The production of IL-2 by peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) was compared with that of healthy controls. Patients with AS and RA showed a significant overproduction of IL-2.Membrane-bound IL-2 receptor was recognized by monoclonal anti-Tac antibody by using a flow cytometry. There was a marked increase of IL-2 receptor in patients with RA, while the level of IL-2 receptor in patients with AS was comparable to that of normal controls. The results suggested that there was obvious abnormalities of membrane-bound IL-2 receptor expressing and production of IL-2 in patients with AS and.RA which may contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a serious infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Increasing cases of HIV infection have been detected in adolescents. Intravenous drug abuse and sexual behavior, which are affected by various individual and environmental factors, are the major ways of HIV infection. The current situation and influential factors of HIV infection in adolescents are introduced in this paper.

Objective To investigate the characters of TCM syndromes of HIV/AIDS patients by intraveneous drug. Method Based on the TCM theories,related literature and experts' experience,the questionnaire was compiled and revised,170 patients were investigated one by one,and the data was analysed. Result The frequency lines in turn:spleen qi deficiency,liver depression with qi stagnation,kidney yin deficiency,phlegm-heat congestion of lung,disharmony of liver and stomach,lung qi deficiency,kidney deficiency of both yin and yang,qi deficiency,phlegm-damp congestion of lung,liver fire,heart yin deficiency. The excess syndromes lies in the liver and the lung. The deficiency syndromes lies in kidney,spleen and stomach,and lung. Conclusions The frequent syndromes in the study distinguished from the other congener study. It may be caused by many different contribution factors of patients and researchers.

[Objective] To observe the effect of serum containing Bushen prescription (BP) on inhibition of chondrocyte proliferation and nitric oxide (NO) production in chondrocyte induced by interleukin-1 (IL-1). [Methods] Four New Zealand rabbits were administered BP 2.5mL (1.15kg/L) for 3 days for the preparation of BP-containing serum. Rabbit chondrocytes were cultured in-vitro and were added with DMEM culture containing IL-1 1, 10 and 20 ?g/L to examined the inhibition concentration of IL-1 for chondrocyte proliferation. After then, BP group was added with 20 ?g/L IL-1 and various concentrations of BP-containing serum and the model group with 20 ?g/L IL-1 and various concentrations of blank serum. Alter 3-day culture, chondrocyte proliferation were dectected by thiazolyl blue colorimetry (MTT) and NO content by Griess method. [Results] The inhibition concentration of IL-1 for chondrocyte proliferation was 20 ?g/L; various concentrations of BP-containing serum could counteract chondrocyte proliferation and inhibit NO pnxluction in chondrocyte induced by IL-1. [Conclusion] BP can counteract chondrocyte proliferation directly or indirectly by the mediation of NO, which may be one of its therapeutic mechanisms in treating osteoarthritis.

Objective To investigate the role of IP-10 in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods The peripheral blood monocytic cells (PBMC) were collected from 39 AS patients, and the mRNA expression of IP-10, IFN-? and IL-4 were measured by semi-quantitive RT-PCR with G3PDH as the internal control. Results The mRNA expression levels of IP-10, IFN-? and IL-4 as well as the rate of IFN-?/IL-4 were elevated in the PBMC of AS patients compared with the healthy controls (P

Objective To determine the protein levels of receptor activator of NF ?B ligand (RANKL) in synovial tissues obtained from ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and compare the expression level and distribution of RANKL protein in AS with that in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and normal synovial tissues, in order to define the role of RANKL expressions in the pathogenesis of arthritis and bone destruction in AS. Methods Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using monoclonal antibodies to determine RANKL expression in 13 AS, 16 RA, 17 OA patients and 6 healthy controls. The protein levels of RANKL in labeled synovial tissue sections were quantified by digital image analysis and semiquantitative analysis to compare the expression of RANKL in positve cells among different patient groups and normal subjects. In addition, RANKL expression was correlated with certain inflammatory indices (including ESR, CRP, blood platelet count) and radiological stage of involved joints, respectively. Results Positive staining of RANKL was seen respectively in all 13 AS patients and 16 patients with RA, and the positive expression was distributed predominantly in the synovial lining layer and at synovium cartilage junctions. There was no significant difference between levels of RANKL expression in tissues from patients with AS and in tissues from RA. No positive staining of RANKL was observed in 6 normal subjects and all OA patients. Positive correlation was found between RANKL protein expression and X ray stage of bone destruction of involved joints in the patients with AS and RA ( r =0 73,0 41, P =0 003,0 021 respectively). Conclusions RANKL plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bone destruction in patients with AS, and its elevated expression level may reflect the degree of bone destruction of peripheral joints in AS patients. Since similar patterns of RANKL expression are found in synovial tissues from AS and RA patients, therefore, we conclude that the pathogenesis of bone destruction in AS may be similar to that in RA

Objective To investigate the role of chemokine in inducing peripheral arthritis in spondyloarthropathy(SpA).Methods Microarray was used to screen the candidates of inducing peripheral arthritis in SpA,and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to verify the results.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)from 5 healthy subjects were co-incubated 1.5 hours with synovial fluid of 5 patients with SpA,total RNA were then extracted,and the samples were screened for the target genes by using superarray techniques.ELISA was used to determine CXCL1 protein levels of 54 ankylosing spondylitis(AS)patients and 30 healthy controls,also to determine the CXCL1 levels of synovial fluids from 33 SpA patients and 14 osteoarthritis(OA)patients,and to determine CXCL1 protein levels by ELISA before and after treatment with infliximab.Results The expression of CXCL1,CXCL2,CXCL3 and IL-8 were more than 2 fold higher after stimulated by synovial fluids.However,there was no change in other chemokines and cytokines,such as TNF?,IL-6 and IL-1 after stimulation.The protein level of CXCL1 was significant higher in serum of patients with AS than that of healthy control(P

Objective　To better understand the clinical characters of juvenile onset spondyloarthropa-thies (JSpA).Methods　The clinical and laboratory data of 190 in-patients with JSpA were analyzed and the diagnosis,classification and differentiation of juvenile onset arthritis were discussed.Results　Among these 190 patients,163 were male,with a male to female ratio 6∶1.Of them 92.1% had the disease after the age of 8.Peak of age at onset was 12 to 15 years;157(82.6%) patients had peripheral arthritis and only 23(12.1%) patients felt low back pain at onset.During the disease course, peripheral arthritis was found in 187(98.4%) patients and the history of low back pain or buttock pain was recorded in 123(64.7%).The interval between peripheral arthritis and low back pain was from 0 to 20 years,with an average of (3.2±4.5)years.Extra-articular features including enthesitis in 67(35.3%)patients,dactylitis in 20(10.5%),iritis in 9(4.7%) were observed.HLA-B27 was positive in 87.9%(160/182) patients.Sacroiliitis on X-ray was observed in 76.0%(136/179) patients,and 106(55.8%) patients were diagnosed juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (JAS) according to 1984 New York modified criteria.The average disease course in JAS was (6.3±6.2) years,longer than that in JSpA (P＜0.01).Conclusion　The concept of JSpA is helpful to early diagnosis and treatment of juvenile onset arthritis.The JSpA are characterized by asymmetric lower limb predominant oligoarthritis,a wide spectrum of extra-articular features,presence of HLA-B27 and familial history of SpA or psoriasis.It will take an average of 6.3 years for JSpA patients to fulfill the diagnostic criteria of adult AS.

Objective　To measure the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) in synovial fluid and plasma of patients with RA and investigate its clinical significance.Methods　By using ELISA sandwich method,the levels of uPA and uPAR in plasma from 46 patients with RA and 8 with osteoarthritis (OA) were measured.Those in synovial fluid (SF) from 14 patients with RA,and plasma from 12 healthy subjects were measured as controls.Results　The concentration of uPA and uPAR in SF from patients was significant higher than that in their plasma (P＜0.001,P＜0.01),and the concentration of uPA and uPAR in plasma of RA was also much higher than that in plasma of OA patients (P＜0.05,P＜0.000 1) and healthy subjects (P＜0.000 1,P＜0.001).There was no significance between plasma levels of RF＋ and RF－ in RA patients.The concentration of uPA and uPAR of plasma in RA correlated positively with CRP,RF and the number of swelling joints.Conclusion　The levels of uPA and uPAR in SF and plasma are useful parameters for monitoring disease activity of RA.These findings suggest that the uPA and uPAR genes may play an important role via proteolytic damage of the extracellular matrix during the development of RA.

Objective: To develop a computer-aided cephalometric analysis system running under the environment of Windows 9X/NT and based on screen input of landmark and contour line. Methods: The analysis system was made with object-oriented method, the program was written with Visual Basic 6.0 and Access 8.0, and the data on the screen was converted. Results: Cephalometric landmark points and contour lines were input through computer screen, then analyzed (22 modes), superposed and managed statistically. The system showed the advantages of using popular hardware, good compatibility, easy expansion, friendly user interface, simple input of landmark points, artful input of cephalometric contour, intuition and diversification of superposition, deversification of statistic analysis, integrated information collection and convenient search. Conclusions: The system can be used in clinic and research.