OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tongxinluo capsule (TXLC) on the patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). METHODS: Patients of UAP were divided into two groups, the treated group (n = 60) was treated with TXLC and the Danshen group (n = 30) was treated with composite Danshen tablet. The plasma endothelin (ET) and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) were measured before and after treatment. Data were compared between the two groups and also compared with those measured in 20 healthy subjects for control. RESULTS: ET level was higher and CGRP level lower significantly in UAP patients than that in healthy subjects significantly (P < 0.05). After TXLC treatment, ET significantly lowered (P < 0.01) and CGRP increased (P < 0.05). But in the Danshen group after treatment, the former decreased (P < 0.05), while the latter remained unchanged (P > 0.05). The effect of TXLC was better than that of composite Danshen tablet. CONCLUSION: TXLC is an effective drug for UAP treatment, which could efficiently regulate the ET and CGRP metabolism and ameliorate the degree of myocardial ischemia damage.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effect and therapeutic mechanism of Kangxian Baogan Decoction (KXBGD) on liver fibrosis caused by chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: Eight-one patients with chronic hepatitis B were divided into two groups randomly. The 54 patients in the treated group were treated by KXBGD and the 27 patients in the control group were treated by conventional liver protecting treatment. Serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen type III (PC III), collagen type IV (C-IV), laminin (LN), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured before and after treatment, meanwhile, liver function and pathological changes of liver tissues were observed. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the treated group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Serum levels of HA, PC III, C-IV, LN, TGF beta 1 and TNF-alpha in the treated group obviously reduced after treatment, and the liver function got better with significant difference as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Pathological examination of liver biopsy showed that the fibrous tissue in the liver reduced. CONCLUSION: KXBGD has a definite effect of anti-liver fibrosis.

Megastigmane glycosides (1-5) together with seven (6-12) related known compounds were isolated from the whole plants of Gynostemma pentaphyllum. The structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR, HR-ESIMS, and circular dichroism (CD), as well as chemical transformations to be (3R,4R,5S,6S,7E)-3,4,6-trihydroxymegastigmane-7-en-9-one-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (gynostemoside A, 1),(3S,4S,5R,6R,7E,9R)-3,4,6,9-tetrahydroxymegastigmane-7-en-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (gynostemoside B, 2),(3S,4S,5S,6S,7E,9R)-3,4,9-trihydroxymegastigmane-7-en-9-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (gynostemoside C, 3),(3S,4S,5S,6S,7E,9R)-3,4,9-trihydroxymegastigmane-7-en-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (gynostemoside D, 4), and (3S,4S,5S,6S,7E,9R)-3,4,9-trihydroxymegastigmane-7-en-4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (gynostemoside E, 5), respectively.

Studies of the relationship between DNA variation and gene expression variation, often referred to as "expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping", have been conducted in many species and resulted in many significant findings. Because of the large number of genes and genetic markers in such analyses, it is extremely challenging to discover how a small number of eQTLs interact with each other to affect mRNA expression levels for a set of co-regulated genes. We present a Bayesian method to facilitate the task, in which co-expressed genes mapped to a common set of markers are treated as a module characterized by latent indicator variables. A Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is designed to search simultaneously for the module genes and their linked markers. We show by simulations that this method is more powerful for detecting true eQTLs and their target genes than traditional QTL mapping methods. We applied the procedure to a data set consisting of gene expression and genotypes for 112 segregants of S. cerevisiae. Our method identified modules containing genes mapped to previously reported eQTL hot spots, and dissected these large eQTL hot spots into several modules corresponding to possibly different biological functions or primary and secondary responses to regulatory perturbations. In addition, we identified nine modules associated with pairs of eQTLs, of which two have been previously reported. We demonstrated that one of the novel modules containing many daughter-cell expressed genes is regulated by AMN1 and BPH1. In conclusion, the Bayesian partition method which simultaneously considers all traits and all markers is more powerful for detecting both pleiotropic and epistatic effects based on both simulated and empirical data.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Anticipatory and Preventive Team Care (APTCare). DESIGN: Analysis of data drawn from a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A family health network in a rural area near Ottawa, Ont. PARTICPANTS: Patients 50 years of age or older at risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes. Analysis of cost-effectiveness was performed for a subsample of participants with at least 1 of the chronic diseases used in the quality of care (QOC) measure (74 intervention and 78 control patients). INTERVENTIONS: At-risk patients were randomly assigned to receive usual care from their family physicians or APTCare from a collaborative team. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cost-effectiveness and the net benefit to society of the APTCare intervention. RESULTS: Costs not directly associated with delivery of the intervention were similar in the 2 arms:$9121 and $9222 for the APTCare and control arms, respectively. Costs directly associated with the program were $3802 per patient for a total cost per patient of $12 923 and $9222, respectively (P =.033). A 1% improvement in QOC was estimated to cost $407 per patient. Analysis of the net benefit to society in absolute dollars found a breakeven threshold of $750 when statistical significance was required. This implies that society must place a value of at least $750 on a 1% improvement in QOC in order for the intervention to be socially worthwhile. By any of the metrics used, the APTCare intervention was not cost-effective, at least not in a population for which baseline QOC was high. CONCLUSION: Although our calculations suggest that the APTCare intervention was not cost-effective, our results need the following caveats. The costs of such a newly introduced intervention are bound to be higher than those for an established, up-and-running program. Furthermore, it is possible that some benefits of the secondary preventive measures were not captured in this limited 12- to 18-month study or were simply not measured. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT00238836 (CONSORT).

The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the effect of high-dose erythropoietin (EPO; 5000U/kg) on expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the facial nucleus after facial nerve transection; and (2) to explore whether this effect is relevant to facial motor neuron survival. Forty-two Wistar rats (250-300g) of both sexes were used in this study. The right facial nerves of 40 rats were transected at the level of the stylomastoid foramen, with the left sides left untreated. The rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:(1) EPO group (treated with EPO twice per week at a dose of 5000U/kg bodyweight);(2) saline group (treated with saline). The 2 rats that did not undergo axotomy served as the control group. After axotomy, expression of iNOS in the facial nucleus was detected by iNOS immunohistochemistry at various time points, and the number of surviving motor neurons was counted in coronal paraffin sections of the facial nucleus. In both the EPO and saline groups, axotomy caused a significant increase in iNOS expression in the facial nucleus at 1, 2, 3, and 4weeks after axotomy. iNOS expression was lower in the EPO group than in the saline group. At 2, 3 and 4weeks after axotomy, a significantly greater proportion of facial motor neurons survived in the EPO group than in the saline group. These results indicate that a high dose of EPO attenuates the increase in iNOS expression in the facial nucleus after facial nerve transection, and thus may enhance the survival of facial motor neurons.

Conjugation to glutathione (GSH) by glutathione transferase A4-4 (GSTA4-4) is a major route of elimination for the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), a toxic compound that contributes to numerous diseases. Both enantiomers of HNE are presumed to be toxic, and GSTA4-4 has negligible stereoselectivity towards them, despite its high catalytic chemospecificity for alkenals. In contrast to the highly flexible, and substrate promiscuous, GSTA1-1 isoform that has poor catalytic efficiency with HNE, GSTA4-4 has been postulated to be a rigid template that is pre-organized for HNE metabolism. However, the combination of high substrate chemoselectivity and low substrate stereoselectivity is intriguing. The mechanism by which GSTA4-4 achieves this combination is important, because it must metabolize both enantiomers of HNE to efficiently detoxify the biologically formed mixture. The crystal structures of GSTA4-4 and an engineered variant of GSTA1-1 with high catalytic efficiency toward HNE, co-crystallized with a GSH-HNE conjugate analog, demonstrate that GSTA4-4 undergoes no enantiospecific induced fit; instead the active site residue Arg15 is ideally located to interact with the 4-hydroxyl group of either HNE enantiomer. The results reveal an evolutionary strategy for achieving biologically useful stereopromiscuity towards a toxic racemate, concomitant with high catalytic efficiency and substrate specificity towards an endogenously formed toxin.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is caused by an uncontrolled immune response in the intestinal lumen, leading to inflammation in genetically predisposed individuals. Immunotherapy may be a promising approach to the treatment of IBD. Here, we show that transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) gene-modified immature dendritic cells (imDCs) could enhance the inhibitory function of imDCs and delay the progress of IBD induced by dextran sodium sulfate in mice. The results of fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) demonstrated that this protective effect is mediated partially by inducing CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in mesentery lymph nodes to control inflammation. In vitro experiments also supported this hypothesis. In conclusion, we provide evidence that TGF-beta1-modified bone marrow-derived imDCs may have a therapeutic effect to IBD.

Previous studies have suggested that implementation of PSA screening in China is of crucial importance. This study compared clinical and pathological characteristics of screen-detected and clinically diagnosed prostate cancers and evaluated the effectiveness of PSA screening for early detection of prostate cancer in Nanjing. Between July 2004 and December 2005, 8,562 men aged >/=50 years were included for PSA screening. Participants with serum PSA >/=4.0 ng/ml were recommended for transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate needle biopsy (TRNB). During the same period, 82 consecutive clinically diagnosed prostate cancers were included as controls. The clinical and pathological features of the screened versus clinically diagnosed cancers were evaluated. A total of 719 (8.4%) of screened men had PSA levels >/=4.0 ng/ml. Biopsy was performed in 295 men, and 58 prostate cancers were detected. The biopsy rate, positive predictive value (PPV), and detection rate were 41.0, 19.7, and 0.68%, respectively. More screened patients were found with PSA levels <20 ng/ml (55.2 vs. 22.4%, P < 0.001), Gleason scores <7 (60.3 vs. 34.1%, P = 0.002), organ-confined tumors (87.9 vs. 26.8%, P < 0.001), and opportunities for radical prostatectomy (50.0 vs. 18.3%, P < 0.001) than that in clinically diagnosed patients. PSA screening is effective for early detection of prostate cancer in Chinese elderly men. Favorable PSA levels, Gleason scores, clinical stages, and chances for radical prostatectomy are associated with PSA screening. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of screening on treatment outcomes and mortality of prostate cancer in Chinese.

Strain GIMN1.002T, a tolerant ultraviolet radiation bacterium, was isolated from a radiation-polluted soil in the Republic of China and characterized in order to determine its taxonomic position. Cells were Gram-positive, heterotrophic, strictly aerobic, short rods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain GIMN1.002T, belonged to the genus Microbacterium and was closely related to Microbacterium arborescens DSM 20754T (98.8 %) and Microbacterium imperiale DSM 20530T (98.7%). However, it has low values for DNA-DNA relatedness with the above strains (17.1 and 12.89 %, respectively). Strain GIMN1.002T, possessed chemotaxonomic markers that were consistent with classification in the genus Microbacterium, i.e. MK-7, MK-10 and MK-11 were the major menaquinones and anteiso-C15:0(38.76%), anteiso-C16:0(18.16%) and iso-C15:0(17.46%) were the predominant cellular fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 67.74 mol%. The cell-wall sugar was rhamnose. On the basis of data from this polyphasic study, strain GIMN1.002T, represents a novel species of the genus Microbacterium, for which the name Microbacterium radiodurans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GIMN1.002T (=CCTCC M208212T=NRRL B-24799).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanisms of Compound Astragalus Recipe (CAR) for regulating cellular immune in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: Sixty MG patients were equally assigned to two groups randomly, the test group administered with CAR and the control group with prednisone for 3 months. Changes of patients' symptoms and adverse reactions were observed. The peripheral lymphocyte subsets distribution was examined by flow cytometry, and the levels of immunoglobulins and complements in the peripheral blood were measured by immuno-turbidimetry before and after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the test group after 12-week treatment reached 80%(24/30), while that of the control group reached 83.3%(25/30), difference between them showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were lowered significantly in both groups, but the decrement of CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the test group was more significant than that in the control group, showing significance between groups (P < 0.05). While CD8+ in the test group after treatment was significantly increased as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference in comparing with that in the control group (P > 0.05). Serum levels of IgM and IgA in MG patients were significantly higher than normal range (P < 0.01). Levels of C3 and C4 were significantly increased in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05). Moderate high level of ALT and AST revealed transiently at the 2nd week in 5 patients of the control group, while no adverse reaction was found in the test group. CONCLUSION: One of the mechanisms for CAR in playing its immuno-modulate effect may be its regulation on lymphocyte subsets distribution and humoral immune function.

The studies covered changes of phenotypic markers for peripheral immunocytes in occupational bronchial asthma patients under influence of phytotherapy complexes vs. conventional corticosteroid therapy. Phytocomplexes appeared to cause pathogenetically positive changes in phenotypic markers content of peripheral blood.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the regulatory effect of Bushen Jianpi Recipe (BSJPR) on cellular immunity the of primary liver cancer patients of Gan-Shen yin-deficiency and Pi qi-deficiency syndrome type after intervention therapy. METHODS: According to the multi-center randomized controlled principle, 117 patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) were assigned to two groups, 60 in the treated group and 57 in the control group, who were treated respectively with BSJPR and liver protecting remedy (silymarin and vitamin c) for 12 weeks. Changes in TCM syndrome, quality of life (QOL), immediate effect on tumor size and survival time were observed. Meantime, the cellular immune function was also observed, including the T lymphocyte response determined by 3H-TdR, expression of MHC class I/II and B7 molecule detected by FACS, and interleukin 10 and 12 (IL-10, IL-12), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) tested by ELISA. RESULTS: In the treated group after treatment, the efficacy for improving TCM syndrome reached 73.33%(44/60 cases), their half-year survival rate being 83.33%(50/60 cases); while those in the control group were 52.63%(30/57 cases) and 70.18%(40/57 cases) respectively, significant difference was shown between the two groups (P <0.05). The patients' QOL was improved in the treated group after treatment, with no obvious adverse reaction. However, the clinical benefit rate in the control group (92.7%, 51/55 cases) was higher than that in the treated group (78.0%, 46/59 cases, P =0. 035). Laboratory examination showed increases of MHC class II (CD14+/HLA-DR) expression on monocyte surface as well as IFN-gamma and IL-12 production in the treated group. CONCLUSION: Using BSJPR together with TACE could enhance patients' cellular immune function to elevate the clinical curative effect on primary liver cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and compare the clinical effects of three immuno-potentiators and their influence on immune function in preventing and treating recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRI). METHODS: Seventy-two children with RRT were assigned to three groups, the 23 patients in the M group treated with milkvetch extract oral liquid, the 23 in the P group treated by P-transfer factor and the 26 in the U group treated by Utilins injection. Clinical effect was compared among three groups after treatment, and changes of T cell subgroups as well as immune antibodies were detected before and after treatment. RESULTS: The markedly effective rate in the M, P, and U group was 69.6%, 65.2%, and 73.0% respectively, and the total effective rate 87.0%, 82.6%, and 92.3%, showing an insignificant difference among them (all P>0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ rose obviously in the three groups (all P<0.05); levels of CD8+ in the M group and the P group lowered significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01), but with no significant difference among three groups in the changes of T cell subgroups (all P>0.05). Serum levels of IgG in all the three groups, IgA in the P group and the M group, and IgM in the M group and the U group rose significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01), with statistical difference presented in comparing of IgA level in the P group with that in the other two groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The clinical effects and the outcomes of immunological indexes' changing are similar in RRI patients treated by the three immuno-potentiators. They all can enhance the immunological function of the organism, strengthen the disease-resistant ability of patients, and reduce the incidence of RRI. Among them, the milkvetch extract oral liquid is worthy of spreading due to its lower cost, simple administration, exemption from painful injection, and good compliance.

[OBJECTIVE: To observe the modulation effect of a concoction of Chinese herb drugs on immune dysfunction in severely burned rats. METHODS: One hundred healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into A group (n = 30, with Chinese herb drug feeding after burns), B group (n = 30, with bouillon feeding after burns), C group (n = 30, with ordinary feeding after burns), and D group (n = 10, with sham burns as normal controls). The rats in A, B and C groups were subjected to 30% TBSA full-thickness burns and received conventional treatment. The rats in A group received 2 ml of Chinese herbal drug at 37 degrees C by gavage two times a day beginning from 2 postburn-hours(PBH). The rats in B group received 2 ml bouillon by gavage instend, and otherwise treatment was the same as A group, while the rats in C group were not fed by gavage. The activity of natural killer cell and T lymphocyte, and the levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, C3, C4 in A, B, C groups were examined on 3, 7, 14 PBD, and these indices were also determined in D group. RESULTS: Compared with D group, the amount of the CD3+, CD4+ lymphocyte, the ratio of the CD4+/CD8+, the level of IgA, IgG, IgM, C3, C4, the activity of NK cells, and the density of the sIgA in A, B, C groups were obviously decreased, but the amount of the CD8+ were obviously increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Furthermore, the above indices in A group improved more quickly when compared with B and C groups. CONCLUSION: The concoction of Chinese herb drugs can improve the distribution of T lymphocyte subsets, increase the activity of NK cells, promote the secretion of sIgA in intestinal mucous membrane and promote recovery of IgM, IgG, C3, C4 levels, thereby improves the immune function of the body.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The incidence, recurrence rate, and metastasis rate of malignant ovarian tumors are high. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has antitumor effect. This study was to investigate the effects of IL-12 on the proliferation of human ovarian carcinoma SKOV3 cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: The plasmid containing mouse IL-12 gene was transfected into SKOV3 cells (SKOV3/IL-12). Blank plasmid-transfected SKOV3 cells (SKOV3/neo) and untransfected SKOV3 cells were used as controls. The expression of IL-12 protein was detected by ELISA. The proliferation inhibition rate and population doubling time (PDT) of SKOV3 cells were evaluated by MTT assay. SKOV3/IL-12, SKOV3/neo and SKOV3 cells were inoculated in nude mice subcutaneously. Tumor growth was recorded. The serum levels of IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in mice was detected by ELISA. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and IFN-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), and microvessel density (MVD) in tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After transfection, the protein level of IL-12 was significantly higher in SKOV3/IL-12 cells than in SKOV3/neo and SKOV3 cells [(473.0+/-38.0) pg/ml vs.(16.0+/-1.3) pg/ml and (16.0+/-1.2) pg/ml at 48 h,(522.0+/-32.0) pg/ml vs.(18.0+/-1.6) pg/ml and (17.0+/-1.4) pg/ml at 60 h, P<0.01]. The proliferation inhibition rate of SKOV3/IL-12 cells was significantly higher than those of SKOV3/neo and SKOV3 cells (63.7% vs. 0% and 0%, P<0.01). The PDT was significantly longer in SKOV3/IL-12 cells than in SKOV3/neo and SKOV3 cells [(45.8+/-2.7) h vs.(27.6+/-2.2) h and (28.2+/-2.1) h, P<0.01]. In nude mice, the tumor formation rate of SKOV3/IL-12 cells was lower than those of control cells (5/8 vs. 8/8 and 8/8)û the tumor formation time was significantly longer in SKOV3/IL-12 group than in SKOV3/neo group and SKOV3 group [(15.0+/-5.0) days vs.(7.9+/-3.2) days and (7.8+/-2.4) days, P<0.01]. The volume and weight of tumors and the body weight of mice were significantly lower in SKOV3/IL-12 group than in SKOV3/neo group and SKOV3 group (P<0.01). The serum levels of IL-12 and IFN-gamma were significantly higher in SKOV3/IL-12 group than in SKOV3/neo group and SKOV3 group (P<0.01). The positive rate of VEGF and MVD were significantly lower and the positive rate of IP-10 was higher in SKOV3/IL-12 group than in SKOV3/neo group and SKOV3 group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Transfection of IL-12 can inhibit the proliferation and suppress the tumorigenic ability of SKOV3 cells. IL-12 can promote IFN-gamma to induce IP-10 production, thereafter, inhibit neovascularization in tumors.

IFN-gamma a potent antifibrotic activity in interstitial lung diseases (ILD). T cells, both Th1 and Tc1, are considered to be the main local source of IFN-gamma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: BAL fluids of 98 patients with ILD, incl. idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF/UIP), sarcoidosis, extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA), asbestosis and silicosis (n=16, 49, 7, 10, 16 resp.) were tested with ELISA for IFN-gamma levels. Results were compared with BAL cytoimmunology and patients' clinical data. RESULTS: Significantly increased IFN-gamma levels were found in non-treated patients with EAA (7.8 +/- 2.1), IPF (6.1 +/- 1.8), Loefgren's syndrome, LS (11.9 +/- 2.6) and progressive sarcoidosis, PS (6.4 +/- 1.2, p < 0.05 for all), whereas the results in pneumoconioses were comparable to those obtained in controls (2.0 +/- 1.1 pg/ml, median +/- SEM). IFN-gamma results were positively correlated with total number of CD4+ cells (r(s)=+0.38, p < 0.05), CD4+ cells percentage (r(s)=+0.32, p < 0.005) and CD4+/CD8+ ratio (r(s)=+0.38, p = 0.0007), but negatively correlated with CD8+ cell percentage (r(s)=-0.39, p < 0.0005). In IPF patients with CD4/CD8 < or =1 (n=9) IFN-gamma level was lower as compared with the group with CD4/CD8 >1 (n=7), 2.8 +/- 1.3 vs. 7.3 +/- 1.0 pg/ml. In sarcoidosis, IFN-gamma level did not seem to have a prognostic role, since values obtained in PS did not differ remarkably from those in stable sarcoidosis and LS. Moreover, subsequent steroid treatment in 7 patients with progressive sarcoidosis did not change significantly IFN-gamma levels in BAL fluid. CONCLUSIONS: Increased IFN-gamma level was found in non-treated patients with IPF, Loefgren's syndrome and progressive sarcoidosis. CD4+(Th1), but neither CD8+(Tc1) nor NK cells seem to be the main local source of IFN-gamma in ILD. Relatively low CD4/CD8 ratio in ILD may indicate the patients with increased risk of lung fibrosis.