Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of umbilical therapy with herbal cakes made of Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang prescription of different dosages in treating damp-heat diarrhea in young children. Methods: Seventy-two kids with diarrhea of damp-heat pattern were recruited and divided into a high-dosage group and a low-dosage group using the random number table method, with 36 cases in each group. They all received conventional antidiarrheal treatment and umbilical application with herbal cakes. However, the herbal cakes for the high-dosage group were made of the mixture of Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang powder and water, and those for the low-dosage group consisted of 10％ Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang powder and 90％ auxiliary materials (corn starch) plus water. The treatment duration was 3 d. The clinical efficacy, antidiarrheal rate, effective rate for symptoms and signs of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM symptoms score, and safety indicators were compared between the two groups. Results: After the treatment, the TCM symptoms scores dropped significantly in both groups (P<0.01) and were lower in the high-dosage group than in the low-dosage group (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy was more significant in the high-dosage group than in the low-dosage group after the treatment, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); the antidiarrheal rate was markedly higher in the high-dosage group than in the low-dosage group (P<0.05). Regarding the TCM symptoms and signs, the high-dosage group showed better results in improving the greasy and yellowish tongue coating, bowel movement frequency, watery excrement, short and dark urine, red tongue body, red anus, vomiting, bowel sounds, and abdominal bloating compared with the low-dosage group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Umbilical therapy with herbal cakes made of Ge Gen Qin Lian Tang is safe, reliable, and effective in treating damp-heat diarrhea in young children; the high-dosage herbal cakes produce more significant efficacy than the low-dosage ones and are worth further investigation.

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "concurrent treatment of the brain and heart" on angiogenesis and cortical vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rats with focal cerebral ischemia, and to explore the mechanism of EA in cerebral ischemia treatment. Methods: A total of 108 Sprague-Dawley rats, 27 rats were randomly selected as the sham-operation group, and the rest rats received the right middle cerebral artery occlusion operation for model preparation firstly, and then were divided into a model group, a traditional acupoint group, and a concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group, with 27 rats in each group. In the sham-operation group, only the carotid artery was isolated. EA at Shuigou (CV26), Quchi (LI11), Hegu (LI4), and Zusanli (ST36) in the traditional acupoint group, and EA at Fengfu (GV16), Baihui (GV20), Xinshu (BL15), and Neiguan (PC6) in the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group were performed 4 h after the operation, once a day, for 14 consecutive days. Rats in the sham-operation group and the model group were identically fixed without any treatment. Before and after treatment, the modified neurological severity score (mNSS), regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and CD34 positive expression by immunohistochemistry were measured. The positive protein expression levels of VEGF and BDNF were detected by immunofluorescence, and the mRNA expression levels of VEGF and BDNF were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: Compared with the sham-operation group, the mNSS, rCBF, and ischemic side cortical micro-vessel density (MVD) decreased, and the protein and mRNA expression levels of VEGF and BDNF increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the mNSS of the two EA groups decreased, and the mNSS of the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group was lower than that of the traditional acupoint group on the 14th day (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the rCBF in the two EA groups increased, and the rCBF reached the highest on the 14th day (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the rCBF in the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group was higher than that in the traditional acupoint group (P<0.05); the MVD of the two EA groups was higher than that of the model group, and the MVD of the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group was higher than that of the traditional acupoint group on the 7th and 14th days (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the protein and mRNA expression levels of VEGF and BDNF in the two EA groups increased (P<0.01). The VEGF expression level was the highest on the 7th day in the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group (P<0.05), and the BDNF expression level was higher on the 7th and 14th days than on the 3rd day (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of VEGF and BDNF in both EA groups reached the highest on the 7th day (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion: EA therapy can up-regulate the VEGF and BDNF expression levels and increase the rCBF in the cortex of rats with focal cerebral ischemia, which may be one mechanism of EA in the cerebral ischemia treatment. The therapeutic effect is accumulated with the effective time, and the concurrent treatment of the brain and heart group is superior to the traditional acupoint group in promoting angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND:Transfusion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells may become a novel and effective biological therapy for inflammatory bowel disease in clinical practice. Nevertheless, the oncological safety of the treatment is worrisome, and is a key to determine whether mesenchymal stem cells can be widely used in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, and deserves further investigation. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem celltransfusion against inflammatory bowel disease in mouse models, and to clarify the effects of mesenchymal stem cells on tumorigenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS:Mouse model of colitis was established using Balb/c (H-2d) mice exposed to dextran sulfate sodium. Syngeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transfused into mouse model through caudal vein. The therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells was compared and observed, and pathological remission of colitis was evaluated. Mouse model of colitis-driven colon carcinogenesis was established using Balb/c (H-2d) mice exposed to dextran sulfate sodium and azoxymethane. Tumor formation within the murine colon was compared and observed after transfusion of mesenchymal stem cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In models of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, weight loss and fecal occult blood were lessened in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellgroup compared with the phosphate buffered saline group. Histological damage score of colitis was less in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellgroup:mucosal structure of distal colon was almost intact under microscope, and there was smal area of epithelial defects and cryptal defects. Inflammatory cellinfiltration, proliferation of capil ary and smal vessels could be observed in mucosa and submucosa. Homing and colonization of mesenchymal stem cells in submucosa of inflamed colon could also be observed by in vivo tracing. In the dextran sulfate sodium/azoxymethane model of colitis-driven colon carcinogenesis, the number of intestinal tumors and tumor load were obviously less in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellgroup than in the control group. Results indicated that transfusion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can apparently improve colitis lesions of mice with inflammatory bowel disease and inhibit carcinogenesis of colitis, which may provide theoretical support for the biological safety of mesenchymal stem cells transplantation for inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease, and its potential mechanism.

METHODSMurine colitis mouse model of Crohn's disease(CD) was created by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS)-induced colitis. Seventy-five 6-8 weeks female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, TNBS group and ADMSC group. To verify the therapeutic effect of ADMSC, real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were performed to measure inflammatory cytokines levels in colon tissues. The 10-day survival statuses were recorded after the infusion of ADMSCs.

RESULTSIntraperitoneal injection of ADMSCs alleviated the clinical and histopathologic severity of intestinal inflammation, and increased survival(60% vs. 30%, P<0.05) in the TNBS-induced mouse model of CD. Compared with TNBS group, proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-12 and VEGF of ADMSC group were significantly reduced, with significant increase of IL-10 expression.

CONCLUSIONADMSCs can effectively repair the injury of colonitis through down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-12 and VEGF expression, and up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 expression, which may be a potential new alternative of cell-based therapy for CD.

Adipocytes ; Animals ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease ; Cytokines ; Disease Models, Animal ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of early surgical intervention in Crohn's disease (CD) patients with spontaneous intra-abdominal abscess.

METHODSClinical data of 94 CD patients with spontaneous intra-abdominal abscess admitted to The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between May 2008 and Dec 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis were applied to evaluate the early surgery risk of CD patients with spontaneous intra-abdominal abscess using logistic regression model.

RESULTSA total of 94 eligible patients were identified from our registry, including 70 males and 24 females. The mean age at the diagnosis of CD and at development of abscess was 28.4 years and 30.4 years old, respectively. The median duration of CD between the diagnosis and development of an abscess was 3 years. According to the Montreal classification, L3 (ileocolonic) was the most common disease location (81.9%) in these patients. Most of the patients(76.6%) developed a single abscess, while multiple abscesses were detected in 22 patients(23.4%). Forty-four patients(46.8%) underwent surgery within 60 days after hospitalization due to spontaneous intra-abdominal abscess complicating CD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that history of abdominal surgery(OR=3.23, 95%CI:1.12 to 9.31, P=0.030), concomitant intestinal stenosis (OR=3.52, 95%CI:1.26 to 9.85, P=0.017) and concomitant intestinal fistula (OR=4.31, 95%CI:1.25 to 14.80, P=0.020) were the independent risk factors of early surgical intervention, while enteral nutrition (OR=0.18, 95%CI:0.05 to 0.62, P=0.007) was the independent protective factor.

CONCLUSIONSNearly half of CD patients with spontaneous intra-abdominal abscess will undergo early surgical intervention. Patients with history of abdominal surgery, concomitant intestinal stenosis and concomitant intestinal fistula have higher risk of early surgical intervention, and appropriate application of enteral nutrition may reduce the risk.

OBJECTIVETo confirm that the severity of inflammation can promote the colitis-associated colorectal cancer(CAC) and explore the function of STAT3 signal pathway in CAC.

METHODSMutagenic agent azoxymethane(AOM) and pro-inflammatory agent dextran sodium sulfate salt (DSS) were used to develop a mouse model of CAC. By changing the concentration of DSS (0, 1% and 2% respectively), the mouse model with different extent of severity of inflammation was developed and the risk of carcinogenesis among these groups was compared. The expression of STAT3 signal pathway was detected by immunohistochemistry staining.

RESULTSIn the evaluation of inflammatory severity, disease activity index, histopathological inflammation scores and the expression of pro-inflammation chemokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12 in the higher inflammatory response group were higher than that in the lower inflammatory response group. The incidence of colorectal tumor was 100%(12/12) in the higher inflammatory response group and the incidence of colorectal tumor was 58.3%(7/12) in the lower inflammatory response group, and the difference between these two group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The multiplicity(number of tumors/colon) was 12.5±0.5 in the higher inflammatory response group and the multiplicity was 6.6±1.0 in the lower inflammatory response group, and the difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). The tumor load(sum of tumor diameters per mouse) in the higher inflammatory response group was 44.2±2.4 mm and that in the lower inflammatory response group was only 18.7±2.7 mm, and the difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P<0.0001). Moreover, the expression of p-STAT3 (Tyr705) was higher in colitis tissue of the higher inflammatory response group than that of the lower inflammatory response group.

CONCLUSIONSInflammation can promote the colitis-associated CAC. And the activation of STAT3 signal pathway may promote the development of CAC.

Animals ; Azoxymethane ; Colitis ; complications ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; etiology ; pathology ; Dextran Sulfate ; Disease Models, Animal ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Objective To estimate the treatment effect of a tumor necrosis factor ? alpha antagonist (etanercept) on Stevens?Johnson syndrome induced by drugs. Methods After exclusion of tuberculosis, hepatitis, severe infections and tumors, 17 patients with drug?induced Stevens?Johnson syndrome were treated with subcutaneous injections of 25 mg(initial dose, 50 mg)etanercept once every 3 days for 6 times. Meanwhile, supportive therapies and compound glycyrrhizin injections were given to counteract inflammation and protect the liver. Results All of the patients were cured. Body temperature in 15 febrile patients gradually decreased within 24- 48 hours after the first injection of etanercept, and returned to normal in 72 hours. The number of vesicles stopped increasing, and lesion color turned from bright red to dull red within 24 hours. Skin condition was evidently controlled within 72 hours, and skin appearance almost returned to normal after 2 weeks of treatment, and was completely restored after 4- 5 weeks. The recovery of mucous membrane was slower than that of skin. Serum aminotransferase levels gradually declined after the first dose of etanercept and almost returned to normal in 2-4 weeks in 14 patients. Serum levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine began to decrease after 1- 2 weeks of treatment. The serum level of tumor necrosis factor?alpha nearly dropped into or was maintained in the normal range within 3 weeks after the start of treatment. Conclusion Early usage of tumor necrosis factor?alpha antagonists at an adequate dose is beneficial to the rapid control of Stevens?Johnson syndrome.

Objective To access the clinical effect of medical radiation protective ointment compared with trolamine cream to prevent acute radiation-induced skin injury in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy after modified radical mastectomy. Methods Between February 2017 and February 2018,a total of 120 stage T1-4 N1-3 M0 eligible patients received intensity modulated radiation therapy were enrolled and matches into two groups:study group (60 cases) was administered medical radiation protective ointment from the first irradiation fraction,and control group (60 cases) received trolamine cream. When 3 grade reaction was observed,patients in control group start to administer medical radiation protective ointment until a month after radiation. Results The occurrence rate of acute breast dermal radiation reaction was 100％.Most patients in study group only underwent 1 grade radiation reaction (82％),while 2 and 3 grade radiation reaction (47％ and 13％) in control group were common ( P= 0. 000). Both pruritic degree and pain degree were higher in control group compared with study group (both P= 0. 000).In study group,the occurrence of 2 grade acute radiation-induced skin injury was obviously later than in control group with significant difference (P= 0. 000).Patients observed with 3 grade reaction relieved to certain reaction after administering medical radiation protective ointment. Conclusions Medical radiation protective ointment can effectively both alleviate and delay acute radiation-induced skin injury compared with trolamine cream. It also has therapeutic effect on 3 grade radiation reaction.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor Ⅱ-IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR: Fc, etanercept) for the treatment of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by trichloroethylene (OMLDT) . Methods: In September 2011 to February 2016, 12 patients with OMLDT were treated with etanercept 25 mg, subcutaneous injection, twice per week, doubling of first dose. The course of treatment was 6 weeks. The drug eruption area and severity index (DASI) score, the proportion of patients achieving a 50%, 75% and 90% reduction in DASI (DASI50, DASI75, DASI90) and the serum level of TNF-α were used to assess the efficacy at different times. Adverse reactions were also recorded and evaluated. The results were statistically analyzed by nonparametric Friedman test and repetitive measurement ANOVA using the software SPSS19.0. Results: After 4 weeks treatment, the DASI score decreased form 56.33±7.02 to 0.50±0.91 (P<0.01) . The DASI50, DASI75 and DASI90 were all increased to 12 (100%) . The serum level of TNF-α decreased form (43.74±41.62) pg/ml to (3.03±0.47) pg/ml (P<0.01) . Statistically significant difference was observed from the above indexes. There were no adverse reactions in clinical application. Conclusion Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor Ⅱ-IgG Fc fusion protein may be a safe and effective drug in the treatment of OMLDT.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of imatinib in induction therapy for newly diagnosed adult patients with Philadephia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph⁺ALL), as well as the status of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the treatment of adult Ph⁺ ALL in imatinib era.

METHODSRetrospectively analyzed 97 newly diagnosed adult Ph⁺ ALL patients from 2005 to 2013. According to whether administrated imatinib in the induction therapy and the administrating duration (≥3 d) , they were divided into imatinib (n=37) and non-imatinib group (n=60), and the former group was further divided into early-use (n=26) and late-use imatinib groups (n=11) (bounded by the fourteenth day of induction chemotherapy). We compared the overall response rate (ORR) and the negative rate of BCR-ABL fusion gene in patients who achieved complete remission (CR) or CR with incomplete recovery of blood cells (CRi) among the three groups at the end of the first induction therapy. There were 44 cases underwent allo-HSCT (transplant group) and 33 cases only adopted imatinib-based chemotherapy (non-transplant group) in 77 patients who administrated imatinib as a maintenance therapy, we further compared the incidences of overall survival (OS) , disease-free survival (DFS), relapse and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) between the two groups; and dynamically monitor polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negativity of patients who were in CR1 state before transplant (n=34) at the following timepoints of achieving CR or CRi, the first consolidation therapy, beginning the pretreatment of transplant and attaining hematopoietic reconstruction after transplant.

RESULTSAfter the first induction therapy, the ORR of imatinib group was significantly higher than of non-imatinib group (97.3%, 72.9% respectively, P=0.002), but early-use and late-use imatinib groups had no statistical significance in ORR (100% , 90.9% respectively, P=0.297); the rate of negativity of imatinib and non- imatinib groups were 20.0% and 0 respectively (P=0.041) in patients who achieved CR or CRi. The negative rate of patients in CR1 state before transplant attained 20.8%, 42.3%, 51.8%, 76.8%, respectively at the previously described 4 timepoints. And the differences between the fourth and the third, the third and the first timepiont all reached statistical significance (P=0.044, 0.022, respectively). The 5-year OS of transplant and non- transplant groups showed statistical difference (47.0%, 28.0% respectively, P=0.016), also for 5-year DFS (P=0.001) and the cumulative rate of relapse (P=0.000) of the former surpassing the latter; the cumulative rate of NRM between these two groups had no statistical significance (P=0.370).

CONCLUSIONConventional induction chemotherapy in combination with imatinib in the first induction therapy of adult Ph⁺ ALL, not only improved the rate of hematologic remission, also the rate of molecular response. Imatinib used as a consolidation and maintenance therapy after remission, and allo-HSCT scheduled as soon as possible improved the prognosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Benzamides ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Piperazines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; therapy ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Pyrimidines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult