The real sanghuang is a new species belonging to the Inonotus, which is commonly used for cancer treatment and human immune system improvement. This review summarized the progress on the studies of Phellinus Quel in recent years, including its taxonomy status, bioactive components, pharmacodynamics, separation and purification technologies. In addition, some related problems and perspectives were also discussed.
Animals ; Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; classification ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Cholinesterase Reactivators ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Insecticides ; poisoning ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Poisoning ; therapy

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Poisoning ; epidemiology

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that play a central role in host cell recognition and responses to virus infection, leading to the production of interferons (IFNs) and proinflammatory cytokines. In parallel, in order to establish an infection, viruses have to develop exclusively strategies to interfere with TLRs signaling, particularly some important adaptors activation such as MyD88, NF-kappaB, TRIF and IRFs, and suppress or escape host's antiviral immune response. In this paper, we review the latest findings on the various strategies used by viruses to modulate TLRs-mediated innate immune response, with special emphasis on immune evasion mechanism of VACV, HCV and HIV. By highlighting recent progress in these areas, we hope to convey a greater understanding of how viruses hamper TLRs signaling and how to overcome viral infection.
Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Toll-Like Receptors ; metabolism ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology

BACKGROUNDThe current diagnostic algorithms for chronic cough require the establishment of the primary presumptive causes followed by the confirmation of diagnosis with the specific therapies. The aim of the study was to investigate the discrepancy between presumptive and definite causes and its clinical implication.

METHODSA total of 109 patients with chronic cough underwent laboratory investigations to identify the cause of cough; including sinus computerized tomography (if needed), histamine bronchial provocation, induced sputum cytology and 24-hour esophageal pH or multi-channel intraluminal impedance combined with pH monitoring. The presumptive causes were confirmed by treating them sequentially. The difference between presumptive and definite causes of chronic cough was compared.

RESULTSSingle cause was more frequent in the definite diagnosis than in the presumptive diagnosis (78.9% vs. 54.1%, χ(2) = 15.01, P = 0.0001). In contrast, multiple causes were significantly fewer in definite diagnosis than in the presumptive diagnosis (15.6% vs. 37.6%, χ(2) = 13.53, P = 0.0002). There was a discrepancy between definite and presumptive causes in 30 patients (27.5%). Compared with the presumptive causes, definite upper airway cough syndrome (24.8% vs. 11.9%, χ(2) = 6.0, P = 0.01) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (6.4% vs. 0, χ(2) = 7.23, P = 0.007) was more frequent as a single cause of chronic cough while cough variant asthma plus gastroesophageal reflux disease (3.7% vs. 11.9%, χ(2) = 5.17, P = 0.02) and upper airway cough syndrome plus nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (0 vs. 9.2%, χ(2) = 10.48, P = 0.001) were fewer as multiple causes of chronic cough.

CONCLUSIONSA discrepancy was common between presumptive and definite causes of chronic cough. To treat presumptive causes sequentially may be a suitable solution for avoidance of erroneous multiple causes and possible over-treatment.

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of the serious complications related with double-J ureteral stent placement following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

METHODSClinical data were reviewed for 272 patients treated with PCNL and indwelling double-J stents between January, 2014 and April, 2016. The risk factors of serious complications were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSSerious complications of double-J ureteral stenting occurred in 63 patients (23.1%). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the ureter abnormalities (β=1.735, P=0.000, OR=5.670), stent indwelling duration (β=1.206, P=0.028, OR=3.340), gender (β=0.895, P=0.016, OR=2.446), preoperative urinary tract infection (β=0.849, P=0.020 , OR=2.338) and stent size (β=0.847, P=0.011, OR=2.333) were all risk factors of serious complications related with the procedure.

CONCLUSIONMale patients are exposed to a higher risk of serious complications following PCNL. Effective management of urinary tract infection and choice of appropriate stent size in cases of ureteral abnormalities help to reduce these complications. The double-J stent should be withdrawn as soon as possible in patients with good postoperative recovery.

Female ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Postoperative Period ; Risk Factors ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Ureter ; surgery ; Ureteral Obstruction ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo analyze the appropriate producing area of Cistanche tubulosa by mean of TCMGIS-I.

METHODThe TCMGIS-I (Suitability evaluation geographic information system of traditional Chinese medicine producing area) was used to analyze the appropriate producing area of C. tubulosa basing on the optimum ecological factors of Sorth Sinkiang municipality which is the traditional producing area of C. tubulosa.

RESULTThe suitable producing areas of C. tubulosa include 56 counties with 190952.1 km2 total areas in Sinkiang municipality, Neimongd municipality and Gansu province; Sinkiang municipality, Gansu and Qinghai provinces have the second-suitable producing areas of C. tubulosa, with 46 counties and 41217.37 km2 total areas; Sinkiang municipality, Inner Mongolia municipality, Gansu province and Ningxia municipality have the third-suitable producing areas of C. tubulosa with 56 counties and 421145.2 km2 total areas.

CONCLUSIONIt is important to analyze the appropriate producing area of C. tubulosa by means of TCMGIS-I. The results are useful for development of C. tubulosa transplanting and cultivation.

China ; Cistanche ; growth & development ; Geographic Information Systems ; Geography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impacts of three different surgical approaches to urethral stricture on the erectile function of the patients.

METHODSThis study included 126 male patients with urethral stricture, 35 treated by substitution urethroplasty (group A), 52 by anastomotic urethroplasty (group B), and 39 by internal urethroplasty (group C). We evaluated the pre- and postoperative erectile function of the patients using IIEF-5 scores by telephone calls and interviews. We also monitored their nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).

RESULTSThe IIEF-5 scores in groups A, B and C were 13.5 +/- 4.5, 11.1 +/- 4.8 and 14.5 +/- 4.41 respectively after surgery, all significantly decreased as compared with 17.1 +/- 2.6, 17.1 +/- 3.0 and 17.6 +/- 2.2 preoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAll the three surgical approaches can reduce IIEF-5 scores in patients with urethral stricture, but anastomotic urethroplasty may induce a higher incidence of erectile dysfunction than the other two approaches.

Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Urethral Stricture ; surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the best dose and the long-term effect of the human insulin-like growth factor-1 (hIGF-1) gene injection into the penis of aged rats.

METHODSIncluded in this study were 10 young (4 months old) and 40 aged (24 months old) Sprague-Dawley male rats, the latter equally divided into a PBS control and a 10 microg, a 100 microg and a 1 000 microg hIGF-1 injection group. Electrical stimulation was conducted 4 and 8 weeks after hIGF-1 injection into the penile corpus cavernous of the rats to detect the intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Dose - and time -associated therapeutic results were analyzed and the mRNA expression of hIGF-1 determined by RT - PCR.

RESULTSICP, MAP and total ICP were significant decreased by electrical stimulation in the aged rats as compared with the young ones (P < 0.05), statistically increased in the three hIGF-1 dose groups in comparison with the PBS controls (P < 0.05), and showed no obvious difference between the young rats and the latter two dose groups at 4 and 8 weeks. Although less obvious effect was achieved in the 10 microg group than in the young rats, the therapeutic result was still of significance. The mRNA expression of the hIGF-1 gene was confirmed in all the hIGF-1 treated rats.

CONCLUSIONThe hIGF-1 therapy can improve erectile function in aged rats, 100 microg suffices for effective erection and the effect may last at least 8 weeks for a single dose.

Aging ; physiology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Erectile Dysfunction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; genetics ; physiology ; Male ; Penis ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Plasmids ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo analyze the appropriate producing area of Cistanche desertiola.

METHODThe TCMGIS-I (suitability evaluation geographic information system of traditional Chinese medicine producing area) was used to analyze the appropriate producing area of C. desertiola basing on the optimum ecological factors of Aalashan, Inner-Mongolia autonomous region and North Xinjiang au-tonomous region, the traditional producing areas of C. desertiola.

RESULTThe results showed that the suitable producing areas of C. desertiola included 159 counties of 5 autonomous regions and provinces, i.e. Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia autonomous regions, and Gansu as well as Qinghai provinces. The total area was 675 354.9 km2 and distributed mainly in Aalashan of Inner Mongolia, eastern part of North Xinjiang, northern part of Gansu and in the middle of Ningxia.

CONCLUSIONThe suitable producing areas based on TCMGIS-I covered all areas registered in the 3rd national investigation of Chinese traditional medicine resource. And the results were also corresponding to the traditional producing area of C. desertiola recorded in ancient literature and the successful cultivation areas nowadays. It suggested the rationality and reliability of TCMGIS-I.

Breeding ; China ; Cistanche ; growth & development ; Climate ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Databases, Factual ; Ecosystem ; Geographic Information Systems ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Soil