BACKGROUND:It is a great potential study that calcium sulfate product loaded with antibiotics is developed, but this product is not systematicaly studied and its biocompatibility and security need to be further studied.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the biocompatibility and safety of vancomycin- or gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate bone.
METHODS: (1) Hemolysis test: vancomycin-loaded, gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extracts, double distiled water and saline were added into rabbit anticoagulant blood samples. (2) Micronucleus test: vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extracts, cyclophosphamide and normal saline solution were intraperitonealy injected to mice, respectively. (3) Acute toxicity test: vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extracts, and normal saline solution were intraperitonealy injected to mice, respectively. (4) Pyrogen test: the mice were injected vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extractsvia the ear vein. (5) Intradermal stimulation test: vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extracts were respectively injected into the unilateral spine of rabbits, respectively. (6) Intramuscular implantation test: vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate extracts were respectively injected to the dorsal muscle of rabbits. (7) Intraosseous implantation test: vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate were implanted into the necrotic femoral bone of rabbits.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Both vancomycin-loaded and gentamicin-loaded calcium sulfate products, which have no hemolytic reaction, genetic toxicity, acute toxicity, pyrogen reaction and skin irritation, are considered to have good biocompatibility and safety.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in treating active rheumatoid arthritis (aRA).Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was carried out. Totally 148 aRA patients were divided into the control group and the treatment group, 74 cases in each group. Control group was treated with MTX (methotrexate) and LEF (leflunomide), while the treatment group took traditional Chinese medicine based on syndrome differentiation, on the basis of treatment with MTX and LEF. The therapeutic course for all was 3 months. Efficacy indexes, like clinical symptoms and signs, ESR, TCM syndrome integrals, DAS 28 score, and safety indexes were observed.Results This study finally completed 136 cases, including 69 cases in the treatment group and 67 cases in the control group. In the two groups, significant improvement of clinical signs and symptoms, ESR, DAS28, and TCM syndrome integrals after treatment were shown, with statistical significance (P<0.01). Better effects were obtained in the treatment group in lessening tender joint numbers and swollen joint numbers, DAS28, and TCM syndrome integrals (P<0.01). The total effective rate of the TCM syndrome efficacy was 86.96% (60/69) in the treatment group, and 76.12% (51/67) in the control group, without statistical significance (P>0.05). The significant efficiency of the treatment group was 11.59% (8/69), and the control group was 5.97% (4/67), with statistical significance (P<0.05). Adverse reactions occurred fewer in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.01).Conclusion Compared with single traditional Chinese medicine, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine for treating aRA can better improve DAS28 and TCM syndrome integrals, and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Objective To explore the physical development and immune function of infants without human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)infection who were delivered by HIV_infected mothers. Methods Two hundred and ninety_seven infants delivered HIV_infected mothers in Guangxi province from January 2008 to November 2011 were selected as observation group. According to whether infants had HIV infection or not,the children were further divided into the HIV_infection group and the infants in the non_HIV infection group according to the presence or absence of HIV infection,and the infants in the non_HIV infection group were divided into the antiretroviral drug(ART)treatment group and the non_ART treatment group according to whether the mother had used ART during pregnancy. Ninety_one healthy children born at the same time were selected as the healthy control group. The physical examination,T lympho_cyte subgroup analysis and humoral immunity test were performed on all infants. Results The weight and body length at birth of infants born from HIV_infected mothers were all significantly lower than those in the healthy control group [(2. 86 ± 0. 49)kg vs.(3. 15 ± 0. 52)kg;(47. 05 ± 2. 20)cm vs.(50. 01 ± 2. 58)cm],and the differences were sta_tistically significant(t﹦2. 652,2. 247,all P〈0. 05). The CD8 level and CD4∕CD8 ratio of infants delivered by HIV_infected mothers had no significant differences statistically compared with those in the healthy control group[(21. 31 ± 6. 49)% vs.(22. 01 ± 5. 43)%;1. 82 ± 0. 79 vs. 1. 82 ± 0. 67,t﹦0. 933,0. 033,all P〉0. 05];the CD3 and CD4 levels were lower than those in the healthy control group[(62. 36 ± 7. 94)% vs.(65. 70 ± 6. 32)%;(4. 83 ± 7. 62)% vs.(37. 02 ± 5. 69)%],and the differences were statistically significant(t﹦3. 66,2. 946,all P〈0. 01). The immunoglobulin(Ig)M,IgG and IgA levels of children born to HIV_infected mothers had no statistically significant differences compared with those in the healthy control group[(1. 79 ± 0. 66)g∕L vs.(1. 76 ± 0. 66)g∕L;(8. 96 ± 2. 74)g∕L vs.(8. 80 ± 1. 97)g∕L;(0. 85 ± 0. 57)g∕L vs.(0. 86 ± 0. 41)g∕L,t﹦0. 341,0. 619,0. 173,all P〉0. 05). The weight and body length at birth of non_HIV infected children born from HIV_infected mothers were all significantly lower than those in healthy control group[(2. 92 ± 0. 43)kg vs.(3. 15 ± 0. 52)kg;(49. 03 ± 2. 22)cm vs.(50. 01 ± 2. 58)cm],and the differences were statistically significant( F﹦4. 163,2. 87,all P〈0. 05). The birth weight,birth length and head circumference of the ART group were all significant lower than those in the healthy control group[(2. 90 ± 0. 43)kg vs.(3. 15 ± 0. 52)kg;(48. 27 ± 1. 89)cm vs.(50. 01 ± 2. 58)cm;(31. 80 ± 1. 47)cm vs. (34. 88 ± 3. 21)cm],and the differences were statistically significant( F﹦3. 711,2. 970,3. 689,all P〈0. 05). The CD8 level and CD4∕CD8 ratio of non _ HIV infected children born to HIV _ infected mothers had no significant differences statistically compared with those in the healthy control group[(20. 77 ± 5. 60)% vs.(22. 01 ± 5. 43)%, 1. 85 ± 0. 76 vs. 1. 82 ± 0. 67,F﹦43. 568,11. 705,all P〉0. 05];the CD3 and CD4 levels were lower than those in the healthy control group[(62. 27 ± 7. 94)% vs.(65. 70 ± 6. 32)%;(35. 30 ± 6. 86)% vs.(37. 02 ± 5. 69)%],and the differences were statistically significant(F﹦7. 083,28. 06,all P〈0. 05). Conclusions The humoral immune func_tion of the non_HIV infected infants delivered by HIV_infected mothers is not significantly affected,but the physical development at birth and cellular immune function are significantly affected. ART during pregnancy is not a major factor in the limitation of physical development at birth. Therefore,the nutrition support for the infants delivered by HIV_in_fected mothers and prevention of infection are especially necessary clinically.

Dopamine D₃ receptor (D₃R) is implicated in multiple psychotic symptoms. Increasing the D₃R selectivity over dopamine D₂ receptor (D₂R) would facilitate the antipsychotic treatments. Herein, novel carbazole and tetrahydro-carboline derivatives were reported as D₃R selective ligands. Through a structure-based virtual screen, ZLG-25 (D₃R K_i = 685 nmol/L; D₂R K_i > 10,000 nmol/L) was identified as a novel D₃R selective bitopic ligand with a carbazole scaffold. Scaffolds hopping led to the discovery of novel D₃R-selective analogs with tetrahydro-β-carboline or tetrahydro-γ-carboline core. Further functional studies showed that most derivatives acted as hD₃R-selective antagonists. Several lead compounds could dose-dependently inhibit the MK-801-induced hyperactivity. Additional investigation revealed that 23j and 36b could decrease the apomorphine-induced climbing without cataleptic reaction. Furthermore, 36b demonstrated unusual antidepressant-like activity in the forced swimming tests and the tail suspension tests, and alleviated the MK-801-induced disruption of novel object recognition in mice. Additionally, preliminary studies confirmed the favorable PK/PD profiles, no weight gain and limited serum prolactin levels in mice. These results revealed that 36b provided potential opportunities to new antipsychotic drugs with the multiple antipsychotic-like properties.