A combination vaccine which consists of ≥2 immunogens is intended to provide protection against two or more diseases or against multiple serotypes of a single disease. The use of combination vaccines decrease the number of vaccine injections in the regular immunization schedules. However,the development of combination vaccines is more complicated than monovalent vaccines,preservatives and adjuvants used with one component may alter the potency of other components. Physical,chemical,and biological interactions between the components of combination vaccines must be considered to avoid detrimental effects on safety or efficacy. Therefore combination vaccines present unique challenges for product evaluation. This paper presents a review of research application status,the evaluation of effectiveness and safety,as well as development prospects on combination vaccines.

Aim: To explore the relationship between structure and immunological activity of marine polysaccha-ride YCP,the physicochemical property and immunological activity of the YCP-derived fragment were studied.Methods: YCP was hydrolyzed by α-amylase from human saliva.The hydrolysate was purified to obtain an polysaccharide fragment by gel filtration chromatography.The physicochemical properties of this YCP-derived fragment was characterized by HPLC,FT-IR and TLC.In addition,changes of phagocytic activity,production of reactive nitrogen and macrophage binding were investigated.Results: The relative molecular weight of YCP-de-rived fragment was approximately 6.6 × 10~3.The monosaccharide composition and FT-IR of the YCP-derived frag-ment were identical to YCP.No significant effect of the YCP-derived fragment on NO production and murine mac-rophage phagocyte were observed.And this fragment was not able to compete the binding between YCP and mac-rophages.Conclusion: The remarkable decrease of immunological activity of YCP-derived fragments degraded byα-amylase of human saliva suggests that the complete structure and high molecule weight of YCP are essential for its immuno-modulatory activity.

Abstrac:Objective To analyze the efficacy and safety of medpor-coated tear drain in lacrimal bypass surgery without skin incision. Methods The data of 7 patients(7 eyes) who underwent no skin incision of lacrimal bypass surgery with medpor-coated tear drain were ret-rospective reviewed. The operation result and complications were observed. Results All patients were followed up for 5~17 months. Com-plete or significant improvement of epiphora was achieved in 5 cases at the last follow-up. Complications included conjunctival granulation hy-perplasia (3 eyes),nasal mucosal granulation hyperplasia (2 eyes),and discomfort (4 eyes). Conclusion The lacrimal bypass surgery with medpor-coated tear drain could be expected to improve epiphora of refractory lacrimal obstruction. The main complications are granulation hyperplasia and discomfort.

OBJECTIVETo observe interventional effects of anti-viral therapy and Compound Qin-gre Granule (CQG) on host cellular immune functions of acute virus infection patients.

METHODSThirty acute virus infection patients were recruited to detect peripheral lymphocyte subsets. They were randomly assigned to two groups, the Western medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine) and the integrative medicine treatment group (treated with anti-virus Western medicine plus CQG). T-cell subsets were re-examined 7 days later. Changes between before and after treatment were observed. Effect on host cellular immune functions and efficacy were compared between the Western medicine treatment and the integrative medicine treatment.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the percentage of peripheral T cells increased, and the percentage of B/NK cells decreased in acute virus infection patients (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, in T cell subsets, the percentage of CD8+ T cells and CD8+ CD38+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28 + T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). After one-week treatment, percentages of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ CD28+ T cells, and CD8+ CD28+ T cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), while the percentage of CD8+ CD38+ T cells decreased (P < 0.01). More significantly, these changes were greater in the integrative medicine treatment group than in the Western medicine treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDisarranged cellular immune functions existed in acute virus infection patients. CQG could significantly improve viral infection induced immunologic derangement and immunologic injury.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; Virus Diseases ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and differential diagnosis of myxoid dermafibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).

METHODSThe clinical and pathologic features of 16 cases of myxoid DFSP were reviewed.

RESULTSThere were altogether 15 males and 1 female. The age of the patients ranged from 11 to 73 years (mean = 47 years and median = 48 years). The commonest site of involvement was trunk (number = 11), followed by shoulder (number = 2), head and neck (number = 2), and extremity (number = 1). Similar to conventional DFSP, most patients presented with a slowly enlarging subcutaneous nodule which showed a rapid recent growth in some cases. Amongst the 16 cases studied, 12 occurred de novo and 4 represented local recurrence. The tumors ranged from 2 to 10 cm in greatest dimension (mean = 5 cm and median = 4 cm). Histologically, they were poorly circumscribed and located in the dermis, with focal infiltration into the underlying subcutaneous tissue. Seven cases were purely myxoid and composed of spindly and stellate cells with delicate arborizing vascular meshwork. The remaining 9 cases were predominantly myxoid (> 50%), with 5 cases containing cellular areas resembling conventional DFSP and 4 cases showing fibrosarcomatous transformation. In addition, foci of giant cell fibroblastoma-like areas were noted in 1 case. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumors cells were positive for CD34. The staining was weak in the myxoid areas, as compared with conventional DFSP. Of the 4 recurrent cases, one patient developed lung metastases.

CONCLUSIONSMyxoid DFSP represents a rare variant of DFSP and may pose important diagnostic pitfalls. It is especially so if the tumor purely consists of myxoid element. Familiarity with the histologic features helps to avoid misdiagnosis.

Abdominal Wall ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Child ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; diagnostic imaging ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiography ; Shoulder ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective To seek for the differentially-expressed proteins in patients with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome and to screen out the specific proteins,so as to provide evidence for the establishment of objective standard of kidney deficiency syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).Methods Five patients with typical kidney-yin deficiency syndrome and 6 normal healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study.Plasma proteins in both groups were detected by antibody chip,and then the plasma proteins profile was compared and analyzed.Results A total of 25 differentially-expressed proteins between kidney-yin deficiency group and normal control group were found,of which 2 were up-regulated and 23 were down-regulated.Conclusion The differentially-expressed proteins in patients with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome are mainly related to immune disorder,protein biosynthesis,metabolism,oxidative stress,cell apoptosis,signal transduction,and so on.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) with the occurrence of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and the effects of Bushen Tongdu Decoction (BTD) on serum TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1, levels in patients.

METHODSSeventy five AS patients were assigned to two groups, 30 in the group I treated with Azulfidine and35 in the group II treated with BTD. ELISA was adopted to detect the levels of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1, in patients before and after 24-week treatment. Meantime, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured as well. Besides, the levels of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in 30 healthy persons were also detected for normal control.

RESULTSBefore treatment, as compared with normal control, the TNF-alpha increased and TGF-beta1 decreased (P < 0.01) in the two treatment groups; the serum level of TNF-alpha was positively correlated with ESR and CRP (r = 0.296, r = 0.249; P < 0.05), but the serum level of TGF-beta1 showed no correlation with them (r = -0.222, r = -0.203; P > 0.05). After treatment, TGF-beta1 increased, while TNF-alpha, CRP and ESR decreased in group II (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBTD can regulate TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 levels to suppress the immune inflammatory reaction so as to treat AS.

Adult ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the role of transcriptional-coactivator with PDZ-binding motif( TAZ) in genistein-induced osteoblastogenic differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells ( BMSCs) .Methods Mouse BMSCs were cultured in phenol red-freeα-MEM containing osteogenic supplements for inducing osteogenic differentiation.BMSCs were transfected with siRNA-TAZ and treated with genistein.The temporal sequence of osteoblastic differentiation in BMSCs cultures was assayed by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and calcium deposition.The mRNA expression of bone sialoprotein ( BSP) and osteocalcin ( OC) were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The binding interaction between TAZ and cbfa1 was identified by co-immunoprecipitation.Results TAZ expression was detected during the induction of osteogenic differentiation, the ALP activity and calcium deposition were significantly decreased in BMSCs which were transfected with siRNA-TAZ.Genistein(0.01-1 μmol/L) exhibited a dose-dependent effect on TAZ expression in mouse BMSCs cultures.Treatment with genistein ( 1 μmol/L ) resulted in increased ALP avtivity and calcium deposition of BMSC cultures as function of time.Genistein(1μmol/L) also promoted the nuclear localization of TAZ and augmented the interaction between TAZ and cbfa1, and by which upregulated cbfa1-mediated gene expression such as BSP and OC.However, the ALP avtivity and calcium deposition, as well as the expression of BSP and OC were not promoted by genistein in BMSCs transfected with siRNA-TAZ.Conclusion These data suggest that the TAZ plays an important role in genistein-induced osteoblastic differentiation of mouse BMSCs cultures.

OBJECTIVE: To screen and analyze items of the second-generation sub-health questionnaire through various item analysis methods, so as to provide basic data for the further study of sub-health measuring scale. METHODS: The investigation and analysis was completed in Southem Medical University between November 2006 and May 2008. A total of 6 000 college students were selected as the investigation targets with cluster sampling method from a medical university in Guangzhou. 6 000 questionnaires were assigned to them in which the answerer was asked about their somatic symptoms, psychological symptoms and social symptoms, with 5 599 valid ones obtained. Eighty three items were analyzed through five methods based on dispersion, correlation coefficient, factor analysis, t-test and Cronbach's g. RESULTS: At last, 63 items were selected to constitute the item pool of the sub-health scale, which were nominated over 4 times according to the nomination summary of the 5 methods.CONCLUSION: All the 63 items kept in the second-generation sub-health questionnaire feature satisfactory sensibility, representation, independence, significance and intemal consistency, which can accordingly lay a good foundation for the further study of the sub-health measuring scale.

Objective To investigate whether IL-17 could stimulate the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production on HaCaT cells alone. We also investigated whether shikonin could inhibited the proinflamation effects of interleukin-17(IL-17) acting on HaCaT cells. MethodsWe examined the expression of VEGF by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA ) and realtime polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) in HaCaT cells and the cell supernatant. The viability of HaCaT cells in the drug group was detected by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). ResultsThe expression of VEGF in different time IL-17-stimulated groups on HaCaT cells and the cell supernatant were higher than the control group( P＜0.001 ). The expression of VEGF in different drug treatment groups on HaCaT cells and the cell supematant were lower than the stimulated group by IL-17 ( P＜0. 001 ). The cell viability of different drug treatment groups have no significant difference( P＞0.05 ). ConclusionWe show that IL-17 specifically and time-dependently augmented and induced VEGF expression on HaCaT cells and the cell supernatantThen shikonin markedly inhibited the increase tengency of IL-17 effection on HaCaT cells and the cell supematant level.