OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on the content of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and to explore its mechanism for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODSSeventy-four AS patients were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group by digit random table, 37 in each group. Patients in the control group took Sulfasalazine Enteric-coated Tablet (SECT), 0.5 g each time, three times daily for 3 months. Those in the observation group additionally received catgut implantation at acupoint for 3 months. Changes of visual analogue scale (VAS), Schober test, pillow wall distance, thoracic activity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), and TNF-alpha were compared after 3 months of treatment.

RESULTSThere was obvious change in VAS, Schober test, pillow wall distance, thoracic activity, ESR, CRP, and TNF-alpha after treatment in the both groups, showing statistical difference when compared with before treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The aforesaid indices were obviously improved after treatment in the observation group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCatgut implantation at acupoint, as an assistant therapy, could significantly improve clinical symptoms and signs, decrease the level of TNF-alpha, and its effect was superior to that of oral SECT administration alone.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; blood ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

Objective To study the effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor(GM-CSF)on angiogenesis of rat with acute myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol(Iso). Methods A total of 60 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, GM-CSF pretreatment group (GM-CSF group), and lso injury group, 20 rats in each group. GM-CSF group was administered recombinant human(rh)GM-CSF(5.0 μg/kg), through tail intravenous injection once a day for three days. Then the GM-CSF group and the Iso injury group were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of lso( 15.0 mg/kg) once a day for three days. The same dose of saline was administered in the same way to the control rats. Ten days after injection, pathological changes of myocardial damage and infarct area were examined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of polypeptide antigen (CD34), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor KDR/flk- 1 were measured by RT-PCR. Results The difference of myocardial necrosis area between groups was statistically significant(F=10.07, P < 0.01), in which GM-CSF group[(37.37 ± 12.98)%] was significantly less than Iso injury group[(45.51 ±14.96)%, P < 0.05]. The difference of myocardial neovascularization density index of rats between groups was statistically significant ( F = 25.54, P < 0.05 ), in which GM-CSF group [(3980.05 ± 477.22) No/mm2] was significantly higher than Iso injury group((2605.93±361.49)No/mm2,P<0.01).The differences of myocardial CD34,VEGF,KDR/flk-1 mRNA expression between groups were statistically significant(F=17.83,4.29,4.10,all P<0.01).Compared to Iso mjury group[CD34(23.85±6.06),VEGF(31.80±8.05),KDR/flk-1(30.16±8.01)]were higher in the GM-CSF group[CD34(44.04±10.13),VEGF(49A±11.59),and KDR/flk-1(46A9±7.90),all P<0.01].The expressions of myocardiM VEGF mRNA and its receptor KDR/flk-1 mRNA was positively correlated(r=0.725,R2=0.526,P<0.01).Conclusions GM-CSF prelreatmcnt increases the density ofnew blood vessels in myocardium,and reduces the Iso-induced myocardial injury in rats.

Microbial metabolomics is a subject that chiefly studying all the low molecular weight metabolites in an organism or cells during their growing process. The progress of analytical technology promotes microbial metabolomics to make advancement. In this paper, the commonly used analytical technology, sample preparation and its application were discussed and the prospects of the analytical methods were also discussed.

Animal Feed ; Animals ; Cysteamine ; Female ; Goats ; Mammary Glands, Animal ; growth & development ; physiology

Humans ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Radiography ; methods

Objective To investigate the current treatment of childhood bronchiolitis and wheezy bronchitis in the outpatient clinic.Methods The medication treatments of the children under 2 years old with bronchiolitis were retrospectively analyzed in the outpatient department of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics,during the 2 periods from November to December 2010 and July to August 2011.These children were divided into 3 groups according to age,1-6 months old group,＞ 6 months to 1 year old group and ＞ 1-2 year old group.The medications prescribed,including antibiotics,steroid,β2 agonists and anticholinergic drugs were analyzed.Results Altogether 6 198 patient visits were included.Among them,4 764 (76.86％) visits received antibiotics,4 078 (65.80％) visits received intravenous antibiotics,3 018 (48.69％) visits received systemic glucocorticoids,2 980 (48.08％) visits received intravenous steroid,3 400 (54.86％) visits received nebulization treatment,3 381 (54.55％) visits received nebulized steroid,3 417 (55.13％) visits received inhaled bronchodilators,among them,3 384 (99.03％) visits received combined nebulization of β2 agonists and anticholinergic drugs;and 826 (13.33％)visits received oral bronchodilators.In the 3 age groups,the older the age group the higher the oral bronchodilators prescription rate (6.77％,11.50％ and 18.77％,respectively).While the prescription rate of intravenous steroid,inhaled steroid and inhaled bronchodilators were lowest in the oldest(＞ 1-2 year old) group (43.65％,49.64％ and 50.00％,respectively).The average cost was 166.08 Yuan per visit,and 69.06％ was spend on drug cost.Conclusions There is a wide spread use of antibiotics,glucosteroids and bronchodilators in the treatment of bronchiolitis and wheezy bronchitis.There is a need for national guideline of bronchiolitis to standardize the management of childhood bronchiolitis in outpatient clinic.

The prescription of antibiotics for children with upper respiratory infections (URIs) in outpatient department of our hospital from November to December 2010 and from July to August 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.In 37 211 patient visits (prescriptions) with suppurative tonsillitis,laryngitis and other URIs,the antibiotic prescription rates were 90.45％ (3 626/4 009),78.77％ (2 642/3 354)and 52.25％ (15 596/29 848),respectively;the intravenous antibiotics rates were 78.22％ (3 136/4 009),60.58％ (2 032/3 354) and 16.47％ (4 915/29 848),respectively for above three conditions.For suppurative tonsillitis,the 3rd generation cephalosporins were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics (orally:51.07％,715/1 400) and(intravenously:54.88％,1 721/3 136),followed by the 2nd and first generation cephalosporins and macrolides.For laryngitis and other URIs,the 2nd generation cephalosporins were most frequently prescribed(orally:48.78％,538/1 103 and 39.16％,4 433/11 320,respectively) and (intravenously:54.38％,1 105/2 032 and 42.75％,2 101/4 915,respectively),followed by macrolides,3rd generation cephalosporins and first generation cephalosporins.No intravenous penicillin were prescribed.Oral penicillin were prescribed for 0-0.22％ of these children.The results indicate that antibiotics prescription rates are high for children with upper respiratory infections,particularly the prescription of broad spectrum antibiotics and intravenous antibiotics,while penicillin is seldom prescribed.

Objective To investigate the effects of hydrogen gas on the myocardial injury in rats with endotoxemia.Methods Forty-eight healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 200-220 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =12 each ):control group (group C ),hydrogen gas control group (group HC ),endotoxemia group (group E) and hydrogen gas + endotoxemia group (group LH).Endotoxemia was induced by intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 20 mg/kg in groups E and LH,while the equal volume of normal saline was given in groups C and HC.After LPS administration,the rats were exposed to the air containing 2％ hydrogen gas for 6 h in groups HC and LH,and the rats were exposed to the air for 6 h in groups C and E.Blood samples were taken from the abdominal aorta after 6 h inhalation of hydrogen gas to determine the serum level of cTnI.The hearts were then removed to determine the content of TNF-α and IL-6 and expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor κB ( NF-κB) inhibitory protein (p-IκB-α) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38MAPK) in the myocardial tissues.Results Compared with group C,no significant change was found in the levels of cTnI,TNF-α and IL-6 and expression of p-IκB-α and p-p38MAPK in group HC ( P ＞ 0.05),and the levels of cTnI,TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly increased and the expression of p-IκB-α and p-p38MAPK was up-regulated in groups E and LH ( P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group E,the levels of cTnI,TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly decreased and the expression of p-IκB-α and p-p38MAPK was down-regulated in group LH ( P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Hydrogen gas can reduce the myocardial injury in rats with endotoxemia,and inhibition of the p38MAPK and NF-κB pro-inflammatory pathway and reduction of the inflammatory response of myocardial tissues are involved in the mechanism.

Objective To evaluate the role of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) in ischemic preconditioning (IPC)-induced alleviation of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 12 weeks,weighing 200-250 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =12 each):sham operation group (S group),I/R group,IPC group and IPC + SIRT1 inhibitor ex527 group (IPC + ex527 group).Myocardial I/R was induced by 30 min occlusion of left anterior descending branch of coronary artery followed by 120 min reperfusion.IPC was induced by 3 episodes of 5 min occlusion of left anterior descending branch at 5 min intervals before myocardial ischemia.SIRT1 inhibitor ex527 1 μg/kg was injected intravenously 15 min before myocardial ischemia and at 1 min before reperfusion.Blood samples were collected before myocardial ischemia and at 120 min of reperfusion for measurement of serum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations by ELISA.The rats were then sacrificed and myocardial specimens were obtained for determination of myocardial lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) activities,SIRT1 expression and acetylation of NF-κB p65.Results Compared with S group,the serum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations at 120 min of reperfusion,and myocardial LDH and CK-MB activities and acetylation of NF-κB p65 were significantly increased,and SIRT1 expression was down-regulated in I/R and IPC + ex527 groups (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with I/R group,the serum TNF-α and IL6 concentrations at 120 min of reperfusion,and myocardial LDH and CK-MB activities and acetylation of NF-κB p65 were significantly decreased,SIRT1 expression was up-upregulated in group IPC (P ＜ 0.05),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group IPC + ex527 (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with IPC group,the serum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations at 120 min of reperfusion,and myocardial LDH and CK-MB activities and acetylation of NF-κB p65 were significantly increased,and SIRT1 expression was down-regulated in group IPC + ex527 (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion SIRT1 is involved in IPC-induced alleviation of myocardial I/R injury in rats.