Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; physiopathology ; therapy

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Buruli Ulcer ; pathology ; surgery ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium ulcerans ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: Adopting methods of cell culture to explore the effects and mechanisms of Jianpi Bushen Huoxue Prescription (JPBSHXP), a traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine for strengthening spleen, reinforcing kidney and activating blood circulation, in inhibiting hematopoietic cells apoptosis in a mouse model of aplastic anemia (AA). METHODS: Blood serum of AA mice was made from an AA mouse model. Blood serums containing different traditional Chinese compound herbal medicine were made from rats after intragastric administration of JPBSHXP and its related decoctions, respectively. Bone marrow cells of normal mice were incubated by these blood serums for 24 hours, respectively. The apoptosis of the bone marrow cells were assayed by flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: It was indicated that the bone marrow cells of normal mice incubated with blood serum of AA mice displayed typical apoptosis. The apoptosis rates of bone marrow cells of the AA mice incubated by blood serum containing different traditional Chinese herbal medicine were decreased. The effect of Bushen (reinforcing kidey) Recipe was better than Jianpi (strengthening spleen) Recipe and Huoxue (activating blood circulation) Recipe, while the effect of JPBSHXP was the best. TEM results showed that the effect of Bushen Recipe was better than that of the Jianpi Recipe and the Huoxue Recipe, while the effect of JPBSHXP was the best. CONCLUSION: JPBSHXP and its related decoctions can significantly decrease the apoptosis rate of bone marrow mononuclear cells of the AA mice. It is inferred that JPBSHXP can promote bone marrow hematogenesis.

Objective To measure the expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR) in human melanocytes and to evaluate the biologic effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) on human melanocytes.Methods Melanocytes were obtained from circumcision specimens of healthy males,and neutrophils were isolated from heparin-andcoagulated peripheral blood of healthy human followed by a primary culture.Then,the melanocytes in third passage were cultured with or without the presence of various concentrations (200,400,600,800 μg/L) of rhG-CSF for 72 hours.The growth and morphology of melanocytes were observed.Flow cytometry was performed to detect the expression of G-CSFR in untreated human melanocytes,neutrophils and erythroleukemia cells (HEL 92.1.7).Western blot and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were carried out to measure the expression of G-CSFR protein and mRNA respectively in the neutrophils,HEL 92.1.7 cells,treated or untreated human melanocytes.Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was performed to evaluate the proliferation,and dopa-oxidation assay to estimate the tyrosinase activity,of treated melanocytes.Results The expression rate of G-CSFR was 76.81％ ± 10.70％ in human melanocytes,significantly higher than that in the HEL 92.1.7 cells (2.53％ ± 1.54％,P ＜ 0.01 ),but lower than that in the neutrophils (85.76％ ± 15.71％,P ＜ 0.05).Both G-CSFR protein and mRNA were expressed in melanocytes,and there was no significant differences in the expression level of G-CSFR protein and mRNA among melanocytes treated with different concentrations of rhG-CSF (both P ＞ 0.05).The expression levels of G-CSFR protein and mRNA in the melanecytes were significantly higher than those in the HEL 92.1.7 cells (both P ＜ 0.01 ),but lower than those in the neutrophils (P ＜ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01 ).rhG-CSF at 200-800 μg/L displayed a significantly promotive effect on the proliferation of melanocytes (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05 ),and the effect was in a dose-dependent manner when rhG-CSF ranged from 200 to 600 μg/L (P ＜ 0.01 ).The rhG-CSF at 600 μg/L and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at 20 μg/L showed an equivalent effect on the proliferation of melanocytes (164.04％ ± 13.0％ vs.165.62％ ± 10.6％,P ＞ 0.05).However,rhG-CSF from 200 to 800 μg/L had no significant impact on the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes (all P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions G-CSFR is expressed in human melanocytes. rhG-CSF can promote the proliferation of cultured human melanocytes,but has no obvious influence on the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes.

Objective To assess the clinical value of dual-energy intracranial CT angiography (CTA).Methods Forty-one patients suspected of intracranial vascular diseases underwent dual-energy intracranial CT angiography, and 41 patients who underwent conventional subtraction CT were enrolled as the control group.Image quality of intracranial and skull base vessels and radiation dose between dual-energy CTA and conventional subtraction CTA were compared using two independent sample nonparametrie test and independent-samples t test, respectively.Prevalence and size of lesions detected by dual-energy CTA and digital subtraction CTA were compared using paired-samples t test and Spearman correlative analysis. Results The percentage of image quality scored 5 was 70.7% (29/41) for dual-energy CTA and 75.6% (31/41) for conventional subtraction CTA.There was no significant difference between the two groups(Z= -0.455, P=0.650).Image quality of vessels at the skull base in conventional subtraction CTA was superior to that in dual-energy CTA, especially for the petrosal and syphon segment (Z=-4.087, P= 0.000).Radiation exposure of dual energy CTA and conventional CTA were (396.54±17.43) and (1090.95±114.29) mGy · cm respectively.Radiation exposure was decreased by 64% (t=-38.52, P=0.000) by dual energy CTA compared with conventional subtraction CTA.Out of the 41 patients,19 patients were diagnosed as intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients as arteriovenous malformation (AVM), 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and the remaining 17 patients with negative results.Nine patients with intracranial aneurysm, 2 patients with AVM, 3 patients with Moya-moya's disease, and 2 patients with negative findings underwent DSA or operation, with concordant findings from both techniques.Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by dual-energy CTA was (2.90±1.61), (5.23±1.68) and (3.83±1.69) nun, respectively; Diameter of aneurysm neck, long axis and minor axis by DSA was (2.95±1.71), (5.10±1.60) ,(3.83±1.65) nan,respectively.There was no significant difference for the diameters of aneurysm between dual energy CTA and DSA ((t=-0.734,1.936,0.12.5 respectively, P=0.482,0.085,0.903 respectively), and good correlation was found between diameter measurements using the two techniques(r=0.964,0.976,0.973, respectively, all P=0.000) Conclusions Compared with conventional subtraction CTA, dual energy CTA has good image quality for intracranial vessels; however, image quality of the skull base vessels is worse, especially for the petrosal and syphon segment.Dual energy CTA has decreased radiation dose and a high diagnostic accuracy, being a practical imaging madality for diagnosis of intracranial vascular lesions.

A Monte Carlo model for optical coherence tomography of human skin is proposed. The new model includes importance sampling technique which is designed to suit for the multi-layer human skin, new rules for back scattered photon classification are correspondingly proposed. Based on the new simulation model, we analyzed the focusing of Gaussian beam through skin and the maximum detecting depth of optical coherence tomography. The experimental results show that there exists focus distortion when beam propagates in skin, including focus shift and diffusion. Object lens with greater NA will lower the maximum detecting depth of optical coherence tomography.
Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Monte Carlo Method ; Photons ; Skin ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

Objective: Epi-LASIK appeared to be effective and safe in the treatment of high myopia,but some patients complain about visual symptoms postoperation.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the high order aberrations(HOAs) of the vision-decreased eyes treated by Epi-LASIK,and to analyze the causes of postoperative glare,scieropia and monocular diplopia.Methods: We evaluated 76 eyes of 49 patients treated by Epi-LASIK with a questionnaire three months after surgery,and from them selected 34 eyes of 27 patients who scored less than 80 points and complained of postoperative visual symptoms,including glare(25 eyes in 20 patients),scieropia(7 eyes in 5 patients)and monocular diplopia(2 eyes in 2 patients).Another 42 symptom-free eyes of 22 patients treated by Epi-LASIK were included in the control group.The root mean square(RMS) of total HOAs,coma and SA were determined with the iTrace Visual Function Analyzer from the central 6.0 mm zone,and the modulation transfer function(MTF) was simulated with the iTrace 3.1 software.Results: Significant differences were found in the RMS of total HOAs,coma and SA between the eyes with visual symptoms and those without,and the values of ablation zone decentration were significantly higher in the former than in the latter(P

A case of varicella pneumonia, hepatitis and pancreatitis after kidney transplantation was retrospectively analyzed. One week after kidney transplantation, the patient had a papule with pruritus, which was diagnosed as varicella by dermatologist as well as high-throughput sequencing. The patient was found to have pneumonia, hepatitis and pancreatitis. The individualized treatment regimen was used, including the dosage reduction of immunosuppressive agents, the blood drug concentration monitoring, antiviral therapy, anti-infection therapy, supportive treatment, and symptomatic alleviation for complications. The treatment was adjusted according to the indicators'variation. The timely review of the indicators and immunosuppressant blood concentration were performed to protect the transplanted kidney function, and the patient recovered in time. This rare case of postoperative complications of kidney transplantation were summarized and analyzed in order to accumulate clinical experience for the treatment of renal transplantation.

4 weeks of arrested embryos.The AAH expression was found to have the similar result as HIF-1?'s.Conclusions The expression level of HIF-1? and AAH in villi of missed abortion patients is much lower than that of normal early pregnant women.HIF-1? and AAH have a function of supporting normal pregnancy,so their low expression may be an important cause of missed abortion.

Aged ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal/physiology* ; Vibration