastatin group than that of CIA model group (P＜0.05). The values of hind paw volumes were decreased on the 14-d of the initial immunization in simvastatin group and CIA model group, which was still significantly higher than those of control group (P＜0.05). The values of hind paw volumes were decreased on the 35-d and 42-d of the initial immunization in simvastatin group than those of CIA model group (P＜0.05). The serum levels of TNF-αand IL-6 on the 42-d of the initial immunization were significantly lower in simvastatin group than those of CIA model group, but which were significantly higher than those of control group ( P＜0.05). There were more synovial hyperplasia in simvastatin group than those of CIA model group. Only a small amount of inflamma-tory cell infiltration was found in simvastatin group. The expression of Caspase-3 was significantly higher in simvastatin group than that of CIA model group. Conclusion Simvastatin can significantly inhibit the serum levels of TNF-αand IL-6 in CIA model rats, and can up-regulate the expression of Caspase-3 in ankle of model rats.

Objective To acquire the physiological parameters such as pulse,blood oxygen saturation and ECG to realize personal health information monitoring and tailored medical service.Methods A personal health information acquisition terminal was developed,which was composed of an information acquisition module,personal computer and system software.The information acquisition module was developed with USB interface and unified circuit mode.Health information was transmitted to the personal computer at real time with USB interface,and then stored by system software and uploaded to the database.Results The terminal gained advantages in design,convenience and practicability,which realized realtime acquisition,data storage,remote auxiliary diagnosis,printing and etc of personal health information,so that personal information realtime monitoring was implemented.Concluslon The terminal can be used for health information recording,storage,acquisition and analysis,and extends medical service of hospital.

Animals ; Hypoxia ; classification ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxygen Consumption ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the association between seasonal dynamics of influenza A and climate factors in Hong Kong.Methods Data regarding monthly report on influenza A and climate during the period of 1997-2008 were collected.Generalized additive models were established to study the effects of climate factors on the seasonality of influenza A in human while confounders controlled and nonlinear effect determined.Results Results showed that the association between climate factors and the seasonality of influenza A was complicated.The nonlinear effects of climate factors on the epidemics of influenza A were significant,using x2 test (P＜0.05).The effect of the factors including mean temperature,relative humidity,wind speed and absolute humidity on the seasonality of influenza A were similar,maximal at low scale,minimal at mid-rang scale and moderate at high one.The minamal effect intervals of the above factors were (17.95-24.10) ℃,(71.5-78.5 )％,(18.3-24.0) km/h and (4.37-4.80)mb respectively.Conclusion Data from this study suggested that the effect of climate factors on the seasonal dynamics of influenza A in human was complicated.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression and interaction of core binding factor a1 (Cbfa1), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and osteopontin (OPN) in the developing periodontal tissues of mice.

METHODSA mice developing periodontal tissues study model was created histologically by 5-27 day postnatal BALB/c mice, then the immunohistochemical localization of Cbfa1, BMPs and OPN in different developing stages were undertaken.

RESULTSIn early stage of postnatal mice periodontal tissues development, only BMPs expressed in dental follicle cells, though the signal was weak. When root was forming, all of them were expressed in periodontal ligament cells and cementoblasts, while only OPN in acellular cementum, cellular cementum and the surface of alveolar bone, Cbfa1 only in cellular cementum and BMPs was seen in neither acellular cementum nor cellular cementum.

CONCLUSIONCbfa1, BMPs and OPN all involve in the development of periodontal tissues, while OPN is crucial for cementum.

Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; Bone and Bones ; Core Binding Factors ; Dental Cementum ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Osteopontin ; Periodontal Ligament ; Tooth Root

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Runx2/Cbfa1 in the developing dentin and differentiating odontoblasts.

METHODSA postnatal mice teeth developing model was built histologically. Immunohistochemical technique was adopted to determine the expression of Runx2/Cbfa1 in the developing pulpo-dentinal complex in mice.

RESULTSRunx2/Cbfa1 was merely present in predentin in the exact and before the 11th day's postnatal stages. Meanwhile, it was positively located in odontoblasts and dental pulp cells in root region, but negatively in coral part after the 11th day's stages.

CONCLUSIONRunx2/Cbfa1 may play an important role in the deposing of tooth dentin and in the differentiating of odontoblasts and pulp cells.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; Dental Pulp ; Dentin ; Mice ; Odontoblasts ; Tooth

Objective To optimize the best extraction technology of total flavonoids in Wudang pine needle tea.Methods The contents of total flavonoids were taken as index, and orthogonal design of L9(34) was applied to process ultrasonic extraction.Results The order of factors of affecting extraction technology was solid to liquid ratio > ultrasonic power > ultrasonic time. The optimized extraction technology was as follows: adding 500 times volume of purified water, ultrasonic extracting for 15 minutes with ultrasound power 500 W at 40℃. The average content of total flavonoids was 39.701 mg/g.Conclusions The optimal extraction technology is simple, efficient and feasible, and can be used for extracting total flavonoids from Wudang pine needle tea, providing basis for the formulation of quality standards.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the anti-pancreatic fibrosis effects of matrine in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid was administrated to rats to establish a pancreatic fibrosis model. Rats were divided into four groups: Control, Sham, Model, and Matrine (n=8). Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, and Azan staining were performed to evaluate pancreatic fibrosis. Expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen I in pancreatic tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β receptor 1 (TβR1), TβR2, and Smad2 in pancreatic tissues were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: In the model group, hyperplasia of glandules around the glandular ducts, mitochondrial swelling of acinous cells, and severe fibrosis were found. Interestingly, in the Matrine group, mitochondrial swelling was only found in a small number of acinous cells, and the fundamental structures of pancreatic tissues were intact. Moreover, pancreatic fibrosis was markedly alleviated. Comparing to the Sham group, expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, and collagen I was sharply elevated in the Model group (p < 0.05); however, their expressions were much lower in the Matrine group, compared to the Model group (p < 0.05). Compared with the Sham group, mRNA and protein levels of Smad2, TβR1, and TβR2 in the Model group were notably raised (p < 0.05). However, their high expression was significantly downregulated in the Matrine group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Matrine suppressed pancreatic fibrosis by regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling in rats.
Acinar Cells ; Actins ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen ; Fibrosis* ; Hyperplasia ; Mitochondrial Swelling ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) during the mineralization of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLC) in vitro.

METHODSStudies using specific antibodies to immunolocalize EGFR in the mineral differentiating hPDLC were undertaken to investigate the different expression during the inducing process. In situ hybridization and RT-PCR technique were used to investigate the transcripts encoding the protein of EGFR.

RESULTSThe results showed that immunocytochemical labeling gradually decreased following the elong of the induce time, downing to nearly negative at the 4th week and the signal of EGFR transcripts was weaker in the induced hPDLC than that in uninduced.

CONCLUSIONEGFR has a negative regulation function during the mineralization of hPDLC.

Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; In Vitro Techniques ; Periodontal Ligament ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor