Since the endotoxic fever is mediated essentially by endogenous pyrogen (EP), we have examined the possibility that the central cAMP is involved in the mechanism of biphasic fever induced by endotoxin, as in the case of biphasic fever induced by EP. The results showed that administration of endotoxin in rabbits elicited typical biphasic fever. The fluctuation of concentration of cAMP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) paralleled with the change of the rectal temperature, similar to that of the bipbasic fever caused by EP. Raised level of cAMP in plasma was observed only in the first phase. The cAMP concentration in CSF correlated positively with the febrile response. The correlation of cAMP levels in CSF and plasma was observed only in the first phase but not in all the febrilic periods. These findings indicated that the mechanism of endotoxic biphasic fever is associated with the Change of central cAMP. Content. The raised level of cAMP in CSF during fever is likely to represent the biosynthsis in brain regions. However, the possibility that the raised cAMP in plasma enters CSF in the first phase is not excluded.

The signals of body temperature from 4 different febrile patterns were sampled for power spectral analysis. The results showed that the spectrums had no difference between their distribution in frequency domain, only a low frequency peak has been seen. The values of the power spectrum varied directly to the intensity of the febrile responses. A high degree of relationship was found between the power spectral density and thermal response index (TRI).

AIM: To study the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) on the production of tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?) in U937 cells. METHODS: PMA differentiated U937 cells were cocultured with PMN in the presence of lipopolysaccharide. Sodium azide was added in the culture. The supernatants of cell culture were collected and TNF-? was assayed with ELISA. RESULTS:The inhibitory effect of PMN on the production of TNF-? in U937 cells was observed. Sodium azide restored the TNF-? production in U937 cells/PMN coculture to the extent of 45% in concentration of about 10～15 ?mol/L. These concentrations of sodium azide did not affect TNF-? production by U937 cells. The restoration effect of sodium azide on PMN inhibition was not related to blocking of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The MPO inhibitors 3-amino-1,2,4,-triazole and 4-aminobenzoyl hydrazide had few effect on PMN inhibition. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that PMN inhibition depended on the cell-cell interactions. Sodium azide may be a useful reagent for further studying this mechanism.

Objective To study the relevance of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) IL- 18 level in patients with chronic HBV infection and the activity of chronic hepatitis B as well as the ex- tent of hepatic tissue inflammation. Methods Flow cytometry was applied to measuring IL-18 level in PBMCs isolated from 147 patients with HBV infection; meanwhile, 22 cases with hepatitis B patients or HBV carriers underwent needling biopsy of liver for liver histopathologic examination. Results IL- 18 level was rising step by step in moderate chronic hepatitis, severe chronic hepatitis, chronic serious hepatitis and acute fatal hepatitis. Elevation of IL-18 level was correlative to the activity of hepatic tis- sue inflammation. Conclusion The expression level of IL-18 is different in various HBV infection states, which is correlative to the activity of chronic hepatitis B as well as the extent of hepatic tissue inflammation. Therefore, IL-18 may be used as an important index of evaluating therapeutic effect and prognosis.

Objective To get the information about the infection condition of blood in voluntary donors in Fuling District from 2001 to 2007, so as to take measures to improve blood quality and ensure blood safety.Methods Serum ALT was detected with Reitman-Frankel assay, and HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and anti-TP were detected with ELISA.Results A total of 72 868 serum samples from blood donors were detected, in which 5 512 (7.56%) were positive. The positive rates of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and anti-TP were 3.09%, 0.48%, 0.07% and 1.27% respectively, and the abnormality rate of ALT was 2.73%. There was statistical difference of positive rate among various years (from 2001 to 2007).Conclusion The positive rate of blood in voluntary donors decreases year by year. HBsAg was the highest (1.16%), followed by ALT (2.73%), anti-TP (1.27%), anti-HCV and anti-HIV. It suggests that blood quality monitoring should be strengthed to assure blood safety.

Objective To summarize the damaging effect of infectious burden on cognition and the potential mechanisms, and reveal a newly insight into the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment.Methods Based on the PUBMED, CBM and CNKI database, the articles involving the definition of infectious burden and the relationship between infectious burden and cognition were searched with the main key words infectious burden , cognition and inflammation.Results This study finally included 42 articles from the primarily retrieved 342 articles.Overall, the definition of infectious burden remains controversial.Infectious burden was related to cognitive impairment whereas the potential mechanisms had not been fully elucidated.Conclusion Infectious burden is the risk factor of cognitive impairment via the possible mechanisms of inflammation,vascular lesion and neuronal toxicity.

Stathmin is a novel member of microtubule-destabilizing proteins that play a critical role in the regulation of the dynamic equilibrium of microtubules during different phases of the cell cycle.The overexpression of stathmin was found in different type of cancer.Inhibition of stathmin expression in malignant cells may interfere with their orderly progression through the cell cycle.Overexpression of stathmin can affect the action of antimicrotuble drugs by markedly decreasing binding of paclitaxel,and increasing binding of Vinca alkaloids.In addition,stathmin provides an attractive molecular target for cancer therapy.It may be possible to combine adenovirus-mediated anti-stathmin ribozyme therapy with a chemotherapeutic agent such as taxol to obtain a more potent antiproliferative and antitumor effect.

Objective To assess the cost-effectiveness of different modes of the cataract operation. Methods Firstly, 291 cases of cataract inpatient were divided four groups according to operation modes (PHACO and ECCE) and the prices of intraocular lens (IOL) (high and low). Then the comparisons of inpatient cost, operation cost, postoperative VA, postoperative VF and QOL were made among four groups respectively. Finally, the cost-effectiveness of different cataract operation modes was analyzed by comparing the differences of their costs with the VA, VF and QOL improvement. Results There were significant differences in the above indicators among four groups in general (P 0.01). The VA improvement amount of PHACO was higher than that of ECCE whereas the VF and QOL improvement lower than those of ECCE. The price of IOL had no effect on the improvement quantity of VA, VF and QOL. When one unit amount of VA improvement wanted, the cost-effectiveness ratio of inpatient with PHACO and low-price IOL was the lowest. When one unit amount of VF and QOL improvement wanted, the cost-effectiveness ratio of patients with ECCE and high-price IOL was the lowest. When one unit amount of VA and QOL improvement wanted, the operation cost-effectiveness ratio of ECCE with low-price IOL was the lowest. And when one unit amount of VF improvement wanted, the operation cost-effectiveness ratio of ECCE with high-price IOL was the lowest. Conclusions There were cost differences among different cataract operation modes. The cost of PHACO was higher than that of ECCE. The ECCE mode and price of IOL were the main determinants of cost. The effects of improving VA and QOL by ECCE were better and the effect of improving VA by PHACO was better than by ECCE. The homemade or low price IOL had no influence on the cataractous operative effectiveness, but could decrease the operation cost. ECCE with low-price IOL was the optimal cost-effectiveness strategy and operation mode, especially for poor rural and remote areas.

The antagonistic effects of ruthenium red (RuR) on the biological activi-ties of endotoxin (ET) which included the limulus amebocytes lysate test, the local Shw-artzman reaction, decreasing the white blood cell counts, and increase of zinc in periphe-ral blood were observed. The destroyed meshes of endotoxin have been seen under electronmicroscope. The amino-groups of endotoxin increased markedly, which it was treated withRuR. These results indicated that the polycationic residues of RuR may be the effectiveunits of antiendotoxin activity.

AIM and METHOD: Human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene was transfected into human phagocytic cell U937 and the effects of gene transfer on cytokines and cAMP production were observed. RESULTS: A functional eNOS was stably expressed in transfected U937 cells, but NO release was undetectable in intact transfectants. However, eNOS gene expression upregulated tumor necrosis factor - a release and downregulated interleukin - 10 and cAMP production in either presence or absence of NOS inhibitor N? - monomethyl - L - arginine. CONCLUSION: The function of tranfected eNOS gene product showed cellular speciality. The effector molecule that changed the produced pattern of cytokines and cAMP in phagocytic cells seems not likely the nitric oxide.