OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic efficacy of combined therapy with ginsenosides (GS) and prednisone on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODSSixty patients with SLE were assigned to 2 groups randomly by a randomizing digital table, the treated group and the control group, 30 cases in each group. All patients were treated with routine administration of prednisone, but to the treated group GS Capsule (50 mg) was given additionally twice every day, while to the control group placebo capsule of equal dosage was given instead. The total clinical efficacy, and changes of systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), complement 3 (C3) and anti-ds-DNA were observed after 3-month-treatment.

RESULTSThe total clinical efficacy rate was 89.28% in the treated group and 66.67% in the control group, showing a significant difference between them (P<0.05). The improvements of SLEDAI, ESR and C3 in the treated group were more significant than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of GS and prednisone could enhance the clinical efficacy, reduce the SLEDAI and promote the recovery of laboratory indices in SLE patients.

Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Ginsenosides ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use

Objective To probe the value of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) in decreasing surgical trauma of the cranial base meningioma. Methods Thirty-two patients with cranial base meningioma were examined preoperatively with MSCTA to observe the shape and the relationship with the adjacent vessels and the skull base. Three-dimensional images were reconstructed to imitate the approach of operation and compared with surgical findings. Meanwhile, 22 patients withnot MSCTA were selected randomly as control group. The amount of blood transfusion and the occurrence rate of complications were compared between the two groups. Results MSCTA depiceted clear three dimensional images of the meningioma and the relationship with the adjacent vessels and the skull base, corresponded very well to the surgery. By imitating the operation, all patients were designed the incision size of bone appropriately, the vessels of peritumoral were kept off effectively and the risk of the embedded vascular were assessed accurately. The conventional surgical approach and method were changed in 9 patients, 4 formulated the planning of the sub-total resection and radiotherapy preoperatively. Compared with control group, the amount of blood transfusion reduced significantly (P<0.05) and postoperative complications decreased. Conclusion MSCTA can imitate the surgical operations in multi-angle and supply the vital information for choosing the proper surgical approach, thereby reducing surgical trauma and postoperative complications.

Objective To use tri-operator breast blood oxygen imaging in diagnosis of early stage breast cancer.Methods To analysis and diagnosis eighty cases with the technology of breast blood oxygen imaging.Results The accurate rate of the diagnosis made by technology of breast blood oxygen imaging was 93.75%,the sensitivity of diagnosis was 90.63%,the specificity was 95.83%.Conclusions The technology of breast blood oxygen imaging without the radiation may be a better methods to diagnosis the breast diseases,which has the higher sensitivity than infrared rays examination on breast cancer diagnosis.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complication of diabetes, which causes pain and inconvenience to the patients and reduces the quality of life. The pathogenesis of DPN is not yet clear, which is the result of multi-factor interaction. Hyperglycemia is clearly an important factor for its pathogenesis and development. Several metabolic pathways have been identified that may relate to the cellular metabolic including glucose flux through the polyol pathway, the hexosamine pathway, production of the protein kinase C isoforms and accumulation of advanced glycation end products. The additive imbalance of these pathways alters the mito-chondrial redox state of the cell and results in oxidative stress. It also causes inflammation. Additionally, growth factors, insulin resistance and lipid abnormality may participate in the metabolic pathway. This review is aimed to elaborate the pathogenesis and complement the known mechanism.

BACKGROUNDIt is generally accepted that gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors with poor prognosis. We aimed to explore the relationship of the immunity of the central nervous system and the genesis and development of glioma.

METHODSG422 glioma was implanted in the brain of BALB/c mice (immuno-competent mice), nude mice (T cell related immuno-deficient) and complement C3 knock-out mice (complement C3 related immunodeficient). The survival time of the host, growth and histopathology of the tumor, and concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in tumor tissues were assessed.

RESULTSTumor spheres were formed in all mice after injection, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive staining of the cells declared their glioma origin. The longest median survival time of (44.3 ± 6.0) days was found in BALB/c mice, followed by (24.8 ± 5.2) days in nude mice and the shortest (18.6 ± 5.8) days in complement C3 knock-out mice. Accordingly, the growth of the tumor was fastest in complement C3 knock-out mice, followed by the nude mice and slowest in the BALB/c mice. Although the proportions of infiltrating CD68(+) lymphocytes in tumor tissues showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), TNF-α level in the nude and C3 knock-out mice, (28.11 ± 4.86) µmol/L and (22.87 ± 6.36) µmol/L respectively, were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that in the BALB/c mice, which was (230.21 ± 39.17) µmol/L. The INF-γ level was highest in the BALB/c mice ((180.76 ± 29.19) µmol/L), followed by the nude mice ((113.46 ± 23.76) µmol/L) and then the C3 knock-out mice ((16.84 ± 4.45) µmol/L).

CONCLUSIONSThe G422 glioma implanted in the brains of mice with different immune ability would be a useful model for studying the relationship of the immune system and tumor in the central nervous system. Furthermore, the T cells and complement C3 compartments of the immune response may affect the growth of implanted tumors and inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and INF-γ.

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Brain Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Complement C3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice, Nude ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

This paper introduces a random measurement analysis of, lung function measurement values with two different apparatus. in 41 patients. It shows that the differences are not statistically significant (P>0.05) between two apparatus measurement values except DLCO, FEF25, FEF75 in the group of normal ventilation, FVC in the group of abnormal ventilation. The two groups are both correlated closely (r> 0.9) except MMF(r=0.7725, RV r=0.808) in the normal group of ventilation, and FEF75 (r=0.58) in the abnormal group of ventilation (p<0.001). The two apparatus with different measuring theories have a good correlation.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests ; instrumentation ; methods

In this paper, a method based on the convex hull algorithm is presented for extracting modelling data from the locations of catheter electrodes within a cardiac chamber, so as to create a 3-D model of the heart chamber during diastole and to obtain a good result in the 3-D reconstruction of the chamber based on VTK.
Algorithms ; Body Surface Potential Mapping ; methods ; Catheter Ablation ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of carnosine against experimental closed head injury (CHI) in mice.

METHODSThe CHI model was established by free-falling weight-drop. Carnosine (250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before brain trauma, then q.d for 7 d; while normal saline was administrated for control group. The neurological defect was evaluated by neurological severity score (NSS) within 7 d; the survival rate and the histological alternations were observed.

RESULTSCarnosine prevented the body weight loss of mice at dose of 500 mg/kg; significantly increased the survival rate, and reduced the neurological defect and histological damage at dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONCarnosine can attenuate closed head injury in mice.

Animals ; Carnosine ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR

OBJECTIVETo characterize the variation in V3 loop of HIV-1 B'strains circulating in Chinese blood donors.

METHODSThe c2-c3 regions of the HIV envelop gene were amplified by nest-PCR from 32 HIV-1-infected blood donors in He Nan province in China. The BIOEDIT and MEGA software are used to analyze the sequences of V3 loop.

RESULTSThere are five types of central motifs of the 32 samples, in which GPGR and GPGQ are most common. More variations associated with T tropic/SI phenotype can be seen in AIDS group.

CONCLUSIONThe V3 tip motifs of HIV-1B' strains circulating in Chinese blood donors are various, the different characterization of V3 loop between AIDS and asymptomatic patients indicates different biological phenotype and pathogenesis which warrant additional investigation.

Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acid Motifs ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Blood Donors ; China ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; genetics ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; analysis ; chemistry ; genetics ; HIV Infections ; blood ; virology ; HIV-1 ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligopeptides ; chemistry ; Phenotype

Objective: The research is to provide the basis for effective protection and wise utilization of the plants resources inTea Mountain National Ecological Demonstration Area of Shandong Province. Methods: The general investigation on plant species inTea Mountain was conducted. The research scope covered plant species, their distribution in wild, community structure and flora.Results: A total of 352 higher plants, belonging to 250 genera and 90 families, were recorded. Four species were listed as nationalsecond-grade protected plants. Regional vegetation is Pinus thunbergii plantation and Secondary forest. The main forest vegetation isPinus thunbergii community. Pantropic types and N. Tem types are dominant types. The latitude and "the islands-effect" should be themajor-effect factor of this pattern. Because of intense artificial active disturbance, primary vegetation types in this region have sufferedserious destruction, especially the rare and precious plants that are at high risk of dying out. Conclusions: This regional communitystructure is simple. The shrub layer and the liana layer are undeveloped. The syngenesis time is short.