To study the preventive effects of zinc supplementation on malnutrition during the first months of life (5-7 months of age) in healthy Vietnamese children. Infants were divided into 2 groups: one received for 6 months a syrup containing 10mg of zinc, other group received a placebo. The results showed that, zinc level in all groups were higher than in placebo group. Zinc administration increased the growth velocity of weight and height compared with placebo, particularly in female. Growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels decreased from 26ng/mL to 25ng/mL for both groups, but increased by 10% in the zinc treated females.
Zinc ; child ; infant ; insulin

Anti-HIV drugs still remain as the dominant role in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), because no vaccine was found till today. Owing to structural diversity, few side effects, and abundant resources, natural compounds from traditional Chinese medicines and medicinal plants have unique advantages and good potential in prevention and treatment of AIDS. Many researchers have made great efforts in the field of anti-HIV natural compounds, and have found some natural compounds from traditional Chinese medicines with potent anti-HIV activities. These compounds can be classified into the following categories: alkaloids, coumarins, lignans, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, polysaccharides, proteins and peptides, and polyphenols. However, most of these researches are performed in vitro, and most natural compounds show weak anti-HIV activities and indefinite acting targets. In the paper, we reviewed some natural compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicines with potent anti-HIV activities in recent years.

Using of clearing zones on pachyman agar medium, there are 217 plant endophytic actinomycetes, producing ?-1,3-glucanase were screened. 45.6% of the strains produced ?-1,3-glucanase, in which the strains from cucumber are up to 38. The percentages of endophytic actinomycetes from different hosts produceing ?-1,3-glucanases were different. The percentage of the strains in Rhizoma Polygonatum produced ?-1,3-glucanases is the highest, up to 88.9%. The Inhibited effects of plant endophytic actinomycetes which produced extracellular ?-1,3-glucanases on mycelium growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were detected in vitro. Cucumber endophytic actinomycete gCLA4 strain was screened out from 99 isolates, which can strongly inhibit the growth of S. sclerotiorum. The optimal ?-1,3-glucanases fermentation conditions of strain gCLA4 were investigated, they were pachyman 0.2%, peptone as nitrogen, pH 7～8 for 5 days. The ?-1,3-glucanases of strain gCLA4 had some inhibiting efficiency on 13 plant pathogens, in which inhibiting efficiency to Botryosphaeria dothidea was the strongest.

Objective We characterized the clinical features of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(sCJD)in or?der to diagnose it at the early stage. Methods Seventeen patients with sCJD were enrolled in the study. The clinical data, symptoms at the early stage, result of auxiliary examinations and survival time were analyzed. Results The ratio of male to female was 1:1.83 and the average age of onset was 60 ± 8.8 years old. Most of them presented with walking unstable (82.4%)and hypomnesia (64.7%) as the initial symptom. The occurrence rate was 82.4%, 76.5%and 58.8%for myoclo?nus, colored-ribbon-shaped high signals in cerebral cortex and high signals in basal ganglia of MRI. Periodic synchro?nous discharge (PSD) of electroencephalography(EEG) was seen in 82.4% cases, while cerebrospinal fluid analysis re?vealed positive results for 14-3-3 protein in 70%cases. Twelve patients had been dead in our study. The median surviv?al time was 12±7.7 months. Conclusions sCJD is more frequently occurred in mid-aged and older without specific symp?toms in early stage and positive rate of high signals in cerebral cortex of MRI and PSD of EEG is high.

Keratorefractive surgery changes the central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal curvature, which could influence the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and non-contact tonometer (NCT) measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP), but not dynamic contour tonometer(DCT). During the procedure of LASIK, there is a transient rise of IOP, which increases the risks of optic nerve damage. Meanwhile, the presence of functioning filtering blebs may affect the choice and outcome of refractive surgery, or even becomes a contraindication of surgery. Steroids are typically used after keratorefractive surgery, which could lead to IOP elevation. Hence it is important to monitor IOP after LASIK and to be aware of inaccurate IOP readings due to corneal flap interface fluid. Treating patients with postoperative elevated IOP after keratorefractive surgery is similar to that for patients with glaucoma. This review will address the issues surrounding the safety, relevant complications and implications of keratorefractive surgeries on glaucoma and relevant diagnostic tests.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Pill (ZBDHP) on urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and sperm quality in ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection infertile patients.

METHODSRecruited were 80 infertility patients with Uu infection at Andriatrics Clinics and Department of Reproduction, including 130 cases of positive Uu semen and 50 cases of negative Uu semen. Patients with positive Uu semen were randomly assigned to the observation group (72 cases) and the control group (58 cases) according to the visit sequence. All patients took antibiotics for 2 weeks. Patients in the observation group additionally took ZBDHP, 6 g each time, twice daily. Those in the control group additionally took Vit E (100 mg each time, twice per day) and ATP (40 mg each time, twice per day). The therapeutic course for all was 90 days. Semen parameters and uPA contents of the sperm membrane were detected and comparatively analyzed.

RESULTSThe sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm in Uu positive infected patients were lower than those in Uu negative infected patients with statistical difference (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference in the sperm density between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in pre-treatment sperm membrane uPA contents and sperm parameters between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm obviously increased in the two groups with statistical difference (P < 0.05). After treatment, the sperm membrane uPA content increased more obviously in the observation group, with statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSInfection with Uu leads to decreased uPA content of sperm membrance and the sperm motility. ZBDHP could effectively treat Uu infected infertility possibly through fighting against Uu damaged sperm membrane and make the sperm membrane uPA content return to normal, and elevate the fertilizability of sperms.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Communicable Diseases ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Ureaplasma Infections ; drug therapy ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; drug effects ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between Helicobacter species and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).

METHODSLiver samples resected during operation from 34 patients with HCC diagnosed by histopathology and 20 without primary liver carcinoma as controls were studied. The two groups of sample were cranked out pathologic slice for in situ hybridization of Helicobacter, Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter hepaticus. Qualitative and quantitative studies were used to assess the correlation of liver tissue Helicobacter infection with HCC.

RESULTS64.71% (22/34). of the samples of HCC showed positive for Helicobacter specific 16S rRNA-mRNA gene by in situ hybridization, while none was positive in controls (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONHelicobacter pylori were found in the liver of patients with HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; microbiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; Helicobacter hepaticus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Liver ; microbiology ; Liver Neoplasms ; microbiology

Objective To investigate the significance of metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 ( MALAT1 ),cyclooxygerase-2 ( COX-2 ),beta catenin ( β-catenin )、matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-9 in the occurrence and development of colorectal carcinoma.Methods Real-time PCR was used to detect MALAT1,COX-2,β-catenin,MMP-3 and MMP-9 rnRNA expression in samples from 30 fresh colorectal carcinomas and 30 corresponding adjacent tissues.And the correlation analysis of the gender and age of patients,CEA,immune cellular factors ( CD4 and CD8 ),clinical stages,and the degree of differentiation was undertaken.Results The expression levels of MALAT1,COX-2,β-catenin and MMP-9 were significantly different between colorectal carcinoma tissues and adjacent colorectal tissues (P ＜ 0.05 ).MMP-3 showed no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).MALAT1,COX-2,β-catenin and MMP-9 expression levels showed an average 2.22-fold,1.86-fold,2.16-fold,0.58-fold ( P ＜ 0.01 ) increase in colorectal carcinoma tissues when compared with adjacent colorectal tissues respectively.There were negative correlation between MALAT1 and β-cateuin ( colorectal carcinoma tissues vs adjacent colorectal tissues) ( r =- 0.346,P =0.030).While there were positive correlation between MMP-9 and β-catenin ( colorectal carcinoma tissues vs adjacent colorectal tissues) ( r =0.312,P =0.047 ).There were significant difference between male patients and female patients in terms of COX-2 and MMP-9 (colorectal carcinoma tissues vs adjacent colorectal tissues) (P =0.047; P =0.018).There were significant difference between patients with tumor marker CEA increase and patients without CEA increase in terms of COX-2 ( colorectal carcinoma tissues vs adjacent colorectal tissues) ( P =0.021 ).Conclusion MALAT1,COX-2,MMP-9 and β-catenin have significance in the occurrence and development of colorectal carcinoma,while MMP-3 has no significant reference value. The negative correlation between MAL(A)T-1 and β-catenin and the positive correlation between MMP-9 and β-catenin might show some interaction relationship in the development of colorectal carcinoma.The expression differences of COX-2 and MMP-9 (colorectal carcinoma tissues vs adjacent colorectal tissues) in male and female patients suggest that above two genes may affect the occurrence ratio of colorectal carcinoma.Detecting of COX-2 maybe helpful to the tumor marker CEA during the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma.

Objective To analyze the expression of purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7R) on different cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and to investigate its correlation with inflammatory cytokines in patients with SLE.Methods Flow cytometry was used to detect surface expression of P2X7R on lymphocytes,CD4+ cells,and CD19+ cell in 29 SLE patients and 28 healthy human controls to compare the difference between the SLE patients and the controls in P2X7R expression.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect P2X7R-related serum cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β,IL-6,tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level.T test,Wilcoxon rank sum test,Spearman's correlation analysis were used for statitical analysis.Results ① SLE patients had significantly higher expression of P2X7R on CD4+,CD8+ lymphocytes compared to controls [CD4+ cells∶ 2.21(3.55) vs 0.89(1.15),Z=-1.527,P=0.015； CD19+ cells∶ 11.53(20.01) vs 6.66 (6.27),Z=-2.091,P=0.037]； ② The levels of three cytokines in patients with SLE were significantly higher than those in control.The positive relationship between P2X7R expression in lymphocytes with the serum IL-6 level was found in SLE patients (r=0.449,P=0.015)；③ Patients with arthritis showed significantly higher expression of P2X7R on lym-phocytes compared to patients without arthritis (Z=-2.772,P=0.006).The expression of P2X7R on lymphocytes and CD19+ cell was significantly positively correlated with the SLEDAI score.Positive correlation with anti-β2GP Ⅰ in lymphocyteswas also found.Conclusion P2X7R may mediate the release of inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of SLE,and may participate the development of arthritis,lupus nephritis and NPSLE in SLE patients.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral prednisone in patients with relapsing neuromyeli?tis optica. Methods Seventeen patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica receiving long-term oral prednisone had been followed. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and annualized relapse rates were used to evaluate curative effect. Results During long-term oral prednisone treatment, patients had a significant reduction in the EDSS [(3.09 ± 0.85) vs. (4.06 ± 0.80), P<0.05] and the median annualized relapse rate was significant reduced [(0.34 ± 0.31) vs. (1.51 ± 0.57), P<0.005]. But the effect of different dosage of prednisone on annualized relapse rates was not different. No severe adverse re?actions were observed. Conclusions Treatment with long-term oral prednisone in patients with NMO significantly reduces relapse rates, improves neurological function and the treatment was well-tolerated.