Objective: To investigate the effects of ATRA (all-trans-retinoicacid) combined with gamma radiation on proliferation and apoptosis of human esophageal carcinoma TE13 cells, and to explore the possible mechanism. Methods: The effect of ATRA on the proliferation of TE13 cells was detected by MTT method. When the cell growth RI (inhibitory rate) reached levels of 25%, 50% and 75%, the TE13 cells were treated with the corresponding inhibitory doses of ATRA combined with 4 Gy gamma radiation. The effects of this combination intervention on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of TE13 cells were detected by FCM (flow cytometry). The colony-formation ability and cell viability were detected using colony-formation experiment. The expression of cyclinD1 protein was detected by FCM. Results: The inhibitory effect of ATRA on the proliferation of TE13 cells was significant in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The cell growth IRs reached 22.0%, 55.1% and 71.1% at ATRA concentrations of 0.78, 6.25 and 12.5 μmol/L, respectively. The cell viability and colony-formation efficiency were significantly decreased in TE13 cells treated with ATRA in combination with 4 Gy gamma radiation, as compared with TE13 cells receiving administration of ATRA alone. The proliferative ability of TE13 cells was significantly reduced after ATRA treatment in combination with 4 Gy gamma radiation for 24 and 48 h; furthermore, the percentage of the cells arrested at phase G0/G 1 was increased accompanying with a significantly elevated apoptotic rate. Although the combination treatment (0.78 μmol/L ATRA and gamma radiation) had a weak influence on the expression of cyclinD1 protein, which was significantly decreased in other groups (6.25 and 12.5 μmol/L ATRA). Conclusion: ATRA exerts an inhibitory influence on the proliferation of TE13 cells through down-regulating cyclinD1 expression, arresting the cells at phase G0/G1, and inducing apoptosis. A higher-concentration of ATRA combined with gamma radiation can significantly decrease the expression of cyclinD1, promote G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, accelerate apoptosis, and limit the colony formation, but a lower concentration of ATRA combined with gamma radiation exerts a little influence on cyclinD1 expression, although it may accelerate apoptosis and limit the colony-formation at some periods of time after treatment. Copyright © 2012 by TUMOR.

Objective To evaluate the curative effect and safety of dibutyl phthalate on demodicidosis. Methods A single blinded and controlled study of human demodicidosis treated with dibutyl phthalate was conducted. One hundred and forty three patients with demodicidosis, including 81 acne and 62 rosacea, randomly divided into trial and control groups. The trial group was treated with dibutyl phthalate and control group with "new fumanling" cream twice a day in the early morning and evening respectively for six weeks consecutively. Results The rates of excellent, good, and fair efficacy and total effective rate in the trial group with acne were 53\^7%, 41\^5%, 4\^9% and 100% respectively, with a significant difference to the control group (P0\^05). No complaint of side effects in the trial group was recorded. Conclusion Dibutyl phthalate is highly effective to demodicidosis without prominent adverse reactions.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on acute heart failure (AHF) patients.

METHODSTotally 60 patients who were diagnosed as AHF were assigned to the acupuncture group and the control group, 30 in each group. Those in the control group received inotropic agents, preload and afterload reducing therapy, anti-infection and so on. Besides, those in the acupuncture group received needling at relative points, once daily for 5 consecutive days. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SI), left ventricle working index (LCWI) were monitored by thermodilution pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) technique. Changes of the aforesaid data were compared between before and after treatment. The ICU length of stay, readmission rate,and the 28-day mortality were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 5 days of the treatment, CI, SI, and LCWI increased more obviously (P < 0.01), HR and MAP decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Of them, CI, SI, and LCWI increased more obviously in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05).There was no obvious difference in HR or MAP between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the first day of admission in the same group, CI, SI, and LCWI obviously increased in the acupuncture group from the second day (P < 0.05). HR started to decrease since the fourth day (P < 0.05), and MAP began to decrease until the fifth day (P < 0.05). CI, SI, and LCWI started to increase in the control group from the third day (P < 0.05); HR and MAP both began to decrease since the fifth day (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the ICU length of stay was obviously shortened in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The readmission rate and the 28-day mortality rate were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combination of acupuncture and Western medical therapy might strengthen acute heart failure patients' heart functions, elevate the therapeutic effect, and improve the prognosis.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke Volume

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of acupuncture on the immune function of sepsis patients.

METHODSNinety sepsis patients were assigned to the control group, the thymosin a1 group, and the acupuncture treatment group according to random digit table, 30 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were treated according to the guideline of Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC). Patients in the control group received routine treatment. Those in the thymosin alpha1 group additionally received subdermal injection of thymosin alpha1 (1.6 mg), once per day for 6 successive days. Needling at related points such as Zusanli (ST36), Yanglingquan (GB34), Neiguan (PC6), Guanyuan (RN4), and so on, was performed in patients of the acupuncture treatment group, once per day for 6 successive days. T cell subgroups (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+ /CD8+) and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) were detected. The length of ICU hospital stay, hospital readmission rate, and 28-day mortality were compared among the three groups.

RESULTSAfter six days of treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, IgM, and CD4+ /CD8+ ratio of three groups were all significantly increased (P < 0.01). Of them, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, IgG, IgA, and IgM increased more significantly in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the ICU hospitalization length was significantly shortened, the hospital readmission rate and the 28-day mortality were lower in the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in each index between the thymosin alpha1 group and the acupuncture treatment group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture could adjust the immune function of sepsis patients, improve their immunological indicators and prognoses.

Acupuncture Therapy ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Prognosis ; Sepsis ; diagnosis ; immunology ; therapy ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Thymosin ; analogs & derivatives

Soxhlet extraction is a common method of sample preparation. However, there has been no discussion about the efficiency of Soxhlet extraction from different batches and the factors that cause content fluctuation. In this study, Panax ginseng was selected as a model sample. Soxhlet extraction by means of a water bath, which has always been neglected, was identified as a novel key factor in the poor repeat-ability in different batches of Soxhlet extraction, as it can affect the siphon times and reflux time, which have been positively correlated with the ginsenoside contents. By substituting round bottom flasks in the same column, the relative standard deviation of the most fluctuated compound, ginsenoside Rb1, was decreased from 24.6% to 5.02%. Scanning electron microscopy analysis confirmed that the breakdown of the surface of the ginseng powder in the Soxhlet extraction led to a better dissolution of ginsenosides, indicating that chloroform may promote the extraction of ginsenosides by disrupting the cell structure. Moreover, 70% methanol was regarded as the better solvent for extracting the ginsenosides. Overall, this work offers a practical and effective protocol for improving the accuracy and repeatability of Soxhlet extraction methodology for ginsenosides and other analytes.

Objective To report two cases of severe pulmonary complication after bortezomib treatment for multiple myeloma. Methods Two cases of severe pulmonary complication after bortezomib treatment patients with relapsed multiple myeloma wereas discussed with review of literature. Results Two relapsed MM patients were treated with bortezomib and thalidomide or dexametbasone. Cough, dyspnea, fever and hypoxia developed after completion of bortezomib. Chest X-ray revealed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates,but infection was not identified with sputum cultures, and broad-spectrum antibiotics were ineffective.Conclusion Severe pulmonary injury was rare complication in patients receiving treatment for multiple myeloma, however, it was a life-threatening disorder. Prophylaxis corticosteroids maybe effective. Although corticosteroids are effective, but the mechanism of lung injury associated with bortezomib is unclear, and further evaluation of this potential toxicity is appropriate.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the situation of antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) and Hemophilus influenzae (Hi) clinical isolates from children in Guangzhou area.

METHODSThe authors cultured, isolated and identified the Sp and Hi strains from nasopharyngeal secretion of patients who visited Guangzhou Children's Hospital for upper respiratory tract infection between 2003 and 2004. K-B disc diffusion and E-test for antibiotic susceptibility were performed for these clinical isolates.

RESULTSTotally 172 and 484 strains of Sp and Hi were respectively isolated from nasopharyngeal secretions in the hospital. For Sp strains, the rates of resistance to penicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, cefaclor, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP), clindamycin and ofloxacin were 32.0%, 11.1%, 32.6%, 18.1%, 39.5%, 82.6%, 78.5%, 24.4%, 87.2%, 69.2% and 3.1%, respectively. The penicillin non-susceptible Sp (PNSSP) isolates showed higher rates of resistance to other antimicrobial agents such as other beta-lactam antimicrobial agents, erythromycin, and SMZ/TMP than those of penicillin susceptible Sp (PSSP) isolates. More than 90% of PNSSP were multidrug resistant strains. The average rate of beta-lactamase production among 484 strains of Hi was 29.5% (143/484). For Hi isolates, the rates of resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, cefaclor, SMZ/TMP, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, azithromycin, and ofloxacin were 40.1%, 3.4%, 4.1%, 1.9%, 5.6%, 56.2%, 52.1%, 17.4%, 2.1%, and 0.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe antimicrobials resistant Sp and Hi isolated from children with respiratory tract infection in the area have become a severe problem. The rate of resistance to penicillin of Sp had been decreased compared with the last three years, but the rate of resistance to ceftriaxone of Sp increased, and the multidrug resistance rates of PNSSP was rather high. PNSSP was characterized by a multidrug-resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline and SMZ/TMP. beta-lactamase production and ampicillin resistance among the Hi isolates from children in the area had increased generally during the period 2003 - 2004. The Hi isolates were more susceptible to the second and the third generation cephalosporins, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and azithromycin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Female ; Haemophilus Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Haemophilus influenzae ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Nasopharynx ; microbiology ; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; drug effects ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the knowledge and opinions of the staff in community health service centers.Methods Staff in Ganjiang,Jiefang and Nanwai community health service centers of Zhanggong District,Ganzhou City,Jiangxi Province were interviewed with questionnaire based on meeting by chance by trained interviewers about their opinions on 10 aspects of community health services.The data were evaluated by score method and factors influencing the score were studied with logistic regression analysis.Results Generally,the staff's evaluation for community health services was high,satisfying with colleagues' cooperation,professional training and service capacities in 95.96% ,90.91% and 88.88% of them,respectively.But their satisfaction with personal income and staff' s income was poor(24.24% and 43.43%).Staff for logistics were not so satisfied with their personal income.Staff for logistics and senior staff were not so active in their professional training.Conclusions The staff in community health service centers could better understand community health services with satisfaction.Incentive mechanism for the staff in community health services should be introduced with optimized management system to increase staff's income and sustain its stable development.

Objective To compare the diagnostic performance of prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) versus retrospective ECG-gated CTCA.Methods Patients with suspected coronary artery disease divided into two groups which underwent 64-slice CTCA with prospective ECG-triggered or retrospective ECG-gated scanning (n=100 each,HR≤65 bpm).Multi-planar reconstruction (MPR),curved-planar reconstruction (CPR),maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume rendering (VR) were made to demonstrate the coronary arteries.The image quality was defined as excellent,good and poor by motion and stair-step artifacts.Individual radiation exposure dose was estimated from the dose-length product.Results The mean effective radiation dose of prospective ECG-triggered CTCA[(2.81±0.48)mSv] was significantly lower than that of retrospective ECG-gated CTCA[(10.16±1.09)mSv,P＜0.01].Segments of diagnostic image quality (95.2%,1165/1224) and non-diagnostic coronary segments (4.8%,59/1224) in prospective ECG-triggered group were similar as those of retrospective ECG-gated group (94.1%,1186/1261 and 5.9%,75/1261,all P＞0.05).Conclusion Though the radiation exposure dose required is significantly lower,the diagnostic performance of prospective ECG-triggered 64 slice CTCA is comparable with that of retrospective ECG-gated 64 slice CTCA on patients with stable heart rates up to 65 bpm.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene copy number and the expression of ERCC1 and BRCA1 proteins in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the correlation between them.

METHODSThe status of EGFR gene copy number was determined by in situ hybridization (FISH), and the expression of ERCC1 and BRCC1 proteins was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship of EGFR gene copy number with the expression of ERCC1 and BRCA1 and the clinical pathologic features were analyzed.

RESULTSFISH-positive EGFR expression was identified in 40 of 166 samples (24.1%). More FISH-positive EGFR in the female than male patients (31.9% vs. 18.6%, P = 0.048), and non-smoker than smoker (32.8% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.045). FISH-positive EGFR was not associated with age, pathological type, clinical stage and metestasis status (P > 0.05). The expression of ERCC1 protein was identified in 60 of 132 samples (45.5%). The expression of ERCC1 protein varied significantly in tumors of different pathological types (P = 0.046), but not associated with age, gender, clinical stage, metestatic status and smoking status (P > 0.05). The expression of BRCA1 protein was identified in 46 of 131 samples (35.1%). The expression of BRCA1 was not associated with age gender, pathological type, clinical stage, metestatic ststus and smoking status (P > 0.05). There was a moderate correlation between the expressions of ERCC1 and BRCA1 (r = 0.449, P < 0.001), but EGFR gene copy number was not correlated with the expression of ERCC1 or BRCA1 protein.

CONCLUSIONSFISH-positive EGFR expression is associated with gender and smoking status, but not correlated with the expression of ERCC1 and BRCA1 proteins. There is a moderate correlation between the expressions of ERCC1 and BRCA1.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; BRCA1 Protein ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Endonucleases ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Dosage ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, erbB-1 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Smoking ; Young Adult