Adult ; Bronchi ; pathology ; Foreign Bodies ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Neck Injuries ; etiology ; Trachea ; injuries

Professor Shao Jing-ming had practiced Chinese medicine for more than 80 years with rich clinical experience and exquisite acupuncture techniques. From his clinical experience, Professor Shao's clinical features can be summarized as the followings: attaching importance to the theory of meridians and collaterals, combining pattern identification and disease identification, using fewer acupoints for treatment, and using Ashi point and Hegu (LI 4) to treat goiter. He emphasized the priority and sequence in acupoint-selection and manipulation. In treatment of epilepsy, he proposed to treat it according to the situation and paid great attention to the special function of the extraordinary acupoints. During the onset, it should be managed by calming the mind and controlling the symptoms; during the remission period, acupuncture and drugs should be applied simultaneously to regulate qi-blood and yin-yang, so as to reduce the frequency of attacks. He believed that acupuncture manipulation be one of the key factors in achieving the efficacy. In treatment of the motive diseases, such as convulsions and cramps, acupuncture with static and longer needle-retaining time should be adopted to control the limb movement, to strengthen the stimulation and to obtain a long-term efficacy. Professor Shao Jing-ming's medical records range from internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology and pediatrics, listing various refractory diseases effectively treated by him. Professor Shao was a moral and erudite Chinese medicine master, and his clinical experience is worthy of inheritance and development.

ObjectiveTounderstandthetrendsandepidemiologicalcharacteristicsofsexuallytransmitteddiseases(STDs)inChinaandprovidescientificbasisformakingcontrolstrategies.MethodsDuringtheperiodof1991～2001,thecase-reportingdataof8kindsofnotifiableandmonitoringSTDs,collectedfrom31provinces,autonomousregionsandmunicipalities,wereanalyzedwithepidemiologicalmethods.Results①Epidemictrends:Duringthisperiod,theincidenceof8kindsofSTDssteadilyincreasedfrom175528(15.48per100000population)in1991to859040(68.91per100000population)in2000.Theaverageannualgrowthofincidencewas19.30%,witharangeof2.59%～36.88%.However,thereportedcasesin2001were795612withadecreaseof7.38%comparedwiththosein2000,anditwasthefirstdecreasesinceSTDcaseswerereportedfrom1987.②Geographicaldistribution:Thehigh-incidenceareasweretheZhujiangRiverDelta,YangtzeRiverDelta,MinjiangRiverValley,NortheasternChina,andBeijing,Tianjin,andChongqingManicipalities,withtheincidencerateofover70～100casesper100000populationafter1997,andtherewereveryhighratesofincidenceover1000casesper100000populationinsomeareas.Thelow-incidenceareaswerenorthChina,partsofCentralChina,NorthwesternChinaandSouthwesternChina,withtheincidenceratesoflowerthan30～50per100000population.③Populationdistri-bution:Themaletofemaleratiodecreasedfrom1.60∶1～1.69∶1intheearly1990sto1.35∶1～1.40∶1inthelate1990s.STDincidencerateswerehighestinthe20～39agegroup,andthereportedSTDcasesofthisagegroupaccountedforover80%oftotalcases.ConclusionSexuallytransmitteddiseasesinChinahavebecomeaseriouspublichealthproblemandtheeffectiveinterventionprogrammesagainstSTDsmustbeimplementedacrossthecountry.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of vitamin D3 upregulated protein-1 (VDUP1) in peripheral eosinophils at different stages of asthma and its correlation with clinical manifestations of asthma.

METHODSFourteen normal volunteers and 51 mild to moderate asthma patients, including 16 untreated patients with asthma attack and 35 with asthma remission by continuously corticosterone inhalation. The symptom severity and pulmonary function indices were evaluated and induced sputum eosinophil counts and blood eosinophil count measured. VDUP1 and beta-actin gene fragments were amplified simultaneously by RT-PCR from the total RNA of peripheral eosinophils, and 10 microl of the RT-PCR product underwent agarose gel electrophoresis and the VDUP1/beta-actin ratio was obtained by Gel-Pro software.

RESULTSVDUP1/beta-actin ratio significantly decreased in untreated patients with asthma attacks in comparison with normal volunteers (0.314+/-0.242 vs 0.532 +/-0.279) but not in patients with asthma remission (0.612+/-0.381). In the former patients, a positive correlation of VDUP1/beta-actin ratio was found with FEV1.0% (r=0.587, P=0.046) and %PEF (r=0.563, P=0.033), whereas an inverse one observed with sputum eosinophil count (r=-0.436, P=0.049).

CONCLUSIONVDUP1 expression in the eosinophils correlates to eosinophil activation and may influence the disease severity of asthma patients.

Actins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Asthma ; blood ; metabolism ; Carrier Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Eosinophils ; metabolism ; Humans ; Maximal Expiratory Flow-Volume Curves ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thioredoxins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate and compare the outcome of two kinds of diameter hollow screws for the treatment of femoral neck fractures.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to June 2013, 117 patients with femoral neck fractures were treated by closed reduction and hollow screws fixation. Among them,48 patients were fixed by 6.5 mm screw including 30 males and 18 females with an average age of (45.61 ± 11.99) years old ranging from 19 to 60 years old, involving 17 cases in Garden I/II and 31 cases in Garden III/IV; 69 patients were fixed by 8.0 mm screw including 40 males and 29 females with an average age of (45.17 ± 9.95) years old ranging from 18 to 60 years old, involving 31 cases in Garden I/II and 38 cases in Garden III/IV. The general information, operative time, hospital stay time, reduction quality, diameter of femoral head and neck, fracture healing time, the rate of fracture healing, postoperative complications were recorded and evaluated. Harris scoring was used to evaluate the hip joint function.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 19.6 months (18 to 24 months). The difference of operative time, duration of hospitalization, quality of reduction were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was no difference between two groups about the average diameter of the femoral head and neck, the fracture healing time, the rate of healing and the postoperative complications (P > 0.05). There were no difference between two groups about Harris scale. There were significant difference between Garden III/IV and I /II (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONClosed reduction and internal fixation with hollow screw in treating the young adult patients with femoral neck fracture is the first choice, both different diameters hollow screws could meet the requirements of fixation of femoral neck fracture, and not affect on fracture healing time and postoperative complications.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Slingshot-1L (SSH-1L) in peripheral blood eosinophils of asthmatic patients.

METHODSPeripheral vein blood sample of 30 ml was collected from 15 healthy volunteers, 15 asthmatic patients with glucocorticoid treatment and 15 asthmatic patients without the treatment. The eosinophils were isolated, purified and counted for each sample, and SSH-1L/beta-actin gene fragments were amplified simultaneously by RT-PCR for the total RNA. SSH-1L protein was detected by Western blotting from the total protein of the peripheral eosinophils. The expressions of SSH-1L at both mRNA and protein levels are compared between different groups.

RESULTSSSH-1L/beta-actin ratio significantly increased in untreated patients with asthma attacks in comparison with healthy volunteers (P<0.05), which did not occur in patients treated with glucocorticoids (P>0.05). The optical density of SSH-1L protein significantly increased in untreated asthmatic patients (P<0.05), but not in patients treated with glucocorticoids (P>0.05), as compared with the healthy volunteers.

CONCLUSIONSignificantly increased SSH-1L expression in peripheral eosinophils may play an important role in the activation and migration of eosinophils.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors ; metabolism ; Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Asthma ; blood ; Blotting, Western ; Eosinophils ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

To analyze the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth disease (HFMD) in Shanghai in 2009, epidemiological data was retrieved from the National Notifiable Disease Report System (NNDRS). Nucleic acid of enterovirus (EV) was detected by real-time RT-PCR from 799 HFMD cases from 15 districts/counties in Shanghai; the complete sequences of VP1 encoding region of several identified EV71 strains and sequences of VP4 encoding region of several untyped EV were determined and analyzed. Analysis and summary of the epidemiological data was conducted with Microsoft Excel, and sequence analyses were conducted with both BioEdit and MEGA software. Untyped EV was identified through comparing the VP4 sequence to sequence database using BLAST online service. It was showed that all the 18 districts/counties had reported HFMD cases; children less than 6 years old were the most susceptible population group; the peak of epidemics of HFMD was from April to July; EV71 and Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) were the major pathogens for this epidemic, but the constituent ratio of EV71 and CA16 was different in different months and regions; CA16 infection was mainly responsible for the mild HFMD, but EV71 for most of the severe cases; EV71 strains of Shanghai were clustered with representatives of subgenotype C4a and showed the highest identity to them, based on the sequence analyses of VP1 encoding region; 2 of the untyped EV were identified as CA2 and CA10 respectively. All the results indicated that EV71 and CA16 were the major pathogens for the epidemic of HFMD in Shanghai, 2009; the circulating EV71 belonged to subgenotype C4a. Besides, other types of EV (for example: CA2 and CA10) were also responsible for a few of the HFMD cases.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Enterovirus A, Human ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Epidemics ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

This study is designed to test the agreement in measuring left ventricular systolic function between transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography (2DTTE) and "gold standard" of non-invasive cardiac imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) and their impacts on the classification of patients according to the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). 32 patients who were suspected with heart disease were evaluated by CMRI and 2DTTE examinations. End diastolic volume (EDV), end systolic volume (ESV), EF and left ventricular function category were then calculated and compared. There was no significant difference (P=0.504) for EDV, while ESV of CMRI was significantly higher than that of 2DTTE (P=0.049), and EF of CMRI was significantly lower than that of 2DTTE (P= 0.018). There was no significant difference (P=0.077) in left ventricular functional category. Bland-Altman analysis of LV volumetric data and EF measurements showed a good agreement between two methods. The 2DTTE over-estimated I (n=5) or II (n=1) degrees of functional classification when compared with the CMRI. Both CMRI and 2DTTE are of great clinical value in evaluating left ventricular systolic function, while CMR may be more beneficial to patients with abnormal LV functions.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Systole ; physiology ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of tricostantin A (TSA) on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells and explore the mechanisms.

METHODSBreast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and SKBR3 were cultured in suspension and treated with different concentrations of TSA for 7 days, using 0.1% DMSO as the control. Secondary mammosphere formation efficiency and percentage of CD44(+)/CD24(-) sub-population in the primary mammospheres were used to evaluate the effects of TSA on self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells. The breast cancer stem cell surface marker CD44(+)/CD24(-) and the percentage of apoptosis in the primary mammospheres were assayed using flow cytometry. The mRNA expressions of Nanog, Sox2 and Oct4 in the primary mammospheres were assayed with quantitative PCR.

RESULTSTSA at both 100 and 500 nmol/L, but not at 10 nmol/L, partially inhibited the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells from the 4 cell lines. TSA at 500 nmol/L induced cell apoptosis in the primary mammospheres. TSA down-regulated the mRNA expression of Nanog and Sox2 in the primary mammospheres.

CONCLUSIONTSA can partially inhibit the self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells through a mechanism involving the down-regulation of Nanog and Sox2 expression, indicating the value of combined treatments with low-dose TSA and other anticancer drugs to achieve maximum inhibition of breast cancer stem cell self-renewal. The core transcriptional factor of embryonic stem cells Nanog and Sox2 can be potential targets of anticancer therapy.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; CD24 Antigen ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; metabolism ; Hydroxamic Acids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Nanog Homeobox Protein ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; SOXB1 Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Yufeining, a traditional Chinese medicine, on induced sputum interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the stable phase.

METHODSThirty-six patients with COPD were divided into trial group (18 cases) and control group (18 cases) randomly. The trial group was treated with Yufeining pills taken orally for half a year; the control group was not given any medicine. Routine lung function was recorded before and after treatment. Total cell count (TCC), differential cell counts (DCCs) and IL-8 in induced sputum were determined at the baseline and 6 months later.

RESULTSThe indices of lung function improved significantly after 6 months' treatment in trial group (P < 0.05); TCC and absolute neutrophil count decreased significantly compared with baseline in the trial group (P < 0.05); Sputum IL-8 concentration dropped significantly after 6 months' treatment, from a mean of 5.216 +/- 2.914 microg/L to 4.222 +/- 2.140 microg/L (P < 0.05). There were insignificant changes in the parameters in the control group between baseline and 6 months later.

CONCLUSIONYufeining could improve lung function, decrease sputum TCC, absolute neutrophil count and IL-8 concentration, and relieve airway inflammation in patients with COPD in the stable phase.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; analysis ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Sputum ; chemistry