OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Qingre Huoxue decoction, (QRHX) on radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with X-ray imaging.

METHODSFrom July 2007 to March 2009, 86 patients with active RA who were diagnosed as damp-heat and blood stasis syndrome were randomly divided into QRHX group and QRHX plus methotrexate (MTX) group, 43 cases in each group. Patients in the QRHX group were treated with QRHX decoction [composed of Huangbai, Chishao, Bixie, Danshen, Ezhu, Qingfengteng, raw Huangqi, Jinyinhua, Tufuling, Wugong, Fengfang, raw Yiyiren, which was cooked with water as 400 ml liquid); while patients in the other group were treated with QRHX decoction plus MTX. After one-year observation, 21 patients in each group (42 in total) were evaluated,with 19 females in QRHX group, average age of (43.0 +/- 11.3) years, and the course of the disease was 2 (1,3) years; and 18 females in QRHX+MTX group, average age of (44.5 +/- 14.0) years, and the course of the disease was 3 (1.7, 5) years. Radiographs of hands were obtained at baseline and 12 months after treatment. Images were evaluated by investigators blinded to chronology and clinical data, and assessed according to Sharp/van der Heijde methods.

RESULTSHigh intrareader agreements were reached (mean intraobserver intraclass coefficients: 0.95). No significant change in any imaging parameters of joint destruction was observed at 12 months after treatment in both groups; and there were no statistical differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The severity of progress in two groups was also similar (P = 0.46), 7 patients without radiographic progress in QRHX group and 8 patients in QRHX+MTX group,3 patients with obvious radiographic progress in QRHX group and 1 patient in QRHX+MTX group.

CONCLUSIONRadiographic progress of RA patients in two groups is similar, indicating QRHX decoction has a potential role in preventing bone destruction.

Adult ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Radiography

OBJECTIVETo study the metabolism of berberine and palmatine in prescription compatibility of Wuji Wan in human intestinal flora.

METHODThe L9 (3(4)) orthogonal design was adopted to compare prescription compatibility of nine groups of Wuji Wan composed of Coptis chinensis, Evodiae and fried Radix paeoniae alba into and single ingredient of C. chinensis. They were cultivated with fresh human excrements under anaerobic conditions for 24 h. A HPLC-UV method was adopted for determining berberine and palmatine in bacteria culture medium, in order to compare the metabolism of the two components in different prescription compatibility.

RESULTMetabolism of berberine was positively correlated with doses, whereas metabolism of palmatine was negatively correlated with doses in extracts from C. chinensis. Compound compatibility speeded up the metabolism of berberine in low dose, which was positively related to the doses of Evodiae and fried Paeoniae Alba Radix; meanwhile Compound compatibility slowed down the metabolism of berberine in high dose, which was negatively related to the dose of Evodiae. Compound compatibility speeded up the metabolism of palmatine in high dose, which was negatively related to the doses of Evodiae and fried Paeoniae Alba Radix.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolism of the compatibility of Wuji Wan speeds up, when Coptis chinensis components metabolite rapidly in intestinal flora; while the metabolism of the compatibility of Wuji Wan slows down, when C. chinensis components metabolite slowly in intestinal flora. Therefore, they show a balanced effect. Additionally, different proportion of C. chinensis, Evodiae and fried Paeoniae Alba Radix cause difference in metabolism speed of berberine and palmatine to some extent.

Anaerobiosis ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Berberine ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Berberine Alkaloids ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Feces ; microbiology ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes of methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), total antioxidants content (TAC) and sialic acid (SA) from the unilateral epididymis of experimental varicocele in adolescent rats, and to illuminate the effects of varicocele on unilateral epididymis epithelium.

METHODSExperimental left varicocele model of 16 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were established by partial ligation of left renal vein. The epididymis were collected for detecting the content of MDA, TAC and SA by using spectrophotometry.

RESULTSThere was statistically significant differences in the contents of three substances between experimental varicocele and sham-operated groups.

CONCLUSIONThe content of MDA, TAC and SA will change and the sialic acid-secreting-function of unilateral epididymis will be injured because of varicocele.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Epididymis ; metabolism ; Male ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; metabolism ; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Varicocele ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the relationships of experimental varicocele to the apoptosis of epididymis epithelium and changes of the contents of alpha-1,4-glucosidase and sialic acid from the unilateral epididymis in adolescent rats, and to investigate the effects of varicocele on the unilateral epididymis epithelium.

METHODSExperimental left varicocele models of 16 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were obtained by partial ligation of the left renal vein. The epididymides were collected for detecting the apoptosis of epididymis epithelium and the contents of alpha-1,4-glucosidase and sialic acid by using spectrophotometry.

RESULTSSeven days after the establishment of the left varicocele model, the index of the apoptosis of the left epididymis epithelium was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and the contents of alpha-1,4-glucosidase and sialic acid significantly lower (P < 0.05, P < 0.005) in the experimental group than in the control.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that unilateral varicocele may increase the apoptosis of epididymis epithelium and the contents of alpha-1,4-glucosidase and sialic acid and subsequently affect the synthesizing and secretory function of the epididymis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Epididymis ; pathology ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Male ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Varicocele ; metabolism ; pathology ; alpha-Glucosidases ; metabolism

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of death cases of echinococcosis in China from 2008 to 2016,so as to provide an important reference for the prevention and control of echinococcosis.Methods The death in-formation registration and management system data were selected to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the death cas-es of echinococcosis.The data were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 and the map was drawn by ArcGIS 10.1 software.Results From 2008 to 2016,a total of 367 death cases of echinococcosis were reported in China,and the number of deaths in turn was 33,30,21,32,35,54,55,and 81 in each year,with an annual average crude mortality of 129.29/105.The average age of death was(56 ± 18)years;the sex ratio of male to female was 100:94.There was no statistical difference between the male and fe-male death cases(Χ2=0.33,P>0.05).The death cases of echinococcosis were mainly distributed in endemic areas of Qinghai,Sichuan,Ningxia,Xinjiang,Gansu,Inner Mongolia,Yunnan and non-endemic areas of Heilongjiang,Jiangsu,Henan and Shandong.The death cases in the first eleven provinces accounted for 87.5％(321/367)of the total death cases,among which the highest proportions of the nationality,occupation,educational level,highest diagnostic units,and the place of death were Han(52.0％,191/367),farmer(46.6％,171/367),junior high school or below(57.2％,210/367),provincial or three-level hospitals(46.6％,171/367),and at home(59.9％,220/367).Conclusions Since 2014,the death cases of echinococcosis in China have been increasing year by year,indicating that the prevention and treatment of echinococcosis is still very serious.The causes for the rise of the fatality rate remain to be further studied.

The study was aimed to investigate the effect of anti-mouse CD122 antibody on the hematopoietic repopulating capacity of cord blood CD34⁺ cells in a humanized murine model-non obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. After sublethal irradiation with γ-ray, NOD/SCID mice were intraperitoneally injected with 200 µg mouse isotype control antibody or anti-mouse CD122 antibody. Human cord blood CD34⁺ cells or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were injected via the tail vein at 6-8 hours later. Cohort of the mice injected with anti-mice CD122 antibody or control antibody alone were sacrificed at different time point (at week 2, 3, and 4 weeks) after the injection, and the percentage of NK cells in the peripheral blood was analyzed by flow cytometry. To evaluate the effect of anti-mouse CD122 antibody on the repopulating capacity of cord blood CD34⁺ cells in the recipient mice, phenotype analysis was performed in the bone marrow at 6 and 8 weeks after the transplantation. The results showed that the proportion of NK cells in the peripheral blood were (4.6 ± 0.6)% and (5.7 ± 1.7)% at week 2 and 3 after anti-CD122 antibody injection respectively,which decreased by 60%, compared with the mice injected with isotype control antibody. After 6 and 8 weeks of cord blood CD34⁺ cell transplantation,the percentage of human CD45⁺ in the bone marrow of the recipient mice treated with anti-mice CD122 antibody was (63.0 ± 12.2)% and (53.2 ± 16.3)%,respectively,which were dramatically higher than that in the mice treated with isotype control antibody (7.7 ± 3.6)% and (6.1 ± 2.4)%. Moreover,at 8 weeks after transplantation,human CD34⁺ cells appeared significantly in the recipients treated with anti-CD122 antibody. It is concluded that the anti-mouse CD122 antibody enhances the hematopoietic repopulating capacity of cord blood CD34⁺ cells in the NOD/SCID mice through decreasing the proportion of NK cells.
Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antigens, CD34 ; Bone Marrow ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Fetal Blood ; immunology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic System ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor beta Subunit ; immunology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID ; Transplantation, Heterologous