Objective To observe the recent clinical efficacy of the sequential therapy hormone in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis.Methods In accordance with the principle of digital sheet,160 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group,80 cases in each group.On the basis of methotrexate and leflunomide in both groups,the hormone sequential therapy was given in the observation group,but prednisone was given in the control group.The clinical efficacy of treatment after 1 week and 3 months were compared in two groups.Results In the observation group,the indicators in 7 d after treatment were significantly reduced,compared with untreated(t =19.90,7.63,14.73,7.58,6.84,14.09,all P ＜0.01),In the control group,three indicators of the duration of morning stiffness,joint tenderness index and joint swelling index in 7d after treatment were significantly reduced,compared with untreated (t =13.42,3.34,7.24,all P ＜ 0.01),Compared the indicators in the two groups in 7 d after treatment,there were statistically significant differences (t =13.07,4.92,10.51,5.23,5.74,15.03,all P ＜ 0.01).The indicators in the 3 months after treatment in both groups were signifi cantly decreased,buttherewasnosignificantdifferencebetweenthetwogroups (t =1.80,1.73,1.59,1.22,1.21,1.35,all P ＞ 0.05).The total effective rate was 80% in the observation group; but the rate was 75 % in the control group;there was no statistically significant difference in the two groups(x2 =0.57,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The sequential hormone therapy is an effective means for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis,by controlled the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis effectively and alleviated the patient's condition.

This paper briefly analyzed and discussed the current status and major scientific challenges of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulaology research. To promote formulaology research, a new strategy and corresponding technology, network formulaology, were proposed to reveal the complex interaction between functional chemome and biological responses network. The research framework and directions of network formulaology were also summarized and prospected.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Internet ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards

Objective To investigate the epidemiology of bacterial infections after liver transplantation and anaIyze the antimi- crobial susceptibility of major pathogens to provide reference for clinical therapy.Methods A retrospective survey was conduc ted in 174 patients who underwent liver transplantation during 2001 and 2004.Identification and susceptibility of pathogens were assayed by Microscan Walkaway 40 Automatic System.Results Infection was identified in 59.8% of the 174 patients after liver transplantation.A total of 218 non-duplicate strains were isolated.Most infections were caused by single pathogen.The infection was frequently identified in respiratory tract,biliary tract,blood stream or intra-abdominal cavity.The top 5 patho- gens were Acinetobacter baumannii,Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Escherichia coli.Gram-negative bacilli were usually resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents,but less resistant to piperacillin- tazobactam or imipenem.Most of S.aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant,which were susceptible to vancomyein.Conclu- sions Pathogens of postoperative infections in liver transplantation recipients are mostly multi-drug resistant.The microbiologi- cal surveillance is important for guiding clinical therapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) on infantile malnutrition.

METHODSMulticentral, randomized, controlled and single blind test was adopted. 222 infants of malnutrition were divided into an acupuncture group (n=110) and a medicine group (n=112). The acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral Sifeng (EX-UE 10), once each week, for 4 times; and the medicine group were treated with oral administration of Yiqi Jianpi Oral Liquid, twice each day, one ample each time, for 4 weeks. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by improvement of symptoms and signs in the syndrome cumulative score scale, and changes of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), pre-albumin (PA), hemoglobin and red-cell count.

RESULTSTwo hundred and twenty-two cases were enrolled in the 4 centers and 212 cases completed the test. The acupuncture group in improvement of appetite, body weight, subcutaneous fat thickness of the abdomen, etc. were superior to the medicine group (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in improvement of the body height. There was no significant increase of serum IGF-I level in the two groups, and the acupuncture group in increase of PA was superior to the medicine group (P < 0.05). After treatment, hemoglobin and red-cell count increased significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.01), and hemoglobin increased significantly in the medicine group.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) has obvious therapeutic effect on infantile malnutrition.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Appetite ; Humans ; Infant Nutrition Disorders ; Single-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome

A chiral LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous analysis of desvenlafaxine (DVS) enantiomers in human plasma was developed and applied to a pharmacokinetic study on 12 Chinese healthy volunteers. d6-Desvenlafaxine was used as internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed on the Astec Chirobiotic V chiral column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm). The assay was linear over the concentration range of 0.500-150 ng x mL(-1) for both enantiomers (r2 > 0.99). The method was successfully applied to a stereoselective pharmacokinetic study of 100 mg desvenlafaxine sustained release tablets on 12 Chinese healthy volunteers under fasting conditions. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic parameters were similar to both enantiomers in Chinese healthy volunteers. The AUC(0-t), and C(max) of the two enantiomers were about 1.5 times higher than those of blacks and whites reported in the literature.
Administration, Oral ; Area Under Curve ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Cyclohexanols ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Desvenlafaxine Succinate ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma ; chemistry ; Stereoisomerism ; Tablets ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Background Fundus photography is a traditional method for detecting local retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects,but the evaluation of its result depends on the observer's experience.The spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) exhibit the defects of RNFL very clearly.Objective This study was to evaluate the diagnosis value and correlation between topographic profiles of localized RNFL defects determined by spectral domain and time domain OCT with fundus photography.Methods Forty-one normal eyes of 41 subjects and 55 eyes of 55 glaucomatous patients with localized,wedge-shaped RNFL defects identified by two glaucoma specialists in fundus photographs were enrolled in the clinical study.The angular location and width of RNFL defects determined on the images of fundus photography,Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT were analyzed respectively using Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis.This study followed the Helsinki declaration and was approved by Ethic Committee of Shenzhen Eye Hospital.Written informed consent was obtained from each individual before the clinical examination.Results Seventy-five RNFL defects were identified in 55 eyes by two glaucoma specialists unanimously with the defect position at superior-temporal and inferior-temporal quadrants.The sensitivity of Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT to determining RNFL defects were 88.0% and 69.3% respectively and their specificities were 92.7% and 97.6% respectively.The angular locations of RNFL defects by Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT were highly correlated with those by fundus photography(r=0.993,r=0.992,P＜0.001);while the angular widths of RNFL defects by Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT were moderately correlated with those by fundus photography(r=0.420,r=0.432,P=0.019,P=0.002).No significant differences were found in the defect width of RNFL between Cirrus HD-OCT or Stratus OCT and fundus photography(Cirrus HD-OCT:P=0.114;Stratus OCT:P=0.074),and significant difference was found in that between Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT(P=0.002).Conclusion Spectral domain OCT and time domain OCT can localize RNFL defects with high sensitivity and specificity.The measure value of Cirrus HD-OCT and Stratus OCT for RNFL defects shows a good diagnostic agreement with fundus photography.

Background Glaucoma is primarily characterized by the damage of retinal ganglion cells.The macular ganglion cell complex (GCC)thickness can be quantitatively measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT). Objective This clinical study was to explore the macular GCC thickness change in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patient with SD-OCT. Methods A serial case-controlled study was designed.A total 101 eyes of 101 POAG patients and 41 normal eyes of 41 age- and refract power-matched normal subjects were cnrolled in the study.POAG patients were assigned to normal perimetry POAG group,early stage POAG group,advanced POAG group and late stage POAG group.Average macular GCC thickness(GCC-Avg),superior GCC thickness(GCC-Sup) and inferior GCC thickness (GCC-Inf)of subjects were measured by SD-OCT and compared among POAG patients and normal controls.Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness was measured with time domain OCT(TD-OCT).The correlation between GCC thickness with RNFL thickness or mean deviation(MD) of perimetry were evaluated and analyzed.Informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to entering this study.Results GCC-Avg thickness,GCC-Sup thickness and GCC-Inf thickness were significantly decreased in the normalperimetry POAG group and early stage POAG group compared with the normal control group (GCC-Avg:t =5.411,10.247,P ＜ 0.01 ; GCC-Sup:t =6.171,9.484,P＜ 0.01 ; GCC-Inf:t =5.281,8.592,P ＜ 0.01 ).Also,GCC-Avg thickness,GCC-Sup thickness and GCC-Inf thickness were significantly decreased in the advanced POAG group compared with the early stage POAG group ( GCC-Avg:t =4.246,P＜0.01 ; GCC-Sup:t - 2.419,P - 0.019 ; GCC-Inf:t =4.636,P＜0.01 ),and GCC-Avg thickness,GCC-Sup thickness and GCC-Inf thickness were significantly decreased in the late stage POAG group compared with the advanced POAG group (GCC-Avg:t=2.095,P=0.040;GCC-Sup:t=2.756,P＜0.01:GCC-Inf:t =2.018,P =0.040 ).The positive correlations were seen between GCC-Avg thickness,GCC-Sup thickness,GCC-Inf thickness and RNFL-Avg thickness,RNFL-Sup thickness,RNFL-Inf thickness respectively( r =0.802,0.825,0.856,P ＜ 0.01 ).MD value of perimetry was positive correlated with GCC-Avg thickness in POAG patients ( r =0.601,P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions SD-OCT can quantitatively measure and differentiate the GCC thickness in POAG patients.The GCC thickness gradually decreases with the development of POAG.There exist a well correlation between visual field defect and RNFL thinning.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of salidroside on hypoxia-induced apoptosis of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) in rats.

METHODSRat CCSMCs were cultured in vitro by the enzyme digestion method and identified by immunofluorescent staining of anti-alpha-SMA and anti-Desmin. The non-toxic dose of salidroside was determined by MTT assay. Low-oxygen mixed gas (1% O2, 5% CO2, and 94% N2) was piped into a modular incubator chamber to induce hypoxia. The CCSMCs were divided into a normal, a hypoxia, and a 32 microg/mL salidroside intervention group. The apoptosis of the CCSMCs was detected by flow cytometry and the expression of the caspase-3 protein determined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe majority of the CCSMCs were positive for alpha-SMA and Desmin at immunofluorescent staining. Salidroside at < 32 microg/ml produced no obvious toxicity to CCSMCs. Compared with the normal control group, the rates of early and late apoptosis of CCSMCs were both increased significantly in the hypoxia group ([12.77 +/-1.41]% vs [18.69 +/- 1.29]%, P < 0.01 and [14.63 +/- 2.00]% vs [21.03 +/- 1.530]% , P < 0.05). Western blot showed a markedly increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01). Intervention with 32 microg/ml salidroside significantly reduced hypoxia-induced early apoptosis of CCSMCs ([13.46% +/- 1.87]%, P < 0.01) and decreased the expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSalidroside can reduce the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of CCSMCs in rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Penis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Phenols ; pharmacology ; Rats

BACKGROUND:Human umbilical cord blood (CB)-derived CD133+ cells are a minority population of primitive cells with extensive proliferation and differentiation potentials,which are considered to have ability of neural differentiation.OBJECTIVE:We hypothesized a possible application of CB CD133+ cells in the cognitive and survival function of mice with dementia,the present study observed the changes of the cognitive function and survival of amyloid precursor protein(APP)transgenic mice after CB CD 133+ cells transplantation to verify the above assumption.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A completely randomized block design of animal experiments was performed in the Hematology Institute of Tianjin Hematology Hospital from September 2005 to December 2007.MATERIALS:Forty-eight eight-month-old male APP 695 transgenic C57BL/6 (BDF1/KM) mice were selected in this experiments All mice were divided randomly into three groups:control group (n=8),CD133+ transplantation group (n=20) and CD133 transplantation group (n=20).METHODS:Mice in control groups received an intraventricular injection of 10 μL phosphate buffered saline (PBS).The transgenic mice that received an intraventricular injection of 10 μL CD133+ (5×104/μL) and CD133 CB cells (5×104/μL) respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Radial ann water maze (RAWM) was used to evaluate cognitive function of the mice and the survival days of mice in different groups were recorded,lmmunohistochemical assessments and Dil Fluorescence labeled way was used to detect the differentiation phenotype of transplanted cells.RESULTS:The cognitive function of the mice in CD133+ transplantation group was significantly improved compared with the mice in CD 133- transplantation and control groups both 30 and 180 days after transplantation (P＜0.05).The mean survival time of the mice in CD133+ transplantation group was significantly increased compared with CD133 transplantin group and control group (P＜0.05).It was observed that the transplantation CB CD133+ cells labeled with Dil migrated into several brain regions at day 30 post-transplantation.These cells were stained for human βⅢ-tubulin,neuralfilement(NF),neuron specific enolase (NSE),and glial fibriliary acidic protein(GFAP).However,in the brain of mice that received CD133 cells transplantation,CB cells were distributed mainly in and around the lateral ventricle at day 30 and 180 post-transplantation and GFAP-,βⅢ-tubulin- and NSE-positive cells were rarely detected.After intraventricular transplantation of CB CD133+ cells,the percentage of transplanted Dil-labeled CB cells expressing βⅢ-tubulin was significant higher at day 30 than at day 180,and the percentage of CB cells expressing NSE was significant lower at day 30 than that at day 180 (both P＜0.01).The percentage of CB cells expressing GFAP was relatively constant between the days 30 and 180 after transplantation (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION:The result of this experiment suggested that the cognitive and survival function improvement achieved by transplantation of CB CD133+ cells is mainly due to a replacement of dysfunctional cells or augmentation of neural circuit by CB CD133+ cells transplantation.

BACKGROUND: At present, hemopoietic stem cells have been proved to differentiate into nerves in rodents animals. As for the human, this topic is in debate.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the neural differentiation potential of human umbilical cord blood-derived AC133+ cells. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Control experiments by grouping were performed in the Hematology Institute of Tianjin Hematology Hospital and Central Laboratory of Neurosurgery in Yuquan Hospital of Tsinghua University from August 2005 to December 2007.MATERIALS: Human umbilical cord blood was sampled from full-term newborn infant. Fetal brain-derived trophic support cells were harvested from aborted fetus of 22 weeks old.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After the induction, human cord blood cells were collected at weeks 1, 2 and 4. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of nestin, bone morphogenetic protein-2 and neural cell adhesion molecule. Immunocytochemistry method was applied to detect the cytotype-specific antigen. RESULTS: In the culture medium containing epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, human cord blood AC133+ cells could express nestin and bone morphogenetic protein-2, which were down-regulated even closed up in suboptimal condition. In the DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and nestin continued in optimal condition at 2 weeks. Moreover neural cell adhesion molecule, another gene of neural cells, also expressed in this condition. AC133+ cells co-cultured with fetal brain-derived trophic support cells exhibited similar expressions. In the optimal non-cell-cell contact co-culture system, glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells were found by immuocytochemistry, while neuronal marker β-tubulin Ⅲwas expressed in the cell-cell direct contact system. These outcomes indicated that human cord blood isolated AC133+ cells may have an effect through gene rearrangement on inducing stem cells to express nerve cell development factors.CONCLUSION: The human umbilical cord blood-derived AC133+ cells contain some multipotential stem cells with differentiation potential, neural differentiation-related antigen when exposed to a suitable microenvironment.