Objective:To explore the possibility of using peritoneal alternatively activated M2 macrophages to prevent rejection after islet allotransplantation in a murine model.Methods:Peritoneal monocytes from C57BL/6 mice were induced and modulated to M2 and M0 macrophages in vitro,then the phenotype of macrophage was assessed by flow cytometry.C57BL/6 mice were induced diabetic by streptozotocin (STZ) injection and transplanted with islets isolated from BALB/c mice under the left kidney capsule.The recipients were randomly divided to 3 groups (n=8).A total of 2.5× 106 M2 macrophages were injected intravenously at 0,3,7 d after transplantation in islet+M2 group;2.5×106 M0 macrophages were injected intravenously at 0,3,7 d after transplantation in islet+M0 group;the mice in islet+PBS group were injected with PBS.Blood glucose was monitored after transplantation.On day 10 after transplantation,2 recipients in each group were randomly selected and sacrificed,and the left kidneys were resected for pathological examination.Results:Achievement of euglycemia was significantly prolonged after islet transplantation in the islet+M2 group than that in the other two groups (P＜0.01).The median survival time of islet allografts in the islet+PBS group,the islet+M0 group,and the islet+M2 group were 6.5 (4-10),7.5 (4-10),and 24(＞ 15) d,respectively.Pathological examination also showed that the grafts in islet+M2 group remained an intact structure with positive insulin stain and no apparent lymphocytes infiltration,while the graft was rejected in other 2 groups with negative insulin stain and massive lymphocytes infiltration.Conclusion:Peritoneal alternatively activated M2 macrophages can prevent rejection after islet allotransplantation,prolong the survival time of islet allografts and enhance the tolerance of the recipient to blood glucose in mice.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of meatoplasty with the pedicle flap in the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 32 cases of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis treated by meato- plasty with the pedicle flap. All the patients had a history of chronic balanitis and had received meatal dilatation or simple ventral mea- totomy without significant effect. Their mean maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) was (4.3 ± 2.4) ml/s. During the operation, A "/\"-shaped incision was made in the healthy epidermis and a flap was harvested from the frenulum. After complete removal of the scar, the flap was placed into the urethral wall, followed by reconstruction of the external urethral orifice.

RESULTSThe patients were fol- lowed up for 6 to 30 months, which revealed smooth urination in all the patients with Qmax of (26.7 ± 4.5) ml/s and normal erectile function and uresiesthesis.

CONCLUSIONWith little invasiveness and few complications, meatoplasty with the pedicle flap is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis. However, there might be some change in the normal appearance of the balanus postoperatively, and its long-term effect needs further observation.

Balanitis ; complications ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; surgery ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; surgery ; Urination

Objective To evaluate the relationship between endometriosis fertility index (EFI) and pregnancies after laparoscopic surgery in endometriosis-associated infertility.Methods From Jan.2005 to Jan.2010,medical documents of 350 infertile patients due to endometriosis undergoing laparoscopic surgery were studied retrospectively.Pregnancy outcomes were followed up by telephone.EFI was calculated by history factors,least function score and some aspects of the revised American Fertility Society (r-AFS) endometriosis stage.The cumulative pregnancy rate was calculated and compared by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.Results Within 3 years after surgery,the cumulative pregnancy rates among patients with EFI score 8,9,10 were 62.5％,69.8％ and 81.1％,respectively.There was no significant difference in pregnancy rates among those three groups of patients ( P =0.24 ).The cumulative pregnancy rates among patients with EFI score 5,6,7 were 49.8％,43.9％ and 41.6％,respectively,which did not reach statistical difference ( P =0.83 ).The cumulative pregnancy rates of EFI score 8 - 10 was significantly higher than that of EFI score 5 -7 (71.8％ vs.44.4％,P =0.000).The patients with EFI score 0 -4 was quite small with only 33 cases,among which 15 cases were pregnant.Conclusions There is relationship between EFI and pregnancy in patients with endometriosis-associated infertility.EFI is meaningful to guide post surgical treatment.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of balance-impact tuina therapy for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).Methods:A total of 118 eligible LIDH patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table method,with 59 cases in each group.The observation group was intervened by balance-impact tuina therapy,while the control group was intervened by conventional tuina therapy,both for consecutive two weeks.The scores of visual analog scale (VAS),Oswestry disability index (ODI),quality of life questionnaire-core 30 (QOL-C30) were observed before and after treatment;the relapse rate was estimated at the sixth month and twelfth month following the treatment.The data were statistically analyzed.Results:After intervention,the total effective rate was 96.6％ in the observation group versus 91.5％ in the control group,and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The VAS and ODI scores declined significantly after treatment in both groups (all P＜0.05),and the observation group was markedly lower than the control group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The QOL-C30 score increased significantly after treatment in both groups (both P＜0.05),and the observation group was markedly higher than the control group (P＜0.05).The relapse rates at the post-treatment sixth month and twelfth month in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion:Compared with the conventional tuina therapy,the balance-impact tuina therapy shows advantage in lessening pain,improving the function and enhancing the quality of life in the treatment of LIDH,and it has a lower relapse rate.Thus,this therapy is worth promoting in clinic.

OBJECTIVESVentricular remodeling is an important pathologic progress in almost all end stage heart failure (HF), and it is characterized by ventricular thickening and cardiac fibrosis with poor prognosis. The connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a new growth factor with multi-function, has an important role in fibrosis of tissue and organs. It has been demonstrated that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) can prevent the development of cardiomyocyte from remodeling and improve cardiac function. Researchers try to test the hypothesis that cardiac function improvement attributable to ACEI is associated with inhibiting expression of CTGF in patients with HF. The aim of this study was to observe changes in CTGF expression in cardiomyocyte of young rats with HF and effect of benazepril on CTGF.

METHODSThe animal model of HF was established by constriction of abdominal aorta. Five weeks old rats were randomly divided into 3 groups after 6 weeks of operation: (1) HF group without treatment (n = 15); (2) HF group where rats were treated with benazepril (n = 15); (3) sham-operated group (n = 15) where rats were administered benazepril through direct gastric gavage. After 4 weeks of treatment, the high frequency ultrasound was performed. The expression of CTGF was detected by immunohistochemistry and semi-quantative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operated group, left ventricular diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular systolic dimension (LVESD), interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole (IVSTd), interventricular septal thickness at end-systole (IVSTs), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole (LVPWTd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-systole (LVPWTs), left ventricular relative weight (LVRW), and right ventricular relative weight (RVRW) were all increased (P < 0.01), but ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were decreased (P < 0.01). CTGF positive cells and expression of CTGF mRNA (0.609 +/- 0.065 vs 0.117 +/- 0.011, P < 0.01) were increased in HF group without treatment. LVESD, IVSTd, IVSTs, LVPWTd, LVPWTs, LVRW and RVRW were all decreased (P < 0.01), but FS and EF were increased (P < 0.01) in cases of HF treated with benazepril when compared with HF group without treatment. LVESD, IVSTd, IVSTs, LVPWTd, LVPWTs, LVRW and RVRW were higher (P < 0.01), EF and FS were lower (P < 0.01), CTGF positive cells and expression of CTGF mRNA were higher (P < 0.01) in HF group treated with benazepril than those of sham-operated group.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of CTGF was increased in the cardiomyocyte of young rats with HF and benazepril could prevent left ventricular from remodeling partly and improve cardiac function by inhibiting the expression of CTGF in cardiomyocyte in cases of HF.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Benzazepines ; pharmacology ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ultrasonography ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Endocarditis ; surgery ; Humans

Objective To analyze the precipitating factors for,clinical manifestations of,laboratory findings in and therapeutic effect on acute urticaria.Methods Clinical data were collected from 185 inpatients with acute urticaria in Shanxi Dayi Hospital from January 2013 to December 2016.Clinical features,laboratory examination results,treatment,prognosis and adverse reactions were analyzed retrospectively.Statistical analysis was carried out by chi-square test.Results There were 63 male patients and 122 female patients in this study,with an average age at onset of 32.87 ± 14.18 years.Of the 185 patients,78 (42.2％) were able to report the aetiological agents accurately,33 (17.8％) were induced by infection or drug therapy following infection,and 82 (44.3％) had fever.Blood cell analysis showed increased white blood cell count in 132 (71.4％) cases and increased proportion of neutrophils in 128 (69.2％) cases.The level of C reactive protein increased in 118 (69％) of 171 cases.A total of 185 patients received routine anti-anaphylactic treatment.Of 183 cured patients,153 (83.6％) were treated with antibiotics,26(14.2％)with antibiotics alone,and 24(13.1％) with azithromycin.There were 127 (69.4％) patients receiving combined treatment with glucocorticoids,antibiotics,and so on,and the antibiotic used in 111 (60.7％) cases was azithromycin.Of 88 cured patients with simultaneous signs of infection,85 (96.6％) showed increased levels of part or all of infection markers (including the white blood cell count,proportion of neutrophils and level of C reactive protein),and 69 (78.4％) were treated with azithromycin.Of 95 cured patients without signs of infection,83 (87.4％) showed increased levels of infection markers,and 61 (64.2％) were treated with azithromycin.Moreover,there were significant differences in the proportion of patients with increased levels of infection markers and that of patients treated with azithromycin between the cured patients with and without signs of infection (x2 =5.164,4.476,both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Infection is a common cause of acute urticaria,and laboratory examinations including white blood cell count,proportion of neutrophils and level of C reactive protein are of important reference value to the diagnosis of infection in patients with acute urticaria.Patients with signs of infection or increased levels of infection markers need to be treated with combined anti-infective therapy,and in the cured patients,the proportion of patients administrating azithromycin was higher than that of those administrating other antibiotics for the treatment of acute infectious urticaria.

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook has the properties of rheumatism dispelling,promoting blood circulation, dredging collaterals, detumescence, pain relieving, anti-parasitism and detoxification. Its common medication forms include Tripterygium wilfordii Hook tablets, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook polygonal tablets, Kunming Shanhaitang tablets,Kunxian Capsules,Tripterygium wilfordii Hook bicolor and Tripterygium wilfordii Hook total terpene tablets. Reproductive toxicity in Tripterygium wilfordii Hook preparations is a side-effect that may deeply impact reproductive-age patients. The combination of single herb or compound can significantly reduce the reproductive toxicity of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook preparations.This article reviewed the recent research in this field and provide references for clinical medication.

The hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), also known as Strumpell-Lorrain familial spasmodic paraplegia, is a highlighted clinical and genetic heterogeneity disorder with the prevalence of (2-9.6)/100,000. This disorder is characterized by progressive, usually severe spasticity and pyramidal weakness, predominantly in the lower limbs. Inheritance of this disease has been reported to be autosomal dominant (AD), autosomal recessive (AR), or X-linked recessive (XR), with the AD forms of HSP (ADHSP) being the most common type. At least 40 HSP gene loci have been localized and 19 genes have been identified. Forty percent of HSP cases are caused by mutations in the spastin (spastic paraplegia-4, SPG4) gene. Genetic diagnosis, the gold standard for diagnosis of the disease, may contribute to early diagnosis, presymptomatic diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis. The study of animal models plays an important role in revealing the molecular pathological mechanism of HSP. The known genetic research advances of the SPG4 gene are reviewed in this article.
Adenosine Triphosphatases ; genetics ; Animals ; Humans ; Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Spastin

To investigate the genetic stability (including the vector of vaccinia virus and six foreign genes: gp160, gag, pol, rev, tat and nef) of the HIV-1 non-replicating recombinant vaccinia virus (rNTV-C). rNTV-C was serially passaged to passage 25 (P25) in primary chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF). P9, P12, P15 and P25 were selected to study the genetic stability in four aspects, including the genetic stability of viral vector, the genetic stability of six foreign genes, the expressing stability of foreign genes and the genetic loss of foreign genes. The results showed that the viral vector was non-replicated vaccinia virus of Tiantan strain and was passaged stably; foreign gene sequences matched with designed sequences, the insert sites were right, and the nucleotide mutation rate was less than one over ten thousands within different passages of rNTV-C; the target proteins could be expressed effectively, and the expression level was stable within different passages of rNTV-C; the genetic loss of gag and nef was less than 5% within different passages of rNTV-C. The above results provided important data for the vaccine production.
Animals ; DNA, Recombinant ; genetics ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; virology ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Vaccinia virus ; genetics