Hepatic fibrosis is the hallmark of most chronic liver diseases. Its essense is excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components(ECM) in liver, which occurs due to an imbalance between the production and degradation of matrix. Collagen is the most important part of ECM. Therefore,one important antifibrotic pathway is to effectively inhibit the synthesis of collagen or increase its degradation. The review describes the current progress in collagen metabolism and antifibrotic therapy related to hepatic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVETo observe the difference in the therapeutic effects on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) among auricular electroacupuncture therapy plus isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste (combined therapy), electroacupuncture (EA) and TDP irradiation.

METHODSEighty-nine cases were randomized into three groups. In the combined therapy group (30 cases), the auricular electroacupuncture therapy was adopted together with the isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste. The auricular points were xi (AH4), pizhixia (AT4), shenmen (TF4), etc. The Lingxian herbal paste was applied at Yanglingquan (GB 34), Dubi (ST 35), Zusanli (ST 36), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Heding (EX-LE 2) and Ashi points. In EA group (29 cases), EA was applied at the acupoints that were same as those in the isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste. In TDP group (30 cases), TDP irradiation was given at the affected knee. The treatment was given once every day, 10 treatments made one session and there was 1 week at the interval among sessions. Totally, 3 sessions of treatment were required. KOA clinical symptom and physical sign score and the single item pain symptom score of Lequesne index were observed before treatment and 1 week after treatment in the patients of each group separately. The efficacies were compared among the three groups.

RESULTSOne week after treatment, the total score of symptoms and physical signs of the patients in each group was reduced significantly as compared with that before treatment (all P < 0.05). The improvements in the symptoms and physical signs in the combined therapy group were better than those in the other two groups (1.50 +/- 1.57 vs 2.52 +/- 1.82, 2.63 +/- 1.97, both P < 0.05). The improvement in pain in the combined therapy group was also better than that in the other two groups (2.37 +/- 0.81 vs 2.83 +/- 0.92, P < 0.05; 2.37 +/- 0.81 vs 3.03 +/- 0.77, P < 0.01). The curative rate in the combined therapy group was 40.0% (12/30), which was higher than 17.2% (5/29) in EA group and 20.0% (6/30) in TDP group separately (both P < 0.01). The overall efficacy in the combined therapy group was superior to the other two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe auricular electroacupuncture therapy plus isolated moxibustion with Lingxian herbal paste is advantageous at the total score of the symptoms and physical signs and the overall efficacy in the patients of KOA as compared with EA at the local acupoints and local TDP irradiation.

Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Orthopedic Fixation Devices

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenic Neoplasms ; pathology

Air ; analysis ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Ketones ; analysis ; Workplace

Objective To observe whether recent sexual intercourse might cause microscopic hematuria, and investigate the cause of hematuria. Methods Eighty healthy volunteers (40 men and 40 women) consented to have intercourse with their married couples and provide samples of urine for testing before intercourse and the first day morning, noon, evening and the second day morning after intercourse. After appropriate instruction, volunteers tested their own urine for the presence of blood using standard dipsticks. Any volunteer with hematuria after intercourse was offered a comprehensive hematuria assessment and followed-up for two years. Results None of the volunteers had positive hematuria before sexual intercourse. 9 of the 40 women, but no men, had positive hematuria at the first day morning after intercourse, and 3 of the nine patients with hematuria still had positive hematuria at the noon of the first day. Five women of 9 patients with hematuria accepted two years follow-up and no abnormal was identified. Conclusion It suggested that recent sexual intercourse was a cause of asymptomatic microscopic hematuria in women, and a history of recent sexual intercourse should be considered when assessing the clinical significance of microscopic hematuria in women.

0.05). It suggested that the 3 D quantitative measurement is a useful technique for the diagnosis of diseases in the base of the middle cranial fossa region,so that it is useful for surgical planning.

Aim To investigate the effects of Shaoqiduogan(SQDG)on immunological hepatic fibrosis induced by human albumin in rats as well as its possible mechanisms.Methods The model of immunological hepatic fibrosis induced by human albumin was prepared.The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups,namely normal control group,liver fibrosis model group,SQDG(42.5,85,170 mg·kg~(-1))treated groups and colchicine(0.1 mg·kg~(-1)) treated group.HE staining was used to examine the histopathological change.The activities of transaminase in serum,malondiadehyde(MDA)content,superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activities,hydroxyproline(Hyp)content in liver homogenate were assayed byspectrophotometry.The levels of hyaluronic acid(HA)and procollagen Ⅲ (PCⅢ)in serum were determined by radioimmunoassay.In vitro,the collagen production of hepatic stellate cell(HSC)-T6 stimulated with transforming growth factor beta1(TGF-β1)was measured with 3H-Proline uptake.Results SQDG had obvious protective effects on human albumin induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.The results showed that the serum ALT and AST decreased by SQDG treatment,but had no significant difference compared with model group.Pathological examination showed that SQDG could remarkably alleviate the hepatic fibrosis.SQDG not only decreased the Hyp content in liver homogenates,but also the elevated level of HA,PCⅢ in serum.SQDG also ameliorated the oxidative stress state of hepatic fibrosis rats,decreased the production of MDA and enhanced the activities of antioxidative enzyme including SOD and GSH-Px.Furthermore,SQDG(20～160 mg·L~(-1))inhibited the collagen production of HSC stimulated with TGF-β1 in vitro.Conclusion sSQDG has protective effect on liver fibrosis rats induced by human albumin.The mechanisms of its anti-fibrotic effects may be associated with its action of ameliorating the oxidative stress in liver,and inhibiting the production of collagen in HSC.

Air Pollution ; analysis ; Barium ; analysis ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods ; Workplace