Objective To investigate the effect of emodin on immune suppression function of regulatory T cells in a mouse model of CT26 colon cancer. Methods Twenty-four mice were divided into the negative control group, the emodin group and the tumor group. The populations of CD8+CD3+T cells, the T cells producing IFN-γand the CD4+CD25+Tregs secreting IL-10 in different mouse tissues were detected by flow cytometry. Levels of IFN-γ, TNF- β1 and IL-10 in serum were determined by ELISA. Results Emodin could significantly increase the percent of CD8+CD3+T cells in tumor (P < 0.05) and improve the ability of IFN-γ secretion in T cells from peripheral blood and lymph nodes (P < 0.05). Emodin could reduce the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-β1 and IL-10 in the serum (P < 0.01) and inhibit IL-10 secretion in CD4+CD25+ Tregs (P < 0.01). Conclusion Emodin possesses the antitumor effect by affecting the immunosuppressive function of Tregs cells.

Objective To assess whether the plaque volume of carotid artery evaluated by three-dimensional ultrasound can predict the risk of cardiovascular events earlier in patients with coronary heart disease, in comparison with plaque thickness.Methods A total of 99 patients were enrolled, including 66 patients with asymptomatic carotid plaque and 33 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and carotid plaque.Three-dimensional ultrasound was performed in all the patients.Coronary angiography was performed in all the patients in CHD group.Coronary artery Gensini score was calculated.Plaque thickness, plaque area and plaque volume were compared between the two groups.We analyzed the relationship of plaque volume with Gensini score and other cardiovascular risk factors.Results Plaque volume was significantly higher in CHD group [(1312.38±513.70)mm3] than in asymptomatic group [(947.54±321.41)mm3] (P=0.023).However, plaque thickness and plaque area were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05).Plaque volume was positively correlated with Gensini score (r=0.519, P=0.002), homocysteine (r=0.569, P=0.002), and cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin.There was a negative correlation between plaque volume and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a factor protecting against cardiovascular events (r=-0.387, P=0.038).Conclusion Compared with plaque thickness, the volume of carotid plaques assessed by three-dimensional imaging technique may be a better predictor of the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss related with aging, including wet AMD and dry AMD. At present, there is still no effective treatment for dry AMD. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), located between the retina and the choroid, plays an important role in the survival of photoreceptor and maintenance of its physiological function. In AMD patients, the aging of RPE leads to degeneration and dysfunction of Bruch's membrane, choroidal and photoreceptor, thus causing the loss of the retina photoreceptor cells. Since 1991, researchers have been trying various replacement therapies of RPE cells. With the development of technique for induction and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSC) in vitro, the transplantation of stem cells differentiating into RPE cells is going to be a feasible strategy for replacing impaired RPE cells in AMD. This article reviewed the advances in the study of the source of RPE cells, identification of cell differentiation, transplantation and the related clinical trials in cell replacement therapy of AMD.

OBJECTIVE: A three-dimensional morphology of the maxillary sinus was reconstructed. We studied the relationship between sinusitis and three-dimensional morphology, volume as well as gasification coefficients. METHOD: One hundred and fifty adult subjects were selected in this study, and divided into three groups: normal bilateral maxillary sinus, unilateral maxillary sinusitis and bilateral maxillary sinusitis, with fifty cases in each group. Use Siemens helix CT for sequential scanning of the nasal-sinus. After scanning, the DICOM data was recorded in DVD-R and transferred into another computer for reconstruction and measurement. RESULT: The volume of the normal maxillary sinus group was (15 018.64 +/- 473.36) mm3. The volume of the maxillary sinusitis group was (14 971.86 +/- 360.93)mm3. There was no significant difference between the values of volumes for the normal maxillary sinus group and maxillary sinusitis group. The gasification coefficient was 0.345 +/- 0.071 for the normal maxillary sinus group, 0.252 +/- 0.057 for the maxillary sinusitis group. There was significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION Maxillary sinus reconstruction permits more vivid visualization of the three-dimensional structure and three-dimensional shape of the maxillary sinus. The occurrence of the maxillary sinusitis is closely related to the three-dimensional shape of the maxillary sinus and the gasification coefficient measured. The more regular the three-dimensional shape of the maxillary sinus, with the gasification coefficient >0.300, the lower the probability of the maxillary sinusitis. Otherwise, the probability increases. Adult inflammation of maxillary sinus may be originated from a relatively larger volume of maxillary sinus in childhood and adolescence.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; diagnostic imaging ; Maxillary Sinusitis ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Objective To explore the relationship between the degree of intraplaque neovascularization in carotid artery and the level of serum homocysteine.Methods Contrast-enhanced ultrasound were performed on 72 carotid atherosclerotic plaques of 48 patients.Contrast-enhancement within the plaque was categorizde as grade 1 to grade 3.The level of serum homocysteine were detected in the fasting state during the same period.Results According to the degree of contrast enhancement(grade 1 to 3),patients were divided into 3 groups.The more new vessels in plaque,the higher the level of homocysteine.The levels of homocysteine in three groups increased in turn.There were distinct differences among the three groups(F =18.49,P ＜0.05),and there was significant difference between every two groups (P ＜0.05).The linear correlation analysis showed that the level of homocysteine was positively correlated with the degree of carotid plaque enhancement (r =0.66,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Contrastenhanced ultrasonography could semi-quantitate new vessles in plaque.There was positive correlation between the degree of intraplaque neovascularization with the level of serum homocysteine.Combine with the level of serum homocysteine based on intraplaque neovascularization detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound,the plaque stability could be more accurately evaluated.

Objective This study aims to analyze if high sensitivity C Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) was a independent risk factor of acute kidney injury(AKI) after A type aortic dissection surgery.Methods Clinical data of the 169 patients who underwent A type acute aortic dissection surgery from February 2009 to October 2010 were collected.Patients without preoperative detection of hs-CRP,patients with preoperative infection and patients diagnosed infection before AKI were excluded.Enrolled patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group,and according to using RRT or not,the patients were divided into RRT group and non-RRT group.All the factors were evaluated by means of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify relative risk factors of AKI.Results AKI occurred in 95 cases(56.2％),Using RRT in 8 cases (4.7％).hsCRP is an independent risk factor of AKI(OR =0.975,95％ CI 0.952-0.999,P =0.041).hs-CRP and aortic cross clamping time were the independent risk factors of using RRT,The in-hospital mortality was significant difference between RRT group and non-RRT group (P ＜ 0.05).The area under the ROC curve of hs-CRP on RRT diagnosis was 0.733,95％ CI 0.570-0.896,P =0.026.The sensitivity of CRP ＞ 30.42 mg/L warning AKI need RRT was 87.5％,the specificity was 53.4％.Conclusion AKI after A type aortic dissection surgery was a severe complication and RRT associated with in-hospital mortality,hs-CRP was higher in acute aortic dissection patients.The level of hs-CRP and aortic cross clamping time were independent risk factors of AKI and RRT.

Objective To analyze the independent risk factors associated with acute kidney injury(AKI)after Sun’s pro-cedure in the patients with acute aortic dissection .Methods Clinical data of 400 patients who underwent Sun ’ s procedure from February 2009 to August 2013 were collected.Data included preoperative GFR, Cleveland values, CPB time and fluid balance of 24 h intra and after operation were gathered .The patients were divided into the group of AKI and the group of non-AKI accounting to the changing of serum creatinine.Results AKI was occurred in 150(37.5%) patients.Hospital mortality in AKI group was significant higher than that in the non-AKI group(11.3% vs.2.4%, P<0.05).Univariable analysis re-vealed male, BWI, hypertension, preoperative MAP,WBC, eGFR, Cleveland value, cardiopulmonary bypass time, intra and postoperative fluid balance for 24 h have significant difference between 2 groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed hypertension, Cleveland value, cardiopulmonary bypass time and fluid balance were independent risk factors for AKI .Conclu-sion AKI after acute aortic dissection was a severe complication .Hypertension, Cleveland value, cardiopulmonary time and fluid balance were associated with AKI.

Background Primary conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia exhibit atypical clinical symptoms and easy to cause misdiagnosis and mistreatment.Understanding the clinical characteristics of primary conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia is of an important clinical significance.Objective This study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcome of patients with primary conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia.Methods The medical records of 20 patients with primary conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia who was treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2012 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyed.The age,symptoms,therapy,prognosis,histopathological features and immonochemistry results were reviewed,and the treating approach targeting to different types of conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia was evaluated.The fellow-up duration was 1-2 years.Results Age of the patients ranged from 27 to 83 years old.The lesions were classified as benign lymphocytic hyperplasia,atypical lymphoid hyperplasia and lymphoma.Majority of lesions located in fornix conjunctiva tissue (90％).Follicle-like appearance was seen in the benign lymphocytic hyperplasia,and pink elavation was exhibited at the bulbar conjunctiva in the atypical lymphoid hyperplasia.A diffuse salmon fish like appearance in conjunctiva was the primary feature of conjunctival lymphoma.Histopathological examination showed that conjunctival benign lymphocytic hyperplasia had follicle-like tissue in lesions,atypical lymphoid hyperplasia exhibited diffuse lymphocyte filtration,and conjunctival lymphoma appeared monocyte filtration.The 3 tpyes of lesions also could be differentiated by immunochemistry.The medicine was applied in the eyes with benign lymphocytic hyperplasia,and the combination of resection of lesions with conjunctival tissue or amniotic membrane transplantation was used for the atypical lymphoid hyperplasia or lymphoma eyes.No recurrence of the lesions was found during fellow-up duration.Conclusions The clinical manifestations of conjunctival lymphoid hyperplasia lesions are varied,and it is easy to be confused with chronic ocular surface diseases.Pathology and immunochemistry are helpful for the differential diagnosis.The treating regimen is dependent on the lesion type.Most patients have a favorable prognosis with treatment.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of maternal deprivation on the activity of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, acute stress response and the sex hormone receptors expression in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in female rats.

METHODSMaternal deprivation model was induced in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Foot shock was given at different stages of estrus cycle during the adulthood. Plasma estradiol, testosterone and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay; and plasma corticosterone level was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER-β) in the hypothalamic PVN was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSDecreased plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels were found in the proestrus of female rats with maternal deprivation (P=0.012 and P=0.019, respectively). A significant down-regulation (P=0.008) of PVN-AR, but not PVN-ER-β expression was found in female rats with maternal deprivation.

CONCLUSIONMaternal deprivation may reduce the HPA axis activity in female SD rats, which is closely correlated with the fluctuation of the circulating sex hormones. The androgen in the hypothalamus seems to play a more important role than the estrogen in this procedure.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; physiopathology ; Maternal Deprivation ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; metabolism ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; metabolism ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the immunotoxicity induced by 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzathrancene (DMBA) in metallothionein gene-knocked-out mice [MT(-/-)] as compared with that in wild-type mice [(MT(+/+)].

METHODSFemale mice were treated with 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg of DMBA i.p., respectively and immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) i.v. on the following day and rechallenged by injection of SRBC via footpad s.c. on the fourth day post-immunization. Humoral and cell-mediated immune function was assessed by the number of spleen IgM antibody plaque formation cells (PFC) to SRBC and cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) measured by footpad swelling thickness.

RESULTSAfter treatment with 25 mg/kg DMBA, a decrease in weight of their spleen and thymus and PFC/spleen were observed in MT(-/-) mice, while only decrease in thymus weight of MT(+/+) mice. The humoral function was suppressed by 72% in MT(-/-) mice. No obvious change in cell-mediated immune function was observed both in MT(-/-) and MT(+/+) mice. Both humoral and cell-mediated immune function were suppressed more severe (91%) in MT(-/-) mice treated with 50 mg/kg DMBA than those treated with 25 mg/kg DMBA (72%). DTH was not altered by DMBA in MT(+/+) mice. The weight of their spleen and thymus decreased and humoral immune function suppressed in MT(+/+) mice, but these changes were significantly less severe. No obvious suppression of cell-mediated immune function was observed in MT(+/+) mice.

CONCLUSIONTheir humoral and cell-mediated immune function was more susceptible to being suppressed by DMBA in MT(-/-) mice, indicating that MT could protect their immune function from damage caused by DMBA.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene ; toxicity ; Animals ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Metallothionein ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Organ Size ; drug effects