Objective To investigate the relationship between apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) and impaired immunity by assessing the apoptosis and expression of Fas and Bcl-2 in PBLCs of patients with secondary syphilis. Methods Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect PBLC apoptosis as well as Fas and Bcl-2 expression in 33 patients with secondary syphilis and 30 normal controls. Results The Fas expression on PBLCs and CD4+ cells was significantly higher in patients than that in controls (P 0.05). The apoptosis levels were significantly higher in PBLCs and CD4+ cells in patients than those in controls (P 0.05). In patients group, the apoptosis levels of both PBLCs and CD4+ cells had a positive correlation with the Fas expression (r = 0.68, P

Objective To establish standard liver volume formula of healthy Chinese and to explore if there is a correlation between changes of hepatic volume and hepatic functional reserve.Methods Two hundred and eighty healthy volunteers and 85 cirrhotics undergone serial abdominal H-CT scanning. The relation between normal liver volume measured by CT and body surface area(BSA) was studied by linear regression and correlation method, the standard liver volume formula was deduced. For cirrhotic patients, the change rate of liver volume was calculated and was compared with their Child class and postoperative complications.Results The mean normal hepatic volume for Chinese adults was (1?250?141)?cm 3. There is a positive correlation between estimated liver volume in vivo and body surface area[r=0.96, LV(cm 3)=613?BSA(cm 3)+162.8]. The mean liver volume (SD) for Child class A cirrhotics was (1?092?276)?cm 3, (868?163)?cm 3 for class B, and (652?76)?cm 3 for class C. Differences were observed among the three classes (P

Objective To observe the effects of substance P (SP), NK1 receptor antagonist and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors on the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) by immortalized human keratinocyte line HaCaT. Methods The NO level in supernatant of cultured HaCaT cells was measured by nitrate reductase assay after treatment with different concentrations (10-9 to 10-6 mol/L) of SP, or the combination of SP (10-8 mol/L) and spantide (3×10-7 mol/L), aminoguanidine (10-7 mol/L), 7-nitroindazole (10-6 mol/L) or L-NAME (10-5 mol/L) for various durations. Reverse transcription-PCR was performed to measure the expression of iNOS mRNA in HaCaT cells incubated with SP of 10-8 mol/L for 1, 24 and 48 hours. Results The SP of 10-9 to 10-6 mol/L significantly induced the production of NO by HaCaT cells, and the highest level of NO was observed in HaCaT cells treated with SP of 10-8 mol/L. The synthesis of NO by HaCaT cells induced by SP was inhibited by Spantide of 3 × 10~7 mol/L at all time points (30 minutes, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 hours, all P< 0.01), by L-NAME of 10-5 mol/L at 3 time points (30 minutes, 1, 24 hours) and by 7-nitroin-dazole of 10-6 mol/L at 2 time points (30 minutes, 1 hour, both P< 0.05), but not by aminoguanidine of 10-7 mol/L at any time point (all P > 0.05). After treatment with SP of 10-8 mol/L, the relative mRNA expression of iNOS was 0.199 ± 0.018 and 0.516 ± 0.030 at 24 and 48 hours, respectively, and there was a statistical difference between the two time points (P < 0.01). Conclusions SP can reinforce the secretion of NO by HaCaT cells via NK1 receptor activation, but iNOS is unlikely to be the primary origin of NO secreted by HaCaT cells induced by SP.

Objective To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) in the angiogenesis of condyloma acuminatum (CA). Methods Tissue specimens were obtained from the lesions of 30 patients with CA and foreskin of 15 normal human controls. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and immunohistochemical method were utilized to measure the protein and mRNA expressions of VEGF and TGF-α in the specimens. Microvessel density (MVD) was determined by staining with anti-CD34 polyclonal antibodies. Results A statistical elevation was observed in the expression of VEGF and TGF-α mRNA as well as MVD in CA specimens compared with the normal control specimens (P < 0.001, 0.001, 0.01). The expressions of VEGF and TGF-α protein were observed in 90% and 86.7% of the CA specimens, and in 40% and 26.7% of the control specimens (both P < 0.01). MVD was positively correlated with the expression of VEGF and TGF-α protein in CA tissues (both P < 0.01). Conclusion The overexpression of VEGF and TGF-α in CA tissue may accelerate angiogenesis in, and participate in the development and progression of, CA.

Objective To prepare complex material—hydroxyapatite/silicone rubber (HA/SR) used in filling parenchyma and to measure and analyse its mechanical properties, looking for proper proportion of material. Methods The complex material was mixed based on different proportion (the HA/SR mass ratio of 23%, 33.3% and 41%), and its respective properties were tested according to national standard and performed statistical analysis. Results With the increasing proportion of hydroxyapatite in complex material, the rigidity of complex material enhanced gradually, but the mechanical property decreased. Conclusion If the HA/SR mass ratio was 23% to 33.3%, the mechanical properties of complex material are equal to that of pure SR. If the HA/SR mass ratio was over 41%, the mechanical properties of complex material decrease so that the complex material can not be used in filling.

Objective To establish a TaqMan probe-based real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR ( real-time PCR) for the quantitative and rapid detection of viral reservoir in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from rhesus monkeys with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection and to evaluate its preliminary application. Methods A pair of primers and one TaqMan probe were designed ac-cording to the conserved sequence of SIVmac239 strain for real-time PCR amplification. A length of 2 090 bp of nucleotide fragment was digested from the plasmid p239SpSp5 containing 5′-end long segments of SIV-mac239 strain by restriction enzymes EcoRⅠand SpeⅠ. The standards used for quantitative detection of SIV DNA in peripheral blood samples were prepared by a 10-fold serial dilution and used for graphing the stand-ard curve. The numbers of SIV DNA ( copies per 106 PBMCs) in rhesus monkeys during acute and chronic phases of SIVmac239 infection were determined and the virological characteristics of SIV DNA at different phages of infection were analyzed. Results A linear positive correlation between cycle threshold ( Ct) val-ues and concentrations (10 copies/μl to 109 copies/μl) of the standards was found. High levels of SIV DNA were monitored in SIV-infected monkeys 14 to 22 days after acute infection. The levels of SIV DNA in the acute phase of infection were about 1 to 2 logs higher than those in the chronic phase of infection. The num-bers of SIV DNA ( copies per 106 PBMCs) were 1 log lower than the SIV viral load in peripheral blood of the same monkey. The ratios of SIV DNA load to SIV RNA load ( DNA/RNA) in chronic phase of infection were higher than those in the acute phase. Conclusion The established TaqMan probe-based real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was a highly sensitive and specific assay for the detection of SIV DNA with an advantage of wide linear range. It could be used for the quantitative evaluation of latent reservoirs of SIV.

The origin of precision medicine was discussed in this article,as well as its advantages and deficiencies at this stage.Tangshen formula was taken as an example to explain a rational and ideal mode of traditional Chinese medical (TCM) precision medicine research under the guidance of TCM theory.In view of the two major problems existing in the TCM modernization research,including the separated strategy among formula-disease-syndrome and independent research approach using genomics,proteomics and metabonomics,critical scientific issues on developing the drug system to biological system research mode and solutions for integrating formula-disease-syndrome were proposed here,and the roadmap and total framework of top design were also provided.The specific methods and the corresponding research results on Tangshen formula at the three stages concluded as formula-disease related,disease-syndrome combinated and formula-disease-syndrome integrated were introduced and summarized.At this time for the innovative breakthrough development of TCM,precision medicine will promote the TCM modernization research,and also will provide a powerful driving force for the establishment of holistic systems medicine.

Objective To observe expression of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and its relation to clinicopathological characteristics in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell epithelioma (BCE). Methods The expression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 was determined in situ hybridization and ABC immunohistochemical technique respectively in 48 cutaneous SCCs and 41 BCEs. Results The expression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 in SCC was significantly higher than that in BCE (P 0.05). Conclusions Overexpression of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 might be related to lymphatic metastasis in SCC. Expression levels of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 may not be responsible for the differentiation in aggressiveness of BCE.

Objective To study the relationship between cell apoptosis and mRNA expression of c-fos and BNIPl in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Methods Cell apoptosis and mRNA expression of c-fos and BNIP1 in 48 SCCs and 41 BCCs were determined by TUNEL and in situ hybridization, respectively. Results Apoptosis index (AI) and c-fos mRNA expression in SCCs were higher than those in BCCs (P 0.05). AI was significantly higher in well-differentiated SCCs than in poorly differentiated SCCs (P

Objective To investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the scratching behavior evoked by substance P (SP) in mice. Methods Forty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 5 groups to receive intradermal injection of different doses of SP (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 nmol/site) into the rostral part of the back to establish the acute itch model. Another 40 mice were randomly allocated to model, spantide, L-arginine,L-NAME and aminognanidine groups injected intracutaneously with normal saline (NS), spantide, L-arginine,L-NAME and aminoguanidine, respectively, 10 minutes before SP (80 nmol/site) injection. Subsequently,the scratching behavior was observed, iNOS expression and NO level in the injected skin were detected by immunohistochemical staining and nitrate reductase assay, respectively. Results The scratching bouts per hour induced by intradermal NS and SP of 20, 40, 80 and 160 nmol/site were 4.38±4.07, 5.38±3.78,12.75±6.52, 23.50±7.84 and 42.38±15.84, respectively, and only SP at higher doses (40 - 160 nmol/site)elicited a dose-dependent scratching response in mice (P < 0.01 or 0.05) compared with NS. The scratches over 1 hour in SP, L-arginine, spantide, L-NAME and aminognanidine group were 67.13±32.79, 70.75±34.80, 10.75±8.14, 29.00±21.19 and 35.38±22.83, respectively; of them, pretreatment with spantide,L-NAME and aminognanidine significantly inhibited SP-induced scratching (P < 0.01 or 0.05), but L-arginine showed no inhibitory effect (P > 0.05). Compared with SP, the pretreatment with spantide, L-NAME and aminoguanidine significantly downregulated the iNOS expression and NO content (P < 0.01 or 0.05) in the injected skin other than L-arginine (P > 0.05 ). Conclusion Intradermal SP could increase NO synthesis by neurokinin 1 receptor activation, resulting in the scratching behavior in BALB/c mice.