OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis and explore its clinical effects with anti-TB drugs alone.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to July 2010, the data of 36 patients with spinal tuberculosis underwent conservative treatment of anti-TB drugs alone were analyzed. There were 19 males and 17 females with an average age of 73.5 years (ranged, 60 to 85). All patients were in the active phase with high ESR and CRP levels and were treated with 3HRZE/6-9HRE (course from 9 to 12 months). According to clinical symptoms, chemical examination, radiological image to adjust drug and depending on VAS score to evaluate pain.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 8 to 24 months with an average of 15 months. Tuberculose of 31 patients healed after chemotherapy from 9 to 12 months and ESR and CRP recovered normally. Levofloxacin and para-amino salicylic acid were used in 4 cases because of 4 cases occurred drug fast for RFP or INH, after 15 months, their obtained healing. Symptom of 1 case got worse during chemotherapy, and surgical treatment were performed, after 3 months, ESR and CRP recovered normally, X-ray and CT showed spinal osteosclerosis and fusion without significant kyphosis and internal fixation loosening. Cobb angle was respectively(17.6+/-2.3) degrees, (18.1+/-2.7) degrees before treatment and last follow-up (P>0.05). MRI showed abscess was absorbed and spinal inflammation subsidised. VAS score was respectively 6.5+/-1.7, 1.4+/-0.5 before treatment and last follow-up (P<0.05). Seven patients had complications relating with drug adverse reaction,after discontinuation and treated with clinical symptom,the patients recovered normally.

CONCLUSIONAnti-TB drugs alone can obtain satisfactory effects in treating early senile spinal tuberculosis, but strict supervision and individual administration should not be disregardful.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

AIM: The purpose of the study was to examine colon cancer cell lines to determine whether Stat5b/Survivin plays an important role in the process of apoptosis in colon cancer cells. METHODS: Protein lysates were extracted from colon cancer cells. Human colon cancer cell line HT29 was transfected with Stat5b antisense oligonucleotide mediated by liposome. MTT assay was used to measure the proliferation. Flow cytometry was applied to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis. EMSA was used to detect the activity of Stat5. Western blotting was applied to measure the expression of Stat5, p-Stat5, cyclin D1, Survivin, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. RESULTS: Targeting of Stat5 using antisense oligonucleotide against the translation site resulted in apoptosis and downregulaed the expressions of Stat5, p-Stat5, cyclin D1 and Survivin, but not Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. CONCLUSION: Constitutive activation of Stat5 is associated with the carcinogenesis of colon cancer cells. Blocking of Stat5 signaling inhibits the expression of Survivin and induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

Objective To investigate the effects of substrate stiffness on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVEC) during dengue virus infection.Methods Polyacrylamide gels were prepared for cell culture [(0±4) kPa].The proliferation of HUVEC cultured on substrates with differ-ent stiffness was determined by using 3-(4,5-diethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfo-phenyl)-2H-etrazolium,inner salt ( MTS) assay.The cycle and apoptosis of HUVEC were determined by flow cytometry analysis.Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) strains were propagated and identified by con-ventional assays.The HUVEC were infected with DENV-2 strains at a MOI of 10 and cultured on traditional plastic and hydrogel substrates, respectively.The levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were detected by nitric acid reductase assay and double antibody sandwich ELISA.Results Young′s modulus E value of the hydrogels was (3030 ±0.44) Pa.The proliferation of HUVEC and the expression of NO and ET-1 were enhanced along the increased substrate stiffness.However, no significant differences with the cell cycle and apoptosis were observed between cells cultured on different substrates.Conclusion The stiffness of substrates affected not only the proliferation of HUVEC, but also the release of cytokines during DENV-2 infection.The development of dengue fever was associated with the decreased secretion of vascular active substances as a result of blood vessel injury.The establishment of hydrogel substrates as the model of vascu-lar basement membranes might provide a new way for the in vitro investigation of the pathogenesis of DENV infection.

Objective To analyze the effects of dengue virus 2 ( DENV-2 ) infection on the ex-pression of IL-29 in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs) cultured on hydrogel sub-strates .Methods Primary HUVECs were isolated and cultured on hydrogel substrates .DENV-2 stains were used to infect the primary HUVECs at a multiplicity of infection( MOI) of 10.Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect the apoptosis and infection rate of HUVECs after 48 hours of culturing .The gene chip profiling was performed to analyze mRNA expression .The expression of IL-29 at mRNA and protein levels were measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis and double antibody sandwich ELISA as -say, respectively.Results Compared with 96.36%of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells that were infected with DENV-2 stains, only 4.71%primary HUVECs cultured on hydrogel substrates were infected .The pri-mary HUVECs cultured on hydrogel substrates with or without DENV-2 infection showed no significant differ-ences with the rates of cell apoptosis and infection (P>0.05).A significant difference was observed with the expression of IL-29 at mRNA level between primary HUVECs cultured on hydrogel substrates and the cells cultured in plastic bottles (P<0.05).The results of the real-time quantitative PCR analysis and ELISA as-say showed that IL-29 was highly expressed in DENV-2 infected primary HUVECs cultured on hydrogel sub-strates as compared with those in control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion The expression of IL-29 was de-tected in DENV-2 infected primary HUVECs cultured on hydrogel substrates , which was significantly differ-ent from that in DENV-2 infected primary HUVECs cultured in plastic bottles .The successful establishment of hydrogel substrates as the model of vascular basement membranes might provide a new way for the investi -gation of the pathogenesis of DENV infection .

Objective: To identify the differential proteins in the serum with anti-asthma activity of acupuncture to pinpoint the substance basis of anti-asthma activity of acupuncture by proteomics method. Methods: Two-dimensional electrophoresis of protein was employed to analyze the differential proteins in the serum with anti-asthma activity of acupuncture, and identify the differential proteins with mass spectrum technique. Results: In adrenalectomy (ADX)-asthma acupuncture group and asthma acupuncture group, two-dimensional electrophoresis showed that there was an obvious fuscous point (MW=44.1kD, PI=5.1), which was 60S ribosomal protein L13, or hypothetical protein FLJ32191 analyzed by mass spectrum technique, different from other groups. In ADX-asthma acupuncture group, there were two obviously fuscous points (MW=39.SkD, PI=4.9 and MW=39.SkD, PI=5.0), which were zinc finger protein 208, and thyroid hormone receptor-associated protein analyzed by mass spectrum technique, and two special proteins (MW=17.3kD, PI<4.5 and 16.9kD, PI<4.5), which were Cyclophilin A and zinc finger protein 91 analyzed by mass spectrum technique, different from other groups. Conclusion: There are multi-target effects regulating the whole body in acupuncture treating asthma relating to immunoloregulation, gene expression, and protein synthesization. The effects of acupuncture on the response proteins need further research.

Objective To detect the regulation of CXCL16 synthesis and shedding in first-trimester human trophoblasts. Methods Firstly, we analyzed the expression and secretion of chemokine CXCL16 in primary cultured trophoblasts by immunochemical staining and ELISA. Then we determined the soluble and cell-associated CXCLI6 respectively with and without treatments of cytokine IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4 and ADAM10 by ELISA. Results Trophoblast expressed and secreted CXCL16 in a stable level. Cytokine IFN-γ induced both synthesis and secretion of CXCL16 significantly ( P <0. 01 ) in trophoblasts. ADAM10 increased the shedding of chemokine domain of CXCL16 from trophoblasts but didn't influence the synthesis of CXCL16 protein in trophoblast. Conclusion IFN-γ and ADAM10 play important roles in production and shedding of transmembrane CXCL16 in first-trimester trophublasts.

Fibroma, Desmoplastic ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms ; pathology

The dielectric spectroscopy of human blood cells was measured within the frequency range of 0.01-100 MHz, and the dielectric numerical characters were determined as response to AC electric field. we measured the AC impedance of normal human blood cells with the impedance technique in the frequency domain, then the experimental data were drawn a relationship curve between the frequency of electric field and conductivity. The dielectric spectrum and the Cole-Cole plots of human blood cells were established. The characteristics of dielectric response of human blood cells were also established. The permittivity and the conductivity of human blood cells were frequency dependent, and dielectric dispersion of human blood cells had two characteristic frequencies: i.e. fc1, is 1.42 MHz, and fc2 is 3. 32 MHz.
Blood Cells ; physiology ; Electric Conductivity ; Electrochemistry ; Humans ; Spectrum Analysis ; methods

Objective To study the effect of attachment, coping style and social support on mental health in technical school students.Methods 372 technical school students were assessed by ECR(Experiences in Close Relationship's Inventory) ,Symptom Check Scale List-90 (SCL-90) and Coping Style Scale For Secondary School Students( CSS), Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist ( ASLEC), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS).Results ( 1 ) Life events had significant correlations with all indexes score of attachment anxiety ( r =0.293 ～ 0.356, P ＜0.01 ) ,the scale of coping style focus on emotion and the total score of SCL-90 ( r = 0.259 ～0.509, P＜0.01 ) ,and the total score of perceived social support had significant correlations with the total score of SCL-90 ( r =-0.238, P ＜ 0.01 ).( 2 ) Structural equation analysis ( model fit: χ2 = 540.593, RMSEA = 0.114,NFI = 0.864 ,CFI =0.884, P ＜ 0.01 ) showed that life events affect on mental health through the mediation effects of coping style focus on emotion, attachment anxiety and the perceived social support and coping style focus on emotion had most mediating effect on mental health ( mediation effect = 33.2% ).Conclusion Life events had both direct effect and indirect effect through coping style focus on emotion, attachment anxiety and the Perceived Social Support on mental health.

Objective Previous study showed that interval debulking surgery (IDS) may improve the survival of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).The precise significance of IDS needs to be evaluated.Methods Totally 136 consecutive patients with stage Ⅲ c or Ⅳ EOC (including primary peritoneal carcinoma and primary fallopian tube carcinoma ) who completed primary debulking surgery (PDS) and platinum-based chemotherapy were enrolled from January 2000 to December 2009 in a retrospective cohort study.The study group was divided into three groups:65 cases underwent optimal PDS (Group A ),41 cases received chemotherapy alone after suboptimal PDS (Group B ),and 30 patients underwent IDS after suboptimal PDS (Group C).All patients received six to eight courses of platinum-based combination chemotherapy (paclitaxel plus carboplatin/cisplatin,cyclophosphamide plus epirubicin and cisplatin).Patients' clinical characteristics,perioperative situation and prognosis were compared. Results Sixty-five cases (47.8％,65/136) from 136 patients achieved optimal PDS.For Group C,77％ (23/30)patients obtained optimal debulking surgery after IDS.Intraoperative injury rates were similar between Group B and Group C ( P ＞ 0.05 ).Mild perioperative complications rate was also similar ( P ＞0.05 ).Median progression-free survival (PFS) of Group A was 26 months.Median overall survival (OS) of Group B and Group C were 3l months and 40 months,respectively (P =0.254).Median PFS of Group B and Group C were 13 months and 24 months,respectively (P =0.289).Although when it came to 20 months after PDS,patients who underwent IDS had a significantly lower progressive disease (PD) rate (Group B 33％ versus Group C 61％,P =0.046 ),it still showed that there was no significant difference in either OS or PFS of these two groups.Those patients in Group C who obtained no visible residual got similar PFS (27 months) comparing to Group A (26 months,P =0.730),but OS was still shorter (P =0.010).Conclusions For advanced EOC patients,IDS has little effect on improving survival.While it is safe and acceptable,also may prolong PFS in those patients who got no visible residual after IDS.The results suggest that IDS might be used as an alternative treatment for advanced EOC patients who cannot obtain optimal PDS in certain local hospitals.