OBJECTIVETo study the clinical efficacy of astragalus's preventing the recurrence and regulatory effects on Th1/Th2 cytokines in asthmatic children during the remission stage.

METHODSNinety asthmatic children during the remission stage were assigned to the astragalus treatment group (Group A), the hormone treatment group (Group B), and the combined group of astragalus and hormone treatment (Group C), 30 in each. Thirty healthy children were set up as the control group. The changes of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) before and after treatment and the recurrence times during the one-year follow-up were observed. Peripheral serum contents of immunoreactive fibronectin-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were detected before and after treatment using ELISA.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was higher in Group B (73.3%) than in Group A (66.7%), but with no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). It was highest in Group C (96.7%), showing significant difference from the other two groups (P<0.05). The levels of PEFR and IFN-gamma significantly increased and IL-4 obviously decreased in the three groups after treatment (P<0.05). No statistical difference of PEFR, IFN-gamma, or IL-4 existed in the three groups before treatment (P>0.05). Statistical difference of PEFR, IFN-gamma, or IL-4 existed between Group C and Group B after treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAstragalus played a role in preventing the recurrence of asthma. The combination of astragalus and hormones showed better effects.

Asthma ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Astragalus Plant ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Recurrence

Anesthetics, Intravenous ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; physiology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Propofol ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of hepatitis B virus infected patients who is negative for HbsAg.

METHODSDNA sequences of 46 patients were analyzed. In these patients, HBsAg was negative but HBV DNA was positive and six new HBsAg variants were identified. Four of the six variants were combined point mutants and two were insertion variants. These S genes were subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector EBO-plpp, and the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmids were transfected into COS7 cells. Cell lines expressing mutant type HBsAg were obtained. The supernatants were detected by ELISA and RIA.

RESULTSOnly the two-amino acid-insertion variants could be detected and the others failed to react with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against HbsAg.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that the point mutations and insertions may result in a conformational change of the S gene, which affect HBsAg antigenicity, suggesting a possible relationship between the variants and the negative conversion of HBsAg of the patients.

Animals ; Antigenic Variation ; COS Cells ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Transfection

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of major histocompatibility complex classⅡgene in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.Methods Two-hit porcine model of MODS was duplicated in 18 swine that were randomly assigned into experimental group(Group M,n=9) and control group(Group C,n=9).The Group M was given compound factors including hemorrhagic shock,reperfusion injury and endotoxemia,and the Group C only underwent anesthesia and arterious/ve- nous eannula.After seven days,the animals were killed to remove splenic tissues fro extracting total RNA by Trizol method.The primer of SLA-DQA(MHC classⅡgene of swine)was designed to construct cD- NA by reverse transcription and the quantity of SLA-DQA mRNA detected with real time fluorescent quan- titative polymerase chain reaction(real time FQ-PCR).The standard curve was described by UVP com- puter image analysis system.Results The mortality of Group M was 78%(7/9),and the incidence rate of MODS was 89%(8/9).The expressing quantity of Group M was(1.376?1.006)?10~3,signifi- cantly lower than(5.330?3.053)?10~3 of Group C(P＜0.01).Conclusion Duplication of por- cine MODS model is satisfactory.Down-regulation of MHC classⅡgene may be due to control of classⅡtransactivator(CⅡTA)and release of multiple eytokine,such as TNF-?and IL-10.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of virological breakthrough and production of neutralizing anti-interferon antibody (NAb) in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha (rIFN-alpha).

METHODFour hundred eighty-five patients with histological proven chronic hepatitis B were treated with 5 MU recombinant interferon-alpha 1b (rIFN-alpha1b) thrice weekly for 6-37 months (median 10). Serum HBV DNA, HBeAg and NAb levels of the patients were detected by fluorescent-quantitative PCR, enzymoimmunoassay and antiviral neutralizing biological assay respectively during the therapy.

RESULTSVirological breakthrough occurred in 66 patients (13.6%), and NAb was found in 98 patients (20.2%) of the total 485 patients. The rate of NAb positivity was higher in patients with viral breakthrough than those without it (68.2%, 45/66, vs 12.6%, 53/419, chi(2)=109.06, P < 0.01), and viral breakthrough occurred more in patients with positive NAb than with negative NAb (45.9%, 45/98, vs 5.4%, 21/387, chi(2)=109.06, P < 0.01). The time of the viral breakthrough occurrence and the time of NAb production had a significant correlation (P < 0.01). The occurrence of viral breakthrough was also influenced by the age of patients (P < 0.05) and HBeAg status (P < 0.01) before they were treated.

CONCLUSIONViral breakthrough occurred in 13.6% of our 485 chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha. Their viral breakthrough and production of NAb production had a significant correlation.

Adult ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon Type I ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of neutralizing anti-interferon-alpha antibodies (NA) in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha(rIFN-alpha).

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-one patients (128 male and 53 female) with histological proven chronic hepatitis B were treated with 5 MU recombinant interferon-alpha 1b (rIFN-alpha 1b) subcutaneously thrice weekly for 6 to 37 (median 10) months. For each patient, Specific detection of serum HBV DNA level with fluorescent-quantitative PCR, HBeAg with enzymoimmunoassay and NA with an antiviral neutralizing biological assay were performed during therapy.

RESULTSNA was found in 61 (33.7%) of 181 patients. At the end of treatment, complete-response was achieved in 17 (27.9%) of 61 patients with NA and in 54 (45.0%) of 120 patients without NA, respectively (chi2=4.979). For NA positive patients, the complete-response rate was significantly lower in those who had not achieved partial-response prior to or at the same time as NA occurred than in those who did (3.8%, 1/26, vs. 45.7%, 16/35, chi2 = 7.457). Moreover, it was lower in patients who either had 20pg/ml of serum HBV DNA or above or HBV DNA had being reduced by less than 60% recent 3 months, but higher in those who had less than 20pg/ml of HBV DNA and HBV DNA had being reduced by 60% or above (20.0%, 9/45, vs. 56.3%, 9/16, chi2 = 11.009).

CONCLUSIONNA may negate the antiviral effects of rIFN-alpha in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with rIFN-alpha, especially if they appear before partial-response or at the occasion at which serum HBV DNA level was not below 20pg/ml or HBV DNA had being reduced by less than 60% recent 3 months.

Antibodies ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of three lamivudine-resistant HBV mutants in lamivudine-treated Chinese patients.

METHODSUsing three pairs of of HBV polymerase gene B and C domain fragments were amplified by PCR. The PCR products were then digested by restriction enzyme Nde I and Nla III. The digested products were analyzed by electrophoresis. With this method, the prevalence of the three lamivudine-resistant mutants in lamivudine-treated Chinese patients was investigated.

RESULTSAfter Nde I digestion of p24 and p29 amplified product, HBV wild type could be easily separated from YMDD mutant. At the same time, YIDD could be separated from YVDD mutant after Nla III digestion of p24 and p29 amplified product. By this method, the authors found that these eleven patients were infected with lamivudine-resistant mutants. Six of them were infected with M5501 mutant; five were infected with M550V mutant (one of them had both M550V and L526M mutations).

CONCLUSIONThe method of the present study was demonstrated to be an easy way to detect HBV lamivudine-resistant mutants and can be applied to clinical monitoring of lamivudine resistance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; genetics ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in clinical efficacy on lumber disc herniation (LDH) treated with Yaoyangguan (GV 3) between mild moxibustion under thermosensitive condition and that under non-thermo-sensitive condition.

METHODSFifty-seven LDH patients were selected as the study objects. Mild moxibustion at Yaoyangguan (GV 3) was applied for 45 min each time. Additionally, the conventional acupuncture was given, once a day, for 20 days. At the end of treatment, two groups were classified. A thermosensitive acupoint group (thermosensitive group) was composed of the cases with thermo-sensitization at Yaoyangguan (GV 3) and presenting for > or =4 times in the entire treatment. A non-thermosensitive acupoint group (tranquilization group) was composed of the cases without thermo-sensitization or the frequency of thermo-sensitization <4 times in the entire treatment. The modified Japanese orthopedics association scoring system (M-JOA) was adopted to observe the cases before and after treatment and 6 months after treatment in the two groups. The efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment and in 6 months after treatment, the score of M-JOA was apparently reduced as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). The score reducing in the thermosensitization group was more obvious than that in the tranquilization group (both P<0.01). After treatment and in 6 months after treatment, the curative rate and remarkably effective rate were 89.7% (26/29) and 79.3% (23/29), which was better than 71.4% (20/28) and 60.7% (17/28, both P<0.05) in the tranquilization group separately.

CONCLUSIONMild moxibustion at acupoint under thermosensitive condition achieves the better short-term and long-term effects as compared with that under non-thermosensitive condition.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo optimize the acupuncture treatment programs for facial paralysis.

METHODSSixty-three patients of facial paralysis were randomly divided and treated according to the table of L9 (3)4 in orthogonal test. They were treated with different combined programs of 4 factors and 3 levels, including factor A (acupuncture op portunity), B (acupoints prescription), C (quantity of stimulus) and D (time of electroacupuncture). The change of facial nerve function score was observed to choose the best acupuncture treatment program for facial paralysis from factor A (acupuncture opportunity), B (acupoints prescription), C (quantity of stimulus), D (time of electroacupuncture) and their 3 levels in each factor.

RESULTSB (acupoints prescription) and D (time of electroacupuncture) were significant factors (P < 0.05), and B (acupoints prescription) was the most important influential factor. B3 (alternative use of two groups of acupoints) was the best one among the 3 levels of B (acupoints prescription), and D3 (electroacupuncture in disperse-dense wave for 30 min) was the best one of D (time of electroacupuncture).

CONCLUSIONTwo groups of acupoints alternatively used with electroacupuncture in disperse-dense wave for 30 min is the best treatment program for facial paralysis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Facial Paralysis ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult