Animals ; Hydroxy Acids ; toxicity ; Lacquer ; toxicity ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

AIM To observe the combinative therapeutic effects of Mailuo Shutong Granules and routine synthetic medications on patients with superficial thrombophlebitis (STP).METHODS Seventy patients randomly and equally divided into control group and observation group were subjected to a two-week conventional treatment and a two-week intervention of Mailuo Shutong Granules on the basis of routine treatment,respectively,and they had the before and after the treatment assessment in terms of main clinical symptoms and signs,endothelial function indices (NO,ET-1,TXB2,6-Keto-PGF1α,VEGF,vWF),hemorheology indices (plasma viscosity,blood sedimentation,erythrocyte aggregation index,fibrous protein).RESULTS The observation group generally demonstrated significantly higher effective rate than the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Markedly decreased post-treatment scores for main clinical symptoms and signs,TXB2,ET-1,vWF,plasma viscosity,blood sedimentation,erythrocyte aggregation index,fibrous protein,and increased 6-Keto-PGF1 α,VEGF and NO (P ＜ 0.05) in both groups were observed,as well as the between-group variance showing the observation group's priority (P ＜ 0.05).The respective 8.57％ and 14.29％ incidence rates of adverse reactions in the observation group and control group were also noticed.CONCLUSION For patients with STP,a combination therapy of Mailuo Shutong Granules on the basis of synthetic medications contributes to an effective main clinical symptoms alleviation due to its vascular endothelial cells protection,cellular secretion function and hemorheological improvement.

Communicable diseases are the major threats to the health and security of all the people living in Liberia, including UN peacekeepers from China. The most prevalent communicable diseases in Liberia include malaria, HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection, sexual transmitted disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, tuberculosis, cholera, pertussis, hepatitis, meningococcal disease, typhoid fever, Lassa fever and yellow fever. An insight into the profiles and epidemiology of the above epidemics in Liberia would greatly help peacekeepers with disease diagnosis and epidemic prevention. According to the profiles of epidemics in Liberia and the authors' experience in epidemic prevention in Liberia, the authors recommend that peacekeepers strengthen their epidemic prevention as follows. Firstly, a combined vector control strategy is suggested for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. Secondly, water safety should be highlighted by water disinfection and regular water quality testing. Thirdly, vaccines, diagnostic reagents and medications should be accordingly outfitted. Then, the awareness of epidemic prevention and individual hygiene should be improved by education and strict management. Finally, the daily life management for peacekeepers is also very important. The epidemic overviews and strategies for epidemic prevention described in this paper are also useful for all the other peacekeepers deployed in Africa.

Abstract: Transfection of Plasmodium falciparum is helpful to study the function of its genes, such as drug resistance. However, transgenic manipulation has been very challenging, mainly due to the high A/T base sequence structure (A+T content of about 82%) and low transfection efficiency of the Plasmodium genome. Electroporation-based transfection of Plasmodium falciparum has been successfully applied in the study of certain genes, and electroporation by preloading is currently the preferred method for introducing foreign DNA into Plasmodium falciparum. The site-directed editing of Plasmodium genes mostly adopts the method of two-plasmid transfection. It is generally believed that successful transfection of Plasmodium requires a large amount of high-purity plasmid DNA and an accurate transfection system. In addition to the evaluation of the current commonly used electrotransfection methods, this paper also introduces a new transfection method, namely lyse-reseal erythrocytes for transfection (LyRET). This paper also review the role of factors such as plasmid DNA concentration, the use of transfection reagents, the setting of transfection parameters, the addition of fresh red blood cells, and the markers of successful transfection in improving the success rate and efficiency of Plasmodium transfection, in the hope of providing a reference for study in this field.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of meatoplasty with the pedicle flap in the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 32 cases of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis treated by meato- plasty with the pedicle flap. All the patients had a history of chronic balanitis and had received meatal dilatation or simple ventral mea- totomy without significant effect. Their mean maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) was (4.3 ± 2.4) ml/s. During the operation, A "/\"-shaped incision was made in the healthy epidermis and a flap was harvested from the frenulum. After complete removal of the scar, the flap was placed into the urethral wall, followed by reconstruction of the external urethral orifice.

RESULTSThe patients were fol- lowed up for 6 to 30 months, which revealed smooth urination in all the patients with Qmax of (26.7 ± 4.5) ml/s and normal erectile function and uresiesthesis.

CONCLUSIONWith little invasiveness and few complications, meatoplasty with the pedicle flap is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of meatal stenosis secondary to chronic balanitis. However, there might be some change in the normal appearance of the balanus postoperatively, and its long-term effect needs further observation.

Balanitis ; complications ; Constriction, Pathologic ; etiology ; surgery ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Urethra ; surgery ; Urethral Stricture ; etiology ; surgery ; Urination

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions and action mechanisms of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors TrkA and p75NTR in the oncogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSUsing immunohistochemistry, we detected the expressions of TrkA and p75NTR in 62 PCa and 35 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) samples, and conducted statistical analysis on the basis of clinical data.

RESULTSIndependent-samples t-test showed that, along with poorer tissue differentiation or higher clinical stage of PCa, the expression of TrkA was significantly up-regulated, that of p75NTR remarkably down-regulated, and the expression ratio of TrkA to p75NTR markedly increased. The TrkA/p75NTR ratio was 0.32 in the BPH, 0.52 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score of 6, 1.65 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score of 7, 5.75 in the PCa tissue with Gleason score ≥ 8, 0.89 in the clinical stage of pT2, 1.5 in pT3 a, 3.75 in pT3b, and 7.00 in pTxN1.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormally increased expression ratio of TrkA to p75NTR might be one of the essential features of malignant transformation of prostate cells. A higher TrkA/p75NTR expression ratio may be associated with a lower tissue differentiation, a higher clinical stage or Gleason score, and therefore a poorer prognosis.

Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Receptor, trkA ; metabolism ; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

Objective To characterize the antibiotic resistance,homology and carbapenemase genotypes of imipenem resistant Acinetobac1ter baumannii isolated from our hospital,and analyze the clonal relatedness of the test strains.Methods Ninety five strains of imipenem resistant A.baumannii were isolated from August 2003 to December 2004 in the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine,Zhejiang University.The MICs of 16 antimicrobial agents against these strains were determined by agar dilution and E-test method.The homology of these isolates was analyzed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE).The coding gene of carbapenemases was amplified.PCR products were purified,cloned and sequenced.Plasmid DNA was extracted and purified.Conjugation and Southern blot were performed to locate the position of oxa 23 gene.Results The resistance rates to ampicillin-sulbactam and cefoperazone sulhactam were 67.9% and 30.2%.Polymyxin E had the lowest resistance rate of 17%. The resistance rate to other antimicrobial agents was higher than 90%.The 95 strains,isolated from 10 clinical units,were classified into 6 clones.Clones A and B were predominant clones.All strains produced carbapenemases which were confirmed as OXA 23 by PCR and sequencing analysis.No plasmid was extracted and conjugation was not successful.Southern bolt showed that oxa-23 gene was located on Apal-digested chromosomal segments about 220 kb and 200 kb in Clones A and B,re spectively.Conclusions OXA 23-producing A.baumannii has become one of the most important multi-resistant pathogens in our hospital.Clones A and B have widely spread in our hospital.Oxa-23 gene is located on chromosomal DNA.

Objective To investigate the effects of lovastatin,a widely used antilipemic agent,on cell proliferation,migration and apoptosis in human cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 and explore its possible mechanism.Method After QBC939 cells were either incubated with lovastatin alone or without it as a control,the methylthiazolyl tetrazolium assay (MTT) assay was used to detect cell proliferation at the 24 h,48 h and 72 h mark; flow cytometry (FCM) measured apoptosis at 48 h;scratch assay was used to determine cell migration at 48h; RT-PCR and Western blot detected the expression of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6),protein kinase (PKB/Akt),vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) mRNA and Akt protein at 48 h.Results Lovastatin significantly inhibited cell proliferation in a dose and time dependent manner (24 h,48 h and 72 h:F=173.05,159.66,577.87 respectively,all P＜0.01).After lovastatin treatment,apoptosis induction increased (t =15.28,P＜ 0.01 ) as did early apoptosis (t =13.24,P＜0.01),while the average migration velocity was reduced (24 h and 48 h:t=6.21,5.95,respectively,all P＜0.01).The Akt protein expression and mRNA expression of IL-6,Akt,VEGF,and MMP-9 were down-regulated after lovastatin treatment.Conclusions Lovastatin can inhibit cell proliferation,migration and promote apoptosis in human cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939.The mechanisms of suppression may be associated with down-regulation of IL-6,Akt,VEGF and MMP-9 expression.

AlM: To investigate the association between the degree of anterioruveitis and related factors including inflammatory markers as well as sacroiliac joint imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis ( AS) .
METHODS: Anterior changes evaluated by slit lamp, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ) , C - reactive protein ( CRP ) and magnetic resonance imaging of 55 cases with AS associateduveitis were retrospectively analyzed. A modified endotoxin-induced uveitis ( ElU ) clinical standard was used for uveitis grading. SPARCC sacroiliac scoring was used to evaluate bone edema of sacroiliac joint. The correlation between the degree of uveitis and sacroiliitis was assessed.
RESULTS: ln the 55 patients with AS, ElU grading scored 2-10, and SPARCC index scored 0-22. Further analysis showed that the severity of uveitis was significantly correlated with ESR (r=0. 869, P<0. 001) and CRP (r=0. 485, P<0. 001). The degree of anterior uveitis in AS patients was not correlated with inflammation of sacroiliac joint (r=0. 237, P=0. 081).
CONCLUSlON: Local autoimmunity of uveitis and sacroiliac joint inflammation with subsequent bone formation in AS might be mutually independent processes.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms of decorin inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in renal tubular epithelial cells.

METHODHK-2 cells in vitro were divided into 4 groups: (1) negative control group; (2) decorin group, added with decorin 100 ng/ml ; (3) TGF-beta1 group, added with TGF-beta1 10 ng/ml; (4) decorin and TGF-beta1 group, added with decorin 100 ng/ml and TGF-beta1 10 ng/ml. The protein level of phosphor-ERK, phosphor-PI3K, phosphor-Smad(3) and beta-catenin was detected by Western blotting method. The snail mRNA level was tested by real time-PCR, while the lymphoid enhancer factor-1 (LEF-1) mRNA level was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe snail (2.59 +/- 0.70:1.02 +/- 0.13) and LEF-1 mRNA (1.85 +/- 0.08:0.30 +/- 0.11) were significantly up-regulated, meanwhile the protein level of phosphor-ERK (1.11 +/- 0.09:0.47 +/- 0.07), phosphor-PI3K (14.79 +/- 1.02:2.48 +/- 0.06), phosphor-Smad(3) (0.95 +/- 0.02:0.08 +/- 0.01) and beta-catenin (1.46 +/- 0.20:0.49 +/- 0.05) were significantly increased in TGF-beta1 group compared to control group, while there were no statistically significant difference in all figures between control group and decorin group. The phosphor-ERK protein level (0.58 +/- 0.08) and the snail mRNA level (1.24 +/- 0.03) were significantly down-regulated in TGF-beta1 and decorin group compared to TGF-beta1 group, however there were no statistically significant differences in the level of phosphor-PI3K (15.84 +/- 1.64), phosphor-Smad(3) (0.90 +/- 0.04) and beta-catenin (1.42 +/- 0.09) between these two groups.

CONCLUSIONDecorin inhibited EMT induced by TGF-beta1 which may be through blocking the ERK signal transduction pathway.

Cell Dedifferentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Decorin ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Kidney Tubules ; cytology ; pathology ; Proteoglycans ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism