The active form of vitamin D,1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 \,is a secosteroid hormone that binds to the vitamin D receptor(VDR),a member of the superfamily of nuclear receptors for steroid hormones,thyroid hormone,and retinoic acid.1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogue regulate calcium and bone metabolism,control cell proliferation and differentiation,and exert immunoregulatory activities.Recent advances in understanding their functions and novel insights into the immunomodulatory mechanisms they control suggest a wider applicability in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and induction of allograft tolerance.In addition to direct effects on T cell activation,1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogue modulate with different mechanisms the phenotype and function of antigen-presenting cells(APC),and,in particular,of dendritic cells(DC).In vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogue induce DC to acquire tolerogenic properties that favor the induction of regulatory rather than effector T cells.These intriguing actions of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its nanlogue have been demonstrated in several experimental models and could be exploited,in principle,to treat a variety of human autoimmune diseases,or inhibit allograft rejection.

Objective To study the immunomodulative effects of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D_3 1,25-(OH)_2D_3 on the predominant Th1 response rats. Methods Lewis rats had been fed with 1,25-(OH)_2D_3 (1000ng per rat) for 14 days. The rats in control group were administered vehicle with the same volume as the drug to serve as the experimental group, and then LPS (10ng/kg) was administered intraperitoneally in both groups on the 15th day. 15 rats of each group were sacrificed 6h later and immunological index was measured. Mortality of the remaining ten rats in both group have been observed. Results There was no death in experimental group, while five control rats died at 24h (5/10, 50%), and all the other five control rats survived at 96h. IL-12 and IFN-? were decreased significantly in the experiment group compared with control (3986?328pg/ml vs 4160?289pg/ml, P=0.028; 4840?802pg/ml vs 5264?524pg/ml, P=0.020), while IL-4 was increased (5.57?1.75pg/ml vs 3.72?1.62pg/ml, P=0.036). In white pulp of the spleen of experimental rat the number of lymphocytes decreased significantly as shown with HE-staining, and the PCNA positive cells were distributed focally or dispersively. In addition, by using flow cytometer, it was found that CD4~+ CD25~+ positive lymphocytes were increased significantly in the spleen of experimental rats (1.09%?0.29% vs 0.73%?0.00%, P

The convective-diffusive problems of oxygen and carbon dioxide in human airway at normal respiratory status were studied theoretically in the present paper. The human airway was idealized as a bifurcated(two-branch) trachea tree, based on the understanding of the physiological structure of the human airway, and on Horsfield-Wanner optimization analysis about the trachea system status. It was assumed that the gases in the airway were incompressible, viscous fluid, due mainly to the characteristics of the low pressure drop and low rate of the gases within the human airway. One dimensional, non-steady convective-diffusive equations of oxygen and carbon dioxide were solved using Lax-Wendroff finite difference method, i.e., the so called three-legged finite difference method. The boundary conditions were set up according to the two different situations, respectively. The computational results showed the reasonable distributions of the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the human airway, respectively.
Bronchi ; physiology ; Carbon Dioxide ; metabolism ; Convection ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Trachea ; physiology

The lungs are naturally irregular and asymmetrical organ in anatomy. The conducting bronchial trees in the lungs display complex self-similar structure. We have established the host mesh coordinates of the right lung on the basis of the anatomical data from the literature. A three-dimensional fractal model of the conducting airways was set up by calculating the coordinates of the mass centers of the divided blocks, searching the branch direction and determining branch lengths with the use of the drawing tool OpenGL. Specific data of the lengths at various grades, branching angles, and capillary diameters were obtained. As a result, the computed data were identical with those of the existing statistical data. The fractal covering dimensionality obtained in the computation of this model was 2.19, which is very close to the ideal dimensionality, 2.17, from the literature. The present model has laid the foundation for further research of the gas diffusion and transfer performance in the lungs using the fractal concept, and furthermore, it helps to save the computer memories and fastening the graphic transfer.
Algorithms ; Bronchi ; anatomy & histology ; Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Models, Anatomic

Based on the principles of the sheet-flow model, oxygen transport in pulmonary capillaries was considered as a process in which oxygen first enters plasma through the respiratory membranes, and then combines with the Hbc. A novel mathematical model about oxygen transport in pulmonary capillaries was established according to the relationship of the oxygen concentration inside the red blood cells with the concentration of haemoglobin and the blood saturation, and according to the basic formula for the correlation between blood saturation and oxygen partial pressure. Furthermore, we adopted the Lax-Wendroff Finite Difference Method and obtained certain valuable results under different physiological states. It was well concluded that the established model could be used to provide useful data for medical researchers as well as doctors.
Biological Transport ; physiology ; Capillaries ; physiology ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Oxygen ; blood ; Partial Pressure ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; blood supply ; Pulmonary Circulation ; physiology ; Pulmonary Gas Exchange

A three-element model of lumped parameter based on the statistic data of Weible's symmetric model and on the reference anatomic figures of the bronchial tree of the lungs has been proposed using the fluid network theory. It was assumed that the upper five or seven generations of the twenty-four generations of the respiratory airway are asymmetric, while the rest are symmetric. GEAR method was used to solve the ordinary differential equations. The pressure and flow rate distributions in different positions of the lungs during normal respiration and partial bronchial obstruction were compared, respectively. This model has great significance in finding out the air distribution in the human bronchial tree under various physiological and pathological conditions.
Airway Resistance ; Bronchi ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; physiology ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Respiration ; Respiratory Mechanics ; physiology

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of endoscopic resection of giant gastric stromal tumors without explicit evidence of metastases.Methods A total of 12 giant gastric stromal tumors with no evidence of metastases diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and computed tomography (CT) scan were managed by endoscopic resection.Operation time,blood loss and the incidence rate of perforation were recorded respectively.The diagnoses of tissue specimens were made by pathological examination and immunohistochemistry.In order to assess local recurrence and distant metastases,endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound follow-up examinations were performed routinely at 2,6 and 12 months,and the whole abdominal CT scan was also performed at 12 months after operation.Results Endoscopic resections were successfully performed in 10 of 12 cases (83.3％),among which,6 underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) without unexpected perforation and 4 endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR)with intentional perforation.The rate of intentional perforation was 33.3％ (4/12),and all the perforations could be sealed by endoscopic methods.The blood losses were all more than 100 ml,which could be controlled by argon plasma coagulation,electrocoagulation or hemostatic clips.In the 10 encapsulated tumors,8 could be smoothly removed from esophagus,whose long diameter of the minimum cross section was less than 3.5 cm,however,2 tumors whose diameters were larger than 3.5 cm were taken out after segmentation.In the 10 tissue samples,9 were confirmed as low risk GIST,1 larger than 5 cm was pathologically confirmed as high risk GIST.During 1-year follow-up,no local recurrence or peritoneal metastasis was found.2 tumors,larger than 5.0 cm,could not be removed by endoscopic methods due to uncontrolled bleeding.The rate of uncontrolled bleeding was 16.7％ (2/12).The patients were transferred to surgery,and pathologically confirmed as having high risk GIST.Conclusion For low-risk giant gastric stromal tumors whose diameters were less than 5cm without evidence of metastases,endoscopic resection is considered as a safe and effective procedure.Tumors with long diameter of the minimum cross section less than 3.5 cm are more suitable for endoscopic resection,which can be smoothly taken out through cardia.However,for high-risk GIST larger than 5.0 cm,the rate of uncontrolled bleeding is high,so endoscopic resection should be adopted with discretion.

Objective To investigate the consistency of the results detected by different types of blood cell analyzer in the blood center .Methods On the basis of the calibration in each analyzer ,with the analyzer obtaining the excellent result in participating the external laboratory quality assessment hosted by the Ministry of Health as the reference ,the fresh blood samples were adopted to analyze other analyzers .Results For the analyzers after conducting the comparison ,the consistency and accuracy of the detection results were ensured .Conclusion After calibration in different types of blood cell analyzer ,the differences exist in the detection re‐sults .Periodically conducting the comparison among different types of instrument has very practical significance .

Objective:To investigate the effect of verapamil on the endotoxin-induced cytokine production and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-?B) activation in the liver. Methods:Fifty six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups: group A: saline;group B:endotoxin(10 mg/kg,intraperitoneally,i.p.);group C,D,E,F:endotoxin(10 mg/kg) after treatment with verapamil(1,2.5,5,10 mg/kg i.p.respectively),and group G:verapamil alone(10 mg/kg).Tumor necrosis factor(TNF-?),interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-10(IL-10) and NF-?B in the liver tissues and the serum levels of ALT and AST were investigated at 1 h afer LPS injection. Results:Endotoxin stimulated production of TNF-?,IL-6 and IL-10,and activated NF?B in the liver.Verapamil attenuated acute liver injury,down-regulated endotoxin-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production,up-regulated ant-inflammatory cytokines production and inhibited NF-?B activation in the liver in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion:Verapamil can attenuate acute liver injury by down-regulating the production of TNF-?,IL-6 and up-regulating IL-10 in the liver in a dose-dependent manner,possibly via inhibition of NF-?B.

Objective:To study the CT features for solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) in the abdomen and pelvis and to improve the diagnostic accuracy.Methods:Fourteen patients with SFT were collected in our hospital from January,2011 to December,2015.Characteristic of images were analyzed and compared for 10 SFT,which located outside the abdominal organs with extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGIST),leiomyosarcoma,and schwannoma.Results:Necrosis and cystic formation were frequently present in SFT in the abdomen and pelvis.CE-CT showed serpentine vessels along the periphery,while pattern of enhancement was maplike inhomogeneous progressive.Comparing with the EGIST or schwannoma,the difference of CT value in non-contrast and the arterial phase were statistically significant (P＜0.05).The numbers of peritumoral circuity vessel were significantly different between SFT and EGIST (~=18.27,P＜0.008) or between SFT and schwannoma (x2=19.25,P＜0.008).Comparing with the leiomyosarcoma or schwannoma,SFT located outside the abdominal organs.We found that tumor necrosis rate was significantly different between SFT and leiomyoscarcoma (x2=8.00,P＜0.008).Conclusion:SFT in the abdomen and pelvis show certain CT characteristics.The CT value in noncontrast and at the arterial phase,tumor necrosis rate,and serpentine vessels along the periphery were pivotal in differentiating SFT from leiomyosarcoma,EGIST and schwannoma.