The effects of exopolysaccharides from Aphanothece halophytica(.EAH) on immunological function were studied by immunological techniques. The results showed that EAH could not only enhance the mitogenic response of mice's thymus cells, murine bone marrow cells proliferation,murine mixed lymphocyte reaction and the activity of NK cells in mice,but promote the interleukinl(IL-1)production and increase the activity of 1L-2 as well. The study suggests that EAH can improve the immunological function of mice.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic factors of patients with stage Ⅳ gastric cancer. Meth-ods: A total of 138 patients with stage Ⅳ gastric cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were ana-lyzed. Survival rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. The prognostic factors were analyzed by univari-ate (Log rank) and multivariate (Cox model) analysis methods. Results: Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis showed that poor performance status (P=0.001), weight loss (P=0.001), depth of invasion (P=0.000), presence of peritoneal metastasis (P=0.005), more than 1 metastatic site (P=0.029) and elevated total biliru-bin (P=0.018) were independent prognostic factors. According to the outcomes of the Cox model analysis, a formula of the prognostic index was developed. According to the values of PI, 16 patients were categorized as the high-risk group (PI≤9.817), 28 patients were categorized as the moderate-risk group (9.817

Objective: To study the mechanism of safflower injection(红花注射液) on preventing thrombosis after arteriovenous fistula operation in rabbits.Method: Twenty-four rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: safflower injection group,heparin group and control group(each n=8).Rabbit femoral arteryvein side-to-side anastomosis models were performed on both sides of the lower extremities and they were coincided.Safflower injection(5 mg/kg) or heparin injection(6 U/kg) was given from ear edge vein immediately after operation in the respective group,while normal saline(0.9%) was given with the same fashion in the control group,once per day for 14 days.On the 1 st,3 rd,7 th and 15 th day after operation,the nitric oxide(NO) in serum and endothelin(ET) in plasma were determined respectively.Results: The plasma ET contents were significantly lowered in safflower and heparin groups compared with that of control group(both P

FLIP is a protein containing death domain.Human beings have three subtypes of c-FLIPL,c-FLIPs and c-FLIPR,which can inhibit the apoptosis of a variety of tumor cells.c-FLIPL plays a dual role in the apoptotic signal.The expression level of FLIP not only decides the opening and closing of the apoptosis pathway but also achieve the conversion of cells in the apeptotic signaling and proliferative signaling pathway.The regulation of FLIP's expression is a multi-layered,involving multiple signaling pathways.FLIP will probably become an attractive death receptor signaling target of therapy.

Objective To investigate the satisfaction degree of family members of children patients with the quality of nursing by follow-up analysis using telephone.Methods We used the high quality nursing questionnaire as the follow-up investigation.311 parents of the discharged pediatric patients were enrolled in this study,and answered the questionnaire within 1 ～2 weeks after their children were discharged from hospital.Meanwhile,we collected specific comments through asking questions by telephone.Then we analyzed and summarized the results by the content analysis.Results We found the total satisfaction rate was 96.65％ and there were three levels after qualitative analysis on the specific recommendations:evaluation of the hospital system,evaluation of professional knowledge and skills of the medical workers,evaluation of the attitude of the medical workers.Conclusions The parents of pediatric patients are satisfied with the high quality nursing which has pediatric features.However,what the parents focused on had already beyond the scope of the high quality nursing itself.We should expand the concept of quality service to every aspect of the hospital work,in order to meet the needs of the parents of pediatric patients in the department of pediatrics.

Objective To assess the effect of fructose sodium diphosphate and alpha-lipoic acid on diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods Sixty-six patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were randomly divided into two groups, additional to the regular treatment to control blood glucose, 34 patients in the treatment grouptreated with fructse sodium diphosphate 10 g and alpha-lipoic acid 0.45 g daily through intravenous drip for two weeks (3 patients dropped out due to un-tolerance), 32 patients in the control group treated with alpha-lipoic acid 0.45 g dai-ly through intravenous drip for two weeks. All patients were examined on the improvement of symptoms, motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity of the median nerve and nervus peroneus communis before and after the treatment. Results After treatment for two weeks, the overall effect rate in the treatment group was 93.55 % (28/31), which was significantly higher than that in the control group(68.75%,22/32) (P < 0.05). In the treatment group, the motor nerve conduction velocity for the median nerve and nervus peroneus communis was 47.7 (SD:3.8) m/s and 41.6 (SD: 3.3) m/s after treatment, which was significantly higher than that before treatment (42.5 [SD:2.5] and 36.0[SD:2.8] m/s,respectively) (P <0.05). In the control group, the motor nerve conduction velocity for the median nerve and nervus peroneus communis was 43.4 (SD: 2.0) m/s and 39.6 (SD: 3.3) m/s after treat-ment, which was significantly higher than that before treatment (41.9 [SD16.0] and 36.2 [SD: 1.9] m/s, respec-tively) (P < 0.05). In the treatment group,the sensory nerve conduction velocity for the median nerve and nervus peroneus communis was 40.3 (SD: 1.8) m/s and 34.1 (SD: 2.3) m/s after treatment, which was significantly higher than that before treatment (35.2 [SD:2.3] and 28.8 [SD:2.5] m/s,rospectively) (P <0.05). In the control group,the sensory nerve conduction velocity for the median nerve and nervus peroneus communis was 37.7 (SD:1.7) m/s and 30.8 (SD:2.6) m/s after treatment,which was significantly higher than that before treatment (34.8 [SD :3.1] and 27.8 [SD :2.4] m/s, respectively) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the improvements in the treat-ment group was significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusions Fructse sodium si-phosphate combined with alpha-lipoic acid is more effective to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy than alpha-lipoic acid only.

Objective To clone acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) gene and analyze the sequences of the nucleotides and encoded amino acids. Methods Total RNA was isolated from the stomach of BALB/c mouse and the mRNA was reversely transcribed into cDNA. AMCase gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and inserted into recombinant clone vector of pMD18-T. Sequence alignment was performed with DNAMAN 4.0 software. Isoelectric point, amino acid composition, signal peptide and transmembrane helices were analyzed with SignalP 3.0 Server and TMHMM Server v.2.0. Results The cloned gene encodes a protein of 473 amino acids with molecular weight of 51.93 kDa and isoelectric point 4.73. Extensive amino acid sequence homology (up to 99.57%) was found when compared with AMCase. Both protein encoded by this cloned gene and AMCase belonged to family 18 chitinase, which was composed of signal peptide (amino acid position 1-21), the catalytic domain (amino acid position 22-391), hinge region (amino acid position 392-425) and chitin binding domain (amino acid position 426-473). There were two mutations of amino acid in the catalytic domain and hinge region with this AMCase mutant. The amino acid of Ala(position 292)was mutated into amino acid of Pro, and the amino acid of Thr(position 404)was mutated into amino acid of Ser. Conclusion This sequence is a mutant of AMCase gene. Identification of the biological characteristics will play important role in the further study of its biological function by molecular biology technique.

Objective To evaluate clinical safety and efficacy of autologous tissue antigens loaded dendritic cells (DC)in the treatment of elderly patients with gastric cancer.Methods Fresh tumor cells were isolated from surgical specimens in twenty patients with gastric cancer. Single cell suspensions were obtained and induced to apoptosis by heat shock. The apoptotic tumor cells were frozen before use.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured with recombinant human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).DCs were loaded with apoptotic tumor cells. The immunological and clinical responses were examined after the final vaccination. ResultsVaccination of dendritic cells was well tolerated and no toxicity was observed. The cytokine levels in serum such as IL-2(46 pg/mg vs 89 pg/mg), IL-12(44 pg/mg vs. 86 pg/mg) and IFN-γ(38 pg/mg vs.82 pg/mg) were increased after vaccinations as compared with pretherapy. DTH test were positive in five patients (5/10). The antigen special cells for CD8+/ IFN-γ+ were increased in five patients(5/10). The size of retroperitoneal lymph node of one patient was reduced. The tumor marker CEA level were decreased in five patients, stable in eight patient and increased in two patients.Conclusions Autologous DC vaccines loaded with autologous tumor antigens could improve function of non specific immunity and elicit specific T cells immunologic response and is one of safe and effective treatments for gastric cancer.

Objective To clone and express the mouse acidic mammalian chitinase ( AMCase ) gene and protein, and to analyze the hydrolysis of the cell walls of Trichophyton rubrum and Candida a/ft/cans by this enzyme. Methods Total RNA was isolated from the stomach of BALB/c mouse, and AMCase gene was amplified by RT-PCR. The recombinant fusion expression vector of pET28a ( + ) -AMCase was constructed. AMCase protein was expressed in prokaryotic system and purified. After incubation of AMCase with the cell wall extracts, the level of N- acetylglucosamine was measured. Results AMCase gene was cloned and expressed successfully. Purified AMCase protein can hydrolyse the chitin in the cell walls of T. rubrum and C. albicans. Conclusion The AMCase expressed in prokaryotic system can hydrolyse chitin in the cell walls of T. rubrum and C. albicans, which implies its antifungal potential.

Objective To investigate the immunological effects of human keratin 17 (K17) on T lymphocytes from psoriatic patients. Methods Total RNA was extracted from the epidermis of psoriatic lesions, and mRNA was reversely transcribed to cDNA. The K17 gene was amplified by PCR and inserted into pGEX-4T-1 expression vector, and then K17 was expressed and purified. T cells were isolated and purified by gra-dient centrifugation and AET-SRBC (2-aminoethylosothiouronium bromide-treated sheep red blood cells) precipitation. MTT assay and direct cell counting method were used to detect the proliferation of T cells. The concentration of IFN- in culture supernatant was measured by ELISA. Results Compared with the control group, K17 significantly enhanced the proliferation of T cells from psoriatic patients and increased the expression level of IFN- (P