OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Jiangtang Xiaozhi Tablet (JTXZT) on decreasing the levels of blood glucose and serum lipids in KK-Ay transgenic model mice with diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODSKK-Ay transgenic mice were fed with high fat diet to induce DM obesity model. The C57 mice of the same age were recruited as the control group. Then the modeled KK-Ay mice were divided into 5 groups, i.e., the model group, the Pioglitazone Hydrochloride Tablet treatment group (8 mg/kg, as the positive control group), and the high dose JTXZT group (10 g/kg), the middle dose JTXZT group (5 g/kg), and the low dose JTXZT group (2.5 g/kg), 11 in each group. Eight weeks was taken as one therapeutic course. All medicines were given by gastrogavage. The food intake and body weight were measured every week. The blood glucose level was determined once every 2 weeks. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum lipids (TC and TG), insulin (INS), and leptin (Lep) were assayed 8 weeks after medication. The weight of liver and fat were weighed to calculate their indices. Then the adipose denaturalization of the liver was classified. The numbers of the pancreatic islet and adipocytes were respectively counted.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the food intake and the body weight obviously decreased in the 3 JTXZT groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). From the 6th week, the FBG level obviously decreased in the high dose JTXZT group (P < 0.01). After eight successive weeks of intragastric administration, the levels of TG and INS obviously decreased in the 3 JTXZT groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The Lep level somewhat decreased in the high dose JTXZT group (P < 0.05). The indices of the liver and fat obviously decreased and the number of the pancreatic islet obviously increased in the 3 JTXZT groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The number of adipocytes obviously decreased in the high and middle dose JTXZT groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The liver fatty degeneration was obviously improved in the high dose JTXZT group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJTXZT had obvious effects on decreasing the levels of blood glucose and serum lipids in KK-Ay transgenic model mice with DM obesity.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Insulin ; blood ; Leptin ; blood ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Obesity ; blood ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis (TYTZ) in improving hemorheology and blood fat of mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome.

METHODThirty-six Chinese mini-swine were randomly divided to six groups: the normal control group, the model group, the Shujiangzhi group and TYTZ groups with doses of 2.0, 1.0 and 0.5 g x kg(-1), with six mice in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of other groups were fed with high-fat diet for 2 weeks. Interventional balloons are adopted to injure their left anterior descending artery endothelium. After the operation, they were fed with high-fat diet for 8 weeks to prepare the coronary heart disease model of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. In the 8th week after the operation and administration, the changes in hemorheological parameters, serum lipid level, myocardial ischemia level and range were observed.

RESULTCompared with the normal control group, the model group showed significant increase in serum TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C levels (P < 0.01), whole blood viscosity under the shear rate of 5 s (-1) and 60 s (-1) (P < 0.01), and myocardial ischemia degree and range (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, TYTZ groups revealed significant decrease in myocardial ischemia degree and range (P < 0.01), serum TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C levels (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and whole blood viscosity under the shear rate of 5 s(-1) and 60 s(-1) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTYTZ could improve the abnormal hemorheology in Chinese mini-swine with coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome, and regulate serum lipid, with a certain efficacy for coronary heart disease of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome.

Animals ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Hemorheology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Mucous Membrane ; secretion ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the differences in oncologic outcomes between inflammatory adhesion and malignant adhesion in patients with stage IIC colorectal cancer after multivisceral resection(MVR).

METHODSA retrospective review was undertaken of 287 patients who underwent MVR for stage IIC CRC, 120 patients for stage IIB, and 140 patients for IIIA. Patients were divided into two groups: inflammatory adhesion(IA) and malignant invasion(MI).

RESULTSThere were 153 patients with colon cancer and 135 patients with rectal cancer in the stage IIC group. The overall survival was significantly lower in the MI group at 5 years(38.5% vs. 59.4%, P<0.05). Stage IIC patients with IA had similar survival rate to the patients with stage IIB CRC. Compared to the MA group, patients with stage IIIA CRC showed significant differences in 5 years overall survival rate. Univariate analysis showed that differentiation, adhesion pattern, and complication were significant prognostic factors for patients with colon cancer, while pathological characteristics, adhesion pattern, and differentiation were significant for rectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONSMI is an adverse prognostic factor for patients with stage IIC CRC. T4 should be further classified according to the adhesion pattern.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Jiangtang Xiaozhi capsule (JXC) on morphological changes of islets and liver at rat model of type 2 diabetic mellitus and provide the experimental basis for the clinical therapy of type 2 diabetic mellitus.

METHODWister rats were fed on a diet enriched in fat and glucose to induce insulin resistan, the rats were injected intrapertoneally with a low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) twice (25 mg x kg(-1)) to induce hyperglycemia, so the successful rat model of type 2 diabetes were established. The experimental rats were divided into model group, high dose JXC group, middle dose JXC group, low dose JXC group, Erjiashuanggua group, Jinqijiangtang group and normal control group. After all the treatment groups received their own medicine for two months, all the rats were sacrificed and morphological examination on their islets and livers were performed.

RESULTFatty liver in various degrees was seen in the model group and all the treatment groups, but the liver steatosis in middle and low dose JXC groups was significantly milder than that in model group (P < 0.05). Islets in the high dose JXC group were significantly more than that in the model group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJXC can improve significantly the pathological change in islets and liver steatosis at rat model of type 2 diabetic mellitus.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Islets of Langerhans ; drug effects ; pathology ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Microscopy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUNDOne of the major characteristics of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is its unusually high degree of genetic variability, which involves in genetic diagnosis, subtyping, vaccine design, and epidemiology. HIV-1 CRF01_AE is a main prevalent HIV-1 recombinant strain in China. In this study, three full-length CRF01_AE genomes from Fujian Province, China were cloned, sequenced, and analyzed; and the further genetic diversity defining and epidemiologic analysis were carried out.

METHODSProviral DNA was extracted from non-cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the near full-length HIV-1 genome was amplified and the PCR products were cloned into pCR-XL-TOPO vector and sequenced. 5'-long terminal repeat (LTR) and 3'-LTRs were amplified by additional independent PCR and cloned into pMD18T vector. Gene-based phylogenic tree was constructed and genetic distances were calculated by MEGA 3.1. Simplot was used for Bootscan analysis.

RESULTSThe phylogeny and genetic distance analysis of the three near full-length sequences confirmed that these three samples clustered with CRF01_AE isolates, more close to Thailand CRF01_AE strain CM240, and were distantly related to African CRF01_AE strain 90CF402. Analysis of their genomic organization revealed the presence of nine potential open reading frames. There were no major deletions, rearrangements, or insertions in the three sequences, but an in-frame stop codon was found in tat gene of Fj051. LTRs of the three sequences contained a few nucleotides mutation. We did not find new mosaic recombinant in the three sequences. The V3 motif was GPGQ in all the three sequences, and there were only few amino acids differences in all three V3 loop sequences.

CONCLUSIONThis report reveals the background of the three full-length CRF01_AE genomes, the most dominantly circulating HIV-1 strain in Fujian Province, China. The work is essential for the design and development of an effective AIDS vaccine for the region.

Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Viral ; chemistry ; Female ; Genome, Viral ; HIV Long Terminal Repeat ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Recombination, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the methods of systemic treatment of defects of skin and soft tissue on the knees after severe trauma or burn.

METHODSTwenty patients with defects of skin and soft tissue on the knees after severe trauma or burn hospitalized in our center from January 2009 to December 2011. The injury areas on the knees ranged from 5 cm×4 cm to 30 cm×20 cm. The wounds were treated with radical debridement, vacuum sealing drainage, and douche through dripping to control infection in early stage. Then they were covered with transplantation of skin grafts plus flap or only with flap. Totally 8 local flaps (including 6 local rotation or transposition flaps and 2 saphenous artery flaps) and 12 free flaps (including 8 anterolateral thigh flaps and 4 latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flaps) were used. The flap size ranged from 6 cm×5 cm to 32 cm×22 cm. The rehabilitation training of the knee joints was carried out in the early stage after wound healing.

RESULTSAll free skin grafts and flaps used in 15 patients survived. Thirteen of them were primarily healed, while some small parts of skin grafts of the other two patients were in poor condition because of infection, and they healed after another session of skin transplantation. Infection occurred under the free flap in one of the 5 patients transplanted with flaps only, which was healed after continuous douche through dripping and another surgical debridement following wet dressing. The knee joints were in good function during the follow-up period of 1 - 3 years.

CONCLUSIONSThe systemic therapy of radical debridement, vacuum sealing drainage technique, douche through dripping, transplantation of large autologous grafts and flaps, and the early rehabilitation training are effective and reliable in repairing defects of skin and soft tissue at the knee region after severe injuries.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; complications ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

Objective Antibody drugs are one of the hot topics in biomedical research.This study aims to develop egg yolk antibodies (IgYs) against human isomaltase and determine their biological activities.Methods The purified recombinant isomaltase protein was used as an antigen to immunize egg-laying hens in combination with complete Freund adjuvant (CFA).Anti-isomahase IgYs were extracted by water dilution-sodium sulfate extraction assay and further analyzed for their purity,specificity,titer and stability by SDS-PAGE,Western blot and ELISA respectively,and their inhibitory effect on human alpha-glycosidase enzymes was evaluated by the PNPG method.Results Anti-isomaltase IgYs were obtained,with a titer of 1 ∶ 12800,capable of specifically binding human isomaltase,and with a good thermal stability,acid/alkali stability and pepsin resistance.Conclusion Anti-human isomaltase IgYs were successfully prepared,which may provide an experimental ground for further investigation of oral antihyperglycemic agents for type Ⅱ diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy on the survival and prognosis of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgical resection.

METHODSThe data of 130 surgically resected but recurrent HCC patients treated by TACE were reviewed retrospectively. The survival and influencing factors on the prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTSThe overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates of these 130 patients were 83.0%, 45.5% and 17.6% respectively (median survival time 2.4 years). Ninty-four of the series were treated with TACE alone, which gave the 1-, 3- year survival rates of 76.4% and 37.1%, respectively (median survival time 2.1 years). Thirty-six out of 130 patients treated with TACE plus percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), the 1-, 3-year survival rates were 100.0% and 66.5% respectively with a median survival time (MST) of 3.5 years. The survival of TACE plus PEI group was significantly better, and the mortality risk was significantly lower than that of TACE alone group (P < 0.05). The mortality risk of those with > 5 cm diameter recurrent tumor or with distant metastasis was significantly higher than those with < or = 5 cm diameter tumor or without metastasis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTACE combined with PEI may improve the survival of recurrent HCC patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Child ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Ethanol ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Iodized Oil ; administration & dosage ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitomycin ; administration & dosage ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; therapy ; Postoperative Period ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-HBV effect of fusion protein thymosin alpha1-interferon alpha (TA1-IFN) in vitro and to compare its effect with a combination of interferon alpha and thymosin alpha1.

METHODSAfter 2.2.15 cells were seeded for 24 hours, drugs of five serial concentrations (8000, 4000, 2000, 1000, 500 U/ml) were added to the wells, then the medium was changed every three days. After 2.2.15 cells were treated with drugs for 6 days, the medium was collected. The inhibitory rates on HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using Abbot kit, and the cytotoxicity of different drugs by means of MTT colorimetric assays was also observed.

RESULTSThe inhibitory rate of fusion protein on HBsAg, HBeAg was dose-dependent and reached the maximum at 8000 U/ml concentration. In the meantime, the inhibitory rates of fusion protein on HBsAg and HBeAg were 72.2% +/- 0.8% and 60.4% +/- 1.1% respectively, and the cell survival rate was 85.2% +/- 2.0%; In the corresponding concentration, the inhibitory rates of combination thymosin alpha 1 and interferon alpha on HBsAg and HBeAg were 40.0% +/- 0.7%, 34.5% +/- 3.2% respectively. The results showed significant statistical differences between them; cell survival rate 70.0% +/- 1.9%, and the difference of the results was also significant. Cytotoxicity of fusion protein was weaker than a combination of thymosin alpha 1 and interferon alpha.

CONCLUSIONFusion protein TA1-IFN exerted stronger anti-HBV effects in vitro. Its anti-HBV effects in vitro were stronger than the combination of thymosin alpha and interferon alpha, and its cytotoxicity was weaker than the combination of thymosin alpha and interferon alpha. Our studies provided important evidence for clinical research on TA1-IFN, and also brought new hope for hepatitis B therapy.

Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Thymosin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical safety and effect on local recurrence in unresectable small hepatocellular carcinoma treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with and without chemotherapy through a prospective randomized trial.

METHODSThirty-eight unresectable small hepatocellular carcinoma patients with diameter

RESULTSThere was no local recurrence of the tumor in the two groups 1 month after RFA treatment. The 6- and 12-month local recurrence rates were significantly lower in the combined group than that in RFA group alone (P < 0.01). There were no severe complications in the two groups, and nor was there any significant difference in liver function and WBC count.

CONCLUSIONRFA combined with systemic chemotherapy is safe, and it can reduce the local recurrence of unresectable small hepatocellular carcinoma
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Interventional