Objective To investigate the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on the secretion of interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon(IFN)-γ and the proportion of Th17,Tc17,Th1 ,Tc1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods Thirty hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. PBMCs were separated from SLE patients and healthy controls and then was cultured in vitro by medium or PMA/Ionomycin or PMA/Ionomycin +dexamethasone for six hours. Four- color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the percentage of Th17,Tc17,Th1,Tc1 cells in PBMCs. Concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in plasma and the supernatants of PBMCs which were cultured for 24 hours were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γwere elevated in SLE patients as compared to the controls(P ＜ 0.05). No significant differences were observed between patients and controls for the spontaneous production of IL-17 and IFN-γ or percentage of T subsets expressed by PBMCs. After the stimulation of PMA,compared with the controls,the level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in the supematants of PBMCs and the percentages of Th17 and Tc1 in SLE patients increased significantly(P ＜ 0. 05). However,there showed no significant differences between SLE patients and the controls for the percentages of Th1 and Tc17 cells. DEX could significantly decrease the production of IL-17(P ＜ 0. 01)and the percentages of Th17,Tc1 cells by the active PBMCs(P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions There is abnormal expression of T subset cells and their cytokines in vivo of SLE patients. DEX can interfere with immunological pathological process in the cytokine network imbalance of SLE patients and shows powerful inhibition of IL - 17. Our results may provide some laboratory evidence for the clinical application of corticosteroids.

Antipsychotic Agents ; poisoning ; Clozapine ; poisoning ; Drug Industry ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data

Objective To study the relationship between renal morphology and renal function,and to assess the value of CT as a criterion to grade renal function.Methods Enhancement CT were performed in 89 patients with no local renal disease whose split renal glomerular filtration rates(GFR)were measured by renal dynamic imaging with ~(99)Tc~m-DTPA.The 178 kidneys were divided into normal renal function,mild and severe renal impairment groups according to renal function.Differences between three groups respect to the mean thickness of renal cortex and parenchyma were assessed by ANOVA.Using Pearson's correlation test,the correlation between the renal cortex,parenchyma thicknesses and renal GFR were examined.The value of CT in predicting renal function was assessed by using ROC analysis.Results The renal cortex thicknesses of normal renal function,mild and severe renal impairment groups were(5.9?1.1),(4.6? 1.1),and(3.3?1.0)mm respectively,and the renal parenchyma thicknesses were(26.3?4.2), (21.3?4.6),(16.2?4.6)mm.There were significant differences of renal cortex,parenchyma thicknesses between 3 groups(cortex F=54.78,P

Transcranial Doppler can be used for diagnosing,monitoring,identifying the site of arterial occlusion,selecting appropriate cases for thrombolysis,and monitoring arterial recanalization during intravenous thrombolysis,and intra-arterial and intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator,The continuous monitoring of low frequency transcranial ultrasound has the effect of assisted thrombolysis;however,there are still controversies on the frequencies used in clinical practice.Transcranial Doppler assisted with microbubble contrast agent may further enhance the effect of thrombolysis.

Objective To explore the higher dangerous factors,the early clinical performances and its contents of neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage(NPH).Methods The clinical performances,chest radiograms and autoptical pathological materials of 66 cases of newborns who died of NPH at our neonatal department during 1993 to 2003 were reviewed and analyzed.Results The higher dangerous factors of NPH were premature delivery/low birth weight,serious diseases lead to hypoxia and severe infections.The early clinical performances of NPH were the suddenly aggravation of dyspnea and the increasing of moist sounds.The early X-ray performances were lower penetrance of lung fields extensively and well-distributly with path clouds,the intercostals space usually increased.According to the autoptical(patho)-logy,this X-ray perfomance indicated the edema of the pulmonary with small amount of hemorrhage.Conclusion The patients with the higher dangerous factors and the early clinical performances of NPH,must be diagnosed and interfered it as early as possible to reduce the mortality of NPH.

OBJECTIVETo observe the impacts on the muscle strength in the patients of stroke-induced acroparalysis treated with Xunjingcuiqi needling technique.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomized into a Xunjingcuiqi group and a routine acupuncture group, 50 cases in each group. In the routine acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture technique was adopted at the main acupoints, such as Shangxing (GV 23), Baihui (GV 20), Dicang (ST 4), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. In Xunjingcuiqi group, on the basis of the routine acupuncture technique, Xunjingcuiqi needling technique (pricking technique was quickly applied with the filiform needle along the running course of meridian to promote the conduction of meridian qi) was added. For the patients being hard to feel the needling sensation and with the muscle strength of 0 to 1 degree, Dongzhencuiqi technique was supplemented at shu-stream points of yang meridians (after qi arrival, the needling manipulation with limb movement was given to promote the conduction of meridian qi). The treatment was given once every day in the two groups. Ten treatments made one session. Three sessions of treatment were required. At the end of each session treatment, the muscle strength and clinical efficacy were assessed.

RESULTSIn the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment, 20, 24 and 36 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and 6, 10 and 15 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in the routine acupuncture group. The differences were significant statistically in comparison of the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The markably effective rates were 60.0% (30/50), 64.0% (32/50) and 70.0% (35/50) after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and those were 38.0% (19/50), 44.0% (22/50) and 46.0% (23/50) in the routine acupuncture group, respectively. The differences were significant in the 1st and 3rd sessions of treatment between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXunjingcuiqi needling technique combined with routine acupuncture achieves the apparent superior efficacy on acroparalysis induced by ischemic stroke as compared with the simple routine acupuncture. Xunjingcuiqi needling technique obviously improves muscle strength and shortens the duration of sickness.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis ; etiology ; therapy ; Qi ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of substrate stiffness on proliferation, migration of fibroblast and integrin β(1) expression in fibroblast.

METHODSFibroblasts were inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (16.2 ± 0.5), (19.8 ± 1.1), and (200.1 ± 2.6) kPa. After being cultured for 5 days or 6 days, cells were counted and cell proliferative activities (recorded as absorbance value) were assessed with methyl thiazolyl blue (MTT). After being cultured for 3 days, cell cycle was detected and proliferation index (PI) was calculated. The cell scratch test was used for determination of cell migration rate on post scratch day (PSD) 0 (the day of scratch), 1, 2, and 3. After being cultured for 2 days, the expression of integrin β(1) was determined by flow cytometry with fluorescence. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS(1) The proliferative speed and proliferative activity of fibroblasts were all increased along with the increase in substrate stiffness. PI of fibroblasts inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (16.2 ± 0.5), (19.8 ± 1.1), and (200.1 ± 2.6) kPa was respectively 24.8%, 27.4%, 32.4%. On PSD 2, migration rate of fibroblasts inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (19.8 ± 1.1) and (200.1 ± 2.6) kPa was respectively (91.4 ± 5.1)%, (100.0 ± 1.3)%, which were higher than that of fibroblasts inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (16.2 ± 0.5) kPa [(55.8 ± 6.8)%, with F value respectively 3.5, 4.0, P values all below 0.01]. (3) The expression rate of integrin β(1) in fibroblasts inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (16.2 ± 0.5) kPa was the lowest (43.22%), and that in fibroblast inoculated on silicon substrate with stiffness of (200.1 ± 2.6) kPa was the highest (81.26%).

CONCLUSIONSSubstrate stiffness may have a great effect on proliferation and migration of fibroblast during the process of wound healing and scar formation, which can be related to regulation of integrin β(1) expression.

Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Integrin beta1 ; metabolism ; Mechanical Phenomena ; Silicon

To explore the optimized dispatch of the rescue resources based on the mastered resources informa-tion. The objective function was set as the shortest rescue time, and 0-1 programming models were established and solved for the conditions that the number of medical rescue units was more or less than needed by the missions. In the two conditions, the model's calculated results were both optimal, and could be used to obtain the optimal dispatch solutions while the medical rescue time was the shortest. The 0-1 programming model can be effectively used to optimize dispatch strategy for medical rescue team.

Objective To determine the effect of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) on endothelia cell (EC) proliferation in vitro,TNP-470 and dexamethasone (Dex) and explore the possible mechanisms of FGF stimulating EC proliferation. Methods Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) was divided into two groups: control group (Group DMEM) and experimental groups (Group FGF,Group Dex,Group TNP-470,Group FGF+Dex,Group FGF+TNP-470). The EC proliferation was quantified by a colorimetric assay using MTT reagent,the relative cell numbers at every time point of EC cycle analyzed with flow cytometer,and the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-?B p65) and ki-67 detected with immunohistochemical method of SABC. Results FGF stimulated significantly EC proliferation,raised proliferation index (PI) and enhanced the expressions of NF-?B p65 and ki-67 in nuclear. TNP-470 reduced PI and TNP-470 and Dex suppressed EC proliferation and finally decreased the expressions of NF-?B p65 and ki-67 in nuclear. FGF could facilitate the inhibitory effect of TNP-470 and Dex. Conclusions The possible mechanism of EC proliferation stimulated by FGF is that FGF can activate NF-?B to promote the synthesis of DNA and EC mitosis. TNP-470 and Dex suppress proliferation and differentiation of EC but FGF may reverse such suppressive effect.

Objective To evaluate the effect of heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF)on liver regeneration after partial orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods Fourty SD rats were used to establish the model of partial orthotopic liver transplantation with ameliorated two-cuff technique.Then all the rats were divided into 2 groups:experiment group and control group.Twenty rats of experiment group were adminis- tered 500?g/kg HB-EGF via vena caudalis immediately after operation twice a day,while the same volume of saline was administered to the rats in control group.Five rats in each group were selected randomly and killed at the 6th hour,day 2,4 and 7 after operation,respectively.The serum levels of albumin(Alb)and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)in the blood sample were detected.Every liver was removed and weighed.The expression of Ki-67 was de- tected by using immunohistochemistry assay.The regeneration activity of hepatocytes was evaluated by flow cytom- etry.Results The wet weights of liver in experiment group were all significantly higher than that in control group at the 6th hour,day 2 and 4 after transplantation(P