OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Zhenggan Recipe (ZGR) in treating liver cirrhosis with abnormal Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSSixty-four patients of liver cirrhosis with abnormal AFP were randomly divided into the treated group and the control group. All the patients received conventional combined Western medicinal treatment. Besides, additional ZGR was given to the patients in the treated group, one dose every day for orally taken in two times, 6 months as a therapeutic course. Changes in liver function (ALT, GGT, TBIL and ALB), AFP, T-lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD4/CD8) and iconological examination were observed in the two groups before and after treatment to compared the efficacy.

RESULTSZGR could effectively lower the AFP level (P < 0.01), and improve the levels of CD4 and CD4/CD8 (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONZGR can effectively lower the level of AFP, its mechanism might be related to the improving of cellular immune function of the patients.

Adult ; Aged ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of Free-skin-grafted penoscrotal avulsion injuries on spermatogenesis.

METHODSForty-two male New Zealand albino rabbits during child-bearing period were divided into the experimental group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 18) using random digits table, and 24 female rabbits with reproductive history were used for mating experiment. The experimental group animal's scrotum skin were excised, and the split skin from abdominal region was used to repair the skin defect of scrotum. The control group did not any processing. Six rabbits were randomly chosen respectively in control group and on the 3rd and 8th weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group. The testicular surface temperature was measured in the eighteen rabbits using the method of burying thermometer, then the testicular biopsy were performed for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. On the 8(th) weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group, matched-pair feed was performed in the other 12 rabbits respectively in experimental group and in control group. Observation of corresponding mother rabbit fertility. Three patients of penoscrotal avulsion injuries were treated using split skin grafts, and the information of sex life and the quality of sperm were obtained by follow up.

RESULTSThe testicular surface temperature was similar on the 3rd and 8th weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group [(36.15 ± 0.24)°C, (36.77 ± 0.42)°C] with that of the control group. Testis tissue (HE) staining showed the tier of spermatogenic cells was rule arrangement and lot of mature sperms were found in the convoluted seminiferous tubules in control group. The tier of spermatogenic cells was diminished and disposed derangement, the spermatozoa were not seen on the 3(th) weekend of the experiment group. The tier of spermatogenic cells was increased and some spermatozoa were seen on the 8th weekend of the experiment group. Male and female matched-pair feed showed the experimental group conception rate 8/12, and 4.1 ± 3.2 rabbit babies were born averagely, while that of was 12/12 and 6.0 ± 1.3 in control group (P > 0.05). The skin grafts there were some contracture in early stage (1 - 2 months) when the skin grafts applied to repair the avulsing scrotum in three patients. But the skin grafts became loose with downward sagging and there were the good cosmetic result in one year, and without any contracture. The sperm quality was normal after the skin grafts applied to repair the avulsing scrotum in the late stage.

CONCLUSIONSThe skin grafting is little arrest the testicle spermatogenesis in the three methods (skin flap reconstruction scrotum, testicle buried, split skin grafting) that have usually been used to repair scrotum skin lose. For a young male, the best treatment for penoscrotal avulsion injuries is free skin grafting, while skin flaps are not recommended for reconstructing the scrotum.

Adult ; Animals ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Rabbits ; Scrotum ; injuries ; surgery ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Spermatogenesis ; Surgical Flaps

Objective To explore a fabricating method of incisor all-ceramic cantilevered resinbonded fixed partial denture(RBFPD)and evaluate their clinical performances.Methods All-ceramic cantilevered RBFPDs were made to replace 1 missing incisor in each of 10 patients.The RBFPDs with lingual surface retainer were made of Empress Ⅱ ceramic materials and luted with resin cement.The prostheses were examined at 2 weeks,1 year and 2 years after denture insertion.Examining criteria included:fracture of bridge,marginal adaptation,secondary caries,and color match.Results The average follow-up period was 14.7 months.No framework fracture and retainer debonding were observed and margihal adaptation was evaluated as good.Seven RBFPDs matched the color of adjacent teeth,and other three did not match well but within the acceptable range of tooth shade difference.Conclusions The results of this preliminary study suggest that the clinical performances of all-ceramic cantilevered RBFPDs are good in short-term evaluation,but their long-term success needs to be further investigated.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on hemogram in rats with gastric ulcer.

METHODSPhysicochemical properties of TiO₂ nanoparticles were characterized. Twenty-four clear class SD male rats, aging 8 week-old, were randomly divided into 4 groups, 6 rats for each group. 20% acetic acid were injected into the rats' stomach on the border of gastric body and pyloric antrum, and hereby established the gastric ulcer model. The rats in 4 groups were exposed to TiO₂ nanoparticles through intragastric administration at 0, 10, 50 and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively for 30 days. Afterwards, the rats were conducted blood routine test and blood coagulation test for analysis.

RESULTSTiO₂ nanoparticles were anatase crystals, closely spherical shape, whose average grain diameter was (75 ± 15) nm. The levels of white blood cell (WBC) count ((8.48 ± 3.28)×10⁹/L), lymphocyte (LYM) ((6.85 ± 2.53)×10⁹/L), monocyte (MOD) ((0.27 ± 0.12)×10⁹/L), granulocyte (GRN) ((1.37 ± 0.86)×10⁹/L), red blood cell (RBC) ((8.20 ± 0.49)×10⁹/L) and hematocrit (HCT) ((45.3 ± 1.4)%) in the 200 mg/kg dose group were significantly higher than those in the control group ((2.63 ± 0.34)×10⁹/L, (2.25 ± 0.26)×10⁹/L, (0.05 ± 0.06)×10⁹/L, (0.33 ± 0.26)× 10⁹/L, (4.87 ± 2.37)×10⁹/L and (27.2 ± 13.3)%, respectively; t values were -3.449, -3.825, -3.554, -3.097, -2.972 and -2.936 respectively, P values all < 0.05). The levels of WBC ((6.88 ± 3.06)×10⁹/L), MOD ((0.20 ± 0.07)×10⁹/L), RBC ((7.79 ± 0.48)×10⁹/L) and HCT ((42.7 ± 2.8)%) in 50 mg/kg dose group were also statistically higher than those in the control group (t values were -2.507, -2.367, -2.605 and -2.511 respectively, all P values < 0.05). There was no statistically difference found in other blood routine index and coagulation index between the three experimental groups and control group.

CONCLUSIONThe long term intake of TiO₂ nanoparticles caused a statistically increase in the amount of WBC and RBC in rats with gastric ulcer; however, there was no obvious changes found in blood platelet and coagulation index.

Animals ; Hematologic Tests ; Male ; Metal Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach Ulcer ; blood ; Titanium ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo clone the entire coding sequence and analyze the function of P2X7 receptor of J6-1 human leukemia cells.

METHODSThe entire coding sequence of P2X7 receptor was amplified by RT-PCR and then inserted into pTARGET plasmid to construct an eukaryotic expressing plasmid followed by DNA sequencing. HEK293 cells stably expressing P2X7 receptor were obtained after transfection and screening, and confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The bleb formation upon agonist stimulation was observed under phase contrast microscope.

RESULTSThe entire coding sequence of P2X7 receptor of J6-1 cells was successfully cloned. DNA sequencing analysis revealed a substitution of G559, for A559, causing a substitution of Glu187 for Gln187. The P2X7 receptor derived from J6-1 cells could be functionally expressed in HEK293 cells, in which bleb formation could be detected upon stimulation.

CONCLUSIONSThe entire coding sequence of P2X7 receptors was successfully cloned from J6-1 leukemia cells. Other unknown mechanism may contribute to the dysfunction of P2X7 receptor in these cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Purinergic P2 ; genetics ; physiology ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the present situations of lung cancer in Wuhan and to explore the relationship between the potential years of life lost of lung cancer and air pollution, especially vehicle emissions.

METHODSData gathered between 1986 and 1995 in Wuhan city, including air pollution and tobacco production and data on lung cancer between 1991 and 2000 were collected extensively. Simple Correlation and Grey Relational Analysis were used to analyze the relationship of them.

RESULTSThere was a ascending tendency in variance of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The degree of grey incidence (DGI) between the concentration of air pollutants and the male's or female's potential years of life lost of lung cancer (PYLL) were calculated respectively. In males, the values of DGI were 0.6702, 0.7071, 0.6199 on sulfur dioxide (SO2), NOx, total suspensions (TSP) respectively. In females,the values of DGI were 0.6188, 0.8555, 0.5842 according to the same order as listed above. Significant positive correlation was found between the concentration of NOx and with lung cancer in both males and females by spearman correlation test (rmale = 0.63523, P = 0.0484; rfemale = 0.76396, P = 0.0101).

CONCLUSIONWith the fast growing speed of the quantity of vehicles, pollution of vehicle emission-caused air pollution posed an important risk factor for lung cancer, despite the fact that tobacco smoking still played the leading role.

Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; Male ; Nitrogen Oxides ; analysis ; Sulfur Dioxide ; analysis ; Vehicle Emissions ; analysis

OBJECTIVESteroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) with MYO1E mutations has been identified as autosomal recessive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). To date, only two homozygous mutations in the MYO1E gene were reported in three families with FSGS. This study aimed to examine mutations in the MYO1E gene in children with familial SRNS in the Han Chinese ethnic group.

METHODSBetween 2005 and 2010, peripheral blood samples were collected from the probands, their siblings and parents of four families with autosomal recessive SRNS in the Han Chinese ethnic group. Four probands were studied from nine patients. The mutational analysis of MYO1E was performed by polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing. Fifty-nine healthy volunteers with normal urine analysis were included as controls.

RESULTSTwenty-five MYO1E variants in the prohands from 4 families with SRNS were identified in this study. Among them, 24 variants were found in NCBI dbSNP. One heterozygous mutation IVS21-85G>A was found in the prohand from Family D, whereas it was absent in 59 normal Chinese controls. No splice site change caused by IVS21-85G>A was reported by analysis with NetGene2.

CONCLUSIONSMYO1E mutations are not a major cause of Chinese familial SRNS in this study.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Myosin Type I ; genetics ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; congenital ; genetics

To study the influences of warming kidney prescription on antiviral therapeutic efficacy and creatine kinase (CK) level in telbivudine-treated HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with kidney yang deficiency syndrome. Ninety-six cases were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups (n=48 each): warming kidney prescription treatment or control. Both groups were treated for 52 weeks with telbivudine monotherapy, but the treatment group received additional treatment with the warming kidney prescription. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, biochemical response, virological response, serological response, CK level, and adverse reactions were recorded for each group in order to perform comparative analysis of the warming kidney prescription's effects. A total of 84 patients, including 43 cases in the treatment group, completed the study. The warming kidney prescription led to significantly improved total clinical syndrome efficacy, TCM syndrome score, biochemical response, virological response, and HBeAg serological responses, as evidenced by changes for each parameter observed in the treatment group versus the control group (respectively, 88.37% vs. 63.41%, 4.97+/-1.88 vs. 10.13+/-3.72, 95.35% vs. 75.61%, 81.40% vs. 56.10%, 48.84% vs. 26.83% (all, P less than 0.05)). No patient in either group experienced primary treatment failure. Seven cases, all from the control group, experienced virological breakthrough. Elevated CK was observed in both the treatment and control groups, but significantly more patients in the control group experienced this adverse reaction (respectively, 73.17% vs. 44.19%; P less than 0.01). The warming kidney prescription can increase telbivudine antiviral therapeutic efficacy and decrease the telbivudine-induced increase in creatine kinase in HbeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with kidney yang deficiency syndrome.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleosides ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Pyrimidinones ; therapeutic use ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Diaphragm ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiration, Artificial ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism

Objective To observe the current status of secondary prevention medication usage and their relation with on-treatment platelet reactivity in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome(ACS) treated with aspirin and clopidogrel. Methods A total of 176 patients hospitalized from 2014 to 2015 due to ACS in the Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital were enrolled and on-treatment platelet reactivity was tested by thromboelastography(TEG)and CYP2C19*2,*3 and*17 alleles were analysed. Details of secondary prevention medication and patients' clinical characteristics were recorded. The relation of secondary prevention medication and on-treatment platelet reactivity was analyzed by multi-logistic regression after adjusting for CYP2C19 alleles and clinical characteristics covariates.Results A 94.89% of patients was treated with statins while 80.68% with beta blocker. The platelet inhibition rate were (45.33±28.78)% and the high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) rate tested by TEG was 37.50%. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, usage of β-blockers during hospitalization as well as phenotypes of CYP2C19*2,*3 and *17,clinical presentation with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and the length of stents were associated with HTPR defi ned by TEG. The percentage of HTPR rate was signifi cantly lower in patients treated with than those without β-blockers (72.73% vs. 85.45%,OR 0.18,95%CI 0.06-0.53,P=0.002)after adjusting genetic factors and other covariates.Conclusions There was a signifi cant correlation between beta blockers usage and high clopidogrel on-treatment platelet reactivity.