Objective To investigate the protective effects of recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO)treatment on histopathologic changes seen in hyperoxia induced lung injury.Methods Rat pups were randomly divided into four groups:Ⅰ:air-exposed control group,Ⅱ: air-exposed+rhEPO-treated group,Ⅲ:hyperoxia-exposed control group,Ⅳ:hyperoxia-exposed+rhEPO-treated group.GroupⅢ and Ⅳ rats were exposed to 85% oxygen.GroupⅡand Ⅳ rats were received rhEPO (1 200 U/kg) subcutaneously on postnatal 0 day and 2 day.On postnatal 14 day,survival curve,measurement of body weight and lung weight,radical alveolar counts(RAC),microvessel count were compared,CD_ 31 and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) were performed by immunostaining to assess hyperoxia-induced changes in lung morphology.Results Treatment of hyperoxia-exposed rats with rhEPO prolonged the survival and resulted in a significant increase in the weight gain of body and lung[(25.88?2.59) vs(18.8?3.93) P

Adult ; Arsenic Poisoning ; etiology ; Arsenicals ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; injuries ; Skin Absorption ; Wounds and Injuries

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adefovir dipivoxil(ADV)in treating patients with hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)positive chronic hepatitis B.Methods In this randomized,double blind,placebo-controlled,multicenter trial,210 eligible patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B were recruited and randomized(randomization ratio was 2:1)receiving ADV 10 mg/d for 48 weeks(ADV+ADV group,n=142)or placebo for 24 weeks followed by ADV 10 mg/d for 24 weeks(PLB+ADV group,n=68).The primary endpoint was virological response. The secondary endpoint was serologic response(HBeAg loss rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate) and alanine aminotransferase normalization rate.Results After 24 weeks therapy,mean reduction of hepatitis B virus(HBV)DNA level comparing with that of baseline was 3.12 log_(10)copy/mL in ADV +ADV group while it was 0.95 log_(10)copy/mL in PLB+ADV group.The percentages of patients with HBV DNA clearance(HBV DNA level

OBJECTIVEBronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial disease resulting from the impact of injury (including oxygen toxicity, barotrauma, volutrauma, and infection) on the immature lung. Oxygen toxicity is thought to be a major contributing factor in the pathogenesis in BPD. Previous animal studies have shown that exposure to hyperoxia in the neonatal period causes lung structural changes that are similar to the histology seen in human infants with BPD. Erythropoietin (EPO) has pleiotropic actions including antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic effects. Animal experiments reveal that EPO may have protective effects on hyperoxic lung injury, but the mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects and understand mechanism of action of EPO on the hyperoxia-induced BPD in newborn rats.

METHODSeveral litters of Wistar pups were pooled together within 12 hours after birth and randomly divided into four groups: I. air-exposed control group, II. air-exposed human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO)-treated group, III. hyperoxia-exposed placebo group and IV. hyperoxia-exposed rhEPO-treated group . Group III and IV rats were exposed to 85% oxygen. Group II and IV rats received rhEPO (1200 IU/kg) subcutaneously on postnatal days 0 and 2. Group I and III received 0.9% saline in the same way. Pups from each group were sacrificed on days 3, 7, and 14. Blood hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and platelet count were determined by blood cell analyzer. Total protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured by biochemical assay. Changes of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) mRNA expressions were measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTIn group III, there were a few inflammatory cells infiltrations in interstitium on day 3 and inflammatory response worsened on day 7. Alveolar and capillary hypoplasia and interstitial fibrosis were evident on day 14. The pathological changes were ameliorated greatly in group IV and the survival was prolonged. There were no abnormal raises of hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and platelet count in group IV compared with group I. Total protein concentration in BALF was measured as a marker for capillary leakage. MPO is a major constituent of neutrophil cytoplasmic granules and its activity therefore is a direct measure of neutrophil presence and an indirect indicator of lung injury. Total protein concentration and MPO in BALF were greatly depressed in group IV compared with group III, P<0.05, P<0.001. The upregulation of genes of CINC-1 and MCP-1 was closely related with lung inflammation caused by oxidative stress. MCP-1 and CINC-1 mRNA expression were detected and it was found that their changes were in line with the degree of lung inflammation. MCP-1 and CINC-1 mRNA expression increased in group III compared with group I especially on day 7, P<0.01 or <0.001. The changes of MCP-1 and CINC-1 mRNA were positively correlated with changes of MPO in BALF covering all groups on days 3, 7 and 14, respectively (r = 0.391, P<0.05; r = 0.701, P<0.01; r = 0.600, P<0.01; r = 0.471, P<0.01; r = 0.789, P<0.01; r = 0.588, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEPO could significantly reduce the lung inflammatory cell infiltration, and capillary endothelial cell injury in hyperoxic lung injury in newborn rats. The mechanism may be related with the inhibition of MCP-1 and CINC-1 gene expression by EPO.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hyperoxia ; complications ; pathology ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Recombinant Proteins

Objective To investigate the MRI features of the brain in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and to evaluate the correlation between the brain abnormalities and related risk factors.Methods Fifty-four patients with definite NMO according to 2006 Wingerchuk diagnosis criteria were enrolled in this study. MRI scanning of the brain was performed in these patients. Distribution and signalfeatures of all the lesions were analyzed. A Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors of brain abnormalities. Results Twenty-four NMO patients (44. 4%) showed unremarkable findings and thirty (55.6%) showed abnormalities on brain MRI. Multiple and non-specific small lesions in the subcortical white matter and grey-white matter junction were the most frequent abnormalities on brain MRI (13/30, 43. 3%). Typical lesion locations included corpus callosum, subependyma of ventricles,hypothalamus and brain stem. The lesions showed punctate, patchy and linear abnormal signals. Postcontrast MRI showed no abnormal enhancement in 16 cases. Logistic regression analysis showed that coexisting anto-immune disease or infection history had correlations with abnormalities of the brain on MRI (OR=3.519,P ＜0.05). Conclusions There was a high incidence of brain abnormalities in NMO.Subependymal white matter, corpus callosum, hypothalamus and brain stem were often involved in NMO.NMO patients with coexisting anto-immune disease and infection history had higher risk of brain abnormalities.

Objective To investigate the features of epileptic seizures and eletroencepalogram (EEG) in patients with mitochondrial myopathy encephalopathy,lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS).Methods Forty-four patients with MELAS were diagnosed at the First Hospital of Peking University from November 2007 to August 2013.EEG and head MRI were performed on all patients.The types of epileptic seizure and EEG changes were compared between patients in and outside stroke-like episodes.Results Epileptic seizures occurred in 39 of 44 patients (88.6％) with MELAS,while multitype epileptic seizures were presented in 26 cases (66.7％).In stroke-like episodes,22 patients presented with partial seizures,30 with generalized seizures and 17 with status epilepticus.In nonstroke-like episodes,7 patients presented with partial seizures,14 with generalized seizures and 2 with status epilepticus.The frequency of partial seizures,generalized tonic-clonic seizures,status epilepticus were 47.7％ (21/44),68.2％ (30/44),38.6％ (17/44) in stroke-like episodes and 13.6％ (6/44),27.3％ (12/44),4.5％ (2/44) in nonstroke-like episodes,which have statistical significance (x2 =12.022,14.758,15.103;P =0.001,0.000,0.000,respectively).Abnormal EEGs appeared in all patients.The rates of slow alpha frequency,diffuse δ or θ wave,epileptic discharges were 6.8％ (3/44),43.2％ (19/44),25.0％(11/44) in stroke-like episodes and 31.8％ (14/44),59.1％ (26/44),22.7％ (10/44) in nonstroke-like episodes,respectively.Slow alpha frequency were significantly different between patients in and outside stroke-like episodes (x2 =8.822,P =0.003).Conclusions Epileptic seizures with different types are more common during stroke-like episodes in patients with MELAS.While the rates of epileptic discharges are also common outside the stroke-like episodes.

Purpose To confirm the effects of acupuncture, and Chinese medicines in controlling the withdrawal symptoms from the opium-like drugs. Method 96 heroin-dependent subjects were divided into four groups,which were treated respectively by western medicine (Agroup), acupuncture (B group), Chinese herbs (Cgroup), and acupuncture & Chinese herbs (D group).Before, during and after treatment, the concentration of serum testosterone and prolactin, and immune functions (serum CD3+ 、CD4+ 、CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ ) were tested.Results After treatment, the concentration of serum testosterone in A and B group were higher than before and during treatment, and in C and D group, during treatment were higher. In the four groups, the concentration of serum prolactin before treatment was the highest. The levels of CD3+、CD4+、 CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ were lowest before treatment and highest after treatment. Conclusion Acupuncture and Chinese medicines effective in relieving spasm and pain can control the opium-like drug withdrawal symptoms to different degrees, especially acupuncture. However, acupuncture cannot ease the withdrawal symptoms completely. Acupuncture does not strikingly cooperate with the Chinese medicines effective in relieving spasm and pain (including M-receptor antagonists). In detoxification, the Jiaji points are the primary ones and symptom-based points the secondary ones.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Patellar Dislocation ; congenital ; diagnosis ; therapy

Child ; Contracture ; congenital ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Neck Muscles ; pathology ; Torticollis ; congenital