Objective To observe the effect of Chinese Medicines with the function of antioxidation on lupus nephritis(LN)pa- tients.Methods The 25 LN patients consisting of renal function normal group(15 cases)and renal failure group(10 cases)were treated with Huang Qi(Radix Hedysari)and Shu Dihuang(Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata)as main ingredients for 6 months in suc- cession.Changes of symptom,systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index(SLEDAI),activity index(AI),lipid peroxide (LPO),superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxide(GSH-Px),malondialchehyche(MDA),nitric oxide(NO),blood and urine routine examination,24-hour urine protein quantity,liver and kidney function,anti-double-stranded DNA(anti ds-DNA),complement 3(C_3)and complement 4(C_4),after treatment were observed.Results SLEDAI and AI scores were remarkably different from those before treatment(P

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; secretion ; Male ; Pancreatic Polypeptide ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adolescent ; Adult ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meninges ; pathology ; Sarcoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Scalp ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Skull ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the applicability of immune-related response criteria (irRC) in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by Chinese medicine (CM).

METHODSTotally 97 stage III a-IV NSCLC patients were predominantly treated with comprehensive CM. Curative effects were evaluated by three methods such as Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), Oncologic Curative Effect Evaluation Criteria of Chinese Medicine in Solid Tumor (draft, abbreviated as CM criteria), and irRC. The correspondency and consistency between irRC, RECIST and CM criteria were analyzed and compared. The objectivity of irRC in evaluating curative effect of Chinese medical treatment for NSCLC was assessed.

RESULTSThe correspondency rate of irRC to RECIST was 59. 79% with Kappa value of 0. 379 (U test, P <0. 01). The two criteria had certain correspondence, but with an unsatisfactory consistency. The correspondency rate of irRC to CM criteria rate was 83. 51% with Kappa value of 0.751 (U test, P <0. 01). The two criteria had good correspondence and consistency.

CONCLUSIONSCM criteria had good consistency with CM criteria in evaluating curative effect for Chinese medical treatment of advanced NSCLC. Its results could objectively reflect features and advantages of CM for treating advanced NSCLC.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Treatment Outcome

Homocysteine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutrition Disorders ; complications ; Male ; Methylmalonic Acid ; urine ; Skin Diseases ; etiology ; Vitamin B 12 ; administration & dosage

Increasing evidence indicates that inflammation may play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression, and an elevated peripheral monocyte count predicts a poor prognosis in various types of malignancies. Here, we evaluate the roles of peripheral monocyte count in the diagnosis and prognosis for prostate cancer in Chinese patients. A total of 1107 consecutive patients who had undergone prostate biopsy and 290 prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy as first-line therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters were measured at the time of diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent predictors of a positive biopsy. Patients were categorized in two groups using a cutoff point of 0.425 × 109 l-1 as calculated by the receiver-operating curve analysis for prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the associations of monocyte count with progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that monocyte count, age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free/total PSA, and prostate volume were independent predictors for prostate cancer. Multivariate Cox regression analyses identified an elevated monocyte count as an independent prognostic factor for worse cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 2.244, P < 0.05) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.995, P < 0.05), but not progression-free survival (P = 0.117). Our results indicated that an elevated monocyte count was an independent diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer, and pretreatment peripheral monocyte count might play a significant role in the prognosis of prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy.

This study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on type 2 diabetic mice model and to provide mechanistic insights into its therapeutic effect. Type 2 diabetic animal model was established with high calorie fat diet and low dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Mice were then randomized into 5 groups: model control, FGF21 0.25 and 0.05 μmol x kg(-1) x d(-1) groups, insulin treatment group. Ten age-matched normal KM mouse administered with saline were used as normal controls. Serum glucose, insulin, lipid products and the change of serum and liver tissue inflammation factor levels between five groups of mouse were determined. The results showed that blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides, and inflammatory factor average FGF-21 of type 2 diabetes model group and normal control group were significantly higher (P < 0.01), while compared with insulin group, no difference was significant. Average blood glucose, insulin, blood lipid and inflammatory factor of FGF-21 treatment group compared with type 2 diabetes group was significantly lower (P < 0.01) and insulin group has no difference with the model control group. The results of OGTT and HOMA-IR showed that insulin resistance state was significantly relieved in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this study demonstrates that FGF-21 significantly remits type 2 diabetic mice model's insulin resistance state and participates in the regulation of inflammatory factor levels and type 2 diabetes metabolic disorders.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Diet, High-Fat ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; blood ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Mice ; Streptozocin ; Triglycerides ; blood

Objective: To analyze gender differences for the long-term prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: A total of 925 consecutive CHF patients admitted in our hospital were enrolled those including 460 (49.7％) female. The mean follow-up time was 3.4 years and the end point event was all-cause mortality. Gender differences for the long-term prognosis in CHF patients were studied by Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis. Results: The overall all-cause mortality was 27.9％ during follow-up period, mortality in female was 25.2％ and in male was 30.5％. Multivariate Cox regression analysis presented that the long-term death risk in male patients was higher than female (HR=1.309, 95％ CI 1.002-1.708, P=0.048). Subgroup analysis showed that for patients age≥65 years, LVEF<45％and with NYHA grade III/IV, the long-term prognosis in female was much better than male. Conclusion: Long-term prognosis of CHF in female patients was better than male; female at age≥65 years, LVEF<45％and NYHA grade III/IV had the better prognosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is defined as a sharp drop in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and a rapid increase in serum creatinine and is one of the most serious complications of liver failure. Early diagnosis and treatment play a vital role in reducing the mortality and improving the prognosis of liver failure. This article elaborates on the research advances in the diagnostic criteria, pathogenesis, biomarkers, clinical features, and treatment of AKI and points out that constant modification of the definition and staging of AKI and research and development of efficient biomarkers for AKI are future research directions.

OBJECTIVE Ginsenoside metabolite compound K (CK) is a degradation product of ginsenoside in the intestine by bacteria. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of CK have been reported. This study investigated whether CK exerted its immunoregulatory effect through modulation of dendritic cells (DCs) function. METHODS In vivo, severity of collegen-induced arthritis (CIA), T cells and DCs subsets, phenotype of DC were assayed by flow cytometry, CCL19 and CCL21 level in lymph nodes assayed by ELISA. In vitro, bone marrow-derived DCs from normal mice were matured with lipopolysaccharide and treated with CK for 48 h. In vivo, bone marrow-derived DCs were generated from CIA mice before and 2 weeks into CK treatment. DCs were analyzed for migration, phenotype and T- cell stimulatory capacity. RESULTS CK alleviated the severity of CIA, decreased pDCs and mo-DCs, increased na?ve T cells in CIA mice lymph nodes, and suppressed CCL21 expression in lymph nodes. CK suppressed DCs migration induced by CCL21 and T cells-stimulatory capability of DC, down-regulated LPS-induced expression of CD80, CD86, MHCII and CCR7 on DCs. CONCLUSION This study elucidated the novel immunomodulatory property of CK via impairing function of DCs in priming T cells activation. These results provide an interesting novel insight into the potential mechanism by which CK contribute to the restoration of immunoregulation in autoimmune conditions.