Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Genes, MHC Class I ; genetics ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; Leukemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of natural moxibustion on regulating immune imbalance in asthma rats.

METHODSSeventy SD male rats were divided into a normal group, a placebo group, a dexamethasone group, a big-cake for long-course moxibustion group, a big-cake for short-course moxibustion group, a small-cake for long-course moxibustion group and a small-cake for short-course moxibustion group, ten rats in each one. The rat model of asthma was established by egg albumen sensitization and stimulation in all the groups except the normal group. The natural moxibustion was used in all moxibustion groups, in which big cake of 1 cmX 1 cm size was used in the big-cake groups and small cake of 0.5 cmX 0. 5 cm size was used in the small cake groups. According to relevant acupoints, the natural moxibustion was performed, 5 h per time, once a day. Four times of treatment was considered one course, and three courses were required in the long-course groups and one course was required in the short-course groups. Intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone was applied in the dexamethasone group, which had the same course as long-course moxibustion group. After the treatment, changes of EOS in peripheral blood of asthma rats were observed; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to test the contents of IgE, IL-4 and IFN-gamma in the lung tissue; real-time Q-PCR method was adopted to measure the expression level of transcription factor T-bet and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3) in the lung tissue.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, the EOS in whole blood as well as IL-4 and IgE in plasma were all increased in the placebo group (all P< 0. 01), IFN-gamma in plasma was obviously decreased (P<0. 01); while the levels of EOS, IgE and IL-4 were significantly reduced (all P<0. 01), the content of IFN-gamma was increased (P<0. 01) in all moxibustion groups and dexametnasone group. Compared with the normal group, the expression of T-bet mRNA in the placebo group was significantly reduced (P<0. 01). Each treatment group could significantly increase the expression of T-bet mRNA and reduce that of GATA-3 mRNA (P<0. 01). Compared with the short-course moxibustion groups, the expression of T-bet mRNA was obviously increased in the long-course moxibustion group and dexamethasone group (both P<0.01), and that of GATA-3 mRNA was reduced (P<0.01). There was no significant difference between long-course moxibustion group and dexamethasone group (P> 0. 05), and also no significant difference could be seen between big-cake moxibustion group and small-cake moxibustion group (P>0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe natural moxibustion could obviously reduce airway inflammation in asthma rats. With time passing, the efficacy is enhanced, indicating evident timeliness, which has no apparent relationship with the size of moxibustion cake.

Animals ; Asthma ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Cytokines ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Myocardium

Objective To investigate the effect of eosinophils(EOS)in asthmatic guinea pigs airway and explore the mechanism of antiasthma by inhaled arsenic trioxide. Methods The guinea pigs asthma models were established with ovalbumin(OVA)challenge method,2 groups received inhaled different doses of arsenic trioxide,and three control groups respectively received normal saline inhaled and high dose of arsenic trioxide by intraperitoneal injection and dexamethasone(DEX)intraperitoneally. EOS invaded and apoptosis with all of the groups were assessed after 7 days intraperitoneal injection or inhalation. Results Compared with group of inhaled normal saline, both EOS invaded and apoptosis in bronchus submuconsa were significantly different(P0.05)among groups of inhaled low dose arsenic trioxide [2.0 mg(kg?d)]and intraperitoneal injection with higher dose arsenic trioxide[5.0 kg/(kg?d)]and DEX[10 mg/(kg?d)]for these two parameters. Conclusions The mechanism of arsenic trioxide antiasthma with arsenic trioxide can decrease EOS amount in bronchial submucosa and accelerate EOS apoptosis, and relieve bronchial inflammation in asthma. For inhaled lower dose arsenic trioxide or intraperitoneal injection with high dose arsenic trioxide ,the effect of EOS is equivalent. The antiasthma effect of inhaled lower dose arsenic trioxide[2.0 mg/(kg?d)]is equivalent to intraperitoneal injection higher dose[5.0 mg/(kg?d)],and may be safe comparatively. The mechanism of antiasthma by inhaled arsenic trioxide is the same with DEX.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of lung cancer Ⅳ recipe combined with chemotherapy on treating middle and advanced stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the elderly.Methods A total of 77 NSCLC patients in middle and advanced stages aged 70 years and over who had heat-toxin syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were selected from Apr.2013 to Oct.2014 in our hospital.Patients were randomly divided into chemotherapy group (n=39) and chemotherapy + herbs group (n=38).Karnofsky assessment scale (KPS),effective rate,symptom and sign in traditional Chinese medicine,changes in the levels of high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP),carcino embryonic antigen (CEA),neuron specific enolase (NSE),tumor special growth factor (TSGF) were observed before and 1 and 56 days after treatment.Results There was no significant difference in effective rate between the two groups (P＞0.05).The KPS and symptom and sign in TCM were improved significantly in chemotherapy + herbs group as compared with chemotherapy group (36.7 ％ vs.26.5 ％,80.0 ％ vs.58.8 ％,respectively (x2 =2.721,6.731,both P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in hs-CRP,NSE,CEA,TSGF levels between two groups before and after treatment (P＞0.05),but hs-CRP level in both groups was decreased after treatment as compared to pre-treatment and the decvease was more obvious in chemotherapy + herbs group (51.47％ vs.23.77％,x2 =19.713,P＜0.05).Conclusions Lung cancer Ⅳ recipe can improve the main clinical symptoms,quality of life and tolerance to chemotherapy in NSCLC patients with heat-toxin manifestation in TCM.There is a correlation between heat-toxin syndrome and hsCRP level in NSCLC patients,which shows that hs-CRP probably is the material basis of the heattoxin syndrome in TCM.

Objective To evaluate the value of peripheral blood neutrophil CD_(64) level for early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia.Methods Thirty-six cases of neonatal septicemia were recruited into the study according to diagnostic criteria for neonatal septicemia:white blood cell count,C-reactive protein(CRP),platelet count,micro-erythrocyte sedimentatio rate(mESR) and blood culture;26 cases of hospitalized neonates with non-infectious diseases were enrolled as controls.The level of peripheral blood neutrophil CD_(64) was measured by flow cytometry.Results The level of peripheral blood neutrophil CD_(64) in septicemia patients were(60.37?22.70)mean fluorescence intensity(MFI),which were significantly higher than that of control group(23.14?5.10)MFI(P

To investigate the effects of a formula of components from Shengmai Powder, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in rats after thermal injury.

Objective To extract the color feature of tongue image.Methods The tongue image was divided into 8?8 dynamic rectangular grids. Then the color histogram of each grid was calculated. All of them composed a high-dimensional vector (we call it the original feature vector).Finally, the dimensionality of the original feature vector was reduced by using Landmark Isomap. Results Experiments on 3 594 tongue images showed that several color features of tongue image, such as the color of tongue substance, the color of tongue coat, the shades of tongue color, and so on could be extracted. Conclusion This proposed method can be used to extract the color feature of tongue image effectively.

Objective To observe the effect of Chaihushugansan combined with fluoxetine on interleukin -6 ( IL-6 ) , interleukin -1β( IL-1β) , tumor necrosis factor ( TNF-α) in the treatment of patients with postpartum depression.Methods 83 patients from November 2013 to July 2015 in Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital were randomly divided into 41 patients of observation group and 42 patients of control group.The control group were treated with fluoxetine treatment, the obsercation group received Chaihushugansan on the basis of control group.The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA),IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and adverse reactions were followed up and recorded.Results The HAMD and HAMA score in observation group post-treatment were (8.31 ±2.05,9.03 ±2.08)points, which were lower than (13.96 ±2.16, 13.61 ±2.14) points in control group (P<0.05).The serum IL-6 and IL-1βlevels in observation group post-treatment were (6.59 ±3.20,5.01 ±2.83)pg/mL, which were lower than (10.64 ±3.86,9.31 ±3.42)pg/mL in control group (P<0.05).The serum TNF-αand hs-CRP levels in observation group post-treatment were ( 9.16 ±2.01 ) pg/mL, ( 3.62 ±1.06 ) mg/L, which were lower than ( 12.30 ±2.37 ) pg/mL, (5.29 ±1.14)mg/L in control group (P<0.05).The total adverse reaction rate in observation group was 7.32%, significantly lower than 23.81% in control group ( P <0.05 ) .Conclusion Chaihushugansan combined with fluoxetine has a good therapeutic effect in the treatment of postpartum depression, could significantly reduce the IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α levels, with fewer side effects, it is better than fluoxetine alone.

Objective To investigate the relationship between helicobacter pylori(Hp) infection and Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP) in children and find out the etiological treatment for HSP.Methods Positive rate of Hp-IgG between normal children and children with HSP were compared.Infection of Hp was detected by rapid urease test,and relationship between infection of Hp and clinical symptom in Henoch purpura was analyzed.Children with HSP were randomly divided into two groups and were respectively treated with Hp eradication therapy together with conventional therapy and conventional therapy only.The recurrence rates were compared.Results The infection rate in 150 children with HSP,especially the 90 children with Henoch purpura was significantly higher than that in normal children,and it was in positive correlation with abdominal symptom.Hp infection with triplex therapy for 2 weeks in HSP could reduce the recurrence of HSP.Conclusions Hp infection may be one of the reasons of HSP in children,and is related with Henoch purpura.Eradication of Hp can reduce recurrence of HSP.