Objective To evaluate the effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor type Ⅱ:IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR:Fc,trade name Etanercept) combined with methotrexate on levels of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum and mononuclear cells of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.Methods A total of 30 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were enrolled from Department of Dermatology of Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University between August 2014 and February 2016,and then were randomly and equally divided into Etanercept group and Etanercept + methotrexate group.The treatment lasted 24 weeks.Fifteen healthy blood donors served as healthy control group.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative PCR were performed to measure the serum levels and mRNA expression of IL-17A and TNF-α,respectively,in the patients of the above two groups before and after the treatment.Results Before the treatment,the serum levels of IL-17A and TNF-ct,as well as the mRNA expression of IL-17A and TNF-α in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs),were all significantly higher in all the patients than in the healthy controls (all P ＜ 0.05).After the treatment,compared with the Etanercept group,the Etanercept + methotrexate group showed significantly lower serum levels of IL-17A (142.67 ± 14.82 vs.163.54 ± 23.18,P ＜ 0.05) and TNF-α (70.07 ± 25.02 vs.91.98 ± 14.62,P ＜ 0.05),as well as lower mRNA expression of IL-17A (1.12 ± 0.33 vs.1.56 ± 0.77,P ＜ 0.05) and TNF-α in PBMCs (2.50 ± 1.04 vs.3.61 ± 2.14,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Etanercept combined with methotrexate is superior to Etanercept alone in the treatment of psoriasis,and can reduce treatment duration and improve therapeutic effect,likely by down-regulating the expression of IL-17A and TNF-α.

Affinity chromatography is a chromatographic method for separating molecules using the binding characteristics of the stationary phase with potential drug molecules. This method can be performed as a high throughput screening method and a chromatographic separation method to screen a variety of active drugs. This paper summarizes the history of affinity chromatography, screening technology of affinity chromatography, and application of affinity chromatography in screening bio-active compounds in herbal medicines, and then discusses its application prospects, in order to broaden applications of the affinity chromatography in drug screening.
Animals ; Chromatography, Affinity ; methods ; trends ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; trends ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To explore the effect and safety of transcranial approach for spheno-orhital meningioma. Design Retro- spective case series. Participants Thirty-two patients being operated with transcranial approach. Twenty-four cases were meningothelial meningiomas, 3 cases were fibrous meningiomas, 1 case was psammomatous meningioma, 2 cases were atypital meningiomas, 2 case were malignant meningiomas. Methods All patients underwent frontal-temporal craniotomy, the involved sphenoid wing bone and peri- orbit were removed to prevent recurrence. The superior orbital fissure and optic canal were decompressed, the dural and periorbital de- feet were repaired by autogenous temporal fascia or artificial dura. Main Outcome Measures Preoperative and postoperative exoph- thalmus and eyeball movement, the extent of tumor resection, the ratio of recurrence. Results The extent of tumor resection: 8 cases were Simpson gradeⅡ, 20 cases Simpson gradeⅢ, 4 cases Simpson grade IV. After surgery, proptosis were improved in all patients, ophthalmoplegia was found in 6 eases. There was no operation-related death or other significant complication. Tumor recurred in 6 cas- es. Conclusions Adequate exposure of the tumor and bony decompression of the cranial nerves can result from transcranial approach, all the involved bone should be removed in order to prevent recurrence. This approach is relatively safe and the ptoptosis are improved significantly. Complete surgical resection is difficult because of the involvement of the orbital apex, superior orbital fissure and cav- ernous sinus.

Objective To study the diagnostic and predictive values of amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients presenting acute dyspnea. Method A total of 533 patients with dyspnea were studied. According to the clinical characteristics and echocardiographic findings, the patients were divided into two groups, namely acute congestive heart failure group (ACHF) and non-ACHF group. NT-proBNP levels were assayed in all patients in order to evaluate the diagnostic value, and predictive value in patients of ACHF group by following up study to know the clinical destination of patients to be cardiac death or re-admission into hospital. Results There were 272 ACHF patients and 261 non-ACHF patients, and the levels of NT-proBNT were significantly different between two groups ( 2683.4±86.9) pg/mL vs. (238.6+8.7) pg/mL, P＜0.01) . A total of 220 patients were followed for 158 ±32. 8 days. The level of NT-proBNT in myocardium of patients in re-admission group was 2683 + 86. 9 pg/mL and in death group was 3283.4 + 105.7 pg/mL which both were higher than that in patients without cardiac events ( 1123. 5 + 72. 1 pg/mL) ( P ＜0. 01 ) . By using multivariate Cox analysis, log NT-proBNT was ( r = 0. 987, P = 0. 002), and atrial fibrillation (r = 0. 876, P = 0. 005 ) and ventriculat tachycardia ( r=0. 891, P =0. 005) were the valid predictors of cardiac events. Conclusions Routine determination of NT-proBNT in Emergency Department should be useful for quickly sorting patients with acute dyspnea. The NT-proBNT could be used as a good prognostic indicator of ACHF. In addition, log NT-proBNT and atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia were the independent risk factors of cardiac events.

Hypoxic preconditioning with different simulated altitudes (3?000 m and 5?000 m) was performed on Wistar rats and the evoked population spikes were recorded from the hippocampal slices of these rats. The results showed that the appearance of hypoxic injury potential (HIP) and the disappearance of presynaptic volley (PV) were significantly delayed in response to acute lethal hypoxia. HIP and PV delay became more apparent when the hypoxic preconditioning altitude was increased from 3?000 m to 5?000 m. After reoxygenation, the recovery rate of PV in hypoxic preconditioning groups at 3?000 m and 5?000 m was apparently higher than that of control. The above results suggest that hypoxic preconditioning of animals in vivo increases hypoxic tolerance of hippocampal neurons.

BACKGROUNDThe lung functional status could be displayed on lung perfusion images. With the images, the radiotherapy plans of lung cancer could be guided to more optimized. This study aimed to assess quantitatively the impact of incorporating functional lung imaging into 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSTen patients with NSCLC who had undergone radiotherapy were included in this study. Before radiotherapy, each patient underwent CT simulation and lung perfusion imaging with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The SPECT images were registered with simulation planning CT and used to contour functional lung (lung-F) and non-functional lung (lung-NF). Two 3DCRT plans and two IMRT plans were designed and compared in each patient: two anatomic plans using simulation CT alone and two functional plans using SPECT-CT in addition to the simulation CT. Dosimetric parameters of the four types of plans were compared in terms of tumor coverage and avoidance of normal tissues. Total radiation dose was set at 66 Gy (2 Gy x 33 fractions).

RESULTSIn incorporating perfusion information in 3DCRT and IMRT planning, the reductions on average in the mean doses to the functional lung in the functional plan were 168 cGy and 89 cGy, respectively, compared with those in the anatomic plans. The median reductions in the percentage of volume irradiated with > 5 Gy, > 10 Gy, > 20 Gy, > 30 Gy and > 40 Gy for functional lung in the functional plans were 6.50%, 10.21%, 14.02%, 22.30% and 23.46% in 3DCRT planning, respectively, and 3.05%, 15.52%, 14.16%, 4.87%, and 3.33% in IMRT planning, respectively. No greater degree of sparing of the functional lung was achieved in functional IMRT than in 3DCRT.

CONCLUSIONFunction-guided 3DCRT and IMRT plannings both appear to be effective in preserving functional lung in NSCLC patients.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Humans ; Radiography ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; methods ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; methods ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; methods

Humans ; Arthritis, Psoriatic/drug therapy* ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin Inhibitors ; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/therapeutic use* ; Interleukin-23/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVETo analyse the clinical features, diagnostic methods and risk factors of cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteritis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSAnalysis was made on 24 cases of CMV enteritis after allo-HSCT in Beijing Daopei Hospital from Aug. 2007 to Jul. 2009, including clinical data, endoscopic diagnosis, histopathological and virological results, and the association between CMV enteritis with viremia and graft-versus-host disease(GVHD).

RESULTS87.5% of the patients were over 18 years old. The median time to diagnosis of CMV enteritis was 63 days after HSCT. The mucosal lesions in enteroscopic examination had no significant differences between CMV enteritis and gastrointestinal GVHD complicated with the enteritis. The methods used in diagnosis included histopathology (32.1%) and virology (92.9%). The copies of CMVDNA in mucosal samples greater than 10(5)/10(6) PBNC was better diagnosis. A number of risk factors were compared between the survival and death groups: type of transplant, conditioning regimen, the time span of ganciclovir prophylaxis therapy, grade II-IV GVHD before enteritis, the time of diagnosis as GVHD, using MP > or = 1 mg/kg to treat GVHD, the time between GVHD and enteritis, CMV viremia before enteritis, the time of diagnosis as enteritis, CMVDNA quantitation, and there were no any statistic differences.

CONCLUSIONCytomegalovirus enteritis should be carefully diagnosed by histopathology and virology through endoscopic examination. It is better to undertake pan-colon endoscopy as well as terminal ileum examination for more accurate diagnosis. PCR can significantly improve the detection rate. CMVDNA detection in patients' stool may be helpful to diagnosis, especially for those patients who can not stand the endoscopy examination.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; etiology ; DNA, Viral ; isolation & purification ; Enteritis ; etiology ; virology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Lignum Sappan (LS) on the growth and metastases of transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) in mice and investigate its partial mechanism of action.

METHODSC57BL/6 mice were established in LLC model and divided into six groups in random: Group A was untreated; Group B was treated by chemotherapy (CM) only; Groups C-F were treated respectively with low-dose LS, high-dose LS, CM + low-dose LS and CM + high-dose LS, via intragastric administration for 21 successive days. Mice were sacrificed in batches at different time points (d 7, d 14 and d 21) to observe the tumor inhibition rate and the metastases suppressing rate was measured dynamically. Meantime, the CD44 expression in tumor cells was measured by flow cytometry and serum P-selectin concentration was measured by ELISA assay.

RESULTSTumor weight in all treated groups, except Group C, was lower than that in Group A at the three time points (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and that was lower in Group F than in Group B at the corresponding time points (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Comparisons of CD44+ in tumor cells showed that as compared with Group A, on d 7, it was lower in Groups B and D (P < 0.01); on d 14, it was lower in Group E (P < 0.01) and Group F (P < 0.05); and on d 21, it was lower in Groups E and F (P < 0.01). As for the concentration of P-selectin, the intergroup comparisons showed that it was lower in Groups B-F on d 7 and in Group F on d 21 than that in Group A (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but showed insignificant difference in comparing the Group A with all the treated Groups on d 14 (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLS and CM +LS could inhibit the growth and metastases of LLC, and shows inhibition on CD44 expression in tumor cells and P-selectin level in serum, which may be one of the mechanisms of LS in suppressing tumor metastasis.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Caesalpinia ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; prevention & control ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Wood

OBJECTIVETo compare the differences and characteristics in Chinese medicine (CM) and Western medicine therapeutic evaluation methods in the application of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODSA total of 200 cases of advanced non-small cell lung cancer from 3 subcenters were enrolled the study and assigned to two groups, 104 in the CM group treated with CM injection combined with treatment based on syndrome differentiation, 96 in the chemotherapy group treated with the international chemothearapy scheme, both the course of treatment was 6 weeks. Their short-term therapeutic effects were observed by the "clinic efficacy appraisal standard of therapy for advanced lung cancer with CM" simultaneously and by the follow-up Western medical solid tumor's effect evaluation criterion, including clinical symptoms, tumor body, Karnorfsky score, body weight and immune function evaluation.

RESULTSAccording to WHO solid tumor's effect evaluation criterion, the efficacy of the chemotherapy group was much better than that of the CM group (P < 0.01). While, according to the "clinic efficacy appraisal standard of therapy for advanced lung cancer with CM", the efficacy of the CM group was better than that of the chemotherapy group without statistical difference (P = 0.05), however, there was a very strong trend of appearing difference. There was difference inult o the results of the two evaluation methods.

CONCLUSIONCompared with WHO solid tumor's effect evaluation criterion, "the clinic efficacy appraisal standard of therapy for advanced lung cancer with CM" can reflect more features and advantages of CM for cancer treatment, having value for further study.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult