OBJECTIVETo assess the long-term clinical effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicines for benefiting qi and activating blood circulation (CHMBQABC) plus routine Western medical intervention in treating unstable angina (UA) patients of qi deficiency blood stasis syndrome (QDBSS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) based on Markov model.

METHODSA Markov model was established based on prognosis and sequelae of UA patients after PCI treated by CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention or by routine Western medical intervention. According to the transition probabilities of 40 Markov cycles and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) averagely gained, we assessed the therapeutic advantage of CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention.

RESULTSBy the prediction of Markov model for 20 years, the transition probabilities of revascularization, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and all-cause death in the CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention group was 56.65%, 6.53%, 5.16%, and 31.66%, respectively, and the QALYs averagely gained was 12.95; while the transition probabilities of revascularization, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and all-cause death in the Western medical intervention group was 55.31%, 6.87%, 5.25%, and 32.57%, respectively, and the QALYs averagely gained was 12.84. Compared with the Western medical intervention group, the QALYs averagely gained was 0.11 in the CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention group.

CONCLUSIONBased on predicted results of the Markov model, CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention got better efficacy in treating UA patients after PCI, indicating CHMBQABC plus routine Western medical intervention could improve the long-term clinical effectiveness for UA patients of QDBSS after PCI.

Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Markov Chains ; Middle Aged ; Models, Theoretical ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety of embedding the totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) via the access of right brachiocephalic vein (BCV).Methods The clinical data of 493 patients,who underwent the placement of TIVAP by using right BCV route during the period from March 2013 to December 2015,were retrospectively analyzed.The patients included 137 males and 356 females,with a mean age of (47.3±13.2) years old (ranging from 29 to 78 years old).The puncture success rate and TIVAP indwelling procedure-related complications were analyzed.Results The technical success rate was 100％,the success rate of initial puncturing was 99％ (488/493).The mean operation time was (22.5± 8.3) minutes (range of 18-35 minutes).Mis-puncturing of artery happened in 3 patients (0.61％,3/493);and no severe complications such as hemothorax or pneumothorax occurred.After implantation,the patients carried TIVAP for 124-986 days,with a mean of (271.1±53.8) days.The incidence of complications was 2.25％ (11/488),including hemorrhage at port site (n=2),catheter-related infection (n=l),partial thrombosis (n=2),and formation of fibrous protein sheath (n=6).No serious complications such as displacement or rupture of catheter,or catheter pinch-off syndrome (POS),etc.were observed.Conclusion The implantation of TIVAP by using right BCV route has high puncturing success rate,the technique is safe and reliable,and it can provide another option of catheter access for the clinical performance of TIVAP implantation.

Objective To explore the clinical value of guide-wire shaping in subclavian vein catheter-ization.Methods Totally 400 patients requiring right subclavian vein catheterization were equally divided into two groups according to the clinic date: intervention group ( with guide-wire shaping , n =200 ) and control group (without guide-wire shaping, n=200).The catheterization was carried out by the same doctor .The rates of ectopic wire were compared between the two groups .Results The overall success rate of catheteriza-tion was 98.25%(393/400) [98.5% (197/200) in intervention group and 98.0% (196/200) in control group, P=0.500].The incidence of catheter displacement was 1.02%(2/197) in intervention group, which was significantly lower than that [7.14% (14/196)] in control group (P=0.002).Conclusion As a sim-ple procedure , guide-wire shaping can effectively prevent catheter displacement during catheterization .

At present, surgical and endoscopic interventions are mainly employed to treat ischemic-type biliary lesion (ITBL). Due to the disadvantages of single therapeutic strategy, high difficulty and expensive medical cost, it is urgent to identify a novel treatment option. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) has become potential seed cell for tissue and organ repair in regenerative medicine due to its high self-renewal capability, multi-directional differentiation potential, low immunogenicity and immunoregulatory effects, etc. Recent studies have demonstrated that MSC transplantation into ITBL animal models may not only home to the injured area, but also promote the repair of injured biliary tract tissues through anti-apoptotic and pro-angiogenic effect, which indicates that MSC transplantation is expected to become a new strategy for the treatment of ITBL. In this article, the biological characteristics of MSC, the mechanism and clinical application of MSC transplantation for ITBL were reviewed.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of adenovirus-mediated double suicide gene (CD/TK) for selective killing of breast cancer cells.

METHODSVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-expressing MCF-7 cells and normal human mammary epithelial cells that did not express VEGF were infected with the adenovirus containing VEGFP-CD/TK-GFP genes. CD/TK gene expression in the infected cells was detected by RT-PCR. After treatment of the infected cells with GCV and/or 5-FC, the cell growth status was evaluated using MTT assay, and the cell cycle changes were detected with flow cytometry. In nude mice bearing human breast cancer, the recombinant adenovirus vector was injected directly into the tumor followed by intraperitoneal injection of the prodrugs GCV and/or 5-FC, and the subsequent tumor growth was observed.

RESULTSThe recombinant adenovirus achieved similar infection rates in MCF-7 and human mammary epithelial cells, and the rates increased gradually with the multiplicity of infection (MOI) of the virus. RT-PCR demonstrated the presence of CD/TK gene product in infected MCF-7 cells, but not in the infected mammary epithelial cells. The infected MCF-7 cells, but not the mammary epithelial cells, were highly sensitive to the pro-drugs. The CD/TK fusion gene system showed significantly greater efficiency than either of the single suicide gene in killing the target cells (P<0.01). At the MOI of 100, treatment of the infected cells with the pro-drugs resulted in increased cell percentage in G(0)-G(1) phase and decreased percentage in S phase. In nude mice bearing MCF-7 cell-derived subcutaneous tumor, treatment with the double suicide gene system significantly inhibited the tumor growth, showing much stronger effect than either of the single suicide gene (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe adenovirus-mediated CD/TK double suicide gene driven by VEGF promoter combined with GCV and 5-FC treatment can be an effective therapy against experimental breast cancer, and produces much greater efficacy than the single suicide gene CD/TK combined with GCV or 5-FC.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cytosine Deaminase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Flucytosine ; pharmacology ; Ganciclovir ; pharmacology ; Genes, Transgenic, Suicide ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thymidine Kinase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare the perioperative, functional and oncologic outcomes of patients with prostate cancer receiving laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) using three-dimensional (3D) versus two-dimensional (2D) imaging systems.

METHODSFrom February, 2014 to January 2016, 72 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent LRP with 2D or 3D imaging systems performed by a single experienced surgeon. The baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and functional and oncologic outcomes of the patients were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSThirty-six patients underwent 3D LRP and the other 36 patients underwent 2D LRP. Compared with 2D LRP group, 3D LRP group had a significantly shorter operative time (167 vs 218 min, P<0.001), a smaller volume of intraoperative blood loss (86.11 vs 177.78 mL, P<0.001) and a better early urinary continence outcome (88.89% vs 63.89%, P=0.026). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of complications, potency outcome or biochemical recurrence-free rate.

CONCLUSIONCompared with 2D LRP, 3D LRP shortens the operative time, reduces intraoperative blood loss and is associated with a better early urinary continence outcome in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

To determine wether there were connections among hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alfa (HNF-1a), liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1), apolipoprotein M (apoM) and to investigate the effects of HNF-1a in HepG2 on the expressions of apoM, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and the key enzymes in cholesterol metabolism and biotransformation. The mRNA expressions of apoM, LRH-1 and HNF-1a were detected by RT-PCR. HNF-1a was interfered and RT-PCR was used to detect the changes of apo M, apo A-I, Cyp7A1, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and small heterodimer partner-1 (SHP-1). Western blot was used to detect the change of apo M protein. The expressions of apoM, LRH-1 and HNF-1amRNA were obviously higher in HCC tissue than that in para-cancer tissue (the vaule of t is -7.167, -7.075, -8.803, P less than 0.01 respectively). HNF-1a and LRH-1 positively correlated with the expression of apoM (r=0.353, P less than 0.01; r=0.523, P less than 0.01 respectively); RT-PCR and western blot results showed that the expressions of apoM, FXR and SHP-1 mRNA, could be obviously suppressed by HNF-1a interfering as compared to the negative controls by 47.4%, 47.9%and 65.2% (P less than 0.01) respectively, and the expression of apoM protein also decreased by 54.3% (F = 43.482, P less than 0.01). The expressions of HMGCR and CYP7A mRNA increased by 101.1% and 138.5% (P less than 0.01) respectively as compared to the negative control. But there is no effect on expression of apoA-I mRNA (F = 0.170, P more than 0.05). HNF-1a could promote cholesterol biotransformation by increasing the expression of apoM and the key enzymes in cholesterol metabolism and decreasing inhibiting factor. So HNF-1a provided protection against cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and pathological features of progressive muscular dystrophy (PMD) in children and to provide help for the early and accurate diagnosis of PMD.

METHODSRetrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 99 hospitalized children with PMD, including clinical manifestations, age of onset, family history, creatase, electromyogram (EMG) and pathological changes of muscles.

RESULTSOf the 99 children with PMD, the age of onset was 0.5-14.5 (4.7 ± 3.1) years. Eleven cases (11%) had a family history of PMD. Twenty-six (26%) were misdiagnosed as other diseases. All patients presented with muscle weakness when seeing the doctor, and 66 (67%) of them had muscle atrophy and/or hypertrophy. All patients had elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels. The 2-7-year-old group (n=51) had a mean CK level of 9965 ± 8876 U/L, and the 7-15-year-old group (n=48) had a mean CK level of 5110 ± 4498 U/L, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The EMG examination performed on 66 patients showed that 54 cases (82%) had myogenic damage and 10 cases (15%) had neurogenic damage. Light microscopy revealed coexistence of atrophy and hypertrophy of muscle fibers, hyaline degeneration and granular degeneration. Electron microscopy showed that muscle fibers were different in thickness, some atrophic or hypertrophic; muscle cell nuclei moved inwardly, myofilaments dissolved and disappeared mildly under the sarcolemma, there were scattered melting lesions within muscle fibers, the numbers of glycogen granules and mitochondria increased, mild hyperplasia and expansion of sarcoplasmic reticulum were seen, and a small number of muscle fibers had necrosis.

CONCLUSIONSWeakness of both lower extremities remains the main reason for PMD patients seeing the doctor. CK is the main laboratory indicator for diagnosis of PMD. PMD is mainly manifested as myogenic damage in the early stage and may be accompanied by neurogenic damage in the late stage, according to the EMG examination. With a high misdiagnosis rate, PMD may be misdiagnosed as many other diseases. Pathological examination under light microscope and electron microscope is the main means for confirming a PMD diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; Muscular Dystrophies ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDPercutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has become a popular procedure for painful vertebral osteoporotic fracture (VOF), with immediate pain relief and improved mobility; however, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) injected into the vertebral body is not absorbable and little information is available concerning the long-term results. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the long-term clinical results and radiological changes after PVPs for VOFs.

METHODSFifty-one patients with VOFs were treated by PVPs with PMMA between 2000 and 2004. After > 7 years of follow-up, eight patients had died from causes unrelated to the intervention and 12 patients were lost to follow-up, thus leaving 31 patients available for evaluation with an average length of follow-up of 9.2 years (follow-up rate, 72.1%). Among these 31 patients, the PMMA was injected at 43 levels with a mean volume of 4.3 ml per level (range, 2 - 6 ml). The pain was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS), and the mobility was graded as walking without difficulty (grade 1), walking with assistance (grade 2), and bedridden (grade 3). Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) were obtained and assessed pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively, and after 7 years of follow-up. The PMMA, vertebral height, and Cobb angle were assessed and compared.

RESULTSAll of the patients experienced pain relief and improved mobility after intervention and during the follow-up period. Cement leakage was detected in post-operative CT scans in 9 of 51 patients, but without neurological compromise. For the 31 patients followed up over 7 years, the VAS decreased from 8.3 ± 2.6 pre-operatively, to 2.1 ± 1.6 immediately post-operatively, and 1.0 ± 0.9 at the final follow-up evaluation, with significantly improved mobility. Additional compression fractures occurred at adjacent levels in three patients, and there were no new fractures at the augmented vertebrae. Based on a review of the radiographs, neither loose nor displaced cement was detected. The changes in vertebral height and Cobb angle were not significant. On CT scans, the cement closely contacted or infiltrated the trabecular bone. The boundary between the cement and trabecular bone was indistinct and there was no evident radiolucent gap between the cement and trabecular bone.

CONCLUSIONSAt an average follow-up of 9.2 years, PVPs provided sustained pain relief and improved mobility in patients with VOFs. The PMMA injected into the vertebral body combined closely with the host trabecular bone without adverse reactions.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; surgery ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Vertebroplasty ; methods

Saliva and blood were collected from two patients who had not received post exposure prophylaxis in the cities of Wenzhou and Xinning respectively. Both patients were confirmed as positive for rabies by detection of rabies virus specific nucleoprotein antibodies in the sera by Western Blot. However, rabies virus specific RNA was only identified in the saliva collected from the patient in Wenzhou. Furthermore, the isolate Zhejiang Wz0 (H) was obtained by inoculating one-day-old suckling mice. Both nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) genes from the isolate were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to classic rabies virus, and shared a higher homology with the street viruses from dogs in the main endemic areas in China and the street virus from dogs in Indonesia than with other known strains. Further comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences between the isolate and the vaccine strains used in China showed that the virus had a higher level of homology with the vaccine strain CTN than with the other vaccine strains (3aG, PV, PM and ERA). In particular, amino acid residues substitutions located in antigenic site Ⅲ in the G protein, which could react with the neutralizing antibodies, were observed. These results suggested that the virus belonged to the classic rabies virus, and both N and G genes diverged from the current vaccine strains used in China at either the nucleotide or the amino acid level.