OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Yangxue Tongluo Recipe (YTR) combined with immunosuppressive agents in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSTotally 88 RA patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group [47 cases, YTR combined Methotrexate (MTX) + Leflunomide (LEF) treatment] and the control group (41 cases, MTX + LEF therapy). All patients received 12-week treatment. Clinical symptoms and signs, laboratory tests [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), and C reactive protein (CRP)], and adverse reactions were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 91.5% (43/47 cases) in the treatment group, and the total effective rate was 75.6% (31/41 cases) in the control group. There was statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The morning stiffness, the rest pain, the number of tender joints, the number of swollen joints, tender joint index, swollen joint index, ESR, RF, and CRP were significantly improved in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.01). Besides, clinical symptoms and signs, ESR, RF, and CRP were more improved in the treatment group after treatment, when compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05). Gastrointestinal discomfort was the main adverse reaction in the two groups, but the occurrence was lower in the treatment group than in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical efficacy of YTR combined MTX + LEF in the treatment of RA was better than using Western medicine alone. It was more safe with less adverse reactions.

Adult ; Antirheumatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

Asthma ; prevention & control ; Child ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; prevention & control

To compare the activity of RGD-TRAIL in different expression systems, RGD-TRAIL in both Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Pichia pastoris was constructed and expressed. In vitro activity of RGD-TRAIL from Pichia pastoris expression system was also analyzed. Genetic engineering techniques were used to construct recombinant plasmid pET30-rgd-trail and pHBM-rgd-trail. The recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL was purified with Ni ion affinity chromatography after induction. MTT assay, ELISA, scratch wound healing, transwell migration assay and Hoechst 33342 staining were performed to detect the effects of RGD-TRAIL on proliferation, binding activity, migration and apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis-associated proteins was detected by Western blotting. Recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL was successfully expressed in a form of inclusion body in E.coli, while expressed secretorily in Pichia pastoris. It possessed more potent cytotoxicity than RGD-TRAIL in E.coli by MTT assay. The RGD-TRAIL expressed by Pichia pastoris showed powerful binding affinity with cancer cells expressing α(v), DR4, DR5 and highly potent cytotoxicity through inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. Nuclear fragmentation was examined by Hoechst 33342 staining. Cleaved PARP and caspase-3 were also detected after incubation with RGD-TRAIL. Additionally, RGD-TRAIL inhibited migration significantly in A549 and HT1080 cells. The results demonstrate that Pichia pastoris expression system is more suitable for the recombinant protein RGD-TRAIL. Its binding affinity and antitumor activity might make RGD-TRAIL a promising candidate for cancer therapy.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Oligopeptides ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Pichia ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology

Objective:To explore the relationship among lottery buying behaviors,risk attitudes and lottery re-lated cognitive distortions,in order to propose suggestions about the intervention of problem lottery players and the healthy development of the lottery.Methods:Totally 228 lottery players (120 males,108 females;150 unmarried,78 married)sampled from Jinan were asked to fill out the Questionnaire of Lottery Buying Behavior (LBB),Domain Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT)and Lottery Related Cognitive Distortions Scale (LRCD).Correlation a-nalysis and path analysis were used to analyze the data.Results:The scores of irrational behavior of LBB were posi-tively correlated with the DOSPERT total scores and its factor scores of recreation and gambling,and positively cor-related with the LRCD total scores and its factor scores except optimistic (r=0.17 -0.34,Ps<0.01 ).While the scores of rational behavior of LBB were negatively correlated with DOSPERT total scores and factor scores of rec-reation and gambling,and negatively correlated with LRCD total scores and its factor scores of illusion of control, illusory correlation,over optimistic and gamblers'fallacy (r=-0.18 --0.37,Ps<0.01 ).Path analysis showed that lottery related cognitive distortions had complete mediating effect between risk attitudes and irrational behaviorsof buying lotteries.Lottery related cognitive distortions partially mediate the relationship between risk attitudes and rational behaviors of buying lotteries.Conclusion:It suggests that the higher risk attitudes the lottery players hold, the greater cognitive distortions they will have,which in turn the irrational behaviors of buying lotteries might easily to have.

Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Swedish universities Scales of Personality(SSP).Methods: The Chinese version of SSP was administered to 204 undergraduate students of Shanghai.40 subjects were retested after 3 to 4 weeks.Results:The Cronbach's ? coefficients of all personality dimensions' subscales ranged from 0.63 to 0.82.The Cronbach's ? coefficients of the whole scale was 0.88.The test-retest coefficients ranged from 0.65 to 0.81(P

Objective To establish osteosarcoma vaccine by the LM9 osteosarcoma derived from C3h mice hybridized with activated B lymphocytes and study its biological behavior and the antitumor efficacy. Methods The LM9 osteosarcoma derived from C3h mice was fused with LPS activated B lymphocytes by using 50%PEG. The fused cells was selected by HAT medium and cultured in vitro, and the biocharacter and efficacy of the fusion vaccine were investigated. Results In contrast to LM8, the fused cells grew significantly slowly in vitro. All the mice under the protection of fused vaccine survived without tumor (8/8), while all the mice in the control group succumbed to the tumor with no survival (8/8), 75%of the mice inoculated subcutaneously with cell fusion vaccine survived without tumor burden after implantation of LM8 cells subcutaneously. The mice in the control group developed tumors and died within 45 days without any exception. Conclusion It is possible that the LM9 osteosarcoma biology characteristics change after fused with LPS activated B lymphocytes. Cell fusion osteosarcoma vaccine could produce prophylactic and therapeutic effects in mice.

Glaucoma,optical neuritis and trauma are optic nerve injury-related diseases.These ocular diseases cause irreversible damage of the vision and even blindness.The study on optic nerve regeneration is a powerful approach for rescuing vision and improving the quality of life of patients.Therefore,how to promote optic nerve regeneration is always the focus in ophthalmology.In recent years,great progression has achieved by modulation of cellular signal pathway,usage of glial cells,stem cells and neurotrophic factor,etc,which lays a basis for the treatment of optic nerve injury.Ophthalmologist should trace and participate in these researches to promote the development of regeneration medicine.This review summarizes these new approaches after discussing factors effecting optic nerve regeneration briefly and proposes questions to answer.

Two parental strains BY-14 and BY-6,with high leavening ability in lean and sweet dough respectively,were selected.Through spore production and separation,two haploids with opposition types were selected for cross-breeding.At last one hybridization strain was obtained,with good fermentation ability as BY-14 in lean dough and better than BY-6 by 25%in sweet dough.

Objective To investigate the association between early trauma experiences and obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). Methods One hundred and eighty-five patients who met with OCD diagnosis of DSM-Ⅳ and one hundred and thirty-two healthy controls were recruited. Early trauma experience of all participants was assessed with Early Trauma Inventory-Short Form (ETI-SF) ,and severity of symptoms of OCD patients was evaluated with Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Severity Scale (Y-BOCS). Results When compared with controls, OCD group showed significantly higher in ETI-SF total score (3.55 ± 3.29 vs 1.51 ± 1.98, P ＜ 0. 01 ) and had greater in general trauma (0.89 ± 1.10 vs 0. 43 ±0.77, P＜0.01 ) ,physical abuse (0.98 ± 1.31 vs 0.65 ±1.04, P=0. 016),emotional abuse(1.43 ±1.61 vs 0.38 ±0.89, P＜0. 01),and sexual abuse(0.24 ±0.59 vs 0.06 ±0.30, P＜0. 01 ). Female OCD patients reported more sexual abuse than male patients(0.33 ±0.69 vs0. 16 ± 0.45, P = 0.049) . There was a negative correlation between onset age of obsessive symptoms and early trauma experiences(P ＜ 0. 01 ), except sexual abuse experiences (P = 0. 10). Conclusion OCD patients have much more childhood traumas, and the more trauma experiences are,the earlier onset of OCD is, which may associated with the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

OBJECTIVE To compare coblation inferior turbinate reduction with inferior turbinectomy by evaluating the differences in the degree ofintraoperative bleeding,degree of post-operative pain,and short-term efficacy in treating inferior turbinate hypertrophy. METHODS Thirty-nine patients were involved in this study. Twenty-five underwent coblation inferior turbinate reduction,and fourteen were treated with inferior turbinectomy with debrider. Subjective symptoms and the inferior turbinate scores were assessed prior to and at 1,3 and 6 months after treatment. In the coblation group,4-6 tunnels were made in each inferior turbinate with Reflex 45 wand under local anesthesia with endoscope. In the control group,debrider was used to remove the hypertropic mucosa of inferior turbinates under endoscope, after which nasal package were used for 2 days to stop the bleeding. RESULTS Coblation inferior turbinate reduction resulted in little intraoperative bleeding and a significant reduction in post-operative pain. At the month 1 follow-up,the severity and the frequency of nasal obstruction were significantly improved in both the coblation and control group. The inferior turbinates were found to have significantly decreased in size in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups. At the month 3 follow-up,these improvements were also significant,and the frequency of nasal obstruction was significantly more reduced in the coblation group. The results from the month 6 follow-up conformed to those from the month 3 follow-up. CONCLUSION Coblation inferior turbinectomy is a safe procedure that is easily performed under local anesthsia and results in a significant improvement of nasal obstruction in patients with turbinate hypertrophy. The volumes of the inferior turbinates were alsosignificantly reduced. This procedure is as effective as inferior turbinectomy with debrider. The clinical benefitpersists at 6 months after the procedure.