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

BACKGROUND: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system existed in bone tissue. Recent studies on antihypertensive drugs found that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor type antihypertensive drug was possibly effective for osteoporosis. Perindopril is one of the commonly used antihypertensive drugs. Whether perindopril affected bone metabolism or could be used in anti-osteoporosis has not been reported.
OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of perindopril on bone metabolism in a rat model of osteoporosis induced by retinoic acid.
METHODS: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, with ten in each group. In the model group and each perindopril groups, rats were intragastricaly administered retinoic acid solution 80 mg/kg per day. After successful model establishment, rats in different perindopril groups were intragastrical y administered perindopril 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg per day, once a day, for 42 consecutive days. In the normal control and model groups, rats were given an equal volume of distil ed water. Serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, bone mass and bone mineral density were detected in each group. Expression of bone specific alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase mRNA in bone tissue was determined.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, after treatment with perindopril, serum calcium and phosphorus levels were increased, alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly decreased, bone mass and bone mineral density were obviously increased in rats with retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis. Expression of bone specific alkaline phosphatase mRNA was higher in the perindopril 8 mg/kg group than in the perindopril 2 and 4 mg/kg groups and model group. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase mRNA expression was higher in the perindopril 8 mg/kg group than in the model group. These results indicated that perindopril could improve partial bone metabolic biochemical markers in osteoporosis rats, promoted bone formation by up-regulating bone specific alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression, and had a certain preventive effect on retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis.

Objective To investigate the protective effects and molecular mechanism of peroxisome proliferate-activated receptor α(PPARα) activation on acute myocardial damage induced by isoproterenol (Iso) in rats. Methods Thirty male Wistar rats, weighting 160～180 g, were randomly divided into control group, Iso group, fenafibrate(FF) group(each n=10) according to physique quantity. Acute myocardial injury caused by Iso abdomen cavity injection induced ischemia was established and the protective effects of peroxisome proliferate-activated receptor α activation were accessed by the level of ereatine kinase(CK), lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) in serum as well as the activities of myoperoxidase(MPO) in myocardium, and the protein expressions of PPABα in myocardium by Western blot. Results The level of serum CK in control group, lso group and FF group, was (62.41±9.47),(101.71±11.05),(75.64±11.73)kU/L, respectively(F= 34.34, P<0.01). Whereas the level of serum CK in Iso group and FF group was higher than that in control group(P<0.01 or<0.05), the level of serum CK in FF group was lower than that in Iso group(P<0.01). The levels of LDH in these three groups were (5912.20±204.44), (6365.78±137.10), (6089.76±169.60) U/L, respectively(F= 17.54, P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the levels of LDH in Iso and Fir groups were significantly increased(P<0.01 or<0.05). But the level of LDH in FIr group was decreased compared with that in Iso group(P<0.01). The activities of myocardial MPO in these three groups were (1.95±0.10),(3.89±0.17),(2.49±0.19)U/g, espectively(F=391.68,P< 0.01). The activities of myocardial MPO in Iso and FF groups were higher than that in the control group (all P< 0.01), while the activities of myocardial MPO in FIr group were lower than that in lso group(P<0.01). The protein expressions of PPARα in myocardium of these three groups were 251.57±10.95,191.97±10.74,215.08±9.61, respectively(F=82.69, P<0.01). Conclusion PPARα activation by its actor FF can exert protective effects on the acute myocardial ischemia injury induced by lso in rats through inhibiting the release of inflammatory cell factors.

Objective: To examine the expression of glucocorticoid receptor in human colon cancinoma tis-sues and call lines and to explore the survival of colon cancer cell lines treated with dexamethasone alone or in combination with 5-Fu and L-OHP in a way of dexamethasone pretreatment or co-administration in vitro.Methods: The expression of glucocorticoid receptor was detected in 61 cases of colon cancer tissue samples and 4 types of colon cancer cell lines by immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis was detected by Hoechst33342 staining and flow cytometry. MTT assay was employed to detect the chemosensitivity of colon carcinoma cells to L-OHP and 5-Fu with dexamethasone pretreatment for 24 hours or co-administretion. Results: Positive GR expression was found in 57.3% colon cancer tissue samples and in Lovo and HCT-116 cell lines, not in HT-29 and SW-480. Apoptosis was detected in GR-expressed Lovo and HCT-116 cells at 72 hours after 1×10~(-4)mol/L Dex treatment, and the rates of apoptosis were higher than those in the control groups without Dex (P<0.01),GR-negative cells, HT-29 and SW-480 even treated with 1 × 10~(-4)mol/L Dex for 72 hours. Pretreatment and co-administration for Lovo cells with 1×10~(-4)mol/L Dex could decrease the IC50 of L-OHP from 13.7±1:1.3μg/mL to 5.9±0.6μg/mL and 4.8±0.7μg/mL, respectively. IC50 of 5-Fu was decreased from 72.2±8.1 μg/mL to 21.1±4.1μg/mL and 18.6±4.0μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: There is expression of glucocorticoid receptor in part of colon carcinoma tissue samples and cell lines. Apoptosis does occur in GR-expressed Lovo and HCT-116 cells induced by dexamethasone in vitro. Pretreatment for 24h and co-administration with Dex can increase the chemosensitivity of Lovo cells to L-OHP and 5-Fu.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) by meta-analysis.

METHODSWe searched Pubmed (until April 1, 2014), Embase (until March 28, 2014), Cochrane Library (until April 17, 2014), CBM (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), CNKI (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), Wanfang Database (from January 1, 2000 to February 2, 2014), and VIP Database (from January 1, 2000 to Febru ary 2, 2014) for randomized controlled trials of TU for the treatment of LOH. We evaluated the quality of the identified literature and performed meta-analysis on the included studies using the Rveman5. 2 software.

RESULTSTotally, 14 studies were included after screening, which involved 1 686 cases. Compared with the placebo and blank control groups, TU treatment significantly increased the levels of serum total testosterone (SMD = 6.22, 95% CI 3.99 to 8.45, P < 0.05) and serum free testosterone (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.86 to 6. 85, P < 0.05) but decreased the contents of luteinizing hormone (WMD = -2.23, 95% CI -4.03 to -0.42, P < 0.05), sex hormone binding globulin (WMD = 2.00, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.63, P < 0.05). TU also remarkably reduced the scores of Partial Androgen Deficiency of the Aging Males (WMD = -9.49, 95% CI -12.96 to -6.03, P < 0.05) and Aging Males Symptoms rating scale (WMD = -2.76, 95% CI -4.85 to -0.66, P <0.05) but increased the hemoglobin level (SMD = 2.35, 95% CI 0.29 to 4.41, P < 0.05) and packed-cell volume (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.36 to 7.33, P < 0.05). However, no significant changes were shown in aspertate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, prostate-specific antigen, or prostate volume after TU treatment (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTU could significantly increase the serum testosterone level and improve the clinical symptoms of LOH patients without inducing serious adverse reactions. However, due to the limited number and relatively low quality of the included studies, the above conclusion could be cautiously applied to clinical practice.

Androgens ; therapeutic use ; Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; blood ; drug therapy ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacology

Objectives To evaluate pediatric neck masses with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods In this retrospective study, 140 children with neck masses underwent MRI were collected from May 2006 to December 2013. Of them 34 cases went through pathological examinations. The results of MRI diagnosis and pathology were compared in 34 cases. Results In 140 children with neck masses diagnosed by MRI, 103 (73.6%) cases were benign lesions, including 62 vascular malformations, 30 hemangiomas, then cysts, hamartoma, infectious lumps etc., 29 (20.7%) were malignant tumors, including 22 lymphomas, 3 rhabdomyosarcomas, 3 Langerhans cell histiocytosis, 1 neuroblastoma, and 8 (5.7%) cases were undeter-mined masses. Four in 103 cases with benign lesions were performed by pathological examination and all had been con-firmed. Tewenty-five in 29 cases with malignant tumors were performed by pathological examination and 22 cases had been confirmed. Conclusion MRI can help to diagnose the pediatric neck masses and to guide the treatment and follow-up.

Objective To measure the levels of cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies responding to various subtypes of HIV-1 strains in people with HIV-1 infection in Chongqing and to analyze their character-istics.Methods Two hundred and thirty-six plasma samples were collected from patients with chronic HIV-1 infection in Chongqing city.The single-round-infection assay in TZM-bl cells were performed to screen the plasma samples with cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against various subtypes of HIV-1 strains by using HIV-1 pseudovirus strains and to measure the 50%inhibitory dose ( ID50 ) .Results Eight-een out of 236 (7.63%) plasma samples were able to neutralize various B subtypes and/or C subtypes of HIV-1 pseudovirus strains, among which 15 plasma samples showed the great ability to neutralize pseudovir-us strains of different subtypes.Conclusion The cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against various sub-types of HIV-1 strains existed in plasma samples collected from people with chronic HIV-1 infection in Chongqing city.

Objective To investigate the difference of effect between interventional treatments and intravenous therapy of lidamycin on VX2 rabbit liver cancer.Methods VX2 Carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left liver lobe of 12 New Zealand white rabbits to establish the VX2 rabbit liver tumor model.Tumor size was detected by type-B ultrasonic diagnostic instrument.The rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of six,respectively treated with the hepatic inter-ventional administration of lidamycin (LDM)(1 ml,0.05 mg/kg)under the guidance of digital subtraction angiography (DSA)(group A)and with the auricular intravenous administration of LDMat the same dose (group B).All the rabbits were sacrificed and anatomized on day 10 after treatment,whose liver tumor was fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde solution and embedded in paraffin.Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)and CD34 expression in the sample sections of tumor tissue were assessed through immunohistochemical staining.The levels of alanine transaminase (ALT)and aspartate trans-aminase(AST)were detected by Cobas 8000.Finally,the inhibition of VX2 tumor was evaluated.Results The VX2 tumor volumes were all increased at 10 day after LDMtreatment.However,the tumors in group A were smaller than those of group B (P <0.05).The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the intervention therapy of LDM could further lower the expression of CD34 and PCNA compared to group B.Conclusion Hepatic interventional administration of LDM under the guidance of DSA produces a better effect on attenuating the tumor growth than the intravenous administration of LDM.

OBJECTIVETo explore combination rules of Chinese herbal prescriptions from effective cases for treatment of unstable angina (UA).

METHODSPrescription data from 156 UA patients effectively treated at Cardiovascular Diseases Centre of Xiyuan Hospital were analyzed using complex network method.

RESULTSAccording to multi-scale analysis of backbone network and pointwise mutual information analysis, core prescriptions from the 156 UA patients were presented as follows: Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Radix Paeoniae rubra, Radix Codonopsis, Rhizoma Pinelliae, poria, and Angelica sinensis. Meanwhile, core couplet medicines for these patients covered Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii and Radix paeoniaerubra, Angelica sinensis and Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Radix Codonopsis and Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii, Rhizoma Ligustici wallichii and Rhizoma Pinelliae, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae and poriacocos, Bulbus Alli Macrostemi and Rhizoma Pinelliae. Among different primary symptoms, there was slightly difference in core prescriptions.

CONCLUSIONThe core prescriptions for the treatment of UA include blood-activating drug, phlem-resolving drugs. As an exploration of combination rules of Chinese herbal prescriptions in treating UA based on complex network, it can be used as a reference for further researches.

Angelica sinensis ; Angina, Unstable ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pinellia ; Plant Roots ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Prescriptions ; standards

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Industry ; Inhalation Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Quartz