Objective To investigate the incidence of candidal colonization and to analyze its risk factors in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Methods Throat swabs, midstream urine and anal swabs from 153 patients with CTDs and 63 healthy volunteers were collected for fungus culture. The logistic regression was completed via the software package SPSS 11.0. Results The incidence rate of candidal colonization was higher in the patients than that in the healthy controls (35.29% vs 7.59%). Of all the isolated fungus strains, the proportion of Candida albicans was the highest. The logistic regression analysis revealed that decrease of blood erythrocytes, increase of urine protein, decrease of complements such as CH50, C3 and C4 in serum, high daily dosage of corticosteroids and broad-spectrum antibiotic administration all significantly increased the risk of candidal colonization (all P 0.05). Conclusions The incidence rate of candidal colonization in patients with CTDs is higher than that in healthy controls. Avoiding the risk factors will help to decrease the incidence of candidal colonization in CTDs.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a very practical subject, which has its unique theoretical system and clinical characteristics. In the course of clinical practice, the exact clinical efficacy is the key of existence and development. But the existing evaluation system is difficult to objectively evaluate the clinical efficacy of TCM. Therefore, how to objectively evaluate the clinical efficacy and get definitive evidence is the focus of the evaluation of clinical efficacy of TCM. Relative to modern medicine, TCM is more concerned about the changes of feelings and clinical symptoms of the patient in the course of the evolution of the disease. Soft targets mainly used for the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of symptoms and functional activity of the disease. The level in soft targets of processing technology is often used methods in clinical evaluation. But it has often produced the phenomenon which the results of the evaluation is mutual contradiction, which will ultimately affect the effect of evaluation of clinical efficacy of TCM. In order to better evaluate the clinical efficacy of TCM, in the process of adoption of soft targets, it clearly identify it's role, highlighting the characteristics of interventions on disease, and as much as possibly avoid the level in soft targets of processing technology to real assess clinical efficacy of TCM.
Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design ; Treatment Outcome

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Health ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis

Air ; Animals ; Diving ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Spleen ; metabolism

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate ; metabolism ; Fucosyltransferases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lewis X Antigen ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; immunology ; Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigens ; metabolism

SWNTs are a mixture of 1/3 metallic SWNTs (m-SWNTs) and 2/3 semiconducting SWNTs (s-SWNTs). It is desirable to separate the metallic SWNTs from the semi-conducting ones. In this study m-SWNTs was separated by using a poly[(m-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(p-phenylenevinylene)] (PmPV) derivative and used as photo-thermal media instead of SWNTs. The separation effects of m-SWNTs were evaluated by Raman spectra, molecular modeling and TEM images. The effects of m-SWNTs on MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated with MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. m-SWNTs were separated with high purity. A strong inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth was observed with the m-SWNTs under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Our results will be helpful for the potential applications of m-SWNTs in clinical photothermal cancer therapy.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Light ; MCF-7 Cells ; drug effects ; Models, Molecular ; Nanotubes, Carbon

The effects of astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on type 1 diabetes mellitus were investigated. The mRNA expressions of Th1/Th2 cytokines of pancrease and ultrastructure of islet were studied.Ultrastructure of islets was well protected in APS group;the mRNA expressions of Th1 cytokines were downregulated and those of Th2 cytokines were upregulated in APS group.APS may correct the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokines.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of chloasma,and to provide reference for clinical treatment and study of chloasma. METHODS:Retrieved from CBM,Wanfang database,CNKI and VIP,usingchloasmaas subject,the literatures of TCM therapy were collected during Jan. 2003-Dec. 2012. Bibliometric meth-od was adopted to analyze included literatures statistically in respects of publication amount,periodicals,research institution,litera-ture types,citing references,other periodicals citatien times,fund support,distribution of provinces and cities. RESULTS:During 2005-2012,the amount of the literatures increased slowly. Among top 10 journals in the list of publication amount,only Chinese Journal of Aesthetic Medicine was not TCM journal and took up the first place. Among top 7 research institutions in the list of publi-cation amount,TCM colleges took up predominant place,followed by TCM hospitals. The types of the literatures were mainly case report,contrastive study before and after treatment,group-divided control study;the amount of group-divided control studies increased gradually year by year. The references cited were mainly English literatures. There were 82 literatures which were cited by other periodicals more than 10 times;the highest time of other periodical citation per literature was 47 times;only 11 literatures were supported by fund. The institutions of literatures authors were distributed in 32 provinces,cities and autonomous regions of China,mainly in the eastern coastal areas. CONCLUSIONS:More and more attention has being paid to TCM therapy for chloas-ma,but the scope and depth of the studies were inadequate. From the point of view of modern medicine,we can explore the patho-logical TCM mechanism and the treatment method of shortening the course of disease.

Adult ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

SWNTs are a mixture of 1/3 metallic SWNTs (m-SWNTs) and 2/3 semiconducting SWNTs (s-SWNTs). It is desirable to separate the metallic SWNTs from the semi-conducting ones. In this study m-SWNTs was separated by using a poly[(m-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(p-phenylenevinylene)] (PmPV) derivative and used as photo-thermal media instead of SWNTs. The separation effects of m-SWNTs were evaluated by Raman spectra, molecular modeling and TEM images. The effects of m-SWNTs on MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated with MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. m-SWNTs were separated with high purity. A strong inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth was observed with the m-SWNTs under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Our results will be helpful for the potential applications of m-SWNTs in clinical photothermal cancer therapy.