Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; therapy ; Spinal Diseases ; therapy

Objective To study the clinical effect ofprednisone combined with Shuxuening injection on pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. Methods 120 cases were randomly recruited into a treatment group and a control group. The control group was treated with prednisone, and the treatment group was additionally given Shuxuening injection on the basis of the control group. The changes of vital capacity (VC), PO_2, PCO_2 and imaging were observed. Results The total effective rate was 81.67% and 66.67% in the treatment group and the control group Respectively, showing significant difference (P<0.05). VC and PO_2 were raised in both groups after the treatment (P<0.05), while the treatment group showed better results than the control group (P<0.05). PCO2 were also raised in both groups after the treatment (P<0.05), while there was no significant diference between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were 27 cases (45.00%) and 19 cases (31.67%) showed improvement in imaging in the treatment group and the control group respectively, manifesting a significant difference (P<0.05) . Conclusion Treatment of prednisone with Shuxuening injection is better than prednisone on pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. This method is worthy of clinic promotion.

AIM:To study the chemical constituents of the roots of Astragalus hoantchy Franch.. METHOD:Isolation and elucidation of the chemical constituents,were conducted by chromatography and spectral evidences. RESULTS and CONCLUSION:Six steroids and four anthraquinones were isolated from the roots of A. hoantchy. Their structures were identified to be stigmastane-3,6-dione (1),5α,8α-epidioxy- (22E,24R)-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (2),stigmastane-3β,6α-diol (3),daucosterol (4),β-sitosterol (5),stigmasterol (6),chrysophanol (7),emodin (8),physion (9) and aloe-emodin (10) on the basis of spectral data and physical constants. Among them,compounds 1,2,3,7,8,9,10 were isolated from the genus Astragalus for the first time.

Objective To study the influence of Captopril preconditioning on apoptosis and the expression of gp 130 in rats of acute myocardial injured. Method Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups:control group, Iso group and Cap preconditioning group. Cardiomyocytes apoptosis was detected with TUNEL method. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in myocardium were tested by immunohistochemistry. The expression of gp 130 was tested with Western blot method. Results The index of cardiomyocytes apoptosis was decreased, the expressions of Bax proteins and gp 130 were decreased and the expression of Bcl-2 proteins was increased in Cap preconditioning group compared with Iso group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion The expression of gp 130 could be decreased through Cap preconditioning, which can reduce the cardiomyocytes apoptosis.

[Abstract] Objective To explore the relationship between Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) and E-cadherin in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs), and the expression and function of KLF-4 in the animal model of peritoneal fibrosis induced by high glucose peritoneal dialysate. Methods Co-transfection in HPMCs with the plasmid of KLF-4 and the bind site or mutant in the promoter region of E-cadherin, and then the luciferase activity was measured of the each bind site and its matched mutants to estimate whether KLF-4 can combine with the bind site in the promoter region of E-cadherin; Chromatin immunocoprecipitation (CHIP) was exploited to verify if KLF-4 can combine with the bind site in the promoter region of E-cadherin; Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of E-cadherin at the bind site and matched mutants of b, d, f and g. Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into saline group, peritoneal dialysate group and experimental group (10 each). Rats in saline group were given intraperitoneal injection with 0.9% NaCl, in peritoneal dialysate group were given with 4.25% high glucose peritoneal dialysate, and in experimental group were given via tail vein with 4.25% high glucose peritoneal dialysate and the mixture of KLF-4 plasmid suspension containing ultrasound microbubble. To observe the peritoneal tissue thickness of the 3 groups of rats by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Masson trichrome staining was performed to detect the deposition of collagen fibers in peritoneal tissue of the 3 groups of rats. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression level of KLF-4, E-cadherin, α-SMA and fibronectin (FN) in peritoneal tissue of the 3 groups of rats. Results Promoter luciferase reporter gene and CHIP results showed that KLF-4 can combine with the bind site in the promoter region of E-cadherin in HPMCs. Real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that KLF-4 can positively regulate the expression of E-cadherin. HE staining showed that the peritoneal tissue was obviously thickened in rats of peritoneal dialysate group [(105.91±12.0) μm] than in rats of saline group [(20.89±5.39) μm] and of experimental group [(23.05±6.07) μm] with statistical significance (P<0.05), but the difference between saline group and experimental group was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Masson staining showed that the deposition of collagen fiber significantly increased in peritoneal dialysate group (0.89±0.09) than in saline group (0.19±0.03) and experimental group (0.15±0.06) with statistical significance (P<0.05), but the difference between saline group and experimental group was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that the expressions of KLF-4 and E-cadherin were obviously lower in peritoneal dialysate group (0.27±0.09, 0.31±0.03) than in saline group (0.79±0.19, 0.83±0.13) and experimental group (0.85±0.11, 0.76±0.11) with statistically significant difference (P<0.05), but no significant difference existed between saline group and experimental group (P>0.05). In contrast, the expressions of α-SMA and FN were evidently higher in peritoneal dialysate group (0.83±0.09, 0.63±0.09) than in saline group (0.22±0.08, 0.30±0.07) and experimental group (0.19±0.05, 0.11±0.03) with statistically significant difference (P<0.05), but no evident difference existed between saline group and experimental group (P>0.05). Conclusion KLF-4 may positive regulate the expression of E-cadherin by combining with the bind site in the promoter region of E-cadherin, and inhibit the peritoneal fibrosis induced via high glucose peritoneal dialysate.

Objective To explore the role of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) in phenotypic transition of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) induced via high glucose. Methods HPMCs were induced by 50mmol/L glucose for 72 hours, the expressions of epithelium-cadherin (E-cadherin), KLF-4, α-smooth muscle actin (-SMA), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and miRNA-143 were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The treated cells were transfected with LVKLF-4 and inhibitor, the untreated cells were transfected with shRNA-KLF-4 and mimic. The mRNA and protein expressions of KLF-4, E-cadherin, α-SMA, CTGF and miRNA-143 were detected by Real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results Real-time PCR showed that the expression of E-cadherin decreased and of α-SMA, CTGF and miRNA-143 increased, but of KLF-4 not changed in high glucose treated cells. Western blotting showed that the expression of KLF-4 and E-cadherin decreased. Upregulating KLF-4 increased the expression of E-cadherin, but decreased the expression of α-SMA and CTGF. Down-regulating KLF-4 decreased the expression of E-cadherin, but augment the expression of α-SMA and CTGF. Conclusion High glucose may induce the down-regulation of KLF-4 protein, and SRF- miRNA-143-KLF-4 signal pathway axis may be involved in the process of HPMC phenotypic transition.

Objective To determine,the clinical significance of serum myocardial enzymes (Mb,cTNI, CK,CK-Mb,AST,LDH) in the classification of the disease severity of non-cardiogenic critically-ill patients. Compared with APACHEⅡscore concerned as the standard diagnosis of the critical ills,these biomarkers were investigated for the evaluation possibility of the degree and the prognosis of the critical ills.Method Patients admitted to our EICU were consecutively collected for the research from April to December in 2005 and the myocardial enzymes,and routine serum biochemical test and APACHEⅡscore were detected simultaneously.All the patients were classified to three groups according to the APACHEⅡscore (mild group,APACHEⅡ25) and two groups (survive group and death group) according to the prognosis.All the patients were followed up till recovery/discharge or death. Covariance,Wilcoxon and x~2 were used for the statistical analysis.Results The myocardial enzymes rose when the disease deteriorated and the APACHEⅡscore went up.AST,LDH,CK,CK-Mb,Mb were significantly different in the three groups according to the APACHEⅡscore (P

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate of adilty of two acute renal failure-specific scoring systenms (the classification by Bellome et al and the AKIN criteria) for predicting hospital mortality after cardiac surgery in adult patients. Methods Between October 1 st 2006 to Decemjber 31 st 2006, 509 adult patients who ungerwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and/ or valve operation were enrolled in this study. The medical data collection included gender, age, types of operation, perioperative he- modynamic parameters, urine output, biochemical parameters and outcome. Renal function was assessed daily according to the classi- ficatinn by Bellomo and the AKIN criteria, respectively. As references, Acure Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE) Ⅱ and Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score were also calculated. Resuits Three hundred and forty-one patients were male (67.0%), and 168 were female (33.0%), mean age was (56.2±12.0) years old. Tnree hundred and nine patieats un- derwent CABG, 182 underwent valve operation and 18 underwent CABG plus valve operation, Mean duration of ventilation support was (20.4±17.7) houra, and the ICU stay was (1.4±1.0) days. Postoperative hospital stay was (13.8±9.1) days. According to the classification by Bellomo., the highest in-hospital mortality was 52.9% in ARFS group. Mahiplicatinn of in-hospital morality rate was abserved (X2 for trend, P<0.01) in 0.4% (non-ARF), 1.2% (stage 1), 12.0% (stal～ 2) and 32.4% (stage 3) of pa- tients based on the AKIN criteria. By applying the area under the receiver operating characteristic ourve, the classification by Bellomo and the AKIN criteria had good discriminative power. Furthering, multivariate logistic regression analysis verified that the Odds Ratio of the AKIN criteria was 5.478 (P =0.028, 95% Confidence Interval 1.027- 24.856), after adjusting for gender and age. Con- clusion Analytical data confinned good discriminative power of both the AKIN criteria and the classification by Bellomo for predicting hospital mortality of adult postoperative patient with ARF.

AIM: To investigate the significance of NAD (P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) protein overexpression for prognostic evaluation of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma .METHODS:NQO1 protein was detected in 162 cases of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma , 35 cases of ovarian mucinous cystadenoma and 29 samples of normal ovarian epithelial tissues by the method of EnVision immunohistochemical staining .The correlation between high expression of NQO1 protein and clinicopathological features of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma was also evaluated .Overall sur-vival and disease-free survival rates of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma patients were calculated by Kaplan -Meier method.RESULTS:The positive rate and strongly positive rate of NQO 1 protein were 85.8%and 64.2%in ovarian mu-cinous cystadenocarcinoma , respectively , which are significantly higher than those in ovarian mucinous cystadenoma , and normal ovarian epithelial tissues ( P <0.01 ) .NQO1 expression was significantly correlated with the histological grade (P<0.05) and clinical stage (P<0.01) of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma .Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate were significantly higher in ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma patients with high NQO1 expression than those with low NQO1 expression (P<0.01).CONCLUSION:NQO1 expression is closely correlated with the progression and prognosis of the patients with ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma .High ex-pression of NQO1 protein may be used as an important indicator for the patients with poor prognosis of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma .

OBJECTIVEAnimal studies have demonstrated a lipid-modulating effect of yun-cai tea. However, little is known about the lipid-lowering effect in humans.The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid lowering effects and safety of yun-cai tea in patients with elevated lipid levels in a human clinical trial.

METHODSThis was a 12-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, double-blind, and placebo-controlled pilot clinical study. Sixty primary hyperlipidemia patients were included and randomly assigned to the yun-cai tea group (30 patients) and the placebo group (30 patients), for 8 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of follow-up. The primary endpoint was changes in plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) at 8 weeks. The secondary endpoints included total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG).

RESULTSOur results revealed no statistically signifificant differences in LDL-C and TC between the two groups. Despite the lack of a statistically signifificant difference in the level of TG between the two groups, a declining trend was noted. A signifificant reduction of TG was observed in the yun-cai tea group at week 8, compared to baseline (P=0.048). The incidence of stomach discomfort, gastroesophageal reflfl ux, diarrhea, and constipation was slightly higher in the yun-cai tea group. No other signifificant adverse events were found.

CONCLUSIONIt is unlikely that yun-cai tea used had a blood lipid reduction effect. Further larger scale clinical trials with a longer duration and larger dose are necessary.

Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; drug therapy ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Placebos