Fungal infection is an important clinical problem for patients with immune deficiency or immunosuppression. With deadly fungus infection case increasing, the development of antifungal vaccine attracts the attention of researchers. Dendritic cell (DC) is the unique antigen presenting cell (APC) to trigger the antifungal immune reaction, and recent studies indicate that the targeted vaccination strategy based on DC have prospective antifungal potentials. In this paper, we review the antifungal immunity mechanism and recent development of the targeted DC antifungal strategy.
Dendritic Cells ; Fungal Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Mycoses ; immunology ; therapy

Objective To compare the feasibility and efficacy of intervertebral wedge osteotomy and pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO),vertebral column resection (VCR),Smith-Petersen osteotomy (SPO) for the treatment of severe kyphosis and scoliosis.Methods The data of 38 cases of severe kyphosis and kyphoscoliosis were retrospectively analyzed from January 2010 to February 2016,including 22 males and 16 females.According to the osteotomy mode,PSO,SPO,VCR and intervertebral disc wedge osteotomy were used to collect the average number of fixed phases,volume of bleeding,length of stay,length of hospital stay,improvement of main cobb angle,improvement of ODI score,and Frankel classification to evaluate the efficacy.Results There were no significant differences in the overall operative time between the four groups.The average number of fixation in 18 patients with SPO was (9.4±3.9) segments,the blood loss was (3 000±410) ml,the average Cobb angle was improved by 55.3％± 9.5％,the average postoperative hospitalization was (14.6±4.9) days,the improvement rate of ODI was 42.1％±7.4％,all the patients were improved to Frankel E;The average number of fixation in 5 patients with PSO was (7.6± 1.5) segments,the blood loss was (4 360± 1 161) ml,the average Cobb angle was improved by 58.9％ ± 15.1％,the average postoperative hospitalization was (18.2±7.0) days,the improvement rate of ODI was 41.3％±9.6％.One Frankel C patient was improved to Frankel D,others remained to be Frankel E as the same as pre-operation;The average number of fixation in 4 patients with VCR was (6.2±2.6) segments,the blood loss was (3 750+ 1 848) ml,the average Cobb angle was improved by 83.9％± 10.9％,the average postoperative hospitalization was (21±7.2) days,the improvement rate of ODI was 39.6％± 18.1％.Three Frankel D patients were improved to Frankel E and one Frankel C patient was improved to Frankel D;The average number of fixation in 11 patients with IWO was (7.1 ± 2.7) segments,the blood loss was (2855±1046) ml,the average Cobb angle was improved by 59.6％±22.05％,the average postoperative hospitalization was (13.5±2.7) days,the improvement rate of ODI was 51.3％±8.3％.One Frankel C patient was improved to Frankel D,eight Frankel D patients were improved to Frankel E,other patients remained to be Frankel E;The mean follow-up time was 25.2 months in 11 patients underwent intervertebral wedge osteotomy.All the patients had successful spinal fusion and no failure of internal fixation.Conclusion Intervertebral wedge osteotomy for the treatment of scoliosis and kyphosis could reduce surgical injury to obtain good biomechanics and surgical result.

Objective To determine the power-time-ablation scope correlogram of a water-cooled single needle electrode radiofrequency (RF) ablation system and to establish a theoretical basis for its practical application.Methods RF ablations were performed using a water-cooled single needle electrode radiofrequency ablation system developed by the authors using fresh ox liver as well as liver and muscles of healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits.The temperature of the ablation area was monitored using a multichannel thermometric system.The maximum ablation scope was determined by detecting the rim at which the temperature was no less than 50 °C.The specific absorption rate (SAR) of the isolated liver tissue was calculated.Results In the treatment voltage range of 100-130V,the process was smooth and steady.No impedance variation was obvious.The maximum diameter of a single ablation was 51 cm.With the treatment voltage at 140-170 V,a larger ablation area could be reached in less time,but eventually the impedance began to increase while the ablation area was no longer expanded.When the treatment voltage reached the range of 180-200 V the impedance almost always increased rapidly out of limits,and the treatment system stopped automatically.The measured SAR value was consistent with the theoretical value.Pathology confirmed that both liver tissue and muscle tissue manifested typical coagulative necrosis.Conclusions The power amplifier,cooling,thermometric and control sections of the RF ablation system worked stably,and the practical ablation effect met the design and clinical treatment requirements.

Hemangiopericytoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Female ; Glioma ; pathology ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; pathology ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Teratoma ; pathology

Objective To study the effect of different rod curvature on the postoperative stability and stress of thoracolumbar junction fracture using the finite element simulation.Methods (1) Thoracolumbar finite element model of T11 to L1 from three-dimensional CT data of a 30-year-old healthy male volunteer was established,including the assignment of cortical bone,cancellous bone,disc,ligaments and facet joints.On this basis,the T12fracture model was also established.T11 to L1 bilateral pedicle screw fixation was loaded,and the rod connection was divided into straight rod group and pre-bended rod group (lordotic 15°-25°) according to angle of the rod.A 400 N stress was loaded on the top of the upper endplate of T11 to simulate the upper part body gravity,while applying a 10 N · m torque to generate flexion and extension,lateral flexion and rotation.Stress distribution of different methods of pre-bending for thoracolumbar fractures after reduction was compared.(2) A retrospective cohort analysis was made on 56 cases of thoracolumbar fractures surgically treated from July 2012 to July 2016,including 31 cases in straight rod group and 25 cases in pre-bended rod group.Two groups were compared in angle between adjacent level before operation,after operation and at final follow-up.Results (1) In flexion,extension,lateral bending and rotation,both rod bending methods effectively controlled the thoracolumbar junction displacement.The peak stress of connecting rod (151,315,369,377 MPa respectively) in pre-bended rod group was lower than that in straight rod group (110,239,281,189 MPa respectively) (P ＜ 0.05),and straight rod group appeared relatively obvious stress concentration.(2) Mean follow-up time was 21.4 months (range,4-33 months).Preoperative kyphosis angle was (21.7 ± 7.4)°in straight rod group and (20.3 ± 6.8)° in pre-bended rod group (P ＞ 0.05).Postoperative lordosis angle in straight rod group was (3.3 ± 1.2) °versus (8.3 ± 2.8) ° in pre-bended rod group (P ＜ 0.05).At the final follow-up,the lordosis angle in straight rod group was reduced by (8.7 ± 2.3) ° versus (3.9 ± 1.7)°in pre-bended rod group (P ＜0.05).Implant failure was seen in 3 cases in straight rod group,but there was no implant failure in pre-bended rod group.Conclusion Pre-bended (lordotic 15°-25°) and pre-loaded rods used in internal fixation of thoracolumbar fractures may reduce the stress of rods,decrease the incidence of implant failure and facilitate the recovery of spine stability.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is the main cause of liver damage and even multiple organ failure after complex liver surgery.When liver ischemia reperfusion occurs,the non-coding RNAs in the liver tissue is dysregulated and part of the non-coding RNAs with abnormal expression is involved in HIRI regulation.Non-coding RNAs to may be the intervention target for reducing HIRI.This article summarized the types and related functions of non-coding RNAs,the role of different non-coding RNAs in HIRI,and the interconnections between various non-coding RNAs in HIRI.

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for open pancreatic necrosectomy (OPN), an effective treatment method for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) after the failure of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), in patients with SAP. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 156 patients with SAP who underwent surgical intervention based on the step-up approach in The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2018, and according to whether OPN was performed, the patients were divided into PCD group with 126 patients and PCD+OPN group with 30 patients. Related clinical data were collected, including age, sex, etiology, blood calcium on admission, white blood cell count on admission, whether CTSI score was ＞7, APACHE-Ⅱ score, Ranson score, presence or absence of peripancreatic fluid accumulation, presence or absence of infection, presence or absence of multiple organ failure (MOF), and whether PCD was performed at more than 1 week after admission. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictive factors for OPN. ResultsThe probability of OPN was 19.2% for SAP patients in the later stage. Compared with the PCD+OPN group, the PCD group had a significantly lower proportion of patients with MOF on admission ［27.0% (34/126) vs 70.0% (21/30), χ2=19.642, P＜0.01］ and a significantly higher proportion of patients undergoing PCD at less than 1 week after admission ［61.9% (78/126) vs 20.0% (6/30), χ2=17.121, P＜0.01］. MOF on admission (odds ratio ［OR］=5.343, 95% confidence interval ［CI］: 1.832-15.583, P＜0.05), initial PCD performed at more than 1 week after admission (OR= 5.518, 95% CI: 1.742-17.477, P＜0.05), and infection on admission (OR=5.016, 95% CI: 1.322-19.378, P＜0.05) were independent risk factors for subsequent OPN in SAP patients. ConclusionSAP with MOF on admission, initial PCD performed at more than 1 week after admission, and SAP with infection on admission are independent risk factors for subsequent OPN in SAP patients undergoing PCD in the early stage based on the step-up approach. Timely identification of related risk factors helps to grasp the timing of OPN in clinical practice and improve the clinical prognosis of SAP patients.

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the effect of RhoA silencing through RNA interference on proliferation and growth of tongue cancer cells, as well as explored the possible mechanisms of this effect.

METHODSSSC-4 tongue cancer cells were cultured in vitro and then transfected with small interfering RNA to knock down RhoA expression. The tested cells were divided into three groups: experimental group (experimental group 1: transfected with RhoA-siRNA-1; experi-mental group 2: transfected with RhoA-siRNA-2), negative control group (transfected by random sequence NC-siRNA), and blank control group (transfected with Lipofectamine). The expression levels of RhoA mRNA were respectively measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay. Moreover, the expression levels of cyclin D1, p21, and p27 and RhoA protein were evaluated by Western blot assay. Proliferation and growth potentiality were analyzed through evaluation of doubling times and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assessment.

RESULTSThe expression levels of RhoA gene and protein of experimental groups significantly decreased following siRNA transfection compared with those in the negative and blank control groups. The expression of cyclin D1 decreased significantly and that of p21 and p27 increased significantly. The doubling time was extended and the growth potentiality decreased.

CONCLUSIONSThe results indicated that RhoA silencing can inhibit proliferation of tongue cancer cells, whereas RhoA affects cell proliferation by regulating the cell cycle pathway. Thus, RhoA is a potential target in gene therapy for tongue cancer.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclin D1 ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tongue Neoplasms ; Transfection ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein

Objective To evaluate the application value of ultrasound in vascularization of different artificial bones . Methods A total of 15 New Zealand rabbits were utilized for model establishment of classic segmental bone defect in bilateral radius . Recombinant human bonemorphogenic protein-2 ( rhBMP-2 ) coralline hydroxyapatite(CHA) and CHA were implanted into left and right limbs . Each CHA was divided into 4 equal parts which were examined with conventional ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography( CEUS ) on 3 d ,7 d ,11 d ,15 d ,30 d and 45 d respectively . CEUS quantitative was performed by time-intensity curve(TIC) ,which parameters including the basic intensity(BI) ,peak intensity (PI) ,increased signal intensity ( ΔSI) and time to peak ( TTP) . Then the results were analyzed and compared to pathology . Results Within the same duration ,the vascularization degree in rhBMP-2 group was stronger than that in the ordinary group with advanced vascularization time . Positive correlation was detected between ΔSI and time of both groups ( r =0 .938 ,0 .890 ;P =0 .000) ,and negative correlation was found between BI/PI or TTP and time ( BI/PI: r = -0 .798 ,-0 .899 ; P = 0 .000 ;TTP= r -0 .874 ,-0 .868 ;P = 0 .000 ) . No statistical significance was observed among four observation points of both CHA ,which indicated no obvious difference in vascularization degree of each observation point . Conclusions The structure of bone graft can be clearly displayed by conventional ultrasound ,and CEUS is able to show the early blood perfusion in two CHA grafts and to accurately evaluate the difference of CHA microvascular growth before and after rhBMP-2 application . The combination of these two techniques is a promising approach of evaluating bone graft vascularization in clinical practice .