Adult ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Interdigitating ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; etiology ; Pemphigus ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), total protein (TP), salivary flow rate, and pH value between Pi deficiency (PD) children and healthy children, thereby providing evidence for Pi controlling saliva theory.

METHODSTwenty PD children were recruited, and 29 healthy children were also recruited at the same time. Saliva samples from all subjects were collected before and after citric acid stimulation. The sAA activity and amount, TP contents, salivary flow rate, and pH value were determined and compared.

RESULTS(1) Citric acid stimulation was able to significantly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, sAA activities, sAA specific activity and sAA amount (including glycosylated and non-glycosylated sAA amount) in healthy children (P<0.05), while it could markedly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, and glycosylated sAA levels in PD children (P<0.05); (2) Although there was no statistical difference in determined salivary indices between the two groups (P>0.05), salivary indices except salivary flow rate and glycosylated sAA levels decreased more in PD children. There was statistical difference in sAA activity ratio, sAA specific activity ratio, and the ratio of glycosylated sAA levels between PD children and healthy children (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPD children had decreased response to citric acid stimulation.

Child ; Citric Acid ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Saliva ; Salivary alpha-Amylases ; metabolism ; alpha-Amylases

Objective To explore the quality of life (QOL) and its influential factors among patients with 3 major rheumatic diseases. Methods A total of 216 patients with rheumatic diseases (84 patients with systemic lu- pus erythematosus, SLE, 83 with rheumatoid arthritis, RA, and 49 with ankylosing spondylitis, AS) were recruited. The information with regard to their quality of life, sociopsychological factors and the evaluation of disease activity were obtained by using the medical outcomes study short form-36 (SF-36) and clinic documents. Results Patients with rheumatic diseases scored significantly lower with each subscale of SF-36 as compared to those of a healthy popu- lation in China (P

Objective　To evaluate the effect of Naogongfude (NGFD, a traditional Chinese medicine orally administrated) on learning and memory and the expressions of synaptophysin (SY) and Tau-protein in cerebral cortex and hippocampus in aged rats and to explore the possible mechanism. Methods　Rats were divided into normal and neural disturbance groups according to the outcomes of active avoidance reaction (AAR) test, and then each group was randomly divided into control and NGFD-treated experimental groups. Animals were orally fed with NGFD for 2 months (5 ml/d) in experimental group or routinely fed in control and taken AAR and passive avoidance reaction (PAR) tests. After the rats were sacrificed, the synaptosome count, the expression of SY and Tau-protein, and the neuron apoptosis in cerebrum were examined. Results　The rats after 2-month NGFD administration had an increased AAR acquisition, obviously delayed AAR extinction and prolonged step through latency (STL) of PAR. The number of synaptosomes was raised and the immunoreactive intensity of synaptophysin was increased remarkedly, while Tau-protein immunoreactivity and apoptotic cells were decreased in cerebrum. Conclusion　NGFD does have the effect of improving brain function and putting off the aging of rat brain according to the results of behavior study and morphological observation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the preventive effect of resveratrol against acute gouty arthritis in mice and whether M2 polarization of macrophage mediates the effect. Methods Eighteen C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups (n=6): Sham group, model+solvent control group, and model+resveratrol group. The right hind limb ankle joint of mice in the sham group were treated with sterile normal saline. The right hind limb ankle joint of mice in the model+ solvent control group were treated with DMSO in advance and then with monosodium urate (MSU) crystals to establish acute gouty arthritis model. Mice in the model+resveratrol group were treated with resveratrol dissolved in DMSO in advance and then with MSU crystals to establish acute gouty arthritis model. The bilateral paw thickness of mice in each group was measured and H-E staining was used to observe the inflammation of synovial tissue of feet and metacarpal joints of mice in each group. The primary macrophages from abdominal cavity of normal mice were extracted, treated with resveratrol, and then stimulated with MSU crystals. The expression of M1-polarized macrophage markers inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein and the inflammatory indexes tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) mRNA and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) mRNA were detected by Western blotting or qPCR. The expression of M2-polarized macrophage markers F4/80 and CD163 were detected by flow cytometry. Results Acute gouty arthritis model of mice was successfully established. The right hind limb thickness of mice in the model+resveratrol group was significantly lower than that in the model+solvent control group ([1.98±0.02] mm vs [2.49±0.12] mm, P?0.01). The infiltration area of neutrophils in synovial tissue of feet and metacarpal joints in mice of model+resveratrol group were also significantly reduced. In vitro, resveratrol significantly inhibited the expression of iNOS protein, TNF-α mRNA and IL-1β mRNA in primary peritoneal macrophages ( all P?0.01) and increased the percentage of F4/80+CD163+ in macrophages (P?0.01). Conclusion Resveratrol may effectively alleviate acute gouty arthritis in mice by promoting M2 polarization of macrophages and inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors.

More and more studies have shown that NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has become the regulatory factor of inflammatory response and protective immunity, and the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes are closely related to the anti-tumor immunity effect. Depending on the cell type and stimuli, activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome can induce immune cells to become polarized, hyperactive, or pyroptotic, releasing interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, which leads to cascade immune or inflammatory responses, and its role in tumor immunity has received extensive attention. Here, we review the mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome enhancing CD8⁺ T cells-mediated anti-tumor immunity by inducing the pyroptosis of tumor cell, the pyroptosis or hyperactive state of dendritic cells (DCs), and the pyroptosis or polarization of the macrophages. Different anti-tumor immune roles of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in tumor cells and immune cells provide new directions for future research and may influence the development of next-generation immunotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of Bushen Shuji Granule (BSG) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

METHODSA prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out in 62 active stage AS patients with Shen deficiency Du-channel cold syndrome (SDDCS), who were randomly assigned to the BSG group (treated with BSG) and the control group (treated with Celecoxib Capsule). Twelve weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by ASAS20 and ASAS40 (set by Assessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis working group) , BASDA150, Chinese medical (CM) syndrome efficacy evaluation standards. BASDAI, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI), scores for spine pain, scores for pain at night, patient global assessment (PGA) , erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) , and C reactive protein (CRP) were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter three-month treatment by BSG, ASAS20 standard rate was 63. 33% (19/30 cases) in the BSG group and 66.67% (20/30 cases) in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 0.073, P > 0.05). The efficacy for CM syndromes was 70.00% (21/30 cases) in the BSG group, higher than that in the control group [40.00% (12/30 cases), χ2 = 5.455, P < 0.05]. Scores for CM syndromes, BASDAI, night pain index, spinal pain index, PGA, CRP were improved in the BSG group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The incidence of adverse events in the BSG group was lower than that of the control group.

CONCLUSIONBSG based on Shen supplementing, Du-channel strengthening, blood activating, and channels dredging method had good short-term clinical efficacy and safety in treating AS.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biomedical Research ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pain ; Prospective Studies ; Safety ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy

Starting from the thinking characteristics of TCM in the holistic approach of syndrome and process of syndrome differentiation, the problems in the criteria of syndrome diagnosis was analyzed, combining with the outcome of investigation on macrocosmic diagnosis of syndrome carried on twice by expert group nationwide in China, a concept for designing basic framework of standard for macrocosmic diagnosis of syndrome was advocated in this study. In order to recognize and master fully the standard, the following items would be the contents of the framework: give a standardized term of each syndrome; the basic clinical features of a syndrome; the qualitative parameters which could be used to distinguish the nature of a syndrome, and indexes to be used to judge the affected location of a syndrome during identifying process for a syndrome; the order of pertinent indexes with their given score, and the threshold for quantitative diagnosis. It is considered that the above framework defined the sufficient criteria which is constructed on the bases of the approaches with integrated qualitative and quantitative methods. It may enable the syndrome differentiation to access the real world of a patient to be used appropriately this framework.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

Objective Application of the second metatarpophalangeal joint by traction prolong trans- plant repair the defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint,reconstruct the function of it.Methods By means of the apparatus to prolong finger in advance,then transplant the second metatarpophalangeal joint to recon- struct metacarpophalangeal joint for seven cases of obsolete defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint.Results The average of finger prolong was 2.6 cm,consultation from 1 to 4 years.average 2.5 years,thai the trans- plant joints have all survived and osteal concrescence.Through the criterion Chinese Medical Association,good rate was 85.7%. Conclusion It' s a good method to repair obsolete defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint by transplant traction prolong of the second metatarpophalangeal joint.

AIMTo observe the dynamic expression of ERK1 in fibrotic rat liver.

METHODSThe rat hepatic fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and by Masson's trichrome method. ERK1 mRNA in liver was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while the distribution of ERK1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry. ERK1 protein was detected by using Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSWith the development of hepatic fibrosis, the positive cells of ERK1 increased a lot, they were mainly distributed at portal ducts, fiber septa and around the bile ducts, vascular endothelial cells and perisinusoidal cells. Western blotting analysis results displayed that the expression of ERK1 protein were up-regulated with model course, and its levels were the highest at week 4 after operation, achieving to 3.9-fold of that in normal rat liver. ERK1 mRNA expressed in normal rat livers as well, they were up-regulated at day 2 after BDL and its level was the highest at week 4 after BDL.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the expression of ERK1 and its mRNA can be increase greatly in fibrotic rat liver.

Animals ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley