OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of polymorphonuclear leucocyte adhesive molecules CD11b/CD18 and to study the possible mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) for activating blood circulation to remove stasis in preventing vascular diseases.

METHODSForty-nine patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) but with no complications of hypertension and nephropathy were randomly divided into the treated group (26 patients treated by TCM) and the control group (23 patients treated by conventional treatment). They were treated for 3 months. The changes of urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), CD11b/CD18 expression and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTSThe CD11b/CD18 expression and TNF-alpha concentration in DM patients were higher than those of normal range (P < 0.01). After treatment, the UAER, CD11b/CD18 expression and TNF-alpha concentration lowered significantly in the treated group (P < 0.01), but unchanged in the control group. Correlation analysis showed that the lowering of UAER was positively correlated with decreasing of CD11b/CD18 (r = 0.64, P < 0.01) and TNF-alpha (r = 0.56, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONExpression of CD11b/CD18 increases in patients with DM type 2. The mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine for activating blood circulation to remove stasis in preventing vascular disease in possibly related with its effect in inhibiting CD11b/CD18 expression.

Aged ; CD11b Antigen ; biosynthesis ; blood ; CD18 Antigens ; biosynthesis ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic and adverse effects of topotecan combined with cisplatin in the treatment of advanced squamous cell lung cancer and head and neck cancer.

METHODSTotally 126 patients with advanced squamous cell lung cancer and head and neck cancer, which were confirmed by tissue pathology or cytopathology, were treated with intravenous infusion of topotecan at the dose of 0.75-1.2 mg/m2 (for 5 consecutive days) combined with intravenous infusion of cisplantin at 25-30 mg/m2 for 3 consecutive days. Each treatment course consisted of two 21-day cycles of the treatment.

RESULTSNo complete remission was achieved in these patients, and 61 patients had partial remission, 53 had clinically stabilized disease and 12 had progressive disease. The total response rate was 48.4% among the patients, with the median survival time of 10.1 months and one-year survival rate of 36.7%. The major adverse effects were bone marrow suppression and alopecia.

CONCLUSIONTopotecan combined with cisplatin may achieve a favorable response in patients with advanced squamous cell lung cancer and head and neck cancer, and causes tolerable adverse effect without accumulative toxicity.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Topotecan ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and mechanism of periodontal initial therapy on type 2 diabetes patients with periodontitis.

METHODS15 type 2 diabetes patients with periodontitis were selected. Their body mass index (BMI), sulcus bleeding index (SBI), probing depth (PD), circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration, and the value of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol (CHOL) were assessed respectively before and 4-6 weeks after periodontal initial therapy.

RESULTSAfter initial therapy, SBI, PD, circulating TNF-alpha concentration, and the value of HbA1C and TG were reduced significantly (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences in BMI and CHOL value (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPeriodontal initial therapy can effectively reduce HbA1C value in type 2 diabetes patients with periodontitis, possibly through the reduction of circulating TNF-alpha concentration.

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; Female ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; analysis ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periodontitis ; blood ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the biological effects of tetracycline on cultured human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs).

METHODSIncreasing concentrations of tetracycline (1, 5, 20, 100, 500, 2500 microg/ml) were added to the medium of cultured HPDLFs, respectively. After co-incubated for 2 days, cell morphology was observed under reverse microscope, meanwhile, cell proliferation activity was assayed using MTT, the total amount of protein was detected with Coumassie Bright Blue method and DNA synthesis was measured by 3H-TdR.

RESULTSOver a concentration range of 1 to 100 microg/ml, cells demonstrated a normal appearance, spindle or fusiform shaped. Moreover, at a concentration range of 20 to 100 microg/ml, tetracycline significantly enhanced the proliferating activity and biosynthesis of HPDLFs (P < 0.01). However, higher concentration (2500 microg/ml) not only changed cell morphology, but also significantly inhibited cellular activity.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested that proper doses of tetracycline could promote proliferation and biosynthesis of HPDLFs while higher concentrations of tetracycline had cytotoxic effect.

Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; Humans ; Periodontal Ligament ; cytology ; drug effects ; Tetracycline ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDThis study was undertaken to obtain differentially expressed genes related to human glioma by cDNA microarray and the characterization of a novel full-length gene.

METHODSTotal RNA was extracted form human glioma and normal brain tissue, and mRNA was used as a probe. The results of hybridization procedure were scanned with the computer system. The gene named 507E08 cone was subsequently analyzed by northern blot, bioinformatic approach, and protein expression.

RESULTSFifteen differentially expressed genes were obtained from human glioma by hybridization and scanning for four times. Northern blot analysis confirmed that the 507E08 clone was low expressed in human brain tissue and over expressed in human glioma tissues. The analysis of BLASTn and BLASTx showed that the 507E08 clone was a novel full-length gene, which codes 203 amino acid of protein and is called human ribosomal protein 14.22 gene. The nucleotide sequence had been submitted to the GenBank with the accession number of AF329277. After expression in E. coli., protein yielded a major band of apparent molecular mass 22 kDa on an SDS-PAGE gel.

CONCLUSIONScDNA microarray technology can be successfully used to identify differentially expressed genes. The novel full-length gene of human ribosomal protein 13.22 may be correlated with the development of human glioma.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Northern ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Glioma ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Ribosomal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Objective To study the changes of permeability of blood brain barrier (BBB) in rats after acute traumatic brain injury and explore its mechanism. Methods Ninety-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group (S group) and traumatic brain injury group (TBI group).Each group was divided into 6 subgroups (3,6,12,24,48 and 72 h after trauma).Brain injury animal models were established according to Feeney' s method.Measurement of Evans Blue (EB) was performed at different time points after injury to measure the changes of BBB permeability.Brain water content was tested by wet-dry weighting method. Expression of tight junction protein Claudin-5 was detected by Western blotting. Results As compared with that in rats of the S group,the brain water content and content of EB in rats of the TBI group were significantly increased at each time point (P＜0.05); and in TBI subgroups,the brain water content and content of EB were begun to increase 3 h after TBI,reaching its peak level 24 h after TBI.As compared with that in rats of the S group,the expression of Claudin-5 in rats of the TBI group was significantly decreased at 12,24,48 and 72 h after TBI (P＜0.05); and in TBI subgroups,the expression of Claudin-5 was begun to decrease 6 h after TBI,reaching its lowest level 24 h after TBI. Negative correlations were noted between protein expression level of Claudin-5 and both the brain water content and content of EB (r=-0.994,P=0.000; r=-0.846,P=0.036); positive correlation was observed between the brain water content and content of EB (r=0.863,P=0.027). Conclusion The degree of brain injury and changes of permeability of BBB may be time dependent in rats after acute brain traumatic injury; and Claudin-5 may be correlated with the changes of BBB.

This study is to explore the effects of quercetin (QUE) on the 3 week-old mice ovarian development and relative hormone levels. The 3 week-old mice were exposed to QUE (45, 25, and 5 mg x kg(-1) x hd(-1)) by gavage for 50 days. The estrous cycle during 50 days and the changes of hormone level such as FSH, LH, etc were monitored. Moreover, the ovaries were removed after sacrifice. The organ index was measured, and the ratios of different stages of follicles were analyzed by HE staining. Furthermore, the proportion of PCNA positive cells during all stages was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that QUE could increase body weight of mice and reduce the anogenital distance (AGD) to some extent, and was able to disrupt mice's estrous cycle, but it could not extend or reduce the cycle regularity. It increased ovarian organ index with a dose-dependent manner. The proportion of the primordial follicle and secondary follicles rose obviously, and that of mature follicles', atretic follicles' and corpus luteums' reduced, while primordial follicle had no change. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that QUE could effectively increase the percentage of proliferating cells in all kinds of follicles. Serum hormone assay showed that there were significant changes of FSH and LH levels. In summary, QUE showed an estrogen-like effect on mice's ovarian development. The weight of ovary, the proportion of all kinds of follicles, the development of ovarian cells and the level of plasma hormone in mice were altered obviously by oral administration of QUE.
Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estrous Cycle ; drug effects ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Mice ; Ovarian Follicle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Ovary ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Phytoestrogens ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Quercetin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the reliability of different hepatitis E diagnosis reagent tests on the acute hepatitis E.

METHODSThree acute hepatitis E diagnosis tests, E2-IgM (Wantai, China), GL-IgM and GL-IgG (Genelabs, Singapore) were compared for their reliability in a sera panel composed by 273 healthy individuals and 525 hepatitis.

RESULTSThe specificity of E2-IgM on the diagnosis of acute hepatitis E was 100.0%, it was significantly higher than GL-IgM (96.7%) and GL-IgG (85.4%). The sensitivity of E2-IgM and GL-IgG were 97.9% and 93.8% respectively, both significantly higher than GL-IgM (72.9%). Among 65 acute hepatitis cases being positive on GL-IgM test but negative on E2-IgM, 58 (89.2%) cases were found to be positive with anti-hepatitis A virus IgM, it indicated that the GL-IgM test might be interfered by other IgM antibodies on serum.

CONCLUSIONE2-IgM is a good test for the diagnosis of acute hepatitis E.

Acute Disease ; Hepatitis Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis E ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Seventy-three patients with spinal nerve sheath tumor who were surgically treated in our hospital during the years 2004-2010 were retrospectively reviewed with respect to recovery of neurological function, recurrence of the tumor and occurrence of kyphotic deformities. Preoperative clinical manifestations, imaging data, surgical records and follow-up results were comprehensively analyzed. The follow-up duration was 12-60 months with an average of 32.0 months. Out of the 73 cases enrolled, 69 had gradual recovery of sensation, motor and sphincter functions 1 week to 3 months after operation. Forty-six cases had incomplete paralysis, whose American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grades, however, were gradually increased during the follow-up period, 4 cases had no significant improvement of the clinical symptoms and no change in ASIA grades during the follow-up period. Two cases had postoperative recurrence of the tumor. There were no deaths, no spinal instability, and no kyphotic malformations found in any cases. Our study indicated that complete removal of the tumor is important for good recovery, and an ideal surgical method may reduce the recurrence of the tumor or the occurrence of complications.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Spinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult