Paraneoplastic pemphigus associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A case report.

Rationale: Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is an autoimmune syndrome associated with neoplasms. The treatment approach principally includes suppressing the immunity, but its therapeutic effect is not satisfying.

Patient Concerns: We report a case of paraneoplastic pemphigus linked to chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a 63-year-old man.

Fuyuan Decoction inhibits nitric oxide production via inactivation of nuclear factor-κB in SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fuyuan Decoction (FYD) is an empirical formula of treating Bi Zheng in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Despite the fact that the efficiency of FYD on treating osteoarthritis has been verified in clinic, the underlying mechanisms are not totally understood. This study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of FYD on nitric oxide (NO) production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in interleukin (IL)-1β-stimulated chondrocytes.

[Progress and investigation of neuronal plasticity interfered by Borna disease virus infection].

Borna disease virus (BDV) is highly neuronotropic. Recently, more and more investigations indicated that BDV infection was close related to human neuropsychic disorders. However, the mechanism underlying the disorders was unclear to date.

Effect of APOE polymorphisms on early responses to traumatic brain injury.

To investigate the relationship between apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphisms and the severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in acute stage in the cohort of mainland Chinese patients. We prospectively identified admissions to the two neurosurgical departments for head injury. A total of 110 subjects with TBI (80 males and 30 females, with mean age of 43.

[Experimental study of repairing damaged human amniotic epithelial cells with formulated fibrin clot and cell growth factor].

Objective: To investigate whether damaged human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) could be repaired on the matrix of formulated fibrin clot in vitro and the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) on the proliferation of HAEC.

Methods: Ring drill was used to drill the HAEC layer on culture sheets to make quantified models of damaged HAEC, on which the lacks were then covered with fibrin clot. Subsequently, EGF (EGF group), bFGF (bFGF group) and TGF-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1) group) of different concentration were added into the sheets respectively.

[Single nucleotide polymorphisms in NOS3 A-922G, T-786C and G894T: a correlation study of the distribution of their allelic combinations with hypertension in chinese Han population].

To study single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in A-922G, T-786C and G894T of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) and to correlate the distribution of their allelic combinations with hypertension in Chinese Han nationality population, genomic DNA was isolated from venous blood leukocytes from 192 unrelated patients with hypertension (95 females and 97 males) and 122 healthy unrelated individuals (46 females and 76 males) as controls. SNPs of NOS3 A-922G, T-786C and G894T were genotyped by allele-specific primer (ASP) PCR. The distribution of genotype combinations of three SNPs was determined by clustering analysis.

[Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and cervical masses].

Objective: To study the clinical characteristic of cervical metastatic lymph nodes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and the relation between NPC and cervical masses.

Method: The clinical material of 246 cases with NPC was analyzed retrospectively.

Result: One hundred and eighty-three of 246 cases suffered from cervical masses and 101 cases began with them.

[A study on the clinical and pathological efficacy of lamivudine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B].

Objective: To investigate clinical effect, liver pathohistological changes (including pathology, HBV markers in liver tissue) in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: 70 patients of chronic hepatitis B were administered 100 mg Lamivudine orally daily for 1 year. The serum HBV-DNA, HBeAg/anti-HBe, hepatic chemistry and the hepatic fibrosis markers were studied.

[Role of P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in expression of P-selectin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

Aim: To investigate the role of P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK) in expression of P-selectin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and diabetic atherosclerosis.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cell line ECV304 were stimulated with high glucose, advanced glycosylation end products (AGE), high insulin and H(2)O(2) respectively, and then expression of phosphorylated-P38MAPK and P-selectin was detected after being pre-treated with SB203580 (P38MAPK specific inhibitor).

Results: High glucose, AGE, high insulin and H(2)O(2) could activate P38MAPK by oneself, and increased notably expression of phosphorylated-P38MAPK and P-selectin on cell line ECV304; Expression of P-selectin was inhibited significantly by SB203580.

[The effects of paraoxonase-1 and oxidized low density lipoprotein on nephropathy in type-2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To explore the effect of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) and oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: Serum PON-1 activity was measured by using phenyl acetate as a substrate and the concentration of plasma ox-LDL was determined by ELISA in 91 cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Simultaneously, serum NO, VWF and GMP 140 were also determined.

Changes of evoked potentials and evaluation of mild hypothermia for treatment of severe brain injury.

Objective: To observe the changes of evoked potentials after severe brain injury and the effect of mild hypothermia on acute severe brain injury.

Methods: A total of 44 patients with severe closed head injury (GCS 3-8, admitted within 10 hours from injury) admitted from May 1998 to March 1999 were selected for this study. All patients were admitted into the intensive care unit and divided into 2 groups, Group A (GCS 3-5) and Group B (GCS 6-8).

[The episodes of spreading depression during focal cerebral ischemia in rats and the effects of electroacupuncture].

Aim: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on the episodes of spreading depression (SD) in Wistar rats during focal cerebral ischemia.

Methods: A model of the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in Wistar rats was performed with the intraluminal filament occlusion. The episodes of SD in focal cerebral ischemia within 3 hours and the effects of electroacupuncture on "He gu" point (LI 4) were detected using neuroelectrophysiological method and neuropathological method.

[The relationship of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene to essential hypertension and drug treatment in Chongqing].

Objective: To measure and discuss the association of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion(I/D) polymorphism with essential hypertension and drug treatment in Chongqing.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) method was used to amplify the sixteenth intron of the ACE gene for the analysis of 114 healthy controls and 75 patients with essential hypertension. At the same time, 49 patients with essential hypertension were randomly divided into two groups for a placebo-controlled crossover comparison of ACEI versus CCB.