Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mercury Poisoning ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect and safety of plastering Chinese Compound Shenhuang Ointment (CSO) at Shenque (RN8) in promoting the rehabilitation of postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction patients of qi stagnation blood stasis syndrome (QSBSS).

METHODSA prospective, multi-centered, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial was conducted in 220 postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction patients of QSBSS. They were randomly assigned to two groups, the CSO group (110 cases) and the placebo group (110 cases). CSO was plastered at Shenque (RN8) for 5 days after operation. The time of exhaustion, defecation, the recovery of intestinal peristalsis, integrals of TCM syndrome, and serum levels of motilin (MOT)and somatostatin (SS) were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the placebo group, the condition of exhaustion and defecation, the recovery of intestinal peristalsis on the 3rd day after operation was all improved (P < 0.05). The integrals of TCM syndrome at day 2, 3, and 4 were more significantly lowered in the CSO group than in the placebo group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The total effective rate of TCM syndrome was 95.3% in the CSO group, better than that in the placebo group (91.8%, P < 0.05). Compared with the placebo group, the serum MOT level increased and the serum SS level decreased at day 5 after operation in the CSO group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe plastering of CSO at Shenque (RN8) could advance the time of exhaustion and defecation, and improve patients' clinical symptoms. And patients could tolerate well.

Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Arsenic Poisoning ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Respiratory System ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of T-614 in treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Methods Two hundred and eighty patients with active RA were randomly allocated to 3 groups:T-614 50 mg each day,25 mg each day or placebo.Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline,2,4,6,12, 18 and 24 weeks.Results The ACR response rate was significantly higher in the T-614 treatment group com- pared with the placebo group during the first 6 weeks.After 24 weeks,25 mg/d,50 mg/d dosage group and the placebo group showed 39.1%,61.3% and 24.2% in ACR20,23.9%,31.2% and 7.4% in ACR50 respectively.A time-response in ACR response after 24 weeks was observed,with clear superiority of the 25 mg/d and 50 mg/d dosage groups compared to the placebo,and 50 mg/d dosage group compared to 25 mg/d dosage group(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of chitosan on the biological activities of the fibroblasts derived from different tissues.

METHODSThe biological activities of the fibroblasts derived from different tissues were evaluated with a MTT method for fibroblast proliferation, photic and electronic microscope for morphologic and subcellular structure, 3H-proline uptake method for collagen secretion and ELISA box for the secretion of TGF-beta 1, FGF-AB, and IL-8.

RESULTSThis study showed that the chitosan inhabited the proliferation of the fibroblasts and the secretion of the TGF-beta 1, FGF-AB and collagen of the fibroblasts with a dose-depended manner in the normal skin, hypertrophic scar and keloid groups, but it stimulated the IL-8. However, there were no significant differences among the three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe chitosan could inhibit the growth, proliferation, biosynthesis and secretion of the fibroblasts, and it may be used to treat different scars.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Chitin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Chitosan ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; secretion ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Hemostatics ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; secretion ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Peptide Fragments ; secretion ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; secretion

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship among a 50-Hz MF-induced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) clustering, acid sphingomyelinase (A-SMase) and ceramide (CER), and to explore the possible mechanism of receptor clustering.

METHODSHuman amnion (FL) cells were exposed to a 50-Hz sinusoidal magnetic field at 0.4 mT for 15 min with or without imipramine, a specific inhibitor of A-SMase and ceramide pretreatment. EGF treatment served as the positive control and DMSO treatment served as the solvent control. The EGFR was labeled with polyclonal anti-EGFR antibody and the clustering of EGFR was analyzed using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. The percentage of cells with EGFR clustering was counted and compared.

RESULTSBoth EGF treatment and 50-Hz MF exposure could induce EGFR clustering. However, the effect could be eliminated by imipramine pretreatment for 4 hours. When FL cells were incubated with ceramide following the imipramine pretreatment for 30 min, EGFR clustering induced by 50-Hz MF exposure could be recovered.

CONCLUSIONEGFR clustering induced by 50-Hz MF depends on A-SMase activity, and ceramide, as the hydrolyzate from A-SMase might participate in the process of EGFR clustering.

Amnion ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Humans ; Magnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase ; metabolism ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chinese herbal medicine for supplementing Shen and strengthening the bone on distal femoral trabecular ultrastructure of male rats subjected to simulated weightlessness.

METHODSFifteen male SD rats were randomized equally into 3 groups, including a control group (group A, in which the rats were allowed free movement) and two simulated weightlessness (via tail suspension) groups (group B and C). The rats in group C were treated with the commercially available Chinese herbal preparation, and those in the other two groups received normal saline at the same dose, for a treatment course of 28 days. Observation of trabeculae was performed with scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTSIn group B, the trabeculae of the femur became thinner, fragile, discontinuous with reduced quantity as compared with those in group A. The rats in group C had greater number of the trabeculae than those in group B. Resorption surface decreased and the collagenous fiber were much more regular in group B.

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese herbal medicine may produce beneficial effect on bone microstructure of rats subjected to simulated weightlessness.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Femur ; drug effects ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Weightlessness Simulation

BACKGROUNDImaging-guided thermal ablation using different energy sources continues to gain favor as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of primary and metastatic hepatic malignant tumors. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of microwave ablation with 2450-MHz internally cooled-shaft antenna in ex vivo and in vivo porcine livers.

METHODSAll studies were animal care and ethics committee approved. Microwave ablation was performed using a noncooled or cooled-shaft antenna in 23 ex vivo (92 ablations) and eight in vivo (36 ablations) porcine livers. Diameters of the coagulation zone were observed on gross specimens. The coagulation diameters achieved in different microwave ablation parameter groups were compared. Curve estimation analysis was performed to characterize the relationship between applied power and treatment duration and coagulation diameter (including short-axis and long-axis diameter).

RESULTSCoagulation zones were elliptical and an arrowed-shaped carbonization zone around the shaft was observed in all groups. But the antenna track was also coagulated in the noncooled-shaft antenna groups. In ex vivo livers, the short-axis diameter correlated with the power output in a quadratic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.95) by fixing ablation duration to 10 minutes, and correlated with the ablation duration in a logarithmic curve fashion (R(2) = 0.98) by fixing power output to 80 W. The short-axis reached a relative plateau within 25 minutes. In in vivo livers, short-axis diameter correlated with the coagulation duration in a sigmoidal curve fashion (60 W group R(2) = 0.76, 80 W group R(2) = 0.87), with a relative plateau achieved within 10 minutes for power settings of 60 W and 80 W.

CONCLUSIONSThe internally cooled microwave antenna may be advantageous to minimize collateral damage. The short-axis diameter enlargement has a plateau by fixing power output.

Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; Liver ; surgery ; Microwaves ; Swine

BACKGROUNDA novel anti-rheumatic drug, T-614, has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect and to improve abnormal immunological findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To assess the safety and efficacy of T-614 versus placebo in patients with active RA we conducted a 24-week clinical study in 280 Chinese patients.

METHODSIn a multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study, 280 patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 95) or T-614 at 50 mg (n = 93) or 25 mg (n = 92) daily. Active disease was defined by 4 of the following 5 criteria: >or= 5 tender joints, >or= 3 swollen joints, morning stiffness lasting for >or= 60 minutes, and Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) >or= 28 mm/h, the assessment of pain at the rest by patient as moderate or severe. Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 and 24 weeks. The primary efficacy variable at week 24 was the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response rate using the intent-to-treat population.

RESULTSThe ACR response rate was significantly higher in the T-614 treatment group compared with the placebo group within 8 weeks after the initiation of treatment. After 24 weeks, the 25 mg/d and 50 mg/d dosage groups and the placebo group showed 39.13%, 61.29% and 24.21% in ACR20 and 23.91%, 31.18% and 7.37% in ACR50, respectively. A time-response in ACR response was observed, with clear superiority for the 25 mg/d and 50 mg/d dosage groups compared to placebo (P < 0.0001), and the 50 mg/d dose compared to the 25 mg/d dose (P < 0.05) when using the ACR response analyses after 24 weeks. ESR and c-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly different in the treatment groups after 24 weeks. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) was not significantly higher with T-614 than with placebo, but upper abdominal discomfort, leucopenia, elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (sALT), skin rash and/or pruritus were more common in the 50 mg and 25 mg dosage groups.

CONCLUSIONT-614, a new slow-acting drug, is effective in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and is well tolerated.

Adult ; Aged ; Antirheumatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Benzopyrans ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sulfonamides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Quality Control