HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Objective: To explore the characteristics of IR spectra of the crude drug Herba Sedi collected in different habitats and seasons.Methods: The infrared spectra of all the samples of the whole plants were obtained by FT-IR spectroscopy,the sample powder tablets were used,and identifi cation features were determined through comparative study.Results: The harvest seasons of the samples are remarkly related to the positions(cm-1),intensity or ratios of some major absorbing peaks of the infrared spectra from the 15 samples of several different months and 4 habitats in Hubei Province,China.As for peak positions,the peak values(1625?7)cm-1 of all the samples in spring are less than 1623cm-1,but in autumn(April to October) are generally more than 1628 cm-1.And peak values(1057?16)cm-1 of the samples of spring are more than 1050 cm-1,but less than 1050 cm-1 for the samples of summer and autumn.Moreover,the habitats of samples are also related to IR spectra to some certain extent.Conclusion: The harvest seasons of Herba Sedi from Hubei Province can be preliminarily ascertained according to the IR spectra features.IR technique should be paid attention to in research and identifi cation of the harvest periods of crude plant drugs.

Objective To investigate the effects of radiation on the apoptosis rate and expression of 7 apoptosis-related genes in well-differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-1.Methods CNE-1 cells were cultured in vitro.The apoptosis rates of CNE-1 cells under 0-,2-,4-,6-,and 8-Gy radiation were measured by flow cytometry.The mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2,Bcl-xl,Bcl-w,Bax,Bak,Bad,and Bid were measured by RT-PCR.The Pearson test was used for analyzing the correlation of mRNA expression with apoptosis rate and radiation dose and the correlation between apoptosis rate and survival fraction.Results The early apoptosis rate of CNE-1 cells increased gradually as the radiation dose ranged from 0 to 6 Gy,but decreased when the radiation dose was 8 Gy; the late apoptosis rate of CNE-1 cells increased as the radiation dose ranged from 0 to 8 Gy.The mRNA expression of Bax was upregulated as CNE-1 cells were irradiated,and it was positively correlated with the early/late apoptosis rate and radiation dose (P =0.000 for all comparisons).The mRNA expression of Bcl-xl was downregulated,and it was negatively correlated with the early/late apoptosis rate (P =0.005 and 0.039) ; but it showed no correlation with radiation dose (P =0.369).The mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was upregulated and reached the peak level when the radiation dose was 4 Gy,and then it fell as the radiation dose increased.The mRNA expression of Bcl-w,Bcl-2,Bad,and Bid were not correlated with the early/late apoptosis rate (P =0.058 -0.894).There was no correlation between the apoptosis rate and survival fraction in CNE-1 cells (P =0.064).Conclusions Bax and Bcl-xl have some correlation with apoptosis rate in CNE-1 cells,but no correlation between the apoptosis rate and survival fraction was observed.

Objective To explore the relationship between condition of hypoxia and prognosis in patient with renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC).Methods The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-lo( HIF-1 α) protein in cancer tissue of 89 RCCC cases was examined by streptavidin-biotin complex immunohistochemistry.Clinical and pathological data and prognosis of 89 cases were analyzed retrospectively.There were 66 males and 23 females,with an average age of 57 years.The patients were divided into two groups,the chronic pulmonary disease (CPD) group ( 19 cases) and non CPD (NCPD) group (70 cases),with 46cases in clinical stage I,15 cases in stage Ⅱ,26 cases in stage Ⅲ,and 2 cases in stage Ⅳ.The relationship between survival time and clinicopathological variables including the presence of CPD,the positive rate of HIF-1α protein,smoking history and hemoglobin level were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method.And the Cox proportional hazards regression model was build to analyze the correlation between each variable and survival time.Results The 89 cases were followed up for a median time of 19 months (6 to 84 months).Twenty cases died,and 69 cases survived.Between the CPD group and NCPD group,clinical stage,hemoglobin level and the degree of expression of HIF-1 α were significantly different (P ＜ 0.05 ).The median survival time was 44 and 71 months in CPD group and NCPD group,respectively,and the difference was significant ( P ＜ 0.05 ).The median survival time was 43 and 70 months in Hb≤ 110 g/L group and Hb ＞ 110 g/L group,respectively,and the difference was significant ( P ＜ 0.05).The stronger the degree of expression of HIF-lα was,the shorter the overall survival was.And the difference was significant ( P ＜0.05 ).Associated with CPD,hemoglobin level,the expression of H1F-1α were independent factors affecting overall survival of the patients (P ＜0.05 ).CPD and HIF-1 α expression were positively related to disease-free survival time,and hemoglobin level was negatively related to disease-free survival time.Conclusions Systemic hypoxia caused by CPD may aggravate the hypoxie state in the organization of the patients with RCCC.The condition of hypoxia and prognosis in patient with RCCC is negatively correlated.

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of low-dose azithromycin with tiotropium bromide in the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Methods A hundred and ten patients were randomized into three groups:tiotropium bromide group (36 cases,group A),azithromycin with tiotropium bromide group(38 cases,group B)and control group(36 cases,group C).Patients in group A were given tiotropium bromide (18 μg,q,d )in addition to conventional treatment.The patients in group B were given lowdose azithromycin (250 mg,twice a week) in combined with tiotropium bromide.The patients in control group were given the conventional treatment only.The courses of treatment lasted for six months.Results Compared with the control group,the frequency of acute exacerbation in patients treated with azithromycin and tiotropium bromide was reduced remarkably ( 2.1 ± 0.6 and 4.9 ± 0.7,t =18.5061,P ＜ 0.05 ).The severity of clinic symptoms ( Cough 1.3 ± 0.5 vs.2.2 ± 0.6,P ＜ 0.05 ),expectoration ( 1.0 ± 0.2 vs.1.7 ± 0.3,P ＜ 0.05 ),anhelation ( 1.5 ± 0.8 vs.2.1 ± 0.6,t =3.6342,P ＜ 0.001 ) ],life quality ( 29 ± 8 vs.42 ± 11,P ＜ 0.05 ) and six-minutes walking distance( [ 370.00 ± 14.26 ] m vs.[ 290.00 ± 12.85 ] m,P ＜ 0.05 ) of the azithromycin with tiotropium bromide group were improved significantly when compared with control.Compared with the tiotropium bromide group,the frequency of acute exacerbation ( 2.1 ± 0.6 vs.3.2 ± 0.8,P ＜ 0.05 ),the severity of clinic symptoms (Cough 1.3 ±0.5 vs.1.8 ±0.4,P＜0.05),expectoration( 1.0 ±0.2 vs.1.3 ±0.3,P ＜0.05) and anhelation( 1.5 ±0.8 vs.1.9 ± 0.6,P ＜ 0.05 ) ],life quality ( 29 ± 8 vs.36 ± 10,P ＜ 0.05 ) and six-minutes walking distance ( [ 370.00 ± 14.26 ] m vs.[ 330.00 ± 13.76 ] m,P ＜ 0.05 ) were improved over those of tiotropium bromide group.Conclusion The long-term low-dose azithromycin in combinned with tiotropium bromide is good and safe in treating stable COPD.Therefore,it is worth of further clinical evaluation.

Five fractions were split for the chemical components of Atractylodis macrocephalae rhizome by the combination application of various separation methods and the over 90% similarity of HPLC fringerprints within each fractions indicated the good repeatability for the splitting procedure. Further, a term of nonsimilarity degree ( NSD) was introduced to measure the unoverlapping property of the chemical fractions and different statistic analyses, including principal component analysis, cluster analysis, angle cosin analysis, squared euclidean distance and the NSD of peak areas of crude drug were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze their unoverlapping property, revealing the NSD among different fractions was calculated above 85%. Among them, the NSD of peak area of crude drug established on the basis of HPLC fingerprints of crude drug is more suitable for the NSD evaluation of chemical splitting fractions of crude drug comparing with other statistical methods and practical for reflecting the real content-activity relationship in the subsequent exploration of effective substances of crude drugs. This research provides a new effective method to evaluate the chemical difference of splitting fractions of Chinese medicine and lay the foundation for exploring the effective and property-flavor substances or of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.

Objective struclured clinical examination (OSCE) is a kind of examination which could objectively evaluate the students′clinical skills.Nowadays,OSCE are wildly applied in medical educational field throughout the world.Timely discussion and analysis on the problems existed in the implementation process of OSCE is necessary.Measures should be taken to improve the OSCE examination and to meet the requirements of higher clinical practice training level such as increasing clinical skill simulation training hardware investment,optimizing settings and conlents of the examination and the test stations as well as introducing standardized patients (SP) and other measures.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteocalcin (OC) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) are involved in bone metabolism, which is correlative with osteoporosis.OBJECTIVE: To observe expression properties of IL-6, OC and BALP in rats with osteoporosis.DESIGN: Control experiment with observation of randomized group division was designed.SETTING: Orthopedics Department of Shenzhen People's Hospital (2nd Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Jinan University)MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Animal Laboratory Room and Center Laboratory Room of Shenzhen People's Hospital from January 2002 to January 2003, in which, 60 SD female rats of 6 months were employed, averagely weighted 250 g. They were randomized into 3 groups, named ovariectomized (OVT) group, control and blank group, 20 rats in each.METHODS: In OVT group, the ovaries of rat were removed bilaterally to establish osteoporosis model. In the control, after the ovary was lifted out of abdominal cavity when the abdomen was opened, it was returned back and the abdomen was closed. In blank group, no any management was performed. In 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months after surgery, 4 rats were randomized from each group for assays of bone density, OC, IL-6 and BALP.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes of bone density, OC, IL-6 and BALP of whole body of rat.assay in rats: In 4, 5 and 6 months, in OVT group, bone density was reduced remarkably compared with the control and blank group [in 4 months:(0.139 5±0.007 8), (0.147 0±0.000 8), (0.145 9±0.002 9) g/cm2; in 5 months: (0.137 9±0.000 9), (0.145 6±0.000 8), (0.144 7±0.000 5) g/cm2; in 6 months: (0.122 6±0.000 4), (0.145 0±0.002 1), (0.144 0±0.000 9) g/cm2, P sults of IL-6 assay in rats: At every time spots, IL-6 in OVT group was sults of BALP in serum of rats: In 4, 5 and 6 months, BALP in OVT group was higher significantly than the control and blank group [(2 026±4) vs (1 247±12), (1 291±7) nkat/L, (2 342±9) vs (1 273±18), (1 342±12) nkat/L,(2 633±15) vs (1 340±9), (1 357±8) nkat/L, P ＜ 0.05].CONCLUSION: In the rats with osteoporosis, bone density is decreased significantly and IL-6, OC and BALP are significantly expressed, which can be taken as the indexes for diagnosis and screen of osteoporosis.Zhang XM, Xu ZS, Xiao DM, Li R.Expression properties of interteukin-6, osteocalcin and bone alkaline phosphatase in osteoporosis rats Zhongguo Linchuang Kangfu 2005;9(43):190-2(China) [www.zglckf.com]INTRODUCTIONOsteoporosis induces complications, like bone fracture, which is associated with various factors, such as estrogen level. Osteocalcin (OC) is a kind of active multi-peptide secreted from osteoblasts,which plays the importance in regulating calcium metabolism and is a new biochemical mark in study on bone metabolism. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) provides powerful bone absorption and stimulation,which plays the important role in coupled information exchange ofbone absorption and formation. In this experiment, ovarietomy was done bilaterally in SD female rats to establish osteoporosis, afterwards, bone density, serum OC, IL-6 and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) were determined to probe into their relationship with the incidence of osteoporosis.

Objective To carry out the quality control testing and evaluation for three digital mammography systems.Methods The performance of three digital mammography systems was assessed by applying methods recommended in the European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis and Chinese specification for testing of quality control in X-ray mammography.The performance of X-ray generator of three digital mammography systems were tested and evaluated.CDMAM 3.4 phantom with four different thickness(30,40,50,60 mm) were exposured in DR,PCM,and CR system,respectively.The average glandular dose (AGD) value was measured and image quality figure (IQF) analysis was performed in each thickness.Results The X-ray machine performance of DR and CR was in accordance with existing standard,however the standard was inappropriate to evaluate part of X-ray machine performance of PCM system.The AGDs for system DR were 1.20,1.42,1.75 and 2.20 mGy for 30,40,50 and 60 mm PMMA thickness,respectively.The respective AGDs for system PCM and CR were 0.82,1.19,1.33,1.70 mGy and 0.59,0.88,1.47,2.19 mGy.For the same phantom thickness sequence,the IQFs were 21.36,21.57,27.25 and 30.58 for system DR,28.02,29.10,35.90,and 41.24 for system PCM,whereas they were 39.78,39.30,43.85 and 48.08 for system CR.Conclusions The AGDs of all three systems were in accordance with the values recommended in European guideline.The AGD and IQF could provide an effective way for performance assessment and constancy checks for digital mammography systems.

s teaching was also significantly higher in the study group than in the control group(97.37% vs.64.71%,P＜0.05).Conclusion Micro-teaching can effectively improve the quality of clinical teaching.