Objective To investigate the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on immune function in mice with multiple myeloma.Methods Multiple myeloma model mice were divided randomly into control group and treatment groups (low,middle and high doses).The rats in treatment groups were injected with recombinant human erythropoietin 100 μL (2.5,5.0 and 10 mg/kg)via the tail vein for 30 days,and the rats in control group were injected isotonic saline solution of the same volume instead.After the experiment,the colorimetric MTT assay,neutral red method and ELISA kit were used to evaluate the proliferation of B and T lymphocytes,the phagocytic ability of macrophages and the content of serum TNF-α.Results Compared with those in control group,different doses of recombinant human erythropoietin could significantly increase the proliferation of lymphocytes,increase the phagocytosis of macrophages and improve the production of serum TNF-α(P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Recombinant human erythropoietin can significantly improve immunoregulation of mice with multiple myeloma.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus Chinese herbal medicine in treating allergic rhinitis. Methods One hundred and thirty-five patients with allergic rhinitis were randomly allocated to combination, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine groups, 45 cases each. The combination group received treatment with acupuncture plus Chinese herbal medicine; the acupuncture group, treatment with acupuncture alone; the Chinese herbal medicine group, treatment with Chinese herbal medicine alone. IgE, IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-αlevels and clinical symptom and sign total score were observed in the three groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the three groups. Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in IL-4, IL-5, TNF-αand IgE levels in the three groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in IL-4, IL-5 and IgE levels between the combination group and the Chinese herbal medicine or acupuncture group (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in clinical symptom and sign total score in the three groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in clinical symptom and sign total score between the combination group and the Chinese herbal medicine or acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 91.1%in the combination group, 71.1%in the Chinese herbal medicine group and 66.7%in the acupuncture group. There was a statistically significant difference in the total efficacy rate between the combination group and the Chinese herbal medicine or acupuncture group (P<0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture plus Chinese herbal medicine has a better therapeutic effect on allergic rhinitis. It can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms and signs and reduce IgE, IL-4 and IL-5 levels in the patients.

With the developing of the immunology,genetic diagnosis, and flow cytometry technology, the diagnosis of neonatal infectious diseases have been a lot of new improvement.Serum amyloid protein A,interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 may be valuable in neonatal infectious diseases. Detection of the bacterial genes by gene chip hybridization technology can diagnose neonatal septicemia rapidly. Each of the diagnosis indicators for infection has their respective clinical and laboratory features. The comprehensive understanding of the biological characteristics,sensitivity,specificity of each indicator, and continuous and joint monitoring of several indicators can improve the diagnostic sensitivity and negative predictive value. It is the direction of infectious diseases diagnosis in future.This paper reviews the current diagnostic indicators for neonatal infectious disease.

Objective To explore the effect of dendrobium nobile polysaccharides on the expression of the WT 1 gene in my-eloid leukemia cells.Methods The CCK8 assay was used to detect the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50 )of dendrobium nobile polysaccharides in 3 kinds of leukemia cells;the each kind of leukemia cells were divided into the treatment group and the control group.The cells in the control group maintained the normal growth,while which in the treatment group were given the den-drobium nobile polysaccharides stimulation.The Hoechst33258 staining was used to detect the apoptosis situation of the cells in the two groups.The WT l gene expression level was detected by the real-time PCR and the protein expression levels of WT1,53 and BAX were detect the Western blot.Results Dendrobium nobile polysaccharides had the similar IC50 values in 3 kinds of myeloid leukemia cells,which were (110.71±6.49),(104±48.50),(96.66±5.10)mg/mL respectively,the difference among them had no statistical significance (P >0.05);the apoptosis rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P <0.05);the expression levels of WT1 gene and protein in the treatment group were decreased compared with the control group(P <0.05), while the expression of P53 and BAX protein was increased.Conclusion Dendrobium nobile polysaccharides can obviously decrease the expression level of WT1 protein,and has a certain killing effect on myeloid leukemia cells.

BACKGROUND:Tol-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its ligand, lipopolysaccharid, are closely associated with the occurrence and development of periodontitis. Meanwhile, the immunological properties of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) play an important role in the reconstruction of periodontal tissue and cel-based therapy of periodontitis. However, the effect of TLR4 and lipopolysaccharid on the immunological properties of PDLSCs remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of TLR4 on the immunological characteristics of human PDLSCs. METHODS:PDLSCs were isolated by enzyme digestion method as previously reported, and were cultured in the medium containing 10 mg/L lipopolysaccharid, the ligand of TLR4 for 3 days. Using un-treated PDLSCs as controls, we then investigated whether lipopolysaccharid-treated PDLSCs could cause the proliferation of al ogeneic T lymphocytes as wel as the effect of lipopolysaccharid-treated PDLSCs on the mixed lymphocytes reaction and proliferation of lymphocytes induced by phytohemagglutinin. PDLSCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and phytohemagglutinin were co-cultured, and the concentration of prostaglandin E2 in the culture supernatant was examined. Then we added indomethacin, which is the inhibitor of prostaglandin E2, into the co-culture system of PDLSCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and phytohemagglutinin, and tested the proliferation of lymphocytes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Lipopolysaccharid-treated PDLSCs did not lead to the proliferation of al ogeneic T lymphocytes just as un-treated PDLSCs, and could suppress the mixed lymphocytes reaction and proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocytes. However, the inhibitory ability of lipopolysaccharid-treated PDLSCs was significantly lower than that of un-treated PDLSCs. The levels of prostaglandin E2 were significantly elevated in the co-culture of PDLSCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and phytohemagglutinin. After adding of indomethacin, the PDLSCs-suppressed proliferation of lymphocytes restored to normal levels. Lipopolysaccharid weakened the immunosuppressive capacity of PDLSCs, which may be due to the decreasing secretion of prostaglandin E2.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy" on ovarian function and pregnancy results of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with decline in ovarian reserve (DOR).

METHODSA total of 63 patients of DOR who received treatment of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases) and a control group (33 cases). The patients in the observation group were treated with "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy". The syndrome differentiation and treatment were given based on different phases of menstruation. Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) and Mingmen (GV 4) were selected during menstrual phase, Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3) were selected after menstruation, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zusanli (ST 36) were selected during ovulatory period, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Taichong (LR 3) were selected before menstruation. The acupuncture was given twice a week until second menstrual cycle of oocyte retrieval. The total times of acupuncture was (15 ± 2). After acupuncture, patients were treated with IVF-ET. The patients in the control group were treated with IVF-ET but no acupuncture. The indices of ovarian reserve function, including basic follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), antral follicle count (AFC), number of retrieved oocytes, number of fertilization and number of high quality embryo, were compared and analyzed before and after acupuncture in the observation group. The differences of outcomes of IVF-ET, including the cycle cancellation rate, implantation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate, were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared before acupuncture, the E2, AFC, number of retrieved oocytes, number of high quality embrgo and number of fertilization were all increased after acupuncture in the observation group (all P< 0. 05). Compared with the control group, levels of the E2, the number of retrieved oocytes, number of fertilization and number of high quality embryo were all increased in the observation group (all P < 0.05). Also, the implantation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate were improved (both P < 0.01) and cycle cancellation rate was reduced (P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe "menstrual cycle-based acupuncture therapy" can effectively improve the ovarian reserve function in DOR patients, leading to an improved clinical pregnancy rate of IVF-ET.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Reserve ; Ovary ; physiopathology ; Pregnancy ; Young Adult

lusionsThe CEUS findings are different between benign and malignant gallbladder adenomas. The enhancement pattern and speed are useful for differentiating benign from malignant adenomas.

BACKGROUND: Memory loss is the main presentation during the earlier stage of radiative eneephalopathy, and it was reported that ganglioside (GM1) played important role in neural rehabilitation, particular in the improvement of memory.OBJECTIVE: To study the improving effect of GM1 on spatial learning and memory retardation in rats following radiative encepholopathy. DESIGN: Randomized control and comparative observing study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Department of Neurology and Department of Radiation of Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.MATERIALS: This study was carried out at the Laboratory of the Second Hospital Affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University between March 2001 and May 2002. Tctally 80 SD rats were randomly selected and divided into control group, GM1 treatment group, physiological saline group and non-intervention group with 20 rats in each group.INTERVENTIONS: Rats in GM1 group, physiological saline group and non-intervention group subjected to head 60Coγ irradiation of 7Gy each time after anesthesia, once a day for consecutive 6 days, and the total dosage was 42Gy while rats in control group did not receive irradiation after anesthesia. Rats in GM1 and physiological saline(PS) group were given intraperitoneal injection of GM1 and physiological saline of 30 mg/kg respectively at 1 hour after each time of radiation, once a day for consecutive 6 days but not in control group and non-intervention group. Evaluation: ①After irradiation, morris water labyrinth navigation test was used to assess the capability of learning and memory of rats by the time for reaching platform (latency); ② Spatial searching test was used to detect their spatial memory after learning how to reach the platform by recording the way of rats searching the platform in 120 s and calculating the percentage of swimming distance in platform quadrant in the total distance; ③ After labyrinth test, brains were taken out of the rats in GM1 group, PS group and non-intervention group for observing the histological and pathological changes in rat brains.RESULTS: ① The latency become stable form onset of the 4th day in each group. On the 5th day, the searching platform latency in GM1 group was(13.6±1.4) s, shorter than(17.1±2.9) s of PS group and [(15.8±2.2) s, (P＜0.05)] of non-intervention group; ② Rats in GM 1 and control group were found capable of searching platform according to their spatial memory, presented by swimming trail most located in platform quadrant while rats in PS and non-intervention groups were found mostly swimming around the pool with moving trails distributed randomly. The percentage of swimming distance in platform quadrant was found higher in GM 1 treatment group than in the PS group and non-intervention group, but lower than that in the control group; ③ Histological examination revealed slight neuronal degeneration in PS group, part of which was changes of vacuolar degeneration with cell shrank, chromosome concentrated and nuclei gathered aside, and the number of astrocytes also decreased; the pathological changes in non-intervention group and PS group were similar; in GM1 group, part neurons became smaller with peripalsm turning red but the pathological changes, such as the number of cells,neuclei shrank and gathered aside, and vacuolar changes were less than those of the former two groups.ONCLUSION: Radiative encephalopathy would result in obvious learning nd memory impairments in rats but histological and pathological changes due o brain radiation injury can be attenuated with the treatment of GM1, implying that GM1 may play important role in the improvement of radiation-induced spatial learning and memory loss.

BACKGROUND: At present, the researches on murine model of acute radiation encephalopathy are still in investigation, and mature model making method is not clear.OBJECTIVE: To establish a murine model of acute radiation encephalopathy in order to provide a good foundation for further researches of radiation encephalopathy(REP) mechanism and therapy.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Animal laboratory in a university hospital. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 2001 to August 2002. Totally 30 female and 30 male SD rats, weighted(300 ± 30) g, were selected from the Animal Experiment Center of Sun Yat-sen University, and randomly divided into blank control group with 20 rats and experimental group with 40 rats.METHODS: Fourty rats' brain received 60Co γ-ray irradiation with the dosage of 7 Gy/time per day for 6 consecutive days with the total dosage of 42 Gy. The amount of ingestion and drinking, general activities, central nervous system(CNS) symptoms and signs were recorded every day. The hairs and skin of irradiated field and weight were checked and recorded weekly. On the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 30th days after radiation, the brain tissue was collected and the histopathologic changes were examined.Histopathologic changes after radiation.RESULTS: Since the third day, the ingestion and drinking amount of irradiated rats were decreased. The general activities were increased for the first two days, but decreased without abnormal nervous signs on the 3rd day. The rats in experimental group had a slower weight gain than those of control group, and the difference between them was of no statistical significance. All rats had slight alopecia and neuronal necrosis 2 weeks after irradiation.CONCLUSION: The irradiation method is reliable, practical and good for modeling REP process, which can be used in preventing or reducing the harm effect of radiation therapy on brain tissue.

Objective To assess and compare chemical and immunochemical fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) in diagnosis of gastrointestinal hemorrhage and their clinical significance. Methods The FOBT was carried out in 4474 in-patients, out-patients or subjects who had annual physical examination using both hemoccult Ⅱ (CFOBT) and colloidal gold chromagraphy (IFOBT) methods.Those who was positive for FOBTs would be re-tested for 2 times and followed by gastroscopy and colonoscopy as well as other examinations in order to find the reason and location of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Results FOBT was positive in 390 (8.22%) patients, of which 163 (41.8%) were detected by CFOBT, 100(25.6%) by IFOBT, and 127(32.6%) by both CFOBT and IFOBT. The clinical, endoscopic and other examinations revealed that upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding were found in 235 (60.3%) and 136 (34.9%) patients, respectively. The detective rates of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding were 90.2% and 67.6% by CFOBT respectively, and 42.5% and 93.4% by IFOBT, respectively. The obvious gastrointestinal bleeding could be detected by both CFOBT and IFOBT. The diseases related to gastrointestinal bleeding involved acute gastric mucosal lesion, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer and colonic polyp,colorectal cancer and piles, etc. Conclusions It is demonstrated that FOBT is still important in screening and diagnosis of gastrointestinal hemorrhage.The CFOBT is superior to IFOBT in detecting upper gastrointestinal bleeding, whereas the IFOBT is superior to CFOBT in detecting lower gastrointestinal bleeding.