Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Fatigue ; blood ; Female ; Hypericum ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

This article reveals the similarities and differences between the two materia medica systems of traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Mongolian medicine by comparing the medicinal property theories of these two; our expectations are the mutual profits and complementation of the two traditional medicines from each other, a broader clinical use of natural medicinal herbs, and then, a development of traditional medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional

OBJECTIVETo investigate the friction and wear behavior of different human enamels.

METHODS24 enamel samples selected from aged, young permanent and faded deciduous teeth were classified into 3 groups and slid against artificial porcelain teeth in the presence of artificial saliva on an oscillating friction and wear test rig. The wear volume loss, microhardness and toughness of each group of the enamel specimens were measured, the wear scars were observed with a scanning electron microscope, and the elemental compositions of Ca, P, and Si of the wear scar and wear debris were determined with an energy dispersion spectrometer.

RESULTSThe wear volume losses of aged, young permanent and deciduous tooth enamels are (2.40 +/- 1.10) x 10(-12) m(3), (3.50 +/- 1.83) x 10(-12) m(3) and (4.86 +/- 2.49) x 10(-12) m(3). The data of aged tooth enamels are statistically greater than that of deciduous tooth enamels (P < 0.05). There is no significant difference between the wear volume loss of aged and young permanent tooth enamels or between the young permanent and deciduous tooth enamels (P > 0.05). However, the friction and wear behavior of each group of enamel specimens is different from each other.

CONCLUSIONSIn the present testing condition, the wear scars of each kind of enamel specimens is characterized by ploughing and cracking. The different wear resistance of the three kinds of enamels is attributed to the different microstructure of the enamel, while the hardness and toughness of the enamels are not correlated with the wear resistance.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dental Enamel ; pathology ; Dentition, Permanent ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tooth Abrasion ; pathology ; Tooth, Deciduous

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of gossypol acetic acid (GAA) on the proliferation of human mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line MEC-1 in vitro and its possible molecular mechanisms of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). MTT assay was performed to test the inhibition of proliferation of MEC-1 cells by GAA. DSB and γH2AX foci formation induced by GAA were detected by neutral comet assay and immunostaining. GAA (5-40 μmol/L) inhibited the growth of MEC-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. One of the indexes of comet assay, percentage of head DNA was decreased, however other indexes, including tail length, percentage of tail DNA, tail moment (TM) and Olive tail moment (OTM) were increased when treated with 2.5- 40 μmol/L GAA for 24 h or 20 μmol/L GAA for 3-48 h, compared with those in control. The percentage of γH2AX-positive cells was also increased when MEC-1 was treated with 2.5-20 μmol/L GAA for 24 h or 20 μmol/L GAA for 3-48 h, compared with that in control. All these results show that GAA inhibits the proliferation of MEC-1, and DSB maybe one of the mechanisms of inhibitory effect of GAA on the growth of tumor cells.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; drug effects ; Gossypol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Parotid Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to access the relationship of osteolytic bone metabolic markers such as serum type I collagen carboxy-terminal telopeptide (sICTP), N-terminal cross-linked telopeptides of type I collagen (uNTx), urinary pyridinoline (uPyd) with the therapeutic effect in breast cancer patients with bone metastases.

METHODS120 patients with breast cancer were included in this study. The levels of sICTP, uNTx and uPYD were measured by ELISA assay. The differences were compared between patients with and without bone metastasis. The patients with bone metastasis were treated and followed up as clinically indicated.

RESULTSThe levels of all above mentioned biomarkers in patients with bone metastasis were significantly higher than that in patients without bone metastasis (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was found between each two markers (r > 0.5, P < 0.01). The biomarkers were examined again in 45 patients with bone metastasis after treatment to evaluate the treatment response. The median follow-up was 10 months. Based on clinical evaluation criteria, 25 patients were responders and 20 were non-responders. For responders, after 3 months treatment, the levels of the three bone markers were significantly reduced (P = 0.025, P < 0.001, P < 0.001). But for non-responders, with progression of bone lesions, the levels of the three markers were significantly raised (P = 0.011, P = 0.002, P = 0.002). By means of multiple logistic regression with stepwise selection, the uPyd and uNTx activities were closely correlated with treatment response (OR = 17.0, P = 0.019; OR = 16.7, P = 0.015), however, the sICTP did not show any correlation with treatment response P = 0.841).

CONCLUSIONThe levels of sICTP, uNTx and uPyd may be used as indicators in assessment of the effect of antiresorptive treatment and evaluation of prognosis in breast cancer patient with bone metastases.

Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acids ; urine ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; secondary ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen ; urine ; Collagen Type I ; blood ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Peptides ; blood ; Remission Induction

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different heating timings after mixing the materials and different heating methods on the expansion characters of a quick-heating gypsum-bonded investment.

METHODSThe setting expansion rate of GC Cristoquick II gypsum-bonded investment was measured with a setting expansion tester 30, 60, 120 min after mixing the material respectively. The thermal expansion rates of the material at different setting time (30, 60, 120 min after mixing) and under different heating treatment methods (quick and conventional heating techniques) were also determined using a thermal dilatometer for dental investments, the total linear expansion rate were calculated. The effects of heating time and heating methods on the expansion of the investments were statistically analyzed with SPSS 11.0 software, using ANOVA multiple comparison (alpha=0.05).

RESULTSStatistical differences were found among the setting and thermal expansion rates of the investment at different heating timings after mixing the material (P<0.01). Setting expansion, thermal expansion and total expansion rates increased with the setting time before heat treatment, while thermal expansion rates under different (quick and conventional) heating methods were not statistically significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expansion characters of the quick-heating gypsum-bonded investment are influenced by different heating timings after mixing the material. The heat treatment technique of this quick-heating investment recommended needs to be modified to ensure casting precision.

Calcium Sulfate ; Dental Casting Investment ; Dental Casting Technique ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Investments

OBJECTIVEThe expression of CD25, CD45RA, CD45RO on umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) and CD3(+) T lymphocytes was investigated to explore the mechanism of immunosuppressive effects of intravenous immunoglobulin on neonatal immune function.

METHODSUmbilical cord blood mononuclear cells and CD3(+) T lymphocytes isolated from 8 neonates were studied. The expression of CD25, CD45RA, CD45RO on umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) and CD3(+) T lymphocytes induced with various stimuli of different combinations of IVIG and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) including (1) control group, (2) PHA activation group, (3) IVIG pre-inhibition group, (4) PHA pre-activation group, (5) PHA+IVIG group was measured with four-color immunofluorescence antibodies staining-flow cytometric technique. The results were also compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 8 adults (PBMCs).

RESULTSIVIG inhibited the PHA-induced proliferation of CBMCs as reflected by the decreased expression of CD25 and CD45RO. The amounts of CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) CBMCs reached 77.52% +/- 2.31% and 64.29% +/- 3.09% after PHA use. But a decreased response in CD25(+) (7.66% +/- 1.20% and 7.78% +/- 1.46%) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) CBMC (3.18% +/- 1.90% and 3.11% +/- 0.08%) was observed when IVIG was added in both IVIG pre-inhibition group and PHA+IVIG group. As compared with PBMCs, IVIG failed to induce the increase of the expression of CD45RA in CBMCs whereas CD45RA(+) PBMCs increased from 54.93% +/- 3.63% to 72.77% +/- 0.39% in IVIG pre-inhibition group. Moreover, IVIG inhibited the expression of CD25 and CD45RO on cord blood CD3(+) T lymphocytes no matter whether they were activated with PHA or not. The amounts of CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) CD3(+) T lymphocytes reached 97.92% +/- 2.19% and 80.41% +/- 5.57% after PHA use. But a decreased response in CD25(+) CBMCs (77.29% +/- 0.63%, 51.48% +/- 1.85% and 62.73% +/- 1.24%) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) CD3(+) T lymphocytes (35.47% +/- 2.55%, 40.14% +/- 1.16% and 36.41% +/- 2.96%) was observed when IVIG was added in IVIG pre-inhibition group, PHA pre-activation group and PHA+IVIG group, and the degree of inhibition of IVIG on cord blood CD3(+) T lymphocytes was much lower than that of CBMCs.

CONCLUSIONSCord blood T lymphocytes activation was inhibited by IVIG through the inhibition of CD25(+) CBMCs expression and the prevention of transformation from CD4(+)CD45RA(+) cells into CD4(+)CD45RO(+) cells. This IVIG-mediated suppression of activation in cord blood T cells may be derived from the indirect effect of other immune cells or molecules other than the direct effects on T cells. IVIG failed to induce the increase of expression of CD45RA in CBMCs, which may be related to the fact that majority of CBMCs were CD45RA(+) cells, but this may not rule out that the immunosuppressive effect of IVIG could be accomplished by the increase of CD45RA(+) cells in adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The suppressive effect of IVIG on CD4(+)CD45RO(+) T lymphocytes may account for its inhibitory effect on immunoglobulin production of neonates' B cells. Considering that naïve CD45RA(+) cells dominate in neonates and IVIG can inhibit transformation from CD4(+)CD45RA(+) cells into CD4(+)CD45RO(+) cells, it is recommended that IVIG should be used properly in neonates, otherwise it may deteriorate their poor immune function especially when it is used for prophylaxis or as a treatment of neonatal non-infectious diseases, and its immunosuppressive action will increase the susceptibility of neonates to infection.

Adult ; CD3 Complex ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Immunologic Factors ; adverse effects ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Infant, Newborn ; Injections, Intravenous ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of fungi invasion into the mucosal tissue, and to analyse the clinical-pathological relationship.

METHODSThe clinical data of 16 patients with invasive mycosis in the nose and paranasal sinus proved by pathologic examination between Apr, 1984 and Aug, 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 7 males and 9 females with an average age of 48.6 years. The pathologic morphology of fungi found in these patients was investigated. Fourteen of 16 tissue samples from the paranasal sinuses obtained by endoscopic operation were cultivated for the fungi. One sample of invasive mycosis was observed under electron-microscope.

RESULTSFourteen cases were found to have following underlying conditions, including diabetes (n = 4), malignant tumor (n = 5). The infected sites were as follows: 7 cases presenting in unilateral maxillary sinus, 6 cases involving over two nasal sinuses, 8 cases invading the orbit. Of all 16 patients, 15 were positive (93.7%) for the culture. The positive rate of aspergillus was 62.5% and mucoraceae was 25.0%. The overall mortality rate was 50.0% after investigation from 6 months to 5 years. From 16 surgical specimens, hypha were proved in all cases for histopathologic methods. All of the 16 granulomatous and crumbley materials from the paranasal sinuses were found that inflammatory responses were predominantly neutrophilic leucocytes invasion (100%), suppurative granuloma formed in 15 cases (93.7%). Invasive diseases were characterized by prominent infarcts (27.8%), angio-invasion (100%), and surprisingly, prominent optic nervous invasion (16.7%) in biopsies.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of invasive mycosis is correlated with patients who suffered from diabetes, malignant tumor and other basic diseases causing depression of immunological function. The pathologic study shows that the fungi which invade the tissue are mostly aspergillus or mucoraceae, and the fungal vasculitis is the direct reason for tissue damage.

Adult ; Aged ; Aspergillosis ; pathology ; Aspergillus ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paranasal Sinuses ; microbiology ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Humans ; Lipomatosis, Multiple Symmetrical ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged

Left ventricular hypertrophy associated with the use of tacrolimus is a rare complication of solid organ transplantation in adult recipients. We present a cardiac transplant recipient who developed severe concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with congestive heart failure related to myocardial hypertrophy on tacrolimus. Hypertrophy improved when the drug was discontinued and replaced with sirolimus.
Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Female ; Heart Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Tacrolimus ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use