BACKGROUND: Gentamicin bead chain is an effective drug delivery system for treatment of osteomyelitis, but it cannot be degraded, need to be removed by second operation, and can breed pathogens. As a result, biodegradable drug delivery systems become a hotspot. Nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-β-hydroxyvalerate)-polyethylene glycol-gentamicin (nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS) is considered to be a good choice for the current predicament. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acute or chronic toxic reactions of the whole body and local tissues, intracutaneous stimulation, cytotoxicity and hemolytic reactions after bone remodeling and implantation of nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS, thus providing a new kind of material for treating osteomyelitis. METHODS: Plastic nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS was prepared using plastic fibrin glue as microsphere scaffold and nano-HA as the core carrier of GM that was coated with PHBV and PEG. The acute, subacute/chronic toxicity, implantation, hemolysis, cytotoxicity and intracutaneous stimulation tests were performed according to the evaluated criteria of medical implanted materials as wel as biological and animal trials recommended in GB/T16886.1-1997. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The plastic nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS was nontoxic and caused no apparent changes in liver and kidney function and serum biochemical indexes. Pathological examination showed that the implanted material was covered with tissues, and inflammation changes accorded with the general regularity of inflammatory outcomes. After implantation, the nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS was biodegraded and replaced by osseous tissues. The hemolytic rate of the material extract to the composite diffusion solution was 1.2%, which was below the standard criteria (5%). Human bone marrow cells cultured in vitro with the plastic nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS grew normally with good morphology. There was no stimulation reaction according to the criteria after the diffusion solution was subcutaneously injected into the back of the animal. These findings indicate that the plastic nano-HA/PHBV-PEG-GM-DDS for treating osteomyelitis possesses excel ent biocompatibility and security.

Objective To observe the Th17 and regulatory T cells(Tr) equilibrium state as well as their changes of tuberculosis patients in six-month's anti-Tuberculosis treatment.Methods Select thirty-two tuberculosis patients received anti-Tuberculosis treatment while thirty-two healthy volunteers as controls.Flow cytometry was used to analyze Th17 and Tr cells in venous blood at the time of pre-therapy,3th,6th month.Results The ratio of Th17 cells in CD4 cells in tuberculosis patients and volunteers were (1.10±0.39)％,(2.50±1.03) ％,(3.90±1.34) ％,(4.50±1.52)％,respectively; the ratio of Tr cells were (9.17±3.26)％,(6.85±2.73)％,(5.46±1.69)％,(4.35±0.86)％,respectively.Conclusion Tuberculosis could make Th17 cells and Tr cells lost their balance,but the immune equilibrium state may gradually recover after anti-tuberculosis.The change of the amount of immune cells was likely to be the reference indexes to observe the progress of tuberculosis and the treatment effect of anti-tuberculosis.

Objective To investigate the serum levels of dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) and sclerostin (SOST) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis treated with selective cyclo-oxygenase 2 inhibitor and its relation to clinical efficacy.Methods A randomized double-blind controlled trial with axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) was carried out in our hospital.The data from patients in a single center was collected and analyzed.Serum DKK1 and SOST levels were measured by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA)method before and after 12 weeks treatment,then correlation analysis were conducted for DKK1 and SOST levels with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C reactive protein (CRP),Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI),Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) and SPARCC of the sacroiliac joint inflammation score.Chi-square tests were used for analyzing of categorical data.Fisher exact tests were performed when the expected frequencies were less than 5.Two independent samples t-test was used to compare the difference between groups.Single sample t-test was used to ompare the differences between data before and after treatment.Pearson or Spearman correlation was used for correlation analysis.Results After 12 weeks of treatment,a total of 116 patients completed the follow-up,including 57 cases of imrecoxib group and 59 cases of the celecoxib group.There were no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).The level of serum DKK1 was significantly increased after treatment [(393±137) pg/ml,vs (542±274)pg/ml,P＜0.05].The serum level of SOST increased significantly [(39±19) pg/ml vs (57±36) pg/ml,t=5.814,P＞0.05],too.The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum DKK1 was positively correlated with serum SOST (r=0.226,P=0.015).A significantcorrelation was found between SOST level and ESR,CRP,finger to floor distance,left and fight lumbar side flexion and Schober's test (ESR:r=-0.379,P＜0.01;r=-0.309,P=0.001;r=-0.225,P=0.015;r=0.185,P=0.047;r=0.247,P=0.008;r=0.214,P=0.021).Conclusion Imrecoxib and celecoxib have similar efficacy on relieving the signs and symptoms of patients with ax-SpA.Short-term application of selective COX-2 inhibitors can increase DKK1 and SOST and possibly delay radiographic progression.