OBJECTIVETo study on the Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome distribution of ulcerative colitis (UC) and the distribution of CM syndrome types at different staging periods.

METHODSFrom March 2007 to April 2010, 110 UC out- or inpatients at the Department of Digestive Diseases of Guangzhou Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited. The patients' symptoms were calculated. The systematic clustering was used. The symptom was taken as the variable in the clustering. The syndrome types were confirmed according to the clustering results. The syndrome typing was performed and its results were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 64 main symptoms in UC patients, including diarrhea, mushy stool, watery stool, abdominal pain, and bloody stool. Seventy cases belonged to the active period and 40 to the remission period. The UC syndrome types were sequenced from high to low as the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome, Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome, Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome, Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome, blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome, yin and blood deficiency syndrome. There was statistical difference in the case number among different syndrome types (P < 0.05). In the active period, dominated were the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome (28 cases, 25.5%), Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome (14 cases, 12.7%), and blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome (10 cases, 9.0%). In the remission period, dominated were Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome (18 cases, 16.4%) and Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (10 cases, 9.0%), showing statistical difference (P<0.05). The typical symptoms of patients of the dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome were sequenced from high to low as yellow tongue fur (31 cases, 28.1%), tenesmus (26 cases, 23.6%), mucopurulent bloody stool (25 cases, 227%), diarrhea (24 cases, 21.8%), anal burning (24 cases, 21.8%), watery stool (21 cases, 19.0%), abdominal pain (19 cases, 17.2%), red tongue (19 cases, 17.2%), and greasy tongue fur (19 cases, 17.2%). The typical symptoms of patients of Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as tastelessness (25 cases, 22.7%), fine pulse (25 cases, 22.7%), pink tongue (22 cases, 20.0%), eructation (21 cases, 19.1%), hypodynamia (21 cases, 19.1%), loss of appetite (20 cases, 18.2%), and white tongue fur (20 cases, 18.2%). The typical symptoms of patients of Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as abdominal pain (17 cases, 15. 5%), preference for warmth (17 cases, 15. 5%), diarrhea (16 cases, 14.5%), aggravation while encountering cold (15 cases, 13.6%), white tongue fur (15 cases, 13.6%), pale white tongue (14 cases, 12.7%). The typical symptoms of patients of Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome were sequenced from high to low as emotions inducing (18 cases, 16.4%), eructation (16 cases, 14.5%), white tongue coating (16 cases, 14.5%), dry stool before loose stool (15 cases, 13.6%), frequent break wind (15 cases, 13.6%), and frequent sigh (15 cases, 13.6%). The typical symptoms of patients of blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome were sequenced from high to low as abdominal pain (12 cases, 10.9%), sting (12 cases, 10.9%), soreness of the waist (12 cases, 10.9%), dark red tongue with petechiae (12 cases, 10.9%), thick fur (12 cases, 10.9%). There was statistical difference in the symptom ratio among each syndrome types (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in other symptoms except yin and blood deficiency syndrome (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe dampness-heat of Dachang syndrome, Gan depression and Pi deficiency syndrome, and blood stasis in the intestinal collaterals syndrome were dominated in the UC active period. Pi-Wei qi deficiency syndrome and Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome were dominated in the remission period.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cluster Analysis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; classification ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Yang Deficiency ; Yin Deficiency ; Young Adult

BackgroundDry eye is a multi-factorial-induced tear film and ocular surface disorder.Immunoinflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eye.As inhibitor of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway,nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs play an anti-inflammatory and anti-hypersensitivity role,and it can be a potential treatment for dry eyes.ObjectiveThis study was to investigate the effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (0.1％topical pranoprofen) on moderate to severe dry eyes and its mechanism.MethodsThis was a small sample of randomized controlled clinical trial.Thirty right eyes of 30 patients with moderate to severe dry eyes were included in the study according to the diagnosis criteria and randomized into two groups.The patients of the trial group received topical administration of 0.1％ pranoprofen plus 0.1％ sodium hyaluronate,and those of the control group received the topical 0.1％ sodium hyaluronate only.Ocular surface inflammation index scores (OSDI) and ocular surface fluorescine staining (OSS) scores were measured under the slit lamp,and tear film break-up time (BUT),Schirmer Ⅰ test values were evaluated.The expression of human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) and CD11b in conjunctiva epithelial cells were detected by impression cytology and flow cytometry (FCM).All the indexes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Informed consent was obtained from all patients.ResultsThere were no significant differences in terms of age and gender and their baseline values between the trial group and control group (t=0.412,P=0.684;x2=0.240,P=0.624),and so were all the indexes (P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the OSDI,OSS scores and cells positive for HLA-DR were lowered but the BUT was delayed in the trial group on day 15 ( t=2.43,P=0.03;t=2.83,P=0.01;t=3.29,P=0.00;t=3.23,P=0.00 ).No significant differences were found in the Schirmer Ⅰ test value and CD11b expression between these two groups (t=0.17,P=0.87;t=0.28,P=0.79).The OSDI,OSS scores and BUT were significantly improved,and the number of cells positive for HLA-DR were reduced 15 days after administration of drugs in comparison with before treatment in the trial group ( t =12.30,10.70,6.10,7.92,P =0.00 ).However,there were no comparable alteration seen in these indexes before and after the usage of drugs in the control group ( P＞0.05).Positive correlations were found in HLADR expression with OSDI and OSS ( r =0.601,P =0.018 ; r =0.586,P =0.022 ) and a negative correlation in HLADR expression with BUT (r=-0.697,P=0.004) on day 15 in the trial group.ConclusionsTopical usage of 0.1％ pranoprofen is beneficial for remitting the ocular signs and symptoms in moderate to severe dry eyes.This study illustrates that topical usage of 0.1％ pranoprofen can down-regulate the expression of inflammatory markers in conjunctival epithelial cells.

Based on the teaching fact and feature of pharmacy specialty. In this article, curriculum location of general microbiology about object, character, function, content design for the higher vocational colleges were disscused. The result would provide some gist to reform teaching methods for microbiology course.

SW872 cells were cultured in vitro with oleic acid and differentiated into mature adipocytes. The role of interleukin-6(IL-6)in the secretion of acylation-stimulating protein(ASP)in mature SW872 adipocytes was observed.The results suggested that IL-6 significantly inhibited ASP secretion into the media in a dose-and time-dependent manner in mature SW872 adipocytes.

Acute Disease ; Fatal Outcome ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; diagnosis ; therapy

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the plasma levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), D-dimer, IL-6 and TNF-α, and observe the relations among uPA, uPAR, D-dimer, IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). METHODS: A prospective, clinical case-control study was conducted in patients with SIRS at age of more than 55 years old treated during 2008-2010 at Wuhan Central Hospital. Venous blood samples were collected by routine venipuncture. Eighty-five patients were divided into two groups according to diagnostic criteria of SIRS: SIRS patients from intensive care units (n=50), and non-SIRS patients from medical wards (n=35). Thirty healthy blood donors who visited the General Health Check-up Division at Wuhan Central Hospital served as controls. Excluded from the study were (1) those patients with pregnancy; (2) those with cancer; (3) those died after admission into the ICU in 7 days; (4) those received cardiopulmonary resuscitation; (5) those who had previous blood system diseases; and (6) those with SIRS before admission into the ICU. The levels of uPA, uPAR, D-D, IL-6 and TNF-α in blood were detected by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 and expressed as mean ± standard. Student's t test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used in the analysis. The relations of uPA, uPAR and D-dimer, IL-6 TNF-α levels were analyzed using Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient test. RESULTS: The plasma levels of uPA , uPAR, D-dimer,IL-6 and TNF-α in the patients with SIRS were obviously higher than those in the non-SIRS patients and controls (P<0.001). Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between uPAR and IL-6 levels (r=0.395, P=0.004) and between uPAR and TNF-α levels (r=0.606, P<0.001), but no correlation between uPAR and D-dimer levels (r=0.069, P=0.632). No correlation was observed between uPA, D-dimer, IL-6 and TNF-α levels (P>0.05). The establishment of ROC curve was based on the levels of uPAR, D-dimer, IL-6 and TNF-αin 24 hours for the diagnosis of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and the ROC areas under the curve were 0.76, 0.58, 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: uPA and uPAR play a major role in patients with SIRS in the process of coagulation disorder, but the mechanism of SIRS is not the same. uPAR may play a central role in the development of SIRS to MODS.

BACKGROUND:Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) are known as important factors, which mediate a variety of functions in terms of vascular homeostasis, inflammation and tissue repair. However, their role in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) has been less well studied. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the abnormalities of fibrinolysis and degradation of extracellular matrix mediated by uPA and uPAR are directly related to the patients with SIRS. We therefore analyzed their role and clinicopathological significance in patients with SIRS.METHODS:A case-control study was conducted with 85 patients who were divided into two groups according to the diagnostic criteria of SIRS:SIRS group (n=50) and non-SIRS group (n=35). The SIRS group was divided into MODS group (n=26) and non-MODS group (n=24) by their severity, and survival group (n=35) and non-survival group (n=15) by their prognosis. Another 30 healthy adults served as normal controls. uPA and uPAR in plasma were detected by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.RESULTS:The plasma level of uPA was lower in the SIRS group than in the non-SIRS group and controls (P<0.001 andP<0.001). It was lower in sepsis patients and the MODS group than in the non-sepsis patients and the non-MODS patients (allP<0.05). However, there was no difference in uPA level between survivors and non-survivors (P>0.05). The plasma level of uPAR increased in the SIRS group compared with the non-SIRS group and controls (P<0.001 andP<0.001). There was a significant elevation of uPAR in sepsis patients, MODS patients and non-survivors as compared with non-sepsis patients, non-MODS patients and survivors respectively (allP<0.05). Plasma uPAR levels were positively correlated with APACHE II score (r=0.575,P<0.001) and SOFA score (r=0.349,P=0.013). AUCs for the prediction of SIRS mortality were 0.67 and 0.51, respectively, for uPA and uPAR.CONCLUSION:uPAR could be a predictor of poor outcome in patients with SIRS.

The expression cDNA library of A. tabescens was constructed by SMART technique, which useλTriplEx2 as a vector. The titer and the percentage of the constructed library were about 1.0 × 106pfu/mland 98.3% respectively, and the titer and the capacity of the amplified library were about 3.1 × 108pfu/mland 4.2 × 1010. The library was used to provide expressed sequence tags (ESTs). 147 Expressed SequenceTaqs (ESTs) were gained from 176 clones, which were selected randomly and sequenced at the 5'end. Thesequences were submitted to the EMBL database. Blasting the sequences in the GenBank, 43 of them werefound that they have significant similarity with data in GenBank. EST AJ620046 was has significantsimilarity with the arabinosidase of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Using SMART-RACE a full-length cDNA ofAJ620046 was successfully obtained. In order to initially characterize the biochemical properties ofAJ620046, the ORF of AJ620046 named AF was cloned and expressed in Pichia Pastoris yeast.Recombinant pHIL-S1-AF constructed by inserting AF into pHIL-S1 was transformed into Pichia PastorisGS115. Preliminary experiments indicated that AJ620046 was expressed as a 32 kDa protein in recombinantyeast.

Objective To investigate the structure-activity relationship for 21 anthocyanins in inhibiting oxidized injury of endothelial cells,and explore the structural characteristics of anthocyanins closely related to their effects. Methods Endothelial cells were treated by ox-LDL at different concentrations of 50,100,150 or 200 ?g/ml,and MTT assay was used to determine IC50. After pre-incubated for 2 h with different concentrations ( 50,100 or 200 ?mol/L) of anthocyanins and then treated with 100 ?g/ml ox-LDL for another 24 h in endothelial cells,MTT assay was used to detect the cellular viability. After pre-treated for 2 h with different anthocyanins with 100 ?mol/L and treated with ox-LDL for another 24 h,MDA and NO level in the culture media were both measured according to the methods of assay kits. Structure-activity relationship was analyzed according to the respective cellular viability,MDA and NO level. Results Cellular viability was significantly inhibited by ox-LDL in a dose-dependent manner,and the IC50 was 100 ?g/ml. A significant correlation was observed among the effect of anthocyanins on cell viability,MDA production and NO release. The inhibitory effects of anthocyanins in ox-LDL-injured endothelial cells were positively related to the total number of hydroxyl groups and hydroxyl substitutions in B ring. 3′,4′-ortho-dihydroxyl substitution on B-ring and a 3-hydroxyl group on C-ring significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of anthocyanins,yet methoxylation or glycosylation significantly decreased the effect. 6-hydroxylation substitution might attenuate the inhibitory effect of anthocyanins,while substitution at C5 or C5′ showed no significant influence on the effect of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin with monosaccharose substitution was much stronger than that with disaccharose substitution,while there was no significant difference between anthocyanins with glucoside and that with galacotoside substitution. Delphinidin and delphinidin-3-glucoside were respectively the most effectual anthocyanidin or anthocyanin. Conclusion 3′,4′-ortho-dihydroxyl substitution on B-ring and a 3-hydroxyl group on C-ring are the main structural requirements for anthocyanins in suppressing ox-LDL-induced injury in endothelial cells.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of houttuyfonate sodium (HS) on eliminating adhesion of Psedomonas aeruginosa (Pa) and forming biofilms.

METHODPa biofilms were established in 96-hold plates. MTT assay was used to evaluate the changes in metabolism of biofilms and assess the minimum eliminating concentration and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration for adherent Pa. The colony counting method was used to observe the effect of HS on Pa adhesion and biomass in biofilms. SEM was employed to examine the effect of HS on adhesion of tested Pa and morphology of biofilms.

RESULTMEC80 and MEC50 of HS for adherent Pa was 500 mg x L(-1) and 125 mg x L(-1), respectively. Meanwhile, its SMIC80 for either early or mature biofilms of Pa was 500 mg x L(-1), and SMIC50 for early and mature biofilms of Pa were 31.25, 1.95 mg x L(-1), respectively. At the concentration of 250 mg x L(-1), the number of viable bacteria in the state of adhesion and in initial and mature biofilms decreased significantly, compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The number of bacteria on adherent carriers notably reduced under SEM. Following the continuous administration, there were no visible biofilms on carriers in the mature biofilm phase, with the biomass remarkably shrinking and the bacterial morphology changing from bacillus into coccobacillus.

CONCLUSIONHS displayed powerful effect on eliminating adherent Pa, and can inhibit Pa biofilm from being formed through continuous administration.

Alkanes ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Adhesion ; drug effects ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; Sulfites ; pharmacology