Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; pathology ; Parotid Gland ; pathology ; Parotid Neoplasms ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mikulicz' Disease ; Salivary Gland Diseases

To study the value of lung ultrasound score (LUS) in assessing the clinical outcome of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).A total of 99 VAP patients were enrolled in a prospective study.All patients met the diagnostic criterion of VAP based on the 2013 guidelines and admitted into our ICU from Jun 2013 to Jun 2015.All parameters were recorded on the diagnostic day (day 1) and day 5,including LUS,clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS),chest X ray (CXR),Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score,Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score,etc.According to the CPIS,patients were divided into 2 groups(CPIS less than 6 and more or equal to 6).CPIS and LUS were similar on day 1 between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).However,on day 5,significant differences of CPIS and LUS were found between groups with CPIS ＜ 6 and CPIS≥6 (P =0.019 and P ＜ 0.001 respectively).LUS decreased on day 5 in CPIS ＜ 6 group and increased in CPIS ≥6 group.In CPIS ＜ 6 group,there was a positive correlation between LUS and CPIS on day 1 (r =0.375,P =0.003) and day 5 (r =0.590,P ＜ 0.001).CPIS ≥6 groupshowed the same trend on day 1 (r =0.484,P =0.002) and day 5 (r =0.407,P =0.011).LUS can be used to dynamically evaluate the clinical outcome of VAP.

BACKGROUND: Silibinin has broad pharmaceutical effects, such as anti-free radicals, anti-lipid peroxidation, anti-lipoid oxidase, anti-glutathione (GSH) depletion, anti-neoplastic and serum lipid-lowering effects. Clinically, silibinin is often used in treating alcoholic liver disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of silibinin for alcoholic fatty liver in rats. DESIGN: Randomized and controlled study.SETTING: Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.MATERIALS: The experiment was conducted at the Animal Experimental Laboratory of Guangdong Pharmaceutical Institute from August to October 2003. Totally 57 SD rats, without unusual bacteria, weighting (150±10)g and of either gender, were selected. Yiganling tablets containing 38.5 mg silibinin were produced by Zhuzhou No.3 Pharmaceutical Factory (Batch No. 20020808).METHODS: Among the 57 SD rats, 18 rats were regarded as normal control group. Rats in normal control group were administered with normal saline by gavage, and fed with normal food and distilled water in place of alcohol for 10 weeks. Rats in model group and silibinin group were fed with high-calorie food and 100 mL/L alcohol for 6 weeks to establish model of rat alcoholic fatty liver. The other rats were divided into model control group (n=18) and silibinin group (n=21). Rats in model control group were treated with distilled water while those in silibinin group were treated with 100 mg/kg silibinin. Meanwhile, 100 mL/L ethanol and hyperalimentation feed were given for 4 weeks. After animals were killed, TG, SOD, GSH and MDA levels were measured with liver suspension.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Contents of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α , and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1.RESULTS: All the 57 rats entered the final analysis. Silibinin could inhibit the activities of serum AST, ALT and AKP [(2 550.5±400.1), (533.4±100.0), (2 217.1±750.2)nkat/L], and the differences were significant as compared with those in model control group [(3 600.7±666.8), (800.2±100.0), (2 900.6±1 333.6) nkat/L, P ＜ 0.05-0.01]. Contents of TG, LDL-C, TNF-α and TGF-β1 in silibinin group [(1.8±0.8), (0.17±0.04), (6.66±1.38), (24.1±4.1) mmol/L] were lower than those in model group [(2.8±1.4), (0.20±0.05), (7.81±1.06), (28.8±6.3) mmol/L] with significant differences (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). Silibinin could increase the content of HDL-C but decrease the contents of TG and MDA (P ＜ 0.05-0.01), and improve SOD activity as well as hepatocyte and fatty degeneration (P ＜ 0.01).However, it had no obvious effect on the content of reduced estathion (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Silibinin can inhibitthe formation of alcoholic fatty liver in rats. The pharmacological mechanism of silibinin may involve anti-oxidation, removing free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, regulating blood lipid component, reducing fatty sediment in liver, and anti-immunoinflammation and anti-hyperplasia effects.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the value of lung ultrasound score (LUS) on assessing the severity and prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and to investigate its correlation with oxygenation index, acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS), and other traditional parameters.Methods A prospective double-blind cohort study was conducted. Sixty-two ARDS patients conformed to the Berlin diagnostic criteria admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Huaxin Hospital from October 2013 to December 2014 were enrolled, including 14 cases with mild, 18 moderate, and 30 severe ARDS; among them 37 cases were of ARDS with pulmonary origin, and 25 non-pulmonary ARDS; 35 patients survived, and 27 died. The clinical data and scores of all patients were recorded by one specialized observer, including baseline data, hemodynamic parameters, lactate, respiratory parameters, and APACHEⅡ, SOFA and CPIS scores. Another observer of recording was responsible for the results of lung ultrasound, LUS, and echocardiogram. The correlation between LUS and oxygenation index as well as APACHEⅡ, SOFA and CPIS scores was analyzed by bivariate correlation analysis. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted, and the predictive value, sensitivity and specificity of mild ARDS, moderate ARDS, severe ARDS and mortality by LUS were calculated. Results LUS had a negative correlation with oxygenation index (r = -0.755,P< 0.001), a good positive correlation with APACHEⅡ (r = 0.504,P< 0.001), SOFA (r = 0.461,P< 0.001) and CPIS (r = 0.571,P< 0.001) was found. LUS in the pulmonary ARDS group had a positive correlation with CPIS (r = 0.399,P< 0.05), and a positive correlation was found in non-pulmonary ARDS group (r = 0.350,P< 0.05), which indicated that the correlation in pulmonary ARDS was more satisfactory than that in non-pulmonary ARDS. LUS in the pulmonary ARDS group was significantly higher than that in non-pulmonary ARDS group (22.1±4.9 vs. 11.3±2.1,t = 11.667,P< 0.001); LUS in mild, moderate, severe ARDS groups was 9.9±1.7, 14.0±1.4, 23.6±4.1. The predictive value for mild ARDS by LUS was 7.0, sensitivity of 87.0%, specificity of 89.0%; that for moderate ARDS was 11.0, sensitivity of 89.0%, specificity of 87.0%; that for severe ARDS was 8.0, sensitivity of 90.0%, specificity of 88.5%. LUS was 24.3±3.8 in the death group, and 12.7±2.9 in the survival group. Area under ROC curve (AUC) was calculated, and the patients with LUS> 19.0 had a high mortality, sensitivity for predicting death was 84.0%, and specificity of 89.0%.Conclusion Bedside LUS, which is simple and easily available, could evaluate the changes in pulmonary ventilation area of ARDS, and its degree of severity, and prognosis including prediction of mortality of the patients.

The prevalence and genotype of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs in Henan Province, Central China was investigated. A total of 125 blood samples were collected from pet dogs during April to June 2013, and all samples were examined by indirect hemagglutination antibody test (IHA) and nested PCR. The overall T. gondii prevalence in pet dogs was 24.0% (30/125), with 20.8% (26/125) in IHA and 10.4% (13/125) in PCR, respectively. No statistical associations were found between animal gender and age and the prevalence of T. gondii infection. Thirteen positive DNA samples were genotyped using 11 PCR-RFLP markers, including SAG1, (3'+5') SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico. Of these, only 2 samples were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and a novel genotype (type III at SAG3 and GRA6 loci, and type I at other loci) was identified. This is the first report of genetic characterization of T. gondii infection in dogs in China.
Animals ; China/epidemiology ; Dog Diseases/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Genotype ; Hemagglutination Tests ; Pets ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Prevalence ; Toxoplasma/*classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology/*parasitology

The prevalence and genotype of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs in Henan Province, Central China was investigated. A total of 125 blood samples were collected from pet dogs during April to June 2013, and all samples were examined by indirect hemagglutination antibody test (IHA) and nested PCR. The overall T. gondii prevalence in pet dogs was 24.0% (30/125), with 20.8% (26/125) in IHA and 10.4% (13/125) in PCR, respectively. No statistical associations were found between animal gender and age and the prevalence of T. gondii infection. Thirteen positive DNA samples were genotyped using 11 PCR-RFLP markers, including SAG1, (3'+5') SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico. Of these, only 2 samples were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and a novel genotype (type III at SAG3 and GRA6 loci, and type I at other loci) was identified. This is the first report of genetic characterization of T. gondii infection in dogs in China.
Animals ; China/epidemiology ; Dog Diseases/*epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Genotype ; Hemagglutination Tests ; Pets ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Prevalence ; Toxoplasma/*classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology/*parasitology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) affects the survival and activity of endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) and whether the effects are mediated by lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (LOX-1).

METHODSCD34+ cells isolated from human umbilical blood were cultured in endothelial cell growth medium-2 (EGM-2). After 14 days of culture, some EPCs were stimulated with 10, 25, 50 microg/ml of oxLDL for 48 hours; some were preincubated with LOX-1 mAb, a blocking antibody of LOX-1, for 24 hours, then exposed to 50 microg/ml oxLDL for 48 hours; others without any further treatment were used as control. The survival of EPC and the ability of adhesion, migration, and tube formation were examined. The levels of LOX-1 protein and mRNA expression were also assayed.

RESULTSIncubation with oxLDL at concentrations of 25 microg/ml or higher resulted in a dose-dependent increase of EPC apoptosis [25 microg/ml: (15.8 +/- 1.1.0%, 50 microg/ml: (18.8 +/- 2.0)% versus control: (9.0 +/- 1.2)%; P < 0.05]. Treated with oxLDL led to a significantly reduced migratry rate [25 microg/ml: (5.7 +/- 1.0)%, 50 microg/ml: (5.1 +/- 0.8)% versus control: (9.5 +/- 0.8)%; P < 0.05]. EPC treated with oxLDL showed a dose-dependent reduction of adhesion to fibronectin (25 Kg/ml: 33 +/- 2, 50 microg/ml: 30 +/- 3 versus control: 37 +/- 5; P < 0.05). Treatment with oxLDL impaired the in vitro vasculogenesis ability of EPCs. The total length of the tube structures in each photograph was decreased [25 microg/ml: (2.9 +/- 0.5) mm, 50 microg/ml: (1.8 +/- 0.5) mm versus control: (5.0 +/- 0.6) mm; P < 0.05]. The tube structure was severely disrupted, resulting in an incomplete and sparse tube network. However, all the detrimental effects on EPC were attenuated by pretreatment of EPC with LOX-1 mAb. In addition, Western blot analysis revealed that oxLDL increased LOX-1 protein expression from 100% to (172 +/- 8)% at a dose of 50 microg/ml. Furthermore, oxLDL caused an increase in LOX-1 mRNA expression from 100% to (174 +/- 39)% at a dose of 50 microig/ml.

CONCLUSIONOxLDL can directly inhibit EPC survival and activity and these effects are mediated by its receptor, LOX-1.

Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Stem Cells ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between Akt/eNOS signal pathway changes and the survival/function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in the presence of oxLDL, L-NAME or triciribine.

METHODSAfter 14 d culture, EPC was stimulated with different concentrations of oxLDL, L-NAME or triciribine for 48 h. In one group, EPC was preincubated with L-arginine for 24 h and then exposed to 50 microg/ml oxLDL for 48 h. The survival and the ability of adhesion, migration and tube structure formation of EPC were observed and the level of phosphorylated Akt protein expression, eNOS protein and mRNA expression were assayed.

RESULTSIncubation with oxLDL at concentration 25 microg/ml or higher resulted EPC apoptosis, significantly reduced migratory rate, reduced adhesion to fibronectin and impaired ability of EPC to form tube structure in a dose-dependent manner. A simultaneous dose-dependent NO generation and Akt phosphorylation decrease as well as eNOS expression reduction at protein and mRNA levels were also observed. Pretreatment of EPC with L-arginine could attenuate these changes.

CONCLUSIONoxLDL reduced EPC survival and function via regulating Akt/eNOS signal pathway.

Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

OBJECTIVE To detect the reversal effect of Guizhi Fuling Wan on cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer SKOV3/DDP cells and its relationship with protein expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and metadherin (MTDH). METHODS Guizhi Fuling Wan (GFW) concentrated solution was prepared according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 edition, Wistar rats were given GFW viagavage at 4 g·kg-1·d-1,8 g·kg-1·d-1,16 g·kg-1·d-1,or given saline as blank control for 5 days.Blood samples were taken and the corresponding drug-containing low-dose sera, medium-dose sear, high-dose sera and blank sera were prepared.The XCELLigence RTCA S16 real-time label-free cell analyzer was used to detect the reversal effect by the sera combined with cisplatin or paclitaxel in SKOV3/DDP cells. Annexin V-FITC and PI double-staining were used to detect the apoptosis-inducing effect of the sera in the cells. RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of PTEN and MTDH after the cells treated with the sera. RESULTS The inhibition rate of low-dose sera against SKOV3/DDP cells was less than 5%.After the low-dose sera combined with cisplatin or pacli-taxel, the IC50 of SKOV3/DDP cells against cisplatin and paclitaxel decreased by 3.01 and 1.79-fold, respectively.The total apoptosis rates induced by the low-dose sera,medium-dose sear,high-dose sera and blank sera in SKOV3/DDP cells were 11.08±0.13,19.42±0.30,24.23±0.31,and 3.21±0.24,respec-tively; there was a significant difference between the groups (P<0.01). RT-qPCR results showed that, compared with the blank serum, the sera can up-regulate the expression of PTEN mRNA and down-regulate the expression of MTDH mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot results showed that the induction effect to PTEN protein and the inhibition effect to MTDH protein by the sera were gradually enhanced with thesera dose increasement. CONCLUSION The resistance reversal effect of Guizhi Fuling Wan on ovarian cancer SKOV3/DDP cells may be related to the inhibition of MTDH, up-regulation of PTEN and induction of apoptosis, providing with an experiment basis for the applica-tion of Guizhi Fuling Wan as a reversal agent for chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer.