The main fields and trends of research on anti-inflammation and immunopharmacology were reviewed as: signal transduction pathways as target for therapy, cytokine regulating network, new types of immunotherapy, new mechanisms of anti-inflammation drugs, the mechanisms and inductive methods of immune tolerance and the development of natural immune system.

Objective To compare the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced helical CT (CECT) for various small focal nodular lesions (≤2 cm) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods Eighty-one small hepatic space-occupying lesions in 72 patients with liver cirrhosis were detected with CEUS and CECT, respectively. The diagnostic performance was calculated by histological results obtained from biopsy or surgery, which was considered as the gold standard, Results Fifty-three of the 81 small nodules were hepatocellular carcinoma, 26 were regenerative nodules and 2 were hemangioma. On CEUS, 51 (96.2%,51/53) HCC were hypervascular during arterial phase. On CECT, 41 (77.4%, 41/53) HCC were hypervascular (P < 0.01).Nodules which appeared by contrast enhancement during the arterial phase and contrast wash-out during the portal/late phase on CEUS or CECT were considered as HCC. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 86.8% (46/53) ,82.1% (23/28) ,and 85.2 % (69/81) in CEUS, and 73.6% (39/53), 92.9 % (26/28), and 80.2 % (65/81) in CECT, respectively. Overall, there was no significant difference between CEUS and CECT in the diagnostic confidence for small hepatic nodules (P >0.05).Conclusions CEUS is superior to CECT in the detection of arterial vascularization for small hepatocellular carcinoma with a diameter ≤2 cm. The ability of CEUS in the characterization of focal nodular lesions in cirrhotic livers is similar to that of CECT.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in aged patients, and to explore the measures of its diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: The clinical data of 100 aged patients (55-85 years old) with SAP admitted from January 2003 to December 2005 were reviewed and compared with those of 221 non-aged SAP patients (11-54 years old) admitted at the same period. RESULTS: Totally 112 times of onset occurred in 100 aged patients, and the main causes for senile SAP were biliary diseases and hyperlipemia. Both acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and Ranson scores of the aged patients with SAP were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05); while there was no significant difference in Balthazar score between the two groups(P>0.05). The incidences of low serum calcium, low albumin and high aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.05), liver, kidney or brain impairment as well as the mortality were higher in the senile SAP group than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biliary disease and hyperlipemia are the main causes of senile SAP, which lacks characteristic clinical symptoms and is often associated with multiple complications such as infection and lung, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, and brain impairment. Individualized differential treatment with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine based on stage classification is an effective approach.

Objective To investigate the effecacy of open reduction internal fixation in cases with rib fracture. Methods The pain scores,respiratory related clinical indicators change of 81 rib fractuure cases underwent open reduction internal fixation surgery were ob-served. A comparison was made between the surgical group and the non-surgical group of 37 cases on pain scores trend and hospital stay. Re-sults All operations were successfully completed and postoperative recovery was good. Postoperative pain scores and respiratory rate was sig-nificantly lower(P=0. 000),Oxygen saturation was significantly higher(P=0. 002),the proportion of expectoration difficult,dyspnea and ac-tivities inconvenience were significantly lower(P<0. 05). Pain scores of surgical group significantly decreased after surgery peak hours that was the fourth day hospitalized,but the overall decline of pain scores in non-surgical group was slow. The hospital stay between the surgical group and the non-surgical group was not significantly different(P=0. 084). Conclusion The efficacy of open reduction internal fixation is significant to rib fracture with exact surgery indications,and appropriate timing of surgery is the fourth day after admission.

Objective To explore the incidence and imageological features of patients with the hippocampal sclerosis-associated medial temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods Seventy-eight patients with the medial temporal lobe epi?lepsy were recruited from our hospital during February 2012 to December 2013. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resonance spectroscopy (MRS) analysis were conducted in patients with with the hippocampal sclerosis-associated medial temporal lobe epilepsy, patients with epilepsy without the medial temporal lobe diseases and healthy controls. Results The incidence of hippocampal sclerosis was 58.97%among patients with medial temporal lobe epilepsy which were significantly higher compared with either healthy control group or patients with epilepsy without the medial tempo?ral lobe diseases. The average hippocampal volume of the medial temporal lobe epilepsy group(2305.68±814.61 mm3、2456.71±743. 60 mm3)was significantly smaller compared with either healthy controls or patients with epilepsy without the medial temporal lobe diseases. MRI revealed increased T2WI signal and hippocampal atrophy in 74.55%of patients with hippocampal sclerosis-associated medial temporal lobe epilepsy. Sclerosis was detected on the left side (52.17%) and bilateral hippocampus (19.57%). MRS showed that NAA/(Cr ± Cho) significantly reduced (0.58± 0.19) in the hip?pocampal sclerosis. Conclusions Hippocampal sclerosis may be the main imaging features of the medial temporal lobe epilepsy which are characterized by the hippocampal atrophy and high T2WI signal.

Objective To investigate the relationship of the serum level of IL-23 and MMP-9 with the clinicopathologic features in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods 48 pathologically confirmed ESCC patients and 30 Endoscopic biopsy of benign were included in this study. The serum levels of IL-23 and MMP-9 were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Serum IL-23 level in patients with ESCC was significantly higher than that in controls (t = 26.66, 16.89, P<0.05). Furthermore, Pearson′s correlation analysis revealed that serum IL-23 was positively correlated with the serum MMP-9 level in ESCC patients (r = 0.790, P < 0.05). Statistical analysis showed that enhanced serum IL-23 significantly correlated with the degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Overexpression of IL-23 may involve in the occurrence and development of ESCC. IL-23 may contribute to tumorinvasion and metastasis by stimulating the expression of MMP-9.

Objective To observe serum and callus leptin expression in rats model with fracture and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods 72 male SD rats were randomized equally into 4 groups: control, SCI group, fracture group, and fracture/SCI group. Rats were sacrificed at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after fracture/SCI. Serum leptin was detected by radioimmunoassayat 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, and callus formation was measured radiologically at 14, 21 and 28 days. Callus leptin was analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Results Serum leptin in the fracture group, SCI group and combined fracture/SCI group were all higher than in control group at the 1, 7, 14 and 21 day time-point (P < 0.05). Serum leptin in the combined fracture/SCI group was significantly higher than the fracture group at 7, 14 and 21 days (P < 0.05), and higher than SCI groups at 14 and 21 days after operation (P < 0.05). The percentage of leptin-positive cells in the fracture/SCI callus, and callus volume was significantly higher than the fracture-only group (P < 0.001). Conclusions Leptin expression increases in the recovery process after SCI, and the recovery of fracture becomes sooner.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Yougui Pills and its separate formula for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome. Methods A total of 60 patients of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, 30 cases in each group. Treatment group was treated with Yougui Pills, and the control group was given the separate formula from Yougui Pills which had the actions of warming kidney yang. Four weeks constituted one treatment course and the treatment covered 2 courses. The changes of major clinical symptom scores, total effectives rate and associated indexes such as peripheral white blood cells, serum antibodies, and complements were compared between the two groups following the treatment for 8 weeks. Results The total effective rate, and improvement of major clinical symptoms and the peripheral white blood cells in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) . However, there were no significant differences of the levels of serum antibodies and complements between the two groups (P>0.05) .Conclusion Yougui Pills show better effect than its kidney-yang-warming separate formula for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome, indicating that the method of generating yang by activating yin is superior to the method of simply nourishing kidney yang.

Objective To investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) gene polymorphism (-1562C ＞ T/R279Q) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Uygur nationality of Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. Methods A total of 352 patients with ACS including 213 patients with unstable angina pectoris and 139 patients with acute myocardial infarction evidenced by using coronary arteriography and 421 control subjects were recruited in this study. The MMP-9-1562C ＞ T and R279Q genotypes were detemined by using PCR-RFLP method. The relationship between the polymorphism in the MMP-9 gene and the severity of coronary arterial stenosis was analyzed. All polymorphisms were determined for confimation with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in both groups separately. Differences in distributions of genotypes and alleles between two groups were analyzed with x2 test. The association between the MMP-9 polymorphisms and the risk of ACS was estimated by odds ratio(Ors) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the comprehensive evaluation of the factors associated with ACS was determined by using multifactor logistic regression. P ＜ 0. 05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The genotype frequencies for CT + TT genotypes and T allele were 25.9 and14.5 percent in ACS subjects and 15.7 and 8.4 percent in control subjects, respectively. The genotype frequencies were different significantly between the two groups (x2 = 12.26,P ＜ 0.01;x2 = 14.15,P ＜ 0.01, respectively). No relationship between R279Q polymorphism and ACS was found in this study ( P ＞ 0.05). The multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele carrier (CT + TT) significantly increased the risk of ACS compared with the CC genotype ( OR = 1.791,95 % CI: 1. 088 - 2.951, P = 0.022) after adjustment for tradition risk factors. The frequencies for CT + TT and CC genotypes of the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism were not statistically different among ACS patients with one, two and three or more significantly diseased vessels ( x2 = 1.15, P = 0.56). Conclusions The findings suggest that the polymorphism in MMP-9 gene promoter (-1562C ＞ T) is associated with the susceptibility to the ACS. The T allele might be an independent risk factor for the ACS. But the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism may not be useful as a predictor of the severity of coronary arterial stenosis. The R279Q polymorphism of MMP-9 gene was not significantly associated with ACS in this studied population.

Objective To study the effects of the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-B ( NF-κB) , on the hepatic heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression as well as on the changes of hepatic function and ultrastructure in a rodent model of hemonhageic shock. Method Hemorrhagic shock was produced by inducing bilateral femoral fractures in male Wistar rats. Intraperitoneal injection of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC)was used to inhibit NF-κB activation 1 hour before induction of shock. A total of 66 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (Control, n = 6), trauma shock (TS, n = 30), and NF-κB inhibition followed by trauma shock (NF-κB inhibition, n =30). Measurements of hepatic NF-KB and HSP70, hepatic function bio-markers, TNF-α and IL-6 were obtained 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8 hours after trauma. Histopathological changes in liver tissues were also noted. Hepatic expression of NF-κB was determined by using electrophoretic mobility shift assay, while HSP70 was assayed by western blot and analyzed with computer imaging. Results In rats with trauma shock, both hepatic NF-κB activity and HSP70 expression increased significantly compared to the control group, reaching peaks at 6 hour post injury. Serum alanine transferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TB) also rose significantly,reaching peaks at 8 hours post trauma. Light microscopy revealed hepatic congestion with infiltration of inflammatory cells into hepatic sinusoid in the TS group at 8 hours. Inhibiting the activity of NF-κB one hour before trauma significantly decreased expression of HSP70 at 6 hours post trauma [16.9±4.4 (NF-κB inhibition) vs. 23.0±1.7 (TS), P ＜ 0.05]. In addition,levels TNF-α and IL-6 in the liver tissue also decreased, and hepatic congestion as well as hepatic cell degeneration were ameliorated, showing minimal inflammatory infiltrates in the hepatic sinusoids. NF-κB inhibition also significantly lowered the levels of ALT and TB at 4 hours post trauma [ALT, 540.8 ±66.2 nmol/L (NF-KB inhibition) vs. 640.6±80.2 nmol/L (TS), P ＜ 0.05; TB,2.3±0.3 mol/L (NF-κB inhibition) vs. 4.7 ±1.1 mol/L (TS), P ＜ 0.05]. Conclusions NF-κB and HSP70 are involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic injury during hemorrhagic shock, and the degree of NF-κB activity and HSP70 expression may be consistent with the extent of hepatocellular damage. Inhibition of NF-κB helps ameliorate liver injury due to trauma shock.