Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of Chinese herbal medicines, tripterygium glycosides, plus valsartan for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: A comprehensive research of 12 electronic databases was performed. Data of the included studies were extracted and analyzed independently by two authors, and were synthesized using Review Manager (version 5.2) and Stata (version 12.0). Results: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 829 patients were included. Pooled results showed that the combination therapy significantly increased total efficacy of DN patients [RR = 1.35, 95% CI (1.22, 1.50), P < 0.001], the level of serum albumin [Mean difference (MD) = 3.87, 95% CI (3.12, 4.62), P < 0.001], and significantly decreased 24 h urinary protein level [MD = −0.97, 95% CI (−1.19, −0.76), P < 0.001], urinary albumin-excretion rate [MD = −145.53, 95% CI (−227.95, −63.11), P < 0.001], and urinary β2-microglobuli level [MD = −11.86, 95% CI (−13.02, −10.69), P < 0.001]. No significant differences were found in levels of serum creatinine [MD = −0.26, 95% CI (−7.52, 7.00), P > 0.05), blood urea nitrogen [MD = 0.25, 95% CI (−0.23, 0.74), P > 0.05], and endogenous creatinine clearance rate [MD = −0.43, 95% CI (−3.48, 2.62), P > 0.05]. However, tripterygium glycosides plus valsartan seemed to exert higher adverse reaction rate than valsartan monotherapy [MD = 3.41, 95% CI (1.34, 8.66), P < 0.05]. There were no publication bias for all of the pooled effect sizes. Conclusion: Combination therapy of tripterygium glycosides plus valsartan may be effective for the treatment of DN. However, the safety of the combination therapy need to be further confirmed.

AIM: To research the application analysis of trabeculectomy combined with phacoemulsification treating patients with primary angle-closed glaucoma ( PACG) and cataract.
METHODS: Seventy-three patients from September, 2011 to September, 2013, with primary angle- closed glaucoma and cataract, were selected in our research. Patients were all treated with trabeculectomy combined with ultrasonic emulsification, and the therapeutic effect was observed.
RESULTS: The effects of trabeculectomy combined with phacoemulsification treating primary angle-closed glaucoma and cataract in reducing intraocular pressure were better, and postoperative visual acuity results of the research objects were satisfactory. And it could deepen the central anterior chamber depth effectively. All the research objects had few complications.
CONCLUSION: Trabeculectomy combined with phacoemulsification treating primary angle - closed glaucoma and cataract can achieve a good result for reducing intraocular pressure, postoperative visual acuity recovery and correction, and the surgical success rate is high, with low complication rates. It is worthy of widely clinical application.

Objective To investigate the role of cathepsin G in photoaged fibroblasts. Methods Human fibroblasts were cultured and induced to premature senescence using UVA + MOP methods. Senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) stain was used to evaluate the positive rate of aged cells. The mRNA and protein expression of cathepsin G in photoaged fibroblasts were detected by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot techniques. Results Over 98 % induced cells presented a positive SA-β-gal straining. The expression of cathepsin G, detected by Western blot, was increased to (1. 70±0. 028) times of the control. And RT-PCR revealed that the synthesis of cathepsin G mRNA was also up-regulated to 1. 42±0. 09. Conclusion The results of our study demonstrates a significant correlation between photoaged fibroblasts and cathepsin G. The up-regulation of cathepsin G may play an important role in the damages of extracellular matrix and activation of MMPS in photoaged human skin.

Objective To investigate the expression changes of aspartic proteinase (cathepsin D) and cysteine proteinase (cathepsin K) in photoaged fibroblasts. Methods The senescence of human fibroblasts was induced via culture in the presence of 8-methoxypsralen (MOP) of 50 mg/L in darkness for 24 hours followed by irradiation with UVA of 80 kJ/m~2. Then, aged fibroblasts were confirmed by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot were carried out to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of cathepsin D and cathepsin K in photoaged and normal control fibroblasts, respectively. Results Western blot showed a significant difference between photoaged and control fibroblasts in the grey scale of cathepsin D and cathepsin K (3.25 ± 0.33 vs 14.18 ± 2.25, f = 30.61, P < 0.01; 2.39 ± 0.66 vs 29.38 ± 4.62, t = 12.63, P< 0.01). The △Ct values for cathepsin D and cathepsin K mRNA were 2.79 ± 0.17 and -0.92 ± 0.06, respectively, in photoaged fibroblasts, significantly lower than those in the control fibroblasts (4.54 ± 0.34, 2.57 ± 0.13, t = 20.78, 28.50, respectively, both P < 0.01). According to the value of 2~(-△△Ct), the expression of cathepsin D and cathepsin K mRNA decreased 0.24 ± 0.021 and 0.09 ± 0.005 folds, respectively, in photoaged fibroblasts compared with the control fibroblasts. Conclusion The expression of cathepsin D and cathepsin K is decreased in photoaged fibroblasts.

It is important to establish animal models of Parkinson disease (PD) similar to clinical features of human disease. Rotenone can readily penetrate the blood-brain-barrier and cytomem-branes due to its strong lipophilic ability. Rotenone models of PD can not only simulate behavioral changes in patients with PD, but also bear a strong resemblance to the human disease characteristics and pathological process of PD. Based on to researches at home and abroad in recent years, this paper summarizes and analyzes the modeling methods and toxic mechanisms of rotenone-induced PD. These methods include stereotaxis, intravenous injection, abdominal injection, subcutaneous injection, microdialysis drug, intragastric administration, subcutaneous embedded slow-release microspheres and exposure to drugs. The In vitro model invotves SH-SY5Y cells, PC12 cells and DA neurons. The toxic mechanisms involveα-synuclein abnormal aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, the generation of reactive oxygen species, damage to the antioxidant defense system, nerve cell apoptosis, and autophagy.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring the "depth of anesthesia" is an ongoing problem. To identify a useful parameter for determining the depth of anesthesia with enflurane, EEG data was obtained using a Physiolab 800. METHODS: Variations in EEG signals were measured and analyzed by the stage of anesthesia. EEG data was obtained from 15 patients during general anesthesia with enflurane. The EEG signal was acquired and analyzed in 5 steps (one day before anesthesia, during induction, during skin incision, at end of anesthesia, and one day after anesthesia). Fp1 electrode and the EEG data mainly from the forehead were used to determine the depth of anesthesia using EEG characteristics during enflurane anesthesia. All data were preprocessed by filtering, baseline correction and using the linear detrend method to reliable analyze of sample data in the surgical environment. Data obtained were transformed to frequency and power spectrum analysis was performed. RESULTS: alpha, beta, delta and theta waves were detected by frequency area separation and the trend of each wave was observed during each anesthesia stage. EEG data was slowed down and the theta wave ratio increased as the depth of anesthesia increased. Accordingly, spectral edge frequency (SEF) and median frequency (MF) were used as parameters to determine the depth of anesthesia. The frequencies of SEF and MF decreased during anesthesia and returned to the preanesthetic level after the cessation of anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that SEF and MF can contribute as useful parameters to determine the depth of anesthesia. Anesthetics not only affect the central nervous system, but also affect the autonomic nervous system. If the autonomic nervous system signals such as heart rate variability are taken into account, more reliable evaluations would be possible.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Central Nervous System ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography* ; Enflurane ; Forehead ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Skin ; Spectrum Analysis*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on myocardial impairment during ischemia/reperfusion or anoxia/reoxygenation.

METHODSChemical anoxia was introduced in the isolated rat ventricular myocytes by Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution containing 10(-3) mol/L sodium dithionite. The video-tracking system and spectrofluorometric method were employed to verify the cell contraction and calcium homeostasis of the single myocyte. Radioimmunoassay was used to analyze the IL-2 levels in myocardium.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-2 in myocardium subjected to ischemia/reperfusion were elevated [(14.34+/-5.99 compared with 22.25+/-3.68)ng/g, P<0.01]. During anoxia, cell contraction and the amplitude of electrically induced calcium transient were depressed and the parameters did not return to the pre-anoxia level during reoxygenation. IL-2 at 200 U/L administered during anoxia aggravated the effect of reoxygenation on cell contraction and calcium transient. After perfusion with IL-2, the malondialdehyde content of myocardial mitochondria was elevated.

CONCLUSIONCoexistence of IL-2 during anoxia aggravates the effect of reoxygenation on the cell contraction and calcium homeostasis in the isolated rat ventricular myocytes, in which the mitochondrial lipid peroxidation induced by IL-2 is involved.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; physiology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; Myocardial Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of Dengue fever (DF) during the Dengue-1 epidemic in Guangzhou.

METHODSClinical and epidemiological data of 1032 patients with DF from May 2002 to November 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. Dengue virus were isolated by cell culture and typed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSAge of the patients ranged from 55 days to 91 years old (average 34.7 +/- 13.2 years) with sex ratio 1.03:1. Incubation period ranged from 2 to 12 days with mean periods of 5.3 +/- 2.4 days. Most (45.0%) cases appeared in September and the epidemic last from July to November. Dengue outbreak had involved 675 cases in 26 common places. The common manifestations were seen as fever (100%), headache (90.9%), myalgia (68.4%), bone soreness (48.8%), fatigue (79.3%), skin rash (60.1%), positive tourniquet test (45.3%), leukopenia (63.3%) and thrombocytopenia (60.8%), respectively. Dengue virus was isolated from serum of 19 out of 54 patients' and identified as Dengue virus type 1. DNA sequence analyzes on rates of nucleotide homology were 97%, 97% and 98% compared with those of Dengue virus type 1 strain of DF outbreak in Cambodia, in 1997 and 1999 in China.

CONCLUSIONThe epidemic of DF in Guangzhou in 2002/2003 was caused by Dengue virus type-1 with most patients showing classic type of the disease. Date suggested that change can happen from non-endemic to hypoendemic regions in Guangdong province.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Dengue ; epidemiology ; Dengue Virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data

OBJECTIVETo study the genome sequence of hepatitis A virus L-A-1 strain which has been applied for live attenuated vaccine production in China, to compare with other HAV strains, to understand some characteristics of L-A-1 strain, and to find the mechanism of attenuation and cell adaptation.

METHODSGenome fragments were prepared by antigen-capture PCR from infected cell (2BS), PCR products were cloned into T vector, sequenced and analyzed by using bioinformatics program.

RESULTSAnalysis of the genomic sequences(nt 25-7,418) showed that the open reading frame contains 6,675 nucleotides in length encoding 2,225 amino acids. Sequence homology comparison showed 98.00% and 94.00% homology at nucleotide level, and 98.51% and 98.65% homology at amino acid level with international strains MBB and HM 175, respectively. Through comparison with other attenuated, cell adapted and cytopathic effect (CPE) strains, L-A-1 strain had mutation at nt 152, 591, 646, 687 and insertion at nt 180-181 in 5?NTR and had mutation at nt 3,889 (aa 1 052-Val) in 2B region, these mutations and insertion are molecular basis for cell adaptation; mutation at nt 4,185 (aa 1 152-Lys) in 2C region should be attenuated marker; deletion in 3A region (nt 5,020-5,025) that caused two amino acids deletion is virus fast growth basis.

CONCLUSIONThrough analyzing L-A-1 strain genomic sequence, certain sites related to cell adaptation and attenuation were found.

Adaptation, Biological ; genetics ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Gene Deletion ; Genome, Viral ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; genetics ; Hepatitis A virus ; genetics ; growth & development ; Mutation ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Sequence Homology ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; genetics

This study aims to analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of HIV-1 strains prevailing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Beijing, China. The pol gene fragments from 250 newly diagnosed HIV-1-infected MSM individuals during 2006-2010 in Beijing were amplified by RT-nested PCR, sequenced, and phylogenetically analyzed. HIV-1 pol gene from 189 individuals were amplified and analyzed; 81 (42. 9%), 3 (1. 6%), 2 (1.0%), 88 (46. 6%), and 15 (7.9%) individuals were infected with HIV-1 subtypes B, B', C, CRF01_AE, and CRF07_BC, respectively. The subtypes B and CRF01_AE could both be grouped into two clusters, and CRFO7_BC strains shared high homology and were presumed to originate from a common ancestor. The HIV-1 circulating in MSM in Beijing had a lower genetic diversity than in heterosexuals. The HIV-1 epidemic (2006-2010) in MSM in Beijing was actually a rapid spread of HIV-1 CRF01 AE and B, or rather native strains of the two viruses.
Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Genetic Variation ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Homosexuality, Male ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Young Adult