Objective To observe the dynamic serological test results of 28 patients with acute brucellosis,and to investigate the relationship between serological test results and diagnosis,curative effect and prognosis of brucellosis.Methods Twenty eight patients(infected with sheep brucellosis) with acute brucellosis in the Department of Brucellosis in Heilongjiang Provincial Land Reclamation Headquarters General Hospital were selected as research subjects,and their serological changes were tested by means of tube agglutination test (SAT)and clinical outcomes were compared before and after each stage of treatment.In addition,symptoms of fever,weakness,sweating,joint pain,swollen lymph nodes and biochemical parameters [alanine aminotransferase (ALT),lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)] were also tested 3,6 and 9 weeks after the treatment.Results Antibody titer reached the peak at the third week,1 ∶ 400(++),which accounted for 39.29％ (11/28); 2857％(8/28) of the patients became negative at the sixth week; 50.00％ (14/28) became negative at the ninth week.Before the treatment,20(71.43％) patients had the symptom of fever,8 (28.57％) patients had the symptom of hyperhidrosis,28 (100.00％) patients had the symptom of joint pain,7(25.00％) patients had the symptom of lymph node enlargement,28 (100.00％) patients' ALT was elevated,and 26(92.86％) patients' LDH was elevated.After three weeks of treatment,except the three patients (10.71％) who occasionally had fever,the rest of the patient's temperature was returned to normal.Also the numbers of patients with the symptoms of fatigue,sweating and joint pain were significantly reduced,and specifically,the conesponding number was 13(46.43％),2(7.14％),and 21 (75.00％)patients,respectively.ALT and LDH returned to normal(only one patient's ALT was out of the range).At the sixth week,all the patients' symptoms of fever and hyperhidrosis disappeared.The number of patients with the symptoms of joint pain and lymph node enlargement reduced to 12(42.86％) and 3(10.71％),respectively.The results of biochemical tests(ALT and LDT) returned to normal.At the ninth week,most patients' clinical symptoms disappeared.A few patients still had the symptoms of weakness[2(7.14％)] and joint piin[6(21.43％)].Conclusions After effective treatment,antibody titer of patients decreases rapidly,at the same time,the clinical symptoms improve quickly.There is a parallel relationship between the change of antibody titer and clinical symptoms.It is demonstrated that the appearing time of brucellosis specific antibodies,the ampfitude and speed of change of antibody titers can be used in diagnosis,therapeutic evaluation and prognosis of the disease.

Objective To observe the clinical features of brucellosis spondylitis and analyse the reasons for its misdiagnosis,and improve the level of diagnosis and differential diagnosis.Methods Forty-two clinically diagnosed patients with brucellosis spondylitis were studied retrospectively,and these patients were diagnosed and hospitalized in the General Hospital of Heilongjiang Land Reclamation Bureau.Their medical records were analyzed,which included the general information,medical history,clinical symptoms,results of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and serum tube agglutination test(SAT) and so on.Results Main clinical symptoms and signs were severe persistent neck,back and leg pain.They also had plate shape low back but without kyphosis.In addition,patients had to keep in one posture because their spinal activity was limited.Also,scoliosis or pelvic tilt and lameness may occur when standing,which were typical symptoms of nerve root compression.Thirteen cases were diagnosed as tuberculosis,accounting for 30.95％(13/42); 6 cases were diagnosed as lumbar disc herniation,accounting for 14.28％ (6/42); 2 cases were diagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis,accounting for 4.76％ (2/42).Therefore,the total rate of misdiagnosis was 50％ (21/42).Abnormal MRI signal intensity can be seen in the pathological vertebrae.Specifically,T1-weighted images (T1WI) showed low signal,T2-weighted images (T2WI) showed high signal,or mixed high and low signal intensity was observed.Vertebral showed wedge deformation without collapse and sequestrum; strip and sheet abnormal signal can also be found within the intervertebral disc.Normal structure disappeared and disc space became narrow.Accordingly,the plane dural sac was compressed to form visible abscess near the spine,but psoas abscess was not found.Patients with positive SAT result accounted for 92.85％ (39/42).Conclusion Reasons for misdiagnosis include lack of detailed medical records,atypical clinical symptoms and similar imaging changes and so on.

Objective To investigate the proliferation characteristics of fibroblast like synovial cells (FLS)in osteoarthritis in vitro and the mechanism of the immnnosuppressive effect of T-614 [N-(3-formy- lamino-4-oxo-6-phenoxy-4H-chromen-7-yl)methanesulfonamide ] on them.Methods FLS of OA and non- inflamed synovium(NS)were cultured and identified in vitro in the presence or absence of T-614.After incu- bation,the survival fraction(SF)of FLS was evaluated by MTT,cell cycle was observed using fluorescence - activated cell sorting(FCS)method and the expression of c-fos and COX-2 mRNA was examined by RT- PCR in FLS of OA patients.Results No statistically significant difference was noted between the OA and NS FLS in proliferation ability and cell cycle.High dose T-614 suppressed FLS SF obviously in OA and NS sta- tistically(P＜0.05),whereas the inhibition degree was not different between the two kinds of FLS.The agent induced cell apoptosis and reduced the accumulation of c-fos mRNA in OA-FLS at dose 1000 ml/L,prolonged G_1 term and shortened S term at dose 200 ml/L.The expression of COX-2 mRNA in OA FLS was suppressed obviously by T-614 at dose 1000 ml/L.Conclusion OA FLS do not display a distinct activated unlimited viability compared with NS cells,without stimulated by proinflammatory cytokine in vitro.High dose T-614 moderately inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of FLS,directly affects gene of the c-fos and COX-2 expression in OA,which may contribute to its immunosuppressive effect on OA'synovitis.

Objective To investigate the proliferative characteristics of fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS)in osteoarthritis in vitro and the mechanism of the immunosuppressive effect of total glucusides of paeony(TGP).Methods FLS of OA and non-inflamed synovium(NS)were cultured and identified in vitro in the presence or absence of TGP.After incubation,the survival fraction(SF)of FLS was evaluated by MTI' and the TNF-?,IFN-?and bFGF level in cultured FLS supernatant was measured by ELISA.The expression of FLS c-los mRNA and cell cycle of OA-FLS was observed by RT-PCR and flow eytometry respectively at the same time.Results No statistical significant differences were noted between the OA and NS FLS in pro- liferating double time.High doses of TGP suppressed FLS-SF more evidently in OA patients than in NS(P0.05).Conclusion High dose TGP can inhibit OA-FLS proliferation,modulate cy- tokine secretion and c-fos expression in OA.This suggests that TGP has immunosuppressive effect on OA syn- ovitis,probably by preventing the synovial hypertrophy in OA.

Objective To investigate the presence of occult brain tissue damage in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica(RNMO)and its possible mechanism by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods DTI scans were performed in 16 patients with RNMO and 16 sex-and age-matched healthy controls.Histogram analysis of mean diffusivity (MD)and fractional anisotropy (FA)was performed in brain tissue (BT),white matter (WM)and gray matter (GM)to detect the presence of occult brain tissue damage in RNMO patients.Region of interest(ROI )analysis of MD and FA was also performed in 6 dedicated regions with or without direct connection with spinal cord or optic nerve to determine the relationship between occult brain tissue damage and the damage of spinal cord and optic nerve.Results Patients with RNMO had a significantly higher average MD of the BT[RNMO(0.95?0.02)? 10~(-3)mm~2/s,controls (0.91?0.03)?10~(-3)mm~2/s,t = 3.940,P

Humans ; Sphenoid Bone ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Objective To study the neuroprotective effect of erythropoietin(EPO) on neonatal rats model with hypoxia-ischemia encephalopathy(HIE).Methods HIE was induced in rats on 7th day of postnatal age by ligation of right common carotid artery,followed by 2 h of hypoxia(80 mL/L O2).The subjects were divided into sham-operated group,control group and EPO group.EPO 4 000 U/(kg?day) was injected daily from day 2 pre-surgery for 9 to 16 days and PBS was injected in the control group.The neuroprotective effect of EPO on HIE model was detected by brain weight,the difference in weights between the ipsilateral(right) and contralateral(left) brain and the function test.In vitro study,the neural progenitor cell line C17.2 under gone apoptosis following an ischemia-like metabolic inhibition.The effect of EPO on the cell line ischemia modle 17.2 was evaluated by detecting Annexin V with flow cytometry.Results The signi-ficant and sustained brain injury in the hypoxia-ischemia and vehicle-treated group was observed and measured by reduction in relative weights of ipsilateral to contralateral and compromised sensorimotor functions in response to postural reflex test,compared with those of sham-operated animals(Pa

The chemical consituents from Psychotria straminea were separated and purified by column chromatographies on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and RP-HPLC. The strictures of the isolated compounds were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis, as well as comparisons with the data in literature. Sixteen compounds were isolated and elucidated as tectochrysin (1), apigenin (2), kaempferol (3), luteolin (4), diosmetin (5), quercetin (6), kaempferol-4'-O-methylether (7), rhamnetin (8), 7-hydroxycoumarin (9), 7-methoxycoumarin (10), scopoletin (11), lupeol (12), 30-oxo-lupeol (13), lupenyl acetate (14), α-amyrin (15), and ursolic acid (16). This is the first study on the chemical composition of P. Straminea, and all compounds were isolated from P. straminea for the first time. In addition to compounds 6 and 9, the other compounds were isolated from the genus Psychotria for the first time.
Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Psychotria ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To evaluate the value of positron emission tomography(PET)-CT imaging combined with continual detection of CA_(125)in serum for diagnosis of early recurrent ovarian epithelial carcinoma.Methods Twenty six patients received PET-CT imaging,who were all diagnosed as primary epithelial ovarian cancer of stage Ⅱ-Ⅳ and had complete remission after cytoreductive surgery and multiple courses of chemotherapy in Shandong Provincial Cancer Hospital.After a steady period,all patients experienced progressive rising of CA_(125)values 3 times in 2 months.But no positive lesion was found by CT, or although suspicious positive focus was found,the recurrent and(or)metastatic extent was not definite. Out of 26 patients,16 were delivered rechemotherapy and(or)radiotherapy,and 10 received re- cytoreductive surgery.Results(1)Of 26 patients,the value of CA_(125)was more than 35 kU/L in 17,and in 14 of 17,pelvic or abdominal cavity recurrence was diagnosed by CT and PET-CT,and 4 showed simuhaneously distant metastasis on PET-CT.In the remaining 3 patients of which CT findings were negative,2 had pelvic and abdominal cavity recurrence,and one had bone metastasis on PET-CT.Of 9 patients with progressive rising CA_(125)levels but the value was less than cut-off(

OBJECTIVETo determine the amount of silver in silver-loaded coral hydroxyapatite (Ag(+)-CHA) bone substitute and its impact on the biocompatibility of this material with mouse embryonic osteoblast cells.

METHODSAg(+)-CHA was prepared by immersing coral hydroxyapatite in a serial concentration of silver nitrate solutions. The amount of silver in the prepared Ag(+)-CHA was measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The viability of MC3T3-E1 cells incubated with Ag(+)-CHA was measured by MTT colorimetric assay, and the cell growth and morphological changes were observed by inverted phase-contrast microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope.

RESULTSThe amount of silver loading in the bone substitutes prepared by immersion in 1×10(-2), 1×10(-3), 5×10(-4), 10(-4), 8×10(-5), and 5×10(-5) mol/L silver nitrate solutions were 4127.67∓47.35, 167.90∓11.00, 83.42∓4.51, 30.20∓2.32, 22.39∓4.09, and 15.11∓0.55 µg/g, respectively. A low silver content in the material (prepared with silver nitrate solution of less than 8×10(-5) mol/L) showed no significant inhibitory effect on the growth of MC3T3-E1 cells or produced noticeable cytotoxic effect. On the materials prepared with 8×10(-5) and 10(-5) mol/L silver nitrate solution, the osteoblasts displayed active proliferation similar to those incubated on materials without silver loading. The confluent cells showed a normal fusiform morphology with tight arrangement.

CONCLUSIONAg(+)-CHA with low silver content has a good biocompability and can promote the proliferation and growth of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro, suggesting the clinical potential of this material as a anti-infection bone substitute.

3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Anthozoa ; chemistry ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Materials Testing ; Mice ; Silver ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacology