OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XC) on lipoprotein metabolism of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

METHODSTotally 180 RA patients were assigned to the experimental group and the control group by random digit table, 90 in each group. Patients in the experimental group took XC (three pills each time, three times daily), while those in the control group took Methotrexate Tablet (four tablets each time, once per week). One month consisted of one therapeutic course and all patients were treated for two therapeutic courses. A healthy control group consisting of 60 patients was also set up. Changes of lipoprotein indices, clinical efficacy, lipid metabolism, joint symptoms and signs, activity indicators were observed, and correlation analyses were performed.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, expression levels of prealbumin (PA), globulin (GLO), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein Al (Apo-A1) were lowered in RA patients (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Correlation analyses showed that PA was negatively correlated with joint tenderness, morning stiffness time, disease activity score (DAS-28), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, respectively. Total protein (TP) was negatively correlated with joint tenderness. GLO was negatively correlated with joint tenderness and DAS-28. HDL was negatively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and endothelin (ET)-1. Apo-Al was negatively correlated with joint pain; Apo-B was negatively correlated with CRP; LDL was negatively correlated with morning stiffness time (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with before treatment, expression levels of PA, HDL, Apo-A1 , Apo-B, and serum IL-10 contents increased, and expression levels of ESR, CRP, IL-6, ET-1 , joint pain, joint swelling, morning stiffness time, and DAS-28 decreased in the experimental group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). PA increased more after treatment than before treatment in the control group (P <0. 01). There was statistical difference in joint symptoms (except joint tenderness) and activity indices (except ET-1) in the control group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with the control group after treatment, PA and HDL increased, ET-1 and duration of morning stiffness decreased in the experimental group (all P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSLipoprotein metabolic disorder exists in RA patients, and it is associated with disease activity. XC could obviously improve lipoprotein metabolism and joint symptoms.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipoproteins ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; metabolism ; Methotrexate

Objective To retrospectively investigate the causes , location and the duration of hospital stays of the hospitalized patients with hard-to-heal wounds so as to provide data guidance for the prevention and research of these diseases. Methods Clinical data of hospitalized patients with hard-to-heal wounds in plastic surgery center of General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command were collected from June , 2011 to December, 2013. Whether ulceration was recovered in the patients with skin tissue defect after 2 months treatment was regarded as the standard to screen the patients with hard-to-heal wounds. The causes , location, age and the duration of hospital stays of the hospitalized patients with hard-to-heal wounds were investigated by retrospective case-control method. Chi-square test and t-test were used in analyzing the investigation. Results 2 136 cases, aged from 20 to 86, were treated in plastic surgery center of the hospital. 120 cases have hard-to-heal wounds, which constituted 5.62% of all hospitalized patients. (1) Metabolic disease was the main causes of wound (43.3%), followed by wound infection and tumor (20.0% for each) (χ2 = 62.917, P < 0.01). ( 2 ) The peak age for patients with hard-to-heal wounds was 40 to 60 years old patients , followed by patients′age from 60 to 80 years. (3) The mostly like hard-to-heal wounds was on limbs (61.6%), especially on the foot (38.3%) (χ2 = 17.546, P = 0.002). (4) The average days for hospitalization of in the plastic surgery center were (7.41 ± 8.98), while the average days for hospitalization of the patients with years were (33.21 ± 28.27)(t = -9.968, P < 0.05). Conclusion The average diagnostic age of patients with hard-to-heal wounds is the middle and old aged patients. Chronic skin ulcers, which often occurs in a limb, seriously affects a person′s ability to move , which can prolong hospital stays , causing serious burden for the families of patients and the society.

0.05).Conclusions ATP-TCA could be used to individualize chemotherapy by selecting agents for particular patients of cervical cancer.The expression of GST-? and TS protein might be useful biomarkers to predict the resistance to DDP and 5-FU in patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protein expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and its clinical significance.

METHODSProtein expression of COX-2 and NF-kappaB in gastric MALT lymphoma were examined by immunohistochemistry of Envision two-step method. The correlations of COX-2 and NF-kappaB expression with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, clinical stage, depth of tumor invasion, tumor size, recurrent rate and treatment were analyzed by univariate, multivariate and Pearson analysis.

RESULTSThe positive expression of COX-2 and NF-kappaB in gastric MALT lymphoma were 48.9%(23/47) and 36.2% (17/47) respectively, and a positive correlation was found between these two factors(r=0.326,P<0.05). Moreover, COX-2 expression was positively correlated with Hp infection,clinical stage, depth of invasion and tumor size (P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that the overall survival of gastric MALT lymphoma patients with positive COX-2 protein (59.9 months) was shorter than that of patients with negative COX-2 protein (77.8 months), but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The survival was significantly shorter in gastric MALT lymphoma patients with positive NF-kappaB protein (26 months) than that of patients with negative NF-kappaB protein (123.2 months)(P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that clinicopathological stage was independent prognostic factor, and associated with short survival.

CONCLUSIONUp-regulated expression of COX-2 and activation of NF-kappaB are associated with Hp infection in gastric MALT lymphoma, and their protein expression is correlated with the development of tumor and prognosis.

Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; metabolism ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; metabolism ; microbiology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; microbiology ; pathology

Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Humans ; Microbubbles ; Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense ; genetics ; Transfection ; methods ; Ultrasonics

Objective To evaluate the value of the electron bronchoscopy in diagnosis of carcinothoracic fluid in the case of replacing medical thoracoscopy and combining narrow-band imaging (NBI). Methods 89 cases of suspected cancerous pleural effusion patients, used electronic bronchoscope Olympus BF-1T 260 in place of medical thoracoscopy to enter pleural cavity in the usual way. First observed by white light bronchoscopy (WLB), then by narrow-band imaging (NBI) and take 5 pieces of tissue out respectively on the pleura of the lesion for pathological examination. Then compare the sensitivity and specificity of WLB and NBI methods, and the bleeding after biopsy. Result Among 89 cases of suspected cancerous pleural effusion patients, 85 cases found positive by white light bronchoscopy (WLB) , negative in 4 cases, 6 cases bleeding after biopsy (6.70%). Compared with the pathological results, WLB sensitivity 97.50%, specificity 22.22%. 68 cases found positive by NBI, negative 21 cases, no active bleeding after biopsy. Compared with the pathological results, the sensitivity of the NBI 86.67%, specificity 78.57%. Compared WLB with NBI, the former's sensitivity is superior to the latter, the latter's specificity is superior to the former. Both comparisons about sensitivity diagnosis of the and specificity are statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion Electronic bronchial in place of medical thoracoscopy has high diagnostic rate in the carcinothoracic fluid, and the combination of NBI can improve the accuracy and security of the biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the length heteroplasmy and point heteroplasmy in human mtDNA control region. METHODS: The peripheral blood, buccal cell, and single hair shaft from 50 individuals and 16 family members, related in their maternallineage were analyzed by direct sequencing, and clones from 20 individuals whose mtDNA sequences have a T-C transition at 16189 nt were sequenced. RESULTS: No point heteroplasmy were observed in peripheral blood, buccal cell, single hair shaft from the same individual, neither in maternally related individuals. Length heteroplasmy was observed in those individuals with a homopolymeric tract and the different clones from the same individual has different proportions of length variants, but the hair shafts from the same individual were very similar to the measurements made from blood DNA. No length heteroplasmy was observed between different tissues from the same individual. CONCLUSION mtDNA sequences have a characteristic of high consistency and genetic stability, mtDNA sequencing is a suitable tool for forensic applications such as individual identification.
Base Sequence ; DNA Mutational Analysis/methods* ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Epithelial Cells ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Hair/chemistry* ; Humans ; Mouth/cytology* ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics*

OBJECTIVEAllogeneic bone marrow transplantation has been established as a standard method for the treatment of a range of malignant and non-malignant hematologic diseases in children. Unfortunately, fewer than 30% of patients have a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling. Advances in our understanding of the HLA system and the development of large international donor registries encourage the increasing use of unrelated donors as an alternative source of stem cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of unrelated donor allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (URD-BMT) for the treatment of childhood leukemia.

METHODSSix patients with leukemia received URD-BMT. Two of them suffered from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 3 suffered from acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 1 suffered from acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) (CR2). All cases were facilitated by Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry (TCTMDR). The high resolution DNA test for classIand II was carried out in HLA typing of all donor-receiver pairs. HLA allele matched in three cases, mismatched with one locus in two cases and with two loci in one case. All patients were prepared with cyclophosphamide (CY) 60 mg/kg/day for 2 days (total dose 120 mg/kg) and busulfan (Bu) 1 mg/kg x 4/day for 4 days (total dose 16 mg/kg). Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), CsA and MTX were given to prevent acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD). CsA of 3 mg/kg/d was continuously given by i.v. infusion, and then 6mg/kg/d by oral. The blood CsA concentration was 200 - 300 ng/ml. MTX was given at the dosage of 15 mg/m(2) on d 1 and 10 mg/m(2) on d 3, 6,9 or 11. MMF was given at the dosage of 0.25 - 0.5 g/d from day 0 to day 120. Prostaglandin E1 was given to prevent the hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), Ganciclovir was used to prevent CMV infection until the CMV antigenemia became negative.

RESULTSAnalysis of DNA short tandem repeats showed total engraftment of donor marrow after transplantation in all cases. The median time when granulocyte exceeded 0.5 x 10(9)/L was 14.5 (13 - 18) days, platelets exceeded 20 x 10(9)/L was 16 (14 - 23) days. The acute GVHD grade II-IV occurred in 2 of 6 (33.3%) patients. There were 3 cases with chronic GVHD and none of them developed with the extensive chronic GVHD. All patients were alive in disease-free situation now with median follow-up 412 (187 - 1338) days.

CONCLUSIONURD-BMT is an effective method for the treatment of childhood leukemia.

Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Child ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Leukemia ; therapy ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes and clinical value of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in the peripheral blood of advanced NSCLC patient.

METHODSSixty-seven advanced NSCLC patients were randomly divided into either the treatment group with NP plus endostatin or control group with NP alone. Level of CEC and cytokeratin (CK) in the peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe response rate and benefit rate was 44.4%, 80.0% in the treatment group, and 27.3%, 50.0% in the control group, respectively (P = 0.176 and P = 0.012). Time to tumor progression (TTP) was 146.7 days in the treatment group and 91.1 days in the control group (P = 0.061). However, when the cut-off of TTP was defined as > 170 days, there was a significant difference between two groups (cut-off = 170, P = 0.034; cut-off = 180, P = 0.009). The number of CEC decreased by 0.29 +/- 0.47 in the treatment group and by 0.01 +/- 0.43 in the control group (P = 0.033). The correlation between CEC and CK was found to be positive either before (r = 0.381, P = 0.013) or after the treatment (r = 0.450, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONChemotherapy combined with endostatin is superior to chemotherapy alone in the treatment of NSCLC. CEC, as a biomarker, may be useful in predicting the efficacy of the combined treatment.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Count ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Endostatins ; administration & dosage ; Endothelial Cells ; pathology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; pathology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratins ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; pathology ; Remission Induction ; Treatment Outcome ; Vinblastine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Bu-CY(2) conditioning regimen on allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) with unrelated donor for myelodysplastic syndrome.

METHODSSix patients received chemotherapy regimen of busulfan (Bu) and cyclophosphamide (CY) before allogeneic BMT (Bu 4 mg . kg(-1) . d(-1), -7 d - -4 d, CY 60 mg . kg(-1) . d(-1), -3 d - -2 d). Mycophenolate mofetil combined with cyclosporin A and methotrexate was used for prevention of acute graft-versus-host disease after transplantation. Lipo prostaglandin E(1)was used in prophylactic regimen for hepatic veno-occlusive disease.

RESULTNeutrophil count began to be higher than 0.5 x 10(9)/Lat the 18th day after BMT. Platelet count began to be higher than 20 x 10(9)/Lat the 21st day after BMT. Disease-free survival in the six patients was 27 months.

CONCLUSIONBu-CY(2) conditioning regimen on allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with unrelated donor is an effective therapy for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Busulfan ; administration & dosage ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; surgery ; Transplantation Conditioning