Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motor Neuron Disease ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

Background Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) is a gold standard of intraocular pressure measurement.But its utilization iS limited because of its complexity and high requirement of cooperation.iCare rebound tonometer (iCare RBT) is a new type of applanation tonometry,and its accuracy and safety in clinical application need to be evaluated.Objective Present study was to investigate the reproducibility and tolerability of iCare RBT and its measurement agreement with GAT over a wide intraocular pressure (IOP) range. Methods The IOP were measured in bilateral eyes of 36 glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients by 2 examinees with iCare RBT at the 1-minute interval to assess the interobserver reproducibility.Then the IOP of both eyes from 56 Subjeets and other 52 subjects were separately measured twice for each by two operators with iCare RBT for the evaluation of intraobserver reproducibility.Finally.IOP of 182 eyes of 92 glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients was obtained by examiner 2 with RBT first and examiner 1 with GAT subsequently at a 2.minute interval in a masked fashion to perform an agreement evaluation of two readings by using Bland-Ahman method.The tolerance of subjects to iCare RBT measurement were surveyed.Oral informed consent was obtained prior to the IOP measurement. Results Concerning the iCare RBT readings.interobserver correlation coefficients were 0.937 in the right eye and 0.887 in the left eye.Intraobserver correlation coefficients of examiner 1 were 0.986 in the left eyes and 0.969 in the fight eyes.And those of examiner 2 were 0.990 and 0.979.Mcan values of iCare RBT readings and GAT were(18.74±8.36)mmHg and(19.33±8.20)mmHg and the mean difference values(iCare-GAT)was(-0.59 4±2.60)mmHg with the 95%confidence interval of -5.80-4.60 mmHg.The correlation coefficient between two modalities of IOP measurement WaS 0.95 1.No severe pain and discomfort were complained in all the subjects during or after measurement of iCare RBT. Conclusion iCare RBT has good interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility and good tolerance.It was proved that this is a good correlation between iCare RBT readings and GAT readings.

Objective To explore the impact of combination use of prostaglandin analogue and cholinergic agonists on main matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) synthesized by albino rabbit ciliary muscle.
Methods Normal adult albino rabbits were divided into the control group, 2%pilocarpine group, 0.004% travoprost group and travoprost plus pilocarpine group. Two rabbits in the control group were executed after treated with normal saline for one day. Two rabbits were separately executed on the 7th, 14th and 24th day of the treatment in each drug treated group. In each subgroup ciliary muscle band of 4 eyes was taken and made into homogenate. The MMPs activities of 10 subgroups were assayed by zymography. Bands’ intensity which represents the activity of MMPs was measured by the UltraViolet Illumination system.
Results A bright band of MMP-1/2 was showed on each lane at the position corresponding to the molecular weight of 62 kD in the ciliary smooth muscles electrophoresis. When ion Zn and Ca was displaced by MMPs inhibitor EDTA, this bright band disappeared. Compared with the control group, MMP1/2 activity increased by 4.0%, 4.1%and 14.0%after 7, 14 and 24 days of pilocarpine treatment. Corresponding data was 23.2%, 61.7% and 111.5% in the travoprost group and 49.3%, 68.0% and 88.4% in the travoprost plus pilocarpine group.
Conclusions Pilocarpine has little effect on activity of MMP1/2. Travoprost can increase activity of MMP1/2 gradually. Activity of MMP1/2 is rapidly increased by pilocarpine combined with travoprost, but shows small change with the prolonged treatment.

Aged ; Brain Abscess ; etiology ; Brain Neoplasms ; complications ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; complications ; secondary ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Unknown Primary ; Parietal Lobe

Background It has been clarified that topical administration of cholinomimetic drug or prostaglandin analogus can effectively low intraoeular pressure (IOP) in primary angle-closure glaueoma and angleopen glaucoma,respectively.The two eyedrops are often combined clinically to treat glaueomatous eye.But their effect mechanism on ciliary muscle is different.It is neeessarv to prove the clinical efficacy of combination of these two drugs.Objective This study attempted to compare hypotensive effect of individual and combinative use of 2％piloearpine and 0.004％ travoprost in normal rabbit eyes.Methods Thirty normal albino rabbits were randomly divided into three parallel groups.Lateral eye of each rabbit was appointed as the experimental eye and the fellow eye was used as control eye.2％ Pilocarpine eyedrop was instilled three times daily and 0.004％ travoprost eyedrops was used once per night in the pilocarpine and travoprost group.These two drugs were combined in the combination group.The normal saline solution was used in the control eyes IOP was measured bilaterally with Perkins application tonometer at 8:00 am on the day before and 1,2,4,8,14,24 days after the administration of eyedrops.The use of the animals complied with the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The IOP was significantly lower on 1 day after use of eyedrops than baseline IOP in the experimental eyes in the pilocarpine group,travoprost group and combination group,but no obvious change in IOP before and after use of eyedrops in the control eyes.There was no significant difference in the baseline IOP in both experimental eyes and control eyes,however,signifieant differences were seen in various time points after administration of eyedrops between experimental eyes and control eyes(P＜0.05).Compared with baseline IOP,IOP declined by 17.5％-22.0％ in pilocarpine group,23.8％-26.4％ travoprost group,27.6％-32.0％ in the combination group.For normal eye,piloearpine+travoprost showed a more power lowing IOP effect.Conclusions Hypotensive effect of combinative use of 2％ pilcoarpine and 0.004％ travoprost is strongest in comparison with individual use of pilocarpine or travoprost,but less than the statistical sum of individual use of these two drugs in a 24-day duration in normal eye of albino rabbit.

OBJECTIVETo screen and identify the differentially expressed genes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 responsing to the aqueous extract from dried powdered rhizomes of Typhonium giganteum (AEoTGE).

METHODThe response of hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721 to AEoTGE was explored with the technique of mRNA differential display.

RESULTAfter hepatocarcinoma cells SMMC-7721 were treated by AEoTGE for 36 hours, 1 gene expression was upgrade and 1 gene expression was downgrade induced by AEoTGE.

CONCLUSIONThe research has provided important clues for the molecular mechanism of how hepatocarcinoma cells responseing to T. giganteum.

Araceae ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; RNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Rhizome ; chemistry

The aim of this study was to investigate the biological characteristics of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow of different age donors. The experiments were divided into four groups by donors age, group A represented MSC derived from fetal bone marrow, group B represented MSC derived from bone marrow of 0-20 years old donors, group C represented MSC derived from bone marrow of 20-40 years old donors and group D represented MSC derived from bone marrow of donors older than 40. The growth, purification, proliferation and multipotential abilities of MSC in 4 groups were observed and their immunophenotypes were determined by flow-cytometry. The level of cytokines (IL-6, SCF, FLT-3L, SDF-1 and TGF-beta1) were assayed by ELISA method. Cell cycles were analyzed to show the proliferation index (PrI). MSCs derived from bone marrow of 4 groups were injected subcutaneous into NOD/SCID mouse to observe the safety. The results showed that different age donors bone marrow all gave rise to MSC. These cells were similar in morphology, antigenic phenotype, differentiation potential and cell cycle. The primary culture time of group B was shorter than other groups. The duration of passage 1 (P1) was 5.5 days, and the duration of P10 was 33 days, after P10 culture, (5.19 +/- 2.15) x 10(10) MSCs were obtained from 8 x 10(6) MNC of this group. The primary culture time of groups A, C, D were longer, the duration of P1 were 15, 7 and 13 days for group A, C and D respectively, and the duration of P10 was 50, 60 and 72 days for group A, C and D, respectively. After P10 culture, (4.98 +/- 2.08) x 10(10), (1.86 +/- 0.47) x 10(10), (0.64 +/- 0.22) x 10(10) MSCs were obtained from 8 x 10(6) MNC of group A, C and D respectively. The morphology of MSC of group A was longer and slender. The ability of expansion decreased after P15 for A group, P10 for B group and P8 for C and D groups. The levels of SCF, FLT3-L, IL-6 and SDF-1 in group B were higher than other groups. Karyotype analysis showed that MSCs from 4 groups were normal, and tumor-like tissues were not developed after cultured MSCs were inoculated in NOD/SCID mice. It is concluded that there was relationship between age and the biological characteristics of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. For clinical use, especially in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 0-20 years old donors were perfect MSCs donors who can provide sufficient MSCs in relatively short times. MSCs of group B can be used as stem cell source because the biological characteristics of MSCs of groups B are superior to that of other groups.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Animals ; Blood Donors ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytokines ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fetus ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Infant ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID ; Transplantation, Heterologous

BACKGROUNDImmunological sensitization remains a major problem following renal transplantation. There is no consensus for the management of sensitized renal allograft recipients. The patients become tethered to dialysis while waiting for compatible donors. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative single-bolus high-dose antithymocyte globulin (ATG) as induction therapy in sensitized renal transplant recipients.

METHODSA total of 56 patients were divided into two groups according to the level of panel reactive antibody (PRA): non-sensitized group (PRA < 10%, n = 30) and sensitized group (PRA > or = 10%, n = 26). The characteristics of the recipients and donors were comparable between the two groups. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, 1 g) or ATG (iv. 9 mg/kg) were given preoperatively in the two groups as induction therapy. After the transplantation, the patients were treated with standard triple therapy regimen consisting of tacrolimus (FK-506) or cyclosporine A, MMF, and prednisolone. Acute rejection (AR) and infection episodes were recorded and renal function was monitored during a 12-month follow-up. Chi(2) test and t test were used to analyze the data.

RESULTSDuring the follow-up, 6 patients (20.0%) suffered AR episodes in the non-sensitized group and 4 (15.4%) in the sensitized group (P = 0.737); 8 patients (26.7%) experienced 11 infection episodes (average, 1.4 episodes per infected patient) in the non-sensitized group, and 6 (23.1%) experienced 10 infection episodes (average, 1.7 episodes per infected patient) in the sensitized group (P = 0.757, 0.890). The safety of the drugs, which was assessed by the occurrence of side effects, was comparable between the two groups. The hospital stay was 13 - 25 days (mean, 16.7 +/- 3.3) in the non-sensitized group and 14 - 29 days (mean, 16.2 +/- 3.1) in the sensitized group, respectively (P = 0.563). No delayed graft function (DGF) was observed in all the patients. Both the 12-month actuarial patient and graft survival rates were 100% in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONPreoperative single-bolus high-dose ATG is an effective and safe induction therapy yielding acceptable acute rejection rate in sensitized renal transplant recipients.

Adult ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of Xue Hanjing oral fluid on mice immunological function.

METHODThe weight of thymus gland and spleen and the function of abdominal cavity macrophage were measured. Production of the hemolysin antibody, the immunoglobulin of blood serum and complement and the proliferation of T lymphocytes were observed respectively by means of microblood, immune-turbidimetry and MTT staining.

RESULTXue Hanjing oral fluid could enhance index of the thymus gland and spleen and the phago-percent of abdominal cavity macrophage, increase the immunoglobulin of blood serum(IgG and IgM), and accelerate production of the hemolysin antibody and the proliferation of T lymphocytes.

CONCLUSIONSXue Hanjing oral can reinforce immunological function in mice.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antibody Formation ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hemolysin Proteins ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Poaceae ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology

The effect of CYP3A4*18B and CYP3A5*3 on concentration/dosage x body surface area ratios (C/D'), adverse effects and acute rejection of tacrolimus in renal transplant patients were investigated. The CYP3A4*18B genotypes of 227 renal transplant patients were determined by PCR-RFLP method. The differences of C/D' ratios, adverse reactions and acute rejection were compared among all of the genotype groups treated with tacrolimus. The frequencies of CYP3A4*18 and CYP3A5*3 alleles in renal transplant patients were 30.8% and 74.2%, respectively. No significant association was found between the C/D's of tacrolimus and CYP3A4*18B genotypes when they were classified by two CYP3A5 genotypes (P > 0.05). While after the effects of CYP3A4*18B genotype were eliminated, the C/D' ratio of tacrolimus in patients with CYP3A5*1/*1 and *1/*3 genotype group was significantly lower than those with CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype groups (P < 0.01). There is no significant difference in adverse effects and acute rejection among different genotypes (P > 0.05).
Adult ; Alleles ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; genetics ; Digestive System Diseases ; chemically induced ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Genotype ; Graft Rejection ; genetics ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Retrospective Studies ; Tacrolimus ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; blood ; therapeutic use