OBJECTIVETo evaluate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical outcomes rating scale for heart failure (HF) based on patients' report.

METHODSTCM clinical outcomes rating scale for HF (TCM-HF-PRO) were evaluated based on 340 HF patients' report from multiple centers. The completion of the investigation was recorded. Cronbach's α coefficient and split-half reliability were used for reliability analysis, and factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity of the rating scale. Pearson correlation analysis was then used for criterion validity analysis. Discriminant analysis was used to assess the responsiveness of the scale. All 340 HF patients having complete TCM-HF-PRO data were assigned to the treatment group and the control group by central randomization. The total TCM-HF-PRO scores of the two groups were compared using paired t-test to reflect the longitude responsiveness of the scale before treatment and at week 2 after treatment.

RESULTS(1) The recycling rate of the scale was 100.0%. One of them was not filled completely, which was rejected thereby. So the completion rate was 99.7%. The completion time for TCM-HF-PRO scale ranged 15 to 25 min. (2) The Cronbach's α coefficient of rating scale was 0.903, split-half reliability was 0.844 and 0.849. (3) Confirmatory factor analysis showed that 7 factors and items formed according to maximum load factor basically coincided with the construct of the rating scale, 7 factors accumulated contribution rate was 43.8%. TCM clinical outcomes rating scale for HF based on patients' report was relatively better correlated with the Minnesota living with HF questionnaire (r = 0.726, P < 0.01). (4) Discriminant analysis showed that the rating scale correctly classified more than 78.8% of case studies having confirmed initial differential diagnosis by experts. The total scale of the rating scale decreased more in the two group after treatment, with significant difference as compared with before treatment (P < 0.01.

CONCLUSIONTCM clinical outcomes rating scale for HF based on patients' report had good reliability, validity and responsiveness, hence it could be used to assess clinical efficacy for HF patients.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Discriminant Analysis ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Bevacizumab on the tumor growth, proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer xenograft, and the impacts on the VEGF and Sp1 expression.

METHODSGastric cancer xenografts in nude mice were established using SGC-7901 gastric cancer cell line. The nude mice were randomly divided into two groups, Bevacizumab treatment group and PBS group. The tumor sizes were measured for tumor growth curve. The proliferation and angiogenesis were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of Ki67 and CD34. TUNEL assay was used for apoptosis evaluation. The expression of VEGF and Sp1 in tumor cells were detected by IHC and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared to the PBS group, the tumor growth decreased significantly (P<0.05), the proliferation of tumor cells and angiogenesis decreased, and apoptosis index increased significantly [(5.3 ± 1.8)% vs. (16.7 ± 6.7)%, P<0.01] in Bevacizumab group. The results of IHC and Western blot demonstrated that the expression of VEGF and the microvessel density (MVD) was decreased (4.0 ± 1.0 vs. 16.3 ± 1.5, P<0.001) in Bevacizumab treatment group. No obvious changes of Sp1 expression were observed in Bevacizumab treatment group.

CONCLUSIONSBevacizumab can inhibit the growth of gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice, decrease the VEGF expression and MVD. However, the compensatory up-regulation of transcription factor Sp1 is not affected by Bevacizumab.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Bevacizumab ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Sp1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of 2 available periodontal systems for local delivery of antibiotics.

METHODS26 teeth with moderate to severe periodontitis (PD > or = 4 mm) from 11 patients were selected. The teeth were randomly divided into test group and control group. Periocline (2% minocycline hydrochoride ointment) was applied to the teeth in the test group, while Yakang (local metronidazole) was applied in the control group. The data including clinical indices and microbiological parameters was collected before and on the 7th, 14th day after the therapy.

RESULTSBefore treatment, the mean of each clinical indices and microbiological parameters between the two groups was not different (P > 0.05). But both groups demonstrated significant differences with control after treatment (P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences between the two test groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth Periocline and Yakang were effective and secure local delivery drug for treating periodontitis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Metronidazole ; therapeutic use ; Minocycline ; therapeutic use ; Ointments ; therapeutic use ; Periodontitis ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the scope and degree of short-term adverse reactions of peginterferon alfa-2a in treatment of chronic hepatitis in adults and children to provide basis for anti-viral treatment in clinical practice.

METHODSA prospective study was conducted in adults and children with chronic hepatitis treated with peginterferon alfa-2a. Meanwhile, the reactions in the patients were recorded with a table designed by ourselves and statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe short-term adverse reactions included increase in body temperature and aching pain in joints and muscles. The increase in body temperature was the major reaction and accounted for 54.11%. The increase in body temperature began to appear in 47.6% of the patients. The body temperature was 37.3 degrees C-38.9 degrees C in most of the patients and mediate and low increase was found in 85.4% of the patients, which was decreased to 70% in the 4th week. However, the percentage of patients with high temperature was increased from 14.5% in the 1st week to 30% in the 4th week. The increase of body temperature began to appear in 9-12 h and 3-5 h after injection of peginterferon alfa-2a in the 1st and later, respectively. The duration of fever was 3-4 h in most of the patients. It appeared once in 1 week after the rejection in most of the patients. For management of fever, cooling with medication was conducted in 45.5 % of the patients.

CONCLUSIONThe short-term adverse reactions in patients with chronic hepatitis treated with peginterferon alfa-2a include the increase in body temperature etc. The severity of the adverse reactions gradually reduces with continuation of the treatment. Of the adverse reactions, the increase in body temperature is the major (47.6%) and others only account for 1%-16.9%. The increase in body temperature is mainly transient and no management is needed in 50% of the patients. Since the "ladder-type" dose-adding method is used for administration of peginterferon alfa-2a in this group of patients, the adverse reactions are low in number and mild in degree.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Body Temperature ; CD40 Antigens ; metabolism ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; virology ; Child ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Recombinant Proteins ; Young Adult

Small intestinal obstruction is a common complication of primary gastrointestinal cancer or metastatic cancers.Patients with this condition are often poor candidates for surgical bypasses,and placement of self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) can be technically challenging.In this study,we examined the feasibility of combined application of single-balloon enteroscope (SBE) and colonoscope for SEMS placement in patients with malignant small intestinal obstruction.Thirty-four patients were enrolled in this study,among which 22 patients received SEMS placement by using SBE and colonoscope,while the other 12 patients received conservative medical treatment.The patients were followed up for one year.Stent placernent was technically feasible in 95.5％ (21/22).Clinical improvement was achieved in 86.4％ (19/22).For the 19 clinical success cases,the average time of benefits from a gastric outlet obstruction scoring system (GOOSS) increase ≥1 was 111.9±89.5 days.For the 12 patients receiving conservative medical treatment,no significant improvement in GOOSS score was observed.Moreover,a significant increase of Short-Form-36 health survey score was observed in the 19 patients at time of 30 days after stent placement.By Kaplan-Meier analysis,a significant survival improvement was observed in patients with successful SEMS placement,compared with patients receiving conservative medical treatment.Taken together,combined use of SBE and colonoscope makes endoscopic stent placement feasible in patients with malignant small intestinal obstruction,and patients can benefit from it in terms of prolonged survival and improved quality of life.

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effect of flavonoids from Glycyrrhiza uralensis on thioacetamide-induced chonic hepatic fibrosis in rats and the effect on the protein expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and Caspase-3 in livers.

METHODMale Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into totally seven groups: the normal control group, the model group, LF groups s (400, 200, 100, 50 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1)) and the silymarin positive control group (30 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1)). The hepatic fibrosis model was induced in the rats through intraperitoneal injection with 3% thioacetamide (TAA) at a dose of 150 mg · kg(-1) body weight twice a week for 12 weeks. During the course, the control group and the model group were orally administered with saline (1 mL · kg(-1) · d(-1)). After the modeling and drug intervention, the pathologic changes and fibrosis in liver tissues were observed by HE staining and Masson's Trichrome staining. The serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and liver hydroxyproline (HYP) contents were assayed by biochemical process. The serum hyaluronic acid (HA) was assessed by radioimmunoassay. In addition, the protein expressions of liver TGF-β1 and Caspase-3 were examined by immunohistochemical method. The mRNA expression of TGF-β1 in hepatic tissues was examined by quantitative Real-time PCR analysis.

RESULTCompared with the model group, flavonoids can protect the integrity of the structure of liver tissues, significantly reduce the hepatic cell degeneration and necrosis and the proliferation of fibrous tissues, notably reduce the serum AST, ALT, ALP and HA and HYP in hepatic tissues and down-regulate the protein expressions of liver TGF-β1 and Caspase-3 and the mRNA expression of TGF-β1 in hepatic tissues.

CONCLUSIONThe licorice flavonoids can resist the thioacetamide-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Its mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the protein expressions of TGF-β1 and Caspase-3.

Animals ; Caspase 3 ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thioacetamide ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; analysis ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of fluorescent 2-deoxyglucose analog, 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diaxol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG), that could be taken up by breast cancer cells highly expressing glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1). The purpose of this study was to clarify if a fluorescent 2-deoxyglucose analog, 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diaxol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG), can be taken up by breast cancer cells highly expressing glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1), and to assess whether it can be used as a targeting imaging agent.

METHODSThe expressions of GLUT-1 mRNA and protein in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The difference of GLUT-1 protein expression between breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and MCF-7 cells was compared by Western blot. Secondly, MDA-MB-231 cells which were grown in 6-well plates were incubated with 2-NBDG, and the result of 2-NBDG uptake was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The difference of 2-NBDG absorption in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was compared by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe results of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed that MDA-MB-231 cells highly expressed GLUT-1. Furthermore, Western blot revealed that GLUT-1 expression of MDA-MB-231 cells (0.946 ± 0.007) was higher than that in the MCF-7 cells (0.833 ± 0.010). Fluorescence microscopic and flow cytometric analysis showed that 2-NBDG was uptaken rapidly by MDA-MB-231 cells. Addition of 50 mmol/L D-glucose to the media with 2-NBDG reduced its uptake by 46.0%. Moreover, flow cytometry indicated that the fluorescence intensity of MDA-MB-231 cells (25.10 ± 0.57) was higher than that of MCF-7 cells (10.12 ± 0.62) when incubated with 2-NBDG for 20 minutes.

CONCLUSIONThe preliminary data clearly demonstrate that 2-NBDG is taken up and accumulated in breast cancer cells that highly express GLUT-1, and may be used as an optical probe for glucose uptake in hypermetabolic malignant cells.

4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Deoxyglucose ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Glucose Transporter Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUNDInside out transobturator vaginal tape (TVT-O) and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) are predominant surgical treatments for female stress urinary incontinence. This meta-analysis evaluated the complications and cure rates of TVT-O versus TVT.

METHODSA comprehensive literature search was conducted according to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology to identify randomized controlled clinical trials with no language restriction. Two authors independently assessed papers for eligibility and methodological quality. Estimates were measured by relative risk with 95% confidence intervals. Outcome measures were objective cure, subjective cure and complications. Quality rating for each outcome of the meta-analysis and recommendations were performed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

RESULTSTwenty randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, and a pooled estimate of effectiveness and complications was made. Relative risks with 95% confidence intervals for pooled effects under the fixed effects model were: 0.20 (0.09 - 0.45), for bladder injury, 0.37 (0.16 - 0.86) for hematoma, and 2.35 (1.57 - 3.51) for postoperative pain, suggesting an 80% risk reduction of bladder injury, 63% risk reduction of hematoma, and a 1.35% risk elevation for postoperative pain with TVT-O. There was no significant difference between complications of urinary tract infection 1.14 (0.78 - 1.65), lower urinary tract symptoms 1.60 (0.67 - 3.79), recatheterization 0.93 (0.59 - 1.44), and tape erosion 0.90 (0.48 - 1.67), total objective cure rate 1.06 (0.39 - 2.84) and for the subjective cure rate 0.98 (0.93 - 1.04). The quality rating for each outcome and recommendations was high for objective cure, bladder injury, hematoma, lower urinary tract symptoms, and tape erosion and moderate for subjective cure, pain, and urinary tract infection.

CONCLUSIONSTVT-O is associated with a reduced risk of bladder injury and hematoma and an elevated risk of postoperative pain. Other complications, including tape erosion, urinary tract infection, lower urinary tract symptoms, and recatheterization, are similar to those of TVT.

Female ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Suburethral Slings ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; surgery ; Vagina ; surgery

The application potential of rep-PCR in typing beer-spoilage isolates was studied. The effects of different factors, including DNA templates and primers, on the quality and reproducibility of fingerprints were investigated. The CTAB protocol was shown to be the feasible method for DNA extraction. Primers BOXA1R and (GTG)5 were used in rep-PCR, and the PCR products were sequenced to identify strains isolated from two breweries. Rep-PCR fingerprint profiles were obtained by using GelCompar II software. Cluster analysis showed that the isolates belonging to Lactobacillus brevis, L. buchneri, L. casei/paracasei, L. plantarum are divided into 2 or 3 subgroups. In addition, the two rep-PCR fingerprint profiles complemented with each other in typing these isolates. Combining the similarity coefficient cut-off (SCC) of species, 9 unknown isolates were identified rapidly by using both fingerprint databases. The results indicate that rep-PCR is a simple, reliable and promising method for rapid identification of beer-spoilager.
Beer ; microbiology ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA Fingerprinting ; methods ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Databases, Genetic ; Lactobacillus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDInvasive fungal infections have constituted an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. In this study, a surveillance project was conducted in three different intensive care units of two large tertiary hospitals in China.

METHODSA one-year surveillance project was conducted in two tertiary hospitals which located in northern China and southwest China respectively. Air, surfaces and tap water were sampled twice a month in a central intensive care unit, a bone marrow transplant unit, a neurosurgery intensive care unit and a live transplant department. Environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature and events taking place, for example the present of the visitors, healthcare staff and cleaning crew were also recorded at the time of sampling.

RESULTSThe air fungal load was 91.94 cfu/m(3) and 71.02 cfu/m(3) in the southwest China hospital and the northern China hospital respectively. The five most prevalent fungi collected from air and surfaces were Penicillium spp., Cladospcrium spp., Alternaria spp., Aspergillus spp. and Saccharomyces spp. in the southwest China hospital, meanwhile Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Alternaria spp. and Cladospcrium spp. in the northern China hospital. The least contaminated department was intensive care units, and the heaviest contaminated department was neurosurgery intensive care unit. Seventy-three percent of all surfaces examined in the northern China hospital and eighty-six percent in the southwest China hospital yielded fungi. Fifty-four percent of water samples from the northern China hospital and forty-nine percent from the southwest China hospital yielded fungi.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggested that the fungus exist in the environment of the hospital including air, surface and water. Air and surface fungal load fluctuated over the year. Air fungal load was lower in winter and higher in summer and autumn, but seldom exceeded acceptable level. The higher values were created during May to August in the northern China hospital and May to June and September to October in the southwest China hospital. A correlation between air fungal load and humidity, as well as personnel was observed.

Air Microbiology ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; Hospitals ; Intensive Care Units ; Water Microbiology