The skin biopsy specimens from fifteen patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis were studied. Thirteen out of fifteen cases were positive to S100 protein antibody and peanut agglutinin, but negative to Mac387 and lysozyme antibodies, and three cases were positive for CD1 antibody by immunohistochemistry. Birbeck granules were demonstrated in one of the three cases by electron microscopy. Ten cases were analysed by flow cytometry, six cases (60%) were aneuploid, DNA index was 1.38?0.32, proliferative index was 38.69%. These results showed that these pathognomonic histiocytes were of Langerhans cell origin and their potential malignancy could not be ruled out.

Recent studies have showed that nanotechnology pro-vides a new revolution for the treatment of complex,refractory autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.Nanoparticles combined with specific autoantigens can restore the peripheral tolerance and reduce immunopathological damage in a variety of autoimmune disease models.In this paper,we review the progress and trends of nanomedcine for treatment of autoimmune or inflammatory dis-eases as immunomodulatory therapy from the physical and chemi-cal characteristics of nanoparticles,the route of administration, and the role and mechanism of induction or reconstitution of im-mune tolerance,which provides a theoretical basis for seeking new treatments to treat inflammatory diseases.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy differences between acupuncture combined with moxi-bustion plaster and electroacupuncture (EA) for nerve-root type cervical spondylosis.

METHODSA total of 60 casesof nerve-root type cervical spondylosis were randomly divided into a plaster group and an EA group, 30 cases ineach one. Patients in the plaster group were treated with regular acupuncture at Jiaji(EX-B 2) points and ashipoints, combined with moxibustion plaster at Gaohuang (BL 43); patients in the EA group were treated with EAat identical acupoints as plaster group. The treatment was given once a day, and 5 days were taken as one course;there was an interval of 2 days between courses and totally 2 courses were performed. The pain questionnaires andquantitative score of signs and symptoms were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinicalefficacy of the two groups was compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 96. 7% (29/30) in the plastergroup, which was not significantly different from 93. 3% (28/30) in the EA group (P>0. 05). After treatment,PRI, VAS and PPI were all reduced in the two groups (all P

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combinedwith moxibustion plaster and EA both have superior clinical efficacy for nerve-root type cervical spondylosis; EA issuperior to acupuncture combined with moxibustion plaster on relieving pain, while acupuncture combined withmoxibustion plaster is superior to EA on improving life quality, muscle strength and feeling.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; physiopathology ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Adult ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors ; pathology ; therapy

Objective To evaluate the vestibular function in patients with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Methods Seventeen CADASIL patients were recruited in the present study and 17 healthy volunteers served as control subjects. Electronystagmogram examinations including gaze nystagmus test, spontaneous nystagmus test, saccade test, pursuit test, optokinetic nystagmus test and caloric test were performed in the subjects. Results Neither patients nor controls had gaze nystagmus or spontaneous nystagmus. There was no difference in the latency and velocity of saccade movement between patients and controls. The accuracy of the saccade movement, the accuracy in leftward saccade, was significantly lower in CADASIL group compared with controls. The pursuit movement gains was also significantly lower in CADASIL group than in control group(G_L:0.79±0.08, G_R:0.76±0.12)(t=-3.739、-2.911,P <0.05) compared with controls(G_L:0.87±0.04, G_R:0.86±0.06).The optokinetic nystagmus gains were significantly decreased in CADASIL group(G_L:0.79±0.17,G_R:0.78±0.18)(t=-2.342、-2.335,P<0.05) compared with controls(G_L:0.90±0.08,G_R:0.89±0.09). The caloric test was performed in one CADASIL patient and the result revealed an incomplete fixing inhibition. CADASIL group was further divided into normal subgroup and abnormal subgroup based on the pursuit curve. The comparison between those two subgroups demonstrated a significant correlation between the pursuit movement and the symptoms of vertigo or dizziness(P<0.05). Conclusions The central vestibular function is impaired in CADASIL patients and the abnormal vestibular function is related to the symptom of vertigo or dizziness in CADASIL patients.

AIM To study the inhibitory effect of the cytotoxin (CTX) from guangxi cobra venom on human nasopharyngeal cancer cell (CNE) and other tumons cells. METHODS The cytotoxin was isolated and purified from Guangxi cobra venom by successive chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and CM Sepharose CL-6B columns. Its cytotoxic effects and does-effect relationship on human tumors cell lines were examined by MTT assay. RESULTS The inhibitory effects of CTX CM-5 on CNE, human ovarian carcinoma cell (Ho8990), uterus cervical carcinoma cell (HELA) and lymphoma (YAC) cell lines showed a definite does-effect relationship. The IC 50 (48 h in cubation) was 1.84, 2.59, 1.84 and 0.75 mg?L -1 respctively. The inhibitory effects of CTX CM-5 on CNE increased with time. The IC 50 (3 h and 24 h cubation) was 4.78 and 1.04 mg?L -1 respctively. CONCLUSION CTX from Guangxi cobra venom exhibites strong suppressive effect on cultured tumor cells line in vitro.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance T2 values in diagnosing hepatic fibrosis (HF).Materials and M1etdheds The models of HF were induced in rats by repetitive dosing of carbon tetrachloride.The stage of hepatic fibrosis (S),grade of inflammation (G) and degree of fatty liver (F) for the HF model animals and their normal controls were evaluated by pathology.The relationship between T2 values and liver fibrosis was analyzed by using multiple echo gradient spin echo sequences.Results According to the stage of hepatic fibrosis,the HF model rats were staged into S1-S4.The grade of inflammation of the HF model rats was G0 or G1,and the degree of fatty liver was F3 or F4,both of which had no statistical differences among the HF model rats at different fibrosis stages (P＞0.05).The T2 values for all rats including normal control rats in the stage of liver fibrosis from S0 to S4 were (38.27±1.45) ms,(42.08±2.63) ms,(45.93±3.61) ms,(50.23 ± 2.23) ms and (57.79± 5.40) ms,respectively,with a significant difference (F=31.903,P＜0.01).Except the T2 values had no significant difference between the S0 and S 1 stages (P＞0.05),the pairwise comparisons of the T2 values between the rest stages were statistically significant (P＜0.01).The T2 values were positively correlated with the stages of hepatic fibrosis (rs=0.921,P＜0.01).Conclusion The T2 value can quantitatively reflect the degree of hepatic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE:To observe clinical efficacy and safety of Bushen sanhan tongluo decoction combined with moxi-bustion and celecoxib in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS:A total of 70 KOA patients were selected from Chongqing Kanghua Hospital during May 2014-Dec. 2015,and then divided into observation group and control group ac-cording to odd and even number,with 35 cases in each group. Control group was given Celecoxib capsule 0.2 g,qd;observa-tion group was additionally given Bushen sanhan tongluo decoction(one dose a day,300 mL,decocted with water,taking it 3 times in the morning,noon and night)and moxibustion. A treatment course lasted for 4 weeks,and both received 2 courses of treatment. Clinical efficacies as well as TCM syndrome score,VAS score,WOMAC score,lab indexes,joint condition be-fore and after treatment,the occurrence of ADR were compared between 2 groups. RESULTS:Total response rate of observa-tion group (85.71％) was significantly higher than control group (68.57％),with statistical significance (P<0.05). Before treatment,there was no statistical significance in above indexes between 2 groups (P>0.05). After treatment,TCM syn-drome score,VAS score,WOMAC score,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,CRP level and knee swelling score of 2 groups were decreased significantly,compared to before treatment;those indexes of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in the number of bone fric-ative joint between 2 groups before and after treatment (P>0.05). There was no statistical significance in the incidence of ADR (5.71％ vs. 2.86％) between 2 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Bushen sanhan tongluo decoction combined with moxibustion and celecoxib can improve clinical symptoms,relieve joint pain,joint inflammation and swelling of KOA pa-tients with good safety.

A digital beamformer in medical ultrasound imaging systems conventionally requires that the returning signals received by transducers are sampled at a rate significantly higher than the Nyquist rate. This paper presents a digital beamformer that employs zero padding followed by digital interpolation filtering to achieve vernier beamformer delays. The experimental results show that the digital interpolation beamformer can greatly decrease the complexity of A/D converter circuitry.
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Ultrasonography ; instrumentation ; methods

AIM: To study the effect of wild-type p53 gene on the differentiation, apoptosis and expression of scavenger receptor CD36 in U937 cells. METHODS: Recombinant adenovirus vector with wild-type p53 gene was constructed and used to transfect U937 cells. With the expression of wild-type p53 gene following adenoviral infection, transfected U937 cells were largely promoted to differentiate into macrophages. RESUITS: Trypanblue-staining test demonstrated that the percentage of positive cells increased from (14.2±5.5)% to (64.6±9.2)% and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test reached similar results (6.3±1.8)% vs (49.7±12.6)%. Furthermore, CD36 mRNA was up-regulated as confirmed by RT-PCR. The increased expression level of CD 36 was also detected by flow cytometry analysis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that wild-type p53 gene can affect U937 cells differentiation and apoptosis, up-regulate expression of scavenger receptor CD36. It may have a potential significance on atherogenesis.