Objective To investigate the effects of the compound T0 extracted from Tripterygium wilfordii, a traditional Chinese herb, in comparison with those of cyclosporin A(CyA), on down－ regulating the expression and activities of IL－ 1 and IL－ 2. Methods The cellular reactive systems of peritoneal macrophage (rat)－ thymocytes (rat), and spleen cells (rat)－ CTLL－ 2 (mouse) were set up. The technique of 3H－ TdR incorporation was applied. Results The production of IL－ 1 and IL－ 2 were significantly inhibited by T0 and CyA. The activities of IL－ 1 and IL－ 2 were down－ regulated by T0,rather than by CyA. Conclusion T0 and CyA are potent inhibitors of the production of IL－ 1 and IL－ 2. Effects of T0 on the activities of IL－ 1 and IL－ 2 are different from those of CyA.

Integrin is an important cellular adhesion molecule,which mediates many biologic actions such as cell-cell adhesion or cell-extracellular matrix adhesion.The relationship between integrin and tumor metastasis,as well as the important role of integrin during tumor progress,is reviewed in this article,which gives us the theoretical base for new pathways of cancer treatment.

Objective To screen and identify the dengue virus-specific antigens,then establish the ELISA detection method for dengue virus antibody.Methods Using bioinformatic software DNAStar and ANTHEPROT to analyze the hydrophilicity,flexibility,surface probability and antigenicity of dengue virus type 1-4,Japanese encephalitis virus and Yellow fever virus M,E and NSI protein amino acid sequence and also consider the influence of secondary structure.Then in accordance with epitopes localion and amino acid sequence similarity,forecast the share and specific epitopes.Reference the sequence information of different dengue virus strains in GenBank to analyze the epitopes conservative.Based on the results of bioinformatic analysis,5 specific epitopes were amplified and inserted into prokaryotic expression vector pMAL-C2x or pET32a.Then the vectors was transferred into E.coli Rosetta( DE3 ).lsopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside(IPTG) was used to induce the expression of gene segments.SDS-PAGE were used to identify the expression proteins,and the antigenicity were tested using Western blot.Using the antigen selected by Western blot,ELISA method for dengue virus antibody detection was established.Results Eighty shared epitopes and 25 specific epitopes were forecasted,and 5 antigenic fragments encloude analyzed epitopes from dengue virus type 2 and 3 were expressed in E.coli successfully.One dengue virus type 1-4 shared antigens (Den-Ag5),one dengue virus type 2 and 4 shared antigens( DenAg3),one dengue virus type 1-3 shared antigens(Den-Ag2) and two dengue virus type 1,2 and 4 shared antigens( Den-Ag1,Den-Ag4)were conformed using Western blot.Using antigens Den-Ag5,Den-Ag1 and DenAg2,the ELISA method for dengue virus antibody detection were established.Conclusion Based on the bioinformatic analysis and Western blot verification,5 dengue virus specific antigen were conformed,and the ELISA detection method for dengue virus antibody were established.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has investigated the effect of nano-zirconium dioxide-toughened hydroxyapatite (nano-ZrO2-HA) on the proliferation and differentiation of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biocompatibility of nano-ZrO_2-HA compound.METHODS: The experiments of acute toxicity,subacute toxicity,pyrogen,hemolysis,and intramuscular implantation were performed on New Zealand rabbits,healthy adult Kunming mice,and adult rats according to "Technical Evaluation Standards of Biomedical Materials and Medical Instruments",promulgated by Chinese Board of Health.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Acute toxicity: All experimental animals survived.There was no significant difference in body mass before and after testing (P> 0.05).Pyrogen: Heating reaction was not tested.Hemolysis: Generally speaking,hemolytic crisis was not observed after 1 hour,and hemolytic rate was less than 5%.Intramuscular implantation: Infection did not occur in any animals,and materials were not discharged at all.Four weeks later,muscles were closely integrated with materials.A certain quantity of tissue grew into material pore,and peripheral muscle still had normal morphology and structure.Subacute toxicity:There was no significant difference in body mass and blood routine before and 2 weeks after testing.HE staining demonstrated that necrotic focus and other lesion were not observed in heart,liver,and kidney tissues under optic microscope.The results suggested that nano-ZrO_2-HA was non-toxicity,and it had no pyrogen and hemolysis effect,as well as it did not stimulate to the muscle of rabbit.Inflammatory rejection did not happen to the animal.The nano-ZrO_2-HA was closely integrated with the muscle,characterizing by great biocompatibility.Therefore,it can be used as substitution materials in clinical experiment.But it still needs to be evaluated completely.

Objective To investigate the dynamic change and the clinical curative effect evaluation of plasma (1-3)-beta glucan D (BG) in the patients with pulmonary disease complicating fungal infection .Methods The MB-80 miroorganism dynamic rapid de-tection system and fungi BG detection kits were adopted to detect plasma BG content before and after treatment in 87 cases of pul-monary disease complicating fungal infection and the controls .The sputum culture in the patients was performed before and after treatment .Results Plasma BG levels before antifungal therapy ,at 1 ,2 weeks after treatment in 87 patients were (162 .81 ± 70 .03) , (15 .89 ± 30 .88) and (4 .58 ± 7 .87)pg/mL ,which in the control group was (5 .62 ± 1 .83)pg/mL ,plasma BG level had statistical differences between before treatment and at 1 ,2 weeks after treatment in the patients with the control group (P<0 .05);Plasma BG levels between at 1 week after treatment with at 2 weeks after treatment and the control group had statistically significant differ-ences (P<0 .05) .Among 87 patients ,66 cases were positive sputum culture at 1 week after antifungal drug treatment and 9 cases were positive sputum culture at 2 weeks after treatment .Conclusion Continuously monitoring the patient′s plasma BG level com-bined with the sputum fungal culture results ,clinical symptoms and lung shadow in X-ray has certain clinical value to judge the anti-fungal effect .

Objective To establish an in vitro model of mycobacterial granuloma.Methods Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy human subjects,and stimulated to differentiate into macrophages,which were then classified into four groups to be cocultured with Mycobacterium marinum,Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Bacillus Calmette-Guérin,and Mycobacterium leprae,respectively,for five days followed by incubation with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the corresponding donors to establish an in vitro model of mycobacterial granuloma.The macrophages cocultured with PBMCs or mycobacteria alone served as the control.Microscopy was performed to dynamically visualize the formation of granuloma in vitro,flow cytometry to detect the expressions of cell surface antigens at different stages,real-time quantitative PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the mRNA expressions of important cytokines and their protein levels in the supernatant of macrophages,respectively.Results After 7-9 days of coculture with mycobacteria and PBMCs,the macrophages aggregated to form granuloma-like clumps,and some cells fused to form multinuclear giant cells,along with the expressions of some surface antigens such as CD14,CD68 and CD86 on these macrophages.The mRNA expressions of some important cytokines,including tumor necrosis factor-a,interferon-γ interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-10,were detectable in the macrophages cocultured with mycobacteria and PBMCs,and the secretion of these cytokines was confirmed by ELISA in the supernatant of these cells.Conclusions An in vitro model of mycobacterial granuloma is basically established,which may facilitate the investigation into the formation of granuloma caused by and immune response to mycobacterial infection.

Objective To investigate the effects of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and KGF receptor (KGFR) antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on cell cycle and apoptosis of HaCat cells. Methods HaCaT cell, an immortalized keratinocyte cell strain, was cultured in vitro. Flow cytometry was used to measure the cell cycle and apoptosis mediated by KGF and ASODN. Results The rates of S phase and apoptosis in the group treated with KGF increased significantly than those in the control group (both P

Objective: To identify confounding factors associated with dental caries prevention, as the basis for the development of subsequent health management plan for dental caries prevention in young children. Methods: From June to September 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted among parents of young children enrolled in five kindergartens in the district of Shanggang Steel Community, Pudong New District, Shanghai, using the convenience sampling method. The survey included basic demographic characteristics on parents and children, as well as information factor, motivation factor, behavioral skills, and caries prevention behavior. Results: Among 718 parents surveyed, the median information factor score was 8 (7, 9), the median personal motivation factor score was 20 (19, 20), the median social motivation factor score was 9 (8, 10), the median behavioral skills score was 25 (24, 25), and the median caries prevention behavior score was 7 (5, 8). Motivation factor was positively associated with behavioral skills, both information factor and behavioral skills were positively associated with dental caries prevention (P<0.05). Personal motivation factor had a direct influence factor of 0.80 on behavioral skills and an indirect influence factor of 0.15 on dental caries prevention behavior; behavioral skills and information factor had a direct influence factor of 0.19 and 0.26 respectively on dental caries prevention. Conclusion The finding suggest that in addition to oral hygiene information and education for parents of young children, mental support should be a key component of any community-based dental caries prevention program.

Objective:To analyze and compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of imported patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Omicron variants and Delta variants, so as to provide references for clinical diagnosis, treatment and epidemic prevention strategies.Methods:The patients with imported 2019-nCoV infection from August 1, 2021 to January 18, 2022 in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. According to the whole genome sequencing of 2019-nCoV in nasal or throat swabs, they were divided into Omicron group and Delta group. The clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, antibody levels, viral nucleic acid (the cycle threshold (Ct) of N gene and open reading frame ( ORF) 1 ab), main treatment measures and clinical prognosis were analyzed in the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed using the rank sum test, chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:A total of 344 cases were enrolled, including 152 cases in the Delta group and 192 cases in the Omicron group, and there were 240 males (69.8%), with a median age of 33 years old. One hundred and two (29.7%) of those patients had underlying disease.Two hundred and seventy-one had completed full or booster vaccination. The overall full vaccination rate in Omicron group was 70.8%(136/192), which was higher than 51.3%(78/152) in Delta group. The proportion of mild patients in Omicron group was higher than that in Delta group (57.3%(110/192) vs 24.3%(37/152), respectively), and the proportions of common type and severe type were lower than those of the Delta group (33.9%(65/192) vs 55.3%(84/152) and 0(0/192) vs 10.5%(16/152)), the differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=37.64 and 15.84, respectively, Fisher′s exact test; all P<0.001). The duration and peak of fever in Omicron group were 1.5(1.0, 2.0) d and 38.1(37.8, 38.5) ℃, respectively, which were lower than those in Delta group (3.0(1.0, 4.8) d and 38.5(38.1, 39.0) ℃, respectively), and the differences were both statistically significant ( Z=-4.14 and -3.85, respectively, both P<0.001). The 2019-nCoV antibody IgG and the Ct values of virus nucleic acid N gene and ORF1 ab gene in the vaccinated Omicron group at admission were higher than those in the Delta group ( Z=-3.25, -2.18 and -2.82, respectively, all P<0.050). Compared with patients in Delta group, patients in Omicron group had lower proportion of receiving respiratory therapy support, shorter oxygen therapy time, shorter reversion time from admission to nucleic acid Ct value≥35 and shorter hospitalization time. The differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=47.86, Z=-5.41, -5.60 and -4.71, respectively, all P<0.001). There was no critical illness or 28-day death case in both groups. Conclusions:The severity of patients infected with Omicron variants is lighter than that of patients with Delta variants, and the viral nucleic acid has shorter conversion time, which is mainly related to the virulence of variant strain and vaccination.

Objective To discuss the correlation of serum visceraladiposetissue-derived serineproteinase inhibitor(vaspin)and atrial fibrosis biochemical markers in atrial fibrillation(AF)patients.Methods The subjects were selected from inpatients in Shanghai Putuo District People's Hospital during January 2021 to October 2022.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to determine the levels of serum vaspin,C-terminal propeptide of prollagen type Ⅰ(PⅠCP),matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1),N-terminal type Ⅲ collagen peptide(PⅢNP),tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitory factor-1(TIMP-1)of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation(PAF)group,persistent atrial fibrillation(PeAF)group,and control group.The correlation between serum vaspin and the above serum biochemical markers was analyzed.Results ①Levels of serum vaspin(9.51±1.47)ng/ml,PⅠCP(704.83±120.45)ng/ml,MMP-1(5.92±0.73)ng/ml,PⅢNP(63.34±12.24)ng/ml,and TIMP-1(7.56±0.90)ng/ml in PeAF group were significantly higher than those of PAF group and control group(P<0.05);②vaspin was significantly and positively correlated with PⅠCP,MMP-1,PⅢNP,TIMP-1 in PAF group and PeAF group.Conclusion Serum vaspin level of AF patients were significantly high and positively correlated with atrial fibrosis biochemical markers,which indicated that serum vaspin level might be closly related to atrial fibrosis in AF patients.It may be a potential marker to identify the degree of fibrosis in atrial fibrillation.