The effects of Guizhi Fuling capsule and its active ingredient combination within different concentration on SPL proliferate were observed by MTT method. The ratio of CD80/86, CD3CD25 and CD3CD69 was used to evaluate cell activation effects of Guizhi Fuling capsule and its active ingredient combination by FCM. Guizhi Fuling capsule with concentration of 400 mg · L(-1)can promote spleen lymphocyte proliferation, as well as the active ingredient combination, which showed the obvious dose-effect relationship. Compared with control group, the difference has statistical significance (P≤0.01). The result of FCM showed that Guizhi Fuling capsule and its active ingredient combination can promote CD80 and CD86 expression on spleen lymphocyte, and also can increase CD25 and CD69 ratio between spleen CD3+ cells. Compared with control group, the difference has statistical significance (P≤0.01). Thus, Guizhi Fuling capsule and its active ingredient combination may have immune-modulate effects, and the mechanism may have a close relationship with the lymphocyte activation.
Animals ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Immunologic Factors ; pharmacology ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; immunology

Objective To investigate the levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy),serum folic acid and serum vitamin B12 in patients with H-type hypertension to provide some reference for intervening the white matter lesions. Methods One hundred and ten patients with hypertension (78 with H-type hypertension and 32 with hypertension),admitted to our hospital from April 2010 to March 2011,and other 50 healthy controls were chosen in our study; plasma Hcy level and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were measured by using radioimmunoassay among control group,hypertension group and H-type hypertension group.White matter lesion changes of all patients were evaluated by MRI. Results The plasma Hcy level and serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels in H-type hypertension group were significantly higher than those in control group and hypertension group (P＜0.05); the degree of white matter lesions was significantly different between each 2 groups (P＜0.05): the patients of H-type hypertension group had the most obvious white matter lesions, following by hypertension group and control group. Conclusion The patients with H-type hypertension have decreased folic acid and vitamin B12 levels and severe white matter lesion changes, which might be correlated with hyperhomocysteinemia.

OBJECTIVETo make an inquiry into method of typing of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

METHODAverage monthly rates were calculated on the basis of data from 1995 to 1999, then cluster analysis was carried out to type out endemic areas.

RESULTSCompared with the results of 36 surveillance spots from 1980 to 1992, twenty-four surveillance spots had the same results (66.7%). Twenty-three surveillance spots had the same results with the original data in 1999 (82.1%).

CONCLUSIONHFRS incidences increased in spring or in summer, but decreased in autumn or in winter. Cluster analysis seemed to be a supplementary method in distinguishing the epidemic types for HFRS.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Disease Reservoirs ; Hantaan virus ; isolation & purification ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Population Density ; Seasons ; Sentinel Surveillance

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features of thyroid disease occurring in response to antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

METHODSEighty-two patients diagnosed with CHC were recruited for study from our hospital between 2009 and 2010. All patients were given a 48-week course of antiviral combination therapy with pegylated-interferon (Peg-IFN; 180 mug qw ih) and ribavirin (RBV; 15 mg/kg bw). Patient sera was collected prior to treatment (baseline), at treatment weeks 24 and 48, and post-treatment week 24, and used to detect changes in levels of thyroid function markers, thyroid-specific and other autoantibodies, complement factors, and immunoglobulins (Igs). Differential expression of biomarkers was assessed between patients who developed thyroid disorder and those who did not.

RESULTSAt treatment week 48, 13.4% (11/82) of cases developed hypothyroidism, 3.7% (3/82) developed hyperthyroidism, 20.7% (17/82) tested positive for thyroglobulin antibody, and 22.0% (18/82) tested positive for thyroid peroxidase antibody. The patients who did not develop thyroid disease had significantly higher post-treatment levels (vs. baseline) of IgG (14.84 +/- 2.61 vs. 12.95 +/- 3.32 g/L, F = 10.458, P = 0.002) and C4 (0.26 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.22 +/- 0.08 g/L, F = 6.835, P = 0.011) and significantly lower IgM (0.86 +/- 0.48 vs. 1.00 +/- 0.42 g/L, F = 9.106, P = 0.003). The patients who developed thyroid disease showed no significant differences in the baseline and post-treatment levels of IgG, C4, or IgM. When the two groups of patients who did or did not develop thyroid disease were compared, there was no difference in the amount of patients who achieved sustained virological response.

CONCLUSIONAntiviral-induced thyroid disease in patients with refractory hepatitis C manifests as clinically-detectable abnormalities in serum levels of thyroid autoantibody and markers of hypothyroidism. Levels of other autoantibodies and Igs do not correlate with the development of thyroid disease in these patients, and thyroid disease does not appear to affect the efficacy of Peg-IFN + RBV antiviral therapy.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Thyroid Diseases ; chemically induced

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee ; injuries ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Rupture ; Suture Anchors

This study was purposed to analyse the immunophenotypic characteristics of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute monocytic leukemia (AML-M5b) by using multiparameter flow cytometry, and to explore its significance in diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The immunophenotypic characteristics of bone marrow samples from 14 CMML patients, 48 MDS patients, 46 AML-M5b patients and 18 normal persons were analyzed and compared by multiparametric flow cytometry. The results showed that the ratio of monocytes in CMML patients was obviously higher than that in MDS, AML-M5b patients and normal persons (P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between bone marrow samples of MDS and AML-M5b patients as well as normal persons. The ratio of blast cells in MDS patients was obviously higher than that in normal persons (P < 0.05), but did not show significant difference as compared with CMML patients. The ratio of mature granulocytes in AML-M5b patients was obviously lower than that in CMML and MDS patients as well as normal person bone marrow (P < 0.05). Certain differences of CD45/SSC characteristics in MDS, AML-M5b and CMML patients were found in comparison with normal persons. The abnormal expression of CD2, CD56, and CD14 tailing phenomenon were observed in CMML patients in comparison with bone marrow samples of MDS, AML-M5b and normal persons (P < 0.05). Lack and decrease of CD15 expression in MDS and CMML patients was significant different from AML-M5b and normal persons marrow, abnormal expression rate of CD15 in CMML patients was higher than that in MDS patients (P < 0.05), the CD13/CD11b/CD16 abnormal expression of granulocytes was seen in both CMML and MDS patients, but there was no statistically significant difference between them. Other antigens showed abnormality of varying degrees, but did not have any statistical significance. It is concluded that MDS, CMML and AML-M5b displayed a certain degree of similarity, and also possess their own immunophenotype characteristics. Comprehensive analysis of immunophenotype by multiparameter flow cytometry may be important for differential diagnosis among CMML, MDS and AML-M5b. High percentage of monocytes, abnormal coexpression of CD2, CD56 and CD14 tailing phenomenon, lack or decrease of CD15 as well as abnormal expression of CD13/CD11b/CD16 in granulocytes may play important roles in diagnosis of CMML.
Case-Control Studies ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; immunology

OBJECTIVEHigh-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) may predict the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MS) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in adult, but few reports on relevant studies in children are available. The present study aimed to understand possible correlation between serum hs-CRP levels and some factors of obese children and adolescents with or without impaired glycometabolism.

METHODSSeventy obese children and adolescents (age 8 - 17 years) and 30 non-obese healthy controls (group 1, 20 boys and 10 girls, mean age 12.6 years) were enrolled into this study. The obese individuals were subdivided into two groups according to the results of oral glucose tolerance test: the obese subjects without IGR (group 2, 54 cases, 43 boys and 11 girls, mean age 11.3 years) and the obese subjects with impaired glycometabolism (group 3, 16 cases, 8 boys and 8 girls, mean age 12.8 years). The levels of serum parameters including hs-CRP, glucose, lipid, insulin, C-peptide and whole blood HbA1c were determined. SPSS 10.0 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS(1) There was significant increase of serum hs-CRP level in obese children and adolescents, the median was 2.44 (0.01 - 14.6) mg/L; the level of control group was 0.1 (0.01 - 2.1) mg/L. (2) Some of the following parameters, such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), fasting insulin (FINS), C-peptide (Cp) and insulin resistance index (IRI), were found increased in group 2 and 3 as compared to group 1. When FPG and TG were still in normal range in group 2, the levels of hs-CRP and IRI were significantly higher than those in group 1, the level of hs-CRP was 2.4 (0.01 - 9.0) mg/L. While FPG and TG were abnormal in group 3, the level of hs-CRP was 2.6 (0.1 - 14.6) mg/L, but the difference had no statistical significance. (3) Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a moderate correlation between serum hs-CRP and BMI (r = 0.414, P = 0.000). There was a low correlation between hs-CRP and waist circumference, hip circumference and waist to hip ratio (WHR). The correlation of serum hs-CRP with blood pressure, TG, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), HbA1c, FPG, FINS and Cp had no significant deviation. (4) Multiple linear regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) was the only indicator which had correlation with hs-CRP.

CONCLUSION(1) There may be a chronic low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance in obese children. (2) The level of hs-CRP might be independently correlated with BMI in children. (3) Hs-CRP and IRI elevated before FPG and TG did, which may suggest that the low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance may be a pathogenic base of DM rather than the outcome of it. (4) The elevation of hs-CRP may help predict impaired glucose and lipid metabolism.

Adolescent ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; blood ; Male ; Obesity ; blood ; metabolism ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Waist Circumference ; Waist-Hip Ratio

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of astragaloside IV (AS IV) on H2O2 induced human mesangial cells (HMC), and further explore its molecular mechanism.

METHODThe cultured mesangial cells were divided into 5 groups: the normal control group, the H2O2 model group, the AS IV (12.5, 100 nmol x L(-1)) group and the Tempol (1 x 10(5) nmol x L(-1)) group. The MTT method was used to observe cell viability. Hoechst 33258 staining was used to observe the HMC apoptosis and DHE staining was used to detect the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The flow cytometry was used to detect the changes in cell cycle. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Cyclin D1, CyclinA, p38, and T-p38.

RESULTH2O2 (1 x 10(5), 2 x 10(5), 3 x 10(5), and 4 x 10(5) nmol x L(-1)) could induce HMC oxidative stress injury, with significant decrease in the cell survival rate. AS IV (100 nmol x L(-1)) could significantly inhibit HMC oxidative stress injury induced by H2O2 (3 x 10(5) nmol x L(-1)), increase the survival rate of HMC cells, inhibit cell apoptosis, and decrease intracellular ROS production. AS IV could also increase the expression of Cyclin D1, recover normal cell proliferation, and decrease the expression of p38.

CONCLUSIONAS IV can protect H2O2 induced oxidative stress injury in mesangial cells. Its mechanisms may be related to inhibiting the p38/MAPK signaling pathway, increasing the expression of Cyclin D1 and decreasing the intracellular ROS oxidative stress injury.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cyclin A ; metabolism ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Mesangial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of pelvic methotrexate (MTX) injection via the posterior fornix for treatment of tubal pregnancy.

METHODSNinety-six patients with tubal pregnancy (mean age 21-40 years) were randomized into 3 groups for treatment with pelvic MTX injection via the posterior fornix+mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (experiment group), intramuscular MTX injection+mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (control group I), or mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (control group II). On days 4 and 7 of the treatment, blood β-HCG of the patients in different groups was detected, and in cases with continuous reduction of blood β-HCG or a reduction by over 15%, β-HCG was checked every week. One week after the treatment, the size of the mass was measured by B-mode ultrasound. The clearance time of β-HCG and the hospital stay of the patients were recorded.

RESULTSTwenty-nine patients in the experimental group were treated successfully, with a cure rate of 90.6%, which was significantly higher than those in the two control groups (P<0.05). The clearance time of β-HCG and hospital stay were also much shorter in the experimental group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPelvic MTX injection via the posterior fornix is a convenient procedure associated with minimal complications and serves as a good alternative for treatment of tubal pregnancy.

Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal ; administration & dosage ; Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Mifepristone ; administration & dosage ; Pelvis ; Phytotherapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; drug therapy ; Vagina ; Young Adult

Abstract:One H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus, A/duck/Shandong/009/2008 (Dk/SD/009/08), was isolated from apparently healthy domestic ducks in some live bird market in East China during our epidemiological surveillance. To investigate the genetic composition, Dk/SD/009/08 was subjected to genome sequencing. The amino acid motif of cleavage site was "PLRERRRK-R/GL", which was consistent with the characterization of the HPAIV. According to the newest unified nomenclature system of H5N1, Dk/SD/ 009/08 was classified into Clade 2.3.4. The BLAST results showed that four gene segments (HA, NA, NP and NS) had the highest nucleotide identities with H5N1 subtype AIVs whereas the remaining four (PB2, PB1, PA and M) displayed the closest relationship with H9N2 subtype. Therefore, Dk/SD/009/08 might be a natural reassortant virus. The phylogenetic analysis further indicated that G1-like H9N2 subtype AIVs which was prevalent mainly in quails of Southern China might provide the internal genes for Dk/ SD/009/08.
Animals ; Chick Embryo ; Genome, Viral ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Reassortant Viruses ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Recombination, Genetic ; Viral Proteins ; genetics