Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is the final common pathway in end-stage renal disease.Whereas molecular mechanisms underlying fibrogenesis are still not completely understood.To know the latest pathogenesis and treatment methods is of important significance to prevent disease progression and save life.

Serum procalcitonin(PCT) is considered to be the most sensitive and high specificity index.In recent years,it is gradually found that C-reactive protein sensitivity is much higher than PCT in the diagnosis of bacterial infection of those patients with immune system diseases and application of immune inhibitors.Therefore,this paper summarizes whether the PCT is still of higher sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of bacterial infection of the immunosuppression individual or not.

Binding sites or receptors for prolactin were identified in crude membrane fractions prepared from female lactating Sprague-Dawley rat using receptor radioassay. The results further indicated that the membrane of rat liver cells are rich in prolactin receptors, and the Scatchard analysis of the binding of ~(125)I-oPRL to receptors revealed that female rat liver cells contained two classes of prolactin receptors (Kd_1=3.20?10~(-10) M, Kd_2=1.26?10~(-8)M) with high specificity.

To enhance the specificity of anti-TNF-α single chain Fv antibody (TNF-scFv) to inflamed site, we constructed a bispecific antibody BsDb that targets TNF-α and ED-B-containing fibronectin (B-FN) by covalently linking TNF-scFv and the anti-ED-B scFv L19 at the gene level via a flexible peptide linker deriving from human serum albumin. BsDb was successfully secreted from Pichia pastoris as functional protein, identified by immunoblotting, and purified to homogeneity with affinity chromatography. BsDb retained the immunoreactivity of its original antibodies TNF-scFv and L19, and showed a marked gain in antigen-binding affinity and in TNF-α-neutralizing ability, when compared to TNF-scFv and L19 that were produced in Escherichia coli. In the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) mice model, BsDb showed selective accumulation and retention in the inflamed paws but rapid clearance from blood, resulting in high arthritic paw to blood ratios. These data indicate that BsDb is endowed with high specificity to inflamed site and low toxicity to normal tissues and holds great potential for in vivo application for the targeted therapy of RA and other chronic inflammatory diseases.
Animals ; Antibodies, Bispecific ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; Fibronectins ; chemistry ; immunology ; Humans ; Mice ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Objective To determine the role of liver function test in the preoperative diagnosis of concomitant asymptomatic common bile duct (CBD)stone in patients with cholecystolithiasis.Methods A retrospective study was conducted from January 2012 to October 2013 at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College on 426 patients who were operated for cholecystolithiasis.According to whether they had abnormal liver function,these patients were divided into the CBD stone group (n =44) and the cholecystolithiasis group (n =382).The values of the different components of liver functions test such as ALT,AST,AKP,GGT,TBIL and DBIL in diagnosing CBD stone were statistically analyzed.Results This study involved 426 patients,159 men and 231 women,with a mean age of (50.96 ± 12.93) years.44 patients with both CBD stone and cholecystolithiasis.The rates of abnormal liver function were 77.27％ (34/44) vs 4.45％ (17/382) in CBD stone group vs cholecystolithiasis group.The difference was significant (x2 =198.54 ; P =0.000).In logistic regression analysis,only elevated serum level of GGT (OR =10.067 ; P =0.007) remained as an independent predictor of CBD stone.On ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves analysis,the area under the curve was 0.881.With a cut-off point for GGT at 84.5 U/L,there was a sensitivity of 72.2 per cent,specificity of 96.1 per cent,and positive and negative predictive values of 76.3 per cent and 96.2 per cent respectively.Conclusion Our study showed that liver function,especially GGT,was a predictor of CBD stone.

With the boom of modern science and technology,traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has hardly converged on the surge.As a result,modern Chinese medicine has to press ahead with the reform and innovation of informatization for better inheritence and promotion of the essential of Chinese culture.In July,2012,the State Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration published the Twelfth Five Year Plan for Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization Construction,pointing out a new direction for the practitioners and institutions of Chinese medicine and bringing them both opportunities and challenges.Modern Chinese medicine should be more concerned with the integration of advanced information technology,mathematics,physics and other related disciplines for its pioneering innovation in the specific applications,such as the TCM objective treatments,informatization construction and education in TCM,and Chinese medicine database and digital publishing modes.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a transanal drainage tube(TDT) for decompression of acute left-sided obstruction of colorectum.Methods Fifty-seven patients with acute left-sided colorectal obstruction were enrolled in this study from January 2010 to December 2014.The obstruction location, property, success rate of insertion, one-procedure rate and complication rate were analyzed.Results There were 53 cases of primary colorectal cancer,among which lesions were located in the transverse colon in 1 case, in descending colon in 10, in sigmoid colon in 24,and in rectum in 18.There were 4other cases, one sigmoid colonic metastases of pulmonary cancer, 1 adhesive colonic obstruction after ovary surgery, 1 cervical cancer involved with rectum with stricture and obstruction, and 1 descending colonic obstruction caused by Crohn's Disease.TDT was successfully inserted in 55 cases(96.5％) without complications,in which 43 cases of primary colorectal cancer finally underwent surgery.TDT indwelled from 0 to 22days, for an average of (8.7± 4.4)d.Hartmann operation was performed in 9 patients,6 of which underwent sufficient lymphnode dissection.Among the 43 patients, one-stage operation was performed in 34 (79.1％),of which 30 cases underwent sufficient lymph node dissection, without stoma leakage.And the rest of 13 cases refused surgery because of poor prognosis and financial problems.One patient with Crohn's Disease refused surgery after TDT insertion and was discharged after palliation of distention.Conclusion TDT is safe and effective in decompressing acute left-sided benign obstruction with high success rate and low expenditure, and can achieve preoperative colonic lavage in one-stage operation for acute left-sided colorectal malignant obstruction.

In order to enhance the specificity of TNF-α monoclonal antibody to inflamed site, a bispecific antibody BsDb that targets TNF-α and the extra-domain B (ED-B) of fibronectin (FN) was constructed by covalently linking the anti-TNF-α single chain Fv antibody (TNF-scFv) and the anti-ED-B scFv L19 via a flexible peptide linker deriving from human serum albumin (HSA). ED-B is an antigen specifically expressed at the inflamed site. BsDb is expressed in E. coli, identified by immunoblot, and purified with affinity chromatography. This was followed by further examination of its bioactivities and pharmacokinetics. We demonstrated that BsDb retained the immunoreactivity of its original antibodies as it could simultaneously bind to TNF-α and ED-B and neutralize the biological action of TNF-α. In the collagen-induced arthritis mice model, BsDb selectively accumulate in the inflamed joint with a maximal uptake of (12.2 ± 1.50)% ID/g in a single inflamed paw and retain in the inflamed paw for at least 72 h. In contrast, BsDb showed a short serum half-life of (0.50 ± 0.05) h and a rapid clearance from normal tissues. The findings reported herein indicate that BsDb has good specificity to the inflamed site and low toxicity to normal tissues. BsDb is therefore likely to have greater clinical applications in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. This laid a stable basis for its preclinical study.

Objective To observe the effect of Zhibo Dihuang Pill(ZDP) on leptin-induced idiopathic central precocious puberty(ICPP) in mice.Methods Eighteen BALB/c female mice aged 18 months were randomized into 6 groups: normal group,model group,high-and low-dose ZDP groups(at the dose of 101.4 and 50.7 g?kg-1?d-1 respectively),and megestrol acetate(3.9 mg?kg-1?d-1)group and gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues(GnRH-A) group(at the first dose of 1573.5 ?g/kg,the second and the third dose of 1180 ?g/kg,once every other day).Except the normal group,the mice in other groups received intraperitoneal injection of leptin 20mg/kg to establish ICPP model.After treatment,the vaginal opening,body weight,uterus weight and ovaries weight as well as the serum levels of luteinizing hormone(LH),estrogen(E2) were detected.Meanwhile,the uterus index and ovaries index were also examined.Results High-dose ZDP had an inhibition on the advance of vaginal opening induced by leptin after modeling for 4~6 days(P0.05).Conclusion The therapeutic effect of ZDP for ICPP is probably related with the inhibition of the advance of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis activation.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of hippocampal Abeta42 deposition on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylated MAPK signal molecules as well as the intervention of AD by total glucosides of paeony (TGP).

METHOD12 week-old female SD rats were stereotactic injected one-time with a fibrillar Abeta42 positioning hippocampus to replicate AD pathology model and interfered with TGP. The expression of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylated MAPK pathway signaling molecules were observed by immunohistochemistry (SABC), and SABC images were analyzed by image analysis software.

RESULTCompared with the control group, the IL-1beta, IL-6 and p-p38, p-JNK, p-MEK3/6 positive stained areas of AD pathology model group increased and their staining intensity decreased (the protein expression quantity inversely proportional to the staining intensity), while the IL-1beta, IL-6 and p-p38, p-JNK, p-MEK3/6 positive stained areas of the treatment groups decreased and their staining intensity increased compared with AD pathology model group.

CONCLUSIONAbeta42 deposition in hippocampus can induce the brain inflammation and the over-expression of IL-1beta, IL-6 and p-p38, p-JNK, p-MEK3/6. Inhibiting the over-expression of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylated MAPK signaling molecules may be a major antagonistic mechanism of TGP against AD.

Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Animals ; Cytokines ; analysis ; Female ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism