Adolescent ; Athletes ; Cortisone ; blood ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Testosterone ; blood

Objective To investigate the effects of Mycobacterium vaccae vaccine on immunological function and clinical character in elderly patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MethodsA total of 100 elderly patients with stable COPD were randomly divided into immunotherapy group (group A, n= 50) and non-immunotherapy group (group B, n= 50), and normal control group (group C, n = 50). The levels of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3+ , CD4+, CD8+ , CD4+/CD8+ ratio), natural killer cells (NK cells), immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) and cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a) were measured respectively before and after therapy. Group A and B were followed up for 1 year, then the times of acute outbreak and hospitalization of patients in the two groups were also compared. Results The levels of CD4 + ,CD4+/CD8+ ratio and NK cells in group A, B were significantly lower before therapy (P＜0. 05～0. 01＝, and the levels of IL-6, IL -8, TNF-a and IgA were significantly higher than in group C (P＜0. 01＝. After treatment with Mycobacterium vaccae vaccine in group A, the levels of CD4+ , CD4+/CD8+ ratio and NK cells were significantly higher (P＜0. 05-0. 01＝ and IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a and IgA were significantly lower than before treatment (all P＜0. 01＝. These levels showed no significant changes in group B after treatment (P＞0. 05). After 1-year follow-up, the times of acute outbreak and hospitalization on patients were statistically lower in group A than in group B (P＜ 0. 01 ).ConclusionsMycobacterium vaccae vaccine can improve cellular immunity function and reduce the times of acute outbreak and hospitalization in patients with stable COPD, so it has a higher clinical application value.

Objective： To investigate the effect of oxLDL and VitE on the expression of CD40 and CD40 ligand(CD40L) in cultured human monoc ytes. Methods： The expression of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes su rface were measured by indirect immunorescence technique in combination with flo w cytometry. Results： Low concentration of oxLDL（≤200 μg/L） significantly increased the expression of CD40 and CD40L in a dose and time dep endent manner. High concentration (>200 μg/L）of oxLDL markedly reduced the exp ression of CD40 and CD40L. When VitE was added, it significantly reduced the ex pression of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes surface induced by oxLDL in a dose-depe ndent manner. Conclusion：It is an important mechanism that the high expression of CD40 and CD40L induced by oxLDL may be contributed to the for mation of atherosclerosis. Antioxidan VitE can partially inhibit the high expres sion of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes surface induced by oxLDL.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of TGF-beta on the expression of connexin43 (Cx43) and Cx43-mediated gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in rat Leydig cells, and investigate the association of its effects on Leydig cells with its ability of changing GJIC.

METHODSPrimarily cultured purified Leydig cells were divided into a blank control group, a positive control group (treated with the GJIC inhibitor Carbenoxolone), and four TGF-beta1 groups (treated with TGF-beta1 at the concentration of 1, 2, 5 and 10 ng/ml, respectively, for 20 hours). The localization and expression of Cx43 were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot, and the changes in GJIC analyzed by FRAP assay.

RESULTSCx43 was expressed as scattered bright spots in the cytoplasm and membrane of Leydig cells. TGF-beta1 significantly elevated the expression of Cx43 in the cytoplasm, but caused no evident change in the membrane. Western blot showed an evident increase in the phosphorylation of Cx43 with the increased concentration of TGF-beta1 as compared with that of the blank control group (P < 0.05). After 20 hours of treatment with TGF-beta1 at 5 ng/ml, the fluorescence intensity of Leydig cells was markedly reduced (P < 0.01), with a mean fluorescence recovery rate of merely (43.58 +/- 1.87)%.

CONCLUSIONTGF-beta1 could significantly down-regulate GJIC between adjacent Leydig cells, and this inhibitory effect may be achieved by promoting the expression of Cx43 in the cytoplasm and elevating the phosphorylation of Cx43.

Animals ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo study the expression of Smad1 and Smad5 in the testis of infertile rats with adenine-modeled kidney-yang deficiency and the pathological mechanism of infertility with kidney-yang deficiency, attempting to obtain experimental evidence for the prevention and treatment of male infertility.

METHODSForty-eight 60 d male SD rats were divided randomly into 6 groups with 8 in each: 7 d, 14 d and 21 d kidney-yang deficiency groups, and 7 d, 14 d and 21 d control groups. The experimental rats had been fed with adenine (300 mg/kg) and the expression levels of Smad1 and Smad5 were measured with immunohistochemical SABC method at the 7th, 14th and 21st day.

RESULTSSmad1 immunoreactivity was mainly located in the spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids, and the reactive substance distributed in cytoplasm with negative nuclei. Sertoli cells and Leydig cells were negative. Compared with the control, the expression level of Smad1 was decreased significantly at the 21st day (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference at the 7th and 14th day (P > 0.05). Smad5 immunoreactivity was mainly located in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes, and the reactive substance distributed in cytoplasm with negative nuclei. Compared with the control, the expression level of Smad5 was not significantly different at the 7th day (P > 0.05). The expression of Smad5 was negative at the 14th and the 21st day.

CONCLUSIONThe weaker expression of Smad1 and no expression of Smad5 may be one of the pathological mechanisms of infertility with adenine-modeled kidney-yang deficiency.

Animals ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Smad1 Protein ; biosynthesis ; Smad5 Protein ; biosynthesis ; Testis ; metabolism ; Yang Deficiency ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To improve hand hygiene (HH)compliance of health care workers (HCWs)in neonatal in-tensive care units(NICUs)in China through a series of intervention measures.Methods A multicenter study was conducted,17 tertiary first class hospitals in 9 provinces and cities were selected,HH compliance of HCWs in these hospitals were investigated every month according to HH investigation method of World Health Organization.From October 1 ,2013 to March 31 ,2014 was pre-intervention stage;from April 1 ,2014 to September 30,2014 was post-intervention stage,timely feedback and intensified training were conducted at post-intervention stage.Results HH compliance rates of HCWs before and after intervention were 80.29% and 80.85% respectively,there was no sig-nificant difference (P >0.05).HH compliance rates of HCWs in different sizes of ICUs were significantly different before and after intervention (all P <0.05),in NICUs with<20 beds and 20-30 beds after the intervention were both significantly higher than before intervention (both P <0.05 ),while >30 beds were significantly lower than before intervention(P <0.001 );HH compliance rate of cleaners increased from 58.82% before intervention to 68.09% after intervention (P <0.05 );Of different hand hygiene indications,except before clean/aseptic task, compliance to the other HH indications were significantly different between before and after intervention(all P <0.05).Conclusion HH compliance is high among HCWs in NICUs in China,intervention measures,such as inten-sified training and timely feedback have certain influence in compliance to HH among HCWs at different sizes of ICUs,of different occupations,and at different HH indications.

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effects of total glycosides Rubus parviflolius (TGRP) on local cerebral ischemic.

METHODThe local cerebral ischemia in rat was made by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MACO). The infraction weight was determined by TTC stain. SOD, MDA, GSH and apoptotis were determined with different method respectively.

RESULTTGRP 20, 10 mg x kg(-1) ig markedly improved the abnormal nervous symptoms, incredsed the SOD, GSH activity and reduced contentes of MDA in brain of MACO rat, TGRP 20 mg x kg(-1) ig significantly decreased the numbers of apoptotic cells in ischemic cortex.

CONCLUSIONTGRP has protective effects against cerebral infraction, and its mechanism may be related to anti-apoptotis and free radical.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rosaceae ; chemistry

Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Lung Abscess ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal ; etiology ; surgery

Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment has good therapeutic effects on the intractable eye diseases including pigmentary degeneration of retina, macular degeneration, glaucoma and optic atrophy, etc. This paper reviews acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of these diseases from selection of acupoints, treatment methods, effectiveness and mechanism studies, and raises the problems in existence and the prospect.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Eye Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; methods

OBJECTIVETo compare the tissue formation and the content of polysaccharide between the wild Dendrobium candidum and the cultured ones and to find any existed differences.

METHODBare-handed microtomy and photomicrography; The content of polysaccharide is determined by phenol-sulphuric acid method.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThere are no marked noticeable differences between the wild D. candidum and the cultured ones in terms of the tissure formation and the content of polysaccharide.

Dendrobium ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Tissue Culture Techniques