Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Humans ; Trifluralin ; blood

ObjectiveTo evaluate the correlation between serum anti-Jo-1 antibody level and myositis disease activity in polymyositis/dermatomyositis.MethodsAnti-Jo-1 antibody levels in serum from 148 polymyositis/dermatomyositis patients and 130 healthy controls were measured by both ELISA and immunoblot assay.Disease activity of the anti-Jo-1 antibody positive patients was assessed by the global myositis disease activity score (visual analogue score,VAS) established by the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies(IMACS) Group.The correlation between disease activity and level of serum antiJo-1 antibody was assessed.Comparisons between groups were performed by x2 test or t test.ResultsThe positive rate of ELISA and EUROLINE was 24.3％(36/148) and 27.0％(40/148) respectively.Fever,ILD,arthritis/arthralgia were found to be more predominant in anti-Jo-1 antibody positive patients than those who were anti-Jo-1 antibody negative patients.There was significant positive correlation between the global myositis disease activity score (VAS) and serum level of anti-Jo-1 antibody (r=0.874,P=9.000).Serum antiJo-1 antibody levels,together with global disease activity,were significantly decreased in the 7 patients after treatment.ConclusionAnti-Jo-1 antibody level measured by ELISA is associated with disease activity of PM/DM,and could be a marker of disease activity.

Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Humans ; Toluidines ; blood

AIMTo probe into the operation mechanism of stress, through the studies on the effects of bile secretion in rats at the condition of water immersion restraint.

METHODSThe animals were divided into six groups (n=8): Group A: restraint alone under room temperature + saline; Group B: water immersion restraint + saline; Group C: restraint alone under room temperature + Atropine; Group D: water immersion restraint + Atropine; Group E: restraint alone under room temperature + Phentolamine; F group: water immersion restraint + Phentolamine.

RESULTSCompared with group A, the capacity of bile secretion in group B decreased significantly (P < 0.05), changes of bile increased remarkably (P < 0.01), but there were no significant decreases on the capacity of bile secretion in group C (P > 0.05) compared with A, Group C only decreased appreciably. Compared with group A, the capacity of bile secretion in group E decreased appreciably (P < 0.05). Compared with group B, the capacity of bile secretion in group D decreased significantly (P < 0.05), pH of bile had no significant changes in group D. Compared with group B, the capacity of bile secretion in group F decreased significantly (P < 0.05), pH of bile had no significant changes in group F. Compared with group D, the capacity of bile secretion and pH of bile in group F had no significant changes.

CONCLUSIONWater immersion restraint stress inhibited evidently on the capacity of bile secretion, and the capacity of bile secretion in water immersion groups decreased significantly, moreover pH of bile increased greatly. At the condition of restraint alone under room temperature, vagus and sympathetic nerve had no significant effects on the bile secretion, but they played important roles in decreases of bile secretion evidently induced by water immersion restraint stress in rats (P < 0.05).

Animals ; Bile ; secretion ; Immersion ; Liver ; secretion ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Physiological

Brown-Sequard Syndrome ; etiology ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; complications ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To study the clinical, laboratory, X-ray and the pathological features of Parkinson disease patients with rheumatoid-like deformities. Methods One patient was described and the relevant English literature in recent 50 years were reviewed. Results Rheumatoid-like deformities in Parkinson disease was mostly observed in women. The ratio between male and female was about 1:5.6. Joint deformities occurred after 7.6 years of Parkinson's disease in average. The manifestations of joints included the flexion of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, hyperextension of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, flexion of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints, and ulnar deviation of wrists and bilateral feet hallux valgus. Whole-blood analysis, biochemistry profile, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C -reactive protein were all in normal range. Rheumatoid factor and ANA, anti-ENA profile, AKA, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody and antiperinuclear factor (APF) were all negative. Periarticular erosion was not observed in plaint X -ray films. Synovial pathology showed non -specific infla -mmation without classical syno vial membrane proliferation and pannus formation. NSAIDs and DMARDs were uneffective, but on the contrary, anti -parkinson' s disease therapy could relieve joints symptoms. Conclusion Parkinson disease can be accompanied with rheumatoid-like deformities which may be misdiagnosed as RA and should be differentiated from RA by laboratory, radiographs and synovium pathology examination.

This study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of puerarin on DNA damage of HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Puerarin pre-treated cells were irradiated with UVB at 30 mJ x cm(-2). Twenty four hours after irradiation, DNA damage was detected by comet assay, ceramide was measured by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, intracellular free calcium ion was analyzed by flow cytometry, the phosphorylation level of p38 protein was examined by Western blotting method. Levels of DNA damage, ceramide, free calcium ion and p-p38 protein were elevated in UVB model cells. Contrary to the model group, all indicators above were reduced in all groups pre-treated by puerarin. Puerarin restrains the ceramide accumulation to block downstream p38 MAPK pathway and calcium ion rising, therefore reduces DNA damage in HaCaT cells induced by UVB.
Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Ultraviolet Rays ; adverse effects ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Animals ; Brain Edema ; Brain Ischemia ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of memantine in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer' s disease (AD).Methods This was a 16-week,multi-center,randomized,double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (Study 10116).A total of 258 AD patients (MMSE score 5—18) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into either memantine 10—20 mg/day (MEM,n=128) or placebo (PBO,n= 130) group for 16 weeks.Efficacy was primarily assessed in terms of changes of severe impairment battery (SIB) score in patients from baseline up to SIB assessment in the 16th week (16-week completers set, CS16).While ehanges of MMSE,ADCS-ADL_(19),and NPI (neuropsychiatric inventory) were evaluated as secondary efficacy parameters on both CSI6 and full-analysis set (FAS).Safety was assessed by physical examination,lab assays,ECG,and adverse events.Results 236 subjeets (CS16:MEM n=117,PBO n=119) were eligible for the efficacy assessment.No statistically significant difference between the treatments was observed on the primary and seeondary efficacy analysis,although both treatment groups had a slight increase from baseline in SIB total score.Post hoe evaluation of the data identified two bias factors that had a significant impact on the results of the pre-protoeol specified primary and secondary analyses.In a re-analysis of the data (CS16_(modified),MEM n=94,PBO n=95) excluding patient data affeeted by these factors,memantine-treated patients showed a statistically significant improvement related to placebo in the 16th week on the SIB (MEM 2.2 vs PBO 0.3,P=0.04),MMSE (MEM 1.0 vs PBO 0.1,P=0.03),and ADL (MEM 0.1 vs PBO-1.6,P=0.02) scales,indicating that memantine improved the cognitive function of AD patients and stabilized the activity of daily life.Memantine was well tolerated with an adverse event profile similar to that of placebo.Conclusion This study provides further support for pre-existing data,showing that memantine is efficacious,safe,and well-tolerated in patients with moderate to severe AD.

Aim To screen novel NS5 inhibitors a-gainst dengue virus ( DENV) replication. Methods His-tagged DENV2 NS5 RNA-dependent polymerase ( NS5 RdRp ) was expressed and purified in BL21 cells. The binding ability of the small molecules to NS5 polymerase was determined by SPR assay. The activity of dengue inhibition by Z1 was determined by CPE, LDH and plaque assay. RNA synthesis was as-sessed by Real-time PCR. The dsRNA synthesis and viral proteins were detected by immunofluorescence as-say. The level of viral proteins was examined by West-ern blot. The stage of DENV life cycle was evaluated by time of drug-addition assay. Results A small mo-lecular Z1 was discovered, which could bind to NS5 RdRp. Z1 inhibited DENV2 RNA replication, synthe-sis of dsRNA and protein synthesis in post-entry stage of dengue life-cycle. Cell based assay confirmed that Z1 inhibited DENV-induced cell death with EC50 val-ues of 4. 75μmol·L-1 . Conclusions The novel NS5 inhibitor Z1, inhibits DENV2 RNA replication, protein synthesis and release of progeny virus, which may be severed as an anti-DENV2 antiviral drug for further de-velopment.