OBJECTIVETo observe differences of therapeutic effects among acupuncture bloodletting, penicillin and acupuncture bloodletting combined with penicillin for children acute tonsillitis and providea better treatment method in cli nic.

METHODSSeventy-five mild cases were selected into section of mild symptoms while seventy-five severe cases were selected into section of severe symptoms. Cases in the two sections then were divided into, an acupuncture bloodletting group, a penicillin group and a comprehensive group by random digital table method separately, 25 cases in each one. Qu-chi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Dazhui (GV 14), Shaoshang (LU 11) and Erjian (EX 11) were selected in the acupuncture bloodletting group, intravenous injection of penicillin sodium was applied in the penicillin group and acupuncture bloodletting combined with penicillin was applied in the comprehensive group. Efficacy assessment was conducted after 3 days in the section of mild symptoms and after 5 days in the section of severe symptoms.

RESULTSFor the section of mild symptoms, the total effective rate was 96.0% (24/25) in the comprehensive group and 92.0% (23/25) in the acupuncture bloodletting group, which were both superior to 68. 0% (17/25) in the penicillin group (P<0.05), but no statistical significance was seen between the comprehensive group and acupuncture bloodletting group (P>0.05). For the section of severe symptoms, the total effective rate was 96.0% (24/25) in the comprehensive group, which was obviously superior to 60.0% (15/25) in the acupuncture bloodletting group (P<0.01) and 68.0% (17/25) in the penicillin group (P<0. 05), and no statistical significance was seen between the acupuncture bloodletting group and penicillin group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of acupuncture bloodletting combined with penicillin is little different from that of acupuncture bloodletting for treatment of children acute tonsillitis with mild accompanied symptoms, which were both superior to intravenous injection of penicillin sodium. For severe accompanied symptoms, the efficacy of acupuncture bloodletting combined with penicillin is obviously superior to acupuncture bloodletting and penicillin.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Bloodletting ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Penicillins ; therapeutic use ; Tonsillitis ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Five cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the n-hexane extract of Commiphora myrrha by using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, ODS and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. These compounds were defined as (3S,4R)-3,9-dimethoxymyrrhone (1), 9-methoxymyrrhone (2), myrrhone (3), commiterpene B (4) and comosone Ⅱ (5). Compound 1 is a new compound, of which the absolute configuration was established by single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compound 5 is firstly isolated from the Commiphora genus.

Objective To study the epidemical characteristics of influenza/novel influenza A (H1N1) in Shanxi province from 2009 to 2010, and to provide scientific foundations for predicting and controlling the pandemic outbreak of influenza/novel influenza A (H1N1) effectively. Methods All samples were collected from cases that resemble influenza cases in sentinel hospital and influenza outbreak.The influenza were detected by PCR and isolated by MDCK cell culture method. Finally, Shanxi province surveillance data from May, 2009 to April, 2010 of influenza like illness (ILI) cases and pathogen detections were analyzed. Results In Shanxi province, influenza viruses kept activation in whole year. The predominant pandemic strain in 2009 was novel influenza A (H1N1) virus. The strong peak was around November, 2009 [positive rate: 58.1% , novel influenza A( H1N1 ) of the total: 88. 1%]. As well, the people infected influenza caused by novel influenza A (H1N1) were mainly under 59-year-old, and the higher positive rates were concentrated in the people from 5-year-old to 24-year-old. In 2010, influenza B (Victoria) viruses were mainly detected from clinical specimens and became the dominant strain.Conclusion: Surveillance of Influenza liue illnes, (ILI) and etiology, which can promptly reflect the influenza epidemic situation, play a significant role for understanding epidemic rule of influenza/novel influenza A( H1N1 ).

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effects of carotid endarterectomy for carotid stenosis and occlusion.

METHODSFrom August 2005 to November 2008 moderate and severe carotid stenosis or occlusion were found in 16 patients by Doppler ultrasonography (DUS), MRA, CTA, DSA. The stenosis degree ranged from 60% to 99% in 14 patients and complete occlusion in 2 patients. Twelve patients underwent standard carotid endarterectomy (sCEA) in whom 2 patients were placed carotid shunt and 1 patient underwent carotid patch angioplasty. Four patients underwent eversion carotid endarterectomy (eCEA). All operations were performed by microscope.

RESULTSThere was no stroke, transient ischemic attack and mortality perioperatively and during follow-up from 1 month to 3 years. The ICA flow detected by follow-up duplex scan and MRA was unobstructed. The primary cerebral ischemic symptoms were obviously improved or disappeared after operation. The postoperative complications included one case of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and one case of hoarseness and bucking, which disappeared after medical treatment.

CONCLUSIONSCEA is an effective way for treating carotid stenosis. Different operative methods and techniques deal with different carotid lesions to achieve better effect. Microsurgical technique is useful for exposure of high ICA bifurcation and avoid effectively cranial nerve injury and other complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

57 rubella virus strains were isolated using Vero cell line or Vero/SLAM cell line from patients' throat swabs during rubella outbreaks and sporadics in 10 provinces of China from 2003 to 2007. Fragments of 1107 nucleotides of E1 genes of the isolates were amplified by RT-PCR, the PCR products were directly sequenced and analyzed. The phylogenetic analysis based on 739 nucleotides showed that out of 57 Chinese rubella virus strains, 55 belong to a distinguish branch of 1E genotype when comparing with 1E genotype rubella strains from other countries, and the other 2 Chinese rubella virus strains belong to 2B genotype. Most of the nucleotide mutations of 57 rubella viruses were silent mutations, and the amino acid sequences were highly conserved. Except one amino acid change (Thr212 --> Ser212) in two rubella viruses at the hemagglutination inhibition and neutralization epitopes, there had no change found at the important antigenic epitope sites of the other rubella viruses. 1E genotype rubella viruses isolated from 10 provinces of China from 2003 to 2007, and two imported 2B genotype rubella viruses from Vietnam suggested that 1E genotype was the predominant genotype in this period of time. The rubella virus genotypes circulated during 2003 to 2007 were different from that circulating during 1979 to 1984 and 1999 to 2002, the rubella prevailed in recent years was mainly caused by 1E genotype rubella viruses with multi-transmission routes.
Genotype ; Mutation ; Phylogeny ; Rubella virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDGeneralized glucocorticoid resistance syndrome is a rare familial or sporadic condition characterized by generalized, partial, target-tissue insensitivity to glucocorticoids. This syndrome is partially caused by mutations in the human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene. The clinical spectrum of generalized glucocorticoid resistance is broad, ranging from fatigue or no symptoms to severe hypertension with hypokalemic alkalosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the genetic disorder of glucocorticoid resistance syndrome.

METHODSWe identified a 56-year-old male patient diagnosed with generalized glucocorticoid resistance syndrome accompanied with an adrenocortical adenoma. This asymptomatic patient referred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for treatment of his adrenal incidentaloma. Endocrinological evaluation consistently revealed his elevated serum cortisol level. Total RNA was extracted from the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBMLs) and entire coding region of hGR alpha was amplified by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. To confirm the possible mutation identified by sequencing RT-PCR products, genomic DNA sequence of hGR gene from the patient and 50 healthy controls was analyzed by PCR and directly sequencing.

RESULTSA heterozygotic (C→T) substitution at nucleotide position of 1667 (exon 5) in GR alpha gene was found in this patient by sequencing of RT-PCR products of hGR gene. This substitution was also identified at genomic DNA level and it was absent in 100 chromosomes from 50 unrelated health controls. This substitution resulted in a threonine to isoleucine substitution (ACT→ATT) at amino acid 556 in the ligand-binding domain of GR alpha.

CONCLUSIONGeneralized glucocorticoid resistance in this patient might be caused by a novel heterozygotic mutation in the ligand-binding domain of the GR alpha.

Adrenocortical Adenoma ; genetics ; Drug Resistance ; genetics ; Endocrine System Diseases ; genetics ; Glucocorticoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo explore the ratio of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and patients with hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (hypo-MDS) patients and to evaluate their significance.

METHODSThe clinical data of 181 cases of AA and 111 cases of hypo-MDS from January 2008 to December 2014 were collected from Blood Diseases Hospital of Chinese academy of medical sciences, and then the differences of lymphocyte subsets and its effect in 2 groups were analyzed.

RESULTSCD4/CD8ratio, proportion of CD3cells and its subsets CD3CD4/CD3CD8cells in hypo-MDS group were not significant different from AA group (P>0.05). the proportion of CD3CD16/CD56NK cells and CD3CD57T-LGL cells in hypo-MDS group was significantly higher than that in AA group (P<0.05, P<0.01), but CD19B lymphocyte percentage in hypo-MDS patients was lower than that in AA patients (P<0.05). After dividing group according to CD4/CD8ratio, the ratios of CD3CD16/CD56NK cells and CD3/CD57T-LGL cells were higher only in normal CD4/CD8ratio group of hypo-MDS patients than those in AA patients, while the ratio of B lymphocytes was significant different in inverted CD4/CD8ratio group between hypo-MDS and AA patients. The CD19B lymphocyte ratio in hypo-MDS patients was significantly lower than that in AA patients (P<0.05). As well, the levels of erythrocytes and platelets in peripheral blood between hypo-MDS and AA patients only in normal CD4/CD8ratio group were significantly different, while the significant difference of WBC count and reticulocyte ratio were observed in high CD4/CD8ratio and non-inverted CD4/CD8ratio groups, respectively; the significant difference of bone marrow blast ratio and muture monocyte ratio was found in high CD4/CD8ratio group.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of lymphocyte subsets can be used as an reference indicator for differential diagnosis of hypo-MDS and AA. The comparative analysis of patients with these 2 kinds of diseases after dividing into subgroups according to ratio of CD4/CD8cells is beneficial to differentiat diagnosis.

Bivalves are species-rich mollusks with prominent protective roles in coastal ecosystems.Across these ancient lineages,colony-founding larvae anchor themselves either by byssus produc-tion or by cemented attachment.The latter mode of sessile life is strongly molded by left-right shell asymmetry during larval development of Ostreoida oysters such as Crassostrea hongkongensis.Here,we sequenced the genome of C.hongkongensis in high resolution and compared it to reference bivalve genomes to unveil genomic determinants driving cemented attachment and shell asymmetry.Importantly,loss of the homeobox gene Antennapedia(Antp)and broad expansion of lineage-specific extracellular gene families are implicated in a shift from byssal to cemented attachment in bivalves.Comparative transcriptomic analysis shows a conspicuous divergence between left-right asymmetrical C.hongkongensis and symmetrical Pinctada fucata in their expression profiles.Especially,a couple of orthologous transcription factor genes and lineage-specific shell-related gene families including that encoding tyrosinases are elevated,and may cooperatively govern asymmet-rical shell formation in Ostreoida oysters.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sorafenib on human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell NB4 and its mechanism.

METHODSThe human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell NB4 was treated with different concentrations (0, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 µmol/L) of sorafenib, the proliferation inhibitory rate of NB4 cells was assayed by MTT, the apoptosis of NB4 was determined with flow-cytomatry after treatment; after extraction of total protein, the Western blot was performed to determine the expressions of apoptosis-relatived molecules Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and MCL-1. The mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and MCL-1 were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSAs compared with the control group, the proliferation of NB4 significantly decreased after treatment with different concentrations of sorafenib. The sorafenib significantly induced the apopotosis of NB4 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners. Furthermore, sorafenib treatment resulted in the obvious increase of the Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 protein and mRNA expressions, and down-regulated the MCL-1 protein and mRNA expressions in NB4 cells.

CONCLUSIONSorafenib can inhibit proliferation and induce apopotosis of human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell NB4 through the expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8, and down-regulation of the expression of MCL-1.

Antineoplastic Agents ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 8 ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; Niacinamide ; analogs & derivatives ; Phenylurea Compounds ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer