Objective To investigate the relationship of serum IL-6 levels with cognitive dysfunction among patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS).Methods Patients diagnosed with OSAS by polysomnography (PSG) received assessment of cognitive function with Montreal Congnitive Assessment (MoCA).According to the result of MoCA assessment,patients were divided into two groups,without cognitive dysfunction group (n =47) and with cognitive dysfunction group (n =55);30 health volunteers were used as control.Serum IL-6 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in three groups;according to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI),OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction were divided into three groups,light group (n =15),moderate group (n =16),and severe group (n =24),and differences in MoCA scores and serum IL-6 levels were analyzed among three groups.The correlation of serum IL-6 levels and MoCA scores were analyzed in OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction.Results Serum levels of IL-6 in OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction [(197.3 ± 72.58) pg/ ml] were significantly increased than those without cognitive dysfunction [(155 ± 39.3)pg/ml] as well as health control [(87.39 ±33.44)pg/ml] (P ＜0.01).For OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction,MoCA scores were decreased and the level of serum IL-6 was increased among patients with poor AHI grade,with statistically significant difference.Pearson correlation analysis showed serum IL-6 levels were significantly negatively correlated with MoCA scores among OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction (r =-0.65,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Serum levels of IL-6 in OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction were significandy increased and correlated with the cognitive dysfunction.OSAS patients with cognitive dysfunction experiencing sever AHI grade have more serious cognitive dysfunction and the higher serum levels of IL-6.

Calcineurin (CaN) serves as a key enzyme in human immune regulation. The most important target of this enzyme is the transcription factors of nuclear factors of activated T cells (NFATc). The discovery of the immunosuppressive function of CaN inhibitors (CNIs),ciclosporin A (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506),has helped overcome the immune rejection of organ transplantion and changed organ transplantion fundamentally. Both of these drugs are still widely used in clinical and basic research,but their therapeutic effects are limited by their serious side effects,including renal tox?icity and neurotoxicity. Therefore,the development of new CNIs with higher specificity and fewer side effects in the clinic is a focus of research. In this paper,the newly discovered and synthesized CNIs in recent decades,including the CsA and FK506 derivatives,direct inhibitors of CaN,as well as the inhibitors that specifically interfere with CaN-NFATc interaction,were summarized.

Objective To study the histocompatibility of tissue engineered skin with the observation of the effects of selectins E and P on the immunological rejection after skin allograft in rats. Methods Tissue engineered skin was prepared as follows: The materials obtained from the neonatal SD rats were cultured and then grafted onto the adult Wistar rats. The expression of selectins E and P in the grafted skin was determined with immunohistochemical staining. Results The expression of selectins E and P was significantly higher in the rats with allograft than in the rats with the grafts of tissue-engineered material. Conclusion Selectins E and P play an important role in the immunological rejection after allograft of skin but the tissue-engineered skin graft possesses favorable histocompatibility and shows no obvious immunological rejection.

Objective To investigate the MRI features of intracranial lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma and the corelation between the MRI features and pathologic findings. Methods The MRI and pathologic data of 7 patients with lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were proved by surgery and pathological examinations. Results All lesions were solitary. The tumors crawled along meninges in 6 cases and in 5 cases the tumors did not appear as mass lesions. In 2 cases, the tumors appeared as half-moon. The boundary of all of the tumors was unclear, accompanying heavy peritumoral brain edema. The brain invasion can be seen in 7 cases. The lesions showed hypo-isointense signal on T1 WI in 7 cases, hyper-isointense signal in 5 cases and hypo-isointense in 2 cases on T2 WI.Enhancement scan demonstrated marked enhancement in 7 cases. Extensive thickening of the meninges was observed in 6 cases. Pathological results showed that the cells were abundant and diversified, with a great quantity of lymphoplasmacytes, and there were typical meningeal epithelial cells area in the surgical specimen. Conclusion The MRI findings of lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma show some features different from other common meningiomas, which would be helpful to the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

BACKGROUND:In osteoarthritis cartilage degeneration, connective tissue growth factors as the important effector molecules play an important role in chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. Clinical application of diacerein for the treatment of osteoarthritis has achieved good effect, but the exact mechanism of the treatment is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of different concentrations of diacerein on the expression of connective tissue growth factor in the articular cartilage induced with interleukin-1βin vitro. METHODS: Chondrocytes of Sprague Dawley rats were culturedin vitro, and then the chondrocytes were induced with recombinant human interleukin-1β to prepare the osteoarthritis model. Rats in the normal control group received no treatment; rats in the model group were treated with recombinant human interleukin-1β; rats in the experimental group were treated with different concentrations of diacerein+10 μg/L recombinant human interleukin-1β. The proliferation of chondrocytes was observed withMTT assay, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of connective tissue growth factor. The experiments above were repeated for three times. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The MTT assay results showed that compared with the normal control group, the diacerein could promote the proliferation activity of chondrocytes, and more significant in the concentration of 10-5 mol/L (P < 0.01); the proliferation capacity of chondrocytes in the experimental group was decreased after induced with interleukin-1β (P < 0.05), but when compared with the normal control group, the diacerein with the concentrations of 10-4 mol/L and 10-5 mol/L could promote the MTT proliferation capacity of chondrocytes with or without interleukin-1β (P < 0.05). Western blot results showed that interleukin-1β could reduce the expression of connective tissue growth factor (P< 0.01), and 10-5 mol/L diacerein could significantly promote the expression of connective tissue growth factor induced with interleukin-1β, and the effect was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01). Diacerein can promote expression of connective tissue growth factor induced with interleukin-1β, it may be one the mechanism of diacerein for promoting chondrocytes differentiation and proliferation and the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Objective To approach the effects of Gingkgo biloba extra(GBE)on expression of P-selectin and myeloperoxidase(MPO)activity of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Methods The rats were randomly divided into sham operated group,ischemia-reperfusion group,low dose GBE group and high dose GBE group.The models of ischemia-reperfusion were established by focal middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)method.Rats were given high or low dose GBE intraperitoneally,30 min before MCAO.The expression of P-selectin was tested by immunohistochemistry and the MPO activity by chromatometry in the rat brain.The volume of cerebral infarction and the pathologic changes were observed by HE staining and TTC staining.Results(1)Compared with sham operated group,the expression of P-selectin and MPO activity were increased in models of ischemia-reperfusion(allP

Objective To study effect of Tanshinone ⅡA (Tan ⅡA) on the content of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS in cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury rats,and explore its protective mechanism. Methods Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,which were sham operated group,I/R group,low dose Tan ⅡA treated group and high dose Tan ⅡA treated group. The focal middle cerebral arterymocclusion (MCAO) model was made by suture-occluded method. Rats were pretreated with Tan ⅡA,ig for 3 d before MCAO. After 90 min MCAO following 24 h of reperfusion,pathomorphologic changes was investigated with HE staining. The content of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS was also determined. Result The change of ischemic impairment in low or high dose Tan ⅡA treated group was lighter than that of I/R group,and high dose Tan ⅡA treated group was lighter than that of low dose Tan ⅡA treated group. Compared with sham operated group,the content of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS increased at 24 h of reperfusion in the ischemic territory (P

Objective To analyze the MRI features of intracranial ectopic germinomas compared with pathologic findings.Methods MRI manifestations of intracranial ectopic germinomas in 24 cases verified by operation and pathology were retrospectively analyzed.Results Tumors were located at suprasellar region in 5 cases,basal nucleus region in 6 cases,round lateral ventriculus in 2 cases,pellucid septum and lateral ventriculus in 1 case,3 cases suprasellar and pineal region in 3 cases,basal nucleus and pineal region in 3 cases,pineal region and round lateral ventriculus in 2 cases,lateral ventriculus,and third ventricles as well as pineal region in 2 cases.Lesions were showed marked enhancement in 22 cases and 10 cases had cystic degeneration on MRI.Pathologically,18 of 24 cases were seen clear border,cystic degeneration 11 cases,hemorrhage 2 cases and calcification 2 cases.Conclusion Intracranial ectopic germinomas are common in male children and are of MR characteristics,its MRI findings are correlated with pathology.

Objective To study the effect of Tanshinone ⅡA(Tan ⅡA) on the contents of nitrous oxide(NO) and the activities of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) and immunologic NOS(iNOS) following cerebral ischemia reperfusion(I/R)injury in rats.Methods 40 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,which were sham group,I/R group,low dosage Tan ⅡA treated group and high dosage Tan ⅡA treated group.The focal middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) model was made.Rats were pretreated with Tan ⅡA for 3 d respectively before MCAO.After 90 min MCAO following 24 h of reperfusion,HE staining was investigated.The contents of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS were also investigated.Results The change of ischemic impairment in low or high dosage Tan ⅡA treated group was lighter than that of I/R group,and high dosage Tan ⅡA treated group was lighter than that of low dosage Tan ⅡA treated group.Compared with the sham group,the contents of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS increased in the ischemic territory(P<0.05).Compared with I/R group,low and high dose Tan ⅡA treated group reduced the contents of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS dose-dependently(P<0.05).Conclusion Tan ⅡA may reduced cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injure by reducing the contents of NO and the activities of NOS and iNOS dose-dependently.

Objective To investigate the effect of low dose lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ) preconditioning on prevention of incision infection by drug-resistant bacteria.Methods Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( MRSA) suspension with concentration of 1.8 ×109 CFU/mL was prepared.Sixty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups (12 in each group, half male and half female).A medical longitudinal incision of the right thigh was made in mice in group 1-4, and 1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0 mL bacteria suspension was dropped on the surface of the incision and the incision was observed 4d after the model established.Group 5 was the blank control.Then 112 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 7 groups ( each group had sixteen mice, half male and half female ): group A ( preconditioned with LPS 0.25 mg· kg-1· time-1), group B ( preconditioned with LPS 0.5 mg · kg-1 · time-1 ), group C (preconditioned with LPS 1 mg· kg-1 · time-1 ), group D (preconditioned with LPS 1.5 mg· kg-1 · time-1 ) , group E ( preconditioned with sterile normal saline) , group F ( incision infected) , and group G ( blank control) .LPS was given by intraperitoneal injection 48 h and 24 h before the establishing of the infection model.Body temperature was monitored every day after the model established, blood routine examination was performed on d3 and d7, and serum cytokines was detected on d7.All the mice were sacrificed on d7, and soft tissues around the incision were taken for hematoxylin-eosin staining.Repeated measures ANOVA and univariate ANOVA were performed for data analysis. Results Redness and suppuration were observed in 6 mice infected with 0.5 mL bacteria suspension, respectively, then 0.5 mL bacteria suspension was used for LPS preconditioning experiments.With LPS preconditioning, the body temperatures of mice in group B were with relatively minor changes, and the rises of white blood cells and lymphocytes on d3 and d7 were relatively modest.Granulocytes in group B returned to the normal level on d7.Besides, the rises of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-αin group B were also less, while IL-10 was increased greatly.Suppuration was observed in 4 mice in group B ( 4/16, 25.00%), and the rate was lower than group D, E and F (χ2 =7.988, 19.940 and 19.940,P<0.01). Conclusion LPS (0.5 mg· kg-1 · time-1 ) preconditioning can reduce the severity of incision infection caused by MRSA in mice.