This article reported a case of suppurative meningitis caused by Streptococcus suis infection. The patient is an old man who has been engaged in pig breeding. The common symptoms include fever, headache and disturbance of consciousness. According to the results of magnetic resonance imagine and cerebrospinal fluid examination, the patient was considered purulent meningitis caused by Streptococcus suis type 2. After treatment with penicillin anti-infection and dexamethasone inhibition of immune response, the symptoms improved significantly. Three weeks after the onset of the disease, hearing loss occurred, after six months of follow-up, serious hearing impairment was still left.

Objective To investigate the effect of Treg cells and Th17 cells on the pathogenesis of SLE in patients with SLE,by detecting levels of serum IL-10 and IL-17 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods Selected 54 patients with SLE diagnosed in Suzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from July 2013 to July 2015 as subjects,and 19 healthy persons were selected as control group.Using double antibody sandwich method (ELISA) to detect the levels of IL-10 and IL-17 in two groups.Using indirect immunofluorescence and western blot method to detect ANA,dsDNA,RNP,Sm,SSA and SSB in patients with SLE.Then compared and correlation analysed the level of IL-10 and IL-17,the levels of IL-10 and IL-17 in ANA,RNP,Sm,SSA and dsDNA groups were analyzed simultaneously.Results The level of IL-10 and IL-17 in SLE were 63.7±89.0 pg/ml and 87.7±123.0 pg/ml,and control group were 20.8±8.9 pg/ml and 18.5 ± 111.6 pg/ml,with the statistically significant difference (trL10 =3.484,tIL-17 =4.076,P＜0.01).The level of positive group in SLE were 176.5±93.2 pg/ml and 237.2±107.5 pg/ml,and negative group were 16.2±5.7 pg/ml and 12.9 ±8.3 pg/ml,with the statistically significant difference (tIL-10 =6.875,tIL-17 =8.843,P＜0.01).The level of IL-10 was positively correlated with IL-17 level in SLE (r=0.96,P＜0.05).The level of IL-10 and IL-17 in ANA high titer group were 91.8±100.8 pg/ml and 135.5±140.9 pg/ml,ANA low titer group were 44.5±76.7 pg/ml and 54.4±98.5 pg/ml,with the statistically significant difference (tIL10 =2.215,tIL-17 =2.345,P＜0.05).The level of IL-10 and IL-17 in anti ds-DNA antibody positive group were 87.1 ± 101.1 pg/ml and 122.4 ± 137.1 pg/ml,negative group were 27.4± 50.1 pg/ml and 28.6 ± 61.6 pg/ml,with the statistically significant difference (tIL-10 =2.904,tIL-17 =3.443,P＜0.05).Conclusion The levels of IL-10 and IL-17 were significantly increased and there was positive correlation.It was explained that the anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory response existing at the same time in SLE patients and Treg cell and Th17 cell may also play an important role in the occurrence and development in SLE.

AIM:To investigate the protective effect of somatostatin (SST) and octreotide (OCT) on rat hepatocytes. METHODS: The primary hepatocytes were pretreated with different concentrations of SST and OCT. The levels of alanine minotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in culture supernatant were analyzed by the model of ethanol/carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatocyte injury. Additionally, 75 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups at random, including normal control, model control, SST-treated model groups at high, medium and low doses (200 ?g?kg-1?d-1, 100 ?g?kg-1?d-1 and 50 ?g?kg-1?d-1, respectively). Except for the normal controls, all rats were injected with 40% CCl4 subcutaneously for 8 weeks to establish hepatic fibrosis. Meanwhile, rats of SST-treated model groups were given at different doses of SST twice a day in the same way. Thereafter, the liver function and apoptosis index of hepatocytes were detected by standard enzyme method, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), respectively. RESULTS: Compared with those of injury model group, the hepatocytes pretreated with SST (10-8-10-6 mol/L) and OCT (10-7-10-5 mol/L) exhibited significantly decreased levels of ALT and AST in the culture supernatant. Furthermore, most indices of liver function including ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL) and albumin (ALB) improved obviously in all SST-treated groups, especially in the group treated with low dose of SST. The apoptosis index of hepatocytes in the fibrotic liver was also reduced greatly by the treatment with low dose of SST. CONCLUSION: SST and OCT may protect hepatocytes against CCl4-induced injury, inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis, and improve the liver function. These findings suggest them a potential efficiency in the prevention of hepatic fibrosis.

AIM:To evaluate the negative regulatory effects of somatostatin(SST) and octreotide(OCT) on the extracellular matrixes(ECM) metabolism in rat hepatic stellate cells(HSCs).METHODS:HSCs were treated with different concentrations of SST or OCT.The mRNA levels of collage type I,III and the intracellular expression of collagen,matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1),tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1) in activated HSCs were assessed by in situ hybridization(ISH),[3H]-proline incorporation and immunocytochemistry,respectively.In addition,levels of hyaluronic acid(HA),laminin(LM),and procollagen type III(PCIII) in the culture supernatant of HSCs were also detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS:Both SST(10-7 mol/L-10-6 mol/L) and OCT(10-7 mol/L-10-5 mol/L) markedly down-regulated the transcription of collagen type I,III,and the production of collagen,HA,LM,PCIII in HSCs in a dose-dependent manner.Furthermore,HSCs treated with SST(10-6 mol/L) and OCT(10-6 mol/L-10-5 mol/L) significantly reduced TIMP-1 level,which resulted in an elevated ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1.CONCLUSION:SST and its analogy inhibit the synthesis of ECM and enhance its degradation both at transcriptional and translational levels.

OBJECTIVETo examine the expression changes of activin beta A, beta C, beta E and follistatin mRNA in the development of rat hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)).

METHODSHepatic fibrosis was induced in rats by subcutaneous injections of 40% carbon tetrachloride oily solution for a period of 1 to 7 weeks. After carbon tetrachloride injection of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 weeks, the 6-12 rats were killed every time. The kinetics of activin beta A, beta C, beta E and follistatin mRNA expression were assessed by the semi-quantity RT-PCR.

RESULTSActivin beta A, beta C, beta E and follistatin mRNA could be detected in normal rat livers. After CCl(4) injection for 2 or 3 weeks, beta A mRNA was transiently decreased and became undetectable, then increased gradually. After CCl injection for 6 and 7 weeks, beta A mRNA level was significantly higher than controls (P<0.01). beta C mRNA could be detected after CCl(4) injection for 1 to 4 weeks and was significantly increased after 5 weeks over controls (P<0.05). beta E mRNA could not be detected after CCl(4) injection for 1 to 5 weeks, but significantly increased after CCl(4) injection for 6 or 7 weeks compared with controls (P<0.01). Except for normal rat liver, no follistatin mRNA was detected in rats after CCl(4) injection.

CONCLUSIONSActivins and follistatin have different expression changes in the development of hepatic fibrosis and the imbalance of activins and follistatin expression may involve in the formation of hepatic fibrosis.

Activins ; genetics ; Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Follistatin ; Gene Expression ; Inhibin-beta Subunits ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To investigate the iodine nutritional and thyroid stimulating hormone level of patients with thyroid nodules in different regions of Qinghai Province and analyze the characteristics of changes in different regions.Methods In 2014-2016,thyroid nodules in 9 regions of Qinghai Province (Tibetan areas:Xiewu,Nangqian,Jiegu,Guoluo;non-Tibetan areas:Xining,Huzhu,Menyuan,Minhe,and Ledu) were selected and serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and urine iodine were measured.Results A total of 553 thyroid nodules,the median urinary iodine (MUIC) was 160.8 μg/L and the median TSH was 2.97 mU/L.The iodine nutritional status was at an appropriate level.Among them,MUIC (206.8 μg/L) in thyroid nodules in the Menyuan area was slightly higher than the appropriate amount,there was a significant difference in MUIC among different region (x2 =47.747,P ＜ 0.05);of TSH in thyroid nudules in the 9 regions,the differences were statistically significant (x2 =34.832,P ＜ 0.05).Non-Tibetan areas were compared with Tibetan areas,there was a significant difference in MUIC (155.6,185.6 μg/L),TSH (2.68,3.45 mU/L,Z =-3.677,-5.410,P ＜ 0.05);Among them,the differences was statistically significant between MUIC (152.8,187.7 μg/L) of women with thyroid nodules (Z =-3.504,P ＜ 0.05);there was a statistically significant difference in TSH levels among men (2.58,3.46 mU/L) and women (2.80,3.44 mU/L) with thyroid nodules (Z =-3.613,-4.040,P ＜ 0.05);there were no significant differences in MUIC levels among thyroid nodules of each age groups (P ＞ 0.05);of the TSH level in 30-and 50-＜ 65 years groups (2.63,3.17;2.25,3.58 mU/L),the differences were statistically significant (Z =-2.892,-3.233,P ＜ 0.05),and other groups were no significant differences (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The iodine nutrition of patients with thyroid nodules in these regions of Qinghai Province is generally at an appropriate level,the MUIC and TSH levels in Tibetan areas were lower than those in non-Tibetan areas,and iodine nutrition status and TSH levels should be monitored for key populations.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic values of interleukin-22 (IL-22), interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF) in pleural effusion for tuberculosis pleurisy.Methods:From April 2018 to May 2019, a total of 77 patients including 45 cases of tuberculous pleurisy, 19 cases of malignant pleurisy, 13 cases of parapneumonia and 13 cases of healthy control in Wuxi Fifth People′s Hospital were enrolled. The levels of IL-22, IFN-γ and MIF in plasma and pleural effusion were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic values of IL-22, IFN-γ and MIF for tuberculous pleurisy. Results:The median levels of IL-22, IFN-γ, MIF and adenosine deaminase in 45 cases with pleural effusion in tuberculosis pleurisy group were 396.8 ng/L, 2 200.0 ng/L, 241.3 μg/L and 70.8 U/L, respectively, which were all significantly higher than 32 cases with non-tuberculosis pleurisy group, including 19 cases with malignant pleurisy and 13 cases with parapneumonia (52.8 ng/L, 232.3 ng/L, 179.6 μg/L and 17.0 U/L, respectively). The differences were all statistically significant ( U=179.000, 118.500, 287.000, 162.000, respectively, all P<0.05). The median levels of IL-22 and IFN-γ in plasma of tuberculosis pleurisy group were 20.0 ng/L and 45.9 ng/L, respectively, which were both higher than healthy control group (14.3 ng/L and 33.4 ng/L, respectively). The level of MIF was 96.2 μg/L, which was lower than healthy control (159.5 μg/L). The differences were all statistically significant ( U=74.000, 13.000 and 73.000, respectively, all P<0.05). The areas under ROC curve (AUC) of IL-22, IFN-γ and MIF in pleural effusion for the diagnosis of tuberculosis pleurisy were 0.876, 0.917 and 0.682, respectively.The sensitivities were 93.75%, 100.00% and 63.64%, respectively; the specificities were 82.22%, 91.11% and 65.85%, respectively. The median levels of IL-22 and IFN-γ in plasma in tuberculosis pleurisy group at two months of follow-up after anti-tuberculosis therapy were 16.0 ng/L and 33.9 ng/L, respectively, which were both lower than baseline (20.0 ng/L and 44.7 ng/L, respectively). The differences were both statistically significant ( U=2.156 and 2.221, respectively, both P<0.05). Conclusion:IFN-γ and IL-22 in pleural effusion could be used as effective indicators to identify tuberculous pleurisy, and the dynamic monitoring of IL-22 in patients′plasma could be an important biomarker in evaluating the efficacy of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

Objective To investigate the curative effect of Sandplay therapy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)preschool children co - morbid sleep disorder. Methods According to the random number generated by EXCEL software's RAND function,a total of 62 ADHD children co - morbid sleep disorder were randomly divi-ded into experimental group(n = 31)and control group (n = 31). The control group was treated with family behavior therapy and the experimental group was treated with sandplay therapy based on the family behavior therapy. With the Achenbach Child Behavior Check List (CBCL),Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ),Conner Concise Questionnaire (Conners Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire,ASQ)and Children′s Sleep Habit Questionnaire(CSHQ),the overall curative effect was evaluated before and after treatment by their scores. Results The results of independent - samples t test showed that the scores of PSQ′s all factors,ASQ′s and CBCL′s total score,CSHQ′s total score and all factors had no significant difference between the two groups before the intervention (t conduct problem = - 0. 847,t learning problems =0. 504,t psychosomatic disorder = - 1. 008,t hyperactivity/ impulsion = - 0. 331,t anxiety = 0. 690,t hyperactivity index = 0. 757,t CBCL′s total score =- 0. 532,t ASQ′s total score = 0. 514,t CSHQ′s total score = 1. 132,t sleep impedance = - 0. 767,t sleep latency = - 0. 634,t sleep duration = 0. 150, tsleep anxiety = 0. 149,t sleep wake = 0. 417,t sleep disorder = 0. 709,t sleep apnea = 0. 950,t daytime sleepiness = 1. 530,all P > 0. 05). The scores of PSQ′s all factors,ASQ′s and CBCL′s total score,sleep impedance,sleep latency,sleep duration,sleep wake, daytime sleepiness and CSHQ′s total score all had significant differences between the two groups after the intervention(t conduct problem = - 3. 982,t learning problems = - 2. 258,t psychosomatic disorder = - 2. 470,t hyperactivity/ impulsion = - 4. 377,t anxiety =- 2. 684,t hyperactivity index = - 4. 249,t CBCL′s total score = - 3. 982,t ASQ′s total score = - 5. 576,t sleep impedance = - 3. 712,t sleep latency =- 2. 947,t sleep duration = - 2. 332,t sleep wake = - 6. 031,t daytime sleepiness = - 6. 256,t CSHQ′s total score = - 6. 706,all P < 0. 05). The results of analysis of variance of repeated measurement showed that PSQ behaviour problem,psychosomatic disor-der,hyperactivity and hyperactivity index scores of the main effects of intervention had significant difference (F conduct problem = 4. 966,F psychosomatic disorder = 5. 176,F hyperactivity/ impulsion = 4. 949,F hyperactivity index = 4. 926,all P < 0. 05);the main intervention effects of ASQ and CBCL′s total score had statistical difference (F CBCL = 4. 398,F ASQ = 4. 814,all P < 0. 05);the main intervention effects of sleep impedance,sleep duration,sleep wake and CSHQ′s total score had statistical difference (F sleep impedance = 5. 697,F sleep duration = 4. 467,F sleep wake = 6. 610,F CSHQ′s total score = 6. 016,all P <0. 05). There were significant differences in the characteristics of the initial sand table and the final sand table in the experimental group [traumatic subject:(4. 48 ± 1. 55)cases vs. (1. 23 ± 0. 81)cases,t = 8. 247;curing subject:(1. 77 ± 1. 09)cases vs. (4. 55 ± 1. 46)cases,t = 11. 274,all P < 0. 05]. Conclusion Sandplay therapy can effectively improve the core symptoms of preschool ADHD children co - morbid sleep disorders,which can be used as an early in-tervention.

Objective:To analyze the statuses of CD8 + T cell exhaustion in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection and co-infection. Methods:A total of 87 patients infected with HIV and/or MTB in Wuxi Fifth People′s Hospital and Taicang First People′s Hospital from August 2019 to January 2020 were enrolled, including 18 cases of HIV infection, 34 cases of active tuberculosis (ATB), 19 cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTB), seven cases of HIV coinfected with ATB, and nine cases of HIV coinfected with LTB. Another 11 healthy controls were also included. The peripheral blood of all subjects was collected for cell surface staining and intracellular cytokine staining, and flow cytometry was used to detect the expressions of activation molecules including CD62 ligand, CD44 and CD127, the transcription factor like eomesodermin (EOMES), T cell factor 1 (TCF-1), T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet), B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp-1), inhibitory receptors including programmed death-1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) on CD8 + T cells. Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The mean fluorescence intensities (MFIs) of the activation molecules CD62 ligand and CD44 in the HIV group were lower than those in the healthy control group, while the inhibitory receptor Tim-3 was higher than that in the healthy control group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=31.00, 1.00 and 0.00, respectively, all P<0.010). The MFIs of CD62 ligand and CD44 in HIV coinfected with LTB group were lower than those in LTB group, while PD-1 and Tim-3 were higher than those in LTB group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=4.00, 26.00, 6.00 and 3.00, respectively, all P<0.010). The MFIs of CD62 ligand, CD44 and CD127 in HIV coinfected with ATB group were lower than those in ATB group, while PD-1 and Tim-3 were higher than those in ATB group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=9.00, 40.00, 45.50, 28.00 and 7.00, respectively, all P<0.010). The proportion of terminal effector CD8 + T cells in the HIV group was higher than that in the healthy control group, while the proportion of central memory CD8 + T cells was lower than that in the healthy control group. The differences were both statistically significant ( U=15.00 and 33.00, respectively, both P<0.010). The proportion of terminal effector CD8 + T cells in the HIV coinfected with LTB group was higher than the LTB group, while the proportion of central memory CD8 + T cells was lower than that in the LTB group. The differences were both statistically significant ( U=7.00 and 20.00, respectively, both P<0.010). The proportion of terminal effector CD8 + T cells in the HIV coinfected with ATB group was higher than that in ATB group, while the proportion of central memory CD8 + T cells was lower than that in ATB group. The differences were statistically significant (both U=7.00, P<0.001). The expression level of PD-1 + Tim-3 + T cells in HIV group was higher than that in healthy control group, that in HIV coinfected with LTB group was higher than that in LTB group, and that in HIV coinfected with ATB group was higher than that in ATB group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=21.00, 6.00 and 5.50, respectively, all P<0.001). The MFI of transcription factors EOMES and TCF-1 in HIV coinfected with LTB group were lower than those in HIV group, while the MFI of T-bet was higher than that in HIV group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=3.00, 4.00 and 9.00, respectively, all P<0.001). The MFI of EOMES and TCF-1 in HIV coinfected with ATB group were lower than those in HIV group, while the MFI of T-bet and Blimp-1 were higher than those in the HIV group. The differences were all statistically significant ( U=11.00, 14.00, 7.00 and 22.00, respectively, all P<0.050). Conclusions:MTB co-infected with HIV patients present lower immune function and a higher degree of CD8 + T cell exhaustion. In addition, HIV patients co-infected with LTB and ATB have a higher degree of CD8 + T cell exhaustion than HIV infected patients.