Stem Cells ; Toxicology ; methods

Apoptosis ; Brain Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; genetics ; Genes, erbB-1 ; genetics ; Genes, p53 ; genetics ; Glioma ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Growth Protein 1 ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

Animals ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Body Fluids ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; physiology ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia ; diagnosis ; immunology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; immunology ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the significance of Community Mental Health Service funded by the government, organised by the Health Department and participated by the Community Psychiatric Service, which consists of community case managers, policemen, community health station, doctors, nurses and family of patients.Methods 150 patients, having the tendency to cause trouble or disturbance in their psychotic episodes, were placed in a case management system, monitored and treated throughout the year, gathered statistics for their number and extent of violence every month, and scored according to Social Disability Screening Schedule (SDSS).Results After one year's monitoring and treatment, the total number of occurrence of violence 5 grade among the 150 patients decreased from 20 person-times to 0 person-times; violence 4 grade decreased from 68 person-times to 2 person-times; violence 3 grade decreased from 66 person-times to 4 person-times; violence 2 grade decreased from 258 person-times to 12 person-times; violence 1 grade decreased from 432 person-times to 24 person-times. The number of patients who lost their violent tendency increased from 0 person-times to 72 person-times.Conclusion To establish community case management systems, monitor, treatment, conduct follow-up studies and providing appropriate recovery guidance for schizophreniac patients through the Community Psychiatric Service, are the effective ways to decrease the rate of causing trouble or disturbance, reduce the patients' social disability, and facilitate the patients' recovery of social functions.

A new wood-degrading fungus Monodictys asperospera(Cooke & Massee) Ellis with a high level of laccase production was chosen to study.This laccase was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation,DEAE-cellulose and sephacryl S-300.Purification of about 8.1 fold was achieved with an overall yield of 5.7%.Its molecular weight was estimated to be about 77 kD.The optimum temperature and pH of the lac-case activity were 55?C and 6.0,respectively.Kinetic studies of the laccase showed that the Km and the Vmax for using syringaldazine as substrate was 0.163 mmol/L and 0.194 mmol/(L.min),respectively.The carbo-hydrate content was 18.14%.In addition,it was found that laccase activity was significantly inhibited by Cu2+.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Female ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of a drug pair of Radix Astragali and Rehmanniae Radix combined with glucocorticoid (GC) in treating lupus nephritis (LN) patients and its influence on some experimental indices.

METHODSTotally 52 LN patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (treated by routine Western medicine and a drug pair of Radix Astragali and Rehmanniae Radix, 25 cases) and the control group (treated by Western medicine, mainly by GC and cyclophosphamide, 27 cases). All patients received 6-month therapy. The GC dosage, the withdrawal and reduction dosage of GC, clinical efficacy, systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score, adverse reactions, and laboratory indicators were recorded.

RESULTS(1) All patients got relieved to some degree with the dosage of GC reduced. The total withdrawal and reduction dosage of GC was slightly higher in the treatment group than in the control group [(50.23 +/- 12.43) mg vs (48.76 +/- 13.61) mg, P > 0.05]. Besides, the prednisone dosage in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group, but without statistical difference (P > 0.05). The ratio of patients in need of adding prednisone for aggravating disease was 24.0%, significantly lower than that in the control group (44.44%, P < 0.05). (2) There was no statistical difference in the SLEDAI score, inflammatory indicators, liver and renal functions, blood electrolytes, blood glucose, blood and urine routines between the two groups (P > 0.05). The 24-h urinary protein count was (1.06 +/- 0.22) g/L in the treatment group, obviously lower than that in the control group (1.43 +/- 0.55 g/L, P < 0.05). (3) There was no statistical difference in the incidence rate of infection, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, psychoneuroses, Cushing's syndrome, cardiovascular anomalies, and femoral head necrosis between the two groups (P > 0.05). But the incidence of adverse reactions such as insomnia, tidal fever, spontaneous sweat, and obesity was less in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUsing a drug pair of Radix Astragali and Rehmanniae Radix combined with GC in treating LN could withdraw the dosage of GC and relieve symptoms it induced. It was advantageous in reducing the dosage of GC and stabilizing patients' conditions.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Radix Astragali,Radix Rehmanniae combined with glucocorticoid(GC) in treating patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and its influence on some experimental indexes.Methods 72 cases of SLE were randomly recruited into the integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treated group (treated group) and the western medicine treated group (control group).The control group was treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide,while the treated group was treated with Radix Astragali and Radix Rehmanniae on the basis of the control group.Both groups had been treated for 6 months as a therapy course.The use of prednisone dosage were recorded and its influence on indexes of clinical and laboratory value were observed.Results 27 SLE patients in the treated group and 34 in the control group were completely observed.The dosages of prednisone in both groups were decreased gradually after the state of disease had been relieved.The predrisone dosage in the treated group was lower than that in the control group in the therapy course(15.41 ±7.65)mg vs (17.25±8.83)mg,but without significant difference (t=0.85,P＞0.05).The total decreased prednisone dosage in the treated group (50.12±12.53 mg) was slightly higher than that in control group(48.96± 13.71) mg (t=0.34,P＞0.05).The ratio of cases who had to add prednisone for aggravating disease in treated group(15.92％) was less than that in the control group (38.24％),the difference was significant (x2=3.24,P＜0.05).The incidence rate of cushing syndrome,infection,diseases of digestive,cardiovascular anomalies in the treated group was slightly less than the control group (x2=0.42,0.98,0.01,0.03respectivly,P＞0.05),but the number of insomnia and hot flush were significantly larger in the control group than the treatment group (x2=4.24,5.93,P＜0.05).No difference about the SLEDAI,ESR,CRP,Blood Complement3,Blood imune globinG was found between the two groups (t=2.16,1.04,1.18,0.26,1.61 respectively,P＞0.05),and 24 hours urinary protein count decreased significantly in the treated group (1.06 ± 0.12) g/L,compared with control group (1.42 ± 0.54) g/L,(t =3.78,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion Radix Astragal,Radix Rehmanniae combined with conventional treatment of western medicine could withdraw corticosteroid smoothly,relieve symptoms and alleviate some side-effects of western medicine.

Objective　To study the correlation between the rabbit glucocorticoid receptor(GR) and steroid-induced glaucoma(SIG).Methods　The GR binding in peripheral blood leukocytes and plasma cortisol were measured in 15 adults pigmented rabbits on the first day of experiment, 0.5mg dexamethasone was injected in the right eyes of each rabbit once every 2 days, totally 15 times for 30 days. Right eyes intraocular pressure(IOP) and aqueous outflow facility were measured every week, the relation between GR, plasma cortisol, IOP and aqueous outflow facility(C) was analyzed. Results　After the experiment the IOP increased by 0.67kPa±0.49kPa(P＜0.01),C decreased by 0.08±0.11(P＜0.01).GR may closely be related to IOP and C(r=0.56,P＜0.025; r=0.60,P＜0.01).Plasma cortisol was independent of IOP and C(r=0.27, P＞0.05;r=0.34,P＞0.05).Conclusion　The level of GR has positive correlation with the sensitivity of tissue of eye to glucocorticoid.