Objective To explore the effects of lamotrigine on the cognitive function and the quality of life in epilepsy patients.Methods This was a prospective study and 91 newly diagnosed epilepsy patients were enrolled.The neuropsychological tests score and the quality of life in epilepsy inventory(QOLIE-31) were obtained before and after the treatment with lamotrigine.A battery of neuropsychological tests comprised the auditory verbal learning test(AVLT), the logical memory test(LMT), the digital symbol test(DST), the stroop color word test(SCWT), the trail making test(TMT), the verbal fluency test(VFT), the WAIS block design test(WBDT), the WAIS digital span test(WDST)and the Boston naming test(BNT). Results The repeated assessments in the patients taking lamotrigine were associated with significant improvements in many domains.The greatest changes were observed in the immediate and delayed recall of AVLT, DST, the time consuming of SCWT card C and TMT test A and B, the immediate and delayed recall of LMT, VFT, WBDT and BNT.For the quality of life, significant improvements were recorded in the fields of the seizure worry(38.81?16.06 vs 45.68?15.18), the overall quality of life(59.12?13.50 vs 64.99?13.33), the social function(64.59?25.14 vs 69.41?22.70)and the self-health evaluation (71.18?13.73 vs 76.75?11.30).Conclusion Improvements of the cognitive function and the quality of life can be observed in the initial period of medication with lamotrigine in epilepsy patients.

Objective To evaluate the quality status of recombinant human interferon α1b injection and find out some quality problems.Methods Totally 31 batches of recombinant human interferon α1b for injection and 11 batches of recombinant human interferon α1b injection from two enterprises were examined according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia Volume Ⅲ (2010),and the quality status of recombinant human interferon α1b injection was evaluated by statistical analysis of the results.Results All 42 batches of samples were qualified.The production process of each enterprise was steady.Conclusion At present the quality of recombinant human interferon αlb injection is generally good.The current standards are feasible,but the specified standard of osmolality needs to be improved.

Objective: To evaluate the quality status of recombinant human interferon α2a injections and find out some quality problems. Methods:The statutory testing methods combining with the exploratory studies were used to examine the samples, and the quality status of recombinant human interferon α2a injections was evaluated by statistical analysis of the results. Results: All 28 bat-ches of the injections were qualified using the statutory testing methods. The exploratory studies showed that if the specific activity was determined, the qualified rate was only 87. 0%. All 7 batches of drug substances were qualified using the statutory testing methods. The exploratory studies showed that if the related protein was determined, the qualified rate was 57. 1%. Conclusion:At present the quality of recombinant human interferonα2a injections is generally good. The current standards are feasible;however, improvement is still needed. Specific activity determination should be supplemented the standards for drug products and related protein determination should be supplemented the standards of drug substances.

Objective To study the effect of Chinese wild rice diet on lipid metabolism in rats. Method Forty four male SD rats were divided into 4 groups:control group, high lipid group, white rice-flour group and Chinese wild rice group. All groups were given different experimental diets for 8 w and body weights, serum TC, TG, HDL-C, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), TNF-? and IL-6 were measured. Results The hyperlipidemic rat model was successfully induced. When compared with high lipid group and white rice-flour diet group, serum TG and TC contents were significantly decreased, and HDL-C significantly increased in the Chinese wild rice group. Moreover, Chinese wild rice group had lower contents of serum hs-CRP and TNF-? than those in high lipid group and white rice-flour group, but no effect on serum IL-6. Conclusion Chinese wild rice could improve lipid metabolism and low-grade inflammation of hyperlipidemic rats induced by high lipid diet.

OBJECTIVETo observe the survival of hand allograft under the state of immunosuppression and the pathological changes of rejection in the recovery process.

METHODSThe biopsies of the skin, nerve, muscle, tendon and bone tissue of hand allografts during different stages from 1 day to 7 months after operation were observed using routine histological technique.

RESULTSNo significant changes due to rejection in skin, nerve, muscle and bone tissue were observed. But different degrees of weak rejective changes were found on the wall of blood vessels; in the muscle and nerve the reactions were markedly stronger than those found in skin tissues.

CONCLUSIONSThe rejection in deep tissues should be monitored in controlling the rejection of hand allograft.

Adult ; Biopsy ; Graft Rejection ; pathology ; Hand Transplantation ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Male ; Skin ; immunology ; pathology ; Transplantation, Homologous

Adult ; Blood Circulation ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Liver ; blood supply ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Dysfunction ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect and side-effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-a) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy for Chinese patients with co-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and to compare them with only HIV infection patients.

METHODS10 patients with HCV-HIV and 17 patients with only HCV infection received 5 million units of IFNalpha-2b every other day intramuscularly, and 300 mg RBV orally three times a day. Dynamic observations were done for HCV RNA and HIV RNA loads, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts, liver function and blood cell measures, and the side-effects of the medicines.

RESULTSAfter 12 weeks and 24 weeks of IFNalpha and RBV combination therapy, mean HCV RNA levels reduced 1.14 log (t = 3.843, P < 0.01) and 2.08 log (t =6.564, P < 0.01) from the baseline at week 0 in the HCV-HIV co-infection group, and reduced 1.48 log (t = 6.438, P less than 0.01) and 2.33 log (t = 7.343, P < 0.01) in the HCV infection group. Meanwhile, the HIV RNA levels decreased 1.22 log (t = 3.662, P < 0.01) and 1.73 log (t = 6.119, P < 0.01) from the base line. However, there were no obvious different changes among T lymphocyte counts of HCV-HIV and HCV patients at week 0, week 12 and week 24. All 27 patients showed satisfactory biochemical response to therapy. There were some mild or moderate influenza-like symptoms, intestinal discomfort and decreased blood cell counts in the early stages of the treatments. No neuropsychic and auto-immune disorders were found.

CONCLUSIONSIFNalpha-2b and RBV combination therapy showed similar anti-HCV effects during the 24 week treatment for HCV-HIV and HCV infected patients, and some anti-HIV effect was also observed. No obvious different biochemical responses and side-effects were found between the above two groups.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; HIV Infections ; complications ; drug therapy ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo define the anatomical approach, anatomical planes and related vessels and nerves to create a safe and reproducible combined sublingual and bi-vestibular access for trans-oral video-assisted thyroidectomy.

METHODSFrom November 2009 to May 2011, twenty-five embalmed human specimens were dissected for anatomical information of the cervical region, the mandible region and the supra-hyoid muscles. On twenty fresh frozen human specimens after an experimental trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy, the related vascular, neural structures and muscles were evaluated.

RESULTSThe optical access port was placed in the midline sublingual. The geniohyoid muscle, mylohyoid muscle and the anterior belly of the digastric muscle were divided in the midline in order to reach the plane under the platysma muscle. The mucosa was sagittal incised bilaterally in the vestibular of oral cavity for working trocar, at the level of the first molar of the mandible. The working trocar reached directly the periosteum of the mandible, under the facial vessel and the marginal branch of facial nerve, and then passed below the platysma muscle into the infra-laryngeal working area. The distance from mental nerve to mandibular midline and between mental nerve and facial artery were (25.8 ± 0.9) mm and (29.4 ± 0.9) mm respectively. Anatomical dissections showed that after an experimental trans-oral combined sublingual and bi-vestibular access, all muscles of the floor of the oral cavity as well as the related vascular and neural structures are intact. The maximum nodule size of the resected specimens in the totally trans-oral approach was up to 50 mm.

CONCLUSIONThe combined sublingual and bi-vestibular access of trans-oral video-assisted thyroidectomy is safe and reproducible.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; anatomy & histology ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; anatomy & histology ; Mouth Floor ; anatomy & histology ; Thyroidectomy ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical value of glycosylated G-CSF combined with middle-high dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) or conventional chemotherapy with increased dose of Cy for mobilizing peripheral blood progenitor cells in patients with tumor.

METHODSThirty patients from four hospitals in Beijing region were enrolled in this clinical study. Diagnoses of the patients were non-Hodgkin' lymphoma (n = 21), Hodgkin disease (n = 1), breast cancer (n = 7) and ovary cancer (n = 1). Autologous peripheral blood progenitor cells (APBPC) were mobilized by middle-high dose Cy or conventional chemotherapy with increased dose of Cy combined with G-CSF. G-CSF was given subcutaneously from the nadir of the white blood cell (WBC) count to the end of PBPC collection. The dosage of G-CSF was 250 microg/d in 29 patients and 500 microg/d in 1 patient. When WBC count was > 5 x 10(9)/L, APBPC were harvested with CS 3000 plus/COBE Spectra.

RESULTSThe average dosage of Cy was 3.95 g (2.3 g/m(2)). The doses of G-CSF were 3.1 approximately 6.4 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1). Thirteen patients (43%) were collected twice, 14 patients (47%) three times and 3 patients (10%) four times. All of the patients could tolerate the treatment regimens. Seven patients had bone pain after G-CSF injection and one was severe, one patient had headache and one had nausea and vomiting.

CONCLUSION250 microg glycosylated G-CSF combined with middle-high Cy or conventional chemotherapy with increased dose of Cy combined G-CSF is an optimal method for APBPC mobilization in tumor patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; administration & dosage ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Platelet Count ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of rosiglitazone (RSG, the activator of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor lambda) for inhibiting endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced neonatal rat cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and c-fos.

METHODSIn vitro cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were treated with ET-1, phorbol ester (PMA, the PKC activator), ET-1+RSG, ET-1+chelerythrine (che, the PKC inhibitor), PMA+RSG, or without treatment (control), respectively. The effects of RSG on the protein content, (3)H-leucine incorporation, PKC activity and C-fos protein expression were observed in the cardiac myocytes stimulated with ET-1 or PMA.

RESULTSAfter two days of culture, the intracellular protein content in ET-1 group and PMA group were increased by 15% (339-/+15 microg/ml) and 13% (329-/+14 microg/ml) as compared with the control cells (290-/+13 microg/ml), respectively (P<0.01). Compared with the ET-1 group, cells treated with ET-1+10(-8) mol/L RSG, ET-1+10(-7) mol/L RSG, and ET-1+che showed decreased intracellular protein content by 10% (303-/+14 microg/ml, P<0.05), 12% (292-/+11 microg/ml, P<0.05), and 13% (291-/+12 microg/ml, P<0.01), respectively. The intracellular protein content in PMA+10(-7) mol/LRSG group was decreased by 10% (P<0.05) in comparison with the PMA group. RSG inhibited protein synthesis enhancement and increased (3)H-leucine incorporation induced by ET-1 and PMA, and antagonized the effects of ET-1 and PMA in promoting PKC activity and c-fos protein expression in the myocytes.

CONCLUSIONThe inhibitory effect of RSG on ET-1- or PMA-induced myocyte hypertrophy is associated with PKC-c-fos pathway.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Enlargement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelin-1 ; pharmacology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; biosynthesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; pharmacology ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology