This study aimed to investigate the immune adjuvant effect and mechanism induced by chitosan nanoparticles carrying pJME/GM-CSF. In this study, plasmid DNA (pJME/GM-CSF) was encapsulated in chitosan to prepare chitosan-pJME/GM-CSF nanoparticles using a complex coacervation process. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the type of infiltrating cells at the site of intramuscular injection. The phenotype and functional changes of splenic DCs were measured by flow cytometry after different immunogens were injected intramuscularly. The killing activity of CTLs was assessed using the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. The preparation of chitosan-pJME/GM-CSF nanoparticles matched the expected theoretical results. Our results also found that, after pJME/GM-CSF injection, the incoming cells were a mixture of macrophages, neutrophils, and immature DCs. Meanwhile, pJME/GM-CSF increased the expression of MHC class II molecules on splenic DCs, and enhanced their Ag capture and presentation functions. Cell-mediated immunity was induced by the vaccine. Furthermore, chitosan-pJME/GM-CSF nanoparticles outperformed the administration of standard pJME/GM-CSF in terms of DC recruitment, antigen processing and presentation, and vaccine enhancement. These findings reveal that chitosan could be used as delivery vector for DNA vaccine intramuscular immunizations, and enhance pJME/GM-CSF-induced cellular immune responses.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; administration & dosage ; Animals ; Chitosan ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; virology ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; genetics ; immunology ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; Spleen ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; virology ; Vaccines, DNA ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

ERS is a kind of universal existence in various cellular stress response.Recently, the research shows that ERS may affect bone metabolism balance from different ways.However, the specific mechanism is still not clear.The relationship between ERS and osteoporosis needs further research.This article will firstly introduce the pathways of ERS, then the relationship between the ERS and osteoporosis will be discussed from pancreatic beta cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts and mesenchymal stem cells.Lastly, I will give perspectives on the future research on treatment of osteoporosis drug.

Objective To investigate the etiology and clinical characteristics of pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH) and improve its early diagnosis and treatment.Methods The clinical and echocardiogram data of all inpatients with PAH in Pediatric Department of Peking University First Hospital between May 1995 and May 2007 were retrospectively analyzed for age,sex,etiology,symptoms and echocardiographic measurement of pulmonary artery pressure.Data were divided into groups according to different etiology and statistics.Pulmonary arterial systolic pressure(sPAP) values estimated from the tricuspid regurgitant velocity by Doppler echocardiography were compared among different groups.Cases who were not belonged to the first category of the Venice Clinical Classification of pulmonary hypertension were not included.Results Totally 276 cases,168 boys and 108 girls were diagnosed to have PAH.Age ranged from 1 month to 17 years,median age was 9 months.Most of pediatric PAH was associated-PAH(267 cases,96.7%),while idiopathic PAH took a small part(9 cases,3.3%).Congenital heart disease-associated PAH(CHD-PAH) was predominant(245 cases,88.7%) and left to right shunt was the main lesion (217 cases,88.6%),while complex lesion-associated PAH comprised 28 cases(11.4%).Connective tissue disease associated PAH(CTD-PAH) was the second common among this group of pediatric PAH patients(19 cases,6.9 %).The incidence of PAH in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),juvenile rheumatoid arteritis and takayasu arteritis were 10.3 %(13/126),8.7%(4/46),15.4%(2/13),respectively.The other 3 cases of PAH were associated with portal hypertension(2 cases) and thalassanemia(1 case).The estimated sPAP from tricuspid regurgitant velocity in 8 cases with idiopathic PAH[(74.6?23.9) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)]was higher significantly compared with those of 33 cases of CHD-PAH [(58.0?19.7) mmHg ] and 12 cases of CTD-PAH [(49.6?18.9) mmHg] respectively(t=-2.052,-2.609 Pa

Objective To find out the situation of household consumption of iodized salt in Hebei province so as to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders(IDD). Methods According to the "national iodine deficiency disorders surveillance program (Trial)", the county (city, district) was taken as a unit, township (town) and administrative villages were selected in accordance with the principle of systematic sampling, then households were chosen by random sampling to collect their edible salt in Hebei province from 2007 to 2009. Salt iodine content was detected by direct titration method. Results A total of 48 675, 48 448 and 48 756 salt samples were collected from 2007 to 2009, respectively. The consumption rate of qualified iodized salt from 2007 to 2009 was 91.16%, 91.96% and 96.17%, respectively. There were 24.6%(41/167)and 18.0%(30/167)counties with consumption rate of qualified iodized salt under 90% in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The percentage of counties with consumption rate of qualified iodized salt above 90% was 100.0%(167/167) in 2009. In general there was a significant differences in frequency distribution of consumption rates of qualified iodized salt among the three years(H = 10.778, P ＜ 0.01 ), and the difference was found significant between 2007 and 2009 as well as between 2008 and 2009(all P ＜ 0.05), but was not significant between 2007 and 2008(P ＞ 0.05). Conclusions The consumption rate of qualified iodized salt at household level increases annually from 2007 to 2009. By 2009,the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt in each county is more than 90%, which has reached the national standard stipulated in "the evaluation programs for fulfilling the goal of eliminating IDD at county level".

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the gene expression of hepatic TNF-α and IL-1β by crush injury of rat's soft tissues. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into sham group, crush group, crush+aminoguanidine (AG) group, and crush+L-arginine (L-Arg) group. Activities of ALT and AST as well as NO level in serum were measured. Gene expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β were detected with RT-PCR. RESULTS: Obvious increase in TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA expression was detected in the crush group compared with the sham group (P<0.05). After pretreated L-Arg, expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA were markedly increased (P<0.05). After pretreated AG, those indices obviously decreased (P<0.05). Activities of ALT and AST enhanced and NO level increased in the crush group compared with the sham group (P<0.05). Pretreatment with L-Arg or AG led to substantial increased or reduced activities of ALT and AST as well as NO levels, respectively. CONCLUSION Endogenous NO mediated TNF-α, IL-1β mRNA up expression in liver induced by increased production of NO after crush injury of rat's soft tissues.
Animals ; Gene Expression ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Liver ; Nitric Oxide/physiology* ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets on learning and memory capacity and expression of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in hippocampus of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia-induced learning and memory dysfunction model.

METHODThe 2-VO method was used to establish sd rat model learning and memory dysfunction induced by chronic cerebral ischemia. The 50 rats in the successfully established model were randomly divided into the model control group, the Dihydroergotoxine Mesylate tablets group (0.7 mg x kg(-1), Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets high dose (7.56 g x kg(-1)), middle dose (3.78 g x kg(-1)) and low dose (1.59 g x kg(-1)) groups and the sham operation group (n = 10) as the control group. The groups were orally given 10 ml x kg(-1) x d(-1) drugs for consecutively 90 days. On the 86th day, Morris water maze was adopted for them. On the 90th day, a leaning and memory capacity test was held. The brain tissues were fixed with 10% formaldehyde and observed for pathomorphism after routine slide preparation and staining. The expression of hippocampal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase was detected with immunohistochemistry and image quantitative analysis.

RESULTCompared with the model group, all of Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets groups showed significant decrease in the escape latency at the 5th day in the Morris water maze, and notable increase in the frequency of the first quadrant dwell, the frequency passing the escape platform and the frequency entering effective area (p < 0.05). According to the pathomorphological detection, the control group showed a significantly higher pathological score than the sham operation group (p < 0.01), the middle dose group showed a significantly lower pathological score than the model group (p < 0.05). According to the immunohistochemistical detection, the model control group showed a remarkably lower mean OD value of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase than the sham operation group (p < 0.05), high and middle dose groups showed a significantly higher mean od value than the model control group (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets can improve the learning and memory capacity, reduce pathological changes of hippocampal tissues of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia-induced learning and memory dysfunction model, and promote the expression of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in hippocampus.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tablets ; administration & dosage

Objective To study the diagnosis and treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 111 patients who received liver transplantation from November 2000 to December 2007 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The recipients were diagnosed as having CMV infection by the predisposing factors, clinical symptoms and detection of CMV-PP65 and CMV-IgM in peripheral blood specimens in combination with chest X-ray. The treatment of CMV infection was administration of Ganciclovir. Results Five recipients were diagnosed as having CMV infection, with the incidence of 4.5%. Two were diagnosed as having CMV pneumonitis, with the incidence of 1.8% (40% of the recipients having CMV infection). Two were both improved. Three were diagnosed as having CMV active infection. Two of them were cured and one was improved. Conclusion The detection of CMV-PP65 is necessary for early diagnosis and guiding treatment of CMV infection. Ganciclovir can exert significant therapeutic effects on CMV infection.

Objective To evaluate the long-term effect of hepatic arterial embolization with pingyangmycin-lipiodol emulsion (PLE) in patients with cavernous hemangiomas of the liver (CHL)and its influence factors.Methods One hundred and fifty-six hemangiomas that were diagnosed by imaging examinations or confirmed pathologically by surgery in 105 patients with integral follow-up data were analyzed retrospectively in this paper.All hemangiomas were divided into 4 groups according to their size (the largest size of hemangioma)by the authors as follows; A group(≤3 cm, n=25); B group(>3 cm and<5 cm, n =32) ;C group(≥5 cm and<10 cm, n=58); and D group(> 10 cm, n=41) .According to the number of abnormal sinusoids filled with the contrast medium in the angiography, 156 hemangiomas of this series were further classified as three types: abundant type (n=90) ; sparse type (n=9) and the middle type (n=57) .Hepatic arterial embolization with PLE was performed in the 105 patients with total 135 procedures (including single procedure in 75 patients, twice procedures in 30 patients).All of the 105 patients were followed up 3 to 8 years(mean 4 years) using US, CT or MRI or DSA.The criteria for the evaluation of curative effect were classified as best, good, recovery and no change in this series, and the sum of best and good effects were defined as the total effective rate.Then, the total effective rate of single procedure between the A, B groups and C, D groups; and the total effective rate of single procedure and twice procedures in the D groups, were compared statistically by X~2 test respectively.And the influence factors, included of the variant size of hemangiomas, abundant or sparse of abnormal sinusoids and the number of treatment procedures, were also analyzed and evaluated respectively.Results The total effective rate of the 156 hemangiomas in 105 patients was 92.95% (145/156).After single procedure of hepatic arterial embolization with PLE, the total effective rate of A and B groups were 100% (57/57), that of C and D groups were 85.86% (85/99), and the difference reach significant (X ~2=8.8553, P<0.01).In the D group, the total effective rate in group with twice procedures (100.00%,30/30) was significant higher (X~2 =5.2642,P<0.05) than those of group with single procedure (72.73%,8/11).Of this series, during the period of following-up, no recurrent or severe complications were observed.Conclusions A best long-term curative effect (complete cure) is usually obtained in the small hemangiomas with abundant abnormal sinusoids, and a satisfactory long-term curative effect can also be achieved in the larger or multiple hemangiomas, particularly in those hemangiomas with abundant abnormal sinusoids by using the repeat procedures of hepatic arterial embolization with PLE.

Objective To analyze the outcomes of bracing treatment for girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and to investigate the predictive factors of the protocol. Methods This study included 142 girls with AIS who finished standardized bracing treatment from July 2003 to July 2009. These patients had a mean age of 13.1±1.5 years, a mean main curve of 29.6°±5.4°, and a mean Risser grade of 2.0±1.5 before bracing treatment. Curve progression was defined that Cobb angle was greater than 6° compared to bracing initiation or was aggravated to more than 45° (indicative for surgery). The outcomes of bracing treatment were assessed based on the ratio of curves of progression or indicative for surgery. Chi-square and Logistic regression Analyses were performed to investigate the predictive factors of bracing treatment. Results The duration of bracing treatment averaged 2.5±1.0 years. Twenty-seven girls with curve progression (19%)and 115 girls (81%) with non-progression were found. Final curve which was greater than 45° was found in 18 girls (13%) who need a correction surgery, the remaining 124 girls (87%) had completed bracing treatment and avoided surgery. Chi-square analyses revealed that curve progression were more common in younger girls with lower Risser grade, with initial larger Cobb angle and with a main thoracic curve pattern.Logistic regression analyses found that premenarchal status and a main thoracic curve pattern were the independent risk factors of curve progression despite bracing. While initial Cobb angle which was greater than 30° was the additional independent risk factor of progression requiring surgery. Conclusion Bracing treatment could effectively prevent curve progression in most girls with AIS. The degree of growth maturity, the pattern and grade of curve are the influencing factor for bracing treatment.

Objective To investigate the influence of fusion to upper end vertebra(UEV)or not on the correction outcomes of Lenke type 5 idiopathic scoliosis with anterior selective fusion.Methods From January 2002 to December 2006,36 AIS patients with a Lenke type 5 curve received anterior single-rod selective fusion and had a minimum 2-year follow-up.According to the level of upper instrumented vertebra,the patients were divided into two groups:Group A(n=21),fused to UEV,and Group B(n=15),fused to the vertebra below UEV.Patients of Group A and B had a mean age of 15.3 and 15.5 years,a mean thoracolumbar/lumbar curve of 46.2° and 46.7°,and a mean proximal thoracic curve of 26.3° and 29.6°,respectively.During the surgery,average 5.3 and 4.8 levels of vertebrae were fused in Group A and B,respectively.Results Group A and B had a mean follow-up of 31 and 33 months,respectively.The correction rate of major curves in Group A was marginally higher than in Group B(79％ versus 70％,P=0.062),and the spontaneous correction rate of proximal curves in Group A was higher than in Group B(46％ versus 29％,P=0.044).Regarding the pre-operative sagittal profile,similar lumbar lordosis and sacral slope were observed between both groups,and a slight negative balance was maintained.Thoracic kyphosis showed a mild increment in both groups.Thoracolumbar junctional kyphosis resulted in a trivial kyphotic trend.Proximal junctional measurement showed a slight increment in kyphosis,and instrumented segment angle displayed a decreasing lordotic trend.Conclusion Fusion to UEV in anterior selective fusion of Lenke type 5 curve might lead to a better correction of the thoracolumbar/lumbar curve and the unfused proximal thoracic curve,while have no significant influence on the sagittal reconstruction.