Objective To observe attenuation and synergy of postoperative chemotherapy combined with Tianzhicao capsule in patients who suffered from breast cancer. Methods 66 cases after radical mastectomy were randomly divided into treatment group 31 cases and 35 cases of control group. The patients of control group were treated with chemotherapies of CAF and TA. Treatment group patients were given Tianzhical capsule orally at the same time. Nausea and vomitting,the arrest of bone marrow before and after treatment were observed. The grade of life quality about every patient was evaluated. Results Myelosuppression and the occurrence of nausea and vomitting in treatment group was obviously lower than control group (P ＜ 0.05). The proportion of improvement and stabilization for the quality of life in treatment group was markedly higher than control group (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion Traditional Chinese drug Tianzhicao capsule had attenuation and synergy to postoperative chemotherapy in breast cancer.

Objective To study changes of trigemino-cervical reflex (TCR) in patients with Kennedy's disease (KD). Methods The parameters of TCR were analyzed among patients with KD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy controls. Results The parameters of ipsilateral P19, N31, A and contralateral P19, N31, A among patients with KD were (23.91±4.84), (35.45±4.76) ms, 1.24± 0.33 and (24.34±4.82), (36.20±4.91) ms, 1.19±0.25, respectively. Compared with the healthy controls((18.37±2.16), (28.50±1.56) ms, 1.90±0.43; (18. 72±2. 18), (29. 19±1.43) ms, 1.84 ± 0. 40), the difference in each parameter was significant (ipsilateral : t = 5.77, 8. 19, -6. 64; contralateral:5.05, 7.62, -7.77, all P<0.01). Conclusion The parameters of TCR were abnormal in KD patients, indicating that the trigeminal nerves and the bulbar may be involved in the disease.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Rats

0.05).Conclusion High level of Blys could be observed in serum of patients with SLE and somewhat correlated with the lupus acitivity,although the level of Blys in serum can not reflect morbility and mortality of SLE patients.

BACKGROUND: von Willebrand factor (vWF) is only released from endothelial cells and platelets and is an in vivo and in vitro marker of endothelial injury in septic patients with acute lung injury (ALI). Interleukin-8 (IL-8), as a proinflammatory mediator causing recruitment of inflammatory cells, induces an increase in oxidant stress mediators and makes it as a key parameter for localized inflammation. However, it has not been well established whether the level of serum IL-8 is associated with the severity of lung injury and whether it is a prognosis marker for severe lung contusion. This study was to investigate the expression of plasma vWF and IL-8 and their association with the severity and outcomes of severe pulmonary contusion. METHODS: A total of 63 patients were divided into a severe pulmonary contusion with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) group and a non-ARDS group, or a survivor group and a non-survivor group, or an injury severity score (ISS) <20 group and an ISS ≥20 group. Another 20 healthy volunteers served as controls. The levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after injury. The expression patterns of the plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were compared between different groups. RESULTS: The concentrations of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 were significantly increased in all severe pulmonary contusion patients at all time points in comparison with the control group. The concentrations of plasma vWF in patients with ARDS increased during the whole study period, but vWF in patients with non-ARDS increased gradually until day 5 and then decreased at day 7. The concentration of serum IL-8 showed a similar expression pattern in both groups, but the expression increased more significantly in the ARDS group than in the non-ARDS group. Interestingly, both plasma vWF and serum IL-8 levels steadily increased in the non-survivor group. Furthermore, the level of plasma vWF was higher in the ISS≥20 group than in the ISS<20 group. The level of serum IL-8 in the ISS≥20 group was consistently high, while that in the ISS<20 group peaked at day 3 and decreased at day 5. In addition, the level of plasma vWF was positively correlated with platelet count, but negatively correlated with oxygen index. The level of serum IL-8 was positively correlated with white blood cell count and ISS score, and inversely correlated with oxygen index. CONCLUSION: The elevated levels of plasma vWF and serum IL-8 in severe pulmonary contusion patients reflect the severity of pulmonary injury and patients outcomes, suggesting that the plasma vWF and serum IL-8 are sensitive markers for clinical evaluation of the severity of pulmonary injury and predication of patient prognosis.

AIMTo demonstrate the protective effect of nitric oxide (NO) on gastric mucosa and its relationship to the acid secretion of parietal cells under stress in rats.

METHODSWater immersion-restraint stress (WRS) model in SD rats was performed. The gastric mucosal ulcer index (UI), NO contents in gastric mucosa and H+, K(+) -ATPase activity of parietal cells were measured. The effects of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME) and L-arginine (L-Arg) on the H+, K(+)-ATPase activity of parietal cells and stress-induced gastric mucosal lesion were observed.

RESULTSL-NAME pretreatment decreased NO contents in gastric mucosa, activated H+, K(+) -ATPase activity of parietal cells and aggravated gastric mucosal lesion, whereas L-Arg pretreatment increased NO contents, inhibited H+, K(+) -ATPase activity and significantly ameliorated stress-induced gastric mucosal lesion.

CONCLUSIONEndogenous nitric oxide plays an important role in protecting gastric mucosa from stress-induced lesion by inhibiting H+, K(+) -ATPase activity of parietal cells.

Animals ; Arginine ; metabolism ; Gastric Acid ; secretion ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Parietal Cells, Gastric ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach Ulcer ; metabolism ; pathology ; Stress, Physiological

Objective:To determine whether ox-LDL (oxdized low-density lipoprotein) is highly deposited on the uremic vessel wall and its influence on the vascular remodeling. Methods: Segments of radial arteries were obtained from 21 uremic subjects during the operation of A-V fistula prior to hemodialysis. Segments of internal thoracic arteries of similar diameter were obtained from patients with benign chest tumors as control.The vascular lesions and ox-LDL, CD68,MCP-1, eNOS,ET-1, PCNA,FN on the vessel wall were determined by means of H-E stain and immunohistochemistry. Results： With H-E stain,atherosclerotic plaques were found in the radial arteries of 4 uremic patients. The middle layer of the arteries in uremic patients were obviously thickened, and the T/D　(thickness of the wall/external diameter) ratio was significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.01). ox-LDL,CD68,MCP-1, ET-1, PCNA,FN on the vessel wall in uremic patients were much higher than those in control group (P<0.01). Moreover, ox-LDL on the vessel wall was positively related to the expression of other above mentioned substances on the vessel wall (P<0.01). Whereas the expression of eNOS on the vessel wall was lower than control group (P<0.01),and was negatively related to ox-LDL on the vessel wall(P<0.01). Conclusion: ox-LDL is an important factor contributing to uremic vascular remodeling by increasing the migration,adhesion and infiltration of monocyte,the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell and dysfunction of endothelia.

Objective:To determine whether ox-LDL (oxdized low-density lipoprotein) is highly deposited on the uremic vessel wall and its influence on the vascular remodeling. Methods: Segments of radial arteries were obtained from 21 uremic subjects during the operation of A-V fistula prior to hemodialysis. Segments of internal thoracic arteries of similar diameter were obtained from patients with benign chest tumors as control.The vascular lesions and ox-LDL, CD68,MCP-1, eNOS,ET-1, PCNA,FN on the vessel wall were determined by means of H-E stain and immunohistochemistry. Results： With H-E stain,atherosclerotic plaques were found in the radial arteries of 4 uremic patients. The middle layer of the arteries in uremic patients were obviously thickened, and the T/D　(thickness of the wall/external diameter) ratio was significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.01). ox-LDL,CD68,MCP-1, ET-1, PCNA,FN on the vessel wall in uremic patients were much higher than those in control group (P<0.01). Moreover, ox-LDL on the vessel wall was positively related to the expression of other above mentioned substances on the vessel wall (P<0.01). Whereas the expression of eNOS on the vessel wall was lower than control group (P<0.01),and was negatively related to ox-LDL on the vessel wall(P<0.01). Conclusion: ox-LDL is an important factor contributing to uremic vascular remodeling by increasing the migration,adhesion and infiltration of monocyte,the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell and dysfunction of endothelia.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Lead ; toxicity ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Spleen ; cytology ; drug effects ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; drug effects

Objective Percheron artery is an uncommon anatomic variant. Percheron artery infarction with unilateral embryonic posterior cerebral artery ( PCA ) was rarely reported.The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical and imaging patterns of Percheron artery infarction with the unilateral embryonic PCA for early diagnosis and treatment.MethodsClinical and imaging data of 2 patients with Percheron artery infarction were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsTwo patients presented acute coma and one had paroxysmal blurred before coma.On neurological examinations,one patient had vertical gaze palsy besides two were unconsciousness. MRI showed symmetrical high signal intensity on diffusion weighed imaging (DWI)in bilateral paramedian thalami in two patients and a distinct pattern of V-shaped hyperintensity on DWI andFLAIR was present on the midbrain in one patient. Digital subtraction angiography and magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated unilateral embryonic PCA in two patients.ConclusionsThe classical clinical symptoms,symmetrical high signal in bilateral paramedian thalami and V-shaped sign in midbrain on DWI can improve recognition,evaluation and management of Percheron artery infarction.The unilateral embryonic PCA may be underlying risk factor of Percheron artery infarction.