OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Yanggan Lidan Granule (YGLDG), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for nourishing liver and improving choleresis, on the rate of gallstone formation and content of plasma cholecystokinin in guinea pigs with induced cholesterol gallstones. METHODS: Eighty guinea pigs were randomly divided into 4 groups, which were normal control group, untreated group, YGLDG-treated group and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=20). Except the normal control group, gallstones were induced by high-cholesterol diet in the guinea pigs. YGLDG (1.81 g/kg daily) and UDCA (30.12 mg/kg daily) were given orally to guinea pigs in the corresponding group respectively for seven weeks; however, the guinea pigs of normal control group and untreated group were administered with normal saline. The physical signs of the guinea pigs and the rates of gallstone formation were examined, and the content of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the plasma was detected by radio-immunoassay. RESULTS: YGLDG could obviously improve the ethological signs of the guinea pigs. Gallstone formation rate of the untreated group (82.35%) was significantly increased as compared with that of the normal control group (5.26%) (P<0.01), while the gallstone formation rates of the YGLDG-treated group (27.28%) and UDCA-treated group (38.89%) were lower than that of the untreated group (P<0.05). The content of CCK in plasma of the untreated group was significantly lower than that of the normal control group (P<0.01), while CCK content of the YGLDG-treated group and UDCA-treated group was lower than that of the normal control group, but both of them were significantly higher than that of the untreated group (P<0.01). The difference of CCK levels between YGLDG-treated group and UDCA-treated group had no statistical significance (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: YGLDG can significantly decrease the rate of gallstone formation in guinea pigs. It may be related to elevating the content of CCK in the plasma.

OBJECTIVE: To review the development and mechanism of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and the unsolved problems so as to provide reference for the clinical application of PRP.DATA SOURCES: Articles on effects of platelet-rich plasma on bone repair are searched from Medline between January 1995 and June 2005 on computer. The key words were platelet rich plasma, bone, and repair.Meanwhile, the same search was conducted to determine the correlated articles during January 1998 to June 2005 from Wanfang database with key words of platelet-rich plasma, bone and repair in Chinese.STUDY SELECTION: Literatures at home and abroad on the PRP and bone repair were chosen; Non-randomized controlled literatures were included.DATA EXTRACTION: Totally 40 out of 49 reports related to PRP and bone repair met the criteria. 9 reports were excluded due to the repeated same research. The rest 40 reports were sorted out and conducted literature review.DATA SYNTHESIS: Platelet-rich plasma was originally used in clinic to repair mandibular defect in 1998, by adding PRP to grafts with a radiographic maturation rate 1.62 to 2.16 times that of grafts without PRP. Up to now, PRP has been used in many medical areas to accelerate tissue healing due to its advantages of safety, simple, low-cost. But some problems still remain to be studied and solved.CONCLUSION: PRP includes many sorts of growth factors and has been proved to be beneficial to the maturation of both bone tissue and soft tissues. PRP is autologous and can be produced easily and safely from autologous blood, without the concerns of transmissions and immunological rejection of various diseases.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and the adverse reactoions of cetuximab combined with cheomotherapy (oxapliplatin or iriticon) for metastastic colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 22 patients with metastastic colorectal cancer were treated with cetuximab combined with FOLFIRI or mFOLFOX6. The patients received cetuximab at an initial dose of 400 mg/m~2 intravenously on day 1 in the first cycle, followed by weekly infusion of 250 mg/m~2; FOLFIRI: irinotecan 180 mg/ m~2 on day 1, CF 400 mg/m~2, 5-FU bolus 400 mg/m~2, 5-FU infusion 2400 mg/m~2 over 46 hours, once every 2 weeks; mFOLF-OX6: oxaliplatin 85mg/m~2 on day 1, CF 400 mg/m~2, 5-FU bolus 400 mg/m~2, 5-FU infusion 2400 mg/m~2 over 46 hours, once every 2 weeks. The immediate response, complete response and partial response and changes in tumor marker levels were observed. Results: There were 12 PR cases, 6 SD cases, and no CR cases. The rate of (CR+PR) was 57.1% and the rate of (CR+PR+SD) was 85.7%. The adverse reactions during the theraphy were skin toxicity and neutropenia. Conclu-sion: Safe and effective for metastastic colorectal cancer, cituximab combined with oxaliplatin or irinotecan can increase the resectabiliy rate and prolong patient survival.

Objective:To establish the quality standard system of Gui Erbai gel based on a method ofa system to multiple evalu-ation and discuss the feasibility of the method used for the quality standard for traditional Chinese medicine. Methods:TLC identifi-cation of Gui Erbai gel was established by one thin layer system. An HPLC method was used to detect 6 active components in Gui Erbai gel. Results:Five active components in the gel could be identified by one thin layers system simultaneously with clear spots and good separation. Six active components in the gel could be determined by the same HPLC system with high accuracy. The average content of podophylotoxin,quercetin,kaempferol,imperatorin,dictamnine and rutin is as follows 0. 154,0. 052,0. 138,0. 051,0. 060,0. 048 mg· g-1 . RSD<3％. Conclusion:The established method based on a system to multiple evaluation can be used for the quality standard establishment for Gui Erbai gel with the properties of promising feasibility, simple operation, low cost, high accuracy and good stabili-ty.

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of laparoscopic-assisted natural orifice specimen extraction radical left colectomy.

METHODSRetrospective analysis was performed on clinicopathological dada of 15 colorectal patients who were treated by laparoscopic-assisted anal specimen extraction radical left colectomy with self-developed surgical instrument Cai tube between January and September in 2014. Tumor location included descending colon (n=3), the junction of descending colon and sigmoid colon (n=2), the sigmoid colon (n=6) and upper rectum (n=4). Clinical efficacy of patients was observed.

RESULTSThere were no perioperative deaths or postoperative complications, such as anastomotic bleeding or leakage. The median operation time was 257 (range 103-337) min, median blood loss was 50(range 20-200) ml, median time to first flatus was 3 (range 1-5) d and median hospital stay was 14 (range 11-21) d. All the patients had good quality of life and normal defecation function without tumor recurrence or metastasis after 1-8 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONLaparoscopic-assisted anal specimen extraction radical left colectomy is safe and feasible.

Colectomy ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Quality of Life ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies

Human and animal alveolar echinococcosis (AE) are important helminth infections endemic in wide areas of the Northern hemisphere. Monitoring Echinococcus multilocularis viability and spread using real-time fluorescent imaging in vivo provides a fast method to evaluate the load of parasite. Here, we generated a kind of fluorescent protoscolices in vivo imaging model and utilized this model to assess the activity against E. multilocularis protoscolices of metformin (Met). Results indicated that JC-1 tagged E. multilocularis can be reliably and confidently used to monitor protoscolices in vitro and in vivo. The availability of this transient in vivo fluorescent imaging of E. multilocularis protoscolices constitutes an important step toward the long term bio-imaging research of the AE-infected mouse models. In addition, this will be of great interest for further research on infection strategies and development of drugs and vaccines against E. multilocularis and other cestodes.
Animals ; Cestoda ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcus multilocularis* ; Echinococcus* ; Helminths ; Humans ; Metformin ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Parasites ; Vaccines

Human hydatid disease (cystic echinococcosis, CE) is a chronic parasitic infection caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. As the disease mainly affects the liver, approximately 70% of all identified CE cases are detected in this organ. Optical molecular imaging (OMI), a noninvasive imaging technique, has never been used in vivo with the specific molecular markers of CE. Thus, we aimed to construct an in vivo fluorescent imaging mouse model of CE to locate and quantify the presence of the parasites within the liver noninvasively. Drug-treated protoscolices were monitored after marking by JC-1 dye in in vitro and in vivo studies. This work describes for the first time the successful construction of an in vivo model of E. granulosus in a small living experimental animal to achieve dynamic monitoring and observation of multiple time points of the infection course. Using this model, we quantified and analyzed labeled protoscolices based on the intensities of their red and green fluorescence. Interestingly, the ratio of red to green fluorescence intensity not only revealed the location of protoscolices but also determined the viability of the parasites in vivo and in vivo tests. The noninvasive imaging model proposed in this work will be further studied for long-term detection and observation and may potentially be widely utilized in susceptibility testing and therapeutic effect evaluation.
Animals ; Cestoda ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcus granulosus* ; Echinococcus* ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Liver ; Mice* ; Molecular Imaging ; Parasites

Objective To investigate the correlations of risk factors of age,delirium-inducing factors,dementia,delirium severity,and disease severity with the prognosis of elderly patients with delirium.Methods A total of 112 patients aged 70 years and older with initial onset of delirium during hospital stay were enrolled in this study.They were hospitalized in Dalian Municipal Central Hospital from Jan.2013 to Dec.2015.The severity of delirium was evaluated by delirium rating scalerevised-98(DRS-R-98).The acute physiology and chronic health enquiry(APACHE-Ⅱ)score and the sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score were recorded within 48 h after delirium onset.After periods of hospitalization of Jan.2013 to Dec.2015,patients were followed up until 31 Dec 2017.Correlations of age,delirium-inducing factors and dementia with survival time and long-term viability after delirium onset were statistically analyzed.Results Age,delirium-inducing factors,cognitive impairment,duration of cognitive impairment,type of dementia,and delirium severity had no correlations with the lifetime and long-term viability in patients with delirium.While,APACHE Ⅱ score for assessment of severity degree of delirium(P ＜0.001,r =-0.390) and SOFA score(P ＜0.001,r=-0.638)were negatively correlated with the lifetime in patients with delirium.SOFA score (P =0.004) and delirium recurrence (P ＜ 0.001) were significantly correlated with the long-term viability in patients with delirium.Conclusions The severity and recurrence of delirium are strongly correlated with the lifetime and quality of life in patients with delirium.Compared with APACHE Ⅱ score,SOFA score may have a more important clinical application value in predicting the prognosis of patients with delirium.

Objective To analyze the predictive value of serum levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and cytokines on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 at admission.Methods From November 2022 to February 2023,patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted to Beijing Chest Hospital were enrolled.Chemiluminescence was used to detect serum PCT levels,and flow microsphere array was used to detect serum cytokines IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17A,IL-17F,IL-22,TNF-α,TNF-β,IFN-γ level.ICU admission,mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death were defined as poor prognosis.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.Results A total of 176 patients with complete data were included,including 134 in the PCT-normal group and 42 in the PCT-elevated group,with a median age of 71.50 years and 71.59%males.Patients in the PCT elevated-group had significantly higher rates of ICU admission(38.41%vs.13.11%,P<0.05),mechanical ventilation(76.92%vs.24.59%,P<0.001)and in-hospital mortality(38.46%vs.6.56%,P<0.001)were significantly higher than those in the PCT-normal group.Serum levels of cytokines IL-6(7.40 pg/mL vs.4.78 pg/mL,P = 0.033 4)and IL-8(10.97 pg/mL vs.5.92 pg/mL,P<0.001)were significantly higher in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis.The area under the curve for PCT,IL-6,and IL-8 to predict poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients was 0.687,0.660,and 0.746,respectively;sensitivity was 52.78%,55.17%,and 72.41%,respectively;and specificity was 81.58%,74.19%,and 74.19%,respectively,as calculated from the ROC curve.When PCT,IL-6 and IL-8 jointly predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients,the area under the curve is 0.764,the sensitivity is 70.00%,and the specificity is 80.00%.Conclusion Serum PCT and cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 could be used as predictive markers for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19.