OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony capsule (TGPC) in patients with mild and moderate alopecia areata.

METHODSA total of 86 outpatients were randomly allocated into two groups of TGPC (treatment, 44 cases) and compound glycyrrhizin tablet (control, 42 cases). The treatment group was given oral TGPC, three times daily and 600 mg per time; the control group was given oral compound glycyrrhizin tablets, three times daily and 50 mg per time. In addition, both groups were given 10 mg of vitamin B(2) and tapped the bold patches with massage. The treatment course was three months for both groups. Peripheral blood T-cell subsets (CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), Th, Ts, Th/Ts) of 10 patients randomly selected from each group respectively were tested before and after three months of treatment. The effectiveness and adverse reaction of all cases were observed each month. The safety was evaluated according to the incidence rate of adverse reaction.

RESULTSIn the treatment group, the cured and markedly effective rate was 36.36% (16/44), 50.00% (22/44) and 68.18% (30/44) at the end of first, second and third month of treatment, respectively, and the incidence rate of adverse reaction was 13.64% (6/44). In the control group, the cured and markedly effective rate was 38.10% (16/42), 57.14% (24/42) and 71.43% (30/42), respectively, and the incidence rate of adverse reaction was 16.67% (7/42). The cured and markedly effective rate and the incidence rate of adverse reaction were similar in both groups (P>0.05). TGPC and compound glycyrrhizin tablet can inhibit CD3(+)CD4(+) and CD3(+)CD8(+), and decrease the ratio of Th/Ts (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTGPC is effective and safe in the treatment of alopecia areata.

Adult ; Alopecia Areata ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Capsules ; Female ; Glucosides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical curative effect of Chinese herbal medicine combined with acitretin capsule in treating psoriasis of blood-heat syndrome (P-BH).

METHODSEighty patients of P-BH were randomly assigned to two groups, 39 in Group A and 41 in Group B. Both was treated with Chinese herbal medicines for clearing heat, cooling blood and removing toxic substance, and acitretin capsule was given to Group A additionally, with 8 weeks as one therapeutic course. The clinical curative effect was compared between groups, and the change of psoriasis activity severe index (PASI) scores before and after treatment was observed.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in Group A was 84.2% and that in Group B 68.2%, also showing significance between groups (P<0.01). PASI score lowered significantly after treatment in both groups, showing statistical significance (P<0.01), but no significant difference between groups. Little adverse reaction was found in Group B, while in Group A, the adverse reaction was of even milder degree, which could be alleviated by adjusting the herbal medicine and symptomatic treatment administration.

CONCLUSIONSThe effect of Chinese herbal medicine combined with acitretin capsule was superior to Chinese herbal medicine alone in treating P-BH, but the adverse reaction of acitretin capsule could be alleviated by adjusting the herbs used. However, the result is waiting to be verified further by larger samples.

Acitretin ; administration & dosage ; Adult ; Aged ; Capsules ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hematologic Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Keratolytic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism involved in the control of glioma cell proliferation with transfection of connexin (Cx) 43 gene.

METHODSC6 rat glioma and TJ905 human glioblastoma cell lines without Cx43 gene expression were transfected with Cx43cDNA mediated by lipofectamine. Northern blot, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical technology were used to detect the expression of Cx43mRNA and its protein with MTT assay and silver colloid stain for the detection of cell proliferation, TUNEL method for determination of cell apoptosis, scrape loading dye transfer (SLDT) for GJIC, Western blot and immunohistochemical technology for bFGF, PDGF, EGFR, IGF-I and IGFBP3 expression.

RESULTSCx 43 gene transfected glioma cells showed decreased proliferation, restored GJIC and decreased bFGF, PDGF, IGFBP3, except EGFR expression and cell apoptosis which showed no change.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of Cx 43 gene inhibiting gliomas cell proliferation is the restoration of GJIC and decreased autocrine growth factors.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Division ; physiology ; Connexin 43 ; genetics ; physiology ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Glioma ; pathology ; Rats ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase ; analysis ; physiology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Flavanones ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lipoxygenase Inhibitors ; Multiple Myeloma ; drug therapy ; pathology

Objective To construct recombinant adeno-associated virus and lentivirus carrying siRNA of TIMP-1 and to investigate the efficiency of infection and short-term inhibitory effect of TIMP-1 gene expres-sion on rat hepatic stellate cells. Methods One pair of siRNA which could effectively inhibit expression of the TIMP-1 gene in HSC-T6 was screened and cloned into AAV vector and lentiviral vector to construct the recombinant AAV/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP and Lenti/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP. AAV/GFP and Lenti/GFP as neg-ative control were also obtained. Experiments were assigned to five groups: AAV/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP, AAV/GFP, Lenti/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP, Lenti/GFP group and mock group. Rat HSC-T6 cells were infected by these recombinant viruses at a concentration of MOI by 10. To monitor the efficiency of infection, fluores-cence microscope and flow cytometer were used. After 7 d post-infection, Western blot was used to detect the TIMP-1 protein expression. Results HSC-T6 had no significant changes after infection. The efficiency of infection in AAV/GFP and Lenti/GFP group were 72.7% and 70.0%, AAV/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP and Lenti/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP group were 64.58% and 61.86%. The protein expression levels of TIMP-1 in HSC-T6 cells at 7 d post-infection by the recombinant AAV and Lentivirus were decreased 40.0% compared with those in mock control and normal HSC-T6 (P<0.05). Conclusion Recombinant AAV/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP and Lenti/siRNA-TIMP-1/GFP could effectively infect HSC-T6 with similar efficiency and suppress the expression of TIMP-1 in rat HSC-T6 remarkably.

Adolescent ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Tongue, Hairy ; etiology ; Transplantation, Homologous ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVEThe causes of chronic diarrhea in children are complex. At present, food allergy is generally viewed as an important cause of this disorder, and IgG-mediated delayed allergy plays a major role in this process. This study aimed to explore the link between food specific IgG and chronic diarrhea in children, as well as the value of food allergens-specific IgG antibody detection in the management of this disorder.

METHODSEighty-two children with chronic diarrhea and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum levels of specific IgG antibody to 14 kinds of food were detected using ELISA. The results were classified into four grades: Grade 0 (negative), Grade 1 (mild allergy), Grade 2 (moderate allergy) and Grade 3 (severe allergy). The patients received a diet treatment based on the results of food specific IgG antibody detection. Children with negative IgG antibody were allowed to continue their current diet. In children with Grade 1 allergy, the food responsible for the IgG antibody positive test was given only at an interval of four days. In children with Grade 2 or 3, the offending food was eliminated from the diet.

RESULTSOf the 82 children with chronic diarrhea, 79 (96.2%) had increased specific IgG levels for one or more of the 14 foods tested compared to 8 (26.7%) of the controls (P <0.01). The majority of patients showed increased specific IgG levels for milk (68.3%) and egg (62.2%). A low proportion of patients (2.4%) was allergic to chicken, and no patient was allergic to pork. The symptoms were improved in 65 patients (79.3%) after 1 week to 3 months of diet treatment.

CONCLUSIONSFood allergy is one of major causes of chronic childhood diarrhea. Food specific IgG antibody detection may assist in the dietary management of this disorder.

Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; immunology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Infant ; Male

This study was aimed to observe the effects of siRNA on Livin expression and function in K562 cells. Livin siRNA were designed and synthesized, then were transfected into K562 cells by using AMAXA nucle transfactor. Expressions of Livin mRNA and protein in transfected K562 cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. Non-transfected cells were used as control. The enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid was used as positive control and the transfection efficiency was detected by flow cytometry. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of electroporation method was about 50. The synthesized siRNA inhibited livin expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The rate of K562 cell apoptosis increased from (9.63 ± 0.89) in control group to (12.07 ± 1.39) and (27.41 ± 2.30) at 24 h and 48 h after transfection, respectively (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the siRNA can inhibit anti-apoptosis of livin gene via down-regulating livin gene expression, which may provide the new method for anti-leukemia study.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; genetics ; K562 Cells ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo raise some problems in the literature of acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis and improving suggestions.

METHODSThe CHKD system was used to search out 817 papers of acupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysist, which were reviewed, organized and summarized.

RESULTSIn the literature of acupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis, insufficient understanding in the relative information of clinical data, naming of intractable facial paralysis, differentiation between of the sequelae and complications, the criteria or cproblems in the literature and so on were found.

CONCLUSIONThere are some common and representative problems in these papers of acupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis, which may result in incorrect opinion about the theory and clinical study of acupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis. Sufficiently considering and resolving the above problems can not only improve the quality of the papers on acupuncture for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis as a whole, but also have active influence on both treatment and diagnosis of this disease.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Facial Paralysis ; complications ; therapy ; Humans

The study was to investigate the characteristics of Rh blood group of Uygur nationality in Xinjiang. 1 230 blood samples of Uygur nationality were studied by Rh serological typing, modified antiglobulin test, chloroform/trichloroethylene absorption elution test, upstream, downstream and hybrid Rhesus boxes, 10 exons of D gene, RHD(psi) pseudogene. The results showed that the frequency of RHD negative was 5.8%, and no Del type was found. The further investigation of 72 samples of RhD (-) found that ccee (57.02%) and Ccee (29.08%) phenotype as well as RHD(-)/RHD(-) genotype (94.44%) and complete deletion type of D gene exon (91.12%) were all in high frequency, no RHD(psi) pseudugene was detected. In conclusion, the Rh blood group of Uygurs nationality in Xinjiang possesses both oriental and caucasian Rh characteristics, which enriches the diversity of blood types in chinesenation.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Rh-Hr Blood-Group System ; genetics