OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD), Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XZD), and Sijunzi Decoction (SD) contained serums on expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor (NF)-κB signals, lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and to explore possible anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms.

METHODSTwenty New Zealand rabbits were divided into 4 groups at random, i.e., the normal control group, the BHD group (6.7 g/kg), the XZD group (3.6 g/kg), and the SD group (1.6 g/kg), 5 in each group. All medication lasted for 7 successive days. Two h after the final medication, about 50 mL blood was withdrawn from rabbit heart for preparing serums. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell ECV304 were cultured in vitro for 18 h and randomly divided into the blank control group, the model group, the Western medicine (WM) control group, the BHD group, the XZD group, and the SD group at random. ECV304, except in the blank control group, were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 2 h. Those in the WM control group and CM groups were treated respectively with corresponding CM contained serum for 24 h. Finally gene and protein expressions of TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF-6), NF-κB, LOX-1, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, mRNA expressions of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF-6, NF-KB, LOX-1 , TNF-cx, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 increased significantly; protein expressions of TLR4, NF-κB, LOX-1, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 also increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, mRNA and protein expressions of each index could be significantly inhibited in the BHD group, the XZD group, and the WM control group (P < 0.05). Besides, mRNA and protein expressions of each index could be significantly elevated more in the BHD group and the XZD group than in the WM control group (P < 0.05). No statistical difference existed in each index between the SD group and the rest groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe mechanism of BHD and XZD for fighting against atherosclerosis might be associated with inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signal transduction pathway and expressions of its downstream inflammatory factors such as LOX-1, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1. But SD showed no associated effect on atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Endothelial Cells ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; Signal Transduction ; TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6 ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

Objective To study the application of magnetic resonance T2 -mapping and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)in diagnosis of early cartilage degeneration of the knee joint.Methods 56 patients with clinical intends to diagnosis of early osteoarthritis of the knee were set as observation group,another 56 healthy volunteers were selected as healthy control group.The subjects of the two groups were given knee MRI T2 mapping and DWI,the T2 acquisition value and ADC value of the two groups were analyzed and compared.Results In the observation group, the side of the femoral (37.18 ±4.09),lateral tibial (32.16 ±2.75)and hip (34.56 ±4.21)were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group[femoral side (49.87 ±5.02),tibial side (47.34 ±5.01),hip surface (51.23 ±5.19)](t =20.16,18.36,23.65,all P <0.05).Conclusion Magnetic resonance T2 -mapping and DWI imaging can be found in the early knee cartilage degeneration,can lead to the rise of T2 and ADC value,so there is no cartilage damage to the cartilage damage.

Objective To investigate the effect of resistance nodulation division (RND) efflux pumps on reduced susceptibility to tigecycline in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii.Methods Totally 631 isolates of Acinetobacter baumanii were collected from 16 hospitals in 7 provinces in 2010.Genes oxa-51 and oxa-23 were detected by PCR method,and the ST profiles were determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).The disk susceptibility assay was used to determine the inhibition zone diameters of β-lactams,aminoglycosides,macrolides,tetracyclines,carbapenems,tigecycline and polymyxin.The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tigecycline was determined by E-test in strains with inhibition zone diameters ≤ 12 mm on tigecycline.The expression of operon genes adeB,adeG and adeJ was determined with efflux pump inhibitor NMP (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) for detection of efflux pump inhibitor phenotype.The isolates of Acinetobacter baumanii which were resistant both to tigecycline and carbapenems and with the inhibited phenotype of efflux pump inhibitor were collected as the experiment group,the isolates which were susceptible to tigecycline but resistant to carbapenems were collected as the control group,and ATCC 19606 was used as the reference strain.The expressions of adeABC,adeFGH and adeIJK were quantified by q-PCR at the transcriptional level.Genes adeR,adeS and adeL were amplified and sequenced using PCR method to find polymorphic locus and insertion sequences.Results There were 32 isolates of Acinetobacter baumanii with reduced susceptibility to tigecycline and carbapenem-resistant.Eight isolates were with the inhibited phenotype by efflux pump inhibitor.And 4 strains which were susceptible to tigecycline but resistant to carbapenems were selected as the control.The expressions of adeABC in A518,Z1219 and A527 of experiment group were 13-fold,5-fold and 7-fold higher than reference strain ATCC19606,respectively.The expressions of adeFGH and adeIJK were up-regulated slightly in some isolates.Transcript of adeABC was not found in control group strains A207 and A1731,and the expressions of adeABC,adeFGH and adeIJK were not up-regulated in other isolates.The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was detected in adeR (E220K) and adeS (A130D),respectively.ISAab1 insertion sequence was identified in adeS of adeABC-over expressed isolates.No mutation was found in adeL.Conclusion High expression of adeABC pump may play an important role in tigecycline resistance in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii,mainly due to the insertion of ISAba1 sequence in its regulator gene adeS,but other mechanism of tigecycline resistance may not be excluded.

Objective To explore the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of intrabepatic biliary cystadenocarcinoma (IBC). Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 17 patients with pathologically confirmed IBC, treated between January 2002 and September 2007. Results Of the 17 patients, 4 were men and 13 were women, with a mean age of 49.3 years (range 45 -68). Serum level of AFP was normal in all patients. CA19-9 was abnormally elevated in only two patients and the other two had abnormal serum level of CEA. Seven cases underwent radical resection, 7 underwent complete tumor resection combined with removal of tumor thrombi in the bile duct, 3 received palliative surgery. On histopathological examination, 10 were biliary cystadenocarcinoma,2 were biliary cystadenoma with partial eanceration,2 were papillary cystadenocarcinoma,2 were mutinous papillary cystadenocarcinoma and 1 was of mixed cystadenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. According to tumor differentiation, the number of well, moderate and poor-differentiated group was 7, 3 and 7 cases respectively. The medality of surgery (β= - 0.692, P = 0.01) and tumor differentiation (β = - 2.041, P = 0.007) effected the prognosis significantly. Conclusions IBC occurs mainly in elderly women. CA19-9 examination does not help in the establishment of diagnosis of IBC. The occurrence of tumor thrombosis in common bile duct doesn't necessarily indicate poor prognosis, hence a IBC patient will still have a satisfactory prognosis should the primary tumor be completely resected and tumor thrombi removed.

Objective To develop a holding mechanism for the drainage bag to reduce the accident rate of tube falling off during CT examination.Methods The mechanism was composed of a bed body,a mobile bed board,a connecting board,a rod and kink section.CT bed board had a sandwich structure with carbon fibre composite and foam material,and the connecting board,kink section,rod and its hinge joint were made of polycarbonate material.Results The mechanism decreased the risk for tube falling off during CT examination and increased the patient comfort.Conclusion The mechanism gains advantages in stability,mobility,convenience and practicability,and thus is worthy promoting practically.

Objective To investigate ultrasonographic features of primary and metastatic ovarian yolk sac tumors.Methods Ultrasonographic features of 19 primary lesions and 33 metastatic lesions in 35 patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results Primary tumors were sized (14.6±3.6)cm in maximum diameter,manifesting as cysti-solid masses.Solid components of primary tumors were mainly hypoechoic or isoechoic(16/19)with rich blood supplies.Thirty-three metastatic lesions were located in pelvoceliac cavity(26/33) and liver parenchyma(7/33),sized (9.4±4.5)cm,(9.2±4.9)cm and (5.6±1.6)cm in maximum diameter respectively.Metastatic lesions in pelvoceliac lesions mainly demonstrated as hypoechoic masses(21/26), however lesions in the liver were mainly hyperechoic(5/7).Anechoic regions could be found in 9/26 of the pelvoceliac lesions.Blood supply was found less rich in metastatic masses than that in primary ones.Elevated serum level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) was observed in all patients; ranging from 217 to 211 682 μg/L.Conclusions Primary and metastatic lesions of ovarian yolk sac tumor have obvious ultrasonographic characteristics.Combined with serum AFP level,the accuracy of diagnosis could be improved.

Objective To investigate the influence of coxsackie B virus (CVB) and mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) superinfection on immunological manifestation of recurrent respiratory tract inflammations(RRI) in children.Methods One hundred and thirty-two hospitalized children with RRI between Jan.to Dec.2005 were divided into negative control group,MP infection group,CVB infection group and superintection group by determining anti-MP IgM and anti-CVB IgM.Blood sedimentation,C-reactive protein,IgG,IgA,IgM and T lymphocyte subpopulation etc.were determined in four groups.The anti-MP IgM was determined by specificity immune agglutination test.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect anti-CVB IgM.The IgG,IgA,IgM were determined by simple agar diffusion method.T lymphocyte subpopulation was tested by flow cytometry.Results The percentage of CVB infection was 32.1%,mainly expressed in the 1-3 years old children;the percentage of MP infection was 22.7%,mainly expressed in children over 3 years old.In both CVB and MP infection group,the ten-dency of IgG increased and that of IgA decreased.IgM in the CVB and MP superinfection group was obviously higher than that in negative control group and MP infection group (Pa

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; blood ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; Young Adult

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Keratin-20 ; metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Teratoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Punctures ; Treatment Outcome