[Clinical study on traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment of pneumoconiosis].

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation in the treatment of pneumoconiosis. Methods: We selected 160 pneumoconiosis patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from July 2015 to July 2016. 102 patients were divided into experimental groups, and the other 58 patients were assigned to the control group. These patients were randomly assigned. The control group was given routine treatment, while the experimental group received conventional treatment combined with TCM syndrome differentiation. We rated patients' quality of life using the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale. C-reactive protein levels in both groups before and after treatment were detected by ELISA. Furthermore, we detected the expression levels of IL-6 mRNA and TGF-ß mRNA in serum before and after treatment by RT-PCR.The analysis was performed with SPSS19.0 software. The normal distribution measurement data was expressed by Mean±SD, and the t-test was used for statistical analysis. Non-normal distribution measurement data were expressed as median(M) and interquartile range (P(25), P(75)), and non-parametric test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Compared with the control group, the readmission rate in the experimental group decreased within 3 months; The SF-36 quality of life score results of the two groups showed a statistically significant difference in BP, VT and RE (P<0.05);The levelofCRPdecreasedsignificantlyafter treatment in bothgroups,and thedifferencewasstatistically significant (P<0.05).Comparedwith thecontrolgroup, the levelsofIL-6mRNAandTGF-ß1mRNA alsodecreased (P<0.05). Conclusion: TCM syndromedifferentiation and treatmentofpneumoconiosis can effectively improve the patient's condition and life quality. We predict that it may inhibit the progression of pulmonary fibrosis in pneumoconiosis.

Effect of dietary supplementation with glycitein during late pregnancy and lactation on antioxidative indices and performance of primiparous sows.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with glycitein, a major soy isoflavone, during late pregnancy (starting on d 85) and lactation on antioxidative indices and performance in primiparous sows. A total of 227 gilts (Yorkshire × Landrace) were used, and after parturition, piglets were cross-fostered within treatment so that each sow suckled 10 piglets. Gilts were randomly divided into 4 groups on d 85 of pregnancy and thereafter fed the basal diets of gestation or lactation (controls) or those supplemented with 15, 30, or 45 mg/kg diet glycitein. Reproductive performance of the sows, growth of litters, concentration of plasma glycitein, milk composition, and antioxidative indices in sows' plasma and milk, such as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured. Supplementation of the dam's diets with glycitein increased ADG of piglets (linear, P = 0.003) and weaned BW of litters (linear, P = 0.01) and both variables were approximately 10% greater than controls with the 45 mg/kg treatment. The percentage of milk protein was linearly (P < 0.05) increased on d 1 and 7 of lactation, and milk fat content increased on d 7 and 14 (linear, P< 0.05). All other measured indices of performance were unaffected by supplementation with glycitein (P > 0.05). The glycitein concentration in sow's plasma was linearly (P < 0.0001) elevated. During lactation, linear increases occurred in plasma activities of SOD (P < 0.001) and T-AOC (P < 0.05 to P< 0.001), CAT (d 7 to 18 of lactation, P < 0.05) and GSH-Px (d 7 of lactation, P < 0.05), whereas the content of plasma MDA decreased (linear, P < 0.05) throughout lactation with glycitein supplementation. Activities of CAT and T-AOC in milk were not affected by maternal supplementation with glycitein, but increases in SOD on d 18 of lactation (P< 0.001) and GSH-Px in colostrum (P < 0.05) were observed. The content of MDA in milk was decreased (linear, P< 0.05) at all stages of lactation except d 14. Collectively, the results of this study indicate that dietary supplementation with glycitein in sows during late pregnancy and lactation elevated the antioxidative indices, decreased the content of MDA in sow's plasma and milk, improved milk composition, and enhanced the growth performance of the sucking piglets.

Proteomic analysis reveals the mechanisms of Mycena dendrobii promoting transplantation survival and growth of tissue culture seedlings of Dendrobium officinale.

AIMS: Dendrobium officinale is an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Its seedlings generally show low survival and growth when transferred from in vitro tissue culture to a greenhouse or field environment. In this study, the effect of Mycena dendrobii on the survival and growth of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings and the mechanisms involved was explored. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mycena dendrobii were applied underneath the roots of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings. The seedling survival and growth were analysed. The root proteins induced by M. dendrobii were identified using two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS (MALDI-TOF-MS). Mycena dendrobii treatment significantly enhanced survival and growth of D. officinale seedlings. Forty-one proteins induced by M. dendrobii were identified. Among them, 10 were involved in defence and stress response, two were involved in the formation of root or mycorrhizae, and three were related to the biosynthesis of bioactive constituents. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that enhancing stress tolerance and promoting new root formation induced by M. dendrobii may improve the survival and growth of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides a foundation for future use of M. dendrobii in the large-scale cultivation of Dendrobiums.

Relative bioavailability of iron proteinate for broilers fed a casein-dextrose diet.

An experiment was carried out to determine the bioavailability of organic Fe as Fe proteinate (Alltech, Nicholasville, KY) relative to inorganic Fe source (FeSO4•7H2O) for broiler chicks fed a casein-dextrose diet. A total of 448 1-d-old Arbor Acres commercial male broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 1 of 8 replicate cages (8 chicks per cage) for each of 7 treatments in a completely randomized design involving a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 Fe sources (Fe proteinate and Fe sulfate) and 3 levels of added Fe (10, 20, or 40 mg of Fe/kg) plus a Fe-unsupplemented control diet containing 4.56 mg of Fe/kg by analysis. Feed and distilled-deionized water were available ad libitum for an experimental phase of 14 d. At 14 d of age, blood samples were collected for testing hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit, and calculating total body Hb Fe, whereas liver and kidney samples were excised for Fe analyses. The results showed that ADG, ADFI, blood Hb, hematocrit, and total body Hb Fe and Fe concentrations in liver and kidney increased linearly (P < 0.0001), whereas mortality decreased linearly (P < 0.0001) as dietary Fe level increased. However, only blood Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe differed (P < 0.004) between the 2 Fe sources. Based on slope ratios from the multiple linear regression of Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe on daily intake of analyzed dietary Fe, the bioavailability of Fe proteinate relative to FeSO4•7H2O (100%) was 117 and 114%, respectively (P < 0.009). The results indicated that blood Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe were sensitive indices in reflecting differences in bioavailability among different Fe sources, and Fe proteinate was significantly more available to broilers than inorganic Fe sulfate in enhancing Hb concentration and total body Hb Fe.

CT-guided percutaneous chemoablation using an ethanol-ethiodol-doxorubicin emulsion for the treatment of metastatic lymph node carcinoma: a comparative study.

Current therapies for metastatic lymph node (LN) are a major burden on health-care systems. Alternative such as percutaneous chemoablation using interstitial injection of ethanol or ethanol-ethiodol-drug(s) mixture (EEM) has been successfully applied to solid tumor ablation of the liver, adrenal glands, lymph nodes and others. However, EEM chemoablation efficacy on two most frequent clinical lymph node presentation, isolated or confluent, has not yet been determined. This study was designed to compare the therapeutic effects of CT-guided percutaneous EEM injection (PEEMI) on patients presenting with single or multiple confluent metastatic LN localizations from various carcinoma. Thirty six patients with metastatic LN carcinoma at various anatomical regions were enrolled from 2009 to 2010 over a nine month period. They were separated into two groups: group A includes 24 single isolated metastatic lymph nodes and group B includes 12 multiple and confluent nodes. The primary end point was the ablative efficacy of PEEMI. The intratumoral (IT) EEM distribution and the occurrence of reflux were recorded. Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy was administered after the procedure. Contrast-enhanced CT scans were performed during procedure and follow-up. Six patients were tested for Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) fixation before and after the procedure. For group A the EEM IT distribution-to-tumor ratio was 100% vs. 50% to 80% for group B (t = 11.5, p < 0.05). The reflux frequency was 80% for group A versus 30% for group B. For group A, a complete response (CR) rates of 45.8%, 70.8%, 91.7% and a partial response (PR) rates of 54.2%, 29.2%, 8.3% were obtained at 3, 6 and 12 months after therapy. Regarding group B, a CR rate of 0%, 0%, 0% and PR rate of 16.7%, 50%, 58.3% were observed at similar period of time. Standardized rate by direct method was performed and the CR rate (74.5%) for group A was higher than for group B. The tumor FDG uptake was lower 6 months after PEEMII compared with the preoperative images. Five patients presenting with concomitant lung metastasis, had a good local response-node size reduction on postoperative CT scanning, but no response on lung nodules that were progressing. No serious adverse events were observed. A few patients had mild pain during the procedure, which resolved with peritumor injection of local anesthetic. No needle tract seeding or infection occurred. CT-guided PEEMI treatment is a simple, fast and predictable procedure that has better effectiveness on single, well circumscribed metastatic lymph node than on multiple and confluent ones. Technical improvements are expected to bring better results on large nodes that should be confirmed on larger group of patients.

Dietary supplementation with carnosine improves antioxidant capacity and meat quality of finishing pigs.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary carnosine (ß-alanyl-L-histidine) supplementation on antioxidant capacity and meat quality of pigs. 72 pigs approximately 60 kg were fed a corn- and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0, 25, 50 or 100 mg carnosine per kg diet for 8 weeks. Carnosine supplementation did not affect growth performance and carcass traits of pigs. However, the addition of 100 mg carnosine per kg diet increased pH value of muscle at 45 min, 24 h and 48 h postmortem. It also decreased drip loss at 48 h postmortem and increased redness value of muscle at 45 min postmortem (p < 0.05). The addition of 100 mg carnosine per kg diet enhanced glycogen concentration and Ca-ATPase activity at 24 and 48 h postmortem, and reduced malondialdehyde and carbonyl protein complexes concentrations in muscle at 24 h postmortem (p < 0.05). The addition of 100 mg carnosine per kg diet increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in plasma, liver or muscle, as well as SOD and GSH-Px genes expression in muscle (p < 0.05). Taken together, these findings indicate that carnosine supplementation improves antioxidant capacity and meat quality of pigs.

Effects of dietary glycyl-glutamine on growth performance, small intestinal integrity, and immune responses of weaning piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of dietary glycyl-glutamine (Gly-Gln) on postweaning growth, small intestinal morphology, and immune response of stressed or nonstressed piglets. Pigs (n = 144; initially 4.49 kg and 14 d of age) were randomly allocated to 24 pens (6 pigs/pen) in an environmentally controlled nursery and assigned to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge (PBS vs. LPS) and Gly-Gln supplementation (0 vs. 0.15%) in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with 6 pens/treatment. The LPS was the stress-inducing agent, and it was injected on d 7 and 14 of the 21-d experiment. Inflammatory challenge with LPS reduced ADG (P < 0.05) and tended to reduce ADFI (P = 0.06) of piglets from d 7 to 21 of the experiment. Supplementation of Gly-Gln increased ADG and G:F from d 0 to 21 (P < 0.05). On d 21 (1 wk after the second LPS injection), there was an LPS challenge x diet Gly-Gln interaction for ADFI (P < 0.05), but it was difficult to ascertain whether Gly-Gln increased ADFI. A trend for an LPS challenge x diet Gly-Gln interaction was observed for ADG (P = 0.07). There were no differences in lymphocyte proliferation among treatments. The LPS challenge increased crypt depth (CD) of the duodenum and decreased the ratio of villus height (VH) to CD of the ileum (P < 0.05) on d 14 (1 wk after the first LPS injection), whereas dietary supplementation of Gly-Gln increased VH of the ileum and VH:CD of the duodenum (P < 0.05). The concentration of peripheral blood IL-1beta was increased by injection of LPS (P < 0.05) and was decreased by dietary Gly-Gln supplementation during the experimental period (P < 0.05); however, there was no interaction of LPS challenge x Gly-Gln addition for IL-1beta concentration. Concentrations of peripheral blood IL-2 tended to increase at d 14 (P = 0.09) and soluble IL-2 receptor tended to decrease at d 7 (P = 0.06) in piglets supplemented with Gly-Gln; therefore, the peripheral blood IL-2/soluble IL-2 receptor system tended to favor the secretion of IL-2 during the first 2 wk of the experiment. In conclusion, considerable suppression of growth and immune function occurred in early weaning piglets challenged with LPS, and such depression could be alleviated by dietary Gly-Gln supplementation independent of the LPS challenge.

[Expression of c-fos in spinal cord, medulla oblongata and thalamus following epicardial application of adenosine].

Effects of epicardial application of adenosine on the expression of c-fos proto-oncogene in spinal cord, medulla oblongata and thalamus were examined in 12 sinoaortic denervated and vagotomized anesthetized rats. The results showed that following epicardial application of adenosine the Fos-like protein immunoreactive (FLI) neurons were remarkably increased in the dorsal horn of T3 spinal segment, nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis (PGL) of medulla oblongata, ventral postero-lateral thalamic nucleus (VPL), posterior thalamic nucleus (Po), parafascicular thalamic nucleus (PF) and centrolateral thalamic nucleus (CL), while the blood pressure and heart rate were not affected. Only a few FLI neurons were found in the vehicle-control rats. The results indicate that epicardial application of adenosine may activate the pain-related neurons in spinal cord, medulla oblongata and thalamus.

Effects of vitamin E on the blastogenic response of splenocytes and lipofuscin contents in the hearts and brains of aged mice.

Semipurified diets containing 30 or 500 ppm of dl-alpha-tocopherol (VE) were fed for 12 weeks to young (3-month-old) and old (20-month-old) Swiss mice. We measured the blastogenic response of splenocytes, the serum VE, and the lipofuscin levels in brains and hearts. We found that old mice fed with 500 ppm VE diet had a significantly higher serum VE level and blastogenic response of splenocytes to concanavalin-A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than those fed with 30 ppm VE diet (p < 0.01). However, the lipofuscin level in the brains and hearts of aged mice declined substantially with the VE supplementation (heart: p < 0.001, brain: p < 0.05). Furthermore, the effects of dietary VE on the serum VE and tissue lipofuscin content in aged mice were much more obvious than in the young animals.

Influences of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rb3 on electric and contractile activities of normal and damaged cultured myocardiocytes.

Free radical damage to the cultured myocardiocytes of Wistar rat was induced by adding xanthine 0.42 mmol.L-1 and xanthine oxidase 5.3 nmol.L-1 to the culture medium. 30 micrograms.ml-1 of Rb1, Rb2 or Rb3 extracted from the leaf and stem of Panax ginseng C A Meyer restored the action potentials (AP) of free radical damaged cells to normal, indicating their antioxidative action. On normal myocardial cells, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3 20 micrograms.ml-1 inhibited the AP and spontaneous contractility, (suggesting the Ca channel blockade action of panaxadiol saponins). The degrees of their inhibitory effects were found to be Rb1 > Rb2 > Rb3. Their effects against X-XO were basically the same.

Results of air pressure enema reduction of intussusception: 6,396 cases in 13 years.

Intussusception is the most common surgical emergency of childhood in China. Over the past 10 years, the incidence of intussusception has steadily increased world-wide, as well as in China. For example, 279 cases were treated in the Shanghai Children's Hospital in 1974, while 615 were treated in 1984. Twelve cases were treated in a course of a single night during 1985. Over the past 13 years, for which we have good records, 6,396 cases of intussusception were treated at the Shanghai Children's Hospital. Males outnumber females by a ratio of 2 to 1. In 3,872 cases seen over the past 6 years, 35.1% were under 6 months of age, 65.9% less than 1 year of age, and 88.4% less than 2 years of age.