Objective To compare the efficacy of the conventional PPD skin test and a new enzymelinked immunospot assay(TSPOT-TB)for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI)in patients with rheumatic diseases.Methods Two hundred and sixty rheumatic patients were enrolled,and all were screened for LTBI based on clinical history,chest X-ray,PPD skin test or TSPOT.Results The positive rate of TSPOT assay was 24.1%and that of PPD skin test was 39.4%.The overall concordance rate between the 2tests was 61.0%.Among PPD negative patients (n=149).29 were TSPOT(+)(19.5%).Among PPD(+)patients(n=98),69 were TSPOT(-)(70.0%).The patients who got BCG vaccination or had history of tuberculosis infection showed a significantly higher rate of positive result of PPD skin test than those who did not (P<0.05 or P<0.01).While in TSPOT assay,the BCG vaccination or history of tuberculosis infection did not show influence on TSPOT results(P>0.05).Of the 127 patients who received biological agents after screening for LTBI,9 patients were pretreated with isoniazide.Twenty-seven patients stopped biological agent treatment because of the positive results of PPD or TSPOT.Twenty three patients who had positive PPD but negative TSPOT results received biological agent treatment without isoniazide,and none of them developed active tubereulosis after 6 to 18 months of follow-up.Conclusion BCG vaccination affects the result of PPD test in rheumatic patients,but has no influence on TSPOT results.The infection rate of latent tuberculosis of rheumatic patients in our research is 23.8%detected by TSPOT.

Objective To evaluate a new enzyme-linked immunospot assay (TSPOT-TB) for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with rheumatic diseases.Methods The rapid TSPOT-TB assay was applied to detect ESAT-6 and CFP-10 specific T cells in blood samples from 126 rheumatic disease patients.A PPD skin test was performed on all patients simultaneously.Results The positive rate of TSPOT assay was 23.8% and that of PPD skin test was 34.9%.The overall agreement between the 2 tests was 71.4%.Among PPD (-) patients (n=82),11 were TSPOT (+) ( 13.4% ).Among PPD (+) patients (n=44),25 were TSPOT(-) ( 56.8% ).The patients who got BCG vaccination showed a significantly higher rate of positive results of PPD skin test than those who did not(41% vs 19%,P＜0.05).While in TSPOT assay,the BCG vaccination did not show any influence on TSPOT results (22% vs 27%,P＞0.05).Conclusion BCG vaccina-tion affects the results of PPD test in patients with rheumatic diseases,but has no influence on TSPOT results.The infection rate of latent tuberculosis in patients with rheumatic diseases in our study is 23.8% detected by TSPOT.

Objective To explore the methodology of reconstruction of a three-dimensional model of lid/cheek junction through continuous paraffin sections and stained lid/cheek junction three-dimensional visualization,and to further explore the feasibility and reliability to provide anatomical basis for clinical teaching of plastic and reconstructive surgery.Methods The full size of lid/cheek junction was cut from the specimens,the size of 25 mm× 15 mm× 10 mm,and then embedded in paraffin,and sectioned in thickness of 15 μm for 200 slices;the experimental HE staining and Masson staining were conducted,Sony camera photos using Adobe Photoshop CS 5.1 image processing software for image registration and 3D-Docter software image segmentation were used to give different colors for establishment of complete three-dimensional model.Results Histologically the LOT of the fascia area,the existence of reconstruction and the LOT model were confirmed.It showed the histological characteristics:the Masson stain displayed red,blue and white tissues in color;fascia tissue staining infered intertexture of elastic fibers and collagen fibers in LOT.LOT was the bottom edge of the triangle toward the orbital base with length of 26 mm,31 mm in high,0.8 mm in thick,and area of approximately 4.03 cm2 in size.Layers of skin,orbicularis oculi muscle,orbicularis retaining ligament,middle temporal fascia,periosteum and LOT were visible in the 3D model.By the three-dimensional model of lid/cheek junction,adjacent relationship could be rotated to any angle.Conclusions This initial establishment of a three-dimensional model of the lid/cheek junction confirms that the histological characteristics of lid/cheek junction and the feasibility of the fine structure of soft tissue within the three-dimensional model can be used as a new method for further research.

Objective To investigate the level of IL-2+ IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ multifunctional Th1 cell in peripheral blood and hydro-thorax of the TB patients and its clinical significance .Methods 49 patients with tuberculosis(TB) including 14 cases of tuberculous pleurisy and 27 individuals with latent TB infection were selected and 66 healthy individuals were selected as the controls .PMA and ionomycin were adopted to stimulate mononuclear cells in whole blood and pleural effusion .The secretion status of CD4+ T cells cy-tokines was detected by using the intracellular cytokine staining and the flow cytometric analysis .Results According to the differ-ent cytokines generated by CD4+ T cells ,which were divided into 7 cell subgroups :IL-2+ IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ ,IL-2+ IFN-γ+ ,IL-2+TNF-α+ ,IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ ,IL-2+ ,TNF-α+ and IFN-γ+ cell subgroups .The proportion of peripheral blood IL-2+ IFN-γ+ TNF-α+multifunctional Th1 cells in the TB patients was significantly lower than that in the healthy controls and the individuals with latent TB infection(P<0 .01) ,the expression levels of IL-2+ IFN-γ+ cells and IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ cells were significantly lower than those in the individuals with latent TB infection and the healthy controls (P<0 .05);TNF-α+ cells was higher than that in the healthy con-trols and the individuals with latent TB infection (P<0 .05) .The other subgroups had no obvious change .The response level of IL-2+ IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ multifunctional Th1 cells in the pleural effusion mononuclear cells (PEMC) was higher than that in the peripher-al blood mononuclear cells(P<0 .05);IL-2+ cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was lower than that in PEMC (P<0 .01) .Conclusion The response of non-specific Th1 cells is related with the clinical outcome of TB infection ,IL-2+ IFN-γ+TNF-α+ multifunctional Th1 cells plays a certain role in the protective immunoreaction of TB .

This study was designed to prove simultaneously blocking both EGFR and COX-2-medi-ated pathways may be an efficient means of inhibiting cancer cell growth in NPC. Method: A combination of tarceva (EGFR-selectivetyrosine kinase inhibitors) with celecoxib(Cox-2 inhibitor) was studied on its effects on cell growth, cell cycle progression, apoptosis and protein expression in CNE-2 cell lines by cell growth assay, flow cy-tometric analysis assay and Western blotting. Result: ①The inhibition rate of cell growth was higher in the group treated with a combination of two agents than that the sum of rates of the two groups treated with only one agent (P<0.05). ②The combination of tarceva with celecoxib significantly induced G_1 arrest(P<0.05) ,but did not in-crease apoptosis rate(P>0.05). ③The group of combination showed less expressions of p-EGFR and COX-2 than any other group. Conclusion Simultaneously blocking EGFR and COX-2 mediated pathways would significantly in-hibit the growth of CNE-2 cell line, increase G_1 arrest and reduce the expression levels of p-EGFR and COX-2.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of ~1H-MR spectroscopy(~1H-MRS)imaging to quantitatively detect fatty liver.Methods Twenty patients with fatty liver and 11 healthy volunteers underwent plain CT scan,conventional MR imaging and ~1H-MRS analysis.The blood lipid and liver function were tested on the same day as the MR examination.~1H-MRS sequence measured the peaks of H_2O and lipid,and the areas under the peaks.The relative contents of the lipid compound were calculated,and compared with the results of CT scan and liver function tests.Results The CT values of the normal group and the fatty liver group were(59?9)HU and(24?11)HU respectively.On ~1H-MRS a protruding high H_2O peak and a flat low lipid peak were observed in the normal group,while the protruding high H_2O peak and a high lipid peak appeared in the fatty liver group.The values of lipid peak in the normal group and the fatty liver group were(0.05?0.01)?10~5,(0.70?0.24)?10~5 respectively(t=4.32,P0.05),the areas under the lipid peak were(1.36?0.73)?10~9、(2.35?1.15)?10~9 respectively(t=5.21,P0.05).Conclusion ~1 H-MRS imaging is feasible to quantitatively detect liver fat and is a non-invasive method for detecting early fatty liver.

Objective To search for the changes of T cells subpopulations and immunoglobulin and their relation-ship in children patients with simple nephrotic syndrome. Design Case-control research. Patients aud Participants 39 patients with simple nephrotic syndrome were divided into two groups:the incipient group and relapse group (6 cases were determined at the incipient and relapse time) .Thereare 28 patients in incipient group, 19 males and 9 females, at the age of 2 to 10 years old. There are20 patients in relapse group, 12 males and 8 females, at the age of 3 to 13 years old. There are 35health children in control group, 21 males and 14 females, 2～13 years old. Interventions T cells subpopulations were determined by indirect immunofluorescence of OKT linesmonoclonal antibodies. The serum IgG was determined by routine simple agar immunodiffusion tests. Results and Conclusions The CD_3~+ and CD_4~+ cells are of no change in the children patients withsimple nephrotic syndrome, and the CD_8~+ and CD_(10)~+ cells are obviously increased, the Values of CD_4~+/CD_8~+ are obviously lower than those in the control qroup, there are no difference between the incipientand relapse groups. The levels of serum IgG were decreased in the 85.3% children patients, IgM were inc-reased in 29.4% of that. The values of CD_4~+/CD_8~+ have positive correlation and negative correlationwith the levels of serum IgG and IgM respectively.

Objective To explore the changes of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1(sTNFR1)in children with acute virus encephalitis(VE)and its clinical significance.Methods The levels of tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?),sTNFR1 and neuron specific enolase(NSE)in cerebrospinal fluid were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)in 55 children who were admitted with VE,including 25 cases with severe VE(SVE)and 30 cases with mild VE(MVE).Fifteen cases without VE were as control group.Results The levels of TNF-?,sTNFR1 in cerebrospinal fluid in encephalitis children were significantly higher than that in control group(Pa

Objective To explore the change of activin A(ACT A) in umbilical artery blood of newborns with fetal distress and its clinical significance.Methods Forty healthy pregnant women(control group)and 35 pregnant women with fetal distress (experimental group)were collected.The levels of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in both groups were determined by a solid quantitative biotin-avidin system enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(BAS-ELISA),umbilical artery blood gas were also measured.Results The level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was (1 235.89?178.78)ng/L,and that in control group was (627.28?75.24)ng/L,and the level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

Animals ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; metabolism ; Cerebral Cortex ; injuries ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley