OBJECTIVETo report the clinical features and the prognosis, the methods of diagnosis and treatment, and the early detection of the pulmonary toxicity induced by amiodarone.

METHODThe clinical course, the findings of X-ray and CT and the results of treatment were summarized and analyzed in six patients with amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity.

RESULTSFive males, one female, aged 62 - 69 (66.0 +/- 2.4) years. Amiodarone was used because of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in five patients and ventricular arrhythmia in one. The loading dose was 7 g and the maintaining dose was 0.2 g/d or less. Pulmonary toxicity was recognized at the times in 0.5 - 4.0 (2.1 +/- 1.3) years after amiodarone therapy. Dyspnea occurred, crack rales were audible in both lower parts of the lungs, and the chest X-ray showed grid-like changes in case one. No symptom was found in the others. Their diagnosis was made according to the pulmonary intestinal changes by high-resolution computerized tomography when the lung marking was increased or deranged by chest X-ray during the regular follow-up. Pulmonary function examination showed that the restrictive ventilation and the CO diffusing capacity decreased in case one, while the CO diffusing capacity was normal in the others. The decreased obstructive ventilation capacity was found in case six. Amiodarone was discontinued in all the cases after the diagnosis of induced pulmonary toxicity. One patient was treated with corticosteroid, three with azithromycin, and the another two patients were not treated with drug. During 0.1 - 5.0 year period of follow-up the symptoms were markedly attenuated in case one, and no new symptoms and radiography findings were found in the others.

CONCLUSIONSPulmonary toxicity is a serious adverse effect of amiodarone. The typical feature is pulmonary intestinal fibrosis and thick pulmonary intestine in the early stage. Corticosteroid treatment seems effective. It would be helpful for early diagnosis to take chest X-ray examination regularly and CT examination in suspicions cases during the therapy. The prognosis may be good in the early diagnosed cases.

Aged ; Amiodarone ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bile Duct Diseases ; diagnosis ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cytodiagnosis ; Cytological Techniques ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Diseases ; diagnosis ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis

PURPOSE: This study was to explore the cognitive function of Korean-Chinese stroke patient in China. METHOD: The study sample was 100 who were possible to communicate and agreed. The data were collected from one Brain's hospital at Yanji in China and by trained nurse from December 12, 2005 to April 28, 2006. The measurement tools were Digit span, Trail making, and MMSE-K. The data were analysed by SPSS Win 11.5 using frequency, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The mean score of DSF was 5.07, 3.42 of DSB, 161.37 of TMA, 229.28 of TMB, 22.64 of MMSE-K. There was a significant difference in DSF (F=6.35, p=.001), DSB (F=6.10, p=.001), TMA (F=3.53, p=.018), TMB (F=3.26, p=.025), MMSE-K score (F=12.97, p=.000) according to age, and DSF (F=6.67, p=.000), DSB (F=6.01, p=.000), TMA (F=5.82, p=.001), TMB (F=6.23, p=.001), and MMSE-K score (F=13.02, p=.000) according to educational level, and DSF (F=5.35, p=.006), DSB (F=3.16, p=.047), TMA (F=3.30, p=.041), TMB (F=3.42, p=.037), and MMSE-K score (F=4.95, p=.009) according to duration of disease, and DSB (F=3.54, p=.018), and MMSE-K (F=6.05, p=.001) according to frequencies of hospitalization. There was high correlation between DSF and DSB (r=.581, p=.000), TMA and TMB (r=.936, p=.000), MMSE-K and DSF (r=.579, p=.000), MMSE-K and DSB (r=.591, p=.000), DSF and TMA (r=.727, p=.000), and DSF and TMB (r=.721, p=.000). CONCLUSION: The cognitive evaluation score of Korean-Chinese stroke patients in China was in normal limit. The age, educational level, duration of disease and income were significant demographic characteristic affecting cognitive function. Further study need to compare the cognitive function of Korean-Chinese stoke patients in China and stoke patients in Korea.
China* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Stroke*

Objective To evaluate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)in distinguishing the solid solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN).Methods 42 patients with SPN (malignant in 25 and benign in 1 7)who were confirmed by operation,biopsy or follow up after treatment underwent routine chest T1 WI,T2 WI and DWI.The b values were chosen as 300,500,800 and 1 000 s/mm2 ,and the corresponding apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)values and the signal intensity (SI)were respectively measured.Results The ADC values and SI of benign and malignant SPNs were gradually reduced with increasing b value.The ADC value between benign and malignant SPNs was statistically significant with b value of 500 s/mm2 (P 500 =0.03 <0.05 ),meanwhile the SI was statistically significant with b values from 300 to 1000 s/mm2 (P 300 <0.001,P 500 =0.03 <0.05,P 800 =0.01 <0.05, P 1 000 =0.02<0.05).Conclusion Both SI and ADC value of DWI play important role in distinguishing benign and malignant SPNs, and the diagnostic efficiency of SI is superior to ADC value.

[Abstract] Tolerance is a state in which the human body is less responsive to changes in internal environmental status caused by drugs or other factors. Tolerance is a biological phenomenon, a natural consequence of the action of drugs or chemical factors. Altered organismal tolerance status often leads to the development of multiple autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a particular type of autoimmune disease, and is exactly the result of an altered immune tolerance of the thyroid gland to a series of "redundant" antigen-antibody binding reactions that produce specific or non-specific inflammation leading to tissue destruction of the thyroid gland. In recent years, a variety of somatic cell therapies have been developed for the purpose of improving the body's tolerance, partially used in the clinical treatment of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, etc. Such somatic cells that can regulate tolerance are called tolerogenic cells. The present paper will focus mainly on the specific autoimmune diseases such as AIT, discuss the promising therapeutic implications of tolerogenic cells for this group of diseases, and provide a summary of relevant studies. Hopefully, it will provide new research directions for the treatment of the disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of the fertilization strategy and embryo transfer (ET) time with the incidence of ectopic pregnancy.

METHODSWe selected 3,331 fresh and 2,706 frozen-thawed ET cycles for the patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The fresh transfers included 2 546 IVF-ET and 785 ICSI-ET cycles and 2,220 day-3 embryo and 1,111 day-5 blastocyst transfers, while the frozen-thawed transfers included 2,080 IVF-ET and 626 ICSI-ET cycles and 741 day-3 embryo and 1 965 day-5 or -6 blastocyst transfers. We compared the incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy associated with different fertilization strategies and ET time.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy was 1. 41% (36/2 546) in the IVF-ET cycles and 3.44% (27/785) in the ICSI-ET cycles of the fresh transfers, significantly lower in the IVF-ET than in the ICSI-ET cycles (P < 0.01), and it was 1.01% (21/2,080) in the IVF-ET cycles and 0.80% (5/626) in the ICSI-ET cycles of the frozen-thawed transfers, with no remarkable difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The IVF-ET and ICSI-ET cycles included 2,220 fresh day-3 (F-D3) embryos, 1,111 F-D5 blastocysts, 741 frozen-thawed day-3 (T-D3) embryos, and 1,965 T-D5/6 blastocysts. The incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy was 1.71% (n = 38) in the F-D3, 2.25% (n = 25) in the F-D5, 1.35% (n = 10) in the T-D3, and 0.81% (n = 16) in the T-D5/6 group, respectively, significantly lower in the T-D5/6 than in the other three groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy is associated with fertilization strategies, which is significantly lower in frozen-thawed than in fresh embryo transfers.

Blastocyst ; Embryo Transfer ; adverse effects ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; adverse effects ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; adverse effects ; methods ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo construct mouse enhanced green fluorecence protein (EGFP) -peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma2, and to detect EGFP-PPARgamma2 expression in infected mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC).

METHODSCut the fragment of PPARgamma2 from the expression plasmid pcDNA flag PPARgamma2, then cloned the gene fragment into pEGFP-C1 and pEGFP-N1 vector. Subsequently, subclone the fragment EGFP-PPARgamma2 from pEGFP-C1-PPARgamma2 into the shuttle plasmid DC315. HEK293 cells were co-transfected with the constructed recombinant shuttle plasmid DC315-EGFP-PPARgamma2 and large adenovirus helper plasmid pBHGlox deltaE1, 3Cre in mediation of liposome. The obtained replication-defective recombinant adenovirus Ad-EGFP-PPARgamma2 was confirmed. Then it was propagated in HEK293 cells. After the BMSC were transfected for 72 h, adipogenic differentiation was demonstrated.

RESULTSHEK293 cells were transfected with the pEGFP-C1-PPARgamma2 or pEGFP-N1-PPARgamma2 in mediation of liposome. The former green fluorescence protein was better than the latter by fluorescence microscope. The recombinant plasmids were digested and identified. Western blot analysis showed the expression of EGFP-PPARgamma2 in vitro. EGFP-PPARgamma2 protein was detectable in the nucleus of BMSC.

CONCLUSIONThe recombinant adenovirus encoding EGFP-PPARgamma2 fusion protein was successfully constructed, which provided a basis for application of EGFP-PPARgamma2 gene to adenovirus-mediated gene therapy.

Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Mice ; PPAR gamma ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Transfection

Objective :To study influence of cardiac rehabilitation combined routine treatment on cardiac function and ECG in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM).Methods :A total of 108 ICM patients treated in our hospital from Jul 2013 to May 2017 were randomly and equally divided into routine treatment group and cardiac rehabilitation group (received cardiac rehabilitation therapy based on routine treatment group ) ,both groups were treated for eight weeks .LVEF ,left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) ,QT dispersion (QTd) ,T peak‐T end interval (Tp‐e) before and after treatment ,and therapeutic effect were observed and compared between two groups .Results :Total effective rate of cardiac rehabilitation group was significantly higher than that of routine treatment group (87. 0%vs.75.9%) , P＝0.043. Compared with before treatment ,there were significant rise in LVEF and LVFS ,and sig‐nificant reductions in QTd and Tp‐e in two groups after eight‐week treatment (except Tp‐e of routine treatment group) , P＜0.05 or ＜0.01. Compared with routine treatment group after treatment ,there were significant rise in LVEF [(42.3 ± 5.8)% vs.(49.8 ± 6.5)%] and LVFS [(25.6 ± 6.1)% vs.(35.2 ± 6. 9)%] ,and significant reduc‐tions in QTd [ (52. 3 ± 6. 3) ms vs .(45. 2 ± 7. 1) ms] and Tp‐e [ (129.7 ± 12. 5) ms vs.(118. 5 ± 13.0) ms] in car‐diac rehabilitation group ,P＝0.001 all.Conclusion :Cardiac rehabilitation combined routine treatment possesses sig‐nificant therapeutic effect on ICM patients .It can significantly improve cardiac function .

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Danshensu (DSS) and Ligustrazine (TMZ), the extracts of Chinese herbs for promoting blood circulation, on angiotensin II (Ang II) induced myocardial hypertrophy and its related genes, and to explore the mechanisms of inhibitory effect.

METHODSAdopting one-step method, the total RNA of myocardial cells was extracted by TRIzol reagent. Then the expression of ANP and beta-actin mRNA, as symbol of myocardial cells, were detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSMolecular biological research showed that Ang II could significantly increase the expression of ANP mRNA in myocardial cells (P < 0.01), which could be significantly inhibited by Losartan (P < 0.01), both DSS and TMZ had the inhibitory effect (P < 0.05). Ang II could increase beta-actin mRNA expression in myocardial cells simultaneously, Losartan, DSS and TMZ could also significantly inhibit it (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effective ingredients of Chinese herbs for promoting blood circulation, DSS and TMZ, have the effect of inhibiting the hyper-expression of ANP and beta-actin induced by Ang II, and preventing myocardial hypertrophy, therefore, it could be used to prevent and treat cardiomegaly.

Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cardiomegaly ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Lactates ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The chemical constituents of Taxus chinensis var. mairei cell cultures were investigated by chromatographic methods, including silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Thirteen compounds were isolated from the 80% ethanol extract of cultured cells and their structures were elucidated by spectral data and physicochemical properties, which were identified as 2α,4α,7β,9α,10β-pentaacetoxy-14β-hydroxytax-11-ene (1), 2α,4α,7β,9α,10β-pentaacetoxytax-11-ene (2), 1β-deoxybaccatin VI (3), 2α-acetoxytaxusin (4), taxuyunnanine C (5), yunnanxane (6), 2α,5α,10β-triacetoxy-14β-propionyloxy-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (7), 2α,5α,10β-triacetoxy-14β-isobutyryloxy-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (8), 2α,5α,10β-triacetoxy-14β-(2'-methyl)butyryloxy-4 (20), 11-taxadiene (9), 13-dehydroxylbaccatin III (10), 13-dehydroxy-10-deacetylbaccatin III (11), paclitaxel (12) and (13) β-sitosterol. Among them, compound 1 is a new compound, and compounds 2, 4, 10 and 11 are isolated from the cell culture of Taxus chinensis var. mairei for the first time.
Alkenes ; analysis ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Diterpenes ; analysis ; Molecular Structure ; Paclitaxel ; analysis ; Sitosterols ; analysis ; Taxoids ; analysis ; Taxus ; chemistry