Animals ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mesentery ; blood supply ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; Splanchnic Circulation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and aspirin treatment on the functions of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and possible mechanisms.

METHODSBlood samples were obtained in 10 children with KD before and 7 days after the treatment by IVIG and aspirin. MTT method, modified Boyden chamber method and cell culture plate adhesion method were used to assess the functions of EPCs, including proliferation, adhension and migration activities. The plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also measured.

RESULTSThe functions of circulating EPCs 7 days after IVIG and aspirin treatment were significantly improved. IVIG and aspirin treatment significantly reduced plasma TNF-α and hs-CRP concentrations. There was a significant linear regression relationship between the reduced plasma TNF-α and hs-CRP levels and the increased functions of circulating EPCs.

CONCLUSIONSIVIG and aspirin treatment can improve the functions of circulating EPCs, possibly through reducing plasma concentrations of TNF-α and hs-CRP.

Aspirin ; administration & dosage ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; administration & dosage ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy ; Stem Cells ; physiology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

AIMTo probe into the affection and significance of NO on the expression of P-selectin in renal injury following hind limb ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

METHODSIn accordance with the conventional approaches of our department, the model rats were prepared after they were made to undergo 4 hours or ischemia followed by 4 hours of reperfusion of hind limbs. The Wistar rats were divided into four groups randomly: Control group, LI/R group, L-Arg group and L-NAME group. And then in those four groups of Wistar rats, a series of values of measurement were determined such as: Plasma concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr). Furthermore, biochemically there came to the assessment of the values including myeloperoxidase (MPO), NO, total nitric oxide synthase (tNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS) and constitutive NOS (cNOS) of renal tissue in different groups. By the methods of electrophoresis and biochemistry, the urine protein was mensurated. The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of P-selectin protein. The morphologic changes were observed with a microscope.

RESULTSAfter hind limbs had suffered from ischemia/reperfusion for 4 hours, there was the occurrence of a series of results such as in the following which were based on the comparison between plasm of LI/R group and control group. The values of NO, BUN and Cr increased significantly, and the trend of indexes such as NO in renal tissue was similar to that in plasma. The values of MPO, tNOS and iNOS in renal tissue all increased significantly after reperfusion, while cNOS decreased distinctly. The urine protein appeared, especially large molecular weight protein. Renal pathology revealed that after LI/R there were edema and infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN). Immunohistochemically, the expression of P-selectin was upregulated significantly. Compared with LI/R rats, all injury changes were alleviated in L-Arg group. Morphologic changes were mild. Both the content of urine protein and the percentage of apoptosis cell decreased. The expression of P-selectin was downregulated. In L-NAME group, all injury changes got worse. Immunohistochemical results showed strong positive staining of P-selectin.

CONCLUSIONThe renal injury after LI/R may relate to the strong expression of P-selectin. NO may have protective affection by decreasing the expression of P-selectin and alleviating the adhesion, aggregation and infiltration of neutrophils.

Animals ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; adverse effects ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; P-Selectin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells and its relationship with serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) in children with Kawasaki disease.

METHODSTen children with Kawasaki disease and ten healthy children as a control group were enrolled. The peripheral mononuclear cells were induced into endothelial progenitor cells using Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium containing vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The proliferative ability, migratory ability and adhesive ability of endothelial progenitor cells were assessed by MTT methods, modified Boyden chamber methods and cell culture plate adhesion method, respectively. The concentrations of serum Hs-CRP were measured by latex enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay.

RESULTSThe proliferative ability, migratory ability and adhesive ability of endothelial progenitor cells in the Kawasaki disease group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). The serum concentrations of Hs-CRP in the Kawasaki disease group were significantly higher than those in the control group (87.1+/-30.2 mg/L vs 5.3+/-3.4 mg/L; P<0.01). The function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells was negatively correlated with serum concentrations of Hs-CRP in the Kawasaki disease group.

CONCLUSIONSThe function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells is decreased in children with Kawasaki disease, which may be associated with the abnormal expression of inflammatory mediators.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; blood ; Stem Cells ; physiology

Patients with congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD) manifest diverse symptoms from normospermia to azoospermia. Treatment for CUAVD patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) is complicated, and there is a lack of relevant reports. In this study, we describe the clinical features and evaluate the treatments and outcomes of CUAVD patients with OA. From December 2015 to December 2020, 33 patients were diagnosed as CUAVD with OA in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China). Patient information, ultrasound findings, semen analysis, hormone profiles, and treatment information were collected, and the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Of 33 patients, 29 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Vasoepididymostomy (VE) or cross VE was performed in 12 patients, the patency rate was 41.7% (5/12), and natural pregnancy was achieved in one of the patients. The other 17 patients underwent testicular sperm extraction as the distal vas deferens (contralateral side) was obstructed. These findings showed that VE or cross VE remains an alternative treatment for CUAVD patients with OA, even with a relatively low rate of patency and natural pregnancy.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Vas Deferens/abnormalities* ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Epididymis/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; China ; Semen

Objective: To analyze the safety, effectiveness, economics, innovation, suitability and accessibility of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis, and provide evidence-based basis for health policy decision-making and clinical practice. Methods: In July 2022, the system searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed databases (the retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to June 30, 2022), screened the documents that meet the standards, extracted and evaluated the data, and used the "HTA checklist" developed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) to evaluate the HTA report. AMSTAR-2 Scale was used to evaluate the quality of systematic evaluation/Meta analysis. CHEERS Scale was used to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomics research. The included cohort study or case-control study was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The included randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk Bias Assessment Tool (Cochrane RCT) quality evaluation criteria. Comprehensive comparison and analysis based on the characteristics of the data included in the study. Results: A total of 882 related literatures were detected from the initial screening. According to relevant standards, 8 RCT studies were finally selected for analysis. Statistical results showed that basic treatment with tetrandrine could better improve FEV(1) (MD=0.13, 95%CI: 0.06-0.20, P<0.001), FEV(1)/FVC (MD=4.48, 95%CI: 0.61-8.35, P=0.02) and clinical treatment efficiency. Tetrandrine had a low incidence of adverse reactions. The affordability coefficient of tetrandrine tablets was 0.295-0.492. Conclusion: Tetrandrine can improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary ventilation function of pneumoconiosis patients, most of the adverse reactions are mild, and the clinical application is safe.
Humans ; Pneumoconiosis/drug therapy* ; Benzylisoquinolines/therapeutic use* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Case-Control Studies